speaker-0: in get the work done. but it is packed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It's so hard to train any of my clients. I told, just tell my clients, we'll just train at the later in the week because it starts to die down during Thursday, Friday.

speaker-1: I'd say that all the time, Paul. I laugh. I tell the fellas, you know, I'd be with the tribe. I'm saying watch Monday busy. Always go like this. Watch me on Monday. I'll go Monday busy. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

speaker-0: Friday Friday, no, nobody's there. I know that everybody's trying to party on the weekends

speaker-1: ⁓ I asked one dude he was like dance I made it to Wednesday it ain't nothing but he trying to everyone just trying to party by thirsty Thursday man

speaker-0: I got my first three days in. Anyone drinks are like a couple of dollars. I might join too. I might join too.

speaker-1: What's up world? Welcome to another episode of Garage Talks 5417 podcast. As you know, by now I'm your host Desmond Reynolds, the Peacekeeper, and we got a wonderful guest. I call him a powerful guest because he in the gym lifting crazy weight. If you go to Crunch Fitness, you definitely gonna know him. He's wearing the chain. He moving super many plates and he always says his favorite saying, find God and eat. So I'm gonna go ahead and introduce my guy, Po. What it do, baby? What's good, D? ⁓

speaker-0: Yeah, it's good.

speaker-1: all the time. How we doing, man?

speaker-0: Good man. Today was a good day. I mean, went to work, got to see beautiful people. Oh yeah. Working hard. Always at the gym. So many times people come up to me and they're like, so you live here? And I did live there in the gym for a little bit. We had a bed and a cot in the back. What? Yeah. like during, they call it presale. So when they're trying to get memberships and stuff like that.

speaker-1: You got the jam all again.

speaker-0: had trainers in the back like all the time sleeping and then I got hired in like a couple months after and I was like what are you talking about like I'm just gonna go home nah like those 14 15 hour days I was like I'm just gonna sleep in them yeah so for a bit yeah I did live in the gym

speaker-1: What, when did you get hired there? Last year, okay. So a couple months after they all be. So the pre sale, what is pre sale? What's that all about? Why would you have to stay so long?

speaker-0: February of last year. Mm-hmm. Nice, man. Uh, I don't think I'm not too sure. Cause I wasn't really a part of it, but they were just trying to really just hype up crunch, try to get members in, try to get people to sign up for personal training. Uh, and then I got lucky cause I was getting the tail end of that. So people were still coming in like super excited to get personal training. Um, and of course, like once spring term and, uh, summer hit, not enough, not a whole lot of college students, everybody going home or traveling for the, for the, for the summer. ⁓ so like I was a part of that and that was kind of nice.

speaker-1: Did you notice that this year? Just how quiet it got like last week.

speaker-0: It's very quiet. The amount of consultations I get now per week is like one to two. And I see on the calendar that there's not enough, like, there's just really not enough people trying to get in and get the work done. ⁓ But it is packed on on Mondays and Tuesdays. It's so hard to train any of my clients. I told I just told my clients, we'll just train at the later in the week because it starts to die down during Thursday, Friday.

speaker-1: I say that all the time, Paul. I laugh. I tell the fellas, you know, I be with the tribe. I'm saying watch Monday busy. I always go like this. Watch me on Monday. I'll go Monday busy Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

speaker-0: Friday Friday, no, nobody's there. I know everybody's trying to party on the weekends

speaker-1: ⁓ I asked one dude, he was like, dance, I made it to Wednesday. ain't that's everybody trying to everyone just trying to party by thirsty Thursday, ⁓

speaker-0: I got my first three days in. Anyone drinks are like a couple dollars. I might might I might join to I might join to 25. Yeah, yeah.

speaker-1: Well, how old are you? 25. I'll step out there and kick. But it's like to me, I'm like, put the work in and then go.

speaker-0: didn't know. I didn't have my first drink until I was 21. Yeah, why I usually by like 17 everybody's having like high school house parties drinking. I was like, I'm not gonna do another that. Really? Yeah, just because like, at the time I had I was just scared. I was paranoid that my parents were gonna find me. They're gonna know. I wasn't any around any of that stuff. And then I was I knew that I had like I have an addictive personality. So when I fixate on something like

speaker-1: 21.

speaker-0: I'm giving 110%. Oh, so that attributes the drinking for sure. When I had my first sip, it was hard. It was hard to like take, take a step back. Yeah. I like had some, uh, I never talked about this, but I never, or I had a problem just not drinking. Um, it got to the point where I was drinking like in my pre-workout. Oh, yeah. Like I would, I would, uh, take smirnoff and then put a scoop of pre-workout in there.

speaker-1: Damn, What do you think got it that bad? Like, what made you, were you addicted to any other things you noticed? And then you're like, ⁓ here comes alcohol.

speaker-0: ⁓ yeah. first it was just working out and then hitting PRs and then music for sure. ⁓ like everything was 110%. I take that. So I got some therapy done and my therapist was telling me she, she was like, you either go all in or you're all out. So once you give out and give up on something, you're just fully out of there. Or if you're going to give into something, ⁓ you're throwing your whole life and you have this all in or all out mentality. ⁓ damn. Yeah. And It worked good for me before I started drinking for sure. ⁓ was doing like some crazy PRs in the gym, went to UO, got on scholarship and everything was good. And then I just had my first drink and I think that was for sure genetic. ⁓ my mom alcoholic as well. ⁓ so I think that I attribute it to that as well.

speaker-1: Isn't that wild how it really blows my mind away how family genetics really, they really pass down. You really got to monitor yourself and be like, wow, I need to monitor myself and observe to make sure my triggers don't activate.

speaker-0: Yeah, it's crazy. It's insane. I used to be super stubborn on thinking like, no, can just handle this myself for sure. Like, I'm not I'm not like my parents. And then the more I gave into that, I was like, I realized I was like, ⁓ no, I'm like, really, really like my mom for sure.

speaker-1: For real, humbles you quick. I feel you, man. It's wild. Talking to so many people, kind of the same thing. They just got humble. ⁓ man, it's wild. Did you, so how old were you when you started doing that? When you was putting the drink in, in your pre-workout? That's wild. You're a gangster for that low key. Like I'm not, I'm not trying to say key.

speaker-0: Yeah, homeless we could. Yeah. I won't lie. What got me into it? I was like, let me just try one time because I think I saw it like on the internet and I was like, let me see because it usually gets me warm on the internet. Yeah, it's all on the internet. Don't follow everything that's on the internet for sure. So I saw it. I put it in my pre workout and then I PR'd. I bench.

speaker-1: ⁓ man, Pope! How much weight?

speaker-0: 330 for eight reps. Damn. Yeah. And I was like, it flew easy too. It was supposed to be a D-load week. And I was like, maybe this might be a real thing. So I tried it. I kept trying it week by week and then it worked well for me for like two weeks. And then after that just went downhill and I knew I had a problem. then ⁓

speaker-1: How old were you?

speaker-0: That time I was 22.

speaker-1: 22. Were you over at, cause I kind of was looking at your profile. Were you over at forever strong? ⁓

speaker-0: I was at Forever Strong, yeah. Yeah, I was there. Even some of my teammates too, they were kind of getting irritated with me because they were like, well, I don't know, understand how you're mixing pre-workout and alcohol. And then you're going to drive home. Like that's so stupid. I was like, oh, it's just once, just one, just one. And then just carrying on to more. And I was like, oh dude, like I got a problem for real.

speaker-1: Would you would you drink afterwards or was it strictly pre workout alcohol? It was

speaker-0: Pre-workout alcohol for sure. Just enough to give me a buzz. Yeah.

speaker-1: I wonder if you were like, yo, don't feel the pain as much, liquid courage.

speaker-0: Yeah, it was definitely that. Cause, ⁓ at that time I was starting to go out a little bit more and like, you know, talking, talking to females, that's kind of hard as a, as a man today for real. So that helped a lot. And I think, ⁓ that liquid courage definitely started to affect or bleed into to my lifting. Cause there were times where I started feeling like I was either stalling out or I was not feeling the same motivation anymore. So I was like, ⁓ I got to change it up. Right. So then it started bleeding in.

speaker-1: So when did you catch it? When, how many, so three years ago that started happening. When did you finally just go, all right, this needs to stop.

