The Harden Up Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Life After the Badge: Mark Aguilar on Retirement, Leadership & the Future of Policing Mark Aguilar returns to the podcast following his retirement after an exceptional 31-year career with the Los Angeles Police Department, culminating in an assignment to the department's elite Special Investigations Unit. In this follow-up conversation, we move beyond the tactical stories...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Harden Up Podcast, Matt sits down with JD Tremblay — Director of High Performance & Mental Resilience Advisor at Hungry Warrior Academy. JD’s background spans military service, elite ultra-endurance competition, and high-performance coaching focused on helping people operate under pressure while building real mental resilience. This conversation goes bey...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Summary Training isn’t a checkbox—it’s your foundation. In this episode, we break down why tactical training is critical not just for performance in the field, but for legal accountability after the fact. Using key case law, including Graham v. Connor, City of Canton v. Harris, Popow v. City of Margate, and Zuchel v. City and County of Denver, we highlight how training—or...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 63: From Alpine Warfare to Elite Footwear: Florian Oberst on Performance in the Mountains. In this episode, I sit down with Florian Oberst —a German Army Reserve Captain, former mountain infantry soldier, and Global Product Manager at LOWA. Florian’s background is rooted in high mountain military operations, where he trained and operated in extreme alpine environments, bui...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 62: Elk, Elevation & Ethics: Inside the World of a Backcountry Hunting Guide with Lucas Bode In this episode, I sit down with Lucas Bode , a professional hunting guide with nearly 20 years of backcountry experience. Lucas started as a self-taught, DIY mountain hunter and built his career the old-fashioned way — through in-the-field experience and hard-earned lessons in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by James Fairfield , a retired police lieutenant with over 30 years in law enforcement and a deep operational background in SWAT, use-of-force instruction, and tactical leadership. James now serves as the Director of Training for the world’s largest body armor manufacturer , where he brings real-world experience to the development and delivery of protec...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Jason , a 13-year law enforcement veteran serving in the greater Atlanta area. With years of experience on one of Georgia’s busiest full-time SWAT teams, Jason has worked as both an assaulter and a sniper—taking part in high-risk search warrants, barricaded subjects, and hostage rescue operations. We dive into the mindset and tactics behind precision...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Paul Holle —a wilderness medicine instructor, mountain athlete, and the founder of Idaho Rescue Training . Paul’s work and passion have taken him to 18 countries, climbing some of the world’s most iconic peaks and leading wilderness medicine courses in remote, high-stakes environments. We dive into his journey from the Colorado Rockies to the mountai...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Matt sits down with Sheriff Chad Bianco , a 30-year law enforcement veteran and the current Sheriff of Riverside County—one of the largest sheriff’s departments in the nation. They explore his personal journey through the ranks, from patrol deputy to leading a department with over 3,600 personnel and a billion-dollar budget. Sheriff Bianco shares his unfiltered pe...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Like a Man , I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about a journey that’s shaped who I am today—starting with my time in the U.S. Marine Corps, through college, and into a career in law enforcement and SWAT operations. We covered a lot of ground, including: My path through military service and into police work What SWAT selection and training really looks l...

Send us Fan Mail Success Strategies for the Academy and Beyond with Ryan Marion In this episode of the Harden Up Podcast , Matt sits down with longtime friend and former colleague Ryan Marion — a law enforcement veteran with over 17 years of experience. From patrol and school resource officer to SWAT team leader, FTO, and academy recruit training officer, Ryan has worn many hats in the profession....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jennifer Vollbrecht , a former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crew chief and door gunner who has transformed her experience in the military into a thriving career in project leadership and consulting. As the President and CEO of J. Vollbrecht Consulting, she leads teams delivering high-impact projects for the Department of Defense and Department...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with industrial design expert Cory Nykoluk, the innovative force behind some of the tactical gear industry's most revolutionary products. Cory shares his journey from being the first employee at First Tactical to his influential tenure as Design Director at 5.11 Tactical, where he created the iconic Rush 24 backpack that redefined tactical gear st...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Wells Jones —a Navy veteran, former Antarctic pararescueman, actor, author, and world traveler. Wells shares his incredible journey from military service in some of the harshest environments on Earth to his time in front of the camera and an unforgettable expedition through the Middle East that became the foundation for his latest book. We talk ab...

