In this episode, Sarah and Laurel sit down with Dr. Stu Phillips, one of the world's most influential researchers in muscle physiology, protein metabolism, and resistance training. Together they discuss why Stu publicly challenged the idea that heavy lifting is required for bone density, what the evidence actually says about load and osteogenesis, and how newer research has changed the conversation around both muscle growth and bone health.

Stu explains why many long-held training beliefs—including the need for heavy weights for hypertrophy—have not held up under scrutiny, why good scientists must be willing to change their minds, and how concepts like effort and "progressive stimulus" may matter more than specific loading prescriptions.

The conversation also explores what researchers know (and still don't know) about bone adaptation, site-specific bone responses, impact training, mechanical loading, and the challenges of translating animal research into human recommendations. Finally, Stu shares his thoughts on protein obsession, exercise guidelines, weight loss stigma, and the importance of following the evidence wherever it leads.

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Barbell Mini Course from Movement Logic

Kistler-Fischbacher et al. (2021) Exercise and Bone Density

Watson et al (2018) LIFTMOR Trial

Currier et al (2026) ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training and Muscle Hypertrophy

What is balance, really? In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel and Sarah unpack why “balance” is much more than standing on one foot, not falling, or having a strong core.

Using the motor control concept of postural control, they explore balance as a dynamic, emergent process shaped by sensory input, motor responses, cognition, confidence, fear, environment, prior experience, and social context. They discuss center of mass, base of support, stability, perturbations, sensory reweighting, and why balance is deeply context specific.

You’ll learn why steady-state, reactive, and anticipatory balance are different biological problems, why yoga may train some balance skills better than others, why strength and power matter for fall recovery, and why no single “balance exercise” prepares you for every balance challenge life throws at you.

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ABOUT Power Play

FOLLOW @TheMovementLogic on Instagram

WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube

LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website

FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout

RESOURCES

BOOK: Motor Control: Translating Research into Clinical Practice by Anne Shumway-Cook and Marjorie Woollacott

EPISODES

128: Does 'Balance Training' Prevent Falls, or Just Improve Balance?

129: Sarcopenia Redefined: Loss of Strength and Power Matter More Than Muscle Mass

On motor learning - 29: The Cues We Use Pt. 1, 31: The Cues We Use Pt. 2, 34: The Cues We Use Pt. 3

Our interview on the Capable and Worthy Podcast

POWER PLAY is on sale now for $99. The price goes up after May 31st.

Sign up here - https://themovementlogic.com/power-play/

Power training is not just for athletes. It's also not just box jumps, Olympic lifts, or kettlebell swings. Power is for everyone and it shows up all day, everyday in our daily activities. It's the ability to produce force quickly. You use power when you stand up from a chair, climb stairs, get off the floor, or react fast enough to prevent a fall.

This week on the Movement Logic podcast, Laurel and Sarah explain why they created their new course, Power Play. They discuss why power declines faster than strength as we age, why that matters for fall prevention and independence, and why so many people mistakenly conclude “my knees can’t handle that anymore” or “I’m too old for that” after being exposed to way too much impact or explosive movement too soon. They break down how power exercises can be scaled and progressed, why most group fitness classes fail to individualize this type of training, and how Power Play teaches people to start at the very beginning rather than assuming the hardest version is the entry point. They also discuss pelvic floor concerns, type 2 muscle fibers, balance, aging, reactive movement, and why just a few minutes of power training per week can make a meaningful difference in long-term physical function.

ABOUT Power Play

FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram

WATCH Movement Logic on YouTube

LEARN MORE on the Movement Logic website

FOLDABLE HOME BARBELL RACK by Verse, use coupon code MovementLogic10%OFF at checkout