Quite Franklin

The "fight or flight" response to stress is a necessity for survival. When that response is stuck in the on position, it is classified as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We often limit PTSD to military returning from war, or the result of a traumatic experience such as rape. However, neglect, abandonment or living out of scarcity can create a perpetual fight or flight response. Dr. Eugene Lipov has created a technique that allows the brain to reset its hormone levels to the pre-trauma state, alleviating symptoms of PTSD.

In this session, we discuss why I choose not to drink. Some of this is related to family history and perhaps faith plays a bit of a role, but ultimately this decision comes down to performance and attaining my goals.

We talk about the difference between mobility and flexibility, how each play in training, and when to train both.

I give some insight on how I travel concerning my nutrition. When meal prepping is not an option, we discuss the cheapest methods to obtain "healthy" meals on the road.

How we view ourselves is shaped by our environment and cultural factors. Growing up in an era of skinny magazine cover models and muscular actions heros has created impossible goals for most people. The pendulum of perception with body image and health has seemed to swing the other direction.

Whether you need to personally set goals or have an attitude of insatiability, we discuss what motivates someone to pursue the grind of life. Comparing yourself to other's accomplishments or goals can be counterproductive.

The search for "routines of successful people" ranks in the top 10 on internet search engines. While most people try to "copy and paste" these routines or habits to their lives, we discuss why this will ultimately lead to failure.

Lifestyle adjustments to things like nutrition and training had to be made in my 40's after retirement to maintain peak conditioning, appearance and output to optimize performance. We discuss a practical approach to making adjustments to a training regiment as you age.

Losing weight is one of the top New Year's resolutions, but we often find ourselves struggling to stay motivated as quickly as a week into the year. Here are some tips to keep you pursuing that goal for 2023!

Stand-up comedian, actor and dare I say philosopher, Duncan Trussell was handing out wisdom like candy on Halloween night as we discussed topics like Buddhism, the CIA, relationship advice, and self-realization.

Tom never cared as much about competition as he did for training. It was his career in MMA and stint in the UFC and TUF that opened the doors of connection for him with students. Tom runs Sweethearts & Heroes, which aims to educate society on the impact of bullying and promote empowerment through leadership roles in schools. We discuss the social culture our children face today and the differences and similarities for the Gen X pre-internet era teens. This is great infomation for parents, anyone working with children, or just those who want to understand the impact we have on the people around us...digitally or physically.

With a near 14 year career in the UFC, at the age of 41, long time friend and training partner Matt Brown is not even close to slowing down. While having a candid discussion about his career, he admittedly says his biggest deterrants to training are fatherhood and entrepreneurship, not his body. One of the most polarizing people in the industry, Matt has an obsessive personality. Though that obsession now is refining himself as an athlete and martial artist, it was at one time an obsession for partying. That obsession landed him in prison, which ended up serving as a detox from a drug addiction, changing the course of his life.

The Badwater Ultramarathon is a 135 mile race from the lowest elevation to the highest elevation in the lower 48 of the US, exceeding temperatures of 130 degrees Farenheit. Harvey Lewis, a full time teacher, won the Badwater in 2014 and again in 2021 at the age of 45. With no intentions of slowing down, Harvey continues to improve his time as he ages. We discuss the mindset, training methods, nutrition and lifestyle practiced to maintain that edge beyond what most would consider their prime as he trains for the Bigs Backyard Ultra World Championship on October 15th.

While missing a year and a half of competition to have a baby, Angela Lee watched the top 8 competitors vying for the shot at her Atom Weight belt. You will walk away from this conversation with a new found respect for mothers in general, but particularly those who train for a championship fight postpartum. After defending her belt successfully in front of her baby daughter, Angela has once again decided to move up to Straw Weight to challenge for the belt. Can she become the first female 2-division belt holder in ONE Championship?

