Doc Royer says, "One of the greatest things is how well we can adapt and learn to function in different environments under different stressors. I wouldn't do my job if I didn't believe that people could learn and change and that the human brain and body are amazing, even in the worst situation. That it can learn new pathways can learn new responses…

Over the years, Dr. Royer has worked with dozens of top collegiate and NFL quarterbacks. In this episode, he shares what about their qualities and experience is transferable to our lives off the field. Later in the episode, he is joined by one of the NFL's top QBs, Kirk Cousins. Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from children to …

Dr. Royer discusses gut health with two of his family members: his wife Amy Royer, an expert in nutrition and gut inflammation, and his daughter Dr. Kate Wierenga, a cellular biologist and expert in Omega 3/6 fatty acids. Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from children to adults in every field, can become more resilient and come …

Dr. Royer explains what it means to be fully present, with your senses engaged with your surroundings and your brain and body coordinated and at capacity. Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from children to adults in every field, can become more resilient and come closer to performing at their potential. Learn more at ForgeInnerAr…

Dr. Royer explains that your brain is the most amazing thing in the universe, and that coupled with your autonomic nervous system (ANS) it's capable of incredible feats. But when it becomes deregulated, you can no longer perform at your potential. Doc explains how you must work to reestablish dynamic resilience. Inner Armor isn't just for elite ath…

Doc interviews his daugher-in-law, Grace Royer, who is a board-certified applied behavioral analyst, about the challenges and opportunities of working with autistic children. Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from children to adults in every field, can become more resilient and come closer to performing at their potential. Learn …

Dr. Lisa Libertore is the co-founder of Luv Michael, a nonprofit organization in New York that is empowering autistic adults to live fulfilling and successful lives. Doc and Dr. Libertore discuss her approach to autism, the story behind Luv Michael, and her vision for changing how we all approach autism. Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. E…

Inner Armor isn't just for sports or school: the business arena demands performance. In these "Business Brains" episodes, we interview leaders who have reached their potential by strengthening their brains and nervous systems. In this installment, we meet Sam Cummings, who has used the Inner Armor program for years to become a more effective leader…

Inner Armor isn't just for sports or school: the business arena demands performance. In these "Business Brains" episodes, we interview leaders who have reached their potential by strengthening their brains and nervous systems. In this installment, we meet Scott Weirda, who has used the Inner Armor program for years to become a more effective leader…

Inner Armor isn't just for sports or school: the business arena demands performance. In these "Business Brains" episodes, we interview leaders who have reached their potential by strengthening their brains and nervous systems. In this installment, we meet Tom Maas, who has used the Inner Armor program for years to become a more effective leader and…

We've talked enough about the tsunami of mental disorders drowning our culture. It's time to propose solutions, and we have one to offer. In this conversation, we share a vision for a new nonprofit, Inner Armor Hope, that can provide an ANSR for vulnerable populations. And we need your help! Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from…

We will soon have a new book about mental health and the autonomic nervous system. In this conversation, we explore the challenges of getting treatment for mental health disorders. What options are available? What can we expect from those options? Are there better options? Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from children to adults…

We will soon have a new book about mental health and the autonomic nervous system. In this conversation, we discuss where and how mental disorders begin. What perpetuates them? Why is it so hard to "fix" them? The answer is ANSR (autonomic nervous system regulation). Inner Armor isn't just for elite athletes. Everyone, from children to adults in ev…

We have a new book coming out soon! This one will be about mental health and the autonomic nervous system. So Doc and Greg sat down and had a frank conversation about mental health. In this episode, they discuss the cataclysmic displacements in our society over the last 60 years that impacted our lives and autonomic nervous systems, leading to the …

We have a new book coming out soon! This one will be about mental health and the autonomic nervous system. So Doc and Greg sat down (actually sat down across a table from each other for a change) and had a frank conversation about mental health: what it is and isn't, the explosion of mental health disorders in society today, and "the four horsemen"…

To improve at anything, you need feedback that measures your progress. That way, you'll know what you're doing that's working and do more of it. But to begin, you need a baseline, the starting point from which you develop your plan and track your gains. The Inner Armor Performance Program begins with a baseline assessment of the autonomic nervous s…

It's that time of year: everyone is heading back to school. What opportunities does that bring for personal and professional development? What does it take for students to perform at their potential? And what unique challenges does it present for growth, resilience, and mental health? In the final of three installments, Dr. Royer speaks with Elizab…

