January 13, 2025 • 50 mins
ep. #123 This episode explores the powerful connection between physical fitness and mental health through the story of Justin WIndsor, a former military man turned personal trainer. He shares his journey of overcoming injuries, depression, and the importance of routine exercise in enhancing well-being.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I know I perform a lot better the days that I do,
even if it's just smashing out20 or 40 push-ups in the morning
, like just before you get goingand that's why I like doing PT
before you get into your day,like I really want to push
people to do things properly sothey don't.
Like I don't want people to getinjured.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
You know what I mean yeah, for me, I like the
structure, I like pushing myself, because it doesn't it doesn't
take much, does it to?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
get fit.
No, some squats, push-ups,planks.
If you just do that, you'regoing to improve your health.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
G'day guys.
Welcome back to another episodeof Level Up.
We are back in the shed thisafternoon for another cracking
episode.
Bear with us today.
We do have a little bit of workgoing on outside, so there may
be a few beepers from reversingtrucks and a bit of noise going
on, but it's a constructionpodcast, so it is what it is,
all right.
So today is something a littlebit different.
(00:59):
So I've set myself a challengeto get fit and get back into
shape, and I've teamed up withthis awesome young fellow that
we've got here with us today,justin from JMW Health and
Fitness.
And I wanted to get Justin onbecause he's got a pretty good
story.
He's been in the army, he'sdone his apprenticeship through
(01:19):
the army, he's a fitter andturner and he's had all sorts of
injuries which have led todepression and a few other
things, and he, uh, he nowspends a lot of his time helping
veterans and, um, people likemyself get into shape.
So, uh, welcome mate.
Yeah cheers good to be here um,I so just to give everyone a
little bit of background.
(01:39):
So, um, my wife, camille, goesto a local gym near us and I've
been humming and harring aboutgetting a personal trainer for a
very long time.
I'm definitely not a gym person.
I can't think of anything worsethan going to a gym and
standing in front of everyoneelse and trying to do some
exercise, yeah.
But yeah, the trainer that sheworks with said hey, you should
(02:00):
get in contact with this youngfella.
He's doing good things.
So reached out, we had ameeting and now we're into it
yeah, no, it's been good, yeah,so uh, but um, what was?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I was only with you for about bloody three weeks,
mate, and then I've yeah, beforeyou had your little uh mishap,
um, but yeah, we're back gettinginto it now and, uh, it's good
that your fingers handling likebeing able to lift stuff and
everything.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So, yeah, that's been good well, it's been good, like
you're very accommodating, likeeven yesterday doing the dead
lifts, like you had the strapthere and we strapped it to my
wrist and took a bit of pressureoff the finger.
But, um, I'm keen to talk aboutthat as well, because I've been
talking about it pretty openlyon my socials.
Like the doctors and stuff tellme to basically lay on the
(02:46):
ground and have three or fourweeks off and just take it easy.
And like I'm very aware of whoI am.
Yeah, like I've very openlyspoke that I've dealt with
depression, anxiety and thosetypes of things.
And I know that if I had takentheir advice and just even if I
tried to sit in the office anddo a bit of work, and uh yeah,
(03:08):
if I just sit around, I would'vegot stuck on social media,
watching YouTube, just wastingtime, and I would've gone down a
rabbit hole.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, and it's so hard to get back into it after
you go do that as well, so it'sgood to just like oh yeah, sweet
and sweet gonna keep rolling onand yeah, get back into it,
even that if it's a like at alesser, like a limited, like
ability.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
But yeah, getting back into it and still get
movement yeah, operation on thesunday, and then it was luckily
it was long weekend had themonday off, and then, yeah, I
was straight back driving aroundsites checking on things on the
tuesday and then had two weeksoff and come back yeah doing
stuff with you and, yeah, you'vebeen accommodating, working
with it and adjusting theexercise to work with it, so
that's been good.
But, mate, tell us a little bitabout yourself.
So you were in the army forwhat?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
12, 11 years yeah, just just under 12 years.
Um, I was, yeah, joined in 2020, 2012, and then um went to
albury woodonga to do thetraining.
I was there for about eight orso months and then, when I was
down there, my dad died.
So I got a posting straightback up to Townsville and I
(04:13):
originally joined the army toget out of Townsville and spent
the next seven years there andthen posted down to Brisbane
2020, so COVID year and thenbeen here ever since.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
And then so in your is going to the army, something
you wanted to do.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, my dad was in the army for 20 odd years.
So I was like I was born in.
I was born in Brizzy, moved toToowoomba, moved to Townsville,
moved to Melbourne, back toBrizzy, back to Townsville and
then he got out when I was about12 years old, um, and like,
basically I always was reallykeen on the army, uh.
(04:54):
But I had an apprenticeshipgoing out of school, so a
school-based apprenticeship, soI got to take a day off school
every tuesday and go work as afirst-year fitter and turner
apprentice and then I just wentstraight into that.
And then, once I finished myapprenticeship, I still wanted
to join the Army.
So I joined the Army at I was20 when I joined the Army.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
So was your apprenticeship through the Army.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
So I did my apprenticeship, originally
outside of the Army, and then Ijoined the Army as a fitter as
well, outside of the army, andthen I joined the army as a like
, as a fitter as well, yeah, uh,but I had to go down to aubrey
to do just the specific armycourses, like weapons courses
and stuff like that, um, likethe maintenance on like specific
army equipment, yeah, um, so mytime in aubrey was cut a lot
(05:39):
shorter, so I've got a lot ofrpl, yeah, um, through that.
Plus I got the cert 4 on top ofthe cert 3.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Is it interesting?
I always see all the big trucksand shit driving around.
I think, man, they always gotthe best gear.
It'd be awesome just to go outand do training in the bush.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, my first posting was at 5F, so up in
Townsville, where they've gotthe Chinooks and they had
Blackhawks at the time, but nowthey've got the mrhs.
Um, but my job was to be oncall for maintenance for because
they have miniguns on them.
So I got to go up in thechinooks and fly around while
they were shooting miniguns outthe sides and, like I've, yeah,
(06:13):
got to do some pretty cool stuff.
Um, never got to shoot aminigun, which was always a
what's?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
what's a minigun?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
uh, so the six barrel six barrels like spins and
shoots 3,000 rounds a minute.
Yeah, so it would have beenawesome to be able to shoot one,
but I never got the opportunity, yeah.
And then, yeah, I went to 3RARafter that and we got to go out
with all the grunts and do allthe field work and just as
(06:40):
support for them.
So they'd go out, do all uminfantry tactics and all that
stuff and we just support themif they're, uh, the carriers
like that, um, as4s broke downor something like that.
There was a crew of.
It'd be like a recoverymechanic, a vehicle mechanic, a
fitter, electrician and a boffin, so a five man team in two
carriers.
(07:00):
Yeah, um, so we just fixeverything basically on the run.
Sometimes you go, oh, yep,sweet, we got two hours to get
in, do some maintenance, andthen 10 minutes later they're
like, all right, we're going nowand you're like I've got this
thing pulled apart.
I thought I had like an hour toput it back and then you just
got to quickly chuck stuff backtogether and get in the car or
(07:22):
get in the truck and you're offagain.
But yeah, so, no, but it'sreally good, like I loved it
when I was, when I was fit andyoung, and like I was able to do
everything.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I absolutely loved my time in the army, yeah yeah it,
I imagine it, like it'sobviously very structured, isn't
it like?
Yeah, everything it's a routineand, yeah, following orders and
timed very well.
So like, is that structurehelped you in other areas of
your life?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
uh, yeah, definitely, yeah, like um, particularly
with like pt, like one thing youdid every morning.
You do pt before you start work, which I think is like one of
the best things about the army,because you get in, you do pt
and you've already achievedsomething in the day before you
start work, yeah, so, and on thedays where you don't have PT,
(08:09):
everyone's sort of a bitsluggish and it takes them a bit
to get going.
You know what I mean.
So I think that's one thingthat I really got out of the
army was that like doingsomething at the start of the
day to get into the rest of yourday, kind of thing.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, into the rest of your daykind of thing.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
You know what I mean.
Yeah, well, that's part of thereason I wanted to get you on,
because I like with it, with thetraining and stuff I do in the
industry now and even justmyself like I, I know I perform
a lot better the days that I do,even if it's just smashing out
20 or 40 push-ups in the morning, like just before you get going
, like just getting that bloodpumping, yeah, a bit of like.
Obviously your breath getsharder while you're exercising.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, just makes you get through the day better yeah,
and like you, you start yourweek now with 5 30 in the
morning.
You start your week with a pgsession.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So that's um, but I love it, like I, it's fun.
Like I've got to a point now inin my businesses and life and
that, like I don't, like everyday is the same.
I don't, uh, I don't the daybefore, I don't worry about
going to work, like I don't,there's no, oh it's friday,
awesome it's a weekend.
Or oh it's monday, it's back towork.
(09:15):
But um, so I'm.
I've got to that level in lifethat a lot of people dream about
where you get to and just everyday's a day and you do whatever
needs to be done.
Like, and that's because Iabsolutely love what I do and
because we've worked very hardto get a lot of systems,
processes and structure andthose types of things.
But now that I'm working outwith you, like I have been
(09:37):
getting to sunday afternoons andgoing fuck, I gotta go and see
him in the morning, yeah, butit's good.
But even, and yesterdayafternoon, like because we do
some afternoon sessions as welllike I was running 10 minutes
late yesterday I had a meetinggo over the client, like I'm
stuck in traffic and I'm like,oh shit, I'll just text him and
(09:57):
say I'm not gonna come in todayyeah then you get, then I'll get
there and do it, and you feelfantastic yeah, yeah, and so
many times I've I have peoplecome in to do a session with me
and they're like, oh, I feelpretty shitty today.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
You know.
Oh sweet, we'll just, we'll getinto it anyway.
And afterwards they're like, ohawesome, like I feel 100%
better than I did when I rockedup.
Um, and that's why I like, as Isaid before, the doing PT,
before you get into your day,like it does, if you're a bit
sluggish in the morning in thearmy, if you're a bit hungover
in the morning, you just sweatit out and then you can hit the
(10:29):
rest of the day and feel heapsbetter.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
So, like one of the reasons I want to get you on,
because I, I it's like it'ssomething that I've known I
needed to do more of for a longtime and um, like the last
couple of years, I have beendoing more just on my own,
walking with some mates um,smashing the push-ups, push-ups
in the morning, but, like I'veseen in the like, I don't know
(10:52):
what, it's been two or threemonths, maybe two months, two,
three months, yeah, two or twomonths.
