Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth - 710: Robert Oberst is Stronger than You

Episode Date: February 19, 2018

In this episode Sal, Adam & Justin speak with Robert Oberst, one of the strongest men in the world. Robert will be soon competing for title of World's Strongest Man in Manila, the Philippines. In this episode they talk training, growing up big and how to survive flying in an airplane when you are the size of two men. “I feel if I want more food, I take it in.” Robert talks about how many meals he eats a day and the misconception about strong men physiques/genetics. (4:05) “I have to believe in the product, there is so much crap out there.” What it takes for him to promote a supplement company and feed his fire. (14:20) You are an average of the five people you spend the most time with. The guys talk about having to break up with people who no longer fit in their life. (19:05) Beat yourself against the iron and someday you will be strong. How an encounter with underprivileged kids changed his outlook on everyday life. (23:15) “Warming up is for pussies!” Robert explains why he is not your average strong man. (33:50) The rivalry between Robert and Eddie Hall…heated or competitive for the upcoming world’s competition? (39:18) You have to relate to people and be able to talk to them. What is the hardest thing about being a strong man? (49:30) Pain relief? The country that has the craziest fans? What events is he looking forward to the most at the upcoming worlds and who is his biggest competition? (1:00:38) Final thoughts and tune into CBS to watch the worlds! (1:08:30) Links/Products Mentioned: Ep 661-Matt Vincent - Mind Pump Media HBO’s ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel’: The St. Brown Football Family & quest for NFL greatness Robert Oberst 211kg (465lb) American log press record at 2015 Arnold Classic Australia Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain Featured Guest/People Mentioned: Robert Oberst (@robertoberst)  Instagram World's Strongest Man 2018 Headed To The Philippines Felix (@Markfelixtv) Twitter Matthew Vincent (@ihviiimattvincent)  Instagram Eddie Hall (@eddiehallWSM)  Twitter Zydrunas Savickas BIG Z (@savickas_bigz)  Instagram Would you like to be coached by Sal, Adam & Justin? You can get 30 days of virtual coaching from them for FREE at www.mindpumpmedia.com. Get our newest program, MAPS Prime Pro, which shows you how to self assess and correct muscle recruitment patterns that cause pain and impede performance and gains. Get it at www.mindpumpmedia.com! Get MAPS Prime, MAPS Anywhere, MAPS Anabolic, MAPS Performance, MAPS Aesthetic, the Butt Builder Blueprint, the Sexy Athlete Mod AND KB4A (The MAPS Super Bundle) packaged together at a substantial DISCOUNT at www.mindpumpmedia.com. Make EVERY workout better with MAPS Prime, the only pre-workout you need… it is now available at mindpumpmedia.com Also check out Thrive Market! Thrive Market makes purchasing organic, non-GMO affordable. With prices up to 50% off retail, Thrive Market blows away most conventional, non-organic foods. PLUS, they offer a NO RISK way to get started which includes: 1. One FREE month’s membership 2. $20 Off your first three purchases of $49 or more (That’s $60 off total!) 3. Free shipping on orders of $49 or more You insure your car but do you insure YOU? If you don’t, and you are the primary breadwinner, you will likely leave your loved ones facing hardship and struggle if you die (harsh reality). Perhaps you think life insurance is expensive, but if you are fit and healthy, you can qualify for approved rates that are truly inexpensive and affordable. To find out if you qualify for the best rates in the industry, go get a quote at www.HealthIQ.com/mindpump Have Sal, Adam & Justin personally train you via video instruction on our YouTube channel, Mind Pump TV. Be sure to Subscribe for updates. Get your Kimera Koffee at www.kimerakoffee.com, code "mindpump" for 10% off! Get Organifi, certified organic greens, protein, probiotics, etc at www.organifi.com Use the code “mindpump” for 20% off. Go to foursigmatic.com/mindpump and use the discount code “mindpump” for 15% off of your first order of health & energy boosting mushroom products. Add to the incredible brain enhancing effect of Kimera Koffee with www.brain.fm/mindpump 10 Free sessions! Music for the brain for incredible focus, sleep and naps! Also includes 20% if you purchase! Please subscribe, rate and review this show! Each week our favorite reviewers are announced on the show and sent Mind Pump T-shirts! Have questions for Mind Pump? Each Monday on Instagram (@mindpumpmedia) look for the QUAH post and input your question there. (Sal, Adam & Justin will answer as many questions as they can)

If you want to pump your body and expand your mind, there's only one place to go. Mite, op, mite, op with your hosts. Salda Stefano, Adam Schaefer, and Justin Andrews. Dude, I can't believe that I beat Robert at the lifting contest we did earlier. Right, right after I beat him in arm wrestling. That was amazing. I know, and I out-squatted him. Like what? Yeah, you know? Yeah. I'm out-squatted him. Like what? Yeah. Yeah.

No. World's strongest man. Robert Obers, the professional strong man. And our good buddy. A good friend of ours. What a great. He's a sweetheart. He's a very nice, jovial, happy, awesome, massive dude.

He's in the inner circle. We let him in the form just the other day, man. He's part of the inner circle now. He's a badass. He's a tribe. He's going to be competing in the 2018 He's a badass. He's gonna be competing in the 2018 World's strongest man competition, which is gonna be held in Manila in the Philippines. The qualifiers are April 28th through May 1st and the finals are May 5th through 6th. He's

representing the U.S. of A. He got to see him, man. He's entertaining his hell. Last time I saw him compete he was in I don't remember where he was it might have been in the UK and he came out and all like decked out American flag yeah and just talking shit got boom American badass oh it was so awesome well he's got a killer Instagram so you can go to his Instagram at Robert Overs so it's it's Robert and then Overs is OBERST so he you got a good Instagram and go there, check that out. That's right. So what was his deadlift and bench press again?

How much was it at? Six hundred Overse. I think it was like six 50 was his top bench. His overhead press was close to 500 pounds. I mean, he was telling us the log, he does the log like 400 something. Yeah, pay close attention to the log press when he does that event.

Yeah, he's competing in like the world championship for that, right? Yeah, crazy. You're gonna do really well. He's a strong is four dugs. It's a lot of straight. Oh, also, isn't this the final day? It is the final day. This is the final day for maps hit promotional sale price.

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You know what, I just happen right now. What? I handed Robert his coffee. And for split second, our hands touch. Cheating golf to your hand. Our hands touch a little. And I have, I legit have compared to most people, like, decently sized hands.

In fact, I've been complimented on the masculine and the size of your big hands. But I put my hand next to his. I'm not on that. Oh yeah, I've gotten complimented my hands many times. I put my hand next to his, and I felt like a child, a little baby hands. Yeah, a little baby hands, so that's not, so I'm never gonna not so I'm never gonna hold I had that hold back. We're not going to

church together. I have Briana or the only triple XL shirts that will probably every ever ever carry because we're like okay we don't sell enough triple XL shirts for us to keep them in stock but I'm like I know Roberts coming to town make sure you order a couple triple X's for him. I wear them on my skinny days. That's what I'm sure. I'll say it, that even bigger than that. This I'm wearing is a Forex. Yeah, oh man. I'm gonna tell you, you think I have big hands.

You guys know who Mark Felix is? He's the out of England. He's 50 years old, went to the finals last year in the world. I shook his hand the first time I met him and his fingers wrapped completely around my entire hand. Like touched his other fingers. That's how I do it. For a guy to make you feel small. That's got to feel fucking weird.

Just his hands. Just his hands. Come on. He could never have a career as a proctologist. No. Oh, that's a moral thought. I mean, some places he'd be popular. Yeah, I mean, I'm going to check your prostate.

Oh, he's a handsome man. That's my name. So it's going a handsome man. That's my little face. So it's going on, man. You and Justin hung out last night. Would you guys get dinner or something? Yeah, man. Did the company pay for that dinner? Was that expensive?

Yeah, definitely. The guys will get the bill. I drinkin' Patron. Oh, man. $400 hell of dogs in a seat. 5-course meal. I was inviting people over. Don't worry, we got everybody shots at the bar.

It's the first time we ever had a meeting when we had a guest and we're like, can we actually, maybe just pay half the dinner? Because it's like, I know. I was actually a little worried, but yeah, he was pretty conservative with his orders. Really? He was expecting it. He was being nice.

