Joe Tolles - Leading From The Front - A Journey Through Sport, CrossFit, and Business

In this episode we are joined by Joe Tolles. As an athlete, leader, and business owner Joe helps us break down what it takes to empower people to become the very best versions of themselves.  Joe has had a long career in professional hockey and CrossFit. His mission as a gym owner is to offer the best possible service aimed at helping people of all fitness levels improve their quality of life. His community-based strength and conditioning fitness programs have been proven effective and deliver unparalleled results. He is a world-class coach that genuinely care about supporting his athletes!

Connect with Joe:
http://northshore.training
Instagram: North Shore Athletic Club

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KEEP CRUSHING IT!

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Transcript

00:00:00:01 - 00:00:27:23
Speaker 1
Hey team. Welcome to Benchmarked the Leadership Coaching and Mental Performance Podcast with Coach Mess and Coach Larocque. Thanks for joining us today. I'm super fired up and I'm going to tell you, G, before this I went and did an AMRAP just to get myself centered and warmed up for this show. We have with us today one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in our area, one of the best guys that I know for this type of stuff.

00:00:27:23 - 00:00:49:11
Speaker 1
And so I'm really excited to talk to him. He's got a diverse background in in sport and building community around fitness through his gym. People of all ages and backgrounds have found their passion for getting better and breaking through their own limits. A native of Toledo, Ohio, shout out to Ohio because I know that Ohio gets bashed a lot on on Twitter.

00:00:49:11 - 00:01:14:13
Speaker 1
So this is where we'll do a positive shout out to all our Ohio fans. Joe Toles brings the same fire he has in professional hockey and that's I'm saying that in present tense he has in professional hockey because I know you played a little bit in this year to training as a successful CrossFit athlete and business owner. And I know he's a proud husband and a father to two beautiful dogs.

00:01:14:13 - 00:01:18:13
Speaker 1
So, Joe, appreciate you taking some time to chat with us tonight.

00:01:19:01 - 00:01:27:01
Speaker 2
Yeah, I'm super excited. I've been listening to your guys and stuff and I'm super into podcast, so thanks for having me and saying all those nice things you have to say.

00:01:28:08 - 00:01:48:17
Speaker 1
Well, thanks for listening. We appreciate the downloads, but this is like Gigi, like you were one of the guys. Again, we say this to a lot of our guests because we had a list when we started the podcast with people like these are must haves guests that we want to talk about. J.G. and I are both passionate about fitness and not only like for ourselves, but what it does for others and performance and training and stuff.

00:01:48:17 - 00:02:08:06
Speaker 1
And I love your journey and I think I remember the first time I met you, I was looking to expand and I wanted Lauren to finally start training with somebody else. And I remember we went to your gym and we met and I was like, Lauren, you're like, this is the guy, this is this is the guy. And we haven't looked back now for I think, what, two or three years that you guys have been training the other.

00:02:08:18 - 00:02:38:16
Speaker 1
And she's got her little group of girls that well, I shouldn't say little group of girls because they're all women now, and they're Joe and Joe and his disciples, they call themselves because they just love getting crushed every time they go train with you. So that's amazing. So talk. Can you talk to us a little bit about I mean, from Toledo to Burlington, Ontario, and all stops like you're almost like the guy in wrestling that parts unknown because you've played in like eight different leagues, like you've been all over the place.

00:02:39:01 - 00:02:53:01
Speaker 2
Yeah. The crazy thing is like now it's been it's like, yeah, it's like a running joke, you know, for a while you're getting like reassigned and you're getting recalled and you're getting sent here and sent there and it's like annoying. And then when you get to you just get to a certain age where you, like, kind of laugh at yourself a little bit.

00:02:53:01 - 00:03:09:08
Speaker 2
And then you people ask me about here and I'm like, Oh, if I live there, like, they'll be like, Oh, I'm going on vacation here. And I'm like, Oh, like, I live there. It's tight. I have to, like, look at my like, if I go on line, like, people are like, where were you this year? And I'm like, and I, like, got to pull up like leap prospects or something because I have no idea.

00:03:11:13 - 00:03:35:11
Speaker 1
Thank God for elite prospects because I was doing some background digging and I was and I kind of looked down and I knew you'd played for a long time and I was like, man, he just played this year. Which I was like, I know you're still young, but I love it. So yeah. So were you always now you're business owner, now you own North North Shore Athletic Club here and have you always been this passionate about fitness and training?

00:03:36:09 - 00:04:04:20
Speaker 2
You know what? Honestly, like, it hit me a little bit later, not later. Or later. Like I was probably I was probably 14, 15. But for me it was like just kind of a way to like when I got it kind of like my passion for it kind of became out and kind of came out of necessity. Like when I, I played tier two in the backyard and then I was going to go NC but I didn't have like, you know, I come from a nontraditional hockey market.

00:04:04:20 - 00:04:22:08
Speaker 2
So being like, you know, if I grew up in Ontario and like being an undersized defenseman that was offensive like, like if I had somebody like, like the girls or whoever, like I have hockey players in the gym now and I'm like, yeah, if you're not going in the first round, you should probably play until you have four years to develop, to get bigger, to get stronger.

00:04:22:20 - 00:04:44:03
Speaker 2
And I just jumped me to Junior, so I didn't really know. Like my parents were just kind of supportive and I didn't really know like in what direction I should go. They just knew I wanted to play. And so they, they kind of were supportive. And then when I got there and I was, you know, 17 and five foot eight and £150, like I had to just learn how to be physical and be stronger.

00:04:44:03 - 00:05:01:24
Speaker 2
And that was just kind of that was the only way for my career to be extended as long as it was so in that, you know, that off season probably when I was like, I don't know, 16, 17, like that kind of age, like maybe 15 to 17. I started really getting after in the summer and I was like, Man, I really, really enjoy doing this.

00:05:01:24 - 00:05:16:06
Speaker 2
Like I never, I was kind of the opposite. Like during the holiday season, I'll get frustrated because I couldn't do the workouts I wanted to do because I would be too sort of play. So like they, I kind of just kicked it off like during the season and then in the summer I it.

00:05:18:07 - 00:05:19:19
Speaker 1
We're used to this. This has happened.

00:05:19:19 - 00:05:20:16
Speaker 3
Before a.

00:05:23:07 - 00:05:41:00
Speaker 2
And so yeah, like I just kind of found my passion for it when I was younger and like just figuring it out, you know what I mean? Like when you're before you, you go to school and before you you know, you own a gym or whatever, you're just like, I'm in my driveway getting some equipment from my dad, like getting a, you know, my dad was a mechanic growing up, so he got a big tire from his body.

00:05:41:00 - 00:05:50:07
Speaker 2
And I had a makeshift, like, little bench and just trying to, like, figure it out. And yeah, like, I think that's definitely how I started loving it was just figuring it out on my own, you know?

00:05:51:00 - 00:06:03:13
Speaker 1
That's amazing. And then where did that? So you continued and how did that draw you towards, like the CrossFit industry? Is it just kind of natural evolution and fitness and then finding that that upper level?

00:06:03:23 - 00:06:28:03
Speaker 2
Yeah, like I've always been one of those guys that like I'm I'm not like a half in half. I'll kind of guy like if I'm training, like I'm getting after like I never, you know, in the summer, I would always do like two or three workouts today even before I did CrossFit and I would just like go run in the morning and then I would lift in the afternoon and then it'd be like 10:00 and I'd be like, Jamie, like, could my sister, I'm like, let's go do some burpees or let's go do some pushups or and I just always been that way.

00:06:28:03 - 00:06:46:17
Speaker 2
And then one year I was playing, I figure I was playing. I'd have to look at my prospects probably. But my sister, I was laying in bed and my sister's like, she texted me, she's like, Hey, you got to turn on this show like that. This CrossFit games is on TV. She's like, You would love it because they were doing like world climbs on this type of stuff that I already loved.

00:06:47:04 - 00:07:01:03
Speaker 2
And I watched it on TV, and then I and then I like followed it because it was during the CrossFit games. And then or maybe it's like a rerun. I don't know. And then when I got home for my season that year, I found across a gym in Toledo and try to class and I was like, hooked right away.

00:07:01:13 - 00:07:25:07
Speaker 1
Sweet. I don't know about Yuji, but it sounds like like a seems like a similar start to a lot of people in the fitness because I remember, you know, coming home, I wanted to do it. So you're just lifting heavy things in the garage and finding and I remember being at the very first school, I was pulling an old tire from the auto shop with like a like a climbing rope strapped around my shoulders.

00:07:25:07 - 00:07:46:12
Speaker 1
Yeah. And this was in like 97, right? So this is before it had really kind of picked up and just doing that type of stuff, flipping tires and then doing a 400 meters, like whatever. Yeah. So it's really, really cool to see that. Like it had it, it definitely for probably a lot of people had its roots in some pretty basic beginnings and some humble beginnings.

00:07:46:22 - 00:08:07:20
Speaker 2
Yeah. Yeah. I think like for me I mean, and I think that's what, you know, especially a very successful like with, you know, with us, you know, being coaches or owning a gym or whatever, you know, your career is I think at the like the grass roots of it, you have to really love it. Like I think this is one of those I don't want to say it's a thankless job because I definitely have a business and have a live a good life.

00:08:07:20 - 00:08:20:20
Speaker 2
Have a nice car and everything. But I think if you don't love it, it's one of those careers where you can't just you're not going to it's not like you're you know, you're owning real estate. You're going to get rich. Like you have to really love what you do because there's going to be a little bit of a grind, especially in the beginning.

00:08:20:20 - 00:08:29:07
Speaker 2
And if you don't if you don't love it, it's going to be pretty tough to sustain that lifestyle. So I think most of us just like we just do it because we love it. You know.

