Chris Lentini and the Alabama Smurfs

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Hello everyone. This is Friday night at the barbell with your host myself Carson, Josh 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:14,360 and Bryant. And as always, Bryant let you introduce these awesome guests because you 3 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:21,680 have the best introductions. So we have episode six and with us today we have Millard the 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:30,360 mule peacock and Chris Papa Smurf Lentini. Chris is a strength and conditioning coach 5 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:38,880 out of Trussville, Irondale area. He has a gym, Iron Empire and he also has a cult following 6 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:44,800 of Smurfs all with their own nicknames and that's why everyone loves him. Millard is 7 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:51,080 a 242 competitor and uh, load the wagon is his favorite saying that's pretty much all 8 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:58,360 you ever hear out of Millard anyways. Anyways, where's the deer? Where's the moonshine? 9 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:05,800 Chris, how's it going? Good. How are you? I'm good. Welcome to Tuscaloosa for the evening. 10 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:11,560 Thanks for driving out. I drove back from Mobile just for you. Thank you very much. 11 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:19,600 So, how to get it done? I think, Josh, did you want to start us off with any questions 12 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,200 or how do you want to do this? So, one question Millard asked and I had a couple other people 13 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:29,840 ask it to me. How do you come up with your names for your athletes? Like the nickname? 14 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:36,800 Yeah, like the nickname Joe. It's really, I mean, honestly, it almost just happens with 15 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:43,520 everybody. So like, you know, the either an event will happen in training or at a meet 16 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:49,920 or something like that or you know, just they're not ever contrived or thought about. It just 17 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:55,280 happens. Like every single person, it's so fluid. It's ridiculous. And then like everything 18 00:01:55,280 --> 00:02:00,760 seems to just stick correctly with that person's personality too. They're like, hmm, that does 19 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,760 kind of make sense. That's me. So, it's always been kind of like that. Yeah, it's a lot like 20 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,080 normal sports nicknames. I mean, you see something happen on a football field and all of a sudden 21 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,120 that person is called butters or whatever because of something they did. So, it's kind of the 22 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,320 same deal. It makes sense. 23 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:21,160 Monster. 24 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,560 I think he needs to be BBW. 25 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:31,240 Big bad whitey, but you know, you can infer anything. 26 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,000 What names do change? Names do change. Wait, what in time? 27 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:42,200 Mawng, Smurf, P-A-W-G, Smurf. That's a little good on a singlet. I don't know what your 28 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:48,320 parents would say about that. Yeah. It's a lot of yousier to explain the monster. 29 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:55,480 We always start with a controversial question. Good. And you're the perfect person for this. 30 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:56,840 So, for you, I want to ask, 31 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:05,000 is water wet? Is water wet? Only if you touch it, I guess. 32 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,400 Water is only wet by fuel. So, it's not wet just normally. 33 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:16,840 No, not until you break the surface tension. Okay. We get another engineer type answer. 34 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:29,720 I feel like I got into a pretty heated debate one time about this, but I honestly can't remember 35 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:39,160 what side I was on. But I'm going to say, sure, water is wet. Sure. Yeah, hogger, it's wet. 36 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,000 Yeah, it's got to be wet. Yeah, I would say it's wet as well. This is similar to like 37 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,880 a, you know, 38 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,560 yes, exactly. 39 00:03:54,920 --> 00:04:01,240 Explain wetness and I think water has to be wet. It's like the definition. Yeah. 40 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,240 Anyways, I think a lot of people want to know 41 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:15,240 where the Chris Lentini of powerlifting started, how you got to this spot you're in now. Because 42 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:20,600 I've heard a little bit about your background in athletics and then just where does it go from 43 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,840 when you started to how you got to where you are now? 44 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:31,320 What's that movie? Very well. Where do I begin? So, like I said, I had in grade school and everything, 45 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:39,880 I was always small. So, you know, my mentality was, well, I'll be as strong as I can. And then, 46 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:46,840 you know, God gave me speed. So that was kind of like my niche. So that took me into high school. 47 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:53,320 And then when I got into high school, I entered high school at literally like 90 pounds. So 48 00:04:54,520 --> 00:05:00,120 they wanted me to play varsity football. And I was like, fuck that. I was like, you are big, 49 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,280 you know, so my friends taught me into it. And they're like, come on, you're, you're like, 50 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:09,560 literally the fastest kid in the whole school. I'm like, man, look at, look at how fucking tiny I am. 51 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:17,640 So I ended up going out for football and ended up starting as a freshman doing special teams. So, 52 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:23,560 as a partner, Turner, I remember I returned my first punt for a touchdown in the playoffs. 53 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,120 And like everybody was like, where did you find this kid? And they're like, just don't 54 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:35,080 fucking touch him because he'll die, you know, so. So that was my thing. Like I touch football was 55 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:41,400 tackle football to me because if you grabbed me, I was dead. So I ended up becoming all state for 56 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:48,520 sophomore, junior and senior year. And I graduated only 135 pounds. But I mean, I just had to have 57 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:55,800 like a monster work ethic to overcome my size. So I was always the first guy to enter the practice, 58 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:01,560 the last guy to leave every single day was a team captain. And that's kind of like what spilled into 59 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:10,360 lifting later on in life. I went to college and went to Boston and walked on there because I had 60 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:16,680 an engineering scholarship. And I did not like the cold at all. So I transfer right down to Tuscaloosa. 61 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:23,720 So I walked into Tuscaloosa, I remember I met with Randy Ross down there. And he's like, yeah, 62 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,800 we'll have a spot for somebody that can run a four to I'm like, all right, well, just put me out there. 63 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:35,720 So worked out with them could not get on the field just because I was, you know, nobody from 64 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:42,200 Louisiana, I was from a small division school. So I mean, I at least I got the side of it working 65 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:47,880 out with weights and all of the strength training and training table information. And I still have 66 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:53,160 all of my Alabama workouts today. And, you know, but I got to like rub shoulders or like Sean 67 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:58,840 Alexander and all them and they're all just cool guys and see how they worked. So what year was 68 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:08,600 that? That was 96 97. So I ended up just staying down there. I ran track for Alabama for a little bit. 69 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:17,080 And then eventually transferred to LSU had nowhere eligibility left. And, you know, kind of just 70 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:23,400 fast forward, had three kids didn't do anything at all for 15 years and not lift a single weight. 