Side Quest Podcast

Over the last year, I've had the pleasure of getting to know a ton of new people while apart of the RFS Mastermind. Joey Percia, is one of the awesome guys I've gotten to know over that time. When Joey graduated High School, if he was lucky and found himself soaking wet, he weighed around 130-pounds. He even broke a box jump record at ‘The Strongest Powerlifting Gym’ in the World, oh and that feat only made it easier for him to dunk a basketball, even if he's only 5’9". Jumping high is something Joey does well. But he's also a beast when it comes to lifting heavy ass weight. Since he started training he's been able to deadlift 3.2x his bodyweight. Setting his PR at 585lbs. He's also squatted over 500lbs and set a NJ State Bench Press record. Needless to say, Joey is strong. He's also a great writer and coach.   For more show notes, please visit sidequestfitness.com/joey-percia/

Jason Helmes returns, almost a year to the date we last heard from him. As one of my first guests, not to mention a huge inspiration on my work and growth as an entrepreneur, I am a huge fan of Jason's work. When he approached me and asked about coming on the show to chat about his new muscle building program, No Squats. No Deadlifts. HUGE GAINS, I quickly said, yes. Jason gets it. He's not only a living breathing example of the hard work he put in to achieve his physique goals, but he is a straight up hardcore-hustler. Every single week he is putting out some form of content for his audience. Whether it's an article or now his podcast and Facebook video series, Jason works. Like myself, he is an experimenter. Testing new ideas and protocols on himself before using them on clients. His latest program, No Squats. No Deadlifts. HUGE GAINS, came from a bulking experiment he did last winter.   For more and a link to pick up a copy of Jason's program, head to www.sidequestfitness.com/jason-helmes-3/

Over the last few weeks, I've been reading and working through a book called The Artists Way. Between that book and something my former guest Alex Mullan said during our interview I began to think more about being a beginner. As a gamer, I'm always taking on the role of a beginner when I pick up a new game. Especially, if it's a new game I've never played before. Learning how the game mechanics work, the best strategies for playing the game, or even discovering the small details the developers planted in the gameplay is always fun. But it's never easy to learn something new. Still, when you play a game it's far easier to level up when you're new than if you've been playing for months. Level 1-10 happens a lot quicker than levels 20-30. Embracing the beginning is one of the hardest concepts to learn in any endeavor. You want to feel like you understand things or you want to see results. Lack of results we thought we'd have is one of the reasons why many people give up their goals. In this episode, I talk about

In this solo episode, I cover the best snacks for you to choose while on the road. Travel is something I try and do a lot of and road trips are my favorite form of travel. But you don't have to sacrifice your health goals to eat horrible gas station fare while you drive cross country. There are options you can find at any gas station to give you the fuel you need for the road and that won't derail your fat loss goals.

It's crazy to think that it's been one year since Travis Pollen gave me the idea for "Coaches Corner." At the time of recording this, the 2016 Rio Olympics were still happening, so we decided to devote an entire episode to this once-every-four-year event. We celebrated a year of episodes with tons of shenanigans and, of course, chatted about all the excitement of the Olympics. There's a lot of great discussion about training, aging athletes, events that transpired during the games, as well as a brief discussion on the reason it's ludicrous that athletes have to pay taxes on their medals.   Thank you all for listening to "Coaches Corner" for the last year and, though, the format will change a bit, we will still be delivering valuable information to you as an audience.  

I'm often asked, "is there a magic food I can eat for weight loss?"   "If I eat avocados will they get rid of my belly fat?"   "I heard carbs are bad for you and I should eat like a caveman, is that true?" "What foods can I eat that will make me lose weight?"   Sensational claims and promises from fat-burner supplements or fad diets on the cover of Cosmo or The Huffington Post are as empty and false as rest of the chalices Indiana had to choose from. You want to buy the flashy, catchy, “hottest” items on the market. But, it's the stupid-simple, non-sexy actions that get the job done. The grail of weight loss is about as exciting as a wooden cup.   In this episode, I reveal to you what the Holy Grail of Fat Loss is and how IT'S the only way you can lose unwanted body fat.   For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/holy-grail/

Interview with Dr. John Rusin Dr. John Rusin, aka "The Strength Doc," isn't your typical strength coach. He's also a physical therapist. He first went the route of the traditional strength & conditioning coach but found he had more of a passion for sports performance physical therapy. Human performance is now is life-blood. He has an impressive and diverse list of clientele. From NFL and MLB athletes to competitive powerlifters and bodybuilders, Dr. Rusin develops programs aimed at promoting better recovery and regeneration for world class athletes. Dr. Rusin has one goal: to bridge the ever-growing gap between high-performance strength and conditioning and cutting-edge rehabilitation methodology for both elite strength athletes and amateur fitness fanatics. He brings over a decade of high-level training experience along with advanced degrees in both Exercise Science and Physical Therapy, creating result oriented programs for my clients. This synergy of academia and in-field training experience sets the

