Parkinson's: An Athlete's Journey

Eric Von Frohlich and Todd Vogt
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Fitness

Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey is for athletes navigating Parkinson’s, the coaches and clinicians who train them, and anyone who wants real-world strategies for performance and longevity. Hosted by Eric Von Frohlich and Todd Vogt, the show focuses on tactical takeaways: how to train, recover, manage symptoms, and stay consistent when the rules keep changing. Expect honest conversations, tested routines, and guest experts who go deeper on what works.

  1. 3d ago

    Before You Decide You Can't

    Eric and Todd are back together on the pod, catching up on everything that has changed since they last sat down. Todd has started a new full-time job, Eric has been recovering from a medical procedure, and both of them have been trying to find their footing with movement, training, and the usual unpredictability that comes with Parkinson’s. They talk about getting back into exercise, building routines that can survive real life, and Eric’s recent fishing trip to Alaska, where a little planning, a few adaptations, and support from the people around him made it possible to stay fully part of the experience. They reflect on how easily life can start to get smaller after diagnosis, and how friendship, preparation, and being willing to accept help can keep more of it open. Key Takeaways ➡️ Life can get smaller before it has to.Eric and Todd talk about how Parkinson’s can lead people to step back from plans, travel, and everyday experiences before they know what is still possible. ➡️ Adaptation keeps you in the experience.On Eric’s fishing trip to Alaska, support from family, help with the physical details, and clear expectations allowed him to stay involved instead of sitting the trip out. ➡️ Accepting help is not the same as giving up independence.The conversation explores the discomfort of relying on others and how the right support can make it possible to keep training, traveling, and participating in the parts of life that matter. Key Moments 00:00 Eric and Todd Catch Up; Moving, Recovery & Life Updates05:41 Todd’s New Work Routine; Making Exercise Automatic06:36 Eric Returns to the Rowing Machine After Three Months07:50 Alaska Trip; Doubt, Balance & Showing Up Anyway10:11 Learned Helplessness; How Life Can Start to Get Smaller11:53 Saying Yes When Parkinson’s Makes Plans Uncertain12:21 Asking for Help; Independence, Frustration & Daily Challenges14:50 Travel, Medication Timing & Disrupted Routines16:27 Adapting the Fishing Trip; Support That Keeps You Involved17:23 Family Support; Accepting Help Without Feeling Like a Burden About the Hosts Eric Von Frohlich and Todd Vogt are athletes living with Parkinson’s, sharing the day to day reality of training, adapting, and figuring it out as they go. They explore what helps, what does not, and how to keep moving forward with purpose. Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    Before You Decide You Can't