71 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:32,920 Total dad bod got up to like 190 pounds. Yeah, drank beer every day. So I got in a car wreck. 72 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:39,480 And it tore my meniscus in five places in my left knee. And I remember going to rehab 73 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:45,720 after or right after the wreck and they're like, well, you know, you're probably gonna have to get 74 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:51,800 surgery. And you know, if we repair this, then you're probably never going to be able to squat 75 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:57,640 again. And I was like, the first thing I thought about was like, okay, I'm like 37 years old and 76 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:04,040 you're telling me I can never do something again. I started to get pissed. So I took all of that anger 77 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:10,280 and everything went through the surgery got did all my PT work exactly like they said did more 78 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:17,480 more started going to a gym. And I remember like, one thing led to another and met up my 79 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:23,080 workout partner that I still live with today, Joe Boogai at Flex Fitness. And we just kind of hit 80 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:30,120 it off. And so that's where my nickname came from. Because, you know, Joe's like 260. And I mean, 81 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:38,440 hell, I'm 55 tiny. And he my goal was to out lift them all the time. And I mean, he tortured the 82 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:43,080 shit out of me, like he didn't ever let me go up and quarter increments or anything like that. It 83 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:50,360 was always like a 45, like everything. So after a couple years, I think I was at a lunch one day 84 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,840 and somebody was mentioned how they had a really great bench press. And they did powerlifting. 85 00:08:54,840 --> 00:09:00,280 I was like, what's powerlifting? Like, Oh, yeah, here's my record stuff. I think it was like APF 86 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:05,400 records, state records. I was like, well, shit, I can almost bench that much. You know, so that's 87 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:11,960 I was like, maybe I'll give it a shot. So I found a meet up in Decatur signed up for USP a meet. 88 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,720 I remember going away and Charlie was hosting it. And I walked in like, okay, you got your 89 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,320 singing. I'm like, yep, he's like, where's your other girl? I'm like, what's the other gear? 90 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,480 I don't know what's wrong with me. He's like, what about your shoes? I'm like, I got shoes on my feet 91 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:30,520 right here. Like that's it. And I got socks. I don't have a belt. I don't have shit else. I didn't 92 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:41,480 know there was other stuff. So did that meet? I needed to have like an 1163 total to qualify for 93 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:48,280 nationals. And I got like 1166. So I was like, okay, we'll all go to Vegas in two months. So went to 94 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:54,760 Vegas, probably added another 40 or 50 pounds on my total and two and a half months. And then, 95 00:09:54,760 --> 00:10:01,240 you know, really like the people that I started meeting. And that was kind of it. And after that, 96 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:07,560 I was kind of bit and I was like, okay, well, I think I can do this. And, you know, it seems to 97 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:11,640 be fun and I can be doing worse things. That was the way I looked at it. And then, you know, 98 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:18,040 fast forward five years through COVID. Now I have a gym and everything else. I mean, it's just, 99 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:25,000 it's kind of surreal. And I've met so many amazing people. And it's like a tight knit community. But 100 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:30,360 like, that community is globally based. So like, I can have a conversation with somebody now through 101 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:35,640 social media, that's on the other side of the planet. And we can talk about something and then, 102 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,880 you know, try things out. So I really, I really think social media is probably the greatest thing 103 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:44,920 ever to happen to the sport. And that's kind of like, you know, not just online coaching, but just 104 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:49,560 the community side of it. And you see a lot of people like, Joe Sullivan and everybody, 105 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:57,160 I've met all of them and I met like, Julius Maddox and, you know, Ben Pollack and all these people. 106 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:02,520 And it's just really cool how like, the superstars and powerlifting are not like another sport, 107 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:08,040 like, I can never walk up to Tom Brady at a game, be like, Hey, man, what's up? But I can go to any 108 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:13,080 meet or convention and be like, Hey, I'm a big fan, you know, sorry, you were doing this, can you 109 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,520 explain to me why you're doing this? But yeah, it's because this, this, this, this, and this, 110 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:22,760 like, that makes so much sense. So like, and all these people have degrees and kinesiology and 111 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:29,160 stuff like that. And so like, I'm a sponge. So when I go to a big meet and I see somebody who's 112 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:34,600 very headsy, I learned everything I can from them. That's why when I go to the American pro as a 113 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:40,280 coach, in October, I'm just literally going to be in full sponge mode. And I'm going to absorb 114 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,360 everything I can and then apply it to everybody that I know and I'll help anybody, not just my 115 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:52,040 athletes, I will stop and help anybody anytime. That's just how I am. Nice. That's good. You want to 116 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:59,240 give us yours? Yeah, I'm short. Millard's Millard's intro to powerlifting. It was Moog's, 117 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:06,280 Hannibal. No, my intro, I was, I played ball and stuff in school and things like that. It 118 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:12,760 wasn't never no like, I never went to college or anything like that. I grew up a different life 119 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:19,960 than that. I grew up hard and tough and worked. Granddaddy had us in the woods working stuff like 120 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:29,400 that. Well, I moved to Tuscaloosa, had kids. I was almost 300 pounds, went through a divorce. 