The Sevan Podcast - Ross Austen | wheelWOD - CrossFit Games 2024

Episode Date: September 2, 2024

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Mm-hmm Hey, thanks for doing this. I know I switched this on you at the at the last minute I just saw at the same time coffee pods and wads I've got something going on on the computer So if I look down because I thought I'd be finished by now because obviously we were gonna be an hour But I hope you should be it should be done in ten minutes So if I look down quickly because I'm trying to finish something

Okay, and if I look down it's because someone if I look down or to the left It's because someone sent me some porn Quickly erasing it off my computer Or at least saving it. Hey, where are you right now? So I'm at minutes. I split my time between London and Devon's so Devon's over on the south coast of the UK Near the beaches. I'm at the minute. I'm and Devon. So Devon's over on the south coast of the UK near the beaches. So at the minute I'm in Devon. Is Devon your home home? Is that like where you keep all your... I kind of split my time between here and just outside London.

So I've got a property here and a property there. So I literally spend 50% time here and 50% there. So I suppose you can call them both home. How big is Devon Ross? It's a pretty big county. I don't know the population but it's right by the coast so you've got all the locals that live here but then you get a lot of the city goers that come down here for sort of little summer vacations and that because I'm only five minutes from the beach. And what, how long did you say the drive is between Devon and London? About three, three and a half hours. Okay, because I mean London's like a proper metropolis. I mean, I don't know if it still is, but it was the economic,

you know, center of the world for many years. I mean it's okay. I'm guessing it's chaos compared to Devon. Oh, yeah a hundred percent. It's probably about ten times as the size of Devon's. You know, well not the size but you know just with the infrastructure and stuff there. Yeah, it's pretty pretty hectic. It's nice to to be down here It's much quieter much slower pace of life down here. Let me ask you this. Does Devon have an Apple Store? No, no, okay. Okay. We only we only got a KFC about ten years ago to a much slower pace of life down here. Let me ask you this. Does Devon have an Apple store? No. No, okay, okay. We only got a KFC about 10 years ago. That's how far. KFC.

So that's the kind of levels we're talking about. You come down here if you want peace and quiet. Okay, that's what I always tell my people. They're like, what's your town like? I'm like, we don't have an Apple store. No, no, no. And everyone's got everything. If you want to come in,

we only just about got internet down there. So yeah, it's nice and quiet down there. Did you grow up there as a kid? No, this was where I was based when I joined the military. This is where I got posted. And I was originally, I came from South London. So when I got posted down there and I was originally I came from South London so when I got posted down here and I was near the beaches and I saw how peaceful and quiet and how

nice it was being down here I ended up staying down here and buying a property down here so I've always had that since I've been you know since I got posted here from the military. Is it a military town like we have these towns all over the country there's kind of like you know there's two things that will make a town in the United States will be if the military lands there, obviously, jails, a big jail or universities, you know, like if you put a university somewhere, those three things kind of can be their own economies. Is that what Devon is? I wouldn't class it as a military town. It's got a military base here, but it's not what we would class in the UK as a military town. For it to be classed, they call them garrisons over here, so for it to be classed as a military garrison, you need probably three or four different military units to be all based there at the same time, and then it becomes like a massive military town, and then you can call it a military kind of town or garrison as we say over here.

So if the military left the town wouldn't go away? No. No. How old are you? I'm 42. And hey, why did you join the military? I suppose because I was quite, you know, I was fit young lad. At the time I had cousins in the military. And when I left school and left college and stuff like that,

I struggled to find a job, to be honest. I wanted to go into sort of like the PT fitness industry. And it was the same old sort of cliche, you know, you haven't got any experience, so we can't give you a job. And I was like, well, you know, how can I get experience unless you give me a job? And then I was kind of stuck ended up working for my dad for a little bit. And then, yeah, I thought, you know, well, I'm going to go and join the military, you know, there's lots of opportunities

here travel the world, you can get more qualifications. And I was a fit young lad and I thought why not. And what year was it? So I joined in 2000. So pre, I don't know if it's like this in your country but that's kind of like we kind of have this moment obviously 9-11 we say pre-9-11 or post-9-11 often so it's pre-9-11 before pre-the-hornet. Yeah pre-9-11 yeah. Do you guys use that there kind of as a time

when the Hornet's Nest was stirred? Yeah, definitely. I was due to go to Cyprus, and then obviously when 9-11 happened, everything changed, and then obviously we all got sent to different units to get ready for what was about to happen. So yeah, that kind of changed obviously the course, probably, for what was about to happen. So yeah, that kind of, you know, changed, obviously, the course, probably, of what was going to happen. And, and when you, when you enter the military, and I'm using sweeping generalizations, but

in the United States, I would characterize it. There's two kinds of people who kind of maybe entered the military, ones who are like, fuck am I gonna do with my life or my dad's been beating me at home or I'm about to go to jail or you know what I mean there's this group of kids that are looking for discipline and kind of reprieve to like go somewhere and kind of surrender themselves and kind of get their shit together with discipline and what and money and the things that the military offers and then there's these other kids that maybe come from a lineage or they've had this dream to be kind of a fighter. If I were to put them in two big buckets.

Yeah. And if you think that's unfair, please tell me. Okay. Um, you were, I'm guessing you were kind of in, in neither bucket though. Like you weren't like, it's not like you were getting yourself in trouble, but not necessarily you were ready to go you had some sort of Romanticism of the military. Um, I had cousins at the time and they were in the military And I was just a fit very fit young lad and I wanted to do

fitness I wanted to do As I say I wanted to go into the fitness industry and at the time, you know, no one would give me a job. And the opportunities I saw within the military, you know, you could join, obviously there's lots of different branches within the military. So depending on what branch you wanted to join, depending on what, you know, what jobs were available. So at the time, because I was a fit young lad, I could have joined the Marines, for example.

I wasn't initially going to join the Marines. But when you do all your basic training in the Marines and you do the commando course, you then don't necessarily get to become a fighting soldier. You could get sent to the Marine Corps and be a chef. Now, I didn't join the military to be a chef. I wanted to go and see the action and do all know and do all that so you did want to see the action I did yeah, you know, I knew what sign up for I'm joining the military at the end of the day and I know exactly what

What that was about? So I you know, I just I Suppose part of me wanted to see a bit of action. I was a fit young lad I suppose part of me wanted to see a bit of action. I was a fit young lad. Initially then after looking at the Marines, I looked at the PT Corps and someone was like, cause you know, I thought if I, you know, initially I wanted to be a PTI and going to the fitness center.

It's like if I joined the PT Corps, I could obviously train the military soldiers. But then someone said to me, would you rather be doing it or teaching it? And I was like, actually, you know, I love fitness. And I was like, actually I'd rather be doing it. So I didn't then join the PT course. I was looking and I'm in an arm

and which kind of regiments to join. And then I had a cousin in the engineers, in the Royal engineers, and he said, why don't you join the Royal engineers? Obviously there's a standard of education that you need to requirement to get in. But once you get in, there's a standard of education that you need to requirement to get in. But once you get in, there's so many options. You can go and do the command course.

You can go and work the Marines. You can go and do P company and the jumps and then go and work the parachute regimen. You can be a diver. You can go and get lots of qualifications. So I was like, OK, that seems so. So I looked into the engineers and ended up joining the Royal Engineers. I went and did the commando course, I went and did my diving course and that and I pretty much did all the courses I wanted to and ended up getting loads of different qualifications that I can use in in service street if I wanted to and at the same time I then get to go and be

a commando and get attached to the marines and go and see the action as well So I've got kind of the best of everything by joining the Royal engineers When you say you were a fit lad, what were you doing? So what was him before before what what? Yeah, what got you so fit were you we played sports or in the gym? Yeah, well at the time I played a lot of football. As a kid growing up I wanted to be a professional footballer. I had multiple trials for different teams growing up but never quite made it. But yes, I was a fit lad, you know, cross-country running. I just liked all sports really. I tried to play as much sports as I could and just be active. So you know, boxing, a little bit of boxing as well. So, yeah, I was just a fit young active lad. So, yeah, so that

just obviously helped me with going into the military. So, when you say footballer, you're referencing what we call in the state soccer. Yeah, what you call soccer. Yeah, footballer makes sense. So your Metabolic capacity was pretty incredible. You could run, you know The medium distance as well and you were crazy explosive in anything less than you know a mile like you could run Explosively for minutes at a time. Yeah. Yeah. Okay and your body was adept for that. It's interesting those You know, that's the that's the for that. It's interesting those you know that's the That's the lineage that the great Miko Saylo came from we saw him turn that that monster engine of his

Into just a gritty fucking unbelievable CrossFit, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah So okay, so you do that and then you join in and what do you are your parents cool with you joining? Yeah, my parents just thought you know, I've always been supportive They were like that's what you want to do. Then we support you say we have cousins and uncles that have been in the military and that See, you know, they were just very supportive And yes board at whatever I wanted to do really and this group of royal engineers I'm not familiar with the with the term but they sound like smarty pants They sound like you know, you put the word royal there and in the US that would make you smart and classy

Yeah, well, I think it's just like heritage and I so obviously because you know Our military is quite linked to the royal family and stuff like that There's a lot of heritage when it comes with the military and that over here so I'm not 100% sure why it's called the Royal Engineers, but the engineers that I found was just, it was a good core to join because like I say, you can do a bit of everything. You can go and support everybody. And obviously we had our own role, ourself as combat engineers, but also that we then can go and support other regiments that necessarily can't do our job,

but we can do theirs, if you know what I mean. So it was kind of, it was quite a good regiment to join, to be honest, because as I say, you got options and you got choices to go and do what you wanted to do. Generically speaking, when we think in the United States, we think of the Marines, we think of, you know, air and water, and we think of Navy as the water, and we think of the Army as the guys on feet, and the Air Force is obviously the air and the Coast Guard are the dudes and the kind of maybe like the support guys in the boats. Are the Royal Engineers, do they have a generalization of what they do? So yes, we come on, some Royal Engineers come under the Army but because I was commando trained I actually came and we got sent, I got posted down here to Devon which is a commando

engineer unit, but it's a Marine Corps base. So we actually got posted as a small regiment onto a Marine base and obviously the Marines come under the Navy. So most of my career was with the commando engineers so I've always been a Marine base so we've always come under free commando brigade, which is part of the Navy effectively, even though I was actually army. We, you know, because of my job and who I was attached to, we were, I suppose, like, you know, part of the Navy really. And then even more specifically as we drilled down, then you did commando training and diving training. What is commando training, are those units that get special tasks? Is that kind of like our Rangers or our SEALs or our...

Yeah, pretty much kind of similar. So if you want to say, obviously the Marines, the difference between the Marines and the commandos apart from that we're just, obviously the commandos are the army, basically the marine version that within the army. So the army commandos were the original commandos before the Navy then made a separate unit which then became the Marines. But yeah, we have to do a 12-week selection course that you have to pass to get earn your green beret. Now that part, that 12 week part is part of a Marine's basic training. So when we go to do the commando course, we're already trained soldiers

because I've already done my training and I'm already part of the engineers and I'm choosing to want to go and do the commander course so I can then go and work with the Marines. So that 12 week phase that we do, which is just the commando part, we go into that as trained soldiers, whereas Marines do all of their training in like, I think it's like 52 weeks, all in a one-up. And sorry for all of this, but I'm just so curious. In a commando group, is how many guys? Is there a certain number of guys? So my unit was quite small. We was a small independent squadron.

