Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

In this episode the guys sit down with elite speed and performance coach Brian Kula of Kula Sports Performance, the man who has trained Christian McCaffrey since he was 13 years old, Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, and dozens of other professional and Olympic athletes. Brian breaks down his Bounce Fire system for building safe running mechanics from the ground up, why strong athletes like Sal who never sprint are actually at higher injury risk than deconditioned ones, how the nervous system is the real reason hamstrings pull, why cold plunges can shut down the nervous system for up to 24 hours before a game, the best strength training exercises for speed including trap bar deadlifts and overcoming isometrics, how he uses force plates and grip strength to gauge recovery, the role genetics play in athletic potential, why gymnastics is the best base sport for young kids, and the ACL injury connection to the menstrual cycle that most coaches don't know about.
 
Kula Sports Performance: https://www.kulasp.com
ETS Performance: https://etsperformance.com
 
No BS 6-Pack Formula: https://nobs6pack.com
Code: 6PACK for 50% off. Full two phase ab building system with updated videos and demos.
 
SPONSOR
Butcher Box: https://butcherbox.com/mindpump
No code needed. New users choose free thick cut ribeyes, top sirloin, or ground beef and bacon for a year plus $20 off at checkout.
 
LINKS
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
0:00 - Intro
3:31 - Running is a skill and why the injury rate is so high
6:06 - The Bounce Fire system — Brian's 25-year progressive running mechanics method 
12:20 - Why reaching with your stride is the real cause of most hamstring pulls
15:44 - Sal's hamstring pop story and why strong athletes who never sprint are highest risk
20:28 - Recovery tools — force plates, fly tens and structured periodization
30:08 - Best strength exercises for speed — trap bar deadlift, box squat and overcoming isometrics
37:09 - Biggest changes in athletic training over 30 years and what went wrong with functional training 
40:07 - Female ACL injury rates and the menstrual cycle connection nobody talks about 
43:14 - CO2 paste recovery technology — why Brian thinks it beats hyperbaric chambers and cold plunges
51:00 - Biggest mistakes young athletes and coaches make and the multi-sport debate
1:00:25 - Stories from coaching Saquon, McCaffrey, AJ Brown and what separates elite athletes

In this episode the guys break down the seven best muscle building exercises you have probably never done — the bent press, circus press, Zottman curls, weighted windmills, heavy overhead carries, heavy trap bar farm walks, and tibialis raises. They also get into AI being used to expose congressional stock trading corruption (56% of congressional stock purchases are on companies directly impacted by bills they later voted on), the whey protein shortage and a new manufacturing technique that makes it taste even better, the history of sketchy old school supplements like Hot Stuff and what was actually in them, old school protein shakes from the Weider era, and LMNT's new lemonade iced tea flavor. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.
No BS 6-Pack Formula:  https://nobs6pack.com Code: 6PACK for 50% off. Updated two phase ab building system with new videos and demos .
Mind Pump Fitness Coaching:  https://mindpumpfitnesscoaching.com
1.9 NASM CEUsSPONSORS
Legion (protein bars and supplements):  https://buylegion.com/mindpump Code: MPB2G1 for buy 2 get 1 free.
Kion Aminos:  https://getkion.com/mindpump
20% off automatically applied at checkout, no code needed.
LMNT (lemonade iced tea):  https://drinklmnt.com/MindPump
Free 8-count sample pack with any purchase, no code needed. New lemonade iced tea flavor discussed on air — 50mg caffeine, no sugar.
Dose for Your Liver:  https://dosedaily.co/MINDPUMP
Code: MINDPUMP for 25% off first month subscription. Clinically backed liquid liver supplement, zero sugar, zero calories.
LINKS
Submit a live caller question:  https://mplivecaller.com
Mind Pump Store:  https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products:  https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
3:08 - 7 best muscle building exercises you have never done
7:34 - The bent press — how Arthur Saxon pressed 370 pounds overhead with one arm
10:30 - The circus press — the one arm push press that builds shoulders fast
12:19 - Zottman curls — the forgotten arm builder that bulletproofs your elbows
13:44 - Weighted windmills — the best exercise Sal had never done that fixed his SI joint
15:40 - Heavy overhead carries — how walking with weight overhead changed the guys' pressing strength
19:11 - Heavy trap bar farm walk — why carrying 500 pounds makes everyday life feel easy
21:24 - Tibialis raises — the dumbest simplest fix for shin splints that actually works instantly
24:04 - Legion chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispie bars and GLP users who struggle to hit protein
25:10 - AI exposes congressional stock trading — 56% of purchases tied to bills they voted on
35:09 - Retail investors now make up 20% of market trading volume and its impact
37:18 - Leucine is the trigger — why your EAA supplement is probably underdosed where it matters
40:05 - Whey protein shortage and a new manufacturing technique that makes it taste better
44:54 - Old school supplements — Hot Stuff, pro hormones and what was actually in them
51:10 - 1988 study — frail 88-year-olds gained 174% average strength in 8 weeks with no injuries
58:05 - Caller: Bobby (New Jersey) — truck driver, GLP off-ramp, normalized bloodwork at 55, needs a build phase
1:08:44 - Caller: Casey (North Carolina) — Hashimoto's, weekend gluten cheats, overtraining, gets Maps 15
1:23:29 - Caller: Sharon (Connecticut) — hypermobility, POTS, MCAS, gets Maps Starter with isometric modifications
1:36:43 - Caller: Renee (Hawaii) — DV survivor, hysterectomy next week, bikini competitor goals, gets free coaching and certification course

