Side Quest Podcast

For those that love working out, rest days suck. You love to hit the gym, and the thought of not doing what you enjoy is a pain. But rest is crucial. I'd argue it's almost more important than the actual working out part, almost.   So how can you make rest days more beneficial? How can you make them optimal to get the most gains? And, how can you make them less boring? In this episode, I'll cover how to make rest days work the best for you. And, what activities or lifestyle things you can do to burn more fat, gain more muscle, and improve your recovery.

Mason Woodruff, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) based in Arkansas. He also works as a sports nutritionist and freelance writer. You can find Mason's writing on sites like Muscle & Performance Magazine, Breaking Muscle, STACK, Anytime Fitness, and more. Mason's fitness journey started out as a high-level athlete; but once he stopped playing sports, he gained excess weight. After gaining 50 pounds and being called "husky" by his grandma, Mason decided it was time to get in the gym. As a former basketball player, strength training wasn’t a huge part of his training regimen. Despite his lack of knowledge, he got in the gym, lost the 50 pounds, and found his love of fitness. In this episode, we discuss:   Taking a step back from writing online for a year Creating more video Drawing a line in the sand What made him put the pen down Worrying less about the things he can’t control Trusting in the process What gambling games he’s bad at Eating on a budget Cauliflower rice Why convenient

Petravita, real name Brandon Landis, is a Stockholm-based hip-hop artist, poet, and adventurer. After growing up in Seattle on a steady stream of video games and local hip-hop shows, he found his footing in the music world for the first time while attending university in England, where he began performing music as a duo with his friend and roommate. After graduating with bachelor’s degree in creative advertising, he would move to Stockholm to work with a number of startups in their marketing and advertising efforts. With life’s everyday callings relatively settled, Petravita is now turning his attention to music once again, on track to release his first full-length project of original music in June 2017. Vital Stats: Favorite food: Pad thai Favorite cloth pattern: Paisley Hidden talent: Guessing exactly how many jelly beans are in that jar at the carnival In this episode we discuss: How he got into Hip Hop George Watsky Learning the harmonica How he gets out of creative funks Improving his gratitude Writing,

Tolkien describes the dead marshes like this in The Two Towers: "Dreary and wearisome. Cold, clammy winter still held sway in this forsaken country. The only green was the scum of livid weed on the dark greasy surfaces of the sullen waters. Dead grasses and rotting reeds loomed up in the mists like ragged shadows of long-forgotten summers." You can smell the staleness of the air, you can feel the icy chill of death as it slowly seeps into your bones when you read this passage. For me, the imagery of the marshes: dreary, sullen, and ragged is an excellent metaphor for those times when we lose motivation. When we enter this area, our thoughts become dreary, and our bodies and minds are easily fatigued. Like Frodo, entranced by the faces of the dead in the murky waters, we're easily pulled down into the depths of demotivation. These desolate, shallow, murky waters are never easy to get out of once we allow ourselves to sink in. So how do you escape these marshes? That's what I cover in this episode.  

Born and raised on the West Coast of Canada, Alex is a short shorts enthusiast, espresso fiend, and an unapologetic meathead. Alex is a self-proclaimed anti-meathead and casual nerd. When he’s not working towards Herculean status or learning how to better serve his clients, he can be found exploring how to further crush life, perfect his flair in the kitchen, or pull the perfect shot of espresso. Alex is currently preparing to step on stage at the CBBF Nationals in July. In this episode we discuss: His first episode Spending time in Greece Training during his first true bodybuilding off-season How Greece changed him Wake Up Ron Burgundy Going to Thailand Traveling, training, and eating as a bodybuilder on the road Why travel is life-changing Gratitude and not appreciating what we have What his days look like now Gavin McHale’s post Building a beach by placing one grain of sand at a time Nootropics (Limitless) Music he’s jiving on Heart rate variability training Social Links

Get ready for some fire. Because I'm talking about the why of motivation.   PS: Listen for a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card

Ben is an author, entrepreneur, and food-loving fitness professional. By simplifying the world of strength and conditioning, Ben helps people everywhere beat "bad" genetics, melt away fat, make lean muscle, and finally start getting the results they crave. Oh, and he does all of this without asking you to give up your favorite foods. Ben's awesome.  in this episode we discuss: Ben's First Episode Em Dash shortcut On Writing Well Grammar in different languages Freak Muscle Program Humans and complaining Kilos and pounds Getting out of your head while lifting Ben’s creative date experience Not knowing what to do/say to a guy/girl Break up advice, and your head getting in the way Asking better questions on a date Ben’s DLC episode Facebook Instagram Twitter

When I first started working out, I thought had a foolproof blueprint for success: Lift weights Run on the treadmill Eat salad Drink protein shakes Make gains Except, I didn’t have a blueprint at all. I had “ideas” of what worked. Assumptions I'd stacked together from magazines and the internet about how to burn fat and build muscle. But I had no real concrete plan. And for years, I made the same stupid mistakes, over and over. But I'm not the only one who's made these fat loss mistakes. You have too — or, you're making them right now. These are my biggest mistakes I made. And if you're making them, I want you to know how to make the right changes so you can succeed with your fat loss goals.  

