Barbell Shrugged - Talking Training W/ Crossfit Games Athletes, Strength Coaches & More

Closing out 2018 on the highest of highs! Jeff (@iamjeffthornton) and Derz (@coachderz) are moving full steam ahead with Feed Me Fuel Me TV. Our time with the Shrugged Collective (@shruggedcollective) has come to an end. We've learned a ton of lessons and have created a space that is open for collaboration in the future. Don't be surprised if you catch us making cameos on the Collective in the future.   It would be a massive understatement to say that 2018 was enlightening. We made some extremely genuine relationships and had some of the deepest and dopest conversations ever! We broke the mold with topics on masculinity, vulnerability, embracing your story, and living a legacy worth leaving. We interviewed intuitive clairvoyants, life coaches, business consultants, professional athletes, fit pros, doctors, entrepreneurs, and people from so many epic walks of life. The common denominator is the willingness to be authentic and vulnerably deliver their stories in a way that struck massive chords with you, our tr

Emmie Satrazemis is a board-certified sports nutritionist, registered dietitian, and Nutrition Director at Trifecta. Emmie is a veggie fanatic who loves to have fun while spreading the good word of nutrition.   A self-described “always hungry” fitness junkie, Emmie loves to build strength and push her body hard, which comes in handy when working with professional, Olympic, and collegiate athletes and serving as the dietitian for the Navy SEALs.   A thought leader in nutrition, Emmie is on the Nutrition Advisory Board for STRONG Fitness Magazine and has been featured as a nutrition expert on local news and radio in the Sacramento area and in Washington DC. Her words have been featured multiple online publications, like Retail Dietitians Business Alliance, Food Logistics, and Food Navigator USA.   In this episode, we talk about understanding the basics of nutrition for health and performance, are pre-made meals a great way to get healthy food?, getting proper nutrition on a busy schedule, the differences in eat

Andrea Ager is passion personified. She attacks everything she does with her whole heart, whether it’s running track, competing in CrossFit, coaching her AgerBomb seminars, or sharing her faith. As a high-level athlete and an instructor, she knows it’s crucial to never stop learning about training and nutrition for herself so that she can better serve her clients. Andrea’s drive to never stop improving has inspired some crazy decisions, like leaving the CrossFit coaching staff to branch out on her own and moving halfway across the country to train for the Games with a team she’d never met (and get to know a certain guy better

Tero Isokauppila (@iamtero) is a a Finnish nomad turned into a fungi lovin’ foodpreneur. He is the president and founder of Four Sigmatic (@foursigmatic) — A mushroom and superfoods company that creates products to help you live a better and healthier life. Tero’s dream is to bring back the ancient mushroom wisdom to modern lifestyle.   In his native Finland, Tero grew up on his family’s centuries-old farm regularly foraging for mushrooms. He holds a degree in both chemistry and plant-based nutrition from Cornell University, and was awarded a Finnish innovation award for discovering that the Japanese matsutake mushroom also grows in Finland.   Tero was chosen as one of the world’s Top 50 Food Activists by the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, and has been featured in Vogue, Time, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. He’s also the author of Healing Mushrooms: A Practical and Culinary Guide to Using Mushrooms for Whole Body Health.   In this episode, we talk about why mouth breathing means your disconnected, why Ter

This week Jeff and Derz sit down with the founder of Athlete's Brand (@athletesbrand), Kyle Mauch (@kylemauch) and discuss what is truly possible! One of the most common questions we are asked as a result of our discussions is how you go about discovering your purpose. When you ask Kyle, he'll tell you that you're asking the wrong question. To know your purpose is to know WHY you were put on this earth. That is a subjective question that is usually left to the interpretation of those that you've impacted. If you knew WHY you were born, there would be no deviation from your path. You would do those deeds, accomplish those goals, without obstacle and no distraction. We all know that is not reality. Seeking purpose can give you a sense of fulfillment. A feeling of impact. Feelings often misinterpreted as purpose. ⠀ That is what Kyle does now for professional athletes and high performers. He guides them in clarifying their legacy. He helps them discover what they care about most deeply and assists them in buildin

