The Ready State Podcast (With Kelly and Juliet Starrett)

In this bonus episode, we sit down and chat about the Starrett's upcoming book, Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully. We introduce the book, go over how and why the project came about and who it is for. Spoiler: YOU! We are so excited about this book and can't wait for it to be released April 4, 2023. Stay tuned for more bonus episodes where we get even deeper into the content of the book.

For more information about Built to Move or to pre-order, go to builttomove.com.

We’re back with another bonus episode about our upcoming book, Built To Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully. The book is structured around “Vital Signs” and we get into what that means, and why we think these vital signs in particular are a simple way to assess and ultimately improve your ability to move and do the things you want to do throughout your life. We can’t wait for the book to be released April 4, 2023 and hope you’ll join us in adopting these super simple habits that will serve you for life.

For more information about Built to Move or to pre-order, go to builttomove.com.

Jeff Byers is the co-founder and CEO of Momentous -- a holistic wellness and nutrition company based in Park City, Utah. Designed by the brightest minds in performance athletics, but available for the everyday wellness enthusiast, Momentous is the first and only supplement brand to build formulas directly with experts from each of the four Major American Sports Leagues, launching in 2018 with a line of products designed by performance directors and dietitians from the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.

Before Momentous Jeff had an insane collegiate athletic career all while getting his undergraduate degree and MBA, and THEN went on to play in the NFL for four years. We get into it all and learn why one of Jeff’s goals is to democratize high performance.

This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Momentous, a leading high performance lifestyle company making the best supplements and sports nutrition products for individuals looking to optimize all parts of their lives. Kelly and Juliet want to make sure to have all the building blocks on board to prevent those all too common middle-aged strains and tweaks. Which is why they are obsessed with the Momentous Collagen Shots. Yes, it's collagen, but because it's a little single-serve shot, their consistency game is leveled up. Keep them in your bag or your pockets and never get behind on Collagen again. To stuff your pockets, go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code TRS for 20% OFF your first purchase.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Sleepme. Kelly used to wake up 1000 degrees. He’s literally a supernova. They’ve tried every iteration of fans and cooling devices, which didn’t work and also made Juliet miserable. But now with Sleepme, Juliet and Kelly each dial their side of the bed to the temperature they like and both can fall asleep and stay asleep all night. Head over to sleep.me/trs to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. There is an offer available exclusively for The Ready State Podcast listeners -- and only for a limited time! So take advantage of our exclusive discount and you too can wake up refreshed, everyday!

Jill Miller, C-IAYT, ERYT, YA-CEP fascia expert, has 30 years of corrective movement expertise that forges links between the worlds of yoga, massage, athletics, and pain management. Her signature self-care fitness programs, Yoga Tune Up® and The Roll Model® are found at gyms, yoga studios, hospitals, athletic training facilities and corporations worldwide. Kelly and Jill have been friends and collaborators for over a decade. We get to learn about the evolution of her business and her thinking as well as hear about her new book, Body by Breath out winter 2023.

If you’ve ever had to lay on a roller or ball and gut smash with us, that’s all Jill Miller. You’re welcome.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Momentous, a leading high performance lifestyle company making the best supplements and sports nutrition products for individuals looking to optimize all parts of their lives. Kelly and Juliet are obsessed with sleep, and have optimized all aspects of their sleep hygiene - but travel and life can put a wrinkle in the best laid plans. They always take Magnesium before bed, but Momentous has made it even easier with the Momentous Sleep Pack. Each pack has Apigenin, L-Theanine, AND Magnesium L-Threonate. This is their go-to routine that Momentous created in partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman, and it really levels up the Starrett's consistency. If you want to remove more barriers to adherence in your sleep routine with the Momentous Sleep Pack, go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code TRS for 20% OFF your first purchase.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Sleepme. Sleepme’s thermoregulation devices have revolutionized the Starrett’s sleep for years. And now with the Dock Pro, Kelly is able to get as cold as he wants to fall asleep and stay asleep, but as morning approaches, he has set the Dock Pro to start warming up enabling him to wake up cozy and refreshed without an alarm clock. Head over to sleep.me/trs to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. There is an offer available exclusively for The Ready State Podcast listeners -- and only for a limited time! So take advantage of our exclusive discount and you too can wake up refreshed, everyday!

A self-proclaimed nerd who lifts heavy things, Layne has completed with honors both a BS in Biochemistry and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences. As an innovator in the fitness industry, Layne helped popularize flexible dieting and online nutrition coaching/contest prep. He has worked with countless clients and hundreds of competitors, many attaining pro status. Since moving away from online coaching Layne has written several books, developed the Carbon Diet nutritional coaching app, and created a number of certification courses. In 2016 Layne co-founded and launched the Biolayne Workout Builder subscription platform, and more recently, he launched Outwork Nutrition, an evidence-based supplement company.

Layne has made it his mission in life to demystify nutrition research. He has become a trusted source of solid information for us and the entire staff of The Ready State.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Momentous, a leading high performance lifestyle company making the best supplements and sports nutrition products for individuals looking to optimize all parts of their lives. Kelly is always chasing his daily protein target so his go-to snack is Icelandic yogurt with Momentous Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder mixed in. Add a chopped apple and he has a delicious chocolate or vanilla protein bomb. Kelly especially loves this protein because it contains ProHydrolase, an enzyme blend that aids digestion and makes it way easier on your stomach. Go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code TRS for 20% OFF your first purchase.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by ChiliSleep. Juliet is obsessed with her Sleepme weighted blanket. The problem with a traditional weighted blanket is that halfway through the night she wakes up and must throw it off because she is 1000º. The Sleepme weighted blanket is temperature controlled so Juliet can set it to the temperature she prefers and stay cool all night long. Which means her sleep quality, density, and quantity have all improved. Head over to sleep.me/trs to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. There is an offer available exclusively for The Ready State Podcast listeners -- and only for a limited time!

Lieutenant General Ferriter, U.S. Army (Retired), is the founding President and CEO of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM). Not simply a museum, NVMM seeks to honor and positively impact the lives of Veterans by sharing the Veteran experience as well as through outreach programs directly supporting Veterans and their families.

Before heading to Columbus, Ohio, Lt. Gen. Ferriter successfully supported Veterans and their families, underserved groups, students, and business leaders with his consulting firm, the Ferriter Group LLC. He has dedicated his civilian career to helping organizations and associations, and remains committed and passionate about serving Veterans, military families, and families of the Fallen.

Lt. Gen. Ferriter served 35 years in the US Army commanding Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and International Forces at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels all around the world and has received numerous honors and distinctions for his service.

As an added bonus, we are also joined by Jennifer Ballou, Master Sgt., U.S. Army (Retired), who is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the NVMM supporting the entire staff and all programs, and is currently building up the museum's Resilience and Wellness program.

Luca Padua is a big wave surfer and all around stellar athlete. At 13, Luca was the youngest person to ever surf Mavericks, and has never looked back. We got to catch up with Luca about how he got into surfing, his off-season training regimen, big waves, and what it’s been like to live and train with Laird Hamilton for the last three years.

SPONSORS

This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Momentous, a leading high performance lifestyle company making the best supplements and sports nutrition products for individuals looking to optimize all parts of their lives. Here at The Ready State we are big proponents of bone crushing consistency. And that’s just what Momentous Collagen Shots help us maintain. We ALWAYS have at least a few shots in our bags and backpacks so we never forget to take them. No way you’re getting enough collagen in your diet, so check them out! Go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code TRS for 20% OFF your first purchase.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by ChiliSleep. Science tells us that having a lower core body temperature helps us sleep better. Science also tells us that good sleep is critical for recovery, overall health, and just about everything in between. Head over to sleep.me/trs to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. There is an offer available exclusively for The Ready State Podcast listeners -- and only for a limited time!

Lynsey Dyer is a professional athlete, illustrator, self healing and wildlife advocate. As an athlete, Dyer won the FREESKI overall extreme skiing tour (7 straight wins), was the first female on the cover of FREESKIER Magazine (mid air off a record sized 70ft cliff), and named Skier of the Year multiple times by Powder Magazine. Lynsey hosts the popular outdoor podcast ShowingUP with Lynsey Dyer. She is a trained Breathwork and flow-state facilitator offering movement, mentorship and breathwork to those who inquire. She also offers ski fitness and pregnancy workshops to elevate people to their highest potential. At 21 Dyer co-founded ‪SheJumps.org‬, to increase participation of women in the outdoors, and designed the iconic Girafficorn (the charity’s main fundraising and branding icon) to welcome more playfulness in the outdoors. She produced and directed the groundbreaking film, Pretty Faces, the first all female action sports film for women and girls.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Sleepme. When you live in a midcentury modern Eichler home, it might be beyond beautiful, but it is also beyond freezing in the winter. Kelly’s new favorite feature of the Dock Pro is setting the warm wake-up so his bed heats up to downright toasty each morning. And you know what that means? Waking up without an alarm, which is delightful. Head over to sleep.me/trs to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. Take advantage of our exclusive discount and you too can wake up like Kelly, refreshed, everyday!