speaker-0: It was an ongoing battle for sure. Like it was off and on. Um, I lock in, I'd feel it figure out like, Hey, this is not right. Like there's, I can't be doing this every single day where I can't be doing this in broad daylight. Um,

speaker-1: That day drinking. Yeah, that day drinking.

speaker-0: Hey, it's insane. ⁓ I started just kind of remembering how my mom was when she started doing that too. ⁓ And I was like, don't want to be like that. So I would pull back and then, you know, go maybe like six months without drinking and then take one sip. ⁓ it's been, you know, six months. Let let me just have one with the boys. Yeah. And it's just the cycles just starts over again. And this last year,

speaker-1: Let me just have a little take.

speaker-0: ⁓ was last time. So I've gone a whole year. ⁓ just chilling, not going, going crazy. Yeah. Let's go. Yeah, that, that was, that was really bad for sure. It was every weekend. And then I start, once I started mixing my pre-workout again, I knew it was like, okay, like this is old, old habit. It's all the habit that needs to die.

speaker-1: we go there we go Do you, still take pre-workout?

speaker-0: Not as often anymore. I'll just mix some beta alanine and then energy drink and then call it good.

speaker-1: You need to get some blades from me, man. That'll get you rolling. And I say that because I mean, shout out to the blade, but those beats right there that helps beats and pomegranate really helps men's testosterone and blood flow. That's why I push my blade drink so much. I mean, I'm just going to be real with you. So that's what I drink. Yeah, I'll drink some of that and call it good. Let's start rolling within 20 minutes.

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah, I like all the drinks that you have. I had to try to think I was just saying like it was this. It's this one. That was really good. That was wonderful. Thank you. green one. And then it was the red one. I think it was a beetroot one. that was really good.

speaker-1: Yep. That one hits and it doesn't it doesn't hit you like a like an energy drink where it's like, it's not gonna do keeps you calm. But you're gonna notice your energy is flowing the whole time. And I had someone just hit me two days ago. First time drinking it. He's like, bruh, I played basketball. I worked out now I'm running around with my kids. He said this drink this is it. And it was such a good feeling to hear that it was because it's like, you know, like y'all

speaker-0: Too bad. No, it keeps you calm. It's good. bro, I'm just.

speaker-1: to help. So I'll just definitely consider that. I used to do pre-workout, but I didn't like how it made me feel.

speaker-0: Nah, the crash is tough for sure.

speaker-1: The crash is real. Just the sugar, huh?

speaker-0: sugar and then just like the caffeine that that's in it. Right. It doesn't you just hit rock bottom quickly.

speaker-1: crazy. Yeah. So with the you said also with the liquid courage, you said helping talking to girls. Yeah. I'm curious about that. Elaborate what that means. We all we all do in 2026. I just want to hear your piece.

speaker-0: Yeah, man. So I get scared to think like hearing because I have a lot of friends that are are females. So they always don't be telling me like the tea with with with whatever guy they'd be talking to. ⁓ and I'm like, hey, bro, like, I'm not trying to be one of those guys. I won't talk to you. So I just don't even talk to any girls until six, maybe eight drinks in. And then I'll then I'll finally be like, hi.

speaker-1: You

speaker-0: And then I walk away. But yeah, man. ⁓ that look with courage, like definitely it's a real thing. It's a real thing for sure.

speaker-1: It's crazy to me. I don't like I mean look the data scene. What I don't like is I don't like people being put on blast. I don't think that's work. D like if somebody sitting here having a good conversation, you should shoot your shot. If it get the client, it get decline. But if there's the T because man, I've been put on the T app. Dude, I've been put on the T for nuts.

speaker-0: ⁓ really? How many flags you got?

speaker-1: So I had I had three greens and I think one red. And all the person said is it was kind of cool. They was like, anybody knows anything about him because he seemed super chill, but I just need to know. Everyone's like. I don't want to be on me. I said, what? I had one of my young bucks check for me. I said, because he had a girlfriend. said, what audacity.

speaker-0: The crew thing is, like game is game. Sometimes you got to shoot, sometimes you lose, sometimes you win. I feel like, yeah, for myself, I get hung up on the losses for sure. ⁓

speaker-1: That's a lot of us guys, but you can't man. gotta, you gotta be like Steph Curry. Just shoot and move. Exactly. But also you ever heard of that 80 20 rule? What you think about that? They're saying there's this 80 20 rule right now where 80 % of girls are dating 20 % of the guy. And they're saying like in the 20 % is more wealthy guys, more notoriety, ⁓ popular, whatever. So they're saying that's really growing a lot right now too.

speaker-0: Keep shooting. No, I never heard of that. Thanks.

speaker-1: So it's definitely a weird thing where I'm thinking to myself, I'm like, okay, so you don't have to have game anymore. You just got to have status and money, which is, which I think is whack. So it's, it's almost for you. got to be a defensive dater. We, I'm single too, but you got to be defensive data. You got to understand who's for you and who's not. My only thing is you, what I tell myself, go where you're celebrated. If someone's not showing you

speaker-0: Yeah.

speaker-1: reciprocating the tension back. Hey, what's up? Hey, I'm chilling. How are you? I'm good.

speaker-0: But the text game is not for me either. I cannot hit it with the with pickup line I can't do I just can't text like at all in person way better I think I was I was asking one of my homegirls she was talking about like Why do you guys never never go up to girls anymore and ask them out like cuz y'all y'all be scary, right? what are you talking about? We got the T app now and we

speaker-1: person. I more is there. ⁓ So there you go. It's tough, man. It's an interesting world, you know, you definitely got to shoot. Shoot or shoot, you got to go up confidence. Think about shoot how much you bench press. Yeah, I need it. If I can lift this weight, I could go talk. So when you say you get in your head, you just thinking like worst case scenario.

speaker-0: Yeah, there we go. Yeah, worse case scenario.

speaker-1: I don't get that from you because your energy just be so chill, man. And you do be talking to the lady. So I was over here like, there you go, Po.

speaker-0: Not like, I don't know. think I, I think I hide it pretty well. I get super, super nervous, but I just turned into, I get mute or like, just give one word answers. I'm really good at getting other people to talk. And then for one is my turn to talk. Yeah. Yeah. They, they, give me the, are you such a great listener? It's like the time. All the time. I'm just nervous.

speaker-1: soon. I was gonna say you. Yeah, I'm big on flow like me right now. I'm so locked in on just goals and stuff. Even my people like dance with me. I'm like, look, I'm just locked, man. But yet again, I'm big on flow. I need that energy reciprocated. Biggest thing, just shoot your shot. You're confident, man. I mean, you really do. You gotta the worst that can happen is no. That's that's how you got to see it. Worst can happen is no.

speaker-0: I keep trying to tell myself, yeah, OK. You're right. Just know. Just know.

speaker-1: Do you think girls are more vicious with the no now though?

speaker-0: Yeah, because it's like a piercing now. Like you already know that she bought a ticket to the group chat right after. It's like, no. And then you immediately start texting the homegirls like, this guy just asked me out. And then I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it.

speaker-1: just feel it. I think that no, let me go ahead and say this to you. I think that no is better than kicking it with her. Maybe y'all get a little intimate and then she start talking crazy.

speaker-0: That is true. That is pretty bad. Yeah.

speaker-1: I mean just imagine I'm not even saying all the way but y'all can't get maybe a little kiss or something. And then she start talking crazy. I think that'd be worse than the initial no up front.

speaker-0: Yeah, that's true. Cause then you just build that like a little bit of connection and then she, she got, she got ammunition now.

speaker-1: right. Yeah. No, some of my secrets of my secret moves. But not bro from brother the brother. You're a solid dude. You're a great dude. You work hell or hard. You put all the work in. any girl that you approach, they lucky that you even approach them for real. ⁓ So from brother the brother, shoot your shot and just chill man. You you you work too hard in your life. Always make sure someone respects you guy or girl. They they don't have to like you.

speaker-0: you Appreciate it.

speaker-1: But make sure they respect you. Yeah. No, thank you. I'm good. Actually. Yeah, let's let's talk. ⁓ let me hit him back right quick. Always be respected, man. You you work hella hard, bro. So don't don't forget that. With the gym. What do you so you was doing the pre workout? What you think about people doing people doing steroids and gear? What you think about that?

speaker-0: ⁓ it's definitely a time and place. It's not for me. I can understand it, especially for people who are doing like bodybuilding and stuff like that. ⁓ but for Pal, I think it just makes zero sense.

