In the 190th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Michael and our special guest, Mindset, Sleep, and Nutrition Coach. Anthony Flores will talk about how “the easy day life” was born, how to shift to gratitude, how did Anthony go from 350 lbs to 195 lbs, how you might be sabotaging yourself, and how did Anthony mange to beat testicular cancer and even become a dad after that. Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(0:40) Introducing our special guest, Mindset, Sleep, and Nutrition Coach. Anthony Flores @anthony.w.flores(2:10) What is the easy day life?(3:10) How to shift to gratitude(4:00) Anthony started being over 350 lbs(4:30) What motivated Anthony to improve his life and his health?(5:00) Go to Nabosotechnology.com Use the code CONNECTION for 10% of your purchase https://bit.ly/3PUZC6G (6:20) Feeling like a loser(6:50) Flight of stairs(7:50) I deserve to feel healthy(9:00) The worst 9 minutes of my life(10:20) I couldn’t breathe after 14 stairs(12:00) How “The easy day mentality” was born(14:20) “Problems are complicated but solutions are very simple.” - Michael Kurkowski (15:00) “When the pain of staying where you are becomes more painful than the pain of change, that's when real change occurs.” - Michael Kurkowski (16:20) You purposely want to sabotage yourself(17:00) Embracing the hard reality(19:20) Did Anthony start to see results right away?(20:40) My name is Anthony(22:20) You see it in everything when you see the change(23:50) “Do whatever it takes to feel triumphant every day.” - Anthony Flores @anthony.w.flores(25:50) Don’t have an all-or-nothing mentality(26:30) I went from 350 lbs to 195 lbs. Then the doctor told me that I had testicular cancer(27:20) The day I discovered I had testicular cancer(31:10) I stopped believing in God after that(33:00) Flex your courage muscle in your worst times(36:20) I want my life back(37:00) I’m going to be a cancer champion(37:30) Give yourself permission to win(39:00) I dominated obesity and I dominated cancer(39:00) The day I became a dad after dominating testicular cancer (42:30) It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-About-Bike-Journey/dp/1565114493 (49:30) Sharing my story(50:30) Thank you Lance Armstrong @lancearmstrong (54:20) Where to find more about Anthony Flores @anthony.w.flores https://www.instagram.com/anthony.w.flores/ (55:00) Join the Strength Connection Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/246922387454298 

In the 189th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike will talk about wearing multiple hats, the difference between an amateur and a pro, growth comes through pain, and Mike’s Top 5 Short Life-Changing Books.Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(1:10) 5 Books wanted to talk about (1:40) Remembering the interview with Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(3:30) “The minimum effective dose might still be a lot. In fact, it probably is, at least at the beginning.” - Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(3:50) Shout out to Rick Mayo @coachrickmayo(4:50) Go to Nabosotechnology.com Use the code CONNECTION for 10% of your purchase https://bit.ly/3PUZC6G (6:20) Shout out to Todd Durkin @todddurkin(7:00) Shout out to Tony Dungy @TonyDungy (facebook) https://www.facebook.com/TonyDungy/ (7:40) Wearing multiple hats(9:00) “Pick a lane and stay there.”(10:50) Book #1: Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield https://www.amazon.com/Turning-Pro-Inner-Power-Create/dp/1936891034 (11:40) The difference between an amateur and a pro(12:30) Each day, the professional understands he will wake up facing the same demons, the same resistance, the same self-sabotage, the same tendencies to shadow activities and amateurism that he has always faced. The difference is now he will not yield to those temptations, he will have mastered them, and he will continue to master them. (13:00) “The things that create resistance on us, they don't ever fully go away.” - Turning Pro (book)(13:50) Book #2: The Giver by Lois Lowry https://www.amazon.com/Giver-Quartet-Lois-Lowry/dp/0544336267 (15:40) Book #3: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X (17:30) Growth comes through pain(18:40) Book #4: Mindset Matters Most by Brian J. Grasso https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Matters-Most-LIMITATIONS-SELF-DOUBT-ebook/dp/B01E2NUS0W (20:00) “You don’t have to know what you’re capable of, you just have to know you’re fully capable” - Brian Grasso(20:10) Book #5: IRON JOURNEYS by Zach Even-Esh @zevenesh https://www.amazon.com/IRON-JOURNEYS-POWERFUL-LESSONS-POTENTIAL/dp/B0C91CBJ4N (21:40) Just do it(23:00) Join the Strength Connection facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/246922387454298 

