Massenomics Podcast - Ep. 463: The Ethics of Buying USA Gym Equipment vs Foreign vs Used

Episode Date: February 17, 2025

In this episode we look at the pros and cons of buying made in America gym equipment, versus made in China, versus buying used. We even managed to do it without getting political... we think.  Don't forget to get in on our Drink Spotter contest and check out our new drop on 2/20/25! Build Fast Formula Use code MASSENOMICS to save 10% on every order! BearFoot Shoes Use code MASSENOMICS to save 10% on every order! Juggernaut AI Use code MASSENOMICS to save 10%! The Strength Co Get some Go-To Plates! Swiss Link Use code MASS to save 15%! Texas Power Bars Get the Barbell that changed the game!

Thanks for what you do with your podcasts and all the rest. You're doing a great job. Hope everybody keeps tuning in. You get a lot of good info, a lot of insights, understandings on how to get strong, how to stay strong, how to use your strength. You do a great job, dude. You make things better than they are in real life, I think. If you don't follow Massanomics, y'all do it. Social media, website, everything. Massanomics! and everything. Massenomics. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Oh, welcome everyone. We've got episode 463 of the Massenomics podcast today. We are the Lifting Podcast About Nothing, recorded live from the corners of the Dakotas. My name is Tanner. And my name is Tommy. 463. You know what that means?

463. Yeah. Yeah. Damn look fine. Give it to me one more time. Just like that. It means that this episode is brought to you by BuildFast Formula Supplements. You can check them out at BuildFastFormula.comcom Go look at their collection of supplements. They've got vaso blitz full blitz I like to take a scoop of each together one of the caffeinated pre-workout. Yeah a little mix and match actually what Sunday I had to lift Sunday evening this week. Oh, I saw that

I didn't know if that was real or just got posted late No No That I really had to work at lift Sunday evening because of a thousand other things go with everything going on and Needed to get a lift in in a in a bad way. So that was the only time I could go And so I just took some vaso blitz because it's a non caffeinated pre-workout formula and I had a pretty good lift, you know I didn't really I didn't want to take caffeine at 6 p.m., 6.30 p.m. for obvious reasons.

But I still wanted something. If nothing else, it's part of the ritual for me of just being able to have a little something like this signifies, okay, I go to the gym now. A little something working through the system. Yeah, it was the perfect vasoblitz utilization there. Also 80-20 protein, another personal favorite of mine. Take it every morning.

Best part, you can save, what do you save, 10%? Build fast formula with discount code Mastinomics. Yeah, it's 69% even. With every order that you buy from them, discount code Mastinomics, thank you. And this episode is also brought to you by Texas Power bars now. I want you to play along with me here We're gonna do a little a little imagination time. So picture this you're on the Texas power bars website You've picked out the perfect bar for your home gym

It's probably like a Texas deadlift bar with red sara coat and chrome sleeves or you might have even went with like the 29 millimeter Texas power bar a black zinc shaft chrome sleeves again, just the perfect bar for your home gym and You go to the checkout page and you're about to buy it and you're like, wait a minute It's not charging me shipping. Is this my lucky day and you you're absolutely right. It is your lucky day and it's not charging you shipping because right now for a limited time, free shipping on all bars over at texaspowerbars.com. And if you're like me and you live in Eastern Southeast South Dakota, you know, a Texas deadlift bar shipping on that thing can be around 50 ish

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We got several people in the live chat this week this week. So love to see the live listeners catching this. Shoot, this one's almost a week before this comes out live. So by the time normal people are listening to this, this these people are going to be like, that's old news. I barely can remember that podcast podcast I heard it so long ago She's kind of weird to think about is that the the actual episode for this week just came out yesterday And here we are recording the next one already. Yeah, we're on it. It's a paradox

Time is a flat circle. Oh, I miss yes. Yes, they do Yes, they do be in a flat circle I think that's how they originally wrote the line. He probably improvise it to that. They're like, no, actually, that doesn't work. We have so many damn things to talk about this week. It is absolute. This is going to be pandemonium. It's just mayhem in the, in the to-do list over here. It's absolute. This is going to be pandemonium. It's just mayhem in the in the to do list over here. It's crazy.

They might. We might as well title topic or title this episode, the Royal Rumble, because there's so many topics coming in. I mean, it looks like someone said chat GPT, write 12 random words in the to do list. And that's just what it looks like. Because these things I even just wrote down chat GPT as a topic. Oh yeah. Even sort of a topic. The longer we talk, the more topics

I'm gonna think of here. The longer we talk, I'm just gonna not talk about the topics, I'm gonna talk about how many topics there are. It's a topic episode. Topic number one, talking about how many topics we have to discuss this week. That's one of my favorite pastimes.

Check. I do think we should cover the Super Bowl, if anything, but first of all, what was your watching experience? Did you watch the entire Super Bowl? Did you see all? We went over to a friend's house and there was a few other people there

and no one was like a big time football fan. And so it was a very casual viewing experience, as in there was a lot of conversation going on and also our kids were there and they have kids too. So the kids were players, a lot of distractions, but it didn't really even matter how closely paid attention because you quickly realize like, oh, yeah, there's just not even a lot to pay attention to in this game here. Yeah. What about, I guess my thing is I almost saw, I actually don't know if,

I think I saw a play of the game is the most, I was gone lifting during the beginning of it. I threw on my Donovan McNabb jersey and went to the gym. I saw that, is that what that was? Yeah, that's an old Donovan, I traded it like almost 20 years ago. I traded it from Darren from the gym for a Menards Polo. Actually, I gave him a Menards Polo and he gave me the Donovan McNabb jersey.

And every year they make it to the Super Bowl, which happens occasionally. I throw that jersey on. I'm not sure who actually came out ahead in that trade there. For me, I was the clear winner because I had a closet. Yeah. Yeah. But now I just wish I had one of those damn Menards. Polos classic. Yeah, I gave them all away. I man, this is actually probably the least amount of commercial I can say. I've actually actually saw the Super Bowl in recent memory.

I can't even really hardly comment because like once the once the game was off and I wasn't even playing that close attention the game once the game was off I was distracted with kids conversation other stuff So I'm I just have like almost nothing to add to that to the commercial talk There in the live chat they were talking about you being quiet But will that just be is that just a live chat thing then it probably won't be an actual recording. I just bumped it up a little bit. Maybe that's a little bit. Get on my level.

Get on my level. But I was really close to the thing. So I don't know. I don't know. Okay. Who knows? All sounds the same to me. Hard saying not knowing.

I like I said, I didn't I didn't want then I was packing orders. Catch it because I was gone for the most of the weekend. So Sunday night was actually my chance to pack orders. And I had quite a few to pack, which is always a good thing. So I was doing that. I did come out to watch. So I didn't really see any commercials. I didn't see any of the game.

And my one take on commercials is I think that that's just dead. That's just not a thing anymore. This is what it is. Okay, there's two things. First, I remember a comedian that I would listen to his podcast be like, oh, you know, they're hyping up the Super Bowl commercials. Like, oh, yeah, we did the craziest thing.

He's like, doesn't that isn't that like you admitting that you don't try that hard on your commercials the rest of the year that like now is when we're doing the really good one. Like, oh, yeah, now we're going to get our creative minds together. Now we're putting our best and brightest out the rest of the year. We kind of phone it in. But this is when we're doing the really good one like oh yeah now we're gonna get our creative minds together now we're putting our best and brightest on it the rest of the year we kind of phone it in but this is when we're doing it so there's also that there's that component to it but what it started to feel more and more like is it's just all right what cameos can we pop into commercials and already yeah all right ads are just mostly all right

let's pay this famous person to do whatever and that's all social media is that's all so much of TV commercial is that all right, it's not even like that cool to say, right after McConaughey in a commercial anymore, because he's in 10,000 other things already. So I think it's just losing. Yes, they do. And maybe this is a guy that's like, I don't know, skeptical are sort of in that field. And so I'm just skeptical of a lot of things anyways, but I Think it's losing a little bit of its luster. I think it's lost

The other thing I've I've I know I've made this comment probably at least a handful of years that we've talked mentioned the Super Bowl People love to complain about whatever the Halftime Act is. It literally doesn't matter if it's, it's just every year, it's just a joke to me at this point about the complaining about the halftime act. You just know it's coming. It's like, and people are like, I haven't commented, I haven't made a post on Facebook in six months. Now it's time for everyone to hear my hot take

on how the halftime shows up. It's like the groundhog coming out to see his shadow shadow first annual thing. Yeah, that's exactly the same thing I saw so much that too like I didn't even know we were friends in Facebook And this is where out of all of the things have I really world your half the time Yeah, we're like I must take a stand here. They've the world has gone too far Yeah, and we just kind of maybe maybe humorously we just did an episode about music and it really just shows there's no act that people are gonna like even remotely agree on. Oh god not because everyone's music taste is so

much different. No not a chance and so I'll go on the record and say like I I enjoy Kendrick Lamar I've been a fan of him since Good Kid, Mad City, like 2012 or 2013. When that album came out, I'm like, this is the best thing ever. I will admit in recent years, I haven't kept up with him as much because I just haven't kept up with anyone much musically, like, you know, with everything going on, life is kind of hard there. But as a Kendrick Lamar fan, I enjoyed a lot. Things that surprised me was that he almost exclusively

stuck to his very newest album. I thought for sure. Yeah, that's why I was kinda, I kinda disliked, I mean I liked the, overall it was good, just fine, but I kinda disliked him. Like, why didn't you play some of the older stuff? That's what surprised me. And I'm like, okay, but I guess maybe he's making a point

doing whatever, it's fine. You're the performer. You know what, I'm not a musical performer. So you know what? When you're up there, you get to do whatever you want and I'm just gonna sit there and take it in. Like that is how I take this whole thing is, you're the one putting on a show.

You wanna know how to put on a great musical show? You don't ask me. And for that matter, actually, don't ask any of my friends. You know why? They're not musicians or performers or entertainers. So they're not gonna be good people to do that. Like that's my approach on that. But I thought it was entertaining.

And yeah, you just know that 50% of people are going to hate it, if not more. And then I see all the things of, oh, it should have been this person. It should have been this person. And my first thought is like, I see people's suggestions like, those sound God awful. But I'm like, it's the same thing of like, yep No, you're never gonna find anyone that that's even remotely agree on I like a couple notes

I have a lot of people like oh Doesn't hold a candle to Prince purple rain in the rain. I'm like, yeah, what does like okay? You're picking out that's picking out the couple of the you know, like that he is one example We have a couple other that is the pinnacle right there. That's what I say It's like you're picking the best one. Of course, it's not as good as that Yeah, like obviously like it'd be like well This isn't near as good as the Super Bowl when it went down to Tom Brady's first one and they kicked a field goal at The final seconds to win it. Yeah, you're picking like the best comparing it to the best ones ever like, of course It's not, you know, maybe Prince is

almost universally liked, especially in hindsight and stuff we like, and that's few and far between to find a musical artist like that, you know, so that's not gonna, not gonna happen. And then the other thing I thought it was just really funny cause I watched it with, with Jack, my 13 year old. And then, and he liked it and he kind of likes Kendrick Lamar and I asked him like afterward you know oh what'd you think and he's like oh this is really good I was and he was excited about who

is it SZA? Yep SZA. I'm a big SZA fan so I love seeing SZA out there. Definitely thinking that on her part so yeah yeah what's not I mean that's what the Super Bowl kind of does. Right yeah and I told him afterwards is like oh geez You liked it I see a lot of people on my internet are really complaining about it and he's goes like what why? And I'm like, I don't know. It's a bunch of fun It's so cute. I said it's a bunch of old people that don't like that kind of music He's like who do they want that would this is his exact words, who would they want

that would be better, Bruce Springsteen? And I've laughed and I'm like, yes, you are exactly right. I'm like, Bruce Springsteen would suck to me. Like if they had, when, actually, Bruce Springsteen was on the TV in the hotel and he was the worst thing. He was doing a live performance and you go, oh my God, if I paid money to this, he's not even singing the hotel. And he was the worst thing. He was doing a live performance and you go,

oh my God, if I paid money to this, he's not even singing the songs. I'd be a fan, I 100% agree with you. It was like the worst live performance I'd ever seen. It was absolutely terrible. And like, I just laughed, I laughed out loud when he said that to me because I'm like, yeah, you nailed it.

