The Intersection Between Strength Training & Eastern Medicine, with Dr. Chris Holder Artwork

Health Is A Skill with Todd Vande Hei

Welcome to the Health is a Skill podcast with host Todd Vande Hei! Todd is the CEO of Stark, which exists to change the future of health and fitness in the communities they serve. For the last 15 years, Todd has been on a journey to discover what it means to be in a state of peak health. After suffering from a series of seizures and being diagnosed with high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation in his early 30’s, Todd decided it was time to make a change. Those changes fell into one of four categories: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. But the biggest thing Todd learned through it all? Health is a skill. You’re not born with it, like some would like you to believe, and it isn’t acquired by simply buying another product or starting that new diet. Health is something you can create for yourself, and over time it is possible to attain peak health.

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Health Is A Skill with Todd Vande Hei

The Intersection Between Strength Training & Eastern Medicine, with Dr. Chris Holder

December 26, 2024 • Todd Vande Hei • Season 1 • Episode 23

Todd is back for this week’s episode of Health is a Skill with a special guest he’s been meaning to reconnect with for over a decade: Dr. Chris Holder. Chris is a strength coach turned doctor of eastern medicine practices like Qigong and Christian mysticism, and today on the show he’s here to tell us more about where the two intersect.

Todd begins the episode with an overview of what strength training is and its many benefits—inviting Chris to share how he’s seen eastern medicine practices enhance his strength training programs, specifically helping his athletes during their recovery periods. The two go on to discuss some of the biggest things Chris has learned throughout his career as a strength coach, lay out best practices for strength training as you get older, and make the case for why the science of strength training and the spirituality of eastern medicine can (and should!) go hand-in-hand.

Follow Chris on social media @drholder, and check out his website here: https://www.christianmysticism.online/.

Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com

Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health

CHAPTERS

00:00 Holistic Health and the Wheel of Health
03:51 The Power of Strength Training
10:11 Emotional and Mental Benefits of Strength Training
15:57 Integrating Eastern and Western Medicine
20:12 The Future of Health and Wellness
28:00 Integrating Qigong in Athletic Training
29:54 Common Mistakes in Strength Training
35:16 The Evolution of Nutritional Approaches
39:26 Strength Training for Aging Populations
43:09 Connective Tissue and Athletic Performance
51:59 Movement Patterns and Athletic Longevity