Jen Esquer, DPT, PT, has been on a ruthless ongoing journey to learn about the body and movement since she was a child. She was a professional gymnast until age 16, studied yoga and pilates, studied physiotherapy, and is continuously exploring and learning more . is creator of and The Optimal Body Preventing Pain & Injury Optimizing Lives.   Dr. Jen is also the creator of The Mobility Method , which is designed to give the everyday person the opportunity to take themselves through a basic screening process and self-diagnose limitations. In addition, there are various modules to help individuals address their own personal needs, whether it be their neck, back, shoulders, etc.   In this episode, we talk about understanding the body conversation, how language affects epigenetics, why do you need to learn how to breathe and meditate, how do you start to learn, and much more.   Enjoy! - Doug and Anders ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Show notes at: http://www.shruggedcol

From Wall Street cold calling to owning a successful gym in NYC with a detour into the nightclub scene along the way, Vincent Miceli’s career trajectory is all over the map and he has got some stories. I caught up with him at Solace to compare notes on gyms as businesses, how to create great programming, and what we would do differently if we could start all over.   Vincent talks about his own weight-loss journey (he lost almost 100 pounds in a year) and how he got into CrossFit (spoiler: it involved flipping a coin). We get real about what we look for in coaches, wonder where the insanely energetic people coaching SoulCycle classes come from, and break down what running a gym really looks like when you get down to the expenses. It’s a little bit of storytelling, a little bit of insight offering, a little bit of knowledge dropping, and a hell of a lot of fun. With Vincent’s “there is no ceiling” mentality, anything is possible—and this episode is proof of that.   Buckle up! - Ryan   HIGHLIGHTS: 1:00 My gym is

Ryan Niddel is a motivator and host of 15 Minutes to Freedom podcast, an unfiltered daily dive into the life lessons and mistakes he made. Using his life experiences as an unfiltered guide, Ryan puts his experiences in perspective to help you expand your own life.   Topics on his podcast range from the importance of owning your truth, tapping into your own spirituality, and much more. The sole purpose of his show is to offer relatable guidance, provide information, and inspire you to re-align and take action!   In this episode, we talk about Niddel’s experience with steroids and how he hid it when shooting so people wouldn’t know, infections from steroids and the downside of getting off them, commitment issues and not being able to be alone, why judging things as negative experience is creating new trauma, how to set goals efficiently, the difference between a dream and a goal, and more.   Enjoy! -Mike P.S. The Strong Coach new class starts January 6th! --------------------------------------------------- Show

Jason Rule is owner of Driven Nutrition, an affiliate exclusive line of sports nutrition and dietary supplements. Featuring Charlotte's Web CBD, Driven Whey, BCAA's, OmegaDrive, Pre-Wod and Post-Wod.   In this episode, we talk about how hemp oil and CBD oil are different, what happens in the supplement market to make bad supplements, wow to increase sales at your gym through retail, why Charlotte’s Web CBD is the highest quality CBD on the market, and much more.   Enjoy! - Doug and Anders ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Show notes at: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/bbs_rule ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Please support our partners! @vuori - www.vuoriclothing.com “SHRUGGED25” to save 25% storewide @bioptimizers: www.BiOptimizers.com/shrugged  “shrugged” to save 37% @drivennutrition: https://drivennutrition.net/shrugged/ to save 20% ► Subscribe to Barbell Shrugged's Channel Here ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel He

According to our guest this week, leadership coach and mentor, Ken Kilday, the failure of leadership presently lies in the fact that people in influential positions know the words to say, yet aren't capable of putting action behind those words. There tend to be two kinds of leaders that seek Ken's counsel: those that are proactive, seeking to bring their blindspots and shortcomings to the forefront, and those that are reacting to a failed state of leadership and Ken's coaching is a last ditch effort to right the ship.   Part of the definition of leadership is to influence. Another way of putting it is to influence another to do what you want when they otherwise wouldn't.   Ken’s breadth of leadership experience provides him the unique ability to help leaders understand that effecting positive change is the key to overall success. The challenges of navigating ever-changing corporate cultures, bureaucracies, and financial goals provided the catalyst for him to create a business consulting firm based on   The ‘N