121 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:39,400 Whenever I went through the divorce, I decided to get back in the gym and I dropped from almost 122 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:48,680 300 pounds to 190 pounds. Well, once I got down to that weight, I was still lifting and some friends 123 00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:54,840 that did powerlifting asked me to try it and I was like, never done it. I don't know anything about 124 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:59,800 that. They said, but you're already lifting more than some people already. And I was like, 125 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,920 especially at my age and weight because I was already 40 years old and I was like, well, 126 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:16,200 sure, why not? I'll try it. Well, I tried it, loved it. Then I wanted more. I've always been 127 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:22,680 one that wants more. I'm going to push the limit. I'm going to try and make everything that I have. 128 00:13:22,680 --> 00:13:29,560 And I found Chris online and I messaged him, asked him to help me with my deadlift because my 129 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:37,160 deadlift sucked. Well, I sent him a video of my competition deadlift. He's like, you just pulled 130 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:46,200 535 basically stiff leg, RDL. He said, that's insane. So let's work on this. Let's try this, 131 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:54,120 do this. And he corrected my form and my technique. And whenever he done so, I went from a 535 to a 132 00:13:54,120 --> 00:14:04,360 585 instantly. And my goal was to make 600. And well, we've surpassed 600. Right. Yeah, that was 133 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:11,400 like your lifetime goal. Yeah. But we surpassed it quickly. And I was not expecting that. 134 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:21,160 We, I actually pulled 600 with a twisted disc and strain quad tendon. That was the most impressive 135 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:26,840 thing that I've done, I guess you'd say. I have no shit there. So yeah, you loaded it. Yeah. 136 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:35,960 Pretty easy on the other side sometimes. Yeah. But it was it was an interesting day because 137 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:41,960 I was already hurt and he knew I was hurt, but he's like, you got this, it's you're fine. So 138 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:46,600 I went for it and ended up pulling it on a day I was hurt. Yeah. 139 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:53,720 Powerlifting 101 there. Yeah, don't quit because it will happen. 140 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:03,720 I'm gonna think. I thought you had some other ones. Yeah, what else you got over there? 141 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:09,400 Oh, that was my main one was like how you came to be. Like how you devout how 142 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:15,800 teams first came to be a thing in your journey to it. We can transition to that. And also 143 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:21,320 where your coaching philosophy comes from, what style do you use and how do you know went to 144 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:28,440 apply it to certain people? So when I started off by myself, I was like pretty much everybody 145 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:34,440 else out there. Like it was like YouTube and you know, like Reddit powerlifting subgroups. 146 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:41,320 I became friends with all the moderators there. Yeah, T nation, of course, arm day again. So 147 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:47,800 like being older, I was always like, you know, like, I probably shouldn't overdo it, you know, 148 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:55,480 I need to do this right. So that and coming from a gym that was full of bodybuilders when 149 00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:02,280 they're like leg day, chest day. So I mean, I followed that too. And then as I learned more 150 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:07,240 through just trial and error and learning what not to do, I stumbled into like 151 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:17,880 Shaco's style, but then also kept the bodybuilding style of things because I knew what worked, 152 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:25,320 but I learned that powerlifting is best when you apply frequency. So it wasn't like leg day, 153 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:31,880 it was like legs today, Wednesday and Friday, shoulders this day, that day, like you don't 154 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:37,800 need to rest as much as people are resting, they are wasting their time. So if I can work out legs 155 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:44,680 three times a week, well, at the end of the year, I worked out 66% more than you did. I'm going to 156 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:51,240 kick your ass. Yeah, like, and that's it. So I got two years more training than you did. And so 157 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:57,400 once I saw how my numbers escalated immediately just by changing the frequency and volume, 158 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:04,920 even though I like I didn't really max out like to me, I would just go more never really used 159 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:11,400 RPE, but I could tell what what was there and what wouldn't be there on certain days. So that's 160 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:18,120 kind of led to my later formulas for each athlete to where I'll put a window, because who knows, 161 00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:24,040 you might have had not enough sleep or whatever that day. So in effort to not produce a failure, 162 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:30,120 which still does happen, I'll put a window. And whenever I get a message like this is flying, 163 00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:35,160 what do you want to do? I might step on it right now. Let's go see what's there, because not only 164 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:40,040 is it the physical adaptation, but you're getting the mental adaptation to it as well. And you know 165 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:46,120 the difference between heavy and really fucking heavy. So that helps you when it comes to a meat, 166 00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:52,680 because in a meat, you are going to have to do all three lifts in one day. And that's another 167 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:59,400 thing that I learned through trial and error myself. Fridays is SPD. Because when you condition 168 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:06,360 your body to be able to do a whole meat in three or four hours, you're going to beat everybody else. 169 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:13,320 And now I've seen that the American pro is actually adapting that same format. Their main days now 170 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:19,160 are SPD, you get 20 to 30 minutes between lifts, and it's time to roll again. They said they want 171 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:29,240 conditioned athletes. So that's awesome, because that builds the sport more into a media based sport 172 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:34,920 now, because you've shortened the window, there's not people just sitting around for all the time, 173 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:40,600 there's action. And that's what they need to do in order to take our niche sport and get it a 174 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:46,360 broader base and get it onto, you know, I guess other avenues as such as TV, which I mean, there's 175 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:54,600 been sporadic things here and there. Yeah, I mean, it can happen. So, and especially with the way 176 00:18:54,600 --> 00:19:01,160 everything is now, like you could have, let's just say Hulu, for example, have a powerlifting 177 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:06,440 channel, like you could actually feasibly do that. Whereas before, I was like, yeah, you're never, 178 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:13,480 if it's not ESPN, nobody's ever going to know this existed, you know, nobody that's not made for TV, 179 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,240 you know, you have to keep people interested. You can see it in other sports too. I mean, 180 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:22,520 that's why baseball is what they shortened the pitching time or whatever. And then football is 181 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:28,200 all offense now, they move the kickoff back, all the things they're doing now is to speed the game 182 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:33,560 up and more points, more points, more eyes and powerlifting is going to be the same way. The 183 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:39,720 and I think the old school way, Ronald mentioned this as well, but the old school way was like 184 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,960 you're saying, like, Ed Cohen was the strongest guy on the meet. He went back to back. He got a 185 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:49,320 two minute rest and did his second, third, so I mean, that's kind of what it's going to take. And 186 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:56,920 that's probably going to mean lower numbers slightly, especially at first, but then better 187 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:05,080 shows. And because I mean, if you got a competitive, then people can actually like that third 188 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,160 deadlift is going to mean something. Yeah, I'll do this. I'll do that. You know, then you just 189 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:13,480 really get to be like weightlifting. Yes. And weightlifting is the same way because 190 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:18,760 you had the short rest time and it's harder anyways, you can't produce max force with a 191 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:24,520 plane like you could a deadlift. But when you have 10 minutes that makes a huge difference on 192 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,680 rest, you know, people aren't going to be as strong probably ever if you're doing two minute 193 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:34,600 rests between lifts as opposed to 10. That's like in different jobs as well. Though you think about 194 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:42,120 the jobs that everybody has, they've worked all day. Some cases, he works outside. I work outside. 