Fitness & Wellness

The Iron Life Podcast #8: Build, Burn, Become with Fred Mohr

Fred Mohr is a fitness enthusiast, podcaster, coach and 16 year veteran of the Elizabeth, NJ Fire Department.

On today’s episode, Fred shares his story on how he got into training, training for the physical fitness test for the fire service, the differences between old school bodybuilding and training for performance, living your passion and how to stay strong & fit as you age.

We also dive into the benefits of steel mace training and how you can incorporate them into your program.

There’s a ton of information in this conversation that can help you on your path so don’t want to miss out.

Check it out below.

The Iron Life Podcast #8: Build, Burn, Become with Fred Mohr


The Iron Life Podcast #7: Joe DeFranco on Rising to the Top of the Fitness Industry, Training Longevity, What to Look For in a Group Training Program, Triple H’s Training and What Trainers Should Never Do

 

Today’s episode of The Iron Life Podcast is a very special one.

I had the privilege to interview my friend and world renowned strength and conditioning coach, Joe DeFranco.

If you don’t know, Joe is the owner of DeFranco’s Gym in East Rutherford, NJ, has 20 plus years of experience in the fitness industry and has trained athletes of all levels including

  • Brian Cushing (Houston Texans)
  • David Diehl (New York Giants)
  • Mickey Gall (UFC)
  • Stephanie McMahon (WWE)
  • Triple H (WWE)

And hundreds of others from professional organizations.

He’s the host of The Industrial Strength Show and co-founder of the legendary Certified Physical Preparation Specialist (CPPS) certification alongside Jim “Smitty” Smith.

This episode is PACKED with information that ranges from:

  • Joe’s rise to success in the fitness industry
  • What to look for in a group training program
  • How you can modify your training program and still get strong AF
  • What you should never do as a trainer or coach
  • Triple H’s current training program

And everything in between.

It was truly an honor to sit across from one of the best to ever do it and have him share his knowledge with you.

Click below to listen.

http://theironlifepodcast.libsyn.com/7-joe-defranco-on-rising-to-the-top-of-the-fitness-industry-training-longevity-what-to-look-for-in-a-group-training-program-triple-hs-training-and-what-trainers-should-never-do


The Iron Life Podcast #6: Your Guide to Getting Summer Shredded

If one of your goals is to lose more body fat then you are in luck!

On today’s episode of The Iron Life Podcast I’m talking everything fat loss and what you need to do not only to shed off body fat, but to KEEP IT OFF for good!

Here are some of the things I cover for you in this episode.

  • What you need to do to speed up your metabolic rate
  • The downside of starvation diets and excessive exercise
  • The two most overlooked components for losing body fat
  • What you should limit in your diet and why
  • How to maximize fat loss while improving health
  • HIIT training
  • What you should eat to make losing body fat a priority
  • My personal diet
  • How to breakdown macros for the advanced trainee

And much more! This is an info-packed episode that you don’t want to miss!

Click below to check it out.

P.S. If you’re enjoying the show it would really mean the world to me if you left a quick five star review or better yet, a written review. That’s truly the best way to grow the show and help impact the lives of more people. Thanks in advance.

http://theironlifepodcast.libsyn.com/6-your-guide-to-getting-summer-shredded


The Iron Life Podcast #5: Training Guide for all Law Enforcement, Firefighters and First Responders Plus Your Questions Answered

It’s Friday, my friend!

That doesn’t only mean that the weekend is here. It means that it’s time for a new episode of The Iron Life Podcast and I have a good one for you today.

As I mentioned on Wednesday I’m going to dive deep into everything all law enforcement, firefighters and first responders need to address in their training and lifestyle in order to perform better.

But check it…

Even if you’re not a first responder, there is A TON of information in this episode that can help you pack on muscle and strength, melt off fat, get strong and healthier than ever before.

Here’s some stuff today’s show covers.

  • How to improve your sleep while working late night shifts
  • The importance of nutrition when working tactical jobs
  • The staples every police officer or firefighter needs in their program
  • The importance of strongman training and it’s carryover to the real world
  • The best type of protein powder
  • My thoughts on running a quality group training program
  • Zercher Squats

And much more

You don’t want to miss this one!

http://theironlifepodcast.libsyn.com/5-training-guide-for-all-law-enforcement-firefighters-and-first-responders-plus-your-questions-answered


The Iron Life Podcast #4: 9 Habits That Will Transform Your Life

On episode 4 of The Iron Life Podcast I share the 9 habits which have helped lead me to success in hopes that you will apply them to your own life as well.

On this episode I’ll cover:

  • The importance of an evening routine
  • Importance of a morning routine
  • Why electronics can be detrimental before bed or immediately after waking
  • 4 quadrants which most people live their lives
  • Goal setting
  • Why motivation is bullshit

And much more

Click below to listen.

http://theironlifepodcast.libsyn.com/4-the-9-habits-that-will-transform-your-life


The Iron Life Podcast #3: Your Blueprint for Building Muscle

Here’s  what you need to do to pack on more muscle mass.

