The Hard Way With Joe De Sena

We train our bodies and focus on flexibility so that we prevent injury, recover better, and perform at our optimum. But we must also build mental flexibility for the same reason: It prevents us from getting stuck, helps to build resilience, and allows us to perform better in life. There are a few ways that you can work on building this cognitive flexibility. First, challenge the norm. Certain ways of thinking may be in place because “it’s always been that way.” Challenge this by exposing yourself to new ways of doing and thinking. Practice tolerating the discomfort you feel by doing this more regularly and your capacity for mental flexibility will increase! LESSONS: Mental flexibility is important because it allows you to shift perspective and tolerate that which feels different. Increase your mental flexibility by doing things a new way and putting yourself in a position of challenge. The more exposed you are to situations that challenge your current line of thinking the stronger your cognitive flexibility will be. . SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND DR. L: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Dr. L on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drlarapence/ CREDITS: Production Team: Heather Knox, Knox Creative; Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host: Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis: Dr. Lara Pence © 2020 Spartan

The world is facing a new paradigm and as a global events / racing company we at Spartan have had to pivot and pivot quickly to adapt. Today Joe De Sena, our host & the CEO of Spartan, speaks with Spartan’s Chief Marketing Officer Carola Jain and our host Col. Tim Nye speaks with Spartan’s VP of Merchandise Mike Lunardeli. We ask how Spartan as a company and a culture is stepping up to face its current business challenges.  We have been learning & talking about resilience, performance under pressure, and facing up to difficult challenges for years on this podcast - now we get to see Spartan put these lessons into action. What has been going on from the inside and how as a company and global community we are forging forward and taking on obstacles as they arise. Until we can race again, the trends have shifted to online content, home gyms and a massive surge in the desire to own your own equipment. Spartans will come back from this, a stronger community than ever. Take care of eachother, take care of yourself and keep moving! Aroo.    LESSONS Pivot quickly  Take care of your community  Be creative with content  Try new things  Build a good team  Train where you are  Find the best version of yourself Keep moving!  Give it your all    LINKS https://shop.spartan.com/ This episode is brought to you by WINE4RUNNERS.COM/SPARTAN   TIME STAMPS 0:00 The pod team introduces this special episode via zoom  2:35 WINE4RUNNERS.COM/SPARTAN intro  3:05 Interview begins with Spartan CMO Carola Jain  3:55 the reality for Spartan  5:05How to keep a largely furloughed staff motivated  6:40 How kids are understanding this situation  7:40 How do we take care of our community  8:55 A 50,000 ft view of what’s going on at Spartan 9:05 Shifting to online content & demand for equipment  13.55 Spartan at the forefront of social media reframing  15:40 Assessing the “new normal” 17:25 Two areas Joe feels like he “failed” 19.25 WINE4RUNNERS.COM/SPARTAN break 20:25 Part 2 begins with Colonel Nye & VP of Merchandise Mike Lunardeli 19:25 Getting people to find a better version of themselves  21:55 How Spartan Merch began & developed 23:55 Positioning Spartan as a global fitness brand  25:55 Best sellers - and providing global access  27:25 Shifting landscape with the shutdown 28:55 New trend of creating home gyms   33:55 working overtime and giving it our all  35:55 discounts & race deals- optimism & hope  38:05 The Colonel, Johnny, Marion & Sefra discuss the interview  42:35 Spartan Up community leaning in everyday at 2pm EST on zoom : 510-734-9695 44:25 WINE4RUNNERS.COM/SPARTAN Close   SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod   CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena & Sefra Alexandra, Johnny Waite & Colonel Nye  Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty   © 2020 Spartan

Learn how to build and define your personal philosophy with the Iron Cowboy, James Lawrence. James completed 50 Ironman distance races in 50 states in 50 days.  As a kid, James wrestled throughout high school and into college before embarking on a life as a world-renowned ultra-distance athlete.   Find out more at https://spartancombat.com/ SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW US: Spartan Combat: https://www.instagram.com/spartancombat/ Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod   © 2020 Spartan