In the 188th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, owner of Chronicles of Strength, Pat Flynn will talk about reductive naturalism or materialism, philosophers challenge everything you could possibly believe, simplicity is a general guide to truth, questioning is the natural path to mastery, objections are argument testers, and more!Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(1:00) Mike introduces our special guest Owner of Chronicles of Strength, Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(1:30) Shout out to Aleks Salkin @aleks_salkin(2:10) The first trilogy member in the Strength Connection(3:30) Remembering the last interview with Pat Flynn, “Be Extreme To Be Better” https://www.buzzsprout.com/1860981/11246260 (4:10) Shout out to legendary coach Dan John @coachdanjohn(5:30) Go to Nabosotechnology.com Use the code CONNECTION for 10% of your purchase https://bit.ly/3PUZC6G (7:30) Philosophy and religion(8:20) Reductive naturalism or materialism(9.30) Lao-Tzu and Confucius(10:10) Your worldview is something you can’t have(11:10) Philosophical questions(12:15) Shout out to Founder of EVOLVE MOVE PLAY, Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(12:30) Complicated vs Complex(14:00) Philosophers challenge everything you could possibly believe(15:00) “To ask one question is to ask every question.” - Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(16:00) The power of simplicity(19:00) Simplicity is a general guide to truth.(20:00) Questioning is the natural path to mastery(20:30) “Objections is a love language of philosophers.” - Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(21:00) Objections are argument testers(22:00) The process of writing a philosophical book(25:20) “Know the rules before you break the rules.” - Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(27:00) Generalism and Minimalism(29:00) The Least vs Little(36:00) The Highway of Strength analogy(37:40) The difference between structure and intuition(41:00) Staying consistent through different stages of life(42:20) Shout out to Abel James @fatburningman(48:00) Low volume and high volume. Shout out to Fabio Zonin @x_fab_69(49:00) Brett Jones @brettjonessfg and Iron Cardio https://strongandfit.com/products/iron-cardio-by-brett-jones?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5f2lBhCkARIsAHeTvliN-tGsSNmOlzJoqVV6pY7wagoMk_jzUl8ED1kkkL-yBttRwVoBwpEaAqlFEALw_wcB (56:30) Where to find more about Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength https://www.instagram.com/chroniclesofstrength/ 

In the 187th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike will talk about the concept of “aiming up,” seeking meaning and purpose, being both the savage and the sage, why you should include “because” in your affirmations, the story of Mike’s “fog” Tattoo, and more!Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(0:45) Remembering “Coming Home To Myself” (Interview with Colleen Conlon @iamcolleenconlon) https://www.buzzsprout.com/1860981/13249258 (1:20) Kettlebell Catalyst by Colleen Conlon https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Catalyst-exercise-strength-confidence/dp/B0B6H2VHBQ (3:00) When someone is “aiming up”(3:30) Seeking meaning and purpose(4:00) Overcoming obstacles(4:20) Go to Nabosotechnology.com Use the code CONNECTION for 10% of your purchase https://bit.ly/3PUZC6G (7:15) I am both the savage and the sage(7:45) Talking about affirmations(9:00) Why you should include “because” in your affirmations(9:45) Shout out to Dr. Nate Zinsser @DocZinsser, author of The Confident Mind(10:40) The story of my “fog” Tattoo(11:20) Prayer and revelation(12:30) “You can't force the sun to come up faster. It needs to come up on his own time.” - Michael Kurkowski(14:00) Eliminating desire(15:00) “If it's not clear ahead of you, that's fine. Just take another step forward.” - Michael Kurkowski(16:30) Thank you for listening!(17:00) Join the Strength Connection Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/246922387454298 