195 00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:50,440 Chris does sometimes. Sometimes working a hot shop. Sometimes I walk away from the air conditioner 196 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:56,840 every now and then. But you know, that also takes a lot of energy out of you and you go to the gym 197 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:01,320 and you're training for another two to four hours. You know, you're trying to give it everything 198 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:06,040 that you have. I'd say you're pretty conditioned. You know what I mean? Like you have an advantage 199 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:10,280 of conditioning over other people for sure. And you're working out in the sun all the time and 200 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:14,120 the heat and then going to the gym anyways and doing the damn thing, especially if you have an 201 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:20,520 SBD day that day, that day too, you know, with Chris or the SBD is death anyway. 202 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,840 Hell on earth. Just gonna wait till this podcast ever. 203 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:32,840 I've seen the workout and that's kind of another thing too. Like when it 204 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:38,600 beans the chip on my shoulder type person and I've always worked out with people stronger than me. 205 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:45,800 I always have. And like tonight, I'm probably going to do their numbers. That's just how I'm 206 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,720 just competitive like that. Like I'm like, fuck it. I don't care if I'm giving up 75 to 100 pounds. 207 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:54,920 So I'm just from fucking do their numbers. Like that's just me. I think the advantage in power 208 00:21:54,920 --> 00:22:02,440 listing is you can do that. You can just kind of push it a lot more than in some ways you can push 209 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:08,600 it more than other sports and in other ways you can't like like on meet day or even in the gym 210 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:12,760 when something's not there, like you can't just say, oh, I'm going to put in 110% effort and just 211 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:16,760 go all the it's it doesn't work like that in football, baseball, basketball, you can do that. 212 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:21,240 You can be like, oh, my shot's not going in a basketball. So I can just play more defense 213 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,640 in football. It's like I can run my route better this time. You know, there's lots of ways to get 214 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,800 around it. But in powerlifting, it just doesn't work that way. But in the gym, you definitely can 215 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:35,720 feed off other people and competitively and try and do more difference from our gym. 216 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:42,040 We're at now it's strong. Whenever you are our gym, yes, there's people in there that, 217 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:46,600 you know, cheer you on to make your list and so forth. But you go to Chris's gym, it's just a 218 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:54,040 total different atmosphere and things come out of nowhere. That's where I ended up pulling 661 219 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:59,560 and didn't have a clue it was even there. But you know, engines and a button up. 220 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:05,240 Let's say dresses, Jeffrey Dahmer. Okay, I just wanted to take some pictures. 221 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:08,920 I just wanted to take some pictures. 222 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:20,760 Questions. So I'm just me personally, Brian, Josh pray. He always asks this, but I just like to 223 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:27,640 ask with like people that have kids because me myself, I have young kids. So just with like, 224 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:33,720 with life going on with like your job, you have kids, all the responsibilities you have, 225 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:40,680 how do you juggle everything with staying competitive at a high level, while also doing 226 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:47,560 everything else that you guys do? I'll let you go first, Miller. That's a good one. You have to have 227 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:55,320 some help at home. You really do. And not to mention my kids are older. So they, you know, 228 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,960 I can't leave them for a few hours by theirself. Not the one that's in her belly right now. 229 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:08,440 Yeah, but that one is on the way. It's baking in the oven. I'm too old to be having any more. But 230 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:19,400 here I am. Nothing to worry about yet. Not yet. Not lucky. You're going to be at a gender reveal 231 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:26,040 though. So don't worry. You'll find out my sister's doing it. Oh, by the way, oh, by the way, I did 232 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:32,280 put in a request for your wings. Okay. Thank God. That's the best you can do. Where? Where? 233 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:40,120 Sister cooks. I was on the strict diet to make weight for the meat. And I had one, I was like, 234 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:48,120 fuck it, I can wait a little bit longer. My sister can cook. Yes. So finish answering. 235 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:59,000 The balance is you have to have help. It's not easy. You have to work together. You know, 236 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:04,360 sometimes I even have to go home and get the kids or whatever, whatever the situation may be. I have 237 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:12,040 to work around them. You know, if my son or my daughters have a cheerleading at a game or whatever, 238 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:17,800 I have to go do that. So I take and put my work out off for that day and then come Saturday 239 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:23,960 or something wherever I'm off or the next day I'm off, I pick it up then. Chris is definitely going 240 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:29,960 to ask you though, if you don't send him your videos, Hey, did you work out yesterday? He's 241 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:39,320 going to hold you accountable. So because he does train good athletes and he's really good at what 242 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:46,360 he does. So now how do you juggle all this? Oh, I forgot your wife lives at home. Yeah, 243 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:53,560 but and she's got your credit card. I get up early in the morning. I like I'm always on go 244 00:25:54,440 --> 00:26:03,960 for me like 430 up in the morning. I do a little bit of programming and video review then. So now 245 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:09,800 I started going to the gym at five in the morning and I'll do I'll do a workout or stretch routine 246 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:17,800 early in the morning, go to work like 630 work till four, get off, go straight to the gym, 247 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:24,040 do my group session there, then go home, write more programs like basically the 248 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:31,400 the easiest thing to do is cut down sleep and eliminate television and like that's how you 249 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:40,600 get time. So that's it. Sacrifice. Exactly. I mean, yeah, like, yeah, I just I just have gotten so 250 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:47,720 used to this that it's just normal to me. You know, so it is nice though to unplug sometimes, 251 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:54,600 but it's weird to unplug and I'm like, my phone's not going off like 3000. Like I mean, 252 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:59,080 any given day I'm having a conversation with 50 to 60 different people. Like when we go to the river 253 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:06,920 and you lose signal. Yeah, on purpose. Yeah. Yeah. It is a little visual break. Yeah. But 254 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:11,640 the other side like Miller was saying at my gym, like my wife and my kids come to the gym too though. 