High performance doesn’t happen by accident.
Strength Required is a show from Ladder about the physical, mental, and operational strength behind sustained high performance, in and out of the gym.
Host Tom Digan, Ladder’s co-founder, sits down with athletes, artists, doctors, coaches, and people who’ve rebuilt themselves from scratch to find out what’s actually underneath the results. Ladder coaches join in, bringing real questions from the hundreds of thousands of Ladder members they coach.
Training, nutrition, recovery, and the habits and systems that keep people going when nothing about life makes it easy.
No hacks, no hype, no gurus. Just what works, and the people who did it. Every episode earns its time with something you can use this week.
Strength isn’t just what you can lift. It’s what you can sustain.
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 30/10/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to Strength Required, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Why are you losing muscle as you age (and how to stop it) with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 • Duration 01:31:37
What if the key to living longer isn’t simply adding more years to your life, but building the strength to stay capable throughout them?
In the premiere episode of Strength Required, presented by Ladder, Ladder Co-Founder and President Tom Digan sits down with physician and muscle health expert Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, alongside Ladder Coach Lauren Kanski, for a conversation about why skeletal muscle matters far beyond aesthetics and athletic performance.
Dr. Lyon explains why she considers muscle an essential organ system and why building and maintaining healthy muscle can influence metabolic health, independence, body composition, and how we age. They unpack the difference between lifespan and “muscle span,” why strength training becomes increasingly important with age, and why walking alone doesn’t provide the same stimulus as resistance training.
The conversation gets practical as Tom and Lauren bring in some of the most common questions from the Ladder community. Dr. Lyon breaks down protein intake, essential amino acids, protein quality and meal timing, including why she believes protein should remain a priority whether your goal is losing body fat or gaining lean mass.
They also discuss GLP-1 medications and the importance of protecting muscle during weight loss, the changing conversation around hormones and perimenopause, and why women shouldn’t shy away from challenging resistance training as they age.
Finally, the conversation moves beyond physical strength into the “inner game.” Dr. Lyon shares why she focuses on standards rather than goals, how to stay consistent when life gets difficult, and the personal experience that taught her what strength means outside of the gym.
IN THIS EPISODE
→ Why Dr. Lyon calls skeletal muscle the “organ of longevity”
→ Lifespan vs. muscle span and staying capable as you age
→ Lower-body strength, power, kettlebells and training for long-term independence
→ Why muscle quality may matter more than obsessing over body-fat percentage
→ How resistance training and protein needs change as we get older→ Sedentary behavior, movement “snacks” and staying active outside your workouts
→ Why walking is important but isn’t a replacement for resistance training
→ How Dr. Lyon currently trains and works around injuries
→ How much protein Dr. Lyon recommends and why essential amino acids matter
→ Protein quality, leucine, meal timing and hitting meaningful protein targets
→ Adjusting nutrition for fat loss versus gaining lean mass
→ GLP-1 medications, appetite suppression and protecting muscle during weight loss
→ Perimenopause, hormones and the importance of strength training for women
→ The biggest longevity trends, myths and misconceptions
→ Why consistency starts with values, identity and personal standards
→ Dr. Lyon’s practical framework for staying strong and independent later in life
CHAPTERS
(00:00) Muscle Is the Organ of Longevity
(02:22) Lifespan vs. Muscle Span
(04:23) The Strength and Power That Matter Most as You Age
(14:12) Why Building Muscle Gets Harder With Age
(16:31) Are You Sedentary Even If You Work Out?
(25:34) Why Walking Isn’t Strength Training
(34:27) Protein: How Much Do You Actually Need?
(41:38) Protein Quality, Amino Acids and Meal Timing
(50:48) Eating for Fat Loss vs. Building Muscle
(55:16) GLP-1s, Weight Loss and Protecting Muscle
(01:04:46) Perimenopause, Hormones and Strength Training
(01:19:28) The Inner Game: Standards, Consistency and When Strength Is Required
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Bio
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is board-certified in family medicine, a fellowship-trained physician from Washington University in St. Louis in Nutritional Science and Geriatrics, and the founder of Muscle-Centric Medicine®, a science-based approach that places skeletal muscle at the center of metabolic health, disease prevention, and longevity. She is a two-time New York Times bestselling author of Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well and The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK.
Through her books, podcast, and educational platforms, she translates complex science into practical strategies for building strength, preserving vitality, and maintaining independence throughout life. Widely recognized for her expertise in dietary protein and human performance, she works with elite athletes, high-performance leaders, an U.S. Special Operations Forces.
Dr. Lyon is leading a shift in modern medicine by redefining muscle as the foundation of long-term health and resilience. She continues to treat patients through her private telehealth medical practice, Strong Medical.
For more information, visit https://drgabriellelyon.com/.
FOLLOW
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Strong Medical
Podcast
Instagram
X
LinkedIn
YouTube
Lauren Kanski
Instagram: @lauren_kanski
Ladder
Instagram: @joinladder
Website: joinladder.com
Download Ladder: Ladder on the App Store
Strength Required is presented by Ladder.
Produced by Pursuit Network.
This is Strength Required
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 • Duration 01:08
High performance doesn’t happen by accident.
Hosted by Ladder co-founder Tom Digan, Strength Required explores the physical, mental, and operational strength behind sustained high performance through conversations with athletes, artists, doctors, coaches, and people who’ve rebuilt themselves from the ground up.
No hacks, no hype, no gurus. Just what works, because strength isn’t just what you can lift, it’s what you can sustain.
Follow Ladder:
Instagram: @joinladder
Website: joinladder.com
Download Ladder on the App Store
Strength Required is presented by Ladder.
Produced by Pursuit Network.
