The Freedom Project

020: Changing Your Beliefs - Interview w/ Jonas Kaplan

Today on the Limitless Athlete Podcast, you’ll be listening to a conversation Tom had with Jonas Kaplan - Cognitive neuroscientist at USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute and Co-Director at Dornsife Neuroimaging Center

The theme of today is the structure of beliefs, and what creates them. Jonas & Tom stick to as broad an application of beliefs as possible, so they don’t talk much about applying to athlete specific examples. But they do discuss how this applies in general. By listening to this show, you can gain a deeper understanding of how beliefs are formed and the biological structures which are involved in the research behind them.

Alongside the fundamentals of belief, they also touch on:

• The role of the gut in our beliefs

• What parts of our brain are responsible for beliefs

• How to challenge our beliefs

• The emerging research of psychedelics & beliefs

• The vagus nerve and its role in the way we feel

 

019: Breathwork & Cold Exposure for Mindset Change - Interview with Justin Ternes

Today on the Limitless Athlete Podcast, you’ll be listening to a conversation between physiotherapist, breathwork practitioner and much more besides, Justin Ternes and Tom Foxley.

Justin is passionate about helping patients address pain, injury and physical limitations through functional exercises, manual therapy skills, biopsychosocial education, pain science and mindfulness techniques.

In this podcast, Justin gives a great introduction to the way our breath can be used as a kind of control dial for our mental state.

018: The Attributes Of A Great Athlete - Rich Diviney Interview

Today on the Limitless Athlete Podcast, you’ll be listening to a conversation between author, and former Navy SEAL Commander, Rich Diviney and Tom Foxley.

After spending over 20 years in the Navy SEALs, Rich wrote The Attributes, a book detailing what he believes are the attributes we all possess which lead to our success, or lack thereof. In Rich’s opinion, we all possess these attributes, but in different quantities.

This podcast shows the necessity for an athlete of any caliber to get to know themselves. Self-knowledge is the foundation on which mindset growth can be built.

017: The Dichotomy of Mindset Mastery with Stefi Cohen

Today on the Limitless Athlete Podcast, you’ll be listening to a conversation between 25x powerlifting world record holder, Stefi Cohen, and myself, Tom Foxley.

One huge topic we cover is the difficult balance of femininity and the masculine parts of athleticism.

This one goes deep and we dive into appearance and social pressure to look like everyone else.

Stefi is an incredible human. She is one of those rare breeds who seemingly excels in multiple areas of life. Plus, she's a lovely human being.

Stefi is a 25x world record holding powerlifter and the first woman in the history of the sport to deadlift 4.4 times her bodyweight. She recently took a break from the platform and transitioned to professional boxing (1-0-1). She is also a doctor of physical therapy and exercise physiologist who is passionate about education and bringing her audience a "no B.S." evidence-based view of all things training and nutrition through her company, HYBRID Performance Method. Stefi is also the co-author of Back in Motion with Dr. Ian Kaplan and co-host of the HYBRID Unlimited podcast.

The main topic of conversation: how a beneficial mindset is often found between two oppositional factors:

• Hard work and self-compassion
• Professionalism and relaxing
• Masculinity and femininity
• Force and passivity
• Recovery and work

It’s a balancing act that we must seek to maintain. We also discuss:

• Self-doubt and how to deal with it

• Trusting the process

• Those moments of discovery which are uncomfortable

• Never loving powerlifting

• Femininity in a “masculine” sport, and identity challenges around that.

 

016: Working Hard Vs. Working Smart - Debrief of Hunter McIntyre

Today on The Debrief, Coach Tom discusses Hunter McIntyre's appearance on the Limitless Athlete Podcast.

The point in question is "when are you working too hard, and when are you not working hard enough?"

016: Learning to Love Hard Work With Hunter McIntyre

Today on the Limitless Athlete Podcast, you'll be listening to a conversation between myself and Hunter McIntyre. Hunter is an elite, multisport athlete with an incredible background. He holds the world record in the workout Murph, has competed at The CrossFit Game, and is a world class Obstacle Course Racer.

We discuss Hunter's journey from drug and alcohol abuse to one of the fittest athletes on earth. The turning point in his journey lies in committing himself to a deeper purpose and discards a self-centred worldview.

This is where each of our path to growth begins: ownership.

We also discuss:

• Standing out as a kid
• Self-binding strategies
• Learning to love hard work
• Staying mentally tough
• A surprising book recommendation
• Aiming at a flow state
• Why he's so controversial

015: Finding Your Why - Debrief of Jason McCarthy

Today, Rachel and Tom dive into finding deeper meaning behind your goals & why that's' important to athletes.

015: Why Rucking Forms The Ultimate Mindset With Jason McCarthy

Special Forces veteran, and GORUCK founder, Jason McCarthy joins Tom on today's episode.

Jason has created a brilliant community around the pursuit of the most simple but effective exercise there is: carrying large loads a long way. Call it rucking, yomping, or tabbing, it works.

Plus, it had hugely beneficial effects on your mindset too. This is just part of what Jason and Tom explore in this episode.

They also discuss Jason's life as a Green Beret and his transition out of the military, the benefits of suffering, and the massively inspiring Chad workout as well as the charitable effort behind it.

014: How to Share Your Mindset Struggles - The Debrief of Niki Brazier‘s Podcast

Today on The Debrief, Coaches Tom and Rachel discuss their own mental health struggles within CrossFit and training. They talk eating disorders, anxiety, and more besides.

014: Body Image & Postnatal Anxiety w/ Niki Brazier

Today, Tom speaks to Niki Brazier, about a variety of mental health challenges. In particular, they touch on postnatal anxiety, body image challenges, and intrusive thoughts.

Niki is a familiar face to most in the world of CrossFit as she's a reporter at The CrossFit Games and is a regular guest on many shows and podcasts.

There's value in this show even if giving birth isn't in your immediate agenda because mental health affects us all. What I love about how Niki talks is how honest and open she is, but without an ounce of shame or victimhood.

We also discuss journaling practises, body image and share weird compulsive tendencies.