That is exactly right. That was good. Yeah, I saw a lot of comments. It's perfect when you live in South Dakota because you get like just the most generic Facebook complaints about it. Yeah. And a lot of them were,

couldn't understand a thing he was saying. And it's like, well, part of that isn't on him because it was just how whoever is in charge of the audio, you know, the levels for the voice. I could, I could turn my voice way down. Oh, you can't hear me. You can't hear me here. I could like there's so he's not the one controlling the volume on that.

And then also, yeah, I get it. He's not from South Dakota. He doesn't sound like you. But then there was war. Or you probably just don't like rap music because then there was a lot of it was like Kendrick Lamar at the halftime show. Couldn't like rap music. Because then there was another me and I saw, it was like Kendrick Lamar at the halftime show couldn't understand a thing. And then it's like, and also white people

and it's playing a clip of Pearl Jam. That or any metal music or anything. It's like, yeah, the clarity with which I can hear the vocals is like maybe number 12 on the list for how I grade a song, you know? Like when you say that, that just tells me you don't like that style of music. It's the classic, it all sounds the same to me.

And I actually, I get the logic because I say that, but I don't really complain that much about any of the halftime music because I think it's way lamer to get, you know, it's way lamer to complain about it because someone's always gonna complain about it. And this is one I don't know, I'm sure you could dig into this and find an exact answer.

You know, we're approaching our mid-30s, our 40s, there's listeners that are older than that. I'm not sure we're like the prime demo that the NFL is going after anymore. True. They already got their old people, you're there in or you're out. Right. If you're 50 and you don't watch the NFL, yeah, you're probably not gonna start watching it. But what they're really going after is those young fans

that keep new people coming in. And you know what doesn't get young new people excited? Bruce Springsteen at the Halftime Show. You know what does get young people? Bring out the boss. You know what gets young men and women and people that are impressionable excited. Kendrick Lamar, that's what gets people excited.

So I 100% get it. I don't blame them at all for going with him. Any other final note? It was quite the ass kicking from what I saw, but it just wasn't really good. I just didn't really pay that close attention. It just wasn't a very good game. You know, South Dakota, Northeast South Dakota native with a Super Bowl ring now, though Yeah, that's good

Been to the zoo bar before we know that Can verify Police reports will verify he's been to the zoo bar before it's been documented Alright enough about the Super Bowl then I think so Probably too much about the Super Bowl then. I think so. Probably too much about the Super Bowl if you ask me. Now what, trade talk should start what, in a month or so here, a couple weeks. I guess.

And we're right back to it. Actually speaking of that, trade talk, what do you think of this Lakers trade? You know, you're a little more in tune with the NBA than me. Well, I just went to a game this weekend too, and so there was some buzz, there was buzz about it with the fans there even. You could hear the buzz in the air. Because it was very current. Yeah, there was some buzz. There was buzz about it with the fans there even

because it was very current. Yeah, there was buzz in the air. Also, we showed up to the game almost two hours early and the line was out the door already. It was really just because of the bobblehead thing or? Yes. Yes. Because it was Nasrid night. Yeah, I don't think you told on the podcast. It was Nasrid night, which meant free Nazred model heads and Nazred towel or. Well, you had to spend a certain amount of money to get the Nazred towel, but Nazred towel was like 80% of the reason we even were going.

I mean, I'm joking, but like the Nazred towel was a big target on us. People that don't know Nazred, who is the sixth man for the Timberwolves. He's walls the cult has a preach like super? meme status in the Twin Cities So you can drive in and there's Nas read signs there's Nas read billboards. There's Nas read signs hanging off of buildings It's when you go to the game like half the signs that people are holding up say something about now Everyone says two words Nas read and that sort of thing, Naz Reed for president, you know, the wizard of Naz.

There's all this stuff about Naz Reed, and he is really likable, honestly. Like, there's nothing, like, he's really cool. You know, he's got a little bit of an aura about him, and he seems somewhat nonchalant at times, but also, like, passionate about the game at the same time. But he's good too, he is good. He's really good.

That's the thing. He is underrated, he is the epitome of an under, I mean, the fact that he comes off the bench is still, is kind of like, I mean he didn't for this game because a bunch of people weren't playing, but yeah, so we went, because it was Nasrid Bobblehead night and Nasrid Tal night, and I'm like, oh yeah, we're gonna get there way early,

we'll be like first in line. I'm like, holy crap, are we even gonna make it in the door? People must have been here four hours early. So it was lined up down the block basically? Yes, I mean, it was crazy. It was actually, I was like, we've gone at that time before Like the door didn't even open until an hour and a half before tip-off and we were there

45 minutes before that Before the door even opened. Yeah, but you did secure your bobblehead though We got two bobbleheads and it was funny the way the process worked. I'm like Jack we could like go set these down in our Come back and get more bobbleheads. He's like, yeah, we probably could. I'm like, nah, we won't do that, but we could do that. The options there. If I was a younger man, I would go do that just for the sake of doing it.

I'm like, I'll let the other people get theirs now as a mature adult. But part of me wants to work the system like that still. Yeah, I really get it. It's funny then when as soon as we left the game, there's already a bunch of people posted up outside bidding on your Bible. Like you could have sold your Bible heads just leaving the door right away. Like people are there buying Bible heads. Yeah, that's got to be that's got to be a big night for me.

I haven't because there can't be too many Bible head nights, right? I don't think it's I don't think there's many players that get that honestly. I had I got a Ricky Rubio bobblehead we have that one too. Oh, do you? Yeah, you didn't give me yours did maybe maybe when I okay cuz we do have one of those would you you might have given me? Yours, maybe I did you do you in fact do not have a Ricky Rubio bobblehead. Yeah Oh, I have a really have it anymore. Jack has a Ricky Rubio bubble. Yeah. Oh, I have it anymore. Jack has a Ricky Rubio bubble head. Where did that go? Actually, I haven't seen that thing in years. Yeah, maybe I brought it

to the gym or told you about it and you just took it or I know because we were probably podcasting one night where it was in my old house. And I was like, Do you want this stuff? I think there was like some beer signs and stuff too. That's probably what it was. I knew I because Nasrid is right now right next to Ricky Rubio. Yeah, we actually just had the conversation. Jack was like, was Ricky Rubio good? I'm like, yeah, actually was pretty good for a short period of time.

Yeah, not bad. Not bad. OK. So all right. Just quick question. The trade. Well, the trade actually before we can get there, because now I forgot we were talking about that in true Fashion for you going to game starters are sitting out and you don't get to see and all the freaking time Luckily, we've gotten to watch it like four times Oh, yeah, but the the plus was that it meant Nas read started and he lit it and he had a great game and They they had like if they were down by like 15 points

I was looking at the box or the fourth quarter was a really good game He had a great game and they had like a, they were down by like 15 points. I was looking at the box score. Yeah, it looked like the fourth quarter made it a really good game. It was an awesome game. Like the place was sold out and it was, it got, I mean, I went to a playoff game that they won last year. That was probably the coolest, but it couldn't have been

a better game in terms of like the, like, I mean, everyone was jumping out of their seats like standing up Yelling it was it was really cool. It was it was worth the price of admission, you know, I left it I'm like, okay, that was sweet because sometimes those experiences are a little underwhelming you Like ours the game we went to what three two weeks ago like it was good and everything like and they won by 30 But they were just up by 20 the Entire game right like the excitement makes it like really there most of the time Right, right. So it no I didn't I was annoyed by that admittedly

But then at least they're all still there so you get to see him like it's also interesting to see like oh What are they doing all on the like there's like yeah, what are they doing over there? And there's a rapper yeah, what are they doing over there? And there's a rapper there too. You would know it didn't. Kendrick Lamar. No, it was a, you know, it was a less, I promise you would know who it is,

but the name didn't mean anything to me. Rap music all sounds the same to me, quite honestly, but. to me. The rap music all sounds the same to me quite honestly but but the Lakers that the they they traded away Anthony Davis for Luca and Anthony Davis is hurt already. He had to leave the first game he played. He's out for like a month isn't he or more like six weeks which is essentially almost the essentially almost which is just by the book by the book for him You know is just so difficult And then the Lakers scored a hundred points in the first three quarters with the first game with Luca there, but uh That's interesting. It's it's interesting like whatever however it ends up is whatever But it's interesting because it was like such a secret trade right shop him around at all one of the biggest

Arguably a top three I mean not even arguably he is a top three talent in the NBA and they traded him like overnight with nobody knowing Like they even say LeBron didn't know which I still like which is crazy because the thing about LeBron is he's like calling the show Yeah, yeah, and like Luca didn't know. So that's kind of the interesting part. It was like the secret secret behind the works trade for one of the third three best players in the league. That's kind of cool.

Yeah. Cool. I like to add on it. Yeah. Right. Right. Yeah. I mean, I feel like LeBron's going to hit the bricks pretty soon now. And it's set up to be Lucas' team. Sure seems like it. Yeah. That's enough sports, isn't it? People are like, god, why don't they going to quit talking about sports

and start talking about something? They haven't talked about sports in six weeks. This is enough. Make them stop. They let off with NFL and NBA next. What MLB coverage can they do? All right. College football.

Who's been keeping up with the NIL deals? Let's go. What are you drinking in? Don't, oh, for the love of God, don't tell me you have flat water. Oh, I got that gourmet shit over here. I was inspired after our trip to California. Big David, the Kirkland, the Kirkland. I mean, first of all, who was ever calling the shots over at Costco?

They get it because the Kirkland 35 pack or 36 pack of these. The flavors are lemon, lime and pample mousse. Like, I mean, come on, you couldn't pick a better lineup right there. And the flavors are so goddamn good on these things. I really did not think that they'd be as good as they were. Big David converted me. I got one of the Davids. Yeah, I got back. One of the first things I had to do was go to Costco and pick up a pack of these and I have just been impressed the whole way. What do you what do you give that for a rating then? Because that is, is that a lemon? I mean, it's for all day. It might be four and a half.

It's so good. I'm mixing it up this week a little bit. I'm going with the Nikola. Look really. Nikola. Big Hogan said enough with the sports talk. Where's the weather talk? Okay.

Weather talk. Oh my God. That winter finally found us, didn't it? Who invited this weather in? Wait, did you guys get snow? On Saturday last week, we did. Oh, we got snow on Saturday. Not very much, but.

We got probably two to three inches on Saturday and another two to three last night. Oh, no, we didn't get any snow last night. I finally fired up my snowblower for the first time today and this morning my car Thermometer said negative 22

outside whoo And that's I think the feels feels like was at one point in time. I saw negative 39. Oh baby was at one point in time I saw negative 39. Oh, baby. Thank God we didn't have any snow because running the snow blower in that would have been insane. Yeah, we were not even close to that cold. I think when I went out, I think mine was like five

and the feels like was five. It was like no wind or anything. So really isn't, five really isn't that bad when there's no breeze, you know? know Well back like tonight my daughter was even like on the way from dance She's like oh It's not near as cold as when we got in the car this morning And I'm just checking it was negative two and we were remarking at how it felt nice like and it legitimately did I was like Oh, it's not like hurting us. That's you know. It's not painful. We know we're joking negative two

we were joking about it when we went to California like oh man 50 degree weather and you're like I gotta get outside and have a beer 50 degrees That is a heat wave if it ever gets there Absolutely, oh my god, it's cold. I think it's gonna stick around for a couple more days a few more days here before it Turns the other direction. But we're already almost mid of February, it can't stick around forever. If this was December, I'd be like,

oh, why is this happening? The fact that it's mid February, it's like, all right. Yep, the end is near, it's fine. Yeah. We should talk about a new contest. This is hot news. Nobody knows about this. Well, actually, there are a couple of people

that know about this, but almost nobody knows about this. This is hot, breaking, fresh out the press, brand new news. We haven't even teased it yet. There's finally going to be another Mastinomics contest. It's been quite a while. It may be even since 2023 since we've had a legitimate straight up internet contest where anyone can get involved. Yeah, they were doing some.

Did we not do one last year? Nope, there was no, I mean we did like the lift hard. There was things people could win at, you know, of course the golden PP challenge, et cetera, the lift hard, the VZ classic, that sort of thing. But now anyone online can get involved in our newest challenge. It has been a while.

For anyone that doesn't know, there's a Hall of Fame, one of the, you know, a Hall of Fame card. If you're a supporting member, you get a chance to get in the Hall of Fame. One of the check marks, one of the most elusive check marks on that for a lot of people is winning a contest. And in this contest, there are gonna be two chances

for people to get checked off. We're gonna have two grand prize winners that would count towards Hall of Fame check marks. But anyone can get involved in this particular contest. You don't even have to just be a supporting member. This could be almost, I say anyone, there is one thing required for this contest and we'll get to that so

Without further ado Have I actually have I done enough ado or do we need to do do we need further ado before? I actually saw me the appropriate ado I will have plenty to add on to the backside of this okay, okay? So here's the contest This one is going to be a drink spotter contest. What we need you to do is show us how you use it or where you use it. Or I should say end or where you use it and get creative. We want to see creative ways of how, where, when you use your drink spotter.

