2625: Fitness Secrets from Military Veteran & Celebrity Trainer Aaron Williamson

Summary

Podcast Summary: Mind Pump Episode 2625 – Fitness Secrets from Military Veteran & Celebrity Trainer Justin Andrews

Episode Information:

• Title: Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
• Episode: 2625: Fitness Secrets from Military Veteran & Celebrity Trainer Justin Andrews
• Release Date: June 23, 2025
• Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews
• Guest: Justin Andrews (Military Veteran & Celebrity Trainer)

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1. Introduction and Early Life Struggles

The episode begins with the hosts welcoming Justin Andrews, a military veteran who has transitioned into a successful career as a personal trainer and celebrity fitness coach.

Notable Quote:

"I ended up joining the Marine Corps just out of desperation because as a kid I was bad. Almost died in seventh grade from a drug overdose." [03:43]

Justin shares his tumultuous childhood marked by family struggles and substance abuse, setting the stage for his eventual enlistment in the Marine Corps as a means to find direction and purpose.

2. Military Service and Transformation

Justin delves into his military career, highlighting his initial aspirations to join the Special Forces and his role as an infantryman. His time stationed in Okinawa, Japan, ignited his passion for fitness, leading him to immerse himself in bodybuilding and physical training.

Notable Quote:

"I was either in the field or in the gym. And I got bitten by the fitness bug over there. That's where I wanted to become a pro bodybuilder." [04:40]

He discusses the discipline and structure the military provided, which was instrumental in shaping his character and work ethic.

3. Serving as a Body Bear and Impact of Military Duties

Justin recounts his experience as part of the Marine Corps' Body Bears, responsible for handling and transporting caskets at Arlington National Cemetery. This role exposed him to the harsh realities of war and death, profoundly affecting his mental and emotional state.

Notable Quote:

"When you lay someone to rest, that's the last image a person is going to have of their loved one. It's a humbling duty." [15:30]

He emphasizes the mental toll of witnessing multiple deaths and the necessity of maintaining composure to support his fellow Marines during funerals.

4. Transition to Civilian Life and Personal Struggles

Upon returning to civilian life, Justin faced significant challenges, including homelessness and bankruptcy. Despite his military discipline, the lack of structure and support led to personal hardships, including a failed marriage and strained relationships with his daughters.

Notable Quote:

"I ended up living in my car, filing for bankruptcy... every time I thought I had a foothold, something would hit me." [23:09]

5. Rebuilding Through Fitness and Unexpected Hollywood Opportunities

Driven by desperation to rebuild his life, Justin turned to fitness, obtaining a personal trainer certification and competing in local bodybuilding competitions. His dedication caught the attention of celebrities, leading to opportunities in Hollywood as a technical advisor and stunt performer.

Notable Quote:

"Zac Efron walked into my gym, saw my picture, and connected with me. That's how I got into Hollywood." [27:05]

He describes his interactions with high-profile actors like Zac Efron, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Sylvester Stallone, highlighting how these relationships propelled his career forward.

6. Dealing with PTSD and Mental Health Challenges

Justin openly discusses his battle with PTSD, exacerbated by the abrupt shutdown of Hollywood productions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This period intensified his mental health struggles, leading him to seek alternative therapies like the stellate ganglion block and psilocybin.

Notable Quote:

"I was constantly battling PTSD every day. Therapy felt foreign to me, but the stellate ganglion block provided some relief." [36:18]

He highlights the importance of addressing hormonal imbalances and the physical aspects of mental health, advocating for comprehensive approaches beyond traditional therapy.

7. Challenges in the Online Coaching Space and Ethical Concerns

During the pandemic, Justin launched an online coaching business to sustain himself financially. However, he encountered unethical business practices, particularly with Andy Elliott, leading to financial losses and disillusionment with the online fitness industry.

Notable Quote:

"I realized I was part of building something out of integrity and authenticity, only to see it crumble due to unethical leadership." [54:00]

He criticizes the prevalence of manipulative practices in the fitness coaching space, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and genuine client relationships.

8. Current Endeavors and Future Aspirations

Despite setbacks, Justin remains committed to his mission of promoting health and fitness with integrity. He is involved with Transcend, aiming to inspire others through his story and advocate for comprehensive health approaches. Justin also explores innovative fitness technologies like EMS suits, integrating them into his training methodologies.

Notable Quote:

"I want to build a platform that gives people hope and shows that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you can always get back up." [49:36]

9. Reflections on Authenticity in the Fitness Industry

Justin concludes by reaffirming his dedication to authentic training practices and helping everyday individuals transform their lives. He contrasts this with the superficial approaches often seen in celebrity training, advocating for a more meaningful and long-term impact on clients' health and well-being.

Notable Quote:

"I enjoy helping everyday people because they're the ones who are truly lost and need genuine guidance." [75:00]

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Conclusion

Justin Andrews' journey from a troubled youth to a disciplined Marine, and eventually a respected personal trainer and Hollywood stunt performer, underscores the transformative power of fitness and resilience. His candid discussions on mental health, ethical business practices, and the importance of authenticity provide valuable insights for listeners seeking genuine paths to health and personal growth.

Final Thought:

"No matter how many times you get knocked down, you can always get back up." – Justin Andrews [49:36]

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Follow Justin Andrews:

• Instagram: @justinandrewsfitness
• Website: www.justinandrewsfitness.com

Connect with Mind Pump:

• Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
• Website: mindpumppodcast.com

Transcript

[Sal Deste]

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[Justin Andrews]

Hi, Zoe Saldana.

[Sal Deste]

Welcome to T Mobile.

[Justin Andrews]

Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us. Thanks.

[Adam Schafer]

And here's my old phone to trade in.

[Justin Andrews]

You don't need a trade in. When you switch to T Mobile, we'll give you a new iPhone 16 Pro.

[Sal Deste]

Plus we'll help you pay off your.

[Justin Andrews]

Old Phone up to 800 bucks and.

[Sal Deste]

You still get to keep it.

[Adam Schafer]

There's always a trade in. Not right now.

[Justin Andrews]

@ T Mobile. I feel like I have to give.

[Adam Schafer]

You something in return for karma.

[Justin Andrews]

That's okay.

[Adam Schafer]

I don't really have much in my purse.

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, let's see.

[Adam Schafer]

Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.

[Sal Deste]

I'm good. Seriously.

[Adam Schafer]

Let me check this pocket. Oh, mints.

[Justin Andrews]

Really, I'm fine.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cupcakes in the car.

[Aaron Williamson]

It's our best iPhone offer ever.

[Sal Deste]

Switch to T Mobile. Get a new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple intelligence on us. No trade in needed. We'll even pay off your phone up.

[Justin Andrews]

To 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits. New line 100 plus a month on experience beyond Finance Agreement 999.99 and qualify.

[Sal Deste]

Imported for well qualified plus tax and $10 connection charge. Payout via virtual prepaid card.

[Justin Andrews]

Allow 15 days credits end and balance.

[Sal Deste]

Due if you pay off early or cancel CT mobile dot com.

[Aaron Williamson]

If you want to pump your body and expand your mind, there's only one place to go.

[Justin Andrews]

Mind Pump. Mind Pump.

[Aaron Williamson]

With your hosts, Sal Deste, Adam Schafer.

[Justin Andrews]

And Justin Andrews, you just found the.

[Adam Schafer]

Most downloaded fitness, health and entertainment podcast. This is Mind Pump. In today's episode, we're going to talk about fitness secrets from a military veteran and celebrity trainer, Aaron Williamson. This episode goes deep. It's actually one of my favorite interviews. I'm so glad we're airing this finally. It was a while ago when we interviewed him. I had a good time with him. Anyway, this episode is brought to you by Jolie Skin company. They make shower heads that filter your water. You'll notice a difference. Put it on, replace your shower head with one of theirs and your skin feels better. Less dry. Your hair feels better because your tap water's Crap. It'll filter it for you and you could try it out for a full 60 days and get a refund, no questions asked. If it doesn't work for you, go to jolieskinco.com that's J-O L I E Skinco, that's C O.com forward/mindpump and you can get yourself hooked up. You could try it out with free shipping. By the way, these are the final hours for the new program. Launch Maps Longevity. Brand new program designed to help you improve your overall general health. And it's the first program we've ever put together with a 30 day start plan. In other words, every single day for about 28 days, we tell you something different to do. Now the whole program is 90 days long. And because it's a brand new program, you can get it for $50 off. Plus you can get access to our private forum for free for a year. And you'll get on a zoom kickoff call with myself, Justin and Adam. So if you want to take advantage of this brand new Launch, go to mapslongevity.com use the code 50 long for the discount and all the free stuff. All right, here comes the show. Welcome to the show, Aaron.

[Justin Andrews]

It's good to be here.

[Adam Schafer]

So I'd like to know a little bit about you because I mean people probably know is your social media. You've, you've trained some really, really high profile celebrities. You got an interesting background. I would like to know your story a little bit, how that all got started, how you got to train celebrities, your fitness journey before that. I know you served in Iraq. Maybe, maybe start back there.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. So my, I ended up joining the Marine Corps just out of, I say desperation because as a kid I was bad. Almost died in seventh grade from a drug overdose.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, wow.

