Ask Us Anything: Too Many Kids’ Sports, Parenting Burnout, and Why You Can’t Get Jacked (w/ Ben Barker)

About this episode

You want to build muscle, stay healthy, show up for your family, and somehow get everyone to the next soccer practice on time. But how much is too much? Ben Barker is back for another Ask Us Anything with Jesse, tackling real questions from listeners trying to get stronger without letting fitness — or their kids' schedules — take over their lives. They get into overscheduled youth sports, why experienced lifters struggle to get bigger, and whether a deliberate muscle-building phase is worth trying. Jesse shares what happened when he bulked from roughly 190 to 220 pounds, got stronger, then cut it all back down. They also debate the tradeoff between sleep and early workouts, what changes when you cut back on alcohol, when kids should get their first phone, and whether yoga and Pilates belong in a strength-focused routine. And one of the most relatable questions of all: how do you find the energy to be present with your family when work has already drained you? Ben's answer reframes the whole thing. Then it's rapid fire — 1990s wrestling, unpopular fitness opinions, and a few parenting confessions. PLUS THIS WEEK'S HEALTH & FITNESS NEWS - A 47-year study of 427 people pinpoints w