So a squadron can be, you'd have in one squadron, you'd have up to three or four troops. In each troop you'd have about 30 guys. So we're probably about 100, roughly about 100 men kind of size, which is very small, but that's why then we were attached to the Marines so then the Marines basically had 100 combat engineers that they could do what they pleased with you know we've got all the different quals we've got all the different training and we can support

them however they need to use us. And when you would Ross when you would be deployed could you be deployed as a commando with your group? To let's say, okay, hey, we have a cartel guy in Columbia, we need you to go get him, or hey, we need you to guard, there's a caravan traveling between Kabul and somewhere else. We need you to protect it. Like, did you have specific missions like that? Yeah, you could do anything really depending on what the unit was tasked to do. It could be anything from go and meet an elder in the in the local town speak to them, you know, work out if we can provide them with some food and water or it could be completely the other end, like you say, go and take out this leader and blah blah blah. It could be the range of missions where you know it could be anything really. It all depend on who got tasked what and then what group you got attached to.

So basically, whatever group I was attached to, their missions then became my missions. Gotcha. And you were deployed twice? Yeah, so I did a tour of Iraq and then I did two tours of Afghanistan. Okay. From my last tour of Afghanistan I got injured. And can you tell me about your first, what year your first deployment was in Iraq and

can you give me an idea of what you guys did there? So 2003 and obviously it was looking for weapons of mass destruction that... Did you guys find them? We didn't find anything you didn't find that's what I heard No, we didn't find anything say Yeah, so yeah, we were just Yeah, we I think always a um, um, kassar which was one of the ports So the unit we were attached to we just had to take over the port and then guard that port and make sure nothing went in and out of it basically. So that was my first experience of Iraq. You guys took over a port? Yeah. Wow. So and was the port being held at the time? Yeah, it was. Yeah, we had to

take it and then occupy it and then we literally stayed there and occupied it and we sunk all their ships and whatnot and then didn't let anything enter or leave and that was our mission. Wow, that's intense. So when you guys get to the port, there's guys there saying, fuck you, you can't have it and you're like, okay, well, we're just going to take it. Yeah, we'll see about that. And a battle ensued. Yeah, pretty much. And did the UK do that on their own or were you

partnered up with other countries? No, we always partnered up with the Americans. So obviously, because we've obviously got a long standing relationship. So yeah, we always support obviously the Americans. If America hadn know, we wouldn't if the if America hadn't gone into Iraq I doubt we probably would have gone in And it was the same with Afghanistan. Obviously, you know, we supported the Americans and went in but I have worked We used to then bring in um the danish and sometimes the dutch Um guys as well. So canadians. Yeah, sometimes canadians. Yeah

Um, because they have a pretty active group of guys too that work with the US right it seems like They're pretty it seems like it's pretty low-key. It's not talked about but whenever I talk to Canadian soldiers It sounds like they're pretty active Yeah, they're pretty they're pretty active as I say most of the time if you work with the Americans you can nine times out Ten be working with the Canadians as well They all part of quite a lot. And so when you get to this, what did you call it? A harbor, this base, this water base, are there a lot of boats there? Yeah, there were a couple of naval ships there that were unoccupied, mostly after they left. So, you know, we just,

unoccupied, mostly after they left. So, you know, we just, we were tasked to sink them and make them not usable. So we'd go down search and at the time I was a diver as well. So I was part of the dive team as well. So we had a few divers in the water. There was some underwater mines that we had to clear and get rid of. And then we just had to sink the ship. So we put explosives on and just blow holes in the bottom of the ship so they'd sink so they can't be used. And you just watch them you set the explosives guys would stand ashore someone like in the cartoons pushes the thing down and... Yeah, press a button and bang yeah and just watch it sink over the next few hours. Wow, wow and so those boats are probably still there at the bottom. Oh yeah, they're 100% still there. Wild.

And I hope you guys did an environmental survey, so no fish, innocent fish. Well, that's the best way to fish. You guys were actually helping the environment. Those are probably amazing coral reefs now, providing home and mating areas for loads of fish. Hopefully, yeah. I haven't been back, so I don't know. Have you ever seen have you ever seen that?

Those oil derricks that they'll have out in the middle of the ocean? Yeah, yeah. Just turn into these incredible fucking breeding grounds for fish. Yeah, yeah, I've seen it. Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty wild. And so you so you do that and and then you and then you come back. And then you deploy again to Afghanistan?

Yeah. And then you come back and then you deploy again to Afghanistan? That's right. Yeah. So I came back from Iraq. We had a little bit of downtime and then obviously Afghanistan kicked off. And then, yeah, we deployed to Afghanistan. At the time in Afghanistan, that time IEDs weren't really in theater. So it was just all firefighting, like close quarter battles. And that's getting up close and personal, which is quite a hectic tour. We lost quite a few.

Well, my regiment personally didn't, but the guys that we were attached to lost quite a few guys. But there was no IEDs in theater. So it would literally be going out on patrol, you'd get ambushed or you'd go and infiltrate a village that was occupied by the Taliban and obviously take that back and whatnot. So it was a completely different tour

to the one I got injured on. And then obviously finished that tour, then came back. Pretty quick turnaround. I know he was back in the country for probably about a year before we had to then deploy again and then yeah deployed back to Afghanistan to a different part this time and obviously IEDs were in fear so then you know it was like literally every week people were getting soldiers were getting injured by IEDs so it was you know you couldn't leave your your FOB or your base like you can even get a hundred meters out the front gate before finding an idea and it stopped.

And it just slowed everything down and became quite hard to do any of the operations because you knew, you know, if you had to get to point A, it'd probably take you ages to get there because you got a clearer route because you would have known the Taliban have planted all sorts. So it just became a lot harder to do your job. known the Taliban have planted all sorts. So it just became a lot harder to do your job. And when you say an IED, it's everything from a landmine that's just like your classic, you know, generic landmine that's just something under the sand that you step onto like a kid's teddy bear. Yeah, it could be anything. So I mean, Afghanistan's riddled with mines from when Russia invaded. So there is thousands and thousands of old mines just left in the ground. They're not even marked on a map, so you don't even know that they're there. So yes, you've got all those to deal with.

And then basically, obviously, because there's a war going on, obviously there's lots of shells and bombs get dropped. And all they do is they used to just pick up these empty shells and then pack them with whatever they could find and put explosives in them and then rebury them back in the ground. And then so most of the IEDs, obviously, what it stands for is improvised explosive device. So it's just a homemade bomb, basically. So they would pick up all these shells that we basically fired on them We pack them bury them in and give them back to us basically

And are they there are they basically just like a pressure plate? It's like you step on the button Yeah, we're different different. So you have different types. So you had a pressure pad one So basically with a pressure pad one you just need the smallest amount of metal contact like and you in your body weight would trigger it because you'd step on it, it'd touch and then obviously detonate the device. Or the other one is it can be remote controlled, but with remote controlled they'd need line of sight, so they'd have to be within the area somewhere and nine times that, and what they found is if they were in the area our sniper would find them so they kind of switched tactics a bit and left the sort of remote controlled

one for like the sides of the roads and for vehicles instead because if you've got a long road you can be like miles outside but still have sight on where you want to detonate it so they left they kind of switched that sort of roadside bombs and using that for vehicle convoys and then used the pressure pad ones to try and get the soldiers out on foot patrol. Before you had your experience with the one that hit you, had you seen any others go off in your previous deployment? Yeah, yeah, I've seen a few go off. So on my tour actually, about a week before I got injured, one of the lads trod and run and got injured and I had to help part of the Cazivac team get him back and that. Funny, we have a bit of banter, but the last thing he said to me before I put him on the Chinook to take him out of there,

we got him on there and he was like, oh, I'll see you later and was like, yeah, see you later. And then a week later I got injured and then flown back to the UK and I saw him in Austin. I was like, it's your fault. You said I'll see you later. I'm how long were you into the mission? How long had you been deployed before you got hit by the IED?

So I was November. So I've been out there since beginning of September and then I got injured on the 19th of November. So I was quite early on in that tour. Just roughly, during that time, were you doing, like obviously in your first deployment to Iraq, you had your target and then you captured it and then you stayed there. On these last two tours, were you coming in and out on a regular basis? Like nightly missions? Yeah, in and out. We'd go and meet the elders and that and speak to them and see if we can support the locals

best we can. And then at the same time, we're still trying to advance, you know, occupy ground and positions and that. So we were coming back and forth, back and forth, and probably, I'd say doing missions at least every couple of days. And then we actually decided to, when I got injured, so at the time we were sharing a fob with American Special Forces. And we just needed, we wanted to move to sort of only about a K up the road to a separate compound so we had two locations. Obviously the Americans could occupy that, we could be there and we can communicate and

just cover more ground. So we were doing, we'd done a recce of the compound that we wanted to sort of kind of take over. And obviously, you know, the Taliban knew that what was happening, we've been watching us and that. And then on the day of moving, you know, going to move in and take over this compound, they just ID'd everywhere.

And as we were getting closer to the compound, I'd say being an engineer, I deal in explosives. So one of my roles is explosive entry. So we were going to get into a compound and they had occupied it. So I was going to, so I knelt down basically, set a charge, was going to set a 30 second fuse to blow a hole in and then the Marines can get in and do what they need to do. And as I knelt down to set the charge, three rounds hit the wall above my head. So I knew I got contacted. So I had to make a split decision. Do I want to keep that 30 second charge and potentially, you know, get shot? Or do I, I can see you've got a picture up there, that's me triggering the IED, or do I leg it? I'd cleared a route up there, but I didn't mark it

because the plan was to set the charge and clear a separate route back. So I had to make a split decision. I knew roughly the line that I came up. I'm just gonna take my chances because rounds were getting close and they vis past your ear and that. So I just started running while I was getting shot at.

And I got where that wall, you can see on that photo, where that wall is, where the guys are all stacked. On the other side of that, I got about two meters from that wall. And then it just went, went bang. So these guys down here, there's one guy on the left and there's three guys you can see on the right. Those are your homies.

Yeah, yeah, they were part of my section. And you're in that dust pile right there somewhere? I'm up there. I'm in that, it's about 20 feet in that pile somewhere up there, yeah. And you're flying through the air somewhere up here? Yeah, literally in the air. It was like slow motion. When I triggered the IED, everything went slow motion.

It was strange. And then I kind of got flung up in the air. And then as I landed, it kind of sped back up to sort of real time. And obviously rounds were getting fired and shouting when all sorts was going on. And it just so happened my troop commander was at the back of the convoy was filming because he was going to film actually my explosion that I was going to cause, you know, to get into the compound.

But actually he caught me triggering the ID. Ross, so is that job that you had, is that what you call a breacher? Yeah, basically, we're breaching into a compound, yeah. And so basically in a compound, it's a concrete wall around like where similar to that wall so we can see on that picture so just like a wall because most of the buildings in the village of just mud hut walls like like what you see there so it was just a just a wall like that that we were trying to get into and obviously we've experienced you know roughly the fitness of the wall

and that and how much explosives you need to put in to get a hole in there, because you obviously you don't want to be messing about trying to get in there when there's guys on the other side waiting for you. So you normally go overkill, put enough in there to make sure you take either at least put a hole in it or at least take half the wall down so the lads can get in and do what they need to do. But yeah, as I say, I got shot out and decided to make that split decision and just instead of clearing a separate route, I just decided to run and hope for the best. And as I say, I got a couple of meters from that wall and then it just went bang. But lucky that wall was there because if that wall hadn't been there, I would probably kill

three or four of those guys that you can see in the photo. How did the wall protect them if they were on the side of the wall? They're on the other side on the other side. Oh, You were at the hole. So where that wall is there's a hole that i'd already Blown to get through and then I was moving on to the next compound to blow that hole to get through to that one And I was coming back to this one. So you move up in sections. So, okay I've already blown a hole in that In that that's why you can see some of the smokers come through the hole this side. Yes. So they're protected by that wall. So there's two walls. Sorry, I didn't understand that. There were two walls. You already breached one and you were going...

