Podcast
Becoming Ronin
Hosted by Jim Smith, Brian Oberther · EN
The "Becoming Ronin" podcast is a show that delves into topics related to personal development, fitness, and self-improvement. Hosted by fitness professionals, the podcast explores various aspects of the fitness industry, including training methodologies, mindset, business strategies, and lifestyle tips. The show often features guest experts who share their insights and experiences, providing listeners with practical advice and inspiration for achieving their goals.
Recent episodes have covered topics like program reviews, the distinction between online trainers and coaches, and the significance of aerobic development in training. Notable guests, such as Jason Brown, have appeared on the podcast to discuss these subjects in depth.
The podcast aims to guide listeners on their journey to becoming more self-reliant and empowered, drawing on the metaphor of a "Ronin" — a samurai without a master — to symbolize the pursuit of independence and mastery in life.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#164 Programming Rules: Under-adapting vs. Overtraining
4w ago01:19:49Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In this episode of Becoming Ronin, Brian Oberther and Smitty break down one of the biggest challenges in training: finding the line between not doing enough to drive adaptation and doing so much that you stall progress or burn out. The conversation is split into three key segments. First, they unpack common programming mistakes, including the often-misunderstood interference effect, why chasing multiple adaptations at once can blunt progress in strength, power, or endurance. They introduce the concept of the "athletic polygon" and explain how gaps in your development can quietly limit performance. Next, they dive into practical, real-world indicators to assess whether your program is actually working. From performance trends and readiness markers to how your body responds to warm-ups and loading, they outline simple ways to identify if you're adapting, or just accumulating fatigue. Finally, they lay out clear programming rules for structuring sets, reps, and weekly volume across different goals like hypertrophy, strength, power, and conditioning. They also explain how to determine which sets actually "count," and how to adjust volume and intensity to stay in the adaptation zone. This episode is packed with actionable insights for coaches and lifters who want to train with more intention, avoid spinning their wheels, and build programs that deliver long-term results. Timestamps: [00:00] Understanding Programming: Underadapting vs Overtraining [02:45] The Importance of Education in Training [05:31] Key Training Variables for Effective Programming [08:20] The Athletic Polygon: Bridging Gaps in Performance [11:12] Interference Effects: Strength vs Endurance [14:05] Conditioning in Strength Training [16:40] Breathing and Recovery as Readiness Indicators [27:56] Client Categories and Program Design [31:45] Key Indicators of Program Effectiveness [37:34] Performance Dips and Auto-Regulation [45:06] Warm-Ups and Load Sensitivity [53:58] Ending on a Win: No Miss Reps [55:26] Programming Rules: Building the Foundation [57:55] Hypertrophy and Corrective Training [01:01:48] Power & Speed: Balancing Outputs [01:04:27] Max Strength: Earning Heavy Loads [01:09:22] Endurance & Conditioning Balance 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#163 Learned Helplessness in Training: How to Break Free
Apr 501:05:40Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In this episode of Becoming Ronin, Smitty and Ob break down the intersection of injury, mindset, and performance:: unpacking how setbacks can either stall progress or become the catalyst for long-term growth. They explore the concept of learned helplessness and how it shows up in training, while offering practical strategies for coaching through injury and rebuilding resilience. From smarter program design and deadlift technique to the psychological responsibility athletes must take in their recovery, this conversation challenges listeners to reframe injury as an opportunity. If you've ever felt stuck, frustrated, or limited by pain or setbacks, this episode gives you the tools and perspective to move forward with purpose. Timestamps: [00:00] Learned Helplessness [09:54] The Role of Decision in Recovery [19:47] Powerlifting: Staying Conservative to Gain Strength [32:19] Building a Strong Foundation [36:02] The Impact of Business on Training [38:05] Understanding Deadlifts for Athletes [42:30] The Importance of Proper Technique [48:13] Assessing Athletic Performance Needs [56:46] The Role of Strength in Athleticism 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#162 Bodybuilding and Fat Loss Dieting - Avoid the Unhealthy Side of Bodybuilding with Chris McGowan
Feb 2801:22:29Tap to summarizeEpisode #162 🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview What happens when your identity becomes your physique? In Episode 162, IFBB Pro Chris McGowan sits down with OB and Smitty to unpack the psychological weight of discipline, competition, and coaching. They discuss identity, burnout, rebound phases, and what it really costs to live at the edge of physical performance. Chris opens up about how Smitty was an early influence on his life path. He then turns to the mental tax of high-level bodybuilding, the danger of tying your worth to your stage look, and why grounding yourself in multiple identities is the key to longevity. From post-show rebounds to sleep's impact on insulin sensitivity, from gratitude to grit, this episode pulls back the curtain on what serious competitors won't always say out loud. If you've ever struggled with motivation, body image, burnout, or finding your "why," this conversation hits home. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction to Chris McGowan [05:36] Identity Beyond Bodybuilding [13:03] The Role of Coaching in Personal Growth [20:09] Post-Show Mentality and Rebound Phases [26:58] The Challenges of Competition and Body Image [32:30] The Crazy Things Competitors Do [38:01] Transforming Body Composition: The Journey from 250 to 240 [43:27] Understanding the Psychology of Weight Loss [49:26] Implementing Cardio: When and How [56:20] The Impact of Sleep on Insulin Sensitivity [01:04:54] Overcoming Mental Barriers in Fitness 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#161 Surviving the Unthinkable - A Near Death Experience
