The Future of Action Sports - Deacon Andrews

Everybody chases great things. This dude is huge in the action sports. Everybody wants to crush it every day. And CrossFit too. Like, like they're chasing that like epic, crushed workout every day. You know, the hardest thing to recover from is a great day. A great day is exhausting.

Hey. Welcome back, fitness friends, to the Future of Fitness podcast and interview series. This is your host here at Albone. And this is episode number 160. I get to talk to Deacon Andrews. So, Deacon, what a story. He is the uh he's been in industry for a long time. He's been uh training people for a long time, CrossFit. Uh now he's really finding his niche in uh action sport athletes and growing his business quite successfully there. Um his website is C Stu Strong S-I-S-U-Strong.com. You can learn a little bit more about Deacon, but he's also hysterical and very authentic and honest. And I think a good chunk of this interview, first uh you know, 20 and 25 minutes, was just talking about his journey through depression, anxiety, and and all the things he's overcome to become successful. And I think that message resonates with a lot of people, it resonates with me for sure. And uh, you know, this is the type of episode where I get a lot of direct messages because people are like, yeah, I get it. I get it. You know, I do get it. And uh yeah, so I hope you enjoy it. And and there's a lot in here to talk about action sports, of course, as well. So, what is action sports exactly? Um, who is he targeting and working with now and the future that he has? He's working on a big project out there in Utah. So super cool stuff, man. Um, really excited for for DK and what he's up to, and uh he really came in and offered a lot of value uh in this interview. So this interview is brought to you by CertifiedCourseCreation.com. Uh Kate Harameo and I have been doing this for about a year now, and uh it's really picking up. We're putting out some amazing certifications and we're looking for people to partner with, and uh maybe you're one. So if you're listening, you're thinking, like, yeah, yeah, I got a good idea for certification. You know, maybe it's action sports. I don't know, Deacon, if you're listening. Um, how to you know, how do you take a wealth of knowledge that you've had, you've accumulated over the years and expertise, and how do you start leveraging yourself? Well, the world of online education is ripe. Um, and I would get in early, and we'd like to help you. So uh go to certified coursecreation.com, learn a little bit more, and if you'd like to book a call with me, I'm happy to. It's free. We can talk about your concepts, see where it fits into the market, see how the opportunity is, and uh and see if it's a good fit. So please do don't hesitate. Why? Why hesitate, right? Because it's gonna take a little while to build it out, and uh if you start today, uh a year from now, you will not regret it, I promise you. So level five mentors is our other sponsor. So uh partner with that as well, we got a couple good mentors on the team. But if you are an entrepreneur um who's feeling basically stuck, right, can't seem to get any traction, uh, Ken and I can help. And it all starts with a call. So go to level five mentors, it's L-E-V-E-L, the number five, mentors.com, and uh we'd love to chat with you and just see where you're at. But you know, there's there's a lot of different ways I think when you look at what most entrepreneurs are looking at is you know, well, how much is my company worth? How much am I earning? Right? Are those really the metrics that most entrepreneurs want or should be looking at? At a certain point, I'm gonna say no, no, that's not why we get into it. We get in because we want freedom, right? We want to do what we want when we want, and that's what entrepreneurship is all about. And we want to make an impact. So, how how are we looking at that? Are we looking at the right metrics, right? Well, we make sure first of all that people are looking at the right things to gauge success because it's gotta be you. It's your definition of success that dictates what's going on. It's not some other one, it's not something on Instagram, right? It's you, and that's what we help people figure out, and I love it. I am loving it. So go check it out, L-E-V-E-L, number five mentors.com, and uh look forward to hearing from you. Without further ado and me rambling, let's get on to episode number one six zero with Deacon Andrews and uh yeah, enjoy the ride. We're live. Deacon, welcome. What's up? Excited to have you, man. I'm uh I love our conversations and I love what you do. I mean, you and I could probably talk about mountain life for 45 minutes, but I don't know how interested people would be.

All right, you guys want to work out? Well, first get some flannel and a beard. Outside of that, your opinion doesn't matter.

Yeah, yeah. This episode is sponsored by Garmin Phoenix 5 and cool pants. K-U-H-L. Yeah, everybody have to pay us for that.

My pants are cool. It's a boy dude lives here actually. He lives in Park City, and I didn't know it that I told him his pants sucked one time. They went really easy, and we were all at dinner, and they're like, Oh, that's the owner. I was like, Oh, I need new pants.

You need a new foot, take out of your mouth.

I told I was just like, I like your pants.

Oh, that's awesome, man. Well, Deacon, it's it's a pleasure to get you on, and um you know, big thanks to Ken for introducing us. And I think he uh he's like, You guys should just talk because you have too many things to enjoy.

And I think he tried to do that like a year ago, but I was in a I just wasn't in a Ken Ken's just one of those guys who for whatever reason uh really invested in me in a time in my life that was just really dark. And uh like he nobody could have really helped me, but he kept trying, and I was just kind of in this place. But I remember a year ago, he's like, Oh, when he's when you guys started the what is that group that app called, Slack. Is it yeah, the Slack group? You know, and he tried to connect, get me to connect you, and I was like, Man, I just don't not gonna waste anybody's time because I just like I don't I'm not consistent right now, I don't know where I am and what I'm doing. But yeah, so now it's been awesome to get to have a few conversations and it's just yeah.

Well let's start with that, man. Give us give us your story, Deacon. Tell tell people who don't know who who you are, who you are.

