Architect of Resilience

In possibly one of the darkest episodes of Strength Chat to date, we're excited to have back our very first host from our first episode ever all the way back in 2016. Whereas our previous conversation focused on entrepreneurship and the fitness industry, today's show features a conversation on a topic rarely touched: male mental health.  Jeff Halevy is a long-time friend of Kabuki, a former Today Show corespondent, host of internationally syndicated Workout from Within, and Inc 5000 winning entrepreneur for his many successful ventures in the fitness industry. But he hasn't always been these things. Known to many as an extremely dynamic, bright, and passionate voice in fitness - Jeff has only recently opened up to share his story of survival from depression, near-suicide, and chaos that almost landed him in prison for 25 years.  In this extremely insightful and honest episode, Jeff and our hosts unpack what it means to "be a man" in the social age, fallacies and traps men fall into, and the desperate need for transparency and acceptable for those seeking help. This is an important episode for all of us to listen to. Thanks for sharing your story Jeff. 

We have a lot of incredible guests on this podcast, but today's conversation with Rachel Balkovec is truly a testimony of passion by an incredible woman with deep, raw introspection into her own life experiences and a hunger to live out her vision. Rachel is a powerhouse in the strength & conditioning world; and now in professional baseball as she just signed with the Yankees to become the first full-time female hitting coach hired by a major league organization! Rachel has previously worked for the Astros and Cardinals as a S&C Coordinator and is currently wrapping up her work at Driveline Baseball, a data-driven performance training facility in Washington state. She has two graduate degrees in the science of human movement and is a life-long student, intentionally seeking out mentorship and drawing out knowledge from her experiences. After Rachel shares an absolutely hilarious story (seriously, one of the best funny stories we've had), her and our hosts dive into a wide range of topics ranging from life and identity, to belief systems, the challenge of being a woman in a very male-dominated industry, the flow state, visualization, and of course her experiences on and off the field working as an elite-level coach.  Rachel breaks down her value system and what drives her deep down to continue pushing and breaking new ground as an educator, coach, and human being. She discusses her background growing up in Omaha, Nebraska and the nomadic lifestyle (she's lived in 13 countries in the past 10 years) that takes her all over the world and allows her to be minimalist, nimble, and focused on her passion of learning and growing as a human and professional - wherever that may be. You don't want to miss this one! 

Mike Robertson is one of the strength & conditioning industry's most respected coaches, working with athletes from all walks of life all the way up to the collegiate and professional levels. He is the founder and owner of i-FAST, named as one of the America's Top 10 Gyms by Men's Health magazine. He is the host of the Physical Preparation Podcast and writes numerous books and articles through his company, Robertson Training Systems. Our hosts spend time discussing the differences in training gen pop, athletic populations, and strength-specific athletes. Mike shares his experiences growing and scaling his coaching business/gym and the challenges that came with burnout, lack of time, and prioritization.  This is a fantastic listen for coaches/trainers just getting into the industry who want wisdom and advice from an experienced coach.

Today's episode is a fascinating discussion with sleep expert Nick Lambe - The Online Sleep Coach. Sleep is a topic that is equally important to all humans, particularly performance and strength athletes. We all have different relationships with sleep, some positive and some negative.  Listen in as Nick discusses the physiological and psychological processes behind healthy sleep, how supplementation (stimulants, sleep aids, THC/CBD, etc) work and affect sleep, and the difference between quality and quantity of sleep. He discusses the importance of habit and environment to sleep quality, sleep hygiene, as well as recent research on sleep. A great listen for all sleepers!  You can follow Nick on Instagram @theonlinesleepcoach or online at onlinesleepcoach.com where you can learn more about his sleep coaching services. 

Today's guest is none other than Dave Freakin' Lipson! For those who don't know, Dave is a CrossFit HQ Staff Member, coach, athlete, writer, and co-owner of Thundrbro, an up-and-coming training, lifestyle, and supplement company focused on the intersection between hypertrophy training and functional/skill training.  Dave's background is as a strength & conditioning coach for professional MLB and NFL players, celebrities, elite CrossFit athletes (including his wife and 2014 Games Champion Camille Leblanc-Bazinet) and he is considered one of the top CrossFit coaches in the industry! On this episode our hosts and Dave discuss candidly topics ranging from CrossFit, it's effect on the growth of other strength sports, specialization, and of course comparisons between CF athletes and powerlifters! Dave also walks us through his training philosophy and approach working with his athletes through Thundrbro. A fantastic episode with an awesome dude! To end, we'll leave you with this golden nugget from the show:  Dave: "When I was growing up, powerlifters looked like potatoes!" 

