S03E105 GUEST ADAM HAWKINSON - THE BONDS BETWEEN CROSSFIT AND THE MILITARY

Dave and Sam have special guest Adam Hawkinson @hawkabn, long-time athlete @crossfitbison who served in the United States Army as a Military Police Paratrooper stationed out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina and served 3 tours (36 months combined) in Iraq as a Sergeant. We talk with Adam about his military experience, his introduction into CrossFit, and the close ties that bind CrossFit and the military. This is particularly relevant on Memorial Day as we honor the US military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

All gave some, but some gave all. #memorialday #honorandremember

@crossfitbison @crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness

S03E105 GUEST ADAM HAWKINSON - THE BONDS BETWEEN CROSSFIT AND THE MILITARY

[00:00:00] David Syvertsen: All right. Welcome back to the Herd Fit Podcast. I am coach David Cresson. I'm here with my co-host, Dr. And coach Sam Re, and we have a very special guest. I've been promising this guest for a long time without releasing his name. This was supposed to be last week, but life got in the way, AKA a three year old got me sick, and so we had to push this back.

But with the timing of this, Podcast is really important for us and you'll see why. And, um, so I'll get into that in a little bit. So we're actually recording this on a Thursday morning so that we can get this out in time, um, either prior to or on Memorial Day. We'll see when we can get this out. But our guest today is the one end only.

Adam Hawkinson. Adam, thank you for coming on, bud. Thank you. How's it going? Doing

[00:00:43] Adam Hawkinson: good. I, I waited for my agent to sign off on the paperwork, make sure that my likeness could be released, but everything's good. So

[00:00:50] David Syvertsen: I have no idea where this podcast is gonna go today because of, of, of who Adam is. But all kidding aside, Hawk's been with us for a really long time.

I wanna say has it been about seven years now? Six

[00:01:02] Adam Hawkinson: years? Uh, March

[00:01:03] David Syvertsen: in 2017 is when I first came. Yes. So yeah, so six plus years. So we're in year number seven. And, um, you know, transformation wise, uh, just like we are last guest, Liz, uh, Has probably changed his body as much as, as anyone in this gym. And I'm still hoping that one day I wake up and look like him.

We'll, see, I'm trying to get there, but, um, in all seriousness, I think even just mentally and emotionally, and I haven't known Hawk his entire life, but I can, he's changed a lot mentally, emotionally, um, even though men are not supposed to talk about emotions, um, as, as much as anyone in the gym. Uh, back then, and he really is kind of like the life of this place sometimes.

Um, you know, he's, he's very involved in the community, uh, with competition socially, um, in the gym. Definitely someone that when he comes to the gym, you know, he's there. Um, good and bad, but he just has a really unique presence about him, um, that brings really good energy to the gym. He means a lot to this place.

He means a lot to me personally. And, um, you know, we're gonna get into why he's on, but I just want to talk about Hawk a little bit before Hawk. Kind of opens up, uh, Sam thoughts on when I had said we're gonna have Hawk come on.

[00:02:10] Sam Rhee: I was really happy. I love Adam. I remember when he first started. I remember, uh, I've known him uh, for years and years and years now.

He's organically made this gym. Like him in a, in a big way. Yeah. Yeah. Like there's so much about the flavor of the gym that is hawkinson. Mm-hmm. And, you know, big heart, like, just big with every like, so generous on so many levels. Absolutely. So, you know, it would be such a dull, like, not fun, like not good.

Of a place if, if you weren't

[00:02:43] David Syvertsen: here? Yeah. Yeah. I would say, I would say most CrossFit gyms that have been around for a long time and had some success, they have a guy like Hawk where there's this, like, again, like I, I consider myself like a pretty like introverted, boring person in general. And you know, if we didn't have people like Hawk, it would be kind of like a, a lesser place, you know, to, to some, and you know, as much as a jokester as he is, um, he's also one of the hardest workers in the gym.

Yeah, no doubt. He's also one of the most prepared, he's, I think, I mean, I, if I had to pick one person in this, the, the history of the gym that comes here, the earliest, the most often to warm up and do things correctly and do some prehab. Right. There's a lot of like knee work, back work. Um, when he is banged up, he doesn't run away from the gym.

He runs like right into the storm and tries to fix it, um, through action. Um, it it's hawk and I think from that perspective, he's a really good example on a lot of different fronts. There's always someone

[00:03:37] Sam Rhee: who will. You can guarantee we'll put that funny comment in a post. And that's Adam. I try not to be

[00:03:43] David Syvertsen: north,

[00:03:45] Sam Rhee: but he is also the guy that puts the most analytics, the most thought, like I have never seen someone prep for like an open workout or for any

[00:03:53] David Syvertsen: other big workout or competitions for comp, like, yeah.

He

[00:03:56] Sam Rhee: is on point. So to have someone who does both of those things, cause we, we know people who do each of those things. Yeah. But, but to have someone who does

[00:04:02] David Syvertsen: all of that, like that's a special person. And if there's one person that's setting the trend of guy crop tops in the gym,

[00:04:09] Adam Hawkinson: you, you threw that out there.

So I figured I had to do it. Now I got another

[00:04:13] David Syvertsen: name. Hines is, Pissed that he didn't get first dibs on that. But Hawk give me, give, uh, just the, the listeners for those that don't know you, um, cause you know, you're primarily a nighttime guy. So a lot of our morning listeners or outside of bison listeners, just give like a brief background what CrossFit, uh, what Sam calls your CrossFit start story.

Um, you know, we'll get into some of the other stuff that we're gonna talk about today, but just, you know, why did you Shaw CrossFit, when did you start it and what's happened

[00:04:36] Adam Hawkinson: since? So I started March, uh, 2017. Looking back, I like, I always went to the gym after, um, the military and when I was looking at the gym, I was always just doing the back mys, chest tries.

And then I would get on the, uh, like the treadmill to start running and after like two minutes I was like, I know what, I'm good. Yeah, I'll just go do something. I was saying I'll burn off some calories. And when I got to the point of trying to figure out what I wanted to do, cuz working out by yourself is never fun.

Very boring. I started looking into what CrossFit was. I heard about it. I didn't have any friends that did it and the algorithms through YouTube, me being military, when I Googled it, first thing that popped up was Josh Bridges 2016, I think it was when he won Murf. Okay. And I was like, That's awesome. What is this?

