The Science of Fitness Podcast

Science of Fitness

Welcome to the Science Of Fitness podcast where we aim to inspire you to live a healthier and more fulfilling life as we share evidence and anecdotes on all things health, fitness, performance, wellness and business. Hosted by Kieran Maguire, Co-Owner and Director of Science Of Fitness with an Undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Masters degree in High Performance, the podcast includes guests and friends of SOF from all walks of life sharing their knowledge and stories within their field of expertise. Join us as we provide listeners with digestible and relatable educational tools and entertaining stories to inspire a healthier and more fulfilling life.  

  1. MAY 9

    How Sport Builds Belonging For People With Dr Lulu Pullar

    We sit down with Dr Lulu Pullar, Brisbane Lions AFLW player and doctor, to unpack why sport can be the simplest pathway to belonging, confidence, and hope. We also go deep on what it takes to balance elite performance with emergency medicine, and why access matters more than talent when you’re building futures in remote Australia.  • the real purpose of DreameD and why “freedom to dream” comes first  • football as the connector for identity, belonging, and community strength in remote Indigenous communities  • Lulu’s sporting background and why switching from soccer to AFL felt natural  • why women’s sport quality rises with access to strength and conditioning from a young age  • keeping joy at the centre of sport to survive the grind of high performance  • what parents and coaches can do without taking choice away from the athlete  • the reality of balancing medicine and AFLW and the self-doubt it creates  • how elite sport improves clinical practice through feedback, reflection, and communication  • making medicine more accessible so the workforce better represents the community  • lifestyle medicine and preventative health as credible healthcare interventions  • what DreameD camps deliver on the ground and why connection across communities is a win  • sponsorship, funding, and practical ways people can support DreameD and tell better stories from Central Australia  Be sure to check us out across all forms of social media and subscribe to this channel if you want to stay up to date to the latest episodes and any other anecdotes with which we might share across these video platforms. If you ever find yourself locally in Brisbane, be sure to drop into one of our facilities or down on the Gold Coast in Burley. You can also check us out at scienceoffitness.com.au and see all things relating to what we offer in programming and performance, whether it’s online or in person.

    1h 18m
  2. 12/12/2025

    Under the mask, lessons from Anaesthetist Dr Conrad Macrokanis

    Surgery isn’t a Netflix nap. It’s a high‑stakes team effort where your anaesthetist runs the room, balances risk, and quietly steers you from fear to recovery. We sit with Dr Conrad Makrikanis to decode what really happens before the first dose, why obesity is a medical emergency, and how prehab can slash complications by half. Conrad traces a path from rural retrievals to Brisbane theatres, revealing how prevention often lives in a bubble while most patients arrive in crisis. He breaks down GLP‑1 agonists—how they silence food noise, why they’re not a quick fix, and how to protect muscle with resistance training and protein. We go deep on NEAT, the underrated daily movement that improves endothelial health, lowers clot risk, sharpens insulin sensitivity, and speeds wound healing. If you’ve got joint pain or a surgery date, his blueprint is clear: two strength sessions, two aerobic sessions, eight hours of sleep, six to eight weeks off smoking, minimal alcohol, and a plan for post‑op care at home. We also talk anxiety. Information lowers fear, and a simple pre‑op call with your anaesthetist can change your whole day. Learn the real risks—nausea, soreness, rare awareness—and why timing, age, urgency, and even after‑midnight cases influence outcomes. From Indigenous health contrasts to the power of community programs that drive prehab compliance, this is a candid look at what moves the needle in modern care. The future? Personalised anaesthesia guided by pharmacogenetics and CNS profiles. Until then, prepare like an athlete and recover like a pro. If this conversation helped you feel more prepared, follow the show, share it with a friend facing surgery, and leave a review so more people can find it. Your next best outcome starts with one small step today.

    1h 10m
  3. 12/05/2025

    Recovery Applied with TH7 Founder - Tom Harvey

    What if recovery wasn’t a luxury but the easiest way to upgrade sleep, focus, training, and mood? We sit down with TH7 co-founder Tom Harvey to map the shift from novelty wellness to purpose-built protocols that respect time, deliver clarity, and actually make your week feel better. Over the last 18 months Tom’s team opened four clinics and learned why consistency beats variety, how to turn protocols into habits, and what separates a true recovery experience from a sauna and ice bath shoved in a corner. Tom pulls back the curtain on the operational details that change outcomes: CO2-managed saunas that keep you clear-headed, pristine hot and cold pools auto-tested every ten seconds, and a custom booking system that sequences each step so you’re never stuck waiting. We break down the Nordic protocol—20 minutes heat, guided hot-cold cycling, steam, and a final cold hit—and explain why it remains the most copied format in the space. We also dig into what they scrapped (float tanks, certain mix-and-match combos), what scales and what doesn’t (cryo), and why hyperbaric oxygen therapy pairs so well with full-body red light for return-to-play and deep work focus. You’ll hear how heat before bed can set up deeper sleep through a thermal drop, why cold in the morning sharpens alertness, and how breath-led exposures make you calmer under pressure in daily life. Most of all, you’ll get a realistic playbook: make it social, lock a weekly slot, aim for the minimum effective dose, and let recovery become a multiplier for training, work, and home. If you want wellness that fits your life—not the other way around—this conversation gives you the framework to start today. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a mate, and leave a review so we can help more people build smarter recovery habits.

    58 min
  4. 11/29/2025

    Sport Psychology: Mastering Change And Mindset With Tama Barry

    What if the most valuable performance upgrade isn’t more effort, but more honesty with yourself? We sit down with Tama Barry — former principal dancer turned sport and exercise psychologist — to map the messy terrain between certainty and growth, and how language, values, and attention shape every outcome you care about. Tama opens up about the intensity of professional ballet, the abrupt end through knee injury, and the long stretch of highly functional depression that followed. From there, we dig into adjustment disorder, identity beyond a job title, and the often invisible work of rebuilding a purpose-led life. Along the way we challenge sloppy mental health language, separate “conflict” from “a hard conversation,” and show how precise words can calm the nervous system and unlock better behaviour. If you lead teams, coach athletes, parent, or just want to get unstuck, you’ll find practical tools: emotion check-ins, values clarification, and the ACT framework for psychological flexibility. We also zoom out to the system: why teams need shared language for buy-in, how coaches can cue “hold it lighter” instead of “do it perfectly,” and why friendships deserve the same repair as romantic relationships. Tama speaks candidly about dehumanisation, queer rights, and how policy shapes wellbeing, urging critical thinking as a health skill. The pattern is consistent across sport and everyday life: notice what’s real, align actions to who you want to be, and carry difficult feelings without letting them drive. If you’re ready to move from coping to flourishing, this conversation gives you a map and the first steps. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with one value you’ll act on this week.

    1h 48m

About

Welcome to the Science Of Fitness podcast where we aim to inspire you to live a healthier and more fulfilling life as we share evidence and anecdotes on all things health, fitness, performance, wellness and business. Hosted by Kieran Maguire, Co-Owner and Director of Science Of Fitness with an Undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Masters degree in High Performance, the podcast includes guests and friends of SOF from all walks of life sharing their knowledge and stories within their field of expertise. Join us as we provide listeners with digestible and relatable educational tools and entertaining stories to inspire a healthier and more fulfilling life.  

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