[Justin Andrews]

Had no direction, didn't know where I was going, squandered all kinds of opportunities. And I remember seeing this one buddy of mine who was a linebacker on the varsity football team, looked like Goldberg. He joined the Marine Corps and when he came back, I was like, who is this guy? Like, streamlined. Language was different, talk different, walked different, looked different, everything about it. And I was like, that's what I want. So that was the catalyst for me to join. I didn't have much else going on in my life. And I think when you join the military, if you go into it with the right mindset, it can really change your life. I don't see a lot of people take it too seriously now. But when I went in, my whole goal was Special Forces. I wanted to be Marine Corps reconnaissance. But when I got to my first duty station, my platoon commander wasn't having it. He's like, you ain't going nowhere. So kind of put a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't really know how the military worked at the beginning, but was an 0311 infantryman. Went over to Okinawa, Japan, on my first pump. And that's where I fell in love with the gym, the fitness. I. I got bit by the bug over there. I say that's where I wanted to, you know, become a pro bodybuilder. We were either in the field or in the gym. And if you've. If you've ever known any veterans or you've talked to anyone when they're deployed, you either turn into a PT stud or an alcoholic. And I don't. And I don't drink, so. Okay. I started falling in love with the evolution of my body, changing with fitness. And I was reading the magazines and doing all the cell tech and the nitro tech when it was, you know, muscle tech.

[Adam Schafer]

I remember that.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. And that was. That was the beginning of it all.

[Adam Schafer]

What year was that? What years?

[Justin Andrews]

I was over there in 99.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay. Yeah, yeah. So they were right around the same age, I think. Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, I'll be 46 in August.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, same. Okay.

[Sal Deste]

We're all the same. So if you have the nitro tech and Celtec stuff. Yeah, yeah. I probably guarantee you're so 40 and 47 or so.

[Adam Schafer]

You know what's interesting before you continue, is that a lot of. When people find value in the military, especially young men, it was the discipline you were seeking. Right. The structure. Was that what it was?

[Justin Andrews]

I didn't even know what I was seeking. I just needed something, and it gave me everything I didn't know I needed.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay. It's like structure, purpose. This is what you're going to do.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Sal Deste]

You have siblings?

[Justin Andrews]

I've got a brother and a sister, yeah.

[Sal Deste]

Where are you at in the age?

[Justin Andrews]

I'm the oldest.

[Sal Deste]

Oh, you're the oldest?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Sal Deste]

I'm assuming drugs at seventh grade. You had probably a traumatic childhood. I mean, or were you just partying? I mean, how did that come about?

[Justin Andrews]

My. My family just started going through a bad time, you know, divorce and, I don't know, it affected me in a weird way. We came from nothing poor and never really knew materialistic things, so family was, you know, kind of everything. And when it. When it fell apart, I just somehow found the wrong crowd to be in.

[Sal Deste]

Acting out subconsciously not even realizing it.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, but I mean it was hardcore. I was doing speed and cocaine and. Damn, that young stuff. Yeah. I'm hanging around with people on house arrest. Like it was. Thinking back on it, I can't believe that was me knowing the way I am now.

[Sal Deste]

I mean, I think it's. Yeah, I hate to say normal, but I mean, like in a situation like that, subconsciously as a kid, there's a part of you that's probably seeking the attention back from the parents or distracting from what's going on there and you don't even realize you're doing it, but you are because you, you want that as a kid. Right? I mean, I imagine that's what's going on. Did that. Was that a long period of time or was it like a short period that happened and then you like turned around or were you all the way up until you went in the milit. Really around.

[Justin Andrews]

It was. So I had that near death experience. My mom sent me to Missouri. So I was in the Ozarks for the summer in the middle of nowhere. I mean the closest thing was a gas station like 30 minutes away. I was building out houses in the middle of nowhere with my grandpa having me do like real work. And I came. When I came back, my mom just wanted me to get away. So when I came back from that, I just fell right back into the same bs and my. So this divorce was my mother and my stepfather, my real father. I didn't really know they were divorced when I was a. A baby. So somehow he came back into my life, got custody of me, took me up to Tennessee, Chattanooga, and then I just managed to fall into the same crowd there. And they didn't really want me there. His wife wasn't a big fan of mine, so they ended up driving me to Panama City, Florida and put me into this like psychiatric rehabilitation center. So I was there for a couple months med on medication and just like being in a looney bin. Weird. So my, my mom came back to get me right before I was going to go into foster care. So she took me back home to Daytona beach and put me in a Catholic high school. So I'm like, all right, I gotta, I gotta make this work because my mom's sacrificing now financially to put me in there. So I did better. But still, you know, when all you've known is just really doing your own thing and getting in trouble, you don't really know much else.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah. Wow, that's a lot, dude. Yeah, that's a lot for a kid.

[Adam Schafer]

To go through, so. So you decide, get in the military and now you're there. Did you like it right out the gates?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. I mean it was, it was just a whole nother world. I mean, when you. I was a east coast guy, Parris island, so I didn't know, I still didn't know what I was getting into, but I just knew every day there was a lot of growth happening and you know, I was meritoriously promoted, you know, squad leader, all that stuff. So I knew I was kind of in the right, the right place.

[Adam Schafer]

So they, once they started giving you responsibility, is that where you started to feel the growth?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. Because then it's like all of a sudden now you've got other recruits looking at you like, what should I do? Like, can you help me with this? Or that's when you find, you know, as a, as a team, you're only as strong as your weakest link. Because in, in boot camp, if you don't put your shoes on fast enough, guess what you're taking, you're taking them back off. Not only you, but everybody.

[Adam Schafer]

Everybody.

[Justin Andrews]

And then if you don't do that, if you don't do that quick enough, then you're going to move your whole frickin bunk bed to the other side of the room. Like it's just a lot of games. So I found boot camp was a lot more mental than it was physical.

[Adam Schafer]

You know, it's interesting about the story with just young men in general is when, when they have, when they're given responsibility and kind of a sense of purpose, they tend to shape up. I had a, I had a client once.

[Sal Deste]

Crave structure and responsibility.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, I had a young client. Well, I had a. These people I trained, their son was having issues with marijuana. They sent him off to one of those camps and what they did with them is they put him in charge of other kids. And I thought, that's crazy. This kid's a totally screwing up. No, that, that made a big difference. Once he was in charge of other people and given responsibility, he had a sense of purpose and it really pulled him out of what he was doing. Sounds like that's kind of what happened to you.

[Justin Andrews]

And so exactly what happened to me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I say the Marine Corps is my salvation. It was like my first transformation.

[Adam Schafer]

Now when you were a kid and they put you in the psych ward or whatever, did they diagnose you with anything at that point?

[Justin Andrews]

They diagnosed me with all kinds of stuff. I don't know what? Honestly, thinking back on it, I don't remember what medications I was on, what all they diagnosed me with. It's all a blur. I think I've somehow blocked a big piece of that out.

[Adam Schafer]

What I'm getting at is, again, I think when you lack a direction, sense of purpose, this for in particular for young men, all kinds of things go haywire if we don't have a clear direction of where we're going to go and why we're doing it. Especially if you are purpose driven, which, knowing what I know about you, from what I've read, you seem to be very purpose driven.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, some. Sometimes to the. To the detriment of me because I'm still trying to learn the balance of, like, all right, well, what does it feel like to be happy? Like, I don't. I'm still learning a whole lot of stuff in my life because I've sacrificed so much to get to where I am now. But it's like, all right, well, where am I now and what am I doing now? The Hollywood stuff was completely unexpected. Came out of nowhere. And then I made massive moves in a very short period of time. And then Covid hit and then wiped it all away. And I'm like, damn, I got to restart again. So there's been so many different evolutions. It's been the wildest roller coaster ride of that I can even put.

[Sal Deste]

So take me through. So we're in the military right now. You're an okay structure. Yeah. You're thinking about bodybuilding. Yeah. You started to get into weightlifting. Starting to get jacked. Liking that. Also leadership. So you're getting purpose right now. Where from there? Where do we go next?

[Justin Andrews]

When I came back from Okinawa, there's a. A section in the Marine Corps called the Body Bears. They're up in D.C. it's a small 15 to 18 man detail that does all the funerals, carry caskets out of Arlington National Cemetery. So they came and screened me at Camp Lejeune. I failed it by a couple reps doing a strength test. But they look for a lot more than just your strength. The strength can be built. It's the character. It's the responsibility. It's the moral compass you have. So they came, they screened me. I didn't pass it. I thought I was done. I was moving on, getting ready to go to squad leader school. And then I got cut orders to go be a body bearer. So went up to D.C. went through the whole training program for the. The body bearer section. And again, it was something Else where it's like, man, I'm like, continually finding new levels here. But. But that's where I really got big in terms of, like, physically strong. And I mean, when you're carrying caskets, you don't know how heavy a casket's going to be when you're actually out at the cemetery. You know, when the hearse pulls up, it's like, you know how heavy it is when you pull it out and you got hands on it. So that's, that's where that went. The body bears ended up being the section leader.

[Adam Schafer]

So that job is. Is literally.

[Sal Deste]

I didn't know that was like a specific job for specific guys. I thought it was always like, you're.

[Adam Schafer]

Carrying caskets of soldiers.

[Justin Andrews]

So for us, it was the Marine Corps.

[Adam Schafer]

Marine Corps, yeah. And you're care. And that's your job. Your job is to handle those. Move those bodies around, bring them to where they need to go type of deal.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. So we would do anywhere from three to five funerals a day.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, okay.

[Sal Deste]

So I did not know. I didn't even know that was like a thing.

