The Hard Way With Joe De Sena

Joe DeSena interviews Charlie Rocket at the Fenway Park Spartan Race. "CEO Charlie" was successful in business, he managed the artist 2 Chainz to a Grammy! But he found himself overweight and seriously ill with a brain tumor, none of that so-called success mattered anymore. Charlie made a massive pivot from "CEO Charlie" to "Charlie Rocket!" In an honest, human and incredibly energetic and optimistic way Charlie Rocket is sharing his journey. Everyone told him it was impossible, but he's now a Nike sponsored Athlete. Charlie Rocket is unstoppable, or as he says "I'm on a WINNING STREEAAAK!!" We recorded this interview in November, and Charlie's been killing it since then! LESSONS Call yourself the person you want to become Believe it's going to be easy, even through the hard parts Train like an 8-year old (full of fun!!) Even water, if it's still too long, begins to stink! Walk your walk This episode of Spartan Up! is brought to you by Tiger Balm Active. Trust Tiger Balm Active for proven pain relief. Get new Tiger Balm Active in Gel, Rub and convenient Spray. https://tigerbalm.us/ LINKS Charlie Rocket https://www.charliejabaley.com/ TIME STAMPS 0:00 Joe, Sefra. Col. Nye & Guest host retired Sgt. Major Frank Grippe introduce the episode 1:15 Tiger Balm Active intro 1:45 Interview begins with Charlie Rocket 3:20 Why he became CEO Charlie 5:00 Why he became an athlete 6:45 How he got to work with Nike 9:00 Tiger Balm Active Break 10:15 31 Habits of Healthy Spartans: Who you are when no one else is looking 11:40 Back to Charlie Rocket and Joe Kettlebell (with Spartan Tea) 13:20 "The Life and Death of CEO Charlie" 14:50 What does it mean to train like an 8-year-old 17:10 Joe, Sefra. Col. Nye & Guest host retired Sgt. Major Frank Grippe discuss how to integrate Charlie Rockets lessons into your daily routine 22:35 Tiger Balm Active 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, Colonel Nye & Sefra Alexandra, Guest host retired Sgt. Major Frank Grippe (Johnny Waite is producing Spartan Races in Asia ) Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty © 2019 Spartan

If you say you are going to do something, then do it. Not a version of it. Not some approximation. Do exactly it. Not to is to set the new lowest standard or to invite confusion. Look for those tiny simple things that you might do that create inconsistency with communication and action. It could be using the word 'try' or 'maybe' when establishing a performance metric. It could be punching the snooze button which suggests you either didn't really mean what you said or that you can change your tune with your mood. No matter how simple is may seem they are sure foundations for some of the less obvious and more intrusive places you allow dissonance to reside. When you find yourself confronted with someone that has trouble with saying and doing, get them to specify measurable factors of performance or action to eliminate confusion or opportunity for disappointment. LESSONS: Do what you Say Say what you Mean Mean what you Do Do what you Mean SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND Tosh: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Tosh on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tosh.crookedbutterfly/ CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion,llc. Host: Brian "tosh" Chontosh Show notes: Brian "tosh" Chontosh © 2019 Spartan

