Advertise on podcast: Pressing The Limits Podcast

In this episode we revisit with Andrew Harvot and Daniel Palacios of Advanced Muscle Mechanics (AMM).  We dig into the science behind the bench press, look at three peer-reviewed studies, and explore what happens when we start questioning something most of us have never thought to question:  the bench itself.  The pair go into a deep dive on how changing the surface an athlete presses from might influence scapular retraction, shoulder mobility, power, and performance.  And they wrap up by sharing some exciting news about a new product available very soon, Joint Ops. Andrew Harvot is the co-owner of AMM.  He grew up in a family with a strong sports background with his early years marked by a deep involvement in football and baseball. Despite not being the most towering figure on the field, Andrew relentlessly pursued strength and speed to compensate for his lack of height. This drive led him to discover his passion for working out at the age of 13, and since then, Andrew has remained a dedicated lifter for over 23 years, accumulating a wealth of experience in the world of fitness. Recognizing the need for innovation, Andrew embarked on the journey to address design flaws of the traditional bench and contribute to the evolution of fitness equipment. This endeavor culminated in the invention of The Launch Pad, a groundbreaking solution aimed at revolutionizing the way individuals approach strength training. The Launch Pad represents a synthesis of Andrew's extensive experience, educational background, and unyielding commitment to elevating the standards of strength and conditioning. Dan Palacios is a strength, conditioning and personal performance coach and founder of Live Kinetically. Dan has 10 years of experience working with all manner of clients from elite athletes to young children and adults with special needs. With over 11 years spent with real people who have faced unimaginable odds, Dan has come to understand human condition and it's undeniable relation to biology as well as bio-mechanics. Dan's goal is to guide and inspire people to redefine the meaning of health. To make humanity stronger and more resilient, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually is his primary mission. Dan lives by the creed, Live Kinetically, to improve daily and life better for himself and those around him. You can order from advancedmusclemechanics.com and save with code "jon20".

In our new series on peptides, fitness and wellness expert Kevin Kearns explains what peptides are and how they should be used while separating fact from fiction about the science behind them. After losing his father at a young age, Coach Kearns gravitated toward mentors who assisted him through adversity.  He now has over 35 years of fitness experience and has trained 15 MMA athletes as a Top 5 UFC Conditioning Coach.   With BWK Authentic Edge, Kearns adds his knowledge about peptides to his deep understanding of how to help individuals achieve their performance, athletic, fitness, and competitive goals. At Burn With Kearns, Coach Kearns offers personal training and inspirational transformation throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and greater New England.  He also helps folks worldwide through Zoom or phone consultations.

Dan Severn is a pioneering figure in combat sports, known for his dominance in both mixed martial arts and professional wrestling. Since his high school days in Coldwater, Michigan, Severn built his athletic foundation as an accomplished amateur wrestler, earning All-American honors at Arizona State University. He rose to prominence in the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where his grappling-heavy style and physical strength earned him the nickname, "The Beast." Severn became a two-time UFC tournament champion and later captured the UFC Superfight Championship, helping lay the foundations for the sport during its formative years with his disciplined, wrestling-based approach. Beyond MMA, Severn achieved notable success in professional wrestling, becoming a rare athlete to bridge the gap between "the octagon" and "the squared circle". He held the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship for over four years, one of the longest reigns in the title's history, and also competed in WWE during the late 1990s. Known for maintaining his amateur wrestling persona, Severn brought a unique authenticity to pro wrestling, rarely straying from his real-life fighting style. With a career spanning decades and a legacy rooted in toughness, versatility, and credibility, Severn remains one of the most respected figures in combat sports history. From his home base in Arizona, Dan continues to help athletes of all ages and stays busy assisting others to reach their goals.  To reach him regarding training or other ventures, he can be emailed at [email protected].

Brett Jones is Director of Education at StrongFirst (strongfirst.com) and Master SFG. He is also a Certified Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist based in Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Jones holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine from High Point University, a Master of Science in Rehabilitative Sciences from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). With over twenty years of experience, Brett has been sought out to consult with professional teams and athletes, as well as present throughout the United States and internationally. As an athletic trainer who has transitioned into the fitness industry, Brett has taught kettlebell techniques and principles since 2003. He has taught for Functional Movement Systems (FMS) since 2006, and has created multiple DVDs and manuals with world-renowned physical therapist Gray Cook, including the widely-praised "Secrets of..." series.

