The Building the Elite (BTE) podcast discusses all facets of human performance - from physical training to the mental and emotional factors of resilience. Each ...
Ryan Wilson: The Mental Game in Australian SASR Selection - Ep. 105
Ryan Wilson completed a long and challenging career in the Australian Army spanning 18 years, primarily in the Special Air Service Regiment, where he gained extensive experience leading teams in highly complex and uncertain environments on multiple combat tours. During his time in the special forces, Ryan experienced many life-changing and challenging situations that sparked his interest in resilience, high performance, and operational management. Following his military career, Ryan commenced his journey into the whiskey industry, starting in 2020 as Business Development Manager for Whipper Snapper Distillery, and is now the General Manager overseeing the entire operation. Ryan is active in the veteran support space. He is on the Board of Directors for the Veteran employment non-profit Working Spirit and is the WA manager for the veteran charity Wandering Warriors. He has recently founded a new charity called Working Paws Australia, which aims to raise money and provide financial assistance for medical bills and other areas associated with retired military and police working dogs. He holds a BA in Politics and International Studies from Murdoch University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Western Australia. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Course. Ryan spent much of his career living and working throughout Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, and is fluent in Bahasa Indonesian. More about Ryan:You can learn more about Ryan and the charities he’s involved with at his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanwilson_1984/Timestamps:00:00:22 Introduction to Ryan Wilson00:01:55 Career Overview00:04:16 SAS Selection: What makes people quit?00:07:32 Mental Preparation: How to Keep Going and Stay Out of Your Head00:10:40 Keeping An Internal Compass 00:13:40 Segmenting: A Thousand Manageable Steps, One At A Time00:15:56 Stories of Selection & Low Points00:19:13 What Are My Odds of Making It00:22:20 End of Selection: Three Sentences and You're On Your Way Home00:24:08 The Sword in the Stone Mentality00:27:21 Selection Starts When the Stress Sets In00:28:46 Sponsor Note: Mindfulness in Training App00:31:32 Rationale for Snapping & Trainability 00:36:04 The Ability to Deal With Failure & Setbacks00:39:30 How Powerful Nutrition Is & Can Be00:43:23 Foundation for Metabolic Flexibility00:45:32 Team Dynamics in Selection: Knowing When to Follow & When to Lead00:47:21 Building Trust and Rapport With a New Group00:50:32 Career Progression After Selection00:54:06 Work/Life Balance Compared to the Army00:58:23 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received01:01:39 Outro
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1:02:04
Dr. Daniel Allen: Training for New Zealand SAS Selection - Ep. 104
Daniel Allen is a doctor of clinical psychology and a strength and conditioning coach specializing in preparing candidates for military and special operations service in New Zealand.He spent 6 years as a medic in the NZ Army before leaving to fulfill a dream to compete as a professional Muay Thai and MMA athlete and embark on a decade-long formal training in clinical psychology. He has worked with people ranging from Olympians, professional and world-class athletes, to beginners starting out for the first time to successful New Zealand SAS candidates.Dan’s wide-ranging academic background spans undergraduate study in Health Science, Exercise Science, master’s and doctoral psychology programs, and much to his wife’s dismay, he is currently in a 2-year neuropsychology program.Dan’s doctoral research focused on factors that reduced PTSD and increased flourishing among military personnel in the years following deployment, including nutrition, sleep, exercise, social support, and leadership support.His psychology background is similarly wide-ranging, including working as a high-school counselor, in a drugs and addiction service and, more recently, in a private psychology service.Dan is passionate about understanding the relationship between nutrition, psychology, and performance and how these things facilitate resilience.You can learn more about Dan at his website, drdancoach.com/ or on Instagram at @drdancoachingTimestamps:00:00:22 Introduction to Daniel Allen00:01:46 Sidequest to Be Professional Muay Thai Fighter00:06:40 Training in High-Level Gyms Around the World00:09:15 How Did Daniel Allen’s Training Impact How He Coaches?00:11:39 How to Separate Pain from Suffering00:14:02 Exercise Science and Psychology Degrees 00:14:59 New Zealand SAS 00:17:49 What Would Daniel Change About How He Coached in the Past?00:21:09 How to Balance Being Good at Running and Rucking00:24:05 Predictors of Success00:26:58 Most Common Mistakes in Prep00:29:31 Test Within a Training Cycle00:31:53 Fundamental Skills to Develop People’s Abilities00:34:04 Sponsor Note on Segmenting 00:34:28 Questioning Your Sense of Belonging00:41:02 Common Success Factors from Olympic Athletes to SAS Operators00:45:21 Cognitive Flexibility and Growth Mindset00:47:45 Operational Longevity 00:52:33 Limiting Factors During a Course 00:54:04 Candidates with Cushie Backgrounds00:57:43 Gaining Awareness of the Landscape of Your Mind00:59:43 SAS Candidates Do’s and Don’ts01:02:31 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received 01:05:29 Outro