In this episode the guys break down the six best lifts for athletic fitness — the movements that translate directly to real world performance, sport and everyday life. They cover lunges and sled work, the standing overhead press, trap bar deadlift, one arm rows with rotation and pull ups, hanging leg raises done correctly, and band and cable chops for rotational power. They also reminisce about their worst business failures — Sal's second studio location that cost him 75K to break the lease, Adam's mobile car detailing hustle, Justin's app build, and Doug's story of losing his entire Japan savings to a fraudulent investment group that got raided by the IRS mid-call. Then they answer questions from Instagram on Bulgarian split squat imbalances, swapping exercises in MAPS 15 Powerlift, which program fixes imbalances and unlocks squat depth, and how to pair sprint intervals with strength training.
No BS 6-Pack Formula: https://nobs6pack.com
Code: 6PACK for 50% off. Full ab building system with two phase blueprints and video demos by Sal. $28.50 after discount.
SPONSORS
Rho Nutrition (liposomal creatine, NAD+ and Glutathione): https://www.rhonutrition.com/discount/MINDPUMP
Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off everything. Liposomal creatine discussed on air as the fix for people who experience bloating from regular creatine.
Paleo Valley (grass-fed fermented meat sticks): https://paleovalley.com/mindpump
15% off automatically applied at checkout, no code needed.
Our Place (non-toxic cookware): https://fromourplace.com
Code: MINDPUMP for 10% off sitewide. Always Pan replaces eight pieces of cookware, forever chemical free, 100 day trial with free returns.
LINKS
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
0:00 - Intro
2:28 - 6 best lifts for athletic fitness
3:25 - Lunges and sled work — triple extension, split stance and why sled is the most accessible power exercise
8:09 - Standing overhead press — the squat of the upper body and how it reveals your whole body strength
10:22 - Trap bar deadlift — why athletic coaches prefer it over conventional for most sports
14:38 - One arm rows with rotation and pull ups — pulling strength and the rotational component most programs miss
16:31 - Hanging leg raises — how to do them correctly and why they matter for every athletic movement
18:25 - Band and cable chops — rotational and anti-rotational power for sport
21:15 - Worst business failures — studios, apps, car detailing and Doug's IRS raid story
50:13 - Rho liposomal creatine solving the bloating problem for women
51:43 - Justin's Yellowstone trip and the bear world grizzly feeding park
59:25 - Paleo Valley fermentation process and the Truckee cabin bear break-in story
1:01:22 - Q&A: Bulgarian split squat imbalances — how to even out a weaker leg
1:04:41 - Q&A: Swapping exercises in MAPS 15 Powerlift with weaker lift variations
1:05:47 - Q&A: Best MAPS program for fixing imbalances and unlocking squat depth
1:07:40 - Q&A: How to pair sprint intervals with strength training correctly

In this episode the guys break down how not to train your abs, covering the five biggest mistakes that keep people from ever seeing results from their core training. They cover why high reps are the wrong approach, how most people are using their hip flexors instead of their abs without realizing it, why short range of motion leaves gains on the table, why rest periods matter just as much for abs as any other muscle, and why avoiding obliques is one of the worst ideas in fitness. Sal shares how switching to resistance training for his abs within 60 days made them one of his best body parts.
 
