Ep. 15 | Stronger Together: How We Run A Gym, Coach Each Other, And Still Love Each Other

What does it really take to run a gym with your spouse, coach each other, and still want to train together tomorrow? We give you an insight into our day-to-day, where structure meets spontaneity and turned from chaos into forward momentum.

We start with the shift from separate careers to full-time partners and the messiness that came with it: unclear roles, scattered tasks, and no real plan. The breakthrough happened when we found our strengths. One of us thrives in building systems and timelines; the other brings creative energy and big moves. Once we stopped working against the grain and started working with it, everything from programming to billing found a home. Media, branding, and team highlights got easier too, thanks to simple briefs and asset checklists that let creative work flow without bottlenecks.

Coaching each other was much more difficult. Early on, we tangled personal partner feelings with coach feedback and tried to talk our way through moments that needed silence. Over time we learned the value of space, patience, and treating failure as data instead of drama. Now we co‑coach: we set targets together, keep each other honest on load selection, and accept that long-term progress isn’t linear. The result is steadier training, fewer ego-lifts, and more sessions that actually move the needle.

The take away from our story is this: Real progress and strength is only amplified when you surround yourself with others that are like minded. Our community proves strong isn’t a single look.  A 72‑year‑old member cheering for a lifetime PR triple from a national‑level lifter reminds us why we built this place: So everyone has a space to find their strong.

If this resonates with your training, your team, or your relationships, tap play and ride along. Then share it with someone who lifts you up, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a review so we can keep building a stronger, smarter community together.

Transcript

Setting The Stage On Valentine’s Day

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to another episode of the Fortis After Hours podcast. I'm your co-host, Nate, joined by my wife Liz and our little minion Toby. He decided to join us for the podcast today. We'll see we'll see how long he stays. We'll see how long this lasts. We'll see how long this lasts. It's a debate. Um if you watch the video episode from what, a few weeks ago, you can see him going up and down and all around. Yeah, he was not he was not having that.

SPEAKER_00 0:23

I think that was the last one we did. We didn't do one last week, so I think it was the one before that.

SPEAKER_01 0:27

Yeah. What were we doing last week?

SPEAKER_00 0:28

I was at a funeral.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Oh yeah. I'm not gonna lie, we've had so many traveling things that I legitimately was like, where were we last week?

SPEAKER_00 0:38

Well, I was at my grandma's funeral.

SPEAKER_01 0:40

Yes, I recall. I recall. Um, yeah, because I just talked to myself for 10 minutes.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

But at least you had a safe trip.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

I did.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Um, and a smooth trip back.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

I did.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Uh, but today we are recording this podcast on Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

Happy Valentine's Day. Welcome to the show. Oh, thanks.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Um, I figured what better topic uh than just discussing kind of like how our relationship has grown stronger over the years um and giving people a little bit of insight into exactly how our relationship works because I think we have a pretty unique relationship compared to I don't know, a lot of the world. Um I'm sure there's other people that you know run businesses with their spouses. I know there is. Um, but we not only do that, we also train together, we coach each other, um, and and run the gym together.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

Basically, we're together 24-7.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Yes. Um, so I figure we kind of dive into that today and give people a little bit of insight um on how our relationship works and how we're able to be together 24-7. And then give you guys a little takeaway at the end because there is something that I you always hear, but I've actually learned it from like personal um experiences, and that is you're always gonna be stronger together. So we'll get to that later on. Okay. Um, but it's very, very hard to do something great and amazing by yourself. That is true. There are people that have probably done it, but most people that are doing things that are great have a team of people surrounding them and supporting them. Um that is true. So, anyways, so yeah, so it's not gonna be like we're not going like full romance episode or anything like that. No. But uh what we are gonna be talking about is kind of like redefining strong because strength is not just in the gym, but is also um can be built in your relationships and kind of talk about how we've built that over the years because I think it is pretty interesting.