We live in a world of extraordinary human physical achievement. More people today are fitter, stronger, faster, and pushing their physical limits than at any time in history. And yet, we are still often bewildered by many of the most fundamental questions relating to our physicality. What constitutes the peak of physical well-being and how do we get there? Should men and women train differently? How does physical fitness really affect our mental state? What should we eat? These are questions not just about physical fitness, but questions for our time. As hosts of The Ready State, Dr. Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett, bestselling authors and luminaries in the health and fitness world, will guide you on an intellectual adventure to find answers to these questions and many more. They will engage top athletes, entrepreneurs, academics, and scientists in conversation, sharing theories and stories about human capacity and self-actualization. The goal: to help us all more fully realize our talents and skills, and explore what it means to be human in the 21st century.

Dr. Lee is a pioneer in using cutting-edge technology to provide preventative healthcare. In this conversation we cover the science of genetics, the current state of research, where it's helpful, where it's not helpful, what we all need to know, and what we all need to watch out for. Juliet and Kelly have both had their DNA analyzed and seen Dr. Lee as patients, so we are able to get into specific examples of what can be learned and acted on, and whether they found it useful.

Dr. Jeremy Koenig is the Founder and CEO of Athletigen, a sports genetics company with a mission to educate and empower the community with their personal genetic information. This interview makes a great Part 2 to the last episode with Dr. Richard Lee. With Jeremy, we really get into his experience building a business and being on the front lines of bringing genetics research and science out into the world. Juliet and Kelly have had their DNA analyzed with Athletigen and we get into specifics of what Athletigen can offer.

For more info on the partnership with MobilityWOD, check out Athletigen!

As parents who are fitness and health professionals, Kelly and Juliet are constantly having conversations with teachers, parents and coaches about how to set kids up for healthy lives. In this episode, we take a crack at understanding how to think about kids' fitness. Jeff and Mikki Martin are a husband and wife coaching duo with more than a decade of experience training kids to be great movers who are set up to be athletes for life. They are the founders of The Brand X Method with training centers around the world.

For more info, check out The Brand X Method!

Check out the Canadian infographic mentioned in the episode!

Eric Cressey, the president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, is a trainer famous for his extensive work with baseball players. Because he works with players from the youth level all the way up through the pro level, in a sport where specialization is a major issue, Eric has an incredible perspective on how we can all help our kids get the most out of the sport they love while avoiding the perils of overtraining.

Check out more info on Eric!

Coach Harry Marra is one of the world's foremost experts on developing well-rounded athletes. He is a legend in the world of track and field and cemented his reputation as one of the all-time greats at the 2016 Rio Olympics when he coached American Ashton Eaton to his second Olympic gold medal in the decathlon - securing back-to-back wins in London and Rio. But that was just part of the story in Rio, because he also coached Ashton Eaton's wife, Brianne Theissen-Eaton to an Olympic bronze medal in the heptathlon. Coach Marra has also coached youth programs and is a big advocate for the role of play in shaping well-rounded athletes.

Rebecca Rusch has famously been dubbed "The Queen of Pain" and is one of the toughest athletes in the world. Her litany of accomplishments literally defies belief. She's a seven-time World Champion in multiple sports, four-time Leadville 100 MTB Champion, the first person to ride the entire length of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the list goes on. We asked Rebecca on to talk about fear. In thinking about raising kids, as well as training high-performance athletes, we've developed a fascination and respect for the role fear plays in helping us all grow and be our best selves. We've started to think of training for fear and becoming fear-adapted as a vital component of any training plan.

Check out more about Rebecca here!

Nutrition is a huge part of the conversation for us, both personally and professionally. We are constantly hearing about fad diets and calorie counting. Our basic philosophy is to EAT REAL FOOD. Even still, we are always exploring how nutrition affects our overall health and fitness -what we eat, when we eat, the quality of the ingredients, even the types of oils we use. We are excited about this conversation with John Berardi - he is a writer, coach, researcher, athlete, and the co-founder of Precision Nutrition. John has devoted his career to making health and fitness something that can be achieved by everyone. Precision Nutrition is built on the simple idea that "Good health and a thriving body are the birthright of every single person on this planet." They have an extensive network of multidisciplinary, research-driven coaches that have helped tens of thousands of people work toward their goals and live healthier lives. Precision Nutrition also offers two certification programs enabling fitness and health professionals to become elite coaches using the latest nutrition knowledge in their own practices.

Check out more info on Precision Nutrition!

Check out the infographic that Juliet mentioned at the top of the episode!

We are continuing our discussion on nutrition in this episode with Dr. Catherine Shanahan. Dr. Cate is a board-certified family physician with a background in biology, biochemistry, genetics, and ethnobotany. She attended medical school with an interest in how nutrition affects genetic health but graduated not having learned much about nutrition. It wasn't until she relocated to Hawaii that everything she did know about nutrition was turned upside down. Hawaii has the longest lifespans of any state and she was able to study the culinary habits of her patients – each of whom were raised in rural areas on home-grown foods prepared by simple methods. These findings were the start of her groundbreaking book, Deep Nutrition. This book is the single most important nutrition book that Juliet has ever found, and has truly changed the way the Starretts think about food and the way they eat.

For more info on Deep Nutrition, check out Dr. Cate's website!

Pain is a universal experience for every human and we wanted to understand more about how it works, the role of that the brain plays, and how we can shift our relationship with pain. We spoke with athletes, scientists, filmmakers, and writers to help conceptualize the very complex and subjective nature of pain. Check out Season 2 for chats with Georges St-Pierre, Chris Bell, Laird Hamilton, Amelia Boone, Sue Falsone, Stu McGill, Andrew Huberman, and Alex Hutchinson.

Welcome to Season 2. We think you're gonna like it here.

To dive right into the subject of pain, we knew we had to talk to the one and only Georges St-Pierre, UFC's 2017 Middleweight Champion of the World, and formerly 2x Welterweight Champion of the World. You can't talk about UFC without considering the role that pain plays in both training and competing. GSP talks frankly about how he experiences and deals with pain, both physical and mental, at the highest level of competitive sport. Georges joined us via Skype from Montreal, CA.

Amelia Boone started her racing career by winning 2nd place female (11th overall) in 2011’s World’s Toughest Mudder, her first ever obstacle race. Since then, she has become the most decorated obstacle racer of all time with over 50 podiums, all while working full-time as a corporate attorney. In 2016, Amelia suffered a debilitating femur fracture and subsequent sacral fracture that kept her from racing for over a year. Amelia talks to us about how she manages pain during competition and gives us an honest look into everything she feels she did wrong while recovering from her injuries to return to an elite level of performance. Amelia joined us via Skype.

Dr. Stuart McGill is one of the biggest influences on the spine-first philosophy laid out in Becoming a Supple Leopard. He is a retired Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, the writer of many influential books, and is an expert on back pain. Stu speaks with us about pain, the mechanisms, and his unique treatment methodology with clinical examples including his work with legendary powerlifter, Brian Carroll, the subject of his newest book, Gift of Injury (written with Carroll).

Dr. Andrew Huberman is a professor and researcher at Stanford University and is one of the foremost experts in neuroplasticity. He talks about the experience of pain, the brain's capacity to re-wire itself, and what he calls self-directed and adaptive plasticity. As we get into the specifics of his current work around fear and anxiety, he even gives us some fear reduction techniques. Andrew joined us via Skype from his lab at Stanford.

You may know Laird Hamilton as a big wave surfer, innovator, actor, and writer. What you might not know, is that Laird suffered and surfed through extreme chronic pain from a hip injury (and various other injuries). Laird has an interesting perspective on pain and helps us understand how his philosophy on life, nutrition, and fitness all play into health and recovery. Laird joined us via Skype from his home.

Sue Falsone is the first female head athletic trainer in any of the four major sports in the US, most recently with the LA Dodgers for 6 years. Functioning as both an athletic trainer and physical therapist to her athletes, she was able to develop a truly innovative and successful approach to treatment. She discusses her philosophy on pain and treatment, returning injured athletes to an elite level of sport, as well as being female in a male-dominated field. Sue joined us via Skype.