In this episode of the podcast, I answer questions from the community of Heroes. Ever wondered how to navigate the world of alcohol while dieting? What strategies can you use while out at the bar or at a BBQ to continue losing fat while you imbibe on whiskey or beer?    Or have you ever found yourself staring at a bottle of BCAAs and Amino Acids wondering what the fuck the difference is? Will one get me more jacked than the other?   Maybe you're new to the gym and noticing a whole host of things you've never seen before. Like people who arch their backs during a bench press? Is that correct? Should you do that? Will you hurt yourself? In this month's installment of Community Questions, I answer 3 questions from listeners or followers on social media.   In this episode I discuss: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Bar Supplements I use What amino acids are and what BCAAs are Whether you should or shouldn't arch your back while bench pressing

This year I've met some inspiring and kick-ass dudes.   Alex Mullan is one of those dudes.   Alex is the owner and creator of MASSthetics. A fitness blog dedicated to helping dudes get JACKED.   Why is getting jacked important? Because as Alex says, "when you look incredible, you feel incredible. When you feel incredible, incredible things begin to happen in your life."   Similar to my belief, Alex Mullan believes when you take control of your physique, everything else falls into place. Alex wants to help men and women build the best body they've ever been in. No longer will you be wasting your time in the gym. No longer will your confusion about what, when, and how to eat hold you back. No longer will you be trapped in a physique that doesn’t bring a smile to your face. Because Alex's goal is to take all that away.   For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/alex-mullan/  

During the time that I've been a part of the Roman Fitness Systems Mastermind, I have had the chance to meet some amazing people. Benjamin (Ben) Johnson, is one of the most genuine, intelligent, and down to Earth dudes I've ever met. Ben is a writer, fitness coach, and one hell of an amazing cook. In his past, Ben was the fat kid. He struggled with his weight for years until he, like many people, took it more serious.  At his core, Ben wants to help people. Whether that is developing as a writer, carrying their groceries, or helping them achieve their health and fitness goals, Ben's primary goal is to help as many people as he can. Ben is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or commonly known as Mormons. It's from his faith and the foundation that he was raised on that feeds his desire to help others. Having got to know Ben, I don't think I've ever met anyone more willing to go out of their way to help their fellow man or woman. Oh yea, I mentioned he loves to cook. The dude is probabl

It's okay to be selfish. That doesn't mean you shouldn't care for others, but if you can't take care of yourself, you can't fully take care of others. But, we're all busy. We all have lives that ask a lot from us. Time gets sucked away, technology sucks our extra time into its black hole, and what is sacrificed is more than often the passions we love more than anything. You stop drawing, painting, singing, dancing, acting, you stop creating because you need to be working or taking care of others. If you want to see your life change. If you want to advance to your highest level, there is a time of day that needs to be YOURS and YOURS alone. No distractions. No one else to bother you. No email. No phone. No computer. Only you and what makes you happy.

Strength training and whiskey, specifically scotch, are among my favorite things in the world. How I had not discovered the Strength & Scotch Podcast before is beyond me. But while digging through the podcasts on iTunes, I came across these guys and fell in love. Grant and Heavey host the Strength and Scotch Podcast, but they're also giant nerds. Heavey actually worked on the Mars Rover with NASA, while Grant is a huge comic book and video game nerd like myself. When they decided to start the podcast they were drinking together and talking fitness and figured, why not record it?  Both are super curious dudes who love getting to the bottom of things. So they decided to combine their love of scotch and fitness to deliver a fun, sometimes crazy, but a valuable resource for others who share their passion of strength and scotch. For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/strength-and-scotch

In this episode of the podcast, I answer questions from the community of Heroes. Ever wondered why protein is crucial for dieting? What the best strategy is for maintaining weight loss? Have you always wanted to ask me what my favorite movies are? Or do you want to know how you can make gains in the gym, in life, or just want to have your craziest question answered? In this first Community Questions episode of the podcast, I answer 3 questions from listeners or followers on social media.   In this episode I discuss: Petravita Eat more protein Make water awesome Level up your sleep Health Points System 9 Rules of Life Indiana Jones series (Holy Grail, Temple of Boon, Raiders of the Lost Bar) Macro your macros My favorite movies

