Escape Your Limits & LIFTS

Long before Conor McGregor, today's guest was responsible for bringing mixed martial arts to the masses, inspiring an iconic era of growth for the UFC. Fighting in the first MMA event to break one million pay per views, he also coached the first ever series of the Ultimate Fighter show and has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Today you can see him on TV and the big screen in guest appearances and acting roles around the world, or most recently breaking up fights and de-escalating tension during Huntingdon Beach riots. Please welcome former UFC lightweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer, Chuck Liddell to the Escape Your Limits podcast. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video Version – https://youtu.be/x8blHv2w3fU Chuck 'Iceman' Liddell is a retired American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion instantly recognised by his trademark Mohawk. He has an extensive striking background in Kenpo, Karate, and Kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Liddell had 23 fights in the UFC including two historic wins over Tito Ortiz and is widely credited with bringing MMA into the mainstream of American sports and entertainment. On July 10, 2009, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Liddell holds a BA (Hons) Degree in Business Accounting, from the California Polytechnic State University, is the father of five children and is married to Heidi Liddell. Chuck Liddell is one of the richest MMA fighters in the world, with an estimated net worth of $14 million. Since official retirement in 2020, Chuck has dabbled in reality TV, appearing in Dancing With The Stars, and continues to enjoy his passion for acting. To date, Chuck has appeared in 30 TV shows and films from 1981 – 2020. Visit www.chuckliddell.com to find out more about Chuck Liddell's story Episode highlights - Pre competition preparation. How being 'ice cool' before a fight helps to focus the mind How a determined mindset in the ring transfers to business and other aspects of life. The need to look for creative ways to achieve How to become proficient enough to compete at the top level. Select core skill elements to focus on and become a master of these. Once the foundations are in place, build on these Why skill evolution and continual learning is vital to success How adversity drives success. Turning a defeat into a driver for achievement in the future How much of today's fighting is about strategy and how much is raw skill execution How important is mindset? What role does mental attitude play in success? How being able to read fighters and know when the right time is to throw that killer punch Why it is important to train across multiple disciplines and pick out what works for you? Why John Hackleman, long term coach and friend, played no part in the final fight Hard core fans enjoy great fighters compete but showboats like Connor McGregor help to attract new 'casual fans', growing the sport and turning a fight more into a party or an event Is it more important to fight to win or fight to entertain the fans? Was a highly competitive mindset something you were born with? People who are really good at what they do work hard at what they do. Success has been the result of hard work, driven by a love of the sport The strong work ethic that has driven success in sport translates into other areas of life and business but it's not so easy Failure only happens when you give up. If you want to think like a winner, be a winner, keep moving. Pick a direction and keep going If you make a mistake you need to get over it quickly, get back to work. Mental toughness is an everyday thing. It can't be turned on and off. You have to focus on it. If you don't, it can slip. You've got to believe in yourself. Dealing with retirement was hard. The whole purpose in life disappeared. It's been really important to find new things to focus on UFC has changed. There is a lot more hype, more theatrical around the fights now. The main event should remain in the ring The story behind the mohawk How did a UFC Hall of Famer find the 'Dancing with The Stars' experience Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Chuck Liddell

An insight into the power of the mind to create positive, lasting change. Crystal Dwyer Hansen Dwyer Hansen is a Transformational Life Coach with a belief that all people have unlimited potential for greatness if they only understand how to tap into their own inner resources. Through her years coaching, and as a Wellness/Nutrition Expert, she has seen people experience profound and lasting transformations in relationships, careers, health and wellness. In this episode, Crystal discusses the importance of mindset in creating lasting change, loving the foods which love you back and the launch of her new book ASK! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video version – https://youtu.be/dG5Hd_S2HZQ Crystal Dwyer Hansen started her career in real estate and modelling, obsessed with helping people improve their lives and to be their best through whatever means she could. Wanting to better understand what it took to transform lives and improve both mindset and wellbeing for anyone, she made a huge pivot to study and research every opportunity she could. She graduated from one of the largest providers of holistic healthcare education in the country, earning certifications in transformational life coaching, and clinical hypnotherapy. Today, Crystal is an international speaker, researcher, author and entrepreneur with expertise in the field of human potential to help people use their minds proactively and evolve their consciousness to live a fulfilled, happy life. Crystal's personal coaching, speaking, CD and video programs, books, and articles have helped people all over the world. She is a Member of the International Coaching Federation, a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, the founder of Crystal Vision Life, Ltd, (crystalvisionlife.com) and Skinny Life™ a wellness company (skinnylife.com). She travels the world with her husband, best-selling author and entrepreneur Mark Victor Hansen, speaking, inspiring, and teaching leadership and together they have released a new, co-written book called ASK! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny. Visit www.crystalvisionlife.com to find out more about Crystal's coaching, speaking opportunities and written work. Episode highlights ● Why it is important to continuously ask honest questions, of yourself and others, in order to increase understanding, reward and joy. ● Why people have such a roller-coaster cycle when trying to maintain weight loss programmes and how to learn to love the foods that love you back. ● How to learn to love yourself and not wrap your own identity around your weight. ● Why doing subconscious, deep-mind work can help when working towards a permanent change in your weight and your awareness. ● Why a singular state of being shouldn't negatively influence your personal identification. The importance of separating from this identity and how to start creating the new, positive persona and mindset. ● How negative messages that we receive through our lifetime can become self-defeating, how to go back and do a 'mind excavation' to identify where negative thinking started and how to stop this repeating by replacing it with a new thought process. ● How the idea of self-love and self-image are connected and the importance of appreciating your unique qualities. ● Why it is important not to compare yourself to others because the more you try to compete, the unhappier you will be. It's about making it your business to care for yourself. ● Why you should look at food like you're an artist - like you're discerning and picky about what you're going to fuel your body with. ● Why you need to stop thinking of exercise as pain and punishment and start asking yourself what activity you find fun. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Crystal Dwyer Hansen…

