The Long & Thick Podcast

The Long & Thick Christmas Special

This episode has no protocols, no studies, and no actionable health advice — and that’s exactly the point.
Daniel and I hit pause on “being helpful” and hit play on embarrassing stories, weird experiences, 2 truths and a lie, and whatever else came up while the mics were hot.
If you’ve listened to our 20 Questions episode and enjoyed learning more about who we actually are when we’re not talking training, recovery, or health — this one’s for you.
If you’re new here:This is a great place to start if you want to know our humor, our personalities, and why the Long & Thick Podcast is not a self-help show pretending to be one.
🎙️ Real people🎭 Zero polish🧠 No wellness sermons
Available now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts & Everywhere else ¨̮ 

The Long & Thick Feat. Brandon Lee

The Long & Thick Feat. Brandon Lee
 
Brandon Lee (you might know him as Brad Savage or @bitey_boi_actual) joined us for one of our more grounded, honest conversations to date.
We walked through Brandon’s full arc — from early life, to military service, to post-military reality — and how fitness became both a stabilizing force and something that needed to be kept in proper perspective.
We talked about:
How military service shaped his relationship with strength, discipline, and identity
The role fitness played in developing resilience — and where it falls short
Why training is not therapy, and the danger of pretending it is
Navigating mental health, therapy, and self-awareness after service
What life looks like post-military when you’re wearing multiple hats
Practical lifestyle principles for people in high-stress professions
This episode isn’t motivational fluff. It’s a real conversation about structure, responsibility, and doing the work — both in the gym and outside of it.
If you’re a servicemember, first responder, coach, or just someone trying to hold themselves together under pressure, this one’s worth your time.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube

1 Year of Long & Thick: Holidays, Resolutions, & Fitness Trends We’re Ready to Kill

One full year of Long & Thick, and somehow we’re still allowed microphones.
In this episode, we keep it loose and reflective — talking through:
Holiday traditions that actually matter vs. ones we just tolerate
Best and worst holiday experiences we’ve had
What a dream holiday would look like if logistics, money, and responsibilities didn’t exist
Then we pivot into New Year energy:
The 3 main things people obsess over every January
How to prepare for the annual health & fitness craze without losing your mind
New Year’s resolutions we wish would stop showing up every single year
And the fitness trend of 2025 we’re officially hoping dies a quiet death
We wrap it all up with a callback to one full year of the podcast — what we’ve learned, what surprised us, and why we’re still excited to keep this thing going.
No scripts. No perfect answers. Just perspective, banter, and a little roasting.
🎧 Listen. Laugh. Argue with us in the comments.

The Long & Thick Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Gifts That Don’t Suck

The Long & Thick Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Gifts That Don’t Suck
This week we’re giving you our Top 10 Gifts for Friends, Family, and Partners — the stuff people will actually use, not the random Amazon gadgets that die in a drawer by February.
We break down gifts for every type of person:
The lifter who needs straps, chalk, or a new belt
The sleep-deprived goblin who needs a Manta mask or white noise
The friend who wants to “start meal prepping” but has no clue where to begin
The partner who’s been talking about getting back in the gym for six months
Plus a few gifts that make you look thoughtful without spending insane money
From cookbooks and gym gear to app memberships, tracking tech, and experience-based gifts, this is our full guide to helping your people feel supported going into the New Year.
No affiliate links. No fluff. Just gifts that actually improve someone’s life.

The Perks and Science of Not Being a Miserable Bastard

The Perks and Science of Not Being a Miserable Bastard 🦃
Thanksgiving episode incoming — and no, it’s not one of those “write three things you’re grateful for and manifest your dream life” situations.
We talked about what we’re actually grateful for this year, why gratitude feels weird or fake at first, and how there’s just enough science behind it to make it worth trying without feeling like you’re lying to yourself.(Think: “your brain chills out a bit when you focus on good shit,” not a neuroscience dissertation.)
This one’s more about the real stuff — the people, habits, moments, and even the tough lessons that made life a little less chaotic.And if you’re in a season where gratitude feels like a reach? We get that too.
Give it a listen while you’re cooking, traveling, or hiding from your family for 45 minutes.Maybe it helps you feel a little less like a miserable bastard… at least for today.
Full episode’s up. Enjoy.

5trength Show

We filmed this episode right in the heart of Gym 5 moments before Nashville’s first-ever 5trength Show — a hybrid fitness + live music event celebrating strength, longevity, and the community that makes both possible.
With leaders like Daniel Colombo, Zack Henderson, Cassandra Grippe, Evan Singleton, Coach Buffalo, and Gym 5 owner Adam Wright, the night featured everything from kettlebell showcases and pull-up battles to deep conversations about why strength training remains the backbone of long-term health.
This episode is short, raw, cinematic, and recorded in the middle of the gym as the energy built for an unforgettable night. If you enjoy watching your podcasts, this is absolutely one to see on YouTube — the visuals are chef’s kiss. * Extra thanks to Zack Chiarizzio - the actual GOAT *
Thank you to Gym 5 and everyone who made the 5trength Show possible. We were honored to capture the moment.
Listen on Spotify, Apple, or watch the full cinematic cut on YouTube.Like, subscribe, leave a review — it genuinely helps the show grow.

The Long & Thick Fall Recap

The Long & Thick Fall Recap
 
In this episode, Daniel and Ronnie sit down to recap what the last few months have involved. There is no noise to sift through in this episode, but rather a means for us to reconnect around the heart of The Long & Thick Podcast and recap the recent Gym 5 Strength Show and more! Be sure to tune in every Friday for a new episode, and as always, please comment, download, and share to help us be better equipped to serve you! 
 
Nothing but LOVE 
 
L&T

Lifting Through It: Kristin Petrony on Women’s Strength, Cancer, and Calling Out Fitness Fakes

This week, Kristin Petrony (@krispetronyfit) joins The Long & Thick Podcast to talk about what real strength looks like beyond the barbell. From battling breast cancer and navigating perimenopause to helping women reclaim confidence through lifting, Kristin shares how strength training became her anchor — and how predatory marketing has twisted so much of what women are told about their bodies.We talk training truth, female physiology, and the freedom that comes from taking your power (and your program) back.
 
📺 Watch on YouTube | 🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts👇 Comment your biggest takeaway or the biggest lie you’ve seen sold to women in fitness.

The Long & Thick Feat. Matt Ulawski

In this episode, we sat down with Matt Ulawski, a strength and rehab coach helping combat athletes and everyday lifters stay pain-free, mobile, and high-performing.
We cover Matt's story and how he found his way into fitness and helping others. The nature of overtraining and what it can lead to. How to truly utilize the training inputs our bodies need to rehab or stay healthy. The importance of good mentorship and some of his drive and inspiration for the next generation. There is a lot for other professionals, both up and coming and those who are well established, to walk away with. 
 
A mix of evidence-based conversation, dark humor, and real-world insight from someone who’s been in the trenches.
📍 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.

The 6 Biggest Roadblocks in Your Health & Wellness Journey

You’re doing everything right, or so you think…So why do you still feel flat, tight, and off? Do you recognize these 6 things?
In this episode, we dive into some of the hidden, and not so hidden things that ca quietly derail your progress. The stuff no one talks about because it isn’t sexy, but it’s what can actually separate long-term progress from burnout.
From the things you think are helping you to the ones silently holding you back, we dig into the subtle patterns that limit health, recovery, and performance.
🎧 Tune in for the real talk, some laughs, and maybe a mild existential crisis about your warm-up routine.