Straight Talk - Mind and Muscle Podcast MIKE BATES- “A Real-Life James Bond Who Rowed an Ocean - UNIFY MEN”
Firstly I would like to thank my friend and podcast sponsor Shaun Sargent of STAIT FOR MEN for making this amazing episode happen.
This week, I had the honor of speaking with Mike Bates- Former MOD Covert Operations Leader, Commando & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt turned solo ocean rower, community builder and entrepreneur.
There's no-one in the world with Mike's experience.
Mike brings exceptional credibility: he served two decades in the UK’s Royal Marines and the Ministry of Defence, rising to become a human-intelligence specialist and covert counter-terrorism operations leader ( AKA James Bond, and leading other Bond teams) and was the first officer in the MOD to pass all the required front-line counter-terror courses.
Following that elite career, he turned ultra-endurance athlete, completing the 3,000-mile solo row across the Atlantic in just 46 days 6 hours 10 minutes — the fastest Briton and first solo finisher of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
He now co-founds and leads the mission-driven community Unify Men (and its predecessor brand NXT45) focused on men’s health, connection, and transformation.
His core insight is powerful:The ultimate act of courage for a man is vulnerability.
Strength isn’t proven by suppressing emotion — it’s shown in connection, authenticity, and the bravery to face one’s own trauma. Mike’s lived experience (in covert ops, ultra-endurance rowing, and men’s transformation) underpins that insight. Through immersing men in nature, building safe circles, practicing martial arts (like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), and emphasising fundamentals such as sleep and relinquishing ego, he provides a roadmap for modern masculinity.
Today, Mike’s work with Unify Men gives fathers and men a tribe, creates spaces where men can share truth without shame, and champions that the smartest fight is the one you don’t take. He emphasises: prioritise sleep, step outside (into nature), get comfortable with vulnerability, de-escalate ego, and start telling the truth about what you feel.
Bottom line: This isn’t another “tough guy” message — it’s a call to men to live longer, love deeper, and lead better. Mike shows that real power comes when a man stops pretending…and starts connecting.
Today, Mike is a man on a mission to help others to become the best version of themselves. Drawing on his own unique, remarkable experiences he inspires and empowers others to live life without limits.
🔗 Connect with Mike on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikebates_official/
Website: www.mikebates.uk
UNIFY MEN : https://www.unifymen.com/
I am Damian Porter , Former NZ Special Forces Operator, Subject Matter Expert from www.hownottodieguy.com and www.eatwellmovewell.net
And you are listening to my STRAIGHT TALK MIND AND MUSCLE PODCAST sponsored by www.mystait.com
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