PureGym's CEO, Humphrey Cobbold, discusses advocating for the fitness industry during COVID-19, navigating career changes, evolving business strategies, adapting to challenges in the gym industry, balancing micromanagement and autonomy, building a well-rounded leadership approach, and pushing personal limits through Ironman races.

Forget what you think you know about protein and muscle. Dr Gabrielle Lyon is a medical doctor with a revolutionary approach to health, wellness and longevity called muscle-centric medicine. In this episode we break the stereotypes surrounding building muscle; we discuss good and bad protein choices, and we explore how to deal with obesity as a nation. This is a lesson in what we can all do to improve the long term health of ourselves and our community. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Dr Gabrielle Lyon studied nutritional science for seven years and has a doctorate in osteopathic medicine. She specialises in helping patients and clients take control of their body and mind, through an innovative approach called muscle-centric medicine. This shifts the focus from fat loss to muscle gain, for better metabolism, reduced risk of disease and better long-term health. Her knowledge and insight has helped everyone from entrepreneur Bedros Keuilian to elite military operators such as Navy SEALS to perform at their best. Muscle-Centric Medicine is the most revolutionary aspect of Dr. Lyon's methods. Her ground-breaking concepts eliminate unwanted body fat and build muscle, allowing for continued metabolism boosts and long-term wellness. The key is to eat the right kinds of protein, and enough of them, at each meal. This stimulates the body's natural muscle-building process, called "muscle protein synthesis". HIGHLIGHTS • What the science is behind brain activity, body composition, waistline and muscle mass. • Why we're failing at addressing obesity issues, and how nobody knows what the optimal muscle mass is for anyone. • Why progress in regards to muscle mass is all about improvement, as everyone has a different starting point to meet their physical, mental and longevity goals. • How your diet is affecting your glucose levels and muscle mass, and what this means in relation to your protein, carb and fat intake. • What effect concentrating on muscle first will have on cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and other issues, compared to concentrating on more stereotypical or traditional focus points. • How much protein you should be eating, where you should be getting it from, and why information you've heard already may not be reliable based on the balance of emotions and facts. • What difference stress and recovery makes on testosterone levels, and how sleep disruptors such as alcohol affect your whole body. • How modern medicine has a fundamental flaw that can be revolutionised by taking a different approach of prevention instead of treatment. • Why researchers and healthcare professionals need to be OK with being wrong, especially when it comes to forwarding education and insight about new approaches to longevity. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Gabrielle Lyon…