And then like heard the backstory of what Murph is. That's cool. Uh, Josh Bridge is being a Navy Seal and it kind of just fell into it. That's when I started. I was like, let me look into what, where to go. CrossFit, Google. I'm like, oh one in Franklin Lakes. I was like, lemme go check this out. So 2 0 1, go there for like maybe a week.

I'm like, ah, my shoulder's bothering me. Not really sure what I should be doing. Step back, came back a month later. That's when I stopped by Midland Park cuz I was new to New Jersey. So when I was sold Midland Park, I was like, how far is that? I was like, oh, it's

[00:05:59] David Syvertsen: right down the street. Oh yeah. And you work in Woff?

Live in Woff. Yes. You're right there. That's cool. So that, that's so that's a really cool, I love hearing stuff like that, that the CrossFit games. Got someone in the CrossFit that is not a games athlete, right. That had no experience back because there is always, there is still, in my opinion, this divide.

Slash disconnect between what the games semi-finals, which is going on right now, what it can actually do for the CrossFit community, the health side of it, right there is sport, there is health, they are separate, but if they're done correctly, they can intertwine and help each other out. So this is an actual, tangible example of someone that, at the time, bridges was probably top five in the world.

Yeah. And he was probably the top body weight CrossFitter in the world. Yeah, yeah. Um, he's probably still close up there, military background, Josh Bridges and, um, that got him into it and now the guy, you know, eats, sleeps and breathes it. Um, so that, that's a really cool start story there. Now, now that we know, kind of like your fitness background, CrossFit, how'd you get into it?

Let's talk about, you know, some life stuff that you, you joined the military when, um, why? And how long were you in, and if you can maybe touch on some of your military story, that'd be awesome.

[00:07:03] Adam Hawkinson: Yeah, so my father and my brother were both in the Air Force. I was always felt the calling to join the military, uh, you know, grow up with my dad watching movies like, uh, to Hellen back pat, and just kind of like that whole, you know, gun ho type feeling.

Mm-hmm. Then when. I decided I was gonna go in after high school. Nine 11 happened when my senior year, so I did like a semester in college and I was like, college is not for me. I went down to the recruiter's office for the Air Force and the door was locked. I thought maybe. They were on lunch break, wrong door.

So I went to another door and it was the army kind of looked around. They're like, come in. I was like, okay. So I walked in, started talking to them, told 'em my dad was a cop, wanted to be a police officer when I got out. So they said, you know, you have military police. Talked me into some other things.

Maybe not the smartest thing going by myself, but it was just something where I was like, it felt right. Yeah. Signed everything and then went to the house. Told my mom I signed up for.

[00:08:06] David Syvertsen: Sometimes those are the best decisions though. I'm telling you. Sometimes those are the best decisions. You know, when it's, when it's you.

Yeah. You know, um, you know, you weren't a kid at the time, you weren't an adult yet, but you know, legally you were. But I'm still not an adult. Same here. I don't

[00:08:19] Sam Rhee: know. As a parent, I would say, please, children do not sign anything without talking to me first.

[00:08:25] David Syvertsen: All right. So what was the reaction with mom when you told her?

[00:08:30] Adam Hawkinson: My mom, it wasn't that she was, she was never mad or disappointed. She was just, she felt like she wasn't sure why I did it right at that moment. Like was it something that happened and I said, I need to go, I need to get out. Mm-hmm. Like I'm running away from something. And then she just felt like maybe she felt like there's something that she neglected for me and she.

She just wanted to be

[00:08:52] David Syvertsen: there for me. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I get that. And so you signed the papers, and how long after that conversation with your mother were you, were you actually gone? I believe, was it weeks, was it month?

[00:09:04] Adam Hawkinson: I wanna say it was like, maybe like three or four months. Like Okay. Because once, because they're, they have training cycles.

You have to go through, uh, maps. Uh, Fort Dix is where I went. Mm-hmm. They go through your whole, um, physical background, then they jab you like a pin cushion with all the shots. Mm-hmm. Then they say, this is when your, uh, military training is gonna start. So I went in January of 2003 is when I went to basic

[00:09:29] David Syvertsen: training.

Wow. Okay. And

[00:09:30] Adam Hawkinson: how long were you in? I was in for eight years, the three

[00:09:33] David Syvertsen: tours, so, okay. 2011. So the, the tours were there. This is around that. It's funny, ironic that that is around the same time. CrossFit started the inception and you had never, you did. When you were overseas, when you were deployed, were there workout regimens out there that guys would do on their own?

Did you even, like, looking back on it, maybe not knowing what CrossFit was, was there some of that back then? So

[00:09:56] Adam Hawkinson: I don't, I don't remember seeing anyone like every. If we had the ability to work out while we're over there, it was, you know, kind of going to like a local Y M C A, whereas like the weights were rusted.

Mm-hmm. It was just stuff that we found in country. Right. And it was just people doing, uh, back squat, deadlift bench press. Okay. And then if there's dumbbells, it was just, Bench press on the dumbbells. Mm-hmm. And curls. That

[00:10:20] David Syvertsen: was it. It's, I mean, it's, it's I, not ironic that if you look at all the hero workouts, CrossFit, there's so many of them that include those movements.

You got bench deadlift and, and back squat. Um, now where were you deployed? How long were the deployments? And I just wanna touch on that a little bit more before we get into the other side of it. My

[00:10:38] Adam Hawkinson: first deployment was eight months. My unit was already over there. I met them, uh, after I finished Airborne School.

Basic training. So when I got over there, I was thinking, I was like, oh, like I'm the relief. I'm the new guy giving fresh blood. They're gonna welcome me open arms. And what was your job? What was your supposed I, I was a military police. Airborne. Okay. So I'm going over there thinking they're gonna love me.

The fact that I'm coming over here. Little did I know life at four Bragg. It's either you're training for being deployed or you're deployed. And when I got over there, usually there is a hazing period. While you're stateside, until you deploy. Or when you get over there, they're hazing you until they feel that you can handle it.

Right. So that was my first letter that I wrote to my mom. I was like, I made the biggest mistake in my life. I was like, I'm sure she's like looking, reading it, like, what did I do? Yeah. And Why are you over there? Yeah. But it took a good, uh, two, three weeks where they finally accepted me through one of, uh, the platoon SAR or, uh, staff sergeants.

And my second deployment was a year in my last deployment because of the surge of Fallujah. Trying to get everyone through was

[00:11:45] David Syvertsen: 15 months. Okay. Wow. That's a long time. Yeah. Away from home. Um, now when you come back, so you were, you were in for eight years, right? That's what number you said? Uh,

[00:11:54] Adam Hawkinson: five, five years.