speaker-1: Why is that?

speaker-0: Cause since it's a strength sport, there's a lot more risk factors because your tendons and like it would start to get really brittle. Okay. So that's why you see like people like layer wheels always snapping something like his bicep or his pack. And then like whenever he trains with somebody and they're trying to hit a PR snap a pack, it's super, it's a lot more common than, ⁓ but there's a lot of bodybuilders cause they train for time on detention. there's really no point in taking it unless you're trying to show up to a Mr. Olympia or something. Yeah. Yeah, get tested every, every time I compete. So I have to go pee in a cup in front of some old dude. And then depending on the meat, like ⁓ my natural ones, I think, I think if they drew blood, I can't remember. But every about six months, I'll have to qualify for a national one, then I do my national one. And then depending on how I do there, then I'll

speaker-1: So you don't do it yourself. often you do meats? ⁓

speaker-0: Like I go to worlds, but I only been to world competition one time. It depends. It changes every year. So I went to collegiate worlds back in 2024. And then that one was right next to Russia. So yeah.

speaker-1: Where's World's You'd be moving way, Wait, where what do you think? So what's your what's your PR on benchpress?

speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ best ever was five on one.

speaker-1: 501. That would c*** you, mate.

speaker-0: I mean, like, in the moment when I had in my hands, I'm like, oh, shit, this is gonna be well and I hold on. And then afterwards, I was like, damn, I can barely deal with that.

speaker-1: ⁓ my goodness, 501 bruh. How long ago was that, man?

speaker-0: Uh, like two months ago. this was a, uh, my garage gym. I have a gym equipment in my garage because I started working out there because, uh, the equipment at crunch is too, I don't want to sound like a big, but it's too brittle. Like I can't lift my weight without either hurting myself, myself, or, um, just putting someone else at risk. There's been times where like the weight starts to slip off to the side and someone's like,

speaker-1: Damn. Our crunch.

speaker-0: lifting right next to me. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. So that'll be bad. Or there'll be times where like I'm walking out a weight and I'm like shaking. I literally feels like I'm on a skateboard and I'm trying to balance the weight. ⁓ yeah.

speaker-1: Sheesh, man. It's scary. Like I was telling you before we started recording my shoulder, I caught it. said, damn, I was so mad. I so mad. I just patted it and stopped. Yeah. So then we went to the next workout.

speaker-0: Yeah, but yeah, yeah, we were good It was to keep going. It's hard. Did you play a you play sports? Yeah. What sports? Basketball. Basketball. ⁓ shoot. Yeah. So you got them like the athletic mentality. Just keep balling. Yeah. Yeah. Push through.

speaker-1: I did. all the way till I broke my leg. And I just couldn't move.

speaker-0: So, fever or to be.

speaker-1: Tibia fibia compound fracture out the skin everything

speaker-0: Yeah. in game or practice.

speaker-1: in game. It was a pickup game. And senior year high school shot a jump shot landed on his foot and it just stayed there snapped.

speaker-0: Aww, shoot. Mm-hmm. Yeah. See, I broke my foot back in September and I thought that was career ending. So I can't even imagine breaking like a femur and. ⁓ Arminia, tibia, amphibia.

speaker-1: Well, you know, the bone is so much easier to repair than actual tendon. I know people who Achilles or or you probably seen people who tore things. That's what that's what scares me. So when we're when we're lifting, I'm always cautious of hey, protect your shoulders. Protect. Don't don't just let the weight fall. Make sure you have someone help you, especially if it's super heavy for you. Tell people just be careful. Those tendons are no joke. How'd you break your

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. It was so stupid. ⁓ My roommate, she wanted a race ⁓ to crunch. And so I'm competitive. I don't like to lose no matter if it's like a small thing like playing Uno or like we're actually in a meet. 100 like I'm going to win. And so I didn't even have any of my things packed and she was already at the door. So I scooped all my things out and I ran ⁓ out to my car threw it all in my trunk slammed it. ⁓

speaker-1: 0 or 1

speaker-0: started running to the driver's side, but then my trunk opened back up. So I jumped to the side and then I landed on my foot, uh, right on the, um, what is it called again? I don't know. The side of my foot and it snapped in half and it snapped and I immediately knew it was broken. I just knew it was broken and I was going to go pee in two weeks. Yeah. I was like, Oh shoot. Well, that's not the window.

speaker-1: That's bad.

speaker-0: But I still showed up and I went and competed. Even the official told me just go home. like, bro, I flew all the way from it was in Vegas. So yeah, yeah. I'm already here. I already got the hotel booked. What do mean? You're telling me to go home? Like, I ain't do another that.

speaker-1: ⁓ there you I remember you were scootin'.

speaker-0: I was scooting around. Yeah, that was so fun. I got everywhere so quick after I hopped off there and had to walk everywhere. I'm like, damn, this shit sucks. I thought about pulling some pickup lines, but I couldn't think of any. I'm not creative.

speaker-1: ⁓ my gosh, man. Craziness. Paul, what you think about, I've had some trainers tell me they use chat GPT. What you think about that?

speaker-0: That's crazy. That's a bad trainer. That's a bad trainer. It's very lazy. It's not personable anymore. Even if you add the prompt of like, ⁓ this person has this goal and this goal and has this like injury and whatever you add as much information as ⁓ as you want, but it's still going to spew out so much garbage. ⁓ It takes out that that that personal

speaker-1: that. Yeah. Isn't that lazy?

speaker-0: part, there's, training and there's personal that's why it's called personal training. Cause it's supposed to be catered to the person that you're training. And so if you're using chat, GBT, then you're just using a computer. Like it doesn't really know you for real. Um, and if you're having to rely on Chappie T jazz CBD, uh, as a trainer, you don't know what you're doing. Um, if you're pulling up there and someone has a problem and you got to pull up your phone and wait, shoot, let me check them. Chat, GBT, it's a. front of the knee is hurting. You don't know what you're doing. Like how are going to help this person through chat? TBT is going to say like they have some other injury and maybe they have some, some other thing that that's completely opposite. Maybe it's just bro sore and you're misdiagnosing them.

speaker-1: So if you're working with Jim, you're pretty much saying you need to know Jim. You got to know what's going on with him, how his body operates.

speaker-0: Exactly. I know a couple of coworkers for sure who, well, they got fired now, but a couple of past previous coworkers who use chat to BT. Um, and they obviously didn't last cause their clients, they, they could tell, um, they could tell the results spoke for themselves. They weren't getting the results they, they had wanted. And then, um, they ended up just leaving the trainer and then Shredder had no more clients. So they ended up just quitting or they got fired. Wow.

speaker-1: Wow, that's wild to me when somebody told me they do that. I just didn't even know how to take it. I just I'm not too big on AI. Yeah, maybe here or there but like that for for training. Come on.

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. I would think AI I'll use it to calculate some stuff. Like if I'm really lazy to, ⁓ go like my fitness pal or like, I'm, tired of all the ads and stuff like that. Then I'll go on chat to BT and I'll just enter like, I had like 200 grams of chicken and so on and so forth. But as far as like making programs, no, like not with it.

speaker-1: not with it. Not with it either. That just I don't like that. I don't like I don't like that someone trust me. They they don't like that someone trust me and I take that trust. Not saying I do everybody I don't but I would take someone takes that trust and puts it to the computer. I don't

speaker-0: Especially if they're paying you. They're paying you to just go somewhere else and get the information.

speaker-1: That's what someone literally told me. just have Chad GPT draw up the workout for the week. ⁓

speaker-0: your name's Apple.

speaker-1: I can't do it. can't do it. I can't do it. You don't live around here, out of state, out of state. we'll let that stay where it's mounted. Yeah, I was about to say you go first. You name dropping down that. That that one trainer guy, he was because who's your guys is manager trainer now? Is it Brooke? Without the brook, the guy before her. Rob, ⁓ man, he ⁓ he was an interesting one. He

speaker-0: I got like six of them. ⁓ my god. It's Brooke now. Rob. Yeah. Yeah, he wait. The one that was there for a long time. Yeah. With glasses. Yeah. Oscar. Yeah. I actually don't know. I haven't talked to him. We just like we would send like reels and stuff like that to each other. That was cool. But I haven't talked to him a while. You check him on him. Last I heard he got a job offer. I think outside of Ben. Yeah. But

speaker-1: Nah, nah, he wasn't there for a long time. How's he doing? How's how to be in? ⁓ okay. Well, I wish him the best. was, man, he was on my head though.

