Oct 25 2024 78 mins
This episode includes 35 pieces of advice I'd give my 21 year old self as a now 35 year old former Green Beret to experience success and smooth sailing throughout my preparation and career.
While this advice is technically biased towards aspiring SOF, I believe it's applicable to anyone looking to achieve big things and any arena. The topics discussed include:
1) You’re doing enough. Training more will only detract from your progress
2) BB Squats grind your shoulders? Here, try this safety squat bar! (You’ll thank me in a decade)
3) Your bench press 1RM isn’t tested at selection. Just be sure to train/overload the push pattern.
4) Your deadlift 1RM isn’t tested at selection. You should still hinge, but what’s your 5 mile time?
5) Being an athlete is great. Sustain! But what are your character flaws and plan to bring them up?
6) Do strength and conditioning...separately most of the time. Do less cardio with weights.
7) You like using machines? That’s fine. They’re great training tools and not impure!
8) If you keep doing burpees while the rowers and bikes collect dust, you’ll be embarrassed in 14 yrs
9) Steve Prefontaine’s mindset is great for motivation, but not great for optimal run progress
10) 12 beers, 9 slices of pizza & late night meat in tube form is not an optimal carb load strategy
11) Instead of ‘training the hangover out of you’ try avoiding them in the first place
12) The things that instill a sense of fear are the things you need to be pursuing
13) You’re always going to feel under-prepared. Embrace it and go perform anyway
14) You should prioritize full ROM lifting instead of 1/2 assed ‘mobility work’ and shortened partials
15)Have more conversations with strangers. “Hi, how are you?, Good thanks” Doesn’t count.
16) Your running background helps, but it’s not everything. What’s your 12 mile ruck time?
17) You need to get uncomfortable more. Brutal training isn’t everyone’s comfort zone, but it’s yours, so that doesn’t count. Find something else
18) Rest days don’t set you back. They do the exact opposite. Take them
19) You hate rest days? Your adult life is going nowhere if you only do things you enjoy. Even more reason to take them!
20) Practice being socially comfortable without booze. It’ll pay off in ~12 years when you quit
21) You’re a little too lean. You’re gonna be cold if you go in the winter. Eat another burger
22) You feel your quads more on a belt squat than a back squat because your femurs are really long. Use the belt squat, it’s ok!
23) Read more books. Listen to books/podcasts on long drives instead of solely music
24) Scroll less. Watch less nefilx.
25) Sleep matters, even when you’re young. Stop treating it like an inconvenience
26) Just because you were born in the same town as someone or drank at the same bar as someone doesn’t mean you’re required to be friends
27) Hang out with people who push you to be better and share your general disposition in life
28) Find someone who has been where you want to go and learn from them
29) Party less. If you succeed in this endeavor, it’ll be despite of your lifestyle, not because of it
30) Nutrition shouldn’t be an afterthought. You’d perform better if you ate better
31) plain water on long runs and rucks is slightly better than nothing (at best). Try some carbs & salt
32) Learn about more things than just fitness and your day job
33) Be more present. Thinking about the future is a great feature, but doing it 24/7 will drive you insane
34) Your parents will advise you based on what they think is best for you, but that doesn’t always coincide with what actually is best for you (ly Mom)
35a) Just because you can do something, doesn’t always mean you should
35b) Anytime you hear ‘you should’ or ‘you shouldn’t’ from someone, pay attention. It could mean you’re onto something extraordinary if you do the op