I'll have a whole menu. You know what I mean? I'm not as crazy as most people expect. I eat frequently with not large meals. How many times a day do you eat? Six to seven. Really? Now do you get like more strict as you get closer to comfort?

You stay pretty consistent through prep. It's actually the opposite. See, if I was a static competitor, then I would get more strict, obviously. And you've done that I'm sure you know. So for me, it's the opposite. The closer I get to a show, the more I'm like, yeah, I can have a little bit more, I can do this

because it's strength-based. So when I feel like I want more food, I just take it in. I try and stay as strict as possible until, depends about two months out, two months out, then I start to let it go a little bit. Because I still, like my goal this year is to

Kill these two shows that I'm about to do. I'm sure we'll talk about them kill these shows and be jacked enough Still that I could take my shirt off on the podium. Yeah, that's my fucking goal That's stupid is that sound that's actually a very cool strong angle Bro because because of the I think because most people when they think of a straw man They think this big fat massive dude and so to be able to shake your shirt off and look jacked and still aesthetic I think it's pretty fucking well what's his name? Well, who was that guy was a Puginowski? Puginowski? Yeah, that guy was yeah, he was 280 280 and he was

Ready. Yeah, the thing is though is we've developed so much like we've all we've all grown and we've gotten stronger as people We just tend to do that with everything. So, in my sport, the weights have gone up so much. Have they really since then? Oh my god. So, what is his maxes or like kind of a joke to us now? Are you seeing it? Not like not being disrespectful.

It's just accelerated. It's just we've grown. We've matured. We've gotten stronger and faster. I think the world record, I don't even wanna say numbers. I'll be way off. I love every time we talk to you, like you're gonna be on the stuff and it's really big.

Something like that, I lift it somewhere around there. Yeah, I'll do it. I'll say, one of the things they did was they pulled Max deadlift one year and their Max deadlift, and I don't remember the number, but it's less than 400 kilos, which is what we wrapped out in England for, I think the winner got like eight reps. Wow.

So, I mean, we've grown. We've definitely grown. And it's no insult to them that's just how people are. That's how all the players are faster. You've got the best. All players are better. We've got smarter with the type of athlete that belongs in that sport, the way they eat leading up to it,

the way they train leading up to it. I mean, we just know so much better. Well, there's a couple of things too, with sports you have, there's a, of course, a component of how hard you work, there's training, technology, there's food and all that stuff.

But then there's also a genetic component, which is massive, and when a sport is growing, as it gets bigger, the pool of people that you can pull from becomes larger and larger. And when you have more people competing or interested, you now have more potentially genetically gifted individuals. This is why, I mean, if you took Mr. Olympia from, I mean, even if you took the drugs out, you know, you took Mr. Olympia from 1970, even if they took the same amount of drugs, I don't think they'd

be able to stand on a, you know, Mr. California stage even. No. There's just the genetics of just gotten so great. And so you're saying that's happening in strong man too. Yeah. Are you guys just bigger too? Just bigger people? I'd say the average size is bigger, definitely. It's the gap between that isn't as huge as you would think.

I mean, you go back into, let's just say the 90s. And those guys, they were decent size. I'm sure they were averaging about 350, 360. And average right now is about four. So, you know, I mean, four 10. So it's a big difference. Yeah, I, four 10. So it's a big difference. It's a big difference. Yeah, I mean, it percentage wise, it's a big difference.

Yeah. It's just, I think like you're saying, the genetics and more people being interested has really attracted bigger guys and more people. It's almost where now, like if you wanna be a professional in this sport, you actually have to be dedicated at an early age. It's not like, like, you can just find out what it is, jump in and then try and figure that out.

Like I powerlifter for years, now I'm still throwing some shale man. Well, that's a hero. It reminds me of when we talked to Matt Vincent, right, who did the Highland games. And he says, like, you know, the sport, even though it's been around forever, there's just wasn't that popular. So a guy like him who's a really good shop putter could walk right in and kick ass at Highland games where it's like strong man, man, it's not like that anymore.

It's been popular for quite some time now. He's also being very humble, is an athlete. If there's ever an athlete, that's what I like about him. He is a fucking humble athlete. Even the way he talked about his fucking records and shes. He's like, he's not even a real sport. Yeah, I'll just make it. Yeah.

Do the countries like Iceland, do they still dominate in the, in strong man like they did back? When I was a kid, I used to watch them, I remember seeing these guys from Iceland and it was like, they were all like the best. Is it, is it like that still? Is that, do those countries still dominate

or is it changing now? Um, Iceland is, is huge with it. It's crazy when you think about the population of that island and how many people come out of it. They're like all Vikings or what? I don't know what the fuck's going on. People come out of Iceland, they're just shredded. I mean, look at CrossFit.

Look how many people came out of there and kill CrossFit. Oh, that's a good point. It's crazy. And it's such a small population. They're just, depending on who you talk to, like I've talked to a couple guys who trained out there. I was talking to I wasn't for it was I can't remember his training partners Some kind of God And he was saying how like they still believe in breeding specifically for size and strength out there.

That's an actual goal for them. Men and women don't want to find someone who is going to be a good birthday. Exactly. Exactly. That shit matters. I was just sharing with the boys the other day that I just watched this Bryant Gumball special and they did it on these three boys, the St. Brown kids. And there's three athletes,

all three of them are wide receivers, but the dad talks to his story, like he actually sought after this, like German woman, athletic woman that had this build and frame, and he was an athlete, his life growing up, and was really good, and so he's like, he totally bred intentionally,

hoping to have these kids, and they're super athletes, they really are, and he's trained, he totally bred intentionally, hoping to have these kids, and they're super athletes. They really are. And he's trained him since they were kids. And you start, you breed for those purposes, and then you also add in training. I mean, you've got a serious advantage on the average person and the rest of us are just waiting

to win the Lotto on genetics, right? So I'm reading right here that the average height and for a man in Iceland is 180.6 centimeters. I don't know how many feet that is. I think that's... Let's figure that out. It's like six... Yeah, let's figure that out. Let me see what that... No, that's five foot 11.

What? That's the average. It's still higher than us. Well, here it's I think 5, 10 or 5, 9. I know in Denmark, I think it's 6... 1 or 6, 2. Wow. But I'm wondering if it's because-1 or 6-2. Wow. But I'm wondering if it's because you have, you probably have a lot of like smaller people and then you have just proportioned, yeah, just massive individuals. But the other thing too is, doesn't Iceland have like a long, like, history of competing

in these sports? Yeah. It's almost like a lot of the sport actually was invented out there, like the stones and stuff like that. They don't they don't have like a dominant, they're not established right now as they have been. I mean, they have one person who's really good. And who knows what he's gonna do with the sport?

He's very popular. But really right now, it's mostly Americans and then there's several guys from England. It's always one of the things I tell guys who want to go pro in America. If you lived anywhere else, it'd be so much easier to go pro and to compete. I could right now, I could be in South Africa, I could be in Australia, I could be anywhere, not train and still be the strongest man in that country. Oh wow.

It's just in America, a lot of guys grow up, they play football, they're athletic and they're big and we have so many more athletic men to pick from. So it's... And there's more opportunity to have the time and the money and the resources to train. Because in a lot of countries, like you may not have the opportunity just because it's like, fuck, I don't got the time, I don't have a gym, I don't have the money and the resources to train. Because in a lot of countries, you may not have the opportunity just because,

it's like, fuck, I don't got the time, I don't have a gym, I don't have the money to be able to do this. And in America, you have the opportunity to make more money being sponsored, doing different sports. For example, you're a sponsor. Are you still sponsored by your company?

I actually know. I recently just part of ways with supplement companies. So you're a free agent right now. Oh, you're single and on the market ladies guys here that dudes on the market You're hot come on I'll be honest. Yeah, I don't even know what's the what's that single app that everyone uses? Oh Yeah So what's so what happened? You just parted ways and now you're doing your own? Yeah, they were going through some changes and now I was growing myself. So contract came up at the beginning of January.