Yeah, just coming with you, like.
So the only other times I'veever tried this is like I did
the usual thing that everyonedoes, like three months before
our wedding.
Yeah, camille and I both joinedpersonal trainers and smashed
it out for a little while, but,man, I hurt my back more in that
three months than ever, like itwas I don't know like.
(11:15):
Oh, there was never any umguidance on technique or
anything, it was just like keeppush, push, push.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Put more weight on push, push, push I think, yeah,
because I have had injuries andI like have like knee issues,
back issues, shoulder issues.
So I really want to push peopleto do things properly so they
don't like I don't want peopleto get injured.
You know what I mean.
And I've had some other clientsthat have hurt themselves and
I'm like, all right, sweet,we'll, we'll do some like
(11:45):
rehabby kind of stuff.
Like I'm not an expert on therehab side of things, but all I
know is basically what physioshave told me to do when I've had
the same or similar injuries.
And then, after I tell someonethat I go to the physios at work
, I'm like, hey, I told someonethat like this would probably
help, or something like, oh, yep, sweet, that's, that's pretty
(12:06):
much what I would have told them.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I'm like, oh cool, so I'm at least I'm on the right
track with a lot of things well,I just like the way you like
you structure it with the, withthe sets, and then, like each
week, we're building up to moreweight, more sets, and then
we'll drop.
Like you said, we'll drop back.
Or we've just started droppingback, like we got 12 sets, now
we're back to 10 sets, but we'redoing more weight.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, yeah, I like for me, I like the structure
yeah, and it's like I thinkthat's something that a lot of
people will.
Then they go to the gym andthey don't have either a trainer
or a plan.
They go I'm just going to go inand I'll do this, I'll do this
and do this, and and then theydon't really see any progress
and then they stop going to thegym, whereas if they just even
(12:46):
if they just had a program tofollow, yeah, they'd be way more
better off because they have astructure and like progression.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
So yeah, it's definitely the structure, I
think, for me.
And then just having you there,like you you've pulled me up a
few times on, like the like,push your bum out, straighten
your back out, like just havingthat guidance so you're not
hurting yourself.
Yeah, I haven't come away fromyours once like I've been sore
but yeah like, yeah, no sore umback or put me back out or
(13:15):
anything like that.
But it's um, and I don't knowif it's because I've gotten
older and more mature orwhatever, but I I take it on
board now when people tell mestuff.
So you're, you're the expert,you're the one doing it.
So, yeah, give me the guidanceand I'll do like the one thing.
Like I've said to you, I justwant you to push the shit out of
me, like push me along.
(13:35):
So I'll put it out there now onthe podcast because we've
spoken about it.
But the reason I've startedwith justin is another builder I
know, um at one of our buildersbreakfast group said to me he
was going to do this um 36 hourchallenge.
Can you?
What was it called?
Speaker 2 (13:51):
uh, it's through the mill, the mill gym.
Yeah, it's a.
It's a like a gym in perththat's run by a bunch of um like
I believe they're ss umsoldiers, yeah, um, so, yeah,
like, like I don't know them atall but I've heard of the gym
and everything and I've heard ofthe challenge as well.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
And he's like I'm going to do this, do you want to
do it?
And I got online and looked itup.
I was like, holy shit, no wayin the world I'm ready for that,
because that was in May.
I'd need to ring him actuallyand see if he's done it, but and
that was about two and a halfmonths ago, but I thought, fuck
it like, why not set a goal todo it next year?
yeah so like I watch, I I likepushing myself, like I know I
(14:32):
want to.
Like you watch those shows ontv and you see what they push
people to do, like the summitand that sas australia, whatever
it is, and like I want to pushmyself, so that's um, that's why
I'm with you mate yeah you wantyou to push me along.
So, mate, tell us a little bitmore about the Army.
So you had some injuries in theArmy which led to depression
(14:52):
and stuff.
Yeah, I think that it's prettycommon.
Obviously, there's a lot of itin the construction industry,
but there's a lot of it in theArmy as well, isn't there?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
yeah, so I all of my injuries are from just overuse.
Um, I did a lot of, a lot ofpack marching in my own time.
Um, because of, like, my goalsat the time and I did a lot of
weighted running.
I was doing a lot of running, Iwas doing a lot of like, as I
said, pack marching, and it'snot good for your knees, hips,
(15:23):
back back, and I just got a lotof overuse injuries.
So like bulging discs on myback and some facet joint issues
and like cartilage in my kneesjust a bit damaged.
So, basically, I went from beinglike one of the fitter dudes in
all the units I was at to beingunable to participate in PT,
(15:46):
unable to do my job as a fitter,which is a physical job, like
pulling stuff apart, welding,fabricating stuff, and it just
destroys you mentally when youjust get something that you love
doing.
I loved doing my job and Iloved PT and I couldn't do
(16:08):
either of them to a standardthat was my standard anymore and
, yeah, like just destroyed meand I went down a rabbit hole
eventually, like my wife likepulled me up on it and, um, I
went to the psychs on base andsaid, look, I'm not, I'm not
(16:28):
good, um, and yeah startedseeing psychologists and stuff
and um.
From there, basically I I wasalready on trying to get out of
the army voluntarily and thenthrough that process it was
decided that I should be goingmedically instead because of my
(16:49):
injuries and the mentaldepression, and so that process
started and then it took me liketwo years to get out of the
army.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
So when I was stuck in limbo if you know what I mean
, it just kind of made my mentalhealth situation worse because
I wanted to be out, I wanted tobe doing something else, but I
was just kind of treading wateruntil the, the cogs of the army,
done their thing and so how doyou do, like when you say you're
(17:22):
going down a rabbit hole,because, like, if you're, if
you're able to talk about it,because that's um, like I've
talked about some of the timesand like what I went through,
but I think, for peoplelistening because a big part of
this podcast is letting peopleknow they're not on their own
yeah, and like there's a lot ofpeople that deal with anxiety
and depression and all thosetypes of things.
So what, what was it likelooking back?
(17:44):
Like was there signs that youwere going down the rabbit hole?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
like um, I, I think at work I was very forgetful of
things and I was like reallysimple tasks that normally would
be like I wouldn wouldn't eventhink of, they'd just get done.
I was forgetting things.
I was not like I wasn't likeable to perform to a standard,
(18:12):
like just doing my job.
Yeah.
And I was drinking a lot more.
So that was another thing whichlike exacerbates everything.
Like drinking and it's verylike drinking is very insidious.
It can start slow andeventually gets to a point where
you're drinking every night andit's not good for anyone.
Yeah, um, so there was thosetwo things.
(18:35):
I was yeah, just I.
I and I think a lot, of a lotof men do this.
They like keep everythinginside, um, like put a happy
face on and like, yep,everything's fine, and then I
kind of internalize everything alot.
So I was, um, yeah, just kindof in my own head and I'd
(18:57):
snowball and I was sleepingreally bad, I wasn't sleeping,
which exacerbates it again, justcauses more stress, starts
arguments with my wife and stuffover nothing.
So, yeah, it just kind ofweasels its way into you.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, but it's good.
It's hard going through it, butit's great when you've let it
out, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
When you get to a point like I don't know if it
was a point that your wifepulled you up on or whatever,
but I know when I got to a pointwhere I was like, all right,
I'm going to start talking topeople about it.
Yeah, it's like all of a sudden, there's this big weight off
your shoulders and it's actuallynormal and it's actually normal
, it's okay to talk to people.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Yeah, it took ages, and I think it's only been in
the last probably year that I'veactually kind of understood
mental health better, because Ithink prior to that I was in the
mindset of, oh, you'd be right,like you'd be right, just
harden up, kind of thing, likesaying that to myself yeah um,
(20:06):
but I also thought that of otherpeople with mental health
issues.
So, um, I think it's hard whenyou haven't experienced
something to like understand it,which now I do understand it
because I've been dealing withit.
Now I can empathize better withpeople that, like, are having
(20:26):
issues and stuff like that andsee signs and stuff like that
better.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
So, yeah, yeah, no, it's, it's awesome.
And then like, so you've,you've, you've uh managed to
like you're not in the armyanymore, you've now got your own
personal training business andgetting all that sort of stuff.
But like, did the army help outwith like rehab and like
getting you back on track andthat sort of stuff?
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah, yeah.
So I yeah, when I was in thearmy I was seeing physios,
seeing doctors, seeing like hadsurgeries and stuff like that,
yeah, and then like DVA, I'vehad like medical or my medical
bills are all paid for throughDVA now, so like they do support
you in that way and so likemental health services are
(21:12):
readily available as well.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, and you're sweet now from your ops and
stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Yeah, still got my left knee particularly plays up.
My back's still playing up.
I have hopefully I'll begetting um like nerve ablation
done again on my back, which isthey stick a bunch of needles in
your back and just zap thenerves off so you can't feel
your facet joints anymore.
So, um, hopefully I'm going toget that done again soon.
(21:42):
And um, I was actually chattingbefore about my doctor's
recommended like medicinalcannabis, like the CBD oil, so
I'm going to be trialing that tosee if that helps with the pain
as well.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Yeah, I know a few people on that and they reckon
it's awesome.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah, so yeah, because at the moment I take,
like painkillers and musclerelaxants, anti-inflammatories
and sleeping pills to go tosleep and it's kind of to get
off that and just yeah, havelike the oil drop and hopefully,
hopefully it helps.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
So yeah, so now, like now that you've sort of been
through it and you've workedyour way out the other side,
like because I think it'simportant to talk about this,
like are you aware of when itstarts coming up again now,
cause that's like this sounds abit funny, but, um, like I
didn't, I didn't realize howmuch my finger would affect me.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah, like.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I like 10, eight, 10 years ago, years ago, 12 years,
like I went through years ofbeing depressed and anxiety and
stuff and I I feel like I'vebeen really good for a long time
and I know how to like switchoff or I know when I need time
out.
And I remember that like thenext day I lay in hospital after
(23:03):
I'd cut my finger off just andthey undid all the bandages and
stuff and I was just sittingthere like it was wrapped up,
but I was like sitting there andjust singing oh, you know it's,
it's not too bad.
I've only lost 30 mil off theend, like it's all good.
And then last week, um, yeah, Ireally went down a bit of a
hole because I like I went backand saw my specialist.
(23:24):
They took all the bandages offand now I've just got this
little tiny cover on there and Ican actually physically see the
size of it and use it and evenjust simple things like getting
up in the morning and going tothe bathroom, going to the
toilet, washing your hands,splashing your face and when I
wipe my face now I don't have mylong middle finger.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
It feels a bit weird.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Yeah, you, what your face and your, your long finger
rubs your eyebrows and it's likepoking yourself in the eye
instead of doing that.
