Building yourself up physically (packing on muscle, getting stronger, becoming faster and more powerful, etc.) is a concept you'll hear us preach about at Rebel quite a bit. The type of strength we aren’t coaching on a typical day is the strength that you can’t physically see – the spiritual strength that exists on the inside. This is why I wanted to have Michael Cazayoux on the podcast to unpack his health and fitness journey because he brings a ton of important information to the table that I think goes unnoticed in our industry.
From winning multiple team titles at the CrossFit Games, to working as a strength and conditioning coach for LSU, to co-owning a fitness company, Brute Strength, to running Working Against Gravity with his wife, to now running Soul Searching Adventures where he takes groups of men out on epic outdoor adventures to do deep introspective work together... All to say, Michael's lived and learned a lot.
The meat and potatoes of our conversation are surrounding fitness, health, and strength and how the three have evolved with him over time. We've all have had moments of reflection where we feel lost when transitioning from one phase of life to another, especially when our health and wellness are involved. Listen in to hear Michael unpack what it means to have an identity shift, what that actually looks like for a former athlete, and exercises you can do to become more intentional and gain insight for yourself.
What You'll Learn in this Episode:
- [08:07] The story behind how Michael got started with Soul Searching Adventures
- [09:22] How Michael thinks about health and fitness today compared to earlier days as a strength and conditioning coach and while competing in CrossFit
- [12:27] The identify shift you experience when you stop being a high-level, competitive athlete
- [13:21] The new values Michael has on fitness
- [17:48] Being self aware enough when your goals and priorities have shifted from one phase to the next
- [19:27] What it means to transcend something
- [20:36] The ability to get out and express yourself in nature
- [22:31] Using physical challenges to gain insight in other areas of life
- [23:41] Two challenges for a former athlete in a reflective space
- [25:37] Exercises to become more intentional and feel more comfortable in reflection
- [31:24] Michael’s main goal to deliver in his Soul Searching Adventures
Links:
PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways we can help you unlock total package strength, physique, and athleticism (without being in pain or getting beaten down by injuries).
1. Listen to the podcast.
We release a new episode every Sunday evening where we break down what to do in and outside the gym to help you become the total package (and perform pain-free) - Click here to listen.
2. Buy a pre-made program.
Looking for an expertly crafted training program minus the coaching and camaraderie? Then go here.
3. Claim your FREE 6-Week Trial
Want to work directly with me and my team to find your peak performance, train pain-free, and become a total package athlete in 90 days? Then reply "trial" to this email and I'll send you all the details. Oh, and here's a bunch of reviews if you want to know what real humans think of working with us.