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1:05:47
Training When Sick - Ep. 103
One of the most common training questions we answer, particularly in the winter when people’s kids are going back to school and concocting new diseases, is about training when sick. While the answer is obvious if you’re bedridden or can barely feed yourself (Do not work out), how you manage yourself from when you begin to feel symptoms to when you’re back to 100% will make a big difference in your rate of recovery.This episode covers what to do and not do when you're sick, how to transition back to full-intensity training, and factors that speed recovery and influence your propensity to illness. You may want to refer back to portions of this episode so we have it published in written format on our website, broken down by sections. You can read it here: https://www.buildingtheelite.com/training-when-sick/
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31:15
Scott Ryder - Forged In Fire: Australia's 2nd Commando Regiment, Ep. 102
Scott Ryder served for 22 years with the Australian Army, including 16 years as an operator with the 2nd Commando Regiment. He served in East Timor and multiple tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. He holds numerous commendations and a Masters of Business, and he works in veteran charities to improve the life of veterans and their families. He’s the author of the book Forged in Fire: An Australian Commando's Story of Life and Death on the Frontline, available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and almost any other major retailer. Scott’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scott_ryder_zero79/Scott’s LinktreeForged In Fire on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3B9TLFGTimestamps:00:00:22 Introduction to Scott Ryder00:02:01 Time in Australia and the Military00:03:23 Commando Selection00:04:47 Having a Smaller Build in Selection00:07:19 How Long Should Training Be?00:10:37 Childhood Adversity Gives You Coping Skills00:15:19 Functional Fitness and Training00:20:19 No Resilience to Sleep Deprivation 00:21:32 Purpose and Performance00:27:11 Sponsor Note: Train to Perform Well in Stressful Situations00:30:47 Physical Fatigue Gages Where You Are Mentally and Physically00:33:30 When You Don’t Remember Why You Signed Up00:35:27 Scott Ryder’s Most Challenging Moments in Selection00:37:39 Most Common Mistakes in Preparing for Selection00:42:06 Don’t Talk to the Quitters00:47:25 Learning Land Navigation00:49:40 Common Threads of Successful Candidates00:51:41 Once the Physical Playing Field is Leveled00:54:27 Teamwork and Social Interactions00:57:45 Scott Ryder’s Book00:59:38 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received01:00:18 Outro
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1:00:43
Dr. Chris Frueh: Operator Syndrome - Ep. 101
Chris Frueh, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii. He has over thirty years of professional experience working with military veterans, servicemembers, special operators, private defense contractors, and firefighters; and has conducted clinical trials, epidemiology, historical, and neuroscience research. He was previously a professor of psychiatry at Medical University of South Carolina and Baylor College of Medicine. He has co-authored over 325 scientific publications and is the author of Operator Syndrome, which is available on Amazon.Website: chrisfrueh.comOperator Syndrome on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZuZfTxTimestamps:00:00:23 Introduction to Chris Frueh00:00:59 Rundown of Chris Frueh’s Career 00:04:42 What is Operator Syndrome?00:15:48 The Differences Between PTSD and Operator Syndrome00:17:29 Types of Traumatic Brain Injury00:22:14 TAL Proteins and Impact Trauma00:25:56 Interventions and Treatments00:30:13 Sponsor Note: Sleep Optimization Course00:34:33 Nutritional Interventions 00:36:22 Fasting to Manage TBI 00:39:05 Different Stages of an Operator and TBI 00:43:56 Staying on Top of Hormones00:48:37 Getting Treatment Outside of the VA00:51:07 Finding Credible Help00:54:12 Operator Syndrome Foundation00:55:55 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received00:58:12 Outro
The Building the Elite (BTE) podcast discusses all facets of human performance - from physical training to the mental and emotional factors of resilience. Each episode looks at principles drawn from the world of special operations. These concepts help people succeed in the toughest military training courses in the world and can help anyone thrive in chaotic and challenging environments.