Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this podcast episode of Lifted, Sandy sits down with strength coach Cristian Plascencia to explore why the most effective fitness approach isn't built on hacks or trends, but on consistently mastering the fundamentals. Together, they discuss why progressive overload, patience, and showing up day after day will always outperform chasing the next "game-changing" workout.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro to Lifted with Sandy Brockman
00:01:40 Christian Placentia's Background & Journey to Austin
00:04:25 How Christian Started Training NBA & Elite Athletes
00:06:50 Defining Health Performance & the "Durable Athlete"
00:09:20 Basic Strength Training vs. Athletic Performance
00:12:20 Turning "Regular People" into Athletes
00:14:30 Male Ego, Bad Form & Injury Risks
00:18:25 Posterior Chain: Health vs. Performance
00:23:45 The Gateway to Strength: Glutes, Hips & Mind-Muscle Connection
00:27:50 Christian's Top Exercises for Glute Development & Athleticism
00:33:00 Building Athletic Kids: Gymnastics & Multi-Sport Exposure
00:37:00 Why Female Athletes Are Underserved in the Weight Room
00:44:00 Connecting Gym Training to Real-World Athletic Performance
00:48:00 When Should Kids Specialize in One Sport?
00:52:35 Where to Find Christian & Durable Athlete Programs
00:54:20 Outro & Obé Fitness Promo
About Today's Guest
Cristian G. Plascencia, CSCS is the founder of Durable Athlete, a performance training and consulting company based in Austin, Texas. He has coached everyone from youth athletes to Olympic competitors and touring artists, helping them build strength, improve performance, and train for long-term resilience.
Instagram: @cristiangplascencia
Instagram: @durableathlete
Website: durableathlete.com, https://dailyda.online/home
Continue Your Strength Journey
💪 Train with Sandy on obé Fitness
Put these principles into practice with The Strength Collective and hundreds of on-demand strength, Pilates, yoga, cardio, walking, and recovery classes.
Enjoy 30 days free at obefitness.com with code SANDY.
Follow Along
obé Fitness
Instagram: @obefitness
Sandy Brockman
Instagram: @sandybrockmanfitness
Cristian G. Plascencia
Instagram: @cristiangplascencia
Durable Athlete
Instagram: @durableathlete
About Lifted
Hosted by Sandy Brockman and presented by obé Fitness in partnership with Dear Media, Lifted delivers practical, evidence-based conversations on strength training, body composition, women's health, and longevity—helping you build strength for real life.
New episodes every Tuesday.
Follow Dear Media:
Listen: dearmedia.com/shows
Instagram: instagram.com/dearmediastudio
TikTok: tiktok.com/@dearmedia
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/dear-media
Shop Dear Media:
shop.dearmedia.com
ABOUT DEAR MEDIA
Dear Media is the largest podcast network focused on amplifying women’s voices and audiences. Founded in 2018, DM hosts 80+ podcasts fronted by top-tier talent and has a following of more than 60M across social channels. DM is building the podcast incubator of the future through a 360-degree business model, providing unparalleled support from concept to editorial, production, distribution, and commerce extensions. Due to its highly engaged and vast consumer audience, the network attracts global brands and digital savvy partners.
In this podcast episode of Lifted, Sandy sits down with strength coach Cristian Plascencia to explore why the most effective fitness approach isn't built on hacks or trends, but on consistently mastering the fundamentals. Together, they discuss why progressive overload, patience, and showing up day after day will always outperform chasing the next "game-changing" workout.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro to Lifted with Sandy Brockman
00:01:40 Christian Placentia's Background & Journey to Austin
00:04:25 How Christian Started Training NBA & Elite Athletes
00:06:50 Defining Health Performance & the "Durable Athlete"
00:09:20 Basic Strength Training vs. Athletic Performance
00:12:20 Turning "Regular People" into Athletes
00:14:30 Male Ego, Bad Form & Injury Risks
00:18:25 Posterior Chain: Health vs. Performance
00:23:45 The Gateway to Strength: Glutes, Hips & Mind-Muscle Connection
00:27:50 Christian's Top Exercises for Glute Development & Athleticism
00:33:00 Building Athletic Kids: Gymnastics & Multi-Sport Exposure
00:37:00 Why Female Athletes Are Underserved in the Weight Room
00:44:00 Connecting Gym Training to Real-World Athletic Performance
00:48:00 When Should Kids Specialize in One Sport?
00:52:35 Where to Find Christian & Durable Athlete Programs
00:54:20 Outro & Obé Fitness Promo
About Today's Guest
Cristian G. Plascencia, CSCS is the founder of Durable Athlete, a performance training and consulting company based in Austin, Texas. He has coached everyone from youth athletes to Olympic competitors and touring artists, helping them build strength, improve performance, and train for long-term resilience.
Instagram: @cristiangplascencia
Instagram: @durableathlete
Website: durableathlete.com, https://dailyda.online/home
Continue Your Strength Journey
💪 Train with Sandy on obé Fitness
Put these principles into practice with The Strength Collective and hundreds of on-demand strength, Pilates, yoga, cardio, walking, and recovery classes.
Enjoy 30 days free at obefitness.com with code SANDY.
Follow Along
obé Fitness
Instagram: @obefitness
Sandy Brockman
Instagram: @sandybrockmanfitness
Cristian G. Plascencia
Instagram: @cristiangplascencia
Durable Athlete
Instagram: @durableathlete
About Lifted
Hosted by Sandy Brockman and presented by obé Fitness in partnership with Dear Media, Lifted delivers practical, evidence-based conversations on strength training, body composition, women's health, and longevity—helping you build strength for real life.
New episodes every Tuesday.
Follow Dear Media:
Listen: dearmedia.com/shows
Instagram: instagram.com/dearmediastudio
TikTok: tiktok.com/@dearmedia
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/dear-media
Shop Dear Media:
shop.dearmedia.com
ABOUT DEAR MEDIA
Dear Media is the largest podcast network focused on amplifying women’s voices and audiences. Founded in 2018, DM hosts 80+ podcasts fronted by top-tier talent and has a following of more than 60M across social channels. DM is building the podcast incubator of the future through a 360-degree business model, providing unparalleled support from concept to editorial, production, distribution, and commerce extensions. Due to its highly engaged and vast consumer audience, the network attracts global brands and digital savvy partners.
