Building the Elite Podcast
The Building the Elite (BTE) podcast discusses all facets of human performance - from physical training to the mental and emotional factors of resilience. Each episode looks at principles drawn from the world of special operations. These concepts help people succeed in the toughest military training courses in the world and can help anyone thrive in chaotic and challenging environments.
Episodes
134 episodes
Robin Orr: The Science of Carrying Heavy Things - Ep. 134
Professor Robin Orr is the director of the Tactical Research Unit and professor of physiotherapy at Bond University in Australia. Rob began his Army career as an infantry soldier in 1989, later serving as a physical training instructor, physiot...
Dr. Elizabeth Delery: Coronado Water Contamination, Pt. 2 - Ep. 133
In this episode, we're talking with Dr. Elizabeth Delery about what happens to your body when you’re exposed to sewage-contaminated water, such as the water in Coronado that’s heavily polluted by untreated waste from Tijuana. ------...
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Dr. Falk Feddersen: Coronado Water Contamination, Pt 1. - Ep. 132
For BUD/S, SWCC, and Marine Reconnaissance students in Coronado, water quality issues are a constant concern and a major occupational hazard. Dr. Feddersen is one of the leading experts on what’s in Coronado's water, how it gets there, and what...
Chris Brennan: Dynamic Decision Making and Effective Debriefs, Ep. 131
Chris Brennan is a training, leadership, and human performance specialist who focuses on developing teams, leaders, and instructor cadres operating in mission-critical environments.Through his consultancy, Omada Performance Concepts, he ...
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon: Processing Grief and Loss - Ep. 130
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon is a trained counselor specializing in the psychology of behavior change, with certifications including motivational interviewing, solution-focused, DBT, CBT, and trauma counseling.She’s the author of numerous book...
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Dr. Robyn Nadolny: Tick-Borne Diseases, Ep. 129
Dr. Robyn Nadolny is a Biologist and the Chief of the Vector-Borne Disease Branch at the Defense Centers for Public Health at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (DCPH-A). The flagship program of the Vector-Borne Disease Branch is MilTICK, a free, rapi...
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Dr. Alia Bojilova: Curiosity and Kidnappings - Ep. 128
Dr. Alia Bojilova is a registered psychologist with a focus on resilience. She grew up in Eastern Europe during some of the most tumultuous times in recent history before immigrating to New Zealand at age 17. During her service with...
James Jensen: "What's Important Now?" - Aussie SAS Leadership Lessons, Ep. 127
James Jensen is a former SAS Patrol Commander with a unique blend of scientific leadership theory and real-world, high-stakes leadership experience.James served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for two decades, with fourteen years i...
Aaron Love - Ones Ready, Ep. 126
Aaron is an active duty Pararescueman currently stationed at a Special Tactics Squadron as a Troop Chief. He is a Team Leader, Evaluator, Special Operations Combatives Program (SOCP) Lvl 2 instructor, and an Onnit Certified Trainer, with a focu...
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon - Mental Skills: Defining "Good Enough," Ep. 125
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon is a trained counselor specializing in the psychology of behavior change, with certifications including motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, DBT, CBT, and trauma counseling.She’s the author of numer...
Steve House - Training Mountain Athletes and Special Operators, Ep. 124
Steve House serves as the managing director, coach, and official mascot of Uphill Athlete, which he co-founded in 2016. He lives in a remote and mountainous corner of Austria with his wife and two sons.Steve’s biggest coaching challe...
Dr. David Walton: SFAS Guidance for 2026 - Ep. 123
Dr. David “Wally” Walton is a retired Army Special Forces officer with 25 years of experience in the SF community. His career spans service with the 7th Special Forces Group, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), and the Special Warfare Cent...
Brad Stulberg: The Way of Excellence - Ep. 122
Brad Stulberg is a bestselling author of the new book The Way of Excellence, a performance coach, faculty member at the University of Michigan, and a husband and father.The Way of Excellence comes out tomorrow, and you can pick ...
Nick Caldwell: The Mill Gym - Preparing the Next Generation of Special Operators
Nick has over 12 years of military experience, including 4 years as an Australian Commando and 6 years as an SAS operator. His operational service included deployments throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including Iraq and East Timor...
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon: Mental and Emotional Prep for SOF Selection - Ep. 120
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon is a trained counselor specializing in the psychology of behavior change, with certifications in motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, DBT, CBT, and trauma counseling.She’s the author of numerous boo...
Feeding the Rat - Ep. 119
SOF selection is a proving ground, where your physical, mental, and emotional raw material will be laid bare, with nothing to hide behind. It's a place where you voluntarily walk into a brutal challenge to find out if who you think you...
Dr. Daniel Cooper: The Psychology of High Performance - Ep. 118
Dr. Daniel Cooper is a human performance and behaviour specialist who focuses on improving individual and team performance in high-pressure, high-consequence environments. He provides a unique perspective that sits at the intersecti...
Elias Kfoury: From Hunter to Protector, Ep. 117
Elias Kfoury was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and immigrated to the United States at an early age in search of a brighter, safer future. After college, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving 21½ years before his medical retirement. Beginning ...
Heat Acclimation Training - Ep. 116
If your selection will be held in a hot environment, it’s important to acclimate to the heat before heading out. Any SOF selection will push you to your physical limits, and not being acclimated to the heat can significantly increase your risk ...
Matt Stevens: From SEAL to CEO - The Honor Foundation, Ep. 115
Matt Stevens transitioned from the U.S. Navy in 2017 after serving for 26 years as a SEAL.Transitioning from the SEAL teams to civilian life brought him to The Honor Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting U.S. Special O...
Rima Ziuraitis: Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) in Ukraine - Ep. 114
Rima is a medic in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a tactical medicine instructor originally from the United States. She came to Ukraine as an NGO volunteer in 2022 and began medical studies in 2023 before enlisting in 2024. Now, she works on m...
Chris Brennan: Leadership Lessons from the Australian SAS Regiment - Ep. 113
Chris Brennan served for 15 years in the Australian Army, 11 of which were as an operator within the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR).He fulfilled multiple team specialist roles, including as a JTAC and Tandem Bundle Master within a ...
Philip A. Armstrong, STS PJ: Bronze Stars and Gummy Bears - Ep. 112
Philip Andrew Armstrong is a decorated combat veteran, elite-level medic, program manager, and resilience-driven father of four. Raised in the woods by hippies and unable to read until the age of 14, his early life was unconventional, marked by...
Ben Strahan: Self-Leadership in Wildland Hotshot Firefighting - Ep. 111
Ben Strahan is a Hotshot Superintendent and wildland firefighter with over 25 years of operational leadership on the fireline. Ben has spent decades in high-risk environments where clarity, discipline, and trust mean survival. His journey throu...