On 9-11, Port Authority officer Will Jimeno and a small team of officers entered the concourse level of The World Trade Center as first responders to the impending collapse of the towers. Moments later, Will found himself burried in the debris of the 220 story skyscraper, unable to move for 13 hours before teams were able to dig him and the other survivors of the team out. Though he spent months in the hospital physically healing, it has been a lifetime healing emotionally. Will today speaks with a message of faith, hope and love to help people dealing with trauma.

A man who was at one time the most sought after bachelor in America, Ben Higgins, discusses his journey through the valleys of substance abuse and the peaks of "fame" associated with season 20 of The Bachelor. Growing up in a small town, life seemingly changed overnight. Though Ben did not find lasting love on The Bachelor, you might find it surprising how he did eventually meet his wife. Finding purpose through his faith while helping others, he runs a business that donates 100% of its profits to non-profit organizations.

Currently holding the Middleweight and Light Heavweight World Title for ONE Championship and coming off a successful title defense against Vitaly Bigdash, Reinier de Ridder has been pleading his case for a shot at the Heavyweight Crown. Undefeated and full of confidence, we discuss his GOAT status, training methodology and a possible crossover into other sports like Muay Thai. As a trained physiotherapist, he give us some insight on what he does for recovery.

Currently playing guitar touring with Garth Brooks, Gordon Kennedy said it was his song writing that opened the doors of opportunity in Nashville. Having written 15 songs for Garth, and many others for several popular singers, it was when Gordon co-wrote and won a Grammy for "Change The World" performed by Eric Clapton that his career began to take off. The song was shelved for several years...Gordon initially questioned his talent and why he believed he had written a hit song when the industry told him it was not.

If your doctor gave you 4 months to live, how would that change the way you lived the remainder of your life? When a friend passed away, Sebastian Terry created a list of 100 goals he wanted to accomplish in his life. It wasn't until he began ticking off goals one at a time that he realized how impactful the process was to the people it touched.

It took 148 days for Darcy Gaechter to kayak the Amazon River source to sea. She began in the Andes mountains of Peru, and we typically don't think of the Amazon as having waters with near freezing temperatures. Not only did she have to succumb to the near sub zero waters and the month long class 5 rapids, but she also paddled 4 arduous months of flat water with river pirates, narco drug traffickers, local tribal villages along the banks, and remnants of militant groups who were an even more dangerous threat.

A fractured rib crushed any hope Alex Gregory had for earning gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Several World Championships later, he would have his moment, in his home country at 2012 in London where he brought home gold...then another gold in 2016 at Rio. We debate whether people are born with grind or mental toughness, or whether it is an attribute that can be trained. Alex also gives me a few Olympic level training tips for the rowing machine in the gym, where it is highly probable I will not succeed.

Paul de Gelder was an Australian Royal Navy Clearance Diver participating in a counter terrorism exercise in Sydney Harbor when he was attacked by a 12 foot Bull Shark. The attack ultimately took Paul's right hand and right leg... and some time figuring out life. He did not want fear from that experience to determine his path, so he immediately put himself back in the ocean. Today Paul works as a co-host on Discovery Channel's Shark Week, frequently swimming with sharks if not feeding them by hand.

Just finishing his junior year of high school, Bradley Betts looked to have a promising future playing baseball. While at a cookout with friends, a storm uprooted a tree that struck him in the back severing his spinal cord and leaving him paralyzed. Spening several years healing physically, mentally and emotionally, he eventually found the sport of bodybuilding. Now an IFBB Professional Bodybuilder, he once again looks to have a promising career as an athlete. Today, Brad shares his struggles and triumphs and how we are all left with no excuses.

MMA legend, actor, entrepreneur and dare I say dancer after his appearance on Dancing With The Stars, Randy Couture seems to have lived 9 lives like a cat. Always entertaining with his stories, Randy shares the wisdom learned from those lives. After suffering a heart attack in 2019 during training, tune in to hear how he walked himself to the hospital ER.

Fox News Analyst and Seal Team 6 member, Rob O'Neill has led or taken part in over 400 combat missions. Amongst those missions were the rescue of Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, saving Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates, and has been famously labeled as the man who shot and killed Osama Bin Laden during Operation Neptune's Spear.