A conversation about pain would not be complete without acknowledging opioids and all of the drugs used to treat pain. Chris Bell is the award winning documentary filmmaker behind Prescription Thugs (2015) that explores the opioid crisis in America. His newest film, A Leaf of Faith (2018), covers all aspects of the controversial drug, Kratom, a plant-based supplement showing big promise in pain relief. Chris has first-hand experience with chronic pain and the all to common drug abuse that comes with it. He talks openly about his experience with pain, drugs, death, and we go deep into all things Kratom. Chris joined us via Skype.

We can not get enough of Alex Hutchinson’s book, Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance (2018) this year. His book takes a detailed look into the science of endurance and covers heat, hydration, nutrition, and all the things that we love to think about! Alex takes us through many of the topics in his book and gives us some insight into how the brain may ultimately be the limiter on our ability to suffer, and how changing our perception of pain can expand the limits of our endurance. As an added bonus, we talk briefly with Erin Cafaro, a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist in rowing, about how she thinks about and manages pain while competing. Alex joined us via Skype from Toronto.

Season 3 of The Ready State is here and it's all about KIDS! We wanted to understand how to raise happy, healthy, well-adjusted kids without mucking it up. We talk extensively about nutrition, fitness, sleep, the current state of childhood obesity, sports specialization, what we are doing right, and what we are getting wrong. Our goal was to provide parents and coaches with tons of practical advice and takeaways that are both actionable and reasonable. Check out these fascinating conversations with Mark Verstegen of EXOS, John O'Sullivan, Dr. Jose Greenspon, Dr. Stacy Sims, Gray Cook, Dr. Mark Benden, Katie Wells, and Nic Gill of the All Blacks.

Mark Verstegen is the founder and president of EXOS and one of the world's foremost experts on human performance. Mark has coached some of the most elite athletes on the planet and has also worked extensively with the NFL, corporations, and the military. EXOS is built around four pillars of performance - mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery - and Mark takes us through it all. He has trained a ton of kids and gives everyone from parents to coaches a lot of great takeaways. We were so excited to have Mark in-house to talk about his philosophy and experience training youth athletes.

For more information on Mark and EXOS, check out the EXOS website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

John O'Sullivan is the founder of Changing the Game Project, whose mission is to ensure that we return youth sports to our children by providing the resources needed to make sports a healthy, positive, and rewarding experience for kids. After two decades playing and coaching soccer, John is an expert at training high-performing athletes by creating player-centered environments. He is also the best selling author of both Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids and Is it Wise to Specialize? John offers some really practical advice on how parents and coaches can help bring the fun back into youth sports.

For more about John and Changing the Game Project, visit their website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Jose Greenspon is a board certified pediatric surgeon with a special interest in metabolic disorders, obesity, and bariatric surgery. He gives us a thorough and rather shocking state of the childhood and adult obesity epidemic, as well as a ton of practical takeaway advice for all families. We also get into the specifics of TeenLIFT, a multidisciplinary adolescent weight management program that was carefully designed to increase the likelihood of compliance, success, and long-term sustainability. Additionally, we put the fructose debate to bed once and for all.

For more information on TeenLift, visit their website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Dr. Stacy Sims is an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist specializing in sex differences in response to exercise heat stress, recovery, and nutritional adaptations for health, body composition, and maximizing performance. She authored one of Juliet's all time favorite health and fitness books, Roar, which is a comprehensive guide to nutrition and training designed especially for women. We talk about all our favorite topics as they relate to kids and really start to get an understanding of why kids aren't just little adults and how girls and boys are inherently different.

For more info on Stacy, follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Gray Cook is a physical therapist, lecturer, author, and instructor. He founded Functional Movement Systems which promotes the concept of movement screening and assessment. Gray has been a seminal figure in how we think about and quantify movement, and how we communicate the language of movement. We get into the state of children's health and what's missing from global agreement about movement after a child passes the 21 month old mark. We also get some great takeaways about free play and how a half foam roller can change everything.

For more information on Gray and Functional Movement Systems, check out his website, the FMS website, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Dr. Mark Benden is an associate professor and department head for the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Texas A&M School of Public Health, where he also serves as director of the Ergonomics Center. Mark has done extensive research around kids and standing desks and actually is on the Board of the Starrett's non-profit, StandUp Kids. We get into tons of info on the negative impacts of sedentary lifestyle, and he offers up a ton of practical advice on how parents can work to combat this cultural trend.

For more info on the work that Mark is doing, check out the Texas A&M Health Science Center website, the Texas A&M Ergonomics Center website, and StandUp Kids.

Katie Wells is the founder of WellnessMama.com, an online resource for women and moms (and dads!) who want to live healthier lives. Katie works with a team of researchers and medical advisors with the goal of making every post a simple answer to a single question. In this conversation we get tons of practical advice on raising kids with a focus on prioritizing nutrition, sleep, and bringing healthy habits into our homes. We were blown away with the system that Katie has created in her own home and the amount of responsibility that all kids can and should handle to become truly valuable members of the team we call family.

For more info on Katie, check out WellnessMama.com, her podcast, or follow her on Instagram.

Nic Gill has been the head strength and conditioning coach for the New Zealand All Blacks for the last 11 years, a time of great international success including World Cup titles in 2011 and 2015. In addition, Nic is a wellness and fitness consultant to numerous international corporations as well as a limited number of individuals. He continues to refine his philosophy through research at the University of Waikato. Nic recently released his first book, Health Your Self, that aims to give practical knowledge to enable readers to build their own health and fitness plan. We talk with Nic about fitness, nutrition, and simple tweaks that are both reasonable and effective at improving health and wellbeing, all through the lens of raising healthy kids.

For more information on Nic, check out his website, blog, and follow him on Instagram.

Season 4 of The Ready State is a "Where are they now" of early CrossFit. Juliet and Kelly are coming up on 15 years of CrossFit affiliation and a lot has changed over the years. CrossFit literally revolutionized how we think about fitness and the limits of human performance. Its innovative training style, combined with a focus on community, completely upended the fitness industry. It has led to the creation of thousands of companies that support CrossFit affiliates and athletes, and has produced countless thought leaders. With more than 15,000 current affiliates, it is arguably responsible for creating the boutique fitness industry as we know it today. This season we talk to some of the earliest affiliates, Games athletes, and SMEs that helped shape this movement to find out their CrossFit origin stories, how the journey as been, and what they are doing now.

We are kicking off this season with one of the best and most beloved CrossFit Games athletes of all time. Jason Khalipa has competed in the CrossFit Games on 8 separate occasions - as an individual for 7 consecutive years, and wrapping up an 8th year as a team competitor. Throughout his CrossFit Games career, Jason has only placed outside the Top 10 once, has won every Regional competition he has participated in, and he won the Spirit of the Games award in 2009. Not only has Jason held all podium positions at the world championships, but he was also named to Team USA 3 times. Jason opened his gym in 2008 after winning 1st place in his first CrossFit Games appearance and 11 years later has expanded to over 20 locations. Jason and his wife Ashley live in Los Gatos with their 2 children Kaden and Ava. Ava’s 2016 leukemia diagnosis has led them into a life of philanthropy with the intention of supporting other families faced with the same adversity.

For more info on Jason, check out his website and podcast here, follow him on Instagram, and definitely learn more about the Khalipa’s non-profit, Ava’s Kitchen.

TJ Cooper has been a lead trainer in tactical topics since 1987 and recently retired in 2016 after 34 years of continuous service. He still serves as a Lead Trainer for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and now works for the University of North Florida Police Department as a Police Officer leading the Training division. TJ teaches civilian, law enforcement and military agencies on demand. As a lead tactical trainer, he continually trains, attends and teaches high liability topics in criminal justice academies, colleges and training forums. TJ opened the second ever affiliate, CrossFit East, and was really the first to bring CrossFit to the tactical community with amazing results. In this episode we learn about how TJ got into CrossFit, how he has grown the community spirit CrossFit by creating the CrossFit East Family, and how CrossFit is a necessary skill set that can be applied in life and death situations.

For more info on TJ, check out his website here, or follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

Mike Burgener is known by most as Coach B. After excelling at multiple sports in high school, Coach B headed to Notre Dame to play football. This is where he began what would be the most influential relationship of his life, weightlifting with Father Lange. He went on to get an MS degree from the University of Kentucky and was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. But Coach B’s passion for Olympic Weightlifting is what he has focused on for over 50 years as an athlete, coach, and mentor. He is a Level 5 Senior International Weightlifting Coach, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and got involved with CrossFit early on as their weightlifting SME. He runs Mike's Gym, the 5th CrossFit affiliate, out of his garage with a special emphasis on training "The Geezers".  He has been named coach of the year by United States Weightlifting but maybe more importantly is considered family by the athletes he coaches.