255 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:17,720 So yeah, you know, and my middle son is the one who's come to the lifter and I'm sure my 256 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:23,080 youngest is going to catch on to it too. I mean, I never asked them to do it. They just do it 257 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:27,960 because they want to which I wish I would have had access to stuff like that when I was younger. I 258 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:34,680 had no access to anything, no knowledge. I mean, not just having access to the information, but 259 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:38,360 the gym, I had no way to do that. Like I just did what I could do, which was run. 260 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:44,360 We kind of talked to Ronald Tarvin about that yesterday or last week as well. Like 261 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:50,840 the access to not only training is easier and then the access to information is like 262 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:56,680 so much bigger than it used to be even 10 years ago. Right. Yeah. 263 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,680 Yeah. It was like it used to be, you know, 264 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:07,160 people would in high school, they would plan to play sports in college or after high school, 265 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:12,360 if you're an athlete, it was like, you know, playing a sport in college. But now you have kids in 266 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:18,680 high school that are hour lifters and they are like, when I graduate high school, I want to 267 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:22,760 hour lift. Like that's what I want to do. It's not like where's, you know, you'd have college 268 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:29,240 athletes before like Ronald that, you know, competed in athletics. And then after, after 269 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:33,000 those no other options, they're like, well, what do we do now to be competitive? Yeah. Or like 270 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:42,760 Joanne. Yeah, Joanne Garrison. Yeah. Absolute freak. Yes. Yep. Adam Nowhere. Yeah. Playing 271 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:47,160 semi pro football at one point. Yeah. No. And it was like, well, what am I going to do now? Yeah. 272 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:55,960 Now, I'll just be top five. Yeah. Ever. But that segue into what you're saying, my middle son 273 00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:01,480 is like that too. Like he's just bit bite. He's like, if I go to college, it'll just, I'll just go 274 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:06,120 lift. And I was like, they'll pay for you to go there if you're good, you know, like, and that's 275 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:14,520 crazy. He is. He has that mentality, though, like he's just, he has a different switch. But I mean, 276 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:20,040 I know where he got it from, but it's just weird to see like those things manifest and to your 277 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:26,520 children because it's innate, just like intelligence. Like you can't teach somebody that. And, and I 278 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:35,880 have a few athletes where I know they have that extra gear, I guess you could say it is. And you 279 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:42,040 can't teach grinding to anybody. Like most people are gonna be like, and put it down. But somebody, 280 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:48,120 yeah, but somebody who's just got that fucking grit in them and will just keep going like that, 281 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:53,720 she gets me so high. I'll be fucking like crying. I'm like, holy fucking shit. That was like 10 282 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:59,960 seconds. Like, you know, that's how I am. I mean, like, I just love that. I think it goes beyond 283 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:07,640 that even. I know different example of the same thing is the most recent video that kind of went 284 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,920 viral of the bodybuilder that passed away and wherever the fuck it was that different or whatever 285 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:19,400 it was somewhere. But either way, my brother actually sent that to me and he was like, you need to 286 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,000 chill and stop doing all this stuff. I don't understand why anybody does it. And I was like, 287 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:28,040 well, you just won't ever understand them. Like I'm not going to stop just because one guy died. 288 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:32,360 That's like, that's literal one in a million. Yeah, let's, yeah, look, let's be honest, stop driving 289 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:36,360 a car because it's way more dangerous. Because then you're worried about it'd be like somebody 290 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:41,000 having a squat bar on the back and running at you. Okay, so like that's a lot more dangerous than 291 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:46,120 you actually having control now, not knowing what to do with it and having an experience. That's 292 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:52,920 anything, anything, you can fall off a ladder and die. You know, I mean, you should know. Drown in 293 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:59,960 a puddle. Yeah, you know, I mean, humanity teaches one thing that's like, okay, where's the exit? 294 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:08,520 Yeah, you know, I mean, we do crazy shit. But I mean, it's always within a modicum of safety, 295 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:12,440 like in a sandbox, you don't want to be stupid. Yeah, it's safe as you can. 296 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:17,720 Well, I'm saying you got spotters, you know, you're as safe as you can. Yeah, I mean, I, 297 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,400 I fuck around a lot. But I mean, also knowing like, okay, I like, I'll be like, 298 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:27,800 hold on. No, no, I remember somebody was supposed to be spotting me one day and they were sitting 299 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:32,120 over on the other side of the team. Oh, I got you. No problem. Jesus was behind you. You're 300 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:35,160 fine. I can spot you right here. Yeah. 301 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:36,600 Yeah. 302 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:37,960 Just throw that shit on the floor. 303 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:39,320 Joke. Yeah. Yeah. 304 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,080 These literally on the other side of the room. He's like, 305 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:47,080 I did have a megaphone though. So yeah, I mean, you were, yeah, I mean, I was calling you. 306 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:51,320 You were prepared back, back, back. It's really his fault because you were prepared. 307 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:57,640 Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I can do it. 308 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,360 That's it. My friends ask me that all the time. They're like, are you still fast? I'm like, 309 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:06,600 fuck, I guess I don't know. I don't run anymore, but like, I'm way stronger than I used to be. 310 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,880 So it's probably still there. I'd probably be sore as hell. Fast ish. 311 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:16,120 Okay. My wife did challenge me to a sprint like about three months ago because she was just my 312 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:21,080 wife talks mad shit. I love her. She's like, you can't fucking run anymore. You're old blah, blah, 313 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:25,000 blah, blah. I was like, let's go on the street right now. So we go out in the street. 