207 — Winning The Tactical Games with National Champion Jacob Heppner
Oct 09, 2023
Ever wonder what it’s like to be one the fittest people in the entire world? Maybe, but have you ever considered what it takes to reach that level, and then transition that status into new endeavors? Well, our own Jeremy Stone visited world-class CrossFitter and Tactical Games National Champion, Jacob Heppner, to find out.
Tactical Games and CrossFit Champion Jacob Heppner provides great insights into fitness and competitiveness. (jheppner66 Instagram page)
Jeremy got a taste of working out with Jacob, which you can hear about by listening to the podcast. He then sat down, after recovering, and talked in depth about CrossFit, the Tactical Games, and general competitiveness. It’s a great interview with a unique guy. We’ll hit the highlights here, but you’ll need to listen to get the details. That’s just how this works, you know.
College Football Backup to Top CrossFit Competitor
Jacob played college football at an unnamed NAIA school, though he says he wasn’t very good. We’ll take that on faith. He says he was the team math whiz charged with keeping the other guys eligible. The math talent scored him an internship in systems analysis at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where an Army major invited him to try CrossFit. Looking for a way to stay fit after football, Jacob agreed, even though he didn’t know anything about CrossFit.
Jacob showed up and, not being familiar with many of the exercise skills, didn’t think he performed well. But the CrossFit people saw something and encouraged him to come back for more training and to compete. So, Jacob looked into the CrossFit Games, realized it was a sport, and thought it might give a competitive guy something to do after football.
Jacob Heppner is a serious dude. (jheppner66 Instagram page)
We’ll let you listen to Jacob’s CrossFit journey in his own words, but let’s just say he did very well. In only a few short years, he went from enthusiastic new guy to being declared the sixth fittest man on the planet at the 2019 World CrossFit Games. Looking at Jacob’s Instagram page, we’d love to see how the top five do it because, dang. Jacob is a serious dude when it comes to working out, as Jeremy learned firsthand.
Jeremy says he was a little worried about working out with Jacob, but he found that Jacob is a good coach, “able to challenge somebody without really shoving their face the dirt. Because anybody can get absolutely destroyed, but you’re not gonna learn anything.” Jacob agreed, saying, “That’s kinda like the motto of CrossFit. Everything is kind of scalable.” Different people have different paces, “but at the end of the day, did we get the stimulus we wanted?”
To that end, Jacob started Grit Performance, an online capacity-based, non-skill program. It features exercises that everyone can do at their level. “We’re gonna sweat,” Jacob says. “We’re gonna hate ourselves for 20 minutes and by the end of it, we’re gonna be like, ‘Man, that was terrible, but it was really fun.'”
By 2020, CrossFit had become a full-time job, with sponsors, including Nike, to satisfy. The passion was ebbing, and Jacob started looking for something else. He didn’t know it yet, but he had already laid the groundwork for that change.
Jacob’s dog, whose name, I believe, is Winston. Included here because dogs are awesome. (jheppner66 Instagram page.)
Transitioning to the Tactical Games
Jacob began combining workouts and shooting in 2018. It wasn’t a big deal. Just something new to try. But his Instagram posts drew suggestions to check out the Tactical Games. He looked at it, but CrossFit was still his thing and he filed it away. But looking for something else two years later, Jacob decided to try one event at the April 2021 Tactical Games. He began training, describing himself as “the most dangerous novice on the planet,” at the time.
Jacob says the shooting is the same throughout the Tactical Games divisions. The differences come in the fitness challenges. Being a world-class CrossFit guy, Jacob entered the Elite Division. He did well, placing fourth behind three top Tactical Games guys. But he didn’t just breeze through the competition. His CrossFit chops meant he excelled at the fitness parts, but his weapons skills were not where they needed to be.
Jacob showed up with his rifle scope not zeroed and the scope mounted backward. But the Tactical Games guys squared him away and encouraged him to compete. He said that attitude helped him “fall in love with the sport.” Like CrossFit, Tactical Games competitors want everyone’s best shot. They want to win, but they want it to be against the best everyone can bring, and they want everyone to have fun. Jeremy says that matches his experience in Precision Rifle Shooting.
The Tactical Games
Jacob explains the different Tactical Games divisions and the rationale for the Tactical Division, which is very interesting and makes a ton of sense. You should listen to that. Jacob and Jeremy then discuss proper Tactical Games weapons, gear, and setups. Jacob stresses that new participants don’t need “Gucci gear,” which is a trap many fall into.
Jacob Heppner teaching Tactical Games at T-Rex Arms. (jheppner66 Instagram page)
“Show up with what you have,” he says. The point is to get good with your everyday stuff, then you’ll learn what you need, and what you don’t, as you progress. Basic stuff includes a pistol with at least 10-to-12 rounds capacity, holster system, an LPVO-equipped rifle, a good sling, and a basic plate carrier. Jacob and Jeremy go into more details, but that’s the basic stuff. Jacob does say to make your gear, including your rifle, as slick as possible, because weight during the fitness phases is a big deal.
Showing up and competing is how you learn. One big thing will be talking to experienced people, seeing what they use, and learning why they like certain things as opposed to others. Jeremy points out that waiting until you think you have the perfect setup, or your skills are good enough, is a great excuse to never do anything at all.
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Jacob talks about how CrossFit and Tactical games are similar in that the athletes are not hyper-focused on one event. Rather, they must be good at many things. He likens them to the Olympic decathlete. The decathlete might not be gold or silver medal material in any single event, but they are good enough across a range of events that the complete product is very good indeed. They may not be finely tuned athletes (or maybe they are), but they are certainly very well-rounded athletes. And Tactical Games events translate to the real world.
Jeremy asked Jacob how he addressed building his shooting skills for the Tactical Games. Jacob replied that he approached it the same as he did with CrossFit, which requires a wide skill set. He found experts who taught various shooting skills, whether it be long-range rifles, defensive pistols, or other specialties. He took the courses and learned the fundamentals.
He now practices those fundamentals and adds to them by increasing speed, adding stress, or whatever, just as any serious firearm student does. Jeremy notes that advanced shooting is really just fundamental shooting done faster. Jacob says he breaks down complex movements into their “atomic elements.” He practices those, progressing until he can put them all together.
A good coach cares about their athletes’ success. Jacob obviously cares. (jheppner66 Instagram page)
A Very Interesting Discussion
In all, Jeremy’s 45-minute or so talk with Jacob was very interesting. I’ll admit to purposely staying away from CrossFit, though I’ve often thought the Tactical Games look cool. But the stuff they talk about can be applied to any skill you might want to develop. Jacob obviously understands not only how to develop himself, but how to coach others. I coached high school football for 18 years. I recognized some solid principles in how Jacob approaches his craft. Give the podcast a listen. I bet you’ll come away with something positive, even if you don’t aim to be the next Tacticool Iron Man.
206 — Behind the Scenes of Garand Thumb with Micah and Charlie
Aug 16, 2023
“Hey, it’s Jeremy from Gun Mag Warehouse.” That’s how we’re used to hearing the Mag Life Podcast open, and this episode is no different. But this time, we’re treated to different impressions of Jeremy, thanks to Micah and Charlie from the Garand Thumb YouTube channel. That’s merely the opening to a podcast driven by the guests’ unique brand of humor and more than a few interesting insights. As always, we recommend you listen to the entire episode, but here’s a quick rundown to whet your appetite.
Host: Jeremy Stone
Guest: Micah and Charlie
Accompanying Article: William Lawson
Mike is the Garand Thumb OG, but Micah and Charlie have helped him take the channel to a new level. (Garand Thumb YouTube Channel)
The podcast airs from an “undisclosed location” in the Pacific Northwest, probably meaning Washington State and likely near some Sasquatch village. Jeremy kicks off the episode by noting that his guests took the already very successful Garand Thumb channel to new heights with their humor and cinematography, “the likes of which the YouTube world had never seen. And now it’s created a new era of quality meets entertainment, meets information.”
Garand Thumb and the Beatles
It’s difficult to argue with Jeremy’s assessment. After all, 3.23 million subscribers, as of this writing, can’t be wrong. Micah seems to agree, though he throws the credit back to the OG Garand Thumb personality himself: “It wouldn’t be a thing without Mike,” who already had something really good going. “He’s intelligent, thorough, and has all the skill sets that people want.”
But Mike, himself, agrees that everyone’s unique personality contributes to the Garand Thumb crew pretty much having everything down. The goal now is to keep it going. Micah says that breaking up the current Garand Thumb crew would be like breaking up the Beatles.
Micah, with his videography and editing, forms one leg of the GunTube Beatles. (Garand Thumb YouTube Channel)
If Mike already had the knowledge and skill sets, Micah adds the top-notch videography and says he is obsessed with improving the channel’s overall quality. Charlie brings the humor, which Micah says Mike couldn’t do on his own, given Charlie’s spontaneity. “That is the Beatles,” he adds.
Building on Garand Thumb’s Success
Micah’s videography improvements were a no-brainer. Charlie notes that Micah’s editing takes a good video and makes it “a banger.” But Micah also regularly engages what may be the most active comment section on YouTube.
Mike always acknowledges that “the comment section is out of control.” It’s part of Garand Thumb lore. Jeremy asks if the comments drive community engagement with the channel. “Yeah, probably,“ Micah responds. “I feel like if you don’t feel like you’re a part of it, and you can’t relate to it, why are you here?”
But, as we all know, comments are not always positive. Jeremy asks Micah if spending time in the comments helps with shrugging off those negative opinions. Micah offers an insightful answer, acknowledging that “Not everyone’s gonna like your stuff. You can’t be perfect. You can’t please everybody. It’s literally not possible.” But even a few criticisms resonate more than the many, many positive or neutral comments. You remember the negative more than the positive, especially the negative points that make sense. But that’s how you improve things.
Charlie’s not really a doctor. He just plays one on Garand Thumb. (Garand Thumb YouTube Channel)
A Different Vibe
Anyone who watches Garand Thumb knows Mike can be very funny, but Charlie takes it to a new level. “My jokes and my dark humor, especially, it’s a constant,” Charlie says, “but I know time and place.” But he had to get a feel for time and place when he first joined the crew. He admits that his first appearance was a bit awkward as he worked through it. Micah says he had to assure Mike afterward that Charlie really was funny. Despite a somewhat rocky start, Mike warmed up to Charlie’s humor, and viewers were soon asking for more.
