On this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I’m joined once again by my good friend, Mark Smith of JBS Training Group. This is the third time we’ve sat down together, and each conversation seems to hit a little different. We dig into the importance of mindset—for both students and instructors—and how shifting it can drastically improve performance. Mark also breaks down strategies for aligning training with results, as well as when equipment really matters for shooting perfor...

On today’s episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I’m joined by Ryan and CeCe to answer one of the biggest questions in training: how much volume do you really need to build muscle? We break down the science and the practical side of hypertrophy training, covering everything from junk volume and why it slows down your progress, to how close you should be training to failure, to the right number of sets for growth. If you’ve ever felt confused about whether you’re doing too much or no...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. Today I’m honored to be joined by Charlie Ross of Hades Consulting—and this one’s special, because it’s the very first podcast he’s ever been on. We first connected back in early 2025 through a mutual friend, and after months of scheduling and logistics, we were finally able to sit down for this conversation. Charlie spent a long career in the United States military working with a distinct special missions unit, and in thi...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. Today I’m joined by Scott Savage, founder of the Savage Training Group. Scott’s a law enforcement veteran who believes today’s officers deserve more than just “check-the-box” training hours. We sat down at the 2025 California Force Instructor Association Conference in Napa, CA, after I had the chance to watch him present to a room full of law enforcement instructors, and what struck me most wasn’t just the infor...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast. Today, I’m grateful to have Rener Gracie, a name synonymous with Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a prominent figure in law enforcement training. I connected with Rener at the 2025 California Force Instructors Association Law Enforcement conference in Napa, CA. This event was a valuable one for me and the other 250 participants on a lot of levels. I’m anxious to share other interviews from some of the dedicated experts that presented in the near future. W...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast. Today’s After Dark episode is a powerful one. I’m sitting down with John Constantine — a 23-year veteran of the United States Secret Service, with 15 of those years spent on the elite Counter Assault Team. From post-9/11 Ground Zero to protecting presidents around the world, John’s career has been defined by service at the highest levels. But this conversation goes deeper than tactics, leadership, or high-risk operations. It’s about what happens when y...

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! Today, I’m joined by the whole Red Dot Fitness crew, and we’re breaking down the five biggest mistakes people make when choosing an online workout program. This isn’t about coaching or personalized training — we’re talking the actual programs themselves, like Red Dot Fitness Max and Red Dot Fitness Strong. Choosing the right program can feel overwhelming, and a lot of folks stumble early on their fitness journey. We’re going to unpack those common mist...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Magao — a 25-year law enforcement veteran, SWAT leader, and founder of the Officer Survival Series. With experience in patrol, narcotics, internal affairs, detective work, and 18 years on SWAT, Rob has trained hundreds in local, state, and federal agencies, as well as the military. From defensive tactics and dignitary protection to ground fighting and firearms, his approach is rooted in real-world experience, not...

In this episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, we’re diving into what it really takes to make online fitness coaching effective. Whether you’ve signed up for a virtual training program or are thinking about hiring a coach online, we break down the expectations, the red flags, and the strategies for getting real results. We’ll cover the pros and cons of online vs. in-person coaching, how to make the most of your investment, and what we’ve learned firsthand coaching both online and face-to-f...

In this After Dark episode, I sit down with my friend and retired law enforcement officer John “Chappy” Chapman. After decades of service, John’s taken his experience and passion and poured it into Task Force 70, a nonprofit laser-focused on rebuilding public trust through constitutionally grounded training for America’s law enforcement. We break down how the system really works—from institutionalized training gaps to the funding issues that keep over 70% of small, rural agencies from getting...

We’re back with another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and today I’ve got my good friend Jake Labhart in the studio—founder of In Extremis Performance. Jake’s been on the show before, and if you’ve been around a while, you’ve heard us talk about everything from tactical performance to the mindset behind building better tactical athletes. But today we zoom out a bit and focus on process—the journey of building IEP, refining the mission, and expanding the team. We talk leadershi...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sit down with Jimmy Prendergast from Modern Athlete Strength. I’ve been following these guys for a while now, and if you’re into the training side of what we talk about here—especially in the tactical space—you’re gonna want to hear this. Jimmy and his team come from a deep background in D1 sports, the NFL, and tactical strength and conditioning. We get into all of it—his career path, how he approaches programming for athletes in comple...

We’re back with another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and today I’m in the studio with Steven, Ryan, and CeCe to tackle a topic that comes up all the time with our clients — booze and performance. We’re breaking down the real impact alcohol has on your fitness, fat loss, recovery, and long-term goals. From the metabolic effects and how booze can stall fat loss, to the hormonal consequences, muscle recovery, and performance drops that most people ignore — we’re covering all of it. We als...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sit down with Jason—better known as Sierra One on Instagram and the founder of Silver Lake Special Projects. Jason’s background is deep. He’s a military veteran, a former SWAT team member with both large metro and interagency experience, and currently leads the training unit at his agency. But beyond the resume, he’s a guy who’s committed to doing things right—leaving his environment better than he found it. We get into a wide range of ...

In this episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, we’re getting into the weeds on plyometric training — what it is, who it’s for, and most importantly, how not to screw it up. Too many people are using plyos as a glorified cardio session, skipping the prep work and ending up hurt, frustrated, or spinning their wheels. We talk about what needs to be in place before you start jumping on boxes — foundational strength, mobility, coordination, and proper warm-up protocols. We also dig into why quality m...

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sit down with Shelton Stevens, a seasoned strength coach and human performance specialist for U.S. Army Special Operations at Fort Bragg. With over 16 years in the game, Shelton is helping elite American warfighters stay sharp, strong, and durable. We dive deep into microdosing workouts—short, effective training sessions designed for high performers who need results without burnout. Shelton breaks it all down in a way that’s simple and ...

Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. I’m in the studio today with Ryan, Cece, and Steven, and we’re diving into a topic that’s guaranteed to hit home for anyone trying to lean out, cut weight, or make meaningful changes to their body composition: managing hunger while in a caloric deficit. Let’s be real—hunger is part of the process. If you’re doing things right in a fat loss phase, there’s going to be a point where you’re feeling it. But how you respond to that feeling...

We’re back with another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and this time I’m joined by Kim Raimondi — known by some of you as Pelican Kim on Instagram. In this conversation, we get into all of it. Kim shares what it’s like working with departments and agencies all over the country, what she’s seeing from her side of the industry, and how Pelican plays a role in supporting first responders. But the deeper part of this talk is around volunteer firefighting — the training, the cultur...

Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast! In this one, I’m joined by Ryan and CeCe in the studio for a deep dive into a hot topic that’s been coming up more and more in elite performance circles—microdosing your workouts. We break down what microdosing your training actually means, where the concept came from, and how to structure it. We talk about who it’s best for, who it might not be for, and how this approach can help busy individuals juggle strength, hypertrophy, ...

Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast! Today, I’m sitting down with someone who’s not only a good friend, but one of the sharpest dudes I’ve come across in the training space — Wild Bill Braski. If you’re on Instagram, you might already know the name. Bill is a military veteran and a full-time law enforcement officer who works directly in the training unit at his agency on the East Coast. He’s also a major voice in the combatives world and the founder of t...