Get creative, mix and match, do it different ways. Any of the three generations of drink spotters could be used. So you could use the original rack mounted drink spotter, the magnetic drink spotter light or the magnetic drink spotter XL. You can use any of them. You can... an entry has to be submitted on your Instagram page, your main page. It can't be an Instagram story. It has to be a post on your main page. When you do that, you have to tag Mastinomics and use hashtag drink spotter. And here's the thing.

There's going to be two grand prize winners. One of them is going to be for the best photo, a still image of, you know, how you use it, where you use it. Maybe it's what you put in it. There again, get creative, but the best image will be one grand prize winner. The other grand prize winner will be the best video. And our recommendation is a max for the video of 30 seconds. And we were talking about this every second, we're not lying

here, every second you go over 30 seconds, you're drastically reducing your chance of winning because keeping a joke going longer than 30 seconds, unless you're an expert joke writer, or unless you're highly skilled at entertaining people, it's really hard to keep attention longer than 30 seconds. So keep that in mind. Keep that in mind as your goal. It don't have to be, it could even be shorter.

Yeah, and you can go longer than 30 seconds, but you better be delivering. Yes, yes. So gonna be a grand prize for best image, And you can go longer than 30 seconds, but you better be delivering. Yes. So going to be a grand prize for best image, grand prize for best video. And we probably will also pick some runners up at our discretion. You know, it won't be a check mark on the Hall of Fame

as a contest winner, but maybe some runner-up prizes. But the grand prize winners as a contest winner, but maybe some runner up prizes. But the grand prize winners. Well, actually. I should have been more prepared to show this. I've got it right here, though, if you've been watching along, one of these has been sitting behind me for many weeks. Let me grab it. And it's not obvious.

I will say this. I've debated what that is multiple times because it's right next to a red plaque. It's a red. Yeah uh, show this thing off. It's next to the red, uh, Dane trailer from big Mathias cash. Uh, you know, it's the old logo because you can see the pecker on the dog for anyone that doesn't know they changed their logo and Mathias has the hookup to get us the original OG logo, Dane. Back when we used to be a proper country.

Used to be a proper country when we put penises on dogs. Our mascots had a big old dog. We didn't pretend our dogs were these asexual creatures. It was a male dog. He had a cock on him. Back when we were proper frigging country where dogs had penises, dogs weren't running around, getting sex changes. That's all a joke. But can you actually like that?

Oh, I can guarantee you if you look up their Facebook post when they announce a new logo that that is almost verbatim on there. Damn it. I want my dog with the cock on it. I love that pecker. I identified with that. All right. So the grand prizes for the drink spotter contest are going to be these professionally read drink spotter excels. What are they?

Anodized? Anodized? Yeah, I think these are anodized. They're not spray painted. It's no, they're not spray painted. Aluminum anodized aluminum in this vibrant red color here. So each of the grand prize, we'll get one of those along with $69 in South Dakota scratch tickets. Ooh.

That'll be the grand, each of the two grand prizes. It could be actually worth like a million dollars. Yeah, yeah, this red is pretty sweet though. I'm actually really jealous that would look really good in my gym. I don't even have one of those. There might be, let's see how many we actually have. There might be enough, I mean,

you know what? You have this one. We can just cut down the grand prize to one. I'll take the other one. Just we'll simplify this Well, you could you could submit some It and it's actually good. It's like let's be real. I probably did win this Rub it in everyone's face Best photo Tanner won that one best video Tommy won that one. Sorry guys gotta try harder Well, I am NOT I'm gonna say it we are not excluded from participating

We make the rules. Yeah We're also judges, but we do make the rules and we're the judges so that's how it goes and also you may want to listen to the unpaid and underrated podcast because We they have the discretion they are also gonna pick One runner-up winner. They're gonna pick one of their favorites to win I don't know what the prizes are yet for runner-up winners. That's to be deep to be determined but we know the grand prize winners are getting the Red very very limited. These aren't going for sale or anything. They anodized red drink spotter excels

very limited. These aren't going for sale or anything. The anodized red DrinkSpot or XLs. The contest submissions can start when this episode comes out. That'll be Monday, February 17th. Don't submit until Monday, February 17th. We're not going to be scrubbing the internet for submissions until then. That's when they start and they'll go till Sunday, February 23rd. so you get just about a one-week window to submit and then we're going to pick and announce the winners live When we record on February 24th So that is a little under two weeks away. We'll announce those winners when we're recording We'll announce that live on our podcast that that night

winners when we're recording, we'll announce that live on our podcast that that night. And these rules will all be on Instagram, you don't have to go back and listen to this 10 minute segment, we will have you don't have to take feverish notes on this. What did he say about the dates? Talk slower. Wait, we can't really want gonna win. So hopefully, they get the creative juices going. Get out there and compete.

There's no limit of submissions. You can submit as many times as you want to. You can submit both for the photo and the video. What other questions are people gonna ask us that I can get out in front of? Boy. That's something obvious that you've said three times that people are gonna miss.

How long should the video be? Yes, yes. There we go, put that right there. Should the post be on my story or on my page? Main page, story doesn't count. I don't have Instagram can I still submit? That's one that comes up every year. Not really. I don't know what to tell you about that. Like, you can send us if you can do some creative, creative photos and

videos and if they're good, we'll post them on our page, but it's not really going to count because kind of why we drive this driver of a contest like this is it gets more posts out there from other people about our stuff. And you know, that's kind of the secret. If you if you won't need to be peeked behind the curtain, you know, that's what adds the value to us as we get people talking about it and posting about it and we get to share it. So if you can't do that, because you don't have Instagram, I guess, unfortunately, you don't get to play along with us. But

otherwise, you just got to have a drink spotter, which I'm confident that a lot of people will be you know, that's very inclusive, because we've sold a whole bunch of drink spotters over the years. So a lot of you have them out there, you should have one, or you should have friends that have one. And if you don't have either one ofters over the years. So a lot of them out there. You have them out there. You should have one or you should have friends that have one. And if you don't have either one of those, then you've made a lot of bad choices. Yes. OK, that's it on the drink spotter contest for now. Get ready. We'll be seeing submissions here in less than a week.

So curious to see what hit us with your best shot, Pat Benatar's. Yes. Yes, Pat. Should I do supporting our supporting members? You should. OK. You're a little aware you're aware of this one, Tommy. This one's a good one. Well, there's a there's do you want the good news or the bad news? Just on this one's a good one. Well, there's a there's you want the good news or the bad news on this one? Just good

news. The whole thing. The good news. Let's get it out there. Well, my wife always says you want the good news or bad news. And I always say good news only whatever the bad news is for the love of God, keep it to yourself. I can't handle it right now. Bury that deep inside. Don't let it out. Big Dan from Temecula, California, a place we're pretty familiar with. We missed connection here, unfortunately. We were in Temecula at Big Andrew's place and like the next morning, Big Dan's wife reached out and is like, Oh my God, are you into Mekula right now?

My husband is a big fan. He would love to meet you. And unfortunately we were like two hours away then with a completely full schedule and we're trying to figure something out and it couldn't really work. But Big Dan had health issues, like he had a health scare

and it turned out he actually has kidney cancer. They just recently found out and we just missed him by that much, which sucks. I wish we would have got, uh, if we would have somehow known, we would have, uh, made a priority to get to see him there too. And we couldn't. So as a very piss poor consolation, I wanted to mention it on, uh, supporting our sporting members that, uh, just give big Dan a shout out. The rest of the sporting members will be rooting for him. Maybe we'll come up with something better or someone will have some good ideas of maybe we can get a crew care package together to send to

Big Dan into Mekula. He does also have a certified training facility now as well. Well, that's good. I'm glad that that was how that segment went. Because when you said the good news or the bad news, I couldn't tell you're prepping me for some worse news there. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, Dan's alive. I talked to Dan to break it to me. Yeah, I did talk to Dan this week. Okay, all right. Good deal. But maybe we'll figure something else how to incorporate Dan since we missed him by that close, which that's a that's a stinker.

Big metalhead fitness competed powerlifting we went eight for nine with a 1703 total some big left a six oh one squat for 74 bench six 28 dead left. So he will be bringing a big package back to the lift hardly easy Three this summer. Yeah numbers and Big Zach other crew member was his meat day handler. So good job big. That's like you handle that meat to perfection Yeah crew member handling you Big Toby and big Daniel competed together in the strongman competition, I assume, down there in Arizona. I'm not sure the final results for either of them, but I can only assume they did outstanding, like they always do.

Yes. Big Keith, Big Chris Mark, and Big Lucas, the Rochester crew competed together at Stone Wars 2025. And then big Jess and big Matt says knee were there afterwards to have a give them a crew welcome and maybe they were there watching it during the day even to most notably of the weekend Keith performed one event while wearing two different shoes. But I thought Tommy when I first saw Yeah, so when I first saw the picture, because it just sticks out to you and I mean immediately soon the comments like two shoes What's the story?

One of the shoes was the red and black Mastinomics custom Ursus the other shoe was the odd e power Lifter I mean could not be more like the ends of the spectrum as fary power lifter. I mean, could not be more opposite ends of the spectrum as far as you. Desert green lifter. Oh, that was good. And then the memes started pouring in and yeah, it was almost right in the world. I would like to say I don't know

how that could possibly happen. But I would say at a competition is the one time maybe where you're in such the heat of the moment that maybe it could slide, but I feel like I would notice once I took my first step away from you. That's what I think too. I mean, it's hard to know until you've been there, but I've also been at a competition

that involved changing footwear. We would really need to walk a mile in his shoes. In his uneven shoes. We would really need to walk a mile in his shoes in his uneven shoes. I feel like I'd really only need to walk one step, but to properly judge him, I feel maybe we need to walk a full mile. Yeah, probably out of place if I walked a mile in one lifter and one. I'd catch it after one step, but after I've done a mile in them. I don't even know what's going on anymore that that'd be my problem So good job at the contest too, but I really like the shoes I

Wanted I first I'm like there is there some strategic well, that's what I thought I don't Yeah, it's like you're almost like where you wear the belt Then you take the belt off for the next part. It's like a punter a kicker. Yeah. Yes. Yes, it's cleat on and his kicking shoe Do you think they think anyone will take the two shoe approach at the lift hard limousine classic just as an homage to I hope so. I'd like to think that some people will do that. Completely different shoes too. Like, you know, a lot of my shoes could be mistaken for each other. You know, I could put on my Ursus 2 and my Ursus 1, which are both all black and you'd be like, I still think I would notice, but the heat of the moment maybe you're thinking about something else Big Derrick competed in his first powerlifting meet he went eight for nine with a 13.95 total strong first outing for Big Derrick Big Ben Big Ben Bile accepted a promotion at work. Congratulations to Big Ben.

Can we all get a rousing hell yeah? Hell yeah, brother. And Big Kurt was this week's guest on Unpaid and Underrated. Go give Big Kurt a listen as he preps for his first ever powerlifting meet at the 2025 Lift Hard Live Easy Classic, potentially Live Three-Z, question mark. That's it this week from supporting our supporting

members and people deciding to use that channel in our discord appropriately and actually put in things there that deserve shout outs and I gotta give credit where credit is due this week. You boys and girls you did it right this time. Yeah, I mean, this is where it fits. You love to see it. You do really love to see it when it happens like this and that Was supporting our supporting members you can get in on that by becoming a supporting member We also got a bunch of other stuff that you get like a discount code. That's the only way you get in our discord

It's the only way you listen live You get to know first info on drops you get to early access to drops. We send a couple things out every year. We've got one master plan cooking actually still for supporting members. It's on the I say it's cooking. It's on the back burner simmering right now. Yeah, it's simmering on the back burner. But we got a pretty sweet plan someday if we decide we have the time to be able to do it. We'll probably make that come come true. But for right now, it is a back burner plan.