speaker-0: ⁓ really? Because you you were you're because you train with train true with the squad. Yeah.

speaker-1: just working with the fellas. He got on my ear and I was like, these my guys from high school, some of my cousins. He was on me tough. And I was like, man, like.

speaker-0: It's just like a crunch. ⁓ I'll be real.

speaker-1: But it's tough because it's like you guys are great. Everyone there is all great. We got a nice community going on. But with him, he just took it upon himself because dude before there, I didn't know. thought so. I was thinking, okay, it's Raul. ⁓ Well now, Haley. Yeah. And Jessica. Yeah. So in my head, just watching. was okay. Cool. Cool. And I didn't even know you guys had a trainer like a head trainer or whatever. ⁓ yeah. I didn't know.

speaker-0: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, it's like two separate departments. So they had the personal trainer side and then the membership side. Yeah. So it's up to the personal trainer, direct personal training director. So that's like Brooke to kind of make sure that people aren't doing personal training out on the floor and getting paid for it. Gotcha. In the club. Obviously, if someone's like, like for yourself, you work out with the squad like, like, you know what you're doing, you're leading the pack. Just let him be. That's right. He's working out too. It doesn't really matter.

speaker-1: Yeah, that's caught me so off guard because we used to do that pursue fitness. I mean, we've been rocking there.

speaker-0: Yeah. I heard, ⁓ I pursued like you just have to let them know like, yeah, we're just going to train people.

speaker-1: See, didn't know. It just yet again, some fellas start jumping in, out Jesse, shout out to him. Start working. So when dude came up, I'm like, dude, what's happening? I was I was so flabbergasted, but it is what it is. It handled itself. Called it good, but it just threw me off. I was like, it's not like I'm putting on the gram, hey, right here, boom, boom. I'm like, dude.

speaker-0: Yeah. boom. At this time, X amount of dollars. We're all here just hanging out.

speaker-1: We just working calling it good. Catch you later. I tried to tell him he wasn't having it but it sorted itself out. What some of your goals for 2026 whether it's fitness or life, you don't gotta say them all.

speaker-0: Well, Um, right now just trying to really focus on my cut. Um, dude, I was on so many like blood, blood pressure medicine, meds and stuff like that. Cause my blood pressure was super high. Uh, got my CPAP just last year. Um, yeah. So like, it's starting to get better for sure. Uh, I finally broke 300 today. Uh, way to 98. Nice. I started the cut was 330. Um,

speaker-1: We got to get you off that.

speaker-0: going to start trickling down to 245. Yeah.

speaker-1: With that cut, with that cut, I notice a lot that you say, find God and eat. Where did that come from?

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I knew you were going to ask that question.

speaker-1: I love it, man. I love it.

speaker-0: I won't lie, I took that off of Kanye. Kanye. So I think I saw, how was it? He had fired his producer. He showed up like seven minutes late or five minutes late. And, or he was, he was like on the bus ride because his car broke down and he texted me and he was like, Hey, I'm going to be like five minutes late. My car broke down. I have to hop on the bus. And then Kanye texted him back. Don't worry about it. I'm gonna find a different producer. Find God. And I was like, what the heck? was so like, fat flabbergasted about that. And the way I took that as it could be a moment of frustration and him taking that, firing him and the producer being like fired himself. He could have took that as a, as a moment to clash back and say like, ⁓ what about all this time I've done for you or all these things I've done for you and blah, blah, blah. keep going down like the receipt ladder. But I feel like that, that find God moment was like, nah, this could be like a new opportunity to venture. This could be just remember what, what kind of plan like God has for you and don't let the, the, the internal demons just come out just because like something doesn't go your way. so it was such like a random moment too, where I was like, where can I just use this in a random moment? So I just took a picture of my food and I put find God.

speaker-1: And so that's that's that's deep that's really

speaker-0: Yeah. And so some people took it as like a, like, like a meme. They're like, ⁓ I do. What are you doing? Like this makes no sense. Like, what does that even mean? And so, ⁓ for me to internalize that it took a, it took a minute cause I was like, how do you not get it? I just don't, I just don't understand. Like, how do you not know like what that means? don't know. I think I take things for. face value or like, I don't know what's the term. I, when I interpret things, I interpret it really quickly and I don't, can't explain it very well. So for me, it took, it took a while. And that's one thing I'm working on too. So another thing is being able to explain things and use my words rather than actions.

speaker-1: Your actions, do you think are bad, healthy?

speaker-0: I think, uh, what do you think actions are definitely very constructive and helpful a lot. Um, but sometimes people can't interpret your actions very well for sure. Um, or actually speak louder than words. And I think I've been such an action guy that I haven't been able to use my words. And so when people ask me like, Oh, how do you feel? I just say I'm good. It's like good about what? Like what's so good or not good. What's not good.

speaker-1: You know that saying, actions speak louder than words.

speaker-0: And I'm like, well, I don't know. Like, I got no work, rent money. I don't have any rent money. I don't know. No job. Why? Why I have no job and just kind of working that down. ⁓ and I was like, kind of one of the things I was working on in therapy was like, they had a, had a, ⁓ what's it called? And an emotion wheel. So there's the big emotions where it's like sad, mad, happy. And, ⁓ it's another one, but I would use the big one. She's like, okay, now get descriptive. Like, what does that mean? And being able to communicate that that's why I struggled the most. It's like, how can you communicate your, your discipline or your love or your happiness or your sadness, like communicate that to somebody. And that's, that's where it's going to help like lead somebody else.

speaker-1: Do you think that's partially because you might have your guard up? I know with me, I don't just communicate like I communicate. when it comes to Desmond, when it comes to peace, I don't just open up unless I'm gonna be real my parents.

speaker-0: Mm-hmm.

speaker-1: My parents.

speaker-0: That's what it is. Like it's very small circle. Right. ⁓ 100 % guard up is 100 % like up. I think carrying that burden of just always having a guard up and never letting somebody in is definitely destructive for sure. Self-destructing. Because then you kind of walk around with all that pent up like aggression or pent up energy where you can't just let it free.

speaker-1: And that's partially good, I think, for us men. I'm going to on the... Because I do think you need a vet. Don't get me wrong. I really do. But mostly this world can be so cold at times. As a man, do got to carry yourself strong and you can't be victim. You can't be victim all the time. it is partially that is good. But I would say, yes, I would hope and pray you do get somebody to be like, all right, I I can just talk with it.

speaker-0: Mm-hmm.

speaker-1: But us as men, we gotta be leaders too. And it's just, that's how life is sometimes. It's just gonna whoop us in the ass it is. You gotta take it in the chin and go. I don't know about with you being culturally, I know my dad come from a black family. Hey, we just rock. We didn't know much about therapy. I've never been to therapy. We just rocked. Not saying it's good, but sometimes we just gotta rock, man.

speaker-0: to get in the chin and go. .

speaker-1: That's why I say with my shoulder, I said just whatever, just keep going.

speaker-0: Yeah, I think for sure, like my dad and I, we'd always butt heads and stuff. And our form of therapy was like, we get in a huge fight. And then we give it maybe a crisp like hour. If it was my fault, I'm gonna be like, Bob said to like, you hungry? I'll make some food. Or my dad would be like, come into my room.

speaker-1: I'm full of myself.

speaker-0: got you McDonald's downstairs. okay. Yeah, we good. And I'll go down there. Watch movie. Yeah, we just just keep it pushing. For real. Yeah. And then. ⁓ let's talk about it. Man, I tried to do all

speaker-1: We good. Instead of all. Dude, I called my dad three times one time. He said, what the hell you want from me boy? I'm like, man, I just try to talk to you. Man, I'll talk to you later.