From Separate Jobs To 24/7 Partners

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Um, I feel like in our early in our early days together, so wait, we've been together 11 years now, and then almost 10 years married. Yeah. Yeah. I was making sure I didn't botch that. I was pretty pretty certain. Pretty certain. Um, and you know, really, I guess like what I wanted to talk about today was kind of like when we bought the gym. Um, because that's really when we started well, I guess before when we were kind of like training each other, sort of.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

But it really kind of like we're gonna in reference, like talk about more like from the gym buying the gym on. So 2018. Um, so we were together for a little bit already. Um, Liz was a teacher, uh, I was a coach and trainer, and I worked at a gym that was previously down here, and then we bought the gym, and then all of a sudden we went from kind of a more like traditional like relationship type thing where it's like you both go to work and then you see each other at night, like that kind of thing. Yeah. To like 24-7 all the time.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Well, that wasn't right away. That was because I was still teaching for a couple years. It wasn't really till COVID.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

And then I went and taught for like another year. Okay, and then it was like 2021, really.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

My bad. Erased my timeline. It's 2021 is what I was talking about.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

So not 2018.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

Yeah, really when we started doing like everything together. Um, because that's where I think like we really actually uh grew really close and stronger together. Because I feel like that was a that was a potential

Entering The Gym Full Time

SPEAKER_01 4:10

where like we probably could have like there could have been like more of a divide and like uh more friction. Yeah, but we were able to kind of work through that and get closer together. So initially, how do you think like like I know like we'll talk about the gym first? Like how do you feel in the beginning when you started like working at the gym full time, it was like coming to work together, and I guess like how confusing was it for you?

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Well, I just didn't really know what to do because I would ask what to do, and you wouldn't know what I could do either. I think just because you were so used to just doing everything by yourself on your own, um, and I think that you didn't really know necessarily what to have me do because it was just you had spent so much time what three, four years, three years basically solo doing everything.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

Thank you for your input, Toby. Thank you. Um Toby did want a podcast today.

SPEAKER_00 5:19

Apparently. Um but anyways, because you'd done everything, which was kind of part of what we had said when we bought the gym, because like I was still teaching, so I kind of said, you know, this is yours, you can do it, or we can do it, whatever, but it's yours, you have to do it. So you did, which is what I needed to do. Um, but then like when I did leave teaching and came here full-time, I had, I was just like lost. And um I do very well with like structure and routine and like a plan and directions, and there was none of that because you did not do any of that. No, I didn't. Um, it was essentially just kind of survive, I think,

Chaos Meets Structure

SPEAKER_00 6:00

when I wasn't here.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

Um see, like in my brain it wasn't, but that's actually what it was happening. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:05

It was just kind of like survive and just do the things whenever things got done, and there was no there was no order. It was just There was no order. Just chaos. You must have order. Chaos. Um, I do not thrive in chaos. Um I like structure very much. Yeah. Um, so it definitely was very challenging for me. Um, because I didn't I just didn't know what to do. There was no direction, there was no like anything. Um, and I think it was also hard for you just because you didn't really know how to like relinquish anything or like delegate.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

I also struggled with like the idea. I didn't really like think about that basically. So like when we're we had talked about, because this was planned, like you know, we had talked about Liz uh quitting teaching and like moving into full-time like gym ownership managing, whatever with me. Um, I just kind of was like, I don't know why I was like this, this is my mistake, but in my brain, I was like, oh yeah, that's cool. Like she's gonna do that, and we'll be good to go, and we'll just start doing it. And I like had no like concept of like yeah, so like I still remember like one of the first few days we like drive to the gym together, and you're like, So what should I do today? I was like, uh, I don't know. I was like, dude, like, you know, because in the beginning you didn't have like too many clients, things like this. Yeah. So like, you know, Liz had like, I mean, probably honestly quite a lot of free time that I misused, or we could have like probably done something with, but we didn't.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

So I was like, sure didn't.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Uh what? Um, and that did take a little bit of like adjustment and time for me to kind of figure out, okay, like Liz is good, like so you know just some of the things so that people know, like some of the things that like you do now, like Liz does a ton of programming, online coaching, feedback for people, um, like at an extremely high level, I would say. Like, you really pour your heart and soul into that. Um, I mean, she's on a computer, I don't know, three hours-ish, maybe three to five hours a day, just like between like writing stuff, uh, responding to people, like critiquing videos, things like this. Um, so that's like one really big thing that she does for the gym and for um, you know, like our brand as a whole. Uh, so she handles like all the powerlifting program, in case people didn't know that. Uh so she's the one that writes the powerlifting program. I do not. Um, I only have like my personal clients, I don't do the general programming. Um, and then she also now handles like billing stuff. And I feel like over time, kind of you've kind of learned like a bunch of the little things that like I also do, but now you know how to do them as well.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

