Alright, folks: you know the drill.

You are scrolling through YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, YouNameItNewSocialMediaHere and what not.

Then, you see the shiny and new fitness influencer of the hour telling what exercise you shouldn’t do in fifteen seconds or so.

No context, no explanation, no nuance or even logic. Just Doomsday talk: do a deadlift and you will DIE A TERRIBLE DEATH AND THE UNIVERSE WILL EXPLODE!!!

Well, it's time to go through the five most controversial exercises in 2026: should you do them? Should you avoid them? Are there alternatives for these exercises? Or should you make them even HARDER?

Well, let’s find out together in this brand new episode of Past Your Prime.

----------------------------------------------

Welcome to Past Your Prime – the podcast for active adults balancing training, rehab, family, and real life.

Each episode, hosts Craig Smith (PT & coach) and Alex Keicher (pro athlete & busy dad) unpack real-world strategies for overcoming injuries, staying strong, and living pain-free—even when life gets chaotic.

💡 Learn more, access resources, and join our community:👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pastyourprime.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:

📲 Alex –⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spikerkeicher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📲 Craig –⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@craigsmithPT⁠

Craig often thinks about the New Year as another point in time to analyze, commit, and change his current system. At this time of year, he spends about 50% of his time discussing goals.

Alex, on the other hand, spends 90% of his time getting hurt.

Most New Year's resolutions are not goals - they are challenges. On this episode of Past Your Prime, we get back to the useful framework of identity, meaning, direction, and system. And we're gonna help you start your new chapter with a BANG!

----------------------------------------------

Welcome to Past Your Prime – the podcast for active adults balancing training, rehab, family, and real life.

Each episode, hosts Craig Smith (PT & coach) and Alex Keicher (pro athlete & busy dad) unpack real-world strategies for overcoming injuries, staying strong, and living pain-free—even when life gets chaotic.

💡 Learn more, access resources, and join our community:👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pastyourprime.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:

📲 Alex –⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spikerkeicher⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📲 Craig –⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@craigsmithPT⁠

It's the holiday season and your New Year’s Resolutions are that you are going to be more active in 2026.

But you have done this a million New Year’s before, haven't you? And being more active felt worse… until you eventually quit, anyway.

This is Exercise Hell: when movement consistently makes you feel worse, not better.

In today’s episode we will dive deep into how to avoid this Hell altogether and what strategies to apply if you find yourself in this situation. But one thing is for sure: after this episode, you will be able to finally stay committed to your New Year’s Resolutions in 2026.

The goal isn’t to fall in love with exercise. The goal is to stop being punished by it and get the best bang for your buck.

----------------------------------------------

Welcome to Past Your Prime – the podcast for active adults balancing training, rehab, family, and real life.

Each episode, hosts Craig Smith (PT & coach) and Alex Keicher (pro athlete & busy dad) unpack real-world strategies for overcoming injuries, staying strong, and living pain-free—even when life gets chaotic.

💡 Learn more, access resources, and join our community:👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pastyourprime.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram:

📲 Alex – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spikerkeicher⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📲 Craig – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@craigsmithPT⁠