All the other sides, yeah. So I'm in the middle basically. I'd already blown a hole in that wall, gone through. I was blowing a hole in the second wall But I was then coming back to that to that first wall where the rest of the lads were waiting And that's where you can see so if that wall hadn't been there and it would have been open I would have probably ended up Injuring and maybe killing a couple of the guys in the section when you approach that compound and you're clearing it for IEDs Ross How long does that take to go to approach it? Is that like a long, is it 20 minutes? Is it an hour? I mean, you're not, you're not, you're not running. I mean, you're walking at a reasonable

place with you. It's basically essentially a metal detector and you know the different tones, you know, there's all sorts of crap in the ground, but you know over experience, you know, the tones of a, of a metal ring pull from a can to an idea You know, there's just different signals and different tones and you know that so you can ignore most of it And it's when you normally get so you're walking so like a hundred hundred meters would probably take here properly 15 20 minutes to clear properly And you're doing that knowing that there's guys around who have you in their scope too, like bad guys who are seeing you do this. Yeah, but that's why you've got your

snipers and you've got your out, you've got your lookers out there. So you, you're hoping they see, see them before they see you. So you can just get on with your, with your job. And in your walk to the wall, did you find any IEDs? Not on that particular one, but before that mission, I'd found loads. We found quite a few IEDs. So that's kind of crazy. You were walking to the wall, and you actually found a clear path without seeing a single IED.

But there's so many that when you ran back, even though you were proximate to the path. Yeah, roughly. roughly so I must all I can imagine is that I towards the end of the running I just veered off slightly and that it only takes a step you know if you're walking in a straight line and you're marking out it's only a step left or right and you can find an ID. Normally you said you if you thought you were going to come back that way you would have marked it.

How do you mark it? So yeah, we just have tiny little flags. So they're just tiny little bits of metal with just a bit of color of mind tape on them. You make hundreds of them and you just send them in your pocket and every couple of steps you just pin it in the ground and you mark it out. And then you either stay left to that side in walking distance and you just follow up. But my plan was to never mark it out because I was going to clear a route, I was going to set a charge. And for me, I didn't need to be, I could be, I didn't have to get all the way back to where the lads were waiting, I could have just moved down the wall because I knew the charge wasn't going to reach me because I've done it thousands of times.

So that's why I didn't mark it out because I never planned on coming back down it. And in the leg that you lost, was that the leg that actually stepped on it? No. So it was a sort of leg that I lost was my left leg above the knee, but my right foot was the one that initiated. So that triggered the pressure pad. And obviously with a small explosion you get um see which then initiates the large main charge so that small explosion lacerated my foot in half so i've only

got half a foot on my right side and then that triggered that then triggered the main charge that came in um from the side um did some big damage i've got a big scar on my right hand so i did some damage to that. And then as I took my next step, then obviously hit my left leg. When you say you have half of your foot, like the front's missing or it's like- Yeah, yeah, yeah, literally.

I'm like that, so I'm missing half of my foot, so I haven't got any toes. Holy shit, I didn't realize that, wow. It's wild that it didn't kill you or hurt your face or blow off an arm. It's crazy that it only got... It's just your calf. I shouldn't say just, but it's your calf and half a foot. So, half a foot on the right side, half a foot. And then I've got on the sort of the shin bone, I've got a big scar and then from the knee, knee upwards, I'm missing most of the back of my hamstring and most of half of that right side of my glute is quite, you know, some substantial scar that covers most of the back of my leg. I was very lucky not to lose that leg

as well but that video that you put up earlier, if you watch that I actually show the interviewer my scars and you can actually see the scars and the injuries that I sustained but I was very lucky that I didn't lose my right leg because that was the one closest to the to the charge so I was very lucky that I didn't lose that leg as well. Did you lose consciousness? No, no. So as I said before, when the explosion happened, I was still still conscious. Obviously, adrenaline kicked in. I knew I didn't know what happened. But I knew obviously we're in a in a firefight and there was all sorts going on. It wasn't until the medics got to me and they tried to move my legs and put me on a stretcher

that I like just screamed out in pain because I didn't look down at the time because I was just too busy because all sorts was going on. I was too busy shouting at people and telling, you know, trying to still tell people what to do and that and it wasn't until they moved me onto the stretcher that I realized I was in how much pain I was in and then they gave me some morphine and that and then I think I passed much pain I was in and then they gave me some morphine and And then I think I passed out. I don't remember anything after that Wow, that's wild so so you didn't know So you pass out and then when you wake up, where are you?

so when I I Went straight back to camp bastion And then they normally they normally fly you out when they get you back to Camp Bastion and then they normally fly you out. When they get you back to Camp Bastion, the rule of thumb was if they can fly you out within 24 hours, your survival rate goes up massively. But I wasn't stable enough to fly out. I had to have 10 emergency operations in Camp Bastion to stabilize me.

But I don't remember any ofion to stabilize me but I don't remember any of this to stabilize me and then they actually... When you say 10 operations is that to stop bleeding? Yeah, well yeah to try and stop bleeding. I assume just because I was to say that scar I've got on this right leg is massive it was you know it covers from the back of my knee right up to my glute, it looks like a shark bite it's huge and it was completely open, completely open, like a massive one. So you can imagine trying to close that or stop the bleeding and- Right. You have no, you probably had no skin to even like close it. I had no skin. One of my main arteries was on show. They couldn't believe that they were like,

we don't know how that didn't get nicked. If that had been nicked, I would have bled out in like less than a minute. Um, but you can imagine, um, it took quite a lot, um, a long time to kind of. Get that wound in a position where they were comfortable enough to fly me back to the UK and it wasn't till 24 hours later, I actually then flew back to the UK. But I don't remember any of that. And so it wasn't until you got to the UK, how many days later, three days later? So I got back, must have been, well if I flew back the next day I reckon probably, I woke up probably from when it happened three days later but as I say I don't remember. I'd up probably from when it happened three days later, but as I say, I don't remember. I'd already probably been back in hospital, but actually the first time I wake up again

and from passing out on the battlefield was back in the UK in hospital and that would have been about three days later. And you'd been in 12 years at that point? Yes, yeah, I've done 12 years in the military. Were you planning to do 20? I was actually planning to come finish that tour and then I was lucky I was a section commander so I was in charge of 10 guys, all really good soldiers, really fit lads and we kind of all decided at that time when we come back from this tour that we were all all gonna go on selection and try and go for special forces and pass selection.

And then I obviously got injured, so that never happened. But half of my section went on to complete the selection process and now currently serving with the special forces. Wow, so you guys were really close. All 10 of you would sit around and be like, hey, let's fucking do special forces Yeah, yeah

Wow, that's crazy. I've never heard a story like that. That's awesome so you guys were really close and you get there and you wake up and You quickly realize oh, I'm not a fool. I'm not some parts are missing Yeah, well, I didn't know they tried to my left leg, so it didn't come off completely. It was kind of hanging there. So they tried to try to save it. But yeah, eventually, you know, like, you know, it's not savable. But I didn't really know the extent of my injuries for a while,

actually, until I think I ended up. My parents at the time were living in America, they flew over to the UK, well my mum flew over and stayed with me for three months and when I was in intensive care for six months, having operations pretty much every other day, so my mum flew over and stayed there, my dad because of work was going back and forth so every he'd go back for work for a week and then every weekend he was pretty much flying back and forth from LA to come and visit me. Oh my God, that's a trek. Yeah, so I was in intensive care for six months,

and then before I got there, moved up onto a normal ward. Because of the state of the injuries, obviously with the open wounds, it took quite a long time for it to close close and heal and because of risk of infection I couldn't be up on a normal ward so I had to be like in my own room on intensive care. So if you're in and out of surgeries for three months that means they're putting you under a lot so you're not you're not of clear mind you're just, I mean, I just fog. I remember, I remember bits, but not a great deal. Most

of the time I remember is after, after that time. And I was up on the sort of the main normal ward with a couple of other injured soldiers. I remember those times, but at first, I'd say the first three months, I don't really remember too much. I was going down, I was having like eight, 10 operations like every other day. And did you, when you had your final operation, did you know it was your final operation? Or like, no? No, no, I ended up, so when I actually got discharged from the hospital and sent to Headley Court, which is our rehabilitation place for soldiers. And I was there for three years. Over that, over the course of probably the first year and a half, I was still every now and then going back for operations, either to tidy up a little bit of the scar or to

give me some skin grafts or something. So I was still for the first year and a bit at Headley when I was doing my rehabilitation, still going back for some operations. Dude, you know what's crazy? You would think with 47 operations, I hate to be so morbid, but you'd think with 47 operations, you'd have got an infection that would have killed you. I mean, that's a lot of time.

I mean, I did at some point get a couple of infections. Yeah, which is inevitable, especially as I say, if you see the wound on my right side and how big it is in the scar I'm left with, you're realising how big and open that wound is. The only way I remember on, they tried to stitch it up but it wouldn't shut, it physically wouldn't, they couldn't close it, so the only way they managed to close it was to actually open it right up again, take sections of what was left actually to make it easier to close. They had to take it more sections of the muscle and the ligaments and whatnot from inside the wound to help close it because it's so big. Yeah, that's wild.

Isn't it wild? This is this is also going to sound morbid, but how much effort was put in to save one man's life? I know. Yeah, I've seen so I've seen. They could have just thrown you away. You know what I mean? It could have just been like fuck dude, 47 operations, two

and a half years in the fucking he's taking a bed. Fuck it. Just throw him away. Yeah, it could have quite easily. mean I was I was lucky I mean we had such a we were very fortunate I mean the UK medical teams were known worldwide as being world-class like I mean we treat other soldiers from other countries because off like they reckon our hospital in camp Bastin in the middle of a desert was like one of the best hospitals in the world and that was in the middle of Afghanistan that we brought over and built.

And we had some of the best surgeons in the world working there. So, you know, if you're going to get injured, being in that hospital in Camp Bastin is where you wanted to be because you had some of the most amazing facilities in the world. Yeah. And the team, I've seen the footage. So one of the surgeons, I became obviously quite good friends with him. We've done quite a few of my operations. We became quite good friends. And he actually showed me the footage of me coming off the Chinook with the medical team

into the hospital at Camp Bastion. And the first thing you see on the footage is the hospital beds they're waiting, they've got all the equipment and there's about 15 people there, like nurses, doctors there. So each soldier, we had 15 or so experts right there waiting, all had a specific role or job to do, waiting to do whatever it is they needed to do.