Magnesium has some amazing properties for your brain and body. It also makes important contributions to many important processes in the human body. Two things that many of us have experienced are stress and muscle cramps. First, let's look at magnesium and its impact on stress, especially in relation to cortisol. Cortisol is the body's principal stress hormone. This hormone helps to keep us alert during stressful moments or emergencies. But when stress becomes chronic, cortisol levels can stay high for too long which can lead to damage a part of the brain called the hippocampus; this damage leads to further creation of cortisol – and even more stress! Luckily, magnesium can help to reduce the ability of the hippocampus to go into overdrive with the production of cortisol. Second, magnesium has many therapeutic and restorative effects on the brain. For instance, it helps to keep the neurons in the brain healthy by reducing the stimulating effects of calcium and glutamate on neural receptors. A lack of magnesium in the area of cell receptors means that stimulus from calcium and glutamate can increase. This leads to cell damage and even cell death in the brain. Research has also suggested that this mineral can help protect people from falling into periods depression and anxiety after suffering brain trauma. Third, magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and it's part of many important functions. Keeping magnesium at the right level can help you in so many ways. Since it plays a role in neuromuscular transmission and muscle contraction it is linked (along with some other minerals like potassium and calcium) to muscle cramping when levels are deficient. Things like nerve compression and poor blood supply can also cause cramping so if it's something persistent and troublesome see your health care provider. Not many people know this but magnesium is part of every cell in your body. It's what's known as a "helper" molecule that is part of biochemical reactions that are happening all the time in human cells. Everything from the movement of muscles to the creation and repair of DNA and RNA involves magnesium. Although magnesium doesn't often make the health headlines, it's presence in all our cellular functions means that it's a critical component of our overall well-being. How about some natural ways you can up your magnesium: it's found in avocados, nuts, lentils, and bananas. Of course there are Mg supplements but I love food as medicine whenever possible. So keep calm and carry on … by keeping your magnesium at healthy levels. KEY TERMS & IDEAS Magnesium is ubiquitous in the body and plays a role in all of the processes of our cells. It also plays an important role in mental health by both reducing cell death in the brain and mitigating the levels of cortisol released by the brain during times of stress. Cortisol is the body's principal stress hormone. The hippocampus "is a small, curved formation in the brain that plays an important role in the limbic system. The hippocampus is involved in the formation of new memories and is also associated with learning and emotions." LINKS & RESOURCES: Follow Dr. Nada on: Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nada-milo... Sage Tonic www.sagetonic.com Sage Tonic on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sagetonic/ Franziska Spritzler, "10 Evidence-Based Benefits of Magnesium," Healthline, September 3, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-magnesium-benefits#section9, accessed January 2019. Inna Slutsky et al., "Enhancement of learning and memory by elevating brain magnesium," Neuron 65.2 (2010): 165-177, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627309010447, accessed January 2019. Emily Deans, Magnesium and the Brain: The Original Chill Pill," Psychology Today, June 12, 2011, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201106/magnesium-and-the-brain-the-original-chill-pill, accessed January 2019. Kendra Cherry, "Hippocampus Role in the Limbic System, verwellmind, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-hippocampus-2795231, accessed January 2019. "What is Cortisol?" Web MD, https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol#1, accessed Lisa Fromm, et al., "Magnesium attenuates post-traumatic depression/anxiety following diffuse traumatic brain injury in rats," Journal of the American College of Nutrition 23.5 (2004): 529S-533S, https://www.spectracell.com/media/uploaded/0/0e2016839_020fullpaper2004jamcollnutrmagnesium-attenuates-post-traumatic-depression-anxiety.pdf, accessed January 2019. 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/spartanuppo... Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Writer and Host: Nada Milosavljevic MD, JD © 2019 Spartan

Kevin Gillotti talks with John Yatsko, an athlete not often seen on the OCR circuit but one who has the historical results & credentials to put worry into his competitors when he does show up. Kevin & John talk about staying elite level fit while living a nomadic lifestyle. LESSONS: Be resourceful If you are creative & dedicated, you can train anywhere Be disciplined with your time Consider phases - mountain, speed, etc. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND KEVIN G Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Kevin Gillotti on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevingillotti/ Kevin Gillotti on The Web www.kevingillotti.com CREDITS: Host: Kevin Gillotti Show Notes & Artwork: Kevin Gillotti Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Videography: Madison McGahan, Mike Isabell, Alberto Campos Editing: Heather Knox © 2019 Spartan

The 4 AM club is something that Cory Gregory runs out of his gym in Ohio. You can create ANY type of "club" & it doesn't have to be at 4 AM! LESSONS: Building a club will build accountability for yourself and everyone else Pick specific days & times with a group and lock them down for whatever it is you want to improve: fitness, business, sports skills, etc. Make sure this group of people are people you do NOT want to let down. This will motivate you to always show up, even during tough times LINKS: More about Zach https://zacheven-esh.com Read "The Spartan Way" https://www.spartan.com/en/race/learn-more/race-types-overview?article=the-spartan-way-book SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP & Zach: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Follow Zach on Instagram https://instagram.com/zevenesh Follow Zach on Twitter https://twitter.com/zevenesh Zach's STRONG Life Podcast https://apple.co/2vFaCv1 CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Host & Show Notes: Zach Even-Esh © 2019 Spartan

