Eat the Week

Power Athlete Radio

Welcome to Eat the Week, your weekly digest of human performance. Every week, the crew chew through the biggest conversations in training, nutrition, recovery, and more.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Ep 4: Reigniting Your Athletic Spirit

    The advice to “train safe” can quietly turn into training small. Johnny Durrett joins Dr Ben Skutnik to explain how he broke out of maintenance mode, reignited his competitive edge, and started training like an athlete again - at 37, after years of doing everything right on paper but feeling like something was missing.   If you’ve ever looked at your routine and thought, “This is fine, but is this actually moving me forward?”, this conversation hits hard. Essential listening if you need a reset, a new goal, or just a reason to fall in love with training again.   Show Notes: https://bit.ly/ETW04   Timestamps 00:00 - Lost episode, community context, and introducing John Durrett  01:12 - Weather talk and the everyday life of a coach  02:19 - Why John is such a central voice in the Power Athlete community  03:34 - How John first got into coaching full time  04:32 - The middle school parking lot moment that changed everything  06:21 - Taking the strength and conditioning job and leaving teaching  08:40 - CrossFit Football seminar and the early Power Athlete influence  10:46 - How Power Athlete shifted his view from bodybuilding and CrossFit to athletic development 11:44 - The MMA gym opportunity that forced another leap 13:11 - Support from clients and the community during a risky career change 15:34 - Why getting Block One became the next step 17:02 - Athleticism as the North Star for training 18:20 - Why simple training principles are often the most powerful 21:30 - John’s early bodyweight, obesity, and relationship with food 24:18 - Martial arts as the one sport he always loved 25:43 - Getting into weight training as a kid 28:29 - The mirror moment that made his identity shift 29:53 - Training hard for years, cutting weight, and building momentum 33:13 - Why athletic training keeps him able to pivot into different phases of life 34:48 - The reawakening of John Durrett and why Hammer 90 changed his mindset 36:29 - Searching for meaning and realizing Grindstone had become too comfortable 38:19 - Why Hammer 90 felt real because of the people, leaderboard, and accountability 40:40 - Rediscovering the love of training 43:29 - Why Hammer 90 fit his lifestyle better than Field Strong at the time 44:54 - The trap of being “good enough” with maintenance training 46:42 - What changed in John’s energy and presence after recommitting 47:23 - Coaching from a different place now that he is training with purpose again 48:21 - How he sells Power Athlete programs to members at his MMA gym 49:18 - Using Bedrock for return to play after a bike accident 50:57 - Why coaches need to walk the walk 51:45 - What listeners may be missing if they want their own reawakening 52:51 - Why Bedrock is brutally effective and not for the complacent 54:09 - Why everyone should train for something specific 55:32 - Organizing a 5K and getting the gym community into a race 56:52 - A 70 something client, training, and putting Yosemite on the calendar 59:12 - Ballroom dancing, obstacle course racing, and the value of having an event 60:48 - If you are not training for something, you may not be training as a power athlete 61:45 - Where to find John and where to train at Underdog