And we talked about it and we just felt it was time for us to move on. I was with them for five years. I got nothing bad to say about them and it was a lot of fun. They treated me well. So now I'm just looking to grow and find something that fits me a little bit better and something I can kind of grow into and be a part of and feel like more like at home. I wanna feel like I'm actually invested in the company and part of a family. What are you looking for in a sponsor? What are important things for you? I have to believe in the company and part of a family. What are you looking for in a sponsor? Like what are important things for you?

I have to believe in the product. I mean, you can't, there's so much crap. Yeah, so much crap out there. And with today, people, there's so much transparency and there's so much connectiveness. Is that the way they want to say connectiveness? You can make up whatever you want. I do it all the time It sounds like an ad-word It's like a like tronical

I think that is a word electronical it's gonna be From the future also It says words that aren't words yet, but are gonna be words It's working in between the Wikipedia It says words that aren't words yet, but are gonna be words. We're gonna be, yeah. It's working as we into Wikipedia. There you go.

Yeah. So, I, I, I got, you gotta believe in the product first off, and then you gotta feel good around the people. I want someone who's gonna believe in me, and someone who's gonna actually, like, it's kinda cheesy, but you, when you're, I saw this thing Will Smith put up the other day, and it really, really hit me,

because I've been thinking about it a lot lately with this. The flame feature flam? Exactly. Fine people who feed your flame. And it's cheesiest that may sound. I mean, it's coming from some billionaire who has a private jet way in his own parking lot.

Like, I understand why some people might not take it for what it is, but it's true. There's wisdom in those words. You need to be around people who feed your flame, who make you feel like you can be successful in your chosen goals. I think that was one of the biggest transitions that I went into from being a young adult to a grown-ass man was real. I just did a post yesterday about surrounding yourself around real people versus just more

people. I think as a young kid, especially one kid, the high school popularity thing and chasing after more friends and being that way versus ones that add a lot of value to your life. And I remember very vividly having a circle of buddies that were very close to me

then we grew up in sports together. We were very competitive. And that pushed us through our early years in school of this competitiveness, but then as I got older and we all kind of went our different directions, that same competitiveness actually ended up hurting all of us because then you started to see this like almost, I wanted you to be successful, but I didn't want you to be more successful than me. And that's not the type of people that you want to surround yourself with, is people that are competitive with you like that. That's not a good healthy relationship,

that's not feeding your flame. You want somebody who's always encouraging and excited and happy for your success, and it's actually hard to find that you think. It's very hard. It is, it is. Everyone kind of feels like there's only so much peace of the pie out there,

so much peace to tease my English. There's only so much pie out there, and if you're getting a big piece, then it's taking away from me, and that's not how it works. Man, this is really not how it works. Actually, the opposite of how it works, the reality is that the more things grow, rather than you taking from, unless you're stealing directly from someone, opportunity grows. I'll give you an example. We're in the podcasting world. And there's a lot of people entering into the podcasting world. Now, for us lot of people entering into the podcasting world.

Now for us, that's a great thing because it brings more eyes to podcasts. It brings more listeners, more opportunities to hear our show as well. And so it's just a good thing. Now I could look at the opposite. I could look at it at like, you know, with the scarcity of competition.

Yeah, like, oh shit, they're gonna take people from us. But that is number one, for me personally, is my own personal opinion. If that's how you think you're a pussy, it's just gonna stay fucking sick. I'm gonna be straight up about that. Like, for me, if someone comes into my space and they're doing a good job,

I either A, need to bring up my game, or B, learn from this new person, or C, just be a coward and a pussy and try to do things, you know, kind of underhanded, which that's not part of, you know, kind of who I am. It doesn't feel good to do that. So, it's just, there's a, the reason why I think humans are such social creatures is because we elevate each other.

It's, it's important for our survival. And it's also important to know, to, to be able to pay attention to when that relationship that you have have is no longer benefiting your life. It's not benefiting thing. I don't mean by taking things from people because that's not benefiting your spirit either. That's just making you a taker. But I mean, just in general, like people who will challenge you, people who will support you. I want to tell people good news. I want people around me who I know will be happy with my good news and will be helpful during the bad news.

Not the other way around. I don't want to tell bad news to someone and then see them smile a little bit because now they feel better about themselves because South failed therefore. That means everybody else can fail too or whatever. That's kind of... Did you feel, was there a certain time in your life, Robert, where you started to become more important to you or is that something you're going through right now?

How do you feel about that? It's something I constantly have to refer. I constantly have to remind myself, uh-oh, what I need to be, where my, not, I'm blanking right now, but my standards. Where my standards need to lay when I'm around people and stuff.

There's so many people who want to be around athletes, so many people, I mean, you've got a couple followers on the internet, so you've got to be cool, right? So it's like, there's a superficial shit, right? It's super, super, super, super loud, right? Super official. It's something you gotta watch out for and you gotta just constantly remind yourself that just because this person is saying nice things to you

or this person might, in the moment when someone asks you, like, oh, let me get a picture or whatever, like that can feel good, but that doesn't mean that that person deserves to be attached to you. It doesn't mean that that person should be around you. Most of the time, those people really aren't quality people in the first place. It's just in my experience most of the time

when somebody wants to cling onto you, it's because they're trying to suck something out of you. Right, right. Most of the time. I remember the first time that I, and I don't remember when it, or where I read it, but I remember the first time that this like really hit home for me too was when I read that, you know, you're an average of the five people that you spend the most time with. And that was

like a big thing that hit home with me when I started to look at like, okay, who do I really spend the most amount of time with like, maybe if you're in a relationship, you're probably your partners and hopefully that person, somebody who elevates you and feeds your flame. But then when I started to look at all my, the tight circle that I had, they're always seem to be one or two in there that weren't really feeding that flame. And it's a very hard transition for people

to get rid of that. And it's a hard conversation. I just did an interview with Mike Matthews and this question came up and he was asking me, what were those conversations like for you Adam? And I'm like, you know, I'm not gonna lie, the first few were really fucking hard. I remember even getting drunk before

to try and have this like break up conversation with another man. Like, that's just a weird fucking conversation. Like, hey Robert, I know you and I go all the way back in high school, 15 years hanging out together. We had a great run, man. Yeah, we're gonna have to go separate ways, man. Like, that's just a sign filled up before we do it.

Yeah, right, right. You can just ghost them. Yeah, stop it. Stop it turns Well, I think that's disappeared. I think that's how a lot of people handle it I think I even tried that at the beginning and that's just it's not as healthy as being okay And you're not really help and if you truly love them as a friend or and or love the time you get you want to be honest Because you think because I have seen this I've had the conversation broke different ways from friends, and they've continued on their path and continue mine, and we don't aren't hanging out anymore, but still respect each other because of how it went, and we

broke up, however you want to look at. But then I've had some friends where I've had that conversation, and it literally impacted them and changed them. They had never really reflected, and the fact that they lost a friendship they had for a really long time actually forced them into actual reflecting on, what am I doing as a friend that I lost a buddy of mine that I've been with for 10 to 15 years?

Well, there's another side to this too, and I identified this, so I have, I had similar stories to yours Adam, but I had a little bit of a different understanding for me personally, and I had some friends in high school that I started to kind of separate from, and I had some friends in high school that I started to kind of separate from, and I started to realize that, because I asked myself, like, why am I around this

person if this is the case? And I started to realize that I started to derive my own self-worth by how much I could help them. So in other words, I kept them around because it made me feel important, because I could help them a lot. Oh, because I'm helping them now I'm important. And I realized that that was a very self-serving kind of defeatist type of thing

and it wasn't benefiting anybody. And it was almost selfish. It was almost like I was feeding my own ego. Stifling for both. Stifling, like I'm gonna hang around all these people because it makes me feel smart and important because I can help them out. And that was a tough one.

That was a tough one because I put it back on myself. It wasn't necessarily about the other person. It was about me just trying to make myself feel better because I'm trying to fix this person or whatever. That was really difficult. That was a really, really difficult one. Now Robert, I'm sure that you have a million goals surrounding your sport and stuff.

