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LT 099 | Dr. Stuart McGill & Brian Carroll - The Gift of Injury
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This week's podcast features two return guests: Dr. Stuart McGill and Brian Carroll.
Dr. Stuart M. McGill is a professor emeritus of the University of Waterloo, where he was a professor for 32 years. His laboratory and experimental research clinic investigated issues related to the causal mechanisms of back pain, how to rehabilitate back-pained people and enhance both injury resilience and performance.
Brian Carroll is world class powerlifter with over a decade of elite class lifting under his belt. Coming back from a devastating back injury in 2012 that broke multiple bones and that most experts said he would never recover from, Brian returned to world class form and was able to establish a new world record for the squat at 1185 pounds all after his back injury.
This interview tells the story of Brian’s injury and his journey back to health and elite performance with the help of Dr. McGill.
Here are 3 things you will learn from this interview:
- The importance of being an athlete 24/7
- What's one piece of advice you both would give to our youth to better prepare them to strength train?
- The value of assistance work
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Gift of Injury you can find it on Amazon.com, Powerrackstrength.com and BackFitPro.com and I will also include those links in the show notes.
Interview Topics and Questions:
Brian and Dr. McGill
- Who came up with the title "The Gift of Injury" and what's the meaning for each of you behind this title?
- What does being an athlete 24/7 mean?
- What's one piece of advice you both would give to our youth to better prepare them to strength train?
- Regardless of sport, why is it important to only compete at competitions a few times a year?
- What do we need to do to change the mindset of chasing reps and adding weight? This is not a mindset that athletes intuitively possess.
- What does it mean to "Practice the way we plan to compete." and to "approach every lift with intent and meaning".
- The value and importance of assistance work. What do you look for when coaching an athlete and how to select the appropriate exercise.
- Your decision to retire and over the next several years lower your body weight.
- Why "knee to chest" stretches and rolling around | use of a foam roller are not good for the back or performance?
- How the Big Three provides a stiffening, bracing effect for several hours after performing them reduces micro movements.
- Bone callousing: quick explanation of theory and how this was a key part of Brian's rehab
Show Notes:
LT 095 | My SFGII Preparation & Experience - Joe DeLeo
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In this week's podcast interview my good friend Allan Phillips takes over the reins as guest host of the LEO Training Podcast to interview me.
I share my journey and preparation for the StrongFirst Level II Kettlebell Certification that I attended in King of Prussia, PA on September 23-24, 2017. You will learn what specific training protocols I utilized to prepare for the certification. In addition to my preparation I also recorded a short 15-20 minute recap of my experience with my good friend Dr. Matt Rice. Matt and I attended the SFG II together and provided a breakdown of our thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the weekend with an improptu interview we conducted in the hotel room.
Here are 3 Key Takeaways you will learn:
- Why I made the choice to lose 30 pounds and go from 211 pounds to 181 pounds. This all started when I met Mark Allen at the Fit Soul-Fit Body Seminar April 29-30, 2017. Note: This has nothing to do with the SFG II Strength Standard and was influenced by several health and training factors.
- The impact endurance training has on strength training and balancing these 2 energy systems.
- How much the SFG II Certification enrichs and deepens your knowledge of the kettlebell.
Interview Topics:
- SFG II Prep
- My background
- Why I decided to lose 30 pounds and go from 211 pounds to sub 185 for the SFG II
- How I lost the body fat through diet and aerobic training
- How moving 1200 miles, changing cities, starting a new job, and training has a massive effect on one's stress levels.
- Rapid Fire
- SFG II Weekend with Matt Rice
- Impact of travel
- Thoughts/Feedback on Day 1
- Thoughts/Feedback on Day 2
- How our preparation fared with the demands of the weekend
Show Notes:
LT 094 | Kevin Rail - Physical Education Culture
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In Episode 094 I sit down with Kevin Rail, an expert in physical education culture based out of Utah. He specializes in functional training, core training, three-dimensional movement, motivation and Restorative Arts. He has a B.S. in Sport Management/Fitness &Wellness, and is certified through ACSM, NASM and ACE. Kevin is a fitness coach featured in the upcoming documentary film The Motivation Factor by Doug Orchard Films.
Restorative Arts involves the use of classical training tools like Indian clubs, wands, meels and maces. All the movements are based off of circles, spirals and figure-eights. Kevin instructs on how to do these patterns and integrate the tools into your daily practice. Not only are they good for posture, flexibility, and injury correction and prevention, but they also help improve brain function.
Kevin and I cover some very though provoking topics from both a training perspective as well as a historical perspective. Here is what you will learn.