[Adam Schafer]

Any psychological impact of seeing that much? Because. Because you're around death, you're around mourning, probably. Right. Because you're in the funeral, so you're seeing family show up, cry, the whole deal.

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

Did that impact you?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. You know, when I talk about it online or when I'm having conversations about it, I say it's my most humble duty. Because when you, when you lay someone to rest, that's the last image a person is going to have of their loved one is, you know, you, you. You laying them down. And for us in the Marine Corps, we use six men on the casket, whereas most other services use eight. Maybe that's changed, I don't know. But we trained hard and heavy, and when you get to the hole, we would raise the casket as a final salute. I didn't know that. Yeah. So I, I did, you know, both my grandfather's funerals. Thinking back on it, now that you're asking the question. Yeah, I mean, it, it kind of did have an impact on me in a. In a very, In a very deep way. Because not only, not only from the, the fact that, you know, I'm burying family members, but also you're seeing a lot of these young Marines come back from the beginning of the war.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And there, I remember there was a, you know, at Arlington, Section 60. There was nothing there. It was just all grass. And literally just every time you do, you know, week by week, you're just seeing it fill up. So, yeah, takes a little bit of a toll. But I always try and keep perspective about it because, I mean, you can't break down or get emotional on a funeral. You've got to, especially if you're the section leader. You got to show up and, you know, be there for the Marines. And. And we always look at it as, you know, paying the most. I mean, there's. There's no other. There's no other way to. To put what we do into words. Like, I can't articulate the feeling. And then, you know, there was a funeral we did for Mike Spann, the first guy to get killed in the. In the war over in Afghanistan. So there was a. The uprising in Mazuri Sharif. He was a CIA guy, but he was a former Marine or Marine veteran. And I remember doing his funeral and it was a chapel service. So down in the chapel, the family could come downstairs while the. While the service was going on. They could talk to the, you know, talk to us. And I remember his daughter coming up and, like, tugging on my jacket and asked me to take care of her, you know, of her dad. So it's like the little stuff like that, thinking back on, it's emotional for sure.

[Sal Deste]

Oh, man, that's heavy.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. So I was just gonna ask it. Did you know the history of these people that you were carrying or was it.

[Justin Andrews]

No, only. Only the ones like Span, you know, because that was a nationally televised show we did, the Macon Raiders. That was a two day nationally televised repatriation. Those guys were killed over in the Fiji Islands.

[Sal Deste]

And how long you said you did this for how long were you The.

[Justin Andrews]

A little over three years. So.

[Sal Deste]

Three years of that?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. Wow.

[Adam Schafer]

And then from there, did you go and serve? I saw that. Serve, but go in active, you know.

[Justin Andrews]

Wartime or so the. So from there, I ended up going to the Pentagon.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

And I ended up being personal security for General Pace.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, okay.

[Justin Andrews]

He was the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

That's where I started going overseas, but that was in a different capacity.

[Adam Schafer]

So that says his security. You're going over as his security.

[Justin Andrews]

You know, you go over in advance and, you know, play security teams and do advanced reconnaissance of. Of, you know, certain areas that we would. That we would visit. That was, that was my time. Active duty overseas, because after that I got out.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

My, my. All my time over there was as a contractor.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

And that, that's. That was part of what I did over there was part of the, the war that, you don't ever hear about. Because it was all, you know, classified at the time. But it's part of the identity management of keeping bases safe and working with the Iraqis to help them stand up their own biometric capabilities, similar to, you know, the FBI and DOD here in the States. But I did, I was over there for four years almost straight. I might, I might have been home for a total of two months.

[Adam Schafer]

So doing security for the Pentagon, is that, is that similar like Secret Service type stuff where you're kind of.

[Justin Andrews]

Kind of. Yeah. I mean, we would always get mistaken for Secret Service because of.

[Adam Schafer]

So you got the suit on, the.

[Justin Andrews]

Earpiece, your weapon underneath, the vest on, all of it, the whole deal.

[Adam Schafer]

And that's a whole nother level of training.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, that was pretty intensive training that took about four months of just literally back to. Back to back training. You know, evasive driving, high risk personnel, you know, weapons training, Just everything you can think of that would require you to be as proficient as possible to guard one of the. Or to protect one of the highest ranking military.

[Sal Deste]

Was this your favorite thing you did of everything?

[Justin Andrews]

I wouldn't say it was my favorite. Honestly, I always go back to the body bears just because it had so much more.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, sure, yeah, sure. You might be, you're probably the right guy to ask this question, but the, the, the whole, the security breach that happened when Trump got shot at. I've heard people commenting on this. You have a, you have a background in security. Was that just like, wild that they completely missed all that stuff? Was that because I've heard other people talk about. They're like, this is. How did they even let that happen?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. I mean, when you really, when you really look at it, you got to be a.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay. Because you guys are thoroughly trained.

[Sal Deste]

So many. In other words, that was such a huge mistake that it's like, it wasn't a mistake type of deal.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Sal Deste]

Okay. Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

There's no way someone should, like, someone should have been up there. Like, bottom line. Yeah, there's no, there's no other.

[Adam Schafer]

I'm not even trained. And if you put me in charge, I'd be like, you probably should put somebody up there for us. So you're not worried about like sloped roofs.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah, it's not a huge concern here.

[Justin Andrews]

Okay.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, good deal. Okay, so you stop. So you were done contracting out there. Security was a lot. That's when you ended that. And then you come back where to the States and thinking, what do I do?

[Justin Andrews]

We started turning everything over to the Iraqis. There Were. There were. Were a lot more close calls than I care to experience, so I took a leap of faith and.

[Adam Schafer]

What do you mean, close calls? Like.

[Justin Andrews]

Like rockets coming in.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, really?

[Justin Andrews]

Like, check. Like checkpoints that are really no longer safe. You know, what used to be the green zone is now kind of the pink zone. You know, it's not. So you're now. It's like as an American, you're going through Iraqi checkpoints, learn a little bit of Farsi so I could navigate through them effectively. And, yeah, I don't even. I don't know how to explain it, but I shouldn't be here right now. But there were. There were so many. There were so many close calls that I should not be here. And along the way, there were a lot of people who were close to me that are no longer here at this.

[Adam Schafer]

Like, you saw this happen around you?

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, it's just, It's. It's part of life, you know, And I was. I did a lot of traveling around the country, too. I mean, I had 10 tier one sites, five tier two sites, and we had some DNA labs out there.

[Sal Deste]

So what does that mean? What is that?

[Justin Andrews]

So a tier one site would be like a bigger base. A tier two site would be a smaller, you know, a smaller FOB type deal.

[Sal Deste]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

And then the DNA labs is where we did all the, the collection of evidence.

[Adam Schafer]

And when you, when that. When. I. I can't imagine. So you're, you're working, you're trying to provide security. An explosion goes off, something happens after a couple times that would make me so jumpy. What. I mean, how do you deal with that?

[Justin Andrews]

I. I think you just get to a point where, like, it. You can't hide from a rocket. You know, I mean, there's no. There really is no safe space from a rocket. So if it's going to be your time, it's going to be your time. And I believe the more you can accept that, the better off your mental state will be, because otherwise you're going to just walk around like a lot of these grown men I see, wanting to go home or they can't take it. They're so stressed out, they. They don't leave the palace. They. They just crumble.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay, so when you. When did you finish that and then what did you do afterwards?

[Justin Andrews]

I finished that in 09, the early summer of 09. And that's when I moved to the States. I came back to the States to do contract work for Marine Forces north, which is the Marine Corps Entity under US northcom, and it just happened to be based in New Orleans. So I'd never been in New Orleans, didn't know anyone in New Orleans but the colonel there was, you know, standing up a new section within the Marine forces North in transit security, which would fall under emergency management. So I had the opportunity to come in and kind of, you know, take that on as my own. But it didn't really work out the way I had planned on financially. The funding, like everything was just a mess. So I had some people trying to help me figure out what to do, and it wasn't really working, so I couldn't find work. I'm burning through all my money. I've got financial responsibilities. I take care of my family. And I ended up just losing everything I had. I couldn't sustain anymore. So I went from doing all this stuff in the Marine Corps and all of a sudden now I'm living in my car, I'm homeless. I filed for bankruptcy. I wanted to, you know.

[Sal Deste]

How old are you at this point?

[Justin Andrews]

This was in 2009. I'm not good at math.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, it's like you're young, young man.

[Justin Andrews]

I'm young, yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

You said you had 20s. Married with kids. You said you had a family.

[Justin Andrews]

I had a marriage that went south when I was overseas. Okay. So came back, got divorced, went back over.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

Okay. I don't have the relationship I would like to have with my daughters, so it's something I'm really working on. And they're a lot older now, so hopefully they'll. They'll start understanding more that it wasn't just neglect. It was like, essentially I'm fighting for my life mentally, not knowing what to do. Every time I think I got a foothold on getting life back to where it should be, I get hit with something. And so that's what I was constantly fighting through. And this homelessness was another piece of it. But out of desperation to pull myself out of it because I had friends of mine who were like, dude, just do what you're good at, which is fitness. And fitness for me is really personal. Like, I never wanted to share it with anybody, but I had to because otherwise I didn't have anything else to offer. So got certified as a personal trainer. I found a 24 hour gym in Uptown New Orleans and I was like, I'm gonna compete in the local New Orleans bodybuilding Show and become Mr. New Orleans and I'm going to promote health and fitness around the city. I did all of it. So you competed, you won competed at one. And then.