Jedi vs Sith.   Who will win in this Star Wars nerd out with Mike Sweetman and I.

  The Force Within Us All We all grew up watching star wars, and for most those childhood memories are fondly remembered. Whether you wanted to be the smooth talking Han Solo, or the Lightsaber wielding Luke Skywalker, it was fun to reenact the movies on the playground. But now as overworked and stressed out adults, many of us don’t make enough time to return to our love of Star Wars. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the information age, and lose our way. Mike Sweetman suggests we should return to those days of imagining we do have force powers. He suggests that using meditation techniques, thought management, and mindful movements such as yoga, can help us train our mind so that we can feel calm, confident, and focused like a Jedi. During the show Mike shares some of the details about his morning routine to help you feel like a Jedi, the basic’s of how meditation works, how to calm the mind before meditation, and how meditation can help your workout. During the show Mike Talks about launching his YouTube chan

The first question that I ask any of my clients is: “Who is your favorite Hero?” Whether from a movie, comic book, novel, or video game we've all had a fictional, or historical, Hero that we admire. These mythic Heroes provide hope, guidance, and inspiration in our darkest of times. It's their actions that we look to emulate when we are tested. Losing weight, starting a business, or finding the courage to speak to that cute guy/girl at the bar, can be clouded with fear, doubt, and uncertainty. Heroes like Captain America, Wolverine, or Harry Potter have all dealt and overcome doubt, fear, and anxiety in their own journey. Conquer your doubt and fear by asking yourself, "what would [insert your favorite Hero] do?" One of my first clients, Sarah, told me that her favorite superhero was Sarah Connor from Terminator. She admitted that her biggest enemy to her weight loss success was the candy drawer at work. Every day she'd walk by it and be tempted to grab one. So I asked Sarah how she could use Sarah Connor to

Jordan Grahm, once topped out at over 400-pounds. After the sudden death of his mother as a teen, Jordan gave up on life. He stopped caring about his health, used food as an emotional coping mechanism, and, until a car accident that could have killed him, he ignored everything his doctors told him. Now, Jordan Grahm is a weight loss specialist, personal and group trainer located in Los Angeles, California. He helps clients from all backgrounds and at all levels of fitness. He specializes in fat loss and complete body transformations. Losing over 200 pounds, and keeping it off, gives Jordan a unique perspective that helps him and his clients connect. He understands that there's more to this journey than the physical aspects of changing one’s body. There are also the obstacles you face both mentally and emotionally ones as well.   In this episode we discuss: Bodybuilding.com Expose Legends of Wrestling Finding his place on the football team The day his mom died The car accident that saved his life Walking his

After a month away from Coaches Corner, the segment returns to the podcast. And this time, I bring back some of my fellow nerds to talk about how comics, video games, and all the nerdy stuff we love, has helped us succeed during trying times. Kenneth Rotter from Dumbbells and Dragons and Ches Hall of Live Like You Game, join me and we dive DEEP into the world of habit creation, training, and creating good morning rituals. We hit it hard and heavy for about 45 minutes, then we jump over for the DLC portion of the podcast and nerd out on Westworld. Are you getting the DLC? It's free. Doesn't cost you a dime. And you get an extra 10-20 minutes of kick ass content, EXCLUSIVELY, for those who sign-up. Grab the DLC by heading here. In this episode, we discuss: Ken Rotter of Dumbbells and Dragons Ches of Live Like You Game Starting a podcast Training for Tough Mudders Connecting training to Spiderman How gaming habits can help you succeed Resetting your habits Making decisions when you’re tired, and why you SHOULDN