Yeah, like I feel like there's some stuff that like we both do just kind of depending on like who talks to us about it, like with billing stuff or updating a card on file or just like simple things like that.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

Um yeah, and I feel like that's like the best, in my opinion, that's like the best because or the best way to handle it. So it's like

Defining Roles And Delegation

SPEAKER_01 9:00

you have the one thing you're really, really good at, and then you know how to do like the other stuff that needs done for the business, but we kind of split that based off, like Liz said, like kind of who asks when, whatever. Uh, and then the other thing that you do really good now is this thing.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

I write on the whiteboard.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Liz writes on the whiteboard, which sounds silly, but brings me back to my teaching days. Yeah, Liz can whip out a quality whiteboard, like boom, off-rip, like easy. Like, I do need some new markers though. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:27

I was thinking about that the other day. I like threw away three of them. I was gonna use Valentine's Day colors for the board.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

All the pink and red markers were dead. That looks like the Joker.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

That's not Valentine's Day.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Um, but yeah, so that's another thing uh that like Liz exclusively handles. Um, and then the other thing that she recently uh surprisingly has taken on, which is ironic because she's always like before was like I cannot come up with topics for videos. So she like handles, she pretty much manages my video project, which has been fantastic. I don't exactly know how you decided you were gonna do this, but you did, and now you're good at it.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Because there was no organization and then it was chaos, and my brain hurt because there was no plan, and I knew I was gonna help with it, and so I knew if I needed to be able to help with it, I had to have some kind of like plan and structure, or else my brain was going to implode because I don't I don't thrive in chaos.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

Yeah, and again, I just feel like somehow you knew that I was gonna fail without you because uh or it would take way longer because it definitely would take me way longer if I was doing it by myself.

SPEAKER_00 10:33

Probably yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

Um, but yeah, that's actually a really great example, which I did touch on a little bit, but like when I decided fully that I was gonna do this, and this is why we're a great team, because I am um of the two of us, like definitely the person that will come up with an idea that seems impossible or like maybe stupid, or it might actually be dumb.

SPEAKER_00 10:55

Um it might, but that does happen.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

I will get it done, and then oftentimes, not always, because sometimes it's just a mistake, but often oftentimes, or sometimes, I'll do these things that in the beginning Liz is like, hmm, I don't know, and then I do them, and you're like, hmm, okay. Like, and like the whole time, like I feel like you always just support me.

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Well, sometimes I don't think it's like a bad idea. I just want you to like kind of slow down and think about it a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

Like this would be like impulsive. Yeah, I'm like, alright, like I'm gonna do the video every day. And Liz is like, what? Yeah, and then you go, I which I think I literally said this in the last episode. She was like, like, in the past, maybe I didn't. I was talking to some clients about this, but like I was like, or you were like, yeah, like, I mean, you've tried that and haven't filmed like one or two a week, so how are you gonna do it every day? I was like, I don't know, but I'm gonna do it. But here we are, like whatever days in, almost 50, and we're doing doing really good. And my point of all that story is is that without her help, I do not think it'd be going like it'd be going or definitely not going as well as it's going. Um, so that's just I feel like a good example of how we work together. Yeah, work well together. Because yeah, if we were both, yeah, Tubby agrees. Okay, buddy. Um, you know, if we were both like more impulsive,

Systems, Programming, And Operations

SPEAKER_01 12:20

okay, okay, okay, okay. All right. Um, but yeah, I feel like like if we were both more impulsive, then I feel like nothing would get done. Um and then if we were both super structured, then I feel like also nothing would get done. Yeah, it's probably a good balance. It's a good balance. Um, so anyways, I feel like in the early days we didn't fully recognize uh our strengths and weaknesses, and over time we've kind of just naturally worked hard together. I think that's the one thing that is key in our relationship is we both work really hard and we'll do kind of whatever it takes to get the job done. Um, and along the way, we've kind of found some good different like roles and things like that that seems to work well together.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

Yeah, I agree. Um and I think part of it too is like I did get like I don't know, I just would start doing things, even if you didn't tell me to do them, or it wasn't like which is what I that's also like you didn't like delegate things or ask things. Like I was just like, well, this needs to be done, and so I'll do it. Like it was never like big things, but just like little things here and there and be like, this needs to be done, or I would tell you things that need to be done, or like things that you need to create, or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 13:31

Like another example. Here's a real life example for you guys the other day. So, like the other day, so I I do all the designing stuff. That's just like what I like to do.

