Iron Sights

Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is my good friend John Valentine, who officially holds the record for the most appearances on the After Dark series. John’s been part of the show since the early days — from his philosophy on combatives and coaching to his role in shaping the Combatives Summit into one of the most respected gatherings in the trai...

Welcome back to another Iron Sights Podcast! I’m joined once again by the crew to dig into one of the most underrated tools in training — medleys.  In this episode, we break down what medleys are, how to structure them, and the science behind why they’re so effective for building real-world strength and endurance. We’ll share practical examples for both gym and unconventional setups, plus tips to...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Chris Urrutia from Vortex Optics and the Vortex Edge training team. Chris and I first met a few years back, and I’ll be honest—our time together on the range left a lasting impression. There was something about the way he approached his craft, his students, and his mindset that told me I had to get him on...

Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. Today we’re diving deep into heart rate zone training based on your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR).  In this episode, we’re bridging that gap so you can learn how to train smarter, recover better, and get more efficient results from your endurance and conditioning work. We pulled a lot of what we discuss today straight from our brand...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Justin Li, former law enforcement officer and co-founder of QORE Performance.  QORE Performance builds thermoregulation solutions designed to enhance human performance, and today we’re digging into how it all started. Justin shares the story of how he and his partner, J.D. Wilcox, set out to solve a compl...

Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast with the crew from Red Dot Fitness. Today we’re diving into one of the most underutilized yet powerful training methods out there — cluster sets.  Most lifters stick to straight sets like 3x10 or 5x5, but cluster sets can be a game changer when it comes to improving strength, power, and muscle growth without adding junk volume. We break do...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast. I’m in the studio today with CeCe and Ryan, and we’re diving into how to build real power in the gym—without Olympic lifts or endless box jumps. A lot of people think power training is reserved for elite athletes or requires advanced lifts like cleans and snatches. While those are great tools, the truth is you can develop explosive strength and speed in saf...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. Tonight, I’m hanging out with Erik Grohmann, a former U.S. Marine infantryman who found his passion for fitness and nutrition while serving and then went on to earn a master’s in nutrition and dietetics. These days Erik is the nutrition coach over at Modern Athlete Strength Systems, where he works with law enforcement, fir...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! I’m back in the Red Dot Fitness studio with Ryan and CeCe to tackle a hot topic that’s all over the internet right now: the clash between science-based training and so-called “bro science.”  We break down what exercise science research really tells us—and where it often gets taken out of context—so you can make smarter decisions about your own training. We...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Phil Downs, partner at Cholakian & Associates, former U.S. Marine Infantry Platoon Commander, and seasoned civil defense litigator.  Our conversation goes well beyond report writing. We dig into the nuances of use of force, the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, and the non-uniformity of the U.S. judiciary...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! In this episode, Ryan, CeCe, and I are excited to introduce Fit for Action.  This isn’t just another cookie-cutter workout plan—it’s a carefully designed system that blends strength training, conditioning, and mindset work so you can be ready for anything. We dive into what the program is, who it’s for, why it matters, and how we’re managing it from the ins...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sit down with retired police sergeant Jamie Borden, founder of Critical Incident Review. Jamie is a nationally recognized expert in police performance analysis, use-of-force investigations, and critical-incident review. We dive deep into what really happens before, during, and after a critical incident—covering how evidence can be misinterpr...

Start your free trial of Fit For Action: https://reddotfitness.net/fitforaction On this Iron Sights Podcast episode, I’m joined by Ryan and CeCe to share five essential tips for getting—and staying—fit after 50. I’ve crossed that milestone myself, and between my own experience and years of working with countless clients, we’ve learned what really works as the body changes. We cover smart training...

On this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I’m joined once again by my good friend, Mark Smith of JBS Training Group. This is the third time we’ve sat down together, and each conversation seems to hit a little different.  We dig into the importance of mindset—for both students and instructors—and how shifting it can drastically improve performance. Mark also breaks down strategies for...

On today’s episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I’m joined by Ryan and CeCe to answer one of the biggest questions in training: how much volume do you really need to build muscle?  We break down the science and the practical side of hypertrophy training, covering everything from junk volume and why it slows down your progress, to how close you should be training to failure, to the right number of s...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. Today I’m honored to be joined by Charlie Ross of Hades Consulting—and this one’s special, because it’s the very first podcast he’s ever been on. We first connected back in early 2025 through a mutual friend, and after months of scheduling and logistics, we were finally able to sit down for this conversation. Charlie spent a lo...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. Today I’m joined by Scott Savage, founder of the Savage Training Group. Scott’s a law enforcement veteran who believes today’s officers deserve more than just “check-the-box” training hours.  We sat down at the 2025 California Force Instructor Association Conference in Napa, CA, after I had the chance to watch him present...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast. Today, I’m grateful to have Rener Gracie, a name synonymous with Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a prominent figure in law enforcement training. I connected with Rener at the 2025 California Force Instructors Association  Law Enforcement conference in Napa, CA. This event was a valuable one for me and the other 250 participants on a lot of levels. I’m anxious to sh...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast. Today’s After Dark episode is a powerful one. I’m sitting down with John Constantine — a 23-year veteran of the United States Secret Service, with 15 of those years spent on the elite Counter Assault Team. From post-9/11 Ground Zero to protecting presidents around the world, John’s career has been defined by service at the highest levels. But this conversat...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! Today, I’m joined by the whole Red Dot Fitness crew, and we’re breaking down the five biggest mistakes people make when choosing an online workout program. This isn’t about coaching or personalized training — we’re talking the actual programs themselves, like Red Dot Fitness Max and Red Dot Fitness Strong. Choosing the right program can feel overwhelming, a...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Magao — a 25-year law enforcement veteran, SWAT leader, and founder of the Officer Survival Series.  With experience in patrol, narcotics, internal affairs, detective work, and 18 years on SWAT, Rob has trained hundreds in local, state, and federal agencies, as well as the military. From defensive tactics and dignitary prot...

In this episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, we’re diving into what it really takes to make online fitness coaching effective.  Whether you’ve signed up for a virtual training program or are thinking about hiring a coach online, we break down the expectations, the red flags, and the strategies for getting real results. We’ll cover the pros and cons of online vs. in-person coaching, how to make the...

In this After Dark episode, I sit down with my friend and retired law enforcement officer John “Chappy” Chapman. After decades of service, John’s taken his experience and passion and poured it into Task Force 70, a nonprofit laser-focused on rebuilding public trust through constitutionally grounded training for America’s law enforcement. We break down how the system really works—from institutional...

We’re back with another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and today I’ve got my good friend Jake Labhart in the studio—founder of In Extremis Performance. Jake’s been on the show before, and if you’ve been around a while, you’ve heard us talk about everything from tactical performance to the mindset behind building better tactical athletes. But today we zoom out a bit and focus on pro...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sit down with Jimmy Prendergast from Modern Athlete Strength. I’ve been following these guys for a while now, and if you’re into the training side of what we talk about here—especially in the tactical space—you’re gonna want to hear this. Jimmy and his team come from a deep background in D1 sports, the NFL, and tactical strength and conditio...