Um I am a 230-pound ginger with a red beard, and that's pretty much what most people know me as. Um, but there is more to the good looks. You know, I'm a dad, first of all. I have uh an amazing five-year-old daughter, and no matter what, that is, that's who I am, that's who I want to be. And uh, you know, I have I've had the opportunity to have a lot of amazing experiences um from uh you know growing up, playing uh high-level tennis and college tennis, which is always surprising to people, but then from there transferring into kind of a professional fighting career, then into military, and um you know, then retired, medically retiring out of the military after a broken back and going full-time into strength training, um, which after that I had it was kind of just this roller coaster of things because what I didn't know was that I was struggling with a lot of depression, um, anxiety, like PTSD and things like that. Um, that I was really good at masking as long as I was helping a lot of people. Um and for about four years was like kind of solid, and you know, had a good gym, and then we moved to Utah, and um you know, I I kind of started to self-employed a little bit, and I didn't have a gym. I was predominantly coaching online, all of a sudden had a lot of free time with myself, and things really kind of uh just kind of began to spiral. And just I made I was just constantly like duct tape fixing things and chasing um fixes and trying to piece it all together and just force things to happen and uh really got to the point to where you know 18 months ago, I didn't know if I was gonna make it to the next day if I wanted to. Uh you know, if I had if I didn't have a daughter, I really doubt I would be here because you know I couldn't wrap my head around ever leaving this world and her wondering why, if it had anything like why she wasn't enough. Um, so that was kind of the thing that really kept me going at that point. Um, I had completely stepped away from coaching, and that was kind of like right when Ken and I connected was really when things started to spiral and get really bad. And um, I walked away from a gym that I was a business partner of and just kind of went into the basement for six months, uh, literally. Uh and just all I was trying to do was pull enough courage together to spend time with my daughter when I had her, and uh and it was just kind of one of those crazy things, and you know, and Ken really was probably one of the most foundational people throughout that that truly like wasn't letting me give up on myself, um and uh and it just you know just slowly started to come out of that, and I started coaching again and just kind of fell back in love with coaching. And first of all, I started to like myself and and dealt with a lot of things, and I had been in a very toxic relationship after my divorce, which was a big piece of it, and um you know that kind of forced me to look at some things and and to really just grow and learn. And so I yeah, I just slowly got back into the to coaching and realized that that's what I was supposed to do, and that's what I love doing, and um now it's kind of come full circle and just I'm back to the just I love life, you know. I'm a person that I don't I take life very serious, but I don't take it very serious, you know, and and uh and I just I love to joke and you know a lot of that is kind of a coping mechanism for me too, sometimes. But the one thing I noticed, like when I was really struggling with depression and things like that, is I had no sense of humor. I couldn't even like bring that about. And um, you know, I I I love to use humor and kind of silly skits or stupid videos. Like yesterday I made a mountain bike video about sponsoring and everything, and pretty much ended up with me just riding through the woods of my underwear because I don't really have any sponsors. Um it's on Instagram and YouTube, you'll have to check it out. I'll see um, you know, and but then like attaching like really quality information and content behind it. And you know, action sports is my passion. Um, and really it's guys like us, you know, that kind of 35 plus crowd that we uh we put we we do things a little bit better than most. You know, we're not a like we're not these pro skiers or pro mountain bikers, but we we we hang and we get out there and we just want to be able to last and do that as long as possible. So that's kind of where where I am now, and um partnering with some guys to open a facility that will really cater to a lot of stuff like this. And uh and just man, I'm just having fun.

Yeah. Yeah, that's good to hear, man. I mean, it's um, you know, if if you don't mind talking about depression for a second, I think uh, you know, it's it's something that certainly has touched me personally in my life. It's also touched many people in my family and a lot of people I know, and it's one of those things where you can't, you know, Joe Rogan talks about in my favorite podcast. He talks about all the time. Like, you know, it's not it's not something that you can if you have a broken arm, you can fix it, you fix it. Yeah. Everyone's like, oh, a poor guy has a broken arm. What can I do for you? Can I bring you some, you know, some dinner or or you know, drive you somewhere? But if if you're depressed or mental illness or anything like that, you just it's not you can't see it, right? So people are like, well, get over it.

Right. It's one of those things you don't understand, you know, and the more that I've become really open about it, and um I've really learned that way more people deal with it and to more extremes than you would even ever realize. But one of the reasons they don't like to hear someone talk about it is because they don't want to have to address their own. Yeah. You know, they like you don't talk about it because I don't want to talk about it either. And um, and that's kind of been, especially with men, that's been a big kind of passion for me is being one to like open that door. You know, I'm not like you know, I'm 6'2, 230 pounds. I'm you know, I I'm I'm a big guy, and you know, I you know, I I consider myself a pretty like kind of traditional manly guy. And you know, so I've tried to be very open and you know, and having a daughter has totally changed that. And I'm like, yeah, I'm covered in glitter, so and uh, you know, but uh to be real vulnerable and and honest about that and to uh have real conversations with uh with men and you know and be willing to you know say when people ask, we all is everybody asks, how's it going? And it was like oh good. But you know, my big goal is to been to challenge myself to just not like pour it out, but just be, you know what, today's kind of shitty, but it's all right. I'm here, you know, and and I think that's the biggest thing is everybody feels like they gotta put on this front, and it's it's just being okay, not being okay. Like, no, don't have your shit together all the time. Don't tell yourself you have to have positive thoughts all the time, because then you're gonna get pissed that you're not having positive thoughts. Yeah, like uh, you know, we all have this big scary monster that lives in a room, and so often we just we ignore it, and every time we walk in, it scares the crap out of us, versus just walking over to it and being like, I see you. Like you don't control me, I see you. You know, I depression and anxiety for me, what I've learned is no different than someone that has a fear of heights. It may not seem rational, like it doesn't well, that's a fear of heights is rational. Like you should like if you don't rational funny things like but like but you know, like a paralyzing fear or something like that. There's a lot of times you can't understand that because you don't have it. But what's a great way to get over that is progress. Go stand on a 10-foot ledge, you know, stand there and learn to how to control that anxiety when it happens. The fear is not gonna go away, but you can control it and you learn how to react better. And that's kind of what it comes down to is you know, we're told to not have these things, and then it just gets that we don't deal with it until it's exploded, you know. And the same in the gym, you know, we don't we don't deal with injuries until we have to, versus what if we dealt with them before they happen and then, you know, so yeah, it's just kind of it's you know, if I can do anything for men, um, you know, women are great about it, I think. And and it's still a taboo, but for men, like, dude, just talk. Like every Thursday, I have a group of guys that I get to lunch with, get together with. And it's you know, it's kind of just the unspoken rules that if somebody's struggling, we're gonna talk about like they can they can talk talk about it. It doesn't mean we have to answer it. You know, the most powerful thing you can say to someone with depression or who is like on the verge of like suicide because it's just so painful they can't live, they don't want to die, but they're in pain. And it's just being willing to like being willing to say, like, dude, I understand that it's that bad, and I'm really sorry. Not go for a walk, not it'll be okay. Because you know what? It doesn't feel like it's gonna be okay. And it's very powerful to just kind of acknowledge for someone be like, I'm sorry that it sucks that bad. Because it does. I've been there. And there and I don't, I didn't want to be there.