So they were there waiting and what you see is the pilot comes in, gives them all the medical information, and then straight away hand me over from that team, goes to this team. So we were in great hands. And the funny thing is on the footage as well, the pilot comes in and he says,

oh, this one's a bit punchy. So they had to strap me down. So apparently when they were trying on the, on the, on the, on the, uh, on the Chinook, did you hear him say that? Yeah, he says it. Yeah. He comes in, he walks in, he's got his, he's still got his pilots out. He lifts his master, hands over all the notes and he's like, we've had to strap this one down. He's a bit punchy. Cause I didn't know what was going on. So I'm assuming I was trying to fight people off because I didn't know what was going on so I'm assuming yeah I was trying to fight people off think yeah what was going on hey has anyone ever told you you look like Christian Bale yeah yeah

man it's crazy how much you look like Christian Bale um or how much he looks like you hey I hate to insert my own fucking political views here, but fuck it, I don't care. You know, we have a city called Seattle in the United States and we spend over a billion dollars a year there giving drug addicts services and it's become this whole industry. I would so rather turn that off and pay a thousand doctors a million dollars a year to do what they did for you. You know what I mean? Like those doctors deserve to be fucking rich as fuck

and drive Bentley's and have nice homes and have the nicest dogs and buy the nicest clothes for their wives or their husbands. And like when I put this shit in perspective for what those kinds of people do, relative to the way we spend this money in this country two billion dollars in LA twenty four billion dollars for fucking drug addicts and criminals Their their occupation is stealing to buy fucking drugs. I'm like I have no I Know who should be getting paid a fortune. It's fucking surgeons that fucking work on they should be filthy rich

It's fucking surgeons that fucking work on they should be filthy rich And they should have private jets that fly them to and in and out of fucking Afghanistan and Iraq and wherever the fucking It's fucking nuts that just when you put the relative to their contribution because at the end of the day that's you know Glassman told me this once our only contribution to humanity is what we can do for our fellow man that's our only value on earth and And when I hear what the I can hear in your voice how how much you value these guys? One the fact that was running when I hit the ID yeah saved my life, but then those guys hundred percent I was I they I Believe I was about 18 minutes flight time. So from where I hit the IED to get me back into that field hospital in Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, I was 18 minutes flight time. Now they reckon if my flight time had been 21 minutes, I would have bled out before I'd even got back so those guys you know the guys and girls in that team on the chin up

Them save me the handover to the team can bastion save me and then obviously all the staff back in the UK at the hospital Working on injured soldiers once I get back to the UK. You know so there's lots of people to thank but it's all all of those people You know a lot of us our lives do yeah, I would take all the money that they do for breast implants or fucking sex change operations they do in the United States, be like, sorry, you can't do that here. We're giving that money to the guy who fucking sewed up Ross Austin. Sorry. It's just, it's unbelievable to me how amazing those guys are that saved your life. Absolutely fucking amazing to me

Because it's their life too, right? That's what they're doing with their life You put your life on the line and now they're spending their time on earth saving your life. It's fucking cool. It's so awesome Exactly. Exactly. They um, yeah, they deserve and a lot of them as well didn't necessarily Exactly. They deserve, and a lot of them as well didn't necessarily Were gonna go down that route. It wasn't until obviously the war in Afghanistan and Iraq all kicked off then Right. He went to medical school to fucking like start a family and buy a nice home and chill in London Saying say ah and giving kids cold medicine. And then the military were pulling civilian doctors, surgeons across and then before you know it, you know, a lot of the team that worked on me weren't military doctors and military nurses. They were just plucked out of wherever I found and said, you know, we

need your expertise. Can you get over it? That's what was happening. We need your expertise. Can you get over it? That's what was happening. You get there. So for three years, you're just like in a dormitory with other dudes who have pieces blown off their body and you guys can all walk down to the cafeteria together and then they're like, okay, Ross,

today we're gonna teach you how to use your, we're gonna teach you how to walk without toes. And in those three years of that? Yeah, so basically, Headley Court was, teach you how to use your, we're going to teach you how to walk without toes. And in those three years of that. Yeah. So basically at Headley Court was, um, it was an old RAF base from like, um, I think world war two, I think the pilots, it was like a, an old recovery place or training place for pilots back then. Um, so yeah, they just obviously took that over, pumped some money into it. And basically they made a couple of the floors

into almost cupboards, it looked like a hospital ward. So you had hospital beds. So you'd have like in one section, four or five beds with the curtains and that like you do in hospital and that. And each bay had those knocking about. So at one time you'd probably have, I don't know, 30 to 50 soldiers there at a time

because they used to rotate you. So I used to do three weeks there solid, but then send me home for a week or two. When you say home, where's that? Another base? Yeah, back in Devon or back in London. But another base base not really home No, no, you sent home. I'm not used to go home. Oh

Send me home And then literally they're black gun just rest up and then come back in two weeks It's so one we weren't getting absolutely hammered with the rehabilitation and a rehab constantly and also they could Switch out, you know, get more soldiers through. So we all sort of rotated through like that. And that's why it probably took two to three years to finish my rehab because obviously, you know,

I had to have a couple of breaks here and there. This is an amazing story. Thanks for doing that for all of us, Ross. Really sorry for your injury. I wish the world wasn't so horrible. Appreciate so much that you guys protect and defend us. Appreciate it, calm words. And Ross, during this time, when you go home,

is that when, from looking at your story, is that when the drinking starts? Yes. When you go home. So when I got medically discharged, that was the time because I found, because you can imagine. After two years or while you're doing rehab,

they send you. No, no, not while I'm doing rehab, after the two years. So once I'd finished all my rehab and they were like, there's nothing else you can do, you're up walking on your prosthetic leg. At the time, they weren't really bothered about mental health because they had so many soldiers injured, you know, with one, two, three limbs missing.

You know, the main role was to get them up and mobile so they could have some sort of normal life, I suppose. So once you were up and walking and you're kind of, you know, good to go, they then obviously send you home and I then got medically discharged out of the military. So that was it. So after 12 you want to stay did you try to stay? No, not got injured because you know, I didn't join the military to sit at a desk and do a desk job

So I I was like, yeah I'll take my My I'll take you know medical discharging and get out of there But that's them when the problem say start because then as soon as you're medically discharged out the military you just get sent home then you're forgotten about that's it you just like See there and then you just go home and then that's when all the problems start So I went from obviously being in the military having a full-time job to then being around all the lads They're injured. So everyone's in the same boat. So everyone understands what you're going through. So if you have a bad day,

someone can pick you up and you'd look at him and he's trying to pick you up and he's got three limbs missing. You're like, well, what the hell am I manning about? He's got three limbs. I've only got one, you know. And we'd support each other and help each other and that. But you go from that, being around those people

to getting sent home. So I got sent home and then I was just sat home Had no reason to get up. I didn't leave the house. I didn't see anybody and then obviously that's when I started drinking What are What what happens For you what happens you start you start like what the fuck's happened in my life? I'm missing a leg. How am I good for anyone? Holy shit, my friends died. Holy shit. I killed people like is it just is it those

Are those the stories that are starting to pour in as you're just kind of like looking into your future and looking into your past And you're not able to reconcile it. Is that where darkness? Yeah, I suppose it's that also it's a bit of anger a bit of you know, why to reconcile it? Is that what darkness does? Yeah, I suppose. It's that. Also, it's a bit of anger, a bit of, you know, why me? Why did it happen to me? It's cut my life short. Because you think, because you do, you do sit there and you think, well, that's the end of my life. What the hell am I going to do now? I'm never going to have another job or I'm never going to do this or never going to do that. And then it's a bit, and it is a little bit of anger as well. And you just like, and then then like I say once that process starts

It's very hard to then get out that negative mindset because then you start like you say then think of all the things that you've done and all the things that happened and all the things that you've seen and it's just a Vicious circle and you just spirals out of control And eventually leads to what's the point of living. That's what it leads to. Exactly. Because I was on probably about 40 different tablets a day for the pain. You know, I was on morphine. What was the pain?

Even after two and a half years, there was pain? Yeah. So I had a lot of pain from like the scars. I had a lot of pain from obviously the injuries. Obviously, with the amputation, you have phantom pain, I've never experienced that. So obviously, all the phantom pains kick in and you know, that was a completely new thing to experience. You know, your body, your brain is telling you you've

got a pain in your foot. And I'm like, well, I've got a foot. And there's nothing you can do about it. So it's not like, you a pain in your foot and I'm like well I haven't even got a foot. Wow that is so fucking weird. Yeah and there's nothing you can do about it so it's not like you know if you've got an itch you can scratch it you know your body your brain's telling you you've got pain coming from your knee well I haven't got a knee on the left side so how can I have pain and your brain's telling me I'm in pain but there's nothing you can do you just got to take it. What's the explanation for that? Do they have a It's the nerve endings. It's called phantom pain.

I've heard that, but it doesn't even make sense until you experience it, right? It's weird. It's just obviously the nerve endings and it's just like from years of obviously having, I suppose, having a leg to not having a leg. It takes a while for those kind of nerve endings to kind of I suppose desensitise is the word I suppose you're looking for. But you still have those? Yeah I still have them now. Yeah I get so there's pains and there's sensations so there's probably 10 to 15 pains and sensations and I get a couple of each so it can be it can be anything so I get in my foot I get like a really deep frobing pins and needles feeling

which is in the foot that doesn't exist in the foot it doesn't exist yeah I get itches in the knee obviously you can't scratch which are not painful, but are really annoying. Yeah, yeah. Oh, and what a great time to drink. Yeah. Right? I get really deep knee ache in the knee. And obviously I haven't got the knee. And then the other one that I can only, the other two I get actually,

the only way I can describe it is imagine you barefoot and you tread on a nail and the nail goes right through the bottom of your foot. That's how I imagine that would feel and that's the pain I get that sometimes. And then the other one I get is for about five to 10 seconds, just a little electric shock. So I'll be sat there and I'll get a little electric shock and I'll just be like, oh, there it is. And it will just be like a little electric shock for I'll be sat there and I'll get a little electric shock and I'll just be like, oh there it is and it will just be like a little electric shock for about five to ten seconds. So you could be on this podcast and it could just happen.

Yeah I could be on this podcast and you might see me go like that in a minute and that could just be a Phantom Panty and it's just electric shock in the foot or in the knee or wherever it is so I don't want to put it. Damn that's wild. And shit got bad. You got home. Did it get bad quickly? Yeah, it got bad pretty quickly. I obviously wasn't surrounded by the people I'd been around for the last three years. I wasn't seeing anybody. Was any of it fun? Did you enjoy any of it? Did you enjoy going to the liquor store and buying alcohol? Did you enjoy any of it? No, no, no. For two years, I just literally sat there just wasting away

thinking that's the end of my life. And then like I say in those two years, I was on a lot of medication. So a couple of times in that two-year period, I got drunk and I just thought what's the fucking point? And I just took as many tablets as I could and drunk as much whiskey as I could. At the time I was so drunk, I ended up bringing up all the medication that I'd taken. So that saved me from probably overdosing. So what was your drink of choice? Whiskey. Straight? Yeah.

And from the bottle or in a glass? Yeah, no, straight from the bottle. Oh, shit. Wow. I mean, those straight from the bottle. Oh shit. Wow. I Mean that that those are I mean those are like the signs, right? You mix it with something then you don't mix it with something then you're just drinking the shit from the bottle I started off with coke, you know with Coca-Cola Yeah, and it just went and then when it was my absolute rock bottom was just straight knee out the bar

Um, and so you do you remember the night you did that? Were you like, okay, I'm going to take all these pills? Yeah, yeah. And what did you think? I'm just going to turn myself off? What about your parents? Weren't you tripping that your parents were going to find you dead? At that point, I didn't care. I didn't care who found me. I just didn't want to be here anymore. It's really selfish. But I didn't want to be here because I just didn't know what I was going to do with my life. and out there is some charities there that you can try and reach out to but the health, the mental side of things is just not there. It's just not the same as it is for the physical side of things. So, you know, I did, I'm not going to name any charities, but I next attempt to after a month. I'm just like, what's

Hey, should anyone have seen signs? Should anyone like and would you know if you saw someone spiraling would you be like, oh shit that Especially in the military the military's, you know, you're supposed to be this tough. Yeah. Whatever you can't talk about feelings. And if you do, you just get your fucking piss ripped out of you and you just like shut up and get on with it. And unfortunately, that's what the military culture is like. You know, I mean, so you would never in many years.

