In this episode, we look back at how our thinking about exercise has changed over the years, from our beginnings in yoga and physical therapy to strength training, bone density, power, fall prevention, and longevity. We talk about the ideas we stopped believing, the evidence that changed our minds, why “lift heavy shit” was an important corrective but ultimately an incomplete message, and how all of this has shaped the newest version of Lift for Longevity.

We also get into what we’ve learned from teaching the course four times, why we’re removing exercises that create unnecessary friction, why AMRAPs are becoming a much bigger part of the program, and how we’re incorporating more power, balance challenges, and structured impact training.

SIGN UP Free Strength Class on September 8th with replay!

FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram

FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout

RESOURCES

107: Does It Have To Be Heavy?

49: You Don’t Know How Strong You Are, Says Research

36: Somatic Dominance

Loren Fishman et al.: Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss paper

LIFTMOR Trial

Kistler-Fischbacher Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

91: LIFTMOR, Not Less: An Interview with Professor Belinda Beck

Dr. Lora Giangregorio on the Movement Logic Podcast

Dr. Stuart Phillips on the Movement Logic Podcast

Stu Phillips post

Korpelainen paper

In this episode, we talk with bone health researcher Dr. Lora Giangregorio about what the evidence really says about resistance training, impact exercise, menopause, fracture prevention, balance, and falls. We also get into claims from OsteoStrong, why not all published research deserves equal weight, and why confident claims about the “best” way to build bone often outrun the evidence.

We discuss why bone loss around menopause can’t simply be blamed on inactivity, what we do and don’t know about heavy versus moderate versus light resistance training, why strength and impact are so difficult to separate in bone research, and why improving bone density is only one part of reducing fracture risk.

Dr. Giangregorio also explains why getting better at standing on one leg isn’t necessarily the same thing as becoming less likely to fall, why yoga wouldn’t be her first choice for fall prevention, how to progress impact training without jumping straight into high-force exercises, and why real-world exercise programs need to adapt to the person rather than force everyone into the same supposedly “optimal” program.

SIGN UP Free Strength Class on September 8th with replay!

FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram

FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout

RESOURCES

Dr. Lora Giangregorio’s website and Instagram

Bones Lab YouTube channel

Her approach to starting and progressing impact training

Her summary of different aspects of balance

Blog post on impact training

In part two of their deep dive into Louisa Nicola's claims about Alzheimer's prevention, Sarah and Laurel continue examining the scientific evidence behind some of her most widely shared social media posts, podcast appearances, and paid programs. Building on the foundation laid in part one, they fact-check claims about menopause, hormone therapy, Zone 5 training, heavy resistance training, creatine, and other interventions that Nicola presents as essential for protecting the brain. Throughout the episode, they compare her messaging with the available research, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and major clinical guidelines, highlighting where mechanistic theories are presented as established clinical facts and where evidence is overstated or misrepresented.

The conversation then shifts from individual scientific claims to the broader marketing strategy behind Nicola's business. Sarah and Laurel analyze her paid products, including Brain Code and the $5,000 Decode Panel, discussing how fear-based messaging, appeals to authority, and selective use of research can drive consumers toward expensive products and testing. They contrast these approaches with the evidence-based recommendations from organizations like The Lancet Commission and the Alzheimer's Association, emphasizing that meaningful risk reduction is built on well-established lifestyle factors rather than highly specific protocols or premium wellness services. They close by discussing why influencers like Nicola resonate with audiences, where they see similar patterns among other health personalities, and why careful interpretation of evidence matters when communicating about diseases as frightening as Alzheimer's.

SIGN UP FOR THE INTEREST LIST for Lift for Longevity

FREE Barbell Mini Course when you get on our mailing list

FOLLOW Movement Logic on Instagram

WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube

LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website

Foldable Home Barbell Rack by Verse, coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout

RESOURCES

134 Make Louisa Nicola Make Sense, Part 1

113 Debunking Menopause Grifters Mary Claire Haver and Vonda Wright

92 Make Dr. Loren Fishman Make Sense

Alzheimer's Association 2025 factsheet

The Lancet Commission

Mosconi et al. (2021)

Correction: In this episode, Laurel cites a study erroneously as being from the Lancet. It's not from the Lancet, it's the Generation 100 study. PMID: 34878637

Resistance training and brain aging study

Creatine Monohydrate Pilot in Alzheimer's

The Menopause Society

Pauline Maki

Diary of a CEO episode with Louisa Nicola