The Hard Way With Joe De Sena

People LOVE being around passionate people. It makes them feel good
And inspires them to get better at Life! LESSONS: • If you're struggling to get better in a certain area of your life,
Seek out passionate coaches / environments to become part of.
 • Passionate people can completely alter the trajectory of a company, school, sports team, etc. 
 • Passion is inside ALL of us, you need to share it...

Great competitors believe that they have the capacity to win and compete in the way that moves them closer to their goals. They build themselves up with confidence and visualize accomplishments instead of defeats. Believing in yourself is a key part of pumping positive medicine into your brain and your body, as the power of positive thinking has been demonstrated across disciplines.   LESSONS: A s...

Picture this, you've just reached the Summit of Everest- a pinnacle achievement when you're literally on top of the World… and all of sudden everything goes white... your completely blind. Join us this week as Brian walks us down his "Blind Descent," and tells us what skills learned from his time as a former US Navy Air Rescue Swimmer / Combat Search and Rescue and perhaps a little luck, got him h...

Our bodies need energy and we get that from the food we eat. No surprise, right? But, what is the gatekeeper between food consumption and the energy needed for athletic performance? It's your gut – especially the gut flora. EPISODE SCRIPT There are millions and millions of bacteria in your gut – in fact, there are ten times more bacteria than cells in your gut. Ten times! What are these flora doin...

On this episode, I talk with Colleen about adjusting & adapting (time changes, food, sleep, training, weather) to the local race destination and preparing for a race after the rigors of long-distance international travel. Colleen should know, she traveled 28 hours from Malaysia to race in the USA. TAKE AWAY POINTS: Using meals to beat jet lag effects Paying attention to time zones (get on the loca...

Rest & recovery are NOT a negative thing for Spartans. In fact, when you work hard, the rest and recovery gives you the much need mental & physical break allowing you to come back stronger, more energized and more inspired. LESSONS: Rest & recovery are good for the mind AND body. Taking a break from the normal stimulus will boost your creativity. More is not better, Better is Better! LINKS: More a...

Great competitors believe that they have control over the things that happen in their lives and they take ownership of those choices. They do not offload poor performance to circumstances outside of them. They take ownership for the choices - both those that make them stronger (both mentally and physically) and those that put them in circumstances of struggle. Ownership is about believing that you...

What does it take to solve complicated and seemingly insurmountable challenges? Dr. Jeff Karp, Principal Investigator of Karp Lab & Harvard Medical School professor, believes the answer is a multidisciplinary approach. Surround yourself with experts who have expertise you don't with a variety of skills and backgrounds. Karp explains to Joe De Sena how his team applied their problem-solving system...

Maintaining good health usually means doing many things and not just one. For instance, if you want to lose weight, gaining muscle can help, but focusing on that alone is not the best or most efficient way to make your weight goals. Today, we're focusing on immunity and how to naturally raise the bar and stay healthy. A multi-faceted approach is even more important in boosting the strength of your...

On this episode, Cole and I chat about tapering for a Spartan Race using methods such as the current week's workload and perceived effort as a determination for how much of an effort level and workload to put out in a race taper depending on race distance (Sprint, Super, Beast).   TAKE AWAY POINTS: At least a 1 week taper for a Beast Use RPE (rate of perceived exertion) as a means to determine eff...

I first heard this Sun Tzu quote from my friend and NFL Veteran, John Welbourn. It REALLY hit home for me as I have experienced Countless times how an environment can lift you up or hold you back. LESSONS:   Surround yourself with battery chargers as our friend Joe Polish says to gain inspiration from others As a parent, keep an eye on your kids' friends. Do they make your child better or add more...

Great competitors stay committed. There will always be excuses, always a reason to quit, move on to something else, or put it on the shelf for later. Great competitors commit. They move away from language like, "I'll try", that immediately gives them a way out, and they use more declarative statements like, "I will." Having the mindset of completion allows them to move forward with stronger intent...

