The Active Life Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Schaalo to unpack his evolution from athlete and CrossFit coach to one of the key leaders shaping Active Life’s coaching systems. Chris shares how fulfillment — not performance or prestige — ultimately pulled him toward helping people rebuild their lives through better coaching.We dive into the realities of growing into leadership inside a fast-moving company: building roles while flying the plane, learning to say “I don’t know,” and creating standards that scale across locations without losing quality. Chris explains how mentorship, consistency, and ownership became the foundation of his role.This conversation is essential listening for coaches who want more than sessions and programs — who want to build careers, lead teams, and create systems that outlast them. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at what professional growth actually requires.

Designing programs isn’t about choosing the “right” exercise — it’s about ensuring the exercise actually creates the adaptation you want. In this episode, we break down the concept of applying constraints and why simply assigning movements without controlling compensations often leads to missed outcomes, energy leaks, and frustration for both coaches and clients.Using a real coaching-floor example, we walk through how constraints can be layered intelligently: from positional cues, to tactile blocks, to changing implements and load placement. You’ll hear how one simple sidelying pullover turned ineffective movement into a targeted shoulder stimulus by systematically removing the client’s ability to compensate.This conversation is a practical framework for coaches who want cleaner execution, better client feedback, and more predictable results — whether you’re coaching in person or remotely. If you’ve ever wondered why an exercise “should work” but doesn’t, this episode gives you the lens to fix it.

In this episode, Larry sits down with Erin Hendry, an Active Life Professional working in Sweden, to unpack how she became a trusted referral partner inside a medical practice—without credentials, posturing, or trying to play doctor. Erins explains how a simple, human outreach on LinkedIn led to a clinic visit, a face-to-face conversation, and ultimately an ongoing professional relationship built on shared values and mutual respect.  The conversation goes deep into what actually earned trust: not proof, certifications, or selling—but clarity of thinking, empathy, and the ability to see the physician as a person first. Erin shares how her coaching approach complements medical care, especially for patients seeking more than medication or short-term relief. The discussion highlights why coaching fills a gap that even high-quality healthcare systems can’t always address.  Finally, the episode zooms out to examine Erin's business model, boundaries, pricing, and mindset. From working premium hours in a socialized healthcare culture to overcoming insecurity around income and identity, this episode offers a rare, honest look at what sustainable, values-driven coaching actually looks like in practice. If you’re a coach wondering how to differentiate, collaborate with medical professionals, or build a career that doesn’t burn you out—this episode is essential listening. 

In this episode, Larry and Cody break down why assessments—not workouts—are the most powerful sales tool a coach can use. They explain how gathering meaningful data creates clarity, certainty, and trust, especially for clients willing to invest in premium services.  The conversation walks through the hierarchy of assessment—flexibility, mobility, competence, tolerance, and strength balance—and why meeting clients where they are matters more than making them sweaty. Coaches will hear real examples of how “workout assessments” often miss the mark and can even undermine confidence.  Finally, the episode connects assessment findings to outcomes clients actually care about. Instead of impressing prospects with jargon, Larry and Cody show how simple explanations turn confusion into buy-in. If you want to stand out, charge appropriately, and sell ethically, this episode lays out the blueprint. 

This episode walks coaches through one of the most important pieces of client education Active Life uses: load versus capacity. Larry teaches the concept exactly as he would to a real client, using simple language, analogies, and a whiteboard explanation that makes complex biomechanics easy to understand.  Listeners will hear how anatomical history, recovery, and functional ability stack together before life stress and training are even added. The conversation shows coaches how pain isn’t mysterious or random—it’s what happens when total load exceeds current capacity, often at the worst possible moment.  The episode finishes by reframing the coach’s job: not just shrinking the “boxes,” but raising the capacity line itself through intelligent programming. If you’ve ever struggled to explain pain, setbacks, or inconsistent progress to clients, this episode gives you a repeatable framework you can use immediately. 

In this episode, Larry and Cody do something rare: they run a fully unscripted mock discovery call so coaches can hear what a real consult sounds like—not a perfect script, not a role-play where the client rolls over, but an authentic conversation with resistance, uncertainty, and nuance. Larry plays a skeptical, achy 55-year-old client, while Cody navigates the conversation exactly as he would in real life.  As the call unfolds, Cody demonstrates how to ask better questions, slow the conversation down, and help a client feel understood without prematurely pitching solutions. Coaches will hear how to uncover goals like confidence, longevity, and “not paying the price tomorrow,” while avoiding common traps like over-explaining or defending value too early.  The episode closes with a breakdown of why the call worked: how Cody determined fit, framed the next step, and created clarity without pressure. If you struggle with discovery calls, handling objections, or moving conversations forward naturally, this episode is a masterclass in consultative selling done right. 