Geoff Neupert is a former champion in Olympic Weightlifting and was a Division I Strength & Conditioning Coach at Rutgers University. He is known as a "thought leader" throughout the kettlebell industry and has trained over 25,000 people in one-on-one sessions after earning Master Instructor status in Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC). Geoff was co-creator of Original Strength and currently operates Chasing Strength, which has been featured in Men's Health and Men's Fitness, among others. His training programs and online courses can be found at chasingstrength.com.

Jedd "Napalm" Johnson has some of the strongest hands on the planet.  His grip feats include numerous world records. His start in grip and strength came with the formation of The Diesel Crew and has continues with The Grip Authority today. "Napalm" is not just an extraordinary athlete, but also a world-class coach. For more information on Jedd Johnson and grip training, be sure to check out:  https://dieselcrew.com/store/shop/ and https://thegripauthority.com/.  Save 20% with promo code "PTLP20" today.

Our guest is Mike Savitch, former Olympic bobsledder and current owner of The Conditioning Room, a gym in northern Virginia. Growing up in the Virgin Islands, Mike's childhood was marked by his passion for surfing and baseball. Innately gifted as an athlete, Mike seemed destined for a professional sports career. However, during his time studying athletic training at Jacksonville University, a career-ending injury altered his path, leading him towards a new journey. In 1995, Mike became a member of the Virgin Islands bobsled team. He dedicated himself to rigorous training for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games – an achievement that stands as one of his greatest to date. With a career spanning over three decades, Mike brings a wealth of experience, specializing in areas ranging from biomechanics and injury recovery to Olympic lifting, sport-specific training, occupational therapy, and general fitness.

Traci Orel and Charley Thurber join us on the Pressing The Limits Podcast. Charley Thurber is the founder of Thurber Medical, a medical technology company that supplies professional and collegiate athletic training departments with cutting-edge health and rehabilitative equipment. Charley is a former professional baseball player, spending the majority of 7 professional seasons in the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies organizations.  He was an SEC Honor Roll Student Athlete at the University of Tennessee where he graduated with a degree in Sport Management and a minor in Business Management.  He was selected in the MLB Draft after spending three years as the right fielder for the Volunteers. Traci Orel has more than 30 years in the Health and Sports Industry.  Her desire to help athletes not only with their injuries but also to enhance performance comes from her own personal experience starting after several injuries sustained in her 13-year career in competitive gymnastics which ultimately ended her career.  Traci went on to study Kinesiology at Michigan State University which then led her to take interest in athletic training, physical therapy, and personal training, competing herself in figure competitions.  All this experience made for a natural progression to focus her passion on Rehab and Sports aiming to help athletes in all sports achieve their goals. During this journey, Traci became very interested in learning about tools to facilitate the healing process and shifted her focus into medical sales and consulting.  Her passion along with her curiosity, and interest in technology made for a perfect fit to bring new technology to the US market.  Traci has successfully launched and created brands for several European companies and looks forward to bringing game changing technologies to the US market so that athletes both professional and the weekend warriors can continue their careers and fitness goals. For more information, check out thurbermedical.com.

This episode is about all things bench!  Andrew Harvot and Dan Palacios join us for an awesome discussion about benching, including what many do wrong, how to maximize range of motion, keeping things safe & reducing injuries, and improving every aspect of your bench.  They also talk about The Launch Pad, a revolutionary product from Advanced Muscle Mechanics. Andrew Harvot is the co-owner of Advanced Muscle Mechanics.  He grew up in a family with a strong sports background with his early years marked by a deep involvement in football and baseball. Despite not being the most towering figure on the field, Andrew relentlessly pursued strength and speed to compensate for his lack of height. This drive led him to discover his passion for working out at the age of 13, and since then, Andrew has remained a dedicated lifter for over 23 years, accumulating a wealth of experience in the world of fitness. Recognizing the need for innovation, Andrew embarked on the journey to address design flaws of the traditional bench and contribute to the evolution of fitness equipment. This endeavor culminated in the invention of The Launch Pad, a groundbreaking solution aimed at revolutionizing the way individuals approach strength training. The Launch Pad represents a synthesis of Andrew's extensive experience, educational background, and unyielding commitment to elevating the standards of strength and conditioning. Dan Palacios is a strength, conditioning and personal performance coach and founder of Live Kinetically. Dan has 10 years of experience working with all manner of clients from elite athletes to young children and adults with special needs. With over 11 years spent with real people who have faced unimaginable odds, Dan has come to understand human condition and it's undeniable relation to biology as well as bio-mechanics. Dan's goal is to guide and inspire people to redefine the meaning of health. To make humanity stronger and more resilient, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually is his primary mission. Dan lives by the creed, Live Kinetically, to improve daily and life better for himself and those around him. You can order your own The Lanuch Pad at advancedmusclemechanics.com and save with code "jon20".