Uh, I did

[00:11:56] David Syvertsen: three deployments. Okay. Five years, three deployments. What was the thought process when you got out? Like where were you? Let's do this. Where were you mentally, emotionally going in? You kind of touched that on the red, touched on that already, and as opposed to where you were in those two states, coming back from that last deployment, knowing you were gonna get out,

[00:12:15] Adam Hawkinson: going over, I didn't know what to expect.

You know, we were going to, um, depending on who you talked to, we said maul, uh, UL uh, up north, second largest city in Iraq. I was told, Hey, don't worry, there's nothing going on up there. You're gonna be safe. You're fine. The day I was deploying with, uh, our rear to go, uh, help everyone out over there. That's when U Kue Saddam's two sons were killed in Misso, Iraq.

So I was like, great. Now it's a hotspot. Now everyone's gonna be going. Yeah. But, um, while I was over there, it was very young, very immature as I kind of use my, uh, my humor as a self-defense mechanism and I Absolutely. To get through a lot of stuff. Yep. But, I just didn't know what to do. I was just, you know, trying to be a sponge, absorb all the information that I got from everyone.

Pick out from, you know, like we, uh, talked about before with coaches where you find something that you like of a leader, a coach, and you make it your own. You find something that you don't like and you try to just push it or just make it your own, make it better. Right. So over the, the course of the deployments, I just tried to take everything in and when I was coming back on my third deployment, I just felt like that guy, uh, you know, in the movies where just didn't wanna talk to anyone.

Just like you see a new person, you're like, don't get me killed. Like, I just want to get back to the house. Right, right, right. I just want to move on to your job. Yeah,

[00:13:39] David Syvertsen: yeah, yeah. So that, yeah, that's interesting because I'm trying to, as we talk about this, a listen to your story. B, you know, it helps kind of figure you out a little bit too.

And, but be see in relation to our listeners, relate this to CrossFit. Yeah. Right. Um, and we're gonna get into that towards the end. Now, Sam, you know, from your background, because I don't have my self, I don't have a military background. Right. My brother is actually over in the Middle East right now. He's the closest I ha affiliation I have.

And my, my brother Mike's been with us for Merf multiple times over the years. He's gonna come back at some point when he can. Um, Do you have yourself, any family, close friends, relatives, military, and you know, does this story for you, does it open up any doors, perspectives of your own kind of solidify things or question things?

[00:14:27] Sam Rhee: For me, no. But I talked to Adam at length. We, um, hung out for a while and you know, when you talk to someone and you don't really realize the depth, like there are stories, what you told me that just. Blew me away. Like just how difficult, how, you know, the experiences and just talking to someone about it, like just is like the tiniest bit.

Like you don't actually know what that person experienced. Mm-hmm. But you went through a lot. Yeah. Like it was awful. Like awful on so many levels and, and I came away listening to you about it, thinking like, That shit runs pretty deep. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Like really deep. And it's like all those layers that you experience in, in a situation like that, on deployment, like multiple layers, like starting with the hazing all the way through, like all the experiences that you had, like, it, it, it's really hard to encapsulate and anyone, anytime I talk to anyone who's had a military background, who's been on deployment, who's, who's experienced these things, I, I understand they can't.

Relate it in a, in a way that I can connect it to something in my life. Mm-hmm. I just have to look at and, and we all sometimes have experiences like that. Absolutely. Yeah. You know, um, uh, it, it, you know, for me, I, I kind of like, okay, so it's sort of like my residency training a little bit, but like, About 5 million times

[00:15:49] David Syvertsen: worse in some ways.

Not, it's not like a life and death thing. I mean it is,

[00:15:53] Sam Rhee: but not for me. It's like Right, right, right. For

[00:15:55] David Syvertsen: people I'm working on. Yeah. You know what that is. That is the two of you probably do have some common ground. There is

[00:16:01] Sam Rhee: life and death. Yeah. And, and you know, and sort of that, um, awful behavior that people exhibit under those circumstances when it's really stressful and like, I'm like, okay, I, I get like, 2% of it.

Like I can see where that, if you took it like a hundred degrees up, like that's what that might be like. So I see that and then I'm like, how are you? So like I know you had a process and you went through all sorts of stuff to sort of get better and recover and also like deal and. And process. Um, and then I realized, you know, a lot of people have to do that.

Like, it, it takes a lot. And so it's like, so, you know, it's like it's not all sweetness and light. Like you come in and you had the stable boys and you had the, all this stuff. And then I'm also like, but he's also a really deep MFer. Like you don't really understand like how deep some of this. Stuff

[00:16:46] David Syvertsen: runs.

Yeah. Like I think there's two people, two kinds of people that you really should, when you can, when you have the opportunity to listen to them, you, you should listen. And it's old people like grandparents, sixties, seventies, eighties, because they just have been through so many things that we haven't.

Right. And people in the military, because they've been through experiences that almost everyone will never touch when it like a real life and death. I actually think you're, you have. Experiences closer to him than someone like me. Because you are in some way responsible for someone's life. And I feel this way about nurses and doctors and police officers, right?

Um, that you guys have probably a much deeper understanding of like real life and death pressure, right? I talk about feeling pressure as a business owner that is nothing compared to someone where your, your lives. Are in the hands of others and then others are in yours hands. So I think that's, it's something that, you know, I'm excited to listen to Hawk and even in your opinion on this, this stuff, Sam, because you guys just have so much credibility on this subject.

And I think someone in my shoes and. At most people that are listening right now, this, these are people you should be listening to. You agree with them, doesn't matter. Disagree with them, doesn't matter. You should be listening. Um, so we have Hawk, the CrossFitter, we have, uh, the military side of Hawk. Let's talk about CrossFit and military, and then we're gonna tie everything in together with Hawk.

Um, CrossFit has a really long standing relationship. With military, um, really the inception of CrossFit was for first responders and military firefighters, police officers, EMS and military, and they have named over 300 workouts. I think the number is 360 6. Last time I checked. 366 workouts, CrossFit workouts after fallen soldiers.

And then you have also, um, police, fire, and then you also have gyms and relatives that create workouts for fallen heroes. The actual official hero workouts of CrossFit, there's, I think it's 366 right now. And, you know, why is that? What, why does, why does CrossFit take someone that was killed in action, right?