But what about outside of that? Do you give yourself enough opportunity to kind of think about like what are my life goals and some of the things I think about that? Like, do you get a chance? Do you give yourself enough opportunity to kind of think about, like, what are my life goals and some of the things I think about? Oh, definitely. I think about that. See, I'm one of the few guys that I know at the level that I'm at that actually thinks about that more often

than the sport in itself. It took me a long time to realize that my value wasn't based on how good I was at competing. I grew up. I was on my own really early in life, I was about 16 and I was, I was taking care of myself and everything kind of, you revolved around competition. I played football and football fed me and it took care of me and got me in college, it did everything. So it was all I had. And then when you go straight

from football and a strong man, you get become a professional and you're traveling around the world, you kind of base your value around that. That's your identity. Exactly. That's the only thing I knew. That's the idea of getting a job scared the fuck out of me. Like, have a job. What are you talking about? I don't know how to work.

I play sports. So, um... That's tough and then to not identify with it, right? Because then it becomes you if you had allowed it. You got some point. Even if you stay healthy, you don't get injured. And I mean, because the reality is you do compete in a dangerous sport. You're lifting weights that are, I know you're a big,

strong guy, but these are weights that if you move the wrong way, I mean, you're, you're you can have not just a pulled muscle, but an injury that can take away your career. Like an instance. Well, there's guys who don't walk anymore. Right, it's a serious sport. I mean, everything is. Right, so that could happen.

Boom, now you gotta figure something out. Or even if you're super healthy, at some point you get older and you can't do anymore. Exactly. I mean, I can be able to do it forever. So, I mean, what does that look like for you? For me, it took getting, I got hurt. I tore my vice up in Africa.

And I came into the show feeling the best I've ever felt. I was shredded, felt great. I was super excited. I was just really ready to go. First event, I'm carrying these big barrels through sand, loading them up, and bicep just pops gone. And I broke down. I couldn't fucking believe it. I prepared perfectly. I did everything. How could my bicep give up on me when I work so hard? I remember I went and was like seated down by the river,

watching all the leaves float away. And I was like watching my career float away in this river. Oh shit. And I had a, my boy was a year old at the time and I was trying to figure out how the fuck am I gonna pay for my son? I've got responsibilities now, I'm not 17 anymore.

So in that moment, I was like, you know what, I need to be better. I need to be better than the sport. I need to be more important than athletics, more important than strength, more important than all this. I have to be better than that. So I turned around and it wasn't even that moment. What happened?

Super cheesy story. I turn around and I'm walking back to the bus. We're all leaving. And there's all these little kids, these little African kids in there, fucking starving to death. Like they've got the distended stomachs and they're obviously having a hard time.

But they surrounded me and they all had this big smiles on their face just looking at this giant man. And in my head I was like, dude, what the fuck is wrong with you? Look at look at how happy they are just in this moment right now. And you have all these great things. You're gonna go back to America and you get actually have choices and be who you want to be. These kids are finding joy out of nothing. And you're feeling sorry for yourself. And I dropped my bag, so sorry.

I dropped my bag and I dropped down to my knees and I just stayed there for like 45 minutes. I took photos with all these kids and I didn't even wanna go. They were like hunkin' the bus horn trying to get me to leave. And I just wanted to stay there forever. What a powerful moment. Wow, what a powerful moment for that. I have a photo too for it and it always reminds me of that.

Oh, that's dope. That's's great those moments are the ones that are You know, we talk all the time about paradigm shattering moments, but it's those moments that change you In an instant where you're not the same anymore after that and many times It's or usually it's always the most challenging times Yeah, if you just you, if you kind of enter them with an open mind, you know, open heart. It also speaks to your character, man. What a great man you are that in that situation,

because let's be honest. Yeah, that could have just blown up your ego. I mean, I'm just a pain harder, you know. Right, or been angry. Yeah. Fuck, I wouldn't want to hang around some kids right after. I mean, I just trained my ass off for months leading up to this competition.

Like you said, did everything right? Something goes wrong, shit that sometimes we just can't control. And that's a hard moment to actually self-reflect and go, you know, there's more to lie for a look deeper into it. So what a powerful moment to have that shift and is also a testament to your character that you even have that ability to do that in a moment like that.

That's pretty, how long ago was that? That was three years ago. Okay, that was three years ago. So after that, are there some things that you started to put into place to kind of set yourself up? Yeah, I started working more towards education and teaching other people and working towards that.

I do a lot more coaching and just trying to help people. Yeah, exactly. And most of the time I like working with young athletic kids and stuff, there's just so much misinformation. And I got it as well growing up, where it's, you know, beat yourself against the iron. And sooner or later you'll be strong. And you need to max deadlift all this.

And like, there's so much bullshit man. There's no other word for it. There's just so much bullshit out there and and it's just nice to be able to like work with a kid who's trying and you see them get that little bit of confidence, especially like big kids. I was a big kid in high school and I had no confidence until football. Football was the first thing that made me feel like it was okay to be big. no confidence until football. Football was the first thing that made me feel like it was okay to be big. And I love working with these kids that you see like they're just, they're down on themselves. They don't really know what to do.

They're, you know, gangly or big or weird or whatever. They don't feel like normal. Exactly. Normal. That's a perfect word for it. They don't feel like that. Then you get them to where they're sweating and they, they, they may be suck at everything and you get them to where they're sweating and they maybe suck at everything

and then they find something where they're just even a little bit better than shitty at and then boom, their eyes light up. And it's like, wow, I can actually be good at this. I can do something. I love that, man. My favorite job I ever had and I've not had many. My favorite job I've ever had was coaching high school football.

It was the greatest thing I could play. I could always see you doing that for sure. Isn't it crazy how the things that made us insecure or we got bullied over or we hated about ourselves in high school are many times the things that made us excel later on in life, right? Or what make it special. It's like the pressure.

Think about it. All the way from the nerd, right? The super nerd in school who gets picked on all time because he's a fucking nerd. Now he owns Apple. Right. All that. All those fucking kids are never working for that nerd. Now, right? Right the super nerd in school who gets picked on all tank because he's a fucking nerd now he owns Apple right All those fucking kids and have working for that At one point or the ugly ducking kid that just was not good lucking through high school because he was going through all these gross Persons amazing

Charismatic person right exactly. Is that being a super charismatic person because of that right and they end up being this just amazing Human it's so funny to me that, or in your case, this being this probably in high school, you are ashamed of your size and probably felt insecure about where it's now what part of what you're famous for. You know, say like it's crazy that I always try and tell kids when they reach out and they're talking about all the stuff that they're depressed or they're insecure about.

It's like, man, if you just understood that the things that you're so scared or sad about or insecure, you don't like about yourself are probably some of the things that are going to make you so special and unique later in life. There was this kid I went to school with who we were at some party. It must have been either junior high or early high school like freshman year. And we were at a house and they had a classic piano there, the parents of the owners of the house or whatever.

And this kid who was kind of awkward, you know, kind of a nerd sits down and starts playing the piano beautifully. And everybody made fun of them because, you know, when you're in eighth grade or ninth grade, that's kind of dorky. That kid in college could have picked any girl. Exactly. That's what I'm saying. Like, as a 25 year old or 30 year old man, you play the piano anywhere and you just have,

you know, all of a sudden you just have you know all the sudden Yeah, you're just the man. Yeah, it's so funny You know you just want to fit in so bad when you're growing up nobody get older fitting in is just boring Yeah, sitting in That's how big were you in high school? I graduated high school three hundred seventy five pounds holy shit No, holy shit. I think that's the size of the two biggest kids that graduated in my school combined Yeah, I think the two biggest kids in my school, I think, and we had some big mother fuckers in the school. Did you say, like, so, an aptos, you had, like, some of the biggest linemen in the school.

We averaged 330. History of 330. What the hell was in the wine? I'm so glad I graduated before you guys. We would huge that. You're corming. Better loved you guys. No shit.

I still talked to him the bad. I mean, I- I- I- I- I- I mean I want to be only guys in high school there. I still talk right I would have been feeding you guys all the time take a great care of you because I've been he didn't get touched in high school Sorry, we're on poor so but we was nice Were you guys good or what we were really good the only people that beat us was that so V Seven to six man seven to six were a powerhouse They had we're the best they had two of those guys end up playing professional right now Andy LaVee tree who's healing up from a tricep injury. Yep go Falcons go Falcons. How what's the age gap between us?