[Sal Deste]

Are you working at 24 Hour Fitness at this time?

[Justin Andrews]

I'm working there. I'm doing my laundry there. I'm sleeping on the massage table.

[Sal Deste]

Oh, wow.

[Justin Andrews]

I'm doing everything I can to make whatever work.

[Sal Deste]

And this is 092010 era.

[Adam Schafer]

Wait, was this 24 Hour Fitness or just a 24 Hour Gym?

[Justin Andrews]

Just a 24 Hour Gym. It was called Nola Fit. 24 Hours.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, I was gonna say.

[Sal Deste]

I was like, we're in the same company at the same time, bro. That would have been really crazy.

[Adam Schafer]

This is getting weir. But, yeah. So you. So you're living in the gym.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

And you're. And you're trying to build the clientele, and you're competing at the same time. Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. And then I have my, you know, personal trainers have their picture on the wall. I just have my Marine stuff on. And that's when Zac Efron came into the gym with his trainer at the time doing a movie called the Lucky One, which is about a Marine Iraq veteran. And they saw my picture, we connected. They brought me to set, and they were like, we. We want you to help him embody.

[Adam Schafer]

Just like that.

[Justin Andrews]

Embody what? A Marine. Wow.

[Adam Schafer]

Just like that.

[Justin Andrews]

Just like that.

[Sal Deste]

What a. What a crazy way that.

[Adam Schafer]

Now, did they hire you or you're like, I'll do it for free. Or like, how'd that work?

[Justin Andrews]

They ended up hiring me. I was his. One of his technical advisors on the movie. And then that is when I found out. This is where I talk about this piece kind of being the destiny part of it all, because I never seeked Hollywood out. I didn't know anything about it. But what I found out is when I got there to New Orleans, there were more films and TV shows being shot there at that time than anywhere else.

[Sal Deste]

Oh, wow.

[Adam Schafer]

So you were put somewhere, and then these opportunities were brought to you.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. And him and I hit it off, and we. We just. We kept it going through multiple years, all the way up.

[Adam Schafer]

Now, were you still working at the gym, or did you have to quit that to do this thing full.

[Justin Andrews]

I was still. I was still doing the gym, and then. And then it just. It slowly kept picking up. So it was, you know, training Zach's. Zach comes back in for another movie, GI Joe Retaliation. I trained the cast, which is where I met the Rock. And Stallone was coming in to do a movie called Bullet to the Head. So it was really. It was really a time where I'm like, all right, I got my. I Got my foot, my footing. Here's my second win. Let's. Let's see where I can take this. But I, you know, I never really fit into the Hollywood culture though, because I'm just. I mean, look, you don't even strike.

[Sal Deste]

Me, Strike me as like the Hollywood. So what do you attribute? What was it, or what do you attribute? Was it about you that connected so well with Zach and these celebrities that seem to be so different than you? What was it?

[Justin Andrews]

I. I think when you, like, we all know, we all know fitness to some degree, or in our minds, we understand it to a certain degree.

[Sal Deste]

Sure.

[Justin Andrews]

But I think when you come across someone who's genuine about it and authentically living hits a little different. And not only that, but I would always do things for them. I would go, like, if they needed something, I would go get it. I wouldn't say, oh, let me get your assistance so I can get some money. I'll just go get it.

[Adam Schafer]

Extra mile.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, I was there for them whenever they needed me to be. You know, I pick them up sometimes and drive them. I mean, at some point I've pretty much driven some celebrity around to whatever gym. I like to take them to the hardcore dungeon spots where they wouldn't normally go, where it's like, when you go in, it smells like armpit and blood. You know what I mean? I love those gems.

[Adam Schafer]

So do I. Yeah, those are the best.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. So I just started creating, like, really genuine relationships with these people and. But I never, I, I never seeked anything. I wasn't always trying to take pictures. I wasn't always trying to like, hey, can you introduce me to this guy? Like, I, like, I'm here to do a job. Outside of that, I just, I'm a homebody. Like, I love my, my own personal space because I need to recharge.

[Sal Deste]

You know, that's one of the most common things. We have several friends that train celebrities. Train celebrities. The most common thing, I think, because you guys are all so different. The one thing that they, I think that I've noticed is that you guys all have that about you, where you're like, you understand that these celebrities probably don't want photos taken of them or you using them as leverage to make your like. And the more privacy and the respect that you give them, they tend to really, really appreciate that. And I think that that's the common thread you guys all kind of have, is that you were the same way that way.

[Adam Schafer]

Now at this point, are you, Are you financially starting to pick up and doing well, and you're like, okay, this is working.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, the big after, after the Rock and, and I. The short stint with Stallone, he was, he got injured early on in filming, so our, our training was limited, but I would still go to set and hang out with him and Momoa. And you know, I don't smoke cigars, but I'd go there and hang out with them while they smoke cigars and just shoot it up. And I started getting a lot of notoriety. So directors and producers started training with me and then they're the ones who were like, hey, have you ever thought about getting in front of the camera? I didn't even know what that meant. But they're like stunts acting, something like you have a presence, you know, it could be, it could be valuable. So I got a stunt or I got an acting coach, started doing stunt training. Things started to pick up. I was getting small roles here and there in New Orleans. And then 2015, I moved to LA, signed on with some bigger representation and really got into the, the acting and stunt piece. And then 2020 was lined up to be the biggest year acting in stunt wise. And I was, I was actually phasing out of fitness and doing more of.

[Adam Schafer]

The acting or stunt how.

[Sal Deste]

I've always been curious because I've never met somebody with your path, like, how does that pay? How well does stunt pay? Is it like per movie? Do you get contracted for multiple. Is it like one big payday and you're gonna let that stretch to the next one? What does it look like?

[Justin Andrews]

Well, the streaming. The streaming changed a lot of that. Yeah, but in general, it depends on like, how big is. How big is the part, how dangerous is the part, what's the duration, where, where do you fall out on the SAG scale there? And you know, and then obviously the residuals is going to depend on how much money the, the film or the TV show made. So I mean, there's sometimes, like I get checks right now, sometimes it would be a penny and then I'll get checks that are thousands of dollars from.

[Adam Schafer]

The residual or whatever.

[Justin Andrews]

From the residuals, yeah, but, but if you have a, if you have a good, a good stint on a movie, like a big part, it's, it's pretty lucrative.

[Sal Deste]

Nice.

[Adam Schafer]

So 2020 was lined up, but that's the year of COVID Is that when.

[Justin Andrews]

Okay, yeah, I actually was finishing two, I was doing two movies in New Orleans and my producer who I was working with out there, he was like, we were just having this conversation because I didn't really, like, being in la, he's like, why are you there? Like, well, where else am I going to go? It's. It, like, I don't have the. You know, I don't have the funds built right now to move somewhere. And he's like, dude, just do it. So I'm like, so I did it. So I. I'm like, you know what? We had a. We had a pause for the holidays at the end of 19. Went back to LA, moved everything to Vegas, went back to New Orleans, finished, finished filming, came back to Vegas, which is now home. And then I was supposed to be there for three weeks before I went to Boston for my next movie. And then my producer, after the first week, he's like, hey, there's this. There's this, like, Covet thing going around. So production got pushed a little bit, and then the next week it was like, hey, we're shutting down production for a little while. And like, everything just within three weeks, just everything shut down. I'm like, this has got to be a. Like, when am I going to wake up from this? Because it made me realize everything that I was doing was reliant on Hollywood. All the depth I had was in stunts, acting, technical advising, celebrity training. When that shut down, I didn't have anything, which was when I started launching my. I was like, I'm just gonna launch my online coaching business. And it did. Good.

[Adam Schafer]

But this was during COVID that you.

[Justin Andrews]

Launched it during COVID Yeah. And it.

[Adam Schafer]

And you were just using, I'm assuming, just so. Because at the time, we couldn't go anywhere. So it was social media.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. And it was. I didn't. I had no idea what I was doing. I've never been in the coaching space before. Didn't. Didn't know how it all worked. I just know that I'm good at what I do when I'm working one on one with somebody. But I. I was running myself ragged because I didn't understand how to scale something. And.

[Adam Schafer]

And you're just adding clients.

[Justin Andrews]

I'm adding clients. The next thing I know, I'm like, seven days a week, you know, I don't know when I'm gonna take a piss.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. How long did you do that for?

[Justin Andrews]

I did that for a couple years.

[Adam Schafer]

Okay.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. And then was it.

[Sal Deste]

So was it like a light switch went off when the 2020 thing happened as far as, like, financial for you? And then was it. Did you pick it up right away, or was it like a grind to get back? Like, what was it?

[Justin Andrews]

Was A grind to get back. Because. Because not only that, but I'm like, you're just watching the deterioration of our country and. And it was affecting me in a really bad way. I lost a lot of friends during this time, too, because as a. As a. As a veteran, when you're in the military, it's, you know, back to what you were saying before. You've got that sense of purpose, you've got that specific goal, mission, whatever it is, and then when you leave that, you have to recreate that. And somehow now in the. In the regular world, and it's. It can be very difficult. So when these guys are already struggling and then you see all this nonsense on top of it, they just give up.

[Sal Deste]

So.

[Adam Schafer]

So you're talking about a lot of these.

[Justin Andrews]

Suicide.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, more. More. More military service people die from suicide than. Than war is a statistic that I read.

[Justin Andrews]

It's bad.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

Were you dealing with. Because, you know, I've read a little bit about you and you have. You had to deal with PTSD and some of that stuff. Were you aware of this at this point? Were you dealing with it or was it just in the background while you're trying to work?

