Stronger with Time

Join exercise scientist Dr Tony Boutagy as he interviews 11 leading experts in fitness and women's health. With 30+ years of experience and 70,000+ training programs written, Tony bridges rigorous science with practical application. This podcast explores evidence-based approaches to strength training, metabolism, and nutrition—particularly for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Discover what research actually suggests about fitness, beyond trends and oversimplification, through conversations that acknowledge real-world complexities and individual differences.

Stronger with Time is a health podcast hosted by Dr Tony Boutagy, with 55 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Dr Tony Boutagy hosts Stronger with Time, a health show with 55 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #53

  Why the Shoulder Is So Vulnerable (And What Stabilises It), with Professor Donald Neumann

  Aug 10, 202659 minS2

  When you raise your arm, which muscles produce the movement, and which keep the shoulder stable enough for it to happen? In this episode of Stronger With Time , I speak with Professor Donald Neumann, PT, PhD, FAPTA, about how muscles produce, control and stabilise movement as part of a coordinated system, using the shoulder as the primary example. Don is Professor Emeritus of Physical Therapy at Marquette University and the author of Neumann’s Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System . We discuss: What it means for a muscle to be functioning well Why few muscles perform a meaningful action independently How muscular force couples produce and control movement Why the shoulder’s mobility places greater demands on muscular control How the deltoid and rotator cuff share the work of raising the arm How the serratus anterior and trapezius contribute to scapular movement What the commonly cited two-to-one scapulohumeral rhythm describes When scapular dyskinesis may warrant closer attention Why external-rotation strength depends partly on the muscles anchoring the scapula Whether the lower trapezius and serratus anterior should be trained separately or within larger movements How anatomical variation influences the way we assess the shoulder and hip What Don’s current research may reveal about the actions of individual scapular muscles This conversation is for coaches, trainers, physiotherapists and serious lifters who want a clearer understanding of what produces, controls and stabilises shoulder movement, and what this means for assessment and training. See how these principles apply to movement assessment and program design in Weak Links & Movement: https://tonyboutagy.com/weak-links-movement-full-course Professor Donald Neumann Marquette University profile: https://www.marquette.edu/physical-therapy/directory/donald-neumann.php Neumann’s Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System, Fourth Edition: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/neumann-s-kinesiology-of-the-musculoskeletal-system/neumann/978-0-323-71859-2 Review of the serratus anterior: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30737019/ Review of the trapezius: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30797676/ Professor Neumann’s publications on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Neumann+DA%5BAuthor%5D Tony Boutagy / Stronger With Time Website: https://tonyboutagy.com/ Explore the courses: https://tonyboutagy.com/explore-the-courses-page Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stronger-with-time/id1815428150 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yydg6y3dA8OiA8hyHcJON

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  Episode #54

  Training to Failure: How Close Is Close Enough? with Dr Martin Refalo

  Jul 20, 20261h 12mS2

  How close to failure do you need to train to build muscle? And how accurately can you judge how many repetitions you still have in reserve? In this episode of Stronger With Time , I speak with Dr Martin Refalo about how accurately lifters can judge repetitions in reserve, how close to failure a set needs to be, and when training to failure may be useful. Martin is Co-Owner and Education Manager at JPS Health & Fitness. He holds a PhD in Exercise Science, has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and has more than a decade of practical coaching experience. Proximity to failure and its relationship with hypertrophy, fatigue and discomfort have been central areas of his research. We discuss: Why lifters can misjudge how close they are to failure How to develop a more accurate sense of repetitions in reserve How close to failure Martin generally recommends training When recording a set may help calibrate effort How fatigue across a session can affect performance When training to failure may be more appropriate in lower-volume programmes Whether load and repetition range affect muscle growth Why higher-repetition sets can be more difficult to judge What the evidence suggests about sex differences in fatigue, recovery and hypertrophy Whether women require fundamentally different resistance-training programmes How Martin designs studies around practical training questions This conversation is for coaches and serious lifters who want to prescribe effort with greater accuracy and understand how proximity-to-failure research applies in the gym. Timestamps: 00:05 Introduction to Dr. Martin Rafalo and His Expertise 01:03 Exploring Resistance Training and Training to Failure 01:31 Practical Applications of Exercise Science 01:56 Introduction and guest introduction 02:30 Why study training to failure? The research focus 05:10 Context-dependent nature of training intensity 08:39 The strike zone: 2 reps shy of failure 09:45 Is it worth pushing to true failure? Practical tips 12:02 Perception of effort and actual proximity to failure 13:46 Muscle tension, fatigue, and hypertrophy mechanisms 18:04 Monitoring progress and fatigue through performance 20:40 Fatigue impact across sessions and exercises 25:17 Research findings on proximity to failure and growth 27:31 Programming considerations: volume, load, and recovery 30:54 Training to failure in beginners vs. advanced 33:42 Sex differences in fatigue and recovery 36:25 Applying science to coaching practice 47:04 Designing research studies in exercise science 51:05 Within-subject vs. group studies on failure 54:08 Gender responses to resistance training 58:22 Hormonal influences and muscle growth in females 01:01:27 Bridging science and coaching practice 01:05:10 Program design for different athlete goals 01:08:10 Program duration and auto-regulation 01:10:26 Where to find more about Martin Refalo Dr Martin Refalo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrfitness__/ JPS profile: https://www.jpshealthandfitness.com.au/team/martin-refalo/ JPS Education: https://www.instagram.com/jps_education/ JPS Health & Fitness: https://www.jpshealthandfitness.com.au/ JPS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6aTw95QXJHjv8ucdxnL7Q Tony Boutagy / Stronger With Time Website: https://tonyboutagy.com/ Explore Tony’s courses: https://tonyboutagy.com/explore-the-courses-page Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/ Subscribe to Stronger With Time for more evidence-informed conversations on training, health and performance. This episode is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualised training advice.