Serving the country, paying that ultimate sacrifice. Why would they name a workout after that soldier? And I want to get all three of our opinions. So we'll start with Sam, then we'll come hawked and I'll come back to me. Why do you think CrossFit did that, and why do you think they're important for any CrossFitter to partake in them physically and mentally, not just the cool workouts?

Right. I love hero workouts for what they represent. And yes, they're good workouts. They're good fitness, they're good exercise. But I think whenever you see your hero workout, you gotta think much deeper than it's a cool workout. And I would be disappointed in someone if they looked at a hero workout and they said, all they said about it was, that's a really good workout.

You know, you don't have to vocalize everything. I know that. You don't have to put it on social media, I know that, but mentally there should be at least some thought on these hero workouts that this workout is named after. A, a mother, a father, a daughter, a son, a friend, a fallen soldier that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Um, so Sam, Give us some just thoughts on hero workouts, hero week at bison. Cause you said something in front of the class today that kind of made me sit back a little bit and just reflect on it.

[00:20:10] Sam Rhee: Um, yeah. CrossFit in the military has had a close association ever e even in its inception. And I remember, I don't know if you just heard Dave Castro, he was on Jocko Willings podcast and, um, he talked about a lot of what it was was the military were looking for ways to help become better trained physically.

For their, the demands of what they had cuz they had physical training but it wasn't optimized. Um, and Dave Castro talks about when he was a Navy SEAL and he was looking for the best way to train and, and how he came upon CrossFit and. You know, that's why physical training for people in law enforcement, in military, it takes on a special meaning because it's your effing life.

Like you have to be able to do many different things. And when Jocko willing talks about, you know, you're on deployment and you have to carry like a hundred pound rucksack, and then you have to climb up like a bunch of hills and then you have to like, you know, break down a bunch of doors and then you might have to like, you know, do all these things that you don't ever.

Expect necessarily to do, like for us, it's so that we can stay physically fit for as long as we possibly can and, and be able to do things that we normally can't. But for these men and women, it's, it's their lives, it's their job, and so it. So that kind of physical fitness takes on special meaning for them.

Mm-hmm. For us, it's um, you know, the hero wads, you're right, A lot of CrossFitters we just talked about were like, oh, I love hero rods. They're so great. And then, but the underlying meaning and what we talked about this morning was these are people who sacrifice their lives and. There are countless numbers of people like countless, countless, countless numbers.

And if you can take some of them and remember them, then their sacrifice in some way also is not forgotten. And, um, every hero workout I do, and it's different now than when I started, like 10 years ago. I would do these, these hero workouts and I would think about their circumstances and how they fought and, and what they did and, and, and how.

Um, Amazing they were, and how honorable they were. And now as a parent of an 18 year old, and that, what's what really struck me this morning, I was like, we did barraza. And this, this person was 24 year old, 24 years old when he died, uh, in, in Iraq, um, under enemy fire. And I said, these are people's children.

Mm. And. And they're dying for us. And I, and that really gave me a lot of pause about these things. And then, and then it gave me some thought about, so, so why is it that we are doing this? It's because these are people's children. These, you know, as a, you know, people's, as parents we're grieving and mourning.

I, I can't imagine something that would be, um, you know, you, you talk often about like, one, you know, I have to be fit in case a bear attacks me and I have to take Brock and run like 50 yards or something like that. Like, Yeah. You, you wanna save your kid's life.

[00:23:12] David Syvertsen: Like Yeah. These are children that, that, it's funny.

Yeah. When you have a kid, that's the only thing you think about. Right. Really.

[00:23:17] Sam Rhee: And these are children that have died. Yeah. They're literally like in their twenties. Yeah. And, and so, so at this point, for me, it's, it's such a much more personal, uh, relationship to these hero rods because I, that's, that's the aspect that I, I

[00:23:30] David Syvertsen: have thought about a lot lately.

That's a great perspective. Thanks for sharing that because, Some people don't have kids, right, and they don't, they don't understand that perspective and no fault of their own. It's not coming down on them. But that, that's a really special, unique, powerful connection to hero workouts is that you think about your kids and that, you know, today's workout barraza, that was someone's kid.

You know, they watched him, you know, went from changing their diapers to watching them graduate high school, to watching them ship off to the military, like questioning, you know, oh my God, did I fail something? As a parent, now he's joining the military. It's, um, it's unbelievably powerful to think about it from that perspective.

[00:24:05] Adam Hawkinson: So I, I think with the hero workouts, it, it's, one starts off as to commemorate the person that, you know, died, sacrificed everything for the country and their, for their family. But I think it's also very, for the family and for those that are, uh, that knew the person is very therapeutic. You know, it's when something happens and someone goes through a life changing event, people need to talk things out.

They need to get it off their chest, talk to people. It takes time with, through CrossFit. I think with a workout, it's something where you can shut off your brain. You can just go through the movement. But at certain moments you get choked up cuz then you start thinking about it. But you know that I still have to do the workout and it kind of, it gets you through the day, gets you through the movements, and it just brings people around together that you're all doing it as one, as one group.

And it's just something that you can. It's always better when you have someone there with you than being alone. When you're alone, that's when bad things happen. That's when bad thoughts start entering your mind. Mm-hmm. And you can at least bounce ideas and thoughts off of other people. That's so

[00:25:08] David Syvertsen: true actually, that, that's, that's a powerful statement too.

When you're by yourself, that's usually when the bad things come in. It's a great point. Um, you know, my, my perspective on hero workouts, I view it from athlete, coach, owner, right. And also brother of someone that's, um, Over there right now. And I try to always keep things in perspective, right? Like what we truly stress about on a day-to-day basis right here.

You know, we had people in the gym today like worried if they were gonna do pull-ups or chess bar pull-ups, and they were freaking out about it, you know? And it's like, I really wanted to say like, it doesn't matter. No offense. I mean, it's okay that they do that. No, it's, I know, but the perspective on this, on a hero workout especially, is like, just devote the effort, dedication.

And energy, all the energy to that thought that this is named after someone. It's in memory of them. And you know, as you know, and, and we as CrossFit coaches and we as athletes too, like, you know, there's a lot of complaining right in this environment. Not, and I know it's never coming from a bad place.

It's, this stuff is hard. And um, we have other things going on in our life and this always. Makes me personally pause about not complaining about a workout, especially because I know in about 15 minutes it's over and we're back to normal life. And like the illustration I gave in my class the other day is you guys are gonna be eating a breakfast burrito in about a half hour, right?