From our Live Zoom chat: There is a reason Mark Divine is one of the rare podcast guests we have featured twice! He is “an expert in human performance as it is displayed in mental toughness, leadership and physical readiness” and a powerful communicator with awesome lessons for all of us. A retired Navy Seal, he has created SEALFIT, The Unbeatable Mind, written several bestselling books and is a much sought after speaker and teacher.His wisdom and bulletproof demeanor are especially reassuring in this crazy time, and he shares immediately applicable techniques and strategies to stay healthy and productive. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod   CREDITS: Zoom Session producers – Marion Abrams & Johnny Waite Hosts: Johnny Waite, Marion Abrams, Sefra Alexandra & Colonel Nye    © 2020 Spartan  

Social isolation can lead to some super unhealthy patterns that we have to be careful of falling into. It can always have a profound impact on our mood and our willingness to engage socially in the future. When you find yourself isolating it’s important to remember that at some point you will need to step out of isolation in order to better serve your mental health. Taking that first step can be hard but it is necessary to say YES to that invitation that you would prefer to avoid (rather this is through an e-meeting or in-person). It’s also an important step to consider what led you to isolating in the first place.   LESSONS:  Social isolation can lead to decreased mood and greater experiential avoidance of connectedness. In order to move away from being socially isolated you must sometimes take the first step of saying ‘yes’ to gathering that you would prefer to say ‘no’ to.  Evaluate and dig into why you isolated in the first place in order to understand what systems were at play caused the social avoidance.    SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND DR. L: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Dr. L on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drlarapence/   CREDITS:   Production Team: Heather Knox, Knox Creative; Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host: Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis: Dr. Lara Pence   © 2020 Spartan

Legendary ultra-runner Mike Wardian is back on Spartan Up! Last time he had just broken the fastest 50K on a treadmill while on the Spartan Cruise. He holds the record for the fastest time for 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days; fastest marathon and 50K on an indoor 200-meter track; fastest Marathon as Spider-Man & Elvis; fastest Leadville 100 mile and Pike's Peak marathon double and ran the grueling Marathon des Sables-appx 150 miles in the Sahara desert in Morocco more than once. This is a great interview that digs into the mindset necessary to push through these remarkable challenges. Mike says he went to depths he never thought possible and says once you “come out the other side of that, your not the same person and that’s special.” Enjoy  LESSONS Design your training to be more difficult then the challenge you are facing Obstacle immunity informs every facet of life There is always something positive you can get from any experience  Persevere & overcome  If at first you don’t succeed- try again & dig deep  There’s always a way  Always keep growing  Learn lessons from adversity  Don’t silo your experiences  Get out there & run  Do something hard everyday LINKS http://mikewardian.com/   TIME STAMPS 1:05 Interview begins with tales of the Spartan Cruise 2:20 Clip of Spartan Cruise  3:15 Round two & breaking a world record 4:50 Running the major marathons  6:00 Embarking on a 50 miler  7:30 THE MARATHON DES SABLES 10:30 A once in a lifetime experience- twice  11:30 World Marathon Challenge  13:20 break 14:30 Training regiment- making marathons hard 16:30 overcoming a challenge  19:00 Making it on the podium of Marathon Des Sables  20:00 Coming back to work to a hijacked ship  22:30 Insights from difficult situations  24:00 Running across Israel 26:45 Joe gives a recap of the interview  29:30 Do something hard everyday & tell us about it!  SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod   CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena & Sefra Alexandra -Johnny Waite & Colonel Nye were off training for an ultra Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty   © 2020 Spartan

