The Michael Caz Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Youngest American to C&J 400lbs...ever. Ep - 35 Apr 18, 2016

Show notes

California native, Ian Wilson began weightlifting at the age of 12. Fast forward 4 years later and he became the youngest American to clean & jerk 400lbs. As the sport of weightlifting increases in popularity in the U.S., so are Ian's PR's. How many 22 year olds do you know that are Front Squatting 540lbs? Go find the video on Instagram @iwilson1894, watching this dude lift is inspiring.

Big shout out to everyone who sent in some questions for this podcasts. In this episode we were able to get into Ian's programming and how it's evolved since he first started, his advice for beginners in the sport of weightlifting, role models like Butch Curry, Martin Pashov, Ivan Abadjiev and more. You'll get to learn about his competition prep & training, why tapering can be so difficult, coming back from a shoulder injury, and even some tips for tall weightlifters. Enjoy the show.

Topics of discussion:

[5:30] Ian's programming

[6:48] Advice for beginners in weightlifting

[7:50] Common lifting mistakes

[8:40] Biggest role models: Butch Curry, Martin Pashov, Ivan Abadjiev

Pyrros Dimas vs. Marc Huster 1998 Weightlifting Battle

[11:00] How surrounding yourself with people who are better than you can get you to PR faster

[15:19] Learn how Ian preps for competitions & his opinions on tapering

[17:55] Morning rituals for competition & why you need to stop over thinking!

[21:20] What are some of the best things to do for rotator cuff injuries & rehab?

[23:45] Trick lifts from Hysen Pulaku and Drew Canavero – you have to check these out:

[29:05] Some tips for tall weightlifters

[30:50] Leg strength + Back whip = Bigger lifts

[32:09] Why doesn't Ian Wilson do Low Back Squats?

If you LOVE this podcast please click HERE to leave me a review. It energizes me to keep doing these as well as pushes us higher in the rankings. Thank you all for the support.

Champions are built in the mind first with Ben Bergeron - Ep. 34 Apr 12, 2016

Show notes

What do Mat Fraser and Katrin Davidsdottir have in common? That's right, Ben Bergeron. Whether you are an athlete trying to get to The Games or an affiliate owner trying to change lives and improve your community, Ben is the guy you want to be learning from. Join me as we learn about Ben's coaching philosophy, programming, and his constant pursuit of excellence both in and outside of the gym.

After this episode you're going to want to head over to CompTrain and Business of Excellence. Trust me, you'll be upset you didn't find these gems sooner.

Topics of discussion:

[2:40] "Putting first things first"

[4:08] Urgency VS. Importance / How to structure your day, tasks, responsibilities…etc.

[10:45] Mat Fraser after the 2015 Crossfit Games

[13:55] What do you expect from Games athletes?

[14:45] "Work:Recovery" Ratio

[15:58] Recovery methods: The "oil change" for the body, Normatec, Flossing… and more.

[17:25] HRV "Heart Rate Variability", Monitoring workouts, Calculating rest days, Assessments, etc.

[22:20] Katrin Davidsdottir before & after Ben Bergeron

[24:03] Recommendations/ Resources for athletes

[26:50] Mistakes in your training that could be holding you back

[27:22] Training for The Open VS. training for Regionals

[33:48] Ben's motto for Fitness & Health

If you LOVE this podcast please click HERE to leave me a review. It energizes me to keep doing these as well as pushes us higher in the rankings. Thank you all for the support.

Bulletproof Your Body and PR All Your lifts with Julien Pineau of Strongfit - Ep. 33 Apr 04, 2016

Show notes

Julien Pineau, the owner of StrongFit and coach to all Crossfit Invictus athletes, has been involved in sports his entire life. At the age of 10 he was already playing soccer on a National level, and by 18 he found MMA and started his coaching career. He's a movement specialist trained to visualize and correct proper human movement patterns, no matter what sport you come from. Every sport has its deficiencies, even Crossfit. So, in other words, Julien is the guy who can teach you how to fix these asymmetries and imbalances and avoid some of the most common injuries suffered by Crossfiters. What's his secret? HINT: Balance -- I could try to explain this to you myself but it sounds a hell of a lot better with a French accent, enjoy!