00:08:30:06 - 00:08:46:06
Speaker 3
When you get to the so when you started everything, I was laughing early in the show because you're talking about just, you know, grabbing stuff from your parents and a makeshift gym. I just remember packing everything for me and I started packing everything the back of my car, like Grand Prix pack, like the battle ropes were there, the weights were there, the hurdles were there.

00:08:46:06 - 00:09:02:09
Speaker 3
You just pop it open. It's like a makeshift gym and then packed to the next place. And man, I don't miss those times, but at the same time, it's kind of like you. It grounds you, I guess at the same time, like, this is where I come from. Yeah, I'm doing it because I love it, right? I'm not driving everything.

00:09:02:09 - 00:09:18:22
Speaker 3
I truck my car to my dad's garage and grab stuff and love it. So we're like you said, a necessity when you're 14 or whatever 17, you want to get bigger, you want to get stronger in high school. Like, what are we doing in high school to get ready in that phase? Like we're hitting up the gym there.

00:09:18:22 - 00:09:28:01
Speaker 3
Was it excited? Was our teacher in high school got you fired up with it? Was it a coach? Like, what kind of pushed you a little bit more in that direction? You said necessity. Was there help with that necessity?

00:09:28:07 - 00:09:48:06
Speaker 2
Man, honestly, like, no, I didn't have any of that. It's like, like, again, I come from like a really weird like non hockey traditional market. So when I was playing, I remember going from midget triple-A to junior, and then we got to Junior. They were like, basically you had fitness test every year. But like, I didn't have a trainer.

00:09:48:06 - 00:10:00:11
Speaker 2
I didn't have anything. My mom got me like a YMCA membership. And then when I got into Junior I knew I needed to train more. So I started training in the summer, like when I was playing the Quebec League and.

00:10:00:11 - 00:10:03:11
Speaker 3
My so sorry I not stopping that. Why did you know you needed to train more?

00:10:04:05 - 00:10:25:02
Speaker 2
I just was like, I just wanted to get better. I think, you know, I just knew that I was like a bit skinny and like the guys I was playing against were huge and, and bigger than me. And I just knew that, like, my only way to survive at that level was to, like, to get bigger and stronger because I was just getting, like, my first year, man, when I first went to that league, I'm just getting bumped off every POC, like, losing every battle in the corner.

00:10:25:02 - 00:10:26:20
Speaker 2
Just because I physically was too small.

00:10:27:08 - 00:10:40:08
Speaker 3
And so I said, I'm going to keep stopping because I just need people, listeners to listen to this. I'm just making a guess here. Wasn't your mom and dad saying you need to the gym you need to get bigger, you need to start this sounds like it was an internal flame that you got yourself motivated to do it.

00:10:40:18 - 00:10:52:13
Speaker 3
So what I'm hearing a lot is it's like moms and dads are saying, Hey, you need to do this. You need to do that because Billy has this and Bobby has that. It sounds like your stuff was just in house, like you were just internally motivated. Yeah, man.

00:10:52:13 - 00:11:06:03
Speaker 2
And and it's crazy because I have a lot of you know, there's a lot of parents in my gym right now where their kids are playing like you thought you like to play hockey, and they're, like, asking me like, hey, you know, what do they need to be doing? What do they need to be doing? And I and I tell them exactly that.

00:11:06:03 - 00:11:25:05
Speaker 2
I'm like, trust me, if they want to make it to the next level, they'll find a way. They'll let you know. Like, if you're having to push them all the time, I'm like, No, it's good to push them a little bit and encourage them. But if they don't want it themselves, like it's not going to work. Like they have to internally be motivated to get better and to want to get better and find avenues for that to happen.

00:11:25:05 - 00:11:25:12
Speaker 2
You know.

00:11:26:07 - 00:11:30:10
Speaker 3
I mean, do a true Canadian thing. I apologize for cutting you off a few times now, OK?

00:11:30:23 - 00:11:39:24
Speaker 1
That's but it's true. Like, I love the idea of I see the kids like, hey, what do I need to do to get better? And when they're asking the questions.

00:11:40:00 - 00:11:54:20
Speaker 3
I just feels like the ones one's challenging no one was telling Joe that he was just like, yeah, this guy's bigger and stronger than me and I'm got to do something about it. Not like, oh, well, you know, making excuses for himself that, well, you know, he has this little joint. I hear you talking. Like, I just figured it out for myself.

00:11:55:13 - 00:11:56:23
Speaker 3
I don't hear that very often, to be honest.

00:11:57:12 - 00:12:16:12
Speaker 1
It's kind of refreshing, isn't it? In a way, like, yeah, people aren't like dropping their kid off and they make them better or like with some magic pill, like, you got to find that internal combustion to happen. So like, I mean, it's interesting when I think about like, Ohio isn't really you're right. It would be in the world of hockey an uphill climb.

00:12:16:20 - 00:12:30:19
Speaker 1
Sure. Like, you know, in terms of now, I think now they're starting there's a couple of prep schools in Ohio, but what you're saying is like you had to leave like you. What time were you when you left home to pursue this dream of playing hockey? Yeah, man.

00:12:30:19 - 00:12:47:20
Speaker 2
It was I mean, it's like you said, it's better now, like the youth. Hockey's better now. I still don't think we have any, like, triple-A where I'm from. But when I was like I mean, my first year playing triple-A, I was ten and we had to drive like an hour each way for practice three times a week. And so that was like all I knew from a young age.

00:12:47:20 - 00:13:04:20
Speaker 2
Like, I was definitely one of those kids like just like my gym now. Like when I'm, when I'm in it, I'm all in. And when I was like ten, I was like, I want to play in the NHL and I'll do whatever I have to do to do it. And yeah, so like when I was the basically like ten played triple-A in Detroit.

00:13:04:20 - 00:13:29:18
Speaker 2
So I think every pretty much I played for tour for a while. So that was about an hour away. One year I think I was like Major Bantam. I actually played in Cleveland, which was like a two hour drive, which I don't think my parents were super happy about that. I drive each way for practice and then my I guess I was, I played minor midget at 15 and then when I turned 16 I was either you can even play major midget or play junior.

00:13:29:18 - 00:13:48:24
Speaker 2
And I wanted to play Junior, obviously, and it's different. Like in the States I had to go to. I went to Montana, which was like 30 hours away from my parents house because we don't have like Junior in Ohio. Like there's some more, there's some more leagues and stuff now. But when I was young, it was basically like, if you want to follow this and pursue this, you have to go make it happen.

00:13:48:24 - 00:14:19:05
Speaker 2
And I still think my mom kind of cringes thinking about it, but it definitely was like probably the best thing for me to develop into like, you know, just the person I am today was like learning to like, you know, being like in grade 11 and getting up at 6 a.m. to go to practice, then going to high school and then going to the gym after and like getting my homework done and getting through the NCAA clearing house like with a with we had like a team tutor and just going about all those things without having like my parents there to like guide me and make me dinner and, you know, all those types of things,

00:14:19:05 - 00:14:19:13
Speaker 2
you know.

00:14:20:09 - 00:14:35:16
Speaker 3
What were those? Sorry. Now we're those two hour drives like with like the wind or something that some parent told me before. And I love the words like window time with my kid, right? Because it's me, the wind chill, that's it. Or those 2 hours like with other who was driving. Mom, Dad, both. What was that like and what are the conversations?

00:14:35:16 - 00:14:39:16
Speaker 3
Was there any conversations where, you know, work, sleeping? Like, what was that about?

00:14:40:02 - 00:14:59:19
Speaker 2
I'm pretty there. That year was a lot of my dad. I remember he had a new he bought a new Chevy truck that year and it was like a big Duramax Diesel like back in the day. So it's pretty comfortable. A lot of sleeping, I think a lot of homework. But, you know, those are some of the best times like me and my dad have kind of like, you know, we don't have the best relationship now as I'm older, but when we were younger, we were super close.

00:14:59:19 - 00:15:17:15
Speaker 2
And that was probably the best memories I have with my dad was just very much like, you know, just, just ask me about the game and that's the one thing that my parents always provided for me was like a safe place with hockey. Like I never had to play hockey. Like they would support me in my pursuit of it, but they never like, we're like, you have to play.

00:15:17:15 - 00:15:33:23
Speaker 2
You have to do this like you're defined as a hockey player. They were like every year my dad, you know, in the summer, they were like, Hey, do you still want to play? Hey, do you want to play here? Haiti. I never had to do anything. So I think some of those just really good conversations with my dad and just, you know, because he was always like, Are you having fun or are you enjoying it?

00:15:33:23 - 00:15:41:22
Speaker 2
Like, you know, how do you feel today? Like those types of things. Just like really good. Just kind of hanging out with my dad. That's probably the best memories I have from there.

00:15:42:00 - 00:15:53:16
Speaker 3
He said your dad was a mechanic, correct? Yeah. Yes. He's probably like roll up your sleeves, gets to work early, works his butt off all day, comes back home and just wants to provide for his family. And I guess the trickle down era just work hard.

00:15:53:16 - 00:16:12:24
Speaker 2
Yeah, man. Just like humble beginnings for sure. Like, my dad own an automotive business, and my mom worked at a school, and definitely I never I never, definitely never, like, went without as a kid, but always learned the value of hard work. And I think I think that blue collar like Ohio kid, I think no matter, you know, I think I always think of myself that way.

00:16:12:24 - 00:16:24:14
Speaker 2
Like even now at the gym, when I when I look around and we have like product I bought a brand new rig and we have all these rowers and bikes that are like thousands of dollars. And I still remember like running classes like with no rollers, with no.

00:16:25:05 - 00:16:26:00
Speaker 3
No anything.

00:16:26:02 - 00:16:37:03
Speaker 2
Make it work. So I still like even I mean, two years in two years in three years, then I guess now I still like look at it every day and I'm like, this is pretty crazy that I get paid, like be able to do this. You know.