Even try and say, oh, you know, I've got problems or whatever. In defense of that culture, it's a survival mechanism when shit's going down, right? Yeah. Like I had a guy on the show and he was saying that they had a helicopter landed in the middle of a horrible firefight, right? And like one of the guys in the group got killed. And their way of processing it, even though it was their best friend And they loved him to death as they took his body back to the base the whole time They just talked shit about him. Yeah, like fuck that guy. He deserved it

He was late. That's how they processed it instead of like crying. They just fucking attacked him verbally Yeah, I can imagine. I mean just as a survival mechanism, right? Yeah Yeah, cuz like I say like obviously we had we had casualties out on we was out on operations. But, you know, you know, as soon as he got casualty backed out of there, he cracked on with the mission. You can stop to think, oh, is he all right? And no one asked anybody.

You just crack on. And it wasn't until, you know, two, three days later till the mission was finished and you're back in your FOB or whatever. Then you'd go to your sergeant major and you go,, how did, you know, so and so, like, did he make it? And he'd be like, yeah, he made it. He's back in the UK. Or he'd be like, no, he didn't make it back. You'd be like, fuck. And just. And you push all that down until you get back. And then you forget about it. And then you crack on. Yeah. You don't process any of it. Right. And then so does that night when you did that, did you know, were you like, did you say any goodbyes or anything?

No, I didn't say any goodbyes. Did you write a note or anything? No, I didn't. Nothing. I didn't. I wasn't going to text somebody or put it out on social media. I wasn't seeking attention. I just didn't wanna be there. And it was just like, whoever finds me finds me. And that was it. And I was just like, I'm getting off the hook.

I'm just done. I've had enough and I'm done. And whoever finds me finds me. And yeah, that's what it is. Did you think about where you would go after you died even, or you didn't even care? Didn't care. Yeah, whatever.

If it's over, it's over. Yeah, exactly. Which actually time is like, you know, really, really selfish of me. Because my, my, you know, I, my ex wife now, but at the time, obviously we were still together. Obviously, we just had a baby as well. So, you know, it's really Really selfish time of me How old you're now? He's 14 now. Oh, congratulations So I have him, you know, I haven't 50% of the time. So, you know, we've got and he doesn't know any any Any better, you know, he's always been born with what we've my cross for the day So he's quite um, it's quite protective of me if he will stare atfile. So he's quite protective of me. If he will stare at my leg at night,

he gets quite protective. But yeah, he was probably my saving grace because I looked at him one day. He must have been about, I don't know, six months old. I'm not sure the word fit. Yeah, I found this piece. Sorry, say that again.

Something turned on. I said he was, my boy was probably about six months old and I probably he was my saving grace because I woke up one morning and just looked at him and thought what the fuck you doing you got this beautiful little boy here that needs you and and I was like I'm not letting anybody else bring him up as their dad army's dad and that's and he's pretty much that was the light bulb moment for me I was just like what you doing hey um there's this uh daoist saying um in this book that lao tu wrote it's called the dao de qing this little book and he says um uh stop thinking and all your problems will go away and when what i'm hearing you say, how I interpret it, is you saw your son and Ross, when you see your son, Ross doesn't, like, Ross doesn't matter.

No, exactly. And that's like the biggest way of like understanding, I think a lot of people don't understand is when you work for other people, like, I don't mean like work for them, like at 7-eleven or at the store. But when you give yourself to someone else, it's the best moment in your life because you're gone. Yeah. And so you kind of had that moment. You're like, fuck it. I'm giving myself to this dude. Yeah, exactly. I was like, I'm not going to let someone else, you know, I'm not going to get some other bloke bring them up or whatever. He's my son. Yeah, I'll dedicate my life to this, this six monthold thing completely and my shit's gone. Yeah exactly And then from that moment I was like right

I need to get get my fitness and health back and start going to the gym And that was it and it just went from there. Oh you guys heard that you guys heard that audio I thought Brent joined you guys heard that audio for a second Introducing TD insurance for business with customized coverage options for your business. Because at TD Insurance, we understand that your business is unique, so your business insurance should be too. Whether you're a shop owner, a pet groomer, a contractor, or a consultant, you can get customized coverage for your business. Contact a licensed TD Insurance advisor to learn more. Contact a licensed TD insurance advisor to learn more.

Did you hear it? Ross? What's that, sir? When you were talking a second ago, did you hear some audio coming? Yeah, I heard some audio. I had another YouTube station open for coffee pods and wads and then it must've just turned on while I was in the middle. Someone said I thought Brent joined the show for a second. That's funny

Um jake chapman, uh seve if ross fancy's coming to the isle of man, let him know i've got a spare room for him Oh, this dude's a great dude jake chapman. He owns a crossfit gym there. Oh sweet. Hey, is the isle of man cool? You guys own that right? That's like yeah, yeah I've been there when I was a kid with my parents before so yeah, is it cool is it nice a little play? Yeah, yeah, it's even quiet in this place. So if you want to go if you want to go there That's from peace and quiet. That's a good place to go as well. Yeah, this is a cool dude I can vouch for this dude Jake Chapman's a cool dude He's offering you a room at his house, and I think he owns a couple crossfit gyms. Oh, sorry after the cap um and then

So so basically you just turned into just a pile of shit in two and a half years No, you were no exercising except for just brings a bottle up Yeah, losing and then and then when did in your obviously you came across my plate because you have Incredible people who work over at Wheel Wad fuck you guys are lucky you have Kevin Ogre Lisa Gall Mrs. Ogre What it what a great group and I apologize for anyone. I left out you got what a big yeah I mean those guys say that again Leslie as well. She's going Isn't there another guy to a

Stout or a power? Yeah, it's outy. Yeah Amazing people. Yeah, they make Mine and Caleb and Susan's job so easy. They're like, oh you should see this guy. Oh, you should see this guy so When when does that happen? Had you heard of CrossFit when you were in the military? No. So when I got injured, CrossFit just started getting quite big in the UK and they actually started bringing it into the military.

So the army actually used CrossFit as part of their fitness regime, but I just got injured. So I knew it was on the radar, but I never didn't really know nothing about it. But I actually didn't get into CrossFit for a while. So after obviously I had my shit two and a half years with my mental health. And then I started just going to the gym just so I could break that cycle, get out of the house. Who got you into the gym? Did someone take you? Did a friend come and take you? No, it was from obviously, you know, having that light bulb moment, looking at my son, going, I need to sort my life out. And I was like, the first step is I need to start getting out of the house.

And I was like, you've always been a fit guy. Let's start with going back to the gym. So that's how it started. You remember that first day? Was that weird going in there, just being a pile of goo? Just being a pile of goo, just not fit at all. Just thinking, what the hell? This gonna be, this is gonna be horrible. What did you do your first day? Did you just do the normal shit? Try to do some pull ups or some lap pull downs?

I probably sat on the bench for a little bit and then did a little bench press, did some arms, the all the usual crap. But I was out of the house for an hour and then each day I just tried to just keep adding to that. And then before you knew it, I was back in the gym, then starting to plan all my sessions while I was going to train and just getting back into it properly. So I did that for probably about two years. And then I came across power powerlifting. So I don't so sorry those two years you liked it you were making friends

there you were talking to people it was a whole thing right? Yeah, making friends in the gym. Obviously, my time at Headley Court obviously there was people working there that were doing things outside of rehabilitation. So there's charities and revenge stuff going on. So in that two years of being in a gym, I went and did like tried loads of palimpic sports like wheelchair basketball, swimming, all sorts of different I went over to San Diego did loads of palimpic sports over there. And

just within that two years, we've just tried lots of different sports and fitness and whatnot. And then I came across an email from one of the charities saying, do you want to try power powerlifting? And by that time, in those two years, I'd built a bit of muscle and got a bit stronger. And I thought, yeah, I'd give that a go, a bit of power powerlifting.

And I went and did it. And all the GB team was there and the coaches was there. And I really enjoyed it. So I then looked for the next comp. I then did that. And I did about three or four comps. And then I got an invitation. What were the lifts you did?

Oh, not, not, that pitch is actually from the world championships after I joined the squad. So after about three or four competitions, I got an invitation from the British weightlifting to go to compete at the British championships. So- And what were the actual lifts? Was it like bench, dead?

Back then, so for power powerlifting, it's just bench press because majority of the athletes, like you can see a lower body disabilities. So we just do the bench press part. So at the time when I got invited to the British Championships, I wasn't lifting too, well not for my weight category anyway, but I was probably lifting around 120 kilos, which wasn't too much at the time. But in my weight category, that wasn't too bad. So I went to the British Championships and they were like,

you know, it will be a nice little eye-opener for you and experience to train and compete with the guys. And I was like, all right, cool. So I went up there, ended up winning my weight division and becoming British champion in 2015. And then- Did you set a PR at the meet? Say again, sorry?

Did you set a personal best at the meet? Yes. Yes. Wow. So the crowd got you hyped up. So you showed up. Yeah. Yeah. So I had, you know, I wasn't going there to just be a number.

I had other intentions. So I got, got there. One, the British champ became British champion in my weight division. And then within a week, I found myself going up to train up at the university with the GB team, with Great Britain team. And before you know it, I was part of the Paralympic GB team. I did that for six years. I competed all around the world. That photo you brought up was me competing in Kazakhstan at the world championships where I ranked 11th in the world. I just missed out on the Tokyo Paralympics by sort of two kilos just off the selection process. And then after six years I

decided to retire and it wasn't until an ex-military guy as well, a friend of mine from my unit, Carl, who got out the military, he opened up a CrossFit gym. Still at that time I didn't really, I knew the So by that time I was like much bigger no CV, you know What's CV what CV? cardiovascular So for me CV would be like anything more than ten reps I walked into I walked into this CrossFit box So he chucked me on a rower and the ski and I need died and he had a heart attack I was like, what the hell is this and then within

and the ski and I nearly died. I nearly had a heart attack. I was like, what the hell is this? And then within within two weeks CrossFit Games announced adaptive divisions and and Carl, the guy who owned the gym was like, you gotta go for it. What year was this? This was a this would have been in 2021. Wow. Hey, just a quick departure from this story real quick. When you dream, do you have all your limbs in your dream? Uh, no, but sometimes I do forget. So sometimes I, I forget that I have a leg missing. So like if I go to get out, jump out of bed quickly or, Oh, just like in real life, like you'd be like, you'd be on the couch and get a, wow, that's a couple of times when I've almost, I haven't had my leg on and I've popped around the house and I've gone to take a step with my left leg because my brain is telling me I still got a leg and I go to step and then I fall but manage to save myself because I

haven't got a leg. So sometimes I still forget. Wow. Okay. I just thought of that as like, God, I wonder if when he dreams if he has his leg. No, I mean, no, I don't. I don't know. I've been with it for so long now.

