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In this conversation, Jim and Josh discuss the Christmas movie 'Scrooge'd', reflecting on its nostalgic value, Bill Murray's career, and the themes of corporate greed and morality. They explore the film's impact on their childhood memories, the casting choices, and how it compares to other holiday films. The discussion also delves into character development, relationships, and the film's overall m...

In this conversation, Jim McDonald and firefighter Chad Dillon delve into deeper topics surrounding mental health, community, and self-expression through photography and music. They discuss Chad's journey from firefighting to founding the nonprofit, Ruted Above, aimed at fostering community connections and safe spaces for expression. The conversation highlights the importance of therapy, the impac...

In something of an annual tradition, the Holiday Film Fest is back with this Christmas flick for Thanksgiving. Yes, Die Hard 2 is a Christmas movie!   In this film, detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) tries to stop a terrorist plot at Washington D.C.'s Dulles International Airport on Christmas Eve. After the incident at Nakatomi Plaza, it’s fair to wonder if this guy can ever catch a break. If n...

In this conversation, Jim and Paul Oneid discuss the current state of gyms post-pandemic, sharing insights on the challenges faced by gym owners and members alike. They delve into Paul's personal journey of injury recovery after a severe quad injury, exploring the innovative rehabilitation techniques he employed. The discussion also highlights the importance of foundational training and the long-t...

This is something of a follow-up to episode 491 with John Gaglione about the training environment. This time, Larry Wheels, who was coached by John and has become an iconic figure in the fitness world, joins (from Russia!). In this conversation, Larry Wheels Williams discusses his journey in powerlifting, emphasizing the importance of resilience, communication, and mental preparation. He reflects...

In this conversation, Jim McDonald speaks with Kevin Meier, a former Marine, video game character, and fitness coach, about his journey from military service to the fitness industry. Kevin has survived and learned to cope with a devastating accidental injury. Through his employment at Blizzard Entertainment, he met someone who was critical to recovering his strength and physical capabilities. He a...

John Gaglione joins to discuss the evolution of powerlifting, coaching philosophies, and the importance of community in strength training. They explore the challenges of weight loss expectations, the significance of performance goals, and the shift in training approaches over the years. John shares his experiences in bodybuilding and the impact it had on his powerlifting journey, while also emphas...

Comedian (and personal training manager) Nick Scopoletti returns to chat about growing his comedy career, working with Lisa Lampanelli, managing personal trainers, and how his personal warmth has been kind of a cheat code.  You can find Nick on Instagram @nickscopes https://www.instagram.com/nickscopes/ and as Lisa Lampanelli’s sidekick on her podcast, Shrink This https://podcasts.apple.com/us/pod...

Jerry Molinero, one of our trainers here at Third Street Barbell, joins to talk about losing over 100 lbs and some of the habits, foods, and situations that make dieting harder.   We also discuss a few influencers we think are getting it right on social media.   You can find him on Instagram @jerrykilos https://www.instagram.com/jerrykilos Join our Discord for free at goodcompanydiscord.com!   Che...

In this conversation, Jim McDonald and Jonathan Gregg explore a variety of themes, including parenting, the dynamics of living in New York City, the journey of performance and acting, mental health, and the impact of social media on personal identity. They discuss the importance of authenticity, the role of anger in society, and the significance of personal growth. The conversation also touches on...

David Tao returns to the show to take us inside the world of theater production and spirits (not the BOO!) kind. Following up his role as the successful CEO of Barbend.com, David has taken on two new roles he’s passionate about: producing theater in New York, and writing about spirits – primarily whiskey and bourbon. He discusses the role of a producer and gives us an inside view of the process of...

From 2009 to 2020, The Biggest Loser was a phenomenon. A huge cultural moment. What it wasn’t, however, was a show about healthy lifestyles and healthy weight loss.   Netflix’s Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser examines what it was like for some contestants on the show and some members of the production. The push to keep the show in the spotlight wreaked havoc on lives, relationships, a...