Topics of interest:

[9:45] Principles VS. Methods

[13:00] Balance

[14:00] Increasing performance through "stress" & how to reach Balance/ Homeostasis

[15:00] Deficiencies in Crossfit training & Training all planes of motion – Sagittal, Frontal, Transverse

[16:00] Common deficiencies/imbalances in Crossfitters and Olympic lifters

[17:30] Why are more and more Crossfitters experiencing shoulder problems?

[19:10] Exercises and movements that can help reduce asymmetries – The "squat" of the upper body

[21:26] Functional Range Conditioning

[24:45] What is Hinging and why is it so important to sports and fitness?

[27:27] How to establish proper Hinge movement

[32:45] FIX THE HINGE!

[37:18] How you should be training your anaerobic system – Low skills, low eccentric

[44:00] Be smart about how you build intensity

[47:30] Controlling intensity – It's not what you do, but HOW you do it

If you LOVE this podcast please click HERE to leave me a review. It energizes me to keep doing these as well as pushes us higher in the rankings. Thank you all for the support.

Noah Ohlsen and How He Plans to Win the CF Games - Ep. 32 Mar 28, 2016

Show notes

Noah Ohlsen Podcast – Show notes

Noah Ohlsen has come a long way since starting Crossfit in 2010. Known for his perfect hair and boyish smile, He has won two Crossfit Games regional competitions, and finished 8th at the 2014 & 2015 Games. Tune in to check out his old school method to gaining 30+ pounds of lean muscle, working out with big leagues; Guido Trinidad & Chase Daniels, and his journey to his first Games appearance. It's time you get familiar with the 8th fittest man in the world because he's definitely going to be around for a while.

If you LOVE this podcast please click HERE to leave me a review. It energizes me to keep doing these as well as pushes us higher in the rankings. Thank you all for the support.

In this episode you'll learn:

[3:12] Dealing with critics and common misconceptions | Staying humble and mentally tough

[5:12] How Noah took his game to the next level | Surrounding yourself with people who are better than you | Finding outside motivation

[6:00] The infamous wheel barrel incident at the 2015 Crossfit Games | Overcoming set backs

[8:55] Noah's thoughts of Guido as a mentor both in and outside of the gym | Finding good role models

[9:43] Who was Noah Ohlsen before Crossfit?

[13:30] Noah's journey to qualifying for his first Crossfit Games

[16:02] Competitions outside of Crossfit | ECC, WODapalooza, DXB Fitness

[18:58] Going from 155lbs to 190lbs in 24 months | Weight gaining tips

[21:12] Noah's supplement routine

[22:52] Tapering & recovering techniques for competitions | Percentage work

[25:13] Noah's thoughts on the 2016 Open | Preparation, Strategy, and Mentality

[28:50] Post 2015 Crossfit Games season

[31:25] Finding motivation on the off season

[32:45] What's next after Crossfit? | Noah's plans for the future

Gymnastics Dr. Nick Sorrel - PRing Your Muscle Ups is easier than performing surgery - Ep. 31 Mar 21, 2016

Show notes

Nick Sorrel has to be one of the best Gymnastic coaches in the Crossfit community. If you're not already following him on Instagram (@nicksorrel) or working with him in our Brute Strength programs then you should be. This guy has a wealth of knowledge, and this podcast is just the tip of the iceberg. Take some notes or just soak it all in because things are about to get real gym-nasty.

In this episode you'll learn:

[2:57] Life is a balancing act. Nick gives us a look into how he is able to manage his time between being a Surgeon, Brute Strength Head Coach, Husband and a Father.