For more info on Coach B, check out his website here, or follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

Hollis Molloy has been part of CrossFit from the beginning and is one of only a handful of Certified Level 4 CrossFit Coaches worldwide. He is the co-owner of CrossFit Santa Cruz, and believes that everyone is an athlete, regardless of current ability or past experience. He does not tolerate subpar movement in his classes and works to inspire athletes to become the best possible movers. For Hollis, CrossFit is a way of expressing our true potential as human beings. When not in his gym, he travels the world as a CrossFit Seminar Staff member teaching both the Level 1 and Level 2 Seminars. Kelly has always said that “there are few coaches that are able to effectively blend technical ability, passion, and the capacity to understand and address an athlete's weaknesses as well as Coach Hollis”. In this episode we hear about how Hollis went from an unhealthy weight to taking over the original CrossFit HQ space, and running it successfully for over a decade.

For more info on Hollis and CrossFit Santa Cruz, check them out here, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Tom Brose took a trip to Santa Cruz in 2005 to check out something called CrossFit. He trained alongside some of the earliest CrossFit legends, and learned directly from CrossFit founder, Greg Glassman. The intensity stunned him and the insights transformed his view of fitness. But what impressed him the most was the community. Tom has kept this in mind running his affiliate, and the people around him gush about what an amazing community of coaches and members he has built. We get to hear how Tom discovered CrossFit, what the early days were like, and how CrossFit DC has evolved over the years.

For more info on Tom, check out CrossFit DC, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Annie Sakamoto was one of the first women to take up CrossFit and she went on to become a trainer, affiliate owner, competitor, and one of the most beloved icons of the sport. She was one of the original “Nasty Girls”, pushing the limits of human performance not just for women, but humans in general. She placed in the top 10 three of the four times she competed in the CrossFit Games and was awarded the spirit of the Games award in 2011. Most recently she placed 3rd in the Legends division of the Rogue Invitational. In this episode, Annie runs us through her first experience with CrossFit (and consequently her first case of abdo), her affiliate journey, and what she is up to now.

For more info on Annie, check out CrossFit Santa Cruz Central or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Mike Minium started coaching when he was only 14, coaching adults and kids in tennis. He played competitive tennis through college, but never strayed too far from coaching, eventually focusing on general strength and conditioning. He discovered CrossFit in 2003, and was amazed at the impact it had on his fitness. He immediately got certified to coach and opened the very first CrossFit gym in the Bay Area. Mike has now expanded the CrossFit Oakland family to three locations. In this episode, we hear how Mike got started with CrossFit and discuss the importance of using CrossFit to improve athletic performance outside of the gym.

For more info on Mike, check out CrossFit Oakland or follow them on Facebook.

Brian Mackenzie was involved with CrossFit from the very beginning as the SME of CrossFit Endurance. He is an expert in the development and application of custom protocols to optimize human health and performance. His work harnesses and integrates respiratory, movement, strength and endurance-based training approaches to elicit unprecedented positive results. His protocols have been used to accelerate and raise both mental and physical performance in world-class Olympic and professional athletes, top executives, and operators, as well as to improve the health for people suffering from various chronic illnesses. Everyday people have also used Brian’s tools to reduce pathologic stress and to vastly heighten their mental and physical well being and performance. He has gone on to be the Founder & Creative Director of Power Speed Endurance, and the Co-Founder & President of the Health and Human Performance Foundation. We talk about everything from early CrossFit days, to how his methodology has evolved, to his sourdough bread baking practice.

For more info on Brian, follow him on Instagram and Twitter, and check out PSE and follow them on Instagram.

Dave Werner co-founded the first ever CrossFit affiliate. Dave is a Navy SEAL veteran, a highly experienced strength coach, founder of moveSKILL.com, and a long time leader in the fitness industry. He authored the Athletic Skill Levels© in 2006, a tool for gauging general fitness, which is now used by athletes and gyms all over the world. MoveSKILL.com, is an online resource for people seeking improved general fitness and helping them reach the strength and conditioning goals described by the Athletic Skill Levels. Before joining the U.S. Navy at age 17, Dave grew up wrestling, working on farms, and playing the cello in Oklahoma and Oregon. We talk to Dave about the earliest days of CrossFit, how affiliation came to be, and even hear the origin of the first named workout.

John Welbourn is CEO of Power Athlete and Fuse Move, as well as the creator of the online training phenomena, Johnnie WOD. He is a 9 year veteran of the NFL and was a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2003, the Kansas City Chiefs from 2004-2007, and appeared in 3 NFC Championship games. In 2008, he played with the New England Patriots until an injury ended his season early with him retiring in 2009. Over the course of his career, John has started over 100 games and has 10 play-off appearances. After retiring from the NFL, John got involved with CrossFit and eventually developed the CrossFit Football program, but we’ll let him explain how that all went down. John has worked with the MLB, NFL, NHL, Olympic athletes as well as the Military, and he currently travels the world lecturing on performance and nutrition for Power Athlete.

For more info on John, check out Power Athlete, Johnnie WOD, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Chris Spealler competed as an individual in 7 CrossFit Games, is an Affiliate Owner, and is an all around great human and fan favorite. Chris collected top 10 finishes at the Games in 2007, 2008, and 2010, and the “Spirit of the Games” award in 2010. He has numerous podium finishes in regionals and opens as well as his 3rd place finish at the 2007 Games. Chris has been teaching at a variety of competitions and seminars since 2007 and is currently sharing his knowledge and experience developing and programming for Icon Athlete. We talk to Chris about early CrossFit, The Games, and his "we're all in this together" mentality. It was an absolute pleasure to wrap up this season of The Ready State with Chris!

For more info on Chris, check out CrossFit Park City and Icon Athlete or follow him on Instagram.

Season 5 of The Ready State Podcast is here and it is all about AGING and LONGEVITY. Aging is a universal experience and yet we often feel powerless to its effects. We want to dig into this subject and learn about all the environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to how we age, how long we live, and our quality of life as we age. Is it all about genetics? Or can we make a positive impact on how we age and increase longevity by making more educated choices? How does life, health, and sport change as we age? What actionable advice can we implement right now?

We rounded up some friends that are not letting age define them. We check in to see what nutrition, sleep, and exercise look like for those that seem to have this aging thing down. People from Gabby Reece to Mark Sisson and Erwan Le Corre. Join us and get a little insight and some actionable advice so we can push further and redefine what health and performance look like on the back half of this journey we call life.

We are so excited to kick off this season with Gabby Reece who is a legend on and off the court. Not only is she a Pro Beach Volleyball World Champion, but she is also a New York Times best selling author, model, actress, Nike’s first female spokeswoman, TV host, and leader in the world of health and wellness. Gabby is an avid proponent of empowering people to take responsibility for their own health and together with her husband, surfing legend, Laird Hamilton, she founded XPT – Extreme Performance Training. Gabby has become a role model to women worldwide in achieving peak fitness, good health, and overall well-being for themselves and their entire family.

For more info on Gabby, check out XPT or follow her on Instagram.

Mark Sisson is the founder of the popular health blog, Mark’s Daily Apple, godfather to the Primal food and lifestyle movement, and the New York Times Bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet. Mark is the author of numerous other books as well, including The Primal Blueprint, which was credited with turbocharging the growth of the primal/paleo movement back in 2009. After spending three decades researching and educating folks on why food is the key component to achieving and maintaining optimal wellness, Mark launched Primal Kitchen, a real-food company that creates Primal/paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly kitchen staples.

For more info on Mark, check out Mark's Daily Apple, his Books, or follow him on Instagram.

***This episode was recorded on a particularly raucous day at San Francisco CrossFit, so please excuse all the weights dropping and exuberant convos happening in the background.***

Petra Kolber is an author, speaker, podcast host and most recently a DJ. She is a wellness leader who is known throughout the industry as a crusader for change and a beacon of authentic happiness. In August 2018, Petra released her first book, The Perfection Detox: Tame Your Inner Critic, Live Bravely and Unleash Your Joy, which made its debut at no.1 in new releases on Amazon. Petra has over thirty years of experience in the fitness industry and has been honored with countless speaker and instructor awards. For over a decade she was a spokesperson for Reebok traveling around the world, starring on their VHS tapes (!!), and was a regular fitness host on FitTV. As a two-time cancer survivor, she is passionate about waking people up to the precious gift of time. Her mission is to inspire people to move more, fear less, and build an inspired life, full of joy and gratitude.

