Strength Chat By Kabuki Strength

Today's guest is the legendary @tmacsinc, a retired SpecOps operator who is now one of the top instructors in tactical training, marksmanship, and performance-based physical training for the tactically-minded through his company @combatstrengthtraining.  Our hosts and Pat discuss general preparedness, fitness, proficiency, and the differences in preparing for dynamic, multi-plane human function as is necessary in a tactical environment. Pat draws from his experiences as a member of 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force) in hostile areas to work with individuals in a variety of skillsets outside of just marksmanship. He talks us through his combat strength training program and the kind of training methodologies and philosophies they draw from. Thanks for joining us on Strength Chat @tmacsinc

You may remember today's guest from episode 68 a year or so back! Ryan Lockard is the founder and head trainer at Specialty Athletic Training, an incredible local organization devoted to helping special needs individuals train to get stronger and healthier.  As one parent put it... "There is a special place in heaven for you and each and every one of your staff."  In his own words - the mission of Specialty Athletic Training is "...to make fitness fun and encourage self-esteem building and healthy lifestyle choices. We are passionate about the positive effects that exercise can have in the lives of our clients and their families!" Our hosts and Ryan discuss the intricacies of training the special needs population and successes he's seen with his athletes. An insightful conversation into an important and rewarding part of the strength & fitness story. 

Is the time you are spending rolling, smashing, stretching, and mobilizing an effective use of your time and resources? Do you know the underlying goal behind the work you are doing? Brad Cox - today’s guest - and our hosts discuss the importance of knowing the why behind the what, where, and when as it pertains to various recovery methodologies. In a fitness industry quickly being saturated by new techniques and tools, stepping back and putting your own needs/goals in context and understanding the nuances surrounding what you are trying to achieve is an important, yet oft forgotten practice. We hope you’ll tune in as Strength Chat hosts Rudy and Chris sit down in-person with Brad, co-founder of Acumobility and long-time friend of Kabuki Strength to discuss all things mobility, recovery, rehab, and movement! 

A fascinating episode on the books today with Dr. Roy Page, a protege of Kabuki Board Member Dr. Craig Liebenson and head associate at world-renowned clinic LA Sport & Spine. Our hosts sit down with Dr. Roy to discuss his education and experience as a practitioner in both western and eastern schools when it comes to rehabilitation modalities. All of our hosts had a chance to experience some unique and novel techniques that Dr. Roy specializes in and utilizes with his patients, particularly electroacupuncture.  Dr. Roy received the a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Logan College along with a Master of Science Degree in Sports Science and Rehabilitation. He has also achieved a Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine from Emperor’s College and is a California licensed acupuncturist. The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians recognizes him as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has awarded him the status Dipl

In possibly one of the darkest episodes of Strength Chat to date, we're excited to have back our very first host from our first episode ever all the way back in 2016. Whereas our previous conversation focused on entrepreneurship and the fitness industry, today's show features a conversation on a topic rarely touched: male mental health.  Jeff Halevy is a long-time friend of Kabuki, a former Today Show corespondent, host of internationally syndicated Workout from Within, and Inc 5000 winning entrepreneur for his many successful ventures in the fitness industry. But he hasn't always been these things. Known to many as an extremely dynamic, bright, and passionate voice in fitness - Jeff has only recently opened up to share his story of survival from depression, near-suicide, and chaos that almost landed him in prison for 25 years.  In this extremely insightful and honest episode, Jeff and our hosts unpack what it means to "be a man" in the social age, fallacies and traps men fall into, and the desperate need for

We have a lot of incredible guests on this podcast, but today's conversation with Rachel Balkovec is truly a testimony of passion by an incredible woman with deep, raw introspection into her own life experiences and a hunger to live out her vision. Rachel is a powerhouse in the strength & conditioning world; and now in professional baseball as she just signed with the Yankees to become the first full-time female hitting coach hired by a major league organization! Rachel has previously worked for the Astros and Cardinals as a S&C Coordinator and is currently wrapping up her work at Driveline Baseball, a data-driven performance training facility in Washington state. She has two graduate degrees in the science of human movement and is a life-long student, intentionally seeking out mentorship and drawing out knowledge from her experiences. After Rachel shares an absolutely hilarious story (seriously, one of the best funny stories we've had), her and our hosts dive into a wide range of topics ranging from

Mike Robertson is one of the strength & conditioning industry's most respected coaches, working with athletes from all walks of life all the way up to the collegiate and professional levels. He is the founder and owner of i-FAST, named as one of the America's Top 10 Gyms by Men's Health magazine. He is the host of the Physical Preparation Podcast and writes numerous books and articles through his company, Robertson Training Systems. Our hosts spend time discussing the differences in training gen pop, athletic populations, and strength-specific athletes. Mike shares his experiences growing and scaling his coaching business/gym and the challenges that came with burnout, lack of time, and prioritization.  This is a fantastic listen for coaches/trainers just getting into the industry who want wisdom and advice from an experienced coach.

