Becoming Ronin

Overview: In our second installment of “Quick Fix” Smitty and OB take to the listener submitted questions.  OB and Smitty start by talking about what leadership means to them. Tips from their experience running businesses, and their top resources to learn more about learning leadership qualities. Secondly the guys tackle an all too common reality: Man Boobs (MOOBS). Their answer ranges from hormones, blood panels, lifestyle, nutrition and more. Then they discuss their top three ways to build up the bench press and even include some trouble-shooting tips for addressing your own bench press problems. Lastly, they cover variables that separate free weight training from training with machines and cables and top pros and cons of both.   Timestamps: [0:00] Intro [1:10] Top Leadership Resources (@valdovinosjavier) [7:30] Are Your Hormones Causing Man Boobs (@vincesharp101) [11:11] Tip to Avoid the 2 pm Crash [17:11] Best Supplementals to Build the Bench Press [24:21] Machines Vs Freeweights   EXTRAS Buy a Ronin Hoodie or T-Shirt! https://www.bonfire.com/becoming-ronin/   Blood Panel with Inside Tracker: https://www.insidetracker.com   CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/   Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong   Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com   (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com   Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther   Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN

Overview: In today’s episode, we are honored to have Josh Lange on the show. Josh is a business owner, former MMA fighter,  jiu jitsu black belt, and a modern philosopher. This episode touches on what Jiu Jitsu means and how it leads to self-mastery, but dives way deeper as Josh does a fantastic job at “zooming out” to see the big picture. Emotional control, fitness, connectedness, and finding balance are all major take aways from our discussion with our friend Josh. Follow Josh: @corazonmartialarts   Timestamps: [0:30] Breathing and Jiu Jitsu [6:25] Smitty’s Embarrassing Jiu Jitsu Experience [10:57] Jiu Jitsu Principles [20:30] Lessons with Ego [23:10] What Makes a Good Jiu Jitsu Athlete [30:10] Handling Yourself Outside of the Gym [35:05] German High Volume Training [46:50] Daily Meditating [55:30] Controlling Your Emotions [59:10] Background in MMA [1:06:00] Overcoming Obstacles in Your Journey [1:11:07] Advice for Those Looking to Start Their Journey   EXTRAS CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/ Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN

Overview: Episode 38 marks the very first segment of “Quick Fix.” Due to the influx of listener questions on Instagram, Smitty and OB will be adding a separate episode each week in addition to the normal episode, that will be dedicated to answering your questions in a semi-rapid fire style. If you’re someone that doesn’t have time to listen to a full hour episode or have an extremely short attention span, these episodes are for you! In the very first segment of Quick Fix, Smitty and OB talk about things training precautions for morning training, top movements that cause injury if not performed properly, and some very useful tips for recovery and fat loss.  Submit all questions for future Quick Fix episodes to our Instagrams: @oberther @smittydiesel Timestamps: [0:30] Precautions When Training In the Morning [9:21] Top Movements that Cause Injury [18:06] Are Grappler Squats the Devil? [19:00] Best Exercise For Recovery Day [20:40] Fat Loss Tips   EXTRAS CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/ Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN

OVERVIEW In our third segment of “Everything You Need to Know” Smitty and OB dive into an often overlooked aspect of training; the warm up. Even those that do take the time to warm up are often neglect a true format and end up wasting time. In this episode Smitty and OB cover everything from SMR, breathing, corrective exercise, the central nervous system, assessment and more. Smitty even lays out his eight phase protocol he uses with all of his high level athletes. Be sure to give this a listen before your next workout and stay tuned until the end for an exclusive announcement! TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Shooter’s Gauntlet [7:32] Warming Up [15:50] How Pain Changes the Brain [19:37] Taking the Neural E-Brake Off [34:47] Take Care of Your Hot Spots [39:22] How to Design Your Warm Ups [45:00] Diaphragmatic Breathing [48:31] How to “Autoregulate” Your Workouts [1:02:00] Turning Up CNS Intensity Before the Workout [1:07:00 Real World Example of The Warm Up Protocol   EXTRAS Shooter’s Gauntlet: https://www.shootersgauntlet.com   CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/   Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong   Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com   (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com   Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther   Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN

OVERVIEW Today’s episode is another round of OB and Smitty thinking through listener submitted questions. They start by talking about breathing, bracing, and CO2 tolerance. Then they dive into some nitty gritty training questions about injures, imbalances, form breakdowns, and even analyze a listeners squat video submission. A question about grip training sparks the memory of a classic Smitty training story before rounding out the episode with tips on training for grappling.   TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Intro [1:25] Memorial Stair Climb [9:30] Box Breathing [12:55] Co2 Tolerance Test [16:45] How OB Rehabbed His Neck Injury [26:00] Smitty and OB analyze a listener’s squat video [32:30] Best Way to Brace for a Squat [35:20] Focusing on End Range Isometrics [44:22] Weakness At The Bottom of the Bench Press [50:15] Smitty’s Farmer’s Walk Story [57:20] How to Train Muscular Imbalances [1:01:33] Best Exercise for Grapplers     EXTRAS CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/ Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN  

OVERVIEW In the second series of Everything You Need to Know, Smitty and OB have decided to take a deep dive into a highly requested subject: productivity. Telling people to prioritize, plan, and execute it much like telling a sports team to just score more points than the other team. Much of the information is oversimplified to the point where it doesn’t work. In this episode, Smitty and OB outline some of the major considerations to avoid procrastination and some big science-backed tips to systematically break down your projects and attack your goals.   TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Intro [5:37] OB and Smitty’s Personal Notes on Productivity [10:04] The Three Types of Procrastination [13:48] How Your Environment Affects Workflow [16:10] Awareness of Habits [26:35] How to Construct BETTER “To-Do” Lists [29:00] Time Blocks [37:00] How to Make Projects Manageable  [44:00] Pleasure vs. Enjoyment [52:00] Binaural Beats [56:10] Take Aways    EXTRAS Increase Focus with Binaural Beats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Tt3LoygCQ CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/ Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN

OVERVIEW Smitty and OB are honored to bring Chris McGowans exercise to Becoming Ronin listeners. Chris is an IFBB pro bodybuilder, transformation specialist, and nutrition expert.  In today’s episode Chris outlines how he caters nutrition plans for his client, some of the biggest myths when it comes to dieting, and a few big pitfalls people fall into when focusing on nutrition. TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Intro [2:01] Rapid Fire Questions [9:30] Morning Routine [15:30] The Main Factor In Nutrition [18:50] Immediate Signs Of Success [28:26] Adherence to Nutrition [32:36] A Big Problem When People Set Macros [39:14] Biggest Dieting Myths [44:26] What To Do When Progress Stalls [47:09] Getting Lean to Add Muscle [49:00] A Big Mindset Pitfall [53:11] Overcoming Major Obstacles   Chris McGowan’s social: https://mcgowanfitness.com https://www.instagram.com/mcgowanfitness/   EXTRAS CPPS @ Elite FTS: https://cppscoaches.com/schedule/oct-2022-cpps-level-1-certification-elitefts/ Team Forever Strong: Https://trainheroic.com/foreverstrong Instagram  (OB) https://www.instagram.com/oberther/ www.infinityithaca.com (Smitty) https://www.instagram.com/smittydiesel/ www.dieselsc.com Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) http://elementallabs.refr.cc/brianoberther Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank at: https://plunge.pxf.io/qnXvLN