What are we how close for you guys going to help I graduate at L3. Oh three. I was 98 so oh Yeah, you're a baby. Yeah, I'm a baby. Tell that to my fucking ears. Yeah Yeah, I'm a man. Tell that to my fucking ears. Yeah. Well, I'm not squatting a million pounds either. Well, actually speaking of that, I've actually started feeling so much better in the last year I've adapted my training. I went back to a lot of the same stuff I would do in football, like ladder drills, tight,

tight, close stance, I say tight stance, whatever. Tight stance, high rep squats, and for your hips and stuff like that. Oh wow. I'm telling you, I feel so good. I'm coming into World Strongest Man this year. I'm lighter, I'm a skinny 365 right now. It's skinny. I'm lighter than that.

That was a high school. Come on. How many of you guys are lighter than you were in high school? Oh, sure. So you're exactly, you're one. That's good. And doing a lot of speed footwork. And I just don't see that with strong men.

It's definitely working out well. Well, this was part of what we were all originally drawing. We later on found out what a great guy you were, but originally we were drawn to your training and your philosophy for strong men that we really felt that you were a much more forward thinker in comparison to the average strong man. So that was originally what drew us to you was this guy really is getting it and understands that it's not just about hammering the bar all time. I learned that the hard way too.

I came in and the people who were teaching me were all about, you know, don't warm up, warming up as for pussies. That was something they would say. Dude, why would you waste your energy warming up? I coach you and call it said, dear, don't stretch. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. You need to mean exactly. Exactly.

You've never seen a lion stretch before. It catches the high-end. The lions don't catch high-end as asshole. I was like, they're prey. I can't compare myself to that. Exactly. That's that even for me. Yeah.

Those are those funny old say that we should make like a series of cool stuff that your old coach has said to you that you should. I love it. I love it. They would let you drink water. Yeah. Yes. Water is for pussy.

Yeah. I'm talking about it. Oh, you got to see people die without water. No, don't drink too much water because you'll get a side-stained cramp. Like, no, that's for dehydration. Actually, it's limiting my performance. Shut up, pussy. It's funny that we, you know, you can definitely learn stuff from animals,

but I hate it when people try to make it like a direct comparison like I had a vegan once I was debating a vegan about Food intake and I was telling them how you know you could definitely eat a vegan well-planned vegan diet and get Strong this in that but for most people they might need to eat you know meat in order to maximize the performance It's at least with the literature shows did he pull out the gorilla on you? Yeah I was going gorilla and I'm like I was only eating bananas and fucking me. I'm not a gorilla, dude I don't have gorilla jeans If I had a gorilla jeans that'd be cool and who's to save we put the fucking girl on the keto ginig died He wouldn't do better exactly

That's a good point. I'm gonna hold on to that Exactly yikes. Wow, so when you were in high, when you were a big kid and you said you felt insecure, did you get, did people try to mess with you? Cause I know a lot of times people think that if you're big, nobody messes with you, but my experience is the big guys get fucked with the most, cause people want to test themselves. A lot of times.

Especially at that age group, you know, it was about sophomore year, when that all stopped. I was too big. Too big. It wasn't that too big. I'm fucking with you around six and seven grade when you got like 30 pounds on me, but you got like one 15. When you're big and you smile, like I'm always smiling, I'm very happy. I'd like to carry myself that way. I don't feel like I need to be this quintessential man. I don't have to be this quintessential man. Like, I don't have to be this fucking asshole to prove that I'm a man. I don't feel I have to do that.

So, in that, in that, uh... Were you that way in sophomore year even? Yeah, dude, I'm, I mean, I also, like, my mom was amazing. So growing up, I'd always had like ton of confidence, even though I was just, I was, I was super, super chubby. But I had a ton of confidence. Like, my mom was always like,

you could be anything, you could do whatever you want. So like I'd go to school like floating, you know. My arms barely fit out of my backpack. But I just picture. I just, like you look so cute. You look so cute. You look so cute.

I'm the first guy little coat. Chris and Chris was story over there. You were fucking. Exactly. You were adorable. That's why you give me piggyback rides, you know what I mean? It was a sophomore year I got really good at football. And I just, I mean I never really changed my personality

but all the sudden people stopped fucking me because I mean I was in the paper every week and like doing all these different interviews going out to Stanford for the Nike football camp, stuff like that, and all the sudden it just wasn't cool to fuck with me. Right. And sports rules in high school.

I mean, if you're one of the top athletes, I mean, does anybody ever try to fuck with you now? I mean, you're used to, I'm sorry, I mean, cut you off. When I was bouncing, the first, I started bouncing at 16 and I bounced. I did a lot of 16. A bouncer? I'm laughing at the catalyst, man. Bouncing at the catalyst.

That is hilarious. And that was when I got in the most fights I would feel dude I don't know man if I got drunk and out of control and I'm 22 years old and I got fucked up by some 16 year old Because I got malpied I would just I just want to crawl up in a hole in normal size 16, but nobody knew I was 16 too. I did obviously I was standing in line to go to some like fucking, I don't know some job rule concept or something back You not allowed to wear sports stuff like I had like a Sports team on my shirt. I can't remember what and he was the guy and in line told me to turn it inside out So I took my shirt off flipped it inside out and while I was doing that, he was like,

do you want a job? Yeah, yeah, I want a fucking job. So boom, started working. And at first, a lot of people used to test. A lot of people used to test me. But then, was it always the Hells Angels? I've never even told them to start that. That was one time, I don't want to talk about that

on the air, man. Oh, man, yeah, we want to bring the heat up. Well, we had some rough nights with Hell's Angels there, yeah, for sure. But I mean, I've always had, as weird as the sounds, they've always been extremely respectful. They've, I mean, after, even after that one night,

like they came back in and talked to us and everything. And so I've got nothing bad to say. Yeah, please don't come stab me. No, no, no, no, no, nobody murdered me. I'm in that. Now those mongoles, those are the ones. Yeah, those are the ones. Now you're gonna get fucking stabbed.

Whoa, yeah, yeah. Just kidding. It's the only other name I knew. Yeah, yeah. So looking forward now at these competitions, are you one of the favorites? Who are the people that they're looking at to? Like who are the ones that everybody's like,

okay, these are the guys that are probably looking at to like who are the ones that everybody's like okay These are the guys that are probably gonna be in the top three or top five on the log press championships coming up I'm definitely one of the favorites. Oh There's there's a big rivalry between Eddie Hall and I and Eddie Hall is the English competitor and I'm the American Representing you're gonna show them why we won the revolution. Yeah, exactly representing. You're gonna show him why we won the revolution? Yeah, exactly. Fuck tea. We drink coffee. You're in your horrible teeth. So him and I are definitely everyone understands that where the ones to watch. There's a couple other guys who are gonna come out and bang. I think it'll be him and I at

the top. I love watching you and him talk shit to a giant. It's so fucking awesome. He gets to say way more shit than I do. That's the fucked up thing. Like if I lived in England, I could say content. I could say all kinds of fucked up shit. He said that I was gonna fuck the queen in her ass or something like that. Whoa!

I was like, man, I can't say that shit. I can't go that far. Like I gotta censor myself and make sure it's all cool. I don't like saying shit in the release. He did, he's hilarious. He's a really? He did, he's hilarious. He's a fucking tool bag, but he's hilarious. I said I was gonna beat him or something like that. Something along the phone.

Yo, I'm gonna win. And he's like, fuck you in your ass all the time. Exactly. He was like, you've got a better chance of fucking the queen, raw dogging the queen in her ass. And he said, oh, this is the arse. Oh, wow. I was like, man, I wish I had the liberties you guys have.

Yeah. God damn it. Are you guys cool with each other when you meet or is it like animal? No, it's definitely not cool anymore. Yeah. We built it up and then it just kind of took off on its own momentum.

Now, do you guys tend to go back and forth on certain lives so like, is there things that he's better than you are. He's a better deadlifter for sure. Okay. He's I've got no problem admitting that he's the best bad deadlifter in the world, but that's the only thing he's got. Then you keep the kid kick his ass and everything. Everything else. He's four feet tall and five feet wide. Not really good at moving. So and he has a heart attack just looking at how far he's got to walk. I smoke him in any moving stuff. Him and I are close on overhead, but I'm gonna take him.

I've never competed head to head with him three times and I've won all three. Oh, that's gotta get him. It doesn't, no, it doesn't. I mean, he doesn't act like that. I would have hashed tack scoreboard every time. I would have. I would have hashed tack scoreboard.

