In Episode 141, we speak with one of Derek’s fellow Canadians, Andrew Coates. Andrew takes us through his career journey and highlights the importance of every single connection he has made over the years, expanding his network of both friends and fellow professionals. His enthusiasm for the fitness industry, as well as his persistent approach to establishing relationships is what has served him well over his career. Andrew Coates was born and raised in Newfoundland, but now makes...

Episode 140 explores all that has happened in the five years that Don and Derek have spent together since that fateful meeting back in November 2017 at Drive495 on Broadway in New York City. We now have 140 podcast episodes under our belt and a lot has changed in those five years, including the way that we communicate and work with others, as well as how we promote our respective brands and provide services to our clients and our followers. If anything, the last five years has made us...

In Episode 139, we have a fun but serious discussion about movement with movement coach, Kaisa Keranen. Kaisa is known for her dynamic demonstrations of complex movement and fitness exercises. However, we take a deeper dive with Kaisa and examine the key aspects of movement instruction that she is now focusing on with her clients, followers and general audience. While Kaisa has been associated with dynamic movement, she is now trying to get people to spend more time on quality movement...

Episode 138, we explore Don’s new course, Five Steps to Monetize an Online Business, and find out his motivation for creating this educational journey for health and fitness professionals. He tells us about the series of events that led him to transition to online training delivery. Having a significant background in operating a brick and mortar business in a highly competitive market for 15 years, Don was able to draw on his previous experience in the fitness industry to come up with a...

Episode 137, we speak with Canadian Coach and golf performance specialist, Jason Glass. Jason discusses the time, effort and experience that went into writing and publishing his new book, “Dream Big: Overdeliver Be Undeniable.” Jason starts be identifying the key development requirements for top young golfers, emphasizing rotational power and speed, as well as key tests used to identify athleticism in golf and other sports. He then tells us about his three year process of writing his book...

Episode 136 involves a deep dive into Don’s process of building community around his fitness challenges, online group calls and fitness retreats. The global pandemic initially created a lot of challenges for fitness professionals, with in-person gathering discouraged and online strategies in short supply. But over the past 30 months, much has changed and the majority of people have adapted. Don discusses how he has pivoted to create a dedicated online and in-person community that spans the...

In Episode 135, we have an inspiring conversation with Tom Morris, a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Indiana University. Coach Morris tells us about this passion for his role as a strength coach, helping to develop athletes, motivate individuals and change attitudes on a daily basis. He also provides us with some insights into the challenges he has faced over his career, and how he has had to adapt to make the most out of both his life and his career. Tom also spends some of his...

In Episode 134, we sit down with Merle Liivand to talk about her recent world record swimming 26.2 miles with a silicone mono-fin in the ocean just off the coast of Miami. An amazing feat covered in just over 11 hours, we discuss the physical demands of such a long swim, but also the psychological strength needed to swim through currents, jellyfish, pollution and other sea creatures. She accepted the challenge in an effort to continue to raise awareness about the importance of clean oceans,...

In Episode 133, we have the pleasure of speaking with author and chef, Beth Lipton, about her recent book co-written with Ashleigh Vanhouten, Carnivore-ish. Beth tells us that it is okay to be a carnivore and explains all of the benefits of preparing and eating various types of animal protein in our diets that can be both healthy and enjoyable. There is no shortage of contradictory information being presented out there on topics such as health, fitness and nutrition. Understanding the...

Episode 132 explores the adoption of sprinting as a means of developing running abilities, as well as supplementing a comprehensive fitness program through the development of strength, power and elasticity. Most people associate a running-based fitness program with long distance running, where individuals are preparing for a marathon or a 10km race. While many people use long distance running as a primary means of exercise, others just can’t find pleasure or success with long runs and the...

In Episode 131, we turn once again to our resident expert in technology and human performance, Brandon Marcello, to figure out where we are with wearable technology. We are seeing more wearables being promoted every year with the promise of making our lives more glorious, by providing us with invaluable data about our health, wellness and performance. Famous athletes are promoting these tech products as one of keys to their success and giving us wearable-envy. But how many of these devices...

In Episode 130, we talk with our own Don Saladino and what it takes to train a super hero. While we can all agree that most of this training is done with professional actors to prepare them for the aesthetics and demands of their roles, this information can be taken and applied to almost anyone from professional athletes to the general population. Don walks us through his process of working with these “super-heroes’ and gives us examples of how he has applied similar training programs for...

In Episode 129, we sit down with Don’s long-time training partner, Anthony Jacobs, who we affectionally refer to as “Tone”. Don and Tone discuss their complex relationship that started in the gym. As we find out, their relationship is not only about their workouts together, but all of the other ways that they ‘spot’ and help each other through the heavy lifting known as life. We also talk about Tone’s long-term film project that essentially tells the story of his life. The film is called...