00:16:37:12 - 00:17:02:06
Speaker 1
Joe, when I think about what you're doing and I'm like, you're you're you're just recently played professional hockey. Yeah. You're a competitive CrossFit athlete and you own your own gym and you just donated your kidney to your mom. And then recently, like last month, right. What was that? Is that like as like and as I'm kind of prepping for the show and I was just like, there's more stuff that just keeps unraveling itself with you.

00:17:02:06 - 00:17:15:04
Speaker 1
And I'm just like, this guy just impresses me more and more with what you're doing. And then, like, how long did you guys see? I saw pictures of you training and getting after it in the gym just recently. The hands, like he's down one kidney and he's given it.

00:17:15:15 - 00:17:38:21
Speaker 2
Yeah, it was it was more, man, it was frustrating at the beginning, right? Because I'm so used to just doing and I think when you're an athlete your whole life right like you take your body for granted, you know, because you just like for me, like, I've never really taken time off the gym, like even when I was playing like pro like I mean, I might come home and, you know, have a couple of weeks off, but then I just find myself like in the garage going for a run, like doing whatever.

00:17:38:21 - 00:18:01:07
Speaker 2
So especially now, I train all the time. I train like multiple times a day. Like maybe friggin, you know, my friends walk in at 639. They're like, Hey, you want to do this? I'm like, Yeah, let's do it. So I think it was like the first. So I got back like I had saw I had the transplant, I came back, I had it for a week, follow ups I was in, I think it was like March.

00:18:01:07 - 00:18:13:07
Speaker 2
I forget what day it was, but it was March Jump, the end of March, and then I had a week follow up and then I could come back. I didn't really get cleared to drive, but I was like with the doc and he's like, Are you fine? And I'm like, Listen, I'm going to drive home. I have a gym.

00:18:13:07 - 00:18:31:22
Speaker 2
I have to run. Like, I'm not staying even if you don't clear me. So you might as well just clear me because I'm leaving anyways. And so he was like, yeah, like you're healthy, you're good. And then so I was back the next day coaching like a coach. The full day was probably a little bit much. I was pretty tired and then I couldn't really do anything for about a week.

00:18:32:00 - 00:18:52:11
Speaker 2
And then, then I just started getting on the bike. Like one day I came in for open gym and I have to run open gyms and Saturday mornings and we have it for like 2 hours. So I just got on the bike one day and then the next and then I felt OK. So then the next day I got like on the treadmill and then the roller and then I started with like an easy like the easy conditioning stuff that I knew wouldn't work.

00:18:52:11 - 00:19:09:01
Speaker 2
Really. I didn't have to jump and have to move around. And then obviously, like, every day that passed, I'm like trying new things and I'm doing all these things and I'm, I'm pretty bad. I'm pretty much back to full now. I can't I'm not obviously I lost a lot, but I'm definitely doing I can do muscle ups on the rings.

00:19:09:01 - 00:19:14:13
Speaker 2
I can't do them on the bar yet. I have handstand walk this weekend for the first time in a while, so.

00:19:14:13 - 00:19:32:01
Speaker 3
Yeah, that's good. I'm glad you're doing that now. I just, I'm just doing my and before the show. Yeah. Oh, OK. I did hold we got to put a positive for a second. You got to just talk about doing your kidney like it was just like it went to the mail or something. We pause, rewind and reflect on that a little bit.

00:19:32:13 - 00:19:39:03
Speaker 3
Marty just said that like, is just. Oh, yeah, and Derek and then Jarvis on Instagram. What the hell are we talking about right now? What happened?

00:19:39:11 - 00:19:56:20
Speaker 2
Yeah. So, um, it was kind of crazy. So my mom mom is a type two diabetic, and she found out in the summertime like it was that it was kind of the last summer that she needed a, that she needed a kidney transplant. She had to go on dialysis or whatever. And I didn't really obviously know much about it.

00:19:56:20 - 00:20:09:17
Speaker 2
Until because those are the kind of things like unless they happen in your family or, you know, they hit you like right in the face, like you don't really you know, I never looked into that type of thing. So I'm like laying on the back deck and in the sun. I remember my dad, like, throwing the ball to my dog.

00:20:09:17 - 00:20:28:19
Speaker 2
My mom called me crying and she's like I was like, I've got to go on dialysis and I think I need a kidney. And I'm like, What what are you talking about? Kind of thing? And so I get off the phone and call my mom. I'm like, It'll be OK. So I look into it and I'm immediately like, Oh, like, well, I only need one kidney I could probably make it for one of mine, you know, like, we're cool here.

00:20:28:20 - 00:20:30:18
Speaker 2
I'm like a two and.

00:20:31:12 - 00:20:32:22
Speaker 3
And not knowing, like, what.

00:20:33:11 - 00:20:42:09
Speaker 2
I mean, I had no idea, like, how hard it was to match you know, that type of thing. So I called her back, and I'm like, Mom, like, it's cool. You can have mine. Like, it'll be fine. Like.

00:20:42:21 - 00:20:47:04
Speaker 3
This isn't like your lunch. You're giving up I know.

00:20:47:23 - 00:20:55:09
Speaker 2
I think my only way to process anything is just, like, humor, you know, because I don't. I can't take my myself too seriously. And my.

00:20:55:09 - 00:20:55:20
Speaker 3
Dad.

00:20:56:01 - 00:21:11:00
Speaker 2
So. Yeah, so we did all the testing, like, it took about, like, seven months because I would have to, like, go down to Ohio, come back up and like, with, with like all the border restrictions and all that, you know, like you had to take it to a PCR and then you had to take another, like, all this crap.

00:21:11:00 - 00:21:40:11
Speaker 2
So finally we got the results back that I could actually do it like the match we would actually match, which is crazy in of itself. Like, I didn't know like how how small the chance of us actually matching would be, but it worked out. And then we went down there and got through the old like I got through the CrossFit open and then like we scheduled it for the 24th and yeah, I just went home and went in there and then came out the next day and bang, my mom was feeling good and I was not feeling good.

00:21:40:16 - 00:21:41:00
Speaker 3
Right.

00:21:42:03 - 00:21:43:02
Speaker 2
Now back to normal.

00:21:43:21 - 00:21:47:19
Speaker 1
And Mom's good now though, like she's on the up and up. Oh, that's Soviet gear.

00:21:47:23 - 00:21:50:19
Speaker 2
And stuff here. They're here, my sister up here last week and is hanging out.

00:21:50:19 - 00:22:08:09
Speaker 1
So that's so I love it. This is the type of stuff I love and we talk about in our show like coaching and leadership and mental performance and the role of family in that. So I know you go back and forth between Ohio and here and your family is important to you that way. So it's it's just a great story.

00:22:08:09 - 00:22:12:24
Speaker 1
I love hearing the fact that that's gone and you're back right back at it, like running a gym, competing.

00:22:13:09 - 00:22:14:02
Speaker 2
Oh, my God.

00:22:14:02 - 00:22:14:21
Speaker 1
It's so cool.

00:22:15:03 - 00:22:16:08
Speaker 2
You got to get in there for sure.

00:22:16:12 - 00:22:37:02
Speaker 1
Now, this past winter, JJ and I had the opportunity to do a seminar with a bunch of coaches from all over North America. And correct me if I'm wrong, there is there is a good dozen CrossFit coaches in that seminar, and it was a coaching seminar on how to be better coaching and all that stuff. It was. And so it wasn't limited to like football, hockey, baseball, or whatever.

00:22:37:02 - 00:22:57:20
Speaker 1
It was just coaches. And for the first time in my life, I looked at and listened and heard some of the stuff that the these coaches were going through and the challenges they were having with athletes. And I was like, man, it's not any different than what George and I faced with baseball, football, hockey players. And I had a newfound respect.

00:22:57:20 - 00:23:13:23
Speaker 1
Not that I didn't respect CrossFit coaches before, but I think maybe somewhere in the back of my thought, they're just there like a personal trainer or like a strength coach, but they're really because it's a sport onto its own, they're your coach just like we would be here and a batting instructor or pitching coach.

00:23:14:04 - 00:23:14:13
Speaker 2
Yeah.

00:23:14:21 - 00:23:15:18
Speaker 1
And it's just really cool.

00:23:16:04 - 00:23:36:13
Speaker 2
Yeah. And I think it's all relative to like I think some coaches you know, aren't probably that. I think some CrossFit coaches are more like personal trainers and they kind of got into it for that reason. But I think when you, you know, when you truly have a passion for it, you do like for me, I just have a passion of coaching, you know, I just have a passion of, of people and, and learning and growing and cross is just what I like the most.

00:23:36:13 - 00:24:00:13
Speaker 2
So that's what I decided to do, you know, but I think all the all the best coaches, no matter what kind of like field that are in, whether it's, you know, baseball, football, hockey, CrossFit, I think they all have the same like intangibles you know what I mean? Like, I think everybody holds themselves to the same standard. And it's just what you whatever your specific thing that you love to teach is we all kind of throw that same thing at the other athletes, you know what I mean?

00:24:01:09 - 00:24:05:04
Speaker 3
Say, like I think.

00:24:07:12 - 00:24:12:08
Speaker 1
I'm getting a little bit of echo. So like if you just tilt your mike just a little bit more, that'd be cool.

00:24:13:22 - 00:24:28:05
Speaker 3
Yeah, go for it. What about you say people say, sir, you teach the way you learn best. You know which way that you learn best. Which way do you think you know, some would say the type of coach, I guess you are. What kind of country would you say you were?

00:24:28:17 - 00:24:49:05
Speaker 2
Oh, man, I think I'm definitely I've always been like one of those like visual learners, so I definitely lead by example. I think that's what I think for me, you know, I'm definitely not one of those guys that I want to have like five gyms and, you know, make a bazillion dollars a year. I just want to have a group of people that I can really impact their lives.

