Uncharted Performance

Almost getting shot by my best friend is a fun story to tell looking back on it now that I’m healthy and sober but the fact that it happened at all is rather disturbing. The barbell was the furthest thing from my mind. I can’t tell you what time it was because I can’t remember, but it’s more likely because I couldn’t see straight. It was definitely late; or rather should I say early in the morning. It was another day of heavy drinking (another Sunday, that is) and my friends had wisely called it quits. Me, on the other hand, not so much.

The season finale of Uncharted Performance is upon us! We close out season 7 of the show with the multi-talented Misbah Haque, host of the very successful Airborne Mind Podcast and coach at Revival Strength. We find out how Misbah has accomplished a great deal in a relatively short time, and the unique characteristics that have enabled him to considerably expand as a person, coach, host, and entrepreneur. Our conversation centers around several main themes including creativity, exploring, questioning, listening, and coaching. We then learn how Misbah incorporates these five elements into his movement practice, relationships, personal development, and self expression through conscious and persistent effort while being vulnerable and breaking a few rules along the way. The future is definitely bright for this up and coming leader. Enjoy!

He's back by popular demand! Marcus Filly of Revival Strength and Functional Bodybuilding returns to the show New Year's day. We catch up on family and training then "build of the base" we established back in Episode 65. We dive deeper into Functional Bodybuilding and the Awaken Training Series to discuss the evolution of the program from it's inception of being a model of what Marcus' training looked like to having a greater impact on other people based on his experience. We outline the progression of movements and how different training variables are adjusted during the program, as well as emphasize the importance of tempo and time under tension. Our conversation is highlighted by the topic of commitment to change and being loyal to a process to reap its long lasting benefits.

Our guest on episode 78 of Uncharted Performance is Logan Gelbrich of Deuce Gym. He is a former pro baseball player, CrossFit Seminar staff member, coach, entrepreneur, writer, student, coach, teacher, philosopher, but to label him as these would not be fair because of the given the combination of all these he’s much more. Our conversation is a organic free flowing exploration of the ripe environment for development and it is not specific to coaching or training What does that environment look like? What are the key contributing factors and variables?We probe how we can push our development, through exposing ourselves to opposing view points, departing from our beliefs, and the manner in which one can accomplish that. The coaches prep course developed by Logan and staff is a spring board for much of our discussion that also leads into creating problems, providing solutions, insuring against mediocrity, and breaking from dogma to allow ourselves to both evolve and devolve. What is great coaching? Tune in to find out and start playing up.

What is going on fam. This week’s guest on Uncharted Performance is the fittest nurse on earth, Jessica Griffith, who in 2017 made the CrossFit Games as a rookie individual competitor. We discuss in depth her role as a Level 1 trauma nurse, what took for her to get there and why she absolutely loves what she does, starting all the way back to what drew her to the field of medicine. We explore the carryover over to training and competing in CrossFit, reconciling the two very demanding commitments, and the challenges as well as the opportunities presented by her unique schedule. One thing that you will quickly notice about Jessica is her very positive attitude and bright smile - find out in the episode exactly why.

Peter Nelson was a former high school basketball and track and field standout who later became a smoker and a back injury had him sidelined into his mid 40s. Then cold turkey he gave up smoking and picked up a new “addiction”, running. He quickly kept upping the ante from 5k to marathons to ultra marathons. Now at 54, he has ran over 60 races of marathon distance or longer in a span of only 6 years. He cover the mental challenges of running such long distances, the perseverance to overcome difficult scenarios, and the benefit running has had on Pete’s physical and mental health. It wouldn’t be an episode of Uncharted if we didn’t cover why he continues to run, so much and so far, regularly pushing past what is rational, and how it makes him feel, as well as some tactical pointers regarding his training regimen including insights on what to prepare for as we push the boundaries of human potential at any age in this week’s episode.

So where are we this week? Back to a familiar place with our friends at GrooveRyde. This time it is with one of their newer team members, Joe Callari of Callari Killer Fitness and Beat Box instructor. As you quickly find out in our conversation Joe can light up a room very quickly. He is a retired MMA fighter and a fitness entrepreneur with a heart of gold. We dive into the world of mixed martial arts, what drew him to the sport and how it turned a one time "bully" into one of the kindest and most positive people we hope you have the opportunity to meet. Getting knocked out or punched in the face has many lessons we can learn from - both good and bad. We talk getting knocked around, a lot , why he enjoys it, his growth and in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and the many valuable lessons he took away from fighting in the octagon. We also discuss developing as a personal trainer, growing your own business and brand, as well as several other topics related to nutrition, and his wonderful mission of Squats Over Suicide. 

In Episode 74 with AJ Roberts we take you all the way back to South Hampton, England to being a basketball standout, coming to the US and the early challenges that led AJ to become on of the strongest human beings on the planet. You’ll hear early on that AJ set the bar very high and he was willing to do anything to get there. From becoming the strongest in his school to setting world records as part of the world famous Westside Barbell under Louie Simmons to leaving it behind and why. We also discuss his rise in the fitness business industry and the ability to thrive as an entrepreneur. Our conversation wouldn’t be complete without touching on some finer points of strength development and training. Enjoy!

What could happen if we all started paying attention? What if we could utilize fitness as a platform to express ourself, encourage people, and collectively grow? An eye opening conversation that transcends strength training, Olympic Weightlifting, or whatever your fitness endeavor might be with the one and only, Carl Paoli, the author of Freestyle Connection and creator of Gymnastics WOD. Carl and I discuss his roots, his gymnastics background, awesome studies and work in marine biology, and how all that led him to here and the environment and movement he is creating and championing through the freestyle connection and other endeavors. We get into why should we move like we care, what impact being kind to yourself can have, the importance of being present, creating an intellectual experience, how and where to make the biggest impact. Enjoy our conversation with Carl!

We are keeping the party going with non other than 4 times CrossFit Games athlete, total badass, Emily Abbott. We get into a ton of different topics, tattoos, growing up in Canada, travel, adventure, getting outdoors, using fitness and strength to experience the world, being one with nature, college basketball, as you might have figured out, a little bit about CrossFit, and what the future holds for this incredible human being.  If you are sense a pattern here, there isn’t one. This is a conversation about being human, being imperfect, vulnerable, having self doubt, imbalance, about there not being a finish line, pushing yourself, putting yourself in tough and uncomfortable situations, becoming strong, fierce, aggressive, daring to be you, and welcoming death, knowing you have dared and lived.