Ian Smith is the co-owner of Atilis Gym in New Jersey, which has openly and publicly defied the state's draconian lockdown orders. He and his business partner have been arrested, had their business license pulled, and have been fined over a million dollars. (They’re still being fined over $15,000 a day). He made a decision to take a public stand — because someone had to do it. He’s doing what millions of men are afraid to do, and I think he deserves to be recognized and applauded for it. We...

John Sonmez is the man behind https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCFxdcuY-S6yjZGq_2cjilHg ( @Bulldog Mindset ) -- a large and growing community of men working to better themselves physically, socially, and financially. John started out as a nerdy software guy, then worked to become a millionaire, retire at 33, and transform himself mentally and physically. Now he spends a lot of his time coaching other men. I met John recently when he spoke at the...

Trainer and speaker Alexander Cortes had a wild 2020. He was on vacation in Egypt as the lockdowns started. He ended up flying to Thailand and decided to live there for the rest of the year, where he trained Muay Thai under Sagat. We also talk about Ancient Greek training, training outdoors, and much more. To purchase AJAC's research into Ancient Athletics, follow this link: https://gumroad.com/l/UKOld (https://gumroad.com/l/UKOld) Sign up for my mailing list for exclusive essays, news,...

Warming up to start recording the audiobook for Fire in the Dark by reading this grim but perhaps uncomfortably relevant poem by Lord Byron. Darkness by Lord Byron I had a dream, which was not all a dream. The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars Did wander darkling in the eternal space, Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; Morn came and went—and came, and brought no day, And men forgot their passions in the dread Of this...

I met Elliot Hulse last year at the 21 Convention and was psyched to have him on the show to talk about why he wants to make men strong again. We discussed the importance of strong father figures, myth, and the concept of chaos vs. order in life and in society -- especially relevant now that chaos seems to be running wild in cities across the nation. We also got to talk about current events, and I highly recommend his video "The American Mind Virus" to get an introduction to where his head is...

Andy Lewis the self-made man behind Norse Fitness and his own gym -- the Norse Compound. We talked about entrepreneurship, the fantasy and reality of the lifestyle brand game, and most importantly about the concept of adapting to an ever changing landscape. Adapt...or fail. It's a law of nature and business, and Andy shares some great examples of the way he's turned challenges into opportunities or managed to stay in the game. He also recommended a few of his favorite books on business (see...

Anthony Dream Johnson is the founder of https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCuErSr7xeR763BzTJL7yJ7A ( @21 Studios ) and host of the 21 Convention — a men’s event that I’ve spoken at several times over the last few years. I invited him on the show to talk about his personal motivations, his philosophy of life and business, some of the challenges that come with advocating masculinity, and what’s in store for the next 21 Convention this fall in Orlando. I won’t be speaking this year but I plan...

Dr. Mathias Nordvig is an Old Norse scholar and author and you can follow his work on YouTube https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCnmluPOXod57_6M45Z-etuw ( @Mathias Nordvig ). I invited him on Start The World to talk about masculinity, heroism and leadership in the Old Norse lore, and he shared a few of his favorite examples from the Hávamál, but we ended upo having a long and wide-ranging discussion about the character of Odin, the nature of Thor, the questionable place of the Vanir in the...

Now is the time for men to build local networks. Recently, I reached out to Killian, a powerlifter in my small town, to grab lunch and talk about doing a podcast. It turned out to be a great and inspiring conversation. Killian grew up around drugs, and spent years struggling with addiction. Eventually, as he puts it, he just "got tired of being tired," kicked meth and traveled India with his father. After his first child was born, he started getting serious about powerlifting, and eventually...

Richard Grannon has been on the show before, but I invited him back to talk about growing older without a wife or children as a single man. Some men are on a family track, and that’s great, but there is inevitably going to be an increasingly large percentage of men who — for whatever reason, aren’t going to end up getting married or having children. Having kids creates some structure and responsibility in youth and (theoretically) a sense of meaning and a support system as a man ages. Without...

Michael Kurcina is "the dude" behind Spotterup.com, a comprehensive gear review and training site with a philosophical angle. He recently released a book of aphorisms and short essays about being a man and a warrior, titled "We Fight Monsters," so I invited him on the show to talk more about it. I found myself agreeing with many of the things he wrote in We Fight Monsters, and the title perfectly and simply encapsulates the eternal role of the mythic hero. You can buy the book on Amazon here...

People who demand the absolute "end" of things that have been around for all of recorded human history are not serious adults, and shouldn't be taken seriously.

A short essay on the riots.

The next few episodes of Start The World will be audio essays, commenting on the events of the last few months.

Paul Carter is a pro trainer who writes regularly for T-Nation, and he's always giving great advice on his Instagram https://www.instagram.com/liftrunbang/ (@liftrunbang). Paul has coached me on diet in the past, and I think he's one of the most legit, no-nonsense authorities on lifting and body composition out there. We opened with some talk on recent changes in the fitness industry and some questions on training (specifically band training). Then we expanded to talk about life,...

For the podcast this week, I did a live Q and A on YouTube, so I'm re-releasing two of my most popular essays on training so they are easier for you to access. Check out my YouTube channel for the video Q and As. https://youtu.be/b98YJevNf_A (https://youtu.be/b98YJevNf_A)

For the podcast this week, I did a live Q and A on YouTube, so I'm re-releasing two of my most popular essays on training so they are easier for you to access. Check out my YouTube channel for the video Q and As. https://youtu.be/b98YJevNf_A (https://youtu.be/b98YJevNf_A)

Nick is a professional writer, meditation teacher and practitioner with decades of experience and a familiarity with many styles of meditation. We talked about some of his opinions on the practice of meditations and how it can change you. Nick sometimes refers to the practice of mediation as "building an arena" for confrontations with yourself. He led me through a short breath meditation that anyone can do (36:00). We also discussed my meditation practice and the idea of adding a mythic frame...

Tony Blauer is known worldwide for his SPEAR system that weaponizes the flinch response. As a self-defense trainer, he's spent a lifetime thinking about FEAR. We talked about his KNOW FEAR NOW project, and the idea of recognizing fear and turning it into courage. As he says, "You Can’t Be Brave If You’re Not Afraid." While an assault situation is always possible, what is also important is creating a mental process in which you identify small fears and challenge yourself to overcome...

Eirik Storesund is an Old Norse philologist, writer, and artist from Southwest Norway who has created an artful and intellectually rewarding podcast called https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCbscyx0mteUArCD04xdahww ( @Brute Norse ) . He calls what he does "Scandifuturism," in which he brings old myths to life in a new, engaging and mischievous (he might say "trollish") way. I let this podcast run longer than normal because I was having a really good time talking with him about myth and...

Greg Hamilton is a pig farmer. He's also a former Ranger and Green Beret, and he's run InSights Training for self-defense in the Seattle area for many years. Greg's a good friend of mine, and I may have him on the show as a semi-regular guest. In this episode, we talked about some of the things you'd do in a military situation to establish a camp and set up a perimeter...and then "improve your position." Our discussion quickly moved into building networks and community and developing the...

Ryan Michler is one of the best known and most respected advocates of masculinity today. He’s the host of the podcast "The Order of Man," he's the leader of a men’s group called the Iron Council and the author of “Sovereignty: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Men.” I talked with Ryan about his background, his book, and his call to action for men: Protect, Provide, Preside. It was a great conversation with someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about the same ideas I have -- and we...