00:24:49:16 - 00:25:12:22
Speaker 2
And my best way sometimes is just by by and it was the same way when I was playing hockey, like, just do it and then be positive and be happy about it. And people will kind of follow what I do. And I find that that you know, that that just kind of leads into a very organic relationship with like the members of the gym or the girls like, you know, like Lauryn and Venus and all the girls that we train.

00:25:12:22 - 00:25:27:17
Speaker 2
It's like they I think when you when you practice what you preach and people can see that you really love what you do. And they they're like like with the girls, right? Like I do every single workout with them on every single running workout on Thursdays in the summer, I do them with them. It's 30 degrees out at the track.

00:25:27:17 - 00:25:30:24
Speaker 2
Like I'm not yelling at them. I'm running. So they're chasing me.

00:25:31:05 - 00:25:33:14
Speaker 1
I did one of those workouts with you guys. It was awful.

00:25:33:19 - 00:25:58:20
Speaker 2
Yeah. So I think that for me, it's, it's I'm because I as an athlete, I always respected that the most, you know, like, like coaches that could get in there and show me what to do. Like, show me how to protect the block, like show me how to how to shoot or show me how to do things I always respected the most so when I when I opened my gym, it was it was that it was like, I want to I want to be an inspiration to these people.

00:25:58:20 - 00:26:13:24
Speaker 2
Like, I want to live a good life. I want to train hard. I want to be competitive. I also want to, like, look the part and make sure I'm taking care of myself. So when I'm telling people to like things they can do to improve themselves, I'm speaking of a place of like I'm doing it as well, you know?

00:26:13:24 - 00:26:19:16
Speaker 2
So I think for me it's always been I've been a visual learner. So I try to you know, I try to impact people that way.

00:26:20:22 - 00:26:27:06
Speaker 1
Always says, we learn, say it again. We we learn through pictures more than words or how does that work anyways?

00:26:28:00 - 00:26:29:07
Speaker 3
We seen pictures, not words.

00:26:29:07 - 00:26:30:20
Speaker 1
We see in pictures and not words.

00:26:30:20 - 00:26:34:18
Speaker 3
Yes. People see you doing something. They get a lot more from it than you just talking to me.

00:26:35:00 - 00:26:57:11
Speaker 1
Now, in that vein, Joe, do you find it tough because like you compete at a high level like you're doing the open and you're doing all this stuff, do you find it challenging? Sometimes. Let's just say Amazon, like me, comes into the gym and I'm just not getting it. Like I'm not getting I've complained before that I really struggle with power cleans and front squats because just old joints and bones and I just making excuses.

00:26:57:24 - 00:27:01:14
Speaker 1
Do you find yourself getting frustrated with like, why can't this person just get it?

00:27:02:01 - 00:27:21:17
Speaker 2
No. You know, honestly, for me, no. Like, I, I remember, you know, like I said, I come from definitely humble beginnings and and I've been at CrossFit gyms where people were that we were like the coaches or even with hockey, right? Like when you, you know, I'm in my seventh season in training camp with the same coach I played for for three years.

00:27:21:17 - 00:27:35:19
Speaker 2
And then a rookie comes in and I see that coach, like, you know, getting mad like at this rookie, like, even my, my, like this past year when I was in Evansville, I played for that guy for like three years. So I know him in and out. I know his personality. He's get mad at these young guys for not doing.

00:27:35:19 - 00:27:54:21
Speaker 2
And I'm like, buddy, you don't even you've never even taught these guys to do this. You remember what it was like when you first started. So I think that's the really cool thing I think about, especially our CrossFit gym is I, I deal with all of those types of athletes, right? Like we have high level CrossFit athletes. A lot of our coaches at our gym, we're like professional athletes.

00:27:54:21 - 00:28:12:09
Speaker 2
Like, Mattingly was in the DJ system for a while. And other coaches like played for Team Canada baseball and then you so you get those level of athletes. So you get like Lauren and Vanessa who are playing Division one sports and then you get like, you know, one of our members, Irene is like, you know, seven years old.

00:28:12:09 - 00:28:28:23
Speaker 2
She has, you know, she can't see in one of her eyes really well from like a thing she had in her brain. And like, you still like her and Lauren can do the same workout. They're obviously doing different things, but like you can modify both of them so that they're having, you know, a good workout, a good environment.

00:28:28:23 - 00:28:41:15
Speaker 2
They're supporting each other. And I honestly love I love getting, like, new people into it. Like, I think there's always a way you just got to be patient and you know, if you're patient with people and you make it fine, like you can train anyone, you know.

00:28:42:00 - 00:29:04:10
Speaker 1
Love the vibe, like visited your gym multiple times. And I love the vibe where you just like people are greeting each other, they're happy, they are genuine. You know, they're going to get their asses kicked in about 20 minutes, you know, they know what's coming, and yet they're still and I remember being there and we were just watching the end of the workout and I was, this was, this was just awesome.

00:29:04:23 - 00:29:27:03
Speaker 1
And I just I knew that I was familiar with a couple of your, your, your, your clients and your athletes and they were just loving being there. They brought one by Nicola, I think, brought her boys there. There's like three dogs running around the gym. Like it's, it could have just been somebody's backyard and we're having a barbecue, but they're just about to get dialed by a workout.

00:29:27:11 - 00:29:28:22
Speaker 2
Oh, you love it.

00:29:28:22 - 00:29:54:21
Speaker 1
I think that's. So how do you do like so I'm going to say this the girls that you trained in that group this past summer all went to their respective high end Division One programs and excelled in the fitness testing and in their performance. How do you and this is a question like Gigi and I ask each other all the time for like kids like how hard should we push?

00:29:55:07 - 00:30:15:08
Speaker 1
What was like? How did you know how hard to push them to? And they again, they loved it. And like, Lauren would come home and lay on the kitchen floor and we kind of like draw a little chalk outline. But she was smiling at the same time. How how do you know how hard to push somebody and get the best out of them?

00:30:15:08 - 00:30:20:16
Speaker 1
Where they might give up on themselves? You know what I mean? Like, you dialed those kids. They were they were ready for D1.

00:30:21:03 - 00:30:36:12
Speaker 2
They crushed. I was I was like, I mean, I'm not a parent, but I was like, so proud like watching them, you know, looking at their stats and looking at the games. But you know what I think, man? I think it comes back to hockey for me. Like, I was a captain on a lot of teams I was on and you know, like, that's the thing with people.

00:30:36:12 - 00:30:55:14
Speaker 2
Don't you know, when people don't think about professional sports, they think about all the glory and all those types of things, but they don't think about how sometimes that's a very tough environment to live in, right? Like it could be very toxic at times depending on the coach or the organization or, you know, guys are coming in and out and like they're on contracts with different, different teams at different levels.

00:30:55:14 - 00:31:25:23
Speaker 2
And so when you live in that, I mean, I lived in that for ten years, you know, pretty much in like, you know, you just learn like I just learn personalities. Like you learn, you know, who can, you know, who can take what what makes people tick. Some people, you have to be a little more supportive. Other people you can get on a little bit more and then you add in a workout type like you guys know as coaches, like when you watch someone work out, when you watch athletes work out, you know what they're made of just by watching them work out for 10 minutes, they can tell you all they want to tell you,

00:31:25:23 - 00:31:50:06
Speaker 2
but you watch them either when it gets a little bit tough, they they get after it or they quit. Like, you know, like what they have inside and I think I think like with any of the members of the gym, I just think I'm there all the time and I know them really, really well. And I think with the girls specifically I knew what they were capable of and I knew what it would take for them to be successful at the next level.

00:31:50:16 - 00:32:08:13
Speaker 2
And I knew that if they wanted it bad enough, they would stick around because, you know, like, I like at the beginning there was like six or seven of them that I trained. And then eventually those are the three that stuck around. And for me, I definitely love to train anybody, but I'm going to I'm not going to take it easy on you.

00:32:08:13 - 00:32:28:04
Speaker 2
Like, I don't want them to get to school and be like, Oh, man, like I'm not ready to go because Joel felt bad for me in the summer. Like, I'm, I'm going to be supportive of them and I'm not going to put them in a situation to be to be injured. Like, there was definitely some days where they came in and they were dragging and I was like, OK, we're going to roll out and hit the bike for 10 minutes and you guys need to go home and take a fucking nap and I'll see you tomorrow.

00:32:28:17 - 00:32:51:06
Speaker 2
And I don't know, I just think that, like, I've just been involved in it so long and I'm very empathetic for people and and I don't know, I just got I think I just have a good read on people and I can just tell right away, like if I can push them, if I can, you know, what kind of what kind of support they need, whether it's like a little harder or a little softer, you know, that type of thing.

00:32:51:24 - 00:33:10:15
Speaker 3
Someone said, like, you talk about the sleep and the recovery. So I dove into that for a second. Someone said, not the point. Now, how important. Sorry. Well, that recovery is, someone said, like, not recovery is like walking over $100 bill to pick up some change. Like that's how important recovery is. You want to podcast maybe a little dove in the recovery a little bit.

00:33:10:15 - 00:33:11:16
Speaker 3
How important you think that is?

00:33:12:07 - 00:33:33:16
Speaker 2
Yeah, I think it's huge. And I think it's just all like when I think about recovery, I think most people think about like foam rolling or, you know, stretching which is important. Like, don't get me wrong. Like you got to do that stuff, especially your training in a high level, like getting some, some body work, like getting massage and stuff like that, getting some, you know, a lot of that stuff you get you kind of get ahead of it, which, which is good.

00:33:33:16 - 00:33:51:12
Speaker 2
You don't, like blow your shoulder up and then have to realize you need a massage. It's like if you get one every couple of weeks, you probably feel better, but I think it's all of it. I think it's like just living in it in a good like in a good positive environment and enjoying what you're doing and going into training every day, excited, you know, eating well, like sleeping well.