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah, no, I called my dad last week. And it was after the trip. After I got back from the trip, I called him like two days later. And he looked at me. We're all FaceTime. He's like, what you want? I was like, I can't call you. It's like, right, just saw you two days ago. No. Like, go go go hang out with your friends or something. right. ⁓ shoot. Okay. All right. Later pops.

speaker-1: if I'm be really real the other day on the phone, my dad told me he loved me. was like, Whoa, just to hear he I know he loves me. His actions yet again speak way louder. But I love you son. You good, bro. But that's just how the culture is. That's just what it is. And that's honestly, in a way, that's a blessing. That's just

speaker-0: got shocked you're like hold up ⁓ sometimes because sometimes it makes it a little too comfortable or complicated. You start talking about feelings and then then it's like it starts opening up doors. Right? feel like

speaker-1: Like you ever talk with a co-worker that's just, you're just like, bro, what is wrong with you? And they're just trying to talk about feelings and make things complicated.

speaker-0: Zendaya gets a two negative all the time. It's always something bad. It's always something bad. It's never like something good. If they want to talk feelings, it's always like what's bothering them. And you're having a good ad day and you pull up and they're like, man, this happened. This happened. Man, I can't get this to happen. And then you're like, ⁓ shoot. Well, all right. I hit a PR. ⁓

speaker-1: My brother just got- I God. I had that like that when I was working, it just you would try to talk and I'd be sitting there just thinking to myself like this is no point like I'm over it is done.

speaker-0: It becomes a, it's like the same thing over and over again.

speaker-1: comes a cycle there. It's yeah, it's interesting. That's funny. You say that. How was your trip in Mexico?

speaker-0: ⁓ dude, it was nice. ⁓ until I got to my dad's, ⁓ little, little town. ⁓ apparently it's called, ⁓ provenencia. It's like in, it's in Veracruz. So it's like close to the Gulf of Mexico. it's a really small town. Like I went to the elementary school and there was probably 12 kids total and then Tyler elementary school. And then there was a daycare that was like only had like six kids. Wow. right next door. But it was interesting because the the cartel apparently was there like the week before.

speaker-1: I was gonna ask, cause all that was popping off.

speaker-0: Yeah, I didn't I mean I was like everyone was telling me and they're like we haven't seen the news I don't keep up with the news bro, like smart man. Yeah, I The news is the gym like whoever tells me what what's going on in the world set the gym So I was like, ⁓ yeah, I'm gonna to Mexico ⁓ next week. They're like right now Hi. Yeah, why cartels there? I'm like, man, they're always there So I didn't realize that they're gonna be at the town cuz they're there the the week before and then ⁓ I remember we got to outside the town and then there was like military ⁓ checkpoint. I was like, okay, that's, that's kind of normal. I've been through a military checkpoint. They just kind of flashed a light in the car. Just see what you got. Okay. And then you go through, but there was like four. I'm like, the heck?

speaker-1: Had the had had them pow-powels on

speaker-0: Yeah, yeah. they were walking the street too. I'm like, bro, who we guarding right now? Like, there's like, there's like 1200 people in this town. Like, there's not that much like, I was like, okay.

speaker-1: Who are you really man? Come on stop playing. Who are you really? I can't say that.

speaker-0: ⁓ they looking for me. I'll ⁓ play. I keep that. But yeah, I mean, other than that, it was pretty chill. Like I was eating 12 tacos a day. I was living a simple life. I barely had any internet. All the time I have internet was like if I was in town. Good. Yeah. So was Nice time to just disconnect. Absolutely. Yeah.

speaker-1: It's good to do that. start my every day, the goal is to have no phone for 30 minutes. Wake up, say my prayer, make my bed. And then I tell the watch or the phone, I'd be like, hey, 30 minutes. That's the goal. No world. I'll read my Bible. Just focus. So that's good. You have that disconnect, man. That's key. It is.

speaker-0: That's Nice. That is key. Yeah, that's hard. I should wake up. I took my home. It's hard habit to break for sure.

speaker-1: especially for you. You're born. I hate to old head on you, but you're born in that generation. I'm 91, bro. I came up. I still remember. just, we was outside outside. You know? I mean, don't get me wrong. You seem like you got a good balance. really do. But just your generation, you guys kind of came up with this stuff.

speaker-0: go play outside on the bikes. Yeah. When I was like, shoot 10, that's when I had my first phone. 10 or 12. See one of those.

speaker-1: And see my first phone, bruh, it was a flip phone. all you could do was call and play Snake.

speaker-0: Yeah, my mom was the iPhone four day. Yeah. So like I was already already like on it. Like you watching YouTube or like playing video games. Yeah. So I was starting to like get get addicted at that point.

speaker-1: Did you ever would you would you start noticing I'm always curious about this, especially at your age, you you ever just notice the same this shouldn't be normal staring at the screen all the time.

speaker-0: 100 % like bro, I'd be on it on the toilet or I think I went and got food with a friend one time and ⁓ we're eating Panda Express and I pulled up my phone and I started watching YouTube and then I was like, ⁓ shoot, I should probably not. I should probably start like interacting. Yeah, that human interaction. Yep. And then before I could even say anything or do anything, he was like

speaker-1: having that. Bye. ⁓

speaker-0: up your phone like all the time when we eat can we talk ⁓ shoot yeah let me put it away dang yeah and then i started thinking about it too we got that discussion too it's like it's crazy how we ⁓ reliant we get in our phones yeah

speaker-1: Isn't it? There was literally a time we just didn't have those. it's

speaker-0: Hmm. People get irritated when they can't use their phones. I see that all the time. No service, no wifi. I can't even use my phone. like,

speaker-1: especially in the gym too, because you know, the gym connection ain't all that. It, yeah, it's mind blowing. I mean, don't get me wrong. I fall to the trap where I'll be in the office. I'll be in the office working on this episode. Have the iPad over here, phone right here, computer right here. It's crazy, man. So there's times I just got to get up and just leave. I just leave, bro. And I'll just take this because they say, I forget the name of it.

speaker-0: Mm-hmm.

speaker-1: If you guys know, it's something where you think if you leave your phone. something bad's gonna happen. So like, you leave the house without your phone, you're thinking, ⁓ something's gonna happen to my family or my family's gonna need me. I forget the word. But there's that and I definitely feel that at times. So I mean, I'll still bring the watch but I'm just, all right, you're good, bro. Go walk. know, so it's key. It's important to just to get outside and touch grass. You know that saying, go touch grass. You gotta be...

speaker-0: This

speaker-1: You got to be within yourself. You got to know what poll needs what Desmond needs. You got to. Okay. Let me put the phone up because I'm seeing so much information right now that is just you can't even digest it and you shouldn't digest it. So I go for a walk rain shine snow and just lock in man and I feel so much better when I come back.

speaker-0: these. You ever tried journaling? Yes.

speaker-1: Yes, I'm working on it more, but yes.

speaker-0: Yeah, I think the last few months I've been doing that and I just, it's a, I just been doing bullet points, just like things I need to get done and then kind of work it through, ⁓ just kind of remembering what I need to get done for like short term, long term. then, ⁓ yeah, short term, long term goals. Yeah. I definitely seen like a different change in my mindset for sure. Yeah.

speaker-1: Did you? Writing it down has that correlation. I was just talking to somebody about that. I got whiteboard calendars and I love writing all my stuff on it. And it's key. I should journal a little bit more too. Same with reading. When I read, paper books. I love just feeling the paper. ⁓ man, right now, I got gifted a book on the plane on my way back from Arizona. It's a murder mystery.

speaker-0: What kind of books you read? Okay, cool.

speaker-1: I switch it up a little bit, but I've been in a lot of autobiographies too. I like those. like reading and in in understanding where someone came from. Shout out to Rose Rick Ross, your book, Amazing G for real for real. I love your book. Very inspiring. I'm about to read it for the third fourth time. So for real, his book was deep. Just seeing how he came from just damn near nothing like he some good parents, but he went through it. So I love those kind of books.

speaker-0: So yeah.

speaker-1: What about you, you read?

speaker-0: Yeah, I've been reading a lot of poetry books. ⁓ Biography books. mean, I've been looking at like the David Goggin one or the what's his name again? I think it was like the Jocko, the guy who makes the he's like in the military and he makes like the Jocko protein shakes. you heard of those? He's like he writes like his time, I think in the military as well. Yeah, I've been looking at those two books to read next. That's about it.

speaker-1: Do you, since you're taking these steps to kinda go old school and just doing some reading, do you notice things in your peers? Like, hey, y'all should try this. Or do they look at you and be like, what you doing?

speaker-0: Yeah, I think, they look at me for sure. And they're like, ⁓ that's very rare to read. I'm like, Hey, that's actually kind of, that's pretty fried that it's rare to read a book nowadays or, ⁓ to go outside and just disconnect. It's very. They, I know some of my friends too, they get, they get mad when I don't answer my phone. ⁓ and it's usually just me just putting my phone down and like doing something around the house. Maybe not going outside, but just trying to disconnect. And I'll disconnect for hours. Hours pass by so quick that way. But yeah, I definitely see some frustration for my peers for sure.

