Building Elite Fitness Through Consistency | Don Saladino

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Celebrity trainer Don Saladino joins David Nurse for this raw, energizing conversation about what it really takes to build and sustain elite-level health and performance—physically and mentally. On today’s episode Don outlines why consistency is the single most overlooked and irreplaceable factor in transformation—revealing how he’s structured his training for over 30 years to avoid burnout, stay injury-free, and keep evolving.

Together the two explore how Don’s approach has evolved from his early Equinox days to working with top-tier Hollywood clients, and why standards—not hacks—create real transformation. Don discusses resistance training as the “entrée” to fitness, how he integrates cardio for recovery and longevity, and why NSVs (non-scale victories) are a far more reliable progress marker than the number on the scale. Don also takes a firm stance on the influencer vs. coach debate—calling out the lack of real-world experience in the online fitness space—and shares why application trumps lab results when it comes to real change.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon joins David toward the end of the episode to break down intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) as a game-changing new health marker and how movement is essential for skeletal muscle quality. They also discuss the best ways to track nutrition for body composition, the psychology of standards, and what truly sustainable excellence looks like.

No matter where you’re at in your fitness journey, this episode will challenge you to raise your standards, think deeper, and train with more purpose.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Don Saladino’s Relentless Consistency

03:00 40,000+ Sessions and What They Taught Him

06:45 Periodization, Recovery & Training Blocks

11:20 Real Coaches vs Influencers

13:40 The Science vs Application Debate

16:00 Tracking, Feel, and Nutrition Misconceptions

18:45 Metabolic Flexibility and Real RMR Gains

21:15 Training to Failure: What It Really Takes

23:00 Celebrity Coaching and Industry Experience

26:15 Why Standards > Motivation

28:45 NSVs and Sustainable Progress

31:00 Ozempic, Shortcuts, and Long-Term Costs

34:00 Gabrielle Lyon on iMAT and Muscle Health

38:00 Optimal Training Frequency & Recovery

42:00 Reframing Body Fat vs Muscle Quality

46:00 Standards as a Lifestyle Filter

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