“That feeling of uncertainty - the feeling of not knowing if you’re capable to finish the race - is a gift,” says Charlie Engle, when speaking about his criteria for an adventure. At this point in Charlie’s career, he’s actively seeking adventures where completion is in doubt from the very start of the race. Spartan Up Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Charlie about the criteria he uses to choose his next adventure. In this episode you’ll learn: -There’s no reason for age to be a lim...
Mar 18, 2021•19 min•Ep. 668
What are the essential attributes you need to succeed? On a Spartan course, as an athlete or an entrepreneur? Rich Diviney served over 20 years as a Navy SEAL Officer. His new book “The Attributes” defines the key qualities, how to assess them, and how to develop them. In a career spanning over twenty years, Rich completed more than thirteen overseas deployments—eleven of which were to Iraq and Afghanistan. He served on multiple SEAL teams and in several leadership positions, including as a comm...
Mar 16, 2021•37 min•Ep. 667
“It was hard being the only girl on the team but I thought, because you don’t want me here, I’m going to stick it out just to make you mad,” says Victoria Francis, 2x member of the USA Women's Wrestling Team. SpartanUp Combat Series host Ryan Warner talks with Victoria about her journey of overcoming the resistance from her youth coach to now being one of the top female wrestlers in the world at her weight. In this episode you’ll learn: -How she overcame the fear of being the only female wrestle...
Mar 12, 2021•16 min•Ep. 666
Spartans believe in readiness. Life will throw your curveballs, and you will need to be mentally, physically and emotionally strong, resilient and ready. Our guest, psychologist Dr. Lara Pence, has a passion for teaching us to strengthen our emotional resilience. In this episode, she talks about the 5 tools you should pack in your mindset readiness kit, and how to develop the tools you don’t yet have. This episode is guest hosted by our behind the scenes producer Marion Abrams in honor of Intern...
Mar 09, 2021•38 min•Ep. 665
“Basically I saw a lack of competition at the same level as on the male side. I saw a lot of my female friends backing away from competitive races and I thought it was a shame, so I decided I wanted to sponsor a women’s team,” says Nicole Mericle, 2019 Spartan World Champion. Spartan Up Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Nicole about women in OCR and how we as a collective can encourage more women to participate. In this episode you’ll learn... -Nicole’s genesis story with OCR racing ...
Mar 08, 2021•25 min•Ep. 664
“The first thing I thought was...you’re not dying today,” says Matthias, Super Frenchie, Giraud when remembering an epic ski-BASE jump on the North face of Matterhorn with one ski. Spartan Up Podcast, DEKA Series hosts’ Jarod Cogswell and Yancy Culp talk with Matthias about how to conquer fear and live an intentional life. In this episode you’ll learn: -The origin story for Matthias’ famous Eiger-Matterhorn-Mont Blanc alpinist trilogy ski-BASE adventure -Humility and how to achieve it -How to ba...
Mar 06, 2021•49 min•Ep. 663
“The addict part of me is the best part of me,” says Charlie Engle, ultrarunning legend. Charlie speaks to how ultrarunning provided an outlet to channel his inner-addiction. SpartanUp Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Charlie about sobriety and fellowship, and how ultrarunning ties the two together. In this episode you’ll learn: -Why Charlie feels that his ‘addict part’ is the best part -How to run the addiction out of yourself -Two big lessons when working with a team -Why fellowsh...
Mar 04, 2021•22 min•Ep. 662
Training for mindset is just as important as training for strength. But how do you get started? Today Joe De Sena (founder and CEO of Spartan) talks with Gene Zannetti who created the Z-Winning Mindset program. The insights in this episode will help you start a daily mindset "workout," whether you are looking to progress as an athlete, professional, student or other areas of performance. "Everyone says our success in life is 90% mental, but then when you ask them about their preparation, they sa...
Mar 02, 2021•29 min•Ep. 661
“You can sit there and wallor about it ‘like I almost died.’ Or, you can be the person who says ‘how can I use this to make myself better?” That’s the question Jay Jackson asked after he was held at gunpoint for nearly 90 minutes. SpartanUp Combat Series host Ryan Warner talks with Jay about the harrowing experience that changed his life: when Jay was in college, he was held at gunpoint for nearly 90 minutes before turning the tables on his aggressor. That moment shaped Jay’s life and in this ep...
Feb 27, 2021•34 min•Ep. 660
“I always tell my team, I never leave anyone on the mountain,” says Michael Taylor, founder of Spartan Spades. SpartanUp Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Michael about how to start a Spartan team and the benefits of doing so. In this episode you’ll learn… -The origin story of Spartan Spades -How Michael encourages non-Spartan racers to sign-up for their first race -How to start a 150+ person Spartan team -What’s the one thing Michael has learned while launching Spartan Spades -Why i...