00:33:51:12 - 00:34:19:14
Speaker 2
Obviously, those are important too. But I think I think making a positive environment where you're training and then like making it, you know, like, OK to like dial back sometimes and make sure you're stretching and make sure you're, you know, you're recovering because I think so many people are so excited to like bash their head into the wall, especially CrossFit and then not think about like the recovery, you know, and not thinking about their like the workouts as this.

00:34:19:14 - 00:34:33:13
Speaker 2
I'm doing this, blah, blah, blah. Like I train this many days a week. And I think, you know, especially at my gym specifically, like I do all the workouts pretty much like I do a workout with the class every day. And there's days where like my shoulder hurts or my hips are a little tight and I modify the workout.

00:34:33:13 - 00:34:50:15
Speaker 2
So it kind of like gives people an OK to modify their workouts a little bit. And you make it like, you know, you don't have to kill each other in here type of thing. And I think if you you just talk about the importance of recovery and you do it yourself, I think more people kind of like do that a little bit more.

00:34:50:15 - 00:34:50:24
Speaker 2
You know.

00:34:51:14 - 00:35:00:05
Speaker 3
We always at that point, like some people say, well, if you dial back, you're getting softer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. We always that where did you learn that through experience?

00:35:00:13 - 00:35:13:22
Speaker 2
I think like I was a bit that way for sure. But I think you definitely learn as you get older. Like, I think we all age, right? Like the aging process hits all of us and you, you know, I find myself being a little bit more sore now as I'm a little bit older than I was, you know, ten years ago.

00:35:14:21 - 00:35:29:02
Speaker 2
But yeah, I think just like trial and error, right? Like you do things, you know, like, oh, I did a little bit of that too much. And then when you have, you know, members at your gym, you can just tell them like, hey, like when I did this, like, I blew myself up, like, don't do that. Like, try to get ahead a little bit, you know?

00:35:30:03 - 00:35:51:09
Speaker 1
And it's funny, somebody, we talk about this in kinesiology class and somebody is like, oh, CrossFit has a bad name because people get hurt. I was like, your CrossFit coach could be an idiot just like your football coach or your soccer coach not teaching you the right technique either. They exist, but you also have great coaches who are teaching you amazing things and modifying and you're doing this and that's great.

00:35:51:09 - 00:35:56:15
Speaker 1
So I said it's a sport. It's the same thing you're going to get, right? It's just no different.

00:35:57:00 - 00:36:16:17
Speaker 2
Well in anything you do, right? Like, I mean, you could go to a good life and and do a training plan. Really hardly anything you dedicate yourself to, you know, like you're probably going to get banged up a little bit if you're really getting after it. You know, like no one's going to no one's running a marathon or training for a marathon and not getting like sore knees or short feet over there training just for me.

00:36:16:18 - 00:36:21:10
Speaker 1
My my partner talked to my partner about that one. He likes to run with rocks in his shoes.

00:36:21:17 - 00:36:30:10
Speaker 2
Yeah. So I think anything. Yeah. I mean, obviously I hear that all the time, but I'm like, well, I guess you haven't been to you know, every gym's a little different, so. Yeah, you got to take the good with the bad, I guess.

00:36:31:01 - 00:36:52:20
Speaker 1
So we'll talk about rest and recovery. What nutrition? Is something and JJ and I talk about this all the time. What he and I learned in school and growing up is now wrong. Yeah. Being taught to us in like third and fourth year nutrition classes at universities. Tell us what's a typical day of eating for you? Look like an hour.

00:36:52:20 - 00:37:01:18
Speaker 1
What if I said, Joe, I need to be more disciplined and I'm ready to dial in my nutrition? What would be your kind of go to kind of set up?

00:37:03:06 - 00:37:19:03
Speaker 2
I think for me, first of all, I would say simplify it and just dial it back a little bit. Like, I think for me, I pretty much the same all the time, which is kind of boring probably for most people. But I'm like, you know, I'm so busy all the time. I'm up like so early working all day.

00:37:19:15 - 00:37:37:06
Speaker 2
I have like eggs and toast every morning. I have some oatmeal with protein, and then I have probably a protein shake in the middle of the day. And then, you know, whatever me and Beyoncé are having for dinner, maybe it's like chicken on the barbecue. Maybe it's turkey burgers and fries we make in the oven or rice. I mean, we like I think the biggest thing is we eat pretty basic.

00:37:37:06 - 00:38:03:01
Speaker 2
Like, I think with nutrition, most people overthink it. Like, to be honest with you, they're like, I need to count my macros. I need to do this. I need to do that. And for some people, they do like for some people, maybe they're over, you know, they're really overweight and they have to figure out what to do. But for most people, like like like the girls specifically or the members at the gym, if you're training pretty hard, like just eat like just eat well and don't overeat all the time.

00:38:03:01 - 00:38:20:24
Speaker 2
You know, a lot of people really overeat and they kind of have that like addiction to food and stuff like that. And and if you can, you know, obviously there are certain cases that have to do with certain stuff, but I think if you just simplify your diet and you eat like simple foods until you're like sort of full, that's pretty much going to work for almost everyone.

00:38:22:20 - 00:38:26:15
Speaker 1
I like that. Keep it simple, right? We're all trying to scientifically prove.

00:38:26:22 - 00:38:28:07
Speaker 2
Like I see it all the time.

00:38:28:09 - 00:38:28:20
Speaker 1
Right?

00:38:29:05 - 00:38:29:14
Speaker 3
Yeah.

00:38:29:20 - 00:38:30:21
Speaker 1
We can't keep up with it.

00:38:31:06 - 00:38:39:14
Speaker 2
No, there's just too much out there. There's too much. You know, I hear all these, like, cleanses and there's juice that I'm like, man, just eat normal food and just work out. You'll be.

00:38:39:14 - 00:38:59:09
Speaker 1
Fine. Your body's it's own while you're short a kidney now. So it changes everything. It's like, but your body's your own, your best filtration system, right? So you don't you don't need your lenses. And here's another one I want to ask you before you jump in on this one. But I get asked a lot by kids and people that I train and kids that I coach.

00:38:59:22 - 00:39:06:19
Speaker 1
What supplements do you endorse? Are there any supplements that you are like, God, this is this is a go to for me?

00:39:07:20 - 00:39:28:16
Speaker 2
Not really, man. Honestly, like, I mean, obviously, since the the lack of kidney, like they're really hard about they're like don't take too much extra anything. I would say the only thing that I take consistently is protein just because it's almost like a little meal replacement in the middle of the day because like I'm at the gym all the time, you know, like if I was home, I probably would have a meal, but I just take protein.

00:39:28:16 - 00:39:50:03
Speaker 2
I used to take creatine. I know that helps with a lot of athletes. So I would say probably protein and creatine, but the rest of the stuff I don't really think to need. I think again, like I think nutrition and supplements are way overblown. I think if you keep everything, like I said, if you train hard and you eat simple and you know, you take protein or you don't, it's OK.

00:39:50:03 - 00:39:56:22
Speaker 2
Like you're going to be you know, you're going to be fine. I don't think there's anything that anyone needs to take or should be taking no matter what. You know.

00:39:58:23 - 00:39:59:14
Speaker 1
Pre-Workout.

00:40:00:11 - 00:40:03:00
Speaker 2
Yeah. I mean, some people like I drink coffee, but yeah, we.

00:40:03:12 - 00:40:12:13
Speaker 1
All drive me crazy. Pre-workout AJ, do you see this at school? The kid opens his locker and he's Jack in the pre-workout. Ah, she, she I know I have teachers.

00:40:13:08 - 00:40:13:13
Speaker 2
There's.

00:40:13:23 - 00:40:18:03
Speaker 1
There's teachers at my school that do pre-workout before teaching a class.

00:40:20:04 - 00:40:21:02
Speaker 3
In nine classes.

00:40:24:15 - 00:40:39:02
Speaker 1
I love it, you know, and I love it. I mean, it's like, did you. I was I was at Gigi's house the other day or the other day last week, and I at it and looking in the fridge and it's just like fruits and vegetables and it's just like, I love it because he's got two young boys, I think, and these kids are well-fed.

00:40:39:02 - 00:41:01:04
Speaker 1
They're well cared for. Like, you know, we're seeing some places like I don't even want to look in the fridge. So but it's important for kids to have that balance and be taught like, hey, this is good. Like instead of the chips, maybe have a pair or a strawberry and just have giving those to me for the young athletes, nurturing them if I'm going to pay you to train my kid.

00:41:01:20 - 00:41:09:17
Speaker 1
But then we're not feeding the fuel or putting the fuel in their bodies appropriately. We're undoing the work that's going on in the gym.

00:41:10:07 - 00:41:27:14
Speaker 2
100%. And I think I think too, the biggest thing that people get after that they need to get away from is like restricting, you know, because I think anytime you start restricting stuff, it makes people think like things are bad or I can't initiate and I think just teach people to eat the right foods and not overdo it, you know what I mean?

00:41:27:14 - 00:41:47:17
Speaker 2
Like, don't eat till you, like, can't move and like, don't do that every night. That's obviously not good, but just eat to fuel your body and like and if you train hard and you eat to fuel your body, your whole, you know, whatever you want your body to look like, all the weight you want to lift, all that type of thing, like getting better at your sport, like that will just happen if you just stick with it like it will happen.

00:41:47:17 - 00:42:05:04
Speaker 3
Hundred percent. The yeah. Soon as you start telling yourself you can't have something like your brain's like, no, I want that. Now this when you say, you know, I can have it, I'm choosing not to. That's a different conversation even that's a whole psychological thing. But when you say I can't have it, that you're that's the train wreck waiting to happen.

00:42:05:11 - 00:42:14:22
Speaker 3
I can't have it if I want to be sure that I'm choosing to go this way or you going for this instead of this. So again, just the mindset, I guess. And obviously you have that job. Yeah.

00:42:15:03 - 00:42:36:04
Speaker 1
What would be and I was like, there's something because I mean, I'm getting older now and I still try to be current on as many things as possible. Jay-Z and I was saying like, I know we're always bouncing ideas out. Read this article, check this out. What do you think of this? What's the most interesting bit of new knowledge you might have gained in the last couple of years related to maybe training?