It's that time of year: everyone is heading back to school. What opportunities does that bring for personal and professional development? What does it take for students to perform at their potential? And what unique challenges does it present for growth, resilience, and mental health? In the second of three installments, Dr. Royer speaks with Gena …

It's that time of year: everyone is heading back to school. What opportunities does that bring for personal and professional development? What does it take for students to perform at their potential? And what unique challenges does it present for growth, resilience, and mental health? In this first of three installments, Dr. Royer speaks with Neil …

We are facing a tidal wave, a tsunami, of mental health disorders in the United States (and much of the developed world). Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, PTSD, suicide–the numbers are staggering and growing. And like a tsunami, it threatens to overwhelm our systems and institutions. We don't have enough psychologists, counselors, and programs…

In our last episode, Doc's business partner and wife, Amy, explored the connections between nutrition and neuroscience. In this episode, Doc interviews his daughter, Dr. Kate Wierenga, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. Tother, they explore the causes and effects of inflammation in the body, how that shifts …

Our nervous system isn't just an isolated network of electrical wires running through our body. It's dynamically integrated with every other system of our body, including our digestive tract. The state of our nervous system affects our digestion and vice versa. In this episode, Doc welcomes his business partner and wife, Amy Royer, an RN and nutrit…

The Netflix Series “Quarterback” offers a fascinating look behind the scenes at the games, and lives, of three NFL quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota. Dr. Royer has trained Cousins since his college days (Kirk was a guest on our last two episodes), but Doc has worked or is working with 11 of the 32 starting NFL QBs (as …

NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins (Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, and featured in the new Netflix series "Quarterback") has been working with Dr. Royer for 13 years, since he was the starting QB at Michigan State. Kirk pulls no punches: he says that without Dr. Royer, he wouldn't be where he is today. In this episode, Kirk talks about how the…

NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins (Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, and featured in the new Netflix series "Quarterback") has been working with Dr. Royer for 13 years, since he was the starting QB at Michigan State. Kirk pulls no punches: he says that without Dr. Royer, he wouldn't be where he is today. In this episode, Kirk talks about what it…

We continue our conversation with Dr. Paul Gammage, exploring how visual acuity affects children's capacity to learn to read, and how different rates of ocular muscle development in children can often lead to misdiagnosis of learning disorders. Inner Armor can help you perform, and even thrive, at your potential. Learn more at ForgeInnerArmor.com.…

One of the three pillars of the Inner Armor program is visual precision, which impacts neurological performance. In this interview with Dr. Paul Gammage, Doc explores how this impacts athletes at the highest levels, in very surprising ways. Inner Armor can help you perform, and even thrive, at your potential. Learn more at ForgeInnerArmor.com.…

We naturally adapt to our environment. Part of that adaptation is learning, both passive and active. We learn how to do or react, we learn what things mean, and why they are the way they are. But not all learning is positive: we can learn bad habits, misinformation, and to interpret things through faulty lenses. In this second episode on learning, …

We naturally adapt to our environment. Part of that adaptation is learning, both passive and active. We learn how to do or react, we learn what things mean, and why they are the way they are. But not all learning is positive: we can learn bad habits, misinformation, and to interpret things through faulty lenses. In this first of two episodes, Doc a…

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder isn't as prominent in the media as it was 20 years ago, but a surprising number of children and adults are still diagnosed with ADHD and are on medication to treat it. Doctor Royer spent years researching and treating ADHD. He discovered an epidemic of misdiagnosis, in which legitimate symptoms were misattri…

Human thriving requires openness to relationships, experiences, and learning. We build internal walls to protect us from harm, but those walls can shut us out from possibilities for growth and sources of energy to sustain and nurture our humanity. Doc and Greg talk about these walls, and how they put a cap on our potential. Inner Armor can help you…

Presence is one of the most powerful tools in our performance arsenal. Disengagement from the place we are, the people we are with, or the task in front of us robs us of power and potential. In this episode, Doc and Greg explore what it means to be present and why it is the key to human thriving (or not). Inner Armor can help you perform, and even …

We usually talk about "performing at our potential," but there is something more valuable than performance: thriving. In this episode, Doc and Greg talk about what it means to thrive as a human being. In fact, thriving might mean performing in all aspects of your life, not just in your sport or work. Can we "thrive at our potential?" What would tha…

