Strength Required

Afleveringen

1. Mat Fraser: What It Really Takes to Become the Fittest Man on Earth

   3 november 2026 · 1 uur 41 min

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   What does strength look like when there’s no longer a podium waiting for you? In this episode of Strength Required, presented by Ladder, Ladder Co-Founder and President Tom Digan sits down with five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser and longtime friend, former manager and HWPO CEO Matt O’Keefe to unpack the mindset, training and relentless attention to detail behind one of the most dominant careers in CrossFit history. Lees meer

   Mat looks back at the years when nearly every decision revolved around one goal: winning the CrossFit Games. He shares how losing in 2015 changed his approach, why fear of losing motivated him more than the feeling of winning, and how he attacked weaknesses with an almost scientific level of precision. They also break down the nearly 10,000-calorie diet that fueled his peak training years, the recovery and sleep routines behind elite performance, and why taking a true off-season became one of his competitive advantages.

   The conversation also explores what happened after competition. Mat opens up about rebuilding his relationship with training after retirement, finding a new reason to stay fit through fatherhood and family, and why having something specific to train for still matters. They also discuss the pressure and unpredictability of the CrossFit Games, why HYROX has become so approachable for everyday athletes, and the moments outside the gym when real strength was required.

   IN THIS EPISODE

   → The hyper-focused mindset behind Mat Fraser’s CrossFit Games dominance

   → How losing the 2015 CrossFit Games changed the way Mat trained and competed

   → Rebuilding a healthy relationship with training after retirement

   → Why fatherhood gave Mat a completely different reason to stay fit

   → Why having something specific to train for makes consistency easier

   → The nearly 10,000-calorie diet that fueled Mat’s peak training years

   → The recovery, bodywork and sleep routines behind elite performance

   → Why taking a real off-season helped Mat improve wh…

2. Why are you losing muscle as you age (and how to stop it) with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

   28 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 32 min

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   What if the key to living longer isn’t simply adding more years to your life, but building the strength to stay capable throughout them? Lees meer

   In the premiere episode of Strength Required, presented by Ladder, Ladder Co-Founder and President Tom Digan sits down with physician and muscle health expert Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, alongside Ladder Coach Lauren Kanski, for a conversation about why skeletal muscle matters far beyond aesthetics and athletic performance.

   Dr. Lyon explains why she considers muscle an essential organ system and why building and maintaining healthy muscle can influence metabolic health, independence, body composition, and how we age. They unpack the difference between lifespan and “muscle span,” why strength training becomes increasingly important with age, and why walking alone doesn’t provide the same stimulus as resistance training.

   The conversation gets practical as Tom and Lauren bring in some of the most common questions from the Ladder community. Dr. Lyon breaks down protein intake, essential amino acids, protein quality and meal timing, including why she believes protein should remain a priority whether your goal is losing body fat or gaining lean mass.

   They also discuss GLP-1 medications and the importance of protecting muscle during weight loss, the changing conversation around hormones and perimenopause, and why women shouldn’t shy away from challenging resistance training as they age.

   Finally, the conversation moves beyond physical strength into the “inner game.” Dr. Lyon shares why she focuses on standards rather than goals, how to stay consistent when life gets difficult, and the personal experience that taught her what strength means outside of the gym.

   IN THIS EPISODE

   → Why Dr. Lyon calls skeletal muscle the “organ of longevity”

   → Lifespan vs. muscle span and staying capable as you age

   → Lower-body strength, power, kettlebells and training for long-term independence

   → Why muscle quality may matter more than obsessing over body-fa…

3. This is Strength Required

   28 oktober 2026 · 1 min

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   High performance doesn’t happen by accident. Lees meer

   Hosted by Ladder co-founder Tom Digan, Strength Required explores the physical, mental, and operational strength behind sustained high performance through conversations with athletes, artists, doctors, coaches, and people who’ve rebuilt themselves from the ground up.

   No hacks, no hype, no gurus. Just what works, because strength isn’t just what you can lift, it’s what you can sustain.

   Follow Ladder:

   Instagram: @joinladder

   Website: joinladder.com

   Download Ladder on the App Store

   Strength Required is presented by Ladder.

   Produced by Pursuit Network.