The School of HARDKNOX presented by HARDKNOX Strength & Performance

Episode 66!  We had the great pleasure of having a good friend of ours join us on todays podcast. The founder of Los Rukos apparel and protector of our awesome town Mr. Eric Castillo! In this episode, we speak about Eric's journey, a tad on his career, gym life, and what inspired him along the way to chase excellence. We also touch up on how the brand was created, his challenges and thought p...

Episode 65 In this episode we highlight the challenge RGV and recognize how far it has come along. The Challenge has been running this local weight loss encouragement for 14 years and HARDKNOX strength and performance has had the pleasure of being apart of it for 9 years. This is a huge honor for us and we are glad to be a host gym for our community for the next 4 months! Rod speaks on how he has...

Episode 64!  The UT sports performance clinic was super fun! We traveled up with the team to Atx to learn more about our field and get another perspective from some high level individuals. This was such a great experience for our team to see what else is out there and what other coaches are doing with there clients/athletes. The strength and conditioning world is so broad and there is so much...

Episode 63! Happy New Year to all ! This episode includes a small recap on the festivities that happened this past weekend, and getting back into the gym. We discuss a skill we are trying to become better at, and that is being more present in the moment. The conversation flows on and the conversation gets good. Hope yall enjoy

Last podcast of 2022 :) As we wrap up this year with episode 62, we reflected on how the year went for us, what we learned, and what we will be doing in 2023. With January days away there will be tons of individuals ready to make changes. These new year resolution's can go from making dietary changes, saving more money, making more money, becoming more aware, etc. We emphasize that taking action i...

Here we are... episode 61.  We got a little fired up on this topic! We caught ourselves talking about programming and asked ourselves this question..is it important for coaches to do the gym programming? Yes. Coaches who participate in the gym programming can relate to the clients better, feel the stimulus of the workout and coach it better, relate to the soreness, find strategies to help mem...

Episode 60!  This is a huge milestone for us y'all. We have surpassed the half way mark and are making our way towards 100!  We let this one roll and flowed into conversation about  why we use the power snatch at the gym. This is one of the most technical movements out there and can be intimidating to some individuals. Although, there are many ways to train power...lets face it, the...

Hello y'all!  Episode 59! Here we speak on a bunch of different things that expand from life to fitness. It was good sitting down and letting the conversation flow. Speaking about how to be our own biggest cheerleader/supporter was the highlight for today. At times we can be very hard on ourselves by the words and thoughts we feed our minds which can lead us to feel and act a certain way. A w...

Episode 58 :) This episode was a good one y'all. We got to sit down with Coach Rich and talk about his journey coming back into the gym. For those that do not know he suffered a great injury that literally stripped exercise/movement away from him. All the easy tasks that we take for granted, he lost. Through sheer dedication and relentlessness he is progressing fast, is feeling better, and on his...

Episode 57! We are back at it team :) Coming back from a 3 week break and it feels good! During that time we had adventures, obstacles, and tons of FOOD! Vacationing is always great and we encourage it, do it a frequent as you can. It is a great way to unwind and escape from your environment. Coming back though can be a task! We come back with fatigue, off routine, body tension, and may feel slugg...

Episode 56 !  On this episode we had the pleasure of speaking to Matt "The Barbarian" Barba! Matt is a well known strength and conditioning coach here in Brownsville who has impacted the powerlifting and strongman communities. He has been training for a decade and has had his share injuries and obstacles that could of stopped him, but his relentlessness dedication to the sport and massive sup...

Episode 55! :) In this episode we speak about a phrase we hear often in the fitness community and that is "a couple that trains together, stays together". We dive into our experiences relating to this quote and share some of our successes. Relating our efforts in the gym to the effort we put into everything else in our lives can be matched, we just have to shift the mindset. How we do anything is...

Episode 54!  Hydration....we hear this term all the time in sports. "We need to stay hydrated" says Coach, but how ? Do you just drink water ? or is there a formula to follow? In this discussion we speak about the importance of hydration and how it can impact the bodies performance. Muscle cramps, fatigue, low energy even when you are sleeping enough, can all be signs of DEhydration. If you a...