First things first! If you’re a coach, trainer, physical therapist, a parent, or just someone who loves fitness, this is your chance to join us in October for the best training certification in the industry! The CPPS Level 1 certification will be held on October 27 at EliteFTS in Ohio. Check out the details in the show note links! Todays episode is born from listener feedback. The listeners have reported to Smitty and OB that they would love deeper dives on some of the topics they discuss. In response to this request, Smitty and OB are starting a NEW SERIES unimaginatively called “Everything You Need to Know!” In this series, Smitty and OB will comprehensively cover new topics in each episode starting with the often misunderstood Contrast Training as it relates to athletic performance. In this episode, the guys answer a couple of warm-up questions, including exercises that target the obliques, and what to do if you feel shoulder pain when benching. If you’re a coach looking to implement contrast training or you want to spice up your training, be sure to listen to this episode! *For a full list of show notes, timestamps & important links from this episode visit: Becoming Ronin Podcast TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Intro and Upcoming CPPS [6:24] Exercises that Target the Obliques [17:20] How To Fix Shoulder Pain with Bench Pressing [22:52] Everything You Need to Know (EYNTK) About Contrast Training [33:00] Supra-maximal Training [39:30] Triphasic Training [41:25] French Contrast Training [44:00] Supertraining  [48:48] The Eccentric Connection to Explosiveness [52:19] Bridging the Gap Between Performance Characteristics [57:10] Know These Rules Before Contrast Training [1:05:00] The Dichotomy of Being A Good Coach IMPORTANT LINKS CPPS at ELITEFTS (Day Before SWIS) Team Forever Strong (The world's only fitness program dedicated to longevity-based muscle!) OB's Instagram Smitty's Instagram Infinity Athletics (Ithaca) RESOURCES Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) The Cold Plunge (Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank)  

Today we’re joined by our good friend, Josh Comitale. Josh is a 14-year veteran of the Troy, NY Police Department. Smitty and OB inquire about Josh’s experience in law enforcement and his early career. Josh then covers in gripping detail, his role in the 2015 officer-involved shooting, what it was like mentally, and the road to recovery. As usual, lots of lessons to be learned so don’t miss a second! Josh's story will have you on the edge of your seat from the very first minute! *For a full list of show notes, timestamps & important links from this episode visit: Becoming Ronin Podcast TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Intro [1:00] Rapid Fire Questions [8:23] Becoming a Cop [13:33] Early Career [15:10] How Bail Reform Affects Policing [19:11] Defunding the Police [23:20] Is More Training the Answer? [27:53] Answering Calls [32:24] Officer Involved Shooting [53:00] PTSD [1:06:00] Lessons Learned IMPORTANT LINKS Security Camera Footage of Josh's Incident Josh Comitale Instagram Team Forever Strong (The world's only fitness program dedicated to longevity-based muscle!) OB's Instagram Smitty's Instagram Infinity Athletics (Ithaca) RESOURCES Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) The Cold Plunge (Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank)

Today, Smitty and OB are honored to be joined by Infinity Coach, Cory Comitale. Cory is brining the Ronin community his guidelines for how he creates his perfect morning routine. The Ronin listeners are no strangers to the connection between owning your morning and self-mastery. Secondly, Smitty gets OB’s and Cory’s thoughts on his rules for longevity. The guys talk through all the things Smitty wishes he knew early on in his career and is now passing on as sage advice for training success. *For a full list of show notes, timestamps & important links from this episode visit: Becoming Ronin Podcast TIMESTAMPS [0:00] Team Forever Strong [1:50] The 20-20-20 Rule for Morning Routines [11:51] The Truth Behind Tracking Calories [28:00] Imperfect Training is Better Than No Training [31:30] Smitty and OB Debate Longevity [34:15] Choose the Exercise to the Person [35:30] Improved Technique as Progression [36:40] Don’t Use First Exercise as Warm Up [43:30] No Failed Reps [47:40] Incorporating Unilateral Training [52:46] Cycling Barbell Out of Your Program IMPORTANT LINKS Team Forever Strong (The world's only fitness program dedicated to longevity-based muscle!) OB's Instagram Smitty's Instagram Infinity Athletics (Ithaca) RESOURCES Order LMNT! (The Cleanest Sports Drink on the Market) The Cold Plunge (Get $150 off the premier cold plunge tank)