Um, the person that we're doing this workout named after, like lost their life and the, the, their family will never see them again. Talk to them again. And, you know, really, do we handle these moments of stress at a high level? Do we do that or no? Are we bad at doing that? Right? Or can we be better at doing that?

And I think hero workouts for me personally, always bring that back. Um, you know, in the past we've had, you know, my brother's been one of 'em, and I'll, I don't wanna keep bringing him up, just trying to use that as an example, that he's been here for Merf. And if you were here back then, um, he gave the Merf story before we did Merf.

And this was early days where I think we did three heats. Yeah. I remember this upcoming Monday, we have 16. So you're just never gonna have everyone here at the same time. Right. But I'm pretty sure almost everyone that did Murf, I wanna say it was 2015 he was there for, and he gave the Merf story and it was a 15 minute before the workout story and almost everyone had a tear in their eye.

We didn't say a word before we started the workout and everyone like took off on the mile. Probably not the best pacing idea, start throwing up, but it does. It's funny how if you really make yourself vulnerable and remove yourself from the situation. It brings you to this like, almost like high of, it's, there's just such a bigger picture, um, with these hero workouts and I've questioned myself over the years, should we do more hero workouts throughout the year?

And I know there's no right or wrong here. And what we do here at Bison is we do Murph on Monday, like almost everyone does. And the week leading up to Merf, we do a week full of hero workouts. We call it hero week. And. It's, it's a hard week every, we have to send the whole, we have to send the email, the message out to everyone every year.

Guys, this is a really hard week. If you come in every day, more power to you, you're gonna be beat up, you're probably gonna be sore, risk of injury, blah, blah, blah. Right? Um, you know, but I like doing it because this is a patriotic time of year and we do always want to make sure that people know Memorial Day is not a day off from work.

It's not. Right. You'll get a day off. It's not a long weekend. Right. It, it's, it's something, it gives you an opportunity to reflect on what this holiday is and why you do have off on Monday, why you do have a long weekend. You know, it's not a day in the sun, it's not a kickoff to summer. It's some, it gives you an opportunity to really reflect on who you are as an American.

Right. And right now, I hate the way we are, you know, Americans hate each other. Every, it's just all the divide and it just sucks. And it's like, at the end of the day, Sometimes when something really bad happens in this country, that's when we all come together. That's when you really realize like there shouldn't be Republican and Democrat.

There shouldn't be opposition. You know, we should have conversation, listen to each other and try to help each other out. And that's what like being a P, like patriotic to me, it always kind of hits me this time of year. And one of the reasons is it's hero week. So the question is, should we be doing more hero workouts?

Should we throw in, you know, and I think it's always a good place to do hero workouts. If that thought is there, not just because it's a cool workout. Um, I remember Ramson used to do this on Sundays a lot, right? Yeah. He'd do a hero workout and every Sunday he would post the story of that person. Like that's a really great meaning behind why it's not just a cool workout.

He wasn't picking the coolest hero workout. I'd be like, oh, I'm gonna go do it. Um, there's people that have Instagram accounts that have done, um, A hero workout every day for a year. And impressive. And it's not bragging, you know, he, it's like a for, it's a former soldier that just really wants to show the world how much dedication, how much sacrifice, and how hard this stuff is.

Um, and he would always give the story of that soldier. So I think that's a really just, it's a really important thing for us all to think about when we do hero workouts that just always remember the why. And it gets cliche. You get old, it gets old hearing, it gets old saying sometimes, because I know not everyone listens to that.

But there is always a reason why we're doing these workouts. Um, so, you know, we have, we have CrossFit and military now we have hawks, you know, two sides I want to get into because we're huge on mental space, mind space, mindset. I want to get from Hawk, you know, some of your reflections, opinions on some of the similarities.

Between a CrossFitter and military, you know, the community aspect, the relationship, how much we depend on each other. Different level we know. Yeah. Life and death and fitness. Right. Um, do you have any opening thoughts on that topic and kind of stem from there?

[00:30:52] Adam Hawkinson: The similarities, I, it's more to me, It's just like a family.

You know, when you're deployed, you get to your unit, you're in basic training, you meet guys, you kind of get close, and then you get shipped out to your unit. You get to the unit, you meet your company, then you go to your squad and you get close with them. You, you find out their stories. You, you get a bond unlike anything, any other, especially when you're deployed with that and CrossFit, it's the same thing.

You come in, this is, you know, this gym is the company. Then you meet other people at your class, your classes now, your squad, that's where you come, you kind of find into the groove of the people that you're, you're working out with. You're not obviously, well, besides, unless your hands tear, you're not bleeding with each other, but you're going through the same grind.

You're going through the mental anguish of everything. So you just form a special bond and you, you get closer. I mean, you, you meet people that you never would get a chance to. Like if you go to a global gym, mm, you're not. Going to someone's barbecue that you meet there. Mm-hmm. You're, you're wishing they put more clothes on in, in the locker room and stop standing by the dryer.

But, but when you're here, I mean, I was in Brian and Liz's wedding. Yep. You know, you officiate, it's amazing. You, you meet these people and it's just, You changed your direction of where you're going. Mm-hmm.

[00:32:11] David Syvertsen: Yeah. The trajectory of your life changes after you really get involved in, in a CrossFit. Yeah. Um, and do you feel that's the same?

Because like, that's one thing I always say about CrossFit, right? We're all strangers unless this place exists. Right? Think about that. Right? Every person you know here, you don't know them at the place that exists. And we're all from different backgrounds, right? I mean, we're all from like Bergen County, New Jersey.

There's, you know, certain demographic and background, but there's still a lot of different walks of life that have come together here. That's a unique thing about the military too. And you didn't necessarily choose each other either. Like you individually came to CrossFit and then there's the crowd here, or the crowd comes here after you're here, you meet people.

Same thing with the military. You don't choose who you're with. Yeah. You, you adjust and pivot based on who's already there or who comes in after you. Do you tie some of the ability that you've had over the years to be very personable and open with everyone and like I do feel like you're everyone's friend one way or another.

Right. Um. That have, did your military experience kind of help you, kind of guide yourself in that direction?

[00:33:13] Adam Hawkinson: I, I think for me, like with the military, just knowing that after everything I went through, you know, I always say like, life's not too serious. You know, there the small things in life you go through where, you know, when we were doing the bison bowl and the, the power goes out and it's like, oh, we have no music and we have no fans Blowing honestly, of the year.