Today's episode is a fascinating discussion with sleep expert Nick Lambe - The Online Sleep Coach. Sleep is a topic that is equally important to all humans, particularly performance and strength athletes. We all have different relationships with sleep, some positive and some negative.  Listen in as Nick discusses the physiological and psychological processes behind healthy sleep, how supplementation (stimulants, sleep aids, THC/CBD, etc) work and affect sleep, and the difference between quality and quantity of sleep. He discusses the importance of habit and environment to sleep quality, sleep hygiene, as well as recent research on sleep. A great listen for all sleepers!  You can follow Nick on Instagram @theonlinesleepcoach or online at onlinesleepcoach.com where you can learn more about his sleep coaching services. 

Today's guest is none other than Dave Freakin' Lipson! For those who don't know, Dave is a CrossFit HQ Staff Member, coach, athlete, writer, and co-owner of Thundrbro, an up-and-coming training, lifestyle, and supplement company focused on the intersection between hypertrophy training and functional/skill training.  Dave's background is as a strength & conditioning coach for professional MLB and NFL players, celebrities, elite CrossFit athletes (including his wife and 2014 Games Champion Camille Leblanc-Bazinet) and he is considered one of the top CrossFit coaches in the industry! On this episode our hosts and Dave discuss candidly topics ranging from CrossFit, it's effect on the growth of other strength sports, specialization, and of course comparisons between CF athletes and powerlifters! Dave also walks us through his training philosophy and approach working with his athletes through Thundrbro. A fantastic episode with an awesome dude! To end, we'll leave you with this golden nugget from the show:  Dav

Today's guest on Strength Chat is Ben Esgro, founder of DeNovo Nutrition and an expert in all things supplementation, nutrition, and the science behind it all. He is a Registered Dietitian and did his graduate studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Sports Nutrition.  In today's show we discuss Ben's philosophy behind supplementation and his approach to starting a different type of supplement company in an industry often seen as tainted (literally) by fallacious claims, misunderstood science, and unethical business practices.  Ben and the hosts talk about the current state of the industry and the problems/consequences seen as a result of its rapid growth and loose (often non-existent) regulations. He makes recommendations for athletes on how to approach supplementation, what to look for in a brand, and how to research ingredients, effective dosages, and the pharmacology behind the chemicals we put into our bodies. This is an excellent episode for those interested in supplements and understanding more about wh

You may have noticed that we have a minor obsession with feet and the human-to-ground interface here at Kabuki Strength, and today's guest is an expert in the field! Dr. Ray McClanahan is a Podiatric Physician and Surgeon, who today runs his own practice - NW Foot and Ankle - right here in our hometown Portland, Oregon. For those not familiar, podiatry is the branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of the foot, ankle, and related structure of the leg. The good doctor is also the inventor of Correct Toes, which are anatomical toe spacers designed to be worn either barefoot or inside footwear - and here's the important part - while being active. Dr. Ray has loads of clinical experience dealing with foot/ankle issues and provides us with valuable insight into his views on barefoot training, the foot-to-ground connection, rooting during loaded movement, issues with footwear, and other nuanced topics of the sort. Our hosts had a great time bouncing concepts/ideas off the mind of an incre

Today's guest is a well-known figure in the strength world, having been a writer, coach, and educator for a number of years and was voted Powerlifting Coach of the Year in 2016.  Swede is the creator of the popular 5th Set methodology and owns Keyhole Barbell. He has published numerous popular articles on various topics and is a man of many talents and depth of expression.  On today's episode Swede discusses his time in prison, how 5th Set came to be out of that darkness, and where it is today. He provides a very interesting, and thought-provoking perspective on working around training limitations when it comes to equipment and time - based on his experiences behind bars.  Today, Swede coaches athletes, writes regularly as a contributor to EliteFTS. You can learn more about him on his website, via Instagram, or read his published works on EliteFTS.

Today's host may be familiar to many of you - Dr. Craig Liebenson has been a long-time friend of Kabuki Strength and has previously been a guest on the show - all the way back on Ep. 34. We're glad to have him on again today and this is one of those episodes that you don't want to miss.  In today's discussion you'll hear our hosts and Dr. Liebenson discuss: How to manage your passions with your responsibilities Failure, Progress, and why you'll never be Perfect The Silo: On the dangers of too much data/information The "Fix It" mentality  Earning your recovery "The Tyranny of the Clinic", and why I kicked a doctor out of my clinic and into the gym Online Coaching: Technology, personalization and data collection to improve outcomes The Spine Fusion Disaster This list doesn't begin to cover the depth of content covered in this episode. Hope you enjoy!   Dr. LIebenson's groundbreaking work with Dr. Karl Levit and Dr. Pavel Kolar have heavily influenced our core understanding of spinal health and performance, an