Beaver Fleming is a 29-year-old professional skateboarder, world traveler, speaker, influencer, and self-declared life liver. Starting his journey in Knoxville, TN with a passion for skateboarding, Beaver moved to California at the age of 17 with the intent to achieve professional status by attending Woodward West for his senior year of high school. During that time, he worked hard, progressed, and caught the eye of Travis Pastrana (FMX athlete and action sports icon) who invited him to be a part of the Nitro Circus. Since, Beaver has traveled the world as part of the live show, starred in the Action Figures movie series, landed many "world's first" tricks, and been the exclusive Nitro Skater in appearances on TV and Media. Along with Nitro Circus, Beaver has been competing professionally with a three-time Best Trick, winning at Simple Session in Estonia, setting the high air record at Bondi Beach Bowl-A-Rama, and a huge second-place finish at the 2017 Nitro World Games with a world's first "Cork 720 Christ Air", which he calls the "Tennessee Tornado" as a homage to his roots and home state.

Self-described as a "nerd wrapped in tattoo-covered muscle", Jamie Lewis is a record-setting strength athlete, author, historian, and leader of Plague of Strength. Through his passion for lifting heavy things and his drive to earn multiple college degrees, Jamie became a founding member of the supplement company, Chaos and Pain, and one of the most prolific authors in modern strength sports. From Tibet to Vienna, from Hong Kong to the Eastern Seaboard, Jamie has thrown all of his knowledge into the most expansive history of lifting, fight sports, and nutrition the world may ever see.

J.D. Anderson, "The Ice Man", is a six-time world record holder and an expert of feats of strength.  He's traveled with world motivating and encouraging people of all ages. His TV appearances include:  "The Daily Show", "Guinness World Records Gone Wild", "The Tonight Show", "America's Got Talent", "Let's Ask America", "The Go Big Show", and many more. J.D. is owner of The Home Run Bat Company (homerunbat.com) and you can learn more about him at jdiceman.com.

Dr. AnnMaria De Mars was a 15-year-old runaway from a foster home who earned her Bachelor's degree by age 19 and her MBA by age 21.  Her incredible story takes her from winning a World Judo Championship to earning her Ph.D. to serving as a university professor to running a software company. Dr. De Mars has been on the Forbes 40 Women to Watch over 40, a Next Gen Leader of the International Game Developers Association Foundation, and an AARP Purpose Prize Winner.  She's achieved all of this while raising four children as a single mother, including her daughter, UFC legend Ronda Rousey.  AnnMaria is a member of the International Sports Hall of Fame along with Ronda, making them the only mother-daughter tandem in the Hall. Her current passion is for her business venture, 7generationgames.com, where she is developing a focus on serving the specific needs of students from Native American, Latino, and underserved or rural communities.

Ana Browne is the owner of Anabells Fitness, a premier Washington, D.C.-based training service that specializes in kettlebells.  She offers customized training plans for people from all types of backgrounds. Ana holds numerous certifications and is regularly sought out by the media as a subject-matter expert on a variety of fitness-related topics, ranging from strength training to overall wellness. You can find out more at her website, kettlebellchicks.com, and on her Instagram account, @kettlebellchicks.

Miloš Šarčev was Mr. Yugoslavia twice and has won the Mr. Universe title.  He once held the record for competing in the most pro bodybuilding contests. After his competative career, Miloš became known for coaching/advising numerous professional athletes and Olympic medalists.  He took part in the famous BALCO Labs "Project World Record" as a nutritionalist and strength & conditioning coach for Tim Montgomery, creating the fastest man alive by breaking the World Record in the 100-meter sprint after less than 9 months of coaching. As a bodybuilding coach, he advised over 100 IFBB professional bodybuilders, of which 38 qualified for the most prestigious Mr. Olympia competition. Miloš has become one of the most prominent authorities on nutrition and the human body as it related to athletic performance, earning him the industry moniker, "The Mind".