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Movement quality before adding volume and intensity
- The use of various modalities
- The Motivation Factor
- Kevin's thoughts on Abdominal work snf nutrition
- Barefoot Training
- and much more
Show Notes:
LT 093 | Charles Buston & Zar Horton - Training the Tactical Athlete
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My guests for Episode 093 of the LEO Training Podcast are Charles Bustos, SFGII and Master SFG Zar Horton.Charles is a husband, father of 2 boys and a firefighter/paramedic with the Albuquerque Fire Department. Charles served 6 years of active duty service in the Air Force. Zar Horton, the founder of FIREBELLZ, is a 28 year veteran of the Albuquerque Fire Department currently serving as a Battalion Chief. He currently holds position of Master Kettlebell Instructor with STRONGFIRST. He has instructed across the United States and internationally.
Charles and Zar were gracious enough to make time for a dual interview and share their experiences as full time firefighters. Together, they have over 40 years of experience and share their thoughts and expertise on training various law enforcement and tactical operatives.
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Origins of Firebellz
- Occupational demands of firefighters and how they need to be addressed
- Skills/Lifts emphasized for tactical operatives
- Zar and Charles thoughts on the Pensacola FireFighter Study
- How they set up their ranking system at Firebellz and the culture it's created
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 092 | Dr. Greg Rose - Evaluating Rotary Athletes
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Dr. Greg Rose is a Co-Founder of the Titleist Performance Institute (MyTPI) and Functional Movement Systems.
Greg is a board certified Doctor of Chiropractic and holds an engineering degree from the University of Maryland. Greg specializes in assessing and treating golfers, 3-dimensional biomechanics, strength and conditioning, manual therapy, rehabilitation, nutritional supplementation and therapeutic exercises.
Combining an engineering background with an expertise on the human body, Greg helped pioneer the field of analyzing 3-dimensional motion capture models of the golf swing. That research has helped golf professionals all over the world gain a better understanding of how the body works during the golf swing.
Through the past 17 years, Greg has helped thousands of golfers of all skill levels reach peak athletic performance. His cutting edge yet research-based form of functional training combined with golf-specific motor learning drills have made Greg one of golf’s top strength and conditioning professionals. Greg also helped develop the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), a revolutionary movement assessment that helps identify altered motor control and guides medical practitioners on how to treat patients more efficiently.
Greg frequently appears on the Golf Channel. The TPI certification seminar series has made Greg one of the most requested speakers in golf health and fitness. He has lectured in over 21 countries and has been featured in many golf and news publications.
Interview Topics:
- Intro and Dr. Rose's story to becoming a chiropractor
- Education in engineering and how it influenced his thinking on movement
- 3D Motion Capture Models and what we can learn from them
- How MyTPI was born, Dr. Rose's creation of the SFMA
- Dr. Roses's lecture "Evaluating Rotary Athletes" at Perform Better Summit in Providence, Rhode Island
- Who are Rotational Athletes?
- Style vs. Biomechanics/Efficiency
- The 4 "Must Haves" for Rotational Athletes
- The difference between stability and strength
- How to measure power for rotational athletes and train it?
- And much more
Show Notes:
LT 091 | Meghan O' Leary - Novice to Olympian in Six Years
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Interview Topics:
- Meghan's journey from 26 year Old Novice to Olympian in Six Years
- Two Sport Athlete at University of Virginia and how these sports shaped her future athletic career
- Training experience leading up to Rio
- Strength & Conditioning work she and Ellen Tomek incorporate
- Sports Psychology & Biofeedback
- Breathing exercises
- Work with InstaViser
- Female Athlete Rep for US Rowing
- Make the most of your "One Day"
- Rapid Fire
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 090 | Brandon Hetzler - The New Language of Movement
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Brandon Hetzler is a Certified Athletic Trainer who serves as the Manager for Mercy Sports Medicine in Springfield, Missouri, where he oversees the Sports Medicine program as well as the Sports Performance program. He helped to develop the curriculum for and teaches in the Masters of Athletic Training degree at Missouri State University. He is a StrongFirst Senior Instructor, SFG II, SFB, and SFL and holds several additional credentials in multiple training disciplines.
Brandon is the co-creator of Movement Restoration, LLC and the Athletic Development Institute, LLC. He has written a book titled Movement Restoration, which proves anyone with enough free time and persistence can write a book. He teaches several workshops every year and when he is not traveling to teach, he spends his time trying to keep his wife, son, and dog in line and going strong.
Interview Topics:
- Introduction/Education
- Career as an Athletic Trainer
- Working at Colorado Springs and at DartFish
- Designing curriculum for ATC with his wife for Missouri State
- Neurodevelopmental Sequence and Motor Control skill acquisition
- Why you want to begin practice with the basics
- Importance of establishing ROM benchmarks
- Power Generation and power control
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 089 | Brad Kearns - Primal Endurance
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My guest this week is Brad Kearns noted speaker, author and coach in the health & fitness world for over two decades. During his nine-year career as a triathlete, he was one of the world's top ranked professionals, amassing 30 wins worldwide on the pro circuit. Career highlights include a remarkable streak of seven victories in a row, a world duathlon series championship, and two national triathlon championships and a #3 world ranking in 1991. Brad is the last American professional male in to place in the top-5 in the ITU World Championships (1992) and still holds the Hawaii Ironman 24&under age division American record at 8:57 (1989).