SPEAKER_00 13:40

Um yeah, someone asked me today, like how I like something about coming up with the new logo. I was like, that wasn't me.

SPEAKER_01 13:47

Yeah, so that's what I'm doing. But but the one of my biggest like weaknesses is that I am like kind of like I like to I'm like a I guess I perfectionist sort of like I like think too much about stuff. Like I'm like, I'll like make something, uh, and actually the new logo, another sidebar story. Here's some more Fortis lore for you guys. Yeah, um I had also this happens a lot. Okay, but I had come up with that logo, but I had two F's, and I really just didn't like the two F look anymore. I just wanted to go with one symbol that would represent our brand. And then Liz just goes, like, she's like looking at all my stuff, and I'm like, because basically I'm like, screw it, I gotta start over. And then Liz is like looking at the thing and my drawings, and she's like, Why don't you just take off one of the F's?

SPEAKER_00 14:33

And I was like, It was real simple, and then there we go.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

So, you know, there's that, and then real simple recently, like as far as more of a workflow example. So we wanted to create a uh fun post for our Fortis powerlifting team going to nationals, just kind of highlight them. Uh, because it's you know a lot of time, money, dedication to go to a bigger meet like that. So we wanted to highlight everybody, and we needed a post, obviously, to do that. And basically, Liz just kind of like was like, all right, this is what I'm looking for. I want this, this, this, this. I was like, all right, I could do that. And then I just cranked it out.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

And like I organized it, I collected the pictures.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

She did all the other stuff. With the significance of that is that that really just allowed me to do what I like to do, which is the designing. And I cranked it out like I don't know, maybe like a couple hours from start to finish with people talking to me, like, you know, not like fully focused type thing. No, usually that would probably take me days if I was doing it myself because I'd be getting the pictures, getting distracted, getting distracted, and like that's a prime example of how we like work well together um running the gym. So that's kind of like running the gym. Like, I feel like how we work well together. Um, now for coaching, that's been a wild journey. And it was wild. We've talked about that a lot on the podcast, so I'm not gonna go like too much into it. Um, but basically, like when we first started, it was terrible. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Okay, it wasn't that bad.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

Jeez, it was rough, but yeah, it was pretty bad. So like I was coaching Liz. I don't know why that happened. Well, I think, well, yeah, no. I think like I was coaching Liz, and then she got and then she tried a couple other programs, and then those didn't work, or something happened during the peak. Something. And then, long story short, I started coaching Liz again,

Managing Media And Creative Workflow

SPEAKER_01 16:20

and in the beginning it was real bad. So the problems, I'll tell you, were probably on both of our sides, but a lot was on my side, I will tell you right now. Because number one, I found it very like it was difficult to like figure out, like I'm like, like at one point I remember I was like, all right, husband nate, coach nate. Like, I could not figure out that. Yeah, we had to have two separate yeah to like communicate. Yeah, I couldn't figure that out. Um, the other thing is is that a fundamental thing about my wife that you guys might not know is that sometimes Liz just needs to be left alone. I do. And when I was younger, uh in our relationship, I just like did not comprehend that.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

Like, I'm like, why would anyone want to be left alone?

SPEAKER_01 17:00

Nope, you need to be not left alone, you need help. Like, like, let me encourage you. Let me and like I just couldn't wrap my head around it. So I'm like, nah, I don't think so. I think she needs some encouraging words or like something, you know, a hug or whatever. No. Uh so that was a big problem. And then what was the other like kind of problems? I feel like we would like argue a lot about it. Oh, yeah. I don't even I've tried to like forget that.

SPEAKER_00 17:25

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

I don't really like fully remembered. Yeah, it was rough. Yeah, it was not good. And yeah, that was like in the beginning. And then I think just like over time, we just kind of kept at it. And like over time, I think I probably because I think a lot of it was like my problem. And like I think over time, like I got a little bit better with number one, sometimes just realizing like I don't know, you'd be like upset or whatever, and like that's just what you gotta do. And then uh number two, I feel like I like got a lot more like patient with just like all right, like we just need to work through this together, and like and a lot more like listen listening. And then like now we have, I feel like probably one of the best coaching relationships that we could have, like each one of us do, uh, which is fantastic. And I think a lot of that too, that's the other thing. Is in the beginning, like Liz was a full-time teacher, and she kind of dabbled into the fitness space, but wasn't really like a coach, or you didn't really have as much like knowledge as you do now. No, and like I feel like this is but you're also like kind of like an independent person.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

So you know, I'd be like, all right, we need to do this, and Liz would be like, well, and I think some of that like I liked I I like control of things, hence the planning and organizing and the nice little type A personality that I am, and like if I couldn't control something like with my lifting or with the programming, like sometimes like I just couldn't control it or I would fail or whatever, and then the whole world would end. Um I also had issues with failure.