For more info on Petra, check out her website, or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Erwan Le Corre is the founder of “MovNat”, a coaching method, fitness program and certification system for Natural Movement, encompassing exercise, fitness, functional rehabilitation, and physical education. Growing up in France, Erwan spent his time outside exploring nature. Throughout his life he has trained in every discipline imaginable from martial arts, to Olympic weightlifting and long distance triathlons, to Combat Vital - a hardcore lifestyle of physical and mental training. Synthesizing his years of training his passion for natural movement, MovNat was born. Erwan believes it is everyone’s universal and biological birthright to be strong, healthy, happy and free. He calls this state of being our “True Nature”. We do a deep dive on the Natural Movement methodology, as well the current state of movement poverty for many humans, and look at how reintroducing versatility, variability, and frequency into your movement behavior could be the cure for many physical ailments.

For more info on the work Erwan is doing, check out the Natural Movement Instagram, the MoveNat website, or follow MovNat on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Matt Hasselbeck is a former pro-football player spending the bulk of his career with the Seattle Seahawks after his initial position as back-up Quarterback to Brett Favre on the Packers for 2 years. Matt led Seattle to six playoff appearances including the 2005 Superbowl against the Steelers and was selected to 3 Pro Bowls. After 10 seasons and a contract dispute, Matt went on to play for the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. At retirement, Matt signed a one-day contract so that he could officially retire as a Seahawk after 18 seasons in the NFL and continues to be beloved by the Seattle community. Matt went on to become an ESPN analyst working on Sunday NFL Countdown, and most recently calling Thursday night college football games.

For more info about Matt follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

Dr. Nick DiNubile is an Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of the bestselling book, FrameWork- Your 7 Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones & Joints and is Executive Producer and host of the award winning national PBS television special, Your Body’s FrameWork. Dr. Nick has served on The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports with Arnold Schwarzenegger and also sits on the board as well as serves as the Chief Medical Officer of The American Council on Exercise (ACE). He has worked with Philadelphia 76ers, the Pennsylvania Ballet, and countless athletes and celebrities. Most recently he has been named Vice President of The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. We talk about boomers, injuries plaguing young female athletes and Dr. Nick raises the point that it’s not about longevity as much as it’s about durability.

For more info about Dr. Nick follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Season 6 of The Ready State Podcast is all about NUTRITION STRATEGIES. There are so many different diets out there and we wanted to get a detailed understanding of what they are, how they work, and who is seeing results. We don't advocate for any diet in particular with the exception of eating whole foods, so we went straight to the experts to unpack this complex and sometimes controversial topic.

Join us this season for conversations with some of the greatest innovators in health and fitness including Melissa Urban, founder of Whole30, Robb Wolf, bestselling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired to Eat, EC Synkowski, creator of the 800g Challenge, Mark Bell of SuperTraining Gym and inventor of the Sling Shot, and more!

Melissa Hartwig Urban is the co-founder and CEO of the Whole30 program, and a six-time New York Times bestselling author. She has been featured by Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, People, and Forbes; and ranks #19 on Greatist's Top 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness. Melissa is the host of the Do the Thing podcast, and is a prominent keynote speaker on social media and branding, health trends, and entrepreneurship. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT.

Mark is the meathead millionaire who has leveraged a successful powerlifting career into a multi-million dollar business empire. He owns and operates the Super Training Gym, dubbed “The Strongest Gym In The West” and largest free gym in the world. Mark also publishes a national fitness magazine, has an impressive YouTube following, and is the host of a Top 50 health and fitness podcast. Much of Mark’s business success has come from his patented invention called the Sling Shot, a widely popular weight lifting device, billed as the greatest invention since the weight lifting belt. It is used by athletes and coaches and can be found in gyms throughout the country. His motto in life is simple: "If you’re not getting better, then you’re getting worse, so never be caught standing still."

Diana Rodgers is an advocate for regenerative farming. She is a registered dietician and “real food” nutritionist as well as a writer living on a working organic farm. She runs a clinical nutrition practice, hosts the Sustainable Dish Podcast, and speaks internationally about human nutrition, sustainability, animal welfare and social justice. She’s written two books and helped to produce the short film, Soft Slaughter, which won a real food media award. Her work has been featured in The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Edible Boston and To Market.

Later this year she is releasing a new book and film project, Sacred Cow, exploring the important role of animals in our food system.

Darin Olien is a widely recognized plant-based exotic superfoods hunter, author of the book, “SuperLife: The Five Fixes That Will Keep You Healthy, Fit And Eternally Awesome,” and a TV host on the Netflix docu-series "Down to Earth with Zac Efron". He has travelled the planet discovering new and underutilized exotic foods and medicinal plants. In April 2020 Darin launched 121 Tribe, a health app created to help people live an optimal and sustainable life. Darin is the formulator of the whole-food supplement, “Shakeology”, as well as the plant based, “Ultimate Reset" 21-day detoxification program. Darin is one of the founders of Barukas™, a new super nut from the Savannah “Cerrado” of Brazil. Through sustainable business practices the company is committed to supporting this important biome by planting 20 million Baruzeita trees. In addition, Darin is partner and advisor to several global environmental and health companies. Darin joins us to talk superfoods and how he maintains a healthy plant-based lifestyle.

EC Synkowski joins us to talk about the 800g Challenge, lazy macros, and the easy ways we can make a big impact on our health with a simple nutrition approach. EC is the founder OptimizeMe Nutrition, a company dedicated to making nutrition easy through digital education products and corporate wellness programs. The mission of OptimizeMe Nutrition is to provide solutions for anyone to improve their weight, health, and overall wellbeing through sustainable diet methods. Thousands have used her #800gChallenge®, a diet free of restrictive rules, to eat healthily and have reported weight loss, increased energy, improved performance and more! EC has an extensive scientific background, 2 masters degrees, and a CF-L4 certification which enables her to translate evidence-based scientific data into practical solutions for everyday success. She also recently did a Tedx Talk called An Elegant Diet, which is one of our favorite Ted Talks ever.

Dr. Mike T. Nelson (known as Dr. Mike) joins us to talk about the Flex Diet. He is a research fanatic who specializes in metabolic flexibility and heart rate variability. He is also an online trainer, adjunct professor, faculty member at the Carrick Institute, presenter, creator of the Flex Diet Cert, kiteboarder, and (somewhat incongruously) heavy-metal enthusiast. The techniques he's developed, and the results Mike gets for his clients have been featured in international magazines, in scientific publications, and on websites across the globe.

Adee Cazayoux is the Founder and CEO of Working Against Gravity (WAG), an online nutrition coaching program with a mission to transform lives. Having made a name for herself in nutrition, Cazayoux has worked with elite athletes such as Katrin Davidsdottir, Jessica Lucero and Tia Clair-Toomey, just to spotlight a few. Adee is lifelong learner with a Bachelors in Honors Psychology and a Masters in Teaching and is working toward a Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. Beyond being an entrepreneur and student of the nutritional sciences, Adee is also an accomplished athlete, having competed in the National Pro Grid League, CrossFit Open and won the Bronze Medal in the 2016 Canadian National Weightlifting Championships.

Michael Cazayoux, president of WAG, specializes in helping his team and clients “get out of their own way” by identifying self-limiting beliefs and ineffective behaviors. In fact, the back-to-back CrossFit World Cup Champion is no stranger to this unique process of self-examination. At the impressionable age of 17, Cazayoux confronted his own limiting beliefs and ineffective behaviors head on, attending drug rehabilitation to overcome his addiction to opiates. It’s this experience that inspired a love of health and fitness on a personal level, which later translated into a passion for coaching and mentoring inside and out of the gym. Prior to joining WAG, Michael cofounded Brute Strength, an online fitness training company, where he continues to contribute to operations and remains as the podcast host.

Adee and Michael live in Austin with their dog, Otis and welcomed their first child this year.

Jen Widerstrom is a world-renowned fitness trainer, published author, and Fitness Director of SHAPE Magazine. She is well known for her work as a trainer on the American television series The Biggest Loser. Before that, she appeared on American Gladiators, as the female gladiator Phoenix. Jen most recently founded GetUP, a CBD supplement company, continues to coach athletes of all stripes including leading monthly carb cycling challenges through her site Widerstrong.com. Juliet has personally found great success zipping up her diet with carb cycling. Jen joins us to talk nutrition, movement, and the important role both play health, wellness, and self image.

Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist and the 2X New York Times/WSJ Best Selling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat. Robb has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world via his top ranked iTunes podcast, books and seminars.

Robb has functioned as a review editor for the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism (Biomed Central) and as a consultant for the Naval Special Warfare Resiliency program. He serves on the board of Directors/Advisors for: Specialty Health Inc, The Chickasaw Nation’s “Unconquered Life” initiative and a number of innovative start ups with a focus on health and sustainability.

Robb holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, is a former California State Powerlifting Champion, and a 6-0 amateur kickboxer. He has provided seminars in nutrition and strength & conditioning to a number of entities including NASA, Naval Special Warfare, the Canadian Light Infantry and the United States Marine Corps.

Robb joins us to talk about the Paleo Diet and the science behind his nutrition choices and recommendations.

Stan Efferding is the founder of the Vertical Diet and is an IFBB Professional bodybuilder and World Record Holding Powerlifter. He is one of only 10 men in the world to ever total over 2,300 pounds raw in competition. Stan holds the title as the Worlds Strongest Bodybuilder.

Stan studied Exercise Science at the University of Oregon and has been training high school, Collegiate, and Professional athletes for over 25 years. Stan conducts seminars all over the country for various sports and nutrition and training techniques. He has appeared in many magazines and writes for Muscular Development, Flex Magazine and Power Magazine. Stan is also a successful entrepreneur having built three different start-up businesses into multi-million dollar companies.

Matt Vincent is a traveling strength athlete, two-time Highland Games World Champion, and founder of HVIII Brand Goods. Through his travels, Matt was lucky enough to spend time with exceptional people who were chasing strength, fulfillment, and personal growth in every imaginable way. In Matt's first book, Training Lab, he spelled out the philosophy of “The HVIII,” and tried to capture the spirit of self-improvement through self-loathing. This idea would serve as the spark that led to HVIII Brand Goods and a ton of adventures afterwards. Matt chronicles his travels and conversations with people in the strength game and beyond on his podcast UMSO.

We talk to Matt about his evolution from World Champion Athlete to founding a highly successful company by way of a number of other ventures and a total knee replacement.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Essential C Complex. Created to be the most powerful, completely natural and organic source of vitamin C on the planet, Essential C Complex is one of the only supplements we take every single day. Because nothing's funny about scurvy. For more info and 15% off, visit thereadystate.com/essentialC!

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Kabuki Strength. Kabuki designs, engineers, and manufactures novel strength equipment, provides research-based education, world-class coaching services, and gives back by serving others in the community. The Kadillac Bar has been so crucial to Kelly's training that he keeps one at work and at his home gym. To check out all of their innovative products visit thereaydstate.com/kabuki!

Anya Fernald is the co-founder of Belcampo, a farm-to-table supply chain complete with regenerative farm, full service butcher shops, and restaurants. She is an entrepreneur, chef, and agriculture expert. And when we say “entrepreneur” there isn’t enough time in the day to go over all of the incredible things Anya had founded and done in her career prior to Belcampo. From founding a cheese co-op in Italy that led to micro-financing and investing in small family businesses, to founding Live Culture, Eat Real, Slow Food, to being asked by Alice Waters to serve as the Executive Director of Slow Food Nation in the bay area.

She also managed to write a cookbook called Home Cooked, and serve as a judge and sustainable food expert on Iron Chef from 2009-2015. She was named Food and Wine 40 Under 40, and one of the top 100 female founders in INC Magazine. She also runs “Meat Camp”. Which might be the single greatest thing we have ever heard.

We get into all the details of Anya's past that have led up to her success today, proving that Belcampo and regenerative farming is a model that can work and even thrive in our world of industrial meat and confinement farming.

For more info on Anya, check out the Belcampo website and follow her and Belcampo on their Instagram channels.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Beef Sticks. Made from 100% organic grass-fed beef and organic spices, these are hands down our favorite on-the-go protein snack. They are naturally fermented making them shelf stable without chemicals or questionable ingredients, for when you find one in a backpack you haven't used since last summer. For more info and 15% off, go to thereadystate.com/beefsticks

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Kabuki Strength. Kabuki designs, engineers, and manufactures novel strength equipment, provides research-based education, world-class coaching services, and gives back by serving others in the community. The Kadillac Bar has been so crucial to Kelly's training that he keeps one at work and at his home gym. To check out all of their innovative products go to thereadystate.com/kabuki

Soman Chainani’s debut series, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, has sold more than 3 million copies, been translated into 30 languages across 6 continents, and will be a major motion picture from Netflix in 2022. Each of the six books in the series — THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, A WORLD WITHOUT PRINCES, THE LAST EVER AFTER, QUESTS FOR GLORY, A CRYSTAL OF TIME, and ONE TRUE KING — have debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list. Together the books have been on the print and extended lists for 38 weeks. Soman has recently announced a new book, BEASTS & BEAUTY, coming September 28, 2021 from HarperCollins.

A graduate of Harvard University and Columbia University’s MFA Film Program, Soman began his career as a screenwriter and director, with his films playing at over 150 film festivals around the world. He has been nominated for the Waterstone Prize for Children’s Literature, been named to the Out100, and also received the $100,000 Shasha Grant and the Sun Valley Writer’s Fellowship, both for debut writers.

We talk to Soman about growing up in Florida, transitioning from filmmaker to writer, making his first novel into a movie, and the accidental physical practice that keeps him sane.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Essential C Complex. Created to be the most powerful, completely natural and organic source of vitamin C on the planet, Essential C Complex is one of the only supplements the Starretts take every single day. Because nothing’s funny about scurvy. For more info and 15% off, click https://thereadystate.com/essentialc

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Kion Aminos. Available as powder or tablets, these aminos are 100 percent plant based with no artificial ingredients. Essential amino acids are the building blocks for all muscle and tissue but your body can only absorb about 50% from food which is why Kelly takes them everyday. For more info and 20% off your first purchase, click https://thereadystate.com/aminos

Kate Courtney is a professional mountain bike racer for the Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team. She is the reigning UCI World Cup Overall Champion, the 2018 World Champion in women’s cross-country mountain biking, and a member of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team. Kate has also earned multiple Continental and National Championship titles. She is a member of the USA Cycling National Team and a Red Bull Athlete.

Kate grew up in Marin County, California, at the base of Mount Tamalpais, the birthplace of mountain biking. Though she was introduced to the sport at a young age – riding on the back of her dad’s tandem mountain bike – her race career started as a freshman on the Branson High School MTB Team. In 2018, Kate became the first American in 17 years to win an Elite XCO World Championship, only the fourth American woman to do so, and had the honor of bringing the title back to Marin and the roots of the sport.

Besides training and racing her bike, Kate enjoys yoga, skiing, hiking and writing. Kate is known for her insightful and clear voice, and her articles about being a professional athlete have been published in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Outside Magazine, VeloNews and Cycling Tips. Kate holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from Stanford University.

Kate joins us to talk about life as a mountain bike champion, getting a second year to train for the Olympics, and how having her family as part of the team makes the whole process joyful.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Beef Sticks. Made from 100% organic grass-fed beef and organic spices, these are hands down our favorite on-the-go protein snack. They are naturally fermented making them shelf stable without chemicals or questionable ingredients, for when you find one in a backpack you haven't used since last summer. For more info and 15% off, go to thereadystate.com/beefsticks

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Kion Aminos. Available as powder or tablets, these aminos are 100 percent plant based with no artificial ingredients. Essential amino acids are the building blocks for all muscle and tissue but your body can only absorb about 50% from food which is why Kelly takes them everyday. For more info and 20% off your first purchase, go to thereadystate.com/aminos

Selema Masekela is a beloved commentator, journalist, host, and Emmy nominated producer best known for his work across VICE, E!, ESPN/ABC, Nat Geo, Red Bull Media House and beyond. A relentlessly curious narrator of the human experience, he thrives as a Black man who has historically been ‘the only’ in the spaces of action sports and entertainment. The son of South African jazz legend and activist Hugh Masekela, Selema‘s roots are as South African as they are New York City and San Diego.

Music and water being the most influential parts of his life at the age of 16 he first felt 'at home' on a surfboard; at 8 you’d find him sitting at Birdland in late night jazz sessions with his father and Miles Davis. It’s this unique life experience which paved the way for him not only becoming the face of ESPN’s X-Games but also a musician himself, recording under the alias 'Alekesam' (Masekela backwards).