What sucks is, everybody, like, he's got so many crazy rabbit fans that like, none of like, nothing that I say actually feels like it's hitting him. Like I need to just like go hang out in England and like get a picture sitting down at a table with his mom or something like that. Like I'll be nice, I'll be like Mrs. Hall but just have a photo and then I'll like two pocket and be a player, but I fucked your wife.

I should totally do that. Do your fans fuck with you? Oh yeah for sure. I get death threats regularly. No way. I fucking English though so it's not scary. Oh I loved your troll post that you did the other day. I was gonna steal it. You not thought that was epic man.

I don't know where you got that one. I stole it from somebody. Yeah I know that was an epic one for sure. So what is the record that you guys are chasing in the log press? Right now the log press, it's, I can't remember the kilos. It's in a 502.6 pounds. Holy. Wait a minute.

Woo, hold on a second. Explain the log press real quick. You gotta lift the log off the ground. You just roll it up your body, right? Right, it's bracket on your chest. It's almost a constant contact power clean. Yeah. It's an okay way to explain it.

I mean, people who don't know, it's a 12-inch cylinder steel log replica. Sometimes we have wooden ones, but it's from the ground to the lap is one of the motions. A nice separatum in training. Something that I learned in other sports is the more you break down lifts, you can separate it into separate movements and then put it all together, the better you are. That's thank you football for teaching me that.

So I'm like burping on the second place. Does it have a neutral grip? Like it's a wider, kind of a grip. Depending on how big the log is, is how wide they are. Normally, they're about 24 inches, I believe. I try not to think about that because once you get into that, then you get in the show and you're like,

oh my god, they're 23 and a half inches. You just gotta roll with whatever it is, yeah. I don't even, yeah, I don't even think about it. I'll use different logs all the time. I'll switch my grips. I'll fuck with myself as much as possible I'll press outside some guys go and they press without a roof over the head and they get all like distorted I don't believe in any of that shit. I think it's all a mind. It's a mind fuck

So you you train for the worst prepare for the to be the best I and I fuck with myself as much as possible So you gotta get the log off the ground in your lap, bring it up to your upper chest, and then just extend it above your head. Overhead, yep, and... 500 pounds? 500, two points, press it.

I believe it is. I mean, I deadlift 500 pounds, and I know how insanely heavy that feels, just to pull off the ground. I can't even imagine what that feels like to roll it up your body and then press it over your head. Well, imagine deadlifting it, but having to keep it six inches away from you. Yeah, because it's half the long. Yeah, it's like an extended.

You can't have it close to your shins like you can't. I didn't think about that. Yeah, it's brutal. It's brutal. So that's not the hardest part though. The press is the hardest part. It depends. Yeah, for me, the, once you get up to, like, 480, 490, it's all hard for me. Like, but up before that, the clean is the easier part and the,

the, actually, the clean is the hard part and the press. My shoulders are just stupid, strong. I've, I've through years and years of work, I've earned solid shoulders. So, um, a lot of guys, they can, they can press anything that they can clean. And then, I mean, I say a lot and a lot, some guys press anything that they can clean. And then, I mean, I say a lot and a lot. Some guys can press anything they can clean and some guys can clean the world and can't press anything. You know?

So how close are you like, so if you were to just do like a barbell overhead press, how much heavier of a weight can you do then with the log? Oh, fuck, I don't even know. I mean, just straight bar like out of a rack or like clean it. Yeah, don't have any no clean involved, just pressing over your head. I'm a lot closer with that.

The, the, I can, if we were doing hand cleans, I can hit like 455, but that's with straps, obviously. Yeah. I've got, don't listen to sound, my hands are like an 11 year old girl. Yeah. Okay. But, um, I think with a regular bar, bar, because I don't train it as much, it actually helps you a lot better because the whip of the bar, there's no whip in a log.

Right, I'm assuming the bar would be much other than the fact that you're not probably training as much as you are with tools. Exactly. So it's the skill, right? It's gotten good at that particular skill. And that's what I need to be good at. So I don't train with the bar that much, but I would say I can pretty consistently hit like

Four and a quarter like for one or two Out of the rack, but with a log I can consistently hit more. I'm not gonna say how much more You gotta fight your two to find out now Is that the only thing that's going on in on of this first comp or are you doing other things besides the log press? Yeah, well for me, it's your up strongest man. So everyone else is doing a whole full show. And I'll show up and I'll log press

and talk a whole bunch of shit and then I'll go. I'm thinking I'm debating on what I want to wear. Like I'm gonna be at last time I was American flag decked out. Like head to toe, red, white, and blue, everything. And I a fucking attitude Dude I had like I came out there. There was 15,000 people in Manchester and they fucking Came out to American badass get rocked and I waited I stood there and let the smokes around me And I was just looking at everybody where they're booing and I waited for him to scream

I am American badass. And then I put up the fly, you walked out. Yes. I'm telling you, I get goosebumps right now. When people hate you, when 15,000 people are hate you. You're not the best. You're not gonna understand. You're making me stronger.

Is that the image that we posted of you on the page? Yes, that's it. That's it. That's me waiting. That's waiting. I'm looking at these people hate me. And oh man, there'll be another like five to 10,000 people of this one.

So I'm debating like where like Eddie Sucks shirt or like fuck the queen here or something. Something as much hate as possible. I'm healing it up. Last time, they had a guy, this is so fucked up. They had a guy who got the lifetime achievement award out there. He was a judge for a long time. And he got the lifetime achievement award.

He's an older guy. He was sent in front row. So I went out there and Manchester, everyone's booming me, obviously. And I do the log press and I smash it. I hit seven reps at 340 pounds in 60 seconds. Smashed it. I hit seven reps at 340 pounds in 60 seconds. Smashed it. It was really good.

Through it down, and the English competitor across from me had already tapped out at like five or something like that, and he was gone. And I was just so jacked up, I looked around, and the English guy who got the lifetime achievement award had a beer in his hand. I walked over and took it from him and I threw it up in the air and said,

Oh man, it was awesome, I feel like Stone Cold there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah At the end of the show, we all stood at tables and people lined up and meet at great time. My line was longer than anybody's. Yeah. Everyone fucking hated me, but everyone wanted to meet me because I put on a show like, People love veilers. Yeah, of course. Everyone loves Stone Cold.

But the other thing is, is I think people can understand and respect when you put yourself out there like that, any fucking slip man, everybody wanted me to fail. Everybody wanted it, and I put it all on the line. Like I could have gone out there and slipped, fucked up the log, and had a terrible show. I could have done that. Any one of us can do it on any day.

I put all that pressure on myself and I still went out and performed. And I think that was at least the answer. At least the best. Well, yeah, you probably feed off of that too. You probably learn that about yourself, that like that. I like, and personally, myself, I like that. I have this chip on my shoulder of, tell me I can't.

Tell me you're better. Tell me those things because that drives me. For sure. So you probably have that. What's the hardest thing about being a strong man for you? It's the lifestyle, right? Fitting an airplane seat. That's definitely one of the hardest things.

So tell me what you're doing. You imagine if you're, you imagine, because we fly a lot, right? It's a lifestyle right fitting an airplane seats Imagine if you imagine cuz we take a lot we fly a lot right we travel quite a bit for the show I could not imagine sitting on a plane having one seat next to me and then you fucking choose like all that's left Is the middle seat like it between Robert and I'd be like fuck some old lady not this on that old lady This one I had I got some bad advice. This is the first time I flew South West and I was actually really impressed with it. I liked it. First time I'd flown it though

and I got some bad advice from a buddy in Houston. He was like, what you do? Cause I'm big so I can get pre-board. So I went to the front desk. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Just cause you're fucking right. I'm like, look what you're doing. Look, look, I said I'm big, give me pre-board. They were like, yeah, if you wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait say some shit like that. So the advice was, get on early, go to the back

and sit in the last row in the aisle. Nobody likes to sit in the last row. So you'll have the seat next to you, it'll be the last seat to fill up. And it sounded good enough. It was like, it sounds logical. It sounds logical, right? But what I didn't think about was,

there were two empty seats next to me when all the other spots started to fill up Tons of middle seats were open tons of them But there was a woman and a child who wanted to sit together and there were no Two seaters together. So this woman the sick woman and her sick child came and sat next to me I was like fuck I fucked up like I could have picked any other seat like up I think what I'm gonna do from now on is go like window towards the front. That's the way to go.