SPEAKER_01 19:05

That was, yeah, I was gonna say that was a big thing. Um I mean, I still don't like failure.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

Yeah, I mean it's no one likes to fail, but I have learned that it is part of the process where at the time I did not know that. I mean, I did, but I couldn't.

unknown 19:18

I couldn't.

SPEAKER_01 19:19

That was legit, like but I couldn't. It was like, wait, what?

SPEAKER_00 19:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Um, but yeah, so now So I've also grown as a person and an athlete both, which I think has helped.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Well, yes, and a coach.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

And I feel like all three of those things have helped a lot. Yes. Um, and now so basically, like, how do we get through it? We just kind of kept going one day at a time. Um, and I I learned like I was like, okay, well, there's at least some things that I can control. Um, because weirdly, I don't know, I don't think I have like a type A personality, but I also like to be in control. We have two people in this relationship that like to be in control at all times. Um it's fun. Yeah, we just take turns, like uh, like um Captain Phillips, I'm the Captain No. You know that line? No, of course

Coaching Each Other: Early Friction

SPEAKER_01 20:00

not. Um Liz, my wife's movie, I don't know, whatever. No movie Rollodex is not existent. Correct. Except for Harry Potter. Even Harry Potter, sometimes I'm like, yeah, like do you know this song? She's like, no.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

I don't know the songs from Harry Potter.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

There's they're a very distinct sounding.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

There's like one that I could tell you.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

Mm-hmm. That one? Yeah, the main one. Theme song.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

Yeah. But that's the only one.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

All right. So, anyways. So now uh, so now we have a pretty awesome coaching relationship, like both of us. I kind of it's kind of like collectively, we just coach each other, is basically how I describe it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Um we like co-coach each other. Yeah, we're like coach and assistant coach for each other.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Yeah, exactly. Um, because we both are like pretty good at like kind of knowing what we need. Like we've both been just lifting for a long time at this point. Um, and I just think both of us, ironically, we need it's just more help with making sure um our numbers are on track, uh, not too heavy, because both of us like to go too heavy. Um, so it's about that. And then we sometimes, you know, we'll have to think a little outside of the box for the other person, which seems to be helpful because we're both very like focused. We have a lot of stuff going on in our lives. So like the training is just like more like get in, train, get out. And sometimes, especially when you're trying to make progress after a long time, you know, we've both been lifting for a long time, over 10 years for both of us, and like progress sometimes is not just like this, like, oh yeah, just go here. It's sometimes you gotta go like do do and then you make progress. Um, yeah. Well, yeah, and sometimes you go and then you just fail again. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 21:47

That's why I said hopefully.

SPEAKER_01 21:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

And then sometimes you gotta try it again.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Which happens. Um, and honestly, I will say that's another thing that works really well for us in our relationship is with the coaching aspect and athlete aspect. Like this is very much of like, you just gotta execute. You just gotta get it done because that's what you have to do, because these are the rules. And I was not really like that, but I've become better at that. Where it's like some days, like I'm just like like deadlifts the other day. That did not I was like warming up. I'm like, like my hip was a little tight from something earlier in the week, and I just I don't know, I wasn't feeling great. But then I just kind of put on my big boy pants. I'm like, we gotta get this done. And then I did. I'm next. And like that is not from me. That's like something I've learned from you, I feel like. And then in the same way, like I ironically, we don't really fail either of us too often now. Um, because we have a pretty good handle of where we're at generally most days, but sometimes failure does happen. Um, and but I never had an issue with that because I learned that I played like sports all my life and like I was accustomed to failing. Like, I'm just like, it's fine, like it happens. Uh I didn't let it like beat me down, basically. I'd just be like, okay, yep. And I think like that really helped, like, I feel like our coaching relationship, the coach athlete, whatever, like us just like working together, because you know, sometimes with Liz Woodfail, I'm like, all right, next thing. And you're just like, well, wait, what about the fail? I'm like, doesn't matter. Going on to the next thing. And I feel like, you know, again, your example, like, I feel like if we were both like that, like we're both like, oh, failing. Yeah. Then like, you know, we'd be wallowing. Or in the other aspect, if we were both like, just gotta get it done. That's the rules. And then you don't get it done one day, you know what I mean, or something like that, then um, you know, then that doesn't work as good. So I feel like that kind of balances out together.