Understand the science and specificity to outspend the competition and win. On this week's Escape Your Limits podcast, CEO of Alloy Personal Training Rick Mayo talks about what it takes to build a global franchise and target a demographic that holds 70% of the nation's disposable income. A pioneer of personal training and former trainer for Madonna, he's internationally recognised as an expert in systems and scaling, helping millions of members around the world through a mantra of assessment, accountability and actualisation. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video Version - https://youtu.be/1d3YbuCIjhc Rick Mayo started out training people in their homes to pay his way through college, doing something he loved to do. He opened one of the first facilities dedicated to training, all one-on-one, and soon growing the business to a million dollars of PT a year. Through circumstances such as staff leaving to set up their own studios, Rick's income went from $83k a month down to $12k a month. That became the birth of a systemised process to training, from welcome, through memberships, to programming and across the whole experience. With more rapid growth, Rick began using his model in other gyms, and soon it was in 2000 clubs worldwide. Alloy Personal Training's mission statement is: Real people + alloy programs = real results. No one person is the same, nor is the journey toward a healthier, active lifestyle. So why should workouts be the same? Trainers tailor the Alloy programmes for all clients who walk through the doors — no matter their fitness level. From the first session with us, Alloy works to help clients reach their goals and become their best version of possible. On the franchise side... Alloy offers a combination of personal service, effective technology, 30 years of experience and a formula for incredible results for both members and fitness franchise owners. The numbers prove it. Alloy's revenue per member and retention rates are among the highest in the fitness industry today. For more visit alloypersonaltraining.com Episode highlights - How the studio within a larger gym model, or box within a box, started out. Also why creating a space and environment is key to member experience or maintaining revenue, but what's changed in recent years. What the differences are between price points and member experiences for large gyms and studio models, and what you need to focus on as an owner or operator. How operational commitment from general managers can support personal trainers to upsell members into coaching, even on a large scale. Why success is like weight loss in that you have to change your expectations or change your habits. It takes hard work to get better, and some people don't want to do that if they're happy where they're at. How a systemised approach to training, programming, service and experience gave Rick's business the rapid growth it needed to start interesting other gyms in using his model. And how this has created the opportunity to build his own franchise business off the back of it. What the formula to profitability is, and how you can use it to outspend your competition even in a saturated market. How you can look to the automotive market when it comes to marketing to an ageing demographic, as not many young people walk into a Porsche dealership. Why the ageing demographic offers greater lifetime value and will give your business much higher retention rates compared to the stereotypical clientele of a gym. How it's good advice if you have the assets to go digital, but it doesn't mean that it's a great idea for classes alone. The audience on the other end are going to hold you accountable. What you should be scaling to as a personal trainer or bootcamp operator to make more money off fewer people while they pay less. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Rick Mayo…

This is why fitness needs an experience upgrade at every level. On this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast we meet Rob Barker, president of Precor. As well as heading up of one of the world's largest fitness equipment companies, Rob is also an exec board member of Amer Sports, the £3b global leader in sporting goods. Rob's sharing real-time advice and information about driving the development of personalised health and fitness experiences that help people live the lives they desire. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video Version – https://youtu.be/hW6g8zcDKhw Venturing into fitness as a career, Rob began in operations, running the equipment of YMCAs in the UK. He fell in love with the industry, wanting to make people healthier and happier. He progressed and started in the supply sector in 1995, as a London sales rep for Precor. In his own words, he's been trying to be the best version of himself ever since, rising through the ranks of the business until he became president. The Precor mission is to develop personalised health and fitness experiences that help people live the lives they desire. For over three decades, Precor has driven fitness forward with a passionate focus on ergonomic motion, proven science, and superior engineering. The business constantly studies and anticipates the needs of the people and organisations it serves, and continually redefines the levels of innovation, quality, and service necessary to deliver the very best fitness experiences – all with the goal of improving the ways people improve themselves. Precor equipment is chosen by health clubs, hotels and spas, universities, and individuals all over the world. Episode highlights - What power is in owning your own development, staying humble, and working every day to be the best in whatever it is you're doing at the time. Why happiness has to come before success, and why it's a choice that you can make regardless of your situation. Reference: Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work (TED Talk on positive psychology) https://bit.ly/2GE3fvU How you can energise yourself as a leader in the tough times even more than the enthusiasm you show during the good times. Why a lot of operators will pivot from facility-centric to consumer-centric, with an omni-channel approach that better suits how the world has changed. What results come from live tracking of over 120,000 connected pieces of cardio from all around the world in gyms, hotels and hospitality, with each machine getting an average of 23 minutes' workout time on it. How do these results compare to last year pre-COVID? Reference link: https://www.precor.com/en-us/preva-stats Why the fitness industry needs to be working together even more closely to get the message across about being a safe space, and what other countries have done to change the mind of policymakers. What positives have come from COVID and how the pandemic has given the fitness industry a real tail wind to ride on for future progress with a growth mindset. How habits pre-coronavirus have been broken and why we need to help reestablish new fitness habits for members of the future. What power digital has to create local familiarity across digital platforms, in addition to the digital advances that have already come into effect. What are going to be some of the key trends that we'll see, both from a manufacturer and operator's side, in the coming months. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Rob Barker…