That's the way to go. Yeah, I think because then they'll look down and then they're not gonna wanna walk all the way back. Right. And so obviously I'm not big compared to you whatsoever, but I am a lanky guy, right? I'm six foot three and long legs. And so sitting on a plane is awkward even for me.

So that is the best seat in the house is to go get the two seats next to the wing, right? Right what the wing is. If you can get that, then you're in the commercial seat. So yeah, what is the hardest thing for you in being a strong man? Paying the dues, my body has been beating up pretty good. I've actually found a nice way to handle that stuff like I said with the new style and training.

I've been doing it for about a year and a half and that feel great. So honestly, there's not much to complain about. I get to travel the world. I get a lot of time to myself. I get to work for myself. I get to spend a lot of time with my son. What about working up to where you're at now? Because I would imagine that it's probably not

a very lucrative sport trying to get to the top. Maybe when you get to the top and you're sponsored and everybody wants you, it's one thing. But I would think that you probably represent a very small percentage of guys that make decent money. Most definitely. And those guys who are stronger than me that still can't market themselves and don't make any money.

Oh, I don't know. That's the thing is is it's not enough to be strong now It's not enough. It's not enough to have cool guys on a podcast. You got to have people fucking listen to you Yeah, like if they don't like what you're saying it doesn't matter how cool you are in real life Like you got to be able to relate to people and it's the same thing with us. So um You know coming up I remember When I first decided to try this, I didn't know what strong man was, I grew up a football fan, so I had no idea and I tried it out and did well, I did well.

So I went home and I had to Google it, and I remember telling my fiance and she wasn't pregnant at the time, but we were trying. Telling her like, I know this is crazy. I know this is weird, but I can make money at this. I can make this work. Like I can, I can, you know our family. The first day you Googled, you saw, you saw, I could do this. Yeah.

I know how to market myself. I know how to entertain. Like I grew up a huge fan of entertainers, just all around. I mean, all of us grew up with our sports fans, with our sports heroes and all that stuff. For me, it wasn't about who was the best. It was about who had that fire. Like, who could you see that that was like just ready to eat world? The Tarell Owens, the Dion Sanders, those type of guys. More Dion than Tarell, yeah. I'm definitely a Dion fat. So do you still follow football? Are you still into watching it?

Not really anymore, man. I'm not, I'm not even like on that. So do you still follow football? Are you still into watching it? Not really anymore, man. I'm not even like sports at all. I don't even watch TV. I was thinking about this morning. I was like, I can't remember the last time I sat down and turned on the TV. Like I just don't have fucking time. Well, how do you do like to read?

How do you do? I like to read. I spend a lot of time working with athletes and stuff like that. And for me, it's whatever free time I get, I mean, though, it's weird. And I'm strong and don't do this, but I like to hike, and I like to just be out in the woods and just sit. And I'm not necessarily meditating. You can't imagine.

You imagine you go for a hike in the middle of the woods. And you see this fucking dude sitting in the middle of the way and make it like what make it like Sasquatch so like if I have free time that's what I do and I don't even get to do that as often as I like I'm assuming I you're probably answering my question already by me asking this with what you just said. And that's, you know, when Robert gets stressed out, whether it be family, finances, work, and you just feel like you're ready to pull your hair out,

you know, what do you go do? Like, what would you go do? Dude, I'd go smoke a bowl and hike. That's basically it. I'm definitely not, like I grew up in San Cruz, so like smoking weed was like a huge thing. But now I do it when I need to relax, when I need to chill out. I also CBD, I wanted to talk about that too.

There's so many athletes out there who will be stuck on biker and opiates. And I'm telling you, I've seen so many guys go down that path and it just it's a rough road. So if you're out there and you're you're having pains and stuff like think about CBD. If you don't want if you don't want to feel high or or any of that kind of stuff, CBD is completely legal. It's it has no psychoactive properties. It doesn't make you feel weird or anything. It's basically smoking an ivy pro-fin

Right, right and without fucking your body up. Yeah, no, I'm a we're all big proponents of the science behind Canabinoids and what they do and it's legal now in California. Have you been to these legal everywhere? Yeah, I mean if it's from him everywhere. It's legal in Texas, which probably means everywhere If it's legal in Texas is cool. Yeah, no, Texas actually now legalized medical marijuana too. If you have seizures, it's the first, it's a small step, yeah. Small step, but they're on their way. Yeah, they're on their way.

Yeah, because Texas used to execute you for smoking weed for fuck's sake. Yeah, I mean, I'm joking, but kind of. They're strict. Yeah, they're very strict over there. Okay, so we got the log comment up first. That's in how many weeks? It's April 17th. Okay. So it's about 10 weeks. And then then then the big world is after that. What's the strongest man? The Philippines two weeks after two weeks right after that. I cannot wait.

Now is that part of the reason why you're not competing in all the other events? You're just gonna go do the fucking log thing and walk out is because you want to save yourself for the Well, actually, you're this show is I don't have the opportunity to compete in I don't think I would anyways because what you're saying but it's Europe's strongest man and we're better than Europe or American. So you didn't want you to explain that how come you if you did want to although it would make sense but white we're not a European country so like it's like if it was America's strongest man you can't have someone from Iceland come to peace.

So you can become the European strongest man, America's strongest man. And then the world. Or all of this world. Yeah. It's one of the few actual worldwide sports. Because you know, there's a lot of sports that, like the NFL or whatever,

it's not necessarily worldwide, soccer's worldwide. And strong man's one of those competitions where you where you look at the world strongest man you see people from all over the world. Right. Every single. Now you said right now America kicks the shit out of everybody right now. Was it always like that or was it did it change? No, for a long time like South China, Iceland, but for that it was pulling for a little bit. There were two guys from Lithuania for a while. Is it what's his name, Zavikus?

Where's he from? Zavikus from Lithuania. He's like the fucking mayor there, like the mayor of Lithuania. Jesus Christ. He's like the president. Do they have presidents in the way? I don't know, damn, I have no idea. But he's like a national treasure.

Yeah, like he's got billboards of him just, like no advertisement, it's just him. It's just him. Wow. It's crazy And so a lot of those Eastern European nations if you are a Very decorated Athlete they treat you like you're like you're a leader like you need to be one of their leaders or whatever like What's his name the Russian bear the wrestler from from Russia and actually remember his name? I talk about it a little time. Well, like Pac-Yah. Yeah, he was undefeated for years,

and then he went back to it, and he just became the mayor of his town. Right, you know, he's a whole family. You're basically a government official already. Yeah. And that's how it works in those countries. It's the same way in Asia. It's very, very common.

If you're an athletic prominent feature. Oh, yeah, for sure. What country do you get? Like, obviously you're a big dude, so you kind of stand out. When you go to these different countries, people, I'm sure they want to point it, you don't want to take pictures.

What country is like the most, where you get most radical? Yeah, where people like, oh my God, this is taking. This gotta be easily China. Really? I mean, last few times I wouldn't even go unless we had security. It gets so crazy, man.

And it's not even like they know who I am. Most of the time, it's just even like they know who I am most of the time Just try it. Why do it would be a big physical? Yeah, and they're really like really are physical man Though they grab a hole to you and pull on you and all this stuff. There was I think he was homeless. I don't know. It's hard to tell in China The line there is is really blurry, but um in But in China, not last time with the time before, we were there. There was this guy.

I'll never forget his fucking face. He reminded me, you guys seem princess bride. You know when she's having the dream, the girl's like, bow to the queen of slime. This dude reminded me of her. He creeped upon me out of the fucking mist, and he kept trying to touch me He had black teeth and he was saying weird shit in that same voice in Chinese

I was like oh my god This is a nightmare and he kept trying to like start pulling at my shirt and finally I just like freaked out I was like I put my hands up towards his face. I was like get away from me. I don't want yelling the mic I was like, get away from me. I don't want to yell in the mic. But I was like, no. Yeah. And you're in the lowest voice possible. Yeah. As scary as I could be.

