Serving on his city’s emergency response team. Flying to Poland and Ukraine on his own dime to prepare food and support humanitarian efforts for citizens displaced by the Russian invasion. Volunteering to provide health and fitness tools for underserved populations in his local community. Many coaches talk about servant leadership and human values; meanwhile, Coach Julio Salado demonstrates how to put those principles into local and global action.

In this episode of the Truth In The Arena podcast, Coach Julio shares the simple principles that guide him each day: practice self-care & be kind. Those foundations—nurturing your own body & mind and choosing to be compassionate—pave the way for everything he’s able to do as a fitness coach, business owner, and volunteer.

Through the course of the conversation, Coach Julio talks about the concept of “health equity” as a necessary means to compensate for systemic inequities and provide the basic building block of good health for populations that don’t have the same access to professional trainers, organic food, nutritional planning, or medical insight as more privileged groups. This also leads to a discussion of the importance of DEI, as diversity, equity, and inclusion are core American values needed across the fitness industry.

Beyond his work in his home city of Malden, MA, Coach Julio details his humanitarian trips to Eastern Europe where he has volunteered for the World Central Kitchen and Lviv Volunteer Kitchen, peeling potatoes, shoveling mud, and engaging in the type of humble, “Sweep the Sheds” actions that most coaches recognize as a fundamental part of a productive group/team.

Coach Julio’s own experiences at home and abroad have informed his perspective on the language and practice of dehumanization in the current targeting of immigrants in the USA. As he does elsewhere, Coach Julio shares his own practical experiences trying to counteract racism and offers practical suggestions for coaches, athletes, or anyone listening to make a difference by rejecting hate, misogyny, and fascism.

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction to Coach Julio Salado

01:40 Core Values and Principles in Coaching

05:50 Community Involvement and Health Equity

11:19 Understanding Systemic Inequities

15:11 Humanitarian Efforts in Ukraine

21:22 Addressing Racism in the Fitness Industry

24:03 The Power of Peaceful Dialogue

26:06 Understanding Fear and Racism

28:08 Rejecting Hate and Misogyny as Patriotism

32:39 The Importance of a Healthy Media Diet

39:19 Redefining Patriotism for Today’s Era