After an attempted late term saline abortion failed, Gianna Jessen was born alive two and a half months early. Weighing just over 2 pounds, the attending nurse had her transported to the hospital and placed in an incubator. Due to Cerebral Palsy she developed, doctors thought she would never be able to even lift her head, let alone walk. Gianna defied odds, not only learning to walk on several occasions as a result of several complicated back surgeries, but completed 2 full marathons and maintains a rigorous training schedule.

Our food choices should come from the four food groups, no wait, the food guide pyramid, or is it the plate now? Dr. Shawn Baker, author of The Carnivore Diet eliminated all the confusion for himself and his clients, and feeds from an almost all meat-based diet. Contrary to every nutritional principle I learned growing up and practiced my entire life, The Carnivore Diet left me to wonder about fiber, vitamins and minerals, fuel for athletic performance, health and longevity. Dr. Baker explains how meat provides everything the human body needs to thrive.

Most of us have to hit rock bottom before we look to make major change in our life. International speaker, Matt Maddix, was at the height of his success when he realized he needed to reprioritize. Losing his home and the repossession of the car in which he was living was part of the process Matt discusses. He talks about the decisions he made and habits he created to redefine success that led him to running a successful publishing company with his son Caleb, as well as The Jesus Mission...a mission on the street weekly dedicated to feeding and clothing the homeless.

Midway through Texas, Cody O'Connor continues his walk from NY to LA raising money to help families affected by cancer. In episode 16, Cody told his story of battling Ewing's sarcoma cancer, losing his right fibula and how he was told he would never walk normally again. Cancer not only took his fibula, but bankrupted his family and contributed to the divorce of his parents. Driven by the passion to help families grappling this disease, Cody talks about life on the road: sleeping in the car at times, breakfast at the gas station or his trunk kitchen, all while juggling media, socials and hospital visits to children just beginning their battle.

Growing up in a disfunctional home led Mike Pisciotta to a life of drinking, drugs and gang violence with no future in sight...until he woke up in prison serving a 10 year sentence for crimes he couldn't remember committing. Determined to about-face while serving his sentence, Mike ensured every moment in prison was not wasted. Learning four languages and engrossing himself in business courses, he was not about to allow biography to predict destiny. Mike explains how he finally took ownership for his choices leading him on his path of prosperity.

With a background in mathematics, analyzing the data of my training was key to my athletic performance. When I began training in Seattle, Joel Jamieson introduced heart rate variability into my strength and conditioning. At the time HRV was rarely known and barely used. Today however, nearly every smart phone is equipped with HRV apps connected to devices like Apple watches or Fitbits. Joel and I talk about recovery from training and how technology can improve your recovery, which is the management of stress on the body. We also dive deeper into HRV's benefits to improve stress management of life impacting health and longevity.

When a previous guest made the connection between the health of the gut-brain and mental health, it motivated me to do more research into the topic. After picking up "The Better Brain," I reached out to the author, clinical psychologist Dr. Julia Rucklidge. She is the Director of the Mental Health and Nutrition Research Group at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She shares the benefits nutrition has on mental conditions such as depression and anxiety. We also take a step further and discuss how it applies to athletic performance and aging with issues such as cognitive function or dementia.

Dr. Michael Wood is a retired USMC vet who advocated for change in police policy after he left his department in Baltimore. Some of the public has been pushing for defunding police efforts, however Wood offered alternative solutions of reform to policing and strong correlating factors to the causes of violent crimes. While many people examine race as an issue for many of our problems in our policing today, Dr. Wood looks at what he believes is the real root of the problem.

Imagine having a discussion about states legalizing marajuana in 1992 when Bill Clinton was crucified for “not inhaling.” Fast forward 30 years and we are discussing the ridiculousness of states not legalizing marajuana. Dr. Carl Hart is a Psychology professor at Columbia university studying the effects of recreational drugs on the body. He is an advocate for the decriminalization of all drugs and points to more progressive nations such as Portugal. His data debunks society's misinformation and ignorance about drugs in general, while the media sensationalizes the effects of drugs.