The science that Inner Armor uses to improve human performance is built upon the work of pioneers in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and digital technology. In this episode, Doc and Greg discuss these innovators and how their work made possible the advances of the early 21st century. Learn more at forgeinnerarmor.com…

By Inner Armor Media

Our culture idolizes collegiate athletes. We watch them on TV, fans wear branded gear, and booster's donate billions to the universities. They appear to be in the prime of life, physically and mentally gifted, with promising futures. How do we avoid turning them into idols, or performers, and preserve and develop their humanity during these few yea…

Student athletes face unique developmental challenges. In many ways, they at the peak of their physical prowess, but they are still learning and maturing intellectually, emotionally, and relationally. Moreover, they have multiple roles or jobs as full-time students and (often) nearly full-time athletes. How can colleges and universities help these …

In the second of two episodes on overcoming anxiety, Dr. Royer talks about the "alligators," or potential threats, that lurk around us. Often, they are right in front of us, blocking our path. But just as often, we exaggerate the threat level, allow them to dominate our thoughts and restrict our freedom. Grounding ourselves in the tangible world, m…

Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health issues of our time, especially for younger people. Your brain has an amazing capacity to analyze and conceptualize, which is how we accomplish so many fantastic things. But with that comes our ability to overthink, worry, and fear ideas that exist more in our minds than in reality. In this ep…

After winning ten collegiate titles and the NCAA national championship at San Jose State University, Tracy Hanson played on the LPGA Tour for 16 years, including 10 top-10 finishes and a career-low round of 63. After retiring from the tour, she has dedicated her time to philanthropy and ministry, starting her own ministry mentoring young female ath…

After winning ten collegiate titles and the NCAA national championship at San Jose State University, Tracy Hanson played on the LPGA Tour for 16 years, including 10 top-10 finishes and a career-low round of 63. After retiring from the tour, she has dedicated her time to philanthropy and ministry, starting her own ministry mentoring young female ath…

In our last episode we talked about what sleep is and why we need it. It turns out that those are very complex questions, because sleep is very complex. It’s not just shutting down the body and resting. In many ways, our bodies are as active during sleep as they are when we are awake, but the brain and body have an agenda, a structured set of tasks…

Before the 1950s, most people believed sleep was a passive activity during which the body and brain were dormant. Over recent decades, science has proven that the brain and body are remarkably active during sleep. Muscles and organs repair and regenerate tissues. Toxins are cleared, and the immune system fights disease, restoring homeostasis. The b…

Throughout most of modern medical history, specific illness or symptoms were assumed to have specific causes. If your throat hurt, it was an infection or injury to the throat. But Hans Selye (1907 - 1982), who was nominated for the Nobel Prize 17 times, made important scientific research that gave new insights into the non-specific responses of an …

Dr. Royer has helped some of the world’s best professional golfers, on the PGA and LPGA tours, to maximize performance under tournament conditions by aligning their brains and bodies. In the first of two episodes on the neurophysiology of elite golf, Doc explains the unique challenges that tournament level golf places on the human system, and how t…

Dr. Royer has helped some of the world’s best professional golfers, on the PGA and LPGA tours, to maximize performance under tournament conditions by aligning their brains and bodies. In the first of two episodes on the neurophysiology of elite golf, Doc explains the unique challenges that tournament level golf places on the human system, and how t…

To perform to our potential requires us to actually show up. In fact, Woody Allen once said, “Ninety percent of success is just showing up.” But too often, we fail to show up and really be present, focusing on where we are, what we’re doing, and who we’re with. Often what keeps us from showing up and being present is that we are obsessing about the…

It's Super Bowl Week! To prepare for watching the big game, Dr. Royer shares his insights into what it took for these two teams to get here, what they need to be doing in the days and hours before the kickoff, and what it will take to win. Having worked extensively with NFL and NBA teams, as well as champions from other sports, Doc knows just how h…

In almost every area of life, we must work hard to perform at our potential. But too often, our performance falls short of our potential because performance requires command and control of our body, and that requires a strong mind-body connection. Because you are a fusion of mind and body, your performance is determined by the efficiency and effect…

Our lives are not static, our bodies are not static, and so health and performance strategies cannot be static. And so, our goal is not to train or strengthen our organs or systems into an ideal state, but to dynamically adjust how our bodies work and perform relative to ever-shifting demands, circumstances, and stresses. This requires us to develo…