Send us Fan Mail My guest today is a U.S. Air Force Major, whose remarkable career spans both special operations and combat aviation. He spent over a decade as a Pararescue specialist (PJ), leading high-profile rescue missions in Iraq and Afghanistan before becoming the Director of Training for the PJ program. Driven by his passion for flight, he transitioned to the cockpit of the A-10, logging ov...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt talks with Mark Aguilar, a current Police detective working in a an elite tactical surveillance unit. Listen in as Mark recounts his 28-year law enforcement journey and the lessons learned along the way. From patrol in south central L.A. to celebrity personal security details and to the pinnacle of the tactical surveillance game, this episode runs the gamut. E...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I welcome Army combat veteran Matt Klein to the show! Matt is a retired NYPD Forensic sketch artist who used his artistic gifts and abilities to help solve multiple high-profile homicide and assault investigations. After his time in the military and law enforcement, Matt founded his creative project Battle Tribe! His engaging artwork blends elements of military, L....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I welcome our first Police Chief to the show, Chief Rex R. Ingram from the Caldwell Idaho police department. He has an extensive background from his 17 years at LAPD, where he worked on gang enforcement teams, a human trafficking task force, plainclothes operations, and patrol watch commander in some of LA’s toughest areas. He spoke candidly with me about leadershi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt talks with a law enforcement SWAT veteran, Mark Lang. He served for 23 years on a full-time SWAT team, specializing in the sniper billet. Mark is the director of sniper training for Tac Flow Academy and teaches for TTPOA and NTOA. Mark now works for BRINC drones and advocates for the use of drones in SWAT and patrol operations. Listen in as Mark talks about SW...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt talks with an active duty United States Coast Guard search and rescue pilot, Commander Bill Burwell. He has served over 18 years with assignments as duty pilot, instructor pilot and chief of aviation operations. Listen in as Bill dives into the challenges of rotary-wing flying, hair-raising rescue missions, and extreme duty stations Please enjoy the show! Vide...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt talks with two guests, Jeff Chang - a police sniper/instructor and also a former Marine Corps sniper. Tyler Ellsworth is also a police sniper/instructor and owner/operator of Standing Offhand with co-owner Jeff. In this episode we discuss the Trump shooting incident, the police sniper mission, and selecting good candidates. Please enjoy the show! Standing Offh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt talks with an active duty United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer instructor.  Mike served as a rescue swimmer for ten years prior to being selected as an instructor at the aviation survival technician (AST) school- one of the most stressful environments in military training. Listen in as Mike breaks down the selection process, testing and ultimate success cr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt has an in-depth conversation with the Beaverfit USA director of training and education, Jason Clark. Jason is a combat Marine Corps veteran and former drill instructor. He later went on to work in the fitness industry and then as a strength and conditioning director for the Marie Corps HITT program. He also served on the advisory board for human performance at...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt speaks with the inventor and founder of the guardian breaching shield, Dennis Medina. The company Armored Breach was formed as Dennis worked as a full-time SWAT Officer and mechanical breaching expert. Listen in as Matt and Dennis discuss SWAT training, trends, and the value of ballistic shields in operations. Please enjoy the show! Armored Breach and Dennis M...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt reviews his recent visit to the direct action resource center for the level two law enforcement counter terrorism course. Hear about his experience at the course, gear selection, and tips for your training visit. Please enjoy the show! Direct Action Resource Center: IG: @directactionresourcecenter https://darc-usa.squarespace.com/ The OpTempo Training Group we...