What patterns did you learn as a child? How are they showing up in your adult life? Bizzie Gold unveils the mystery behind the obstacles and triggers in your mind that hold you back from realizing our full potential. The founder of the massive phenomenon Buti Yoga, Bizzie Gold was not satisfied with breakthroughs in physical health. This week she and Joe discuss how Sustainable Self-Mastery can be...

We've talked about a class of herb called adaptogens in an earlier episode of Spartan Health. Rhodiola is an adaptogen that can provide many health benefits and provide energy, endurance, and recovery support during your next Spartan Race. Rhodiola is a well-researched herb used for centuries in Asia, Russia and arctic regions of Europe. WHAT WE COVER a. First if all, what is it? In a nutshell, it...

On this episode, Kristen talks to me about how to stay race fit & race ready when you are juggling a life & interests outside of racing, but yet are a highly competitive athlete with aspirations.   TAKE AWAY POINTS: BALANCE - Does racing have to be your sole focus to be successful? Consider being content & at peace with being a top athlete, but not always the "winner" Make a mental effort to not g...

If you're wondering how to inspire, educate and influence your kids into Exercising and living a healthy lifestyle, this is the episode for you! To quote One of our Spartan UP Guests, Coach Rob Koll, Your actions speak so loud I can't Hear a word you're saying. This quote is perfect for today's episode! LESSONS:   It's not just what you say / tell your kids to do, it's what they see YOU doing. Exe...

Great competitors see the challenges they face and the hardships they endure as opportunities. We all experience difficult things but great competitors see those experiences as vehicles of wisdom, growth, and an opportunity to build obstacle immunity. They do not cower in the face of that which is difficult but rather rise because they know that in the end it will make them stronger and improve th...

What's Wellness? How can you integrate these principles to dominate the obstacles ahead?  How do you live your life well? This episode is all about discovering the forces of wellness. Josh Trent addresses the physical, the mental/emotional and the spiritual. He walks us through his tips, tricks and routines - as he says, "if I can breathe I can choose." Let's all breathe goodness into our lives. L...

We're all pressed for time and need efficient, quick tools to increase energy and help us optimize our busy days. Here are two simple techniques that can provide rapid but effective ways of giving you a "wake up call." One will give your brain a boost and the other will support your core for stability and injury prevention. Let's engage your mind and energize your body whether it be for your next...

On this episode, I talk with Mark & Natalie about what it takes to balance family life with kids while still having racing & training goals to meet. They reveal that they have to make the most of the free time they get, even when it's unexpected.   TAKE AWAY POINTS: Make the most of & manage the time you have Balance who races versus who is on sidelines for the day Have a strategy of who performs...

Successful people have a clear vision for their perfect day. They write it down which inspires them to take action to achieve that perfect day. The key to making it happen is by reverse engineering your perfect day. LESSONS:   Write down what your perfect day looks like What is the 1 thing you REALLY want to change in your life? Start there! For me, it was having breakfast with my kids. Increase y...

Great competitors understand the importance of the mind-body connection. Our physical body can only be as strong as the mind that controls it and a healthy mind is impossible without a healthy body. Great competitors know that they can not focus on just one element, that both are critical for performance in and out of the competition.   LESSONS: Remember that you must focus on both your physical h...

What is focus endurance? Louisa, a professional triathlete, was in a car accident and told she would never walk or run again. As a trained mathematician, she delved deep into the field of neurofeedback and flow state. Her understanding of the algorithms behind human performance allowed her to make a full recovery. She utilizes these tactics in her athlete mental performance agency: Neuro Athletics...

However you choose to move your body -, whether it's a daily run, yoga, team competition or a Spartan Ultra - once you're done, it's time to recover. What does the body need to heal and regenerate? We'll review some key nutrients and foods that can restore and replenish so you're ready for whatever comes next. WHAT WE COVER:   Movement or exercise for the body is one of the pillars of long-term he...

On this premiere episode of the Friday Spartan Up series "Spartan ATHLETE," Kevin Gillotti talks with Heather Gollnick, a prolific multisports athlete in her 40s, about staying fit & healthy as a high-level athlete as we age. They talk insight, strategies & methods from her own experiences.   TAKE AWAY POINTS: Stay in love with competition With competitive age comes wisdom IF you listen to your bo...