Okay. So a 21, you do the open and, um, and how did that go? Was that must've just been horrible. It's only a three weeks. Yeah. Absolutely horrible. Horrible. Cause I was, I was strong as, but had no gymnastics, no, my conditioning on any

of the, the row of bike ski, which is non-existent, had no gymnastics, no my conditioning on any of the the row of bike ski was just non-existent, had no gymnastics, I was strong so took them but I'd never done any cleans or snatchings so I had to learn you know a lot of the movements so the first year I think I finished just inside the top 100 in the world for my division and then I think one of the workouts had bar muscle-ups in it and I just inside the top 100 in the world for my division. And then I think one of the workouts had bar muscle ups in it and obviously that just ended that there and then. So I was like to Carl, I was like, right, I need to, before the open,

I've got a whole year now till next year is open, I need to learn all these movements. So then I just spent a year with Carl learning all the movements, So then I just spent a year with Carl learning, learning all the movements, dropping a bit of weight so I could get the gymnastics. Kind of, you're kind of like the perfect cross fitter in a way. Outside of getting blown up, as a young boy, you built your engine, which is huge, very difficult to build a massive engine. Then you built your, you spent, you know,

a handful of years building your strength. And then, and then now you're in the phase of your life of bringing the two together. Yeah, so this was right at the beginning. This was brought up here. So this was right, this was that year of just learning the movements and that. So I then went completely the other way.

I then stripped right down, lost a little bit of strength, but got really good at gymnastics. And now I'm trying to get my strength back. And then so how did you do in 2022? The 2022 I then I went, I believe I finished like 97th in the first year. I then finished 76 in 2022. So I improved. But then at that point I was like, right, there's something missing. If I'm going to do this properly full time and if I'm going to get to the games, I need to kind of make this my life. And obviously being a full-time professional athlete

on the GB squad, I had still had sponsors and that. So I spoke to a few of my sponsors and that, and I was like, look, I'm gonna do this full-time. Would you support me? And luckily some of them come across to CrossFit with me and support me now through CrossFit, which allows me to train full-time. But I was like, right, what do I need to do

to get to the games? And I needed to bring on a full-time coach. So then that's but I was like, right, what do I need to do to get to the games? And I needed to bring on a full time coach. So then that's when I looked around, I ended up then going onto the red pill training program, um, and then within, within a year that I've been on the program, I went from in 2022 being 76 to in 2023 finishing 16th in the world. Wow. And then obviously another year this year, then actually, you know, going from 16th to sixth

and now going to the games. And did you win WheelWOD? No, so I came third. I came third at WheelWOD. And you said you took six this year in the open and then did you guys did a quarterfinals or semi finals? No, I took I took 10th in the open and then I took sixth in the semi finals So we didn't have a quarterfinals. We just had good semis so I took took 10th in the in the open and then

Six in the semi finals and how many do they take They take top 10 to the games. Oh shit. Oh, so now it's showtime in San Antonio. Yeah, well, it's best I can. 12 weeks ago, I suffered a tear in my ductus longus in my groin. So for the last 10 weeks, I've been really working hard behind closed doors to get to a position where I can still go and compete. because I didn't know if I was going to need surgery, but luckily I didn't need surgery and recovery has gone really well. So podium is probably not on the cards this time around, but I'm going to give it my best and see what happens. But 100%, if I hadn't got injured, I truly believe that I was in contention to podium this year at the games, 100%.

I believe that. How'd you tear at squatting? No, I was doing a dumbbell box step up. And as I stepped up and went to push down through the box, I just felt this pop and I knew straight away. Which one is it, Caleb? Oh, the green one. Oh, the obductor's longest, yeah.

Oh, shit. Did that hurt? Yeah, it hurt a lot and then within I went and had a scan and then the next kind of two days all the swelling and bruising came up. Did it actually tear off the bone? It didn't tear it wasn't it was a partial tear it didn't go right it didn't go completely off the bone but it went right right through the muscles, so it made it a little bit more complicated. You think that's your fault over training or not eating right?

What do you think? No. I mean, Red Pill is always known for the volume of training. I mean, I do have a lot of training, but my body's used to that. I eat well. I've got a nutritional coach. I've got one of the coaches from CBG Nutrition. I do all my recovery. I've been in this sport for a long time. I've been a professional athlete for over 10 years now.

All my recovery and approach to training and diet is all done properly. So I just think it was a freak accident because I'd already done four sets and there was nothing, there was no little niggle or you know sometimes when you do a movement or a rep and you think oh that didn't feel right I better stop or better learn away, nothing. It literally just the next rep it just went so there was nothing to give me an indication that it was going to happen so I just believe it was a freak accident because coming off the semi-finals I felt I was probably the fittest and strongest I've ever felt. I felt I got two event wins worldwide. So I felt really good and hence why I truly believed I was in contention for a podium spot.

Two event wins worldwide in the semi-finals or the previous games? No, in the semi-finals, yeah. Oh, shit. Okay. So you were firing on all cylinders. I was going into the games like best shape ever. Wow. Hey, Ross, why not not compete and just heal for next year?

Like do you have any concerns that like, are you being stubborn or? I've spoken long and hard with my coach about it. Part of me doesn't want to, part of me wants to just like you say completely rest recover and that but part of me wants to go and experience it. You know, I worked so hard to earn that spot and it's not a given next year. I might not qualify. You know, it's getting harder and harder. And I guess the experience is huge too, right? The pressure of the crowd, the travel, just all the strategy. You know, it's not a given. They only take, obviously, because our numbers aren't as big as the elite, but they only take 10 in the world. So to get top 10 in the world is a hard thing anyway.

And so it's not a given. And obviously, our divisions grow each year. And it's not a given that it and obviously our divisions grow each year And it's not given that next year I might not qualify because the athlete every athletes getting better getting fit again strong, but there's more athletes coming from other getting older I'm getting hold on one of the I think I'm the second or the oldest in my division. So, you know, I'm giving Five six even ten years to some of these guys But you know, so there's no given that I'll qualify next year.

And I've said, you know, to myself, I've said, you know, I probably only got about five years left of competing before I probably want to go into coaching. So in that five years, I want to try and get to the games as many times and try and podium and eventually, if not try and, you know, win the games if I can. And yeah, so part of me wanted to stay and just, you know, see if I could recover for next season, but then part of me was like, I've worked so damn hard and I've sacrificed so much, you know, to earn that spot that if I'm

in a position where I can still go and compete, then I'm going to go and compete. I'm not going to be at my best, but I'm also not stupid. If I, at any point throughout the whole competition, feel that I need to withdraw myself, I will withdraw myself. I'm not going to risk anything for next season, but the way my recovery has gone and the way I'm trading at the minute, I feel that I can still be competitive on the floor. Do you know what the workouts are? and the way I'm training at the minute, I feel that I can still be competitive on the floor. Do you know what the workouts are? We've only had two released so far. We were told from Will Wadd that they were going to release all of them beforehand, but we've only had two released at the minute.

So I guess you and your coach are like, hey, there's going to be workouts that aren't going to necessarily be a heavy burden on your injury. And those are the ones where you're gonna have to bite down and make a statement. Because I mean, if you win, if you win an event there, or do well there on at least on the events that don't directly use whatever that abductor thing you said. I that's a good point, too, right? I mean, you can still go... Oh, these are the workouts so far. Roe, Roeski, one mile run and all. I don't have a one mile run. Instead of a one mile run, I've got a 75 cal eco bike. And how are the machines with that, Ter? The machines are alright. The machines aren't too bad. They're, yeah, I can.

You can obviously the ski you can get away with. If I don't want to hinge too much at that point, I don't have to. And it all becomes arms, which, you know, I'm quite capable of. It then just becomes about lung capacity and endurance, which I'm slowly getting back. And it's also something like that. That's just how much do you want to hurt. And I feel one of my stronger points is that I've got over a lot of the other guys in my division is I'm probably only apart from two of us, Derek, us military guys, I feel like mentally I'm a little bit sure I can go into that hurt

locker if I want to be and stay there longer The more you know the mental side of things. I feel like I have a bit more of an advantage because of my military background Hey, what about could benchpress show up there? Benchpress could we've had we've had benchpress in a in a Qualifier once for one of the real world games, So it could be there. And that would be cool. That would be that. That would be nice. That would be good to see. I haven't seen it since because Kev,

Kev's got a benching background as well. Yeah, come on, Kevin, little home cooking. Little home cooking. It was funny because at Wheelward last year, they had benching, they had bench for some of the other divisions. Yeah. And we had deadlifts instead.

And I said to Kev, I said, come on, man. I was like, why did you give us deadlift instead of bench? And he said, I did think about it. I was thinking of it. I was like, come on. Okay. So you guys got a cross carry. I'm guessing that's like the star carry.

You carry a heavy bag. Yeah. Eight shuttle runs. Is that while you're carrying the cross? No, not without. For me, I haven't got shuttle runs for me. me I've got we've got calorie ski instead. Okay hey um there isn't something they could do that lets you um hey do you have one of those things that I see instead of crutches it's a thing like you put one leg on on

like something that has two wheels it's like a little skinny scooter. Oh I've seen those yeah I don't I don't no. Oh, cause you have the leg. So I've got, yeah, so I have my- Why don't they make you guys run? Like, fuck that. Just do it. Yeah, I'm assuming it will come up in some of it. We have, most of us in our division have got blades.

You know, we just put our running blade on. Oh, oh wow. You have blades? You know how to do those too? Yeah, yeah, I've got a blade, yeah. Wow, that must be crazy with just one blade That must be weird You get used to after a while, but it takes a lot more energy

It's quite tiring because of the amount of energy required to use the blade It sounds it also seems like it's like kind of like juggling or like throwing with your left hand like there's a huge Steep learning curve to get the most out of that blade. Yeah, there is and depending on your technique because you can if you have a knee joint some blades you can have a knee joint in which means then you bring the blade underneath you like a more natural running stance or some of us just have the fixed pole so I've used both but at the minute I've got a fixed pole where you just swing it out to the side So then when it comes a lot of hip sort of core movement If I'm Kevin I'm gonna send Kevin an email if I'm Kevin

I give you guys like an obstacle course like make the one-legged guys run through cones and shit Like a lot of sharp turns and see if you can tip them over they can throw whatever they want Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah, that'd be awesome. Okay, when do you go to San Antonio? So I'm looking to go out on the 15th. So normally I would normally do two weeks. I'd go out two and a half weeks before I get settled, go through my normal comp routine. But obviously, going there, not 100%. I know pretty much this year is just for fun for me and just to experience it. So I'm not doing all that normal routine. So I'm going out a few days before the

briefs, and then go and do all the briefs and then compete and then obviously have a couple of days the other side and then coming back. Are your parents still living there? No, so my parents now back in the UK now. So they're back now, but they've got a lot of friends still out in LA. They lived out in LA for over 10 years. Wow. And OK, are they going out to watch you, you said? They were. They're not this year now.

They're going to save it. Hopefully, if I qualify. They're like, fuck you, you're injured. Yeah, exactly. My dad is like, why do I want to come and watch you come last? And I was Yeah, exactly. Why do I want to come and watch you come last? I was like, cheers. I watch it, I'm telling you to come last and I just watch it next year. Man your parents must be so happy. What a scary thing. Do you ever think about that yourself? Like you said you have a son? Yeah. Do you ever think about that? Like, oh man,

I got like, I hope my, I, I hope my son, the world can be a dark, scary place either on the outside or in between your own ears. And I need to make sure I raise them to be equipped to deal with that. Yeah, it's, it's, I mean, in today's age, it's, you know, it's, there's all sorts out there, but yeah, I try and raise him best I can and that, you know, try and be prepared for, for all sorts and support him in whatever he wants to do. And as I say, he supports me and my parents have been amazing through through all of this as well. Um, so I'm lucky.