Jeremy notes that “You need some of that chaos mixed in” to balance out Mike’s calm knowledge. Micah agrees, saying they could try to script some comic relief, but he doesn’t think it would work. Charlie’s timing is as important as what he says. “I don’t think you can script what Charlie does,” says Jeremy, “you can’t bottle it.”
Charlie’s hilarity apparently doesn’t stop when the camera turns off. Micah says his compatriot’s superpower is internet trolling. I won’t spoil the stories, but they involve feet pics and fake social media accounts, among other things. Charlie especially enjoys trolling fake PVC patch salesmen.
Micah refuses to reveal his “Icelandic superpower,” though he has apparently mastered abruptly hanging up the phone. Do with that what you will.
Micah has definite opinions on barrel length. (Garand Thumb YouTube Channel)
Gun Talk
Jeremy asks an interesting and important question, given the number of new gun owners who continue to enter the sport and the hobby. He asks his guests where, if he were to start a gun collection from scratch, he should begin. And if he wanted to build a first rifle, should he build it for a specific purpose, or would a general build be better?
Both guests agree that a pistol is a better first purchase than a rifle. A few basic accessories should be included, such as a light and perhaps a red dot. They recommend a duty-sized pistol such as a Glock 17.
The rifle discussion is a bit more ambiguous, as you might expect. After all, the AR-15 platform is so flexible that almost anything goes. All agree that knowing the rifle’s purpose is important if for no other reason than avoiding buying stuff you don’t need.
That discussion really can’t be reproduced in this commentary, but it’s very much worth a listen. It goes into brands, cost, barrel length, and even shooting range limitations for training. A couple of philosophies come to light, demonstrating once again that there is no “one size fits all” answer to gun ownership.
Training and Other Topics
Jeremy offers a take on how shooters train in various states. He thinks that shooters in more restrictive states, like Washington or California, take their training, by and large, more seriously than people in freer states like Texas. That sparks a great discussion about gun laws, training perceptions, and the role of public land. I found that to be one of the podcast’s highlights.
Where else can you get this? (Garand Thumb YouTube Channel)
True to form, however, some lighter topics come up which are no less interesting, including theoretical encounters with “mountain men” in the woods, which eventually devolve into shades of “Deliverance.” You Millennials and Gen Z types can look that one up, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
We also learn that Jeremy is into Classical Greek philosophy, though there’s some doubt as to whether he’s an “Aristotle guy.”
“Ulterior Motives”
Finally, Jeremy asks if there are any secret “ulterior motives” to Garand Thumb content. Charlie clarifies that as “underlying goals.” Micah replies that, “We just want people to be exposed to the joys of firearms and firearms ownership. We want people to see them being handled in a way that is both professional and fun. I just want there to be as much content, accessible to people, that it becomes normal.” Essentially, with so many people searching for firearms-related content, Garand Thumb strives to provide them with the best quality possible in a welcoming and entertaining way.
There are two basic narratives. One states that gun rights and gun usage are beneficial to a free society. The other is about control. Garand Thumb seeks to counter one narrative with the other by making it appealing, especially to younger generations. Garand Thumb content is purposely not heavy, and they strive to make it fun.
This is one of the Mag Life’s best podcasts yet, even if it is a bit chaotic. Or probably because it’s a bit chaotic. It is Garand Thumb, after all, and you know it’s out of control. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
203 — Performance on Demand “Milspec Mojo”
Dec 21, 2022
GunMag Warehouse’s Jeremy Stone is back with another entertaining and information-packed Mag Life Podcast. This month, Jeremy sits down with YouTube gun guy and real-life cop, Milspec Mojo. Mojo is widely known as one of the top firearms guys on the internet, especially when it comes to fundamentals. Those fundamentals translate into lightning operations skills, meaning that he’s a good resource to watch if you want to improve your shooting and gun handling.
Milspec Mojo is one of the top gun guys on YouTube. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel)
Instagram and Garand Thumb
Mojo started off on Instagram, where he is still very active, but his YouTube channel took off when he started working with YouTube icon, Garand Thumb. As he got further into the training aspect of firearms, Mojo found that he has a knack for teaching. He loves training other people and has developed a style in which he and his friends actually train one another, even if he is the impetus behind it all.
Jeremy agrees, talking about how much fun he had at his earlier session with Mojo and his team. Mojo says it’s important to train with likeminded people who want to get better. Surround yourself with folks like that and you’ll get better. That leads to the experience of everyone training everyone. Jeremy agrees that most people want that kind of situation.
Jeremy observes that not all cops train regularly. Mojo says that it is a problem in the law enforcement community, but he qualifies that by saying he’s not married and doesn’t have kids. If that happens down the road, his priorities may shift.
Mojo also says that, while shooting is an important skill for law enforcement officers, other skills are also very important and maybe even more so. He talks about social skills like talking to people and making your point without sounding like a jerk. De-escalation and talking your way out of a gun fight. Defensive tactics and being physically fit are also big. All those together are probably more important for a cop than pulling a trigger, but he also says that pulling the trigger is a skill that cannot be allowed to lapse.
Mojo has to pay for most of his extra training himself, as do most other cops. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel)
Much of the less-than-ideal training can be attributed to budgetary factors made worse by the ill-conceived “defund the police” movement. Agencies simply don’t possess the ammo budget to have cops train properly. If they want extra training, they have to pay for it themselves. Jeremy notes that many departments require cops to provide their own patrol rifle if they want to roll with one. Mojo says he is very fortunate that his agency provides them with some great weapons.
Back to Training
Jeremy returns to his range session and says he enjoyed it because he felt like he learned something and got better. He asks Mojo what he thinks is the best way to know what you’re not good at. He then answers his own question by saying it’s shooting with other people. Mojo agrees and says that shooting on camera helps too.
Those things force you to home in on individual skills to learn where you’re lacking. Mojo says you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, meaning you have to accept that you need improvement and be able to accept and learn from constructive criticism. You have to lose your ego to get better. He has hundreds of video hours that he watches, trying to see what he can do better.
Mojo Doesn’t Shoot Competitively…Yet
Jeremy asks Mojo about shooting competitively, to which Mojo replies that he hasn’t done it seriously. He did shoot a couple of matches, in which he did very well using a stock rifle and a Beretta M9A1 against guys with custom rigs.
Mojo says that he probably should compete, despite some law enforcement criticisms that competition is “gaming” and doesn’t translate to the real world. Mojo says he used to buy into that but has changed his mind. He says he constantly games scenarios at work, whether it’s pre-staging a vehicle or a weapon if he thinks something is about to go down.
Mojo says he’s been working with the MP5 a lot. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel)
Jeremy notes that certain skills from competition, like a fast draw, absolutely translate well, though some competition habits, like always pointing the muzzle downrange, can hinder real-life performance. Mojo says that, so far, he hasn’t been interested in competing because he has more fun training with his friends. “As long as you’re having fun, “he says, “that’s all that matters. If you have fun, you’re gonna learn.”
Airsoft Training
Jeremy compares competition shooting to Airsoft. Some things translate and some things don’t. He then says that Airsoft is “fun on a grand scale.” Mojo concurs. He and his friends play Airsoft, not only because it’s fun, but it also contributes to physical fitness and team building. They learn tactical team communication from Airsoft. The Airsoft environment provides the context within which skills can be practiced and applied.
It’s also a great way to test gear, whether it be optics, lights, or any other gear you might run. Mojo says that he and his boys run their actual cop gear when they do the Airsoft thing, including armor. He learned that he doesn’t like magazines on his chest rig’s front because it hinders him when he goes prone. He does note that Airsoft stuff ain’t cheap. It’s come a long way from its beginnings.
Mojo and his team use Airsoft because it’s fun and it teaches them skills like tactical communication. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel)
Becoming a Sniper
Mojo recently qualified as a police sniper. He uses a built-out Remington 700 with a chassis setup. He talks about what he learned in the sniper course in a good discussion of the training and its continuing benefits.
He puts a lot of effort into being able to run whatever gun he has at a high level, including his bolt gun. He doesn’t want to be the guy who has been to all the schools or been in combat but can’t actually run a gun. You can have training and experience, but you still have to put in the work to benefit from it. A good discussion of shooting fundamentals follows, including fast bolt gun operations. Mojo surprisingly says that the bolt gun might be his favorite weapon.
Mojo with his tricked-out Remington 700 sniper rifle. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel)
He also says that, even if you have a long-range weapon like his sniper rifle, don’t scoff at practicing at closer distances. Mastering the fundamentals at 100 yards or 7 yards with a pistol allows you to build on that as ranges increase.
Genesis of a Name
Mojo says his nickname comes from two places. First, the “Milspec” part comes from wanting to run standard equipment as well as, or better than, other people who run custom weapons and accessories. Hence the good performance with the Beretta and the basic rifle. He has nothing against upgrades, and has a couple himself, but he wants to be able to run whatever he has at a high level without depending on them.
He picked up the nickname “Mojo” in the Marine Corps and he relates that story. Turns out the combination works, even if it took a few name changes to get the handle right. This is a very informative and entertaining podcast. Do yourself a favor and listen to the whole thing. You’ll probably learn something.
202 — Hunter Constantine’s Baptism by Fire
Nov 23, 2022
GunMag Warehouse’s Jeremy Stone is back with another interesting and insightful podcast. This month, Jeremy sits down with USPSA Grandmaster Hunter Constantine right before shooting his own very first match. They discuss Hunter’s meteoric rise in the sport and what it takes to develop and maintain good shooting skills.
Hunter Constantine.
Jeremy starts by saying that his podcast guests are “people that I dig. People that I see on social media doing cool [stuff] and that I can learn from…I’m on a journey of getting better at shooting guns.” Hunter stood out to him because he does some funny stuff but he’s also a very high-level competitor.
A Relatively Late Start
Hunter recounts how he never fired a gun until he was 18. His uncle took him to the range and handed him a 1911 with factory 230-grain ball ammo. He laughingly says it was “as much recoil as I could probably ask for.” “After that weekend,” he adds, “I just fell in love with it.”
Hunter bought his first firearms shortly thereafter and began shooting recreationally. After moving to Tucson, Arizona, he looked into competition shooting. He had been a high-level bicycle rider but knew he could only focus on one thing if he wanted to perform well. He chose shooting because he thought it was “badass and cool.” No argument here.
Jumping in With Both Feet
So, at age 24, Hunter Googled “how to shoot competition.” The results returned a local pistol club, so he called the match director, who told him “To just show up.” The first few months, Hunter was dead last in the local standings. But he was enjoying himself and stayed with it.