Fallout 3 was my favorite game released on the Xbox 360. I put in damn near 100 hours of gameplay, including all of the DLC. As I think back to all the hours I put into the game, I realize I skipped over an aspect that would have greatly benefitted my character’s development: resting. Never once did I rest in a bed while playing Fallout 3. Resting to recover health seemed really stupid when all I had to do was kill everyone in my path and take items from their lifeless carcasses to heal myself. However, by not resting, I was actually leaving a ton of experience points on the table. In Fallout 3, when your character rested for longer than 1 hour, not only were all your limbs repaired and health bar replenished, but you were granted a 10% XP (experience points) bonus for the next 12 hours in the game (that’s hours in the game, not real time). Pfft, who needs bonus XP and a FREE way to heal your character? Idiot. Sadly, when it came to my own sleep in real life, I never took it seriously either. One of the most

Carter is an online fitness and weight loss coach who helps others achieve their goals of getting lean—and more importantly—staying healthy for life. What makes Carter unique is his personal experience of overcoming obesity and losing 140+ pounds. What's more, he's been able to keep it off. Carter writes about and teaches his clients about prioritizing enjoyment over what might seem "optimal". He believes that the only way to be successful in the long run is Carter writes about and teaches his clients about prioritizing enjoyment over what might seem "optimal". He believes that the only way to be successful in the long run is turn Fitness into an enjoyable and rewarding lifestyle.   In this episode we discuss: Last names and kids in school His story Tipping points Inside out vs outside in approach Who he looked up to on his journey Taking pride in what he’s done Putting in the work What he learned that he didn’t expect to learn on his journey Weight loss doesn’t change the way people interact with you The fea

There is nothing I love more than answering questions from readers or social media followers. And every 1st Thursday of the month, I do just that. Community Questions is a chance for me to answer YOUR questions. They don't have to be fitness related, either. (Though most are.) So this month, I have four excellent questions come in:  Sunday meal prep routine advice ( godsend for tracking ) and lunch taco recipes Fasted cardio - bro-science or is this a thing? What' the best way to get in shape if you can't afford a gym membership? You just farted in the Gym, what's your next move (both for audible and silent)

Martijn Koevoets was bitten by the iron bug after an embarrassing moment in high school where he couldn't bench the 45lbs bar.   Since then Martijn has been building strength and gaining muscle and can now deadlift 3x his bodyweight.   Martijn writes for his website, Powerlifting University. But has also been featured on websites like Strengtheory, EliteFTS, JTSStrength, JMAX Fitness, Lift The Bar, Healthy Living Heavy Lifting and more.   He also acts as a powerlifting coach with Shredded By Science. An international evidence-based coaching company in the UK.   Martijn decided last year that he wanted to get the best in the powerlifting community together in one place. But he didn't want to have to ask people to fly to a destination and spend hundreds, if not thousands, on one event.   And thanks to the power of the Internet, Martijn can do this today and you can attend from the comfort of your home or office.   This year's summit features over 20 speakers and presenters and will last 8 days. Those speaking a

  Texas. It's a state rich with history, Diverse in its landscape, and filled with a sense of pride that only those from Texas truly understand.   Texas was once at the bottom of the ocean. An ancient ocean that separated the eastern United States from the west. Known as Western Interior Seaway, this ancient sea teemed with animals and fauna. Ancient life that lived, died, sank to the ocean floor, and became the fossil fuels and oil that made Texas famous. In the last year, I've spend a couple of weeks in Texas and she's taught me something, a valuable lesson that only occurred to me while driving around her picturesque country side. We all know the cliche: "everything's bigger in Texas." And there's a truth to that cliche. But a few million years ago, the big Texas sky was nothing more than an ocean.  As I rode around Texas, traveling from North Texas near the OK border, down to Austin, and then around outlying areas of the state capital, I couldn't help but think about Texas now vs Texas then. How if a fish

  Adam Fisher has been lifting for over ten years, and working as a trainer and powerlifting coach for the last five.   Making clients stronger is his passion, and he's worked with clients in over ten countries and counting.   Adam Fisher believes the deadlift is the best lift. And, yes, he says "you can fight me on that point."   Aside from lifting, Adam enjoy's fiction, philosophy, television, and a good video game here and there. You can find out more about Adam at his site www.gains.af. And check out his new free product, Deadlift Every Day, at www.gains.af/deadlift-every-day.    In this episode, we discuss: First Episode His life as a vagabond Retreating into his mental palace Learning to speak Danish in Denmark Speaking French with a Southern accent Living abroad in Saudi Arabia Dating someone in the gaming industry Ready Player One Why he gives up half way with books, games, and TV shows (sometimes) Half-assing and whole assing Three games he’s jiving on My thoughts on Ghost Recon: Wildlands WiiU and