speaker-1: You just gotta be like, look, I need this.

speaker-0: Yeah, it's crazy because that's where like, when I said like, we get so reliant on our phones because we're so connected with everybody so quickly. And it's so instant that I feel like we kind of miss what's going on around us in like, in real time.

speaker-1: Some of the best times for life, and I'm still trying to strike that balance, but some of the best times I have was 2020, all the way to, when did I get back on? 2023, end of 2023. I had no social media. So I had my ex with me. would just, was, my job was down the way. I would walk to work, come home, chill.

speaker-0: ⁓ that's nice.

speaker-1: It was the best times, man. I had the best sales. I was feeling the best. It was great. And let me tell you, man, that was I'm talking to people on my walks, just just just embracing the whole world, everything going on. So it is wild how that really engulfs us so quickly with TIG. So, yeah, you onto something for sure.

speaker-0: Yeah. I feel like I'm still finding that the, the urges of just like being so hyper lying on my phone for sure. trying to break out of the matrix.

speaker-1: You're doing good though, especially for your age. I mean that is key right there. That is super key to just really realize that stuff and see that's where I'm go back to the dating thing. That's where Shorty's is probably missing you girls is because you're really locking in and grounding yourself where dating so fast. It's so fast.

speaker-0: So quick. I've been on dating apps

speaker-1: ⁓ my gosh. You want to talk about that? ⁓ let's talk about it. Yes. Yes. I haven't been on dating.

speaker-0: We'll talk about it. It's so bad. I had the Holy Trinity, bro. had a tender bumble and hinge. Damn. It was so bad.

speaker-1: couldn't do Tinder. Tinder felt too. I just knew what Tinder. I deleted it. Yeah, but I kept hinge around for a little

speaker-0: You know, everyone knows what Tinder is. hands are nice, this is a little bit more common.

speaker-1: A little bit until you made them. ⁓

speaker-0: I cat. Huh? Yeah, I got catfish. Yeah, I got catfish. was like, that was my first day ever too. Because I had a Tinder bumble hinge since I since the day I turned 18 and I didn't have my first date on a dating app until I was 2024. Wow. Yeah. So just last year, it was just last year. And I remember

speaker-1: Okay. Po, my bad. Will you bring that mic up just a tad? Oh, My bad. I just want to make sure you sound nice. Yeah. Good on you.

speaker-0: my first day 24. And I was like, dang, finally, I was telling the boys, was like, hey, we finally got a day boys, like, let's go. Hey, for real. They're like, ⁓ you got an update us every like 15 minutes. I was like, say less. I walk in did not look like anything like the pictures. I was like, ⁓ shoot. ⁓ well, maybe she got a good heart. Let me let me give her a chance. So I was like, ⁓ drink on me, drink on me. I was like, man, it's gonna be rough. So I took two drinks.

speaker-1: Good guy,

speaker-0: And then ⁓ I took two drinks instantly. I was like, all right, two AMS things. And I was feeling loose. We're cracking jokes and the conversation just got super dry, super dry. And I was like, starting to like carry the conversation heavily. And then I started panicking. I was like, yeah, I'm running out of things to talk about. So I pulled up my phone and I texted one of my clients. I was like, start blowing up my phone right now. we she knew that I did personal training and so I tell I told them start blowing it up just just panic mode hit the red button and then ⁓ like five minutes later like I put my phone on the on the desk and or on the table and then starts buzzing buzzing buzzing I'm like ⁓ it's my client hang on buzz buzz buzz ⁓ it's my client hang up and then I was like ⁓ he's bothering me I think we gotta we gotta wrap this up like I gotta this sounds really important

speaker-1: You hit the red button.

speaker-0: And then I left and I was like, ⁓ bro, that was, I was only there for an hour. It felt like I was there for five.

speaker-1: Where'd y'all go eat or go? The Max's shout out Max's. Yeah, a little spot. That's a spot.

speaker-0: What's a Max's? But that thing is rough, dude. took me, what is that, six years to get one date? What date do you have? I've had like so many rough drafts. ⁓ So many different homegirls take a look at my profile and I use this picture. ⁓ you got to use this photo. ⁓ you got to this on the the bio. Just in and out switching trying to figure out what's going to work.

speaker-1: for the day. Man, you got too many chefs in the kitchen, man. You gotta just do you. Just live with that. You still on there?

speaker-0: Nah, I just decided to delete all of them. It was like, it was literally after that day. I was like, yeah, no, I'm good.

speaker-1: I did hands for a little bit. start seeing some gym shorties. I'll say, Oh,

speaker-0: That's the problem too. Like you'll see him at the gym too. I'm like, ⁓ shoot. Hey, hey, I was just on dinner. Yeah. That's all right.

speaker-1: All right. Yeah, man. Just then you're like, yo, I need to just talk in person and that whole thing come up. Yeah. But honestly, that's the best way you just got to your shot in person with the results. You you got it. This is cool. Just remember, be celebrating. Go where you celebrate it. Right. Right. Don't don't you dare dare let someone take advantage or or take you for granted, man. You too valuable, bro. Appreciate it. Real spit, real spit.

speaker-0: in one day.

speaker-1: We all have to learn that and have to hear that. I've seen so many dudes that I'm no dude. Stop doing that. Stop. I'll be in disrespect. know, a lady should reciprocate everything with you if y'all vibing right? Yeah, if y'all vibing because that's real. But in this world today, I'm like,

speaker-0: Yeah.

speaker-1: With that, what got you entrained in, man?

speaker-0: so I started working out for football, ⁓ when I was in high school and then, ⁓ I was also doing music. So it was kind of hard like to balance to do. yeah, I used to play instrument. I went to UL for, for music. was on a music scholarship there and, ⁓

speaker-1: You used to play instruments. That's what's up.

speaker-0: I needed some, after I finished ⁓ high school sports, I needed like some type of physical outlet. Cause it was just all just like music, music, music. And I got fed up with it. ⁓ So I picked the power of this thing. The, was it my senior year of high school? And I really enjoyed it. was, it gave me something like some, some other type of physical outlet, outlet for sure. And then I did my four years at UO finished. And then I was like, man, like, I kind of don't like music anymore. Like it was fun at the time. But there's not a whole lot of money for sure. ⁓ the, music in life is not easy for sure. It's either you can make a living, but you have to be on the road. or you don't make a living and then you find a different night and find a job. So, ⁓ I was like, yeah, I'm just gonna just cut it nip it at the bud. I'd rather not take the risk and, and travel for maybe four or five years and just live in ends meet. And so I was like, okay, let me, let me try coaching. So. I coach one guy at my hometown gym. He's still, he's still my guy, Caesar. He's, he's really strong. It's actually going to be stronger than me for sure. So I'm really excited. He's, he's only 18 and he's, he's already blowing all the numbers that I, that I did at 18, like out the water for sure. Um, but yeah, I started coaching him and then I, I found joy like coaching him. So then I started coaching more people. And then, uh, after coaching probably like 15 clients, um, I was like, ah, I got to figure out like a, like a steady place to go, go train people. So I started playing, playing areas or gyms around the area, um, in Salem. And it was, it was, was hard. Salem was a hard place to, to, to be a personal trainer. I think there's already a huge amount of qualified personal trainers there. Bodybuilding is very big in Salem and people there pretty, it's a pretty tight knit community. So.

speaker-1: Why do you think that is?

speaker-0: people gravitate towards one person and they don't really try to, they don't like to step on toes for sure. Um, so if there's a, there's, I already know there's, there's like two powerlifting coaches in Salem and that's it. Guys, guys. And no one really wants to try and pick up powerlifting coaching there. And cause they're like, Oh no, like I respect the space, which is nice because it's a nice sense of community, but there's no sense of, of growth or agency. So after trying out,

speaker-1: They're like the

speaker-0: there I was like, I gotta move somewhere else. So I moved back here because I lived in Salem for a year. And then I moved back here. And I was like, let's just try to find something here. And crutch opened up. I applied ⁓ on Indeed and then I got an interview next day. And I was actually working I took filet for a week. That was ⁓ that was treacherous, bro. That actually made me realize I'm not built for food service at all.

speaker-1: That was it. But it makes you respect them over there.

