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What if the key to better sleep, recovery, focus, and lasting behavior change isn't another productivity hack – but feeling safe in your own body?

In this episode, Kelly and Juliet Starrett sit down with psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and Apollo Neuroscience co-founder Dr. David Rabin to explore the hidden role the nervous system plays in stress, learning, trauma, performance, and recovery.

Drawing on more than two decades of research, Dr. Rabin explains why modern life keeps us trapped in a state of chronic overstimulation – and how that affects sleep, resilience, chronic pain, emotional health, and our ability to learn. They also dive into the science of the vagus nerve, heart rate variability, fear extinction, human connection, and simple tools that help us feel safer, calmer, and more adaptable.

• Why feeling physiologically safe is the foundation for learning, healing, and peak performance
• How chronic stress affects sleep, recovery, immunity, and the body's ability to function
• The difference between top-down thinking and bottom-up nervous system regulation
• Why touch, movement, music, breathwork, and human connection are powerful tools for reducing stress
• How modern technology and constant stimulation may be making us less resilient, less focused, and less connected

(0:00) Intro: Gen Z Cognitive Regression & Technology Warning

(0:37) Meet Dr. David Rabin: Psychiatrist & Apollo Neuroscience Co-Founder

(2:20) Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Learning

(4:41) The Neuroscience of Learning and Safety

(7:06) Maslow's Hierarchy and Physiological Safety

(12:27) The Role of Touch as Our First Language

(18:47) The Vagus Nerve: Governor of Rest and Recovery

(27:32) Apollo Wearable: Activating Safety in Seconds

(29:07) Kelly's Sleep-Anywhere Superpower & Sleep Science

(33:08) Belief, Biology, and the Dream Catcher Story

(41:06) The Amygdala as a Contrast Detection Center

(47:35) PTSD as a Learned Fear Disorder

(56:14) What Apollo Actually Does and How It Works

(1:04:26) Apollo + Oura Ring Sleep Study – 1,000+ People, 3 Years

(1:12:49) Managing Overstimulation in a Tech-Driven World

(1:14:53) Smartphone Addiction and Misdiagnosis of ADHD

(1:16:12) Book Highlights and Education System 50 Years Outdated

(1:18:19) AI Should Not Replace Human Teaching and Healing

(1:20:28) Infinite Shelf: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

(1:23:13) Closing Thoughts

Huge thanks to our sponsors, LMNT and Momentous.

Welcome back to RECESS — our bi-weekly look at what we’re learning, trends we’re seeing in the health and fitness space, and how we’re building more play into real life.

The fitness industry is facing its biggest shake-up yet, and it's coming from a syringe. In this episode of RECESS, we cover a lot of ground: from Caroline's high school graduation and a wild weekend of sports (Knicks championship! Water polo! World Cup!) to the questions keeping health and fitness professionals up at night.

The centerpiece of this episode is a candid conversation about GLP-1, GLP-2, and the newly trialed GLP-3 drug Retatrutide — and what near-30% body weight loss results mean for the future of personal training, nutrition coaching, and the entire weight loss industry. Is weight loss about to become a purely medical intervention? And if so, what does that mean for coaches, trainers, and wellness brands like ours?

We also take on a viral debate about AI-generated fitness influencers crowding out real coaches on social media, break down the data on whether women should skip college in the age of AI (spoiler: the numbers say no), and share our take on Backrooms, the buzzy horror film directed by a local kid who built the concept as a high schooler. If you've ever felt the existential dread of liminal spaces, this one's for you.

• Why Caroline Starrett's observation that "muscles are the new skinny" might be the most important trend call in fitness right now
• How GLP-3 drug Retatrutide achieved nearly 30% average body weight loss in Phase 3 trials, and what that means compared to Ozempic and ZepBound
• What happens to the fitness industry if weight loss becomes a purely pharmaceutical intervention
• The hidden dangers of GLP-1 drugs: muscle and bone mass loss, weight regain after stopping, and the return of extreme thinness culture
• Why AI-generated fitness influencers are getting millions of views while real coaches struggle for reach, and what to do about it
• The data behind college ROI for women: why the gender pay gap and VC funding stats make a compelling case for staying in school
• Why the most successful female founders (Rent the Runway, Stitch Fix, 23andMe, Tory Burch) share one thing in common
• A local director's Backrooms, worth seeing even if you hate horror