But I love the idea. And if we ever if and probably more like when we do it, it's going to be a bit of a game changer, I think, for the supporting member status. So you're going to wish you were a supporting member already if you're not. It is the number way you can support us. You know, you can buy stuff from us, do all that. We like all of those things, leave us reviews. But becoming a supporting member really is the number, you can buy stuff from us, do all that. We like all of those things, leave us reviews, but becoming a supporting member really is

the number way you can, number way, one way you can help us out and make sure we keep this thing going. Helps us keep the lights on, so to speak. Hmm. Big Dr. Jake, late edition. They are adding another, they're gonna be experiencing a family PR.

Come August. Family PRs. Just, okay, August, let's keep it in August, not July. We've got important shit to do this July, Jake. Watch that date. Yeah, summer's pretty full right now. Really cutting it close there. So congratulations, but keep an eye on those dates, people.

July is an important time in the Mastinomics world. We can't be having all these babies in July. So whatever, backtrack nine months from there, whatever that nine months back from that is, just keep it in your pants. I think they call it medical tourism, where people make their way to Aberdeen to have medical procedures, babies, things like that done

during the lift hard, the easy classic. We usually have a few doctors around. Is there a doctor in the house? There is as long as he's not having his baby over that weekend, he will be there. This week's episode of the Mastinomics podcast is brought to us, of course, by the strength Co. The strength Co. Check them out at the strength Co they have American made Olympic iron plates I just want to be honest with you guys this week on this ad they're the best damn plates that exist I don't know if I've told you before but I got a lot of different plates these days I got every day I come home I have no time to do anything but just to barely bring in my

random plates that are showing up on my doorstep, bring them out from the cold because if you're cold, they're cold, bring them inside. And there's some cool ones, but none of them still compare to the Strength Co-Plates. They're the best. They're smooth, easy to grip, the black e-coat finish, it pops. They just, none of the other, no other brand of plates look quite the way, look and feel the way that they do In the gym. Now, that's the earnest truth So check them out at the strength co also if you're gonna buy strength co plates or really by Much of any equipment all go to the massonomics website and we have an affiliates link. There's a tab

It's probably massonomics comm slash affiliates or something like that, too, if I had to guess You could click through to the strength co Bells of steel a whole bunch of equipment companies and all other the discount codes are listed there But we get a little something back for some of those affiliate links. So check it out. Oh Feel like I just talked a lot Oh, I feel like I just talked a lot. Well, there's a lot of accolades to go around, so I guess that's what happens when you podcast, you got to talk quite a bit. Starting to understand what this all means about four hundred and sixty three episodes

and nobody told me you're going to have to talk so much. So how the medium works does require some talking. OK. Do we want to jump into the title topic now? We have a lot of other topics here to hit on still, too. I mean, I don't know. This may not be a super long title topic. I think we need to get into the title topic before we get too long here. Yeah. Should we kick out the live listeners out to give them something to their

eye here before they go? Let's talk about one other thing. OK. Our drop. Oh, yeah. Good call. This is I'll put this to the top. Our drop is going to be coming on February 20th. That's a Thursday. So that is in nine days from now. It is the week of this episode coming out this this Thursday. We have a new drop and it's a banger.

If you've been, we won't release exactly what the drop is on this episode, but if you've been watching along on Mastinomics YouTube, chances are you've probably seen a couple of things that are coming out. There's gonna be two shirts in this drop. We'll tell you that much. If you look closely, you can probably find them

and make some guesses at what you think these two particular shirts are. But we, from what people have seen of these and at what you think these two particular shirts are. But we, from what people have seen of these and from what we think about these, these are both going to be pretty hot sellers. We do have good inventory of both, but pretty excited about both of them. I'll say this also, we got a mix in this drop. One of them is going to be on the Comfort Colors Boxier Fit T, 100% cotton. The the other one's gonna be on our more traditional Blend tee that's a little bit more athletic fit

So we got a mix there one of each and they are different designs and we will just This gives you something to think about here. We will be taking these shirts to the Arnold with us But depending on how the drop goes and the immediate demand after the drop Sizing could be a little weird. So if you are waiting to sell the Arnold, you might get the shirt. I mean, it'll more than likely be there, but sizing might not work out in your favor. It's hard to say.

Or if they really, one of them say got really hot. It might not be there. And we sold almost all of them, they could not go. Yeah, if we do sell, like if we sell most of them, it won't go. Yeah, we don't bring it, yeah. If most of are gone, and we can only bring a couple in each size It's not worth taking up a spot for that so that is right consider But please check out the drop one other thing

About that drop Let's do for the first 50 orders that drop. They're gonna get something special I don't know if we need to release it right tell what what it is right now, but we got a couple things sitting around here that we've been sitting on for a while. Do I want to show, should I show what that is? Should I show that? You might as well, because you got me curious now. All right. With, well, through code over the podcast, as everyone's gonna listen, do you want, should be the giveaway for the first 50 things be the smaller thing that could be kind of pokey,

or the bigger thing that could be kind of pokey? You know what I'm saying? Do you know what I'm talking about now, what our options are? I'll let you decide. I'm thinking maybe the bigger pokey thing. Bigger's usually always better, right? Yeah, we'll keep the other one in our back,

the other pokey thing in our back pocket for a future. So the first 50 orders, actually pretty fitting with my outfit here tonight. I don't know if you can see. And mine as well. Actually, yeah. Well, it's destiny. It has to be this.

I'm wearing the old Royal Blue Mastinomics GMT. I've got the zip up Mastinomics Jim hoodie. Tommy's wearing the Wine Boxier Fit Mastinomics Gym hoodie, Tommy's wearing the wine boxier fit Mastinomics Gym tee and the first 50 orders from this February 20th drop will receive a Mastinomics Gym black button. Yeah, that a button. Yeah, the gym skull you'll receive the the put the pin button, button pin the pin button, you know, so this is a like when you're in play soccer

when you're a kid and your mom orders the pictures and she gets a picture with your face on it on the button. That's what this button. Then you put it on like your zip up hoodie like this. It would be weird if I put it on here because it'd be like really double it over the top of it. But yeah, pretty cool. There it is. Keeping that for some special occasion. And this is just top of it. But yeah, pretty cool. There it is.

Keeping that for some special occasion. And this is just to do it. Yeah, first 50 orders, get that for free, along with the usual stickers and that sort of thing that we thank you note, et cetera. OK, now should we kick these rat bastards out of here? Yep, they're gone. Finally, they're not gone this second time. I'm in the process of removing them.

This could. Oh, that's my favorite part of the episode is when we get to kick these people out of here, they quit freeloading. Listen to this when it comes out like the everyone else has to like every other person, like the other millions of people that do. Millions. Awaits like being lifted off my shoulders as I see the number of live listeners go down. Just one person lighter every minute. And if you don't do it, I'm going to be reporting them for malfeasance.

Okay. They are gone. Okay. So, let me hit you with something here. That was a little quiet. Let me do it again. I like that louder for the people in the back. Play it louder for the people in the back. Disturbed. So what is the, what is the exact, we don't know the exact title, but what's generally the title of this topic?

Today we're gonna be discussing the ethics of buying American versus buying foreign versus buying used. Ho ho ho. And we're kind of specifically narrowing in on gym equipment. You know, you get to broaden this out, but we're talking about gym equipment, right? This is regarding gym equipment. This is a podcast about the gym and gym stuff. So we're talking gym equipment here

So you said buying used versus buying foreign? versus buying American buying American Yeah, three different choices there and this is depending on who you talk to. This some people have right off the bat, incredibly strong preferences one way or another on this. And some people do not care one bit at all. So that's true. Some people that's worth actually that's a really good point off the bat.

It's just that some people just actually don't care. Like some people like, oh, you're going to have a conversation about this. I couldn't think of something I could care less about. And then there's other people that this is a very, very important part of their buying process and in the way that they identify with their gym and how they feel like they're supporting people and companies and all that. And I'm not saying either one of those is right or wrong.

There's a lot of ways to look at this. But right off the bat, there's very different perspectives and how this is even approached and What spurred this whole thing for us? Was we'd recently made a video Featuring tanners to dumbbell racks the Alibaba dumbbell rack Story, and if you haven't watched that video, I would recommend going on YouTube finding that I'll give you the very quick version of it because it is like a 15 to 20 minute video but basically

Tanner had acquired a lot of well he had a full set of pro style dumbbells for the gym and then had acquired a Full set of York roundhead dumbbells and he had a lot of dumbbells Which meant that they were kind of scattered across various racks and locations throughout the gym wanted to consolidate it found an option that was incredibly expensive from an American manufacturer and through some back channels found someone that had an Alibaba version that was significantly cheaper. In the end, you ended up going with the cheaper option. You saved what do we figure in the process? $5,000, $4,000.

Yeah, You saved what we figure in the process five thousand dollars four thousand dollars Yeah Five over five thousand dollars. I think end up saying five thousand dollars totally happy with this purchase would not change a thing It all went great. It came faster than the other option I mean it was as far as you were concerned. There was no downsides to it, right? No, it there was no downsides to it, right? No, it, the only downside going into it was the uncertainty that it would work out the way it did, but it did work out the way it did.

Because I mean, of course you had Lillian Wang on your side, so let's be real here. Shout out. Shout out Lillian Wang. But if you want to know more about that story, make sure you go check out that YouTube video, the Mastinomics. 13 minutes and 36 seconds.

Alright, there you go, yeah. Mastinom Massanomics. 13 minutes and 36 seconds. All right. There you go. Yeah. Massanomics, Alibaba, Dumbbell Rack. But there was a lot of very good conversation around... I shouldn't just say very good. There was a lot of conversation around... Some of it very good. Yeah.

Some of it was very good. Some of it not so good, but talking about people chiming in on what they felt like the ethics were of buying American versus buying the knockoff in this case, or the knockoff. I'm kind of using that in quotes because we're talking about a dumbbell rack here. But there's a lot of discussion there. And we thought that, you know what, that is a good thing to actually have a longer form

discussion about now that we've set the stage. Yeah. Yeah. And I would say even before even talk specifics, I like what you said about the beginning where I don't know that there is necessarily I'm of the opinion that it's not so black and white. That just generally speaking, anyone that's just so solid in a camp on this, I think that's where maybe they're, I'm not even going to say wrong, but I've just, that's who I would tend to disagree with anyone that thinks so solidly that one way is right over the other. Yeah. Because I'm like, no, there is nuance to it. There's actually significant nuance to the to the whole process, I think, and to who it affects and how it affects.

And I do think there's a lot of nuance to it. So that's where I kind of think. I'm not sure that being dogmatic about one being right over the other is correct. I don't think so, because, you know, I don't know if he knows we live in a very global economy, Tanner. Everything's connected. It's a it's a tangled web of. Of trade and dollars that are going on,

even in our own personal case, though, my small home gym has a mixture of Chinese made in China items made in America, items, items made in countries that I probably don't even know where they came from, because honestly, I don't pay that close of attention to it. And then Monomics gym also has a very wide selection of where products are made. And it kind of just depends on the product as to where it probably came from.

And I think that's a great point. I do think we mentioned in the dumbbell rack video, it does depend on the product. Some products, I'm much more inclined to desire something that's made in America for a number of reasons. And some products, I really don't care. Like just on the surface, I'm like, I don't give a shit where who made this where actually, I just want it to be not so freaking expensive, because it's not essential to me that it was made in America, where it does matter to the most. I think it's what I said in the video is something like plates from buying from a high touch. I don't know. Yeah. And obviously, Grant is our close personal friend. Yeah. So of course, we talk about the strength, but for that matter, you're by rogue plates, you know, made in America, rogue plates. They would fit into that conversation. Yeah. you're actually kind of jumping into what I, we didn't even talk about how we're gonna frame this conversation, but I think we should start up

buying American, talking the pros and cons of this. And so like you, and you were basically just going right into the pros of, there's several items that, right off the bat, whether it's right or not, people typically market Made in America as a premium option. Like, if I see Made in America, I almost immediately assume while their marketing is positioning them as a more premium option. The Made in China ones typically are cheaper and they're cheaper usually for

reasons because it's not as good of a product. Not always, but a lot of times. So when I see Made in America like on plates I mean barbell barbells basically every bar power bars Pretty much every bar. We use Texas power bars rogue the barbells from rogue American barbell The strength co-bar strength of our was there as far as I know all of those barbells are made in America and Those are like the most desirable barbells. Yes. They hold their values better. They're just more desirable across the board.