Right, right. No one wants to feel that way, you know, and that's um I, you know, some of some of the episodes where I've on this show where I've gotten um direct messages or emails sent to me. It's it's always been, it's never been about like what's the best business practice, right? It's never been any of that marketing tech. It's it's always been something where somebody got real honest about burnout, depression, anxiety, and people are like, yeah, I resonate with that. That's me, right?

That's what people need to hear.

Yes.

Because like, think about what we see. What do we see all day long is all the wins. Like now, granted, I don't want I don't think someone should go through and start an Instagram account about man, every day is just shitty.

Right.

Like you don't really want to see. But but it's you know, it's like all we see is the highlight reel. I mean, and I and people talk about this all the time. So even though you know that's not the like the whole story, it is. You know, I was talking, I got to talk to Robin Lyons from Mountain Lab performance yesterday for like an hour. And um, you know, it's probably like one of the big the things that like resonated to me was we were talking about like gyms and growing gyms, and it's like, you know, she's like, I've moved to Driggs, Idaho in the middle of nowhere, and have this awesome program. People are like, oh, you did that in like no time. And it's like, no, she did that over 18 years of becoming one of the most respected coaches in the industry. She just happened to be living in Driggs now, but it's she didn't move to Driggs and just randomly start building this thing, like 18 years, you know, of struggle and grind, and you know, and you've seen this and you know, you've been through it. And yeah, I just just you know, it's funny this morning, I don't usually train clients early, first thing in the morning, because that's time for me to get my shit together.

Yeah, sure.

So like so that I come out and like deal do what I need to do and and address those kind of demons that are there, that darkness piece that's there. Because I mean it's still all there. All the things that I struggle with, there's some of the first things that pop in my head, but it's kind of like stepping into it. And um, but if I do train someone first thing, I'm making sure that it's someone that I know that they're authentic and that they're gonna like if if they're having a crappy morning, we meet up at 5 a.m., they're gonna at least say it. You know, and that it's gonna be kind of that like real authentic interaction because at least I'm gonna start my day with with that. And uh I think that's just a piece that we are continually missing. Yeah.

Well, how do you how do you feel when you wake up most mornings? Like, do you do you wake up do you wake up thinking like today is a day full of opportunity? Do you wake up thinking like, oh shit, like something bad's gonna happen today? Do you like what's what's your default when you wake up? Because everybody has a certain thing. You can change that stuff over time, but whatever you default with now currently is what you have to deal with now.

You know, for me, it's it kind of goes two ways. One, when I have my daughter and I wake up, I'm like, dude, I I I know what I'm doing. You know, it's just about getting her ready for the morning, and it's just kind of like I have my purpose.

Yeah.

Mornings that I don't have her, it it typically kind of can be a little bit more of a depressed morning. I'm like, oh, like, well, what do I do? Like, you know, and and I tend to have that, like, I can I can have that moment where like, well, you don't have to get out of bed right now, you know, and and so it is more of a conscious choice to to get up and to to start going and and kind of get a little bit more motivated. And I'm a morning person, like I love, I love mornings, you know, I love I wake up pretty naturally around like 4 30. And um, you know, and anybody like my ex-wife would be like, dude, mornings with him sucks because he's like, you know, I am, and I wake up and I'm alert, but yeah, it's um it's still that struggle of am I doing, am I doing what I should be doing? Am I you know and having to kind of talk myself into it? And it's just you know, but it's funny because I bet anybody that knows me would be surprised to hear that. That I'm not just because like, hell yeah, let's go. And um because that's kind of my mentality. Uh and I'm always I I've always been kind of the the person in the group that provides motivation and and uh and it's like yeah, let's do it. And another thing they probably don't know is because I want to beat them. But that's why I'm always excited to do stuff is hoping that I beat some of them. Um they don't need hopefully they're not listening to this either. They may be like, hey guys, let's go do this. I know I'm gonna be beating you. And uh probably I'm gonna make sure none of my none of my like close. Oh, this is gonna get around for sure.

Don't worry. This is gonna backfire big time. It's gonna be great.

