HemoLife Podcast

Strength Beyond Blood: The Ultimate Fitness Guide for Hemophiliacs Pt. 1

• L.A. Aguayo • Season 1 • Episode 8

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Three hemophiliacs share their journeys of transforming physical limitations into extraordinary strength, demonstrating how mindset and strategic training can help anyone with a bleeding disorder achieve fitness goals. Dr. Joe Malesky, Carlin, and host Elia Aguayo break down the psychological barriers and practical approaches that have allowed them to become bodybuilders and health professionals despite having hemophilia.

• Mindset is the critical foundation for achieving fitness goals with hemophilia
• Start with small, manageable exercises rather than trying to lift heavy weights immediately
• Finding your "why" provides essential motivation during challenging moments
• Training like a hemophiliac means working smarter, not just harder
• Building a supportive community of people who understand your condition is vital
• Reframe exercise as a privilege ("I get to work out") rather than a burden
• Personalize your approach based on your body's signals and limits
• Consistent, moderate exercise often proves more effective than sporadic intense workouts
• Your diagnosis is part of your story but doesn't define your capabilities or future

Reach out to us on Instagram if you're struggling with your fitness journey while managing hemophilia – we're here to support you and prove that your diagnosis doesn't have to limit your potential.


Thanks for tuning into the HemoLife Podcast. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs a spark of hope or encouragement. Follow us on Instagram @HemoLife_Podcast and YouTube for updates, guest highlights, and behind-the-scenes content. New episodes drop regularly—your story matters, and this is just the beginning.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Hemolife podcast your gateway to transformation and empowerment. Hosted by Elia Aguayo, we're diving deep into the world of rare disorders, unlocking the full spectrum of your potential. Each episode, join us as we connect with pioneers, wellness experts and true survivors survivors they're here to share powerful stories and invaluable insights, from mental resilience to physical health, community news to life-altering strategies. At Hemolife, we provide the tools you need to excel and inspire. Prepare to elevate your life, learn, laugh and grow with us. Let's embark on this journey together.

Speaker 4:

Welcome back to the Hemo Life Podcast. This is your host, la Aguayo, and I have a very special episode for you guys today. I'm super excited. I've got some people that are really close to me. I actually grew up with Dr Joe here on my right side just to kind of see his growth and what the impact he's been able to make on the community is amazing. And then to my left side here I've got Carlin. He's from Houston, texas, and man, he's an athlete. He's the embodiment of a hemophiliac athlete. From being a collegiate swimmer, he's now a bodybuilder and fitness coach. So, a hemophiliac athlete, from being a collegiate swimmer, he's now a bodybuilder and fitness coach. So we're going to basically give you guys a three-part fitness series. We're calling this Strength Beyond Blood. It's going to be the ultimate fitness guide for a hemophiliac who wants to get fit, to change their lives, to level up and become an elite individual.

Speaker 4:

So joining us today is Carlin. He's a competitive bodybuilder, a fitness instructor, an online coach, known for pushing the limits of what's possible while living with severe hemophilia. A Carlin has not only built an impressive physique, but built a platform through a social media presence. As MacLifts, carlin shares raw insight, expert lifting tips and powerful motivation for others battling chronic conditions. What makes Carlin's story stand out is his refusal to be defined by limitations. Despite managing joint damage and pain from a young age, he's become a symbol of resilience, mental grit and what it means to own your rare breed mindset. His journey is not just about strength. It's about strategy. It's about recovery, discipline and never backing down from the fight within Dr Joe Malesky.

Speaker 4:

He is a board-certified family medicine physician and the founder of the St Louis Medical Weight Loss Center in Chesterfield, missouri. Diagnosed with severe hemophilia A at just six months old, dr Molesky has transformed personal adversity into a professional mission. His journey from managing joint bleeds and undergoing shoulder surgeries to become a dedicated physician exemplifies his resilience and determination. After earning his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University and completing his residency at St Louis University, dr Molesky recognized the critical link between obesity and chronic disease. This realization led him to establish the St Louis Medical Loss Center, aiming to help patients achieve healthier lifestyles and prevent future illnesses. Beyond his clinical practice, dr Molesky is passionate about mentoring young individuals with hemophilia, emphasizing the importance of proactive health management and the pursuit of one's passions. Thanks for having us. Thanks for the introduction. That's awesome, man. I'm super excited. It's going to be an amazing episode and we're going to be able to provide so much value to our listeners.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean, I think the big thing just right off the bat is we got three hemophiliacs here. We got two bodybuilders. I'm not a bodybuilder, but I'm trying to get folks educated on how they can become healthier, and you guys are a testimony. Look, you didn't let hemophilia define you and you're in the gym and you're looking great and you're doing great things in the community. So I'm happy to be on this podcast because that's what I'm about is really providing education to hemophiliacs that, yes, you can do these things if it's done in a way, the right way.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and I've. I don't know when we connected. I know it was on Instagram through social media.