SPEAKER_00 23:34

Yeah. Um it's a good little balance.

SPEAKER_01 23:36

Yeah. I feel like we balance out each other very well. Coaching and training together. Yeah. Yeah. Something that's been key also for us um doing all these things together is that we do, I feel like, a pretty good job at communicating. Um, and I feel like over time, like or it's not over time, just like in general, you could always be

Learning Space, Patience, And Failure

SPEAKER_01 24:00

better at communicating if you're in any type of relationship, uh, whether it's a work relationship or maybe coach athlete relationship. Like that's something I feel like as humans, kind of like lifting, you could always just get a little better, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 24:11

Um, but I feel like well, yeah, because you could be good at like communicating with one person, but maybe with another person is not good at communicating with them. So you have to like learn their communication style.

SPEAKER_01 24:21

Yes. That is something that I had to learn.

SPEAKER_00 24:24

Weird.

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Um, but I feel like over the years, I feel like I have I have learned quite a lot. All right. Uh, because yeah, before I just used to like talking a lot. Um, now I still like talking a lot.

SPEAKER_00 24:35

Yeah, I was gonna say that hasn't changed.

SPEAKER_01 24:37

Okay. All right. But but I also know, you know, sometimes you just like Liz will just need like some time. Um, and like it's almost like sometimes for Liz, like the best communication is no communication. Yeah. Um just let me be. Yep. You just gotta like And that's okay. She's like a uh teapot. You just gotta let her like cool down a little bit. Gotta simmer, cool, yeah, gotta simmer down, like cool, cool down. Yep. Um and and yeah, so I feel like I feel like we do a good job communicating, is I guess my point. Um, and I I feel like in that sense, I don't think that was ever something we set out to be like, yeah, let's be good at communicating. I feel like that was kind of baptism through fire. Like we because of all the stuff we do together, it's like, well, like you just we have to be in a constant communication to make sure everything's running smoothly.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

We probably definitely had well definitely had very different communication styles, obviously. Like, I didn't like talking at all, really.

SPEAKER_01 25:36

No, one of us was communicating and the other one was not at all.

SPEAKER_00 25:39

So I also had to learn to talk more.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

Yeah. But it's like, again, it's been I feel like a balance because it's like, yeah, I definitely talked way too much before, like earlier on in our relationship. And it's like I just need to shut up. Yep. And then now I still I mean, that's still like I'm like, okay, I just need to be quiet. But like, but like I feel like it's much more balanced. Like, I've gotten a lot better, I feel like at like okay, sometimes I just need to not be talking. And then yeah, you definitely talk way more than before, um, which I feel like has helped us grow and grow the business and coaching together.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:17

Um, because you can't do either of those things without uh communication.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 26:22

Um, and then you know, something else that I wanted to talk about was the fact that we just have very different strengths. Like, so we're both like, like I said, like a core value, I guess, of both of us as like human beings is that we both work very hard. And uh I am confident that I can pretty much accomplish anything that I decide to do. And I am confident that my wife, Liz, will also be there accomplishing whatever we decide to do together.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

Um he has the confidence for me, so basically.

SPEAKER_01 26:53

But Liz, but but I feel like you have also like like I feel like maybe you don't have like the confidence as much for like the impossible things, but like you know you can do the daily things, and that's the thing. It's like like Oh yeah, they just have to be done. They just need to be done, exactly. And that's what I was gonna say. It's like I might have the confidence for like the crazy things, which I also have the because you know if you have confidence for the crazy things, you also have to be okay with failing big, which I am. I don't like that. But Liz I don't like that. Yeah, I feel like something that we're both really good at is like we both can just get the daily things done. Like, this is what I do, this is what needs done, this is how we do it. Um, and honestly, some things that I've learned