Like for me at that moment I was like, this is kind of awesome. Like, the way that you're just, everyone's grinding, you know? I mean, we sounded like a bunch of cattle just like going through, especially wall walks hitting the ground. But you know, you just learn to just, you learn to cope with a lot of different things.

Yeah. Yeah. Don't

[00:33:54] David Syvertsen: overreact to certain

[00:33:54] Adam Hawkinson: things. Yeah. So, you know, just with, uh, like when you come to the gym, You just, you, you just form a bond with everybody. Mm-hmm. That's the biggest

[00:34:03] David Syvertsen: thing. Now, you personally has CrossFit training, CrossFit community. Has it helped cope with any sort of issues that you've had from deployments, like mentally, emotionally?

[00:34:14] Adam Hawkinson: So, when I got out of the military, I didn't know and I didn't understand, I, I, I got diagnosed with ptsd. Okay. Post, uh, stress disorder and. During the day, I was fine. I could always interact with people best with strangers. Uh, but at nighttime, that was the worst when I was by myself. Just thoughts. And I'm like, ah, like I, I needed to get whatever was going through my head.

I couldn't sleep, so I would just drink. Mm-hmm. Help cope, you know, self, um, get through the night and then I would wake up and I was fine through it in the day. So when my family would ask me questions about my deployments, anything. I would just shut down, like didn't wanna talk about it. Whether I'm trying to keep them in their eyes that I'm the same person, I'm just their brother, I'm their son.

Nothing more, nothing less. But if a stranger came up to me and said, how was your deployment? I'll tell 'em every detail about every deployment I was on had no problem. Mm-hmm. So, so coming into CrossFit and working out, it helps for me. Just get any anxiety, just get like, uh, when Sean talks about, uh, when you guys have the podcast mm-hmm.

It helps just get me through my day. It, it's the, the one hour of the day where it helps whatever stress, anything that's going on in my life, it gets everything off of it. And just unburdens that loot on me. It helps me get through. And, you know, if I don't get to the gym, it's almost like I'm hangry. Like I just, I'm moody and it's like, I, my wife looks at me, she's like, just go to bed.

[00:35:51] Sam Rhee: Just get outta the house.

[00:35:54] David Syvertsen: It's, it's ironic because I was gonna ask you, there's, I have two sides to that, right? One of 'em is, you know, I just got done telling the classes on Monday morning, Hey guys, tough week. You might wanna take a day off. But I'm like, you know what? I understand some of you guys need to come here every day.

Yeah. For, for a lot of different reasons. And it's not just your physical fitness. Mm-hmm. So if you can, you know, if you're feeling beat up, scale, workout or two. Right. Or partner up like today, uh, Tuesday. Um, but the other side. You know, like, I know you socially drink, you know, I've had drinks with you. Has CrossFit replaced some of that, like nighttime desire to drink?

It's like, have they basically just replaced each other in some ways?

[00:36:28] Adam Hawkinson: So I don't drink, like when I do drink, uh, I like the champagne a little bubbly. But the things for me is I know whatever I do when I get to the house, if I'm drinking or if I'm eating out, it's gonna reflect, like you said before. The next day's workout and the following one.

Got it. And it's like, why am I gonna keep doing that to myself when I come in and I'm like, I can't move. I don't want to do these burpees. And I feel awful. And then especially when you go on vacation, that first week back is usually the worst feeling. Yeah. Yes. Cause you can't move. Yeah. And then after that you're like, you're back in the groove.

So it's like, Sometimes you might just have a glass of something and that's it. Yeah. And it's like, okay, I'm fine. I don't need to

[00:37:09] David Syvertsen: keep going. Just got, just got done talking to Sam about that. Um, it, because I love hearing that. I want others to hear that, that CrossFit has, or working out, has replaced some of that desire for that nighttime drink to help you to help fix your day, but also you're so entrenched in it and you're a high level athlete that you're also making the decision.

From a performance pers, uh, perspective where you want to feel good the next day and the 48 hours after, and in some cases 72 hours after. And you know that if you go over the top with alcohol and to some other people, that's nutrition, right? Because not everyone drinks, but some people will stress eat.

And, and they'll, they'll eat certain things because they want to fix their day, right? They want to feel better at night. Um, That it has lasting effects, and I love that you've gone kind of all in on this CrossFit approach because you know it's not only is the CrossFit helping you, Mentally, but because you are so into it physically, you are making those decisions to not put those things into your body because you want to physically feel good at the gym and they definitely make an impact.

Yeah. It's not like an opinion of subjective thing there. Um, now the support system. Of a CrossFit, right? Because like you are a support system for a lot of people, right? Like you're a good friend to a lot of people. You're a good member to this gym. We've talked about that a lot. Adam's done a lot for bison that nobody knows about.

You know, you guys will see him like taking a leafblower to the parking lot that I do that for myself. But let me just tell you about this dude. He'll take a leaf blower to the edge of the parking lot and blow away the loose pebbles. Where the driveway meets the road so that people don't slip when they come in from the run, he's gonna say it's because he doesn't wanna slip.

He's not the person that's gonna slip. I'm telling you it's other people. And he does that. He'll come in an hour before his class to do that. I've seen him come in before class. He's not even working out in and do it. So that's why I know he doesn't only do it for himself. Um, he, he does little things like that among hundreds others that no one knows about.

Um, So I say that, you know, from, you're a support system for a lot of people. Describe the support system that CrossFit's been for you. Some of the friends, the stable boys, what's left of them. They're, they're

[00:39:29] Adam Hawkinson: regrouping right now. The bands

[00:39:31] David Syvertsen: getting back together. Are they, I dunno, applications. Um, but, you know, describe some of the support system.

You know, you know, you can make yourself vulnerable a little bit. How, how much it's helped you because, you know, you're independent, you're strong-willed, you're, you're, you know, Dedicated, but the support system has done a lot for you. Yeah,

[00:39:50] Adam Hawkinson: so for me, uh, dealing with the military, like I, I'm like two people when a traumatic event happens, I'm used to now just having a cold face and just saying, just push through, get on.

You know, there's no time to like worry about emotions, this, that, and the other, cuz people are gonna be depending on you to do something or help them get through. But at the same time, bottling all that up, you know, I could get back to the house, watch an episode of Full House, and Danny Tanner's giving a speech, and I'll break down, start crying.

And you sit there like, you're like, what is wrong with me? Right. Right. But you know, there's people that every once in a while you'll just send a text out to someone and like, you're not sure where it's going to go, and they'll say something back, you're like, all right. Like, I feel better. But like, you talk things out and you're like, Hey, let, let's catch up with, hey, let's go to the pool, let's.