And uh but yeah, I mean, I'm like, it's I don't know. I don't I I hear all these. Influencers and um, you know, motivational speakers. And and and honestly, like when I was really struggling, like I had to put on like motivational speeches all the time just to get to get some type of pumped up thing, just to get moving. And I think that's valuable, but that's not something that's sustainable and it shouldn't be like what you rely on, you know, but uh it's just kind of finding that piece. But like you hear all these guys like, oh, just think positive thoughts, and that and I don't agree with that. I really don't. I think you need to be um okay with the fact that it's not always positive. And and that's the thing, is it's you don't let that crush you, but you know, and I and you know, there's that admiral that gives the speech about make your bed first thing in the morning so you succeed. And there's a huge component to that. I truly believe that if you're struggling, like do it because give yourself a win. Yeah, too often we pick all these great, you know, everybody's like, I'm gonna do this 90-day challenge that's gonna change 17 things I do each day. I didn't make it past the first day. I'm a failure.

Yeah. Well, you know what a lot of people do, which you know, maybe this alone would help a lot of people, is look at yourself as if you're coaching yourself or if you're someone that you love, right? And treat yourself with that, you know, and people are like this, use use that same compassion, use that same empathy. Like, you know, if you're if if I was talking to a client the way that I talk to myself in my head, right, my client would be like, What the is wrong with you, right? Like why are you so hard on me? Right. And I think that's a big thing a lot of people face too, is like, well, be a little compassionate with yourself. Let yourself have some failure, right? Because that's part of it. And I think I agree, like, if I'm working with anybody on the nutrition or health sandwich, it's been a long time since I have, I'm like, well, let's we're gonna focus on one habit for the next 30 days. The one most important habit, whether it's sleeping eight hours or drinking enough water or you know, just being aware of what you're putting in your face, right? Whatever it is. Let's just focus on one thing. And that one thing, like Max uh Max Shank was on the podcast a couple times. We're huge fans, and Andy Patronk, huge fans of like, what can you do in five minutes a day if you did it every day? Crazy things, right? You can accomplish crazy things, right?

And it's you know, that's the the ticket is it falls back to everything we see with fitness and health and consistency. Yeah, you know, everybody chases great days, and you see this huge in the action sports um world, is everybody wants to crush it every day. And the CrossFit too, like they're chasing that like epic, crushed workout every day. You know, the hardest thing to recover from is a great day. A great day is exhausting. You know, like let me tell you what my great day would be. Yeah, wake up at four o'clock in the morning to like three feet of fresh pound, hike out someone, you know, two hours hike, some two even more, whatever, get some fresh turns in, come home, hang out with my daughter, play all day, take her skiing now, go to the gym, work out, have a couple glasses of whiskey at the end of the day, and that's gonna crush me, but that would be a great day. Yeah, I couldn't do it over and over, you know, and and I think we just we there's just such a misconception of what we want versus what we need, and and just being okay with being like having a good day, yeah, or having a shitty day, yeah, whatever. Like you know, like yeah, like I said, like my biggest thing that I've tried to promise myself is that even with clients, like I'm there to help them and I'm gonna perform, but a piece of that allowing me to do it is if they ask me how I am, it's like, man, you know what? I've been a little off today, and that gives me the freedom to be like, okay, I'm off. But then it allow actually does allow me to coach better. I'm not trying, I'm not trying to trick them. Right. And they are also gonna be more likely to be more upfront and honest with me when they're having that as well.

Yeah, so yeah, that's a key point. Because then you know, people know too. Like if you're trying to be the same guy every day, well, not the same guy, the same upbeat persona every day, it you're gonna you're not gonna last long because it's exhausting, right? And they they know clients know, they just know, right?

It's like they're no, you know, they're not dumb, they're just like you. You can tell when they come in, they're like, oh, I feel great, and then I'm like, dude, like we're off.

Let's just go for a walk. You know, right, right. Yeah. Tacan, let's um before we get into this, define action sports for me, for people listening.

It's you know, it used to be kind of X games, what people would think of that, or it used to be the things that get you kicked out of like the library parking lot, um, get you kicked off of school campuses or whatever. You know, skateboarding is the kind of the traditional thing that you think of. But for what I do is it's mountain biking, um, BMX racing, skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, motocross, desert racing, motocross. Basically, anything that has a traditionally higher rate of maiming yourself, more so than like the traditional sports. I feel like that's how my mom would describe it. Yeah, it's but it's not bad. It's not a bad description. You know, um, yeah, you know, yeah, I don't action sports is just kind of the I don't really know, I don't really know what that means. Like when I say that, actually. It used to be extreme sports.

Yeah, it used to be extreme, now it's action. Now you hear like there's also motor sports, which are like a part of action sports.

So it's not I said mountain mountain athletes a lot, is who I work with a lot now because I mostly you know it's mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding. Um, and then I work with a lot of desert racers, like guys that do like the long desert racing motocross stuff. Um but yeah, like X Games, it's well, it used to be stuff that wasn't in the Olympics, but that's true. You know, not a lot of skateboarding, right? So yeah, it's just kind of more the non-traditional team sports. Uh I think that's a unique aspect of of action sports, is that it is all individual-based, but it is you have to have a solid team around you to really do well, which is stuff that I've always liked, which is why I love like MMA and jujitsu and action sports and like wakeboarding and snowboarding skiing and all that stuff, because you have to have people around you to help. But you're the only one that it comes down to. You know, there was no Tommy missed the pass and didn't score a point. And it's like, oh no, Deacon lost.

Well, the whole thing is be it's it's growing rapidly, right? In action sports.