We are all feeling isolated right now - but that will end. Mark tells Joe De Sena about the tools he used to change his trajectory. As a young boy Mark moved to the U.S. with his family from Egypt and found he was very socially isolated. For the next decade his diet and behaviors fostered an unhealthy lifestyle that fueled his social anxiety. After a certain point he had had enough and did the deep work to  get over what was limiting his life. At only 22 years old he's now sharing what he learned. In his podcast Humans 2.0 and his new book “Screw Being Shy,” he gives us the tips and tricks we need to crawl out of our shell and into a confident social paradigm that fits you. Lessons 1. Don’t mind uncertainty 2. Have discipline around technology 3. Surrender your ego 4. Eat healthy it will change your brain 5. Address social anxiety 6. Address the hardware of the body 7. Vocal tonality and body language give off social cues 8. Exposure therapy 9. Tackle life one bit at a time This episode of Spartan Up! is brought to you by Honey Stinger. Made with organic honey and delicious ingredients, Use code HSSpartan2020 at Honeystinger.com for 30% off and Sweeten the burn. LINKS: Mark Metry https://www.markmetry.com/ Join the Spartan Up team on our Zoom chats, details on Spartan Up Podcast Instagram and Twitter Time Stamps 0:00 Joe introduces 0:55 Honey Stinger break 1:20 Interview begins 3:00 Manufactured adversity 4:30 Entrepreneurial from a young age 5:30 Engaging a young audience 6:30 Using phone as a coping device 7:15 Forgotten art of boredom 8:15 Flow state mimicked with technology 9:45 Discipline and frameworks around phone etiquette 11:17 Spartan Up! Zoom everyday 2-3pm 12:17 Honey Stinger break 13:13 interview continues with upbringing 14:30 Dealing with health issues 16:00 A decade of social Isolation 17:00 Surrendering your ego 18:00 Changing health and diet 19:00 Mental health consequences of processed food 20:00 Food industries marketing ploys 21:20 Addressing social anxiety 23:30 Growing up as group creatures 24:20 Spartan Race creates collective shared experiences 25:30 Advice for social anxiety 27:00 Joe discusses the mind body connection

Communication is so important in getting our own needs met and effectively assisting others. When we experience stress or during times of uncertainty, our communication can be one of the first thing that suffers. We are often flooded with emotions which make it difficult for us to dial in on effective communication. There are a few key things to keep in mind in order to maintain good levels of communication. Being clear with the ones around you is always important in delivering a message, as is creating steps along the way. And lastly, try to keep a clear and calm tone in the way you communicate.   LESSONS:  Communication can often suffer during times of stress and chaos. Dial in on your communication and work on building these skills through the following: Be clear. Provide steps in your communication. Avoid curse words or intense tones - remain calm.    SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay   FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND DR. L: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Dr. L on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drlarapence/   CREDITS:   Production Team: Heather Knox, Knox Creative; Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host: Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis: Dr. Lara Pence   © 2020 Spartan

You may be feeling the challenge. This interview with Dan Crowley, Bataan Death March survivor, will remind you that we must as a culture reframe our frame of reference. Yes, this time has limited our freedoms, invoked fear and changed the paradigm of our daily life as we know it…. Yet, there are elders in our midst that have dealt with truly unthinkable horrors and come out on the other end even more resilient. This week we revisit one of the most important interviews in Spartan Up history. Dan Crowley’s is a 98-year-old WWII POW, survivor of the horrific Bataan Death March, and a delightful man. Faced with unfathomable torture, he is truly one of the most resilient, remarkable and optimistic human beings we have had the privilege to meet. This extended episode tells a dark tale in the world’s history, yet, his smiling jovial face shows the true and utter strength, grit and resolve of our species. It was our honor to be able to capture this important story and share it with all of you. In this time of personal confinement, find the hope and positivity to keep your spirits high and inspire those around you! We will get through this- march on. LINKS: Save $50 https://www.freshmealplan.com/spartan Code: spartan50   SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena with Johnny Waite, Colonel Nye Dr. L & Marion Abrams… Sefra is planting a victory garden in the face of current obstacles… Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty © 2020 Spartan

During times of stress and unpredictability, there is often no more important value than the value of interdependence. Interdependence is the recognition that I can rely on you and you can rely on me. For whatever reason, many of us have come to believe that reaching out to others for support is weakness or a demonstration of incompetence. In truth, using the support around you and offering support in return is a huge measure of strength and courage. Give yourself permission to reach out for help, ask for something that you need, and benefit from the value of interdependence. LESSONS: Interdependence is the acknowledgement of reciprocity in support - I need you, you need me. Utilize your support system by reaching out and expressing your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. There is strength in being able to lean on others for help and also being strong when others need to lean on you.   SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND DR. L: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Dr. L on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drlarapence/ CREDITS: Production Team: Heather Knox, Knox Creative; Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host: Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis: Dr. Lara Pence © 2020 Spartan