314 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,640 We go out in the street. My neighbors are like, what the fuck is going on? She just keeps talking 315 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:33,720 shit. I'm like, all right, you ready? I was like, I'll give you 10 yard head start. She's like, 316 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:39,160 okay. Well, I just smoked by her. She's like, you cheated. You said, I was like, all right, 317 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:44,520 you said go this time, I'm going to run backwards. So she said go. I went right by her. I was like, 318 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:48,360 baby, that's all you got. And I was like, I went back in the house. She was sucking wind. I was 319 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,960 like, damn, I'm not even winded after you know, she was like, I guess I'm doing something right 320 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:57,160 because I sure as hell don't do cardio. She was not happy. So, but you know, that's it still, 321 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:03,880 you know, I can do what I need to. Besides that, does anyone remember the last time they were in 322 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:12,120 a full sprint, like running as fast as you possibly could? It's been a long time. I haven't run like 323 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:20,440 that in a long time. So to go along with that, Pac-Man Jones, he's 40. He ran a 40 on the show. 324 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:25,880 Did you see that? No, I didn't want to watch it. So they said like, you're not fast anymore, you're 325 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:31,240 old. And he was like, let me show you, I can run a four, two or four, three, four, I think. 326 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:36,040 Is four, three or four, four, he was like, I can run it. I can jog a four, three. And they were like, 327 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:40,280 well, you're gonna have show us now that you said that. And he, I think he made like four or five 328 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:46,040 attempts and he ran four, three, the last attempt and pulled both hammies. He's like, he's like, 329 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:50,040 water on the way. He's like, don't y'all ever fucking talk about me like that again. Fuck y'all. 330 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:56,040 And he's like, both legs are locked up. He's, I'm done, but don't ever talk about me again. Yeah. 331 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:02,520 Same deal there. Yeah. But those, dude, to play in a fell like at that level, those two are absolutely 332 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:07,480 weak athletes. Oh yeah. He could, I mean, he could, he's 40, but he could still play right now. 333 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:16,200 Yeah. There's a lot of people he can still lock up. All right. Miller and Chris. So we asked, 334 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:22,680 we've asked everyone this, but if you had the opportunity to sit down with anyone in the fitness 335 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:28,680 industry, pastor, president, it could be like power lifter, bodybuilder, strongman, who would you 336 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:37,800 like to sit down with or hang out with for, you know, anybody, the top choice or top two or top 337 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:45,720 three. I guess the main one I would like to actually meet in person would probably be Louis 338 00:34:45,720 --> 00:34:53,080 Simmons, which is gone now. You know, he, he trained some of the best lifters there ever was. 339 00:34:53,080 --> 00:35:03,560 And there's a lot of people that still do his training. I would like to know how in the world, 340 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:10,120 his age, he was still deadlifting over 700 pounds. You know, it was just insane. 341 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:17,720 So that would probably be the main one that I would like to meet in person and question, 342 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:25,640 you know, how to do things and maybe do better for myself. So surprise we haven't heard Louis yet 343 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:32,280 from anyone or ourselves. With me, honestly, I think, I mean, Louis is a great answer. 344 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:42,360 But I think I would like to probably lift with Dave Tate just because he's got that same kind of 345 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:49,000 mentality as me where he can be funny and joking at times, but then when it's time to go, like, 346 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:55,720 he's fucking serious, but he knows his shit too. And he can, he can see everything like Louis, 347 00:35:56,440 --> 00:36:01,400 like he, the way they break down things in real time, I understand why it costs so much money to 348 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:06,680 train three days with them. It's like two grand. The train your ass. I looked at it. I looked at it. 349 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:10,840 I was just curious. I got curious. It's like, it's like two and a half grand, but it's like, 350 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:19,000 you have somebody who's seen everything, done everything can break you down into minor components 351 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:27,720 and make you better. It'd be worth it, you know, to do that. And, you know, and not just because 352 00:36:27,720 --> 00:36:34,760 he's a lifter too, but because he also took that niche sport and turned it into a thriving business. 353 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:40,920 So, and he did that while being a full-time father and everything. I mean, like he balanced 354 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:47,560 everything well. You know, and granny beat the shit out of himself. I mean, and he'll tell you 355 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:52,520 his stories too. You know, he puts it all on YouTube. Like, I don't know how my wife lived with me. 356 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:59,000 I always think about one time when he said like, okay, I can't be fucking going to bed past eight 357 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:05,880 o'clock tonight because I got a meet in six months. You know, like, that's how serious he took it. 358 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:12,680 You know, like he always talks about that all in. You know, I mean, I'm serious, but I, I, I never, 359 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:17,320 I wish I was that serious. Maybe I was with football and track and stuff like that back then when I 360 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:23,560 was younger. But I mean, I can't do that now. I mean, I like, no, it's impossible. But I mean, 361 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:31,000 I appreciate and understand what they're doing when they get to that point. And so when I see some 362 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:35,080 of, when I have a new person come to me for training and they're like, I'm going to do this. 363 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,720 I'm like, okay. I mean, I know right away, like, yeah, that's not going to happen. Yeah. That's the 364 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:45,720 1% of the 1% of the 1% period. And people don't understand what that actually means to be like, 365 00:37:45,720 --> 00:37:50,280 yeah, I'm going to do this because you could ask him like, so do you do your warm up yesterday? 366 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:54,600 No, I skipped it. Okay. So you're not all in, you know, you're not doing it. So don't bullshit me 367 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:58,840 and tell me you're going to do this and that and everything, you know, you can't make up for 368 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:07,080 mistime and stuff like that. Like I prefer to just take things and say, just let it go and just 369 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:11,800 move on, you know, or if it's not there today, it's not there. Don't, don't harp on it where, you know, 370 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:17,640 I want the best for everybody, but also try to temper expectations, especially with a new 371 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:21,000 person because they're like, I'm going to total this. And then in three months, I'm going to total 372 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:24,840 this. And where do you think my numbers are going to be here? I'm like, motherfucker, let's just start 373 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:29,640 lifting again and see what happens, you know, like I, I, if I had a crystal ball, I'd be rich. 374 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:34,040 You know, like I will be fucking playing the lottery, you know, and that's probably better 375 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:38,760 odds than me predicting your numbers because a lot of shit could happen. Oh, my wife and I are 376 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:45,320 going through hard times. My son got sick. I got sick. Like, all that shit happened. So you can't 377 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:52,520 set yourself up for failure by putting a target up on the wall. And the thing that pissed me off 378 