In the 186th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, author of Kettlebell Catalyst, Colleen Conlon will talk about Colleen’s early fascination for magic, the problem of being a “boundary queen,” always falling asleep at church, and what is a “Manifesting Generator” and “Splenic Authority?”Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(0:30) Mike introducing our special guest, author of Kettlebell Catalyst, Colleen Conlon@iamcolleenconlon(2:00) Remembering Colleen’s last interview https://www.buzzsprout.com/1860981/11287174 (2:45) Show that you’re aiming up in life(3:10) Trying to find out more about life(3:40) Find yourself(4:10) Colleen’s fight with her dad made her realize she should discover more about herself(6:00) “The recipe for feeling amazing is doing the simple little things. But you have to find the desire to dedicate time to them to make a big impact on yourself.” - Colleen Conlon @iamcolleenconlon(6:20) Go to Nabosotechnology.com Use the code CONNECTION for 10% of your purchase https://bit.ly/3PUZC6G (8:20) “The key that we're all looking for is to be consistently good, not occasionally great.” - The Strength Connection(9:50) Fascination for magic(10:10) Being always a “good girl”(11:40) Burn out. You have been a “boundary queen” for a while (12:50) “You get one life, and you can either live your life for other people, or yourself.” - Colleen Conlon @iamcolleenconlon(13:20) Always falling asleep at church(14:00) Colleen’s husband found God on his own(14:10) Exploring tarot cards for the first time(15:00) The journey of self-exploration is such personal(15:30) “Everybody gets two lives. The second one starts when you realize you only have one.” - Old proverb(16:10) God reveals himself in a million different ways(16:50) The power of saying no(18:00) “Life feels so much better being able to say no when you're not worried about pleasing people” - Colleen Conlon @iamcolleenconlon(19:40) I have the most incredible clients(21:00) COVID weight is back?(22:45) I am the one who runs my show(24:00) You are your biggest priority(26:30) Coming home to myself(26:40) Being a fortune teller for Halloween(28:30) How Colleen’s relationships have changed since being more tuned with herself(30:20) What is a “Manifesting Generator” and “Splenic Authority?”(32:10) “Just because something's the right call for you doesn't mean it's easy.” - Colleen Conlon @iamcolleenconlon(33:20) Shout out to Sifu Singh @sifusingh(33:30) Shout out to Dr. Chris Holder @drholder(34:00) The body is a crazy place to live(34:45) Shadow self(36:00) The power of authenticity(36:30) Feeling like a pioneer(37:40) “Sometimes is not about finding the right answer, but asking the right question.” - Michael Kurkowski(43:30) The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Light-Chasers-Reclaiming/dp/1594485259 (43:35) Shout out to Luka Hocevar @lukahocevar(47:30) Visualizing your shadow self and your sacred self(49:45) We don’t want to explore our darkness(54:30) Where to find more abou

In the 185th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike will talk about Complex vs Complicated, parkour and gymnastics, the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, and a catalyst of Mike’s strength training.Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(1:30) Remembering our interview with Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(1:50) Complex vs Complicated(2:00) Who is Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(2:30) Rafe Kelley was in Jordan Peterson’s podcast(3:10) Parkour and gymnastics(4:00)  “Anything about human movement is a complex problem, not a complicated problem. So the optimal way to think about it is more like a gardener, less like an engineer.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(4:45) Go to Nabosotechnology.com Use the code CONNECTION for 10% of your purchase https://bit.ly/3PUZC6G (6:00) Complicated is sending a rocket into space(6:20) Complex is more like chess(8:20) Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Laozi/dp/1535229330 (10:00) Theology and Religion(10:40) Lao Tzu came out with 81 verses, using nature as an example(11:20) Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Thoughts-Living-Wisdom/dp/140191750X (13:30) A catalyst of my strength training13:40 “The more you can combine your physical, mental, and spiritual practices, the more they're going to carry over into helping you in all different aspects.” - Michael Kurkowski(14:50) Let me know your thoughts about Tao Te Ching

