PODCAST · health
The Back in Action Podcast
by Dr. John Lavelle, Josh Bunch, and Dusty Holden
The Back in Action Podcast is where fitness coaching, spine health, and movement science meet to help you move better, feel better, and live better. Hosted by two expert coaches and a spine physician, this podcast challenges the belief that pain always needs surgery, medication, or endless therapy. From breaking down back pain myths to exploring fear, recovery, mobility, and strength training, each episode gives you practical tools to trust your body again. Rethink pain. Rebuild strength. And get back to enjoying the things you love in life without pain.
Episodes
-
The Cooldown: Rucking 101 — How to Start Walking With Weight | Ep. 22
Ever thought about throwing on a weighted backpack and turning your daily walk into a workout? That's essentially rucking, and it's one of Coach Dusty Holden's favorite ways to get in his zone 2 cardio. He'll even show up early to his kids' practices to get a few miles in instead of spending that...
-
Ep. 22 - A Closer Look: A Doctor’s Workout vs. A Coach’s Workout
In this episode of Back in Action, Dr. John LaVelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch break down how they approach their own training and use it to unpack what makes a good workout in the first place. The conversation gets into consistency and frequency, combining strength work with...
-
The Cooldown: What If Your Family Is Worried About You Working Out? | Ep. 21
The Cooldown is our short follow-up to the latest episode of The Back in Action Podcast, where we take one question from the conversation and spend another 5–10 minutes getting practical with it. Coming out of Ep. 21, “Don’t Squat. Don’t Deadlift.” And Other Back Pain Myths, the question is: what...
-
Ep. 21 - “Don’t Squat. Don’t Deadlift.” And Other Back Pain Myths
A disc bulge shows up on your MRI. You’re told to be careful. Maybe stop bending, stop lifting, definitely don’t deadlift. What happens next can matter just as much as what showed up on the scan. In this episode, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch get into some of the most...
-
First Steps: What to Do When Your Back Hurts
Your back has been hurting for six months. You’re out of ideas, and you don’t know what to do next. Where do you start? In the Season 3 premiere, Josh steps into the role of the patient while Dr. John Lavelle and Coach Dusty Holden walk through the first steps they would take.Dr. Lavelle starts…
more -
Mixtape 5: The Fork in the Road: Invest in the Body You’ll Live In
We all reach a point where we have a choice to make. Keep putting movement, strength, and your health on the back burner… or start investing in the body you’ll depend on for decades to come. In this Mixtape, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch explore why getting older…
more -
Mixtape 4: Just Start Moving – The First Moves That Help You Trust Your Body Again
“Just start moving” sounds simple. But when you’re dealing with back pain, fear of movement, or years of being told what not to do, the first step can feel anything but obvious. In this Mixtape, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch pull together conversations from across the...
-
Mixtape 3: You Were Born to Hinge
You Were Born to Hinge Somewhere along the way, a lot of people were taught that bending over is dangerous. Don't round your back. Don't deadlift. Don't pick that up. Be careful. The problem is that life doesn't happen in perfect positions. In this Mixtape, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden…
more -
Mixtape 2: What Pain Actually Is
Pain is weird. You can have a perfectly healed structure and still be dealing with very real pain. You can also have arthritis, disc degeneration, or an old injury on an MRI and still get stronger, move better, and feel better over time. Mixtape #2 pulls together some of the biggest conversations...
-
Mixtape 1: Fear is the Diagnosis
Afraid to move because you think pain means you’re making things worse? One of the sneakiest things about back pain is that eventually it stops being about the pain itself. It becomes fear. Fear of bending over.Fear of deadlifting.Fear of “messing it up again.”Fear every time your back tightens…
more -
Ep. 19 - The Biggest Fitness Mistakes (Even Coaches Make) | Prevention vs Treatment, Excuses & Intensity
In this episode of the Back in Action Podcast, Dr. John Lavelle sits down with coaches Dusty Holden and Josh Bunch to talk about what people get wrong about fitness, health, pain, and performance — including mistakes we’ve made ourselves. We cover why working out feels hard at first, why most...
-
Ep. 18 - TRIGGERED: The Fitness Fear That Made Us Throw Out the Notes
This episode of Back in Action took an unexpected turn before we even officially started. We were still setting up the studio and the cameras were already rolling when Dr. Lavelle brought up a topic that immediately sparked a reaction from our trainers. Instead of stopping and resetting, we threw...
-
Ep. 17 - Why Rest Isn’t Fixing Your Pain (The Real Cost of Avoidance)
If you’ve been resting because of pain… this episode might change everything. Dr. John Lavelle and Coach Josh Bunch discuss what happens to your body when you stop moving, and why avoidance often leads to more weakness, instability, and long-term pain. In this episode of Back in Action, we break...
-
Ep. 16 - Fitness in Your 40s
Fitness in your 40s isn’t about slowing down—it’s about training smarter. In this episode, Back in Action coaches and a spine physician unpack what movement and fitness should actually look like in midlife. We go beyond just “doing mobility” and dive into how strength, stability, recovery, and...
-
Ep. 15 - Your On-Ramp Back to Movement: Rebuilding the Back, Explained
If pain, injury, or time away from movement has left you unsure where to start—this episode is your on-ramp. Back in Action coaches and a spine physician walk through the very first Rebuilding the Back session, pausing along the way to explain what’s happening beneath the surface and how...