Jan 3101:30:33Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In this episode of Becoming Ronin, we sit down with Adrian, a former paramedic whose life was forever altered during a hiking trip when he was struck by lightning. Against staggering odds, a series of extraordinary and near-impossible circumstances: aligned timing, location, rescue, and medical intervention, allowing him to survive an event that is almost certainly fatal. Adrian walks us through the moments leading up to the strike, the chaos that followed, and the long road to recovery that began when he woke up in a hospital bed. But survival was only the beginning. During the time he was unconscious, Adrian describes experiencing a profound darkness, an awareness without form or time that felt like crossing into another dimension altogether. It was not fear, not peace, but something entirely unfamiliar that challenged his understanding of consciousness and life itself. Drawing on his background in emergency medicine, Adrian reflects on compassion, humility, and the strange irony of becoming the patient rather than the provider. He speaks candidly about the physical and emotional aftermath, the role of family and medical teams in his recovery, and the internal battle that followed: whether to retreat from the experience or rise because of it. This conversation explores resilience, the power of choice in the face of suffering, and how surviving the unthinkable reshaped Adrian's view of purpose, identity, and what it truly means to be alive. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction to Adrian's Story [01:46] Adrian's Background & Path to Paramedicine [04:32] Compassion in Emergency Services [07:06] A Call That Changed Everything [14:40] Road to Becoming a Physician Assistant [22:03] Road Trip Begins [28:26] The Climb: Hiking Torrey's Peak [35:23] The Decision to Call for Help [39:49] The Lightning Strike [40:13] Panic, Confusion, and Uncertainty [43:18] Rescue: A Race Against Time [47:16] Consciousness in the Dark [55:09] Waking Up [01:06:23] Life After Trauma: A New Perspective [01:15:35] Choosing to Rise 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#160 Strong by Design: Smarter Programming, Healthier Joints, Better Results
Jan 1701:04:15Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In this episode, we zoom out on what real transformation in training actually looks like and why it's never just about the program on paper. We kick things off by talking about what separates "doing workouts" from committing to a process that actually changes you. From there, we dig into why variability matters, how to earn client buy-in, and what it really means to meet people where they're at whether they're brand new or highly experienced. We get into the nuance of hyper-mobility, why "more range" isn't always better, and how that shows up in the real world with cranky knees and low backs. A big chunk of the conversation centers on knee pain: how to assess it, how hip extension plays a role, and why understanding joint mechanics beats chasing symptoms. Along the way, we break down practical stuff, hip thrusts and low back irritation, safer ways to floor press, and the pros and cons of high vs. low handles on the trap bar. We wrap by talking about auto-regulating rest periods and how listening to the body doesn't mean training soft: it means training smart. It's a wide-ranging, grounded conversation about building durable humans. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction to Transformation and Training Programs [02:46] The Importance of Variability in Training [05:45] Understanding Client Buy-In and Effort [08:32] Programming for Different Experience Levels [11:10] The Nuances of Hyper-Mobility in Training [14:02] Assessing and Addressing Knee Pain [16:52] The Role of Hip Extension in Knee Health [28:49] Understanding Joint Mechanics and Knee Pain [33:26] Exploring Hip Thrusts and Low Back Pain [37:04] Techniques for Safe Floor Pressing [41:55] The Trap Bar Deadlift: High Handles vs. Low Handles [50:18] Auto-Regulating Rest Periods in Training 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#159 Brutal Pyramid Sets, Coming Back From Knee Surgery
Dec 2800:51:16Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In this episode, we kick things off with the new brutal pyramid sets that have been absolutely wrecking everyone brave enough to try them. We break down how they work, why they hit so hard, and more importantly, how to actually apply them without just redlining yourself into the ground. Whether you're training for performance, grit, or just want a new way to suffer productively, this is one you'll want to steal. From there, we shift gears into knee health for runners. We talk through practical knee-prevention exercises that actually hold up under mileage what matters, what doesn't, and where most runners get it wrong when trying to "bulletproof" their knees. We wrap up with a deeper conversation on knee rehab and coming back from knee surgery. Specifically, the assessments we like to use to determine readiness, what to look for, what to test, and why guessing your way back into training is usually what gets people hurt again. If you're post-surgery, rehabbing, or coaching someone through it, this part is gold. Train hard. Think clearly. Don't skip the basics. Timestamps: [00:00] Holidays, health check-ins, and what we've been noticing lately [02:45] Training methods we're using right now and lessons learned the hard way [05:27] Isolation work, turning muscles on, and why it actually matters [08:21] Why runners keep getting hurt and what's usually being missed [11:05] Knee-friendly corrective work that actually transfers to running [21:43] Breaking down knee pain (what's really causing it vs. what people blame) [29:14] Coming back after meniscus surgery: what needs to be checked first [41:03] Staying ahead of injuries instead of constantly reacting to them [43:51] Honest self-assessment and why guessing gets people hurt 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#158 How to Build an Effective Quick Workout