  2. Jul 8

    Pedaling 1,010 Miles to Phoenix | Rob Warner

    Rob Warner’s athletic life was built one challenge at a time. First it was climbing stairs. Then Mount Whitney. Then cycling. Then triathlons. Each step gave him a new way to measure effort, build confidence, and stay connected to what his body could do. When Parkinson’s symptoms first appeared, Rob thought he was dealing with an injury from a triathlon fall. Instead, after a long diagnostic process that included an early concern about ALS, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2008. Since then, Rob has kept adapting. He has trained, raced, raised money through Parkinson’s events, gone through DBS, dealt with freezing, falls, dyskinesia, a broken back from a bike crash, and still continued looking for ways to stay active. Rob talks with Eric about family, faith, humor, cycling, the Ride to Phoenix, and why movement still matters after nearly two decades with Parkinson’s. Key Takeaways ➡️ Movement kept giving Rob a way forward.From Mount Whitney to cycling to triathlons, Rob kept finding new challenges that helped him stay connected to his body before and after diagnosis. ➡️ Adaptation is not one decision. It keeps changing.Rob has adjusted through DBS, medication changes, freezing, dyskinesia, falls, injuries, and new tools like an e-bike. The work is ongoing. ➡️ Support matters when it protects agency.Family, guides, doctors, and riding partners help Rob keep participating without turning him into someone who needs to be pitied or held back. ➡️ Community turns effort into purpose.Through fundraising, Cycling to End Parkinson’s, the Ride to Phoenix, and the World Parkinson’s Congress, Rob uses movement to connect with others and build something larger than his own diagnosis. Key Moments 0:59 Life before diagnosis; Lancaster, Edwards Air Force Base, flight test engineering2:33 First symptoms; left pinky movement, arm swing changes, triathlon fall3:22 Early ALS concern; waiting for answers with four young children4:18 Parkinson’s diagnosis; relief, uncertainty, and having something concrete to face5:05 Hiding symptoms at work; disclosure, coworkers, and relief after telling the truth7:08 Family response; humor, support, and not being treated with pity10:24 Athletic background; Mount Whitney, cycling, and finding triathlon14:28 Racing with symptoms; dystonia, running backward, and adapting mid-race18:00 Moving closer to care; family support and the realities of daily limitation22:51 Exercise becomes advocacy; fundraising through Parkinson’s events23:56 Choosing DBS to protect his ability to exercise24:13 DBS experience; medication changes, tuning, and symptom relief27:44 Parkinson’s risk; bike crash, broken back, falls, and challenging easy sayings31:14 E-bike support; adapting tools for long-distance riding32:25 Cycling to End Parkinson’s; Ride to Phoenix and family logistics35:45 Riding from Salt Lake to Phoenix; trikes, heat, support, and endurance37:33 Rock Steady Boxing, rock climbing, pickleball, and movement variety38:53 Freezing and sport; why pickleball can feel almost normal once play begins40:18 World Parkinson’s Congress; community, research, and being around people who understand41:41 New infusion therapy; managing on/off time and medication delivery45:21 Advice for the newly diagnosed; Parkinson’s is not life-ending48:08 Movement as the message; cycling, running, swimming, boxing, jujitsu, and doing something Team Utah - Pedal for Parkinson'sFacebook Page: PedalForParkinsonsUT About the Host Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story. Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    Pedaling 1,010 Miles to Phoenix | Rob Warner

  3. Jul 1

    Life Is Not a Sprint, It’s 100 Marathons | Larry Grogin

    Larry Grogin is nearing the end of one of the most demanding endurance challenges imaginable: 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days. With only a few runs left, Eric catches up with Larry as he nears the end of a journey that has taken him more than 2,500 miles across the United States. What began as a challenge built around Parkinson’s, exercise, and possibility has become something more personal, more practical, and more revealing. Larry has learned what happens when the body hurts, the mind gets tired, the weather turns, and the road still has to be covered. In this conversation, Larry reflects on what the first 97 days have taught him about adaptation, support, medication, movement, and the mental tools that help him keep going. He talks about slow warm-ups, hard miles, music, nature, community, and the surprising strength that comes from doing the work day after day. Key Takeaways ➡️ Hard days connect the easy days.Larry describes the rough stretches of the challenge as temporary, not permanent. Over 97 days, he learned that the bad miles, low-energy windows, and painful moments always shifted if he kept moving. ➡️ Adaptation happens through repetition.The daily marathons forced Larry to respect slow warm-ups, listen to his body, and let his running improve through consistent use. By the end, he felt smoother, stronger, and more like a runner than when he started. ➡️ Support made the challenge possible.Larry is clear that the run was not done alone. Sponsors, drivers, family, Parkinson’s groups, and strangers across the country helped carry the effort, reminding him that accepting help is part of endurance. ➡️ The diagnosis is not the finish line.When speaking to newly diagnosed people, Larry’s message is direct: Parkinson’s changes things, but it does not mean life is over. Movement, community, and the willingness to try can still create a path forward. Key Moments 00:31 Reconnecting with Larry Grogin near the end of 100 marathons in 100 days01:02 What the challenge taught him about pain, overuse, and time02:03 Tough days connect the easy days02:48 The 40% of dopamine-producing nerves still doing their job09:34 The support team behind the run10:31 Returning to the site of Larry’s first triathlon12:14 Medication consistency and changes during the challenge13:05 Why slow warm-ups became even more important14:22 Looking stronger at the end of each marathon15:32 Parkinson’s Warriors, Durango, and the power of community18:42 Learning to accept help21:45 Mental tools for hard miles: music, calls, nature, and birds25:25 The role of rhythm, music, and running cadence27:06 What Larry would tell someone newly diagnosed29:25 Running for people who think they cannot32:17 The people Larry met across the country37:19 What Larry would tell his 2019 self38:00 Learning that every downtime ends39:11 What an athlete’s mindset means after Parkinson’s41:41 “Larry is running for people who think they cannot, but they’ll try” Connect with Larry GroginStrides for Humanity / Run Larry Run: https://dpf.org/runlarryrunIG: @runlarryrun26Follow the journey: #RunLarryRun About the Host Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story. Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    Life Is Not a Sprint, It’s 100 Marathons | Larry Grogin