Well, I'm just like fuck likeit's not there.
Yeah, and yeah, last week I Ifor a couple of days I was
really like thinking, fuck, likeI've lost a piece of me, and I
started really getting a bitdepressed about it.
(24:05):
And then I was only throwing aconversation with camille and
I'm like, well, look, at the endof the day it's a bit of finger
, yes, it is what it is.
But, um, so do you find nowthat you've had and been through
it like you, you do pullyourself up every now and then
and or you feel, you know, whenyou sort of go on a bit off
track again?
Speaker 2 (24:23):
yeah, definitely do, and I it's like something that
I've improved a lot on over thelast year is just like talking
to my wife and likecommunication between me and
hers are like infinitely betterthan it was.
So I find that she picks up onwhen I'm not in a rut as well as
(24:46):
I can go.
I'm not the way I normally amand I do things like breathing
and I get in the shower and Ijust sit there in the shower and
breathe and stuff like that.
I do notice it now and I have abunch of exercises that I do
(25:08):
like from my psychologist andstuff that I do when I am in a
bit of a like, when I'm in a rut, and sometimes it can last like
a day, sometimes I'm down for acouple weeks or something like
that, but generally, like at thenow, I don't let it snowball to
a bad point.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
It's important to talk about it because life's
like.
I would doubt there's very manypeople out there, if any, that
just are fine all the time, likeand you see all the shit on
social media and you see allthese mentors and speakers and
podcasts and stuff and like justeverything's awesome yeah and,
(25:47):
like I, just it's not, that'snot reality no reality is we all
fall off the cart every now andthen, and I think that's
definitely something I'm reallyproud of now that I'm aware of
it and like even like I said atthe beginning with like I knew,
if I just went and had a, evenif I rested up for a week, I
just I knew that I would just go, had a, even if I rested up for
a week, I just I knew that Iwould just go down a rabbit hole
and it'd take me a long time toget out of it.
(26:09):
So I think it's very importantto be aware of your feelings and
know when you do start feelingin a certain way or going down a
rabbit hole.
That go like talk to people yeahlike just have a chat, yeah, um
, because, yeah, I, I believeeveryone goes through some sort
of depression in some sort ofform, like it's um yeah, for
(26:34):
sure it's just life.
Hey, like we all, everyone'sgot.
We've all got a lot to dealwith.
Doesn't matter what levelyou're at what, whether you're
employed or you're on your ownbusiness, like it doesn't matter
.
Like everyone deals withsomething like family, friends,
kids money.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
There's always a spanner you're throwing the
works you're like jesus and godeal with it.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
And yeah, yeah, I know yeah, and it's how you
flick that switch and that's howyou deal with it.
Like is it?
Speaker 2 (26:58):
do you treat it as a problem or do you find a
solution and run with thesolution, like yeah um yeah, I
try to like, I try to think if I, if there's an issue, I first
thing I'd think is like is theresomething I can do about it?
And if there isn't, then I'mlike oh well, it is what it is,
then yeah, you know so.
But if there is something thatI can do about it, there's no
(27:19):
need to worry about it, becausethere's something I can do about
it you know, so, um, yeah,that's, I try to do that in any
way.
Yeah, but sometimes, yeah, likesome issues you're like, yeah,
they're a problem and it is whatit is.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Yeah, just sort of get on with it yeah um, so, matt
, you're pretty passionate nowabout helping other veterans out
, so, like you're doing a few umthings, aren't you do it?
Is it a free session?
Speaker 2 (27:42):
you do yeah so every every tuesday and thursday
mornings at seven o'clock I runa little boot camp at sabi park
here in warner for veterans andtheir partners.
So it's just kind of just free.
Come along, do a bit of a halfan hour to 45 minute session,
just get your moving and stuff,and I get back into the
(28:04):
community, I guess, and get backinto fitness.
It's like it's not aboutsmashing people, it's about
getting people back into doingpt again.
You know what I mean?
Um, because, yeah, like I knowfrom my personal experience how
beneficial doing pt is for mymental health and like I know
that I can pass that on to otherpeople and hopefully help other
(28:27):
people as well and that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
So that's why I do that yeah, well, mate, hopefully
, uh, for anyone listening thatlives in, I don't know, brisbane
, southeast queensland orwhatever, like reach out jw jmw,
yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah, ifyou're in the warner area, like
in like north north brisbanearea, like, yeah, every tuesday
and thursday at seven o'clockyeah, but on top of that, like
if they want to reach out and dosome personal training and
(28:50):
stuff, yeah yeah, and I'll dothat.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
I do like online as well.
So if you just want to programand like check-ins and stuff
like that, I can do that tooyeah, yeah, awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
So like, where do you want to go with it now?
You're going to stick on the PTpath and just keep doing
one-on-ones and a bit of groupstuff.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Yeah, yeah.
So I'm starting uni nextsemester, starting sport and
exercise science, and I want togo into exercise physiology as
well, which will again primarilythe focus will hopefully be
injured veterans and stuff likethat.
So that's what I would reallylike to get into.
So I'm pretty excited aboutstarting uni, but I'm just kind
(29:30):
of chomping at the bit to getstarted.
So I've got a month.
That's still a month to wait.
So I'm going to be that matureage student that sits at the
front of class and asks all thequestions it's.
Were you that kid at school likeno, no, no it's unreal school
stuff changes like I wasn'teither, but now I'm addicted to
it like yeah, as I said before,like I I was, I loved grade 12
(29:53):
because I got to take a day offschool to go to work.
I got to drop a subject as well.
So I had, like I think one daylike wednesday or thursday
something I had like two spares,then lunch and then two spares
and then like one class afterlunch or something like that.
So I got to, I was just there,I did woodwork and metalwork and
all the easy subjects at school.
(30:14):
And.
I just, yeah, I wasn't theacademic kind of person at all
and now I'm like getting into itand I'm kind of like, oh,
hopefully I can, I can write.
Like I think like gettingwhat's in my head onto a piece
of paper will probably be mybiggest, biggest um issue.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So hopefully funny, as I I'm a one finger typer yeah
the best of times, and that wasthe one thing everyone like
people give me shit about, likeyou're gonna be even slower in
the office now, but I actuallythink chopping my finger off has
made me faster.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Yeah, doesn't get in the way.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
But, yeah.
It's I.
This is another subject that Ireally love talking about
Because, like so many people youtalk to weren't interested at
school, and it comes back tothat like school's just built
for this one size fits all.
Like go to school, get taughtthis shit, bloody um stuff that
(31:11):
you get taught, but like I'mpassionate about what I do now
and I love learning, like you'repassionate about what you do,
so that's driving you to bepassionate about learning it, so
yeah like.
I just think there's got to beanother, a better way for um for
schools to be run like it's.
It's got to be more about apassion, doesn't it like?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
yeah, and I think, like I think a lot of schools
are trying to go down that path.
But it is hard when it's such alike mass, like yeah, a lot of
people to that go through school, and it is hard to kind of
cater to everyone yeah, well.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Well, you're saying that now because there's a lot
of people homeschooling, there'sa, and then there's a quite a
lot a few schools now aroundthat, like, are more specialized
for that like people arebreaking away from the, from the
normal, which I think isawesome.
But so, like for people outthere that are listening and
stuff that because they'reawesome.
But so, like for people outthere that are listening and
stuff that, uh, like know theyneed to be doing some exercise
(32:09):
but aren't like, what sort ofadvice can you give them?
Like, because it doesn't, itdoesn't take much, does it, to
get fit?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
no, no, it doesn't take much.
It like, honestly, it takes aplan, like something that you
can, even if it's just a pieceof paper.
It says I'm gonna go two orthree times a week, um, do a bit
like, just do full body, like,do some squats if you don't have
any equipment.
Some squats, push-ups, planks.
If you just do that, you'regoing to improve your health.
(32:39):
Go for a walk, the simplestthing.
Go for a walk.
Start slow, just go for a walk.
Go for a K Slowly build it up.
Go for a little bit longer, alittle bit longer.
But it's about building a goodhabit and just consistency is
going to be the biggest thing.
Um, to improve your fitness andhealth and everything like that
(33:00):
.
And I like to think well, whenI'm 70, 80 years old, I don't
want to be a slug.
You know so and the earlier,earlier you get on to doing PT
and stuff and if it becomes justa normal thing you do
throughout your life, you'regoing to be thanking yourself
(33:22):
when you're 70, 80 years oldthat you're not so unfit and
like oh, I wish I lost weightwhen I was younger so that I
wasn't dealing with all thesehealth issues.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
now I think it's like I, through my 30s, like, well,
yeah, mid 30s, late 30s, like itI got to a point where I was
like I'd ache, like you do, aday on the tools and you just
ache all the time because, likework, I always thought that I
was too buggered after work todo anything else.
But yeah, in the last three tofour years or probably more,
(33:54):
actually five years, um, butdefinitely last three, just
doing that little bit like I gowalking with mates one morning a
week.
Yeah, for a little while thereit got to two mornings a week,
um, and then, even before Istarted with you, like I was
always doing something, whetherit was a, yeah, 20 to 40
push-ups and sit-ups, um, justsomething like just doing some
(34:17):
sort of movement like, and I'vehad a bad back my whole life.
I was told I'd be in awheelchair by the time I was 30.
But um yeah, that little bit ofmovement and exercise just does
wonders.
Hey, like yeah um.
So yeah, I can't encourage itenough, like people to get out
there and get off the lounge andlike, would you?
I don't know you might agreewith me, but like everybody has
(34:38):
time for social media.
So like, yeah, if you can spend15, 20 minutes, half an hour,
oh, I say I tell people with um,like my training business now
for builders.
Like have a look at your screentime on your phone and if
you're spending half an hour toan hour on social media a day,
that's your success.
(34:58):
Yeah, like, instead of spendingthat 30 minutes to an hour on
social media, spend that 30minutes to an hour on yourself.
Yeah, whether it's exercise orpersonal development or
something.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yeah, yeah well because, when I exercise I
listen to audio books, and Ilisten to audio books whenever I
can and that's like.
So sometimes it's like aneducational one, sometimes it's
like at the moment I'm listeningto like Warhammer 40K books, so
it's all just like space crazy,space war stuff.
(35:32):
But yeah, like and or podcastsor something like that.
Um, there's a few likeparticularly with sport, like um
, afl podcasts and stuff likethat, and I've got a couple of
um.