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah, it's. Yeah, constantly dealing with it every day. And this is actually when I had. There's a lady named Dr. Shauna Springer. She's kind of one of the pioneers behind Stella Ganglion Block. And I just felt like I was on a downward spiral, you know, 20, 20, 20, 21. And that's. Somehow we connected. I think it was through a mutual friend. We connected, and she was like, hey, I would like to, you know, to. To do this for you, and maybe we can, you know, see if we can help any other veterans, too. So I did. That's when I started really trying to address my own shortcomings because it's. I was miserable. I didn't. Like, I couldn't sleep. I was.

[Adam Schafer]

I was just going to ask you, what were your symptoms of your ptsd, what they look like?

[Justin Andrews]

I was just someone you didn't want to be around. Yeah, I was all over the place, you know, every moment was. Was fleeting, into whatever the next one was. I didn't. I couldn't find happiness in anything I did. I didn't get excited about anything. I. I kept thinking back to, all right, what else is going to go wrong now? And it's like you just. You just. Your mind takes you in the. In the wrong direction. So it's like I'm trying to get my life on track but my mind is taking me to a place that is, it's not going in, in the direction where I need it to go.

[Adam Schafer]

Anxiety, depression, all of it.

[Sal Deste]

Which is, which is crazy because you are a successful personal trainer. So I imagine you were, you probably kept it together while you're with a client and you're probably training people like this. And then it was like as soon as that, as soon as that interaction shut down, then you're, you're battling yourself, I would imagine, because there's no way you have that many clients and be that successful if you were a mess while you were training them. So they probably didn't see or feel that. Or am I wrong?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, I think, I think when I'm busy and I'm engaged and I have something that I'm doing.

[Adam Schafer]

Sure.

[Justin Andrews]

That keeps me aligned, it's easy to keep it together. It's when there's quiet, there's nothing going on, there's silence and you just. The cyclic thoughts that just continually, you know, bring you down all these different rabbit holes that you don't really want.

[Adam Schafer]

To be in any self medicating at this point. And that's a common thing with things like cannabis or.

[Justin Andrews]

I started doing, I started doing cannabis when I moved to la before sleep, before I went to bed at night because it just helped me sleep. And when I did the stella ganglion block after that is when I was really fascinated with psilocybin. So started really going down that whole path. And you know, I, I was find, I was, I was finding different things in my mind that helped me make sense of what was going on by using that medicine. But yeah, outside of that, not explain.

[Sal Deste]

Explain the block for the audience because I didn't know what it was until, until you guys started talking about it.

[Adam Schafer]

So this, so I don't know a ton of it just through what Dr. Kahn explained to me. But essentially they, they. This is the communication pathway between the part of the brain that is kind of in this loop of trauma and your body. Right. So that block kind of prevents that from happening. Did. Is that what it felt like when you got it? Like calm all of a sudden?

[Justin Andrews]

Well, so I'm laying on the table, they go into the, this, the C4, like the, there's a nerve block on each side.

[Adam Schafer]

Right.

[Justin Andrews]

And I remember seeing the needle and I was like, how the hell is that going?

[Sal Deste]

That's going in my neck.

[Justin Andrews]

So, so they, yeah, they know. They numb it all. They numb it all up. And I remember when they went in, it just, it felt like, how do I describe it? You know when something is shrink wrapped like, like if you buy a blanket or something, it gets shipped to you and it's like this big and then you pop it open.

[Adam Schafer]

So it felt like everything expanded.

[Justin Andrews]

I felt that whole sensation go across my entire body and then it, out of nowhere, I just started crying.

[Adam Schafer]

Wow.

[Justin Andrews]

So it was a, it was a powerful experience. But the thing with Stella ganglion block is it, it puts you back into parasympathetic, but at the same time you, you have habits and, and specifically in your mind that you need to fix.

[Adam Schafer]

Right. It's not, it's not done.

[Sal Deste]

Still have the patterns.

[Justin Andrews]

There's the therapy that, the, the follow on therapy that goes along, fear response.

[Adam Schafer]

That has been blocked. It's the physical physiological response that's gone. But now you can go through and work on it. And that's probably why you cried. It's probably like your body felt safe enough to let you do that.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, probably because, I mean, I would just, I don't show, I don't show very much emotion. I'm pretty, I'm, I'm pretty straight across the board.

[Adam Schafer]

Sure, sure. So you do that, you feel that relief right away. Were you like, did you have a vulnerability hangover over afterwards? We're like, oh man, I just cried in front of these people.

[Justin Andrews]

No, no, actually, I, surprisingly I didn't. Okay. And I wanted to talk about it more because it was, it was a powerful experience.

[Adam Schafer]

Now once you did that and you're going into therapy, are you able to visit memories and things that were maybe too hard before or was it different visiting certain things.

[Justin Andrews]

Well, this is, this is where I didn't take it all the way to the end because I started getting on these calls, talking and I'm like, this is not what I envision, you know, it being, I don't, I don't do good with therapy. I think probably because as a kid I had some bad experiences with therapy and I'm just like, you know, back to the, the mindset of you're not going to understand what I'm saying.

[Adam Schafer]

Right.

[Justin Andrews]

Like, I can't, I, I have no relatability with you. I can't talk to you about this. And when I watch you writing notes and yeah, like I, I, it kind of rubs me the wrong way. And then I can feel myself kind of harden up. Pull. Yeah, pull back.

[Adam Schafer]

So you didn't do that all the way, but you got some relief.

[Justin Andrews]

I got, I got some relief from it, but I just realized that, man, I Got. I got a lot of work to do on myself.

[Adam Schafer]

So how do you think people like you? Because there's a lot of veterans who come out with ptsd. Obviously the block helped a lot, but it's not the complete story. How do you think they should visit that? Because the therapy you said doesn't work for you. I know a lot of men that say the same thing, by the way. I know a lot of men without PTSD that say the same thing. And I think that might, maybe because a lot of therapy is geared towards the female mind and not necessarily the male mind, which is a bit different. How do you think they should progress or move forward? Do you talk to them? Do you. Do you help them on it?

[Justin Andrews]

Okay, well, great question, because this is where transcend comes in. The way I look at all this now, when I got. When I. When I came back to the States, and I see it across the board with. With most, you know, veterans who get out is they go to the va. Who knows how long and how much BS you're going to have to go.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

Along with the VA to get the right help. So if you can just get your blood work done and see what the hell's wrong with you and then address it hormonally the right way, you're probably going to have a much better outcome. Sure. Than trying to do all these post traumatic stress, you know, therapies and all this other stuff. Because I'm me thinking about it now, you know, I've done toad venom, psilocybin, Stella ganglion, like, all right, but if that, like, it can help mentally, but if my, if my endocrine system is.

[Adam Schafer]

Off, if you feel like garbage. You feel like garbage.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

Physically.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. Yeah. So. So my recommendation to everybody is, especially when you get out, the first thing you should be doing is blood work. Blood work.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. And. And ptsd, or stress in general, is strongly correlated with hormone disruption. So. And this is just for anybody, like, if you're just overstressed, which PTSD is tremendous stress on the body, you're just.

[Justin Andrews]

Stuck in a sympathetic state.

[Adam Schafer]

Right. So this is just tremendous stress on the body. But even if you don't have ptsd, you're under tons of stress, job, divorce, whatever. Your hormones get affected, especially over. Over long periods of time. And for men, that looks like low testosterone almost always. For women, it looks like all kinds of different things. Inverted cortisol, you know, cortisol is low in the morning, starts high, you know, comes high at night, type of deal. And balancing that out doesn't fix the issue, but at least you physically feel good.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

So now you can. It's like a stronger version of myself can move forward versus, would you say the biggest? Sort of. Once you figured out how to balance your hormones and everything in terms of your sleep, was that like the biggest difference you saw right away or.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And then, I mean, I've never been one to wear like, you know, electro, like trackable, whatever you want to call these things, but you can really start putting pieces together that makes sense. Like, oh, that's why I feel like that I felt like this for so many times over the past however many years. And it's like, put like, once you get your blood work done and you have data, like, you can really start putting the pieces together. And like, I mean, I feel like you can. You can really make a massive correction. And, And. But right now we're like, we're so used to being stuck in this. This baseline of unhealth that we don't even know what it feels like to be at what normal really is.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. That's my favorite thing when I. When I train a client and they.

[Sal Deste]

I'm fine.

[Adam Schafer]

Start to get healthier, and they're like, I had no idea how bad I felt. All of a sudden I just feel.

[Sal Deste]

You know, so our bodies are so resilient. They're adaptation machines and they do such a good job. So many people are walking. Walking around so subpar, but they think they're fine because they don't know what optimal feels like, you know, and then you get optimal and you're like, oh, this is what it's supposed to feel like.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, it's amazing. I. You know, and in the military also, too, I don't. I don't understand why there's not more. There's not something in place that helps with that. So that way, yeah, when you get out, you don't have to deal with it. Like, you can address it from the beginning, because when you're in these, you know, all these hostile environments and you're, you know, you're. You're just expected to be a superhuman, right?

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

But yet you're not fed like one. You don't get to sleep like one. Like, nothing matches.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

So when you get out, you're just. Your protocol.