  4. Jun 24

    Find What Keeps You Moving | Ryan Cotton

    Ryan Cotton has been part of Rock Steady Boxing since it was thirty boxers in an aerobics room. With more than 20 years of clinical experience and a Doctorate in Health Science, he joined as a board member before becoming Chief Scientific Officer and eventually President and CEO. When his father was diagnosed with Parkinson's, the work became personal. By then he already understood what the research said and what the gym floor proved: that people who keep moving do better, and that engaging with the disease early changes its trajectory. This episode covers what changes after a diagnosis and what helps people stay engaged in the life they still want to live. Exercise as daily medicine, building the right medical team, and the support systems that offer both understanding and accountability. Key Takeaways ➡️ Exercise is part of the treatment plan, not an optional add-on.Ryan explains why consistent, moderate-to-high intensity exercise has become central to Parkinson’s care, with benefits that can show up physically, emotionally, and neurologically. ➡️ The best exercise is the one you will keep doing.Boxing is one model, but Ryan is clear that movement can take many forms. Cycling, rowing, dancing, strength work, etc., or a mix of disciplines can all matter if they keep someone engaged. ➡️ Community turns exercise into accountability.The gym becomes more than a place to train. It becomes a place where people compare notes, check on each other, offer encouragement, and sometimes give the push someone needs to keep going. ➡️ Early action changes the experience of diagnosis.Ryan encourages newly diagnosed people to build the right team, take medication consistently, find their form of exercise, and surround themselves with support before isolation or apathy take over. Key Moments 00:33 Ryan Cotton’s background and early involvement with Rock Steady Boxing02:33 When Parkinson’s became personal through Ryan’s father04:44 Why Ryan became a physical therapist06:22 How Rock Steady Boxing connected Ryan’s clinical work to Parkinson’s08:14 PT, OT, speech therapy, neurologists, and the team approach to Parkinson’s10:31 The “lottery no one wants to win” and the range of Parkinson’s symptoms11:31 What newly diagnosed people should focus on first13:52 Eric’s morning routine, mindset, breath work, and stackable wins18:39 Ryan’s path from board member to Chief Scientific Officer to CEO22:50 The early growth of Rock Steady Boxing24:20 Why exercise matters so much for Parkinson’s26:58 Physical, emotional, and neurological benefits of consistent exercise28:29 Apathy, dopamine, and finding exercise you actually enjoy32:07 Social and emotional transformation through Rock Steady Boxing33:36 Accountability, support, and peer-to-peer knowledge in the gym35:38 A retired Marine’s shift from isolation to a half marathon38:13 Why some people become thankful for what diagnosis brought into their life40:17 Reflections from the World Parkinson’s Congress41:19 Scaling Rock Steady Boxing while protecting the mission46:22 Exercise collaboration across the Parkinson’s community49:23 Ryan’s definition of resilience Connect with Ryan LinkedIn: Ryan CottonInstagram: @rock_steady_boxingWebsite: www.rocksteadyboxing.org About the Host Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story. Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    Find What Keeps You Moving | Ryan Cotton

