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How can you open your own successful gym? w/Alan Thrall Jun 05, 2019

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This episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus. For a limited time only, they are offering our listeners an entire Month for FREE! Check out the Entrepreneur’s Tool Kit. It’s a great fit for the topic of this episode. Start your free month trial today using our special URL: Thegreatcoursesplus.com/FACTS Episode Notes: Many of you have probably dreamed about being your own boss. Maybe even opening your own gym. We pose that question to a guy who’s done it…and succeeded. Mike shares his first experiences with starting businesses, and how opening a gym didn’t go as planned. Here are some additional factors we talked about: How much does location matter? Where are your members/clients going to come from, and how will you reach them? How broadly (or narrowly) should you be defining your target membership? What kinds of costs do you need to think about related to opening the business and the facility? What are you willing to risk in order to start a brick and mortar business like a gym? Can you afford to keep it going through the parts where you’re not making much – or maybe even any -- money? Alan Thrall joins us with his experienced take on this topic. Alan is the owner of Untamed Strength, a strongman/powerlifting gym in Sacramento, CA. He talks about starting without a real plan, and why you should probably have one. He also shares how his gym has grown and changed over the years, and the important things he’s learned. Our ideas start around from the beginning of the episode. Alan joins us around 14:08. You can find Alan on Instagram at @untamedstrength, on YouTube and at his website: trainuntamed.com Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal (@connoroneal). Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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What do you need for a really good home gym? w/Alan Thrall May 29, 2019

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus. For a limited time only, they are offering our listeners an entire Month for FREE! Start your free month trial today using our special URL: Thegreatcoursesplus.com/FACTS Episode Notes: Say you don’t have access to the kind of gym you want to lift in, or any gym period…but you have a garage (or something similar)? What’s absolutely essential to making a home gym work for you, and about how much money would you need to spend? Here’s what we came up with: Spend as little as possible…or as much as possible? What’s the minimum equipment you need? Are dumbbells and specialty bars necessary? Is flooring a critical element or a luxury How much is a decent power rack? How do you keep from busting up the floor? Alan Thrall joins us with his experienced take on this topic. Alan is the owner of Untamed Strength, a strongman/powerlifting gym in Sacramento, CA. (The term we were looking for about Alan’s service as a Marine was “body bearer.”) Alan makes some specific equipment recommendations, including racks from Rogue Fitness. Our ideas start around 9:00. Alan joins us around 19:30. You can find Alan on Instagram at @untamedstrength, on YouTube and at his website: trainuntamed.com Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal (@connoroneal). Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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What does that Game of Thrones finale tell us about how we plot our own life stories? w/Westside vs the World director Michael Fahey May 24, 2019

Show notes

It’s a BONUS episode! And there are SPOILERS! Obviously, we wanted talk about the end of Game of Thrones. It’s not that we’re terribly upset about it, but wow there’s a lot of pissed off people on the internet. Beyond that, it got us thinking about our personal stories, about beginnings and endings, and how difficult it might be to tell the true story of someone’s life in a film or TV show. Here’s what we came up with: What did we love and hate most about the way the individual stories played out at the end of the show? To what extent do each of us plot out our personal stories in our heads before we make big decisions? If we know where we want to end up, how do we choose our steps along the way? How much impact do comments from people on YouTube and social media about the decisions we’ve made (that affect who we work with and the content we produce) have on us? How is storytelling different in fiction vs documentary/real life? We’re joined on the panel in the first segment by Connor O’Neal who produces the video version of the show and handles Mike’s YouTube channel. Our panel discussion kicks off from the jump. Michael Fahey, director of the documentary Westside vs The World, joins us about 39:00 to give his perspective on presenting the stories of real people on film in a way that’s both accurate and entertaining. (And commercially viable.) Westside vs The World, which details the history of Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell, is now available for rent or purchase on most steaming platforms. You can find Michael on Instagram at @westsidefilm, on Facebook at facebook.com/westsidefilm, on Twitter at @westsidefilm, and at the website: www.westsidevstheworld.com Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal (@connoroneal). Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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Do you really need that extra salt? w/Dr. Spencer Nadolsky May 22, 2019

