When we think of strength and power, how often do we include the magnetic and influential force of positivity? Pete Cohen has a long and successful track record of turning around some of the best known sports teams and business with his positive, motivational coaching style. In life it’s important to look for mentors, role models and leaders- but, at some point we need to become our own. Never stop pushing and #DoTheWork ! LESSON Life’s purpose is to grow Become a warrior of your own life Get ou...
Sep 10, 2019•31 min•Ep. 457
Lindsay Webster has won more obstacle racing titles than anyone. She is beating everyone in the field, and usually by several minutes. We talk about her skiing and mountain bike racing background, what she loses sleep over, and how she stays on top year in and year out. LESSONS: Staying consistent year in and year out. What she’s improved the most in recent years. How she balances run and obstacle training. What’s in her homemade gym. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTub...
Sep 06, 2019•7 min•Ep. 456
Feeling insecure, struggling with self-esteem, and being unsure of whether you’re good enough are all common issues that can arise in your lifetime. It doesn’t make you broken, it just makes you human. But working hard to cut off the parts of yourself that you don’t like isn’t the best way to go about building up your self-esteem and certainly flies in the face of self-acceptance. Embracing those elements of yourself that you wish were different is a more effective tactic and, in the end, leaves...
Sep 04, 2019•3 min•Ep. 455
When you sit at home in the evening and watch horrific recountings of violence happening around the world, have you thought about who is doing the reporting? One must remember the brave souls risking their lives to shed light on these realities, in an effort to bring global awareness and balanced reporting to these issues. Lara Logan, an Emmy award winning television and radio journalist / war correspondent, has had a career that has brought her to the front lines of numerous civil wars in Afric...
Sep 03, 2019•49 min•Ep. 454
Alyssa burst onto the OCR scene by winning her home race in Seattle, WA in the fall of 2015. Since then she has seen 40 plus podiums, including 3rd best in the world at the Spartan Tahoe World Championship in 2017. On today’s episode she talks with Matt B Davis about coming back from injuries and switching up her training and coaching to become a better athlete. LESSONS: Coming back from injury. How manual labor can prepare you for OCR. High intensity workouts that work for her. Focusing on “Qua...
Aug 30, 2019•5 min•Ep. 453
Having hard conversations are part of life. Not the part that we always enjoy or look forward to but essential and unavoidable nonetheless. Because of the discomfort associated with hard conversations, we like to avoid them or engage in unhelpful practices that actually don’t serve communication or intent. Learning how to have a difficult conversation is something that many of us have to do if we want to elevate our relationships and move towards that which makes us more resilient. LESSONS: Havi...
Aug 28, 2019•3 min•Ep. 452
Mixed Martial Artist and UFC Champion Keith Jardine, known as the Dean of Mean talks about his relentless spirit in fighting his way to infamy in and out of the ring. Famous for some legendary takedowns, a reality tv show and now a successful paleo business venture- learn what it takes to be a heavyweight in business and battle. LESSONS Find your purpose Be relentless in achieving your goals Know when to pivot LINKS https://cavemancoffeeco.com/ TIME STAMPS 0:00 Intro with Joe, the Colonel & ...
Aug 27, 2019•36 min•Ep. 452
We don’t always have the time to do a deep dive to uncover what might be impacting us negatively. Nevertheless, we need to pay attention to the things that are bothering us so that we can understand the way that we operate more intimately. It doesn’t take a whole lot of time to ask yourself a few easy questions that might pinpoint what needs your attention and remediation. Tuning into your hunger level, angry feelings, lonely experience, and whether or not you are tired can easily check off a fe...
Aug 21, 2019•4 min•Ep. 451
He’s not the first to tell Spartan founder, Joe De Sena, he made it to the pro level of soccer, or that an injury changed his trajectory and set him on a new path. Like many there were successes and failures along the way, challenges to overcome and great rewards. But Andy Ramage is not here to talk about that. He’s with us to talk about the discovery he made that changed EVERY aspect of his life for the better. It sounds like a late-night TV ad, but it’s true. There’s one simple change you can ...
Aug 20, 2019•30 min•Ep. 450
Everyone has a valuable contribution to make and everyone gets stuck. It’s part of what makes us human. Sometimes what works for one person doesn’t work for everyone. Which is why we’ve brought the Spartan Up podcast family together to ask what works for them when they feel stuck, Sefra the Seedhuntress, retired Col. Tim Nye and "Dr" Johnny Waite. Each answer is unique - a testament to each of us having our own unique journeys. The key here is to try each tactic out and see which one works for y...