Hunter says he especially enjoys the social aspect of competitive shooting. Most of his friends are in the firearms community. Jeremy echoes that sentiment. He says the online gun community is “vastly different” from in-person interactions. He notes that there is a world of difference between “the comment section” and how humble and inclusive gun people are in real life.
“They want you to come out and shoot,” Jeremy says, “they want to grow the sport, they want to get more people involved.” Hunter agrees, saying that was his exact experience. He didn’t know the rules or the gear, but people were glad he was there. They gave him tips on gear and even loaned him items to try out for himself. He used that experience to develop his own setup and he now rocks his EDC rig during matches. He says competitive shooting is “open arms for everybody involved.”
Living the life.
“I encourage people to go to the match and shoot with whatever gear you have. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a new gun and a new belt. Just go shoot with what you have. People will welcome you.” He says that maybe you shouldn’t go shoot at the nationals with the wrong gear, but local matches will teach you what you need and what you don’t.
Hunter then details how he did not do that and how those lessons were learned. He started with a straight-up Gucci setup and that was a mistake. He now shoots a Smith & Wesson and loves it. Hunter then discusses his daily training routine and shooting schedule. Jeremy says early on that Hunter’s cold start drills are what drew his attention.
Fast Tracking to Pro Shooter
Hunter decided to pursue USPSA as his discipline, but right as he made that decision, the USPSA directors at his club stepped down. No one else was interested, so Hunter volunteered. He became the match director before he even had his USPSA membership.
He learned on the job by putting on matches for world-class shooters. No pressure there. That was his “Baptism by fire,” so to speak. It obviously worked out well. Hunter kept up his training, too. “There’s no parties, no chasing girls,” he says. It took disciplined and diligent work.
When he picked up his first sponsor, Hunter gave his commercial real estate company 2 months’ notice. He used his severance pay to buy gear and 28,000 rounds of ammo. He thought it would last a year. Those 28,000 rounds were gone in 3 months. But those 3 months also saw him rise from a high B-class shooter to Grand Master status.
Despite a relatively late start, Hunter Constantine is now a USPSA Grandmaster.
Jeremy notes that the foundations for that improvement aren’t seen on social media. “It’s not real sexy to show work happening, and the sacrifice as well.” Hunter agrees. Hobbies and other activities just fell away while he pursued that goal.
Maintaining and Growing Skills
Hunter says that shooting major competitions is most beneficial to him now. Being around a nationwide talent pool makes him better. He sees how they shoot, giving him the opportunity to emulate their techniques and habits. He also says that seeing them in person is much better than watching them on video or social media. Watching in real-time is better suited to detailed analysis of what they are doing.
Plus, actually competing against those shooters is more beneficial than just practicing. The competition drives you to be better and brings out any weaknesses in your technique and mindset. Jeremy adds that, as he gets into competitive shooting, he wants to make sure his range time is building toward something. Hunter concurs, saying that “there’s a difference between shooting and practicing.”
Hunter has reached the point where he is working on his brain’s processing power. He can analyze his technique as he performs full-speed drills. That translates to competition, making him better. Being able to mentally break down techniques in real-time slows everything down in his mind, almost like slow motion.
Hunter focuses on technique over raw speed. Good technique allows him to be faster, but he tries to balance speed and accuracy. He makes it about repeatable performance, which improves over time, leading to long-term success. Consistency is key. It’s much better than high and low spikes. Knowing you can reproduce a given performance level at any time is a powerful tool.
Remember to have fun.
Make it Fun
Shooting is and can be a lifelong sport. But only if it’s fun. “If you’re not having fun, Hunter says, “it’s not for you.” He admits that some shooters approach it differently, but even during matches, he tries to have fun, whether it’s joking around with the range officers, or whatever. The relaxed, fun mindset helps him shoot better and certainly makes shooting professionally sustainable.
Hunter carries that mindset into training as well. The classes he teaches are relaxed, which he believes helps his students. He says he’s never cared for the “drill instructor” style of training that is so prevalent right now. He believes students get more from a class “where it feels like we’re all just hanging out.” Jeremy says he thinks there’s a place for both, depending on each person, to which Hunter agrees.
A good discussion about a winning mindset and mental preparation follows. I won’t try to recapture that here because you’ll want to hear it for yourself, just like the rest of the stuff I left out.
Finishing Up
Hunter and Jeremy talk about how beginners may be reluctant to get involved because they don’t want to be at the bottom of the standings at first. Hunter understands because he’s been there. But sticking it out and putting the work in pays off in shooting, just as it does everywhere else. Hunter says he feels great satisfaction when he sees former students moving up the standings.
Hunter Constantine has turned his expertise to training other shooters.
Despite his success, Hunter still sees himself as a student. He’s always learning new things to make him better. One thing he learned was that cycling through different guns and gear doesn’t help. Once you find what works, focus on that. You get good when you settle on one gun.
Hunter estimates he has 150-200,000 rounds through his chosen Smith & Wesson platform. He’s shooting for a million. “That allows me to understand that gun inside and out. I know what recoil feels like when it’s a light round. I know when it’s a bad grip…I can call my shot based on how that gun feels in my hand.” Powerful stuff.
Hunter’s gear experiments led him to develop and market his own gun belt, which he proudly says is all made in the USA, from start to finish. He says, “it’s the most comfortable belt you could possibly wear.” He tells you where you can find one if you’re interested. He also talks about the courses he offers and where you can access that training.
All in all, this is a very interesting and informative podcast. Do yourself a favor and listen to it. You’ll learn something.
This month, Jeremy had Administrative Results on the podcast to talk about kit, history, and how to be a better man.
First off, this is an interesting conversation. Jeremy notes that he reached out to Admin because he not only likes the content, but the channel’s vibe. He thinks that’s missing from a lot of content creators. And he’s not wrong. Admin’s channel is unique, even though it deals with guns and shooting like so many others. There’s a philosophical underpinning that many channels lack. And the production value is first class.
Admin running a Finnish RK 92 service rifle (Administrative Results YouTube Channel)
And we’re calling him Admin because he’s superhero-like in that he has a secret identity. Who knows what lurks beneath the balaclava? Only Admin knows.
A Call to Service
Admin’s background is in law enforcement, though it might have gone in another direction. He says that he “was always someone that felt called to a service capacity…I knew I had to do it, either military or law enforcement.”
He tried the military first but found more doors being shut on him than were opened. Looking at law enforcement, he found he could make better money while still answering the call. Plus, there was no runaround like the military was giving him.
Admin also features cool historical rifles like this German STG 44 “Sturmgewehr.” (Administrative Results YouTube Channel)
Admin was a cop for two years until his department made a COVID vaccine mandatory for continued employment. He liked his job but passed on getting jabbed. By that time, however, his YouTube Channel had 30 or 40 thousand subscribers, so he rolled the dice and went full-time.
That was a good decision since he’s now at 263k with a bullet. His quality product has attracted industry influencers and he’s going strong. He now serves through information and philosophical culture content.
A Simple Success Strategy
Basically, Admin advises diligence in your work and avoiding “time sucks” that “aren’t good for your brain.” Stuff that distracts like social media. He loves video games, but disciplines himself to put them aside when it’s time to work.
Admin puts in a lot of work, like reconstructing Larry Vickers’ famous CAR-15. (Administrative Results YouTube Channel)
He also stresses positive habits—easy but crucial stuff like regular exercise and drinking water. “You have to take care of yourself,” he says. He’s big on saunas too, thanks to a trip to Finland. Admin also says you have to take risks. Calculated risks, certainly, but sitting at home in front of a video game all day and night is not the way. If you want to be something, you gotta risk something.
Finally, hard work. Shooting guns on YouTube for a living sounds awesome. It is awesome. But there’s a lot of work behind the scenes that makes those cool videos possible, whether it’s planning, editing, skills development, or whatever.
Admin shooting the now famous “Dicken Drill” (Administrative Results YouTube Channel)
Jeremy notes that good habits build momentum, but so do bad habits. If you don’t exercise one day, it’s easier to not do it another day. Admin agrees, saying that a bad day at the gym is still a day at the gym. A substandard video is still a learning experience to help him get better.
Admin and Jeremy both agree that details are important, and Admin says he’s learned a lot about kit and training from the Airsoft community. That pointed him to forums, where he learned even more. It’s all a deep rabbit hole and he admits to still learning. No one knows everything, but you can always learn.
Interestingly, Admin lists former SAS operator Christian Craighead as a big influence. You may remember that Craighead singlehandedly stormed a terrorist-held hotel in Nairobi, Kenya in 2019. He killed two tangos and led the hostages to safety.
Admin always gives us cool guns, like this Rhodesian FAL lookalike. (Administrative Results YouTube Channel)
Future Goals
Admin says he would like to branch out and start his own company, so he doesn’t have to rely on fickle YouTube policies. He envisions that endeavor as a shooting range, complete with instructors, along with a realistic Airsoft competition complex. The goal is to promote shooting skills and “amplify” firearms culture, much as he does now, just more hands-on.
Jeremy notes that politics is downstream from culture, and that influencers like Admin are doing good work there. Channels like his can counter the media narrative and may lead to positive political results moving forward. Jeremy says a Jerry Miculek video literally changed his life and he thinks guys like Admin are working to make firearms culture American culture. You know, like it used to be before people started listening to alarmists driven by the hysterical mass media.
Who knows what lurks beneath the balaclava? Only Admin knows. (Administrative Results YouTube Channel)
The Power of Mass Communication
Jeremy and Admin have an interesting discussion about the power of mass media and how that power is flowing to regular people via the internet. They note how guys like Joe Rogan have a larger audience than much of the corporate media and how that threatens the establishment.
It’s very astute, with Jeremy quoting the author Gustave Le Bon, who wrote that whoever controls the crowd, controls society. “Whoever gives them their illusions is their master. Whoever tries to show them that they believe in illusions will always be their enemy.” An appropriate quote for our times.
Creators like Admin, and podcasts like this one, are helping dispel illusions. That’s why certain bad actors and their corporate cronies do their best to silence them. We need to be tuned in and not let that happen. One way to do that is to listen to the podcast for yourself to catch all the stuff I necessarily left out. And go check out Administrative Results on YouTube. You’ll be glad you did.
On this week’s episode of The Mag Life Podcast, we have none other than one of the most energetic and entertaining firearms content creators out there, Dustin Ellermann. Better known as Top Shot Dustin, he is the winner ofthe third season of History Channel’s Top Shot, an incredibly popular Youtuber, a firearms enthusiast, writer, and youth mentor.
Dustin joins Daniel as they cover the firearms influencer space, social media censorship of the 2nd Amendment, becoming an entertainer, training, and dealing with negativity.