On this episode of The Iron Life Podcast I cover:

  • How to establish the foundation you’ll need to pack on muscle from head to toe
  • Different training splits that you can use
  • My personal favorite training split
  • How more experienced lifters or older beginners can make max effort days safer
  • Training frequency vs. training volume. Which is best for you?!
  • How to properly train and develop your back

And a lot more.

Click below to listen.

http://theironlifepodcast.libsyn.com/3-heres-how-to-build-more-muscle


The Iron Life Podcast #2: 32 Life Lessons of Life, Training, Nutrition, Business and Personal Growth

On episode 2 of The Iron Life Podcast I share my 32 lessons of life, training, mindset, nutrition business and life in hopes to help you create the habits that will lead to a better life

Click below to listen.

http://theironlifepodcast.libsyn.com/the-iron-life-podcast-episode-2-32-lessons-of-life-training-nutrition-business-and-personal-growth



Three Life Lessons from Jiu-Jitsu

If you’ve been following me on social media for a while then you probably know that I’ve been learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pretty intensely for nearly the last year.

I’m just a white belt learning all of the basics, but little by little I can see myself improving. I’m by no means an expert, but I’m working to learn as much as I can.

What I’d like to share with you today is the valuable lessons I’ve gathered from the sport that  can be valuable for you to apply to your own life, as I have began to apply to my own.

Before we get into the lessons, you should first have an understanding of what Jiu-Jitsu is so this article make a little more sense for you.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a form of grappling where two competitors try to submit one another using chokes and a variety of joint locks like arm bars, shoulder locks, knee bars etc.

It’s a martial art that relies heavily on leverage, technique, proper body position and the mind. It is also a form of problem solving and is often referred to as human chess since you’re constantly trying to stay one step ahead of your opponent.

Now that you have an idea of what Jiu-Jitsu is, let’s get into it.

Lesson #1: You cannot rely solely on your strengths. You must develop your weaknesses.

I’ve been obsessed with strength training and coaching for a long time now, so although I’m not the strongest guy in the world, I have a pretty good level of strength, power and endurance. For the most part, I’m physically stronger than most people that I roll with.

Early on I thought that I’d be able to out-muscle some of the guys I was training with and that I’d be ok. Man, what a dipshit way of thinking. In about 12 seconds I realized I was dead wrong.

People half my size were strangling me with my own limbs and nearly snapping my arm in half. I don’t want to say that my strength was useless because it certainly is an asset; however it was the only tool I had in my toolbox and it wasn’t the tool I needed. In order for me to get better I needed to learn the art and fill up my toolbox with technique and awareness of what my opponent is trying to do.

In life, many people rely solely on their strengths and never address their weaknesses. Maybe you’re very intellectually smart but have sub-par social skills or vice versa. Maybe you’re heavily involved in yoga but don’t do much strength training or the other way around. That’s when injuries and other problems occur.

There needs to be some type of balance in your life, the yin and the yang. Use your strengths to your advantage, but open up your world and expose yourself to the areas that need work so you can then evolve as a human being. I believe that when you do that you create the potential to live a very fulfilling life.

Lesson #2: You can’t always have control over everything, but you can control how you respond

One thing most of us seek is control. It’s why so many people get anxious on a plane; they’re totally out of control.

In Jiu-Jitsu, there are times when I’m getting smashed and in a bad position. It’s uncomfortable, you can’t breathe, can’t move and have the sweat from another dude dripping into your eyes and mouth…yeah, not the best place to be.

Early on I’d get extremely frustrated in these positions and would start whaling around trying to get out. All that would do is leave me even more exhausted which made the position worse.

I needed to learn how to relax and get comfortable being uncomfortable. I’m not saying that you should just give up and accept the beating, I’m saying that sometimes it’s important to accept what you don’t have full control over and strategically work your way into a better position. Or, at least work yourself into the right state of mind.

If you allow emotions to get the best of you, I assure that you’ll be in a worse position in life with energy wasted on something you had no control over. Instead, be strategic, control your thoughts, your breathing and start working yourself into a better position.

Lesson #3: Life is a game of chess, be strategic

As the old saying goes, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Most people going through life like they’re going to live forever. No goal setting, no planning and growing old without any thought or direction as to how they want their life to play out. Maybe they think about it once in a while, but there’s no real plan to get them there.

The same goes for fitness. Usually people have very vague goals like “I want to lose some weight” and think that just showing up at the gym is going to get them the results they want.

It doesn’t work that way!

You need a coach and you need a plan!

My first few weeks in Jiu-Jitsu I never had a plan when I’d spar with someone. I’d just go, go, go and would always end up getting choked. Don’t get me wrong, I still get my ass kicked and submitted all of the time, but my game is improving because I now have enough information to apply some sort of strategy.

And because of that I’m getting better in other areas of my life.

That’s all we can do, my friend. Do your best every single day to improve in some small way.

Strive to improve at work, in your relationship, in your health, in your friendships…in all areas of your life. But if you don’t create a game plan on how you’ll improve it’s going to be very difficult to grow.

I hope that you see these lessons clearly and start to apply them to your own life immediately. There are lessons all around us. I encourage you to be more conscious and aware of them so you can take your life, fitness and career to the next level.

Thanks for reading.