The Ultimate Former Athlete Q&A: Smart Training, Salt, and Staying Athletic for Life

What does it take to stay strong, athletic, and consistent as a former athlete juggling career, family, and life stress? In this exclusive Former Athlete Society Q&A, I answer 5 powerful questions from our community members.

This video gives you real-world tactics, tools, and strategies to apply right now.

What’s Inside This Q&A?

This isn’t theory. It’s jam packed full of actionable coaching designed to help you train smarter, recover faster, and stay consistent—even when life gets busy.

1. Mixing Heavy Strength Work with Dynamic Movements

In this section, I explain how combining maximal strength days with dynamic effort days (a conjugate-style approach) can help former athletes maintain both raw power and explosive speed. I share how I typically structure these sessions, the importance of bar speed, and why contrast training keeps your nervous system primed for athletic performance even years after your competitive career ends.

2. Should You Salt Your Foods?

Adam unpacks the myths around sodium intake and explains why salting your meals might actually support hydration, performance, and recovery—especially if you’re training hard or living at altitude. He shares his personal approach using pink Himalayan salt, how he monitors blood pressure, and a simple “salt test” you can try to see if you’re running low on electrolytes.

3. Should You Record Your Workouts?

Here, I discuss the value of tracking your training, whether through an app or the classic pen-and-paper logbook. Drawing on the philosophy of “beating the logbook” from Dante Trudel’s DC Training, I explain how writing down sets, reps, and even quick notes can create accountability, show progress, and guide smarter programming over time.

4. How to Handle Bright, Overstimulating Office Lighting

For those struggling with harsh office lighting that disrupts focus and sleep, I share practical tips for mitigating the effects. I cover eyewear solutions like ROKA’s wind-down glasses (developed with Dr. Andrew Huberman), workspace tweaks, and why stepping outside for sunlight exposure resets your body’s natural rhythms.

5. Dumbbells, Barbells, Kettlebells, or Machines: Which Should You Use?

In the final question, I break down the strengths and limitations of each training tool. I explain why there’s no single “best” implement and how to rotate them intelligently based on your goals, joint health, and environment. I also share how I personally use barbells for big lifts, dumbbells for accessories, kettlebells for dynamic work, and machines for targeted hypertrophy.

All of These Questions were Answered!

During our LIVE YouTube Q&A Session but you MUST be a member to access the exclusive behind the scenes content and information!

Join the Society to Watch