Today's guest on Strength Chat is Ben Esgro, founder of DeNovo Nutrition and an expert in all things supplementation, nutrition, and the science behind it all. He is a Registered Dietitian and did his graduate studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Sports Nutrition.  In today's show we discuss Ben's philosophy behind supplementation and his approach to starting a different type of supplement company in an industry often seen as tainted (literally) by fallacious claims, misunderstood science, and unethical business practices.  Ben and the hosts talk about the current state of the industry and the problems/consequences seen as a result of its rapid growth and loose (often non-existent) regulations. He makes recommendations for athletes on how to approach supplementation, what to look for in a brand, and how to research ingredients, effective dosages, and the pharmacology behind the chemicals we put into our bodies. This is an excellent episode for those interested in supplements and understanding more about what goes on behind the scenes in the industry, so as to have the knowledge and be able to make informed decisions about a topic that directly affects health and performance. 

You may have noticed that we have a minor obsession with feet and the human-to-ground interface here at Kabuki Strength, and today's guest is an expert in the field! Dr. Ray McClanahan is a Podiatric Physician and Surgeon, who today runs his own practice - NW Foot and Ankle - right here in our hometown Portland, Oregon. For those not familiar, podiatry is the branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of the foot, ankle, and related structure of the leg. The good doctor is also the inventor of Correct Toes, which are anatomical toe spacers designed to be worn either barefoot or inside footwear - and here's the important part - while being active. Dr. Ray has loads of clinical experience dealing with foot/ankle issues and provides us with valuable insight into his views on barefoot training, the foot-to-ground connection, rooting during loaded movement, issues with footwear, and other nuanced topics of the sort. Our hosts had a great time bouncing concepts/ideas off the mind of an incredibly talented MD like Dr. Ray. We hope you enjoy!

Today's guest is a well-known figure in the strength world, having been a writer, coach, and educator for a number of years and was voted Powerlifting Coach of the Year in 2016.  Swede is the creator of the popular 5th Set methodology and owns Keyhole Barbell. He has published numerous popular articles on various topics and is a man of many talents and depth of expression.  On today's episode Swede discusses his time in prison, how 5th Set came to be out of that darkness, and where it is today. He provides a very interesting, and thought-provoking perspective on working around training limitations when it comes to equipment and time - based on his experiences behind bars.  Today, Swede coaches athletes, writes regularly as a contributor to EliteFTS. You can learn more about him on his website, via Instagram, or read his published works on EliteFTS.

Today's host may be familiar to many of you - Dr. Craig Liebenson has been a long-time friend of Kabuki Strength and has previously been a guest on the show - all the way back on Ep. 34. We're glad to have him on again today and this is one of those episodes that you don't want to miss.  In today's discussion you'll hear our hosts and Dr. Liebenson discuss: How to manage your passions with your responsibilities Failure, Progress, and why you'll never be Perfect The Silo: On the dangers of too much data/information The "Fix It" mentality  Earning your recovery "The Tyranny of the Clinic", and why I kicked a doctor out of my clinic and into the gym Online Coaching: Technology, personalization and data collection to improve outcomes The Spine Fusion Disaster This list doesn't begin to cover the depth of content covered in this episode. Hope you enjoy!   Dr. LIebenson's groundbreaking work with Dr. Karl Levit and Dr. Pavel Kolar have heavily influenced our core understanding of spinal health and performance, and is a member of the Kabuki Strength Advisory Board. Hope you enjoy this episode! 

Mike McCastle is a living legend - having performed feats of strength and endurance that will have you saying "...he did WHAT?". Like doing 5,804 pull-ups in 24 hours while wearing a 30lb pack. The first time he tried that, he ended up in the hospital for 4 days with torn biceps, forearms, and rhabdo. Mike has flipped a 250lb truck tire for 13 miles, he even spent 10 hours climbing a 20 foot rope 1450 times, which is the height of Mt. Everest. Perhaps the most fascinating and best part about Mike is his deep conviction and passion for doing good in the world. All these insane accomplishments fall under The 12 Labors Project, Mike's personal philanthropic endeavor to raise money and awareness for important causes via feats of endurance and strength. In this episode you'll hear lots of laughs and funny stories, but also moments of self-reflection from Mike on what drives him to do this and what his "why" is. Our hosts and Mike also discuss details regarding his training, nutrition, and recovery modalities used to be able to perform at such an extreme level. A fascinating episode and a must listen. Mike's passion is contagious, and we guarantee it will inspire you. To learn more about Mike McCastle visit his website twelvelaborsproject.com and make sure to follow him on social media @mikemccastle