Studies continue to emerge, substantiating the use of "Magic Mushrooms" as a powerful and rapid treatment for conditions ranging from medication-resistant depression to PTSD. In this episode, mushroom facilitator Cliff "Trip" Maxwell, shares his journey and experience with the healing power of Psilocybin.

The martial arts of Russia are among the most maligned and misunderstood in the world today. Clouded by misinformation, a fragmented historical record, and outright charlatanism, it can be difficult to separate the beneficial from the bogus. In this episode, Kevin, himself a seasoned expert in the art, dissects some of the biggest misunderstandings, with a focus on which aspects can create the biggest transformation in your own training.

In the second portion of this interview, we learn how consolidate Stewart's martial, military and fitness mastery to forge a "Tactical Athlete". You will learn detailed prescriptions for creating a personal fitness system, clearly and simply.

For more about Stewart, please visit:

⁠Five Stones Barbell⁠⁠ or

Soma Strong

In this episode, we explore the first half of an interview with Stewart Breeding. He is a master-level fitness instructor, martial arts expert, and combat veteran with the infamous 82nd Airborne.

We discuss his early years of getting into fitness, his military experience, his training with legendary martial arts masters, and much more.

For more about Stewart, please visit:

Five Stones Barbell or

Soma Strong

In this week's show, I interview Dr. John Giduck. John was a pioneer in the establishment of the Slavic martial arts in the West. He is a retired lawyer who earned his law degree from the University of Denver. He has been a doctoral studies professor in homeland security for the past 10 years and a criminal justice professor for 30 years. In addition, he has a Master's Degree in Russian Studies which involved a significant amount of study at St. Petersburg State University in Russian. He also has a Ph.D. in Middle East Studies from King's College in London. Some of his areas of specialization include the evolution of jihadist terrorism and mass siege tactics, which led to him authoring the books "Terror at Beslan", "When Terror Returns" and "Shooter Down" which addresses the Virginia Tech massacre.

In the first half of the interview we discuss his new book "1500 Years of Fighting: The Complete Book of Russian, Ukranian and Soviet Martial Arts from Cossacks to Spetsnaz and Beyond", and discuss his time in Russia and training in the Slavic arts.

In the second half of the interview, we discuss his forthcoming book "No Such Thing as Sudden Enlightenment: Knowing Where You Are On The Path and What The End Will Be Like So Long As You Are on Planet Earth" and discuss the idea of enlightenment, and how to create a daily practice in search of awakening.

John's books can be found on Amazon worldwide.

His articles can be found at Giduck Books

Or you can reach out to John directly at john@circon.org

Within the self-defense world, a constant debate rages on regarding how ferocious you should train yourself to be. Should we train ourselves to be resolute and to resort to any means necessary unthinkingly? How burdened by the risk of consequences should we allow ourselves to become? In this podcast, we discuss various perspectives and establish some potential tenets and guidelines for assessing our training. Regardless of what you train or even whether you train, understanding and challenging your underlying view of violence and aggression is essential and potentially transformative.

The Ecological Approach to learning as well as the Constraints Led Approach are enjoying growing popularity. This discussion with tactical expert and instructor Mike Malpass specifically discusses some of the limitations of this approach as it applies to the martial arts, self-defense, and tactical instruction. It attempts to unpack some of the inflated marketing claims. It provides a balanced discussion of how to approach and integrate this methodology, with conventional training and instructional structure.

Check out all three of Mike's books on Amazon at Amazon.com: Michael G Malpass: books, biography, latest updateOr reach out to Mike at MICHAEL G. MALPASS - Home

One of the questions I’ve been asked the most in my decades of training and teaching, is how do I train myself to be more confident when everything is on the line? How do I tame my fear and have the resolve to face my fears?

In part two of this episode, we will conclude our 25 exercises to practice in your daily life that will grow your ability across the entire spectrum, from assertiveness to aggression.

Special thanks to my sponsor, Naya Defense.