  5. Jun 17

    Challenge the Body Enough to Adapt | Jorge Quintero

    Jorge Quintero’s work with Parkinson’s began in the operating room. As an electrical engineer working in neurotechnology, he supported deep brain stimulation surgeries and watched people with severe tremors experience immediate changes once stimulation was turned on. That experience led him deeper into clinical neuroscience and into a question that now shapes much of his work: how much can the brain change when it is trained with the right demands? Jorge is now a clinical neuroscientist, NASM certified personal trainer, and founder of NeuroGym, an athletics gym built around mental health and brain performance. His approach blends neuroscience, fitness, and practical movement training for people dealing with brain conditions, including Parkinson’s. Eric and Jorge explore what Parkinson’s changes in the brain and body, and why varied, athletic training can help people keep building capacity after diagnosis. They get into deep brain stimulation, neuroplasticity, cognitive reserve, proprioception, progressive muscle relaxation, rope flow, learned helplessness, and the value of doing things that are challenging enough to wake the system up. Key Takeaways ➡️ The brain needs challenge to keep adapting.Jorge returns to neuroplasticity throughout the conversation, especially the idea that the brain can keep changing when it is asked to learn, coordinate, remember, balance, and move in new ways. ➡️ Parkinson’s training has to go beyond cardio and strength.Eric and Jorge talk about the value of varied athletic training, including balance, footwork, proprioception, reaction, rope flow, cognitive load, and skills that keep the body solving problems. ➡️ Confidence is part of movement.Freezing, shuffling, and hesitation are connected to how clearly the brain reads the body and the environment. Better sensory input, balance work, and body awareness can help rebuild trust in movement. ➡️ Learned helplessness can shape the diagnosis experience.Jorge and Eric discuss how quickly people can begin living inside the limits they expect. The conversation pushes toward action, curiosity, social connection, and training that gives people evidence they can still adapt. Key Moments 00:50 Jorge’s background in engineering, neuroscience, DBS, NeuroGym, and Parkinson Power Protocol03:24 What deep brain stimulation is and when it becomes an option04:25 Seeing tremor suppressed during DBS surgery07:42 Current treatment options and adaptive deep brain stimulation09:06 Stem cell therapy, bemdaneprocel, and the exPDite trial10:45 Cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity, and proactive brain health16:04 Neuroplasticity as a double-edged sword20:41 Feet, gait, freezing, and the brain’s body map23:20 Balance as a neurological task: proprioception, vision, and vestibular input27:09 Why athletic, multimodal training matters for Parkinson’s29:42 Why Jorge started NeuroGym32:06 Learned helplessness and the diagnosis mindset33:42 Breath work, interoception, and progressive muscle relaxation36:23 Rope flow, spatial awareness, proprioception, and coordination38:25 Motor reserve and why adults need more movement variety43:58 Self-directed neuroplasticity and living well with Parkinson’s44:17 Group exercise, social engagement, and brain health45:29 Jiu-jitsu, pickleball, and building motor reserve through sport49:44 Cognitive load through memory, reaction, and coordination drills52:43 Intensity, lactate, and the brain benefits of exercise56:33 What newly diagnosed people should understand about adaptability58:30 Parkinson’s as a movement disorder and why movement remains essential59:34 How to connect with Jorge and NeuroGym Connect with Jorge LinkedIn: Jorge QuinteroWebsite: https://theneurogym.orgInstagram: @theneurogymYouTube: @theneurogym About the Host Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story. Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    Challenge the Body Enough to Adapt | Jorge Quintero

  6. Jun 3

    The Brain Has to Get the Memo | Garrett Salpeter

    Garrett Salpeter’s work began with a personal injury and a question that stayed with him: why did recovery often feel so limited? As a hockey player and engineering student, he became interested in the nervous system, direct current stimulation, and the ways the body responds after injury. That path eventually led him to found NeuFit, where his work focuses on helping people improve movement, recovery, activation, and function by working directly with the nervous system. His work has extended beyond sports performance into neurological conditions, including early research on how NeuFit treatments affect sleep quality in people with Parkinson's. Garrett joins Eric to talk about neuroplasticity, recovery, performance, and direct current stimulation. They also discuss autonomic function, the nervous system's role in movement, and what it means to create enough input to maintain or rebuild capacity over time. Key Takeaways ➡️ The nervous system sits at the center of movement.Garrett explains how recovery, activation, coordination, and performance all depend on the signals moving between the brain and body. ➡️ Neuroplasticity depends on repeated input.Creating change requires enough stimulation, repetition, and consistency for the nervous system to recognize which pathways are worth maintaining or rebuilding. ➡️ Recovery and performance are closely connected.Good rehab and good performance training often share the same goals: restore movement patterns, address weak links, load tissues well, and build capacity over time. ➡️ Sleep and autonomic function matter for Parkinson’s.Garrett and Eric discuss sleep disruption, recovery, parasympathetic function, and early research exploring NeuFit treatments and sleep quality in people with Parkinson’s. Key Moments 00:00 Garrett’s background in hockey, injury, and recovery04:21 Early patient work and major turning points05:20 Spinal cord injury, neuroplasticity, and learning to walk again08:18 The impact of helping one person09:24 Fascia, direct current, and the nervous system16:42 The brain-body connection goes both ways18:40 Eric on morning symptoms, mindset, and Parkinson’s20:34 MS, neuropathy, and neurological case work23:01 Diabetic peripheral neuropathy and nerve function25:46 Early Parkinson’s sleep quality research26:43 Sleep, recovery, autophagy, and brain cleanup28:10 Parkinson’s research, Phoenix, and Linda Denny29:41 Neuroplasticity and how the nervous system adapts31:36 Habits, repetition, and building new pathways33:49 Creating enough input for the nervous system36:28 Recovery, activation, and performance37:24 Vagus nerve, parasympathetic function, and autonomic reset41:11 What gives Garrett hope44:13 Recovery and performance as overlapping worlds Connect with Garrett LinkedIn: Garret SalpeterInstagram: @neufitrfpYouTube: @NeufitWebsite: www.neu.fit.com About the Host Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story. Parkinson's: An Athlete's Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    The Brain Has to Get the Memo | Garrett Salpeter