In the 184th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, founder of EVOLVE MOVE PLAY, Rafe Kelley will talk about the power of dance and music, the connectability of Parkour, the freedom and creativity of Parkour, German gymnastics, the difference between a complicated problem and a complex problem, and more!Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(0:30) Mike introducing our special guest, founder of EVOLVE MOVE PLAY, Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(1:30) Happy 4th of July! (3:00) Rafe Kelley’s son learning new disciplines(5:30) The power of dance and music(7:20) The essence of playing and creativity(7:20) “Playing has this incredible power to drive progress.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(7:40) Rafe Kelley was a gymnastics teacher before practicing Parkour(9:00) Rafe’s brother and sister also were into gymnastics(10:00) Love for coaching(10:30) Parkour, in a lot of ways, it's quite similar to gymnastics(12:00) Triple backflip(13:00) Double twisting, double backflip(14:10) Parkour is not about running fast(15:00) Upper body pulling power is really important in parkour(17:40) The connectability of Parkour(19:30) Shout out to Dominic Di Tommaso @domtomato(21:20) Shout out to Elis Torhall @elis_torhall(21:30) What was it about Parkour that felt different for Rafe Kelley?(23:10) Parkour had everything that gymnastics had, but it was more real(23:40) The freedom and creativity of Parkour(25:20) “Parkour is basically motivated by play, by the desire to take on challenges.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(28:55) “Parkour is just exploratory locomotor play. Gymnastics is locomotion.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(29:30) Gymnastics comes from the Greek word “gumnasía” which refers to being naked(33:30) Kong Vault Parkour(35:00) What we do in parkour is actually a reflection of what gymnastics was at its origins. But gymnastics has become extremely aesthetically driven, the competitive format has sort of lost its connection to what the purpose of it was to develop in an athlete(35:50) German gymnastics(36:40) The difference between a complicated problem and a complex problem(37:00) Why Chess is a complex problem(38:30) “Anything about human movement is a complex problem, not a complicated problem. So the optimal way to think about it is more like a gardener, less like an engineer.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(47:40) Shout out to Matt Thornton @ aliveness_ape(49:40) Shout out to Gray Cook @functionalmvmt(50:00) Started a non-profit parkour organization(52:20) If you want to master every tool, start by being the master at one tool(58:00) The Monkey Vault in Toronto, a parkour gym(59:00) Parkour retreats and workshops(1:08:00) What makes your life feel meaningful?(1:09:50) Creating depth and sophistication across our relationships(1:10:30) I think therefore I am(1:11:00) “The only justification that we have that we are real is that we experience consciousness.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(1:15:00) Shout out to Sifu Singh @sifusingh(1:16:00) Where to find more about Rafe Kelley @rafekelley https://www.evolvemoveplay.com/workshops 

In the 183rd episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike will talk about lessons about Intuitive Training, Remembering the interview with Peter Nieman, Nick Motycka, and Joel Jamieson, Rafe Kelley and Parkour, and structure before intuition with Pat Flynn.Join us in this insightful and captivating episode! In this chapter, you will discover:(1:00) Lessons about Intuitive Training(1:40) It takes many failures to get a success(2:00) Remembering the interview with Peter Nieman @icebox_kettlebell https://www.buzzsprout.com/1860981/13118393 (3:20) “I treat training as an opportunity to have a conversation with my body every day.” - Peter Nieman @icebox_kettlebell(4:30) Remembering the interview with Nick Motycka @flow.state.designs https://www.buzzsprout.com/1860981/13143927 (5:00) Plant medicine therapy(7:10) Remembering the interview with Joel Jamieson @coachjoeljamieson https://www.buzzsprout.com/1860981/13159425 (7:40) Dynamic energy control(8:40) Rafe Kelley @rafekelley and Parkour(9:20) Shout out to Alex Honnold with Free Solo(10:40) “There’s a difference between something being complicated and something being complex.” - Rafe Kelley @rafekelley(11:40) The Chess analogy(12:00) Shout out to Pat Flynn @chroniclesofstrength(13:00) Structure vs Intuition(16:00) You need both Structure and Intuition

