Training and Tangents Podcast

Tom Morgan and Ben Mudge
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  • Fitness

If we’d asked ChatGPT to write this caption it would probably say this podcast is “No Fluff.”  Not only would that be incredibly cringe, it would also be quite untrue.  What you’ll actually get from this podcast is a real world view and perspective on training, nutrition and lifestyle from 2 guys that combined have been training and coaching for over 30 years. We want to make fitness more accessible, remove barriers that stop people making this a consistent part of their lives and have some fun, tell a few stories and invariably go off on a few tangents along the way. 

  1. 14h ago

    Season 2 Episode #9 - Superheroes, Steroids and Sun Cream

    This one's a tangent episode in the truest sense — and we make no apologies for it. Tom and Ben dig into something that doesn't get talked about honestly enough in the fitness world: the gap between what superhero physiques look like on screen and what it actually takes to get there. Not to be killjoys about it, but because understanding that gap matters more than most people realise. From Hugh Jackman's Wolverine progression to Brad Pitt in Fight Club, from the bodybuilders who played the original Hollywood heroes to the machinery behind modern Marvel transformations, this one covers a lot of ground. There's also a story Ben has never told before involving a Zoom call, a fake Hollywood producer, and possibly Margot Robbie. In this episode: Why superhero physiques are designed to be seen for one day, not lived inThe difference between being inspired by a physique and being harmed by oneWhy comparison is a poison chalice and what to do with that insteadHow social media has changed what people think is normal or achievableThe Rob McElhenney Fat Mac story and why his honesty about getting in shape mattersWhy bodybuilding in the seventies looked nothing like it does today — and what that tells usBen's never-before-told story about a very suspicious Hollywood job offerWakanda vs Asgard, Mjolnir vs the shield, and other important debates The would you rather: Wakanda or Asgard? Mjolnir or Captain America's shield?

  2. Sep 1

    Season 2 Episode #8 - "At 43, I started living" with Jamie Weston

    Jamie Weston spent nearly 30 years in a cycle that will feel familiar to more people than would care to admit it, trying everything, falling down, getting back up, and still not being able to find a way out. This episode is about what finally changed, and why. This isn't a transformation story in the way the fitness industry usually tells them. There are no before and after photos here. What Jamie shares is something far more valuable, what it actually feels like when the noise goes quiet, and what it took to get there. In this episode: The moment at 43 that made Jamie feel like he was starting to live for the first timeWhy asking yourself difficult questions is harder than any diet or training programmeHow a memory from age three shaped decades of decisions around foodThe community day in Leeds where something finally clicked — and what that felt likeWhy accountability became the unexpected key that unlocked everythingThe difference between beating yourself up and being genuinely compassionate with yourselfWhat Jamie would say to his lowest self — and why he wouldn't actually change anythingThe three traits future Jamie will still carry no matter whatWhy documenting everything publicly became the thing that made quitting feel impossible Jamie's loading screen advice: You can't add more time to your life, but you can add life to your time. Find Jamie: Instagram: @300_days_to_see_my_willy

  3. Aug 25

    Season 2 - Episode #7 - Overrated, Underrated or Dead Wrong: Wellness Edition

    Overrated, Underrated or Dead Wrong: Wellness Edition The game is back. This time Tom and Ben turn their attention to the wellness world — the things the fitness industry tells you to swear by, the things it quietly ignores, and the one drink Ben will defend until his last breath. Ten topics. Two coaches. The signs are out. Let's go. In this episode: Supersets — efficiency tool or overhyped shortcut?HIIT training — why the afterburn effect isn't what you think it isCold plunges — the science vs the social media versionMonster Energy — is it actually special or just caffeine that tastes goodExercise classes — why Ben changed his mind entirely on this oneThe anabolic window — how the supplement industry turned a minor detail into a major selling pointSports massages — Tom and Ben disagree, and both make a solid caseFitness influencers — take everything with a very large pinch of saltTen thousand steps — where that number actually came from might surprise youTraining partners — the best thing for your training or the thing quietly holding you backPlus a would you rather that gets genuinely philosophical, would you trade ten years of your life for a superpower you actually want?

  4. Aug 18

    Season 2 - Episode #6 - "You'll Never Train Again" with Ian Molphy

    You'll Never Train Again Those were the words a consultant said to Ian Molphy after he suffered an arterial dissection in his brain mid-training session in 2020. He disagreed. This week Tom and Ben are joined by Ian Malfey, owner of KHP Gym in Dublin, for a conversation about what it actually takes to come back from something that should have stopped you for good, and what that experience taught him about coaching, communication, and the power of starting stupidly small. Ian's story isn't just about physical recovery. It's about what happens when someone tells you who you are and you decide not to believe them. In this episode: How a near-fatal brain injury mid-squat session changed how Ian thinks about training and coaching foreverWhy patience is the most underrated quality in both athletes and coachesThe "start so small you feel stupid" approach and why it works better than any structured programmeHow the words a doctor uses can define someone's relationship with their body for the rest of their lifeWhy Ian challenges new clients who want to train five days a week to prove they can do one firstThe call-out culture problem in the fitness industry and why it's doing more damage than goodWhat KHP Gym is actually trying to build, and why community is often the real reason people walk through the doorIan's current training focus and why he's approaching running like a complete beginner Important note — Ian's decision to return to training after his injury was made gradually, carefully, and with his own research and medical follow-up over a long period of time. His story is about resilience and the power of asking questions, not about ignoring medical advice. If you're dealing with a serious health condition or injury, please work with qualified medical professionals before making any decisions about your training. Ian did too — it just took time and a lot of patience to find the right path back. Find Ian: Instagram: @ian.molphy Gym insta: @khpgym Website: khpgym.ie

