Attempting to achieve big goals can be overwhelming. So overwhelming that many quit before they get started. Motivational speakers preach about working hard and no days off. While hard work is a part of achieving anything, there is more to it. In this episode, I will share strategies that fly in the face of that narrative. For more on this topic, c…

Jackson is a performance coach for both young and aging adults. We discuss strategies to stay strong and mobile for your entire life! Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest of the Fortitude Training Podcast! Follow me on Youtube and Facebook "Fortitude Training Systems", and @coachrenfts on Instagram for health and fitness content! Check out my…

Ashley is a health & fitness coach, mother of three, and the owner of Level Up Strength + Nutrition. We dive into training menopuasal women, managing mental health, and keeping up with your own self care as a parent. Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest of the Fortitude Training Podcast! Follow me on Youtube and Facebook "Fortitude Training S…

Ronnie is a strength coach based in North Carolina. We share stories of client success and the importance of strength training in aging populations. Subscribe to stay up to date on the podcast! Check out Fortitudetrainingsystems.net for fitness articles for beginners and casual lifters! Follow me on Youtube and Facebook Fortitude Training Systems. …

My guest today is Sarah Smith. Sarah grew up in Ireland where her family owned a Wholefoods Store. She then spent nearly a decade in an unhealthy relationship that lead her to reach for food for comfort. After leaving that situation, she transformed her body and became a fitness professional, gym owner, and athlete. Sarah and I discuss our experien…

Christina holds a Master of Advanced Study in Marriage and Family Therapy from Arizona State University. She received specialized training in food and body obsession from The National Eating Disorder Association. Christina is a Certified Personal Trainer and nutrition coach. She is also a certified Women's Coaching Specialist and a Hormone Speciali…

Daniel Yores is an online coach beased in Toronto. After suffering multiple knee injuries and undergoing major surgery, he had to take time away from being a successful athlete. He now uses the lessons he learned from a two year recovery and rebuilding his fitness to help others. See Daniel's website www.danielyores.com and follow him on Instagram …

What does it take to stick to a training program? Find out in this episode as I share what has been proven by the research and has worked for my clients over the years. Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest of the Fortitude Training Podcast! Follow me on Youtube and Facebook "Fortitude Training Systems", @coachrenfts on Instagram and Tiktok fo…

Jeff is a coach located in New Hampshire. After spending a few years teaching math in high school, he decided to make his hobby of coaching a full-time career. We discuss navigating life as a new parent, the truth about weight loss, and his experience raising a toddler and twins. Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest of the Fortitude Training …

Bailey is a personal trainer based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She does both online and in person coaching. She has a kinesiology degree and has been training for four years. Bailey and I met in late February at the Raise the Bar fitness conference in Dallas. We talk about training women, how to get your first chin-up, and what her recent ACL inj…

A hot topic in the fitness industry as of late has been whether or not lifting form matters. In this episode, Brian Leoffler PT and I give our take on this topic. We discuss structures of the body that don't adapt to stress over long periods of time and how context matters a great deal. Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest of the Fortitude Tr…

Blake is the owner of Parado Power in Honolulu Hawaii. Blake and I met at the Raise the Bar fitness conference back in February and were able to connect and talk shop. Blake opened his gym just a couple of years before the pandemic hit, and the story of how they were able to keep their business afloat is incredible. We also talk about improving the…

Functional training became a buzz phrase back in the 90s in fitness. The initial concept made sense, do training that is more functional for you life/sport. However, like many things in the industry, it became an umbrella term for exercises and methods that were not actually functional at all. In this episode, we dive into what functional training …

Check me out on Youtube! https://youtube.com/@rencollier Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/forti... Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/invi... This episode covers everything you need to get started this new year with your health and fitness goals! Follow the guidelines and be one of the few people who creates good habits and sticks to your resol…

Join me as I unveil what experience and research is saying about how we should manage our health, stay strong as we age, and look better naked. How can we reverse osteoporosis, sarcopenia, fat gain, diabetes, frailty, and function of the body? There is one modality of exercise that allows one to get all of these benefits and more. It is beginning t…

By Ren Collier

Trigger warning for those who have mental health issues. This episode goes into my own struggles with depression and the journey I have been through so far to overcome and adapt to my life with mental illness. I go over the different strategies I have used to help me heal from trauma and turn my life around. I hope you learn something from it and a…