For better or worse, life is filled with struggle and challenge. We, as humans, were built with a wide emotional range and often experience a variety of feelings, both joyful and painful ones. Nevertheless, we are bombarded with the message that one's life goals should be a constant state of happiness; that the pursuit of happiness should trump all. The problem with this goes back to that first sentence, life is filled with struggle and challenge. And it's normal for us to experience hardship. Good for us in fact. But when we have the misbelief that life should always and only be happy we can end up comparing our current position to a false and manufactured ideal. LESSONS: The Happiness Hoax: Ascribing to the misbelief that life should be all happy, all the time. Struggle, challenge, and hardship are a part of life. Stop judging your own position against a false ideal that is impossible to achieve. Remember, the struggles that you encounter are there for a reason and are no measure of how capable you are of living a fulfilling life. 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 © 2019 Spartan

The Youngest GM in baseball history, Theo Epstein took the Red Sox to the World Championships after 86 years then did the same for the Chicago Cubs after a 108 years! What techniques did he use to change the culture of his organization? In this interview he explains how he chooses players (it has a lot to do with their mindset and resilience!), his theory on taking and giving credit, and the three things you should do if you want to improve your team culture. LESSONS Understand foundational elements of success Study your mental makeup Look inwards for motivation List strengths and weaknesses to make your development plan Know your foundations to be able to make adjustments Have a "mirror & window" business/ personal culture Don't just talk about the values that you want - demonstrate them Character & connectedness is key LINKS Save $50 on the Misfit Vapor2 with the code SPARTAN50 at www.Misfit.com/vapor2 Misfit Vapor2 is the mudproof, sweatproof smartwach that's great for Spartans. TIME STAMPS: 0:00 Joe De Sena, Colonel Nye & Sefra Alexandra introduce the interview 1:05 MISFIT.COM/ VAPOR2 code SPARTAN50 1:35 Interview with Theo Epstein at Fenway begins 4:00 how to turn a team around 6:00 diving into the unknown of baseball to gain insights 8:00 questioning the process after bad outcomes 10:45 creating a vision everyone can buy into 11:35 managing success 14:40 inheriting a team with 100+ year losing record 16:55 MISFIT.COM/ VAPOR2 break 18:30 31 Habits: #13 Carbs are not the enemy 20:30 Interview continues: identifying amazing players 23:20 Changing your frame of reference: manufacturing adversity 30:19 Joe De Sena, Col. Nye & Sefra discuss the interview 36:48 MISFIT.COM/ VAPOR2 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, Colonel Nye & Sefra Alexandra (Johnny Waite is producing Spartan Races in Asia ) Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty © 2019 Spartan

Highly Competent: know your job, do your job, be quick to develop and eager to assume responsibility. Competence is acquired through training, practice, time under tension, experience - for sure. Let's just not keep making the same mistakes over and over, being told to do things repeatedly, and be happy with minimum standards. Low Maintenance: don't require a lot of special handling or attention. At times, things will come up that need to be handled or addressed in order to not distract us from performing. The key here is frequency. If it is a daily maintenance task to get someone to do their job, then I'm looking for someone with a weekly maintenance cycle. And then, I'm already looking for someone with a monthly cycle, and then a quarterly… No Drama: we already have enough as it is to get along, understand and appreciate differences, and try to figure out how to lead dozens of different personality/talent patterns. If you like to gossip, invent truth, pass judgment, make gros assumptions too quickly, be over sensitive or take things always personal etc, I'm not convinced you are a good fit to be a part of a great team. Whatever you expect from others, demand of yourself. LESSONS: Do your job; well. Be invested in success. Minimize the special circumstances you need in order to produce. Don't create problems. The world has enough already. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND Tosh: Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Tosh on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tosh.crookedbutterfly/ CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion,llc. Host: Brian "tosh" Chontosh Show notes: Brian "tosh" Chontosh © 2019 Spartan

