The Long & Thick Podcast

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 🦃
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.

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
 
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

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.

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.

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.

Cardio 101 with Exercise Physiologist Rory Sutherland
We sat down with exercise physiologist Rory Sutherland. Rory is also a performance coach and runs metabolic tests for his company, Sutherly Performance. He is a husband and father, and an all-around badass human being. Our goal was to learn more about Rory and share his story with our listeners while simultaneously educating people about all of the confusing aspects that we hear surrounding cardiorespiratory fitness. Tune in to unpack the basics around cardiovascular training and what actually matters for health, performance, and longevity. From Zone 2 vs. intervals, to VO₂ max training, fueling strategies, and much more, Rory helps us separate fitness myths from physiology.
We also talk about his background as an athlete, the mental side of endurance suffering, and what truly moves the needle when it comes to your conditioning and recovery.
If you care about living longer, performing better, or just not sucking wind walking up stairs — this one’s for you.

Training With the Seasons — How Nature Shapes Your Fitness
 
Your training doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it’s part of nature’s rhythm. In this short episode, we break down how the different seasons of the year can (and should) influence your training approach. From sunlight exposure and temperature shifts to seasonal foods and recovery needs, we talk about how aligning your cycles with nature can help you train smarter, not harder.
We also reflect on how our routines evolve across the year — and why most people ignore the biological cues that could help them perform, recover, and live better.
🔸 In this episode:
How seasonal light impacts recovery and performance
Why your cravings and training intensity shift through the year
Ways to use temperature and daylight to optimize your workouts
Our personal approach to “off-season” vs “in-season” training
🎧 Listen or watch full episodes on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.We’ve got a growing collection of interviews with coaches, strength experts, and weirdos of the health world — all helping you live longer, move better, and laugh harder.
👇 Drop a comment or DM us with who or what topics you’d like to hear next.#TheLongAndThickPodcast #SeasonalTraining #FitnessPhilosophy #StrengthAndHealth

This week on The Long & Thick Podcast, we sit down with DJ Murakami — strength coach, mover, thinker, and master of the unconventional.
We dive into:⚡ DJ’s origin story and the path that shaped his philosophy⚡ Why unconventional lifts and play teach us more than barbells ever could⚡ His 3 non-negotiables for health and longevity⚡ How altered states, microdosing, and consciousness tie into training⚡ The future of health & wellness culture (spoiler: it’s not just gyms and dumbbells)
This one is part philosophy, part training wisdom, and a whole lot of laughs.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch the full episode on YouTube.
👉 Tap in, question what you thought you knew, and get a fresh perspective on how movement can change everything.