Dude, your parents must be so happy. You didn't fucking succeed. Oh my God. They must be so happy. No, I'm lucky. I'm happy that I didn't succeed. I mean, I don't know. I'll be just sure.

It's like I said, I've done many interviews and podcasts, but I just, you know, it just shows how bad and how dark those places you can get, you know, for it to be that bad to actually try and take because I, you know, I've sat there before I'm gone, you know, what point is it that bad that you think and I've been there now myself twice. So, you know, I do a lot of mental health talks and I do talks in schools and companies and whatnot, and I tell my story and, you know, and I go into detail, I'm not ashamed to, to admit, you know, all my mental health problems I had, but I think part of it now has helped me be the person I am

now. You know, I'm able to, I was lucky, I was one of the fortunate ones to come out the other side. Don't make it. Hey, do you think that outside of crazy shit happening in your life, but at the place you're at now, could that ever creep back in? No, 100% not. No. No. And um, what's interesting too is is you think of all the people and I don't mean to like Harp on these organizations that are trying to do good But think of all the people that have been in that place that haven't reached out for help

You know like I was in that place not where you were but I was done too. And I didn't reach out for help. Yeah. You know what I mean? Just the fact that you think that someone actually reached out for help and they didn't get it. That's that's kind of, we got to fix it. But that has to be fixed. There has to be like, because so few people probably reach out.

No, I know. Nobody. I mean, this is what I was saying earlier on to you. And I said, like, I did reach out and I got told I was going to be put on a weight in this crazy. I saw it. How's that going down? We'll on to you. And I said, like, I did reach out and I got told I was gonna be put on a waiting list. And I was like- That's crazy. I was like, how's that?

I'm just gonna go down, we'll get to you in a month. Yeah, we'll get you. Yeah, try and stay alive. We'll speak to you in two months' time. I was like, I mean, so it's, you know, the government, especially in the UK, needs to do more. And I think it's the same in every country. I think just mental health is such a taboo subject, isn't it?

Yeah and also kind of like, I don't know, I'm allergic to the word government so I'm sorry, but we need to do more as humans. There should have been someone or like we need to be alert as humans and be like hey if you see someone exhibiting this behaviors, talk to them. Yeah exactly. I mean I still, so I've got ex-military friends that are still going through mental health, but I speak to them once a week. I just touch base with him. We chew the fat on the phone for half an hour.

Yeah. Chat, shit, or whatever you wanna chat about. He can, or sometimes I don't just chat, I just listen to him. Like he just chew my ear off for 30 minutes, but it helps him. Right, right. And we just check in, I just listen to him. Like he just chewed my ear off for 30 minutes, but it helps him. Right, right. And we just check in, you know, check in.

Because like when I do, so I do some talks sometimes to like the construction industry, which is obviously male dominant and they're all the same, you know. They all take this out each other when they're at work and no one see it and they all put a fake smile on. But when they go home at night behind closed doors, then all the shit hits the fan

and the mental health kicks in. Like no one's checking on it because you don't see it. go home at night behind closed doors, then all the, all the, the shit hits the fan and the mental health kicks in. Like no one's checking on it because you don't see it. And this is what, you know, as, as men, we just need to be more aware and it's all right to talk about your feelings or talk about your mental health. And it's, it's nothing to be ashamed about. We're only human. We're all wired the same, you know? Right. We need more women in construction yeah hundred percent I want to I want to see I want to see women walking around with four by eight pieces of plywood hey did you ever do construction no I never

never no not in city sure I don't see a of construction within the engineers and the military and that. You made a lot of doors quickly. You remodeled a lot of places. I built a lot of bridges engineering. We build a lot of bridges. So I built bridges in my day. Did you build more bridges or blow up more bridges? Probably about 50-50.

You give it then you take it. Yeah exactly. I Was wondering when I was asking if you're in construction? I was wondering I wonder if in the UK the like our sheets of wood here if you go to like our hardwoods or Our hardware stores the sheets of wood are four by eight, right? It's just standard four by eight pieces I wonder if it's the same there. We drive on different sides of the road. We do all sorts of different. I wonder if you guys have it

like you guys are three by sixes or something. I mean, it's- It really surprised me. Yeah. Hey dude, I really appreciate you coming on. I'm excited for the San Antonio, September 19th to the 22nd. I'm really excited to watch the whole thing and I'll be cheering you on. I really

appreciate you coming out. Yeah, appreciate you having me on the show, mate. Yeah, you demand. Thank you so much. And Kregger is a bag company? Yes, yes, they're a bag company, a Danish bag company. So they're one of my sponsors and that. So they support me with, they support a couple of athletes. So Harry Lightfootfoot obviously James won the games. Dude you're in good company those are two cool ass dudes. They support a couple of other British athletes as well so Lucy Campbell who was at the games in 2002 so yeah they support some good athletes and they're great great um family-run business um yeah been been a great support. Awesome all right dude have a great day I'll be watching you on the YouTube uh look forward and What a cool dude. Yeah, that's awesome. It's a cool guy. Yeah

Okay, fuck What's going on over here? Dude, it's crazy You know like Brent said if you want to talk about it like we can learn something and maybe provide something of value But until that point we're not really trying to stick our heads into those areas that much so the areas where? We okay have intimate knowledge and information. Yeah, I mean, I need to I'm going to watch this. Yeah, me too. All right. I'm gonna start at the beginning. Yep. All right. Does anyone want to give me some options? What did I miss? Oh, it's not very engaging this PFA talk. Oh. If any, I'm not sure if anybody really thought it would be.

A guy did the Grand Canyon rim to rim on a blade about 50 miles. Whoa. God, I think rim to rim is further than 50 miles. You mean? Grand Canyon? I think it's like 189 miles to go from, because I think that one of the rims of the Grand Canyon you can it's just one way I think it's like 60 miles in and 60 miles out or some shit, you know I'm in Grand Canyon rim to rim hike is between 21 and 24 miles long Oh, so he probably lapped it and did 50 miles Wow. Okay that okay. I was talking about by car. All right shit crazy

That's cool. No, I can't listen to those guys. Why not? Let's watch it live together. I don't want it. The reason why I started early today, an hour early, is so that I wouldn't have to compete because I knew that was gonna be a big show. Huge dude. Yeah. I don't want... Oh yeah. 629 people listening over there. I'm going to give it a thumbs up. I really just want to read the comments. Yeah, they're going to be good. Galsky needs to do something with his hair. Oh, Velner's hair looks great.

It looks the same. It looks like he got a haircut. He's a little less disheveled. Pat has the same hair as Brent, just shorter. Pat should have worn glasses to match brands. Oh, just like blue blockers or some bullshit. Hey dude, this mayor, uh, uh, two hours from me, just fucking quit his job and left. And this mayor did. Yeah. Mayor. Uh, cause he's, cause he's not doing, uh, he doesn't want, he's not, he doesn't want to be in California.

He doesn't want to be in a state where he just said, fuck it, I'm out. Where your kids can begin transition surgeries without telling the parents once they're 12 years old. I don't know what this other chick I just saw this other chick too. I just saw in Texas, a Democrat just flipped to Republican. How? Imagine like your party just siding with a party that thinks it's okay to transition kids. It's so weird to Republican. How? Imagine like your party just siding with a party that thinks it's okay to transition kids. It's so weird to me. How do you justify that? I hate Trump. Okay. He's a fascist.

Okay. What about the part where your party wants to chop penises off of little boys? Like where? Like where do you? Where? Where do you? I don't know, man. Where do you where where do you I don't know man? uh Just where is the fucking lot? Where do you where is it that you just hear something? Did you see nancy pelosi on bill maher? No, is it bad? He's like he's like hey In california, they're giving 150 000 to people to buy home.'s like, yeah, it's American Dream and he's like they're illegal aliens She's like I know that that's the great yeah, I'm just like what

No, it's actually not $15,000. Yeah How crazy would be if I just came in to $150,000 the the the the the the the the

the the the the the the commit felonies and they'll just give you a transition and then they'll put you in a female prison and then you can make as many babies as you want. I just think just like freedom of speech and then and then the whole attacking our children that should be enough for you. Yeah. I just saw Mary. Like, okay, what? Yeah, I just saw Mary like okay what I Just saw Mary monster pop up in the chat that when she chats and stuff

I just not in our chat but in the coffee pods and wads, uh-huh, and when she chats something, you know, she's pissed. Oh I Feel like she's pissed She's coming she's going to bat for uh, oh someone put seven did the vomit and did the vomit sign Look at that Amazing dude, uh Ganon well, I want to tell you something uh, hannah uh

Hannah Hannah Hannah gag on Yeah, hannah gag on the dong. For whatever reasons you don't like me. I want you to know that I am a huge proponent of freedom of speech. I make eye contact and and to all homeless people and drug addicts when I walk down the street and like I'm very personable and I treat all human beings equally not with equity but with equality

except some some hot chicks I probably hold the door open for a little longer kids or old people I probably give a little something extra too and I'm yeah but I understand if you saw me that you probably saw a picture of me naked My god Oh, yeah, Mary's fired up. I love when Mary gets fired up. Oh, maybe we should just not listen and just what read the comments. OK, I got to I got to watch this. I've met somebody whose girlfriend works in the. the the So it's in the in the coming weeks. I'll try to Kind of pick apart what they're what what she says about it See, but see what they have to say let her know be like hey one of my friends was homeless for five years And he said that they're all drug 99% of them are drug addicts and criminals

That's right that their j-day job is stealing. Yeah, and he was he was said he was homeless for five years See what she says. I'm curious. Yeah, he's a real piece of shit though Yeah, he's actually still homeless and he just uses drugs all the time eric wise 40 people watching feels like the old days Are you in a new rv? No, this is my this is the oh, original adam must not recognize. Um This is my rv I said I was gonna buy a bigger one if I got 150 000 for being homeless Oh, yeah, that'd be cool. Oh, yeah Do you know how many people are gonna get that money? Oh my god, can you imagine the corruption? If you just start giving people just the fake people that are gonna get that money oh my god can you imagine the corruption if you just

start giving people just the fake people that are gonna get that money we're all fucked that's our seven that would be insane I wonder if I could denounce my citizenship and get the money and then enter the country illegally there you go. Have you ever seen, have you ever seen where the illegals are like coming across the border illegally, but then the reporters are there and, and Homeland security in a border patrol is telling them to leave and they're like, but we're citizens and they're not.

Why, why do we have to go? Have you ever seen those discussions? No, really? Fucking crazy, dude. Oh my God. Uh, dude. Oh my God. Oh, oh, Hannah, God, this is great. This is, this show has, I love comment. Let me see.

He, it's a personal choice. I just find him abrasive, not putting forward any interesting dialogue about the sport. That's not true. Wow. It feels pretty heavy. You must be so boring. Like listening to high school locker room talk. Okay, I

I'd like some examples just so you know, you sound like someone who can't give examples Which I'm very used to when people attack me but but but but I think that that's a good first step It is definitely There's definitely a lot of high school talk. I agree. No interesting dialogue But I yeah And my and I am a break I could be abrasive But but you went from personal choice I make you vomit You make me oh man Mary's going to war.