And he looked at me and smiled with his black teeth and just kept like, fuck it with me. That's good for fuck. Now, right, when you go to worlds, do you guys know every event that will be there or is it still, is it random? They don't know. We used to, that's a good question.

No, before we'd never know. Before we'd get we'd get Information like on the way there wouldn't know anything this time. We know we know the possible events And we know exactly where we're going is the first first time in like I mean I've been doing it for five years now. It's never been though Oh, you know the events right now. You're allowed to see what the art is art is yeah, yeah, yeah I've got them all and I know we're gonna be in Manila Philippines Awesome to know I can actually prepare and get my shots on time and all that They have like humidity and all that kind of stuff is a factor

You train into Houston. That's okay. I see. Oh interesting. That's exactly that smart So it's it's always got a carry in a load this this year The carry event actually has two options afterwards. It's either carry with a drag or it's carry with farmers, which I'm telling you the events this year. I'm so excited. I'll say that suits you well, right? It does it's athletic and strength It's it's strong and athletic which is my wheel well well. Like, the static strength, I'm okay, especially with overhead, I'm really good, but I like to be able to move. I like to be able to take weight and move.

Well, that's what really separates you because very few guys are as agile as you are, you know, and have endurance, right? Yeah, and my endurance has gone up, and my speed has gone up, like insane. So then we have the overhead press, which is either going to be a dumbbell or a log for reps. I'm hoping I get the log obviously,

but I'll be fine with the dumbbell. We have the squat this year, and you're gonna, you're grouped, you're gonna have squat or deadlift. And this year they're doing where they dropped the barrels in it, so progressively gets heavier. And it's cool, it's like, if I had to choose what it would be for a squat or deadlift, that's exactly what I would have done. That's cool. It's like if I had to choose what it would be for a squatter deadlift,

that's exactly what I would have done. That's cool. Then we have the toss. We're going to, we haven't determined the equipment, but we have a toss for height and then Atlas stones going into the finals. And oh man, I'm telling you like perfect events. I was going to say, yeah. Really? Who are the guys to beat this year Depends on who goes man Z Z is I'm not trying to be offensive, but Z's got a little bit older and he's lost a little bit Happens when you've been competing for 22 years. It just did is over 22 years strong Dominating dominant like I have nothing but respect for them

And he's gonna be he's always one that you gotta watch like I mean I'm kind of he's 130 years old I'm gonna watch so Brian shall be good. I don't really like listing the names of the other guys it makes it's like Promoting fucking competition Watch out for this guy There's a few guys that are looking. He's okay. We'll see. We'll see.

Well, do you know, so now that you know the events, do you know, do you have a guy that you know that he will probably be right with you or potentially in front of you in one of these events like that to him? When we get to this, I know he's strong with that. I'm gonna be watching him, making sure I stay ahead of him. Like do you have?

For sure, the wheels have been turning just like that as soon as I got these events I I started thinking about who's good at what and how it's gonna break down You never know who's gonna be in your group your pre your qualifier group. You never know So I'm just I'm just gonna show up for the qualifiers and I'm gonna do my thing and I'm gonna get into the finals and And then the finals, those events, I know who's gonna do what. And it really comes down to as how well prepared can you be. I can't really, I can't change what someone else does. I can't go in and hope this guy's gonna slip up.

I know some guys who tend to slip, some guys who tend to get all crazy. And you know, like the adrenaline gets in my throat and they can't taste it, you know, like they get a little too crazy. I know there's some guys like that and they'll probably have those issues they always do. But all I can do is come in and be my best. Do you now do you prefer to go first

and demoralize the competition or watch them kind of go through it so you know how to smash them? I like to go as late as possible for sure. It's always good because somebody will have a unique take on how to do something because that's the other thing is none of this stuff is like blueprint like you have to do it this way. It's not it's not Olympic lifting.

It's not that it's not powerlifting. It's something that everyone has their own take and And, well, I feel mine is the best. And I've, man, I put a lot of fucking work into how I prepare. There's still, there's the things you can learn no matter what. Anyone who thinks they can't learn something, they're a fucking idiot.

That's just the way it is. So, I like to do that, but I also like to see a benchmark. There's something like, like we were saying, that fuel you get when someone says you can't. That's the same thing when I know, like say we're gonna deadlift something for reps and I know six is gonna be fucking brutal but I see somebody pull seven

and if I can pull seven or I can pull eight, then I know that there's a chance I could win this. Man, there's just something in you that comes out and it's like, I have to do it. You just find that little competitive part of you that's like, I can fucking do it. What about when you're doing things for like the deadlift or something that you have

the ability to stack on as much as you want? Is there a strategy for you as far as like going, do you go right for your heaviest possible load or a record for you, or do you ease your way to see how your body's viewed? That's something that I've developed. And what I, you're talking about training specifically, right? Right, right.

In my training, I've done that. I've done, I've gone down that road. And you know, where you like, can't stand up straight for two days. And you're like, you're trying to hammer yourself down. I, I don't believe in that anymore. I, what I like to do is I like to find a nice range. I like to go even 60th percent, 60 percentile when you start training, finishing in a couple of weeks towards 80, 85, 90. And I like to hit four sets of three, five sets of four. I like to hit my reps.

And then I like to switch positions. I'll either go to stiff or I'll go to a rack, and I like to move from that. But then what people don't do, what nobody that I've worked with and been around does, is the accessories to deadlift. Everybody likes to do the accessories to upper body. We all want to look pretty, right? We want to take our shirts off and be like,

damn, that looks good. But nobody wants to do like little booty exercises. Nobody wants to do stretching their hips and open things up. Nobody wants to practice jumping up on a apply-o-box because that's where you're supposed to deadlift from. You're supposed to be explosive. Nobody wants to do calf shit. If you have strong calves, your deadlift goes skyrocketing.

And the stronger your upper back is in your ass, the more you pull the weight off of your low back. We know these things, and if you were to read and study, you would figure it out. But still watching people work, it's like, you're not doing that, you're not. Because that shouldn't be fun. That, you know, it's funny, you say that

because it reminds me of what I went through when I was competing. And there's this weird stigma in men's physique that, you know, deadlifting and squatting really heavy and deep builds these big, wide waist and you don't want that for, you know, being on a stage. So none of these fucking guys fucking squat or deadlift. And it like blows my mind because I'm like, you can't pick an exercise. It's going to build your physique more than anything else than those two movements.

And you just neglect them. They're over there doing fucking machines all day long. I think it's hilarious. And it's crazy. Everyone knows, everyone knows anyone who's educated knows squat and deadlift make you bigger. They just build the other upper testosterone and they make you bigger. That's what they do.

Hilarious, man. Yeah, it's build your, get your lats, you know four inches wider from deadlifts and your waist might get like a Quarter inch wider, but guess what you still got greater V taper right? Exactly make zero sense. No. Well shit man. Good luck brother. Thanks man. I'm feeling room for you, dude Oh, yeah, thanks Thank you. What it'd be on sports center? Where will it be out? We have we have in late commercials and the build up They have time on sports center. It's actually gonna be on CBS. Oh, okay, so we've we have in late commercials and the build up they have time on sports center It's actually gonna be on CBS. Oh, okay, so we've we've we've filmed some nice rivalry build up

We've got some really cool shit going Really really excited about the build up for this and everything else will be on CBS Do they do you guys do like a press conference before do they do anything like that? You do a meet and greet Last time I had to be ushered out of the meet and greet. Oh man, the new rule at this show, the rule is, they can't have fucking glass. They need to have plastic cups. Because if they have glass and I get hit with glass,

they're on the mat, you know? Oh my God, they were doing what? Way worse than that. Whoa, crazy. Whoa, they get crazy out there. And it's, they're really into the sport. It's not, it's, it's, it's, it's not as crazy as soccer, but it's a lot of that same energy. Yeah. Oh, shit. Well, that's cool. No, that's really cool. Well, good luck, man. Thanks, guys. Yeah.

We had a percent. We'll be watching. Johnny, man. It's, it's right for you. Excellent. Oh, yeah. Check this out. Go to your app store, download the free Mind Pump app, so you can listen to our podcast in our own custom app and allows you to search the episodes for different topics. So it makes things a lot easier. Go check it out. Thank you for listening to Mind Pump. If your goal is to build and shape your body,

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