The Iron Edge

In this episode, Ken talks about what happens when you stop believing in yourself the way you once did. While preparing to return to Scotland's Strongest Man, an old hat from his competitive days brought back memories of the confidence, swagger, and self-belief he carried when he was at his best. It also forced him to ask a harder question: if that person is still there, why doesn't he believe in...

In this episode, Ken talks about what happens when the fire that used to drive you just isn't there anymore. Using his return to strongman as the backdrop, he reflects on years of telling himself he didn't need the sport anymore, realizing that the things that once motivated him no longer work the same way, and learning what it takes to find that spark again. This episode is about being honest wit...

In this episode, Ken talks about learning to find the silver lining when things don't go the way you planned. Starting with a small injury in training, he reflects on how setbacks can expose problems we didn't know were there, force us to change our approach, and sometimes lead us somewhere better than the path we originally had in mind. This episode is about changing your perspective when life ge...

In this episode, Ken talks about something that's easy to overlook when life gets busy: knowing when to step back before you burn yourself out. After taking a short break from creating content, he reflects on the importance of recharging, letting go of the pressure to always be productive, and understanding that sometimes the best way to move forward is to pause for a moment. This episode is about...

In this episode, Ken reflects on one of the most powerful lessons he's learned: don't spend so much time planning for someday that you forget to live today. Using his father's passing, a conversation about retirement, and the simple moments with his own family, he explores how easy it is to get caught in the routine of life while assuming there's always more time. This episode is about finding ful...

In this episode, Ken talks about one simple idea that has the power to change almost every part of your life: your perception isn't always your reality. Using his own journey back to strongman as the backdrop, he shares how fear, self-doubt, and assumptions convinced him that nobody cared about his comeback and that the challenge ahead was bigger than he could handle. The reality turned out to be...

In this episode, Ken shares why he's returning to compete at Scotland's Strongest Man after walking away from the sport for five years. For a long time, he told himself he was at peace with retirement. The truth was, he wasn't. There was one chapter he never got to finish, and one question he couldn't stop asking himself: "What if I gave it one more shot?" This episode isn't about proving anyone w...

In this episode, Ken opens up about something almost everyone has experienced but very few people talk about honestly: feeling completely alone. Whether it's grief, anxiety, failure, or simply feeling like nobody would understand, it's easy to convince yourself that you're carrying everything on your own. Ken reflects on his own struggles after losing his father, the role strongman played as a cop...

In this episode, Ken gets honest about the reality of building something that matters when the results aren't coming as quickly as you hoped. Using the Iron Edge itself as the example, he talks about persistence, purpose, and the difference between chasing numbers versus creating something that genuinely helps people. This episode is about continuing to show up when nobody's watching, finding mean...

Travis Ortmayer joins Ken for a conversation about identity, addiction, purpose, and what happens when you lose everything you thought defined you. Known to many as the "Texas Stoneman," Travis was one of the most dominant American strongmen of his era, competing at eight World Championships and building a career that many athletes dream about. But this conversation isn't about podiums, records, o...

In this episode, Ken talks about one of the hardest questions we face in life: when do you stop playing it safe and start betting on yourself? Whether it's a business idea, a career change, a personal goal, or a dream you've been sitting on for years, there comes a point where nobody else can make the decision for you. This episode is about taking ownership of your future, questioning the idea of...

Tom Owens joins Ken for a conversation about ambition, identity, and what happens when the thing you love becomes the center of your life. A two-time Britain’s Strongest Man U105kg, coach, commentator, and one of the top athletes in the sport today, Tom has built his entire life around strongman. But this conversation goes beyond titles and competition results. It’s about purpose, the pressure of...

In this episode, Ken talks about the difference between setting a goal and actually following through on it. Motivation comes and goes. Discipline gets talked about endlessly. But none of it matters if you can’t trust yourself to do the things you said you were going to do. This episode is about self-respect, keeping promises to yourself, and why the small daily actions are what ultimately determi...