Abduction is often thought to be synonymous with human trafficking, but traffickers could be your next door neighbors in a gated community of affluent families. At the age of 13, Dr. Katariina Rosenblatt was groomed and recruited by a friend at school. Addicted to drugs, the attention, and the “love” shown by her traffickers, it took her 4 years to escape the industry. The words she first heard at a Billy Graham Crusade carried her through her ordeal, but ultimately led her to go from GED to PhD. Lending her expertise to numerous government agencies and various organizations, Kat is dedicated to working with survivors.

We are programmed with instincts for survival and each of us are competent in reading body language, giving us the ability to immediately place people in one of four categories. Body language expert, Mark Bowden shares his secrets on how we can read body language to help us in dating scenarios, trying to land that big sale or winning arguments. Ultimately, his understanding of body language and center of gravity taught me a lesson in BJJ.

When symptoms of seizures disappeared, Kevin Hines' family stopped his medication, unaware the medication was also suppressing symptoms of Bipolar disorder. As depression and paranoia grew over the next three years, Kevin would ultimately attempt to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. Cracking several vertebrates rather than breaking his spine, Kevin attributes God's provision of providing a sea lion to keep him afloat until the coast guard rescued him. As an advocate for suicide prevention, Kevin shares his story and the keys to health mentally, physically and emotionally.

528 Hz is the frequency at which nature was intended to vibrate according to Dr. Leonard Horowitz. Author, Clinician and natural healer, Dr. Horowitz explains how 528 Hz is the frequency of healing, longevity, peace and love. We discuss the effects of modern technology affecting the electromagnetic field of the earth, shifting frequencies and the imbalance it creates.

Born on an Air Force Base, Bart Sibrel grew up idolizing everything flight, even hanging a poster of the moon landing on his wall at the age of 4...that is until he heard a NASA whistleblower when he was 14. Convinced the moon landing was a hoax, Bart's work became dedicated to showing the moon landing is not just a conspiracy theory, but just one moment of an interconnected system of government corruption.

Filming for a show that took six lives in its first season, Dave Arnold found himself and his helicopter pilot, during a shoot of The Deadliest Catch, disoriented at sea and low on fuel...a combination often leading to imminent death. As Dave says, “If what you are doing scares you, you are doing it right.” Sounding like an adrenaline junkie, he is everything but. Originating from humble beginnings, Dave worked his way up through a production company from sweeping the floors to operating some of the most complex camera systems, without even earning a college degree. Eventually moving to a quiet community above the clouds just outside of LA, how does a self-proclaimed simple man find himself fighting an organized crime ring?

Real Human Vampires typically do not sleep in coffins, do have reflections, don't turn into bats and are not immortal. They do however have a taste for blood typically provided by willing donors or animals. John Edgar Browning is the foremost authority on modern day vampire culture and behavior. Growing up a fan of horror films, at a young age he fell in love with Bram Stoker's Dracula, passion became research which ultimately led to his doctorate. With an estimated more than 5000 people in the US who identify as vampires, John dispels any misnomers and educates us on vampire origins and myths. But, is there a darker side associated with this...Black magic or blood covens?

With Depression levels at relative all time highs many people may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress from last year, but Dave Hollis talks about Post Traumatic Growth. After a divorce and leaving a lifestyle coaching brand he helped build, 2020 truly tested his resolve. Like muscles that grow from resistance, so does our mental and emotional state. Dave discusses dealing with fear, living up to your potential and how he defines success. His morning routine is purpose driven, sets his intentions and is based on his 5 pillars of health. And...he has a pretty sweet 69 Bronco!