00:42:36:05 - 00:42:49:06
Speaker 1
We just talked about nutrition, so maybe training. Like I'll give you an example where I'm thinking about like box jumps are bad for you don't do boxes or something like that. Like what would be the most up to date current thing that you've come across that you're like, Oh, this is pretty cool. Um.

00:42:51:06 - 00:42:55:04
Speaker 2
And, you know, I don't know. I don't, I guess I don't have anything off the top.

00:42:55:04 - 00:42:57:15
Speaker 1
Anybody over 47 doesn't have to do cardio anymore.

00:42:57:15 - 00:42:58:05
Speaker 3
But the great.

00:42:59:02 - 00:43:00:01
Speaker 1
47. All right.

00:43:00:20 - 00:43:16:09
Speaker 2
Yeah, you know what, I think they, we've, we've definitely, you know, I guess I've owned the gym now for a couple of years, almost three years now. But just the way I programing is like, I think now we like, we used to just be kind of, you know, we'd follow some certain things and that's the thing with CrossFit, right?

00:43:16:09 - 00:43:33:15
Speaker 2
It's always different. That's why people love it. But we've definitely gone to some more linear progressions in our gym over the past couple of years. Like we, we usually do like right now we're on a front squat cycle. We do that every Wednesday and then we've been, you know, before the open last year, I started putting in these like really crazy conditioning workouts.

00:43:33:15 - 00:43:51:04
Speaker 2
Every Thursday. I was just going to do them until the open. And then now people like love them. So we do them every single week. But I think just a little more consistency in people's programing and like, you know, just more intensity, maybe less volume like we've we've kind of went and we've had some really great results of it too.

00:43:51:04 - 00:44:02:22
Speaker 2
So I think I mean, I think that a lot of the old school things, you know, still work really well. So nothing too. Nothing too crazy. You know, I'm always adding in new things that we see and stuff, but nothing to stop my head.

00:44:03:10 - 00:44:07:21
Speaker 3
Joe. And pivot a quick second here. So I just heard you say you've had the gym for three years, correct?

00:44:08:02 - 00:44:08:10
Speaker 2
Yeah.

00:44:09:03 - 00:44:25:17
Speaker 3
Congratulations. Good luck or good luck. Congratulations for surviving Corbett, because now you're literally talking about a Ginger and Colbert and you're still alive to talk about it. And obviously it sounds like you're still in business and being a business owner, having to live through it. And someone kind of gave me that advice, like, good for you that you're still around.

00:44:25:17 - 00:44:31:02
Speaker 3
So I want to share that with you. You know, congratulations are still being around because that show was a grind.

00:44:31:10 - 00:44:52:11
Speaker 2
Oh, man, I appreciate it. It was definitely there was definitely some dark days, you know, like one to be able to just live normal and then all the like the rules and like the capacity and like it was just like and I think the hardest thing, too, is like knowing that what you're doing for people is good you know, I obviously in the beginning when we didn't know what COVID was, I didn't want anyone to get sick.

00:44:52:11 - 00:45:05:09
Speaker 2
Like, I was like, OK, we got to close it. I don't want I love these people. I don't want to get sick. And then and then figuring out like, you know, really early on that like these other places are still open and you're like, what? You know? And then knowing how much of an impact, you know, because that's the thing, right?

00:45:05:09 - 00:45:25:02
Speaker 2
When you want to when you own a gym or you're in, you know, you're doing any sort of like sports like those that's those those people's like outlet. So when you know that like, you know these people are going through something in their family or their kids or they're, you know, their parents are sick or maybe they're having a tough time in their marriage and it's like the gym is their outlet.

00:45:25:02 - 00:45:29:10
Speaker 2
And then when you can't give that to people, it's like the worst feeling and you feel so helpless.

00:45:29:15 - 00:45:37:08
Speaker 3
Mental health meant mental health. The biggest, biggest things are. And Corbett in the exercise was the outlet for it. Right. And then we're telling people, no, you can't do it.

00:45:37:17 - 00:45:39:00
Speaker 2
Yeah, it's the worst, man.

00:45:39:10 - 00:45:40:23
Speaker 3
So, so good for you.

00:45:41:16 - 00:46:14:01
Speaker 1
It's incredible how training makes you people don't realize I would say emotion is lotion. It's one of the best things you can do. And I always preach to people, yeah, I could probably do more cardio, but strength and bone density as we get older is so important. I love, you know, my mom's challenges. My God, my mom's going to be 88 in September and I'm having to do push ups against the wall, you know, like, like doing stuff like, mom just.

00:46:14:01 - 00:46:40:02
Speaker 1
Just got to stay durable. And I remember I always followed Mark Crypto. He's one of the legendary strength coach across North America, and he always say strong people are generally more useful and harder to kill. And that one, that line stuck with me for forever. And I think about that all the time when I see. So when you're talking with a seven year old woman in your gym pounding it, I just that that stuff fires me right up.

00:46:40:20 - 00:46:58:14
Speaker 2
Me, too, man. It's I say it all the time because like we always joke about it, especially like because we have, you know, like you've been there. We have some pretty competitive athletes and like the older athletes are like, oh, I can't do this workout with you, like, blah, blah. And I'm like, man, like, we have a guy energy who's like 63 bill and he's just an animal is like an eight pack.

00:46:58:14 - 00:47:15:08
Speaker 2
He's literally funny. I hope when I'm your age, I'll do what you're doing because it's more like, that's how it is for me. Like it's more inspiring for my older athletes because it's easy. I mean, I know people, they think my story is cool and all that, but I've been an athlete my whole life. Like, I've never actually stopped being an athlete.

00:47:15:08 - 00:47:37:10
Speaker 2
So when you walk into the gym and you see me doing like, you know, a snatch and some muscle ups, it's like, yeah, it's cool, but like I should be able to do that you know, older athletes picking up a heavy deadlift that's like £250 and £300, and they're walking around when other people in society of their age are are sick or maybe in the hospital or just struggling to live.

00:47:37:20 - 00:47:39:07
Speaker 2
Like it's pretty amazing. You know.

00:47:40:20 - 00:47:55:08
Speaker 3
You're, you're talking about two men breaking up on that one. It will be an act of magic. I have this good thought with that stuff. So people be inactive at the age they are meant to save me. I always jump somehow sort of come back to this. Exactly. You're talking well.

00:47:56:01 - 00:48:14:10
Speaker 1
So we kind of alluded to this at the beginning of the show. If I brought my ten year old, 11 year old who I'm dreaming of, then making it to professional whatever, if I bring them to you, what are you going to say to me? Say, Hey, I want my kid to train. Well, at what age? I know you got young kids in there doing programing.

00:48:15:06 - 00:48:39:20
Speaker 1
What? I've had arguments with parents, and I got to tell this story first before I cause this. I meant to tell this story. The other day, I had a basketball kid. He was 15 and the dad refused him. He's like, My kid doesn't need to train now. The kid's arms are like number two pencils. And he says, My kids go on D1 basketball.

00:48:40:22 - 00:49:00:22
Speaker 1
So I was like, Man, have you watched basketball on TV in the last five years? Like, those guys are monsters. They're monsters. Like, they're mad. They're they're tall and they're big and they're strong. Like, like, are you in the same universe? I am for basketball, and he's not on, on my kids. Like, he's silky smooth. Like he's he's a shooter.

00:49:01:14 - 00:49:26:01
Speaker 1
And I was like, what's he going to do when he gets up against a guy like Zion? And he just gets absolutely just dumpsters, you know, like, I don't get it. So, like, to me, my kids have been around weight training basically since the age of two. They've been around speed training since the age of two. Not that I've got them like you know, doing deadlifts like early on, but they're around there, they're doing gymnastics type stuff.

00:49:26:01 - 00:49:41:23
Speaker 1
They're they're running around cones. They're doing different things, like, you know, you're hanging off a pull up bar. How long can you hold this, you know, position for Plank and do this and stuff like that? So is there an age where you look at a kid and you're like, Yeah, you should start training or let's hold off for a couple of years?

00:49:42:16 - 00:50:01:13
Speaker 2
Well, you know what it is to me? Like, we have some some, you know, because I think all kids develop at different stages, right? Like, we have some kids in our gyms who are like 15 and they're like bigger than me. And then we have some that are 15 in there and they're still really young. And what I tell every parent that wants to start because we used to have like a teens class, and then that kind of fizzled out.

00:50:01:14 - 00:50:33:23
Speaker 2
And we had a kids class because we wanted a few older kids to do it. And then it ended up me being like babysitting like a six year old. So I did that for like three months and I was like, I'm not doing this anymore. But if they can mentally, like all the, all the kids we have in the gym, if they can mentally handle being in a class and like listening to me and not messing around when I'm teaching or explaining something, you know, I say that to their parents and I tell them like they can join a class and if they can listen to me and do what they're told and not like

00:50:33:23 - 00:50:53:15
Speaker 2
be monkeying around playing with the foam rollers when I'm explaining the workout, then I definitely just integrate them and then I modify them to to beginner things and then they join. And if not, then we just I'm like, hey, like, you know, they're not quite there mentally yet, so we'll just wait on that. But as far as training goes, I just kind of give them really early stuff.

00:50:53:15 - 00:51:12:01
Speaker 2
And I think like like a cool thing about like your girls being around since you're young. I think if you teach them the passion for it and like you just teach them to love just being in the gym and being around the guys or being around the girls or whatever it is that their passions just kind of develop that way, you know.

00:51:14:11 - 00:51:15:18
Speaker 3
Creating environment. That's good.

00:51:16:02 - 00:51:18:01
Speaker 1
Yeah. You remember your question now? Yeah.