[Adam Schafer]

Once you get back, people don't understand that the. That a trauma response is an adaptive survival response. So it actually serves you well when you're in the environment where you need to be on guard all the time. But when you Go back to a quiet, normal life. It's a mismatch. So it's like I have this adaptation that is now hardwired because of where I was and where I was. Rockets are flying over me and stuff's happening. But now I'm, you know, training people. I'm in a gym. And that trauma response, that adaptation is terrible for. For this life, but I can't turn it off. So that's kind of becomes.

[Sal Deste]

Do you have moments? Do you have, like, big. Like, I would imagine someone like that that is. Was coming from a place where they're on edge like that. Did you have moments where you caught yourself, like, snap over something, like, stupid, like you spilled coffee and also. And you put a hole through a wall, or did you do things that, like, kind of woke yourself up of like, oh, I've got. I've got something going on?

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, not in front of, like, clients and stuff, but in my own, like, behind my own walls, in my house. It was. Yeah. I mean, I've had to patch up quite a few holes.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And definitely. And especially when you're in a relationship, you. You really learn how. How much is wrong with you.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. Yeah. I would kick myself for not asking you this, but do. Is there a. Do you have a spiritual component to this, to look back? Because the things that you're lining up, the odds that those things would line up the way they did are super crazy. It's almost like you were put in those places, New Orleans and everything, and you're giving these opportunities for something, for some purpose.

[Justin Andrews]

Honestly, it's one component that's allowed me to keep going because I've just wanted to give up so much. That component of knowing that, like, this path is special. There's a reason why I've been presented with all these amazing opportunities. Granted, these amazing opportunities have presented themselves when I'm. When I've had to hit rock bottom again. But I think there's something to the story that even I don't know what it is yet. And not only that, but also, too, there's a responsibility that I feel like I have with my life to do something in honor of the people who didn't make it back. There's just. There's so much inspiration, I think, behind what continues to give me life right now to keep going. And. But from the. From what you just said, is 100 true?

[Adam Schafer]

Do you are. You know, you're currently training people? Is this what you still do?

[Justin Andrews]

No, no. Right now, I'm so with With Transcend, I'm trying to just be. I want to be a walking billboard for, like, how healthy you can be and how much you can continually evolve in the right way, no matter what your age is. And. And there's a. There's a long story behind the whole thing with Transcend, but I want to build a platform. I want to give people hope. I want them to hear my story, and I want them to know no matter how many times you get knocked down, you can always get back up. And I want to be an inspiration for my family. I want to change the course of my family's history. I want to, you know, I want my daughters to look back and realize that I wasn't neglecting them. I was really just trying to stay alive. Yeah, there. There's so many pieces to this question.

[Sal Deste]

When 2020 hit and you had to go online, was this the point at which you reached out to Andy Elliott to help you build an online presence? Was that. What. What point did you meet him?

[Justin Andrews]

So there's. There are a few businessmen who I know and I have had respect four. They've helped me. They're the ones who kept telling me, you need to meet this guy. So I met him and I met him in Vegas and he, like really pitched this great idea to. To do something fitness related because he preaches fitness and all this stuff. And I think this was really before a lot of people knew who he was. He was just starting to go viral. So I bit like a lot of other people did, and I moved out to Scottsdale to. To do something with him, with his business, but also too on for my business with fitness to use that unique synergy.

[Sal Deste]

Before 2020, or is it?

[Justin Andrews]

This was. This was right after I started online coaching. So this was the summer. This was. I moved out there in the summer of 23 and I. I was. I met him in like April or. Yeah, April or May of 23.

[Sal Deste]

Okay. So he's just starting to pop off around that time.

[Justin Andrews]

Just starting to pop off. No one really knew what was going on with him.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah. And then you. So he. He pitches you on this idea, hey, let's go build this fitness army together. You know, you with all of your connections, your background, your physique, everything that me with my business savviness.

[Justin Andrews]

Yep.

[Sal Deste]

And then we're going to build this together. You move. You actually relocate, moved everything. And then you guys start building together. What does that look like? Are you guys meeting every single day? Is he. Are you doing something for him? And what are you doing for him in return? Is he supposed to do something for you? Like what does that look like?

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, he was supposed to help build out a CRM. We were, you know, basically for really high end, know business clientele to give them a very unique fitness experience, which I was excited about because I can do that. I just don't know how to build. I'm not a tech guy. I'm sure I'm an old school knuckle dragger. Y and in, in return, I would be the face of his company for fitness. Man, this is, none of it materialized and I, I, I, I, I started learning very quick that I had made a wrong move coming out there. But I'm already out there so now I need to figure out how to make this work.

[Sal Deste]

Trying to make the best of it.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, it's like I'm pretty resilient. I can, I can figure this out. But it just kept getting worse and worse in terms of follow through. It's just a lot of talk. A lot of talk. I mean I would get up on stage and I'm with him sometimes and I'm like, I don't even know how he's going to introduce me. Like I, there's no plan. Well, it's not only that, but it's like when you lie so much that you don't know what the truth is anymore, it's kind of hard to decipher from the two. Yeah. I mean, get up on stage, he's telling people, he, he moved me out there, he bought me a house, he bought me a truck. He's talking about me training all these celebrities that I've never trained. I'm like, I don't like this is.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh man.

[Justin Andrews]

Wow.

[Sal Deste]

Like that.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. Just because it started getting a little bit embarrassing. And, and, and did you say anything to him?

[Adam Schafer]

Like, hey man, no, that was true. Why mention that?

[Justin Andrews]

The way he is you, he's a very difficult person to talk to. It's his way or no way.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah, he comes off that way for sure.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. So, so I was, you know, there was a fitness company in place called Earn it All. There was kind of the fitness company there. I was coming into just be the face of it all.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And earned it all. He kicked him to the curb in December. So what ended up happening on my side was From November of 23 until May of 24, they didn't pay me a penny. So that whole plan like backfired in, in the worst way possible.

[Adam Schafer]

I, I got to imagine that your, your military background, you, you probably Trust people. You're loyal to a fault. And that's why he's lasted that long without getting paid. Until finally you were like, okay, this is getting crazy.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. Yeah, it's. I started learning about what was going on behind the scenes, and when I actually made the move to leave and people found out that I was gone, the amount of people who reached out.

[Adam Schafer]

To me.

[Justin Andrews]

In sharing their stories with me, I was embarrassed and I was sick to my stomach that I was actually a part of that. There's no human resources department at that company, so it's like you have nowhere to go if you have an issue.

[Sal Deste]

Sure.

[Justin Andrews]

So all these people are losing thousands of dollars not getting anything. Just like I didn't get the CRM. I'm supposed to come in there and, you know, make this what we talked about it being. But he's very. He's. He's. He's just a very. He's. He's just really good with his words, you know, what do they say, you can sell ice to an Eskimo?

[Sal Deste]

Yeah, he's like the ultimate used car salesman. I mean, he comes off that way. I mean, that's a. To me, that's. I. I don't know him personally, but I've obviously seen him.

[Adam Schafer]

We've been around enough online that it's.

[Sal Deste]

Like, yeah, he's a. He's a quick, smooth talker and probably does pretty well at manipulating people or getting people to believe in what he's going to do, which he has no intention of ever following through. And then once he gets what he needs from you, then he's just kind of on to the next. And if he did a good enough job of leading you on but never really inking anything on paper or doing like that, then he probably just takes advantage of a lot of people that way. And I've heard stories like that trickling out. I have friends over that are connected to the baller buster page. I've known that page since it first started, and the guys behind that, and so I've watched them kind of unfold. It sounds like he's got a lot of cases against him.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. And, you know, talking to a lot of these people after the fact, they either don't have the money to legally fight it, or the people who do have the money just don't have the bandwidth or the time to mess with it. So, I mean, I've got the. The amount of messages and the list of people like, I have it. I'm not. It ain't going nowhere. I'm not saying I'm a pissed off marine after somebody, but like, it's not right.

[Adam Schafer]

No.

[Justin Andrews]

To do that to people.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And the day of reckoning will come, whether it's through me, whether it's through the government, whether it's through somebody or some entity or something.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. You can't, you can't rip off that many people and get away. Yeah. It'll catch it.

[Sal Deste]

I think what we're in, this weird. All of us being the age we are. Right. We were here before it and we're in the middle of it now with social media and the explosion of it. It's just an. It's a weird time that someone like that can make a lot of money really quick before they get found out. I just. You couldn't do that. You know, of course there's always been scammers and people that have been around forever. Well before the Internet and social media. But because of how fast somebody can grow and the attention they can garner so quickly, even if they're getting. They're screwing over five people if they can get 100 new people on fast.

[Adam Schafer]

Enough, eventually it catches up.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah, eventually it does.

[Adam Schafer]

The term snake oil salesman comes from that. So, you know, town to town, they go from town to town selling fake elixirs and stuff and they'd sell a bunch of them and they'd leave before people would be like, hey, this didn't cure my cough. This gave me, you know, whatever. And they'd be in the next town. They just keep going until eventually it catches up to them. So eventually get caught. You get found out. What makes me annoyed is the fitness space has got these people and they use fitness to prey on people, either through selling bogus supplements or selling other fitness people that they can help them build their business and you can make a lot of money doing, you know, following my, my program or whatever. We're seeing a lot of that now, which is really frustrating.

[Justin Andrews]

See this, this whole, this whole coaching space is so new to me. Like when I, when I launched my online coaching business, I just did it. Like I know I can help people. And all I know is customized coaching.

[Adam Schafer]

Right.