00:24 How did you get into guns? What led to you going into Top Shot and Youtube?
Daniel starts off by asking Dustin how he got into firearms in the first place and what eventually led him going into entertainment content creation. Dustin explains that he was always fascinated by guns as a child, having been raised on The Gospel Bill Show and obsessing over the featured cowboy western aesthetic pearl gripped revolvers. Eventually a casting call came out for History Channel’s Top Shot, looking for people into competitive shooting. The show offered an opportunity to use iconic historical firearms. For Dustin, this was a chance to live out his boyhood dreams of shooting guns for free. He had no real intention to become famous or a top competitor, Dustin simply saw the show as “Disneyland with guns.”
Dustin has had a fascination with firearms since childhood. The only difference now is that he can get his hands on them!
06:54 After Top Shot and Becoming a Youtuber
Dustin recalls how he had no grand plans after his time on Top Shot — especially no intention of becoming a prolific YouTuber. He was only concerned with completing each new challenge on the show and avoiding elimination. In his day to day life, Dustin and his family run a children’s camp for young marksmen looking to improve their skills and build character. His priority has always been to build a foundation for future competitive shooters and gun enthusiasts above all else. Upon requests to make videos, Dustin found that Youtube content creation allowed him to take his love for shooting recreationally. Through the YouTube platform, he has been able to teach new shooters, and express his high-energy personality to new heights. Also, the ability to make some money on the side from the viewership certainly didn’t hurt.
09:15 Marksmanship Camp
Daniel inquires further about Dustin’s Marksmanship Camp for the youth. The Ellerman family has owned the camp since Dustin was 13. By the time he was a young adult, Dustin knew he wanted to commit his life to firearms at some capacity. He found was that by setting up a camp in which he had total control of the grounds, the struction and atmosphere allowed him complete freedom in running a firearms training facility. Children ages 6-12 come in large groups, often with their church affiliation, with attendance averaging 2,000 per summer.
Dustin’s Marksmanship Camp is the perfect melding of family bonding, team building, and skills crafting.
Dustin structures his camp programs to be both fun and educational for not only children, but their families as well. In his Marksmanship Camp, Dustin essentially created Top Shot — but for kids, where various firearms and challenges are set up in a very accessible manner.
For example, Dustin will setup user-friendly firearm builds such as CMMG Banshees SBRs in .22LR with suppressors, making shooting that much more enjoyable. Dustin observes that the kids shoot better because there is no fear of the muzzle flash, recoil, or noise.
Without a doubt, Dustin believes his camp program is the perfect family bonding experience for those who attend. Eventually, Dustin would love to put together an adult-centric version of his camp. Ideally, it would include bigger caliber guns and grander challenges.
16:37 The Power and Censorship of Social Media Firearms Content
Dustin describes the continuing frustration he has for Facebook’s utterly ridiculous censorship standards for firearms content creators. It is nothing short of an attack on 2nd Amendment advocates and influencers, as major platforms such as Facebook search for anything that can be used as an excuse to restrict content or even wholesale remove pages.
“They actually deleted my page. Just, you know, the normal, ‘Oh you’re against our community guidelines!’ ‘Ok, what post?’ A link on my page for a flash light sale! But there’s a pistol in it, so they just deleted my page… What surprised me was they admitted, ‘We are limiting your reach on your page.’ I was getting close a million followers [and now people] can’t even find me… I couldn’t even find my own videos!”
Dustin, like many 2nd Amendment content creators, are constantly hindered by social media censorship. Ultimately the goal is to spread a positive and responsible culture of firearm ownership. (Photo credit: AR Build Junkie)
Dustin also notes how the settings on Facebook basically give each page a strike system, where each continued violation accumulates and only serves to further harm the traffic and reach of the page to users. There is no denying how vital social media is to the firearm industry business owners and content creators like Dustin. As such, it is devastating to have it suddenly cut off.
Daniel also notes that despite not being very active on his own Facebook page, just by making one profound post on the situation in Afghanistan, he suddenly garnered an enormous uptick in social media engagement. Dustin adds that the major value of social media platforms is not just to simply make money but to also spread the pro-gun message to everyone. Gun influencers like Dustin do a fantastic job of humanizing gun owners to a wider audience, showing that guns can be safe and fun. Clearly, the community and it’s voices are present on social media but big tech executives and owners continue to stifle them.
27:07 Training Classes
Daniel inquiries about future projects or initiatives for the Top Shot Dustin brand. Dustin replies that there will be more tree chopping videos, of course, but he also intends to take more training classes. Impressively, even the winner of Top Shot continues to seek training and refinements of his skills. Daniel notes how often he hears the tired excuse of people claiming they don’t need further training because their family member’s friend was once in the Army and that’s all the advice they needed.
“Ten years ago, that’s when Top Shot was… and oh ok, what I’ve been doing… and winning with for ten years, we can still improve and fix… We are always learning; the whole industry is always finding better ways to do things.”
Continued training is still very much a priority for Dustin, despite his already stellar shooting accomplishments. (Photo Credit: 5.11 Tactical)
Daniel agrees wholeheartedly, further adding that there are different levels to skill improvement, depending on the experience level of the individual. New shooters with about 20 minutes of instruction will see an immense increase in improvement in terms of their accuracy, timing, and confidence. With more experienced shooters like Dustin, what aspects they do improve upon will be minute and harder to see. But the point still stands, everyone, no matter the skill level, can still improve that much more.
34:55 Everyday Carry Guns and Working with Gun Manufacturers
Daniel asks Dustin he carries everyday? Dustin reveals he carried the Springfield Hellcat as part of his summer EDC loadout. He enjoys the micro-compact series of 9mm handguns that can hold a sizable amount of rounds per magazine. The trigger he felt was lacking and had virtually no wall but could still manage very impressive groupings with it. Additionally, it has a Shield red dot sight that came with the gun. More recently, Dustin has been carrying the Walther PPS M2 and very much enjoys the trigger.
Daniel recalls having written a review for the Springfield Hellcat and did not hate the experience of shooting it. He found the gun overall to be very easy to shoot, but it did have a sluggish trigger pull and the slide serrations were too smooth to the point where racking it became an issue if his hands were sweaty. He also recommends the Sig P365 series of the same category. Dustin experienced issues with the earlier models of the Sig but has found he is not against trying it again.
Both Daniel and Dustin have worked extensively with firearms manufacturers in the realm of product reviews. They note how certain companies are simply thankful for the positive press and sales that a review article or piece of content generates on their behalf, offering the product for free as a show of good faith. Other companies, however, always demand back their product or charge prices that are even higher than wholesale.
Coming into the firearms scene, Dustin only sought the opportunity to simply shoot guns for free. Now it’s what he does for a living.
Daniel changes the topic towards favorite rifle and carbine builds. Dustin’s first thought flashed to the Larue Tactical OBR in 7.62 which was what he used on Top Shot and was in fact given to him after the season’s conclusion. Dustin personally attests to the sheer durability of the Larue rifle. Once, he dumped 1,000 rounds back to back and only after a short cool-down period, saw his groupings resume to an 0.8 in group at 100 yards.
42:13 Advice for Aspiring Gun YouTubers
Daniel ponders his experiences with YouTube content and the rise of new firearms influencers on the platform. He has observed and dealt with all manners of unsafe firearms content creators who, for the sake of increasing views, attempt to do more than they understand at the range. He also sees generally ignorant statements in the comments of his videos. Daniel asks Dustin for advice for aspiring YouTubers looking to make their way in the firearms space.
Dustin deals with negativity in his comments section on a regular basis. His advice is to either ignore them completely or have fun with the haters. His channel is family-friendly so Dustin sets his comments settings to put any comment with profanity in it under “requires approval” folder, which in turn automatically rids of the majority of negative comments. For commenters that continue to attack Dustin, he’ll take screenshots of their comments and publicly post them for this audience to make fun of. Essentially, he turns the negativity into a fun and engaging experience for his fans.
190 — Grey Man Tactical | Purpose Built Solutions
Sep 10, 2021
The Mag Life Podcast is honored to have Paul Capdepon of Grey Man Tactical on the show. For those unaware, Grey Man Tactical is a firearms accessories company that specializes in Rigid MOLLE Panel systems that allow users to load firearms and other equipment onto small but durable polymer frames. You may have seen these commonly used on vehicle seats or backpacks for the everyday armed citizen or law enforcement officers.
This week, Daniel discusses with Paul the details of how the company came to be, how his experiences brought him to the firearms industry, and the latest product offerings from Grey Man Tactical.
Daniel asks Paul what inspired him to start Grey Man Tactical. Paul explains he initially got his start in the oil industry in 2012, where he spent much of his time working with complex plastic materials. As with many people who eventually work in firearms, Paul spent much of his free time shooting for sport. It dawned on him that during his range trips, Paul was actively seeking a solution that would condense his gear loadout and lighten the weight. Leveraging his experience in the oil industry, Paul taught himself to build polymer-based attachment systems for the purpose of storing firearms, magazines, and tools in backpacks and inside vehicles.
While Grey Man Tactical was not the first to develop vehicle seat back MOLLE panels, they were among the few that pioneered the use of durable polymer materials for added loading strength.
Paul married his passion for design with his natural inclination toward hands-on building. In his previous position as a project manager, he worked specifically with composites such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, and polymer applications. This naturally offered Paul a unique insight into how to repurpose these same materials to solve common issues that plague the gun world. Eventually, this journey would lead to the formation of Grey Man Tactical. As the years went by, Paul and his team have made constant improvements to the materials of their products in direct response to customer feedback.
05:06 Designing Products with a Purpose
Like any company worth their salt, every product design from Grey Man Tactical was created with a specific purpose in mind. In one of their more popular product lines, the vehicle seat racks have been invaluable in saving space, increasing storage capacity, and organizing tools for their customers. Competitors have traditionally pushed out MOLLE-based, soft material seat back covers that could load some gear. However, when heavier objects such as full-sized rifles came into the picture, these seat covers would sag and lose their integrity.
Grey Man Tactical allows the user the flexibility of building their own tailored solutions for their everyday needs.
Paul and his team initially used HDPE polymer in their seat back covers which were more rigid in comparison, but still tended to bow out under immense weight. Eventually, Grey Man Tactical shifted to glass-reinforced polymer and aluminum seatback covers which made them strong enough to hold loaded rifles and additional gear weight.
Daniel notes and admires that Paul, while not a “high speed, low drag” military vet, is simply just an everyday man who recognized a problem and developed an immediate solution.