Today, we're going to clear up a misconception about muscle and metabolism. It's become common knowledge that muscle burns so many more calories than fat. If you put on more muscle, the story goes, more calories just burn along with it. So increase your muscle mass! Right? In this episode of Spartan Health we're gonna' look into that… WHAT WE TALK ABOUT While it's true that muscle does burn more calories than fat, the importance of this difference may be quite exaggerated. As it turns out, resistance training (which is often the preferred way to build muscle) is important in keeping many of our body's functions healthy and vibrant … but it's not best way to lose weight. Not convinced? Here are some things to think about-- Many studies that demonstrate how muscle mass increases your calorie consumption measure your body's total metabolic rate as a way to determine how new muscle mass burns calories. But that metabolic rate is a measure of all of a person's daily activities, not just that of muscle mass. It turns out that on a daily basis, at the same time your muscles are working, so are other parts of your body – and they're burning calories, too. Your organs are doing this all day long. Even "fat" is burning calories indirectly by secreting proteins. Almost everything your body is doing outside of exercising is known as your "basal" or "resting" metabolism. You might be surprised to learn that the basal metabolism takes up 60-80% of your body's total consumption of energy. So, what are you going to do if you can't lift yourself towards losing huge amounts of calories through growing muscle? In a word, it's balance. 1) Watch your calorie intake but don't binge diet. In general, it's a simple equation. If you burn more calories than you consume, you'll probably lose weight. (But there is a catch – binge dieting may result in a permanent shift downwards in your metabolism, so a gradual approach is usually better….) 2) Drink lots of water. Drinking water can suppress your appetite. Drinking water also burns calories, especially cold water (because the body has to heat it up). And water is necessary to burn fat. 3) Have a varied exercise routine. Guess what? That's exactly what any Spartan Race will do. Weight training is good in this domain, but it's not the only thing. Daily aerobic exercise is a very efficient kind of movement for burning calories. But make sure to add little things to your daily routine – take the stairs instead of an elevator or walk to the local convenience store instead of using a car. Even "low intensity" activities like working in your backyard can add up on your daily calorie output. So, in short, how do I weigh in on only weight training to burn calories? It's not enough. Activities that vary your routine not only prep you for your next race but keeps your metabolism in good form. KEY TERMS & IDEAS Building muscle mass is a good way to increase your body's consumption of calories, but it's by no means the only way. In fact, if you depend too much on growing muscle as a means to control your weight, you'll be wasting a lot of effort. Reducing calorie intake in a sensible way while finding various ways to increase your aerobic and daily physical activities will offer the best path forward to losing weight. Basal metabolism: the energy consumed by the body when at rest. Metabolic rate: the amount of energy used by the body over a specific period of time. LINKS & RESOURCES: Follow Dr. Nada on: Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nada-milo... Sage Tonic www.sagetonic.com Sage Tonic on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sagetonic/ Julia Bellus, "Most of us misunderstand metabolism. Here are 9 facts to clear that up," Vox, September 4, 2018, https://www.vox.com/2016/5/18/11685254/metabolism-definition-booster-weight-loss, accessed January 2019. Christan Finn, "The Truth about Muscle and Metabolism," Muscle Evo, https://muscleevo.net/muscle-metabolism/, accessed January 2019. Jennifer Huizen, "Can water help you lose weight?" Medical News Today, June 28, 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322296.php, accessed January 2019. Alexandra McPherron, et al., "Increasing muscle mass to improve metabolism," Adipocyte 2.2 (2013): 92-98, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661116/, accessed January 2019. Ludo Van Etten et al., "Effect of an 18-wk weight-training program on energy expenditure and physical activity," Journal of Applied Physiology 82.1 (1997): 298-304, accessed January 2019, https://www.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/jappl.1997.82.1.298. 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/spartanuppo... Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS: Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Writer and Host: Nada Milosavljevic MD, JD © 2019 Spartan

Kevin Gillotti talks with Kirk Dewindt, a personal trainer (PT), a collegiate All-American in track, a handsomely popular "The Bachelorette" contestant, and a strong & respected member of the Spartan Pro Team about common injuries amongst endurance athletes. LESSONS: Overuse & repetitive injuries are most common Work on hip stabilization Wear a properly fit shoe For grip, improve your holds by adding weight SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP AND KEVIN G Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod Kevin Gillotti on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevingillotti/ Kevin Gillotti on The Web www.kevingillotti.com CREDITS: Host: Kevin Gillotti Show Notes & Artwork: Kevin Gillotti Producer: Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Videography: Madison McGahan, Mike Isabell, Alberto Campos Editing: Heather Knox © 2019 Spartan