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  Episode #53

  Zone 2, Fuelling and Bone Health for Women in Midlife, with Olympian Rachel Neylan

  Jul 15, 20261h 6mS2

  There is a lot of conflicting advice about how women should train and fuel through midlife. Should they prioritise high-intensity work over Zone 2? Train around the menstrual cycle? Cut back on carbohydrates? In this episode of Stronger With Time , I speak with Rachel Neylan, Olympic cyclist, world championship silver medallist, physiotherapist and high-performance coaching psychologist. We discuss under-fuelling and carbohydrate fear, bone health after years of cycling, and whether Zone 2 is really overrated for women. Rachel explains why the aerobic base that supported her professional career also helped her absorb harder training and recover from it. We also talk about training around the menstrual cycle without rigid rules, rebuilding after serious injury, the difference between motivation and identity, and creating systems around training, nutrition, sleep, recovery and community. This conversation is for women who want to stay strong, fit and capable through midlife, and for the coaches and health professionals who work with them. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:40 Rapid-fire cycling questions 06:30 Leaving physiotherapy for professional cycling 09:45 Matching your physiology to the right sport 14:15 Why children need variety before specialisation 17:00 Movement variety for healthy ageing 19:25 What endurance sport teaches you about doing hard things 21:40 Motivation versus identity 24:35 Training after retiring from professional sport 26:15 Bone density and the hidden cost of cycling 29:25 Recovering from a major crash 33:15 Resilience and training around injury 37:30 Under-fuelling and fear of carbohydrate 42:45 Fuelling around a one-hour training session 44:55 Why every workout should not be hard 47:15 Is Zone 2 overrated for women? 52:00 Why an aerobic base supports high-intensity training 55:05 Female physiology and training differences 57:50 Menstrual-cycle tracking without rigid rules 01:01:25 Building a personal performance ecosystem 01:04:00 Rachel’s current work in performance coaching 01:06:20 Closing thoughts Resources Rachel Neylan’s website https://www.rachelneylan.com/ Rachel Neylan’s Australian Olympic profile https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/rachel-neylan/ Tony’s website https://tonyboutagy.com/ Explore Tony’s courses https://tonyboutagy.com/explore-the-courses-page Follow Tony on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/ Subscribe to Stronger With Time for more evidence-informed conversations on training, health and performance. This episode is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

