Episodes
Over the past decade, yoga participation in the United States has nearly tripled. This comes as no surprise to Fabian Domenech, who found his practice when he was juggling an aspiring fashion career, a full-time service industry job, and a CrossFit coaching schedule in the fast-paced city of London. Thanks to yoga, meditation and his extensive world travels, he’s since learned the power of self-love and the importance of detachment. On this episode, the Nike yoga teacher and CrossFit coach...
Published 01/19/23
With three solid years on the New York Times bestseller list, James Clear’s Atomic Habits has made a habit of success. On this episode, the author and entrepreneur who has inspired millions of readers to change their health behaviors for the better puts it simply: Who we are reflects our habits. With his helpful metaphors and refreshingly straightforward and sustainable mindset techniques inspired by psychology greats, we can all build habits that make us shine.
Published 01/05/23
Nike yoga teacher Maria Wada used to be all about chasing dreams. That’s why she left her home country of Japan to pursue — and achieve — a career as a professional dancer in the United States. But in the face of success, she realized the sacrifices she made to get there weren’t always worth it. On this episode, she shares how her practice helped her reconnect with herself and strengthen her relationships with others. She also tells us how she’s been shaped by both Japanese and American...
Published 12/22/22
The ideal human body has been commercialized, stigmatized, fetishized and, yes, even racialized. For women, trying to achieve the “perfect” body is an unattainable and often traumatic pursuit that never seems to end. On this episode, Sabrina Strings, PhD, an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine, explains why this is and helps us understand its impact on our individual and collective sense of well-being. Drawing from her book, Fearing the Black Body, she...
Published 12/08/22
Anna Kessel has been writing about women in sports for nearly two decades. Her work — especially when it comes to women’s football — has been so impactful, she was awarded a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire as part of the 90th birthday honors of Queen Elizabeth II. Many consider her book, Eat Sweat Play, to be a must-read at the nexus of feminism and fitness. On this episode, Kessel breaks down the history of women’s athletics, tells us why societal views are largely to blame for...
Published 11/23/22
In 2013, Monica Garrison rediscovered cycling as a means to manage stress, stay fit and spend time with her kids. What she gained were mental and physical benefits so powerful that she founded Black Girls Do Bike (BGDB) that same year. An organization that empowers all women to connect and experience the joy of cycling, it’s especially dedicated to opening doors for women of color and addressing health disparities. Now with over 100 chapters, BGDB allows women from across the world to form a...
Published 11/10/22
During pregnancy, your blood volume and energy expenditure can roughly double, your heart rate increases 10 to 15 beats per minute…and there are even more changes after you give birth to the human inside of you. So how do you navigate exercise during the endurance event of a lifetime? Enter Laurel Proulx, DPT, PhD, the founder of FEM Physical Therapy and a Nike (M)ove Like a Mother advisory board member. On this episode, she explains the inner workings of the pelvic floor and deep core and...
Published 10/27/22
Derrick Henry loves working out — and not just because he’s heading into his seventh NFL season. The gym is where he finds inspiration, passion and pride. On this episode, he and host Jaclyn Byrer geek out over their fitness favorites. The Tennessee Titans running back also shares how his family has motivated him through ups and downs, how he found success despite the people who said he wouldn’t, and how all of us — whether we’re dreaming of running a half or determined to try out a new...
Published 10/13/22
Whether it’s the struggle to reduce screen time or the battle against overeating sugar, many of us know how hard it is to kick unhelpful habits. And according to Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, the best-selling author of The Craving Mind, it’s not so much about willpower as it is about mindfulness. On this episode, the director of research and innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center explains what happens in the brain when we break and form habits. He also shares habit-mapping tools,...
Published 09/29/22
Though rarely talked about today, the Tigerbelles, Tennessee State University’s women’s track and field team, is one of the most accomplished sports clubs in the state’s history. During the reign of legendary coach Ed Temple, the all-Black team produced 40 Olympic athletes who took home 23 medals — many while living in the Jim Crow South pre-Title IX. One of those barrier-breaking sprinters is Olympic gold medalist and TSU track and field director Chandra Cheeseborough, or Coach Cheese. On...
Published 09/15/22
In 2017, Sloane Stephens didn’t just secure her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. She did it after an injury benched her for 11 months and sunk her world ranking, earning her the World Tennis Association’s Comeback Player of the Year award. On this episode, she tells us how she maintains a positive mindset in the face of obstacles and how she’s become a champion of change in the cyberbullying space. She also describes the unconventional training regimen that took her from surgery to...