Co‑Coaching And Smarter Training

SPEAKER_01 27:30

uh from Liz, because a big thing that she's really good with, which we touched on in the beginning, is structure. Very good at structure, and she's accomplished so much in her life with structure before like I even met Liz, and then has continued to accomplish stuff with structure, just pure structure, planning, whatever you want to call it. But structure is a good term. And like Liz said, I used to be just like all over the place, and somehow I'd still always get everything done, but like I don't I could not tell you. I still to this day, right now, like I'm not entirely sure how I survived like when we first were opening the gym. I don't know, I don't really know that answer. I don't know, and sometimes people like talk about it, like members that have been with us this whole time, and I'm like, hmm. Like they'll talk about yeah, they'll talk about like things I did or said. I'm like, hmm, okay.

SPEAKER_00 28:19

There's definitely like chunks of time that are just kind of missing from my brain, I think.

SPEAKER_01 28:23

Same here. Yeah, might be like stress-induced. Probably, who knows? Um, that's how, yeah, no, I feel the same way. And what I was gonna say, and I've touched on this before, I'm telling you guys right now, planning and structure is no joke. That enables you to do way more than just being like chaotic and all over the place because I was able to get the stuff done that I needed to get done, but there was no real room for like furthering uh myself, the gym, trying to grow because I was just too busy like surviving, surviving, exactly. And you know, it wasn't until I was kind of like I don't know, like I just kind of recognized, like, I'm like, hmm, like Liz would like come up with a plan or a structure for something, and then we do it, and it's like 10 times easier, is what I noticed. I'm just like weird, like not that it was getting done, because like I said, I could I'll get stuff done. That's not a that's not a question, or like something that I needed like help with, but what was something I needed help with, I was like, hmm. I was like, well, that was like 80 times easier than before. Um, and then I started like also putting plans into place, which that's still something I could do better at, I think, but like I at least have like recognized this now and do use plans. Um, and we've been able to, you know, like one of the things that I think is crazy that we were able to do a couple times is uh coach and handle over 20 lifters in a meet all at once, just the two of us.

SPEAKER_00 29:47

Um and for like everyone having a good day, too.

SPEAKER_01 29:50

Everyone having a good day, and that would not have been possible without Liz's planning, 100%. There's a lot that goes into that.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

You should see I've already started all my spreadsheets for uh for national.

SPEAKER_01 30:01

She's already locked in, guys.

SPEAKER_00 30:03

With that many people and us competing, that plan is gonna be locked tight. It's gonna be on point. Yes. Um all the spreadsheets.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Yeah. So yeah, Liz has pretty much everything locked in, ready to go. Um and we're gonna take a quick break and we'll be right back. I don't know if I'm just gonna be fucking at the end, and I don't want to I already knew it.

unknown 30:31

Whatever.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

Close. I was not paying attention to the time.

Communication Styles That Actually Work

SPEAKER_00 30:40

I was thinking that this was long. We were having a good discussion. I know. I'm just I was thinking that it was long.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

All right, and we're back. Um my camera stops recording at like 30 minutes, so that's where we're at these days. I'm gonna tell you guys right now, this is a small personal goal. I'm not getting a new camera until we finish out the entire year of posting. So stay tuned, you guys. We're on day like, I don't know, 44 or something.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Something, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:05

Um, but we're going strong. If you have not checked out the YouTube channel, check it out. If you're watching right now on the YouTube channel, please subscribe. Thank you. Um, anyways, so to kind of wrap everything up and together, um, kind of what I said in the beginning, I just wanted to touch on the fact that like real strength is built together. And I think I have no doubt that me and you both could be very strong and like successful on our own. Um, but I don't know if we'd be as strong or as successful as we are together. And I think that that is something that you should think about when you guys are in the gym, when you're at work, when you're at home, um, is that you know, you can do amazing things on your own as just a human being. Like humans are amazing creatures. However, you will be able to do much more amazing things and like great long-lasting things if you work together with someone, other people in your life, whatever, not necessarily just a partner.