It's I mean, Red Bull probably has a lot to Red Bull has done so many amazing things for athletes and um and for just pushing barriers. Um, I would say you know, it's not fair to say for athletes because there's like a handful of them that that get the perks of Red Bull, but Red Bull has they're just on the forefront of where can we take this? And like so here we have Woodward Park City that just opened up in Park City is their new headquarters, and they started out as a cheerleading um camp basically 30 years ago, and now they're like the the action sports mecca of the world, and like they have built this amazing facility. I got to do a walkthrough with Maddox, my daughter, a few weeks ago, and it's insane. All I like I walk through and I'm like, dude, there's so many ways I can hurt myself in here, but it's safer ways, like, but I like you know, it's like they have you go to they have a ramp that goes into a foam pit, a ramp that goes into an airbag, a ramp that goes into a resin uh ramp, and then you take it out to dirt. I just hope I have the patience to go through all those three first ones before I go try it out like outside. Right. But uh, you know, it's just it's crazy where this stuff is going, which has kind of been the thing now. Like again, like a lot of guys like me that are you know, I'm 30, I just turned 38. And you know, I I still think I'm 20. Me too. And my body's just like no, you know, so it's just about learning how to one be smarter about it, but to build a body that's resilient. And that's kind of the whole thing about what we do here and and how I coach and train is is more so working with guys, like I said, guys like us that want to play. You know, I love getting to work with these amazing athletes. And I do I get I get to train some of the most amazing athletes and the top guys in the world from skiing and and mountain biking girls. Um but that's not the core of what I do. It's it's it's people like us, you know, that we just don't want to play in the mountains. And I think that's another big component of why it's growing so fast is I call it the city slickers effect. Remember the old movie City Slickers? Oh yeah. Yeah, you know, most people probably don't, um, but because everybody's like 20 now, and I'm not. I feel like I do you feel like that, like that it's just like there's us and then there's 20-year-olds.

Yeah, there's there's not much in the league.

There's one in which I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I do. And City Slickers was amazing. And sometimes I feel like a city slicker up here in Montana.

But that's you know, and that's it's I think that's kind of action sports, is that thing. Um it allows people to get out and and and experience something different that challenges them. And the thing that I love about mountain sports and skiing snowboard and all this stuff is it doesn't matter if it's your first time or if you are a guy like Tanner Hall, who is one of the top in the biz chasing this crazy level of skiing, um the high and the feeling is the same because it's the it's the level that you're on is what you're experiencing. And so it is it's getting that. There's something no matter what healing about being out in the mountains and in that um which again was a huge component to me, even more so now being so passionate about building what I am here is because of the depression and things like if it hadn't been like if I'd been in a city somewhere, my outlet would have been to drink. My outlet would have been like probably finding drug more drugs or something like that. Um my outlet here was to get out on my bike, you know, to get out and hike, to be out in that and um and there's just there is no doubt about it, like you cannot be out in these mountains and constantly hold the stress and anxiety and depression and the things that are making that happen, it's impossible to hold on to them while you're taking in that experience. It's just soothing, and it may just be for a moment, but that's a lot of times that's all it takes to let someone see like, okay, this can get better. Because like a brief moment then can become five minutes, yeah. And then it just starts to expand. And you know, and that's kind of how I am. You know, it's you know, now I'm very efficient at like seeing like when those things are coming on and addressing them. But it's like, you know, the days are so so many good days are strung together, whereas before it was just fighting for minutes, and um and I think that's a big piece of why it is it allows people to push themselves in a way that they never experienced in their normal daily lives. And it could just be getting onto skis for the first time or riding up a chairlift for the first time, but it changes them and gives them an experience of the same as the guy who's getting dropped out of a helicopter and dropping down chutes in Alaska. It's the same thing, it's the same healing component of it.

Yeah. Yeah, and it's it's um, I redevoted myself to an outdoor life when I left California. Really, you know, we so I guess that was like two and a half years ago. And uh, you know, now going on my third ski season where I expect at least 50 to 60 days on the mountain, you know, it's it's changed my life. Like I can't think during I can't think of anything else. Like I can't, you know, it's it's it's a unique thing. And having done a lot of things that necessitate flow, right? Well, you know, team sports, um, CrossFit, um, you know, endurance, like a lot of things that people would say are flow. There's there's to me, there's just not anything that gets you quite immersed in the moment as being that combination of sport and outdoors, right? You just you're just so aware and you're in such a natural state. Um, and you're right, because I've been in rooms like, you know, I took my avalanche one course and in the room, the instructors, and there's pro skiers, you know, people who are on films who are instructing the class. And then, but we're all talking about the same feelings. Like, not feelings like emotional feelings, but you know, what they would call, you know, probably made fun of the stoke, right? Like everyone's like, oh yeah, yeah, I know that I know that feeling for sure. You know, like you gotta be going to walk in. Stoke is high, you know, you gotta be careful. That's when you gotta be like, oh yeah, I know the stoke, yeah, yeah, right.

You've got to watch the video that I made yesterday. You'll know.

Well, what I really admire too about what you what you're doing, Deacon, is you seem to be merging, like you were telling me in the first time we chatted that, you know, if it's if it's four inches, six inches of powder, and your client comes into the gym, or you're gonna text him that morning, be like, we're not going to the gym.