Is he part of a psyop run by the government as a shill putting out misinformation concerning conspiracy theories? Mick West has been asked this question and heard these accusations for years discussing popular conspiracy theories such as the JFK assassination, the moon landing and chem trails just to name a few. After leaving the video gaming industry, he put his logic skills to use making arguments against popular conspiracy theories. With new evidence surfacing on UFO's, Mick gives his thoughts on the changing landscape of an alien life encounter while weighing in on the entire conspiracy theory culture.

One of the most sought after nutritional and weight management coaches on the planet, Mike Dolce earned his reputation working with high level UFC athletes such as Ronda Rousey on managing their weight cuts. In this episode we share our similar nutritional philosophies, and Mike discusses how he psychologically motivates and empowers people to take control of their own health. Though his reputation was initially built on working with UFC athletes, you will be surprised by his favorite type of client to coach. He shares his insights on carb intake, eating out and several other factors keeping you from being shredded!

An aspiring hip-hop artist in the 90's and early 2000's, Billy Alsbrooks otherwise known as “White Dawg” reached the top 20 of the Billboard rap charts. Climbing through the ranks of the industry, Alsbrooks worked with artists such as Rick Ross and Pitbull. He shares why he left the hip hop industry, the pitfalls and struggles of that life and how he defines success. Reborn, Billy puts out faith based motivational content and spends much of his time in the prison ministry. Word of advice, avoid his motivational speeches before bed!

Cody O'Connor battled Ewing's sarcoma cancer in his right leg at the age of 14. Initially diagnosed with achilles tendonitis, the following 12 months he continued with normal life and took his team to a state championship in soccer. Within 1 week of the proper diagnosis, Cody found himself in a battle with cancer to save his leg which ultimately took his right fibula. Told he would never walk again, Cody, now 27, decided to overcome his sentence by walking across the US from New York to LA to raise funds for families affected by cancer.

Raised by his father in the boxing world, Montell was highly influenced by Muhammad Ali as a young child. Forced to give up boxing at the age of 12 after his father’s death, Montell was left navigating the streets of Chicago and dodging the trouble that comes with it. Rekindling his love for boxing at the age of 19, he was able to qualify for the US Olympic Team within 1 year. After handing Roy Jones Jr. his first loss and defeating James Toney twice, Montell feels he never got the respect he deserved.

There are people who push their boundaries and others who redefine them. Joe De Sena did that when he accidentally signed up to run three endurance runs in the same week. Founder of the Spartan Race, De Sena built the concept on the idea of pushing past your limits, because hard work can only take you so far and mindset does the rest. He believes nutrition and healthy living are key pillars to any plan of success in life, but we touch on quitting and living with life’s decisions.

With over 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Northrup, a board certified OB/GYN and New York Times bestselling author is not afraid to put her reputation on the line. Recently garnering notoriety for her vocalization against the covid vaccine, she has simultaneously come under scrutiny for challenging the status quo. Dr. Northrup discusses her approach to health through a blend of western medicine and holistic healing that embraces the unity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit. If you are familiar with her, you know you will not go away without a breakdown of the current global situation.

Jay Dobyns never enjoyed riding motorcycles until he began working undercover as an ATF agent infiltrating the inner circle of The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. Jay found he quickly became addicted to building his character at the expense of his health and personal relationships of the people he loved. As he continued to build his character, Bird, a motorcycle gang member who bought and sold guns, he found himself taking more dangerous risks leaving himself more exposed. Jay discusses the life lessons he learned after a 27-year career as an ATF agent, working over 500 undercover missions.

Working as a waitress to help finance your way through college is not an uncommon story, but a promotion to an executive position at 20 years old and rising through the ranks to VP by the age of 26 is only a tale of the mythical “American Dream.” Kat Cole not only had to drop out of college to keep up with her executive duties at Hooters, but later returned to earn her MBA without even completing her Associates Degree. It is no surprise she was working as the COO of Focus Brands (Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s, Jamba, etc.) at the young age of 32. Leaving on a high note with Focus Brands after 10 years, Cole shares her leadership methods, decision making processes and how this highly successful executive and mother finds balance in her life.