In this episode, Larry and Cody deliver a complete plug-and-play framework for coaches who struggle to build offers that actually land with clients. They break down the two prerequisites every coach must meet before crafting an offer: knowing exactly who your ideal client is, and having a product or service that genuinely solves their problem. Without these two pieces, even the best marketing copy in the world won’t save you.  From there, the hosts walk through the “Why This / Why You / Why Now” framework and apply it in real-world language that any coach can implement immediately. They illustrate how to articulate the specific problem your offer solves, why you’re uniquely qualified to deliver the solution, and why the client should start now. They also show how stories—not statistics—drive real buying behavior and how testimonials should reflect the avatar you’re trying to reach.  Finally, Larry and Cody reveal the value equation behind every high-converting offer: dream outcome, proof of likelihood, fast first win, and low perceived effort. They connect this directly to Active Life’s assessment process, helping coaches understand how to structure, name, and deliver an offer that passes every prospect’s logical and emotional filters. If you’re a coach trying to sell responsibly, clearly, and confidently—this is a masterclass. 

In today’s episode, Larry and Cody expand on last week’s discussion about trust and move into the next critical phase of every professional conversation: certainty. Once a client trusts you, they still need clarity around four specific dimensions before they feel ready to commit their time, money, and emotional energy to a meaningful process. This episode breaks down each of those certainties—what they mean, why they matter, and how to address them directly instead of hoping they resolve themselves.  They start with certainty in themselves, exploring why clients often doubt their ability to follow through and why coaches must help them uncover their past successes, failures, support systems, and obstacles. From there, they move into certainty in the plan, walking listeners through the four-phase Active Life method—Assess, Develop, Ascend, Freedom—and how to tailor detail or simplicity depending on personality type. This proactive clarity helps clients visualize the journey and understand what long-term success will require.  Finally, the conversation moves to certainty in support and certainty in the decision. Larry and Cody unpack how clients evaluate the professional and the environment: Do they trust the team? Do they understand the support structure? Is the timing right? They highlight how the best coaches stay calm during this phase by being agnostic to the outcome, genuinely committed to helping people find the right fit—not just making a sale. This episode gives professionals a complete blueprint for guiding clients through confident, aligned decisions. 

In this episode, Larry and Cody break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in sales and coaching: trust. Before any certainty can be built — before someone can believe you, follow your guidance, or buy from you — they must trust you. The conversation begins by clarifying why trust must precede certainty, and why even the most logical clients won’t hear you until they first believe in your intentions.  They then dive deep into the Four Pillars of Trust: propriety, commonality, credibility, and intent. Using detailed examples — from the impression your clothing makes, to how you relate authentically to clients, to knowing when to confidently say “I don’t know” — the hosts show exactly how coaches, trainers, and service professionals can earn trust intentionally rather than hoping it forms by accident. These are the same interpersonal skills that separate average coaches from professionals capable of leading meaningful behavior change.  Finally, Larry and Cody discuss the real-world application of these pillars inside Active Life’s coaching and enrollment systems. They talk about how intent shapes energy, how desperation can be sensed even subconsciously, and how the best sales conversations come from unbiased advocacy — guiding people toward the right solution, not just a sale. The episode closes with a powerful reminder: mastering human connection isn’t just good for business — it’s essential for becoming a true professional. 

In this episode, Larry sits down with Mary to break down one of the biggest problems facing the United States today: the chronic pain epidemic. Even with over a million personal trainers, hundreds of thousands of clinicians, and countless medical institutions, people are still falling through the cracks — stuck between incomplete medical discharge and a fitness industry unprepared to handle their limitations. Mary and Larry explain how this “gray zone” traps millions, leaving them unsure where to turn next.  They discuss why so many people are told “this is as good as it gets,” and why that message is almost never true. From painkillers to braces, orthotics to modified gym routines, they outline how tools meant to be temporary often become permanent when there is no professional capable of guiding people out of pain. The pair break down the Active Life view that chronic pain resolution requires active participation — physical, mental, and environmental changes that create adaptations, not dependency.  Finally, Mary shares the larger vision: a world in which people understand that living with chronic pain is a choice — but only when supported by professionals trained to guide the full journey. They explore the need for thousands more ALPs (Active Life Professionals), the gap after physical therapy where most people regress, and how Active Life’s dual mission (education + brick-and-mortar locations) will reshape the future of pain resolution.