2 weekends ago I competed in the Apex Athlete competition — think NFL combine for regular people — as the only 55-year-old on a field of Olympians, ex-NFL athletes, and collegiate athletes. I placed 47th out of 49 women. And it was one of the best days I've had.

This episode is about what I learned by simply showing up — and why putting yourself out there IS being your best.

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: IronStrongFitness.net Instagram: @IronStrongFit Small group strength training in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

I get FOMO at events I've missed. I even get annoyed seeing the posts after I've missed the event but it is because I know how in person events do make real connections.

In this episode, I'm coming off my 3rd BellFest and talking about why in person will always beat social media DM's every single time— no matter how good your DMs are.

This episode is a short reminder of how AI and screen time will never replace in person sparkle.

Say yes.

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: IronStrongFitness.net Instagram: @IronStrongFit Small group strength training in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

I talk with cycling coach Marissa Axell, who has nearly 20 years of experience coaching women over 40. We cover perimenopause, performance, sleep, strength training, and why going slower is actually how you get faster.

Marissa Axell, a USECA (United Sports Endurance Coaching Academy) certified cycling coach and ACE certified personal trainer with nearly two decades of experience turning riders into faster, stronger cyclists. Known for her inspirational and committed coaching style, she coaches 40+ women cyclists to climb faster and adventure farther without feeling exhausted.

Her insights have been featured in Self, Bicycling, and on the Seasoned Athlete, and Hit Play Not Pause Podcast. Her athletes have won at TransRockies Gravel Royale, Alabama Senior Games Road Race & Time Trial, top 5s at the National Senior Games, ridden from Cairo to Capetown in the Tour d’Afrique, cycled from Paris to Istanbul, and another rode herself into the Guinness book of world records as the fastest women over 50 to go 18,100 miles around the world by bike!

Based in El Cerrito in the San Francisco Bay Area, Marissa continues to coach and inspire by fulfilling her own competitive cycling goals, proving that strength training and cycling are the ultimate power couple that pave the way to success.

Instagram: @marissa.axell | Website: axnfitnessandcoaching.com

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: IronStrongFitness.net Instagram: @IronStrongFit Small group strength training in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

Two men made assumptions about my all-women's class — and they were dead wrong. In this episode I share what happened, why it lit a fire in me, and what it has to do with why I train for athleticism now instead of just strength. Spoiler: it involves a jump rope and a humbling boxing class.

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: IronStrongFitness.net Instagram: @IronStrongFit Small group strength training in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

When I started her career at Equinox, I was instructed to sell the way big gyms sell — fear-based assessments, bulk packages, session discounts. I hated it and never looked back. In this episode Ibreaks down why copying corporate sales structure can quietly work against you as a self-employed person, and I share the two business practices an experienced personal trainer shared that offers me predictable income and makes me feel valued in my own work.

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: IronStrongFitness.net Instagram: @IronStrongFit Small group strength training in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

I just got back from five days in Lisbon helping my friend Teresa open her kettlebell gym. Those five days reminded me of something we all know but conveniently forget— Zoom (or virtual) has a ceiling. On our relationships and on our business. We need to be in the room.

I share a few examples of why it pays to take that trip, go to that event or meeting in person.

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠IronStrongFitness.net⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@IronStrongFit ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Train with me: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/services

Episodes drop once a week.

After a weekend skiing in Quebec, I noticed something interesting:

My legs were fine.

My conditioning was fine.

But internally, I was done.

In this episode, I explore why new skills feel exhausting — even when fitness isn’t the limiting factor.

Topics include:

• The difference between muscular fatigue and nervous system fatigue

• Why coordination, fear management, and precision create cognitive load

• What skiing taught me about plyometrics and impact exposure

• Why being strong doesn’t automatically mean being adapted

• The role of consistent, repeatable practice in skill development

I referenced how a lot of my podcast episodes are longer form from my email [Sunday Strong] - Join the email list here: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/newsletter

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠IronStrongFitness.net⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@IronStrongFit ⁠⁠⁠⁠

My small group strength training schedule in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

At some point in midlife, many of us are given a diagnosis that changes how we move — not because of pain, but because of how the words land.

“Bone on bone.”
“You have arthritis.”
“Degenerative.”

In this episode, I share my take on how medical diagnoses are meant to inform — but how they often end up making people feel broken.

We talk about:

• What “bone on bone” actually means on imaging
• Why arthritis does not reliably explain pain
• How common disc bulges and degeneration are with age
• Why imaging findings and pain don’t always match
• How fear and loss of trust — not damage — often change how we move
• Why doctors still recommend movement and exercise, even with arthritis
• How to rebuild confidence in your body without ignoring medical reality

This is not about dismissing medicine.
It’s about understanding context — and learning how to move forward without letting a diagnosis become a verdict.

Research & references mentioned:

• Brinjikji et al., 2015 — American Journal of Neuroradiology: Systematic review showing disc bulges, degeneration, and herniations increase with age and are present in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals; imaging findings alone do not reliably explain pain.
• Bedson & Croft, 2008 — Arthritis Research & Therapy: Radiographic osteoarthritis findings do not consistently correlate with pain severity.
• Hunter & Bierma-Zeinstra, 2019 — The Lancet: Osteoarthritis pain is multifactorial and poorly explained by imaging alone.

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  Where to find me or work with me:

  • Website: IronStrongFitness.net
  • Instagram: @IronStrongFit
  • Small group strength training in Jersey City: View schedule

  New episodes drop once a week.