[Justin Andrews]

Which is, it's. I mean, it's time consuming.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. It's not cutting face.

[Justin Andrews]

No. So it's like. But at the same time, having went through this experience and then, you know, working at the Elliott Group and, and then, you know, going around to be with all these other influencers everywhere else, and I'm like, this is literally a circle jerk of dudes using each other. So it's like I feel, I feel dirty. I feel dirty. Yeah. Like I. Anytime I see anybody pop up that has anything to do with that entity. Yeah, I unfollow them, I block them, whatever it is. Like, I just don't want to see any of it. I want to clean, I want to. I feel like I want to go back to before I even knew who he was. Because I, you know, granted, my life wasn't amazing, but at the same time, I was building something that was out of integrity and authenticity and I was literally helping people. Like, I got a lady, this real estate lady up in, you know, up in the New England area. She's big time Sotheby's lady, and I changed her life and she's writing a book about it, and I'm like, so it's like the little things that make all the difference in the world to me are the stuff that these coaches could give two shits about because all they're in it for is the money or the accolades or whatever.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. You sound like a real trainer.

[Justin Andrews]

Yep.

[Adam Schafer]

That's one of the things we're trying to do right now is we, we got fed up with that problem. We got fed up with that whole space. So we entered into it and, you know, luckily we have a platform like this podcast where we could call people out and they'll have a tough time hiding. So that's what we've been doing a lot lately.

[Justin Andrews]

It's so good, man. What you guys are doing is so good.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah. When did you actually find the podcast? We were talking off air and you had said that even before you got the transcend, you had, you had come across the podcast. You remember when it was, how you.

[Justin Andrews]

Found, I mean, you can scroll back in my social media like several years ago and I, I've reposted some of your guys stuff. Oh, really cool.

[Sal Deste]

So that's cool.

[Adam Schafer]

That's great.

[Sal Deste]

That's really cool.

[Adam Schafer]

So at the moment you're, you're, you're really trying to be a spokesperson for, for health and fitness. And now how are you doing that? You're working with Transcend? We, we're all part, we all work with them. Large company. Are you, do you have. Somebody manages social, social media. Are you doing speaking engagements?

[Justin Andrews]

So where I'm at right now, I feel like 2025 is, is the year that I every, everything that's happened, I pull it all together and, and then I'll find out later this year where, like where all this is going. I don't have a social Media manager. I don't have social media, nothing. Like, I, I kept trying to go down this, this path of like, talking to these PR people and, you know, and social media people. And it's like, you know, well, this is the strategy. And, and I'm like, I don't understand. Like, I just.

[Sal Deste]

For authentic people to get it, bro.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, you're, you're a real trainer. I love hearing this.

[Justin Andrews]

I love hearing.

[Sal Deste]

When you're a real person, it's really hard to connect with these social media strategies that they want.

[Adam Schafer]

Hack the algorithm.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, I'm like, I don't, I don't know what the algorithm is. I don't care about what it is. Like, I like, let me, let me do this. Let me just share what I'm doing. So that's what I'm doing right now. And granted, I'm like, I don't, I don't have the reach of millions and whatever. I think that'll eventually hit a number where it's supposed to be. But I don't sit there and, you know, think about all these different posts that I'm going to do and how they're going to look and, you know, I'm not paying attention to the, the metrics of it, all the data. Like, I just want to post things on there that people have asked me about several times over the years. And I'm like, good. Here it is.

[Adam Schafer]

You're good.

[Sal Deste]

This is what we're trying to teach the trainers and coaches that are with us that have gone through our course. And by the way, one of the challenges that we have is when we, we're working with, we have a marketing team and company that we work with that their greatest challenge is that we refuse to say things like, oh, make your first 10,000 in 30 days. And it's like, no, if you're gonna be a good trainer, it's gonna take a long time. You're gonna train people for a long time.

[Adam Schafer]

You gotta get good.

[Sal Deste]

You're gonna suck at it for a while, then you're gonna learn, then you get better, and it's gonna be a slow process, but it's really rewarding. And the good part is if you can stick through it and you can stay with it, then it will build and then it'll stay and you have a career. You will, and it'll have, you'll have a solid foundation. If I showed you some gimmick how to do some crazy challenge to make $10,000 next month, I can't promise you you're going to be a great trainer two years from now, because you did that, you might make a quick ten grand, but that doesn't make you a good trainer. It's a long time to be that.

[Adam Schafer]

If this makes you feel any better, we did it. You're talking about. That's how we built this company.

[Sal Deste]

That's right.

[Adam Schafer]

That's how we did. And I'll tell you what, we, we, we had a year there where we had somebody help us try to chase the algorithm for a second. It was the worst thing we ever did. And a year, a year into it, we looked at each other like, fire him. Yeah. We're going our own way. And it was an alien thing for us. Yes, man. Yeah, dude. You're doing it the right way. You're actually trying to make an impact, and that's what builds a career. And by the way, you know, we've been doing this for 10 years. Do you know how many people we've seen come and go who try to hack the algorithm?

[Sal Deste]

How many Andy Elliott's that are famous for a couple years and then gone?

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, you know.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sal Deste]

They make a run for a little bit because they know how to help the algorithm or they, they all, like you said, they're all in a big circle jerk helping each other elevate and then they get found out and then nobody gets. No one cares again.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, that. That whole space, they're dropping like flies right now. They are, but. But yeah, I mean, I, I just. I just like being authentic because it's easy and I don't have to worry about anything.

[Sal Deste]

A lot better a night like that. A lot better.

[Adam Schafer]

Get what you see. Yeah, that's great.

[Justin Andrews]

But I wanted to just mention one more thing. I work with this other company called Catalyst. I don't know if you've ever heard of.

[Sal Deste]

We do know that. Why do we know that?

[Adam Schafer]

Somebody mentioned that before.

[Sal Deste]

App. What is it?

[Justin Andrews]

Tell me what it is. I call it the Future of Fitness. It's like an ems. Like EMS Fitness. Right. So it's got a. The base layer tensile suit. Yeah. Oh.

[Adam Schafer]

So stem.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. Well, and the reason I, the reason I mentioned that is because, you know, back to the. The veteran piece, but also to anybody. So I say the veteran piece because that's how I got involved with them. Yeah, it's. It's a, It's a. It's a tool where, let's just say you can't get into the gym because of whatever injury you might have or ailment or whatever, or, or for the Normal person time. This suit is. You can have a 20 minute workout and literally be more sore than any workout I've ever done. And I say that because the first time I used it, I was pulled up.

[Sal Deste]

Doug.

[Justin Andrews]

I'm like, this is kind of gimmicky. I'm not a gimmicky guy. And they took me through a 20 minute session. My shoulder was a little bit bad. Yep.

[Adam Schafer]

Now you do exercise while it's on.

[Sal Deste]

So this is like I told you about before, where a lot of it's become so popular, even in the bodybuilding world where they're hooking up to EIM while movement.

[Adam Schafer]

So while you're moving, it also fires the muscles that are being.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, so, so essentially it's, it's, it's instructor led on an iPad.

[Adam Schafer]

Got it.

[Justin Andrews]

And it's Bluetooth. So as the instructor increases the intensity, it increases on yours too.

[Adam Schafer]

And. But while you're moving.

[Justin Andrews]

While you're moving.

[Adam Schafer]

I just read a study on this.

[Justin Andrews]

So there. So, so Catalyst. Catalysts first claim to fame or big deal was Usain Bolt. So if you look at him at the very beginning, it almost looks like he's a suicide bomber. Like, the technology has come so far, but these ems, this EMS stuff is big over in Europe. We're just kind of slow to get to it. But, you know, I was working with a paraplegic with it, and that's got.

[Adam Schafer]

To be valuable for them because they can't.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. And, and this is what I go back to the veterans, the veteran stuff on these guys who might be missing limbs or can't do certain things.

[Sal Deste]

I could see a lot of value with certain clients like that.

[Justin Andrews]

It's a really great utility.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah. I just read a study on this where exercise in addition to stem, so at the same time produced better strength gains. So this is different than the old school stem.

[Sal Deste]

You know, it's funny because this is. I mean, leave it to the bodybuilder community.

[Adam Schafer]

They're the ones to figure this out.

[Sal Deste]

I've been talking about this on the podcast for a while now that I'm like, man, the big movement right now with. I see all my bodybuilder buddies doing is they're hooking themselves up to this East Tim. And then they're deadlifting and they're training.

[Adam Schafer]

And it's like firing their quads while they squat.

[Justin Andrews]

Well, the first time I did it, I was by the end, by the end of the session, which was 20 minutes. I'm talking to him at the end and I'm Already noticing my upper chest was already getting a little bit sore. And then the next day it was like my triceps, and then the next day my glutes, and then the next day my adductors and it. But it just kept getting deeper and deeper. I was sore for seven days from using this.

[Adam Schafer]

It's what you have to plug it in the wall.

[Sal Deste]

Huh?

[Adam Schafer]

It's got enough power?

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah, it's got. It's got a battery pack. You just pop the battery pack in there and when you're done, you just charge it.

[Sal Deste]

So. Interesting.

[Adam Schafer]

I wonder if you could use. Well, I guess not because it's got to set up with the app, but I. I'd be wondering if you could use that while lifting. So you go bench press and then.

[Justin Andrews]

I don't. Yeah, I don't think.

[Adam Schafer]

I mean, it goes with the app, right?