Mike Lohman joins Ken for a conversation about purpose, community, and why strength can be about far more than competition. A longtime member of the strongman community, coach, and founder of the Veterans Strongman Association, Mike is building something bigger than a federation or a nonprofit. He’s creating a pathway for veterans to reconnect with structure, challenge, and belonging through stren...

In this episode, Ken talks about the importance of learning how to pivot when life doesn’t go the way you planned. Whether it’s in sport, business, relationships, or everyday life, things are going to go wrong. Plans change. Situations shift. And a lot of people end up stuck because they can’t let go of the version they had in their head. This episode is about learning to roll with it, adapt witho...

In this episode, Ken talks about the moment he realized he was missing his own life by constantly comparing it to what he thought it should look like. After years of chasing success, pressure, and bigger goals, a simple morning making breakfast for his family became a reminder that some of the richest moments in life are the ones we overlook while trying to get somewhere else. This episode is abou...

Inez Carrasquillo joins Ken for a conversation about pressure, identity, and what it really takes to build something from nothing. Not just in sport, but in life.   An Arnold Champion and one of the most dominant forces in strongwoman today, Inez didn’t come up through a traditional path. She started lifting to lose weight after a serious health scare, training alone at 4AM to avoid being seen and...

In this episode, Ken gets honest about the struggle of outgrowing identity. Moving on from being known as “the athlete,” “the strongman,” or whatever role you’ve carried for years and realizing that holding onto it too tightly can start to break you. This isn’t about abandoning who you were. It’s about allowing yourself to evolve without resentment, without forcing yourself to stay in a box that n...

Joey Szatmary joins Ken for a conversation about identity beyond lifting, adapting through different seasons of life, and what it means to keep building when priorities change. Known for his long-running presence in the strength world, coaching career, and no-nonsense approach to training, Joey has evolved far beyond athlete labels. This conversation goes into fatherhood, business pivots, discipli...

Some days you feel unstoppable. Other days you feel invisible. In this episode, Ken talks about the reality of energy swings — the high-energy days where everything feels easy and the low-energy days where even simple tasks feel heavy. The goal isn’t chasing motivation, it’s building the discipline and routines that allow you to execute no matter how you feel. Stack the days. Show up for both.   I...

Erin Murray joins Ken for a conversation about identity beyond performance, learning to step away from pressure, and what it means to keep evolving when you’ve already reached the top. A multiple-time world champion, Erin has spent over a decade at the highest level of strongman. But this conversation goes deeper than titles. It’s about navigating life after proving yourself, redefining success, a...

Ken opens up about the frustration and negativity that’s been building under the surface, and the moment it finally clicked, nothing was changing because he wasn’t actually addressing the problem. It’s easy to sit in anger and let it spiral. Harder to stop, take ownership, and ask what actually needs to change. In this episode, he breaks down how to use that anger and frustration as a signal, not...

Brian Alsruhe joins Ken for a conversation about choosing pressure on purpose, and what it means to actually do hard things consistently. Known for his intensity and unconventional approach to training, Brian has built a system around structure, intent, and embracing discomfort rather than avoiding it. This conversation looks at how that mindset carries beyond the gym into life, business, and pers...

Ken reflects on a period of drifting through life on autopilot and the realization that growth doesn’t happen without intention. When identity starts to blur — after competition, career shifts, or major life changes — rebuilding starts internally. This episode looks at the quiet work of rebuilding self-respect, self-belief, and clarity by showing up when no one is watching.   If you’ve been off tr...

Joe Sullivan joins Ken for a conversation about identity, transition, and what training is really meant to build. After reaching the top of powerlifting with multiple all-time world records, Joe is now navigating a different phase; one where training isn’t just about performance, but longevity, perspective, and how it carries into the rest of life. In this episode, Ken and Joe get into: • The shif...