Brad currently works with health&fitness expert Mark Sisson on a comprehensive lifestyle movement called the Primal Blueprint. He is the President of Primal Blueprint Publishing, helped develop the Primal Health Coach certification program, has delivered nearly 30 Primal lifestyle seminars across the USA, and organized and presented at nine "PrimalCon" health and fitness retreats around the world from 2010-2014. He and Mark authored the 2016 release, Primal Endurance, a comprehensive guidebook on how to escape the carbohydrate-dependent, overly stressful conventional approach to training in favor of a healthier, stress-balanced, fat-adapted primal approach.
Interview Topics:
- Intro and Background - From Accountant to Triathlon
- Slow down to go faster - emphasize building an aerobic base and avoid chronic exercise patterns
- How dietary modification can actually improve your endurance performance, making you more efficient at burning fat
- Why the "struggle and suffer" approach to endurance training prevails despite everyone knowing better, and how to fix it
- Cultivating a pure motivation for peak performance
- Considerations for athletes as they age and transition out of professional sports to a "normal" lifestyle - this may be a good opportunity to discuss your blood work that you shared on your website.
- Work with Running School and youth athletics
- SpeedGolf
Show Notes:
LT 088 | Andrea U-Shi Chang - Ground Force Method
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Andrea U-Shi Chang, Master SFG Instructor, FMS Instructor, Ground Force Method Global Instructor, Z-Health Movement Coach, and advisory board member for R2P (Rehab 2 Performance), has specialized in movement training and kettlebell coaching since 2005.
In 2009 Andrea opened the Pacific Northwest’s first kettlebell gym—Kettlebility —her Russian Kettlebell Instruction and Elite Performance Coaching studio in Seattle. A successful high school and college athlete, Andrea had stayed active after college (she thought), playing competitive soccer and tennis and 'working out.' But she weighed in at 195 pounds and 34% body fat. Technically obese, she realized something had to change. After a childhood friend introduced Andrea to kettlebells she was amazed. Not only was kettlebell training fun and challenging, it was melting off the fat and giving her back her fit athlete body. In just five months, Andrea lost more than 45 pounds. Better yet, she went from 34% to 18% body fat and gained lean muscle mass. Hard style kettlebells had literally changed her life.
Andrea has been featured in Oprah Magazine and local broadcast and print media. She has worked as a technical advisor on several training and fitness books and edited and co-authored the Ground Force Movement Instructor manual. In 2016 the Seattle Seahawks hired Andrea to set up their Functional Movement Systems (FMS) screening program for players. An early member of the instructor staff of kettlebell pioneer Pavel Tsatsouline, Andrea became editor of Pavel’s online newsletter and authored several articles in StrongFirst and Dragon Door.On a never-ending quest to follow her passion and learn more about strength and movement, Andrea continues to study to refine her knowledge and become a more effective coach. Andrea travels globally as a certification instructor for StrongFirst, Ground Force Method, and FMS. She holds specialty workshops, instructor certifications and group classes and provides personal training for elite athletes and people from all walks of life at her studio, Kettlebility.
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Bio
- Andrea's Journey to kettlebells
- Training for the TSC
- Building a community and how the TSC can help
- The devotion to skill and practice
- Testing standards and progressions to participate in classes at kettlebility
- Ground Force Method
- Why GFE is an assessment and how instructors can use this to scale their class to any ability level and age group.
- Training recommendations for the half bodyweight press (SFG II Strength Standard)
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 087 | Jim Klopman - Balance is Power
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Jim is a lifelong innovator who has always been one of those people who thinks differently. He believes balance training has sharpened his ability to make new neural connections and see the possibilities and pathways that others miss.
Originally Jim was looking for a way to maintain his own athletic performance well into his 90s. But the Slackbow Balance Training System he developed turned out to be a key to whole body and mind fitness that was even more revolutionary than he could have imagined.
He is eager to spread his knowledge, techniques and tools far and wide to help seekers like him tune their brains to perform better in work and sports, sleep better, look younger and live longer.
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Jim's background
- Studies on the SlackBow
- How's training done on the SlackBow
- Why improvements in balance are transferable to greater opportunities for high performance
- The four causes of balance loss
- Statistics on death and injury from falling (loss of balance)
Show Notes:
LT 086 | Hector Gutierrez - Hardstyle KBJJ
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Hector is the owner and head instructor of Hardstyle KBJJ in Corpus Christi, TX.