Dec 1301:01:57Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview Most people don't fail at training because they lack motivation. They fail because they're waiting for perfect conditions. In this episode, we break down why "perfect" is often the enemy of good, especially when it comes to fitness. Missed workouts don't happen because people don't care; they happen because time, energy, and life get in the way. And that's exactly where most training advice falls apart. So instead of chasing ideal programs, hour-long sessions, or complicated plans, we lay out 7 expert pillars for building your own quick, effective, and safe workout (one that actually fits real life). 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#157 Ask Us Anything with Smitty and OB
Nov 2900:49:01Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In Episode 157, Smitty and OB kick back for a laid back AMA special filled with your funniest and most random questions. This one feels like hanging out in the gym after hours… no agenda, no script, just unfiltered stories, laughs, and a surprising amount of fitness wisdom sprinkled in between. We dive into everything from: Our favorite pieces of gym equipment Ridiculous gym stories from the trenches Ultimate road trip snack rankings Training challenges we've done… and a few we should probably never do again Coaching moments that aged us 10 years …and the hilarious questions you threw at us throughout the week It's a fun, fast-paced episode that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at life in the gym, on the road, and inside the Becoming Ronin world. Whether you're driving to work, training, or crushing some weekend chores, Episode 157 will keep you laughing and nodding along like you're right there with us. 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingronin.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#156 Regret is Mindless - Choose Discipline
Nov 2200:36:29Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In Episode 156 of Becoming Ronin, Smitty and OB dive deep into the real engine behind discipline, not motivation, not willpower, but your priorities. Through a series of powerful clips and candid conversation, they break down why discipline isn't something you "have"… it's something you reveal. Every choice you make shines a light on what truly matters to you. Smitty and OB explore how defining your values makes decision making dramatically easier. When you know what you stand for, you don't debate with yourself. You don't negotiate with your excuses. You act in alignment with the identity you're building. The guys unpack practical strategies for clarifying your priorities, filtering distractions, and making discipline a natural byproduct of who you are instead of a battle you fight. This episode is a blueprint for strengthening your internal compass, minimizing friction, and stepping into the kind of self-directed life that Becoming Ronin is all about. Timestamps [0:00] Is Mindset Physical or Mental [10:52] How Do You Perceive Yourself in the World [17:00] Having Faith in Your Next Step [19:06] Regret is Mindless [21:00] Next Indicated Step [24:20] Jocko's Simple Life Advice 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingroninpodcast.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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#155 Programming Q&A - Thoughts on Sprints, Front Squats, Injuries and More
Oct 2701:06:56Tap to summarize🔗 Subscribe on YouTube Episode Overview In this week's episode, we dive deep into the art and science of smarter training: from refining your squat pattern to rethinking how often you should actually hit the gym. We kick things off with a Q&A that covers everything from movement blocks to the value of sprinting (yes, even if you're "too old for that" spoiler: you're not). You'll hear our take on reverse programming, how to train for both strength and longevity, and why simple tweaks like front squat positioning or plank variations can change the way your body performs. We also get into some underappreciated old-school bodybuilding gems, key strategies for hamstring resilience, and how hip flexor strength might be the missing link in your squat. Whether you're a coach, lifter, or weekend warrior, this episode is packed with practical insights, performance hacks, and a few laughs along the way. Timestamps [00:00] Introduction and Q&A Overview [01:06] Understanding Movement Patterns and Workout Blocks [05:22] Returning to Sprinting Safely for Older Adults [13:16] Using Reverse Programming to Structure Workouts [21:32] How Training Frequency Affects Muscle Growth [27:14] Front Squat Techniques and Coaching Tips [30:55] Innovative Squat Variations to Improve Posture [32:13] Strategies for Preventing Hamstring Injuries [35:48] Effective Hamstring Training Methods [38:52] Why Plank Variations Are Valuable for Core Strength [44:07] Shoulder Raise Techniques to Target the Delts [48:05] Underrated Old-School Bodybuilding Exercises [51:02] Strengthening Hip Flexors for Better Squat Performance [56:10] Mobility and Stretching Techniques to Boost Performance 💡 Join the Ronin community for weekly insights, tips, and motivation! 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @oberther @smittydiesel 🌐 Visit Our Website: www.becomingroninpodcast.com 🛠 Share Your Journey: Tag us with #BecomingRonin and let us know how you're taking control of your fitness and personal growth journey! 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to level up their life! Sponsors 🎒Eberlestock https://eberlestock.com/RONIN 💪 Jocko Fuel Shop now and save with code RONIN10! 🛡 Iron Neck Improve neck strength and save 10%! 💧 LMNT Electrolytes Get FREE LMNT with your first order! Support the Show Every like, review, and share helps us inspire more people on their self-mastery journey. Together, we can grow stronger, more disciplined, and live better lives. #BecomingRonin #FitnessJourney #SelfMastery #WorkoutTips #Empowerment #FitnessProgramming #GrowthMindset #Podcast
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