  5. Aug 11

    Season 2 - Episode #5 - We Were Wrong

    We Were Wrong Every coach gets things wrong. The good ones admit it. In this episode Tom and Ben go back through some of the beliefs they held early in their careers, things they told clients, things they trained themselves on, things they were convinced were right and break down why they've changed their minds. No ego. Just honest reflection on what a decade of coaching actually teaches you. In this episode: Why Tom made every client start with bodyweight before touching a barbell, and why he stoppedThe free weights vs machines debate and why the answer is simpler than the fitness industry makes it lookWhy Ben used to think compound lifts were the only option, and what changedThe squat, bench, deadlift obsession and whether everyone actually needs those movementsIsolation exercises - necessary or a waste of time for most people?Why long warm-ups might be eating into the time your clients actually needThe carb fear phase and how focusing on the wrong thing stalled progress for yearsWhy the spiral after an off day does more damage than the off day itselfThe real reason people don't make progress and it's not what most fitness content tells youThe through line in all of it? Maturity. Understanding that the goal isn't the perfect programme. It's keeping people in the game.

  6. Aug 4

    Season 2 - Episode #4 - How to Train like a Dwarven Fighter with Aaron Davies

    How to Train Like a Dwarven Fighter This week Tom and Ben are joined by Aaron Davies, strength coach, Dungeon Master, and the man behind Team Uruk, for an episode that approaches training from a completely different angle. If you've ever wondered what your training would look like if you built it around a character archetype rather than an aesthetic goal, this one is for you. Aaron breaks down the physical demands of four fantasy archetypes and maps them to real training principles. It's more useful than it sounds, and a lot more fun than your average training podcast. In this episode: The Dwarven Fighter — why density, constitution and consistent output matter more than peak strengthThe Elven Ranger — athleticism, short burst outputs and staying calm under pressureThe Human Rogue — why being light, reactive and dexterous beats being big and strongWhat Team Uruk actually is and why Aaron built his coaching philosophy around Uruk HaiWhy managing expectations is the same skill whether you're coaching clients or running a D&D campaignThe Gimli vs Legolas Hyrox debate, and why the answer is more obvious than you'd thinkWhy the best ability is availability, and what a Dwarven Fighter can teach you about recovery and showing up Find Aaron: Instagram @aarondaviescoaching

  7. Jul 28

    Season 2 - Episode #3 - Overrated, Underrated or Dead Wrong: Training Edition

    Overrated, Underrated or Dead Wrong: Training Edition We're back with another round of the game. This time Tom and Ben turn their attention to training — and some of the most talked about concepts in the gym get put firmly in their place. From how close you should actually be pushing to failure, to whether perfect technique is holding you back more than helping you, nothing is safe. In this episode: Training to failure — how close is close enough and when does it become counterproductiveProgressive overload — why Milo of Croton figured this out in 5th century BC and most people still haven'tMind to muscle connection — useful cue or obsession that's limiting your progressCompound lifts — the most efficient tool most people still underuseExercise variety — why getting intimate with your programme beats constantly switching it upDeload weeks — necessary recovery or something life already handles for youTraining frequency — how often should you actually be hitting each muscle groupPerfect technique — when chasing the textbook rep becomes the barrierTracking workouts — if you don't know what you did last session, you can't beat itConsistency — what it actually means versus what most people think it means Plus the return of the would you rather — this time involving five faceless robots, a locked gymnasium, and a countdown timer. You'll have to listen.

  8. Jul 21

    Season 2 - Episode #2 - The Voice in Your Head is Lying to You with Tom Kerensa

    The Voice in Your Head Is Lying to You This week Tom and Ben are joined by Tom Kerensa, GP, coach, and holder of a Master's in Positive Psychology for a conversation that goes well beyond the gym floor. If you've ever skipped a session and immediately told yourself you're rubbish, or felt like you're the only one who can't seem to get out of their own way, this one's for you. They get into what positive psychology actually is (and what it isn't), why the inner critic is often full of nonsense, and why the coaches and influencers telling you three glasses of wine ruins your week might be doing more harm than good. In this episode: What positive psychology is and how it differs from traditional psychologySelf-determination theory, the three things that actually drive motivationFixed vs growth mindset and how to spot which one is running the showWhy great coaches don't do the heavy lifting for their clientsThe all-or-nothing trap and how to get out of itWhy presence might be the most underrated coaching skill there isHealth maxing, Stephen Bartlett, and what happens when optimisation goes too far Connect with Tom Kerensa: tomkerensacoaching@gmail.com

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About

If we’d asked ChatGPT to write this caption it would probably say this podcast is “No Fluff.”  Not only would that be incredibly cringe, it would also be quite untrue.  What you’ll actually get from this podcast is a real world view and perspective on training, nutrition and lifestyle from 2 guys that combined have been training and coaching for over 30 years. We want to make fitness more accessible, remove barriers that stop people making this a consistent part of their lives and have some fun, tell a few stories and invariably go off on a few tangents along the way. 

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Morgan and Ben Mudge
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Tom Morgan and Ben Mudge
  • Show Website
    Training and Tangents Podcast

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