Speaker 3:

It was through social media. But my very first time meeting LA was when we went to a hemophilia conference and I want to say 2014,. My parents, la was speaking and he was speaking on his bodybuilding process and my parents were like, carlin, you should, should. I wish you were there because you would have like you would have been interested. So that's when I started following on social media and from that point it was it was history from that point on, because I seen someone that looked the way that I wanted to look and I was like he's doing it. He has hemophilia, so I know it's possible yeah then from there.

Speaker 4:

I love these stories and I hate them at the same time because I'm starting to realize I'm becoming ancient in the hemophilia world. Time to pass the torch on to a younger, more ready person to take that throne. You know Carlin's competing. He just competed in his last show. What was the last year when you competed on?

Speaker 3:

stage 23. So it was, it's been. It's been two years, but the thing I'm thinking about doing another one here's very soon yeah, um, we're in the cut as we speak. We started 240, now we're down to 210.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, yeah, yeah man, I'm super proud of you and what you're, what you're doing, and I'm here to support you. So, but this episode is going to be awesome, guys. Today's episode is going to be one of the most empowering yet. We're diving deep into the world of fitness, mindset, nutrition and recovery Through the lens of these two warriors right here. They know exactly what it's like to push through the pain, to face limitations head on and rise above. You'll be hearing more about Carlin and his competitive bodybuilding journey and Dr Joe Molesky, a physician who not only treats primary care patients but also lives a daily battle of living with the same condition. So we're going to it's going to be a three-part series, like I said probably do about two or three segments today and then keep you guys hooked and ready for the next episodes. So you guys ready for the first segment, let's do it.

Speaker 3:

All right guys.

Speaker 4:

So this I actually this is the topic that I'm most passionate about and obsessed about, because that this is the topic that really helped me elevate myself. I started out saying I wanted to be a the first hemophiliac to step on a bodybuilding stage and I remember in 2016, I was like I'm going to be a hemophiliac. I went big. I was like what is the biggest show that I could do to prove a point? And it was the Arnold. And everyone laughed at me. Everyone was like dude, you're making that your first show. They're like you're going to be laughed at. That's a joke. And I didn't care. I was naive so I didn't really know.

Speaker 4:

I went there. There was probably 50 competitors in my group and they had Brazil flags on China. They were coming from all these countries. So just imagine this took place in Columbus, ohio, and for someone to fly from a different country to go there, they mean business, they're not playing around. And when I went backstage, I started seeing all these major influencers that I'd been following for so long. I knew I was out of place at that moment. I did get laughed at. I got last place in that show. You could tell the judges didn't really look at me it's kind of like ah, that guy, whatever. So then I was like okay, how do I get on that next level? What step separates someone? Because I thought I looked good, I had a six pack, I looked decent, I didn't look like trash. But there's a levels to everything, levels to life, and that's what I became obsessed with and what I found to be the big determining factor was learning new mindsets, practicing new behaviors that will ultimately give you bigger and bigger actions as you progress.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean to echo what LA just wrote. He was in this bodybuilding and he felt like he was just this little peon compared to everybody else that had all these years of experience. It's kind of similar what I experienced in med school. So in med school I mean I don't come from a whole line of doctors I wasn't the best in school.

Speaker 2:

Growing up, being a hemophiliac, I was in and out of school. I didn't really like school. I was always in crutches or a wheelchair. I was kind of made fun of in school, so school was not something I really liked. So once I got into med school I was like do I even belong here? And you're seeing all these other folks that you know they're highly educated, they have come from a long list of doctors. I don't come from money or doctors, and so I kind of fell out of place. But I was like no, I can do this. There's some adversity here, but I can do this. There's some adversity here, but I can do this. And so just really pushing through, being resilient and persistent. And obviously that first show wasn't your last show no, yeah, I've done about 15 shows or so.