Episode 53!  Sending out good vibes to all :) In this episode we speak about the gym experience and what coaches can add to that experience to make it great! Walking into a gym can be intimidating, especially when you do not know anyone and are new to exercise. Providing a great first experience is everything! From the introduction, to verifying if the new client is familiar with any of the m...

Episode 52!  On this episode we invited Joey Russell Athletic Trainer and HK member for a talk about his career in the school setting and the injuries he deals with on a daily basis. Athletic Trainers are a very important asset to any team, from middle school all the way to the professionals. They provide on the spot care for athletes during games/practices, work with athletes individually to...

Episode 51!  On this episode we speak on a training hack called PAP (Post Activation Potentiation). This is a technique used to enhance the motor unit recruitment, stimulates the central and peripheral nervous systems, increase the rate at which muscles contract, and can enhance performance! Although, this technique is used in the sports world often it is not recommended to be used in everyda...

EPISODE 50!  This is a big one for us team....50 episodes of content that we are extremely proud of! We hope that y'all enjoy what we are putting out and hope that it has helped y'all in some way. On this episode we got the pleasure of speaking with two vey awesome women. Coach Edna and Coach Leah! We touched up on HKs decade in the community, the HK kids classes, and the day to day operation...

Episode 49! On this episode we invited Coach Ana on the podcast to speak on some cool topics. As the conversation goes on we speak of procrastination, a habit that we can all relate to and how it can impact your life in a negative way. We also dabble in what we do when we feel anxious or stuck (Territorial or Hierarchical), and share some of how we overcame these feelings and obstacles. We all go...

Ooooh we are back at it y'all! Episode 48! This episode is all about catching up and speaking of some of the realizations we have had within that time. This one was a freestyle conversation that took many segways into pretty cool topics that are all interrelated. Much love y'all! HUGE SHOUT OUT to all volunteers and athletes that particapted in the throw down....mucho thank yousssss!  #HARDKN...

Episode 47! We almost to the BIG FIDDY y'all :) In this episode we speak on the principles of progression. This is the formula to healthy fitness and pain free exercise team. Following proper progression and practicing skills is how we can make tremendous progress in our fitness journey. If we jump from A to Z we are missing a ton in between that helps create the movement you are seeking. There is...

Episode 46! In this episode we debunk a couple of common myths that we have all heard (maybe some you haven't) and give our opinion/knowledge on the topic. These days there is so much information out there it can be very misleading, leading some individuals down a path that does not work. We try our best to educate those we come in contact with here at HK and hope we can do the same for our listen...

Episode 45! We often get caught up in our routines which often keep us focused on the things we think are important, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Sometimes we can get so caught up that we miss other opportunities that could possibly add more value to our lives. It could be a spontaneous trip with a loved a one, sending a friend coffee, or hangout with your daughter/son. What do you...

Episode 44! This one was inspired by the one and only mama Knox. Always positive and sharing good energy she shared some great wisdom. Why not? Which lead to.....Why not do the things you love to do? Why not take that trip you have been putting off? Our life is our LIFE, why not do the things that are going to make it awesome and worthwhile! Getting out of our comfort zone and exploring the unknow...

Great episode here team! Our 43rd :) wooohoooo! We had a great conversation on a topic we can all relate to...and that is "getting in a funk". What is that ? A time when you fall off routine for an extended period, completely aware, but continue to pursue the bad habit. We all experience this at some point in time. Truth is...we have the power to get out of it! We need to change our mindset and ap...

Episode 42! We got the pleasure to sit and chat with Dr. Lara, a Chiropractor that specializes in soft tissue. Here we get to learn a little about Docs background and how she became a Chiro. We also get a deep explanation of the type of soft tissue work she does and how her treatments have helped thousands of people here in Brownsville. The topics go from what fascia is, how to maintain it, all th...