[Justin Andrews]

So it goes with the app. I mean, if there was a hack around it, there's. I forgot what the. We were talking about using it while we train, and I don't remember what the conversation went, but basically it's not a good thing to do because it's. It can be too much.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, you drop a weight or something.

[Justin Andrews]

And it goes up. It goes up. This one goes up to level 500. The highest I've been able to get it up is like 270.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh, really? It's too much after that.

[Justin Andrews]

It's too much.

[Sal Deste]

Oh, wow.

[Adam Schafer]

Wow, that's cool. That looks cool. How much does that cost, though? Be fun to mess with a couple thousand.

[Sal Deste]

Not that bad for that. I could really see the benefits of that with a. Of the client that coming out of it.

[Adam Schafer]

Especially when they can't fire a muscle.

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah. Neuromuscular connection for sure.

[Sal Deste]

That's cool.

[Justin Andrews]

There's so much utility to it. But. But back to what you question you were asking before, the. I'm getting back into the film and TV stuff. It's already happening. I just did some stunt work at the beginning of the year. I got two different productions that I'm. I'm cast in right now that'll happen later this year. And I want to just get on. I want to get on podcast and just really just talk about everything that I haven't talked about before, which is why I'm doing everything on social media right now. Sharing everything I've never shared before because I've always just kind of used social media as like. I hate saying the ego because I don't feel like I have an ego, but I. I guess I do because before, it was like, oh, here's. Look at me. I'm on. I'm on set again. But I'm just trying to be more. More mindful now of. Of. Of creating a little more value.

[Sal Deste]

Do you have a favorite Hollywood or celebrity memory for yourself so far? I mean, getting into a world that you probably just didn't expect yourself to be in or even identify with, you had to have a. To keep doing it. You must have had some cool moments. You have one that stands out.

[Justin Andrews]

There's a lot it just depends on, you know, where at. If it's in the celebrity training side, the stunts, the acting. Because. Because I've been, you know, on. On the acting piece. I didn't mention it before, but essentially the reason why I fell in love with acting is it became another source of therapy.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

So it was like, when. When. When. Up to this, up. Up until the acting stuff, it's just always been the gym. Like, the gym is my outlet. The gym is my therapy.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

When I got into the. The acting stuff, and you get with a legit acting coach and you realize how much technique and craft is there, because it's like, all right, well, you have the technical side of acting, and you have the method side of acting, but also, too, you have so many different layers underneath. So if you're going to read for a part or you got cast for a certain role as this character, well, you have to create in your. In your mind why this character is the way this character is. So you go. You go back to childhood and you create a whole story.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And then it allows you to kind of use all these emotions, and then you get into animal work and all this stuff. It's like, my coach had me slither around on the floor like a snake reading lines, and I'm like, is this serious or are you messing with me? Yeah, but it's really cool.

[Adam Schafer]

I saw one pick where you look like an orc.

[Justin Andrews]

What.

[Adam Schafer]

What character was that?

[Justin Andrews]

That was Bright on Netflix.

[Adam Schafer]

Oh. Oh, that's right.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah. So. So Will Smith and Joel Edgerton there during the movie, there's this group of, like, five orcs. So that's us. That's so cool. And. And that. That. That whole. That whole prosthetic stuff was pretty cool, too, because it's a long. I mean, it's like six hours or.

[Adam Schafer]

How long did that take to put makeup on?

[Justin Andrews]

The first week when we were doing all the camera testing, it was. I was in that seat, or we were in the seat probably 8 to 12 hours a day.

[Adam Schafer]

Wow.

[Justin Andrews]

Just, just, just getting everything right. Once we had it honed in, it was three and a half hours to get it on. You had your full filming day and then about another 30 minutes to an hour to get off.

[Sal Deste]

Oh my God, that's intense.

[Justin Andrews]

Cold glue on your face. I mean, it's like the fact that Joel Edgerton did it every single day. Like I only had about maybe a month and a half of work on it.

[Adam Schafer]

How was it, how was it training Stallone? I mean, when I was a kid, I grew up watching his, you know, he's zero.

[Justin Andrews]

He's great, man. Like, I think just having the fitness piece in common with him.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

The conversation flow so, so much better. We had just a lot, a lot to talk about and that was probably one of the more surreal moments for me. Not that I'm a celebrity struck type guy, but when, when you grow up watching Rambo and Rocky and stuff.

[Adam Schafer]

Come on, man. You have to.

[Justin Andrews]

All of a sudden now you're in front of him like, let's go.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

It's pretty cool. Do you work out with him? No, no, he was at that point. He's older too, but still. He's still a badass, you see.

[Justin Andrews]

He really is.

[Sal Deste]

For sure he is. Anybody surprise you? Anybody totally different than what you would expect or you know what, Anything like that.

[Justin Andrews]

A lot of, a lot of, a lot of women in not a good way. But, but, but J.K. simmons is a, is a good one.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

Josh Brolin's a good one. Yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

When you say not a good way, obviously you don't have to tell us who, but what do you mean by that? They're just jerks.

[Sal Deste]

Pretentious.

[Justin Andrews]

Yeah, yeah. It's like you, you don't, when they come in, you don't know how they're going to be. Sometimes they come in, they shake your hand, give you a hug, sometimes they walk in, don't even acknowledge you, let alone like, are we, are we even training together or are you doing your own thing today? I don't, I don't know.

[Adam Schafer]

You said you didn't like to live in la. I can only imagine why. What was it about LA that like.

[Sal Deste]

Everything you would, I feel like you would. Still got like a sore thumb in la?

[Adam Schafer]

Well, I mean, maybe not. He kind of looks like an act. He's all just Jack. But LA's man, when I fly in there for work, I could just feel it when I get there.

[Justin Andrews]

You know what, you know what I found very interesting about moving to LA with Specifically within the fitness scene, but also too in the celebrity training space is a lot of these trainers. There's no method to what they do. They're just moving people around to make them sweat.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And, and that's everywhere. And next thing you know, it's like this, this, somehow they got hooked up with a big name celebrity, so now this celebrity's getting them press. This trainer doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

And it's just a, it's a really wild thing.

[Sal Deste]

It's a, it's very much so personal training. And it's been this way forever. Yeah, exactly. Even in the, I remember finding this out in the sports world.

[Justin Andrews]

Oh, yeah.

[Sal Deste]

I remember thinking, like, surprising to me, you know, this, this pro athlete must have the best trainer. And when you actually get to meet these.

[Adam Schafer]

My cousin.

[Sal Deste]

Yeah. It's like my cousin who got certified. Right. He's like fresh out of school, you know, first client is him and he's letting them train him. He's like, dude, you're a pro athlete. What are you doing with this kid who has no idea what. There's a lot of that. There's a lot, there's a lot of that. I, I mean, I, I, I want to believe that. I think trainers are getting more credibility today. I think as far as their knowledge. But I think back then, say 10, 15 years ago, it's like, it's just who you knew, like, did you do, you know, somebody who's in acting and then, you know, I'm saying, go get your basic cert. Now you're training them, you know what I'm saying? Like, you don't have to have any real experience or anything.

[Justin Andrews]

You know, I, I really enjoy helping just a normal everyday person because they're the ones who are lost.

[Adam Schafer]

Yeah.

[Justin Andrews]

They're the ones who you can literally change their life in like, you know, one or, one or two months. Agreed.

[Adam Schafer]

Yep.

[Justin Andrews]

It, there's just so much conflicting information out there that they don't know where to start. And they need direction. When you can give them that direction, when you can give them that guidance, when you put them on the right path, it's, it's amazing what can happen.

[Sal Deste]

So, so different than somebody who's getting paid to look for a, look away for a part or paid to get out millions of dollars to perform on the field. Totally different than the person who, yeah.

[Adam Schafer]

I got a job, I got three.

[Sal Deste]

Kids, you know, maybe not even, like, I don't like this, I don't like working out and you, you, you get them to fall in love with it and it become a lifestyle and change their life, their family's life. That's always way more rewarding. I agree. Totally awesome.

[Adam Schafer]

Well, thanks for coming on the show, man.

[Justin Andrews]

Talk to you guys all day.

[Sal Deste]

We'll do it again for sure.

[Adam Schafer]

We'll definitely, we'll definitely, definitely. You're definitely a real, I mean, I could smell them out, you know, just by talking to him. And you, you definitely are the kind of person that we communicate to our trainers like, this is what, these are the things you need to value to really make this a good career. Otherwise it'll either be tough for you or you'll be, it'll be fleeting.

[Sal Deste]

So, yeah, yeah, you're on the right track. Stay the course, dude. Appreciate it. Stay the course.

[Justin Andrews]

Appreciate you guys.

[Aaron Williamson]

Thank you for listening to Mind Pump. If your goal is to build and shape your body, dramatically improve your health and energy and maximize your overall performance, check out our discounted RGB super [e-mail] the RGB Super Bundle includes maps and a bunch of maps, performance and maps aesthetic. Nine months of phased expert exercise programming designed by Sal, Adam and Justin to systematically transform the way your body looks, feels and performs with detailed workout blueprints and over 200 videos. The RGB Super Bundle is like having Sal, Adam and Justin as your own personal trainers, but at a fraction of the price. The RGB RGB Super Bundle has a full 30 day money back guarantee and you can get it now. Plus other valuable free [e-mail] if you enjoy this show, please share the love by leaving us a five star rating and review on itunes and by introducing Mind Pump to your friends and family. We thank you for your support and until next time, this is Mind Pump.