Hector discovered his passion for strength training and overall conditioning in 2000 at Paragon Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Now Presa BJJ) under mentor Aurelio Gallegos Jr. Advancing through his training, Hector became an assistant instructor in 2003.
While instructing students in a variety of techniques, Hector realized the importance of human movement, proper biomechanics, balance, strength, mobility, stability, and endurance.
Inspired, he pursued education in Hatha Yoga, becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). In 2009, through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (N.A.S.M), he became a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).
Hector then began a search for a training technique/tool that would enable him to evolve athletically. He found his answer after a Jiu-Jitsu seminar with black belt Tyrone Glover at Paragon Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Hector asked Tyrone, "What are you doing for your strength and conditioning? You have the strength of a 200-pounder but only weigh 165 pounds!"
The answer was Kettlebells. Taking up this new discipline, Hector immersed himself in Russian Kettlebell training. Looking to maximize his potential, he turned to the expertise found at the elite level of the Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) now StrongFirst.
After 10 intense (and challenging) years, incorporating the Russian Kettlebell into his Jiu-Jitsu training, Hector earned his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt August 22, 2011 from Ricardo (Franjinha) Miller and Aurelio Gallegos Jr..
In 2011, he established the first and only movement based kettlebell / Jiu-Jitsu school in the world.
Hardstyle (Kettlebells / Jiu Jitsu) KBJJ!
Topics:
- Intro/Background
- BJJ Training & Kettlebells
- Barbell Deadlift
- Nuances of the wedge
- Offset Double KB Cleans & Their Benfits
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 085 | Joel Proskewitz - PerformanceRx
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Joel Proskewitz is an internationally acclaimed strength coach and health and fitness expert. His unique approach focuses on effective, tailored training and rehabilitation programs that achieve results that really last.
With an excess of 30,000 hours of training, Joel has worked with a wide range of clients including Olympic medalists, business executives, rehabilitation patients and families keen to improve their long-term fitness.
After becoming a national champion in two of the most demanding sports, Karate and Bodybuilding, Joel has spent the last 23 years working as a personal trainer, continuously developing his skills in training and rehabilitation.
Joel works with Professor Stuart McGill (head of spinal biomechanics – University of Waterloo, Canada) in the rehabilitation of lower back pathologies. He also an assistant instructor for Prof. McGill on the McGill clinical courses and a lead instructor for the McGill Trainer courses.
Joel has been a presenter at high profile health and fitness conferences such as the Discovery Fitness Convention and the South African High Performance Institute, giving advice on topics including strength training for women, Olympic lifting for sports performance and practical nutrition for fat loss. He has also featured in leading publications, such as Men’s Fitness and Men’s Health.
Topics:
- Joel's background and education
- How he came to work on low back rehab
- Joel's work with Dr. McGill
- Why Joel observes one spinal surgery each month and what he learns
- The setup and environment at PerformanceRx
- His work with the 2000 Sydney Men's Pair from South Africa
Show Notes:
- PerformanceRx (Website)
- PerformanceRx (Facebook)
- PerformanceRx (Instagram)
- Courses
- BackFitPro
LT 084 | Dr. Stuart McGill - Enhancing Athleticism in Rowers
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We’re back with Episode 084 of the LEO Training Podcast. I am pleased to have Dr. Stuart McGill back on the show as a return guest. His first interview, LT 012 | Dr. Stuart McGill - Spine Hygiene for Rowers. has been one of my most popular episodes to date. Today’s interview will focus on one topic into which Dr. McGill and I will diver very deep into: enhancing athleticism in rowers - simply put what can we do to improve performance.
Dr. Stuart McGill is a retired Professor of Spine Biomechanics at the University of Waterloo. Dr. McGill is the author of over 400 scientific publications and 3 textbooks that address issues such as, lumbar spine function and injury mechanisms, patient assessment, corrective exercise prescription, and performance training. Dr. McGill consults for many medical management groups, governments, corporations, legal firms, and elite sports teams and athletes from around the world and has won numerous awards, including the Volvo Bioengineering Award for Low Back Pain Research. Dr. McGill is one of the few scientists who are regularly referred challenging patients for consult from around the world.
Here’s what you will learn in this episode:
- How Dr. McGill's work started in the research lab, progressed to the clinic, and made its way into the realm of high performers.
- Principles for training a rower: What is elastic energy storage? Why is it important to train and how do we do it? How do we tune the rowing stroke to the athletes flexibility and stiffness?
- Why "hollowing" or activating the TVA does not promote spinal stability and is a poor skill for athletes to learn?
- How to build stiffness with the Big 3? How the Big 3 helps with short and long term cumulative stiffness in the torso? Once we have established this foundation, what higher level exercises should rowers progress to enhance pulsing, timing, and kime (Turbo ball training, KB swing) ? How do we build injury resilience from this?