Mike McCastle is a living legend - having performed feats of strength and endurance that will have you saying "...he did WHAT?". Like doing 5,804 pull-ups in 24 hours while wearing a 30lb pack. The first time he tried that, he ended up in the hospital for 4 days with torn biceps, forearms, and rhabdo. Mike has flipped a 250lb truck tire for 13 miles, he even spent 10 hours climbing a 20 foot rope 1450 times, which is the height of Mt. Everest. Perhaps the most fascinating and best part about Mike is his deep conviction and passion for doing good in the world. All these insane accomplishments fall under The 12 Labors Project, Mike's personal philanthropic endeavor to raise money and awareness for important causes via feats of endurance and strength. In this episode you'll hear lots of laughs and funny stories, but also moments of self-reflection from Mike on what drives him to do this and what his "why" is. Our hosts and Mike also discuss details regarding his training, nutrition, and recovery modalities use

Today's guests share an incredible story of tragedy, trauma, survival, perseverance, and ultimate victory. We are honored to have Ben Toderico and his wife Denise Gorondy-Toderico on the show today! Three years ago Denise - a veterinarian from Virginia - was on her usual run on the same route she had run 3-4 times a week for over a decade. After about a mile, she was hit from behind by an SUV traveling around 60mph, and knocked about 50 yards into a ditch.  The driver left and left her for dead in a ditch for over an hour until someone saw her and called for help.  Refusing to live in fear and accept her injuries, Denise, with help from her husband Ben has worked relentlessly to recover from this incident and regain her quality of life and passion for training and health. Tune in as our Ben and Denise share their story and talk post-trauma and post-rehab training.  Ben, Denise...thank you for sharing your story with us and our listeners. Your relentless drive to not only survive - but thrive in the face of ex

Today's guest is PNW-native and an industry leader/pioneer in the Strength & Conditioning field. Joel Jamieson is the man who introduced HRV [Heart Rate Variability] training to the masses and continues to break new ground with his recovery platform Morpheus and online education platform 8WeeksOut.  Joel is known for his work as a coach in the combat sports arena, having trained world champions since 2004 and worked with athletes in nearly all professional and collegiate sports, not to mention Navy Seals and other elite groups. Today, Joel works with thousands of coaches, trainers, and athletes around the world through 8WeeksOut, an authoritative platform and certification for recovery-driven conditioning and performance.  In this episode, Joel breaks down the early history of HRV, how it works, and application to strength and conditioning. He and the hosts talk recovery, data, inflammation, and practical application. They also discuss some upcoming collaborative content between 8WeeksOut and Kabuki Educa

We are honored to have a legend in the fitness world joining us today! Jeff is an educator, coach, and the man behind the world-renowned and wildly-popular Athlean-X fitness program. Athlean-X has over 7 million subscribers on YouTube and millions more on other social media platforms!  He has previously worked as the Head Physical Therapist and Assistant Strength Coach for the New York Mets, a role in which he coached some of the game's most accomplished athletes and future hall-of-famers.  He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Physioneurobiology / Premedicine from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT (one of the top 5 universities in the country in physical therapy and sports medicine). Jeff is a highly sought after speaker and lecturer, presenting on topics of injury prevention in baseball and sport-specific conditioning and his writings have been featured in numerous print and web publications. Our hosts discuss

Today's guest on Strength Chat is natural bodybuilder and coach Julian Smith! Julian is also known as "the Quad Guy" and has one of the most aesthetic physiques in the sport! His unique, extremely-effective, and detailed training style is wildly popular and he has amassed a very engaged following of over 1 million people on social media: @smith.julian Julian is a PNW-native and trains out of his private facility Arms Race Gym in Hillsboro, Oregon. He owns the hugely-successful training site The Daily Pump, as well as Clifford Lenox, a fitness lifestyle and clothing brand. Our hosts spend time chatting with Julian about his unique training philosophy, the fitness industry, building a brand, the effects of social media, and other topics. As always, we hope you enjoy the show and share it with others!

Today's guest on Strength Chat is the Bryce Lewis, an elite-level drug-free powerlifter and world-renowned strength coach. Bryce is the founder of The Strength Athlete, more commonly known as TSA, whose team of coaches works with and educates beginner-to-elite level powerlifters all across the world.  Bryce holds records in the USAPL and IPF, and works to promote the sport of powerlifting globally as an ambassador using his platform. His educational background is in philosophy, and he is a passionate advocate for the application and love of the sciences, evidence-based philosophies, and skepticism of pseudoscience. Tune in and hear Bryce talk with our hosts about the latest in sports psychology, applications to strength sports, and other related topics!   

Introducing today's guest in one or two paragraphs would hardly break the surface of her incredible career and accomplishments. She was the first female Head Trainer in US professional sports history - working with the LA Dodgers for 6 years. She has also served as Head of Athletic Training/Performance for the US Men's National Soccer Team, and has presented at state, national and international level conferences in areas focusing on pillar strength, integration of physical therapy and performance training, and comprehensive kinetic chain assessment and rehabilitation. Sue sits on the advisory boards for over a half-dozen highly respected organizations in the S&C and Physical Therapy space, and has numerous professional certifications as well as a graduate education in human movement science from UNC Chapel Hill.  Today, Sue runs S&F (Structure and Function), a consulting and education business for healthcare clinicians, as well as a consulting company for the athlete. Today's discussion touches on a w