Hard hitting home truths that will improve your life and expand your potential. David Meltzer is co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing, an agency he co-founded with the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, Warren Moon. As an executive producer and main judge on Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch, David provides insights for thousands of businesses each year to help them focus on their company growth. Host of The Playbook podcast, David also depicts the key principles to expanding your own potential in both business and life. This episode will have your head spinning with simple and practical advice. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video version – https://youtu.be/aHP_0_UGy0g In his early 20s, David Meltzer quickly rose to the top of his game in the business world, becoming a millionaire. David lectured around the globe and saw rapid success in every business project he touched. But something was missing, and in his 30s as a multimillionaire, he went on a rapid downward spiral that ended in bankruptcy. It was only then that David realised, in order to revive and thrive, he needed to 'codify' what had made him successful in the first place. Today, his entrepreneurial and philanthropic spirit has rewarded him with recognition as one of Marshall Goldsmith's top 100 business coaches in the world. David is also chairman of the Unstoppable Foundation, Variety magazine's sports humanitarian of the year, and host of the Top 5 podcast: The Playbook. Sports 1 Marketing is a global sports and entertainment marketing agency that leverages over $20 billion in relationship capital and over 38 years of business experience, bringing athletes, celebrities and businesses together to make a lot of money, help a lot of people, and have a lot of fun. If you'd like to learn more about the free resources that David is offering anyone for business and life improvements, email him at david@dmeltzer.com Episode highlights - How to deal with the worst of times, even to the point of losing $100m, a top golf course, ski mountain, 30 houses and a bunch of condos. It's all about the mindset and overcoming challenges. What the positive effect of building values, principles and key disciplines will bring in your life no matter what stage of success you're at. How to deal with bankruptcy and understand the enjoyment of the pursuit of your potential, regardless of what challenges face you. Why pain is just an indicator that you've got lessons to learn. It's not a stop sign. What your skills, knowledge and your desire is going to do for your journey to success. How to understand the mathematical equation to luck, and how attention plus intention will equal coincidence that will allow you to take advantage of great opportunities. Why you need to study every day what you have planned, what you don't have planned, what you're grateful for and what other areas you need to identify. What the timescales are you need to concentrate on for your health, family, research, and studying your calendar. How to improve efficiencies, practices and timekeeping to increase the amount of 'hours' you can achieve in the same time as anyone who's not weighting the balance of efficiency. Why it's important to understand faith as an object of energy, and how we can do better to "understand what surrounds what surrounds you" (sic) for a better perspective of the universe. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with David Meltzer…

Everyone needs honesty, and everyone needs recovery. Eric Leija is one of the fastest rising fitness influencers online with almost a million Instagram followers, his own online coaching business and a workout programme branded by Men's Health. In this episode, the celebrity fitness trainer who specialises in unconventional training talks about what it took to develop and launch a successful fitness app, Primal Fitness, in the middle of a pandemic, and how COVID put him out of action for weeks, even as an elite athlete. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video version – https://youtu.be/_X3-BfV2TgQ Eric Leija used to work in the ONNIT warehouse, packing supplements and shipping equipment off to customers. As the company started selling more kettlebells, steel maces and unconventional training equipment, they needed someone to show potential customers how to use it. Eric got certified and became one of the first coaches in the ONNIT gym. He soon became a head coach for kettlebell training and created a new approach for his growing audience with kettlebell flows. Backing from a Joe Rogan shout out on social media and hard work behind the scenes meant that Eric was able to launch his own business, teaching kettlebell and animal flow workshops of his own. With the guidance of Eric Leija, you will become proficient with tools below such as kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells, sandbags, the steel mace, steel clubs, or resistance training, mobility and durability in general, and other approaches that lead clients to live a stronger, healthier, and more optimal life. Visit ericleija.com to find out more about the Primal Swoledier's online courses, customised training programmes, personalised diet plans, and unconventional workouts. Episode highlights - How having a business based online has helped Eric transition activity to still be successful through lockdowns and pandemic challenges. Why workshops may not be a big generator of revenue, but is the best way to connect with the most valued members of your audience. When you need to focus on hard and heavy training, when you need to focus on foundational fitness, and why the social media highlight real isn't the full picture. How much time you should be spending creating content for social media, posting it on platforms and engaging with your community. Where there's still space in the digital fitness and app market, and what further growth is going to have on current operators in the industry. Why, even when someone is known for working with a particular bit of fitness equipment, any athlete's training regime is made up of so much more than solely what they specialise in. How to deal with burnout from business, physique issues, creating content and lack of sleep, and why that left even an athlete such as Eric suffering from coronavirus. What symptoms COVID can cause; the timeline of how they evolve over weeks, and how long it can take to recover. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Eric Leija…