  7. May 27

    100 Marathons, 100 Days, and a Honda Odyssey Named Herbie | Larry Grogin

    Larry Grogin is halfway through running 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days. He started in New Jersey on March 24 and is making his way toward Southern California as part of Strides for Humanity, a run raising awareness and support for people living with Parkinson’s. Each day starts with the same challenge: cover 26.2 miles, manage what Parkinson’s brings, and get up the next morning to do it again. Larry has spent decades around movement as a chiropractor, acupuncturist, and endurance athlete, having completed more than 300 marathons and 30 Ironman triathlons. Having been diagnosed in 2019 with Parkinson's, he marked his 71st birthday with the start of his run to show what movement can still look like after diagnosis. He talks about the long warmups, the moments when his stride has to shorten, and the people along the road who help him keep going. At the center of the run is a simple hope: that someone sees what he is doing and decides to walk a mile, get out of bed, or do a little more than they thought they could. Key Takeaways ➡️ Movement starts before the miles do.Larry spends hours warming up before his body begins to feel available. The early work is patience, rhythm, and staying with it long enough to get moving. ➡️ Adaptation can be small and practical.When his body resists, Larry shortens his stride, changes the pace, or gives himself time to rest. The goal is to keep moving in a way his body can handle. ➡️ One person moving can help someone else start.Larry wants people with Parkinson’s to see the run and try something of their own. That might mean walking, running, getting out of bed, or doing a little more than yesterday. ➡️ Past challenges become tools.Larry draws on decades of marathons, triathlons, and difficult races. Those experiences remind him that hard moments shift, and the next mile can feel different from the last. Key Moments 01:43 Eric introduces Larry and his 100 marathons in 100 days challenge02:49 Larry’s athletic background and getting into triathlon04:36 Living with Parkinson’s instead of trying to beat it06:38 The first signs of Parkinson’s and getting diagnosed in 201908:06 Why exercise can be hard to start with Parkinson’s08:35 Larry’s long warmups and what running every day is teaching him14:09 Why Larry decided to run 100 marathons in 100 days15:52 What happens when the body says no17:39 Running 100 consecutive marathons and reaching day 5019:23 Lessons from long endurance races21:19 Purpose, resilience, and the human spirit28:47 The route, the support vehicle, and how Larry chooses places to run30:05 Learning his off times and when to stop fighting the body31:18 Medication, exercise, and managing Parkinson’s day to day33:32 What 50 straight marathons have taught him about adaptation36:35 Planning the finish in Calabasas38:23 Larry’s message for someone newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s43:58 Dreaming big and refusing to limit the goal too early45:01 The hard moments behind the optimism Larry Grogin: Strides for Humanity / Run Larry Run: https://dpf.org/runlarryrunIG: @runlarryrun26Follow the journey: #RunLarryRun About the Host: Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story. Parkinson's: An Athlete's Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    100 Marathons, 100 Days, and a Honda Odyssey Named Herbie | Larry Grogin