Our gym, Third Street Barbell, is blessed to have three physical therapy providers as members at the moment. Ammar and Moe work together in a clinic that treats patients covered by workers comp insurance. Are the metrics of physical therapy success different when return to work is the goal? You can find Ammar on Instagram @ammar_alhaidar https://www.instagram.com/ammar_alhaidar and Moe at  @thebuf...

Some things definitely diminish with age, but the need for strength is not among them. After being introduced to designing fitness training for others in the Coast Guard and a career in the California Highway Patrol, Ralph Caggiano turned to helping clients get stronger as they age. While he does train clients of all ages, he specializes in older clients and their specific needs.   You can find Ra...

Unlike some powerlifters who turn to bodybuilding, Riley always knew it was something he wanted to do. Other goals and priorities simply got in the way. When the opportunity came to leave construction work and retail management for personal training, he jumped in with both feet. Riley is our head trainer at Third Street Barbell. He shares the story of his journey to the stage in this episode. You...

Powerlifter and Registered Dietitian Dan Feldman guests this episode to break down some nutrition strategies for competitive powerlifters. Is a crazy amount of protein necessary? Are carbs around workouts good or bad? You can find Dan on Instagram @powerlifterdietitian https://www.instagram.com/powerlifterdietitian/. Shoot him a follow. Join our Discord for free at goodcompanydiscord.com! Check ou...

The former International Powerlifting Federation affiliate representing the United States, the USAPL, took to instagram recently to criticize the integrity of its drug testing program through WADA. The post using quotes from Olympic athletes casting doubt on some actions made by the testing agency. This is significant because a disagreement over the frequency of testing through WADA caused the USA...

Justin Wright is a sales executive who found himself in a position that’s all too common for executives: overweight and out of shape. Work stress, the demands of travel and entertaining, inconsistent diet, family responsibilities, etc., had taken control. He felt that he had to take it back. So, he lost 60 pounds, got jacked, and along the way, he leveraged his background in science into a system...

Toby spent a decade as a first responder -- with all the stress and hazards those careers entail. Then, he left it all behind to marry a woman with a military career. Military families are used to not having control of a lot of the conditions of their lives, especially where they live and what kinds of jobs are available to spouses. A lifelong interest in fitness led to the kind of flexible work t...

Just a couple of days past the official Men’s Mental Health Month, we take a look at a short, but powerful documentary available on YouTube, “The Voices of Men.” It was produced in the UK and is driven by men telling their personal stories of struggle with mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD. Their faces are never seen, and their identities are never revealed. No doubt their words...

Some athletes are made for super stardom on the field of play, but truly fumble in their personal lives. Brett Favre is one of them. From dick pic scandals to alleged fraud, Farve tarnished his legacy with a series of seemingly boneheaded moves. This Netflix documentary series takes a sharply critical look at one of the game’s best quarterbacks, one who maybe never understood how good he had it, a...

At Third Street Barbell, we’re lucky enough to have three physical therapists as members. Jim’s been working with Patrick Bell on a shoulder injury and has been very impressed with his knowledge and how he structures and communicates his rehab exercise selections. Since Patrick’s clients are mainly online, we thought it would be good to chat with him about what makes a good physical therapy (and c...

Jacob Ross joins Jim to take on the question, “Why do so many lifters resist training in groups in the current age of powerlifting?”   We also cover Jacob’s time working with the South Sudanese Olympic Basketball team in Paris for the Olympics last year. We also share stories of gym ownership (Jacob owns Be Better Barbell with Tom Kallas outside Chicago). You can find him at @jacob.w.ross on Insta...

Mike is out of town, so Jim brought in one of Third Street Barbell’s most consistent and inspirational members, Josh Hajar. Josh is an emergency department nurse who faced a harrowing fight with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and then suffered an injury that set back his recovery and fitness goals. When he arrived at Third Street, he was finally ready to execute a winning game plan for losing weight and...

Psychedelics in psychotherapy. That’s the theme of this four-part documentary from Netflix. Can psychedelics break damaging thought patterns and allow people to heal from depression and trauma? This doc series would like to prove that they at least hold promise to do that. We cover episodes #1 (LSD) and #3 (MDMA). (Interesting, very recent twist: researchers have altered LSD to make it helpful to...