Grab a drink or let's not get a drink, let's just do whatever. Having other people here, just knowing what you go through and they go through the same thing, just emotionally, just kind of helps get everything off of what is going on in you. Just putting that

[00:40:55] David Syvertsen: guard down a little bit. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And, and knowing that other people need to do the same thing, you know, like I'm big on give and take, right?

Like we, we should all be trying to provide help for others, whether it's our job or not. We should all be doing that. Uh, but you also have to not be afraid of taking help when it's there. Um, I think that's a big thing with more guys than, than girls. Like, we're just too tough to take help or ask for help.

Right. But there's a lot of people out there that genuinely want to help you, but they need to know that you need help. Yeah. And I, I think that's really important that, you know, you can do that a lot of different ways. Um, you know, just reaching out, you know, in this day and age, a simple text message.

Right. You know, ideally it's, it's done face to face, but that's the world we live in right now and that's the way it's gotta be sometimes. Um, Now, are there issues, mental or physical that you have fixed or you think others can fix through the experience that you've had in the military? Like some of the things that you've coped with from military you dealt with during the military or post-military life right now that you're a civilian?

Are there things that have, it's helped you kind of. You know, you've used that experience and fixed something in the gym, whether it could be lifestyle or even fitness related. So going

[00:42:05] Adam Hawkinson: back to the, the, you know, ptsd, when I was diagnosed, it was just one of those like, woe was me. This is the most awful thing.

And my biggest fear in life after the military and finding out I had PTSD was, I'm gonna be that crazy, you know, stereotypical Vietnam vet that is just like in fatigues all day. Mm-hmm. And just like, Just going around Looney and everyone's like, stay away from that guy. Yeah. I would have no family, no friends, and I'll just go down a dark road and just be by myself forever.

Mm-hmm. With that being said, at that one point by myself at night, I just got to the point where I was like, this is I'm, this is, I'm over with it. I don't wanna do it. Had a couple pills, went down that dark road. Mm-hmm. Then I got help cuz once I found out that what I was doing was the most selfish thing.

The only people that would be affected by that would not be me, would be my family, my friends, and everyone that cared about me. Right? So I got, uh, I think it was two weeks inpatient, uh, help at Coatesville, um, uh, VA hospital for PTs. D learned what it was, learned how to cope with certain things, and then just day by day you just learn that.

Whatever happens in that moment is not the end all, be all. You know, you hear stories about people like Robin Williams that you know, just, they look like they're the happiest people on earth, and then when they're by themselves, that's when the darkest thoughts come in. And then it's just the split moment of a decision changes everything.

Right. And if, like we said, like if you just. Reached out. Whether it's like you're out drinking with someone and you say something, someone over hears. They're like, that didn't sound right. Sound a little dark. Mm-hmm. You reached out to them the next day, like, Hey, like how you doing? It's like, oh, like I'm fine.

I was just drunk. It's like, I know you were drunk, but there had to be some kind of streak behind it. Right. So following up with that and then talking to people, staying in touch with them, letting 'em know that you're there. Once you reach out multiple times, the person's like, okay, they're actually concerned about me.

I might open up at this point. Mm-hmm. A lot of times when you talk to someone, you, you're just, some people think that you're just doing the courteous thing, like they really don't care. And that's when you shut down. But when you're willing to open up to other people, that's when the best things happen.

[00:44:21] David Syvertsen: You know what, this ti this, you know, the alcohol comes up a few times, right? You know, they're, they're drunk and they say something. Did they mean it? Did they not? I've always said this about CrossFit classes. After a CrossFit class, it is no different to me than happy hour. The the guard is down, the endorphins are high, and you'll hear things in a class.

After a class that will make you like double take. Like what did they just say that, are they acting like that? And it's not always bad. Sometimes it's like a really good, like vibrant thing, but also sometimes you'll hear something that like gives you pause and it says, you know what? Their guard is down.

And that's what happens when you have a few drinks. Your guard is down. So you say something that you do mean. But you're, but you didn't know you really said it. Yeah. Because you had your, you know, you had a few drinks, you were a little buzzed. Right. And I think that's something coaches, but athletes should also be aware of.

What do people act like after a workout when you see tears? Because they got four rounds instead of five. Mm-hmm. They're not that upset about the freaking workout. Trust me, there's something else going on. They'll probably say in the moment, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. Mm. And then you reach out a day later, you reach out a day later.

Like, I'm tying what Hawk is saying to people that I've dealt with over the gym in a few years, over the years where it's, you know, it took maybe seven times of reaching out to be like, what's going on? Are you okay For them to really open up. Yeah. And I think that's a really cool kind of, you know, correlation here.

Um, Sam, do you have, can you tie any of what he's saying? To some of this, what we talked about earlier, like the pressure you deal with, you know, you've dealt with some high stress shit, especially in the hospital, like is, does any of this kind of resonate with you? Yeah, I think.

[00:46:03] Sam Rhee: Everything you say about bonds through shared adversity resonates always.

Mm-hmm. If you, if you go undergo something difficult, and that's what we do on a small scale for every CrossFit class, it, it resonates with me. It means a lot in my defense. I don't get drunk anymore, but if I've ever gotten drunk and said anything, it was not me, and there was no truth to it. So that's a total lie.

Not everyone is like that, Dave, first of all, second of all, Uh, yes. I think when I see people after a workout and they have the endorphins, like I, you know, and you see that all the time. I mean, also in the five and 6:00 AM like, you're just like not even awake by the time you show up. Right. And afterwards, like you, you're a different person.

Yeah. You're just so animated. Yeah. And you, you feel so much better. That's the mental aspect of, of CrossFit. And it's funny, um, I've seen Adam go from like, you've changed. So much over your time in CrossFit, and I think one of it is, is that you've been relentless in your. Drive for getting better at stuff.

Like, I don't think I've seen anyone. There are only, there are a few that have worked as hard as you have about getting better at things. Mm-hmm. Like, you really, really focus on it. And I think the fact that it's in a community that we're all working together on these things, uh, we're sharing experiences.

Sean O'Hara, we had a great set of podcasts with him talking about mental health and sharing and, and opening and. And it's sneaky how we talk about physical fitness and CrossFit. But I really truly believe the reason why it works is because of the mental aspect. And that means it has to be community.