They're used in power lifting meets. You know, that made in America when it comes to barbells is a badge of honor. It is a point of pride with barbells. So it's hard to like be like, and then also the price difference isn't that much either on barbells, you know, like we're talking like you can get a lot of if I just say if I'm just going with the

generic answer here of rogue, you can get a lot of rogue products or actually even text bar bars that matter a lot of text power bars bars, you know, for that mid 350 ish price If you're gonna look at Foreign made bars made in China bars I don't know a lot of them are kind of in that mid to high twos If not even getting close to three so like I don't know. Are you saving a hundred dollars? Maybe on something that you use every time you go to the gym So like there are it does for certain products like that, it makes it a harder sell to even consider the foreign option.

Same thing with plates, you know, it's a high touch item, use it all the time. The Made in America options are pretty good. You know, we prefer the Strength Co. ones, which are really, really nice plates. But if you're a rogue person, and we have some rogue plates, they're fine. There's nothing nice to, you know, they good, too. They're accurate. They're good

and then there are You know when you start to look at well, why would you get Chinese plates or why would you get foreign-made plates? It's like, uh, probably cuz they're cheaper and a lot of times you get the cheaper plates Yeah, they'll get you start like Chad said it's metal discs that you lift up and down They'll get you strong at the end of the day and he's absolutely right But yeah, you know the finish might not be as good. They might not be as accurate You know, there's some discrepancies there So if you're gonna be nitpicky that is a point to consider on those two items So in terms of a pro though, generally a lot of times it could mean it's more premium like as far as American

That's my expectations that it's gonna be made America. It should be more premium, like as far as American. That's my expectations that it's going to be made in America. It should be more premium. I do. This is just I actually agree with that completely. And this would be my devil advocate is like sometimes I don't want you know, none of the companies mentioned, but it just does seem like the sort of marketing thing that sometimes people could use it as a crutch to be. Oh, they absolutely do.

This is more premium, you know, because I said it's made in America. But then it's like, but is it is it actually good? Like, did you make a good product or not? Like you make if you make shit in America, I don't want to buy shit. Yeah. You know, like it has to be good. Like we all go to businesses every day in our neighborhood and, you know, in our local communities and buy stuff. It doesn't mean it's good. So that's all made in America. You know, people local communities and buy stuff it doesn't mean it's good it's so that's all made

in America you know people doing stuff there but doesn't necessarily mean it's good so like yes it isn't a blanket statement but when you start talking some of the bigger names in the space you do assume a certain level of quality if it's gonna say made in America so then probably like if that's point one a of made America one B is then you're supporting companies and owners and employees that are American, right? You're supporting people within the country that.

Yeah, you're actually we have a lot. First of all, here's one other wrench. We have a lot of Canadian listeners. We have a lot of UK listeners. We have a lot of Australian listeners. Do they give a shit if something's made in America? They're like, well, to them, does it even sound premium, first of all, because to us, there is that premium thing buzz around it. Like if you're from those countries, do you even think that? Or do you only think about

how outrageous the shipping is going to be? But maybe they do feel like that maybe some of those people, listeners, would feel like there's premium in some of those areas that we talked about, like plates and barbells and that sort of thing. I don't know. Yeah, because I know it's an interesting question. Like I do think though, like Made in Canada, you know, like Irwin Fitness, I think not knowing much about them. I look at them as a super premium company and I mean, that's just based more off of

what I see from the products they're releasing. And then they happen to be from Canada. So like I put that. And then like Ilico, I mean, that's just based more off of what I see from the products they're releasing. And then they happen to be from Canada. So like I put that and then like Ilico, I mean, made in Sweden. That's obviously a premium company too. And we've had this conversation before a lot of times just the made in as long as it's not China, you kind of start to just associate anything else with premium. It's like made in China and then made anywhere else means premiums starts to be how that actually works not saying that that's right or wrong, but that's the The the the propaganda the marketing that your brain is absorbed over the years. That's what you start to think true

But yeah, so to go back to my point. I think the one B thing is that you're supporting business owners employees industry the local economy owners, employees, industry, the local economy, maybe literally local to you, but at least local in the sense of the country that you live. You know, you're keeping it within the borders of the great 50, I guess I suppose. And that's really a subjective thing to an extent also, because I think people value that very differently. You know, like some people value that greatly. Right.

And wear that as a badge of honor if they're supporting things in that way. And some people don't care at all. Well, and that's where this can already start to turn into a con. And are we ready to go to cons yet, or do you have another pro? Yeah, no, I think, well, I think those are the two,

there's probably other pros around it, but those are the two big things. Yeah, I think those are the most obvious pros. And then that you're supporting local. Yeah. And that is where the first concert should be. And that is not always, but on a lot of products, you are paying for that Made in America badge. And I mean, that hits your wallet. That reduces your amount of disposable income you have to spend on other items in your gym. If you were to look at,

just for comparison, a full gym build through Rogue versus a full gym build through Bells of Steel, for example, your prices are going to be wildly different on what that is. And that just comes down to making the choice of buying made in America versus made in anywhere else, and that's for you to decide if, are you willing to give up, or how much buying power are you willing to give up for that Made in America badge? Right. What about anything else on the con side of it

when you're buying Made in America? I mean, I think that's typically the biggest thing is the price that's gonna go along with it. Yeah, I mean, the think that's typically the biggest thing is the price that's going to go. Yeah, I mean, the made the local thing can be wildly different. I mean, yeah, it's in your country, but it could be a small shop with three people on the opposite side of the country. And it's like, yeah, I guess you're keeping the dollars in America, but you're really not doing anything for

the local economy, you know, right, as it were there. But okay. So if we look at look at the opposite of buying something really, we'll just say China, China I think that's the biggest pro. I feel like that's, people aren't doing like, oh, I just love supporting Chinese built stuff. It's because of the price. It's like, oh no, I love getting a deal. Like this squat rack, I got this one for 900 bucks. Where, and a comparable American made one would be $3,000. And if it came to that, for some people,

it's just like, no, I'm just not gonna have a gym. Like it's, like some people it comes down like no, I'm just not gonna have a gym like it's like some people it comes down to the difference between doing this or not doing this and I don't think anyone you'd want someone to sit on the silence like yeah, you know if you can't afford American Yeah, just should even be doing this like that's I don't think that's I would not recommend that to anyone Right there could be people that take that stance though. No, and they're definitely are that's not the stance I would take though I mean the stance I would take is over here to lift not to like the primary goal here

is to lift to get stronger not to be concerned with exclusively where my products are coming from so that's the pro and then which is the opposite on the other side of the coin and then really the cons are the same way where it's the opposite side of the coin. So the con is you're not supporting local. In theory, that's the con. You know, you're not supporting local and then maybe you're getting an inferior product too. Yeah.

Yeah. You could definitely be getting inferior product and there's certain things. It's like, Oh, an inferior product is totally fine. Like I use this like, that's correct. I use this like once a week. Uh, it's kind of like an accessory to an accessory like it's not a high wear item I'm delicate with it like the price difference is significant You know

Yeah like I can't afford to skimp here because this actually gives me more options to potentially buy more more made in America stuff later on with other gym purchases so yeah, that is a consideration there. One other thing too, depending on the company, you typically do, as a pro for American made, you typically do associate that with better customer service. But that kind of, I also kind of just can sort of,

yeah, sometimes. My Alibaba, I said it in the video also, it was like the best customer service, or it was on par with the best customer service. I've received on any Jim products I bought yes being completely honest Yeah and so that's not like that and that's not a truth across the board like you can look at home gym kind of people buying stuff from like American-made companies and Not having the best experience, but some Americans run shitty companies. Oh they do, yeah, at the end of the day,

it's a person, just because you're American doesn't mean you're a business expert. Right. You know, so that's individual, it has nothing to do really with the company. It's just at the end of the day, it usually makes you feel a little better, like if I'm having issues, there's a person in my country

I can get a hold of, or this is, most of us have never been to China. I don't even know who I'm getting ahold of over there, if that's the route you're going. Typically, you're not going that route, you're going working through a company that does have a customer-based team in America, but just another point to consider there.

Yeah. Should we read at all this comment from the YouTube video? You know, there was one particularly interesting comment Yeah, I think so cuz now well Yeah, actually yes, and then we wait and we talk about the option of buying used as another yeah Cuz this yeah that comment does apply directly to What we're talking about right now and this was so there's a lot of comments on the video Some of them were dumb. Some of them were like not well thought out, but this was this is a very long comment

but it was also very well thought out and It was when we're in California some popped in like wow that guy actually it was a very thoughtful comment He clearly put some time and effort into making an argument and writing it well, so Props to this guy for for what he says here. Yes, Chris Texan And I don't know if I'll read the whole thing but at least hit some of the main points he said the whole debate about buying local I totally support that in regards to things like dining out supporting a small local restaurant versus a big national chain for example and if the difference isn't significant absolutely buy local example a $1,000 us made rack versus a

$900 chinese import isn't going to break the bank to buy domestic products. So this is first paragraph, I 100% agree with everything you're saying here. This is great. I'm like, I support that. I'm like, if you can support logo and the price is just marginally more and also the products better. I'm like, okay, you've sold me on that.

And especially if it's important kind of product, you know, and like even for me, I'm like okay you've sold me on that you know and especially if it's important kind of product you know and that's like even for me I'm trying to think in my experience here when I bought my my matador my trisept dip stand for my rack I believe the option through rogue was like 120 and the option through bells of steel was like 90 I'm like 30 and then of course rogue you do have to pay shipping which is probably another 20 some dollars. I'm like 30. And then of course, rogue, you do have to pay shipping, which is probably another 20 some dollars. But I'm like, at the end of the day, it's like $50. I really don't care. Like, I will spend the extra $50 for what seems to be a higher quality product.

Yep. Then he says this. But here's the key thing that some people forget to overlook in the discussion, you are local. If you spend double or triple on products to buy local, so I was saying twice or three times what you could otherwise buy, I'm not local, you are hurting your own also local business, taking resources out of your environment that could be used to further your success and thus help other local folks succeed

in whatever associations they have with your business. used to further your success and thus help other local folks to see and whatever associations they have with your business. So basically, if you're saying if you're in that sense, wasteful spending, just to buy American made, versus maybe a more financially savvy decision in that case, especially if you're running a business, whether it could just be your own personal life, how you look at it, or if you're running a business like us. Yeah. But I think it's just the sub out business for you, like your

right, your own personal, your own personal finance. Yes. You are limiting your pool of resources to do other things to support other companies to, you know, improve your own situation. economically speaking, pure capitalism, well, I'm actually not sure if I wanna read the rest of this or not, if it gets in the weeds or too much, but I really like that point that he made there. I think his last thing, like how he kinda wraps it up here,

he says, so anyway, so while supporting a local business, even it costs a little more is generally good, making a huge savings by non-local so that your local business holds on to more of its money locally makes much more sense. By keeping more resources at your disposal, you get to choose how to better use them going forward. Sending twice as much off to another business

that is often sourcing from China anyways is just giving money to some other person to let them choose how to use it or waste it. And I think that's a great- Very good point. Yep, that's great. Like, let's just be smart about how you're spending your money here.

And just philosophically, I generally agree with him, you know, just from a personal standpoint. That is kind of how I look at it. If I can support local, if it's meaningful, if I really know it's local, if the price is an outrageously different, if the product is superior, I like to be able to, I want, I go into it, want to being able to justify. To buy the made in America product, but sometimes the dumbbell racks, no way in hell would I change that decision. That is such the right decision in my mind, spending the $2,400 on those two Alibaba Made in China racks versus the $8,000.

Like you can literally look at all the other things I put in Mastinomics Gym because of saving that $5,500. Right. Because we're not talking about an endless pool of money here. So if you do that, it's like, all right, well, automatically you've drastically changed your pool of resources for buying. Your expenditures for the entire rest of the year have now been significantly adjusted because you spent all that money on it. Here's another important point I like to make and

I'm not sure I've been using a term here and I'm not sure if this is correct or fair but I've been using the word knockoff several times here and When I'm saying knockoff that's assuming that so in this case the comparison we're making is prime versus Alibaba Yeah, that's assuming prime was the original company the first company to ever make a dumbbell rack that was four-tier and had a sliding shelf and I'm not sure if I'm not the dumbbell I'm not the I haven't done an archive a catalog of all the dumbbell racks in existence I don't know prime might not even have been the first person actually if you type in on Google Dumbbell rack sliding shelf. I believe it's legend fitness also has a dumbbell rack with a sliding shelf

so again there Which one is the knockoff? I don't even know in that case I am assuming there's not intellectual property involved in this So we are talking about a shelf that slides, right? That's right. Exactly. So Knockoff is Not an incorrect term, but I think like exactly. So knockoff is not an incorrect term, but I think like not literally a knockoff, you know, where we're just buying the cheaper,

not made domestically option, you know, like the far cheaper made. Now, I guess one thing we didn't include is ethics of, you know, how things are made. You know, I think it's fair to say that everything that's made in China probably is less ethically made than how it is in America. You know that's certainly another piece of the puzzle That is and that's really hard to get a high enough horse to like

What's hard to start? I'm not gonna not buy anything from China like I'm not gonna be like nope I'm never wearing a Nike shoe. I'm never wearing an you're never wearing you're never wearing never bought. I'm not gonna use an you're not using Computer you're not using electronics Drastically, I mean you're not living in this century anymore You're like back to that because everything is over there and then it starts to come with the conversation of well do I need to do a full back catalog search of How everything was sourced and made? And maybe it's possible.