[8:17] Collecting accomplishments VS. Collecting moments and living life with a purpose

[12:20] How to avoid getting burned out from all the responsibilities that life can throw at you

[13:58] Nick's meaning of Faith, as described in "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis

[16:18] Joining the Bruce Barbell/ Brute Strength team

[18:30] Pursuing the love of fitness through Coaching

[20:07] Implementing gymnastic progressions – "Bruce Barbell Manifesto"

[22:04] Common issues for Crossfitters in gymnastics & how Brute Strength makes improvements

[23:30] Building gymnastics foundation and establishing basic skills

[25:38] Breaking down all Crossfit gymnastics into lesser attributes – Core strength, Pushing strength, Pulling strength, Mobility, Dynamic movement, Positions

[27:50] How to build a successful Gymnastics progression

[31:08] How Brute Strength – Gymnastics incorporates skill work & skill days into your Crossfit training

[34:14] What Brute Strength – Gymnastics can do for you as an athlete/ Crossfit competitor

[38:32] The importance of body awareness and good form on the bar

[40:13] Flexibility VS. Strength in Crossfit gymnastics

[42:02] Biggest mistakes people make while inverted – Scapulohumeral rhythm, spinal accessory nerve

[44:00] Tips/ Techniques for better presses and hand stands

[46:43] Time under tension and what that means for your HSPUs

Resource Mentioned:

Brute Gymnastics Level 1 – a paradigm shift in the way you think about gymnastics.

COMING SOON!!!!

Know Your Why: From Heroin Addict to Crossfit Games Champion - EP. 30 Mar 14, 2016

Show notes

In this episode, I read my article "Know Your Why" and expand on some of the ideas in it with a recent experience in mind. I've spent the last two weeks in Lima, Peru as my best friend has been in the ICU over here due to swine flu and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. I've had ample time to contemplate what his death would mean to me, and before I even knew the outcome the experience was profoundly inspiring to me. My friend Bryce is an extraordinary human being that inspires nearly every person he meets to be a better person, be more vulnerable with others, have more fun, etc. He's one of the healthiest guys I know. He's an ultra marathoner (runs 100 miles at a time), he eats a diet full of green veggies and healthy fats, and practices yoga, meditation, and Wim Hoff breathing daily. The fact that this happened to him tells me that it can happen to anyone, at any time, regardless of how fit and healthy you are. So I was reminded, as I often am, to do the things I want to do NOW and not later. Life is too short to wait. One of the things I'm most passionate is spreading the message of being vulnerable and living a life full of purpose. Last year I wrote an article on our blog entitled "Know Your Why" which was about my personal journey from drug addiction to winning the Crossfit Games and everything in between. If you LOVE this podcast please click HERE to leave me a review. It energizes me to keep doing these as well as pushes us higher in the rankings. Thank you all for the support. ------ If you liked this episode you might also like the one I did with Chris Powell where we talk about building integrity with yourself to cause massive transformation in you life or the one with Steve Cook on dealing with fear and self doubt or the one I did with Adee Zukier on the science of a 6 pack, developing a sense of worthiness and a cultivating better relationship with food.

From Fit to Fat to Fit with Drew Manning - Ep. 29 Mar 07, 2016

Show notes

Sometime last year my good friend Bruce Pitcher told me about this Fit2Fat2Fit guy that gained a bunch of weight and then lost it. It wasn't until this interview that I understood the full story behind why Drew Manning did this. Talk about dedication to your craft! This guy gained 75 lbs and lost it so that he could relate to his overweight clients better. Wow. He and I both agree that the diet and training aren't nearly the biggest factors to successful transformation. We spend the majority of the time talking about the emotional side. We talked about the highs and lows of his experiment and how he uses that to relate to his clients today. In this episode you'll learn: -Drew's original inspiration for the whole experiment -His diet he used to gain 75lbs of fat -His diet and training he used to lose it all -The emotional challenges that come with losing weight -What he learned about people losing weight, and how trainers can use it to help their clients Check out the Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit website. Also check out the Dollar Workout Club, where you pay $1/week for tons of free workouts and content that you can do at your house. There is literally no excuse to not train when there are resources like this out there.