In the 182nd episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, Founder of 8Weeksout & Morpheus, Joel Jamieson, will talk about 80 pages of articles about conditioning (8weeksout.com), Joel’s brother was bigger and stronger, HRV Heart Rate Variability, Dynamic Energy Control, recovery tips, and more!Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(0:40) Mike introducing our special guest, Founder of 8Weeksout & Morpheus, Joel Jamieson @coachjoeljamieson(1:30) Making complex things very simple(1:50) 80 pages of articles about conditioning. Visit 8weeksout.com https://8weeksout.com/ (2:20) What got Joel Jamieson into coaching?(2:25) Started as an athlete(2:30) Joel’s brother was bigger and stronger(3:40) Joel Jamieson meets his first mentor, Bill Gillespie @master_strength_(4:20) The first exposure to a strength and conditioning program(5:40) Doing Clean and Press, and Jerks (7:50) Choose the right exercise for your goals(9:20) Joel opened his gym at 2003(9:30) Training other people for MMA(11:00) Conditioning training vs weightlifting(13:30) What were the early resources about strength and conditioning training(14:15) Shout out to coach Martin Rooney @themartinrooney(14:50) HRV Heart Rate Variability(18:00) Speed training(20:30) One of the common misconceptions of conditioning is it needs to be really challenging. Like you need to be going like super hard and maxing out.(21:20) The power of measuring everything(23:00) The current problem with the fitness industry(24:00) Get back to the basics, sleep, hydration, nutrition, and stress management(25:00) How to start improving conditioning as a beginner(25:20) “I look at fitness as things that we can measure within some sort of semblance of an objective measure.” - Joel Jamieson @coachjoeljamieson(28:20) “Conditioning is using fitness to accomplish whatever it is you want to accomplish.” - Joel Jamieson @coachjoeljamieson(28:40) What is Dynamic Energy Control(30:30) I control my own energy expenditure(31:30) It’s important to know when to go 100% and when not(32:50) Heart rate training(33:40) Shout out to Derek Toshner @tnt_adventure_fit(34:00) How to measure Dynamic Energy Control?(37:20) Adrenaline dumps(37:40) Controlling your psychological response and stress response(39:00) Mental Performance vs Mental Toughness(43:00) Stress management(47:00) Recovery tips(48:40) What new things is Joel Jamieson learning?(51:30) Shout out to Dr. Pat Davidson @dr.patdavidson(52:30) We are all different and our body responds in different ways. So learn about your own body(55:00) Where to find more about Joel Jamieson @coachjoeljamieson https://8weeksout.com/ 

In the 181st episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, the owner of Flow State Designs, Nick Motycka, will talk about the importance of receiving love when we are children, the masculinization of everyone as a police officer, the drug undercover street team, crying for the first time as an adult, getting back to yourself, and more!Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! In this chapter, you will discover:(0:30) Mike introducing our special guest, Owner of Flow State Designs, Nick Motycka @flow.state.designs(1:30) Psilocybin(2:00) Nick’s origin story(4:20) The importance of receiving love when we are children(5:30) Understanding your inner child(6:00) Working as a security guard and then studying criminology(9:40) Working in loss prevention(11:00) Working in court security(15:00) Everybody lies to the police(18:20) 120 Open investigations(24:40) The masculinization of everyone as a police officer(27:40) Writing pros and cons before making a decision(29:40) The drug undercover street team(31:20) “The energy of working undercover is all lies.” - Nick Motycka @flow.state.designs(34:40) Alcohol is significant in the undercover world(35:50) Transition from undercover work to gang suppression team(39:30) Sleep problems because of the shifts(41:20) The murder of George Floyd(45:10) Crying for the first time as an adult(46:00) The trauma of the career(47:00) “I wasn't going to go back to work until I was back to myself.” - Nick Motycka @flow.state.designs(48:00) Doing all kinds of therapy to get back to myself(53:20) Having time to process traumas(57:40) Compassion for other people and compassion for myself(1:00:40) PTSD diagnosis and healing(1:04:20) The decision of resigning from his career(1:05:40) Detachment and surrender(1:06:10) We are a different person every day(1:09:30) Detach Yourself From Your Past Traumas(1:11:00) There are always options(1:14:40) Where to follow Nick Motycka @flow.state.designs https://flowstatedesigns.ca/