Show Notes
Send us Fan Mail In this episode Matt has an in-depth conversation with Travis Gribble, a fellow SWAT Officer, about LE life, training, and the personal toll of the job. The conversation dives deep into the psychological and emotional challenges of working the streets day in and day out. Travis also details his personal account of an incident that shocked the conscience of all on scene and took years to overcome. Travis now shares his story nationally to inspire other Officers to talk about a...
More from The Harden Up Podcast
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Josh Saunders, one of Australia's premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors and a two-time ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials Champion. What's remarkable about Josh's story isn't just where he is today—it's how quickly he got there. After spending nearly two decades playing rugby league, Josh didn't begin training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu until the age of 23. Less than four years later, he earned his black belt, becoming the fastest person in Australian ...
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 and dive into the realities of life after law enforcement. Mark shares what retirement has been like,...
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 beyond surface-level “mindset” talk and dives into the realities of stress, suffering, burnout, iden...
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 the lack of it—has directly impacted outcomes for officers and agencies. We also take a hard look...
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, building a deep understanding of what true performance demands in the field. After his military servi...