00:51:18:02 - 00:51:45:15
Speaker 3
No, yeah, I do. Wasn't your question the statement where you said earlier you got kind of like you get fired up from like 62 or 64 year old. Yeah. Doing those things. And I was thinking back for myself personally, I like, you know, taking souls. Right? Where was that again? Dave Goggins. Goggins, David, good for me. On the flip side, I was just like people who just quit or give up or they're just like complaining all the time.

00:51:45:15 - 00:52:02:07
Speaker 3
I'm like, Man, I love being around that person taking souls. I'm like, You're the reason I'm going to go left or I'm going to go run or stay up late or do whatever it is. And then on the same side, when you're getting people like that, like in your gym, like they motivated for us, like from S nine and in teaching, like those kids keep us young.

00:52:02:07 - 00:52:23:02
Speaker 3
Like it or not, agree or disagree. They're the reason we then I think we stay youthful because they come with new energy sayings, quotes, stuff. We probably don't even know what the hell they're talking about, but it's still it energizes you at the end date. I'm just it sounds like same things you do aware in the gym those people at whatever age group they're coming in to get work done and it just it juices you up yeah.

00:52:23:02 - 00:52:47:01
Speaker 2
It's and I'm lucky that way like I'm by nature. So like when people come into the gym, you know, a lot of a lot of gym owners or coaches or whatever have a tough time because they're a little more introverted. So, you know, when they have a full day of classes, like they, they are exhausted. And for me, it's just like my energy is built, you know, like when when I get back to the gym and it's 3:00 and I'm blowing the floor down and turning the lights on and getting the music going.

00:52:47:01 - 00:52:59:18
Speaker 2
And I know people are starting to roll in. It's like, I mean, I used to do this, I used to coach CrossFit for free, you know, and I would still, you know, obviously I need money to pay my bills, but like if I, you know, I always say like if I won the lottery, like, my gym would just be free.

00:52:59:18 - 00:53:00:09
Speaker 2
I would do the same.

00:53:00:24 - 00:53:02:12
Speaker 3
I love it, but.

00:53:02:12 - 00:53:21:19
Speaker 2
I get so fired up for people to like, you know, just those cool, simple. Like, I think when you think like I think a great example, right, is, is like message is Lauren like I think Lauren is one of those athletes where like once she realizes what she's capable of, you know, like last year, I think she was always she was always into training.

00:53:21:19 - 00:53:50:21
Speaker 2
Like she was always, you know, winning the workouts and coming in first and always had those intangibles. But once she learned like what she was capable of, that that in the gym specifically, like that translates so much into life. So when she went to school, it was like she knew that she was capable of everything. So there was no like settling to, like, be the freshman or not play or not get great grades because she was going to Dartmouth, it was like she knew that she had like she could get after it and she could build that confidence in the gym.

00:53:50:21 - 00:54:07:05
Speaker 2
And that just that takes it in all of your aspects of your life. You have confidence and like that's for me, that's like the coolest thing is like is like, you know, you see these members at the gym who maybe they start and they're a little bit out of shape or maybe they're a little insecure or maybe they're a little whatever.

00:54:07:12 - 00:54:25:12
Speaker 2
You know, we get guys all the time, right? And then all of a sudden they're two months in and they're like, listen to big weight in like taking their shirt off after that. And it's like, that's what like gets me going because like, it it's it makes their life better, you know, like, I know I have a positive impact on who they are as a person and their relationships outside the gym.

00:54:26:02 - 00:54:31:05
Speaker 2
And I think those are the situations where I just get like, that's awesome. You know, like, that's the coolest stuff for me.

00:54:31:14 - 00:54:50:20
Speaker 1
I also think that's what makes you successful as a business owner is because people don't get the sense that you're there to make money. You're there because you're providing a service. Yeah. You got to pay your bills and live and put food on the table, but at the same time, your passion and you're caring about them as people, you're not seeing them as dollar signs coming in your door.

00:54:51:05 - 00:55:11:22
Speaker 1
You're treating them as a human being and they're coming in and you're going to get the best out of them, which I think is is a difference maker because I've seen a lot of gym models where it's just I call it a puppy mill where and we have them here in town where it's just like just come in brimming your dollars and whatever happens, happens and I don't get that sense with you, which is, which is really cool.

00:55:12:09 - 00:55:30:09
Speaker 2
No, I think that just I'm just, you know, I'm living I got a lucky life. Man, like, played hockey in an old gym, and I've always loved what I do. And I think that, you know, like, it's it's just I mean, it is obviously, you make money and it's a business but but like you said, I've never looked at it like that.

00:55:30:09 - 00:55:42:07
Speaker 2
You know, if I was, if I won the lottery and I made $2,150 million, I literally would just be going to the gym doing two or three session today, hanging out with my friends, like, shoot me. Like.

00:55:42:15 - 00:55:43:24
Speaker 3
Don't stop today.

00:55:44:10 - 00:56:04:17
Speaker 1
Don't tell my accountant this. But I have a client that I've trained for 15 years I haven't charged him a plug nickel just because I love being with them. 15 years. It was like a terrible business model. But I shouldn't say that because now everybody wants free training. But it's one of those ones that it's just like sometimes they're just, it's just the right person in the right time to do that type of stuff.

00:56:04:17 - 00:56:23:21
Speaker 1
Right now I want to talk about mental training and preparation as a CrossFit athlete, because I think about this all the time. You know, like you play sports, like if you're, you're a hockey player, you're going into a hockey game, you're a defenseman, you can know what's going to happen. If I'm a batter, I know I'm going to face fastball, curve ball, whatever CrossFit there.

00:56:24:00 - 00:56:35:24
Speaker 1
They throw the workout out and you have no clue what's coming. How can you possibly like let's get at this from like how do you mentally, physically, you just got to be ready to match. But how do you mentally prepare for what's coming.

00:56:36:15 - 00:56:55:02
Speaker 2
Man? It's hard. It's hard. It's and I honestly like I like I think that that CrossFit kind of has that that tough mile, right? Because people think like that we're crazy to think injuries. But out of all the sports I played, I played all the sports growing up and and CrossFit has you know, I probably love it more now than I than I love hockey.

00:56:55:02 - 00:57:15:18
Speaker 2
And it's because you just get you just get everything about it. You get so tested, right? Like in hockey, like like for me, for example, I put on skates and I can rip around like I never had to try like I was super athletic and in CrossFit it's one of those things where, like, that doesn't help you. Like, it kind of helps you to be athletic, but not really.

00:57:16:00 - 00:57:33:08
Speaker 2
And you have to just train really, really hard and be super calm. Because like you said, sometimes the workouts come out and it's stressful because maybe you can't do that, like especially in the open. Like now it's a little less stressful for me. Like once you get more developed in the sport and you can do all the movements, you kind of lose that stress.

00:57:33:08 - 00:57:51:08
Speaker 2
But when you're kind of starting and you're doing the open, you're doing a competition and they announce the workout like five, four and you don't you can't do them, you know, like you just kind of but it's like anything else, you just fail a few times in like you're like, Oh, well, all right. Like, I remember my first competition that I ever did.

00:57:52:05 - 00:58:07:13
Speaker 2
It was like I went down to I was in Ohio for the summer and it was in Kentucky. And so it was like a three hour drive and mom and sister aren't with me to, like, cheer me on. And all the workouts, like came out the day of and I never climbed to like I climbed a rope in high school, but I didn't know how to use feet or anything.

00:58:07:18 - 00:58:30:15
Speaker 2
Like, I just used my arms. And so there was this workout where it was like a run. And then I think I like a power clean and then it's like 20 broke clients and I didn't know how to use my frickin like legs so I'm like ahead of this workout, ahead of everybody. And I do like five year old climbs on my hands just blow up and every single person passes me and I and these poor judges, like, use your feet, you know?

00:58:30:15 - 00:58:44:07
Speaker 2
I'm like, Bro, I don't know how to use my feet. And I think when you go through a few of those, like, failures, you kind of like learn to just let it roll. And like, you know, we've all been there, so you just kind of it's a little more stressful, I think, because you don't know what to expect all the time.

00:58:44:07 - 00:58:49:14
Speaker 2
But you just that kind of motivates you to train harder to not have any like holes in your arm where, you know.

00:58:50:10 - 00:59:10:08
Speaker 1
One of our former guest, Natalie Weidman, who's on the Canadian women's Olympic softball team. Yeah, she always passes on advice to the younger athletes. She says the only difference between you and me is us. I've failed way more times than you have. And then eventually those failures build up to successes. Right. We always say failure is fertilizer for your future.

00:59:10:08 - 00:59:12:22
Speaker 1
And I'm sure you learn how to use your legs on those rope climbs.

00:59:13:17 - 00:59:18:09
Speaker 2
Man. It's you know, when you when you play ten years in the minors, buddy, you get pretty humble you know?

00:59:18:13 - 00:59:21:09
Speaker 3
So well.

00:59:21:09 - 00:59:33:18
Speaker 1
Said. Now, is there is there a thing right now if I said, OK, Joe, we're going to do this, is there something that would be like oh, please. No, like, for me, it's like the front squat thing. Like I would do overhead squats before I would do French squats.

00:59:33:24 - 00:59:48:14
Speaker 2
Oh, me too, buddy. No, I can do everything now. So, like, if you said it, I might have to give you a little I might have to be like, oh, figure out a strategy. But yeah, I've trained I've trained enough now or like, I don't, you know, I don't have any, like, big like there's nothing I can't do or anything.

00:59:48:14 - 00:59:57:22
Speaker 1
So now is there a workout that you're that you've done in competition? Yeah. And recently that is like, you're like, well, that was a lot by far, like, just destroyed me.

00:59:58:11 - 01:00:14:16
Speaker 2
Man. I think that I think the open every year, man. I think that crossover has this way. Like, I think that's why you see so many of these amazing athletes do CrossFit, especially like these kids now because they like, you know, they, they, they didn't play sports and they started out, which is a whole other conversation. I don't think kids should do that.

