Between Sets: Where Sustainable High Performance Is Built

Michael Schwartz Coaching & Consulting
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  • HEALTH & FITNESS

Between Sets is a performance lab podcast for leaders, teams, athletes, and high-performing creatives who want to sustain elite output. Presented by Michael Schwartz, each episode breaks down recovery-first systems that increase capacity, reduce breakdown cycles, and protect long-term performance. From nervous system regulation and sleep architecture to load management and identity design, this show focuses on the infrastructure behind sustainable high performance. Because more is more. Better is better.  Performance is tested under pressure. It’s built between sets.

Episodes

  1. FEB 4

    E3 | Strength Is More Than Working Out, It's How You Come Back

    On today's episode, we share how grinding for output without recovery drains capacity and dulls presence. We reframe strength as resilience, explore “working in” vs “working out,” and show how belief systems shape stress, recovery, and sustainable progress. • being recognized for perseverance over points • difference between output and staying power • working in practices that restore the system • REST as recovery enables sustainable training • pacing with flow instead of constant go • identity and belief shaping stress and recovery costs • preview of deeper dive into story and identity next time Support the show That’s it for today’s set. If something in this episode resonated, let it sit with you for a bit. If you want to go a little deeper, I write about these ideas every Friday. You can get them delivered right to your mailbox, just click here: Between Sets : Field Notes. And if you’re curious what this looks like in real life - on the gym floor, in the studio or in your own world- you can learn more about working with me at trainwithoutpain.ca. I'm constantly updating that page with free trial workouts, albums and other goodies to help folks out. Until next time, stay sweet. Take care of what happens between the work.

    8 min
  2. E2 | Sound Sets the Tone

    JAN 18

    E2 | Sound Sets the Tone

    Ever notice how one song can tilt your whole day? We trace that feeling back to the body, showing how sound acts like a weather report for your nervous system, signaling safety, urgency, or ease before you’ve had time to think. From heartbreak anthems and creek‑side kisses to rink‑side warm‑ups and late‑night lifts, we connect personal moments to a bigger idea: your soundtrack is shaping your breath, your focus, and your truth. This is where it starts for me when I'm coaching. We break down the simple physiology behind it. Fast, jagged audio pulls your breath high and tight; slow, steady tones invite longer exhales and a calmer disposition. That shift decides whether you open up or brace. We explore why this matters for recovery and capacity; the twin engines that determine how much you can carry in a day... and why most of us burn energy on noise before we touch real work.  You’ll learn how to use sound intentionally;what to play before deep work, when to lean on hype tracks, and why the best insights often arrive after the music stops. As promised: here's that video from Matilda. A bunch of kids revolting to Rob Zombie's "Dragula". Music makes this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKrCAzIBZYw And... my "First's Playlist" on Apple Music. Feel free to add yours here: https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/pl.u-A2x3u27e34a?a=join&it=qvEOSmjDKEZTnP0br I'm curious to hear your life through sound.  Challenge Prompt for you: What sounds are you're listening to... and what sounds are you tolerating? They're both shaping you. Support the show That’s it for today’s set. If something in this episode resonated, let it sit with you for a bit. If you want to go a little deeper, I write about these ideas every Friday. You can get them delivered right to your mailbox, just click here: Between Sets : Field Notes. And if you’re curious what this looks like in real life - on the gym floor, in the studio or in your own world- you can learn more about working with me at trainwithoutpain.ca. I'm constantly updating that page with free trial workouts, albums and other goodies to help folks out. Until next time, stay sweet. Take care of what happens between the work.

    8 min
  3. E1 | From Barbells To Backline: Where Progress Hides... The Magic Between Sets

    SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    E1 | From Barbells To Backline: Where Progress Hides... The Magic Between Sets

    What if the real breakthrough is less about the rep or the riff, and more about the breath you take before the next one? We open the door to a different way of building strength and craft: by treating the pause as training. After twenty years coaching functional movement and performance mindset, and twenty-two making music from the kit to the studio, I’ve learned that the quiet space between sets is where intent locks in and results compound. I share the origin story: farm-bred problem solving, stubborn practice, and messy action that became a method. We trace the parallels between gym floor and stage; how the drummer sets the heartbeat, why the band’s huddle saves the show, and how reading the room mirrors reading your body. Instead of chasing numbers or applause, we build behaviors: breath work, clean mechanics, better cues, and smarter recovery. That’s where athletes move more and hurt less, and musicians tour harder without burning out. Mentorship threads through it all. The best coaches and the sharpest players taught me to listen first. Two ears, one mouth becomes a principle for progress, and music itself turns into a training tool... regulating arousal, setting tempo, and focusing attention. We talk about what to keep, what to cut, and what to limit, so you can protect capacity and perform when it counts. If you’ve ever wondered how to translate grit into sustainable growth, this is your map for both barbell and backline. If this resonates, tap follow, leave a five-star review, and share it with someone who needs a smarter reset. Your support is appreciated as this show is people powered. tell me your best “between sets” ritual and what you’ll change before your next rep or next setlist. Support the show That’s it for today’s set. If something in this episode resonated, let it sit with you for a bit. If you want to go a little deeper, I write about these ideas every Friday. You can get them delivered right to your mailbox, just click here: Between Sets : Field Notes. And if you’re curious what this looks like in real life - on the gym floor, in the studio or in your own world- you can learn more about working with me at trainwithoutpain.ca. I'm constantly updating that page with free trial workouts, albums and other goodies to help folks out. Until next time, stay sweet. Take care of what happens between the work.

    14 min

Trailer

About

Between Sets is a performance lab podcast for leaders, teams, athletes, and high-performing creatives who want to sustain elite output. Presented by Michael Schwartz, each episode breaks down recovery-first systems that increase capacity, reduce breakdown cycles, and protect long-term performance. From nervous system regulation and sleep architecture to load management and identity design, this show focuses on the infrastructure behind sustainable high performance. Because more is more. Better is better.  Performance is tested under pressure. It’s built between sets.

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