  8. May 13

    You Are Not Fragile | Gaia Forlani

    Before Gaia Forlani became a neuroscientist, she was a professional ballerina. Ballet gave her a direct understanding of movement at a high level: control, rhythm, timing, strength, coordination, and the constant feedback between the brain and the body. That background still shapes how she sees Parkinson’s. Today, she works at the intersection of neuroscience, coaching, and Parkinson’s performance, helping people think differently about movement, training, and identity after diagnosis. Eric and Gaia talk about why so many people with Parkinson’s are treated as fragile, even when they are strong, capable, and willing to train. They also get into purposeful training, recovery, sleep, overtraining, cognition, and the difficult overlap between Parkinson’s and aging. Key Takeaways ➡️ People with Parkinson’s are not fragile.Gaia challenges the way people with Parkinson’s are often treated as passive, incapable, or already declining, especially when many are still strong, capable, and willing to train. ➡️ Training needs purpose, not just effort.Eric and Gaia separate general activity from purposeful training, including strength, power, coordination, and movement that is matched to the person’s goals and capacity. ➡️ Recovery is part of performance.More exercise is not always better. Gaia and Eric talk about sleep, recovery, overtraining, and why athletes with Parkinson’s need to take rest as seriously as training. ➡️ Identity shapes how people adapt.The language people use around Parkinson’s matters. Gaia talks about seeing people as athletes rather than patients, while also recognizing that the constant “fight” mindset can become exhausting. Key Moments 00:01 — Eric asks about Gaia’s “You Are Not Fragile” message00:22 — Why Gaia pushes back on people with Parkinson’s being treated as fragile03:15 — Eric reflects on mindset, gratitude, and not feeling like a victim05:34 — Gaia’s path from ballerina to neuroscientist10:32 — How ballet shaped Gaia’s understanding of the brain and body12:46 — Treating the whole person as an athlete13:00 — Language, identity, and not calling people with Parkinson’s patients13:56 — Sleep, recovery, and neurological regulation14:55 — The risk of doing too much after diagnosis17:28 — When exercise becomes harmful without the right foundation18:44 — General movement versus exercise medicine20:27 — Cognition, strength training, and metabolic health23:25 — Aging versus Parkinson’s symptoms24:53 — Muscle loss, strength, power, and bradykinesia28:34 — Looking at the person before the diagnosis29:15 — Training professionals to understand Parkinson’s movement31:01 — Gaia’s work moving online and reaching a wider audience32:02 — Coaching as a two-way learning process32:34 — Eric compares Parkinson’s adaptation to jiu-jitsu34:20 — Why the “fight” against Parkinson’s can be motivating but also exhausting36:16 — Eric on balancing jiu-jitsu, pickleball, recovery, and downtime37:00 — Education, family support, and the social side of Parkinson’s38:38 — Beliefs, mindset, and defining your own story39:53 — Eric on small wins, daily resets, and moving forward About Gaia Forlani: Gaia is a neuroscientist specializing in sensorimotor, clinical, and movement neuroscience. A former professional ballerina, she brings together movement science, coaching, and performance experience in her work with people living with Parkinson’s. She is the co-founder of the Parkinson Performance Centre and creator of the Parkinson Power Protocol. Connect with Gaia: Website: http://parkinsonperformancecentre.com/LinkedIn: Gaia ForlaniInstagram: gaia.forlani.ppcFacebook: Gaia Forlani Parkinson's: An Athlete's Journey 📩 Join our Community: https://evfmethod.com/subscribe-to-podcast-community🎧 Listen and Subscribe: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🎬 Watch on YouTube: @parkinsonsathletepodcast📸 Instagram: @parkinsonsathletepodcast🤝 LinkedIn: Parkinson's An Athlete's Journey🌐 Website: www.evfmethod.com Disclaimer This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.

    You Are Not Fragile | Gaia Forlani
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8 Ratings

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Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey is for athletes navigating Parkinson’s, the coaches and clinicians who train them, and anyone who wants real-world strategies for performance and longevity. Hosted by Eric Von Frohlich and Todd Vogt, the show focuses on tactical takeaways: how to train, recover, manage symptoms, and stay consistent when the rules keep changing. Expect honest conversations, tested routines, and guest experts who go deeper on what works.

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