- Injury clusters on teams: How posture impacts injury - "C" spine vs. a more neutral spine. How this impacts a higher incidence of disc bulges. Is it possible to get into a neutral posture in a rowing shell due to the seated position and impact of the foot stretcher and rowing stroke mechanics?
- Adaptions to training, intensity,and volume. - How to balance the strength and conditioning with the training for the sport to enhance elastic energy storage? Do we really want to emphasize and focus on heavy strength work ala a powerlifter or do we want to promote more elastic, ballistic qualities to enhance injury resilience and sports performance? What lifts should we avoid (Olympic style lifts)?
- Any special considerations for a elite athlete vs. a masters athlete for the aforementioned topics?
- Back Mechanic Companion Videos
- McGill 3 Seminar at Kabuki Strength
Show Notes:
University of Waterloo Spine Biomechanics Laboratory
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LT 083 | Valerie Pawlowski - Becoming a World Champion
My guest this week for Episode 083 of the LEO Training Podcast is Kettlebell Sport World Champion, Valerie Pawlowski. This is a fantastic interview chronicling her journey between both hardstyle and girevoy sport and her path to eventually becoming a gold medalist on the world's stage.
Valerie Pawlowski earned her B.A. degree in Communications from William Paterson University, Paterson.
Valerie is a NESTA Certified Adventure Boot Camp Instructor. She is certified as a Medical Exercise Specialist by AAHFP, and as a Personal Trainer through ACE and AFAA. Valerie is also a Nutrition Specialist with Lifestyle Management Associates and Certified in Pilates and Flexibility Training.
With more than 18 years of experience and expertise, presently the Owner of The Body Barn, Co Owner of Punch Kettlebell Gym, Far Hills and Art Of Strength Training Center, Warren Valerie is dedicated to inspiring others to pursue and achieve their goals for a more healthy and improved lifestyle.
Additionally, Valerie is personally involved in many diverse activities ranging from Triathlons, Adventure Racing and Mountain Biking to placing first in 1998 in the New Jersey Natural Bodybuilding Championship. These achievements not only satisfy her drive for success but also serve as an example for others to “believe it and achieve it”. Helping others to build confidence in their own abilities, and exceeding their own expectations is her ultimate goal!
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Hardstyle and GS - Pavel Tsatsouline and Valery Fedorenko
- Anthony DiLugio
- The youth movement in kettlebells
- Paving a path to kettlebells being in the Olympics
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 082 | Tony Cowden - The 666 Challenge
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In Episode 082 of the LEO Training Podcast, I sit down with my guest, Tony Cowden to discuss two of my favorite subjects: strength and endurance.
Tony has 21 years in the Special Operations community, serving over 8 years and 26 deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq and other Central Asian and Africa countries. He began training for and competing in triathlons in 1998 and in 2005 in functional fitness competitions. He got his Level 1 CrossFit® Certification in 2006. He affiliated CrossFit Wilmington in 2007. He qualified for the 2012 Games., is a USAW Masters Weightlifting Champion in both the 94kg and the 105kg divisions. He is a successful triathlete, completing more than 50 races, including Iron Distance races.
Tony coached his first athlete to The CrossFit Games in 2009, and has since sent 16 more, including teams and masters athletes. He has sent 28 athletes to The Games Regional competitions, and developed Powerlifters, Strongman Competitors, triathletes, Ultra Endurance athletes and Military personnel.
In recent years, Tony has helped lead the way in developing hybrid endurance and strength athletes, especially within the military. His END|Strength™ Programming develops high levels of endurance and strength simultaneously and has become the go to of the US military special operations personnel as well as athletes looking for new challenges.
Proving his END|Strength methods, he completed the Beach 2 Battleship Half IronMan Triathlon in 6 hours and the following day Squatted 505lbs and Deadlifted 565lbs.
On April 9th, 2016 Tony squatted 600lbs, Deadlifted 600lbs and ran a sub-six minute mile (5:41), making him one of the very few who have completed The 666 Challenge… the only man over 40 years old to.
Tony’s most recent accomplishment is completing the first annual 106º West Triathlon in Dillon, CO. At 10,000 plus ft, the 106 West is the highest elevation half iron distance triathlon in the World. With early morning temps at just over freezing, gusting winds, water temp of 50 degrees, and the steep climbs you would expect of the Colorado Rockies, the 106 is one of the most challenging. Further proving the END|Strength methods, two days after the race, Tony squatted 505lbs and Deadlifted 505lbs for 6 reps.
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Work in Special Forces
- Brian Carroll and PowerRackStrength
- The 666 Challenge
- 10/20/Life
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 081 | Danny Clark - MovNat
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In Episode 081 of the LEO Training Podcast I sit down and interview Danny Clark. Danny has an incredible background as an athlete and coach.