I'm guessing a lot of things you can't even know. Like it gets just, it is an endless rabbit hole once you start going down that path. I typically want to be a pretty good person, but there's some things I'm like, nope, fuck it. That's not my job to worry about that. Like that's my honest, just as an individual, I'm like, I am not worrying about that.

That is outside of my scope of what I'm gonna. It's the same thing. You know, when you go to buy a coat, are you buying a Patagonia coat that's from ethically sourced down from South America? Or are you like, no, this is gonna get covered in gasoline and be rolled around on the ground and smell and stink. I'll tell you what, I'll buy the cheaper coat.

And I'll just get the car hurt one that's probably made in Indonesia now. Like that's, and that's, that's, it's the same, it's the exact same conversation. There's trade-offs in all of this. Yup. I do think that although that is correct, should we talk about the alternative option then of buying used?

Because I think it's possibly the most interesting thing here to discuss. Yeah, so we've been talking a made in America versus made overseas and what that means. And there is another variable here and that is buying used. And this is a very, very popular option in the gym community of just, I mean marketplace, like look at marketplace anytime in your town. If you're in a major market of any kind, like the people are wheelin' and dealin' and hustlin' all types of stuff on there all the time. And this is something we were talking about is buying used.

That actually, in most cases, does nothing to support the company you're buyin'. Like, if I go on marketplace right now and buy a six post rogue rack, you know, maybe I save a thousand bucks. I didn't do anything like the rogue did not get that money like it was. I didn't support the company in any way. They're not seeing any of those dollars from that. And in fact, if everyone switched to that model of only buy and use rogue stuff, the company would exist. You know, there's no one to buy the new stuff anymore.

Well, even if it would more went more drastically, they'd have no money left to go into R&D that, you know, like it would, they'd stop coming out with more new products and that sort of thing. Even so here's even a more example that hits even probably closer to home. The strength co plates. If I go buy some used off of marketplace, because some pop up for sale in Minneapolis and I buy five pairs of 45s that come up use.

And I tell Grant, you know, is he like, oh, awesome. Or is he like, thanks, I guess. Like, you know. I'm glad you have those, but now, because that product lasts forever, I guess I don't need to see you again. Right. Like, that's the thing, right?

You know, he's, it's like, okay, I guess that's the thing right you know he's It's like okay. I guess that's good. You have more plates that are being your videos, but you know what really support me Give me the product from me and not buying it used from someone else I've already made that sale not giving me moral support, but giving me financial support because right and mostly Financial support at the end of the day. It's the classic we know a guy that sells some pizzas in Ohio, and one of the first times we met him at the Arnold, we said, just made a comment about something he's doing there like, oh, it's probably good for, what's the word? Oh, like engagement. Engagement or like...

Or views, I think we said. Yeah, something like that, and he's like yeah, that's stuff's all fine But you know, what's good money? Yeah when my product by my products actually sell that's the measuring stick in this game Yeah, you're right. Yep views don't pay the bills and right a lot of times They don't and I will be the first say and you can do the same thing that we have both bought and lots of used equipment You know over time. Yes. We've done a fair amount of that,

and sometimes it's just too good of a deal not to. It is. It goes back to the same thing, the comparison of the Made in China products. It goes, yeah, it does. It's just too good of a deal not to. It's convenient. You can get it right now.

You can save some significant money on shipping and buying a secondhand product, you know, you could say the depreciation has come out of it, but don't fool yourself, you're not really supporting the company in that case. You know, it's like. I ethically don't have a problem with doing it, I guess is the point important.

Buying used, I have no problem with that, and no problem if people do it, but don't think you're supporting the company the same way you would if you were buying that product new from the company. No, you're not in that case. In very rare cases, I guess maybe like, if you buy a used rack,

I'm just gonna use Rogue again as the example here, maybe that gets you to buy some like Rogue J cups or attachments, but that's not the most common case. You know, like the plates, a lot of times it's like, oh, it's a one and done, I got my plates, I don't need more plates, or I got my bar. And you will post the plates on the internet and something like that, but the views don't,

you know, and maybe someone else sees the plates and they decide to buy them. There's a lot of maybe's there. A lot of maybe's there. Yeah, right, right. In that pool. It's not a bad thing to do. It's just not the same as supporting the company.

We see people occasionally, and it's always a joke to us, having Masanomics apparel posted on eBay or Poshmark or something. And yeah, cool. I guess someone buys that. But I mean, there could be 1,000 pieces that go on eBay and someone could buy 1,000 of them. It doesn't help our company, though.

It doesn't do anything for our company like we don't see any of that money In best case scenario, I guess they wear that and a friend asked them where they got it and they direct them to our website But that's making a lot of assumptions. Yes I Don't know if there's any other specific points, but I would just overall say it is a very good It is very gray I just don't think it's as black as white as black and white as some people think it are think it is The whole situation. I don't think there's a definitive blanket right and wrong answer to when and what you buy

It depends a lot on your own personal take on a lot of these issues and how you want to weigh in on it And I would just say maybe sometimes reserve some of your judgment for what other people are doing because they might not feel the exact same way. The way you do a lot about a lot of the issues we discussed and that's okay. That's if someone has an all 100% made in America gym. I think that's pretty sweet. Like that's a gym I want to go do a gym tour of as a matter of fact. I want to do that gym tour That's gonna be a great title for you to already. Yes. I are sweet. I just said the title

For that matter if someone wants to make an all made in China gym, that's also a gym. Do I want to tour? And that's that's a true statement I would love to tour both of those gyms and I'd be and both of them are probably going to be cool and I'd be like, well, you're doing like, that's an interesting take on how to build a gym that you went all one direction, and then a whole bunch of people varying places in the middle. And I would also add that at the end of the day, our ultimate perspective on all this is the goal is to get strong, healthy, fit, all of that. However, whatever games you got to play in your head for the way you spend your money to justify this and that, that's all up to you. Again, the goal is health here. The goal is health, not the collection and the spending of the dollars. Right.

The spending of the dollars is pretty fun though. It's quite the high when you get a sweet piece. Trust me, I was like, actually we're gonna talk, I remember doing this, we're gonna start talking about some of the stuff I just bought. But yeah, so I mean I'm not exempt from this either, but a little reality check every now and then is always nice, too Yeah, I think that's good. I think that puts a puts a pin in that or wraps that one up in a nice bow

I assume everyone will agree with absolutely everything we said and there won't be any comments on our YouTube video. Just kidding I please please do leave a comment in our YouTube video. What's your take on that subject? Where do you fall in that spectrum? I think it's a spectrum. Oh, I think so. And where do you fall in the spectrum? And like, where do you where do you draw lines? It's interesting even like,, Brandon, Kurt Locker, all these other people, all respectable, very well-known people in the space doing, making content and stuff. Their comments even, just like their honest comments, like I don't know. It's, you know, let's say like, oh, it's very tricky.

Yeah, it's a very tricky, could be a slippery slope or it's tricky. Everyone's got an opinion, and it's interesting to see where everyone fits. So leave us a comment on where you fit. Or maybe you just don't give a shit. Leave us that comment too if that's what you think. Or if you don't if you if you insist on buying made in America equipment. Do you carry that through your entire life or do you just draw the line? Or is it just gym equipment? And everything after that, you're like, nope, I'll buy anything off of Amazon. I'll buy anything from Walmart. I don't care where that crap comes from.

It's gym equipment. Yeah where that crap comes from. It's gym equipment. Yeah, that's my line. Where do you draw a line? I guess everyone's got a line, so where do you draw it? Yeah, do you carry that over to your clothing and your footwear and your computing devices and everything? So you did buy some equipment though, didn't you?

I did, I bought- What are you rocking there? I bought the repons the rep pep in adjustable dumbbells. I bought those in when was it I think like mid December. And at the time it was showing a two month lead time on the order fulfillment because these are kind of a hot item. And it was said initially that it was going to start shipping February I think like 14th or 17th.

It was mid February, so somewhere in there. I've had them for over a week now. So they shipped almost two weeks early, which was a pleasant surprise. You know, I assumed if anything, it was gonna go long the other way. I assumed it was gonna get pushed out, but it was when we left for our California trip.

It was that morning, got an email that my dumbbells had shipped and that they would be arriving in like a day or two. So it wasn't once the notification was out, it was not that long of a wait. And we will do a full review on these down the road once I've used them a little more and we just work it into the calendar.

But I'll give you my first impressions now that I've used them a few times. I love them. They're so nice. Like they're just so good. I don't have a ton of experience with other adjustable dumbbells. And it seems the most popular one that comes up is power blocks. And I actually did consider those like a pair of used ones

because it was such a significant savings to see one. But at the end of the day, the only used ones that would pop up around here were like the lighter ones that would go up to like 50 pounds Yeah, and not a huge dumbbell guy, but I also did want something that would go over 50 And you know just I was just yoloing it like you gotta sometimes you gotta treat yourself every once in a while You gotta treat yourself. I've been I've been messing with this damn dumbbell thing long enough that I'm like, yeah Nope, I'm gonna do this. I'm just gonna get the good one I'm just gonna get this done with I'm not gonna let this hold me back anymore and our repons made in America

No, they're not actually don't know. Yeah, so it's and what what for people that don't know it is based off of I think The guy's name is David Pepin Canadian Manufacturer fabricator came up with the original ones and they were something like 3500 bucks or something because they were made in Canada. You know, it's a small manufacturer making these in Canada. They were like $3500 rep comes in and says, Hey, we can mass produce these in China with our, you know, whole system we have and our marketing and sales channels. We'll put our rep power behind it. Yes. and we can offer them starting as low as a thousand dollars and it's like what? that's that's a huge price swing and

I'm not a huge dumbbell guy. I got the set. I got the small set I got the set it goes up to 85 pounds if you want. I think the heaviest ones like 125 I Don't know have ever touched a dumbbell dumbbell 100 pounds or bigger in my life I know enough people that are really really strong that I've never seen touched like really heavy dumbbells that I'm just like I am totally fine I don't need to be I don't blame anyone forgetting the big ones. It looks sweet when you have them I totally agree seeing that thing loaded out. It looks awesome, but I just Heavy heavy dumbbell work is just not really part of my thing. And even another funny part, when we're at Chad's gym, he said,

yeah, I had like dumbbells up to 120, but the 120 ones are just kind of a pain. I didn't really use them, so I sold them. And that's the guy that could bench like 600 pounds damn near until, and even he was like, yeah, 120 pound dumbbells, yeah, no, don't need those things. So yeah, so I say, I guess you could say, I myself like three or four hundred dollars by only getting the 85 pound set versus

The 125 pound set. Oh, that's extra money. You can bet spend another gym. Exactly. It's back in the bucket You know, I was gonna spend it. So I just I just saved myself so much money so I have all this extra money to spend but Getting the getting them in They arrived in great shape. The packaging was awesome. Like really, really impressive how well they were packaged up.

Actually, my box had some dings in it, but as far as the actual dumbbells go, they were flawless. The finish on everything was perfect. There was no nicks, scratches, and anything. And they adjust so nice. Like they adjust so, it's just so quick to adjust on. And I'm already, what I've learned really quick in my home gym is that if I have to dick around

with setting stuff up and moving and tearing apart, I'm not gonna do it. I don't like to tinker around in the gym. Like I want to put the weights on that are needed and be done with it. Like that's, my setup is moving a bench in and out That's like that's as much setup as I want to do and I figured that out in a hurry when I had my adjustable I have the

Kinsui plastic handles where you can Adjust weights in and I think that's actually a really nice product for the cost It was like I think I got him on sale for like $40 for the two handles And that's what I've been using for my dumbbells and it's totally acceptable. You can totally get by with that I don't throw my dumbbells. So that's Not a concern either but what I really pissed to hell see it absolutely pissed because I missed my set But what I figured out is if I have to sit and spin those damn things off One end the other end the other dumbbell end, the other dumbbell end.