There's one that's a aboutperformance, like afl
performance, um, like strengthand conditioning coach, so I
listen to that a fair bit aswell.
(35:52):
Um, but yeah, like I, yeah,like I, I do do it like find
yourself just like mindlesslyscrolling and then, yeah, I
think everyone does it thesedays.
But yeah, it's like making thatan excuse not to do something
isn't, yeah?
Speaker 1 (36:08):
yeah, but it's more about the time yeah like if
you're, because everyone'snumber one excuse is I've got no
time yeah, I'm too busy.
But yeah, I I my thing now,like if you just check your
social media screen time on yourphone and it's like most, I've
heard something the other day.
Actually yesterday, I waslistening to Ed Milet.
I know it was actually a Diaryof a CEO podcast and they were
(36:32):
talking about some studies.
Apparently, the average personnow looks at their phone over
2400 times a day.
Yeah, doesn't surprise me, like, and I was like holy shit, like
that is insane.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
But yeah, when you, yeah, just a quick click like oh
yeah, no like it's, yeah, likeit's taken over our lives.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
So yeah, if you're saying you got no time, you only
gotta look at your social mediatime.
And if you put half the timeyou spend in your social media
into doing some push-ups or abit of exercise or going for a
walk or whatever, like you saywalking's easy.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
It's like stick your head in.
You don't need anything, youcan just do it anywhere.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Yeah, listen to a podcast, smash out an audible
book.
Especially now the weather hereis beautiful.
You can go out pretty much anytime of day now, so you
obviously like your.
You mentioned the book you werejust reading then because you
like your Star Wars stuff aswell.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
You've got all your tats with your.
Star Wars characters yeah,Space Jam and Star Wars yeah,
love it.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
Yeah, so that's just something that's come as you've
grown up.
Yeah, so where's that?
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Look, that's just something that's come as you've
grown up, or yeah.
So I think my decision, mydecision for Space Jam was when
I was down at the trade schooland me and a couple of mates
were just drinking and wewatched Space Jam and I'm like,
oh, that'd be a sick tattoo.
And then I was already bookedin to get a tattoo but I didn't
know what I was going to get yet.
I might stuff it, I'm gonna getspace jam, um.
(37:58):
And then, yeah, like star warsI've been a massive star wars
fan my whole life, so, um, yeah,I'm getting all the bad guys on
my left leg.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
I've just, I've never been able to get into it.
I just, yeah, I don't know yeah, I just love like.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
I love like, yeah, fantasy kind of love, lord of
rings and stuff like love, yeah,like sci-fi stuff.
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
So, mate, what's like we'll wrap it up in a minute,
but, yeah, I hope people reachout, like if they are in
Brisbane or north side ofBrisbane and that, and because,
yeah, you're like young business, so hopefully we can get some
people behind you and get onboard and stuff.
Um, look for those people thatare listening, stay tuned
because I'm going to try and dosome stuff, uh with justin, um
(38:41):
to help the constructionindustry, uh with exercise and
stuff and, um, some retreats andthat.
So stay tuned for those.
But, um, it's out there now,mate.
like everyone knows that I'mworking out and yeah you're
pushing me along, so uh we'regonna have to show them the
results aren't we?
Speaker 2 (38:55):
yeah, yeah, we can start taking some videos and
stuff.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Yeah, getting it um, we're gonna do some videos.
The other day and I was tryingto get back to training with my
finger and that, but uh, it justdidn't really eventuate.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
But yeah, we will need to fix up the lighting in
my, in my gym, but, um, we'll,I'm sure we'll get some stuff
out there.
Speaker 1 (39:16):
But yeah, look, I just wanted to get you on, mate,
so we can, like, I want topractice what I preach, so, and
I'm on a mission to create a newbuilding industry, and a big
part of that is is the mentalhealth and and the exercise.
So, um, yeah, I reallyappreciate you coming on and
talking a little bit about whatyou're doing and how you do it
and, uh, dealing with yourmental health stuff and that.
Like, have you, before we getout of here, like have you got
(39:38):
any advice for anyone out therethat thinks they're maybe going
through some tough times orstruggling a little bit like?
Speaker 2 (39:45):
um, yeah, like, honestly, just go talk to
someone like it's like the samething everyone says, but just
like tell someone that you'relike oh look, I'm not doing that
great, you know, and like ittakes weight off your chest.
Um, because, yeah, you likeinternalize things and it, yeah,
(40:06):
it sucks when you're justdealing with things alone and
like, if you say I'm not dealing, I'm not doing too great, like
I guarantee the other personthat you're talking to has
probably had issues as well.
Have you found that Since nowthat you've sort of realized
that the more people you talk to, the more people have had
similar yeah, yeah for sure,like so many people I know now
(40:27):
that have had problems, and Ithink that's why I try to openly
talk about it, because it kindof invites people to talk to me,
like open up to me about it.
So I think it has beenbeneficial for other people.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Is it big in the army ?
Speaker 2 (40:46):
I'd imagine it'd be huge in the army?
Oh yeah, yeah, it is Becausepeople in the army put so much
pressure on them.
That's what I put so muchpressure on myself when I was in
the army and that's from likemy own, like it was me doing it
to myself.
Um, so, yeah, a lot of peopleput so much pressure on
themselves and it's like it is astressful, stressful job, um,
(41:06):
and there are like pressuresfrom outside sources as well,
like when you're expected to dosomething.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Can we talk?
Can we talk a little bit aboutthe army are Are we allowed to
talk about the army?
Speaker 2 (41:17):
Yeah, I'm sure I don't know.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
It's just like you get a knock on the door from the
Like I said, I've always I seethese trucks and shit driving
around.
I've always thought, shit,that'd be awesome to go and have
a play and muck around withthem.
But what actually happens inthe army?
Is it what actually happens inthe army, like?
Is it like you see on shows,where you like, you're in dorms
and you get woken up and you gotto flog your ass all morning?
Speaker 2 (41:38):
that's that's like kapuka.
That's like basic training islike that.
So at kapuka you'll go there.
Well, when I went it was 12weeks and it's yeah, wake up
every morning, got to make yourbed, go to the toilet, all that
stuff like walk around like saysuch everyone or like whatever,
and very like for three monthsit's very, very regimented to
(41:59):
kind of break you down and theykind of.
The idea of Kapuga is like buildup people that aren't very
confident and kind of like knockdown people who are arrogant
and overconfident.
But then after that it's kindof like just kind of like a
normal, like 7.30 in the morningto four o'clock in the Arvo job
while you're on base.
(42:19):
And while you're on base likefor me personally because I was
a fitter like all of our job wasmaintenance on like vehicle
mechanics and stuff, so vehicles, weapons and all that stuff and
just making sure everything'sgood to go for field exercises
and generally it's like thatmiddle period, that stuff and
just making sure everything'sgood to go for um field, field
exercises and generally it'slike that middle period like may
to july area where there'swhere you'll be out at up at
(42:42):
rocky or up at um high range intowns or something like that,
like sleeping under a hoochie umwhile it's cold.
So getting woken up at midnightto like go stand on picket.
You're like.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
How often do you have to go out in the field and do
that training?
Speaker 2 (43:01):
Generally, there's like a couple of big exercises a
year and it is generally inthat like May to July period.
I think the longest I went outfor it was probably about a
month and a half straight, but alot, of, a lot of exercises
will go for like two weeks orsomething like that.
So you will go out a coupleweeks, come back, refurb, get
(43:22):
everything sorted ready to gofor the next field exercise,
which might be in a month's timeor something like that.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Um, but yeah, most of it's just training, training,
training, um and so what happenswhen you're out on those field
exercises, like is it strict?
Like you have schedules and upfor breakfast, like everyone's
doing it together, like it's notjust dawdle around doing this,
doing that, yeah so there'll belike an exercise.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
There'll be an overarching plan of the exercise
, but it depends on how likemany people would be involved,
but like, everyone goes outthere basically to do their job.
So for me it would be yep, wakeup in the morning, have have
brekkie, um, wait to see ifthere's anything else happening,
(44:08):
uh, and then if there isn't,like, if there's maintenance to
do, we'll do maintenance.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
If there's not, chill out a mechanic or a fitter and
turner is like you're only on ifthere's shit to yeah exactly so
.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
If there's like and that's the thing it's like if
there's nothing to fix, thenthat's good, you know, but
there's always something to fix.
Um, there's always there, likeespecially with the buckets,
like there's always a uhsomething, someone that's gotten
bogged or stuck in somethingand needs to get dragged out,
and um, yeah, the people do somepretty pretty crazy stuff and,
(44:48):
uh, they break a lot of stuff.
So, um, we're always, we'realways like working yeah and
like sometimes like we'd be upat night, like everyone would
pack up and everything and thenwe'd be up at night fixing
everything for the next morningand stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (45:02):
So they're going to jump in those big trucks and
just saying, oh, these thingscan go anywhere, and just yeah,
yeah and some I've seen.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
I've seen some trucks like go some crazy places, like
we're watching, like oh my god,and like the're watching him,
like going, oh my god, and likethe driver's just like going up
these mountains, you're likejesus, but yeah, they get there
and you're like cool, like thedriver's, like I never want to
do that again.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
That was sketchy as I'm like yeah, no, no well, mate
, look, thanks very much forcoming in.
Um, yeah, look, like I said,reach out to uh justin if you
want to.
Uh, if you're on the north sideof brisbane, you want to do
some personal um pt like, yeah,like I said, I've never been a
gym person, never really beencomfortable doing it, and yeah,
he's got me out of my comfortzone doing one-on-one and um at
(45:48):
his place and stuff.
So, yeah, reach out if you wantto get involved.
But for everybody out there,please, um, exercise, breath,
work, cold showers all that typeof stuff is just so, so good
for you.
It really helps with yourmental health, anxiety and all
those types of things.
It's worked wonders for me.
So, as always, thanks very muchfor listening to this podcast,
(46:08):
making this Podcast Australia'snumber one construction podcast,
and we look forward to seeingyou on the next episode Like,
subscribe, share, comment, allthose types of things.
And, yeah, we to seeing you onthe next episode.
Like, subscribe, share, comment, all those types of things.
And uh, yeah, we'll see yousoon.
Are you ready to build smarter,live better and enjoy life?
Then head over to live like,buildcom, forward, slash,
elevate to get started.
Everything discussed during thelevel up podcast with me, duane
(46:40):
pierce, is based solely on myown personal experiences and
those experiences of my guests.
The information, opinions andrecommendations presented in
this podcast are for generalinformation only, and any
reliance on the informationprovided in this podcast is done
at your own risk.