His recently launched podcast, What Shapes Us?, explores he and his guests human experiences; who they are, what drives and gives them joy. Its mission is to highlight people and places through a mold breaking lens and redefine culture. He is the co-founder of Stoked Mentoring, an organization dedicated to mentoring at risk youth through action sports and the host of Hyundai’s series The Un-Adventurers on Tastemade Network. In 2020, Selema was also welcomed onto the Board of Directors for Burton Snowboards as a general advisor.

Selema joins us to talk what it's like to be the only person of color in the spaces you love, using whatever is in your toolbox to help break the cycle of racism, and how middle age is pretty sweet.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Essential C Complex. Created to be the most powerful, completely natural and organic source of vitamin C on the planet, Essential C Complex is one of the only supplements the Starretts take every single day. Because nothing’s funny about scurvy. For more info and 15% off, click thereadystate.com/essentialC

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Kion Aminos. Available as powder or tablets, these aminos are 100 percent plant based with no artificial ingredients. Essential amino acids are the building blocks for all muscle and tissue but your body can only absorb about 50% from food which is why Kelly takes them everyday. For more info and 20% off your first purchase, click thereadystate.com/aminos

Anastacia Maggioncalda is the Head of Production for the Creative Studio at LinkedIn.

Anastacia was a photography and cultural anthropology student at Sarah Lawrence College in New York and after graduating, worked as a producer and studio manager alongside fashion photographers in New York. After transitioning to commercial work, she led production at both Shelter Films and Crossroads Films.

Anastacia made the move to the west coast and the agency side of things working with such brands as BMW, Gatorade, Target, Lexus, Coke, Virgin America, Oakley, Apple, Visa, and Aria. She has also run visual effects production on numerous music videos for artists like N'SYNC, Ricky Martin, Linkin Park, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliot, Kanye West, and on feature films like Spiderman, Hell Boy, Castaway, Sin City and Iron Man.

Anastacia has won a Webby and a Bronze Lion for her work with Virgin America.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Beef Sticks. Made from 100% organic grass-fed beef and organic spices, these are hands down our favorite on-the-go protein snack. They are naturally fermented making them shelf stable without chemicals or questionable ingredients, for when you find one in a backpack you haven't used since last summer. For more info and 15% off, go to thereadystate.com/beefsticks

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Kion Aminos. Available as powder or tablets, these aminos are 100 percent plant based with no artificial ingredients. Essential amino acids are the building blocks for all muscle and tissue but your body can only absorb about 50% from food which is why Kelly takes them everyday. For more info and 20% off your first purchase, go to thereadystate.com/aminos

Mike Sinyard is the founder and CEO of Specialized Bicycle Components. Mike was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1988. The StumpJumper mountain bike was added to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s collection in 1994.

Mike’s journey begins in the summer of 1973 when he sold his VW van for $1,500 and cycled around Europe. During his travels, he connected with Cinelli and Campagnolo, Italian bike component manufacturers, to establish an import-business relationship. Today, Specialized is a leading manufacturer of bicycles and gear. Made by riders, for riders.

In 2015, Mike launched the Specialized Foundation, known today as Outride, which focuses on linking cycling to improve cognitive, emotional, and social health. The foundation helps kids achieve academic, health, and social success. Outride currently supports community cycling, trail projects, and the Riding for Focus program.

Mike joins us to talk about founding and growing Specialized and the obsessive curiosity that drives their unparalleled innovation.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Essential C Complex. Created to be the most powerful, completely natural and organic source of vitamin C on the planet, Essential C Complex is one of the only supplements the Starretts take every single day. Because nothing’s funny about scurvy. For more info and 15% off, go to thereadystate.com/essentialc

Hayley Hollander and Scott Hopson are the co-founders of Pivotal Coaching - a global development company empowering people to fulfill their greatest potential.

Scott is an internationally recognized leader in human performance, coaching and education. In a career spanning 25 years his work has impacted over 100,000 coaches and leaders in more than a 100-countries world-wide. At the heart of his extensive leadership work is the ability to empower and develop people by making the complex simple, to create breakthrough performances. Scott is renowned for his passion and impact in professional coach development and youth coaching. In addition to Pivotal, Scott is co-founder of PTA Global, Education Director for the Gray Institute, a Team EXOS education specialist, and Chairman of the Global Advisory Board at Power Plate.

Over her 20+ year career, Hayley’s leadership, programming, and content creation has influenced the masses. She has coached and educated thousands of clients, teams, athletes, and coaches from all over the world. Hayley is renowned for program creation and implementation, and her work can be found in major health club chains, university recreation centers, non-profit wellness centers, and professional sports training centers. In addition to Pivotal, Hayley is the Co-Director of Education for Gray Institute, Precor Master Coach, and Power Plate Master Trainer.

Scott and Hayley join us to talk about connecting with the human inside the human body, rebuilding an industry that is hitting bottom, and healthy movement nutrition.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Paleovalley Beef Sticks. Made from 100% organic grass-fed beef and organic spices, these are hands down our favorite on-the-go protein snack. They are naturally fermented making them shelf stable without chemicals or questionable ingredients, for when you find one in a backpack you haven’t used since last summer. For more info and 15% off, go to thereadystate.com/beefsticks

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by LMNT, our favorite electrolyte drink mix. It was created based on a science-backed electrolyte ratio, with no sugar, no coloring, no artificial ingredients, or any other junk. Everyone needs electrolytes, but if you’re an active person and/or on a low-carb diet, you really need electrolytes to feel and perform your best. We drink LMNT every single day and it is our go-to drink for mountain biking. For more info and to get a free sample pack (just pay shipping), go to thereadystate.com/freeLMNT

Brett Bartholomew is a keynote speaker, performance coach & consultant, best-selling author, and Founder of Art of Coaching™. His experience includes working with members of Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Special Forces, and sporting organizations and professional athletes. Brett is also a self-published, best-selling, author of Conscious Coaching: The Art & Science of Building Buy-in. Taken together, Brett has coached a diverse range of athletes from across 23 sports worldwide, at levels ranging from youth athletes to Olympians. He’s supported numerous Super Bowl and World Series Champions, along with several professional fighters. He is currently conducting his doctoral research focused on the role of power dynamics, persuasion, and optimizing change management within organizations at the University of Central Lancashire.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by LMNT, our favorite electrolyte drink mix. It was created based on a science-backed electrolyte ratio, with no sugar, no coloring, no artificial ingredients, or any other junk. Everyone needs electrolytes, but if you’re an active person and/or on a low-carb diet, you really need electrolytes to feel and perform your best. We drink LMNT every single day and it is our go-to drink for mountain biking. For more info and to get a free sample pack (just pay shipping), click thereadystate.com/FreeLMNT!

Christopher McDougall is a former war correspondent and the author of Born to Run, the most popular book ever written about the sport of running. McDougall has also explored the ancient art of the hero in Natural Born Heroes and animal-human partnerships in Running with Sherman. He’s currently on a new project that involves big waves, deep bruises, and the occasional shark.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by LMNT, our favorite electrolyte drink mix. It was created based on a science-backed electrolyte ratio, with no sugar, no coloring, no artificial ingredients, or any other junk. Everyone needs electrolytes, but if you’re an active person and/or on a low-carb diet, you really need electrolytes to feel and perform your best. We drink LMNT every single day and it is our go-to drink for mountain biking. For more info and to get a free sample pack (just pay shipping), click thereadystate.com/FreeLMNT!

Rachel Balkovec is in her second year as a minor league hitting coach with the New York Yankees. She is the first woman (alongside Rachel Folden of the Chicago Cubs) to hold that title in the history of professional baseball. She is one of 4 women that are in uniform in 2021 in various roles with Major League clubs. Rachel joined the Yankees in 2019 after completing her second master’s degree in biomechanics in the Netherlands where she served as an apprentice hitting coach for the national softball and baseball programs. She completed her research for this degree in eye tracking at Driveline Baseball.

Previous to crossing over to being a hitting coach, she spent 7 seasons in professional baseball as a strength and conditioning coach in various roles with the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals. In addition to her more recent groundbreaking role with the Yankees, she was also the first woman to be hired full time as a strength and conditioning coach in MLB.