And I do that like multiple times in a workout. I don't even wanna do it once in a workout. So what I do is I just, I put basically 25 pounds, 20, 25 pounds on my dumbbells. And I just leave it. And if it's like, no, if it's like bicep curls, yeah, that's a challenge. Any type of pressing movement, that's not anything.

So I just don't do that. I just don't do any dumbbell movements. It's out of all something more than that because I don't want to sit screwing those dumbbells around. And now that I have the rep ins, I am incorporating dumbbells so much more into my routine. Like for example, just warming up with juggernaut. What are the, is it dumbbell Cuban press?

Is that what they call it when you come? Like before there, I was grabbing 10 pound plates and using 10 pound plates because I want to do 15s or 20s, but Not 20s. I want to do 15s But I don't have 15s of my dumbbells and 20s or it's a little too heavy when my elbows and everything are still warming up So for example now I grab the reps on my the rep is on my warm-up I do those ran for that I go into a goblet squat as part of my warmup. A 20 pound goblet squat just isn't very heavy, like it's kind of like doing a free squat.

I can grab the repins and now do 40 or 45 pounds and like ooh, all right, I got a little weight taking me down, this is feeling good. That's already two weight changes that I haven't even technically started my workout yet. And like today there was some some split squats. So like depending on your split squats versus some other arm versus dumbbell curls, like those are wildly different

weights there too. So yes, so far I have loved them. They've been great. I am so happy and excited that I have these at my disposable in the gym now. So they're worth the price. At least so far for me, yeah, they're awesome. And they feel like a traditional dumbbell. Actually look like one. They kind of look like one.

The changes are super quick. They're not totally round, which in my case is kind of a pro because my other ones that were totally round would actually roll away from me a little bit. So I'd always have to set them up on their end when they were done. This is like, no, just set them down. They're not round.

They're kind of, they're mostly round, but they have just a few straight edges on them that stop them from rolling. So yeah, really, really good product. Is there any major negatives yet so far? I don't have one. I mean, I guess the price, if you had to think of something,

like the price, but again, look at buying, if you're gonna talk new, I get it used, you can find deals unused, but if you're gonna buy new, full set of dumbbells is expensive. So the price really isn't, I mean, it's kind of almost a pro, possibly, depending on what you. Yeah, and I also, I understand at the end of the day, these are adjustable dumbbells.

I don't expect them to be perfectly mimicking a pro-style dumbbell. Like, if I wanted a pro-style dumbbell, I would buy pro-style dumbbells, you know? So, have you finished benching with them yet and just chucked them across the board? No, because I don't do that to any of my stuff. I don't throw any of my stuff. Like, you know what one of the lowest things that my concern is is a drop test you know right? I don't drop any of my stuff It would be an emergency if I dropped it and if that's the case well, then it was an emergency so whatever yeah Yeah, I mean I've watched another other people drop home to know that they stand up, and that's

That's good enough for me to know I guess it's funny We've been I've been in the presence of repons more than one time on multiple occasions, you know, and I've like even at Darko's just a few weeks ago and I still have never actually picked one up Like I've never actually I don't know that I've ever I've looked at him in the hell Yeah, it looks cool and I still have never I've yet to actually At the end of the day, I mean it looks cool and I still have never I've yet to actually touch one. So at the end of the day I mean they are flashing cool, but also when you're looking at a full rack set up with bars and everything That is always kind of cooler at the end of the day, right? Right, you know Well, it's a pretty minimal space upgrade to the gym though to all for sure for sure. Yes, so

Yeah, I'll have I'll do some some house cleaning some rearrange in here soon, but Yeah, initial impression on the reponses. They are a sweet buy If you go on the rep, make sure to make sure to use our affiliate link We have one on this video you can click it if you're interested in buying a pair of repons that would That would help us out Yeah, absolutely. I had some bells, I won't say what, but I had some bells of steel boxes

show up to my house today. Absolutely demolished through the shipping process. Oh yeah. Oh my God. And I think there's a few things missing. This is actually, I'm not saying any fault of bells of steel. I think the shipping company did me one over.

I'm pretty sure I'm missing three boxes and the fricking guy I call, you know, these freaking freight delivery guys call you like you hear nothing about it. And they call you like 10 minutes before they're coming over to your house. I'm like, it's frickin 1pm on a Tuesday. Well, it's how do they do it for people that just live in cities and work jobs not at home? I don't I don't know. I actually don't.

And I'm like, does someone have to sign? And they're like, yeah, someone's got to sign. And I'm like, let me know a day before even, for the love of God, like quit freaking screaming. Or at least a couple hours when you're driving here. Yes, yes. Anyways, and then they beat to shit. And then it's like, oh, there's no pallet,

actually got toed these by hand and all the stuff. I'm like, not sure if you guys are actually doing what you've been paid to do at this point. I think you're doing a shitty job. You're not holding up your end of the deal here. This is not, I'm not talking about the supplier of the equipment.

I'm talking about the shipping companies. I just feel like you're not doing a good job. So I think some things are missing. So I got to get that straightened out, which is annoying, but I won't talk about what's coming, but there's, uh, Massonomics gym equipment project in the work there also. But I did get something else that I do. I've been waiting to drop this on you on the podcast. This is going to be fun. I'm very curious.

I'm pretty sure you do not. You are not aware of this yet. I haven't spilled any. I basically haven't spilled any beans this, except maybe a few local people that have picked up on it. But if you remember a few weeks back, we talked about the conversation that we're going to have another driver in our household. So we're going to need a new vehicle.

Oh, yes, yes. And I had my eyes on some different things, you know. We talked about like Chevy trackers, how those would be cool. And how the market on them is just insane. Yeah, and I've been looking at this used market quite a bit. Well, luckily for me, there was a massonomomics supporting member

that reached out and said, hey, I'm actually thinking about trading this vehicle of mine in. Then even more luckily for me, he was gonna trade it in with another supporting member that happens to sell cars. Oh, okay, yeah, yeah. And so we have this triangle of a Mastinomics triangle

where we know all the, everyone's playing, you know, it's a pretty open deck of cards where we all get to see each other's hands. And he says, this might be kind of what you were talking about on the podcast. I think this could fit what you're talking about. And I'm looking at it, and I'm like, this might be the right answer.

This could work out. So he let me borrow the car for a while to try it out. He had to see if he was for sure gonna buy this newer vehicle that he was, you know, see if he was gonna finalize that deal. And the trade value that they'd give him for it wasn't very good as right is standard for any used car you're selling and they kind of never give you what you think it's worth. So I'm like well we could find some value in between you know

that's that's works better for everyone than the one crew member still gets to sell a car. The other crew member gets a little bit better deal for his used car. And you get a car. I get a car. You get a car. You get a car. You get a car.

It's a win-win-win. Yes. So do you want to know what the car is? I really want to know what the car is. And I can't. I could, if you told me to guess, I don't even know, I have no guess at all. I have to say I Didn't I am sure I was aware of this as a model of car at some point in time But the name of it. I'm like, what is that called? And he said and I'm like, oh, hmm

That escapes me that if I ever knew what that was called or not, like I'd not okay Are you saying like like make or just the model? The model. Okay. Yeah, the model. So can we play a guessing game where you start giving me clues here? Yeah, yeah, because I really wanna know

like the fact that you're like don't know that it's a model. I'm like, oh, well, I even know what the, I know what the. Yeah, make absolutely, but model, that's a like. So what year are we talking here then? It's a 2006 2006 Okay, I was in high school then so I definitely was around

Yep God Yeah, how about this? I'll tell you this. It's a very very popular Make Make right. It's very popular brand of cars. I feel like talking Midwest, it has to be like a Chevy or a Ford or I guess it could be a Dodge. I don't unless you got him a truck. I don't think you got a Dodge, though.

And I don't think it's a Chrysler either. Oh, also, I actually I buried the lead. You're going to be totally jealous because you know what type of vehicle you say that you love? Oh, a station wagon. Yeah. Is it a station wagon? I just that's actually the lead here is I took what you've been saying for a while. And I'm like, you know what? I'm going to do that pinnacle of the automobile, the pinnacle of the automobile, the style, the style of a car. This is the lead, I actually forgot.

That's how I meant to approach this. For scratch everything I said, that was how I was gonna open this and be like, you know how you've been wanting a wagon? Well. My God, a 2006 station wagon. What would it be? Oh, it's not a Dodge Magnum is it no I

Know we're just talking about that one. This isn't in the category of like a really super but I dodge magnums are I would like to have a dodger it if I just had a limited number of cars dodge Magnum I don't I know I don't even know anymore. I'm so lost. Okay. What is it? All right? Well, let me tell you the make and see if you know without me tell because when I say you're probably like, oh, yeah I do know about that. So it's a Ford a 2006 Ford wagon. Do you know what it's called? Oh, well, it's not like a Well wagon or a hatchback here. Are we talking like a focus or if no, it's a wagon Make a Taurus wagon. Hmm. I don't know. Did they make a Taurus wagon?

No. Well, I mean, essentially. What is it then? It's the Ford Freestyle. Oh, the Freestyle. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So it's big Zach's Freestyle. You've probably seen it before. He had it at the Lyft Hard Livisi Classic. Yeah. It has a hitch on it. It's Pueblo gold is the color. Well, I mean, of course it is, right? Like, yeah, I think that that's the color for it. I actually love that. That is the name of the color, assuming that, yeah, Pueblo

gold metallic. Yeah, this actually, now that I see this, this checks all of the boxes so well for everything you were describing, Tanner. That's what I, like when he sent this to me, you know, I mean, I knew about his car actually, but I'd never thought about, I'd never thought about his car. Why would you think of Ford Freestyle as your first option, right? Right, right, and when he brought it up, I'm like, actually, yes, this is it.

I was like, I think this is the car. Oh man, okay, all right, I dig it, yeah, this is good. Only, and part, the big part of the selling point to me, only 114,000 miles, and it was just, Yeah, this is good only uh and part the big part of the selling point to me only 114,000 miles and it was just the owners have just been him and his father really I'm like, oh, okay Basically, we're on our car. That's yeah. Yeah, okay, or freestyle 2006 Doesn't have a third row in it. Yeah Okay, third row. So the third row. I didn't know if that was optional or real. There's a center console in the middle row,

and then there's folding. You know, we have the third row folded down right now because hall shit. So you could throw a bike in there or something if you wanted to, probably. Yeah. And like, first week's impression, I love the Ford Freestyle.

So my son doesn't get to drive for about six more months and I'm like, oh, I just, I took my pickup through the wash, parked it in the garage. I'm like, I don't know if I'm gonna get this out for the next six months. I'm back to the Buick. It's like the Buick LeSaber life all over again. I'm like, yep, I forgot.

I love having an older car to drive and not drive my pickup. Just cruises nicely through traffic, you know, you don't have that truck suspension That's what I think when I drive my wife's so my wife has a 2020 Tahoe when I drive that thing I'm like god damn this rough-ass truck beating around the city. I don't even like driving. She thinks the best vehicle ever I don't even like driving and don't give it around. It is nice. Yeah, I get my car. I'm like god 2009 We're 11 years older. It's a nice. Yeah, yeah and zip car. I'm like, God, 2009 or 11 years older. Zipper. Oh, nicer. Yeah. Zip in on a traffic. No problem. Yeah, it's a car for you. Yeah. So the Ford

freestyles Jack's new car. And so it is we do we do all call it Jack's car. He doesn't have his license just yet. So but I been driving it getting the feel for it. And I'm liking the freestyle. Do you know any technical specifications on here here like what we're talking about engine wise or anything. I'm pretty sure it's got this is probably not where the 2006 Ford Freestyle shined Three liter v6. Oh, it is v6. Okay. I think that's what the Ford freestyle. It's uh, this model is a front-wheel drive I think they made an all-wheel drive. I really honestly haven't barely even looked into it. I do think there was an all wheel drive model

which would bring a premium, but I, to be honest, I don't, that wasn't essential to me. I mean, I can see it. Cars.com has the model list here. There was, yep, an all wheel drive variant, yep. Yeah, and what do they say for engines? Is there the 306, 30? So this just says,

V6, 30, I think it's what it is. So this just says V6. It's just V6. It does not give me specifications. And it is not the same. Oh yeah, sorry, right here, three liter. Yep, three liter V6. It's actually, I actually also like it for that because it's not gonna be all that fun of a car to go like tearing around in.