-
Ep. 14 - CrossFit & Back Pain: What You Really Need to Know
CrossFit gets blamed for a lot—especially back pain. But is the sport actually the problem? In this episode, we unpack the real relationship between CrossFit and your spine, diving into functional rehab principles, the reality of smart scaling, and what “movement is medicine” looks like when put…
more -
Bonus Episode: The Holiday Health Survival Guide — What Actually Matters for Strength + Sanity
Happy Holidays from Back in Action! This 20-minute bonus episode breaks down what actually matters for staying strong and sane through the holidays—plus how to get back into movement afterward without blowing yourself up. Here’s what we cover: The minimum movement your body needs to feel good…
more -
Ep. 13 - Disc Degeneration & Radiculopathy – What You Need to Know
In this episode, we tackle two of the most misunderstood spine issues: disc degeneration and radiculopathy. We break the episode into two parts: Disc Degeneration – what it is, why it happens, what the MRI really means, and how smart training can keep you strong. Radiculopathy – what nerve root...
-
Ep. 12 - Don’t Just Lift — Move: The Secret of Momentum
Why does momentum matter in training? What do movements like loaded carries, sled pushes, lunges, and backward walking give us that stationary lifts can’t? How do they protect our joints, restore posture, and build real-world strength? In this episode of The Back In Action Podcast, we dig into…
more -
Ep. 11 - Strength Training for Desk Workers
Sitting all day doesn’t just make you stiff—it can weaken your body and set the stage for back pain. In this episode of the Back in Action Podcast, we tackle the unique challenges desk workers face. We’ll break down how sitting affects the spine, why strength training is the most powerful tool to...
-
Ep. 10 - Strong Foundations: Helping Kids Who Don’t Play Sports
Not every child grows up on the playing field—but every child still needs to move. In this episode of The Back In Action Podcast, we explore the hidden costs of inactivity in kids, from posture problems and weak movement patterns to the impact on confidence and health. Join us as we discuss how…
more -
Ep. 9 - Raising Durable Athletes: Keeping Kids Healthy From Day One
Youth sports should build strength, confidence, and resilience—not send kids to the doctor’s office. In this episode, the team breaks down how to help your young athlete stay healthy, whether they’re just starting sports or chasing championships. We cover the truth about early specialization,...
-
Ep. 8 - Arthritis Isn’t the End: Reclaiming Movement at Any Age
Arthritis sounds like a dead end—but it’s not.In this episode, we break down what arthritis really is and what it isn’t, how arthritis affects beginners, longtime lifters, and everyone in between. We tackle imaging myths, smart training adaptations, and why movement (not rest) is often the key to...
-
Ep. 7 - The Truth About Injury Recovery —What Actually Heals You?
Is rest really the best medicine?Do you have to be pain-free to start moving again? In this episode, we break down what injury recovery actually looks like—from tissue healing to mental roadblocks and everything in between. You’ll learn why your scan might not matter, how movement plays a key…
more -
Ep. 6 - “My MRI Says I’m Broken” – What Imaging Really Tells You
You got an MRI—and now you’re convinced your spine is falling apart. Sound familiar? In this episode, we unpack the truth about imaging: what it shows, what it doesn’t show, and why scary-sounding findings often mean a lot less than you think. Follow along as we break down common myths about...
-
Ep. 5 - Spine Health 101: What Everyone Should Know
Back pain is common — but misunderstanding it is even more common. In this episode, we break down the essentials of spine health with insights from our team. We cover the basics of how the spine works, what can go wrong (herniations, stenosis, sciatica), and how movement can help recovery. You’ll...
-
Ep. 4 - Bridging the Gap: What Fear & Pain Don’t Tell You
In this special recap episode, the Back In Action team — two strength and conditioning coaches and a doctor of spine medicine — revisit the most powerful moments from our deep dive into fear and pain. We tackle the big questions: Is pain always a sign of damage? How do you challenge your fear of...
-
Ep. 3 - Pain Isn’t the Problem – It’s the Messenger
In this episode, we dive into one of the most misunderstood aspects of injury and movement: pain. Join the Back In Action crew as we unpack what pain really is, why it shows up, and how it doesn’t always mean damage. From fear of movement to the brain’s role in healing, this conversation helps...
-
Ep. 2 - Facing Fear — Pain, Injury & Getting Moving Again
Fear can keep people stuck — afraid to move, afraid to train, afraid they’ll make things worse. In this episode, we tackle the emotional and physical weight of fear when it comes to pain, injury, and the road to recovery. Dr. Lavelle breaks down what fear does to the body and brain from a medical...
-
Ep. 1 - Coaching Meets Medicine: The Back In Action Approach
Welcome to Back In Action — where strength meets science to help you move better, stay strong, train smart, and bounce back from injury. In our first episode, meet your hosts: Spine Doctor John Lavelle, and strength and conditioning coaches Dusty Holden and Josh Bunch. We combine decades of...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Back in Action Podcast is where fitness coaching, spine health, and movement science meet to help you move better, feel better, and live better. Hosted by two expert coaches and a spine physician, this podcast challenges the belief that pain always needs surgery, medication, or endless therapy. From breaking down back pain myths to exploring fear, recovery, mobility, and strength training, each episode gives you practical tools to trust your body again. Rethink pain. Rebuild strength. And get back to enjoying the things you love in life without pain.
HOSTED BY
Dr. John Lavelle, Josh Bunch, and Dusty Holden
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Back in Action Podcast have?
The Back in Action Podcast currently has 30 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Back in Action Podcast about?
The Back in Action Podcast is where fitness coaching, spine health, and movement science meet to help you move better, feel better, and live better. Hosted by two expert coaches and a spine physician, this podcast challenges the belief that pain always needs surgery, medication, or endless therapy....
How often does The Back in Action Podcast release new episodes?
The Back in Action Podcast has 30 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Back in Action Podcast?
You can listen to The Back in Action Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Back in Action Podcast?
The Back in Action Podcast is created and hosted by Dr. John Lavelle, Josh Bunch, and Dusty Holden.
URL copied to clipboard!