Aug 14, 2019•7 min•Ep. 438
This week Joe sits down with Jim Gregory a former Green Beret & Olympian (with an asterisk.) Jim didn’t always reach the ultimate goals he set for himself, but he always persisted with confidence and a positive attitude. The result is a life of incredible accomplishment. How can you grow from disappointment? What can you learn from failure? Does tough training in youth give you the foundation to withstand these trials? All these are questions Joe and Jim discuss. Learn what the asterisk next...
Aug 13, 2019•36 min•Ep. 437
Ryan Atkins is the current Spartan Race Ultra World Champion and the winningest obstacle racer of all time. Ryan talks to Matt B Davis about a winning mindset, how he approaches his weaknesses, and how he mixes his training up to keep it fun and enjoyable. LESSONS: • Adding fun training like mountain biking or stand up paddleboarding. • What he eats. • Making workouts can be intense AND fun. • Getting better at running uphill has improved his performance. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly...
Aug 09, 2019•5 min•Ep. 436
Stress is a part of life. It’s nearly impossible to avoid. So the goal shouldn’t always be reducing the stress in your life but instead integrating ways to manage your stress and lower the intensity. Some of us are better and managing stress than others but the good news is that all stress management skills can be practiced and learned. First and foremost, we need to consider what we are putting into our body and the attention that we are giving our mental faculties. We must nourish our bodies t...
Aug 07, 2019•5 min•Ep. 435
If you could be any superhero who would you be? Todd Herman is a mental performance coach that utilizes the strategies inherent with embodying an alter ego to be successful as an athlete on the field or as an executive in the boardroom. Find out what role identity, clothing and mental preparedness can play in your success. Imagination is a powerful tool that can be practiced and honed to overcome perceived limitations and obstacles you never thought that “you” could overcome. LESSONS Mastering t...
Aug 06, 2019•41 min•Ep. 434
This week Joe De Sena fills in for Zach Even-Esh and talks about commitment. Who do you quit? How can you game your own mind and emotions to stay on track and achieve your goals? Zach will be back soon with more of the great SPartan WAY episodes you love. 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/spartanuppo... Spartan Up on Twit...
Aug 01, 2019•7 min•Ep. 433
We make thousands of choices in just one day. What we wear, choose to eat, and decide to do are just a tiny few. Micro-decisions are made constantly and it’s important to understand one of the phenomena that informs our choices. Something called confirmation bias is often behind many of our decisions and also behind the way that we develop a view of ourself. Confirmation bias occurs when we pay attention to and focus on information that confirms a pre-existing belief, value, or assumption. For e...
Jul 30, 2019•3 min•Ep. 432
Considered one of the world’s top sales trainers & real estate investors, Grant is playing in the big leagues. Joe walks with his kettlebell to his castle in the middle of London to talk about life and business with a guy who has made it his business to 10X yours. Hear Grand and Joe compare origin stories and at the end Joe’s behind the scenes take on his time in the “Cardone Zone.” LESSONS Make yourself invaluable When you meet someone, figure out how you can help them Take potential client...
Jul 30, 2019•47 min•Ep. 431
When life gets busy and tough, we can sometimes focus on what we don’t have. Instead, we need to be grateful for everything we have, including the “obstacles” which are opportunities in hiding. Start writing down what you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. Start your day with a gratitude journal. Tony Robbins inspired me to do this around 2001. LESSONS: Write down 3 things you are grateful for, including the most simple things such as seeing the sun or the moon. Be grateful for everything,...
Jul 25, 2019•5 min•Ep. 430
Let’s face it. We all experience being overwhelmed. It is a common human experience. But the thing is, there are ways to manage being overwhelmed if you turn your awareness inwards. First, think about how you can use the work of the breath to calm yourself down. Try using the box method. Next, set your priorities. Think about what requires your attention next and where would your energy would best be utilized. And lastly, try and plan for what comes next. These tools can help ground you and crea...
Jul 24, 2019•4 min•Ep. 429
Born in the fields of Ireland, Mo was a guide, teammate and mentor when Joe began adventure racing 20+ years ago. Her ethos are deeply steeped in the foundation and inspiration for Joe to build Spartan Race. Have you heard him say “if your not cold, your wearing too much. If you're tired, your sleeping too much. If you're not hungry, your eating too much.”? That and other great lines like “ Quit moanin & get goin!” originated with Mo. This is a great conversation, where we learn were many of...