We recommend that you obtainyour own professional advice in
respect to the topics discussedduring this podcast.
I know I perform a lot better the days that I do,
even if it's just smashing out20 or 40 push-ups in the morning
, like just before you get goingand that's why I like doing PT
before you get into your day,like I really want to push
people to do things properly sothey don't.
Like I don't want people to getinjured.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
You know what I mean yeah, for me, I like the
structure, I like pushing myself, because it doesn't it doesn't
take much, does it to?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
get fit.
No, some squats, push-ups,planks.
If you just do that, you'regoing to improve your health.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
G'day guys.
Welcome back to another episodeof Level Up.
We are back in the shed thisafternoon for another cracking
episode.
Bear with us today.
We do have a little bit of workgoing on outside, so there may
be a few beepers from reversingtrucks and a bit of noise going
on, but it's a constructionpodcast, so it is what it is,
all right.
So today is something a littlebit different.
(00:59):
So I've set myself a challengeto get fit and get back into
shape, and I've teamed up withthis awesome young fellow that
we've got here with us today,justin from JMW Health and
Fitness.
And I wanted to get Justin onbecause he's got a pretty good
story.
He's been in the army, he'sdone his apprenticeship through
(01:19):
the army, he's a fitter andturner and he's had all sorts of
injuries which have led todepression and a few other
things, and he, uh, he nowspends a lot of his time helping
veterans and, um, people likemyself get into shape.
So, uh, welcome mate.
Yeah cheers good to be here um,I so just to give everyone a
little bit of background.
(01:39):
So, um, my wife, camille, goesto a local gym near us and I've
been humming and harring aboutgetting a personal trainer for a
very long time.
I'm definitely not a gym person.
I can't think of anything worsethan going to a gym and
standing in front of everyoneelse and trying to do some
exercise, yeah.
But yeah, the trainer that sheworks with said hey, you should
(02:00):
get in contact with this youngfella.
He's doing good things.
So reached out, we had ameeting and now we're into it
yeah, no, it's been good, yeah,so uh, but um, what was?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I was only with you for about bloody three weeks,
mate, and then I've yeah, beforeyou had your little uh mishap,
um, but yeah, we're back gettinginto it now and, uh, it's good
that your fingers handling likebeing able to lift stuff and
everything.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So, yeah, that's been good well, it's been good, like
you're very accommodating, likeeven yesterday doing the dead
lifts, like you had the strapthere and we strapped it to my
wrist and took a bit of pressureoff the finger.
But, um, I'm keen to talk aboutthat as well, because I've been
talking about it pretty openlyon my socials.
Like the doctors and stuff tellme to basically lay on the
(02:46):
ground and have three or fourweeks off and just take it easy.
And like I'm very aware of whoI am.
Yeah, like I've very openlyspoke that I've dealt with
depression, anxiety and thosetypes of things.
And I know that if I had takentheir advice and just even if I
tried to sit in the office anddo a bit of work, and uh yeah,
(03:08):
if I just sit around, I would'vegot stuck on social media,
watching YouTube, just wastingtime, and I would've gone down a
rabbit hole.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, and it's so hard to get back into it after
you go do that as well, so it'sgood to just like oh yeah, sweet
and sweet gonna keep rolling onand yeah, get back into it,
even that if it's a like at alesser, like a limited, like
ability.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
But yeah, getting back into it and still get
movement yeah, operation on thesunday, and then it was luckily
it was long weekend had themonday off, and then, yeah, I
was straight back driving aroundsites checking on things on the
tuesday and then had two weeksoff and come back yeah doing
stuff with you and, yeah, you'vebeen accommodating, working
with it and adjusting theexercise to work with it, so
that's been good.
But, mate, tell us a little bitabout yourself.
So you were in the army forwhat?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
12, 11 years yeah, just just under 12 years.
Um, I was, yeah, joined in 2020, 2012, and then um went to
albury woodonga to do thetraining.
I was there for about eight orso months and then, when I was
down there, my dad died.
So I got a posting straightback up to Townsville and I
(04:13):
originally joined the army toget out of Townsville and spent
the next seven years there andthen posted down to Brisbane
2020, so COVID year and thenbeen here ever since.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
And then so in your is going to the army, something
you wanted to do.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, my dad was in the army for 20 odd years.
So I was like I was born in.
I was born in Brizzy, moved toToowoomba, moved to Townsville,
moved to Melbourne, back toBrizzy, back to Townsville and
then he got out when I was about12 years old, um, and like,
basically I always was reallykeen on the army, uh.
(04:54):
But I had an apprenticeshipgoing out of school, so a
school-based apprenticeship, soI got to take a day off school
every tuesday and go work as afirst-year fitter and turner
apprentice and then I just wentstraight into that.
And then, once I finished myapprenticeship, I still wanted
to join the Army.
So I joined the Army at I was20 when I joined the Army.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
So was your apprenticeship through the Army.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
So I did my apprenticeship, originally
outside of the Army, and then Ijoined the Army as a fitter as
well, outside of the army, andthen I joined the army as a like
, as a fitter as well, yeah, uh,but I had to go down to aubrey
to do just the specific armycourses, like weapons courses
and stuff like that, um, likethe maintenance on like specific
army equipment, yeah, um, so mytime in aubrey was cut a lot
(05:39):
shorter, so I've got a lot ofrpl, yeah, um, through that.
Plus I got the cert 4 on top ofthe cert 3.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Is it interesting?
I always see all the big trucksand shit driving around.
I think, man, they always gotthe best gear.
It'd be awesome just to go outand do training in the bush.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, my first posting was at 5F, so up in
Townsville, where they've gotthe Chinooks and they had
Blackhawks at the time, but nowthey've got the mrhs.
Um, but my job was to be oncall for maintenance for because
they have miniguns on them.
So I got to go up in thechinooks and fly around while
they were shooting miniguns outthe sides and, like I've, yeah,
(06:13):
got to do some pretty cool stuff.
Um, never got to shoot aminigun, which was always a
what's?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
what's a minigun?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
uh, so the six barrel six barrels like spins and
shoots 3,000 rounds a minute.
Yeah, so it would have beenawesome to be able to shoot one,
but I never got the opportunity, yeah.
And then, yeah, I went to 3RARafter that and we got to go out
with all the grunts and do allthe field work and just as
(06:40):
support for them.
So they'd go out, do all uminfantry tactics and all that
stuff and we just support themif they're, uh, the carriers
like that, um, as4s broke downor something like that.
There was a crew of.
It'd be like a recoverymechanic, a vehicle mechanic, a
fitter, electrician and a boffin, so a five man team in two
carriers.
(07:00):
Yeah, um, so we just fixeverything basically on the run.
Sometimes you go, oh, yep,sweet, we got two hours to get
in, do some maintenance, andthen 10 minutes later they're
like, all right, we're going nowand you're like I've got this
thing pulled apart.
I thought I had like an hour toput it back and then you just
got to quickly chuck stuff backtogether and get in the car or
(07:22):
get in the truck and you're offagain.
But yeah, so, no, but it'sreally good, like I loved it
when I was, when I was fit andyoung, and like I was able to do
everything.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I absolutely loved my time in the army, yeah yeah it,
I imagine it, like it'sobviously very structured, isn't
it like?
Yeah, everything it's a routineand, yeah, following orders and
timed very well.
So like, is that structurehelped you in other areas of
your life?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
uh, yeah, definitely, yeah, like um, particularly
with like pt, like one thing youdid every morning.
You do pt before you start work, which I think is like one of
the best things about the army,because you get in, you do pt
and you've already achievedsomething in the day before you
start work, yeah, so, and on thedays where you don't have PT,
(08:09):
everyone's sort of a bitsluggish and it takes them a bit
to get going.
You know what I mean.
So I think that's one thingthat I really got out of the
army was that like doingsomething at the start of the
day to get into the rest of yourday, kind of thing.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, into the rest of your daykind of thing.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
You know what I mean.
Yeah, well, that's part of thereason I wanted to get you on,
because I like with it, with thetraining and stuff I do in the
industry now and even justmyself like I, I know I perform
a lot better the days that I do,even if it's just smashing out
20 or 40 push-ups in the morning, like just before you get going
, like just getting that bloodpumping, yeah, a bit of like.
Obviously your breath getsharder while you're exercising.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, just makes you get through the day better yeah,
and like you, you start yourweek now with 5 30 in the
morning.
You start your week with a pgsession.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So that's um, but I love it, like I, it's fun.
Like I've got to a point now inin my businesses and life and
that, like I don't, like everyday is the same.
I don't, uh, I don't the daybefore, I don't worry about
going to work, like I don't,there's no, oh it's friday,
awesome it's a weekend.
Or oh it's monday, it's back towork.
(09:15):
But um, so I'm.
I've got to that level in lifethat a lot of people dream about
where you get to and just everyday's a day and you do whatever
needs to be done.
Like, and that's because Iabsolutely love what I do and
because we've worked very hardto get a lot of systems,
processes and structure andthose types of things.
But now that I'm working outwith you, like I have been
(09:37):
getting to sunday afternoons andgoing fuck, I gotta go and see
him in the morning, yeah, butit's good.
But even, and yesterdayafternoon, like because we do
some afternoon sessions as welllike I was running 10 minutes
late yesterday I had a meetinggo over the client, like I'm
stuck in traffic and I'm like,oh shit, I'll just text him and
(09:57):
say I'm not gonna come in todayyeah then you get, then I'll get
there and do it, and you feelfantastic yeah, yeah, and so
many times I've I have peoplecome in to do a session with me
and they're like, oh, I feelpretty shitty today.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
You know.
Oh sweet, we'll just, we'll getinto it anyway.
And afterwards they're like, ohawesome, like I feel 100%
better than I did when I rockedup.
Um, and that's why I like, as Isaid before, the doing PT,
before you get into your day,like it does, if you're a bit
sluggish in the morning in thearmy, if you're a bit hungover
in the morning, you just sweatit out and then you can hit the
(10:29):
rest of the day and feel heapsbetter.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
So, like one of the reasons I want to get you on,
because I, I it's like it'ssomething that I've known I
needed to do more of for a longtime and um, like the last
couple of years, I have beendoing more just on my own,
walking with some mates um,smashing the push-ups, push-ups
in the morning, but, like I'veseen in the like, I don't know
(10:52):
what, it's been two or threemonths, maybe two months, two,
three months, yeah, two or twomonths.
Yeah, just coming with you, like.
So the only other times I'veever tried this is like I did
the usual thing that everyonedoes, like three months before
our wedding.