Dominic Foti is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor based in Morristown VT. He has spent time working with the general population for the past decade. Dom shares his expertise in mental counseling, strategies that may help you improve your own life situation, and stories of his own experiences overcoming mental barries in his own life. Dom …

My guest today is Andrew Coates. Andrew has been in the fitness industry for over a decade and has amassed a large following on social media. He trains people both in person and online and even mentors other coaches to build their careers. We discuss strategies build a successful training career and how weight training has positively impacted the p…

I have been away for a while and one of the main reasons is that I became a father! In this episode I share some of the lessons I have learned from her in just over three months of fatherhood. It gets a bit emotional at times, but I hope you learn something from this episode.By Ren Collier

My guest is Dr. Aaron Horshig. Aaron is the founder of Squat University and has been working as a Physical Therapist and strength and conditioning coach for over a decade. His clientele has included weightlifters, the general population, NFL athletes and more. We talk about common squat myths, how lifting is the fountain of youth, and why the new d…

Susan has worked at the University of Vermont in the Rehabilitation and Movement Science Department for the past 25 years. Her work focuses on including people with disabilites and chronic conditions in exercise and physical activity programs. She has been involved in creating community programs for people with M.S., Parkinsons, as well as helping …

Coach Pol makes his second appearance on the Fortitude Training Podcast! This time around we focus in on his specialty, olympic weightlifting, and how it can benefit children, adults, competitiors and even casual lifters looking for better health. We discuss coaching middle school and high school kids in the lifts, how to adapt the lifts for aging …

Jazmin is a strength enthusiast helping the state of Vermont build a larger community through strength sports such as powerlift and strongman. She is the Vermont State Chair of USS Strongman and Business Manager of Vermont Powerlifting. Her day job is Manager of outdoor porgrams for the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Jazmin was recen…

Over the past five years I have fallen into the same trap that many strength athletes or recreational gym goers fall into, doing the same things over and over. One of my biggest weakenesses I have found with my coaching has been long term programming. I am able to coach novices quite well, but once that portion of someones lifting experience has ru…

My guest in this epsiode is Brett Jones. Brett is the Director of Education for Stronfirst, the school of strength. Brett has degrees in both Athletic Training and Sports Medicine as well as a masters in Rehabilitative Sciences. Brett attended the second ever kettlebell certification is the US back in 2003. Our discussion centers on his experience …

My guest in this epsiode is Hendrik Reinold. Hendrik has been working at the Rehab Gym in Barre Vermont since 2013. He is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and graduated from Southern Illnois University Edwardsville with a BS in Exercise and Wellness. We discuss the state of the health and fitness industry, and a host of false narratives that plag…

Sarah Quinttus is a Certified Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapy. Just a year ago she opened her own private yoga studio in Burlington, VT. She mainly works with people one on one or as couples. Sarah also has a degree in Athletic Training from the University of Vermont and has completed courses in psychology and t…

The Press (AKA Overhead press) is a fundamental movement pattern we need for daily function. Most everyone can perform some kind of overhead press whether it be with the barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell. This will help build and maintain vital muscle mass in the upperbody as we age, give individuals more toned upper back and shoulders, and boost con…

Dr. Sullivan (AKA Sully) was an emergency room physician for 25 years. During his time in the ER he noticed a trend of conditions people presented with. Blood pressure, bad cholesterol, type two diabetes, and obesity were among the most common symptoms he would see on a day to day basis. He refers to this syndrome of syndromes as the sick aging phe…

In this episode we dive into something a bit different from the usual content. My guest is Hannah Taylor. Hannah has a degree in psychology from Saint Michael's college in Vermont. She also has experience working with mentally and behaviorally challenged youths, adults, and in correctional facilities. She now works as a love coach specializing in s…

Many of us have a hard time making progress in the weight room. Whether it be gaining strength, losing fat or putting on muscle, some individuals struggle right from the beginning. Miriam Lawrence joins me for the second time to discuss some of her struggles as a middle aged powerlifter. Having just discovered her passion for lifting just five year…

Rahn Fleming has worked at CVU high school in Vermont for over 20 years as the Coordinator of the learning center. He has also coached JV and varsity football for 16 years and coached wrestling for 10 years. He has a masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Antioch New England, and is the strength and conditioning coach of the high school. Rahn…

The Deadlift gets a bad reputation for hurting people's backs. However, just like any other lift it provides the user many benefits if done properly. Deadlifts don't hurt your back, poorly executed deadlifts do. Learn proper setup and execution of the deadlift, variations you can do if you do experience back pain, and why deadlifting is so importan…