12:59 Who are your customers? How is the end-user applying Grey Man Tactical products?
Daniel asks Paul that aside from the normal armed citizen, what other customers are using Grey Man Tactical products and how are they using them? He reveals that law enforcement officers make up another significant portion of their end-user base but not the ones we typically think of.
“What we find is that a lot of the big users for us isn’t necessarily the typical [uniformed] officer… Because they have different weapon rack systems in the standard patrol vehicle. But more of the use of ours tends to be is the undercover units or the unmarked cars, things like that… They’re going after drug dealers and things like that, [so] they change out their vehicles so that they aren’t always in the same one.”
The ability for the RMP frames to load entire rifles and additional gear makes it an ideal solution for law enforcement officers who are constantly on the move.
Grey Man Tactical seat back covers are highly adaptable while still being durable. There are no screws that force the cover to be married to a seat, the covers can be quickly changed out even with entire rifles attached. These forward-thinking designs make Grey Man ideal for low-profile operations.
16:11 Are there custom or tailored options?
Daniel speculates that customers must have all kinds of specific needs from Grey Man products and asks Paul if they offer custom solutions upon requests. While Grey Man Tactical does not necessarily make custom-tailored products for individual customers, they do have a specific link for suggestions from their customers. What is being offered are preconfigured kits that take the base seatback organizer covers and load them with equipment that is catered towards a specific mission.
Grey Man Tactical will be offering preconfigured loadouts for their customers that will be custom-tailored to specific purposes.
As of now, Grey Man offers a premade medical kit vehicle seatback loadout package for those prioritizing to handle emergency situations. More configurations are being developed that will each tackle different specific market demands such as weapon rack and overland packages.
21:15 Other Grey Man Tactical products
Paul highlights other products offered by Grey Man, namely the new Stealth 20L RMP Backpack Advantage. This was developed in direct response to Paul’s own needs for an easily accessible, low-pro everyday carry backpack. The Stealth 20L offers a compartment that’s tailor-made for Grey Man’s RMP mounting panels for rapid access to a concealed carry gun as well as accommodating adequate space for general storage.
The Stealth 20L RMP Backpack is the ideal EDC off-body carry solution, with the same durable RMP inside for mounting equipment but also with a compartment designed for quickly drawing your conceal carry gun.
In this week’s episode of the Mag Life Podcast, Daniel speaks with one of the greatest competitive shooters in the world, Simon “JJ” Racaza. JJ’s accomplishments are numerous, having finished in 3 rd place in History Channel’s Top Shot season 1, becoming the number one qualifier of the US Gold Team in the 2010 ISSF World Shooting Championships, and silver in both the 2011 and 2014 IPSC Handgun World Shoot.
Together, Daniel and JJ discuss the importance of truly understanding the fundamentals of marksmanship, controlling one’s self under pressure, dissecting the common problems within the firearms training world, and promoting humility and accountability.
Daniel kicks off the conversation with what we’re all wondering: how did JJ Racaza gain his incredible shooting skills? What did it take to get this far?
JJ replies that it takes individual accountability and experimentation through application. Both Daniel and JJ agree, admitting you suck at something is a hard pill to swallow for most, and making improvements is even harder. JJ is constantly putting new skills to the test whether by the shot timer or by competition to determine what actually works and what does not. The fact that JJ is a trainer adds even more pressure to ensure that his curriculum is as efficient as possible for his students. Shooting, like any skillset, is an ever-evolving process and one can never get too complacent.
Daniel points out everyone always wants to be good at something but most will lack the proper mindset and discipline to do so. JJ builds off this idea, claiming that in his experience a consistent work ethic has been the major determining factor in what makes someone “good”.
“Right mindset and really just the work ethic… It’s almost an insult when someone says ‘Hey man, he’s just supernaturally talented, that’s just something he was born with.’ And it really kind of wasn’t… I still remember clearly how terrible I was… It’s kind of one of those things I just kept putting in the work.”
05:15 How did JJ Racaza find his passion in competitive shooting? What allows him to remain competent?
For JJ Racaza, his initial foray into firearms ownership and eventually competitive shooting stemmed not from a boyhood interest but out of necessity to protect his family.
As a child, JJ lived in the Philippines with his two sisters and father while his mother was working in the US. His father instilled in him at an early age the importance of using a firearm, should the worst happen to their family. Then one day when the family went out shooting, several people were running an IPSC competition shooting course in the next bay over. JJ’s father became enamored with the sheer dynamic nature of this kind of shooting, it changed his world. He dove deeply into the IPSC style shooting, which eventually got JJ involved. All of JJ’s fundamentals stemmed from endless hours of constant dry firing as taught by his father to the point that these skills became second nature at a very young age.
As previously stated, JJ was constantly finding out his flaws and making immediate improvements, even at a young age. For example, while JJ had been dry-firing proper stance and trigger pull for hours, upon arriving at the range and actually practicing live fire follow-up shots, the recoil would violently jerk him around. So he went back home and practiced consistently having a proper grip in his dry fire reps. This became his endless ritual of self-improvement: testing what he knows at the range then fixing what did not work at home, then repeating this process. Today, JJ commits 300 days of dry firing sessions every year.
There are no secrets to becoming a successful shooter. Like many legendary competitive shooters, JJ Racaza worked on his fundamentals from the ground up, daily.
For JJ, visual demonstration is a vital part of his ability to learn. Whether it be firearms manipulation or playing golf, given enough time JJ can roughly replicate the general motion of most actions.
This is also how JJ self-evaluates himself through video recordings of his matches and practice sessions. He is able to dissect any wasted motion in his mechanics to make himself that much faster in his matches. In the heat of the moment, JJ acknowledges any mistakes he made during his matches but does not allow it to drag him down. Having a strong, positive mindset is vital to getting through competitions and overcoming obstacles. Only after a match will JJ fully digest what he did wrong and then make adjustments accordingly.
21:09 Having Self-Control and a Focused Mindset
Daniel emphasizes the importance of freeing the nervous mind before doing any stressful activity, most notable that of competition. Likewise, JJ goes into all of his matches with an emotionless mentality, living exactly in the moment in order to make each of his actions done with intent.
The worst thing an individual can do is to overthink their last mistake in the middle of their given task. Daniel treats every day as a moment to practice living in the present by utilizing self-control both in and outside of the range. When teaching others, Daniel has observed the moment students start overthinking their past mistakes and enter a downward spiral of negativity is the exact moment their learning process has stopped.
25:16 What makes JJ Racaza’s shooting ability so special?
In terms of the core of JJ’s shooting technique and competency, it would have to be properly manipulating the trigger. Early in his career, JJ was fortunate enough to be shown how to properly press the trigger on a handgun and to avoid pinning it to the rear, allowing for much faster follow-up shots. For those who are beginners, pinning the trigger can help conceptualize proper trigger pull but it is nothing but a detriment when it comes to serious shooting. As a result, JJ starts every class he teaches by covering proper trigger pull and reset, regardless of skill level.
Trigger control is a vital part of any kind of shooting. Having a good sight picture, stance, or grip means little if you jerk your handgun at the last minute upon firing.
In addition, over time JJ has changed how he prioritizes his shooting mechanics and target acquisition.
In the past, JJ would tell people to “slow down” upon sighting certain targets, so that they would not rush and make mistakes. He realized later it was far more important to focus on proper fundamentals upon reaching a target and letting a round off as soon as everything was correct rather than overthinking the concept of “speed.” There would be times he would reach a target, slow himself down dramatically and end up missing the target anyways, but this time much slower on the timer.
Now he emphasizes going over a quick mental “checklist” such as checking proper grip, sight picture, sight alignment, and then trigger press. As soon as these are all checked, a round should be let loose without hesitation.
Efficiency naturally creates speed over time.
JJ puts this into practice by giving certain targets his own mental designation. Larger targets up close are called “attack” targets and smaller targets especially at distance are called “control” targets. The logic is that attack targets require far less perfect mechanics and skill due to the fact they are larger and closer, thus allowing more room for error. Control targets, as the name implies, require more thought and precision due to the fact the surface area is smaller, emphasizing a tighter focus on proper fundamentals.
Daniel and JJ Racaza both employ a plan before entering any potentially stressful situation, whether that be in a potentially dangerous area or an IPSC match. Having some template on how to react to given circumstances helps cut down on wasting valuable time; it reprioritizes the brain to move on to the next step in order to increase your chances of success.
46:15 What are the biggest problems with shooters today?
In JJ Racaza’s experience, the most common reoccurring issue he encounters with shooters is that too many want to latch onto the idea of “advanced” shooting without having mastered the fundamentals. Many of his clients will have hired him specifically to do more dynamic shooting drills, techniques, and to be pushed to the next level, but often what ends up happening is half the class becomes reviewing the basics because they have not figured out the major lapses in their skillsets.
“My biggest challenge as an instructor is that… I get a lot of these guys [who] just want to see the sexy stuff and they just want to see the ‘advanced’… And when you see it, it’s almost like they’re not progressing because the fundamentals, the holes in their game is literally holding them back from being able to explore their next level…”
Taking a shooting class should entail more than just fun drills with friends. Real-world lessons should be imparted and actionable items should be encouraged to be practiced afterward.
The many years that Daniel has spent as a firearms trainer also reflect this trend. The idea of “advanced” shooting is almost misleading in his opinion. Any class that pushes you to the next level is simply utilizing your fundamentals under higher standards and in uncomfortable situations. JJ adds, “‘Advanced’ [is] literally the fundamentals applied in a slightly efficient or different manner.”
Daniel reiterates that his biggest frustration with the firearms training world is the fact that so many who go into this have no conception of what a “good” or “high standard” of skill even looks like. JJ recalls being sent a shooting drill in which the students are running in a full sprint, shooting at multiple targets with next to no accuracy, and being told this is a proper, safe technique. It has become a larger problem—those who do not know any better will simply watch this and believe this should be replicated in the real world.
While Daniel is always happy to hear feedback from students, he does not place too much weight on simple generalized compliments on the quality of his classes. Simply put, most will believe anything they’re being taught in a paid class is amazing, especially if it involves activities they’ve never done before. It takes a certain level of experience to give honest critical feedback on the quality of content. It is his responsibility as an instructor to be the one who is constantly critical of what he is teaching and to be the one who educates his students on what proper, correct applications look like.
55:47 Goals of a Firearms Training Class
When leading a class, both JJ and Daniel employ an overall template and outline of what their class’s material should cover but there is not a preconceived idea of the exact number of rounds to be shot or drills to be done. For too many shooters, they think simply doing activities in a structured setting is sufficient enough for a monetized class.