    Ep 4: Reigniting Your Athletic Spirit
  2. Aug 10

    Ep 2: Mastering The Power of Patience

    Dr. Ben Skutnik is joined by fellow Power Athlete Certified Master Coach Dennis Dolan, who shares his journey from athletic trainer to Power Athlete Master Coach and why intentional movement is the foundation of long-term performance. The conversation explores how patience, consistency, and adaptability create better athletes, whether you're chasing performance, returning from injury, or simply looking to move better for life. Ben and Dennis break down practical strategies for reducing injury risk, building effective warm-up routines that actually prepare you to train, and developing the mindset needed to keep improving at any age. If you want straightforward coaching advice you can apply immediately, this episode delivers practical takeaways without the BS. Show notes: https://bit.ly/ETW02 Time stamps: 00:00 - Ben introduces Dennis Dolan and the episode’s focus on training, readiness, and recovery 00:46 - Dennis’s background as a high school athletic trainer and how he found CrossFit Football 01:57 - The 2011 Denver seminar and why the Power Athlete approach made immediate sense 03:27 - Bedrock success with a “unicorn” athlete and how that led to deeper involvement 04:54 - Joining the beta group and becoming embedded in the organization 05:40 - Why Dennis functions like Power Athlete’s athletic trainer 08:23 - How Dennis uses warm-ups to expose limitations before the main session 09:48 - Why immediate feedback during warm-ups gets people bought in 11:31 - Adults versus younger athletes and how ego changes coaching 12:54 - The German language analogy for teaching movement 14:02 - Training around limitations without waiting to be “fully recovered” 15:12 - Why bad squat mechanics do not make someone a bad person 16:40 - Using basketball and sport examples to explain movement improvement 18:01 - Athlete mindset beyond sport and how it applies to work and life 19:49 - The top fault Dennis sees: movement without intent 21:38 - Why people need to move more and stop being so regimented 22:19 - Real-life movement examples, including kids and defensive athletic positions 24:04 - Scaling and substitutions to fit the athlete instead of forcing the template 25:21 - How Power Athlete coaches shift programming around injury, limits, and goals 26:42 - Not all agility work needs to look like sport, but it still has value 28:08 - Dennis’s own programming journey from collegiate to amateur and beyond 29:34 - Why he wants people to finish the full work, including sprints and prep 30:29 - Where Dennis is now: Bedrock, Field Strong, and Johnny Wad 31:35 - Getting stronger and faster in his 40s on Field Strong 32:22 - Why Ben wants more regular sprint work and better sprint prep 34:20 - Dennis’s wood bat baseball story and what it revealed about readiness 36:46 - Why people should start at the right dose instead of going all out 38:31 - The value of scaling intensity instead of avoiding movement 40:55 - Dennis’s final advice: be kinder to yourself and stay patient 43:53 - Where to find Dennis in Overland Park, Kansas and at Restore Thrive 45:00 - Why his clinic is cash-based and built around individualized care

    Ep 2: Mastering The Power of Patience
  3. Aug 3

    Ep 1: Mastering Athleticism

    Unlock the secret to becoming a more athletic, resilient version of yourself—without spending hours in the gym. Power Athlete Master Coach David McKercher reveals how sprinting, strength, and consistency can transform your body and performance at any age. If you’ve ever felt stuck in traditional workouts, this episode will challenge your assumptions and show you a simple, proven path to better movement, faster recovery, and real athleticism. David, a seasoned coach since 2006, shares how his evolution from internet commentator to elite trainer has shaped his approach. You’ll discover why sprinting is the ultimate foundation for functional strength—beyond just muscle building—and how to incorporate volume and intensity training safely, even if you’re new or been away for years. He breaks down the importance of authentic effort, the power of failure, and why continuous movement expression is the true goal of all training. We also explore the broader philosophy of consistency, emphasizing that following a sound plan beats obsessing over perfect execution every time. Whether you're an adult looking to regain speed or an athlete aiming for peak performance, this episode redefines what it means to train productively and sustainably. Hear why sprinting isn’t just about speed—it's the key to unlocking your full movement potential. Learn how to push your boundaries without risking injury and why effort, not just results, is what really matters. If you're tired of superficial routines and hungry for training that delivers real-world athleticism, this conversation will put you back on track.  Tune in to find out how to turn your training into a lifelong expression of power and speed—at any age. Perfect for anyone committed to movement, performance, and long-term results. Don’t miss this blend of experience, science, and raw honesty from one of the most authentic voices in the fitness space. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guest, David McKercher 02:22 - Transition from internet persona to in-person coaching and community involvement 04:52 - David’s early athletic background and pathway into power athlete training 07:47 - The evolution of Power Athlete programming and program selection principles 09:29 - The role of athleticism, sprinting, and performance in training emphasis 11:23 - Personal experiences with sprinting progress and volume training benefits 12:47 - Restoring movement and expression through sprinting and athletic drills 15:00 - The importance of volume sprinting versus intensity efforts for repeatability 16:45 - Overcoming mental barriers and fear of sprinting in training environments 19:08 - The significance of failure, consistency, and realistic performance expectations 22:19 - The impact of hypertrophy work on sprinting and athletic performance 23:16 - Balancing training volume, intensity, and recovery for optimal results 26:10 - The importance of technical feedback and video analysis in sprinting progress 29:24 - Why skipping sprinting and expression is a missed opportunity in training plans 30:42 - Practical advice for adults and athletes to incorporate sprinting safely and effectively 34:17 - Combining strength, speed, and endurance for full athletic expression 36:17 - Mindset shift: trust the training process and consistency as the key to results 38:41 - The value of following programs closely and not skipping key components like sprinting 39:36 - Reaching out and connecting with coaches for personalized guidance 41:51 - Final thoughts: People helping people — the power of community and shared goals

    Ep 1: Mastering Athleticism

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to Eat the Week, your weekly digest of human performance. Every week, the crew chew through the biggest conversations in training, nutrition, recovery, and more.