Before entering professional baseball in 2012, she served in various apprentice roles for Louisiana State University, Los Tigres Del Licey Beisbol, The Chicago Whitesox, Arizona State University and EXOS. The Omaha native is a former NCAA Division I softball catcher and has special interest in organizational culture and behavioral psychology. She has an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science, and a master’s degree in Sport Administration from LSU.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by LMNT, our favorite electrolyte drink mix. It was created based on a science-backed electrolyte ratio, with no sugar, no coloring, no artificial ingredients, or any other junk. Everyone needs electrolytes, but if you’re an active person and/or on a low-carb diet, you really need electrolytes to feel and perform your best. We drink LMNT every single day and it is our go-to drink for mountain biking. For more info and to get a free sample pack (just pay shipping), click thereadystate.com/FreeLMNT!

Dean Pohlman has made a name for himself as the go-to internet yoga instructor for men and those interested in improving their fitness with yoga. His first internationally published book, Yoga Fitness for Men, was published in 2018 and has since been translated into French, German, and Mandarin. His second book, Yoga for Athletes, was internationally published in December 2021. His DVD series, Body By Yoga, includes multiple top-10 best-selling programs made for all fitness levels, and his website, manflowyoga.com, is one of the most popular resources on the internet for on-demand fitness-centric yoga workouts and programs.

He has worked with physical therapists to create yoga programs for back health and spinal recovery. A former collegiate lacrosse player, his workouts and programs have been used by professional and collegiate athletes, athletic trainers, and personal trainers; and have been recommended by physical therapists, doctors, chiropractors, and other medical professionals; and his work has been featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Mens' Health, The Chicago Sun, New York Magazine, and many more major news media outlets.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by LMNT, our favorite electrolyte drink mix. It was created based on a science-backed electrolyte ratio, with no sugar, no coloring, no artificial ingredients, or any other junk. Everyone needs electrolytes, but if you’re an active person and/or on a low-carb diet, you really need electrolytes to feel and perform your best. We drink LMNT every single day and it is our go-to drink for mountain biking. For more info and to get a free sample pack (just pay shipping), click thereadystate.com/FreeLMNT!

Bianca is one of the best big wave Surfers in the world. A true warrior, she is recognized for many victories including winning equal pay and access for all athletes in professional surfing. Notable recent surf victories include a podium finish at the 2021 XXL Big Wave Awards for biggest paddle of the year, 2X winner of the Puerto Escondido CUP in 2018 + 2019, and Bianca is the first woman in history to win a big wave competition in 2014 at Nelscott Reef in Oregon.

Lookout for an upcoming Hollywood Film with Charlize Theron telling the story of Bianca’s "fight for gender equality in one of the most dangerous sports on earth” based on the NYT Magazine cover story from February 2019. SheChange is the documentary film version of the story following Bianca, Keala Kennelly, Paige Alms and Andrea Möller, as they fight to be included in the competition at Mavericks.

In her free time when she’s not practicing and playing pro surfer, she’s fighting for all athletes in outdoor sports, by creating BETTERWAVE an investment vessel enabling athletes to focus on "athleteing".

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by LMNT, our favorite electrolyte drink mix. It was created based on a science-backed electrolyte ratio, with no sugar, no coloring, no artificial ingredients, or any other junk. Everyone needs electrolytes, but if you’re an active person and/or on a low-carb diet, you really need electrolytes to feel and perform your best. We drink LMNT every single day and it is our go-to drink for mountain biking. For more info and to get a free sample pack (just pay shipping), click thereadystate.com/FreeLMNT!

Jim is a lifelong innovator who has always been one of those people who thinks differently. He believes balance training has sharpened his ability to make new neural connections and see the possibilities and pathways that others miss. Originally Jim was simply looking for a way to maintain his own athletic performance well into his 90s. But the SlackBow Balance Training System he developed turned out to be a key to whole body and mind fitness that was even more revolutionary than he could have imagined. He is eager to spread his knowledge, techniques and tools far and wide to help seekers like him tune their brains to perform better in work and sports, sleep better, look younger and live longer.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Momentous. Kelly first learned about Momentous when a national champion cyclocross athlete sent him a bottle of PR Lotion as a thank you gift. When one of the best athletes on the planet hands you a tool to unlock your own athletic suffering, you pay attention! Fast forward to today and Momentous is the largest supplier of nutritional support to college, pro-sports teams, and the military in the world. Micronutrient and functional nutritional support isn't a gimmick, it's a performance advantage. Whether you are looking for a high quality daily vitamin, collagen supplementation, or NSF certified protein to support working tissues, no one does it better. For more info, go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code "TRS" for 20% OFF your first purchase.

Jami is the Founder and head coach of The Training Plan, an online program for athletes in functional fitness. Jami's mission is to teach athletes to train with a purpose, and learn to overcome their obstacles to reach their potential. He is an Osteopath, a Fellow of Applied Functional Science with the Gray Institute, a Z-Health Master Practitioner and one of the few Certified CrossFit Level 4 Coaches.

Jami has been working with elite level CrossFit athletes since 2010 and is coach to Annie Thorisdottir (Fittest Woman on Earth 2011, 2012), Björgvin Gudmundsson (2-time 3rd Fittest Man on Earth) and other CrossFit Games athletes (most recently Katrin Davidsdottir and Team CF Reykjavik). In 2013, Jami was selected as coach for Team Europe at the first ever CrossFit Invitational against Team USA.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is sponsored by Momentous, the largest supplier of nutritional support to college, pro-sports teams, and the military in the world. Micronutrient and functional nutritional support isn't a gimmick, it's a performance advantage. And now Momentous has collaborated with Dr. Andrew Huberman to develop a suite of supplements that optimize health in the areas of sleep, focus, physical performance, hormone support, and longevity. Dr. Huberman is one of our favorite thinkers around neuroscience and research-backed protocols that are simple and actionable. Each of the new products has been carefully developed and selected to pair with the protocols Dr. Huberman recommends for foundational health and optimal physical & mental performance. Go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code "TRS" for 20% OFF your first purchase.

Dr. Brent Brookbush has been an impassioned human movement professional since 1998, and an impassioned educator since 2004. As the founder and CEO of the Brookbush Institute, Brent is on a mission to transform education by creating a subscription platform offering short evidence-based courses and certifications that are affordable, highly consumable, and widely accessible. Brent is also an expert in understanding and disseminating research and we spend a lot of time in this episode talking through "evidence-based practice" and understanding how to be better consumers of research.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Momentous, a leading high performance lifestyle company making the best supplements and sports nutrition products for individuals looking to optimize all parts of their lives. Kelly, like many athletes, struggles to get enough protein in a day and supplements with a protein shake. If you are an athlete that likes to supplement with protein but your system can't handle whey protein, or you are vegan or vegetarian, try Momentous Plant-Based Protein. It is a 70:30 blend of pea and rice protein yielding a complete amino acid profile. To check it out, go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code TRS for 20% OFF your first purchase.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by ChiliSleep. Kelly might be the hottest sleeper of all time. We're talking atomically hot and sweaty. When he ran into ChiliSleep at a conference, his life changed instantly. He's used every one of their products, the Cube, OOLER, and Dock Pro systems, which are all hydro-powered, temperature-controlled mattress toppers that fit over your existing mattress to provide your ideal sleep temperature. If you are struggling to improve your sleep quality, this is the missing piece. Head over to chilisleep.com/TRS to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. There is an offer available exclusively for The Ready State Podcast listeners -- and only for a limited time!

Kyla Channell is a Degreed Nutritional Practitioner, specializing in elite athlete fueling for each unique sport and sex differences between athletes. She is the founder of Nutritional Revolution where she works 1:1 with clients providing nutrition plans tailored to each athlete's specific sport, body, training schedule and goals. There is so much confusion around nutrition in sport and nutrition in general, and you'll walk away from this conversation with a much better understanding of how and why you should fuel for performance (at any level).

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Momentous, a leading high performance lifestyle company making the best supplements and sports nutrition products for individuals looking to optimize all parts of their lives. The Starretts are the first to admit that they don't eat a lot of fish in their family, so they've come to think of fish oil supplements as a food. Thankfully, fish oil has come a long way since the giant Costco bottles of the 90s. Momentous Omega-3 has become the Starrett's daily fish oil supplement, delivering a potent 1600mg of EPA and DHA in a 1:1 ratio. Even their kids take it. To check it out, go to thereadystate.com/momentous and use code TRS for 20% OFF your first purchase.

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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by ChiliSleep. California just went through an extreme heat wave, and guess who doesn't have AC? Turns out, with the Dock Pro Sleep System, you don't need air conditioning. Sleepme's customizable, climate-controlled mattress pads keep your bed at the perfect temperature for deep sleep, so you can fall asleep and stay asleep. Head over to chilisleep.com/TRS to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. There is an offer available exclusively for The Ready State Podcast listeners -- and only for a limited time!