Published 09/01/22
Becoming your most athletic self isn’t just about going harder, lifting heavier or running faster. According to Kelly Starrett, a doctor of physical therapy, improving your performance starts with nailing the basics. On this episode, the CrossFit trainer and co-founder of The Ready State tells us how to build a solid fitness foundation by maximizing our movement and mobility. He explains the basic skills that can help prevent injury and how they’re consistently utilized across all areas of...
Published 08/11/22
Like many of us, Jaelin Howell started playing sports before she could even read. Unlike most of us, she went on to rep jerseys for the U.S. National Women’s Team and Racing Louisville FC. On this episode, the up-and-coming soccer star details every step of that journey. She shares the benefits of coming from a family of athletes, gets real about the struggles of collegiate sports, and explains the training it takes to transition from club to NCAA to pro. She also tells us what she’s learned...
Published 07/28/22
As founder of the Center for Healing & Justice Through Sport, Megan Bartlett engages with sport at every level. From community centers and juvenile detention centers to major college athletic conferences and professional leagues, Megan and her team put a premium on teaching coaches to deliver healing-centered sport experiences while protecting, nurturing, and embracing athletes for every bit of who they are. In this conversation with Crisis Text Line’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shairi...
Published 07/26/22
With continuously emerging fads like macrobiotics, vitamin IVs and cryotherapy, the wellness industry has been rapidly growing for decades. And the more its monetary value and list of buzzwords grows, the blurrier the line between scientific truth and pseudoscience hype gets. That’s why Timothy Caulfield, a Canadian professor of health law and science policy, has focused his career on clearing up the difference between fact and fiction. On this episode, the bestselling author tells us why the...
Published 07/14/22
Yoga teacher and human-performance coach Branden Collinsworth knows what it means to push your potential. Through his journey with movement, he unlocked the perseverance to escape poverty, the tenacity to achieve an Ivy League master’s degree in psychology, and the capacity to connect to the self. Now the Nike trainer is showing us how the skills learned through yoga can help us transcend our own limits. On this episode, he tells us why yoga is a missing link in sport performance and how it...
Published 06/30/22
Most of us equate feeling tired with needing more sleep. But according to Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, that only scratches the surface of what it really means to be rested. Through her research, the internal-medicine physician and founder of Restorasis identified seven types of rest that cut across all socioeconomic, cultural and racial barriers. On this episode, she gives us a thorough break-down of what these are and how to know when we’re getting enough of each. Whether you’re a worn-down...
Published 06/16/22
As a mental health crisis unfolds amongst American teens, 19-year-old breaking sensation and Olympic hopeful Logan Edra, aka Logistx, joins No Off-Season to share her own experience and to advocate for a more open dialogue about mental health and young people. Identifying as an artist-athlete, Logan is partnering with Nike to help expand and redefine what the future of sport looks like. That includes trailblazing a new normal: a culture where winning and self-worth are separate measures and...
Published 06/14/22
Born with spina bifida and without the use of her legs, Tatyana McFadden spent her early childhood in an orphanage, learning about self-reliance and inner strength while walking on her hands. Encouraged to participate in athletics by her adoptive American parents, Tatyana would ultimately grow up to dominate wheelchair racing, thus far winning 20 Paralympic medals and 24 major marathons. Throughout her racing career, and during her fight for equality in sport, Tatyana has relied on her mental...
Published 06/07/22
Amanda Beard grew up in the spotlight. She graced the Olympic podium by 14, racked up eight USA Swimming national titles and appeared on the covers of numerous sports and lifestyle magazines. But with the glamour and glory came intense media scrutiny that led her to struggle with body dysmorphia, depression and self-harm. On this episode, Amanda shares her coming-of-age story as a young woman in professional sports. She speaks about pressures specific to female athletes and explains why they...
Published 06/02/22
A gifted runner raised in a remote Kenyan village, Marko Cheseto earned a scholarship to race for an American university and moved to Alaska in 2008. As his star rose on the track, Marko began to feel increasingly pressured and displaced, struggling with his own mental health. The struggle worsened when Marko’s cousin and teammate died by suicide in 2011. Later that year, Marko went for a run having taken too many antidepressants. He lost consciousness in the snow for 3 days. Somehow, he...
Published 05/31/22
Having witnessed domestic abuse as a child, Raven Saunders got strong with the hopes of protecting her family. Her newly developed power also revealed her athletic talent, and the ability to become one of the best shot-putters in the world. But no matter how many victories she amassed, Raven’s trauma was unrelenting and lead to bouts of severe depression and suicidal ideation. In bravely sharing the nuances of her story with Dr. Shairi Turner, Crisis Text Line's Chief Medical Officer, and...
Published 05/24/22