speaker-0: I was like, don't even worry that this is the totally wrong order, bro. Like, I'm gonna eat this chicken sandwich. I ordered I ordered the salad, but it's okay, bro. ⁓

speaker-1: I used to work in food my first job. yeah. Yeah, man. It's tough. It's tough, man. Holidays. Woo.

speaker-0: Dude, I put on my bio that I was a powerlifter and they took advantage of that. They had me unloading and reloading the pallets. You take it like, ⁓ it's just 40 pounds. Like you got that 40 pounds for four hours. I'm not trying to do all that. ⁓ my God. No, I'm not trying to do none of that. No, yeah, I remember I would get off a shift and I just pass out immediately. They hit my car. I'm like, yeah, no, I'm the same. Me. I'm not. I'm not supposed to work this hard.

speaker-1: Good. My back, my neck. I'm gonna go down the street.

speaker-0: Yeah, I literally I'm not, I'm not a hard worker like that anymore. So then, I applied to crunch and thankfully with, got hired within a week and, ⁓ and then from there, I started training a bunch of people, a lot of cool people meet a lot of, ⁓ very intelligent trainers. And it was nice because, ⁓ I felt like I capped at my knowledge, ⁓ before I got hired. And then since I got hired, like I was able to learn a lot more. And so. I think it was definitely a blessing for sure. Being able to be in a different environment and then get personal training done and then also help me.

speaker-1: It's it's really cool because what I liked about you personally just this just my observation is I just knew you had such a cool story. I didn't know what it was, but I knew and then also you just seem hungry. I saw I saw you lift in. Okay, he's strong, but you just seem hungry like you want to keep learning keep growing and if you're always a student that always keeps a certain humbleness, but a certain power to you as well and I noticed that I was like, I just gotta say, say hi to this guy. I I complimented your chain. And I was like, damn, that's a nice chain. All the fellas compliment your chain. There you go with that.

speaker-0: I'm so glad I got this chance. Well, actually my aunt got it for me.

speaker-1: We talk about it every time we see you.

speaker-0: I'm like, ⁓ thank God. And she she put me on for sure.

speaker-1: You better have that chain on your Tinder profile.

speaker-0: ⁓ yeah. Almost everyone on the, on the staff has, has worn my chain. They're like, can I wear it? I'm like, yeah, bro.

speaker-1: Yeah, always we always see you with your chase. But yeah, for real, man. Y'all got a good culture there. That's why I mess with your crunch. Just because y'all do your thing. I know it ain't easy, man.

speaker-0: Yeah, scoot it around. Yeah, ⁓ kind of just piggyback on what you're saying, like about just trying to stay hungry and learn. like I don't, I wasn't always like that. I think I was, ⁓ everyone, everyone goes, I feel like everyone goes through certain moments where you can't, have to, what is the saying? Like sometimes you gotta have a welcome to the league moment. I I that moment. ⁓ I remember second, third year coaching.

speaker-1: Ah, I think.

speaker-0: ⁓ I thought I knew it all. And then I met someone who was a lot better than me coaching. And I took my, my athletes to their national competition and they, did very bad. They did very, very bad. Yeah. My team, my athletes did very bad. And at that moment I was like, ⁓ shit, I don't know anything. And I think that was, that was a good moment for me to just realize like, I got to keep learning, learning. Like the moment that I think I know everything I don't.

speaker-1: ⁓ your team of athletes.

speaker-0: And that's where I'm starting to sink. And I think of myself like a shark. Like I just got to keep going.

speaker-1: sure. Yeah, that's really what it is. You gotta when you're going through something Poe, you just gotta get through it. Yeah. So many people want to just stop and sit there. Nah, get through it, man. Figure it out. How'd you how'd you get to forever strong that always interests me too. How'd you is that is that like where you started down here? How'd you get yourself to forever strong?

speaker-0: Yeah, I got there because, ⁓ the powerlifting club at UO, I was on the, in their club for two years. They would train at forever strong. So, yeah, because I was the only place where they could have powerlifting specific equipment, ⁓ and then offer a good rate for college students to, for, for membership. out. Yeah. So shout out Molly and Vic. They, ⁓ they, ⁓ They give such a steal. like $8 a month for college students. Ooh, wait. Yeah. like, I mean, now like, mean, Crunch is nice because like it's $10, but it's a corporate gym and they kind of cater to every niche as much as they can. But since powerlifting is so hyper specific, like to get the equipment, it's so much money to just to get it. So for college students to only pay like $8 a month. It definitely opened a lot of doors for people to get connections and then have fun and then see some improvement in their physical life for sure. ⁓

speaker-1: Yeah, yeah forever strong holds a special place in my heart man. That's where I started I and I tell people they would push man. I threw up Calluses ripping bleeding. ⁓ well keep going. I Love that man. Yeah, love it. But that's where I started. Mm-hmm It's where I started this where everything happened. That's where the mentality really molded. Yeah, I remember Vic be like it's in there

speaker-0: ⁓ nice.

speaker-1: I see it. You're just pretty right now, but I see it in there. And he was right. I knew it was in there too. And I remembered learning the deadlift, bruh, ripping these calluses. And I'm like, bruh, I need a band-aid. No, you don't.

speaker-0: ⁓ yeah. No, no, you don't put some chalk on you good.

speaker-1: Put some chalk on it. could pull through up everything. But it was the mentality. They just nailed it, nailed it, nailed it. And I finally it just clicked and I said, okay, cool. Sure. The technique is like the technical come. I just want that mentality to lock in with you. Yeah. And one of my favorite basketball players is Kevin Garnett. I just love his mentality and how intense he gets with on the court. So for me,

speaker-0: Yes, sir. Yeah.

speaker-1: I was like fudge man. So I just when it clicked, there we go. We're good. So I tell people like someone came up to me. I crunch like boo boo. I'm like, bro, I started we all started somewhere mate. Plain and simple. said F.S. was my way. So always a dear place.

speaker-0: Yeah. I love that place. It's a, remember didn't, didn't they use to have like a lot of athletes come in. Yeah. Yeah.

speaker-1: They did. They still do a little bit. But they they roll. They're rolling. Yeah. How is that where you hit a lot of your PRs at this?

speaker-0: ⁓ yeah, they do. Yeah, that's where I hit a lot of my bigger PRs. like my squat for sure. hit, I hit it there and then, uh, my deadlift, I hit it there as well.

speaker-1: So what's your PRs on your squad and deadlift?

speaker-0: My squad my all time 815 and then deadlift 630.

speaker-1: So when you started working out, did you just know, ⁓ I can be strong.

speaker-0: No, when I started working out, was scared. Like a cousin taught me how to barbell squat. he's like, all right, you got to make sure you do this right. Or you can paralyze yourself. I was like, I'm never barbell squatting ever then. Like that's, that's raps for me. And, ⁓ it wasn't until maybe like my sophomore year in high school where, ⁓ I started getting the same strength levels, the seniors. I was like, Oh shoot, maybe I'm pretty good at lifting weights. Um, I don't think I'll ever think I'm good enough for sure. I think, uh, I'll always like, I think I need to do better for sure. A hundred percent. Yeah. And that's the advantage because I think, uh, as soon as you get comfortable where you're at, just like how I thought about coaching, like that's where you're just going to sink. So every time I don't get happy anymore for PRs.

speaker-1: That's a v-

speaker-0: It's weird. Like I hit a PR on my, that was nice. I'm happy for the first like maybe five, 10 seconds. And then I was like, okay, so I'm gonna have to add another 40 pounds next week or next month. Yeah.

speaker-1: That's... Yeah, I can relate.

speaker-0: Yeah. And I think people need to take that in every aspect as far as like, okay, you've done X, X, XYZ accomplishment. What's the next one? Like, what's the next thing? It doesn't have to be like the same thing. Like if I hit a squat PR, okay, cool. I did everything I needed for, for powerlifting. What's the next career path? Like, am I going to go help the next person or am I going to go help the community? Whether it's like volunteering or something like that. It's always trying to figure something up.

speaker-1: So that's what's how your mind works. Yeah

speaker-0: I always look at the next thing to do because I can't keep still. I have to do something. Like it would be nice to sit, like, you know, kick my feet up on the, on the beach and then just do that for the tool the day I die. But no, like every day I'm like worrying about what's the next thing I'm doing. If my body's tired. Okay. I'm going to go pick up my trumpet, play again. If my lips are tired to play trumpet. Okay, cool. I'm going to go program for, for my clients, get ahead on work. If it's not that, then it's like, okay, what's the next post I'm going to put on Instagram? That's always awesome.