Yeah, camille and I both joinedpersonal trainers and smashed
it out for a little while, but,man, I hurt my back more in that
three months than ever, like itwas I don't know like.
(11:15):
Oh, there was never any umguidance on technique or
anything, it was just like keeppush, push, push.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Put more weight on push, push, push I think, yeah,
because I have had injuries andI like have like knee issues,
back issues, shoulder issues.
So I really want to push peopleto do things properly so they
don't like I don't want peopleto get injured.
You know what I mean.
And I've had some other clientsthat have hurt themselves and
I'm like, all right, sweet,we'll, we'll do some like
(11:45):
rehabby kind of stuff.
Like I'm not an expert on therehab side of things, but all I
know is basically what physioshave told me to do when I've had
the same or similar injuries.
And then, after I tell someonethat I go to the physios at work
, I'm like, hey, I told someonethat like this would probably
help, or something like, oh, yep, sweet, that's, that's pretty
(12:06):
much what I would have told them.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I'm like, oh cool, so I'm at least I'm on the right
track with a lot of things well,I just like the way you like
you structure it with the, withthe sets, and then, like each
week, we're building up to moreweight, more sets, and then
we'll drop.
Like you said, we'll drop back.
Or we've just started droppingback, like we got 12 sets, now
we're back to 10 sets, but we'redoing more weight.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, yeah, I like for me, I like the structure
yeah, and it's like I thinkthat's something that a lot of
people will.
Then they go to the gym andthey don't have either a trainer
or a plan.
They go I'm just going to go inand I'll do this, I'll do this
and do this, and and then theydon't really see any progress
and then they stop going to thegym, whereas if they just even
(12:46):
if they just had a program tofollow, yeah, they'd be way more
better off because they have astructure and like progression.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
So yeah, it's definitely the structure, I
think, for me.
And then just having you there,like you you've pulled me up a
few times on, like the like,push your bum out, straighten
your back out, like just havingthat guidance so you're not
hurting yourself.
Yeah, I haven't come away fromyours once like I've been sore
but yeah like, yeah, no sore umback or put me back out or
(13:15):
anything like that.
But it's um, and I don't knowif it's because I've gotten
older and more mature orwhatever, but I I take it on
board now when people tell mestuff.
So you're, you're the expert,you're the one doing it.
So, yeah, give me the guidanceand I'll do like the one thing.
Like I've said to you, I justwant you to push the shit out of
me, like push me along.
(13:35):
So I'll put it out there now onthe podcast because we've
spoken about it.
But the reason I've startedwith justin is another builder I
know, um at one of our buildersbreakfast group said to me he
was going to do this um 36 hourchallenge.
Can you?
What was it called?
Speaker 2 (13:51):
uh, it's through the mill, the mill gym.
Yeah, it's a.
It's a like a gym in perththat's run by a bunch of um like
I believe they're ss umsoldiers, yeah, um, so, yeah,
like, like I don't know them atall but I've heard of the gym
and everything and I've heard ofthe challenge as well.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
And he's like I'm going to do this, do you want to
do it?
And I got online and looked itup.
I was like, holy shit, no wayin the world I'm ready for that,
because that was in May.
I'd need to ring him actuallyand see if he's done it, but and
that was about two and a halfmonths ago, but I thought, fuck
it like, why not set a goal todo it next year?
yeah so like I watch, I I likepushing myself, like I know I
(14:32):
want to.
Like you watch those shows ontv and you see what they push
people to do, like the summitand that sas australia, whatever
it is, and like I want to pushmyself, so that's um, that's why
I'm with you mate yeah you wantyou to push me along.
So, mate, tell us a little bitmore about the Army.
So you had some injuries in theArmy which led to depression
(14:52):
and stuff.
Yeah, I think that it's prettycommon.
Obviously, there's a lot of itin the construction industry,
but there's a lot of it in theArmy as well, isn't there?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
yeah, so I all of my injuries are from just overuse.
Um, I did a lot of, a lot ofpack marching in my own time.
Um, because of, like, my goalsat the time and I did a lot of
weighted running.
I was doing a lot of running, Iwas doing a lot of like, as I
said, pack marching, and it'snot good for your knees, hips,
(15:23):
back back, and I just got a lotof overuse injuries.
So like bulging discs on myback and some facet joint issues
and like cartilage in my kneesjust a bit damaged.
So, basically, I went from beinglike one of the fitter dudes in
all the units I was at to beingunable to participate in PT,
(15:46):
unable to do my job as a fitter,which is a physical job, like
pulling stuff apart, welding,fabricating stuff, and it just
destroys you mentally when youjust get something that you love
doing.
I loved doing my job and Iloved PT and I couldn't do
(16:08):
either of them to a standardthat was my standard anymore and
, yeah, like just destroyed meand I went down a rabbit hole
eventually, like my wife likepulled me up on it and, um, I
went to the psychs on base andsaid, look, I'm not, I'm not
(16:28):
good, um, and yeah startedseeing psychologists and stuff
and um.
From there, basically I I wasalready on trying to get out of
the army voluntarily and thenthrough that process it was
decided that I should be goingmedically instead because of my
(16:49):
injuries and the mentaldepression, and so that process
started and then it took me liketwo years to get out of the
army.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
So when I was stuck in limbo if you know what I mean
, it just kind of made my mentalhealth situation worse because
I wanted to be out, I wanted tobe doing something else, but I
was just kind of treading wateruntil the, the cogs of the army,
done their thing and so how doyou do, like when you say you're
(17:22):
going down a rabbit hole,because, like, if you're, if
you're able to talk about it,because that's um, like I've
talked about some of the timesand like what I went through,
but I think, for peoplelistening because a big part of
this podcast is letting peopleknow they're not on their own
yeah, and like there's a lot ofpeople that deal with anxiety
and depression and all thosetypes of things.
So what, what was it likelooking back?
(17:44):
Like was there signs that youwere going down the rabbit hole?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
like um, I, I think at work I was very forgetful of
things and I was like reallysimple tasks that normally would
be like I wouldn wouldn't eventhink of, they'd just get done.
I was forgetting things.
I was not like I wasn't likeable to perform to a standard,
(18:12):
like just doing my job.
Yeah.
And I was drinking a lot more.
So that was another thing whichlike exacerbates everything.
Like drinking and it's verylike drinking is very insidious.
It can start slow andeventually gets to a point where
you're drinking every night andit's not good for anyone.
Yeah, um, so there was thosetwo things.
(18:35):
I was yeah, just I.
I and I think a lot, of a lotof men do this.
They like keep everythinginside, um, like put a happy
face on and like, yep,everything's fine, and then I
kind of internalize everything alot.
So I was, um, yeah, just kindof in my own head and I'd
(18:57):
snowball and I was sleepingreally bad, I wasn't sleeping,
which exacerbates it again, justcauses more stress, starts
arguments with my wife and stuffover nothing.
So, yeah, it just kind ofweasels its way into you.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, but it's good.
It's hard going through it, butit's great when you've let it
out, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
When you get to a point like I don't know if it
was a point that your wifepulled you up on or whatever,
but I know when I got to a pointwhere I was like, all right,
I'm going to start talking topeople about it.
Yeah, it's like all of a sudden, there's this big weight off
your shoulders and it's actuallynormal and it's actually normal
, it's okay to talk to people.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Yeah, it took ages, and I think it's only been in
the last probably year that I'veactually kind of understood
mental health better, because Ithink prior to that I was in the
mindset of, oh, you'd be right,like you'd be right, just
harden up, kind of thing, likesaying that to myself yeah um,
(20:06):
but I also thought that of otherpeople with mental health
issues.
So, um, I think it's hard whenyou haven't experienced
something to like understand it,which now I do understand it
because I've been dealing withit.
Now I can empathize better withpeople that, like, are having
(20:26):
issues and stuff like that andsee signs and stuff like that
better.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
So, yeah, yeah, no, it's, it's awesome.
And then like, so you've,you've, you've uh managed to
like you're not in the armyanymore, you've now got your own
personal training business andgetting all that sort of stuff.
But like, did the army help outwith like rehab and like
getting you back on track andthat sort of stuff?
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah, yeah.
So I yeah, when I was in thearmy I was seeing physios,
seeing doctors, seeing like hadsurgeries and stuff like that,
yeah, and then like DVA, I'vehad like medical or my medical
bills are all paid for throughDVA now, so like they do support
you in that way and so likemental health services are
(21:12):
readily available as well.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, and you're sweet now from your ops and
stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Yeah, still got my left knee particularly plays up.
My back's still playing up.
I have hopefully I'll begetting um like nerve ablation
done again on my back, which isthey stick a bunch of needles in
your back and just zap thenerves off so you can't feel
your facet joints anymore.
So, um, hopefully I'm going toget that done again soon.
(21:42):
And um, I was actually chattingbefore about my doctor's
recommended like medicinalcannabis, like the CBD oil, so
I'm going to be trialing that tosee if that helps with the pain
as well.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Yeah, I know a few people on that and they reckon
it's awesome.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah, so yeah, because at the moment I take,
like painkillers and musclerelaxants, anti-inflammatories
and sleeping pills to go tosleep and it's kind of to get
off that and just yeah, havelike the oil drop and hopefully,
hopefully it helps.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
So yeah, so now, like now that you've sort of been
through it and you've workedyour way out the other side,
like because I think it'simportant to talk about this,
like are you aware of when itstarts coming up again now,
cause that's like this sounds abit funny, but, um, like I
didn't, I didn't realize howmuch my finger would affect me.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah, like.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I like 10, eight, 10 years ago, years ago, 12 years,
like I went through years ofbeing depressed and anxiety and
stuff and I I feel like I'vebeen really good for a long time
and I know how to like switchoff or I know when I need time
out.
And I remember that like thenext day I lay in hospital after
(23:03):
I'd cut my finger off just andthey undid all the bandages and
stuff and I was just sittingthere like it was wrapped up,
but I was like sitting there andjust singing oh, you know it's,
it's not too bad.
I've only lost 30 mil off theend, like it's all good.
And then last week, um, yeah, Ireally went down a bit of a
hole because I like I went backand saw my specialist.
(23:24):
They took all the bandages offand now I've just got this
little tiny cover on there and Ican actually physically see the
size of it and use it and evenjust simple things like getting
up in the morning and going tothe bathroom, going to the
toilet, washing your hands,splashing your face and when I
wipe my face now I don't have mylong middle finger.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
It feels a bit weird.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Yeah, you, what your face and your, your long finger
rubs your eyebrows and it's likepoking yourself in the eye
instead of doing that.