He is a Beast Tamer with StrongFirst and is currently acting as the Performance Director for MovNat. In addition, he also owns a gym, Rebar Fitness, a scientifically based, strength and conditioning personal training practice. He is a world-class athlete, a scholar in evolutionary biology and archaeology, and has extensive knowledge of exercise science and S&C programming. His unique skill set and expertise enables him to develop thorough and highly informed MovNat movement progressions and performance programming standards, as well as class profiles for MovNat Gym and Class Licensees.
Throughout his youth Danny was recognized for his exceptional athletic talents. His training in wrestling and judo earned him a Division 1 scholarship to the University of Virginia. An injury abruptly ended his wrestling career, but fortunately instigated a transition into Brazilian jiu jitsu and MMA training. He would go on to win a bronze medal for Team USA at the UWW World Grappling Championships in Krakow, Poland in 2012. All along Danny has immersed himself in many alternative arts, such as yoga and kettlebell training, in an effort to correct some of the imbalances and wear his body had accumulated from years of heavy physical stress. But nothing had a more profound or long-lasting effect than training first-hand with Erwan Le Corre. He learned that MovNat could heal years of abuse, neglect, and over-specialization.
After he and his wife, Abby, received their Level II Certifications they immediately started implementing the MovNat method into their coaching and classes and saw great results. Natural Movement® provided a solid movement, skill, and physical foundation for everyone while fixing many glaring issues of the fitness industry in the process. Danny went on to complete his level III certification and is now a MovNat Master Instructor.
Danny is grateful to help bring Natural Movement to the masses and affirms with confidence that MovNat “is certain to become the most complete and effective fitness system the world will ever know.”
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Education in Evolutionary Biology and Archaeology
- Most effective ways to address movement deficiencies
- Skill is the most important and why it drives fitness.
- How your environment shapes your movement.
- Put our attention into our intention
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 080 | Jeff O'Connor - Youth Athletic Development
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My guest this week is Jeff O' Connor. Jeff is a former Master RKC, veteran of the United States Navy, and a career firefighter. In addition, he is a two time winner of Oklahoma's Strongest Man and 2001 Winner of the North America's Strongest Man, 275 lb Division (NASS).
Jeff has devoted much of his time to the development of children and adolescents. He places a strong emphasis on movement. Jeff believes that teaching the skills of strength, coordination, mobility, agility, and flexibility at the proper stages of development is the foundation for athletic performance at the highest levels.
This past week Jeff and Senior SFG, Brandon Hetzler released a brand new work "The New Language of Movement Vol 1: The Push/Pull Strategy". It's available for free through iTunes and can be read in iBooks. Be sure to check it out!
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Identifying key abilities that need to be developed in an individual
- What's the biggest priority?
- Injury Prevention & High Performance
- Health and Fitness are not separate
- Don't chase reps!
- Teaching the athlete to process information from multiple stimulus and inputs - verbal, visual, kinesthetic
- Motor skill development
- Jeff's thoughts on the application and value
- and much more!
Show Notes:
- Outlaw Strength
- "The New Language of Movement Vol 1: The Push/Pull Strategy"
- Jeff O'Connor Instructor Profile on DragonDoor
- Kettlebells for Power Athletes
- Kalosthenos: Kettlebells from the Ground Up Part 2
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LT 079 | Dani Almeyda - Original Strength
My guest for Episode 079 of the LEO Training Podcast is Dani Almeyda, co-owner of Original Strength.
Dani has worked in the health and fitness industry for the last 10 years. Throughout her whole life, health and wellness have had a major influence on Dani. Whether it was from her experience as collegiate athlete, as a Director of Campus Recreation, or as a Fitness Professional, her experiences and formal education have provided her with the tools necessary to be successful.
Dani is a co-owner of a private training studio in North Carolina, OPT Fitness, and has a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. She brings an abundance of energy, passion, and an incredible drive to help the world regain it’s Original Strength. Almeyda, a mother of two, is also working on a developing a program specifically for mom’s.
Interview Topics:
- Intro/Background
- Original Strength
- Neurodevelopmental patterns
- Breathing, Head Control, Rolling, Rocking, Crawling
- Women's Movement Collaborative
Show Notes:
- Original Strength
- Original Strength (Facebook)
- Original Strength Institute
- Women's Movement Collaborative
It’s easy to review the show and it helps the show grow and reach a new audience. If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment and drop a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Thank you!
LT 078 | Joe Daniels - Heart Rate Training with Kettlebells
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This week my guest is Joe Daniels from Swing This Kettlebell & Strength. Joe was a former bodybuilder who moved into kettlebell sport and not only competes but also owns a facility in Kentucky focusing on competition kettlebell training, improving movement. He also owns a flotation tank that helps to aid in recovery and promote better tissues quality.