Speaker 4:

Now I mean it's been crazy, it's been a crazy journey and but yeah, I really contribute. Mindset how was? How has mindset played a role in your journey so far? For?

Speaker 3:

me the mindset will come from when it comes to working out, having a lot of things that take into consideration, kind of, like LA said, when you go into the gym. You can kind of go into the gym you'll see some people lifting 100 pound dumbbells, then you'll see some people lifting 10 pound dumbbells, and when you walk into the gym you don't know what mindset you're having. So it's very important to grab that mindset at the beginning. So when I was swimming my mindset kind of grew from that and it helped me to become where I am today, because with the swimming it came with the trial and adversity from missing swim practice, from not being able to go to school. Like Dr Joe said, all of those things from when I was young created who I am today. So making the persistence to keep going, keep going to the gym, yeah that's what helps me go on and I think, just showing up, yeah, like.

Speaker 2:

If you're like hey, I want to look like this, I want to have six pack, I want to do this, but you're not there yet. You at least had to start at 10 pounds or five pounds, and maybe you're in the gym and you are doing five or 10 pounds. You're doing you're being safe, and then eventually you get a 20, 25 and maybe you go in there and you do 10 reps. That's it.

Speaker 2:

And maybe you go run a mile. You have to start somewhere, because I see a lot of hemophiliacs that you know in general, a lot of people that there's. We're all unhealthy, we're all unhealthy. So starting somewhere small is a start you got to start.

Speaker 3:

That's the biggest thing, especially having a baby disorder, any chronic disorder or just a normal human starting off small, with baby steps. Even a 10 minute walk every day is better than nothing, and it doesn't have to be gym related, it doesn't have to be bodybuilding related. I'm telling you guys, it does not have to. You can do a 10-minute walk and I guarantee you the 10-minute walk will have you feeling a lot better than not doing anything.

Speaker 2:

It's just mindset, it's the power of persistence. La has seen it in his life. You got to start and a lot of people are just afraid to start, but you got to start.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, and that's what I've seen. You know, growing up and getting involved in the industry. A lot of people are starting, and they're starting with limiting beliefs, though, as well.

Speaker 4:

And I think we developed these limiting beliefs at an early age, especially from the start hey, you can't do this, you can't do this, you can't do that. So I think that's why this episode is super important to have professionals in our on what we're doing, to lead by example and show people what they can accomplish, so we can eliminate some of those limiting beliefs. The other thing that I really think about for me and what my mindset was I had to establish my why, the reason why I'm doing this and there could be a lot of reasons For me, it was because I wanted to be a leader in the community. That was a big reason why I needed to show up at my best for my family. My family needs me on my A game. I know it's the same for all the listeners out there too. Somebody needs you to show up.

Speaker 4:

It's not just about you, and my turning point in my life was when I was able to take myself out of the equation and focus on everyone else, and it can be really hard to do whenever you're really focused on trying to fill up your own cup. But even if it's not completely full, I promise you, if you shift your mental game to focusing on how you can help other people. You will start filling up your own cup. You know your life will start to come together. You'll be starting associating yourself with the right people, who will also then be able to fill you up Basically.

Speaker 2:

a little side note if you're hanging out with five guys that are drinking, doing drugs, losers don't have a job. You're going to be number six. If you're hanging out with guys that are dedicated, they're focused, they're responsible, they're good to their fellow neighbor, they speak a certain way. You're going to speak that way Exactly, and I think a lot of us can get with the wrong friend groups. Sometimes, you got to get out of the friend groups because you don't want to be that number six yeah.

Speaker 3:

Then, kind of the backdoor off of what Dr Joe and LA said. I kind of live off of this quote that I've been saying since I started my whole bodybuilding journey. Why I do it is because at one point I couldn't. And the reason why I say that quote is because, having this bleeding disorder, there's days, there are times where I can't literally do anything and there's times to where I can't. So when that quote comes about, it helps me know that one day I will be back to doing what I will be able to do.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, yeah, that's awesome man, that's really awesome.