Well, I'm just like fuck likeit's not there.
Yeah, and yeah, last week I Ifor a couple of days I was
really like thinking, fuck, likeI've lost a piece of me, and I
started really getting a bitdepressed about it.
(24:05):
And then I was only throwing aconversation with camille and
I'm like, well, look, at the endof the day it's a bit of finger
, yes, it is what it is.
But, um, so do you find nowthat you've had and been through
it like you, you do pullyourself up every now and then
and or you feel, you know, whenyou sort of go on a bit off
track again?
Speaker 2 (24:23):
yeah, definitely do, and I it's like something that
I've improved a lot on over thelast year is just like talking
to my wife and likecommunication between me and
hers are like infinitely betterthan it was.
So I find that she picks up onwhen I'm not in a rut as well as
(24:46):
I can go.
I'm not the way I normally amand I do things like breathing
and I get in the shower and Ijust sit there in the shower and
breathe and stuff like that.
I do notice it now and I have abunch of exercises that I do
(25:08):
like from my psychologist andstuff that I do when I am in a
bit of a like, when I'm in a rut, and sometimes it can last like
a day, sometimes I'm down for acouple weeks or something like
that, but generally, like at thenow, I don't let it snowball to
a bad point.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
It's important to talk about it because life's
like.
I would doubt there's very manypeople out there, if any, that
just are fine all the time, likeand you see all the shit on
social media and you see allthese mentors and speakers and
podcasts and stuff and like justeverything's awesome yeah and,
(25:47):
like I, just it's not, that'snot reality no reality is we all
fall off the cart every now andthen, and I think that's
definitely something I'm reallyproud of now that I'm aware of
it and like even like I said atthe beginning with like I knew,
if I just went and had a, evenif I rested up for a week, I
just I knew that I would just go, had a, even if I rested up for
a week, I just I knew that Iwould just go down a rabbit hole
and it'd take me a long time toget out of it.
(26:09):
So I think it's very importantto be aware of your feelings and
know when you do start feelingin a certain way or going down a
rabbit hole.
That go like talk to people yeahlike just have a chat, yeah, um
, because, yeah, I, I believeeveryone goes through some sort
of depression in some sort ofform, like it's um yeah, for
(26:34):
sure it's just life.
Hey, like we all, everyone'sgot.
We've all got a lot to dealwith.
Doesn't matter what levelyou're at what, whether you're
employed or you're on your ownbusiness, like it doesn't matter
.
Like everyone deals withsomething like family, friends,
kids money.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
There's always a spanner you're throwing the
works you're like jesus and godeal with it.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
And yeah, yeah, I know yeah, and it's how you
flick that switch and that's howyou deal with it.
Like is it?
Speaker 2 (26:58):
do you treat it as a problem or do you find a
solution and run with thesolution, like yeah um yeah, I
try to like, I try to think if I, if there's an issue, I first
thing I'd think is like is theresomething I can do about it?
And if there isn't, then I'mlike oh well, it is what it is,
then yeah, you know so.
But if there is something thatI can do about it, there's no
(27:19):
need to worry about it, becausethere's something I can do about
it you know, so, um, yeah,that's, I try to do that in any
way.
Yeah, but sometimes, yeah, likesome issues you're like, yeah,
they're a problem and it is whatit is.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Yeah, just sort of get on with it yeah um, so, matt
, you're pretty passionate nowabout helping other veterans out
, so, like you're doing a few umthings, aren't you do it?
Is it a free session?
Speaker 2 (27:42):
you do yeah so every every tuesday and thursday
mornings at seven o'clock I runa little boot camp at sabi park
here in warner for veterans andtheir partners.
So it's just kind of just free.
Come along, do a bit of a halfan hour to 45 minute session,
just get your moving and stuff,and I get back into the
(28:04):
community, I guess, and get backinto fitness.
It's like it's not aboutsmashing people, it's about
getting people back into doingpt again.
You know what I mean?
Um, because, yeah, like I knowfrom my personal experience how
beneficial doing pt is for mymental health and like I know
that I can pass that on to otherpeople and hopefully help other
(28:27):
people as well and that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
So that's why I do that yeah, well, mate, hopefully
, uh, for anyone listening thatlives in, I don't know, brisbane
, southeast queensland orwhatever, like reach out jw jmw,
yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah, ifyou're in the warner area, like
in like north north brisbanearea, like, yeah, every tuesday
and thursday at seven o'clockyeah, but on top of that, like
if they want to reach out and dosome personal training and
(28:50):
stuff, yeah yeah, and I'll dothat.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
I do like online as well.
So if you just want to programand like check-ins and stuff
like that, I can do that tooyeah, yeah, awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
So like, where do you want to go with it now?
You're going to stick on the PTpath and just keep doing
one-on-ones and a bit of groupstuff.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Yeah, yeah.
So I'm starting uni nextsemester, starting sport and
exercise science, and I want togo into exercise physiology as
well, which will again primarilythe focus will hopefully be
injured veterans and stuff likethat.
So that's what I would reallylike to get into.
So I'm pretty excited aboutstarting uni, but I'm just kind
(29:30):
of chomping at the bit to getstarted.
So I've got a month.
That's still a month to wait.
So I'm going to be that matureage student that sits at the
front of class and asks all thequestions it's.
Were you that kid at school likeno, no, no it's unreal school
stuff changes like I wasn'teither, but now I'm addicted to
it like yeah, as I said before,like I I was, I loved grade 12
(29:53):
because I got to take a day offschool to go to work.
I got to drop a subject as well.
So I had, like I think one daylike wednesday or thursday
something I had like two spares,then lunch and then two spares
and then like one class afterlunch or something like that.
So I got to, I was just there,I did woodwork and metalwork and
all the easy subjects at school.
(30:14):
And.
I just, yeah, I wasn't theacademic kind of person at all
and now I'm like getting into itand I'm kind of like, oh,
hopefully I can, I can write.
Like I think like gettingwhat's in my head onto a piece
of paper will probably be mybiggest, biggest um issue.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So hopefully funny, as I I'm a one finger typer yeah
the best of times, and that wasthe one thing everyone like
people give me shit about, likeyou're gonna be even slower in
the office now, but I actuallythink chopping my finger off has
made me faster.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Yeah, doesn't get in the way.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
But, yeah.
It's I.
This is another subject that Ireally love talking about
Because, like so many people youtalk to weren't interested at
school, and it comes back tothat like school's just built
for this one size fits all.
Like go to school, get taughtthis shit, bloody um stuff that
(31:11):
you get taught, but like I'mpassionate about what I do now
and I love learning, like you'repassionate about what you do,
so that's driving you to bepassionate about learning it, so
yeah like.
I just think there's got to beanother, a better way for um for
schools to be run like it's.
It's got to be more about apassion, doesn't it like?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
yeah, and I think, like I think a lot of schools
are trying to go down that path.
But it is hard when it's such alike mass, like yeah, a lot of
people to that go through school, and it is hard to kind of
cater to everyone yeah, well.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Well, you're saying that now because there's a lot
of people homeschooling, there'sa, and then there's a quite a
lot a few schools now aroundthat, like, are more specialized
for that like people arebreaking away from the, from the
normal, which I think isawesome.
But so, like for people outthere that are listening and
stuff that because they'reawesome.
But so, like for people outthere that are listening and
stuff that, uh, like know theyneed to be doing some exercise
(32:09):
but aren't like, what sort ofadvice can you give them?
Like, because it doesn't, itdoesn't take much, does it, to
get fit?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
no, no, it doesn't take much.
It like, honestly, it takes aplan, like something that you
can, even if it's just a pieceof paper.
It says I'm gonna go two orthree times a week, um, do a bit
like, just do full body, like,do some squats if you don't have
any equipment.
Some squats, push-ups, planks.
If you just do that, you'regoing to improve your health.
(32:39):
Go for a walk, the simplestthing.
Go for a walk.
Start slow, just go for a walk.
Go for a K Slowly build it up.
Go for a little bit longer, alittle bit longer.
But it's about building a goodhabit and just consistency is
going to be the biggest thing.
Um, to improve your fitness andhealth and everything like that
(33:00):
.
And I like to think well, whenI'm 70, 80 years old, I don't
want to be a slug.
You know so and the earlier,earlier you get on to doing PT
and stuff and if it becomes justa normal thing you do
throughout your life, you'regoing to be thanking yourself
(33:22):
when you're 70, 80 years oldthat you're not so unfit and
like oh, I wish I lost weightwhen I was younger so that I
wasn't dealing with all thesehealth issues.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
now I think it's like I, through my 30s, like, well,
yeah, mid 30s, late 30s, like itI got to a point where I was
like I'd ache, like you do, aday on the tools and you just
ache all the time because, likework, I always thought that I
was too buggered after work todo anything else.
But yeah, in the last three tofour years or probably more,
(33:54):
actually five years, um, butdefinitely last three, just
doing that little bit like I gowalking with mates one morning a
week.
Yeah, for a little while thereit got to two mornings a week,
um, and then, even before Istarted with you, like I was
always doing something, whetherit was a, yeah, 20 to 40
push-ups and sit-ups, um, justsomething like just doing some
(34:17):
sort of movement like, and I'vehad a bad back my whole life.
I was told I'd be in awheelchair by the time I was 30.
But um yeah, that little bit ofmovement and exercise just does
wonders.
Hey, like yeah um.
So yeah, I can't encourage itenough, like people to get out
there and get off the lounge andlike, would you?
I don't know you might agreewith me, but like everybody has
(34:38):
time for social media.
So like, yeah, if you can spend15, 20 minutes, half an hour,
oh, I say I tell people with um,like my training business now
for builders.
Like have a look at your screentime on your phone and if
you're spending half an hour toan hour on social media a day,
that's your success.
(34:58):
Yeah, like, instead of spendingthat 30 minutes to an hour on
social media, spend that 30minutes to an hour on yourself.
Yeah, whether it's exercise orpersonal development or
something.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yeah, yeah well because, when I exercise I
listen to audio books, and Ilisten to audio books whenever I
can and that's like.
So sometimes it's like aneducational one, sometimes it's
like at the moment I'm listeningto like Warhammer 40K books, so
it's all just like space crazy,space war stuff.
(35:32):
But yeah, like and or podcastsor something like that.
Um, there's a few likeparticularly with sport, like um
, afl podcasts and stuff likethat, and I've got a couple of
um.
There's one that's a aboutperformance, like afl
performance, um, like strengthand conditioning coach, so I
listen to that a fair bit aswell.