“My goal is to introduce as many concepts as I possibly can to your shooting without changing your shooting style. Like, everyone comes in with their shooting style. And my goal is to make you better with all these concepts and then you have a crapload of homework, a direction where to go, and an idea of your self-level of awareness [that will be] is so much higher than when you walked into a class. You can pinpoint exactly the individual concept that… [may have] prevented you from moving on to the next step.”
59:16 Promoting accountability and humility
Promoting accountability in instructors, without stepping on toes or attacking others, is another conundrum across the firearms training world. It is very easy for trainers to “eat their own” as they attempt to push for safe training practices, especially with the rise of social media.
For instance, in order to avoid any public drama, JJ Racaza will at times directly message people on social media if he spots what they’re teaching to be obviously unsafe. On the other hand, it’s also difficult for many people in the industry to express humility or just to push for a more positive environment. Daniel points out he could feature a popular firearms accessory and get incredible traffic, but a training video that promotes becoming a better shooter or better person will hardly get the same traction.
At the end of the day, all gun owners should be trying to uplift the 2A community, not prove whose ego is the largest.
For trainers looking to post their content, a major source of annoyance is the people who offer criticisms without understanding any context of the post. It’s incredibly common for a short snapshot of a training drill to go up on social media only to be harshly trashed by commenters who fail to understand any of the goals of the drill or what was done prior to recording. JJ speculates a lot of this stems from ego-stroking, that many people feel the need to be the first to say something and first to be validated. The culture of humility clearly has much room for improvement in the firearms training world.
To learn more about JJ Racaza, follow him on Instagram.
Article/Show notes by Eric Huh
185 – Kyle Lamb | Viking Tactics
Jul 26, 2021
This week’s Mag Life Podcast brings on a man who needs no introduction (but we’ll give one anyway). Kyle Lamb is a former decorated US Army Delta Force operator, Sig Sauer Academy firearms instructor, writer, and the founder of Viking Tactics. He was made famous by his incredible firearms accessories, training classes, and his military service not just in Somalia during the events of that inspired the adaptation Black Hawk Down, but in many years of service thereafter.
Kyle and Daniel discuss the value of having a disciplined mindset, teaching others, staying true to yourself, and writing your own stories.
Daniel expresses to Kyle that after having spent many years in the gun industry, he no longer finds real value in just material objects like the hottest new firearm or the best aftermarket accessory. Rather, Daniel finds lasting value in being able to retain skills, mastering one’s self, and spreading this knowledge to others. Acquiring life skills and then spreading this to others is gradually becoming a lost practice in today’s gun culture due to divisiveness, elitist attitudes, and a general attack on self-reliance.
Kyle agrees with the notion of positive reinforcement and fostering a culture of support to help individuals get better at their craft. He brings up the example of the hit TV series, Forged in Fire, a reality competition show that involves blacksmiths competing in creating the best historical weapons. He describes that unlike the vast majority of competitive series, every contestant and cast member is friendly and actively cheers each other on. Too many instances of negativity more often than not turns Kyle off completely from certain activities or people. Kyle recalls his time in the Army, during a time in which he felt he was responsible for the actions of others, especially their negative ones. He makes the point that while your friends are certainly people you should care for, it does not necessarily mean you are obligated to bear the burden of their actions and mistakes.
Daniel builds off that, recalling that in his experience, those who actively seek out positivity attract more positive interactions and vice versa for those who seek negativity. In his experience, if Daniel had brought negative energy into his house, it would grow within his family, then he would bring that same negativity to work and make his co-workers feel the same miserable energy. This cycle becomes infectious to others and soon entire spaces feel unwelcome.
16:57 Warrior Mentality and Meeting Special People
Having a positive mindset often develops a stronger sense of worth and willpower or a warrior mentality. In Daniel’s firearms classes, often students will find themselves near a breaking point, hearing a voice in the back of their heads telling them it’s ok to give up. Those who persevere past that exhibit a true warrior’s mindset. Kyle agrees and that as instructors they’re both able to meet truly unique and strong individuals that surpass their expectations.
“I just did a video with Leupold, they were asking me like ‘What’s it mean to be a hero?’ And I’m like, first of all, it’s not me, it’s those folks [around me]… Look at law enforcement, they get up every day and they go out and they’re getting ridiculed and they’re trying to do the right thing… So that to me is much more heroic than you know at midnight, I load up into a vehicle and we do a mission in Iraq or wherever. That’s expected cuz that’s what we do and we have all the tools to do it. These poor people, they get up every morning and they make it happen.”
A positive mindset is everything and often this attracts other like-minded people.
20:05 Belonging to a Tribe
Kyle asks Daniel what he believes the concept of a tribe is. Daniel defines a tribe as a group of like-minded people trying to achieve the same goal and bringing others along with them.
Kyle inquires if Daniel believes everyone should be in the same tribe. Daniel does not believe so and that it would be impossible to force everyone to be in one kind of group. Kyle agrees, further adding that people should in fact be different and diverse. Individuality matters just as much as wanting to find somewhere to belong.
On the other hand, despite being in the same “American tribe” so to speak, there are quite a few groups that, politically and ideologically speaking, Kyle would never wish to be associated with. Additionally, Daniel points out how peer pressure tends to take hold in how tribes grow their numbers and strengthen their voices. In many instances, individuals fall into a tribe’s practices and behaviors solely not to be socially ostracized or wish to feel important.
26:24 Personal Accountability
Daniel highlights a Coffee or Die interview that Kyle had participated in, namely an instance when Kyle had said “I tried not to be a coward”. This was in reference to when Kyle was in Delta Force in the US Army during their operations in Mogadishu, Somalia, that inspired the book and film, Black Hawk Down. Daniel very much relates to Kyle’s internal struggle, as his one true fear in life is being a coward or not being able to act during a time when he is needed the most. Kyle elaborates during that infamous mission that he truly cared not for his own life but rather the lives of his comrades.
“I really thought I was gonna die. It was a bad day and dudes were getting shot all around… Jamie Smith was a young Ranger that had been shot high in the femoral artery and it also broke his pelvis, so we were working on him. And when I had a second to say a prayer, I didn’t pray that I would survive but I prayed I wouldn’t be a coward. Because I figured I’m done, I just don’t want to go down like [that].”
Kyle Lamb believes that if you aren’t true to yourself, then you aren’t learning how to be a better version of yourself.
Kyle goes on to discuss how this sense of accountability has permeated his life, mainly through his wife keeping him in check and honest to himself. Whenever he faces instances of uncertainty or dilemmas, his wife simply reminds him to do the right thing and to lead by example. He emphasizes that if someone is not facing some kind of hardship on their journey in life, then they truly are not living. If someone is not used to making the right decision during the worst of times, then they’re probably really good at making bad decisions all the time. It’s very easy to go with the crowd or do what everyone else is doing, it’s harder to be your own person.
33:17 Training and Building a Foundation for Success
Daniel recounts a time when GunMag first started a leadership training program for their managers. While sitting in on the class, Daniel realized that a good portion of people did not truly have a strong foundational understanding of leading others. It became a realization that our society less and less emphasizes creating leaders that will guide others into a successful future. It was through going through the Marine Corps at an early age that Daniel had quickly grasped what constitutes good and bad leadership.
In order to develop skills, one must acknowledge their shortcomings. This ensures that first, a solid foundation is built.
Kyle Lamb expands upon the idea of a strong training foundation through the lens of the firearms classes he instructs. If his students have a strong foundation in their skillsets, then making improvements is very easy to do. But having a “crack” in that foundation, such as pinning the trigger to the rear during follow-up shots, is much more difficult to overcome.
41:15 Influential Authors, Writing Style
Daniel and Kyle discuss their favorite influential authors and how their works have influenced their own writing. Kyle appreciates the attention to detail seen in novels by Frederick Forysth, Jason Kasper, and Jack Carr because they are able to capture the realism in how weapons are handled or how combative actions are handled. This adds to the believability and suspense, especially for readers who are former military. Daniel discusses how Stephen King’s writing style has been especially helpful in creating stories of his own.
46:29 Finding the Time to Read
Daniel inquires how Kyle even finds the time to read given how busy he is. Kyle responds that he finds the time to read in all the little gaps of time and breaks he has. This often includes waiting at the dental office, on the bus, before he goes to bed, in the bathroom, or any other time that does not involve giving his full attention to something.
Daniel often enjoys listening to podcasts and audiobooks as it allows him to get through long trips or even monotonous tasks. For Kyle Lamb, he only truly spends his time on books or podcasts if he’s getting something of value out of it. If the first episode of a podcast does not impart something useful in some way, he will not listen to the rest of it.
53:58 Writing Your Own Story
Kyle Lamb is often asked how does one start writing their own book or story. Like any successful task, it requires a plan. In this case, that plan is a solid outline of what is being told. Kyle emphasizes above all else “just do it”. All great projects seem intimidating at first but once a plan is established, it gets easier. Writing, like all crafts, requires discipline. Kyle would spend around 40 minutes every night writing his book, little by little, while also constantly reading other books to perfect his craft. In a relatively short time, he was able to finish his book.
Daniel agrees and finds this applies to all aspects of life, whether it be working out to get fit or starting a new project. People often find excuses and allow something to stop them from even starting. The first step to anything is always the hardest.
Kyle’s books are thoughtful breakdowns on training methods as well as developing oneself with a warrior mindset.
“Write what you want to read. All the successful authors said that… Just write the book you want to read… That’s gonna give you the outlet that you want… If you’re going into writing to make a million dollars, it ain’t gonna happen. That’s the wrong reason… If you truly love writing and you write that book that you’re gonna read, well then other people are gonna see that passion.”
Kyle and Daniel both emphasize that a good writer should not compromise the integrity of their voice and style. If a publisher is wanting you to completely rewrite the tone or the attention to detail in a section, then they’re probably not the right people to represent your work.
On the other side of that, a writer should have thick skin when it comes to having an editor critique and revise their writing. A good editor will not censor you but they will tear your work to shreds in the name of making you a better writer. This is the crucial step in the writing process — a writer needs to let go of their own ego and seek improvement.
01:17:08 Seeking Knowledge and Teaching Others
Despite being one of the biggest names in the firearms industry, Kyle Lamb admits he is not a “gun guy” or rather someone who obsesses over the technicality of firearms or the accessories. He certainly enjoys shooting, hunting, and training but as far as keeping up with every latest firearm add-on goes, he is not interested in that. Daniel feels the same, as he doesn’t care much for guns themselves so much as he cares for the actual training aspect and teaching others.