In Episode 128, we pepper Ray Maker with questions about wearable technologies and other products related to fitness and exercise. We start with a discussion around the efficacy of wrist worn heart rate monitoring and quickly dive into many different areas related to running, cycling, swimming and resistance training. Ray’s broad knowledge of various devices, brands and applications definitely surprised us and brought to our attention issues that we never considered. This podcast episode...

In Episode 127, Don shares his experiences from a recent trip to the Austrian and Swiss alps. He gives us his thoughts about the environment and culture, as well as the ski and snowboard activities that he engaged in. As many people enjoy aggressive activities on their winter and summer vacations, Don talks about how is regular exercise routine and diet practices more than prepared him for the time change, altitude and physical demands of a trip to the Alps! The D&D Fitness Radio...

In Episode 126, we welcome Shane Kronstedt to discuss the recent invasion and war in Ukraine, and how both military personnel and civilians have been impacted by the need to serve their country in an intense environment of combat. Shane provides his own thoughts on the reasons for war and the circumstances that Ukrainian citizens have had to deal with over the past month of invasion and bombardment. He also discusses his own induction and career in the military and Navy Seals, and how it...

In Episode 125, Don and Derek discuss the extreme scenarios where your fitness could be called into question. When you find yourself watching images of wartime conditions and citizens being displaced by battle, it makes you wonder if you are both physically and mentally fit to survive and thrive in those types of circumstances. We discuss an approach to fitness that challenges individuals well beyond the need to improve body composition, basic strength and aerobic conditioning. Does it...

Episode 124 welcomes health and nutrition expert, Dr. Dwayne N. Jackson, to discuss the art of managing post-workout nutrition. Not only do we talk about the composition of a healthy and productive post-workout nutrition strategy, but also the timing and subtleties around implementing your nutritional interventions in the best manner possible. Dr. Jackson provides us with the best scientific knowledge around his strategies, but also delivers the information in an extremely practical manner...

Episode 123 covers the topic of connected fitness with our resident expert, Randy Kane. With the recent losses incurred by on-demand connected fitness company, Peloton, fitness industry leaders are trying to determine the best ways to position themselves as we move forward out of the pandemic. Will brick and mortar, in-person fitness businesses bring back members to pre-pandemic levels or will digital fitness platforms retain a large proportion of users and continue to grow? Or will the...

Episode 122 is our 2022 Winter Olympic warm-up session with the help of legendary speed skating sensation, Shani Davis. Known for his domination of the 1000m and 1500m events in long track speed skating for over a decade, Shani updates us on his work as a coach and mentor to many up and coming speed skating athletes. He outlines his career in speed skating, staring at a young age with roller skating and inline skating. He quickly moved up the ranks to the elite levels in both short-track...

Episode 121 is a great conversation with wife and husband team, Doctors Jen and Dom Fraboni, about creating an agile career, as well as a flexible and healthy body in 2022. Jen and Dom both work as physical therapists with both in-person and online clients, while also maintaining a strong presence as social media influencers and podcasters. We discuss basic guidelines around improving mobility and managing chronic pain, as many people are struggling with the stress and anxiety of being...

Episode 120 gets serious with Don and Derek sitting down with Frank “Tank” Frasier, also affectionately known as Bounty Tank. Frank walks us through a typical day in the bail bonds business and outlines the types of characters he gets to deal with on a regular basis. He also discusses his approach to fitness and bodybuilding, and how his routine has evolved over the years to adapt to not only his career demands, but also getting older. Frank has a wildly successful YouTube channel called...

In Episode 119, we sit down with dermatologist, Dr. Gary Goldenberg, to discuss a healthy and effective routine to skin care for individuals who want to lead a comprehensive healthy lifestyle. Taking care of your skin can be a daunting task when it comes to identifying a proper routine and selecting the right products. Dr. Goldenberg takes the time to outline a simple but effective routine for managing your skin, maximizing both your overall health and appearance. He identifies differences...

In Episode 118, Don and Derek wrap up the year 2021 and discuss their positive approach to moving forward with optimism and gratitude. There have been a lot of challenges this past year and it can seem like there is no end in sight. But we must stay positive, fight to survive and continue to adapt. We wish all of you a happy holiday season and many positive outcomes in the upcoming New Year. The D&D Fitness Radio podcast is available at the following locations for downloadable...

In Episode 117, we have the pleasure of sitting down with JP Stockton and Lisa Wild of Life Fitness to discuss their product development process and the wide range of brands that they oversee. When making fitness, cardio and strength equipment for a broad population, from athletes to general and special populations, a good deal of thought and testing must be undertaken in order to provide the highest level of performance and customer satisfaction. The Life Fitness team walks us through...