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:58,520 the most when I left the last meet was, I mean, all of my athletes killed it, which I love. And 379 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:04,040 that's, that's all I give a shit about. And my son's like, dad, how come you don't do that good 380 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:10,280 with me? And I was like, motherfucker, I'm like, you like putting 250 pounds on your toes. Yeah, 381 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:14,680 I had a great meet. What happened to you? I'm like, well, I couldn't deadlift or squat for two weeks 382 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:18,760 because I fucked myself up, you know, but I don't ever make excuses. I just go out there and I know 383 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:24,520 what I can do. It's me going out and showing everybody else what they can do and calling those 384 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:28,680 numbers and shocking the shit out of them because everybody does that with me. They're like, 385 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,600 I don't want to know what's on the bar. Just put it on there. If you think I can do it, 386 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:39,800 I'll fucking do it. And I love that level of trust. Yeah. Ronald said the last, like the same thing 387 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:46,200 I remember last week, he was talking about he would rather see his athlete succeed more than 388 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:54,520 himself. Yeah, I think that's, that's most coaches I would imagine. And you recently had an athlete 389 00:39:54,520 --> 00:40:05,000 that was asked to back out of a, out of a, uh, one of the lifts just so that I could win. And I, 390 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:15,080 I, I laugh so hard at that one. Yeah. Miller was offered cash money to back out of bench only 391 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:21,000 at nationals. I'm just not made that way though. Yeah, you didn't know that? 392 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:29,720 God literally messaged me and asked me to back out of bench press only in the 242 so that he 393 00:40:29,720 --> 00:40:35,160 could win it. And then when he didn't do it, the guy ate himself up to another weight class. 394 00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:44,120 What an animal. So I was like, that's what, I just can't do it. I'm not made that way. If you 395 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:50,760 wanted, you got to take it. So was he able to get a record in bench only in 275? Yes, he did. 396 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:54,440 I'd say I'll do it for a hundred grand. 397 00:40:54,440 --> 00:41:05,000 I would have done it for much less. He offered to pay my entry. I was like, no, that's not enough. 398 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:11,800 If you wanted, you got to, you, you've got to take it from me if you want it. And I didn't even bench 399 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:19,960 my normal bench at that meet. So yeah, beta males at nationals. That's uspa for you. 400 00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:27,960 Yeah. And that's, that's one thing I kind of like going with like, I won't say like, I guess my crew, 401 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:32,520 but like the team, we all travel really well, even at like nationals, I had eight people in it. 402 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:37,080 And we had a bunch of people that came down just to, you know, be there with us and help too. So 403 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:44,520 it helps run everything much smoother having a group and being a meet in Alabama, I might have 404 00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:48,680 25 people there. Like as a lifter, you don't have to do shit. Like all you have to do is 405 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,880 lift because somebody's already loading your attempts. They got all your warm up sheets. 406 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:55,720 They have everything done. You don't have to do anything except know, oh, it's my turn to go. 407 00:41:55,720 --> 00:42:01,400 Like, and then that's it. Like you're completely dedicated to that moment. And, you know, I try 408 00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:06,680 to give that full experience to every single lifter that I have and just, just let us drive 409 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:10,920 because we do it every day and training with the same people. And they know me backwards and 410 00:42:10,920 --> 00:42:15,880 forwards and they know how we roll through things, how long, you know, so you have a totally green 411 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:24,040 lifter who like I was and had no clue how to do shit. And I try to help facilitate and get rid of 412 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:28,120 that, you know, and I mean, yeah, it's, it's like a Cadillac experience. But I mean, that's, that's 413 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:34,280 kind of what we, we want to show them like how fun the sport can be when you don't have to stress out. 414 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:37,880 Like here's how, here's how you need to make weight. Here's what you need to bring with you 415 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:42,200 tomorrow. Like I have all that stuff down pat and we'll tell people like, don't eat that. Don't, 416 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:47,320 you know, like, yeah, don't make the mistakes. I mean, let me make all those things. You just go 417 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:53,000 lift. I think earlier I said cult like, but it's in an endearing way. Like you just have, 418 00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:57,400 even if there's one lifter, you'll have 10 people there. Everybody's supporting 419 00:42:58,040 --> 00:43:01,240 everyone, but at the same time supporting your team. 420 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:05,560 And always cool to see people who don't even know that. That's what's saying. Yeah. I mean, 421 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:10,520 that's it. Like, like I said, I don't know how many bars I loaded and unloaded at Nationals, 422 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:15,320 the warmups for people that I've never met or may never meet again, just because I know how 423 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:19,400 stressed out they are. I can see them because like I was telling y'all before we started, 424 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:23,240 people are like, I need this many kilos. I was like, dude, let's just put this on the bar, 425 00:43:23,240 --> 00:43:26,840 just roll with it. What's your opener? All right, you'll be fine. Like just go with it. Don't stop 426 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:29,800 freaking out looking at your phone every three seconds because you need to pay attention to 427 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:34,440 what you're doing. Like make sure your knees, leaves are not touching your socks. Like you're 428 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:40,680 singlin' on. Like that's what you need to be worrying about. And it's also good to have extra hands for 429 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:45,800 you to be able to go where your lifters at lifting and while the others are warming up, 430 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:50,600 you have somebody that can help them warm up. So, you know, it's also good to have that. 431 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:56,920 So much of assistant coaches. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He knows how he is and how he wants things done. 432 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:01,880 And Chris is very personal with all of his athletes. He's, he knows them on some kind 433 00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:06,360 of personal level at some point. So, 434 00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:16,200 yeah, I mean, I don't, I don't know if I, if I've ever answered this before the people, but like 435 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:24,600 the, the reason I got into coaching, like I had a lot of people ask me when I first started, 436 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:29,160 like, oh, you want to coach me? I'm like, no, I'm not good enough yet. And I said, when I started, 437 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:34,760 I'm not coaching anybody to a total elite by myself because that means I know what it takes to go from 438 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:41,160 beginner to the highest level there is by myself with nobody telling me what to do. 439 00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:48,280 So once I finally got to that elite level, I remember Christy was the first one to ask me 440 00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:52,440 to coach her. And I was like, oh, shit, I hope I don't fuck this up. She's really strong, you know, 441 00:44:52,440 --> 00:44:58,840 like, and I mean, I didn't know her at all. I just knew she was at a great deadlift. And, 442 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:03,640 you know, she struggled with bench and for me, like bench is my thing. Like, so 443 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:08,760 that's one thing that I'm really proud of. And I don't know, it's just God gift to me or something. 