Right? Yeah. I love when she goes to war. Yeah this is, I'm with Ryan. Ryan says, Sevan's abrasive absolutely not putting forward interesting dialogue for the sport. Strongly disagree. Yeah, that's, I think that's fair a

Little bias opinion, but I think it's reasonable Yeah, oh Look at Sevon show got me to do the open and join an affiliate again. Oh no shit Hey Hey, um, can they honestly say that things are not better than they were 10 years ago? Oh god, I need to be watching this. Alright, we're fuckin' fucked. Uh. No, he said he improperly uses handicapped spots. Oh, shit.

It's true. It's true. Jedediah, you don't know how happy I am when I park in those spots and my mom's in the car, my dad, like someone who's just old as dirt. You know what I mean? I'm just like, well, no one's gonna give me a dirty look now. Listen, listen. It's like putting my cart away.

You know what I mean? If I can, I can. If I can't, I can't. Like if they're... if it's... like I only take the handicapped spots on busy days at the beach. You know what I mean? If it's not busy, I leave it open. Equality for all. So funny. So funny Yeah Right, dude

This guy Ryan Aldrich is going to bat for me what he did with quarterfinals was amazing for the sport kill Taylor can be Amazing for the sport his passion for affiliates can only help the sport. Listen fuck tards. Listen Sucks that I have to blow myself publicly so much Actually, I don't mind listen Let's be real This show has content every single day whether you like me or not There's interviews that are fucking amazing like just the one we did with Ross Austin There was nothing fucking gross or crass or abrasive in it. It was amazing. We got to know someone

I'm the only place fucking making a fucking affiliate videos I'm fucking have a sport that fucking plays every single fucking week We have a business show on Tuesdays fucking Chris Cooper Dave Castro Katie Henniger the whole gang of fucking people roll through here. There's certain shows You're not gonna like what we're just fucking going nuts and ass-pounding Kamala Harris. I get it. Thank you gurgle gurgle gurgle but and Camilla Harris. I get it. Thank you. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. But there's no place like this. To talk shit about it and think that I'm not putting my best foot forward or that it's not the best fucking hub in the fucking entire CrossFit space, you're out of your

fucking mind. I give everyone fucking credit where credit is due. I fucking lift everyone up around me, whether it's with my dick, my ass, my hands, my love, my tongue, but I lift everyone up. So you don't like me balancing someone on the tip of my dick, I get it. But I'm still lifting people up more than anyone fucking else. And the entire fucking community,

and the fucking affiliates, and the athletes, and the sponsors, and fucking everyone. That's what I do here, I fucking lift people up. Yes, sometimes people get fucking ass pounded, but you're out of your fucking mind if you think that there's, like this is basically, this is fucking HQ. You fucking understand that?

You fucking num nut, gadong, badong, gadong, gadong, Hannah gadong, gadong. Don't but don't get on the don't Hannah. Good on good on The picture looks like Danny Spiegel So there Barry McCaulker says who does seven alienate should I put in pedophiles should I type in the chat pedophiles I Don't I don't have any tolerance for him. It's fucked. It's fucked. I get it. Zero tolerance. Yeah. Zero tolerance. But I guarantee you I have more tolerance than Gadong Badong. Hannah.

She put I can disagree. Yeah, you can. You can disagree. I don't think my mom watches the show anymore. I haven't seen her in the chat in a while. No, I think I, I think I scared her away. All right. Love you guys. Maybe I'll do a show later today. I got some friends coming over today who have kids.

One of my best friends from seventh eighth grade. He comes over every three or four months with his kids down from Berkeley. You know, it's crazy. Hmm. They don't have complete fucking libtard, right? Like I was, complete libtard and I've been warning him for the last five years and now it's like on like Donkey Kong like Rainbow flags at all the schools all the crazy shit. You've seen the Berkeley school system Do you want to hear that? I swear to God they don't have back-to-school night anymore. It's called black to school night

What a great play on words. It's called black to school night. Do they think black people like that? Do you think anybody likes that? Yeah, but especially if you're black, like why would you want that? That would make me feel so uncomfortable. I don't want Armenian to school night and the whole fucking school has to come there. It's pretty dumb.

Fucking nuts. Living in the Bay Area is crazy. Did you see that? Did you see? Did you see to work on Camilla's campaign? Did you have to like choose your pronouns and you have to be caught up with all your boosters? No, but that makes sense. You got gotta be safe for all your remote work. Black to school night, white on brother. Damn.

How about fucking Tyler in front of a fucking giant white W? Oh my god. Was that for Watkins? I don't know dude. But he's all balling and shit. I'm like oh there goes the white supremacy show. Oh god. Couldn't have picked a better spot.

Like pointing out blacks don't really attend school. Yeah I guess. I don't know what the fuck they're doing. I don't fucking understand any of this. Look at this shit. I've shown this before, but this never gets old. This is so crazy, this video. You just have to show this and then I'll go watch Pedro. Sorry. I know.

Thank you, Caleb, for entertaining me. Watch this shit. This shit is crazy. White liberal asked if black Americans can get an ID to vote. This is like Watch this shit. This shit is crazy. White liberal asked if black Americans can get an ID to vote. These are, this is like Berkeley and shit. This is where I grew up. This is what Democrats think of black people.

Democrats think black people are so fucking stupid. It's, and they don't know any either, by the way. They don't know any, right? I have a black friend. Yeah, it's not, it's not, it's crazy. This shit is crazy when I'm about to show you. Here we go. Yeah, they're usually pretty racist

and they're bad. I think voter ID laws are a way to perpetuate racism. Would you say they're, would you go as far as to say those laws are racist? For sure. Do you think it suppresses the African American vote? Definitely. Because they're less likely to have state IDs.

Minority voters are less likely to have the kinds of IDs that have been described or required. When I was, I gotta tell you my street cred, when I was 16 years old, I moved into an apartment building that my dad owned, that he got from a repossession at a bank. And I moved into this neighborhood and it was on the Oakland Berkeley, Emeryville border. And I was the only white person in my neighborhood for two years, three years, from when I was 16 to when I was 19. There were a couple Asian dudes in there who like slang heroin, like Asian heroin dealers, but everyone else was black. I was the only

one. So that's, yeah, you have to understand, and that's all I did when I was 16 years old. All I did was, I hung out with, all I did was hang out with black dudes, a couple black women. But all the dudes were old. I didn't hang out with any young black people. I was 16 and they were all 40. Years and years of this I did. Every night I'd get home from high school and then go hang out with these guys like all night, especially on the weekends. Just hang out with them. And a lot of the black guys thought that I was like, they had a word for me that they

thought I was just like blowing a couple of the guys there or getting fucked by a couple of the guys. They thought I was like their boy toy or something. I forget what the word was. Spinner. I don't know if spinner was the right word. And the cops thought that I was just always whenever I get stopped by the cops there was always because they thought I was buying drugs right. And that's it. Were they grooming you? No. I was just so fucking curious and I was so excited that I was accepted somewhere. And it

was 30 miles from my high school, this apartment. So I never hung out with my friends, right? I would leave school and just go home and that would be it. You were the token Middle Eastern guy. Yeah. I bought them a lot of 40s. We drank a lot of 40s together. Okay. How do people don't live in areas with easy access to DMVs or other places where they can get identification. You can always get IDs if you go over the internet. Does that also make it difficult for black people in particular?

Yeah, you have to have access to the internet. You have to be able to pay an internet service provider for certain fees. Do you think that's harder for black people to go online? Well, I feel like they don't have the knowledge of how it works. Now I'm here in East Harlem to ask black people their thoughts on what you just heard do you have ID normally carry idea yes that's good ID do you carry ID yes I do do you know anybody who's any black person doesn't carry ID no everyone that I know has ID why would they think we don't have ID because they think you're stupid because you're black because they think you're

fucking stupid because you're black dude everyone fucking knows where the fucking DMV is like everybody yeah and everybody hates the DMV they know yeah everyone knows that line to fucking get their IDs yeah it's fucking crazy oh this is a black guy that posted this Yeah, it's crazy this shit is crazy My idea my friends have their we know what we need to carry around everybody that I know have ID like That's one of the things you need to walk around with New York with You know, I'm gonna black. I'll look like it look at him like he's a fucking idiot You know what I mean? They're all like, right like how stupid yeah, like are you fucking retarded? Yeah, they are retarded.

Adult who does not have ID? No, I don't. Is it a weird thing to even say that? Yes, it is. What is this? Some type of trip candy cameras? I don't, right? That's the only thing I brought with me. Those are legit IDs. I heard a lot also that black people can't figure out how to get to the DMV.

Me? What's that saying to you? I know what that is but I'm 25th Street. Do you know where the ID, the DMV is right here? It's on 125th Street and 3rd Avenue I believe. You know how to get there? Yeah. Do you have a problem getting there if you have to get there?

No. I know you sound like a silly question. You know how to get to the EV? Of course. You know where it is? Yes. You can get there? Uh huh.

No problem. No problem. Just checking. Okay. And I also heard a lot that black people, especially poor black people, have no access to the internet. Can't figure out how to use the internet. That's just stupid honesty. Have you seen the video of the little black kid on Omegle?

Omegle? Omegle and he's like fucking like 9 years old and uh Mia Khalif pops up on the other screen, the porn star. And he knows right away who it is. He goes, oh it's Mia Khalif! Have you seen that video? No. It's fucking horrible but fucking amazing. Even a little kid could figure out how to work the internet.

Even a little kid could figure out how to use the internet but not you. Can you? Okay, what is this? That's what I mean. How are you voting? They think black people are stupid, they support pedophilia, and they're against freedom of speech. Like, just vote for the orange-haired guy, for fuck's sake. Can you do an ad read before you get off the air? Yeah, what do I have to do?

For one skin? Is it for one skin? No, but I'd like to see that. Did you see the rapper who dropped dead mid-concert last night in Connecticut? What do I have to do, Sousa? Tell me. Dude, I fucking love one skin.

I can't believe it. I got it and it's the only skin product I use. That's why it looks so good. You think it's a filter from this podcast? It is not a filter from this podcast. It's not Facebook filter, Instagram filter. It's just one skin. I apply it to my face.

I apply it to my arms, I love it. I go like this, it smooths my calluses, but not too much so they tear. Because as a CrossFitter and as a very fit man, you can't let that shit tear. Pretty impressive, right? One skin. I have not used it for masturbating. I've never needed to use lotion for masturbating because I have a foreskin. So I can't tell you about its uses there, needed to use lotion for masturbating because I have a foreskin. So I can't tell you about its uses there, but I can tell you everywhere else, my hands, my arm, my face, and as I get older, I'm 52, I'm starting to get some weird extra, what do they call it? Rooster chin, rooster neck on my neck. And I love to apply the lotion there because I think it's like pushing that rooster neck away. One Skin, all natural materials. People who don't have foreskin. Say that again, what about foreskin?

So I'll let you guys know how it works on people who don't have foreskin. Oh yeah, and so we will also be letting you know soon how it works on men without foreskin who do use lotion. Caleb will be testing that out soon. Anyway, One Skin, thank you for your support for the podcast. Thank you for the support for my skin and my health care. Love you guys. Thank you. That was good. Nailed it. Thank you. Oh, shit.

Wow. One take. All you need. And it actually is. It actually is sitting on my counter and I have been putting it on my arms and my neck. So that part's true. And the fourth, actually the whole thing was true. So there. Great, honest and sincere, thank you. All right, speaking of honest and sincere,

let's head over to Coffee, Pods and Wads. Love you guys, talk to you soon, bye bye.