We all get excited with a new year approaching and the opportunities it can bring. Many set new goals such as losing weight, quitting smoking, or saving more money. However, once the first quarter of the year has passed, most would have given up on their goals. In this episode I discuss some ways to keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed and stick…

Back pain is experienced by almost everyone over 40 and for some can really hinder day to day life. In this epsiode I talk with Brian about how he goes about helping someone restore function to a patient's back as well as what you can do to get ahead of back pain before it starts in the first place. Check out On Track ontrackhealth.net Reach out to…

There come points in life where we must make a decision to either stay where we are or take a risk in order to try and improve our situation. Often this requires a period of time in which you may go backwards with relationships, career path or the comfort of your usual routine. However, long term they can workout if you are able to stick with it. T…

Push-ups, chin-ups, and sit-ups have all been used for generations to build stronger, healthier bodies. Everyone around the world knows these humble but effective movements. They are used as a tool to test the physical capabilities of children, law enforcement, and military personel everywhere. How can it fit into your training? Find out this and m…

Mikaela competed in Alpine Ski racing as a teenager and had a lot of success while studying at a ski race academy in Vermont. Mikaela placed in the top 10 at the Whistler Cup in two events (Giant Slalom & Super G) and at one point swept the podiums in Slalom. We go in depth on what it was like to compete at a high level and the burnout she experien…

All about how to set up and execute the bench press! The bench press gets a bad rap from a lot of people these days. While there are certainly some limitations to this classic lift, I believe the benefits outweigh them! Learn about some of the mistakes I see people make and how to correct them, variations you can use if you have shoulder pain, and …

In this epsiode I give several examples of current and past trainees who have had success with getting their lives back after incorporating strength training into their lives. All of these people are over 70 years of age and have experienced just how fast improving their strength can have a major impact on their lives. I also go into what methods I…

Coach Polakowski (AKA Coach Pol) recently retired after over 40 years as a PE teacher, Track & Field coach and olympic weightlifting coach In Essex Vermont. Coach Pol has had track and field athletes win over a dozen state championships, an athlete compete in weightlifting in the Olympics and coached a crossfit champion you may have heard of. We ta…

Megan and I were colleagues at a local gym a few years ago and she has since become a Registered Nurse. Megan has worked as a COVID-19 ICU nurse, in burn trauma, and currently works as a COVID Outreach RN for the Monroe County Department of Health In New York state. Megan shares her experiences as a personal trainer, how nursing has changed her out…

In this epsiode my guest is Kim Leofller. Kim is a multi-time national triathlon champion, has place in the top ten at the world championships in Hawaii, and holds a master's degree in exercise physiology. We discuss what it's like competing at the highest level of endurance sports, how much strategy plays a role in racing, Kim's coaching career at…

My guest today is Trudee. Trudee is an Advanced Practice Nurse and a Clinical Specialist in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. She has worked with children, in corrections and with people struggling with substance abuse for decades. We talk about the different stages of creating changes in one's life, different strategies to encourage yourself, bla…

Lauren Has been a Trainee and friend of mine for the past three years. Having had no background in athletics, it was a scarey change for her to start working with a strength coach. We talk about her feats of strength both inside and outside of the gym, what it's like having a son with autism, and how strength training has helped her be even more ba…

Episode 15 features my very special guest and my former karate instructor Freddie Lapan. Master Lapan has been involved in martial arts for nearly 40 years. During that time he has not only mastered his art, but also taught people of all ages and backgrounds, he has run a successful business, and compete at the highest level of sport karate. We dis…

My guest in this episode is Erin Altemus. Erin is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. She has been working with people on their nutrition and digestive issues for about five years. Before that she worked as an Occupational Therapist and Personal Trainer. We discuss how stress is inhibiting your body's ability to digest properly and how t…

In this episode I have a special guest, Emily Cook. Emily has been a personal trainer for the past five years and like me, has struggled with anxiety and depression. We discuss some of our struggles with mental health, how our physical training has helped us cope, as well as other resources we have used. Check Emily out at daretomovefitness.com, In…

In this episode I have Jen Weiss and Justine Zolotas of Swole Sisters Worldwide! Jen and Justine are personal trainers who specialize in working with women online to create positive lifestyle habits. They also use a different approach to nutrition called intuitive eating, our main topic on the episode, that rejects diet culture and helps you reclai…