It's the community. Yeah. And it's about, like you said, it's like you, you work to try to get better at these things and then it starts like secretly infiltrating other parts of your life. So you're like, okay, I'm not gonna do as well on the workout, so I'm gonna not drink as much. I'm gonna. Eat a little bit better.

And, and so it just kind of like creeps into your life, which is why people say it's a cult because it does start to affect other parts of your life. And when you're like, you know, I wanna make this a little bit better, I wanna make this a little bit better, I need to work on my sleep a little bit more.

And all these things, so, so you can call it a cult, but I just really call it. It, it, it sneaks into the rest of your life. And I even see it, and I love seeing it in the new people. Yeah. Because they just kind of showed up to work out and then they're like, oh, I have a couple friends now. And I like seeing them.

Yeah. Every morning. So now I'm showing up just because I want to say hi to them and see what's going on. And then they're like, oh, you know what? I'm sick and tired of doing ring rows and let me do something more. And then they're like, okay, well now I, you know, so then it starts like, Kind of messing with you a little bit.

And, and that's where if, you know, if we're ever gonna talk about the success of CrossFit globally, like someone like Adam, someone like all the new people we see, all the things that we do. Like, it's not easy, like it's really hard stuff, but that's where we're gonna get the kind of success in terms of helping people be better people.

Like, I don't know anyone. In the past 10 years that I've been doing CrossFit, that I've seen them over year, year over year, over year not be better in some way. Mm-hmm. Like we're getting older. Yeah. And, and maybe we're getting more

[00:49:23] David Syvertsen: beat up, but that makes it more. Amazing to me, you know, because we're all going in the opposite direction, you know, of what most people do.

But I see these

[00:49:31] Sam Rhee: people, I, I saw some OGs this morning and I was like, wow, they're better people. Mm-hmm. Like, they're just better. Yeah.

[00:49:36] David Syvertsen: All around. And I love

[00:49:37] Sam Rhee: that. And, and so, you know, what we talk about here just resonates

[00:49:41] David Syvertsen: with me about those things. Hmm. Now, do you, just in closing, do you think that your progress and your approach to CrossFit would've been there if you didn't have your Army background?

[00:49:54] Adam Hawkinson: I, I think it would've, I would've gotten there regardless. It's just having the tools from the military and uh, just being mentally stronger from that just helped me get there sooner. Right. You know, when I first started, I. You know, I was what I would call skinny fat. I, I looked fine with the shirt, almond, I take it off.

I had no definition. You know, Sam said after Covid, when he saw me, I looked, I looked puffy.

[00:50:19] David Syvertsen: No, the puffy, oh, you remember that one?

[00:50:21] Adam Hawkinson: Puffy. So, you know, it's one of those, you, you get through it and you keep going. But, uh, I think just the military background just helped me get there that much sooner and knowing where I could push myself.

And cuz you know, when I first started, I, I worked out one day, took two days off. Mm-hmm. Worked one day, took two days off, and I was like, I'm not, I'm always gonna be sore. Right. And then it was like, I have to just keep moving. Right. And then it's like you push through, you know? Yeah. When you're out in Iraq doing a 12 hour patrol, I.

You just gotta push through. You gotta just get it over with. And then the next day you're like, okay, I did the 12. I can do it again. Right. And it just

[00:50:54] David Syvertsen: makes it that much easier. Yeah. No, that's awesome. And for those that don't have that army background, right, like most of us don't, most, most of you know, I, I think there are some things in your life you can look back on, you know, maybe not as serious or as apparent as, Adam's, uh, military background, but there are a lot of things in your past.

I think do think you can help yourself mentally cope with what you're going through as a CrossFitter that's trying to make progress and get fitter and get healthier and try to fix issues that you have. Um, but if you don't or you have a hard time, this is why we have someone like Hawk come on, is. You, you, you should be able to learn a lot by listening, right?

I mean, that's a job of a parent too. Like, you don't always want your kids to go through every single thing. You wanna be able to teach them. Yes, they have to go through their own stuff, but part of your job is to try and teach them and show them the way without them always having to, you know, get burned by that iron, right?

So I, I think that if you are having a hard time looking back on your life and trying to relate it to issues that you're dealing with as a CrossFitter, This is the kind of story that you should be listening to and, you know, don't take it for granted, right? I mean, we're, we're there very thankful that Adam gave both time, energy, and made himself a little vulnerable here by sharing some of these things.

And I think it's, um, I think a very commendable, but b, you should take that serious and respect it and try to take what he's saying. And maybe apply it to some of the issues that you have here at the gym. Maybe apply it to some of the motivation and discipline issues that you have with, you know, your lifestyle that impacts you at the gym and makes you feel different about yourself.

You know, I, I really think if you've taken what he's saying, it's gonna help you out in a big way. Put in

[00:52:30] Sam Rhee: your pitch for stable boys 2.0. Like for the people who are new and don't understand what the stable boys are, and they see the stickers, they see the logos, they see merchandise is just flying off the shelf.

I have, I have

[00:52:40] David Syvertsen: mugs like, tell, tell

[00:52:43] Adam Hawkinson: them what this is. So the stable boys started before me, but after me, I don't think it's ever been the same. Uh, so Brian RC and Owen went and did, uh, the Asbury uh, games. And when they did that, they formed the Stable Boys. I started coming to the gym, met Brian. Brian got to judge me a few times, dress as Hulk Hogan during the open, so he got a good glimpse of my whole, everything, my whole package.

Uh, but we, it is just one of those as we, we got closer and hanging out a little bit more. They decided to bring me in and I think it was the worst slash best decision of their lives. Uh, they get, uh, some shirts every once in a while just cuz I have nothing better to do. Uh, some cozzies. But you know, it, it's funny cuz you know, everyone at the gym, we're all friends.

And then just because we got that much closer with each other, you know, now our wives are friends with each other, you know, we go to each other's houses, you know, we're in their weddings, you know, it's just one of those. Tight groove, but you know, I go back to the gym. Is our company, you know, your, your class time is their squad, and then you can have your team with your closest people at the team.

Oh, I

[00:53:58] David Syvertsen: love that. Yeah. That's awesome. All right guys. Well thanks so much Hawk for coming on man. That was awesome. You did a great job and I hope everyone got a lot out of that. Uh, just remember, MERF, any hero workouts you have coming up. Uh, remember why. Try to keep your mind on that, not just the workout, not just the muscles burning.

And we promise you you'll get a lot more out of it. All right. We'll see you next week. You guys