Yeah, that's a part of the contract. You know, we talk about it because again, you know, like I I love I love CrossFit. And if that's your jam, that's your thing, do CrossFit, CrossFit all day long. If that's your recreation, that's the name. But I really my business is for people that do not want to be in the gym, but understand that they want to perform optimally, whether it's a guy like me recreationally or an elite level athlete, that the gym is a component of that, to allow that to happen when when we want to do it. And um, so yeah, that's a piece of it. It's like, man, like look, if you and I don't train anybody that I don't want to go ski or ride bikes with. You know, we there it's just kind of a thing that I've really learned that if if we're not gonna hang out, and if it's not epic conditions and like trainings are very important, and typically like a lot, I mean we did it last week, like with uh one of my clients who's just kind of a perfect thing, like let's go run. We went and ran snowbird, and um we adjusted the training for recovery stuff later that afternoon, but our session was we went and ran, and and that's that's just what it's about because again, that's what I'm trying to help these people do, and then also on the flip side is when I get to see them in the environment doing the things that they love, that's where I really get to see what they are doing and what there's the breaking down in their body when they get tired and what we need the most in the gym. We can do all the screening all day long in the gym. There is some amazing screening, um, great tests, but it doesn't necessarily reflect what the compensation patterns are for someone who participates in mountain sports, especially someone who is very good at it, who knows, who has figured out how to be very good at them, what they do with really crappy mobility or movement patterns. And it's like it's mind-boggling. Like I have client, I have a client that like I mean, you will if you look at him now, like if you looked at him walking the gym, you would be like, this dude is broke. But it's night and day from where he was six months ago, um, and it's he's just that beat up from averaging probably two to three hundred miles a week of skinning and backcountry skiing, and that's just what he does. Um but he can go, he can kick my butt out there, no, no doubt. That's who I went running with, and uh, you know, it's um there he's just an animal because he's gotten so good at what he does. So it allows me to do my job better, and again, it's there's just something better like being in the gym. I I love the gym. I am kind of a beathead, I I do like to lift, and um but uh yeah, that's that's the component of it is we're all here in in the facility that we're putting together because we want to play outside as much as possible. Yeah, and uh, you know, like I do, I ask the question, I'm like, all right, if if it's a good snow day, we're supposed to train, like what would you rather do? And like, oh, you know, like don't bullshit me, like don't tell me what you think I want to hear, because it's probably not the right answer. And uh, you know, and uh but now everybody now everybody knows. I think now, like once I kind of got out of the bag, it was like I'm gonna go train with Deacon because he's gonna actually make me go ride my bike more if it's a nice day.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's it's an interesting thing, and and maybe it's my own bias or or you know, the things that I see, right? Um, but you know, people like you or uh Dr. Sean Pastouch or you know, um Dr. Eric Goodman, Ryan White, like everybody's like those guys, I would those guys are just like super smart.

I rely on my looks and hand model.

Yeah, right, right. But the goal is the same as like you're you're working with people who just want to live a higher quality of life. I mean, there's so much in the fitness industry about six-pack abs and x percent body fat. And we all know if you've been in the industry for a while, sure maybe you can help someone get that, but it's such a fleeting goal and it's so empty at the end of the day.

It's a photo shoot. Dude, I found the right lighting. Again, you'll see it in my video. I found the right lighting yesterday. I didn't have to flex or anything. It made my abs look so good out on the mountain.

Right.

Just the right filter and the right lighting. I had abs. It was great.

Yeah, yeah. And it's it's just a game that like I don't think if you play that game as a fitness professional, you'll you'll probably get a lot of clients up front, but you you may completely lose the passion that brought you into the industry.

Yeah, well, it's it it's it's not fair to say that it's they're they're just churning out robots. I don't that's like the thing that comes to mind is it's very robotic and it's it's like, yeah, of course that you know it's and I tell everybody I work with what are your goals? And it's like, oh, I want to ski better. Okay, cool. And we we we the way that I kind of fashion it is one move better, feel better, perform better, and you look good naked. Like that, if you if that's not a part of it, you're full of crap. You're a liar. Yeah, we but like you know, are we tracing like 12 abs, whatever? Like, no, like, but yeah, we want to look good and feel good. But you if you if you I approach it from the other end, if you do all the things right that allow you to feel good and enjoy your life the most, one, you're gonna probably have a better relationship with body image. And I understand that women struggle with that a lot, but dudes, you also like dudes, you guys. I see us, you know, I'm like, oh god, I don't know. And I you know, I do, I care. And uh, I also just found out that dad bod wasn't a positive thing. They used to hashtag that, and people are like, dude, you're an idiot. That's not a good thing. I was like, oh, I thought it was like dad's, I thought it was like dad's business, and like, oh, I'm a dad and I work out hard and get it all like, no, it's the exact opposite. It's like, oh, I'll take those hashtags off.

Yeah, yeah, it's a it's it's a funny thing. Like, I did you ever read comic books running up? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I am. So I was a chubby kid and uh I would read all these comic books and I called it superhero syndrome because like all I wanted to do was look like a superhero, right? And it probably like it probably really left with me for most of my life. Like I just had this, you know, because women can easily talk about what they see on a magazine cover or Instagram models, but guys, like we just don't talk about it. Like we got we got we got stuff in our head, you know, and these these unrealistic, like, you know, I want to look like Superman, right? I want to look like the guy who ever played uh, you know, Aquaman. What's his name?

Oh, Jason Mamoa.

Yeah, like we all want to look like that. There's no difference there. Um We just shut up about it, we eat it and swallow it. Right. And then just like comes out some other way in our life. Um so tell us, man, you got some really cool things in the work. And I feel like it's happening pretty quickly for you too, about what's happening there in Utah. I mean, last time we talked, in between, which was I think it was like two weeks ago and then today, big things are already moving forward quickly.