SPEAKER_00 32:05

Yeah, it doesn't have to be like a significant other partner, like literally just like have a best friend, have someone that you work with that you work very well with, like at your job, have a solid training partner.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

I would say training partner, coach. Uh yeah, people that you work together with. Because when you have other people that are in your circle, so to speak, and you're all working towards a similar goal, and again, it doesn't need to be the same goal. That's our whole redefining strong thing. Like, it's gonna look different, like, but you know, that's something that's so unique about our gym that I think is so cool is that we have people squatting, you know, 300 pounds, we have people squatting 30 pounds, we have people squatting 600 pounds, and you know, it's really awesome to see all that happening in one building because oftentimes you see just the three pounds or just the 30-pound squats or just the you know, 300-pound squats, or just the 600-pound squats. Like it's kind of like separate like gyms. Um, and you know, our gym has a way of kind of bringing everyone together under one roof. And I just think it's it's one of the most awesome things seeing, you know, like yesterday had a class uh or group personal training session rather, and one of our members is 72, and they're cheering on and watching uh someone hit a lifetime PR squat triple, and then someone else hits a lifetime PR uh deadlift triple, and they're just so excited for them. And like they have no like I don't know, like they don't compete in power lifting either, like but they just can tell that this means like something to them and they're excited about it. And I think that's so cool to see in our gym, like everyone kind of supporting each other, and yeah, it's kind of like that intangible, like human energy that I don't like to talk about too much, but it is a thing, and like you know, it does stack up over time, and if you have the support of others, then I really think you can achieve a lot more um

Strengths, Confidence, And Daily Discipline

SPEAKER_01 34:00

than you maybe think you're capable of.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

So it is important, yeah. Moral of the story, uh don't be a find your people. Yeah, find your people, don't be and don't be don't be too, I guess, prideful to like think like, oh, I don't I don't need like I don't need this, that, whatever. Like be open to like you know the support of others and like you know, like they don't need to be. That's I think something in the power thing space, sometimes it gets a little weird. Like, they don't need to be lifting the same weights you're lifting. I'm sorry, but they don't. Um, you know, I tell Joel all the time, but I'll just say it here for the record, like we train together, we do not lift the same weights. However, that dude pushes me every day because he's in here, like, giving it his all, just like I'm giving him my all. So I'm like, well, like he's doing it, so I gotta do it. You know what I mean? Or like, and like I love training with Joel. Like, we train together, and like that's like something we enjoy, or you know, we enjoy to do. Same thing, uh, all right, Tubby. Same thing with you know, when me and you are training together, like we're both lifting like our respective weights, and like they're not the same, but like you'd be surprised sometimes in the powerlifting space, it's like, oh well, that's a different way. It's like, yeah, but for Liz, this is like a crazy elite squat or whatever, like or in your best better dots than me case, actually stronger technically. Um but my point is is like as long as you have people that are like pushing each other, like and trying to get better in their own right, and that you could tell they're actually like working hard, like that's really what matters in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 35:35

I agree. Having people that have like good energy, they're there for the right reasons, they're just here to show up, do some work, and make themselves better.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

Exactly. And I think if you can be open to that, I think great things can happen uh in your life, whether you think so or not. I agree. Um Moral of the story take time to build, build and strengthen relationships with others around you, whether it be maybe your partner in life or a friend, coach, training partner. Uh, those relationships are quite literally what makes us uh human in a world that is increasingly becoming AI Chat GPT. So I think those relationships are going to become more and more important over the next 10 years, probably than ever before. So try and hold on to those, build those up, and do not take them for granted. Because I think, like I said, that's probably one of the most important things you can have is a strong relationship with someone else in your life.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

All right. Well, that does it. Toby is tired of our shit. He's like, all right, guys, have a good time.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

Good night.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

I'm going to sleep.

SPEAKER_00 36:42

He didn't sleep last night, so we gotta make up for that.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

That's true. Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you guys so much for tuning in for another episode of the podcast. If you haven't already, make sure you guys are following along on YouTube. Uh, please subscribe if you haven't yet. The goal is to get to 500 subscribers in 50 days. Uh, we're kind of close, but it's okay. We're gonna get to 500 subscribers either way. Someday. Someday. Um, but for now, we're really close to 400. So if you want to consider subscribing, that would be fantastic. Uh, so that way we can continue to grow um and share kind of our message with people all around the world, not just in Mary S or Florida. Um, and yeah. Also, shout out to those of you that have been listening to the podcast for years and years. We really appreciate your support.

SPEAKER_00 37:26

Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 37:27

And we are here for you. All right. We'll see you guys in the next episode. It will not be next week. I'm traveling next week. So we'll see you guys in two weeks. Peace.

SPEAKER_00 37:36

Bye.