Ben Bergeron trains some of the world’s fittest athletes. A former Ironman competitor, triathlete, and CrossFit Games competitor, he has coached athletes to six world championships. As coach to the reigning Fittest Man and Fittest Woman on Earth, Ben is considered one of the top coaches in the sport of CrossFit. He created and continues to provide CompTrain for free as a way of sharing his knowledge with the CrossFit community.   Ben has dedicated his life to helping others become the best version of themselves. He founded CrossFit New England in 2008, where he coaches his members on their quest to improve their fitness, health, and approach to life beyond the gym.   In this episode, we talk dive into how to build the fittest athletes in the world, why CrossFit New England has succeeded in the last 10 years, personal development is at the heart of a champion, developing a growth mindset is the key to long term success, and much more.   Enjoy!   - Doug and Anders -----------------------------------------------

    What do nutrition trends, ex-girlfriend stories, and family gossip have in common? They all get air time on this long-awaited episode featuring my mom, the one and only Kim Karecky. She’s been my biggest supporter through all my endeavors, and she’s here to talk about how the definition of “healthy” has changed in her lifetime and what she’s learned about her own eating habits. We take a look in her fridge, reminisce about my childhood, and swap stories that will make you laugh out loud.   You may have listened to other podcasts about my background, but you’ve never gotten the kind of inside look that this episode will give you—from my favorite snacks as a kid, to what it was like to call girls in high school, to how I became the crazy-jacked track athlete in high school. It’s all here, and it’s all riddled with commentary from the woman who knows me best. She tells it like it is and is unashamedly herself, iced coffee obsession and all.   As always, there’s a ton of great info packed in here too, both co

Aaron Alexander CR, LMT, CPT is an accomplished manual therapist and movement coach with over 13 years of professional experience. He is the founder of the Align Movement™, an integrated approach to functional movement and self-care that has helped thousands of people out of pain and into health.   Aaron also hosts the top-rated Align Podcast featuring the biggest names in movement and wellness. His clients include Hollywood celebrities, Olympic/professional athletes and everyone in between. He teaches workshops and speaks at events all over the world.   In this episode, we talk about the Align method as an integrated approach to functional movement and self-care, the quality of mechanics with ranges of motion and creating length, how to fix your posture and why stretching your back too much can actually be bad for you, how to position your life so you love what you do and have consistency with practices, the benefits of floating in Epsom salts for relaxation and muscle recovery, and much more.   Enjoy! -Mike

Dr. Guarav Goswami, MD  specializes in regenerative and restorative sports medicine, providing advanced minimally invasive (non-surgical) treatments to athletes of all levels and ages. Tissue preservation, quick recovery, and little to no downtime are the cornerstones of his philosophy.   As a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, Dr. Goswami is focused on utilizing his years of experience to help his patients and athletes reach their maximum potential. He is also the founder of PreciseCare.   In this episode, we talk dive into understanding stem cells, the future of sports medicine, how can you harvest the most effective stem cells, are stem cell operations the nest way to avoid surgery? and more.   Enjoy! - Doug and Anders ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Show notes at: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/bbs_goswami ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Please support our partners! @bioptimizers: www.BiOptimizers.com/shrugg

This week we are on the mic with business coach and entrepreneur, Jon Boles. Jon is an embodiment of evolution, both in purpose and in business.   Hailing from smalltown middle America, Jon's parents separated when he was just 5 years old. From there his life would never be the same. Living two different lives, under two separate roofs. As he got into high school, he would become better known in his neighborhood for dealing drugs, than a standout athlete. It was through this experience that he learned how to, and more importantly, how not to do business. His secret would eventually be discovered by his parents, and make his way into rehab.   After rehab, and serious self-discovery, Jon moved into the city, where he found his true gift: NETWORKING. He moved away from pedaling dope, to creating nightlife experiences and connecting people, slowly building a new business model in the process.   Thriving on this creative genius, Jon has built, and sold multiple companies, and has learned to dampen the inner dialog