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  Episode #52

  Stretching Before Training: When It Helps and How Much with Professor Dave Behm

  Jul 7, 20261h 1mS2

  Static stretching before training is one of the most debated habits in the gym. For years, many coaches were told to avoid it because it could impair performance. But as Professor Dave Behm explains in this episode of Stronger With Time , the real answer is more nuanced than simply saying stretching is good or bad. Dave is a university research professor in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and one of the most cited neuromuscular scientists in the world. His work directly inspired Tony’s own PhD on stretching back in 2003. In this conversation, Tony and Dave discuss when stretching before training may help, when it may be unnecessary, and why around 60 seconds total per muscle group tends to be a useful guideline when stretching is included in a warm-up. From there, the conversation opens into many of the practices coaches and trainers use every day: foam rolling, full-range resistance training for mobility, post-activation potentiation, unstable surface training, unilateral versus bilateral work, the bilateral deficit, and how movement speed shapes power and training intent as we age. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Professor Dave Behm’s influence on Tony’s PhD 02:00 Dave’s background and why he started testing common training practices 06:00 The question behind Dave’s career: does it actually work? 07:00 How Dave’s view on stretching changed over time 09:30 Static stretching, performance impairments and context 10:30 Why 60 seconds per muscle group is a useful guideline 12:00 How to use stretching inside a warm-up 13:30 Foam rolling before static stretching 14:30 General warm-ups and tissue viscoelasticity 16:00 Do you need stretching before resistance training? 17:00 Full-range resistance training as loaded mobility work 18:00 Stretching for tight areas before lifting 20:00 Foam rolling, range of motion and where it came from 21:30 Foam rolling versus static stretching over time 24:00 Why stiff and flexible clients respond differently 25:30 How often to stretch for flexibility 27:00 How long to stretch outside a training session 28:00 How far should a stretch be taken? 29:30 Static stretching versus dynamic stretching and mobility work 31:00 Post-activation potentiation and post-activation performance enhancement 34:30 How to use a heavy warm-up set in training 36:30 Isometrics and potentiation 37:30 How long the potentiation effect lasts 38:30 Unstable surface training and muscle recruitment 40:00 Why unstable training reduces load 42:00 Where unstable surface training may still be useful 43:30 Strength and hypertrophy under stable versus unstable conditions 45:00 Trained lifters and instability 46:30 Unilateral versus bilateral training 47:30 The bilateral deficit explained 49:30 Why unilateral work may matter more in trained people 51:00 How the brain organises movement and intent 55:00 Movement speed, motor unit recruitment and rate coding 56:30 Slow versus explosive lifting intent 58:00 Power, speed and ageing 58:30 Dave’s book on stretching 01:00:00 Closing thoughts Resources Professor Dave Behm Professor Dave Behm research and publications https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22David+Behm%22+stretching Professor Dave Behm on PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=David+Behm+stretching Stretching and performance research https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Behm+static+stretching+performance Foam rolling and range of motion research https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Behm+foam+rolling+range+of+motion Unstable surface training research https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Behm+unstable+surface+training Tony Tony’s courses https://tonyboutagy.com/explore-the-courses-page Tony on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/ Subscribe to Stronger With Time for more evidence-informed conversations on training, health and performance. All content is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

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  Episode #47

  How to Keep Your Strength, Power and Endurance as You Age with Professor Peter Reaburn

  Jun 22, 202655 minS2

  Training hard may have built your fitness. But should you keep training the same way as you age? In this episode of Stronger With Time, Tony speaks with Dr Peter Reaburn, a researcher, author and lifelong masters athlete who has spent decades studying performance and ageing. Peter is a retired Professor and former Head of Exercise and Sport Science at Bond University. He has authored and edited multiple books on masters athletes, published peer-reviewed research on masters athletes, and continues to work closely with the masters sporting community. He also practises what he teaches. Peter was the Australian Ironman Triathlon Champion in the 50–54 age group in 2005 and is the current Australian Masters Swimming Champion in the 70–74 years 400m individual medley. At 71, Peter brings both the research and lived experience to the question of how to keep training for strength, power and endurance as recovery and physical capacities begin to change. In this episode: Which aspects of fitness decline fastest with age Why older endurance athletes still need resistance and sprint training The role of fast-twitch muscle fibres in later-life performance How to balance hard sessions with lower-intensity work The hard-easy principle and the 80/20 approach Atrial fibrillation risk in lifelong endurance athletes Protein and recovery needs as we age Menopause and the research gap in female masters athletes When to replace a planned hard session with active recovery The physical, cognitive, psychological and social sides of successful ageing This conversation is for coaches, masters athletes and active adults who still care about performance, but recognise that training harder is not always the same as training better. Timestamps 00:00 What fitness means across the lifespan 01:45 How strength, power and endurance decline with age 04:00 What masters athletes teach us about ageing 06:20 Why older athletes need resistance training 09:45 Fast-twitch muscle fibres and endurance performance 11:20 What we know about hybrid masters athletes 12:35 Menopause, muscle mass and performance 16:00 The research gap in female masters athletes 18:40 Continuous athletes, rekindlers and late bloomers 20:20 The hard-easy principle 22:00 Atrial fibrillation and endurance training 24:15 Why high-intensity-only training lacks nuance 27:10 The 80/20 approach to endurance training 30:10 Muscle protein synthesis as we age 31:50 How much protein older athletes may need 35:10 Why recovery changes with age 39:40 High-intensity training and neural fatigue 41:10 Listening to your body and changing the session 43:20 Active recovery versus complete rest 44:20 Flexibility and maintaining range of motion 46:30 The four domains of successful ageing 51:30 Peter’s books and work on masters athletes Resources The Masters Athlete by Dr Peter Reaburn https://books.google.com/books?q=%22The+Masters+Athlete%22+%22Peter+Reaburn%22 Nutrition and Performance in Masters Athletes, edited by Dr Peter Reaburn https://www.routledge.com/search?kw=Nutrition%20and%20Performance%20in%20Masters%20Athletes Peter Reaburn’s research and publications https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Peter+Reaburn%22 Tony’s website https://tonyboutagy.com/ Tony’s courses https://tonyboutagy.com/explore-the-courses-page Tony on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/ Stronger With Time on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stronger-with-time/id1815428150 Stronger With Time on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yydg6y3dA8OiA8hyHcJON Subscribe to Stronger With Time for more conversations on evidence-informed training, health and performance. All content is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

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