Yeah, you know, and it's and it has kind of one of those things I've we've said, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna do this, and I've had the awesome opportunity to kind of build the facility of my dreams and um in conjunction with some awesome organizations and some awesome people, and kind of head it up for them, and uh with truly no holds bar to no input. Like they're like, hey, like and then and it's it was all guys that I trained and and then just cool opportunities, and it's like, all right, let's build this. And it's you know, so now we're just kind of piecing it together, and it's not um not something that again it's happening kind of it came it has happened fast, but it's been on the table for a long time. Um and um it's not like it's weird. I don't feel like this rush to do it. It's like I know where we're going and it's like all right, yeah, we'll get there and we'll do it. And it's just it's sometimes I'm like, man, am I am I passionate about this or am I just really like calm and like like confident? And I think that's it. It's I think a lot of times we do stuff kind of out of a knee-jerk reaction, we gotta do it now, and and versus doing things well again, like you know, fitness or whatever. Someone's like, I've got 16 hours to have the body of my dreams. Like, okay. Um, you know, and uh and it's you know, so yeah, sometime in the next like uh two to six months, like we'll have a facility open that is gonna be built around semi-private custom training for teams of people for corporate teams in this because we live here in this place where we have all these amazing like ski companies, school candy, J Bird, like all these like action sports influenced companies. Um and so it's gonna build around like programs for these teams of people and and and then addressing that and just a big piece of it is building awareness to what action sports, what you could benefit from, um and just creating some education components to that because again, the biggest piece that uh we see in the fitness industry in general and training is people just want to get crushed because it feels good. So I training a clientele that uh crushes themselves on their bikes, on their skis, boards, snowmobiles, and just kills it. Like like the the mental capacity of mountain athletes and ultra endurance athletes it's it's mind blowing. So my job is to make sure they're recovered. Whether they are professional or recreational, it is helping them recover. So the gym shouldn't feel anything like what they feel like when they're doing their sport, when they're doing their activity.

And and I and it's a horrible business model.

You know what I'm saying? Like because it's and this is where I think a lot of gym coaches fail, is uh they don't do a good job of meeting the client where they are and helping educate them to kind of adjust their need or their want, um, and they get scared of losing them, so they just crush it. And you can't sustain that. You know, again, like when someone comes in with that, it's why you see like a big thing in CrossFit or group fitness is like the three-month cycle. And it's just not sustainable, and it's and it's again, it's for us, it's just being very selective about building long-term clientele that I want to enjoy Park City with, and that we're just building a family, and that's yeah, I have to make a living, and and it's and that is a component of it, but it's building sustainable, long-lasting relationships. This is one of the things that I got. It was so cool to talk to Robin Lyons. Like, do you know Robin? Have you ever met her?

Yeah, Robin and I met um back in the day at the end of screening. Okay, yeah, that's where I met her first.

And um, she's just she's amazing. Like, and just then what she has and her passion for it and her no bullshit uh attitude is I was just like, yeah, like you're badass. And um we were just talking about that, but it's it's about creating a culture that breeds uh year-long coaching relationships, and you know, and for years to come, and that's and that's just where it is. And you see like some of the best trainers in the world, you hear from like Ben Bruno and Joe DeFranco and all these guys are like, oh yeah, I've trained these guys for five to ten years. That's one of the biggest things, like Luka Hosovar, like all those dudes. You'll hear like what what one thing that is consistent throughout all of them is that they have clients that have been with them for five to ten years. That's unreal, you know. And I have a lot of that is I think we try to fit people into what we what we want, and then we get frustrated instead of educating them um and meeting them in the middle, it just breaks down and people get hurt. I think that's a big component of it, is people go through stuff and get hurt, and um and then it goes. I think another big piece is insecurity in coaches who are scared of losing clients. So instead of being like, Man, you know what? You really need to spend like a month training with Eric because it's gonna really benefit you, that person's gonna come back. You know, and and but so many clients, so many trainers and coaches are insecure in that because again, you gotta make a living, and it's like that's a big thing. Um, but I you know, I think the most successful coaches and the guys that I look up to are the ones that are also willing to say, I don't know. But I know someone that does. Yeah. And uh let me let me let you talk to my buddy over here, you know. And that's like one of my favorite things in the world is one, it shocks the hell out of me like, what? Yeah, like no, I want you to go see, like here, I got a guy named Ben who is just phenomenal at what he does with joint stuff. And can I do it? Yeah, can he do it better? Yeah, yeah. So do I want my clients to have the best? Hell yeah, I do. Yeah, I know I'm still better looking than them, so they're gonna come back.

And ultimately that's what it's all about. Well, I think you're starting to see, you know, relative ease in what you're doing because you're aligned, right? Yeah, and it takes a long time for people to understand their values, and that that sounds like an ethereal thing, but it really does take a long time for someone to really understand. Sometimes it takes a lot of struggle.

Well, and a lot of times we we look, we want other people to tell us. And that was the biggest fail. When I went into this last partnership that I walked away from, right when I was meeting Ken, I went into the partnership with what I knew, everything that I know now, I knew that that's what I wanted. But I started to I wanted them to be happy too. And it should have been one of those things where it's like, okay, look, we just aren't aligned in our vision for this, and that's okay. And it and it and unfortunately, it got too far in and then just didn't have a great ending. Um, and that and I take a lot of blame for that because I shouldn't have done it to begin with. But I was looking at it more honestly as I need to figure out how to make a living and survive. And there's a I thought it was a good opportunity, but it wasn't because I wasn't, it wasn't where I was supposed to be. Yeah. So, you know, we we get caught up in like, what is, you know, and I you know, honestly, I even kind of did it with you a few weeks ago. Um, you know, we're talking about stuff. I was like, what do you think I should do? And you know, and I I feel like people should ask that question more already knowing the answer, but listening to feedback and taking what from it what they need. But that's something that I want to start doing more of is asking the question when I'm already when I kind of already know, but not looking for someone else to tell me what I should do. So if I don't know, then it's not right for me at that time, anyway. And um, you know, and you were awesome because you kind of guided me to where I needed, you know, just you kind of asked a lot of questions and it was kind of like, yeah, all right, that's where it was. But you know, I I did. I found myself even again that kind of like, oh well, if Eric thinks it's a good idea, then yeah, it's a good idea.