Daniel recalls his time in the Marine Corps when he had the opportunity to train with a Force Recon unit. It was a humbling experience, one in which he was eventually allowed to instruct other highly trained Marines in a skillset he deeply understood. It was then that Daniel found the value in being able to retain skills and to be able to spread this to others. Equipment and gear are temporary things in life, skillsets can last a lifetime.
Upon reflecting on his past training experiences, Kyle found value in learning under both good and bad instructors. The good instructors taught him how to be a better shooter and leader while the bad ones taught him what to avoid. Kyle chooses to avoid a common pitfall of firearms trainers — remaining static and stuck in outdated training methods. He constantly looks for the best sources of knowledge.
Kyle also applies this to his bladesmithing. He learned specialized blade crafting techniques from experts, which he was later able to teach to others. Kyle found great inspiration from fellow veteran bladesmith who essentially channeled his past disciplined military mindset in instructing individuals into the blacksmithing world. The ability to teach often stems directly from not only being competent in your field but also from the ability to be persistent and stand by your students.
“It was day three of a three-day class, and it was the very last drill… I walked up to the guy after he had to be told [by the instructor] to do this correctly. And he goes, ‘Hey bro, if he ain’t got it on the third day, he ain’t getting it.’ And I was upset because you don’t know when they’re gonna get it. So I might have this guy in five classes and on the fifth class he finally understands. Well, guess what, as an instructor, I’ve got to be in it until the very last round of the very last day. Because I have got to be responsible for… learning. And you have no idea when that learning is going to take place.”
To Kyle Lamb, teaching means being patient and understanding everyone learns at a different pace.
01:29:46 Respecting Women in the Firearms Industry
Kyle Lamb brings up the question, how do we get men to truly respect women in the firearms industry? From his experience, Kyle has seen the passive dismissal of female leaders in both trainers and in business owners. His wife is the one who truly runs Viking Tactics, and not just at some front-facing capacity. She truly is the CEO and makes the overarching business decisions. Kyle often receives business inquiries and when he tells them to speak to his wife, they often brush this aside as if he was not being serious. When Kyle brings up a product idea, his wife makes the decision if that product goes into production based on pricing, demand, and market conditions. The same can be said about fantastic competitive shooters such as Lena Miculek.
Even if a woman’s sole job is to raise a child, Kyle argues that’s the most important job on the planet and should be respected as such. Daniel agrees completely and adds that he’s noticed how “Gun Bunnies” are treated to a strange double standard. On one hand, they’re treated like they’re naïve children who don’t understand firearms, but on the other hand, guys always try to cozy up to them. Daniel finds value in what they do because they’re able to make firearms accessible to their audiences.
184 – Tu Lam | Finding Peace as a Warrior
Jul 12, 2021
On this episode of the Mag Life Podcast, two warriors formally meet and for a heavy discussion about their war and peacetime experiences. Daniel is joined by Tu Lam, a Vietnamese-American former US Army Special Forces Green Beret, martial artist, trainer, entrepreneur, and TV show host. Known for his tactical gear and training company, Ronin Tactics, he is also known for his on-screen appearance on Forged in Fire: Knife or Death, as well as being featured as a playable character in Call of Duty: Warzone. Tu has carved out a public image of himself as a disciplined modern-day warrior and teacher.
Daniel explores Tu’s unforgiving upbringing as a Vietnam War refugee, his decorated career as a US Army Special Operations soldier, his passion for the martial arts, and his Bushido mindset to find peace during adversity.
Daniel asks Tu about his upbringing and what lead him to where he is today. Tu reveals a tragic and violent past, being born literally in the midst of the Vietnam War. Upon the US leaving South Vietnam and Saigon falling, the North Vietnamese forces rounded up the majority of Tu’s family and had them executed. His mother took her children and fled with thousands of others to escape oppression. What awaited the Lam family was more cruelty and suffering as they, along with hundreds of other refugees, were cramped into tiny boats, sailing in the South China Sea.
Upon reaching the coast of Malaysia, they were denied entry into the country. The Malaysian troops cut their motor and left the entire boat of refugees out to die. For 30 days straight, the refugees drifted out with no access to clean water or food. Just as Tu’s mother had given up all hope and contemplated feeding poison to her children to spare them of further misery, a Russian naval supply vessel spotted their boat. Despite being on opposite sides of the war, the Soviet troops showed mercy and saved the refugees by providing food and medical aid. This was nothing short of a miracle made by fortuitous timing. If the war was still ongoing, the Soviets would have been compelled to follow wartime protocol and would have taken the refugees back to Vietnam.
The horrors the Lam family faced, unfortunately, did not end there. The refugees were relocated into a camp in an Indonesian jungle, with no actual facilities or resources. Dead bodies would be regularly found in the jungles near the camp as people attempted to forage and find food. The strength of Tu’s mother was all that held them together.
“[My mother] is my strength… [During that time] there was a slim to no chance that we would have lived. And she goes, ‘I would have rather died than to have lived in fear’”
After a year and a half, Tu’s uncle was finally able to pay for his family to immigrate to the US.
12:55 Living in a Post-War America
One of Tu’s earliest memories of living in the states was entering a grocery store in North Carolina with his mother. From living through horrific starvation to suddenly being able to pick any food item of his choice was a culture shock. But post-Vietnam War America was not without its faults. Tu’s entire childhood was riddled with instances of racist encounters and harassment from his white counterparts. The context Tu gives is that the entirety of the Vietnam War was not at all popular in the US, which in turn spawned many racist anti-Asian sentiments.
At eight years of age, Tu experienced bullying from a racist white classmate. One day the situation escalated to where both Tu and his bully were sent to the principal’s office to be reprimanded. The bully’s mother was called in and was informed about the incident. When she turned to speak to Tu, instead of offering any hint of an apology, she called him a racist slur, told him to leave the country, and supported her son for bullying him. Tu tells Daniel, “I was just defeated.”
Even despite all of this, Tu’s mother clung to hope. She told Tu, “No matter what, if you have an education, you can never be oppressed.” It was through these continued struggles that Tu knew he wanted to become something more than just the scared, bullied child.
24:30 Aspiring to Become a Warrior
The pressures of starting a new life resulted in Tu’s mother and father divorcing. Eventually, his mother remarried to a US Army Special Forces Green Beret. For the first time ever, Tu had a warrior role model that showed him something to aspire to.
“He was teaching me discipline. He was a very strict man… [We’d wake up at] 4:30 in the morning, every morning, we didn’t get days off. School now? It’s ‘you’re gonna wear slacks and you’re gonna wear button-up shirts to school [and] your grades better be good’… Physical fitness is on par, so every day is single physical training along with academics.”
Warrior culture was ingrained in Tu Lam’s upbringing from a very young age.
Not too long after the divorce, Tu’s biological father sent him a box of VHS tapes on Bruce Lee and Bushido, the way of the samurai. He instantly became fascinated by this code of conduct and later began tying in the warrior mentality with the lifestyle and discipline training from his Special Forces soldier step-father. During this time, Tu’s mother would also regularly take Tu out to feed the homeless in their community, to instill in him the value of always helping those less fortunate in order to build a better world. It was then that Tu knew what he was destined to become.
“I decided to become a Green Beret. I knew my calling… I was putting stuff together. The Green Beret, [who] free the oppressed. The way of the samurai, the Bushido code. A hard way of living. You know, I got tired of being this weak individual and I saw this path to enlightenment and this way as a warrior to be my best self. I knew it as a defeated boy”
35:18 Enlisting in the Army and the Path to Special Forces
Despite his mother’s protest, Tu joined the Army with the sole intent to become a Special Forces Green Beret. At the time, there was no direct track to becoming a Green Beret, Tu simply decided to seek as much training as he possibly could by completing Airborne and Ranger school. Tu would also join a Long Range Reconnaissance Company as part of their amphibious reconnaissance team. This not only gave him more specialized skill sets, but it also fast-tracked him to Special Forces Assessment Selection as a rank E-5 sergeant in only a year and a half.
It was Tu’s lifelong dream to become a US Army Special Forces Green Beret, just like his uncle and step-father.
Upon completion of assessment, Tu was assigned to 1st Special Forces Group as part of their Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) team stationed in Okinawa, Japan. The primary threat at the time was North Korea, as they had developed their Nodong missiles which were capable of reaching the continental US. Tu’s team was specifically trained in recovering downed pilots as well as doing reconnaissance in the region.
40:31 The Journey into Martial Arts
Ever since he was introduced to Bruce Lee films and writings, Tu was a dedicated martial artist and continued this well into his military career. While in Okinawa, Tu came across a US Marine fighting club, called the “Tough Man Contest”. Tu participated in these fights against other active-duty servicemen and did extremely well. Soon after, a fight promoter noticed Tu’s fighting prowess and arranged for him to fight in paid events outside of the base. Tu gladly accepted.
Bruce Lee and Bushido were key elements that instilled the passion of martial arts in Tu, having competed in full contact fights and specialized in bladed weapons.
Tu gladly signed on to be the main event fight for a Japanese promotion to a fight a Pancrase champion. Despite pushback from his superiors (who specifically banned Special Operations soldiers from fighting outside of the base) and a horrible water-borne illness he had contracted, Tu went through with the fight. His sickness was so severe, Tu weighed in only at 180 pounds while his opponent came in at 210 pounds. Even fully knowing he would lose, Tu sought to go out on his shield rather than to submit without a fight.
46:01 Martial Arts and the US Army — Coming Full Circle
From here, Tu continued his fighting career into Thailand, competing in Muay Thai matches. It was here that a Sergeant Major took notice of Tu’s combat sport activities and specifically requested to meet him. Tu initially thought he was to be reprimanded as he was actively going against the strict rules that barred him from participating in full-contact fights. Instead, the Sergeant Major wanted to recruit Tu to be the primary combatives instructor for a Tier 1 unit. The Sergeant Major commissioned Tu to travel around the world with an unlimited budget to study various martial arts styles and to bring this knowledge back to his soldiers.
For Tu, this was a dream come true. He trained with Native Americans in their form of tomahawk fighting, the Filipinos in the art of Kali, Indonesians in Pencak Silat, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Royce Gracie, and many other martial systems. On top of this, Tu was given full access to the training amenities the rest of the Tier 1 unit was provided such as a top-of-the-line fitness coach, workout equipment, and high-quality foods. This was an incredibly rare opportunity as traditionally only rank E-9 Sergeant Majors are allowed in the CAG Tier 1 unit. Daniel reflects on how his time in the Marine Corps was a far cry from the level of resources that Tu had received in the US Army Special Operations. Typically, Marines work with whatever they are given, but the more specialized units within the Army can seemingly obtain anything.