Bret Contreras has become known in the strength and conditioning industry as the Glute Guy because of his expertise in helping clients develop strong, shapely glutes. As the former owner of Lifts Studio in Scottsdale, Arizona, he has worked closely with hundreds of clients ranging from sedentary people to elite athletes, and he invented a glute-strengthening machine called the Hip Thruster.   Bret currently trains figure competitors, writes programs for clients from all over the world, and consults for various professional sport teams. He is the author of the bestselling book Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy and co-author of Strong Curves: A Woman’s Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body.   In this episode, we talk about why corrective exercises do not work, why a qualified strength coach is more important than a rehab specialist, how to find a strength coach that understand proper progressions for injuries, why strength training is so much safer and healthier than being weak, and more.   Enjoy! - Doug

Innovation is the name of the game, and Chris Knott is at the forefront. As a former professional baseball player, Chris started learning about the role the brain plays in recovery when he didn't want surgery on his pitching arm. He's so good at what he does now that he's sought after by household-name athletes like Odell Beckham, Jr. Chris' approach to injury prevention and recovery looks at the body as a whole, and doesn't stop when the pain goes away.   It's not a one-size-fits-all methodology either — Chris uses his in-depth understanding of physiology to identify each athlete's unique weaknesses, and works to change the necessary stimuli to target them.   You know how Real CHALK episodes go: we drop a lot of knowledge, we talk a lot of sh*t, and we flip the scripts on a whole bunch of common health and fitness misconceptions. We also tell it like it is and say the things no one wants to hear (like if you have to ask if you can make it to the CrossFit Games, you can't).   Do you know why muscle stim isn't

Dr. Gregory Kelly is Lead Product Formulator at Neurohacker Collective, a Naturopathic Doctor and subject matter expert on nutrition, wellness, and preventive medicine, with a solution-minded approach to problems and a broad scope of experience, including clinical practice, nutraceutical research & formulation, classroom and online education, medical writing and publication, corporate wellness, medical claims’ analysis, and development of IT solutions.   In this episode, we dive into how we can move through obstructions and get where we want, how to set expectations on what we can do with existing resources, how to harvest both willpower and strong habits, how to grow your willpower within 30-60 days and keep it, morning vs. night people - how to understand what type you are, and much more.   Enjoy! Mike --------------------------------------------------- Show notes: https://shruggedcollective.com/tbs_kelly --------------------------------------------------- Please support our partners! @bioptimizers: www

This is a special episode, where Anders Varner and Doug Larson talk about learning patience in the second pull, how to push under the barbell in the jerk, does fasted cardio really work? Is the result of fasting just fewer calories? And more. Enjoy! - Doug and Anders ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Show notes at: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/bbs_lifting ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ► Subscribe to Barbell Shrugged's Channel Here ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe

Milam Byers goes deep with us this week on Feed Me Fuel Me. The lead guitarist of the band Bleach shares his experience with reforming his identity after the band broke up. How do you stay positive. How do you remain present for your family, your wife, your kids, after everything you’ve ever known is over and done with? Compound your identity crisis with the loss of your brother on the battlefield of the war in Afghanistan, and you have a lot to process very quickly. Only through the expression of vulnerability, and the humility of voicing everything he kept inside, was Milam able to overcome the end of and old life, and loss of a loved one. Now he has shifted gears and made it his life’s mission to empower those that have less. Driving the mission of Food for the Hungry  and Striking Out Poverty, Milam is connecting athletes with a passion for change with communities that struggle in the third world. In Milam’s words, “No one ever got upset because they gave too much.” Enjoy Milam’s journey and thanks for jo