Mental and Emotional Control, Crucibles, and Running Towards the Sound of Gunfire - Ep.28 Feb 29, 2016

Show notes

Mark Divine is a former Navy Seal Commander and founder of Sealfit. He is on a list of 5 people that have most influenced my life and that I attribute to my success. In 2012 my team, Hack's Pack, and I participated in Kokoro Class 29. That is SEALFITs abbreviated version of Hell Week. To explain what Kokoro is like physically, imagine the longest, most grueling Crossfit workout you've ever done. Let's say it took you an hour. Kokoro is just like that, except you're doing that for 50 hours straight. It's one "evolution" after the next, and these are the most physically challenges tasks you could possible imagine. Pair that with open sores from a shitty ruck sack rubbing against your wet, sandy body and going three days without sleep and you literally feel like you're in hell. What happens is nothing short of a spiritual experience in my opinion. Going through that type of crucible, as coach Divine calls it, changes you forever. In this interview we discuss what goes on psychologically when people go through this type of challenge. We discuss building a team based on trust, and how gym owners and coaches can promote a better culture in their gym. There is so much wisdom in this episode. Please give it a listen and implement at least one thing he suggests in the show.

Included in this episode:

- How SEALFIT makes you a better team member, and how to train this in the gym -What "Run towards the sound of gunfire" means -How to build trust with a team -The four pillars of mental and emotional control -How to use crucibles (a place or occasion of severe test or trial) to transform your mind -Using the breath to train your mind You can learn more about Commandor Divine's Unbeatable Mind program, SEALFIT, and his books at http://sealfit.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @Sealfit and Facebook Here.

Steve Cook, Professional Physique Model, 954k Instagram Followers, and Dancing with Fear - EP. 27 Feb 22, 2016

Show notes

In this interview, we discuss the diet and training of a professional physique competitor with Steve Cook.

Last year Brooke Ence called me and asked me if I wanted to coach a "Big time bodybuilder." I told her I had no experience whatsoever with bodybuilding and didn't know how I could help him. She explained that he wanted to do a little Crossfit type stuff and learn some weight lifting and gymnastics. I said yes. That guy was Steve Cook (@SteveCook).

Steve is one of the most recognized names in the fitness industry and has competed in the Men's Physique category at Mr. Olympia for the past several years. What I found most interesting were the things about his personal life. How to process 900k Instagram followers, how to deal with self-doubt, and how to work through the fear of failure.

In this episode, we cover lots of different topics. Here's a summary:

His diet during the off-season
How he cut 8 weeks out from a competition, and what he'd do differently now
How he trains compared to how everyone else trains
A list of people he attributes to his success
The push-up punishment/reward technique
How he pushes through the fear of failure
Rules he gives himself for social media usage
His thought process on dealing with fame and staying connected to those he loves

Top 10 Questions About Supplements with Driven Nutrition - EP.26 Feb 15, 2016

Show notes

In this podcast, the owners of Driven Nutrition Jason Rule and Brian King read and answer the questions. Jacob Hutton and I are there to ask clarifying questions and dig a little deeper. This one's a little different. A while ago I posted on social media asking you all for questions about supplements. I took the 50+ questions and took the top 11. Below are the questions asked and answered. Hope you enjoy the show.

1) Should people even buy supplements if their diet is shitty? Should they just spend that extra money on higher quality food? In terms of losing body fat? In terms of gaining weight?

2) What is the difference in protein synthesis between whole foods and protein supplements? What effect does this have on body composition? Performance?

3) When an athlete is trying to cut bodyfat, the key is consistency, and a big factor in that is feeling full. If drinking calories takes away from this feeling of being full, do you still recommend it? Are there any athletes that need them more than others?

4) Is there a difference in taking straight dextrose vs. fruit, juice, sports drink, etc?

5) What is creatine and how do I use it?

6) What is the most reliable resource for quality information on supplementation for those that want to do the research on their own?

7) How can we verify where ingredients come from in certain supplements?

8) How beneficial are BCAAs to a Crossfit athlete and when should they be taken?

9) What exactly is ZMA and who is it good for? What about women?

10) Are there any ingredients that we should avoid in different supplements? How do we spot them?

11) If an athlete only has $50/month to spend on supplements, what should he or she take? How about $100? Where should they buy it from?

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