Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
Today I’m joined by Nicky Lyan, a calisthenics athlete who spent the past years traveling the world, training with the strongest athletes in Spain, France, Italy, the U.S., and beyond, and learning firsthand how elite calisthenics practitioners really train.
From high-frequency planche sessions to athletes who don’t warm up at all, from spiritual approaches to precise technical systems, Nicky has seen every method unfiltered, and today he breaks it all down.
This podcast is a deep dive into how the best in the world train, why their methods actually work, how to build elite-level strength safely, how to manage frequency and intensity, and why your ego is the biggest reason you get injured.
If you want to understand how elite calisthenics athletes think, train, and evolve, this episode is for you.
Support the Sponsor for this Episode:
movement-made.com/?ref=YAAD
Use code YAAD10 to get 10% off and support me!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro & Nicky’s Background
02:19 - The Bicep Tear: How it happened & the recovery mindset
06:13 - Learning from the European "Beasts"
09:22 - Paradigm Shift: The "No Warmup" Philosophy
16:48 - High Frequency vs. High Intensity
23:15 - The Best Way to Train (Nicky’s Approach)
31:12 - Managing Ego & Tendon Adaptation (Science)
40:05 - Normalizing Skills: Removing the "Pedestal"
46:36 - Nicky’s Current Training Schedule
50:05 - How to Properly Use Intuitive Training
54:47 - The Hard Truth About Body Fat & Strength
01:02:25 - Analyzing Doctor Yaad's Planche Session
01:05:42 - Critique 1: Activation & Prioritizing the Top Set
01:11:48 - Critique 2: Confidence & "Jedi Mind Tricks"
01:14:30 - Critique 3: Volume & Compromising Form vs. Activation
01:19:50 - Knowing When to Stop the Session (Auto-regulation)
01:23:08 - Wrist Health & One Arm Handstand Parallels
01:27:21 - Final Summary & Where to Find Nicky
Join the Community:
Skool: skool.com/doctor-yaad
Instagram: instagram.com/doctor.yaad
Today I’m joined by Nicky Lyan, a calisthenics athlete who spent the past years traveling the world, training with the strongest athletes in Spain, France, Italy, the U.S., and beyond, and learning firsthand how elite calisthenics practitioners really train.
From high-frequency planche sessions to athletes who don’t warm up at all, from spiritual approaches to precise technical systems, Nicky has seen every method unfiltered, and today he breaks it all down.
This podcast is a deep dive into how the best in the world train, why their methods actually work, how to build elite-level strength safely, how to manage frequency and intensity, and why your ego is the biggest reason you get injured.
If you want to understand how elite calisthenics athletes think, train, and evolve, this episode is for you.
Support the Sponsor for this Episode:
movement-made.com/?ref=YAAD
Use code YAAD10 to get 10% off and support me!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro & Nicky’s Background
02:19 - The Bicep Tear: How it happened & the recovery mindset
06:13 - Learning from the European "Beasts"
09:22 - Paradigm Shift: The "No Warmup" Philosophy
16:48 - High Frequency vs. High Intensity
23:15 - The Best Way to Train (Nicky’s Approach)
31:12 - Managing Ego & Tendon Adaptation (Science)
40:05 - Normalizing Skills: Removing the "Pedestal"
46:36 - Nicky’s Current Training Schedule
50:05 - How to Properly Use Intuitive Training
54:47 - The Hard Truth About Body Fat & Strength
01:02:25 - Analyzing Doctor Yaad's Planche Session
01:05:42 - Critique 1: Activation & Prioritizing the Top Set
01:11:48 - Critique 2: Confidence & "Jedi Mind Tricks"
01:14:30 - Critique 3: Volume & Compromising Form vs. Activation
01:19:50 - Knowing When to Stop the Session (Auto-regulation)
01:23:08 - Wrist Health & One Arm Handstand Parallels
01:27:21 - Final Summary & Where to Find Nicky
Join the Community:
Skool: skool.com/doctor-yaad
Instagram: instagram.com/doctor.yaad