Speaker 4:

And another thing on this subject, because I do feel like it's so important, is our self-talk, the things that we say to ourself, in our heads, and I think that we need to spend more time, you know, meditating in the mornings when you're priming your day. Give yourself time to be in your thoughts and understand what's coming across. For me, one of the self-taught behaviors that I decided that I caught and decided to change was I don't have to work out, I get to work out. Right. If we can just start changing these little words in the way that we talk to ourselves, then it will really shape your perspective and give you that motivation you need to work out. This is a privilege. It's a privilege to be able to go to a gym. It's a privilege to be able to eat nutritionist and to have supplementation. So if you're in that position, then don't take that for granted.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I like that. I really like that that you're able to even do this. There's a lot of people that can't do this. Maybe they're stressed with their job, maybe we got four kids, maybe they got a bad home life where they physically, mentally, emotionally they cannot do it. The fact that we have the ability to do this, I mean it's pretty amazing yeah.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, I mean I really like the mindset talk that we're discussing, because a lot of it's just opening that door and going to the gym or doing whatever it may be to get you over that hump and get you in a better position. But starting is key.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, what about Dr Joe? As far as people being like, scared of injury and like, how do how do they mentally prepare themselves going into the gym knowing that you can get a bleed through working out? Yeah, so how do you manage that mentally?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So I believe there's a big part of hemophilia that is in the head here. I mean, you're always told watch out, don't do this, don't do that. Very constraining. As a doctor, obviously you would want to consult your provider, but I will say, from a provider and a patient standpoint, I'm more overly cautious and so I'm not going to be the guy that goes in there and starts losing 100 pound weights. But what I do and I do lift weights what I do have recognized over the years was look, I'm the type of guy that's going to go low and slow and do smaller weights with higher reps. I'm going to focus on more cardio. That's just me, and the reason I say this is because there's the right amount of exercise for each individual person. So the answer no is really not the answer.

Speaker 2:

I would say you got to exercise with caution and you have to let your body tell you when that limit is, and so I think what I would recommend is, if I have a patient that's like, look, I don't work out, I have severe hemophilia, not mild or moderate, I have severe Well, what should I do? Dr Miloski, I would say, starting at like 10 pound dumbbells and doing maybe sets of 10 and do five to 10 reps I mean five to 10 times and then get 10,000 steps a day and start there and then go to 15 pounds, go to 20. And 10,000 steps a day and start there and then go to 15 pounds, go to 20. And that's what I did and it works for. And I have, by the way, severe shoulder problems, so I've got shoulder bleeds, ankle problem, so it's not like I'm like perfect. I have a lot of target joints, so low and go slow.

Speaker 2:

But you will realize that at maybe six months to a year you might be like I'm lifting 20 pounds and I'm walking. This is working. But the key is it's within your means. It's within your means and maybe I'm walking five miles a day, yeah, and so I think it's. You'd be surprised what you can do. And I know that, carlin, I know that LA didn't just walk in there and start lifting a hundred pounds. There's no way. But you had to start somewhere.

Speaker 4:

And now this is where you're at yeah, so I think the key, one of the key issues, is that we and now this is where you're at yeah, so I think one of the key issues is that when you think about putting on muscle, you think you have to go in there and lift heavy. Why don't you talk about, like, I mean, did you kind of go through that process where at first you started going heavy? Then you had to, like, learn from your mistakes?

Speaker 3:

My first time in the gym was kind of like when I was 14 years old. I kind of started there. But now, where I am now, is completely different. You definitely have to start light. There was this one time where I kind of got out of my means. And when I get out of my means I get tight. I get real tight. My back gets tight. I can't walk the next day. It gets real real rough. So once I learned to slow down and I work out 30 minutes to 40 minutes every day. That's my time frame. I don't exceed. I don't go 30 minutes to 40 minutes every day.

Speaker 3:

That's my timeframe. I don't exceed, I don't go under. 30 to 40 minutes every day. 600 to 400 calories in the workout every day. The intensity is the same. Everything stays there. Now, if I go exceed that limit, I learned that sometimes I get a bleep. If I don't exceed that limit, everything's fine.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. So it took you some time. But a lot of people want to go zero to 100 miles per hour and you definitely can't do this in this journey. But if you guys can follow, you know the things that we're teaching you. You know having more muscle around your joints is going to help your life.