There is no lift on Earth more badass than the deadlift. You either lift the weight or you don't. Period. But many people avoid this lift because they've been told that it can cause injury. Well, sure, anything can cause injury if you do it wrong. So this month on Coaches Corner, Nick Sorrell, Tanner Baze, and myself hop on a call to chat all things deadlifts. How to progress deadlifts if your new, how to get through sticking points, how to program deadlifts, and tips on pulling the weight off the floor. For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/all-things-deadlifts/

In Fallout 4, you're allowed the ability to invest your attribute points into SPECIAL stats at the start of the game. However, unlike the previous Unlike the previous games, each SPECIAL stat starts out at 1 instead of 5. But you can level each one up as your character levels up. SPECIAL stands for: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. All of these attributes are important in our real lives as well. In this episode of the podcast, I break down each and show you what steps you can take to level each of these attributes up in your own life. For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/special/    

Slyvon Blanco is in the running for the coolest name on Earth. He's also a fitness coach, Lifehacker, website genius, and a lover of the finer things in life like deadlifts and donuts. Growing up as an immigrant Sly understood that he needed to work hard and "go get it." From a young age he learned how to find more efficient methods of getting things done. But he grew up nerdy, small, and easy to bully. Fitness for him was about finding the strength, and size, to stand up to his bullies. Since starting his blog in 2011, he's had dreams of traveling the world as he works. This year, he made that a reality. He and his girlfriend started in Southeast Asia, journeyed back Canada, and, for now, are in South America. Sly considers himself a jack-of-all-trades. He wants to learn about everything and not only be stuck in one area of expertise. He's accomplished this not only as a fitness coach and online entrepreneur but he can build websites, code, and he makes some of the most delicious foods. For more show notes h

In May of 2016, I had Craig Ballantyne on the podcast and we chatted, amongst many things, about the rules he has for his life. Rules that he follows every day and that guide his vision of business success and personal development. A couple months before that, at a conference in Austin, Texas, a presenter talked to the attendees about rules and why rules must be followed. Both of these events created a cascade of thoughts in my mind. "Do I have rules that I follow that guide my life?" "Am I just flying by the seat of my pants?"   So I took the challenge from Craig and developed my own rules. Rules that are important to my life, my business, but more important, rules that will help me be the best I can be---help me achieve my highest level.   For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/9-rules-I-live-by  

On this episode of the podcast, I'm joined by fellow nerd, fitness enthusiast, and host of the Dumbbells and Dragons podcast, Kenneth Rotter. Ken got into fitness at 25 after asking a friend if he could go to the gym with him. HIs friend decided to create some of the hardest workouts he could, trying to get Ken to quit. Ken admits he didn’t know any different and thought they were "normal" workout. Like myself, Ken has always been a console kid compared to a computer kid.  He decided to start his website, and later podcast, because he wanted to meet two people, Chris Hardwick and Marshawn Lynch. Now, his desire has evolved into inspiring people to "go a little bit further than they did yesterday."   The tag line for Dumbbells and Dragons is: Work Out. Nerd Out. I have to say we did at least one of those on this episode. For more show notes head to www.sidequestfitness.com/dumbbells-dragons/  

Around the world of fitness and health, you'll many times find people telling you to follow the 80/20 rule. "80% of the time eat a healthy diet and exercise and 20% of the time you can goof off and still receive the results you want." But as humans, we often strive for perfection. Then when we aren't perfect, we beat ourselves up. Success isn't an overnight thing. Like building a LEGO tower, it takes one piece at a time, stacked one by one on top of the other to finish the tower. Perfection is a noble goal and I will never fault someone for giving it their all. I'd rather than someone strive for mediocrity. But how do you battle the guilt when it rears its ugly head after a weekend or week long diet debacle? In this episode, I'll break out some math to help you better understand that one day, or a couple of days, won't hurt you long term. 80/20 principle (Pareto Principle) Breaking down the math of the 80/20 principle 73 days Late night pizza 10 1/2 weeks Feeling guilty for cheating on your diet You are not

Jonny & Yusef, the geniuses behind PropaneFitness, join me on the podcast to chat about a whole host of ridiculous things. They have one of the best podcasts on the internet, as well as, one of the best resources for bullshit-free fitness advice. Sharing their experience and knowledge, they help people all over the world achieve their physique goals, improve performance, and level up their strength. They've both competed in strength competitions before and aren't strangers to getting shredded either. For Jonny & Yusef, they believe fitness and obtaining your goals are achievable with simple solutions. Hence, why their tag line is, "Simple Rules. Dramatic Results." Not only are they writers, but they also host their own podcast which has a ton of amazing guests. You can find it here. For more show notes, head to www.sidequestfitness.com/propane/