2972: The Lonely Chapter — Why Growing Up Feels So Isolating (And Why It Should)
Mind Pump: Raw Fitness TruthShow Notes
MAPS 15 BOGO: https://maps15bogo.com Buy any MAPS 15 program and get a second one free. Choose from MAPS 15 Minutes, Symmetry, Strong, Powerlift, Performance, Muscle Mommy and Forty Plus. Lifetime access, no subscription, 30-day money back guarantee.
In this episode the guys sit down with Michael Smoak — public speaker, podcaster and host of the fastest growing podcast in wellness, The Higher Up Podcast — for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation. Michael shares the full origin story: being called overweight by his best friend at 20, losing 60 pounds in ten months listening to Mind Pump, spending seven years building a knowledge base in isolation before posting his first TikTok at 26, quitting his corporate sales job after one month when the promise he made himself came true, and building to three million followers across platforms. He also opens up about the five months caring for his father as he died from a portal vein blood clot with no treatment available, recording his father's voice on a lapel mic 60 days before he passed, delivering the eulogy at 27, how his dad's death became the catalyst for his faith, how the lonely chapter is a necessary part of any man's growth, and the Purpose Progression tour he is currently running. The guys also discuss the rise of young men turning to faith at unprecedented rates, how to evolve your friend group without a formal breakup, and what purpose actually looks like in practice.
GUEST LINKS
Michael Smoak: https://www.instagram.com/higherupwellness The Higher Up Podcast: available on all major platforms The Purpose Progression Tour: https://laylo.com/laylo-higheruptour/m/wpPOi3
LINKS
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
0:00 - Intro 1:11 - Michael's origin — called overweight at 20, losing 60 pounds in ten months listening to Mind Pump 6:25 - Seven years building in isolation — from corporate sales to 3 million followers in three years 11:00 - The binge-restrict cycle, disordered eating and how he finally got out of it 15:55 - Floor goals vs ceiling goals — why minimum viable habits beat extreme protocols 20:32 - His first viral video and the fear of being perceived that almost stopped everything 26:42 - The elbow problem video and why hyperbolic content works on social media 29:00 - His father's diagnosis — the portal vein blood clot with no treatment and five months of caregiving 36:47 - Recording his father on a lapel mic 60 days before he died — every question he would ever want to ask 40:57 - Grief, ego dissolution and what his father's death taught him about faith 46:52 - How he went from atheist to Christian — Yellowstone, his father's death and surrendering in the car 52:58 - The revival of young men turning to faith and his role in it 56:44 - The lonely chapter — how to evolve your friend group without a formal breakup 59:00 - The Purpose Progression Tour — what it is, what to expect and how to find it
More from Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
MAPS 15 BOGO: https://maps15bogo.com Buy any MAPS 15 program get a second one free. Choose from MAPS 15 Minutes, Symmetry, Strong, Powerlift, Performance, Muscle Mommy and Forty Plus. Lifetime access, no subscription, 30-day money back guarantee. In this episode the guys break down the classic fitness this-or-that debates — cardio before or after lifting for fat loss, fasted vs non-fasted training, small vs big meals, low rep vs high rep, fast reps vs slow reps, and full body vs split programs. They also get into Paleovalley's new pumpkin bone broth, Crocs and the ongoing footwear debate, what happens to female competitors' hair during prep, new data on PDE5 inhibitors and cardiovascular longevity, how positive vs negative thought patterns physically change neural pathways, Sal using Ketone IQ during his cut to extend his energy window, and the Porsche Experience driving event. Then they answer questions from Instagram on keeping the same routine for a year, whether a calorie surplus is needed above 20% body fat, transitioning from box squats to back squats with knee pain, and myo-reps and how to use them correctly. SPONSORS Paleo Valley (pumpkin bone broth): https://paleovalley.com/mindpump 15% off automatically applied at checkout. Ketone IQ: https://ketone.com/MINDPUMP 30% off subscription orders plus a free gift with your second shipment. Also available at CVS — $5 off your first 6-pack for a limited time. Fatty15 (C15 essential fatty acid): https://fatty15.com/MINDPUMP Code: MINDPUMP for additional 15% off 90-day Starter Kit. LINKS Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Instagram: @mindpumpmedia 0:00 intro 2:39 Cardio before or after lifting 5:58 Meal frequency debate 12:20 Low reps vs. high reps 13:32 Slow reps vs. fast reps 16:29 Full body vs. split training 30:41 Cialis longevity and health data 34:58 Neuroscience of negative vs. positive thoughts 57:49 Q&A: Can a beginner run the same program for a year 59:19 Q&A: Do you need a surplus above 20% body fat 1:01:49 Q&A: Box squats to back squats, ankle mobility fix 1:03:27 Q&A: Myoreps and intensity techniques
MAPS 15 BOGO: https://maps15bogo.com Buy any MAPS 15 program get a second one free. Choose from MAPS 15 Minutes, Symmetry, Strong, Powerlift, Performance, Muscle Mommy and Forty Plus. Lifetime access, no subscription, 30-day money back guarantee.
My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it.
My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it.
My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it.