That's a lot of pressure on Eric. So if it doesn't work, I can come back and like, hey, yeah, I can just go back and defame him in every way.

Dude, you can call me and I sat at home. Yeah. I thought it was gonna work.

Yeah, well, I've talked, I've talked a lot of people out of opening gyms. I can tell you that much. Um, you know, and because as you know, everyone thinks like, well, that's the next logical step. I'm a fitness professional and I love training people, so I'm gonna open a gym. Oh no, that's a whole different.

Yeah. And that was the big thing that I told you. And that was kind of the silver lining for me was that I just I told the guys that that approached me with this is that I had no desire to run a business.

Yeah.

Like, I'm a coach, I'm a very ADD coach, you know. So, or I guess ADHD. I think I had more ADHD. But you know, so it's like, no, I'm not, I'm not gonna run a business. And uh, and they're like, Yeah, we got it. That's awesome.

That's a dream. Most a lot of people listening are gonna be like, I want that. I'm not whatever you just got.

No, no, let me, I want I'm not even gonna pretend like, dude, I have the best like people around me ever. It's just like I'm the luckiest dude in the world between the clients and like people that I have that are just like, no, like we're this is where we're going, and we know where you want to be. And um I feel like the coolest guy in the world because I have like the coolest, like most awesome friends and family, you know, and people are just super rad. I'm like, which is funny because I do have a couple like really like I didn't know they how famous they were. Um, some retired NFL guys, and we everywhere we go, like people are like, Oh, will you take our picture? And so I'll give the phone to him and act like I'm standing up for the picture. They're like, no, like will you will you take it? And I'm like, uh never failed every time they're like, uh um, and like everybody tries to be so nice about it, too.

Yeah, it's fun.

I remember I was in an airport.

Why do you want his picture? What did you do?

Yeah, I was in an airport lounge and uh Russell Wilson and his wife walked in. And they went into like the kids' rooms, they had their kid and they were kind of in there. And I was like, Oh, it's Russell Wilson. It's Russell Wilson. And his wife is even more famous. Like I can't remember her name, but um, she's definitely uh I don't know the wife. And I was like walking out, I'm like, oh, that's hysterical. And I like, I just I signed, I signed a piece of paper and I walked in and I just I'm like, here you go, man.

I love like what I mean.

I just I didn't even I didn't even care about his reaction. I just laughed my whole way to the to the next, you know, uh to the gate and got a little claim, but that was really funny for me. Dude, you can um where do uh where where do you direct people to find you? Do you go mostly on Instagram? Obviously, your Instagram stuff's good.

Uh you know, I really kind of encourage him not to because I put a lot of stupid shit out there, but um I'm one of those people that you look through and you're like I just wasted five minutes. Like you're gonna watch this video that I just posted. I just wasted five minutes. But I do put some good stuff out too. Um I I don't I don't even know what my Instagram is. I really don't.

That's funny. I don't know if I know mine either.

Actually, I'm not very good at this. Deacon Andrews 7433. 7433 spells ride. Awesome. Awesome, man.

Well, dude, I'm I'm really I'm really excited for you. Um what you got going and and you know, um I think you're one of those people who you're you're like an overnight success over 20 years, just like you're talking about. You know what I mean? Like you you've you've you've been through.

We should do a fail podcast sometime.

Yeah, right?

Just bring people on be like, here's all the things that didn't work.

How many hours? Yeah, how many hours do you want to go off on that? Because I got a list of like three things in the last month. Um but uh yeah, man. Deacon, thank you, thank you so much for coming on. And you know, thank you for um you know the authenticity and the honesty that you brought to it, and and you know, it's awesome. Um, everything about it. So yeah, I appreciate your time. It's been great.

Appreciate you, man. Just again, thanks for your willingness to answer my questions and and laugh at my jokes. That's you know, basically I picked my friends about who will laugh at my jokes. So you got me. I gotta send him 20 bucks again. No, I mean, I really appreciate it. And just thanks for what you're doing for the industry and for us that are trying to make it and kind of leading from the front. You and Ken have uh like been a huge part of that for me, and I and I really appreciate that.

Awesome, man. Yeah, you're very welcome. Ladies and gentlemen, Deacon Andrews. See ya. Hey fitness fans, don't leave yet. It's your host, Eric Malzone, and I have a quick favor to ask. Actually, three favors. So, number one, if you're a fan of our show, I asked you to do something that takes under three minutes. Go to iTunes, please, and subscribe to our show. Please, please, please. It means so much to us. It's so important. And then give us a favorable review. We would really, really appreciate it. And uh, I can't tell you how much it means and helps us out. So I know it takes two minutes of your day, and uh it means a lot to us. So please do that. Number two, go to our YouTube channel, our fitness marketing alliance, and uh please subscribe to our YouTube channel there. Number three, if you like this episode or any of the episodes that we've released, share it on social. That's huge. That's a big deal for us. And we're we put a lot of work into these episodes uh trying to give you great actionable content uh for the fitness industry. So that would mean a lot. And that's it. So we have some big plans coming up for this show. I'll be talking about that in the next couple episodes. But thank you so much for listening. It means so much. And uh if you have any questions, please reach out to me. I'd love to hear from everybody. Eric, E R I C at Fitness Marketing Alliance.com