(35:52):
Um, but yeah, like I, yeah,like I, I do do it like find
yourself just like mindlesslyscrolling and then, yeah, I
think everyone does it thesedays.
But yeah, it's like making thatan excuse not to do something
isn't, yeah?
Speaker 1 (36:08):
yeah, but it's more about the time yeah like if
you're, because everyone'snumber one excuse is I've got no
time yeah, I'm too busy.
But yeah, I I my thing now,like if you just check your
social media screen time on yourphone and it's like most, I've
heard something the other day.
Actually yesterday, I waslistening to Ed Milet.
I know it was actually a Diaryof a CEO podcast and they were
(36:32):
talking about some studies.
Apparently, the average personnow looks at their phone over
2400 times a day.
Yeah, doesn't surprise me, like, and I was like holy shit, like
that is insane.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
But yeah, when you, yeah, just a quick click like oh
yeah, no like it's, yeah, likeit's taken over our lives.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
So yeah, if you're saying you got no time, you only
gotta look at your social mediatime.
And if you put half the timeyou spend in your social media
into doing some push-ups or abit of exercise or going for a
walk or whatever, like you saywalking's easy.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
It's like stick your head in.
You don't need anything, youcan just do it anywhere.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Yeah, listen to a podcast, smash out an audible
book.
Especially now the weather hereis beautiful.
You can go out pretty much anytime of day now, so you
obviously like your.
You mentioned the book you werejust reading then because you
like your Star Wars stuff aswell.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
You've got all your tats with your.
Star Wars characters yeah,Space Jam and Star Wars yeah,
love it.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
Yeah, so that's just something that's come as you've
grown up.
Yeah, so where's that?
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Look, that's just something that's come as you've
grown up, or yeah.
So I think my decision, mydecision for Space Jam was when
I was down at the trade schooland me and a couple of mates
were just drinking and wewatched Space Jam and I'm like,
oh, that'd be a sick tattoo.
And then I was already bookedin to get a tattoo but I didn't
know what I was going to get yet.
I might stuff it, I'm gonna getspace jam, um.
(37:58):
And then, yeah, like star warsI've been a massive star wars
fan my whole life, so, um, yeah,I'm getting all the bad guys on
my left leg.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
I've just, I've never been able to get into it.
I just, yeah, I don't know yeah, I just love like.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
I love like, yeah, fantasy kind of love, lord of
rings and stuff like love, yeah,like sci-fi stuff.
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
So, mate, what's like we'll wrap it up in a minute,
but, yeah, I hope people reachout, like if they are in
Brisbane or north side ofBrisbane and that, and because,
yeah, you're like young business, so hopefully we can get some
people behind you and get onboard and stuff.
Um, look for those people thatare listening, stay tuned
because I'm going to try and dosome stuff, uh with justin, um
(38:41):
to help the constructionindustry, uh with exercise and
stuff and, um, some retreats andthat.
So stay tuned for those.
But, um, it's out there now,mate.
like everyone knows that I'mworking out and yeah you're
pushing me along, so uh we'regonna have to show them the
results aren't we?
Speaker 2 (38:55):
yeah, yeah, we can start taking some videos and
stuff.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Yeah, getting it um, we're gonna do some videos.
The other day and I was tryingto get back to training with my
finger and that, but uh, it justdidn't really eventuate.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
But yeah, we will need to fix up the lighting in
my, in my gym, but, um, we'll,I'm sure we'll get some stuff
out there.
Speaker 1 (39:16):
But yeah, look, I just wanted to get you on, mate,
so we can, like, I want topractice what I preach, so, and
I'm on a mission to create a newbuilding industry, and a big
part of that is is the mentalhealth and and the exercise.
So, um, yeah, I reallyappreciate you coming on and
talking a little bit about whatyou're doing and how you do it
and, uh, dealing with yourmental health stuff and that.
Like, have you, before we getout of here, like have you got
(39:38):
any advice for anyone out therethat thinks they're maybe going
through some tough times orstruggling a little bit like?
Speaker 2 (39:45):
um, yeah, like, honestly, just go talk to
someone like it's like the samething everyone says, but just
like tell someone that you'relike oh look, I'm not doing that
great, you know, and like ittakes weight off your chest.
Um, because, yeah, you likeinternalize things and it, yeah,
(40:06):
it sucks when you're justdealing with things alone and
like, if you say I'm not dealing, I'm not doing too great, like
I guarantee the other personthat you're talking to has
probably had issues as well.
Have you found that Since nowthat you've sort of realized
that the more people you talk to, the more people have had
similar yeah, yeah for sure,like so many people I know now
(40:27):
that have had problems, and Ithink that's why I try to openly
talk about it, because it kindof invites people to talk to me,
like open up to me about it.
So I think it has beenbeneficial for other people.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Is it big in the army ?
Speaker 2 (40:46):
I'd imagine it'd be huge in the army?
Oh yeah, yeah, it is Becausepeople in the army put so much
pressure on them.
That's what I put so muchpressure on myself when I was in
the army and that's from likemy own, like it was me doing it
to myself.
Um, so, yeah, a lot of peopleput so much pressure on
themselves and it's like it is astressful, stressful job, um,
(41:06):
and there are like pressuresfrom outside sources as well,
like when you're expected to dosomething.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Can we talk?
Can we talk a little bit aboutthe army are Are we allowed to
talk about the army?
Speaker 2 (41:17):
Yeah, I'm sure I don't know.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
It's just like you get a knock on the door from the
Like I said, I've always I seethese trucks and shit driving
around.
I've always thought, shit,that'd be awesome to go and have
a play and muck around withthem.
But what actually happens inthe army?
Is it what actually happens inthe army, like?
Is it like you see on shows,where you like, you're in dorms
and you get woken up and you gotto flog your ass all morning?
Speaker 2 (41:38):
that's that's like kapuka.
That's like basic training islike that.
So at kapuka you'll go there.
Well, when I went it was 12weeks and it's yeah, wake up
every morning, got to make yourbed, go to the toilet, all that
stuff like walk around like saysuch everyone or like whatever,
and very like for three monthsit's very, very regimented to
(41:59):
kind of break you down and theykind of.
The idea of Kapuga is like buildup people that aren't very
confident and kind of like knockdown people who are arrogant
and overconfident.
But then after that it's kindof like just kind of like a
normal, like 7.30 in the morningto four o'clock in the Arvo job
while you're on base.
(42:19):
And while you're on base likefor me personally because I was
a fitter like all of our job wasmaintenance on like vehicle
mechanics and stuff, so vehicles, weapons and all that stuff and
just making sure everything'sgood to go for field exercises
and generally it's like thatmiddle period, that stuff and
just making sure everything'sgood to go for um field, field
exercises and generally it'slike that middle period like may
to july area where there'swhere you'll be out at up at
(42:42):
rocky or up at um high range intowns or something like that,
like sleeping under a hoochie umwhile it's cold.
So getting woken up at midnightto like go stand on picket.
You're like.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
How often do you have to go out in the field and do
that training?
Speaker 2 (43:01):
Generally, there's like a couple of big exercises a
year and it is generally inthat like May to July period.
I think the longest I went outfor it was probably about a
month and a half straight, but alot, of, a lot of exercises
will go for like two weeks orsomething like that.
So you will go out a coupleweeks, come back, refurb, get
(43:22):
everything sorted ready to gofor the next field exercise,
which might be in a month's timeor something like that.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Um, but yeah, most of it's just training, training,
training, um and so what happenswhen you're out on those field
exercises, like is it strict?
Like you have schedules and upfor breakfast, like everyone's
doing it together, like it's notjust dawdle around doing this,
doing that, yeah so there'll belike an exercise.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
There'll be an overarching plan of the exercise
, but it depends on how likemany people would be involved,
but like, everyone goes outthere basically to do their job.
So for me it would be yep, wakeup in the morning, have have
brekkie, um, wait to see ifthere's anything else happening,
(44:08):
uh, and then if there isn't,like, if there's maintenance to
do, we'll do maintenance.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
If there's not, chill out a mechanic or a fitter and
turner is like you're only on ifthere's shit to yeah exactly so
.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
If there's like and that's the thing it's like if
there's nothing to fix, thenthat's good, you know, but
there's always something to fix.
Um, there's always there, likeespecially with the buckets,
like there's always a uhsomething, someone that's gotten
bogged or stuck in somethingand needs to get dragged out,
and um, yeah, the people do somepretty pretty crazy stuff and,
(44:48):
uh, they break a lot of stuff.
So, um, we're always, we'realways like working yeah and
like sometimes like we'd be upat night, like everyone would
pack up and everything and thenwe'd be up at night fixing
everything for the next morningand stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (45:02):
So they're going to jump in those big trucks and
just saying, oh, these thingscan go anywhere, and just yeah,
yeah and some I've seen.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
I've seen some trucks like go some crazy places, like
we're watching, like oh my god,and like the're watching him,
like going, oh my god, and likethe driver's just like going up
these mountains, you're likejesus, but yeah, they get there
and you're like cool, like thedriver's, like I never want to
do that again.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
That was sketchy as I'm like yeah, no, no well, mate
, look, thanks very much forcoming in.
Um, yeah, look, like I said,reach out to uh justin if you
want to.
Uh, if you're on the north sideof brisbane, you want to do
some personal um pt like, yeah,like I said, I've never been a
gym person, never really beencomfortable doing it, and yeah,
he's got me out of my comfortzone doing one-on-one and um at
(45:48):
his place and stuff.
So, yeah, reach out if you wantto get involved.
But for everybody out there,please, um, exercise, breath,
work, cold showers all that typeof stuff is just so, so good
for you.
It really helps with yourmental health, anxiety and all
those types of things.
It's worked wonders for me.
So, as always, thanks very muchfor listening to this podcast,
(46:08):
making this Podcast Australia'snumber one construction podcast,
and we look forward to seeingyou on the next episode Like,
subscribe, share, comment, allthose types of things.
And, yeah, we to seeing you onthe next episode.
Like, subscribe, share, comment, all those types of things.
And uh, yeah, we'll see yousoon.
Are you ready to build smarter,live better and enjoy life?
Then head over to live like,buildcom, forward, slash,
elevate to get started.
Everything discussed during thelevel up podcast with me, duane
(46:40):
pierce, is based solely on myown personal experiences and
those experiences of my guests.
The information, opinions andrecommendations presented in
this podcast are for generalinformation only, and any
reliance on the informationprovided in this podcast is done
at your own risk.
We recommend that you obtainyour own professional advice in
respect to the topics discussedduring this podcast.
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