Show notes

Seems like we’ve been hearing about the dangers of too much salt for decades because of its effect on blood pressure, but lately we’ve seen recommendations about adding salt to your diet for better performance. Is salt really dangerous? Does it actually help you perform better? Here’s what we came up with: Does salt always affect blood pressure? Why would additional salt improve performance? Are some kinds of salt better or worse for you? Why have always been told to avoid? Do powerlifters need sports drinks like Gatorade? Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is a practicing board-certified family medicine physician. After a successful athletic career at University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, he enrolled in medical school at Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg. He aspired to change the world of medicine by supporting lifestyle over drugs (when possible). He specializes in Obesity Medicine. And yes, he lifts. Our ideas start about 11:20. Dr. Nadolsky joins us about 19:00. He outlines the situations were additional salt might hurt or help, and when the wrong type of salt might lead to hypothyroidism. We kick off the episode talking about bike shopping, and shopping for flights on Hopper, Google Flights, and Scott’s Cheap Flights. You can find Dr. Nadolsky on Instagram at @drnadolsky, on Facebook at facebook.com/DrSpencerNadolsky, on Twitter at @DrNadolsky, and at his website: drspencer.com Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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Eating for strength, aesthetics, or health: How are they different? w/Jason Phillips May 15, 2019

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by Green Chef. Use our link for $50 off your first order: greenchef.us/facts Episode notes: Nutrition coach Jason Phillips joins us for this episode. Serious strength, aesthetic, and health goals can seem to require very different nutritional strategies, but what are the things they have in common? Here’s what we came up with: How often do strength athletes use their goals as an excuse for bad eating habits? Is it food choice or food quantity that matters most? Do carbs and aesthetics really not go together? What role do performance enhancing drugs play in these goals? How is “health” defined? Our ideas start about 8:40. Jason joins us about 16:50. We kick off the episode talking about neglecting Instagram, Black Mirror, and gore porn. Here’s one of the first projects that we worked on together. Jason Phillips is the founder of iN³ Nutrition and the Nutritional Consulting Institute. Jason has written for several publications including Men’s Fitness and his own book, Macros Explained: Your Ultimate Guide to Macronutrient Prescription for Health, Performance, and Aesthetics and Macros Applied: Bridging the Gap from Science to Application. You can find Jason on Instagram at @jasonphillips_in3 and at in3nutrition.com Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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Is deadlifting bad for your back? w/Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horshchig May 08, 2019

Show notes

Is deadlifting bad for your back? w/Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horshchig IF you heard this deadlift episode last week under the title “Why do people think squats are bad for your back?” go back and re-download that title and you’ll get the correct episode on squatting. ____ How many times have you heard someone say they don’t want to deadlift because they’re afraid they’ll hurt their back? Too many. Neither of us have had back pain issues caused specifically by deadlifts, so we tried to think of reasons that people might actually believe this. Here’s what we came up with: If your back rounds when you pull, are you more likely to get hurt? Will improving your form protect you from injury or should you just “pull how you pull?” What about people who don’t pull with good form and never seem to get injured? What role do your spinal erectors play in the deadlift anyway? Aren’t your hamstrings more at risk anyway when you pull? Our ideas start about 17:00. Aaron weighs in at about 24:00 with some wisdom from Dr. Stuart McGill’s work. We talk about the idea that your back maybe only has so many bends, the mechanism of deadlift (movement in and out of load), and the dangers of copying the form of random person on Instagram…or even of a top puller. Specifically, the movement flaws of deadlift freaks and elite athletes’ are not an excuse for you to pull the same way. We also touch on ways that strongman style deadlifts and stone lifts are different from a standard powerlifting deadlift. As a physical therapist, Aaron works with Olympic weightlifters, powerlifters, Cross Fitters, international level soccer players, MLB and NFL athletes. He’s currently working with our friend, powerlifter J. P. Price. We open the show with a conversation about just how good a movie (or food or whatever) has to be to make it worth paying for. Is just having a good time enough? Our trip down the rabbit hole of this topic includes The Lion King, McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets, the Avengers movies, Iron Man, Black Panther, Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek, Star Wars, Disney Plus, and Steve McQueen’s Bullitt Mustang. You can find Aaron at his website Squat University, on Instagram @squat_university, on YouTube Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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Why do people think squatting is bad for your knees? And is it? w/Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horshchig May 01, 2019