Feb 25, 2021•19 min•Ep. 659
How much sugar should you be eating? Why is it so hard to stop once you start? How have we evolved to crave it and what can you do about it? Spartan founder and CEO Joe De Sena talks to Sarah Wilson. Sarah Wilson is a former journalist and TV presenter, author and activist. She wrote the New York Times bestsellers "I Quit Sugar" and "First, We Make the Beast Beautiful" and she is the author of another 11 cookbooks that sell in 52 countries. Sarah’s latest book "This One Wild and Precious Life" i...
Feb 23, 2021•32 min•Ep. 658
The Freemans have a family mantra. It reads “I’m smart. I’m strong. I’m beautiful. I can do anything.” Parents David and Mechelle crafted the mantra for their kids, one of the many topics we cover in today’s SpartanUp DEKA Series episode where hosts Jarod Cogswell and Yancy Culp talk with the Freeman’s about… -Mechelle’s journey to leaving her job to train full-time for the Olympics -The moment David realized his purpose and how you can find yours too -The difference between a motivator and a ma...
Feb 20, 2021•39 min•Ep. 657
“My neighborhood ranks lowest (in terms of health markers) across the state, and the nation. We have some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the country,” says Michael Taylor. SpartanUp Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Michael about his quest to improve the health of his neighborhood through Spartan Races. In this episode, you’ll learn… -How Michael found Spartan Races and why they ‘grabbed’ him -About the health crisis in the Bronx -How to generate community-wide engag...
Feb 18, 2021•22 min•Ep. 656
Starting a craft brewery for non-alcoholic beers was was an idea that came to Bill Shufelt when he saw the huge improvements in his own life when he removed alcohol. He talks with Spartan Founder Joe De Sena and Spartan Up Co-Host Johnnie Waite about the cultural shifts he's seeing in the US and Canada around alcohol consumption. "Sober," he says, "is an outdated word." Many people are reducing their alcohol intake for a variety of health, fitness, performance, and readiness reasons. Today's epi...
Feb 16, 2021•23 min•Ep. 655
“Wrestling will change your life,” says head wrestling coach Mike Palazzo, who has created a wrestling dynasty at Lake Highland Prep (Florida). SpartanUp Combat Series host Ryan Warner and Joe De Sena interview Mike to learn how - within 10 years - he took a program on the brink of oblivion and turned Lake Highland Prep High School into a national powerhouse. In this episode you’ll learn... -How wrestling is a vetting process for life -To set goals - big goals - and develop a process to get ther...
Feb 13, 2021•38 min•Ep. 654
“I just can’t see investing in a business where the product is a stick with a cord,” an investor told Pete Holman. Today, that stick with a cord is sold across the globe and is known as the TRX Rip Trainer. SpartanUp DEKA series host Jarod Cogswell talks with Pete about some of his biggest failures - both athletically and professionally. In this episode, you’ll learn… -What athletic failure did Pete learn the most from? -How Pete rebounded after the aforementioned investor told Pete that his ide...
Feb 11, 2021•19 min•Ep. 653
Imagine: You're not in the shape you should be. You've of lost your direction. You've hit a low. That was Lindsay Dare Shoop. Eight years later, she was taking home gold at the Olympics on the US Rowing Team. Today she tells Joe De Sena, founder & Ceo of Spartan, how she made that transformation and all the things she learned in the process that make up her book, "Better Great Than Never." “I didn't think I was good enough to play a sport after high school. So I quit sports and spent about t...
Feb 09, 2021•37 min•Ep. 652
“It’s okay if they see you as the underdog, but don’t believe that you are the underdog,” says former NFL pro JJ Birden. Birden played in 9 NFL seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons from 1988 to 1996. Spartan Up DEKA series hosts Jarod Cogswell and Yancy Culp interview JJ Birden to help the listener learn: -How to sustain success after the ‘highlight’ after your life -Why it’s okay if other people see you as an underdog -How to focus your efforts on making small, incremental imp...
Feb 05, 2021•40 min•Ep. 651
“If you want to be an athlete when you’re 90, you have to keep mixing up your workouts,” says Lisa Smith-Batchen, endurance athlete and guest on this week’s Endurance Series episode. SpartanUp Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Lisa about how she uses cross-training to stay excited about working out. In this episode you’ll learn: -Why Lisa ran 100 miles while pulling a tire? -How Lisa uses snow-shoe walking as a form of meditation -Why does Lisa train / run with slower runners? -When ...
Feb 04, 2021•20 min•Ep. 650
Steven Pressfield, author of "Gates of Fire" about the original Spartans, and the classics "The Warrior Ethos" and "The War of Art" joins Joe De Sena on the Spartan Up podcast today. How will you keep driving forward in 2021? And what can we learn from the ancient Spartans about success and drive? If you've heard the terms "going pro" or "resistance" in the context of athletic, creative, mental performance you've heard the ideas of Stephen Pressfield. What can we learn about motivation from the ...