This interview is focused on three main topics:
- Heart Rate and heart rate variability training with kettlebells
- Mastering the Kettlebell Press by Joe Daniels and Taco Fleur
- Flotation Tanks
Show Notes:
LT 077 | Dr. Emily Splichal - Barefoot Training
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In Episode 077 of the LEO Training Podcast I sat down and interviewed Dr Emily Splichal. Dr. Emily Splichal is a Podiatrist and Human Movement Specialist, is the Founder of the Evidence Based Fitness Academy and Creator of the Barefoot Training Specialist®, BarefootRx® and BARE® Workout Certifications for health and wellness professionals. With over 15 years in the fitness industry, Dr Splichal has dedicated her medical career towards studying postural alignment and human movement as it relates to foot function and barefoot training.
Dr Splichal actively sees patients out of her office in Manhattan, NY with a specialty in sports medicine, biomechanics and forefoot surgery.
Dr Splichal is actively involved in barefoot training research and barefoot education as it relates to athletic performance, injury prevention and movement longevity. Dr Splichal has presented her research and barefoot education both nationally and internationally, with her Barefoot Training Specialist® Program in over 28 countries worldwide and translated into 9 languages.
Due to her unique background Dr Splichal is able to serve as a Consultant for some of the top fitness, footwear and orthotic companies including NIKE Innovations, Trigger Point Performance Therapy, Aetrex Worldwide, Crunch Fitness and Sols.
Degrees/Certifications: Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Master's Human Movement (MS), NASM-CES, NASM-PES, NSCA-CPT
Here are some of the topics we discuss in this interview:
- Dr. Emily's education and background and how she became interested in barefoot training
- Pronation/Supination/Neutral Foot
- Barefoot Training
- Common misconceptions and misunderstandings about Janda's short foot
- Triplanar movement of the foot
- BareBiomechanics when walking
- Why impact = vibration
- Foot to Core and Fascial Integration
- and much more!
Show Notes:
LT 076 | Dr. Cameron Nichol - RowingWOD
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In Episode 076 of the LEO Training Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Cameron Nichol, 2x Silver Medalist at the World Rowing Championships and Olympian and the founder of RowingWOD. He is also a doctor who is on a mission to change the world through health, fitness, and exercise based interventions.
Here is what you will learn in this interview:
- Dr. Cameron Nichol's background and how he got started rowing
- Medical Education and Concentration
- Training around Med School
- How Great Britain Rowing trains and how it compares to CrossFit
- Why GB Rowing is successful and what they do better than any other national rowing governing body
- Rehab from Rib injury
- and much more!
It’s easy to review the show and it helps the show grow and reach a new audience. If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment and drop a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Thank you!
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Show Notes:
- Dr. Cameron Nichol (Wikipedia)
- Dr. Cameron Nichol (World Rowing)
- Dr. Cameron Nichol (Instagram)
- RowingWOD (Website)
- RowingWOD (Facebook)
- RowingWOD (Instagram)
- The right way to add rowing to your training regime
- 4 Principles to Master the Rowing Machine
- Indoor Rowing into the Crossfit World
LT 075 | Paul Taras Wolkowinski - Restorative Training: Indian Clubs, Persian Mils & the Gada Mace
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This week’s podcast guest is Paul Taras Wolkowinski and we discuss four pieces of equipment centered around restorative training.
Paul founded Indian Clubs Australia. He is an expert club swinger and teacher. After spending years researching, reading and learning from old books and manuals, plus travelling extensively, Paul has become an expert in the four disciplines of club swinging: Indian Clubs, Persian Mil, Indian Jori and Gada Mace.
Here is what you will learn in this interview:
- Paul's background and education and how he became interested in all the different types of club swinging
- The History of each tool: Indian Clubs, Persian Mil, Indian Jori, and Gada Mace
- How to make your own home made gada and why you may want to do this!
- Steel Mace vs. the Gada - Key differences in equipment and how they effect club swinging
- How Indian clubs compliment barbell, kettlebell and bodyweight training
- How club swinging can help you recover from a shoulder injury and improve posture and breathing
- Dr. Ed Thomas and Gray Cook
- Sim D. Kehoe
- and much more!
It’s easy to review the show and it helps the show grow and reach a new audience. If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment and drop a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Thank you!
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Show Notes:
LT 074 | Sam Loch - The Watt Farm
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This week's podcast guest is Sam Loch. Sam is a returning guest and I had him on just over a year ago in Episode 018 - Hybrid Barbarian Training.
Sam has made some incredible progress over the last year in his training - both in the gym and on the Concept 2 Indoor Rower. Sam has deadlifted over 600 pounds and set two world records on the Concept 2. He holds the record for 1 minute and 1000 meters respectively on the Concept 2 Ergometer. He has also launched the Watt Farm, his online coaching business.