(00:00) Welcome back to RECESS; Caroline's high school graduation and becoming (almost) empty nesters; the "open nest" philosophy

(01:50) A massive weekend of sports: Knicks championship, Stanley Cup, World Cup, water polo tournaments, and shoutouts to Cal athletes competing in European club championships

(05:35) The viral Canadian coach's Instagram post: AI-generated fitness influencers vs. real coaches, the algorithm problem, and a defense of making content that's actually fun

(07:45) Why real coaches deserve your engagement: the difference between AI-driven content and educators who've spent years building free resources

(11:17) College ROI debate: a prominent female entrepreneur suggests skipping college; Juliet and Kelly push back with data — 65–75% higher lifetime earnings for college grads, and the gender pay gap closes with education

(16:00) Female founders and elite credentials: why the women who actually break through in VC-backed startups almost universally have top-tier degrees; notable examples and one cautionary tale

(18:00) Caroline's insight: "muscles are the new skinny" — when anyone can change their body composition with a GLP drug, muscle becomes the differentiator

(19:29) Breaking down the GLP-3 trial results for Retatrutide: 70+ lbs average loss, nearly 30% body weight reduction, and how it compares to GLP-1 and GLP-2 drugs

(20:40) How GLP drugs are splitting the fitness industry: some coaches relieved, some threatened, and the legacy weight loss brands already pivoting

(22:45) The dark side: muscle and bone mass loss, Hollywood's return to extreme thinness, and what happens when people stop taking the drugs without changing their habits

(27:00) The message that still matters: muscle is your longevity organ; building a body for adventure; why GLP drugs and strength training aren't mutually exclusive

(27:29) Backrooms the movie: local Marin School of the Arts alum director Kane Parsons, and why this creepy-beautiful film is worth your time even if you're not a horror fan

(29:10) Wrap-up and thanks for listening

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“Strength training will make swimmers slow.”

“Water polo players should stop lifting before big competitions.”

"Young athletes just need more time in the pool.”

These ideas have shaped aquatic sports for decades… but what if they’re actually holding athletes back?

In this episode of The Ready State Podcast, Kelly and Juliet Starrett sit down with strength and conditioning coach Jack Brown, founder of Aqua Strength Performance, to challenge some of the biggest myths in swimming and water polo. Drawing from his own experience as an injured athlete and years spent coaching everyone from middle school beginners to Division I athletes, Jack explains why strength training may be one of the most overlooked tools for improving performance, reducing injuries, and helping athletes stay in the sport longer.

The conversation goes far beyond the weight room. Jack shares why sprinting, jumping, mobility work, sleep, nutrition, and recovery are essential pieces of athletic development—and why many youth athletes are training harder than ever while missing the fundamentals that matter most. Whether you're a swimmer, water polo player, coach, or parent of a young athlete, this episode offers a fresh perspective on what it really takes to build stronger, healthier, and more resilient competitors.

• Why strength training doesn't make swimmers and water polo players bulky or slow – but more resilient and powerful
• Why sprinting, jumping, and strength work belong in every athlete's development plan
• How strength and conditioning can reduce injury risk and improve long-term athletic durability
• Why sleep and nutrition may have a bigger impact on performance than adding more training volume
• What parents should look for in a quality youth strength and conditioning program

(0:00) Common myths about strength training for aquatic athletes

(0:28) Jack Brown’s Story and Finding His Path

(7:20) Building Aqua Strength and identifying a gap in youth sports

(10:33) Why swimming and water polo have resisted strength training

(15:13) What parents should look for in a youth S&C program

(22:01) The importance of sprinting and jumping for athletic development

(26:26) Creating a gym culture athletes enjoy

(34:08) Bone health and loading for aquatic athletes

(35:18) Why strength training prepares athletes for college sports

(43:34) What “strength and conditioning” actually means

(52:44) Red flags in youth sports programs

(56:10) Training volume, overuse, and recovery

(1:01:35) Sleep, screen time, and athlete responsibility

(1:06:21) Myth #1: Strength training makes swimmers slow

(1:07:46) Myth #2: Athletes should stop lifting during a taper

(1:16:00) Myth #3: You need a sport-specific strength coach

(1:22:53) The future of aquatic athlete development

(1:28:16) Infinite Shelf recommendation

Huge thanks to our sponsors, Momentous and LMNT.