Jul 23, 2019•29 min•Ep. 428
Glutathione is not a word that trips off the tongue, but it’s very much worth remembering. It’s a substance that combats the problems related to oxidative stress. Let’s learn more about it. First, let’s describe oxidative stress in a little more detail. This happens when substances called “free radicals” and “oxidants” start to grow in number in our bodies. We need some of these radicals because they can act as “signaling” molecules that trigger important processes (like the heart pumping more b...
Jul 21, 2019•4 min•Ep. 427
The first 2 minutes of something new is often uncomfortable, perhaps scary! Waking up earlier than normal = uncomfortable. But it’s just those first 2 minutes you gotta get through! LESSONS: Comfort is the enemy The discomfort goes away after only a few minutes Remind yourself that you CAN build momentum that works in your favor. Make an internal deal with yourself to just do 1 thing moving forward. Remember, doing 1 thing is 100% more than zero! LINKS: More about Zach https://zacheven-esh.com R...
Jul 18, 2019•5 min•Ep. 426
We all blame. Your spouse gets an earful when you forgot your kids lunchbox, the customer service agent becomes the punching bag when you accidentally deleted your photos from your iPhone, or your supervisee gets a talking to when you forgot to check your schedule. Blaming is never really a useful tactic but we do it because we struggle with difficult feelings. So we offload them. Feelings of disappointment, especially in yourself, can spawn lots of blaming because we struggle to tolerate that f...
Jul 17, 2019•4 min•Ep. 425
The Death Race. Its name alone can be enough to undermine your confidence. An old friend of the podcast, Don Devany has taken the nickname of the Death Race “Taskmaster.” A decade long veteran of the infamous Death Race, he has inspired legions while they perspired to heroic feats of greatness. Joe De Sena sat down to talk with Don days after he cycled cross country east to west & back again! 9145.5 miles of riding to raise funds for DECA Journey for the One Step Ahead Foundation for kids wi...
Jul 16, 2019•34 min•Ep. 424
Like magnesium, zinc is a mineral that’s present in many of the body’s functions. We talked about Magnesium in another episode and if you remember it’s important because it’s involved in many different ways in your body’s cellular activity. Well zinc is another much needed mineral and let’s talk about why! EPISODE SCRIPT Zinc might not be as ubiquitous as magnesium, but it’s still very important to pay attention to in your diet. Why? Because the body lacks a specialized zinc storage system! Zinc...
Jul 14, 2019•4 min•Ep. 423
We’re afraid to tell others what they need to do. We’re afraid to tell others to step up and stop being lazy, stop being a clock puncher, stop being average! LESSONS: There is nothing wrong with telling others that the standard of excellence is NOT being met by them. Tell them to step it up and tell them how to do it! Challenging others might be scary at first, but you will be helping the individual and yourself by expressing why you are demanding excellence. You have achieved more in your life ...
Jul 11, 2019•4 min•Ep. 422
Yes! There actually is a right way to plan! Whether you are planning to run errands, planning to change your relationship with food, or planning to start a new workout routine, knowing what works and what doesn’t can help. A phenomenon called the planning fallacy can get us into trouble when it comes to planning because here we tend to overestimate our abilities because we assume perfect conditions and ignore past data. When we assume perfect conditions, we disregard all of the things that could...
Jul 10, 2019•5 min•Ep. 421
What do cage fighting and gluten free waffles have in common? Vince Nance. Vince and Joe De Sena cook up a great interview that discusses operational leadership, the rigors and rewards of Brasilian Jiu Jitsu and the importance of women’s self defense. Anarchy has never tasted so good! LESSONS Don’t punch unless you mean it (always act with full intention Start where you are! Adjust as needs change Leave deep tracks Designate mental real estate to your commitments Legacy = people, love and action...
Jul 09, 2019•38 min•Ep. 420
Brian "Tosh" Chontosh says: Defining what Initiative is seems fairly easy. Now, let’s discuss it from a lack of and where we are responsible for others lacking it. When I find myself frustrated with others I like to ask myself what guidance or information or incentive am I not providing to excite initiative from them. On another vein, I also find myself getting frustrated with others who are acting with hyper or too much initiative. Again, it could be a function of many things, but I like to ask...
Jul 08, 2019•6 min•Ep. 419
Dr. Nada Milosavljevic MD says: Kidneys take a beating during times of extreme, extended exertion; there are natural ways to give them a bit of support. There's a host of beneficial foods, nutrients, and herbal teas and drinks that can aid in kidney cleansing, detox and optimal functioning. Hydration. Kidneys need water to create the urine that flushes out the majority of the waste in our bodies. So what happens when you don’t drink enough water? Essentially, waste starts backing up in your kidn...
Jul 07, 2019•4 min•Ep. 418
