The Harden Up Podcast

Ep 44: Dennis Medina of Armored Breach

The Harden Up Podcast

Show Notes

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 Medina: IG: @armoredbreach https://www.armoredbreach.com/ The OpTempo Training Group website for...

More from The Harden Up Podcast

Sep 11, 2026

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 ...

Jun 30, 2026

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,...

May 29, 2026

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...

Apr 30, 2026

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...

Mar 25, 2026

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...

See all episodes →