52:56 Back into Action
Eventually, Tu would find himself back into a direct-action role. For a brief time, he was allowed to operate within the same Tier 1 unit he was giving combative instruction to. It was during 2004 in Iraq that US forces, especially Special Operations, faced some of the heaviest fighting. Upon the next rotation out, the E-9 slot Tu was taking up had to be relinquished. While he was given the opportunity to reapply under a separate role within the unit, Tu’s goals and passions were now elsewhere. As such, Tu went into reconnaissance in a more specialized capacity.
Tu Lam has a very diverse Army career, being able to do both direct action, hand-to-hand combatives, and espionage work.
Tu’s background in the 1st Special Forces Group, Native Warrior program, which involved blending in with the local population, lent itself very well to this kind of work. He already spoke several different languages and understood how to apply subtler combative skills. This new role he had entered heavily prioritized espionage and intel gathering work, teaching him the inner workings of how cell phones and satellites function as well as covert means of communication. Later, Tu was relocated to the US AFRICOM or the United States Africa Command, in which Tu participated in operations in Libya during Gaddafi’s regime, and took part as a counter-assault security team alongside the Secret Service during former President Obama’s visit to South Africa.
01:01:14 Renewed Hardships and Pain
While Tu’s time in the Army certainly came with its exciting adventures and once in a lifetime experiences, it also brought extreme trauma and pain.
“During that time, I started falling apart as a human being. I was at 14 years and a half at war… When I say that, it’s back-to-back rotations into warzones and conflict areas for 14 and a half years. I had 19 years of Special Operations. So I was falling apart and didn’t even know it.”
Tu explains to the audience that during war, there is no set schedule while in an active warzone. “The enemy has a say in your schedule”, Daniel adds. As such, the way the Special Forces Groups would treat the constant cycle of sleep deprivation, combat readiness, pain, and awkward sleep times was to repeatedly medicate. To stay awake during active combat zones, they would take Adderall. To force sleep during inopportune times, they would take Ambien. To treat pain from injuries sustained in combat, they would take opiates. Eventually, during anti-poaching operations in Cameroon, Tu found himself depressed and addicted to these drugs.
For a brief moment during his time in Africa, Tu starred off into a sunset and drank tea. That simple, serene moment alone put his mind at peace and he realized what he ultimately wanted to go back to: to be at peace. After his rotation was over, Tu retired from the US Army.
“My new journey was peace. [But] I didn’t find it [yet]… People think that if you’re in a safe environment [and] you don’t have to be in that combat environment anymore, you’re not active duty anymore, [that] you’re gonna find your peace. Peace is not found there. Peace is not found in money. Peace is not found in success. Peace is not found in fame. Peace is found in what you are willing to give, every single day.”
While at home with his wife, Tu would spend every day sleeping in a pitch-black room or staring at a completely blank TV screen. Tu explains that he had betrayed his own Bushido code and could not find his inner peace until sometime after, when Tu accidentally stumbled upon The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.
For Tu Lam, it was a natural progression in his life to connect his Special Forces experience with the code of Bushido.
The author was a legendary ronin, a masterless samurai who was a warrior philosopher and teacher who had found his peace in the late 1600s. Tu found a passage that read, “Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” Something so simple yet impactful would forever change Tu’s life. Daniel agrees, adding that if an individual is not happy and at peace with themselves, they will never find it anywhere else. It would be simply attempting to treat a symptom instead of the cause.
01:09:32 Understanding the Mind
Tu reiterates that there’s a fundamental flaw in how the vast majority of westerners practice finding peace. Too often, people seek happiness from the external, whether that be wealth or a girlfriend. Upon his epiphany and rekindling with his Bushido code, Tu emptied his medicine cabinet and flushed his drugs down the toilet.
He began seeking new outlets of relaxation and release, eventually coming into the practice of meditation. This simple yet complex process involves attempting to shut out the unnecessary noise in your mind and seeking calmness. It is an attempt to not overthink all that has occurred to the individual or what might happen or what is presently happening. Daniel adds he’s never successfully meditated as he is the type of person to always think about the consequences of his actions.
Tu’s path to peace found him deeply studying how the mind functions. He discovered studies that revealed the human brain from years 2 to 5 does not have a truly analytical mind developed and is going purely off a subconscious mind. This means any level of traumatic experiences have immense consequences for the development of that child. Tu realized his childhood trauma of escaping war as a refugee and experiencing constant racism had left mental scars in him. In combination with his years at war, this contributed greatly to his inner turmoil.
01:15:17 Finding Inner peace
Tu realized the source of his trauma is buried in his subconscious, the key was to access it. His research had shown that the best time to contact the subconscious is during mornings when the brain waves are slower and as such, more readily reached by meditation. For the first few years, Tu found that he could not quite achieve this true meditative state. Until one day, he became incredibly aware and in tune with his natural surroundings. He was mentally present and aware without even trying or knowing it.
Tu’s long journey to inner peace began with self-reflection and putting his mind at ease through meditation, which later blossomed into spreading this peace to others. He started his now-famous training and tactical equipment company, Ronin Tactics, which trains military, law enforcement, and armed citizens in firearms and tactics. In turn, Tu returned to his roots in helping others to be free and able to defend themselves. Tu also turned to the outlet of writing. He was able to take his wartime and childhood scars and humanize them into teachable lessons for those who follow him. Without even realizing it, Tu’s journey to healing was in fact helping others.
01:18:46 Be Kind
Along this process of finding peace, Tu made sure to never forget what his mother taught him, which was to exhibit kindness. He explains that during war, it’s easy to forget kindness as you’re forced to push that aside from situation to situation in order to complete a mission, save others, and survive.
“When I’m trying to find my peace, I realized that what kept me alive overseas which was the element of fire and hate, I’ll never find that in this evolution of my life… if I continue to hold onto that energy. So in my mind, I had to ‘kill’ my best friend, which was hate… So how do you do that? Kindness.”
Tu made an effort to show kindness to all the people in his life. At a Starbucks, he thanks the barista graciously. If he is reading a book near an entrance, he holds the door open and tells people to have a nice day. Daniel could not agree more, as he’s made this his own personal philosophy as well. He also believes that there simply is not enough kindness being shown in the world today and that even simple gestures can go a long way to making the world a better place to live in.
Tu expresses how difficult becoming a kind person again was, having spent over a decade in the Special Forces. Being a member of such a small, tight-knit elite group tends to make the individuals involved distance themselves from others who did not experience the same things they did. Relating to others became an enormous barrier to many in the Special Operations community. As such, Tu works on and practices being kind every day.
01:23:09 Reprioritizing Happiness
Tu soon found that kindness can oftentimes come in a full circle. In the process of Tu spreading his knowledge and compassion, the History Channel noticed his accomplishments and contacted him. They recognized his energy, his personality, and his skillsets as someone worthy of being a co-host for their hit series, Forged in Fire: Knife or Death. He made a new friend in Bill Goldberg, his counterpart on the show. Not too long after, Infinity Ward, the video game developers behind the mega-popular Call of Duty series wanted to feature Tu’s entire likeliness in their latest Modern Warfare entry.
Tu Lam is appropriately featured as “Ronin” in Call of Duty: Warzone.
On the outside looking in, Tu seemed to have it all, coming out a decorated military background, coming into the entertainment industry, and running a successful tactics training company. Despite all of these accomplishments, Tu informs Daniel that he was still depressed during all of this. Tu reminds us that depression is a never-ending battle and that finding inner peace is a constant effort.
Tu elaborates that he’s a Type A personality, meaning he’s someone that always seeks to achieve a high level of standards and excel in everything he tries. But again, success does not necessarily mean happiness.
“What drove me to become an entrepreneur, a successful trainer [of] a success company was significance. I had to place a high level of standards on myself. I’ve been doing it since I was a child… In the Army, it brought me up to the top. In this evolution, the civilian and entrepreneurship, it brought me up to the top, really fast. But I would never find happiness there… I placed too much energy on acceptance from other people.”
Tu explains upon reading the works by the famous Tony Robbins, he no longer places significance on how others perceive him. Love and compassion are now his number one priorities. Daniel wonders how others in the Special Operations community and the rest of the world respond to Tu’s message of focusing on love and compassion.
Tu gives this exact talk at a Special Operations warrior conference, explaining the importance of reprioritizing your life and evolving with the times. What you prioritized in the military during combat does not always lend itself well into the civilian world. Simply put, you cannot live a meaningful life holding onto hate and fire at all times. Past experiences do not need to define you and can in fact be used to make you stronger.
Tu Lam on the set of History Channel’s Forged in Fire: Knife or Death with Mike Goldberg and Travis Wuertz.
“How you look at the world is truly an illusion my friend… I want you to go back in time and think about the hardships. And I want you to restructure that idea to your advantage… And if you can’t gain anything from it and you victimize yourself from it, then I need you to look at it differently.”
The racism and trauma Tu faced in his formative years were used to fuel his drive to become compassionate and to fight for others. Because he understood what it meant to be a victim, Tu dedicated his life to helping prevent others from being victims as well. Daniel relates this back to the idea of orientation, the process in how humans are able to process past experiences and reorient how those experiences affect and inform their future behaviors and actions.
181 – Chadd Wright: Navy SEAL, Ultrarunner, and Man of Faith
Jun 04, 2021
This episide features a one-of-a-kind super-human: Chadd Wright: former decorated Navy SEAL and leader of the 3 of 7 project.
178 – The Present and Future of Armor | ShotStop Ballistics
Feb 19, 2021
Daniel and Jason Henkel dive into ShotStop’s 2021product offerings, the future of the company, and the future of ballistic protection tech.
176 — Sig Sauer Romeo 7s and Juliet 3 Micro
Feb 05, 2021
Daniel meets with Jack Lapham, Sig Electro Optics product line manager, to discuss the Romeo 7s, Juliet 3 Micro, and optics trends.
175 – PHLster: Creating an Enigma
Jan 29, 2021
Daniel interviews Jon & Sarah Hauptman, founders of PHLster Holsters to discuss the company, the Floodlight, and recently launched Enigma.
165 – Advanced Safety | Thinking Beyond the 4 Firearm Safety Rules
Aug 06, 2020
There are the 4 rules of gun safety, then there's "Advanced Safety". What's that? It's maintaining the 4 rules under stress — especially that of a gunfight.
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