444 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:12,360 I don't know how I can just bench. Yeah, but I can just do it. 445 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:18,680 Go for it. Yeah. And I mean, at my weight, doing 400 pounds is very unheard of. But I mean, 446 00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:24,040 I've done it a few times. I want to do it in comp where it matters. And I mean, I've done it before 447 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:30,200 and, you know, and going into seeing everybody else achieve things like, I mean, even Josh, like 448 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:34,680 watching Josh when he first came to me, and he was struggling with like, 449 00:45:34,680 --> 00:45:41,080 315. Now he can fuck around with 315. And he's like, look, no legs, you know, like, I mean, 450 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:47,080 like, it doesn't matter. And but I take pride in that because when I'm writing for every single 451 00:45:47,080 --> 00:45:54,440 person that I do write for, and it's it's all literally handwritten every single day, there's no, 452 00:45:54,440 --> 00:46:00,040 template or anything. I say, I can put myself in other people's shoes. I've always been really good 453 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:05,640 about that. And I can visualize what's going on with them mechanically. That's the engineering side 454 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:11,240 of me. That's what I do for a living is mechanical engineering. So that's what coaching is. I say, 455 00:46:11,240 --> 00:46:15,640 all right, he does this. So I need to I need to work on this, I need to work on that on. And when 456 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:20,920 I come out, I'm going to tell him to back off this way or move his hand here or try this. And so I 457 00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:24,360 can break everything down into little bitty segments. And then when it all starts coming 458 00:46:24,360 --> 00:46:29,720 together, it's such an awesome feeling when I start seeing the headway. And that goes across the 459 00:46:29,720 --> 00:46:36,520 board for everybody. Like, another one of my lifters, Henry up at my gym, like he started with me 460 00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:42,760 about four months ago, he never pulled 500. He'd flip flop between sumo and conventional back and 461 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:50,680 forth. Well, three weeks ago, we tried for 500 conventional, and he got pinned. I was like, 462 00:46:51,480 --> 00:46:54,760 let's just fucking trust him. I was like, I haven't tried to like six months. I'm like, 463 00:46:54,760 --> 00:46:59,960 fuck it. Let's try it. Well, he pulled it. And he's like, holy shit, I'm like, okay, well, 464 00:46:59,960 --> 00:47:05,960 yesterday he pulled 501 for two. And I'm like, okay, everything is clicking. He just set a PR on 465 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:12,920 squats like PR on bench. And I love watching how in that short timeframe of just fixing little things 466 00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:18,360 that just seeing the rapid progress, like the newbie games things are so cool to me because 467 00:47:18,360 --> 00:47:23,000 people are just like, fucking PR. And like when you can lead the gym, feeling like a million bucks, 468 00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:28,520 it's great. Yeah. So I don't like when somebody says like, had a great bench day, but squats suck 469 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:34,040 dick. You know, I'm like, but you did this, you know, so there's I'm really good at spinning shit, 470 00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:42,200 too. I told this, I tell this to people all the time. I'm like, I'm like, listen to me. 471 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:50,840 I don't like the salesman's dream. Okay, like my father was used car salesman. So I tell people 472 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:55,800 every day, I'm like, I will tell you whatever the fuck it takes for you to move that fucking bar. 473 00:47:55,800 --> 00:48:00,120 Like I will come up with the craziest shit imaginable. You'll be like, fuck yeah, let's go run through 474 00:48:00,120 --> 00:48:08,680 that wall. I'm like, I don't know. Because I know when somebody can do something and I know when 475 00:48:08,680 --> 00:48:14,680 they can't. And when they can't, I'm like, stop, you know, like that's it. I know when to when 476 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:19,160 to shut it down. But if I know something's there, I'm like, fucking quit being pussy goat. It's 477 00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:25,080 awesome that you can work around injuries as well. But that comes from me fucking myself up all the 478 00:48:25,080 --> 00:48:30,280 time. Like, Oh, I know how to fix that. Fuck that up before. So that's, I mean, that's that's the 479 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:35,720 good thing about me being older as well, and having all of the background and sports and 480 00:48:35,720 --> 00:48:40,920 everything, I think all the different injuries. I have, I have great relationships with pts that I 481 00:48:40,920 --> 00:48:47,320 still go to to this day, after my car wreck, that can break everything down mechanically for me. And 482 00:48:47,320 --> 00:48:53,400 then I take that applied immediately. So I mean, I'm like, I'm like a conduit for everything. And I 483 00:48:53,400 --> 00:48:58,600 have pts that are members of my gym that can help with stuff right there, like dry needling, 484 00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:03,080 everything just right there. Boom, like mid session. Hey, my pecs kind of acting up boom dry 485 00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:08,920 needle fix. All right, I'm rolling through bench. Like, I love that. I mean, and I get that at meets 486 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:13,160 too. So that's once again, like that Cadillac experience. It's really nice to be like, this is 487 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:21,240 kind of a can all fix it done. And I'm 100%. Or you have somebody jab a elbow in your shoulder 488 00:49:21,240 --> 00:49:27,640 or whatever right, right? Or it takes to loosen you or jar moonshine, whatever. 489 00:49:29,720 --> 00:49:30,920 That really listens you up. 490 00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:37,560 Well, moonshine to make you do strange things. Yeah, deadlift a truck. 491 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:45,880 Been there before, not the moonshine part, but I think we're good. Carson has to roll out for a 492 00:49:45,880 --> 00:49:52,360 sleep test. Yeah, hopefully I'm getting a CPAP CPAP game. 493 00:49:54,360 --> 00:50:00,200 Oh yeah, I'm going to I'm going to 308. I'm just going to get absolutely diabetes. 494 00:50:01,240 --> 00:50:03,560 Not being able to breathe the winded up the stairs. 495 00:50:03,560 --> 00:50:06,040 Sterbo bowl. But I'm a spot. 496 00:50:06,040 --> 00:50:11,480 Yeah, you don't have to walk into the bar once. 497 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:16,440 Y'all shout out your social media so we can look you guys up. 498 00:50:18,200 --> 00:50:24,760 You can find me on Instagram at lentini lifts heavy. And then also the gym is iron empire barbell 499 00:50:24,760 --> 00:50:32,040 club. And, you know, try to make as many acquisitions and unique equipment as possible when it comes 500 00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:37,800 to this crazy sport. So I'm always picking new things up. So, you know, you can come and try it 501 00:50:37,800 --> 00:50:43,320 anytime. It's only $5 for a guest pass for a day pass. So I mean, I'm not getting rich off 502 00:50:43,320 --> 00:50:48,120 guest passes, but I want people to experience, you know, that elite level equipment that you 503 00:50:48,120 --> 00:50:51,960 get on the platform and you can go in there and try it out, you know, and maybe that'll be a gateway 504 00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:56,680 for, you know, younger kids. That's really what I'm looking at to build stuff for the future. 505 00:50:56,680 --> 00:51:03,480 Yeah. Well, I can be found on Instagram at country 22 1155. 506 00:51:04,600 --> 00:51:05,000 Yeah. 507 00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:07,400 Which is his age. 508 00:51:10,760 --> 00:51:15,960 All together divided by 55. I wasn't going to try to shout that one out because I couldn't remember the numbers. 509 00:51:19,480 --> 00:51:22,840 It's fine though, Brian. No, but thank you all for having me. 510 00:51:22,840 --> 00:51:29,400 I mean, this is awesome. I'm sure you're coming by. It's been fun. Yeah. So that's been your 511 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:55,400 Friday night at the barbell with Josh Sellers, Carson Wendell, Bryant Wood and the Smurfs.