01:00:14:16 - 01:00:38:22
Speaker 2
But some of these kids now are like freaking snatching like £300 and they're like 16. It's insane. Like the athletes that are that are doing the sport now. But I think every year the open has a way of like, it's one of the coolest things because it just humbles everybody. Like, no matter how fit you are, like how much work you do, every single time an open workout comes out, you finish them and you're like, Oh God, I never want to do that again.

01:00:38:22 - 01:00:39:06
Speaker 2
That was.

01:00:39:22 - 01:00:41:21
Speaker 3
Yeah, lot like.

01:00:42:04 - 01:00:43:02
Speaker 2
Come back for more.

01:00:43:02 - 01:00:57:08
Speaker 1
You know, I love seeing it on TV because you say like, you always see the person that just goes out ahead. Like, they're like, their hair's on fire. And then you're like, Oh, I hope and we bet. Like, we'll sit here at home and be like, I bet you they're finished third. They're like, They're going to get passed by.

01:00:57:08 - 01:01:09:18
Speaker 1
This person's going steady. Eddie but like, we're like, I don't know if this is new, but I've noticed now, like, you're they're adding biking more swimming. Like, is that something that's relatively new to CrossFit now?

01:01:10:20 - 01:01:26:13
Speaker 2
Not so much the swimming thing, but the swimming things kind of just at the higher levels of competition. Like when we do the open and stuff. Like, that's just all stuff that you could do in your own gym. So you're not for that because there's so many people participating. But yeah, I mean, I'm starting to swim next week and stuff and there's just so many.

01:01:26:13 - 01:01:53:14
Speaker 2
I mean, like, the coolest thing about CrossFit is like and that's I think what really drew me to it in a lot of because a lot of people that do CrossFit are ex athletes of some level. Like we all played sports at a high level in something. And the coolest part about it is you just never stop kind of getting better, you know, like when you when you come up like for me, for example, right when I'm playing professional hockey, like you're in the off season and you're getting offers for your contract and you're already kind of painted into a role after your third or fourth year.

01:01:53:14 - 01:02:19:17
Speaker 2
They're like, hey, we need a right handed shot defense, man. He likes to play physical. He likes to scrap, like mix in some points here and there or whatever. And you don't really I don't want to say you don't get better, but you don't have that huge growth where in CrossFit, it's like, you know, these athletes are, you know, like one of our athletes right now and re she qualify for the semifinals in her in the 60 plus category in the world you had to be the top 30 athletes in the world and she's like 12.

01:02:20:10 - 01:02:20:22
Speaker 3
I mean she.

01:02:21:12 - 01:02:50:07
Speaker 2
She front squatted like 20545 yesterday and she's 62 and so it's I think what draws people to it is you can never you never really have to stop growing and you never have to stop competing where most sports at least at a competitive level you kind of have an age where it's like, all right you kind of got to it's kind of over it's probably barely time when everything CrossFit it's like, you know, you can compete till you're you know 60 plus which is pretty cool.

01:02:50:16 - 01:03:04:08
Speaker 1
So when you're target is this person like you talk about the 63 year old and you talk about them like are these people that have played sports in their life and they've just kind of found a newfound joy for training and fitness or they just walk off the street.

01:03:04:16 - 01:03:24:06
Speaker 2
Yeah. And Marie, I think was I don't remember what she what she did, but she she just joined her gym like last year. And she, she was actually in another gym in Milton. And she kind of found her passion for competing and training a little bit more since she came to North Shore. And then one of the other athletes, a lot like a lot of our older athletes, were like runners.

01:03:24:15 - 01:03:42:03
Speaker 2
And going back to what you said, they started to find out that the older they got, kind of the weaker they got, the more, you know, they had like the hunchback and the hunt shoulders and stuff. And they really figured out they need to start strength training. And then they kind of joined our gym. And I have that way with people that just kind of suck people in the suffering with me.

01:03:42:03 - 01:03:43:03
Speaker 2
So then they never leave.

01:03:44:16 - 01:03:47:21
Speaker 1
Let's do this together. Oh, my God.

01:03:48:02 - 01:03:48:13
Speaker 2
Yeah.

01:03:49:04 - 01:04:06:21
Speaker 1
G anything. Anything else you want to get from Joe here? This is it. This is fun. I love to. I could talk about fitness and exercise all day long. And it's funny because I find for me now is I'm getting on in age and I still love to hit it. It's being smarter about how I'm going about it.

01:04:07:03 - 01:04:23:10
Speaker 1
So I can do it again the next day and the day after and the day after and not be so banged up that, you know, I'm out for three days because I can't move like that to me is about letting go of the ego a little bit. Yeah, in my sense, I think is what I've had to do.

01:04:24:01 - 01:04:44:03
Speaker 2
Well, we definitely like we talk about that a lot in our gym specifically. Like I, you know, we have a lot of competitive masters athletes, and I say that to them all the time. You know, I'm like, guys like you have to you can't like get after a workout. Like, I can train six days a week, seven days a week, like pretty much six days a week and get after it like every single day.

01:04:44:03 - 01:05:08:20
Speaker 2
And I might have a recovery day on Thursday where I just run or swam or stretch or whatever. But with some of our older athletes, like they might get after it like maybe twice a week maybe. And then the rest of the days it's like they're they're modifying it or maybe they're going at 60% or but like you said, those are tough conversations, you know, and I definitely am not afraid to like cause it because is it like, like going back to like my care, like I love them.

01:05:08:20 - 01:05:29:21
Speaker 2
I want them to be able to train. I don't want them to get injured and then not be able to come to the gym. So I'm definitely not afraid to have those conversations be like, hey, I've seen you four days in a row, bro. Like, take some time off. Like you're going to hurt yourself. And so that's I think the older we get, that's just we have to be more mindful of not so much the intensity, but like as like as much intensity as we do, if that makes sense.

01:05:29:23 - 01:05:47:02
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. Well, and inflammation creeps in, right? Because that's always something that we're monitoring and making sure that you're eating the right foods to keep the inflammation down and you're staying fit. And it's, I think one of my issues that I had to get over. I was like you. I used to I'm sure you I know you're the same you listed with your clients, right?

01:05:47:02 - 01:06:11:04
Speaker 1
Like you're always doing the workout, weren't you? And to me. Right. And you're like J.G. said earlier, we're hanging out with 14 to 18 year olds, even though they're always the same age. We're getting a year older all the time. So when when the kids in the gyms like mess how much can you deadlift? I'm like, let's go just start stacking invoiced, you know, like unless I'll go till I can't anymore, right?

01:06:11:04 - 01:06:29:19
Speaker 1
So it's like, I want to do that. But then I realize just like, you know what? That's not too smart. Like, maybe I should warm up next time. Like, just like again, it's that ego thing I know better, but the idea is now it's like, OK, I can do this every single day. And like you said, model to them consistency, not just crush it one day and then be out and laid out for two weeks later on.

01:06:30:03 - 01:06:39:21
Speaker 3
It's an older that older gentleman younger than me kids are bench pressing needs I can do that. Goes in, ripped his pec muscle.

01:06:40:05 - 01:06:41:22
Speaker 2
Back, man. Well.

01:06:42:04 - 01:06:45:07
Speaker 1
How much was it you told me this story? It was like a buck 50.

01:06:45:08 - 01:06:54:23
Speaker 3
Like it was nothing special. It just did not warm up and do not feel like I can do this ripped pack and look like a tennis ball in the middle of his chest. Poor guy.

01:06:55:20 - 01:07:24:19
Speaker 1
So, Joel, we always like to leave our listeners with something to think about from our guests and the way I want to ask you this is what would you give our listeners something to think about that would guide them towards finding their best self when it comes to fitness and nutrition? If somebody just wants to get started, what would you what would be your advice be to somebody just like, hey, I want to get I need to get better.

01:07:24:19 - 01:07:25:11
Speaker 1
What would I do.

01:07:26:22 - 01:07:47:04
Speaker 2
Man? You know what? I say this to people all the time. Like, you know, because people like we'll talk about CrossFit or doing anything. I think finding something that you love, like finding something you wake up every day and you want to do, whether that's running or CrossFit or bench pressing or whatever, and then just be consistent with it and find a routine and just learn to love the process.

01:07:47:04 - 01:07:50:14
Speaker 2
And if you love the process, the rest of it will take care of itself.

01:07:52:08 - 01:07:54:19
Speaker 3
So very wise for an 88. Yeah.

01:07:57:10 - 01:07:59:24
Speaker 2
Oh soul man. I think I'm an old soul.

01:08:00:00 - 01:08:16:09
Speaker 1
Well, and I think, I think that's why I enjoy talking to you so much because you got a great experience. I love your background. And you come to it with knowledge and experience, which is a great combination in one kidney, and we get to give you a good handle like one kidney, Joe.

01:08:16:23 - 01:08:18:02
Speaker 2
One big kidney, no.

01:08:21:04 - 01:08:37:13
Speaker 1
Joe, I appreciate it. Listen, as awesome and I am, I'm going to come to work out this summer for sure. I like that. I want to do that running workout we did last and I loved that for me jogging is not I love sprinting. So I loved that interval workout we did last summer. Oh yeah. I'll stretch Dawn.

01:08:38:04 - 01:08:59:16
Speaker 1
But I it's it's always fun. I love that. I said to Lauren, I was like, you know, I've been training people now for probably like to some years, almost 25 years it's nice to go and somebody else decides what the workout is going to be. I love it. So I'm looking forward to maybe a couple of those this summer and and appreciate your time here absolutely.

01:08:59:16 - 01:09:00:09
Speaker 2
Thanks for having me.

01:09:00:23 - 01:09:08:10
Speaker 1
Well that does it for this episode of Benchmark. Thanks for listening. Until next time. Keep crushing.

01:09:08:10 - 01:09:08:15
Speaker 2
It.