Attract clients. Perfect your pricing. Retain members. Profit and prosper. This episode is a lesson in how to bring more clients into your business and keep them longer, all while improving profitability. It's an art form that our guest has developed into a science. With tips time-served by a client base of over 2000 thriving businesses, this strategy session can bring some impressive results. CEO of GymLaunch, Alex Hormozi, is making gym owners evolve their business to be better for their bottom line and members. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video version – https://youtu.be/8_qL5oB3BR4 Formerly a competing power lifter, Alex Hormozi didn't like the effect that the volume was having on his joints. He transitioned to more of a bodybuilding approach without feeling the need to get stage lean. Professionally, Alex has gone from sleeping on the floor of his gym to discovering financial freedom, teaching other gym owners his success secrets and transforming over 1500 gyms on four continents. As host of the Gym Secrets Podcast he's also helping gym owners get more profit per member, increase retention and engagement, all while retaining your own personal life. Alex is also host of the Gym Secrets Podcast. Subscribe at https://apple.co/3kHGF4g The Gym Launch model has now transformed thousands of gyms spanning four continents. Gym owners work endless hours and sacrifice themselves for their customers, and still, many go home empty-handed. Gym Launch is dedicated to solving this problem. For more information visit gymlaunch.com Episode highlights - How to build a consultative mind map of all the information that exists for success, and build a mentorship and educational community to leverage lessons that others have already learned. Why the fitness industry continues to talk about the same challenges, and what it's going to take to start moving conversations forward. How the virtuous or viscous circle of price can work for or against your business model through understanding value, profit and performance. What your choice of equipment and classes will do to your business, and how the smallest accessory can ruin your profit line. Why the passion in the fitness industry is often what kills the chances of a business' success. What fitness trends are going to outlast everything else, and what to base a gym around for longevity. Plus the key points to what makes a good operator. The five things you should be doing in order to retain members, and what to do if you're a struggling gym owner right now. Why exercise digital programming will better serve members and clients through convenience than any live digital workout on Zoom will do. How the difference between a good and bad operator is all in genuinely caring about your customers. Why dual motivation is so powerful in getting to the gym, particularly when you think about hanging out with your friends and going for a workout. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Alex Hormozi… For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast

Stress, recovery, repeat. This week on the Escape Your Limits podcast we discuss a very different vision for the future of the fitness industry. Today's guest has consulted with some of the biggest brands in fitness, sharing his passion for movement with audiences from the likes of Equinox, Microsoft and Nike. This conversation with Michol Dalcourt, CEO of the Institute of Motion, will challenge your thinking and open your mind to many of the great opportunities that still exist within the fitness space. For more information visit https://escapefitness.com/podcast Video version – https://youtu.be/zsboE_hhkxw As CEO of the Institute of Motion, inventor of the ViPR PRO, and co-founder of PTA Global, Michol Dalcourt has spoken at hundreds of conferences on becoming unbreakable. He is a fitness visionary and shares his insight on the future of fitness for both bodies and business in his second appearance on the Escape Your Limits podcast. The Institute of Motion is an applied health and human performance company. For over 20 years, the IoM has continued to provide innovative solutions in the arenas of health care, fitness and human performance through programming, coaching and education. The mission is to help people improve their health so they can do whatever it is they love most. The IoM team get fired up about helping others enjoy the benefits of healthy choices, because we know health is what makes everything possible. For more information visit instituteofmotion.com Episode highlights - How to implement lifestyle changes that will build your resilience in order to become unbreakable at any stage in life. Why fitness doesn't necessarily equal health, and why some of the fittest people on the planet may not be leading a particularly healthy lifestyle. What certain responses are the result of chemicals and processes within the body, and how you can leverage these to get bigger, stronger and faster, but also knowing what the cost to your body may be. Why there's no binary good and bad, but health and human performance that is engineered for the individual. How celebrities such as Tom Brady, LeBron James, Serena Williams and Roger Federer are trying to build capacity, balancing out the systems of the body. What are the different types of training that will bring longevity and recovery to your body, and why cardio is not the killer of gains that people think. Business model evolutions and ancillary revenue stream ideas that will offer longevity to your fitness offering long after HIIT training and current trends pass. What the difference is between personal training and health coaching, and how fitness is likely to make way for lifestyle and behaviour change. How recovery days in the gym may not look to others like you're doing much, but will leave you feeling bulletproof when you leave. Why the fitness industry's experience has to be at the global table when it comes to longevity for populations around the world. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Michol Dalcourt…