No BS 6-Pack Formula:  https://nobs6pack.com
Code: 6PACK for 50% off. Full two phase ab building system with video demos by Sal. $28.50 after discount. 30 day money back guarantee.
 
SPONSORS
Super Patch:  https://mindpump.superpatch.com
No code needed. Use the URL for $30 off. Drug free wearable neurotechnology patch backed by over a dozen peer reviewed studies. Supports sleep, focus, energy, mobility, recovery and stress management.
 
LINKS
Mind Pump Store:  https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products:  https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
SPOTIFY TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
2:16 - How not to train your abs — the mistakes everyone makes
3:44 - Mistake #1: High reps — why this builds stamina not muscle
8:51 - Mistake #2: Flexing at the hips instead of the lumbar spine
14:28 - Mistake #3: Short range of motion and what a full range actually looks like
17:22 - Mistake #4: No rest between sets — why circuits kill your ab gains
19:38 - Mistake #5: Avoiding obliques — why this logic is completely backwards
22:57 - No BS 6-Pack Formula — the program designed to fix all of this

In this episode the guys break down the five steps to becoming the fittest you've ever been for life — not just for a season. They cover why fitness should improve your life rather than become your life, the importance of building strength for longevity, moving well and being able to play, and what realistic aesthetics look like for someone who actually has a life. Sal opens up about his own ongoing struggle with making fitness an idol, Adam talks about genuinely letting go of the all-or-nothing mentality, and Justin reflects on the identity shift from performance-based athlete to training for quality of life. They also get into the SpaceX IPO and the 4,000 overnight millionaires it will create, why politicians criticizing billionaires is frustrating, Olipop's origin story and 1.8 billion dollar valuation, the delta sleep inducing peptide Sal has been using, parasite infections being far more common than people think, and Adam shooting a squirrel that was eating his peaches. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.
No BS 6-Pack Formula: https://nobs6pack.com
Code: 6PACK for 50% off. Full ab building system, two phase workout blueprints, video demos by Sal and a healthy diet guide. $28.50 after discount.
SPONSORS
Organifi: https://organifi.com/mindpump
Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off. Natural parasite cleanse combo (two bottles: one for the parasite, one to heal the gut). Discussed on air with Sal sharing his personal experience.
Olipop: https://drinkolipop.com/mindpump
Buy any two cans of Olipop in store (any flavor, any retailer) and they will pay you back for one. New flavors: Blackberry Vanilla and Raspberry Sherbet.
Zbiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic: https://zbiotics.com/MINDPUMP26
Code: MINDPUMP26 for 15% off first purchase (one-time or subscription, 3, 6 and 12-pack options).
LINKS
Submit a live caller question: https://mplivecaller.com
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
0:00 - Intro
3:20 - 5 steps to becoming the fittest you've ever been for life
5:03 - Step 1: Fitness should improve your life, not become your life
22:25 - Step 2: Build strength, why it matters more as you age
25:46 - Step 3 and 4: Move well and be able to play
26:38 - Step 5: What realistic aesthetics actually look like long term
33:26 - Sal is going back to jiu jitsu and his fears about walking in as a purple belt
42:43 - Parasite infections are more common than people think and Organifi's cleanse
53:28 - The delta sleep inducing peptide Sal has been using from MP Hormones
55:57 - SpaceX IPO, 4,000 overnight millionaires and the Elizabeth Warren reaction
1:00:36 - Caller: Daniel (Georgia) eating 1500 calories since high school, 30 year history of restriction
1:20:05 - Caller: Matilda (Singapore) doing everything right for a year but period has not returned
1:29:30 - Caller: Christina (Missouri) 51 years old, six day a week program, not progressing
1:37:31 - Caller: Olivia (Texas) active athlete trying to balance lifting with sports and Pilates