Feb 02, 2021•35 min•Ep. 649
“I was fired, my car exploded, and closed on a new house in a week’s time”, says Wade Burgess, Chief Revenue Officer at Rev.Com SpartanUp Combat Series host Ryan Warner talks with Burgess about that life-changing week. In this episode you’ll learn: -How to stay positive during your a job change -3 tips for achieving long-term happiness and satisfaction in your career -Advice for fitness lovers on careers that reward competitiveness -What wrestling taught Wade about discipline Connect with Wade -...
Jan 30, 2021•43 min•Ep. 648
How do you live life with no regrets? Tune into this episode with fitness inventor and export Pete Holman, who joins SpartanUp DEKA series hosts’ Jarod Cogswell and Yancy Culp, to share tactical advice on how to ‘leave it all on the table.’ In this you’ll learn... -What question you should ask yourself on your deathbed -About Pete’s inspiration for the TRX Rip Trainer -How you can create something from dust -The turning point in Pete’s life and how you can find yours -To never underestimate the ...
Jan 28, 2021•22 min•Ep. 647
Need some motivation as we walk into 2021? This is the episode for you. Fitness icon Clark Bartram and Joe De Sena share their favorite tactics for getting going and keeping going even when you don't feel like it. Clark says "I'm gonna let the cat out of the bag, I'm a fitness guy, I've made a living off of being in fitness. I don't like to exercise. I don't, I don't get up every morning, go, yay, I get to go work. ... but I enjoy the result from it. " This episode of Spartan Up! Is brought to y...
Jan 25, 2021•38 min•Ep. 646
“Physically, our bodies are so capable to do what our mind wants to do,” says Lisa Smith-Batchen, endurance athlete and guest on this week’s Endurance Series episode. SpartanUp Endurance Series host Johnny Waite talks with Lisa about her experiences racing the Badwater and the Badwater Quad. In this episode you’ll learn: -The extreme environments that runners face during the Badwater Ultramarathon -How to prepare for a race where you traverse multiple climates -How Lisa stays ‘peaceful’ during a...
Jan 23, 2021•21 min•Ep. 645
“The people who are advanced never don’t do the basics,” says Alex Hormozi, CEO of Gym Launch. Alex talks with SpartanUp DEKA series hosts Jarod Cogswell and Yancy Culp about how gym owners can thrive during the pandemic. In this episode you’ll learn: -How to increase client retention -How to inspire change with a client by using pain, not gain -The #1 principal for gym owners who want to achieve financial longevity -How to differentiate your gym -How to change your clients’ internal dialogue Co...
Jan 21, 2021•49 min•Ep. 644
Billionaire Mark Cuban joins Joe De Sena on Spartan Up today. The Shark tank star and owner of the Dallas Mavericks talks to Joe about how he would solve some pressing problems from fitness and childhood obesity to marketing Spartan races, to the idea of mandatory service. How can we solve some of our trickiest problems? Joe asked Mark Cuban how he would handle 8 of the biggest problems our country faces if he were president... 9 if you count getting more of you off the couch and out on the cour...
Jan 19, 2021•42 min•Ep. 643
“We will go to the end of the Earth to make sure our team gets what they need,” says Bryan Medlin. SpartanUp Combat Series host Ryan Warner talks with Medlin - one of the most respected greco-roman wrestling coaches in the country and current University of Illinois assistant coach - about how coaches can remove the ego. In this episode you’ll learn: -What 14+ trips to Russia taught Medlin about youth development -Why coaching provides purpose to those who feel the calling -How a house fire in 20...
Jan 16, 2021•34 min•Ep. 642
From the border of Afghanistan to the border of China, the Running the Roof the crew traversed the Bartang Valley on foot! This journey took over 20+ months to plan, and is the epitome of delayed gratification. Spartan Up Endurance Series host Johnny Waite interviews Jody Bragger, Jodie Gauld and Gabriel Ghiglione, who together, ran across Tajikstan as part of a friendly bet. The bet started in the dead of winter, where the crew picked a location on a map (blindfolded) and committed to running w...
Jan 14, 2021•20 min•Ep. 641
Joe De Sena and Nick Shaw review all the most popular diet types. What should you really be eating? How do you simplify your food choices? Nick is the Founder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization - a diet and fitness company founded on evidence-based practices, the author of "Fit for Success," and the host of the RP Strength podcast. This episode is brought to you by Honey Stinger. Visit Honeystinger.com and use code: HSSPARTAN2020 to save 30% off. LINKS: https://renaissanceperiodization.com/ ht...
Jan 12, 2021•36 min•Ep. 640
“I have a sticky-note on my wall that says ‘Ryan Atkins made you look stupid,” says Hunter McIntyre, who lost to Atkins at the inaugural Spartan Games. SpartanUp DEKA Series hosts Jarod Cogswell and Yancy Culp talk with Hunter about his Spartan Games performance. In this episode you’ll learn: -That fitness is the one outlet in modern society that provides a constant feedback loop -Why Hunter’s purpose is to be the happiest person in the world -Why Hunter feels it’s the ‘best’ way to determine th...
Jan 09, 2021•25 min•Ep. 639