Right, yeah, you don't want your kid's first car to be a car at zero to 60 is like four seconds. Right. Yeah, I think you would really like this wagon. car to be a car at zero to 60 is like right four seconds right Yeah, I think you I think you would really like this wagon. Yeah, I'm digging and digging the choice here Yes, did I ask you though? So what does Jack think of it though? What is he like? Oh, he loved it Oh, yeah, actually he was on completely on board with anything. He was completely happy to get any Car he was legitimately more excited about his Nasrid towel any car he was legitimately more excited about his Nasrid towel that's his prized possession at this point actually yeah when I think about it that's actually my first car experience too was like oh it has wheels all right let's do

this that's that's what totally he he was happy he is like sweet you know he thinks it's cool but doesn't care really you know like okay so that is so all right so 2006 and so we're talking a 20 year old car 20 year old car Yeah, I'm just trying to think like the first car Actually, my dad had it was very funny a mercury capri little two-door convertible, you know and Like when I first learned to drive I drove that thing for a few months and then he's like Oh, this is not a car that anyone should have in the winter in South Dakota,

because it wasn't. And so he bought me a 19, I think it was an 88 suburban, which is the largest vehicle you could ever buy, a new driver. And on top of that, it was a two-wheel drive. So it was just this massive boat that's rear wheel drivewheel drive Did not not the best winter car around here, but I Thought it was sweet. I I really enjoyed it. I was just excited to have a car and that was that was my first car for probably a

Year and a half two years That's the right that's the way it should be I mean we talked about this at length my philosophy philosophy on the first car and that sort of thing. And I like the idea of having something that the high school parking lot is basically bumper cars where they go. So like it inevitably is gonna have something happen to it. And then I can be like, well, that's why we had,

that's why this was your car and not something 10 times more expensive. Right. The freestyle just deflects that. Yeah. The freestyle is in great condition, though. Not a bit of rust to be seen. Talking to one owner car here.

It's pretty nice. You know, it's the exterior, if you washed it up and polished it, you'd be like, well, that looks pretty good. That Pueblo gold really hits. They knew what they were doing when they picked the gold. Yeah, I think it's the right color even for a Ford Freestyle, is Pueblo gold. That is good.

Yeah. Ah, that's all. I would have never got there. I would have never arrived at the Ford Freestyle. Yeah, but so you're aware of the, when you say Freestyle, then you're like, oh, yeah, because, yeah, because I remember seeing Zach, he had it inside the body when we were loading stuff up this year.

Right. To I think he made a comment about like, oh, yeah, my wagon, you can fit a lot in here. I'm like, well, yeah, yeah, it's a wagon. Look at it. Big wagon guys. So I did kind of get the wagon before you did. So damn it. Checkmate. Now I try and figure out a cooler one than this now

Really good. Love you in a hole over here. Yeah Yeah Enough on the Ford freestyle for this week stay tuned in future weeks to come and as we mod it out We start our build segment. I had a couple things that I could probably table. You did have protein bars. Do you want to talk about that this week? We can table that too.

That's not time sensitive at all. Something we absolutely cannot table is Juggernaut AI. Head over to juggernautai.app. Also an ad within the ad. Go to our Massomics YouTube channel. The last Also, an ad within the ad go to our Massomics YouTube channel. Last week's video that we posted was the gym tour with big Chad Wesley Smith, the creator of juggernautai. We have that cool gym tour with them. We talk a

little bit about juggernautai in there possibly. But then also the video that's going to come out this week is that'll be out by the time this podcast comes out is our Chad goes over squat tips and trick. Well, not tricks. He goes over our secrets to a big squat. Yeah. Secrets to a big squat with Chad, Louis Smith and Tommy is going through those with Chad and I think that'll be a cool video.

So check that out. Now if you want a lot more training information than what you're going to find in our YouTube video videos alone, head over juggernaut AI dot app That's the training that Tommy's using it right now running it to success Ryan Anderson. Here's a testimonial he This week his squat. I Think he's on the last week of a strength block. There was a triple squat at our PE 10 he did 425 he did 435 for a set of three and his max that he had on the board prior to that

was 425 425 for one he did 435 for three what did he do in the meat he did 435 for like a single in the meat okay and. And now he's doing it hitting it for a trip. Yeah. All right. So he's got to because squats the one he's always struggled with the most. So he's got that figured out in the meat. He did a I think a 540 deadlift and then this week he did 535 for a double deadlifts. So things are going really well for him on juggernaut. Yeah. So if you want your training to move along,

your numbers to progress that much, you to find a meet or a testing day in the future and build towards that, go to juggernautai.app, sign up with discount code Masanomics, that saves you 10% for the lifetime of the membership. It ends up being about 30 bucks a month for honestly what you get, it's a value. This episode is also brought to you by Barefoot shoes.

Right now on Barefoot shoes they have a very wide variety of Barefoot footwear available Tanner has just picked up the new pair of the Ursus gen twos the reviews are in and he is ba ba ba ba ba loving it over there. Bop bop bop bop bop loving it over there. That's one of the newer options. Also, they have the classics like your Ursus low tops, which we both have been rocking a lot lately, the suede option with the gum sole. Sorry, the canvas option.

They also have Ursus high tops. They got brewing boots for when we're blowing snow out here, walking through those drifts trying to stay warm and They also have a patriot boot or am I getting the name wrong there? That's right. Yeah, sorry the brewing patriot not the Peter Oh, if you want a made in America option, they do have that as well On top of it's in with our title topic. Yeah it's right in there, and then besides that they even have Options for kids they got some all-weather shoes they got socks they got all the good stuff

So heading over to barefoot dot store use code Massenomics and you can save 10% on your next order barefoot dot store code Massenomics save you 10% Thank You barefoot shoes All right, I think next week we're gonna talk about protein bars Are you allowed you have knee hab in here and I'm very curious are you allowed to say anything there or we wait until next Week on that. Mmm. I'll probably talk too long about that. So all right, I'll give you the cliff notes afterwards. Okay Cuz I here's here's a teaser. I've been very, I haven't given any way details on my knee have it's been a very, very rocky road as of late. And next week, we'll, we'll, maybe

we'll dive into it a little more if we if we have time and can tell you where I'm at with the latest update. So that'll be a teaser. We'll call that a teaser. I will sell the chat GPT thing just to get that off the list though as we close this out. Made that people are talking about good content that we've made for Instagram this year and one people really liked I think we talked about the Dave Ramsey one. Everyone got a lot of people got a good kick. That was just that was straight out. That was just me sitting on the toilet making that. Yeah. That was not chat GPT. The other one that got a lot of messages and stuff, you know, I like it, it did, it did quite well. But just like a lot of messages and stuff, you know, I like it did it did quite well but just like a lot of DMS about liking it was the

Mastinomics podcast image Generator from chat GPT where it's giving it additional prompts to like try and make it more like us If you haven't seen that check it out on their Instagram, but a lot of people liked that It is kind of I was just gonna say it is kind of crazy We already know we've talked about it, but what the image generation stuff can do, like sometimes like some of those even in that case, I'm like, getting it pretty much right. Like, like, as far as I'm concerned, off here, like I've

maybe written like, 30 sentences to them and they're essentially like have it 90% Yeah, visually accurate even you know which is kind of funny People enjoyed that but my one follow-up on that I thought this was so odd I Made that straight up through just I just went to chat GPT on my phone I made that I was giving you those prompts. It was spitting out the images I'm sure you've done it. You know, everyone's not everyone, but a ton of people have done that before. I thought it was very funny.

The next day it was maybe even later that day. I had another idea and I'm like, Oh, I'm going to. Can I have it make this image for me and maybe just test out another thing, run it through a thing. And like I say, make an image of whatever, you know, a guy in the gym doing something. Chat GP tells me, ah, we can't do that. I'm like, what do you mean?

Yeah. And I, like, and so I literally had like, I was just, what I like about chat, you know, a large language model thing. And like versus- It can't hide too much from you. Right, and like I can actually have a conversation with it and ask questions.

It's not like a search engine where I'm like, okay, I guess that's just what you give me. And then the conversation's over, there isn't a conversation. And I'm like, well, what do you mean you can't do it? I literally, you just did it. It's like, oh, that's not within our capabilities. Uh, check out dolly or these other choices. And I'm like, no, you just did it. Like I lit this was I'm the things I'm saying is the conversation I was having. No, you just did it 30 minutes ago. How can you not do it now? And then it's like, and then it like wouldn't, it wasn't telling me an answer that made sense like and I could was watching the reasoning and stuff too, and I'm just like what is going on here and I came to maybe eventually

through some searching otherwise that Like you you get so many I was on a Plan yeah, and you only get so many basic requests. But it wasn't telling me that, which I thought is, you know, even like in asking it that, that's not what it was saying and that's not how it would say it, which even with like asking it like 20 different times. Yeah.

Yeah, you think it would have that figured out, that like, oh, because you kind of are asking a technical support question then. Right. Right. Yeah, because that was my are asking a technical support question then. Right. But. Right. Hmm. Yeah. But that is what I determined.

Because I didn't think you had a premium plan. So my initial thought is that like, oh, how is he actually? I didn't even know you could make that many images on a free plan that you did on the first one. Well, that's why I thought it was so weird. That's why it still seems odd to me that like, because not like when I first place. What and when I did it today It may let me make like one and then it's then it even told me right away then it's like no

That's the max you can make now. Yeah, and that would have been my guess maybe you're right at the right time That's what I'm doing what different stuff to that's why it was just doing something different. I'm pretty sure But then it wouldn't like fess up to what it was to you know like yeah That is I'm not saying it wouldn't feel like it was hiding it But like it wasn't telling me what I feel you right right yeah, that is surprising so it feels like it would I? Don't know sometimes. It is just dumb about stuff though, too I I do like the way you can have like that I can be like you can like egg it on almost and be like no

That's not what I'm asking. Like do it like. Oh, that meme is the perfect example of that though. Of like, no, let's just like dial this in a little more here. Like no, you're still not getting it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's, that is funny. That's it, that's my notes on Jip.

Chat GPD, just become, just continue to become more useful. Not this as a specific example but we talked about it about other things behind the scenes and Does continue to become more and more useful tool if you're doing anything? Got your own business of any kind and you're not using it yet for something. They should probably try it out for this Is a great recommendation. Yeah, yes Needed to like write walls of copy for you, but even just if you have ideas There's a good chance you can spit some of your ideas into it and it can

If you haven't used it before something yeah, if you tried it once as a brainstorming tool. I'll think you'd be like oh wow Okay Yes, I do need to use this. I will be using this now Yes for sure. That's it. Anything else this week? It's probably it's probably everything. That was a lot of stuff. Actually, what in the crazy part is we saw like one, two, three.

We got like four good things on the list that we saw. Yeah. So yeah, we this is like the tip of the iceberg. We're just getting started. 463 episodes in and we're just barely getting started. So just barely only begun this podcast here. Got a podcast so hard. Like our YouTube channel, subscribe to our YouTube channel, watch all our YouTube videos.

Yeah, that's the biggest takeaway from this whole thing I don't care what you think about American made versus forward equipment watch our damn YouTube channel and subscribe and tell everyone you know to subscribe We need to bump those subscriber numbers up. Yes, those are we're at rookie numbers We need to at least get to sophomore. It's actually the point where our number our subscribed numbers Don't make sense with our video numbers. You look at other people in our space, you numbers are doing very well. There's people that have 10 times the subscribers of us that set that times get less views than us.

Like, how are subscribers solo like and not at times, not just like individual videos, but like spanning time of like multiple videos average over weeks and months of time. I will take views and watch over hours over subscribers any day. But our subscribers don't make sense for what we're getting for engagement on videos. Yeah. And we are like same way. We're at the tip of the iceberg right now.

If you just get into Mastinomics YouTube now, you're at the forefront of. We're just we're just starting to peak. We haven't even we haven't even begun our peak. I think we're still even in like a. Hypertrophy phase damn well. We might even be in a bridge block. So yeah, you probably are closer. We're towards the end of a bridge block.

Yeah, yeah, I think you're right. We're just trying things out. It's gonna get pretty crazy here soon though. Yes. Do you wanna be on the ride or not? Yeah, and I think we know that do want to be also please become a supporting member. That is the number way you can support us check out or drop on February 20. A couple new teas free

Masonics gym button pinned to the first 50 orders in that leave us a five star review on Apple podcasts. Tommy, where do they find you at? Find me at Tomahawk underscore D. You can follow me at Tanner underscore Bear. Just make sure to follow Massenomics at Massenomics. See ya. Yeah.

Yeah.