speaker-1: always something productive. You're always trying to move forward.

speaker-0: Yeah, it doesn't have to be the same thing. Like it can be something else.

speaker-1: That's that's so important for people that I really hope when someone hears you say that they take that and heed that because that's so important. You got to do. It has to be something because especially for us as men, we supposed to be producing. We're supposed to be growing. We're supposed to be just finding ways to win. That's that's what makes us happy. That's just what it is. I've seen a man that didn't do nothing and he he's miserable. He is.

speaker-0: Something

speaker-1: Yeah, and I've sat I've had days bruh when it was raining earlier this week. Yeah, I'm just gonna sit here for a little bit, bruh.

speaker-0: It's so easy. So easy. When I was playing football in high school, I remember my coach was like, it started raining. And then he'd be like, why the fuck is we acting like someone died right now? Like it's raining. This is football. Like, oh yeah, keep going. But buckle up the chin strap and go. Like, why are we so sad? Oh, you didn't have extra water today? Oh, too bad. Too bad. Yeah. What are you going to do when you finish high school and you feel a little sick, but you don't got money for the for rent at the end of the month. Rent still do. That's why I like to tell myself like I wake up tired. I'm like, man, what if I just call a sick today? Right, Stu, no matter what. Yeah, someone's counting on me.

speaker-1: And someone's counting on. What's some motivations? What's like an odd motivation you have to keep going? Like, is it just your client waiting on you? Like one of my odd motivations for the gym? I got to walk my dogs. I got three powerful dogs. I got to walk them. I got to. So sometimes I go in there and bro, when you see me, I got to walk my dogs tomorrow. If I'm going to have 130 pound dogs, I need to walk them. I need a handle. Yeah, that's one of mine. What about you?

speaker-0: Honestly, it's like, it's not like a broken record, but it's literally just a phrase that rent is due. I saw it. I heard someone else say it one time and like, really stuck with me because I was staying with my pops for ⁓ a couple of years during COVID and I was living comfortable. Like, I was like, ⁓ yeah, like, you know, I'll just keep doing my schoolwork. ⁓ just do enough. And then I was like, I put myself in the mental space of What if I was to move out right now? Or what if my dad passed away like tomorrow? Who's going to pick up the mantle? It's going to have to be me. I'm not ready. It's like, shoot. So I'm going need to get ready. Like I'm going need to do it. The rent is due at the end of the month. Yeah. So ⁓ whenever I find myself like in those slums, I think about that. Gotta pay these bills. ⁓ I live in

speaker-1: It is. Gotta pay these bills. What part of town you stay in?

speaker-0: What is it? And where West Coast is at? On Delta Highway. Yeah. Yeah. further north.

speaker-1: Oh, okay. You out there. Okay. Okay. That's what's up. Yeah. So yeah, we'd be out here in the field. You ever need anything? It's Prankfield. Tap in. You know, we got you out here. You're in the compound tonight. It's you don't say space. It's the gym. think everybody should work out. I think everybody should train. I think training. I say when I say training, Po,

speaker-0: Yeah.

speaker-1: Training is you're training yourself with discipline and discipline is also Discipline is not also doing things, but it's also resistant things and I tell everybody train yourself So when you go in and you train yourself, I tell everybody that and exercise Don't go on the stair step if you go in and do the stair step at the gym for 20 minutes. I'm proud of you Good job. Yeah, you just walked in the gym and tried some things. Good job I tell people exercise and train period. I say you don't even gotta work out Don't worry about everyone else working out. Just train. Yeah, you're training your brain. Okay, I went in the gym twice this week. I'm getting more comfortable. That's training. don't that. Buddy, just show up. But I think it's so important, our physical health and moving.

speaker-0: Just trying. ⁓ 100%. Yeah, like I see my dad right now. He's getting like a degenerative joint disease on his spine. And like I use him as an example for some of my older clients ⁓ who don't really are especially if they're starting to show up less, I cancel all I'm feeling sick. This is the fifth time in a row that we're feeling sick. Probably we only meet one time a week man. It's five weeks. Five weeks you sick? I don't know about all that. And I tell him, I tell him about my pops. I'm like, amen. I keep telling him for the last like four years that he needs to work out and he work out. And then he has that, that generous bone disease now or a joint disease. And so I think it's, it's, I don't know what the science is behind it, but I just know that a lot of people who've, who've worked out, don't really see that at an early age. 54.

speaker-1: Those, how old was your pops? 54. Okay. My dad's 57. My dad, he them OGs man. They're stubborn. They're stubborn. So I, uh, I worked, I worked out Desi juice and worked out a deal with crunch. And so I put my pops on to start coming in.

speaker-0: They're so stu-

speaker-1: I was like, bro, you got this membership. You can start coming in now. He says, uh, cause he played college ball for you. Oh, and then went across seas. Okay. I've been there, done that. I'm good. He's blessed with genetics. I tell them, but just moved two times a week, man. You know, just put a little iron on son. I did it. He pulls up an old picture. Shout out, mama mama. Go start coming in. But I said, pops, come on.

speaker-0: Thanks It's going even squans treadmill

speaker-1: You won't see him. don't even tell him he's in good shape when I introduce you because I see I told you I'm good. Don't even say

speaker-0: be so hard not to if he's in good shape. ⁓

speaker-1: He blessed. ⁓ he blessed. I'm like, bro, like, come on, let's keep moving. You can't. I keep moving. Gotta keep moving. That's why I love just walking my dog. Sometimes I just walk. That's my therapy. That's my therapy. Okay, man. I just go on walks. Like I said, I leave everything at home, but just watch and just walk. Call it good. Way that people chill, sit at the park, whatever. People like, peace. I'm chilling, man. I'm chilling.

speaker-0: Can't saw moon. Thanks Mm-hmm. That's good.

speaker-1: What's the next episode? I had to get to it later. All right, man. Well, we're wrapping up. Poe, you got any last things to say? Can I ask you coming back on? I'm down. I mean, you're gonna be on by the summertime. I want to say, though, keep being great, bro. You you you you so young and like I said, your energy pulled me your way. Thank you. You're doing a great thing. You're cultivating great things. And I know we talked about the dating scene.

speaker-0: I'm gonna do it when I get it. ⁓ no? ⁓ if you have one, you invite me.

speaker-1: Beat just, I'm going to be celebrated, bro. That's all I say. Be celebrated. You're a good dude. Stay disciplined. Call it good. Appreciate it. Hey, most death, most death, man. Appreciate you being here. Thirsty. If you ever going through anything, hit me, man. I know you got friends. I see you got your team and stuff, but for real, if you ever need to just talk to just Dez and, I got you. I'm a good listener too. Thank you, man. Yeah, for real, man. Family stuff, whatever. I know you approached me a couple of times in a family or whatever. Let me know, man.

speaker-0: Thank you, Start something serious. You know that's

speaker-1: UG, we kick it and chill. Unless you think what's that? Okay. If I hit you, you better be like, damn this brother. Very nice.

speaker-0: Same thing, same thing. Nah, Hey, just FaceTime me though. All my friends know, text message, I'm a little spot.

speaker-1: Okay, yeah, I noticed that. Me too. I tell people don't take it personal. just called me.

speaker-0: Yeah, I like seeing people's face. Like it makes me interact a little bit better.

speaker-1: For sure, man. Yeah, otherwise, because I ain't trying to just see you at the club next time. ⁓ yeah, right, right.

speaker-0: ⁓ You were there too, yeah?

speaker-1: I was in the section. What Jesse get me into. I'll stand in there like, damn it, man.

speaker-0: You're standing there with a big smile, bro.

speaker-1: Hey, chill, man. Look, I had a good time, but I left early. I know when to leave. All right. I know when to leave. I'm not too dirty when the club close. I know when to leave. But not real talk. I appreciate you. And we're have you on do another group chat or so. All right, man. Okay, well, we appreciate you. Shout out to Paul coming through on the garage talks to have a terrific conversation. You know what I must say, hug your loved ones, be present in the present and until next time, go ahead and smash that subscribe button. Thank you for supporting us to an end. We're going growing every day. So keep supporting. We're doing our thing. We out of here. Bless up. Peace.