Speaker 4:

I know for me personally. I was stuck in bed for three months at one point and I was panicking. I didn't know how I could take care of my family. I was doing construction jobs, landscaping, retail. I tried everything, I just couldn't do it. And I remember going to the grocery store one day and I called my mom just crying because I couldn't go grocery shopping for myself. When you're a man, you can't even do the most basic task. It gets defeating. I just remember bawling my eyes, eyes out, and I had to go down this journey and unfortunately, I didn't have all of this instruction, this guide that we're giving you guys. I didn't have this and but that was my goal. 10 years later, here I am with the perfect partners here to share this with you guys and help you develop. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And really the beautiful thing about this podcast is you guys can reach out to us. So I mean, don't feel like you're on an island. I mean he called his mom, but realize that obviously we're not your dad or your mom, but we're here for you. You can reach us on Instagram, you can reach us via simple text. I know I'm a doctor and I'm super busy, but I always pick up my phone and I just I want to be maybe a resource for folks that maybe are having a hard time and they just want to talk. That's it. I mean, you just want to talk, I'm here, and so I feel like a lot of us wish that we had somebody.

Speaker 4:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it's very hard to go through a disorder when you don't have other people that have that same disorder around you, because there's one thing to tell someone that you're going through this pain, but they one thing to tell someone that you're going through this pain but they don't understand the pain that you're going through. And when you're trying to explain that it's either they will look at you like there's nothing wrong because you can't see anything. I can tell you my arm hurts right now, but you can't see anything. So that's when it comes to the part to where it's very hard to even open up about your disorder to someone. So we are here for you. You're not the only one. It's a lot easier to have someone to talk to, to go about this with, versus trying to manage it on your own, because it is very challenging. Those dark spots can get very dark.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, it reminds me of a Chinese proverb that I that I heard that really stuck with me, and it was if you want to understand the road ahead, ask those coming back, and that's what you guys need to do. You guys, you know and, and, and, every aspect of life, and, um, the. The answers are always out there and you just have to search for them. Train like a hemophiliac. What does that mean? What does that mean to train like a hemophiliac? Passion, purpose, resilience, working smarter, not harder, or maybe working smarter?

Speaker 3:

and harder. I don't know. You have to mix both of those together.

Speaker 4:

Guys, we are setting the standard of what it looks like to work out like a hemophiliac. That is not a what am I looking for? It's not a negative. Essentially, this is a badge of honor. Guys, this isn't a handicap. This is a gift. This is a gift for you to look deep into and realize that it's going to create character inside of you that you might not have had a chance to develop if you were just normal and you didn't have this disorder. This unleashes something within us.

Speaker 4:

One thing that sticks out to me, too, is throughout my journey is that this world is not going to feel sorry for you. There is no handicap card that gives you a pass in this world, so you have a choice. You can suffer one way or suffer. There's suffering in both ways. It's going to be suffering to achieve what you want to achieve, and there's suffering for not taking action. So, no, suffering in both ways. It's going to be suffering to achieve what you want to achieve, and there's suffering for not taking action. No one's going to feel sorry for you, though, and that's what we have to do. Our families need us.

Speaker 2:

The world needs us. Yeah, and just to say one thing on that growing up I didn't want people to know that I had hemophilia Me either and, to be honest, I only told a few close friends that I did and they understood I, I. The reason I'm going to say this is because sometimes you can get in that realm of, just okay, I am handicapped, yeah, I am, so I can do all these things that handicapped people do. And then you are handicapped and then the nose start adding up and you're like now I see all the notes, yeah, so I really am. And then you start start, you start defining yourself being yeah, yes, and I just feel like, guys, hemophilia is a diagnosis. It doesn't define you and we've seen that in all walks of life here. And it's just just to be cognizant that, hey, I have hemophilia, but you're not going to get a free pass. Life's going to go on and you have to understand that. Don't use that as something as a crutch. It it's not a crutch, guys. Yeah.

Speaker 4:

Well, that's awesome, guys. I mean, that is our mindset segment. We're going to go ahead and end this episode right here. Got Dr Joe. Thank you so much for this segment, Carlin. I appreciate you. We will be back, guys, for the next episode.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for tuning in to the Hemo Life Podcast. Today's episode hopefully inspired you and provided valuable insights to enhance your journey. Join us again to hear more incredible stories and expert advice from our community. Make sure to subscribe and stay connected with a group of extraordinary achievers and pioneers. On behalf of LA Aguayo and the entire Hemo Life team keep pushing forward, strive for excellence and remember you are the architect of your own destiny. Until next time, stay strong, stay inspired and continue on your path to an elite life.