Show notes

Is it an old wives tale that squatting is bad for your knees? Or is there actually data behind it? Here’s what we came up with: Maybe there’s a body type that’s bad for squatting? Is the leg press somehow better? Does it possibly cause tendonitis/tendinopathy? How did this whole thing get started in the first place? Is it bad if your knee get too far over your toes? Our ideas start about 9:58. Eavesdrop on our candid conversation with Aaron starting at 17:27 on continuing to learn and challenge yourself while working in your field. Immediately after, we transition to this episode’s main question. He explains how a theory about “stretching tendons” from a man named Karl Klein, and a subsequent 1962 article in Sports Illustrated, led to squatting being banned all over the place. We discuss arthritis, genetics, and how stimulus + recovery = adaptation should always be considered. As a physical therapist, Aaron works with Olympic weightlifters, powerlifters, Cross Fitters, international level soccer players, MLB and NFL athletes. He’s currently working with our friend, powerlifter J. P. Price. We kick the show off with a discussion of what AirBnb gets right, and wrong, and some ways to get a better experience than Mike recently had in Boston. You can find Aaron at his website Squat University, on Instagram @squat_university, on YouTube Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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Is it too late to create a successful YouTube, podcast, or social media presence? w/Omar Isuf Apr 26, 2019

Show notes

So many people are focusing on building personal brands or becoming “influencers”-- often through social media, YouTube, podcasts, etc. – but has the time already passed? Will it still work if you start today? We asked our good friend Omar Isuf for his perspective -- and advice -- relative to this question. Omar is a successful YouTube content creator from Canada, a partner with Silent Mike and Bart Kwan on Kizen Training, as well has pursuing other business ventures. He's also a keen observer of media. Mike kicks off the discussion with the theory that hitting it big in social media is becoming as rare and unlikely as making it in the NBA. Eventually the real question comes: can you actually make a living through these avenues if you didn’t start five or ten years ago? We talked through a number of factors: Is it harder to stand out now…or actually easier? What’s possible now that didn’t used to be? Is it too late to make money on YouTube through “easy” monetization? Does taking “cheap” sponsorships impact earnings for everyone? Which strategies might work now? Is having an attractive image enough? Along the way we name check The Sandlot, Babe Ruth, Prince, Howard Stern, Joe Rogan, Brendan Schaub, Joey Diaz, and Pornhub. We also kick around masterminds, selling merch, developing your own products, paywalled content, reality TV, vlogging, failed porn actors, Luminary for podcasts, and anti-intellectualism. One hint at our answer: Success leaves clues You can find Omar on his hugely successful YouTube channel. And Instagram as @omarisuf. Check out his new podcast, Iron Culture, with Eric Helms. Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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100% Feelings? w/Omar Isuf Apr 24, 2019

Show notes

We had some fun with this episode by breaking format and having an extended conversation with our good friend, Omar Isuf. Omar is a successful YouTube content creator, a partner with Silent Mike and Bart Kwan on Kizen Training, as well has pursuing other business ventures. He's also a keen observer of media. We talked about a variety of topics, but one central theme was effective storytelling in popular culture: Can’t anybody make a movie that’s not about a superhero anymore? Why do some stories resonate more than others? How does a good story cause you to suspend disbelief? Does the kind of story you enjoy reflect how you think about yourself? Here’s a link to the Star Wars line that Mark Hamill refused to say. (Yes, we discussed Avengers: End Game and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.) In our next episode, we get down to business and tackle the question “Is it too late to get a huge following on YouTube and social media?” You can find Omar on his hugely successful YouTube channel. And on Instagram as @omarisuf. Check out his new podcast, Iron Culture, with Eric Helms. Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/50-facts--5538735/support.

Where do discipline and motivation come from? w/Dr. Matt Johnson Apr 17, 2019

Show notes

Can people really just “suck it up” and stay disciplined and motivated? This question was prompted by a recent episode of the Joe Rogan experience. Some of our thoughts on this question: If you choose a particular diet or workout because it’s easier for you to stick to, are you making a smart move or showing your lack of discipline? How much of a role does your self-created identity play in maintaining your motivation? Why do some people have all the discipline they need to accomplish whatever they want while others struggle? Dr. Johnson draws on his experience working with athletes and executives to offer observations about what makes high performers tick, and strategies to help the rest of us. We jump right in with our ideas. Matt starts sharing his insight at around 15:00. You can find Dr. Johnson at his website drmattjohnson.com Hosted by Mike Farr (@silentmikke) and Jim McDonald (@thejimmcd). Produced by Jim McDonald Production assistance by Connor O’Neal. Theme by Aaron Moore. Branding by Joseph Manzo.
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