In this interview Sam and I catch up over the past year and he opens up about his current goal, the pursuit of the 500 meter world record on the Concept 2 Ergometer.
Here's what you will learn in this interview:
- Sam's progress and updates over the last year
- Setting two world records and deadlifting over 600 pounds
- "How much you can adapt to, not how much you can do"
- Why Sam prioritizes strength work first and then focuses on his Concept 2 Ergometer training
- The importance of visualization
- Why 2 sessions a day cuts recovery time
- The stimulus the higher drag factor provides
- Trying to make race pace feel as easy as possible
- "Technique is the way forward"
- and much more!
It’s easy to review the show and it helps the show grow and reach a new audience. If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment and drop a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Thank you!
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Show Notes:
LT 073 | Dr. Carol Addy - Long-term Health and Weight Loss Management
This week's guest is Dr. Carol Addy, Chief Medical Officer for HMR Weight Management Services Corporation.
Dr. Addy is a physician executive who has served as a champion of wellness for over 30 years. Her professional experience has permitted her the opportunity to share her passion for lifestyle and to optimize outcomes for individuals and populations using an evidence-based, data-driven approach.
As a former professional cyclist and health and fitness spokesperson, she gained an appreciation of the health benefits of physical activity and proper nutrition, and, as an internist/endocrinologist, she shared this knowledge with her patients as a powerful and cost-effective means of disease prevention and as an adjunct to cardiometabolic disease treatment.
More recently, Dr. Addy accepted the position of Chief Medical Officer at HMR Weight Management Services, Corp., a fully owned subsidiary of Merck. In this role she is responsible for providing medical oversight and subject matter expertise for the delivery of lifestyle-based, behavioral interventions for weight loss and long-term weight management. Given her strong background as a physician/scientist, she maintains a strong interest in research and seek opportunities for collaboration in data analytics and outcomes research. She has considerable experience speaking and presenting at conferences and meetings, as well as interacting with C-suite executives to make the business case for health.
In this interview we discuss:
- Dr. Addy's background
- Current role at HMR
- Background as a pro cyclist and kettlebell sport athlete
- How she has been known to write prescriptions for exercise vs. drugs.
- Why weight loss and weight management is about lifestyle and choices
- Developing good habits and behavior around diet and exercise
- and much more!
Show Notes:
- Dr. Carol Addy
- HMR Weight Management Services
- HMR Program Named a No. 1 “Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet” by U.S. News & World Report
- Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets with Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates
LT 072 | Drew Ginn - Will it make the boat go faster?
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This week my guest is Drew Ginn. Drew Ginn is a legend in the sport of rowing and I am absolutely honored to have had the opportunity to sit down and speak with him. Here is what prompted this interview. I had recently read the book "The Kiwi Pair: The Story Behind Our World-Beating Rowers" by Hamish Bond and Eric Murray. In their book they discuss how they came across a video Drew Ginn had posted on his blog, Rudderfish. The title of the video was "Will it make the boat go faster?" and in it Drew shares some of his thoughts on what he had been taught by coaches and what he felt truly translated into greater boat speed. (I highly encourage you to watch the YouTube video to give you some proper background to this podcast interview).
After watching this video I reached out to Drew personally and asked him if he be gracious enough to be a guest on the podcast.
Here are some of the career accomplishments Drew has achieved in the sport of rowing:
OLYMPIC RESULTS
- 2012 London: Men’s Coxless Fours – Silver
- 2008 Beijing: Men’s Coxless Pairs – Gold
- 2004 Athens: Men’s Coxless Pairs – Gold
- 1996 Atlanta: Men’s Coxless Fours – Gold
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2011 World Championships Coxless Fours: Bronze
- 2007 World Championships Coxless Pairs: Gold
- 2006 World Championships: Gold
- 2003 World Championships: Gold
- 2002 World Championships: Fourth
- 1999 World Championships: Gold
- 1998 World Championships: Silver
- 1998 World Championships Coxed Four: Gold
- 1997 World Championships Men’s Eight: Bronze
- 1995 World Championships: Eleventh
- 1995 European Championships: Fourth
- 1996 European Championships Coxless Fours: Silver
- 1995 World Championships: Fifth
- 1995 European Championships: Ninth
HONOURS
- Thomas Keller Recipient – 2014
- Crew of the Year – 2003
- Australian Sports Medal – 2000
- Order of Australia Medal OAM – 1997
Interview Topics:
- Drew's background in sport and what he is currently doing
- Why he recorded the video "Will it make the boat go faster?"
- Drew's thoughts on rowing technique and how this differs from traditional thoughts on technique
- Bungee cord rowing and its value
- His back injuries and how he rehabbed them
- Drew's thoughts on strength and conditioning and what he did early in his career vs. end of his career and what worked best
- Improving movement and skill on land to reinforce good technique and boat speed on the water
- and much more!