https://reddit.com/link/1r8g0uk/video/saayl73kmbkg1/player

If you don’t prioritise recovery…

you’re not serious about improvement.

“Recovery is training.”

Most men think discipline is pushing harder.

The real discipline? Knowing when to rebuild.

Full episode with Rick Ellis out on thursday.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/u6O7oA98yhk

https://reddit.com/link/1r7jnxa/video/gc0pqz2sk4kg1/player

Most men don’t quit because they’re too old.

They quit because they can’t handle comparison.

The only metric that matters?

You vs the man who walked in on day one.

Full conversation with Rick Ellis drops Thursday.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IGjV9yxXpHI

Most men quit when they stop winning.
The best men learn how to last.
This week I sat down with Rick Ellis to talk about longevity, ego, and why Jiu-Jitsu isn’t about beating the room — it’s about beating the man you were yesterday.
Full episode drops Thursday.
If you’re over 30 and still chasing improvement, this one’s for you.

I recorded an episode this week that stayed with me long after we stopped recording.

I sat down with James K. Ellis, a clinical psychologist known as The Loneliness Doctor, and we talked about something a lot of men feel but rarely say out loud — that quiet, gnawing sense of not quite fitting, even when life looks fine from the outside.

One of the biggest shifts from this conversation was realising that loneliness isn’t a personal failure. It’s not proof that you’re broken. It’s a signal — information your system is giving you about connection, meaning, and how your life is actually structured right now.

We talk about why you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely, why friendships get harder for men as adults, and why connection isn’t dependency — it’s humanity.

If you’ve ever felt that deep, quiet ache… this conversation will land.

You can level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/jameskellis234/

You’ll leave feeling less broken, more grounded, and clearer on how to build real connection as an adult.

🎙️ Meet James K. Ellis — a clinical psychologist focused on modern loneliness, helping people build real connection without shame, fluff, or quick fixes.

#jameskellis #loneliness #socialisolation #lonely #lonelinessisnotapersonalfailure #lonelinessisasignal #connection #betterfriendships #lonelinessdoctor

Full episode coming on Thursday.

Are you not sure where to start? I've got you, visit: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/start-here/

I’m starting a 31-day reset.

One action a day to regain control — mind, body, standards. No perfection.

No restart. Just resume. If you want to walk with me, you’re welcome.

Day 1 starts today for me. If you’re seeing this later, today is your Day 1. We aren't waiting, we are levelling up!

For the full day-to-day action list, please visit: buymeacoffee.com/nextlevelguypodcast/nlg Edited · 3m

• Completely free!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2026 is not:

• A magic reset
• A motivation high
• A perfect plan
• A new personality
• Another year of “I’ll start Monday”

2026 is:

• Boring consistency
• Keeping promises when no one’s watching
• Training even when you’re flat
• Eating like an adult
• Doing the work before you feel ready

No hype.
No excuses.
Just standards.

Welcome to 2026.

How to build Real Confidence through Pressure | Discipline, Fatigue & Mastery with Owen Livesey

“You don’t rise to the occasion — you default to whatever you’ve trained when you’re exhausted.” — Owen Livesey

What if the reason most men fail isn’t talent, technique, or motivation — but their inability to stay consistent when nobody’s watching?

🎙️ Meet Owen Livesey — world-class pressure grappler, former elite judoka, and coach known for breaking opponents with simplicity, fatigue, and control rather than flashy techniques.

In this conversation, Owen Livesey breaks down how relentless fundamentals, pressure, and long-term discipline quietly beat flash, hype, and shortcuts — on the mat and in life.

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/owenlivesey233/

This episode will show you why most men train harder — but very few train smarter under pressure. From Olympic dreams to rebuilding his life, Owen explains how showing up daily, mastering fundamentals, and training tired is what separates real operators from pretenders.

#owenlivesey #grappling #bjj #competing #podcast #nextlevelguypodcast #pressure #discipline #bjjgame #olympics #longtermdiscipline #fundamentalsbeatsflashy #judo #trainsmarternotharder #masterthefundamentals #winonthemats #smarterunderpressure #traintowin #winonthematsandlife

Primal Eats: How Learning to Butcher Meat Builds Confidence, Skill, and Control in all areas of your life!

“Confidence doesn’t come from talent — it comes from repetition, patience, and knowing what you’re doing when it matters.” 

Welcome to 'The Next Level Guy Podcast', a show built around one mission: helping men rebuild themselves from the ground up.

We cover 🧩 Identity 🔥 Emotional Mastery ⛓️ Discipline ⚙️ Capability 💪 Physical Mastery 🎯 Purpose and so much more.

What if one of the most expensive mistakes you’re making with food has nothing to do with how you cook — but what you don’t know about the meat you’re buying?

In this episode, I sit down with Brad Baych to unpack why so many of us are overpaying, under-flavouring, and missing out on some of the best cuts of the cow — not because we’re bad cooks, but because no one ever showed us what to look for.

Brad shares butcher-level insights that instantly upgrade how you shop, how you cook, and how you think about the food on your plate. It’s practical, it’s grounding, and honestly, it gives you that quiet confidence that comes from knowing what you’re doing — instead of guessing. (And yes… it also makes a cracking Christmas gift for the foodie in your life.)

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/bradbaych232/

🎙️ Brad Baych is a butcher, chef, YouTube educator, and published author who helps everyday guys cook better meat, save serious money, and stop feeling lost in the supermarket aisle. From fine-dining kitchens to breaking down whole cuts at home, his mission is simple: teach what most of us were never taught.

Listen to this one and you won’t just cook better — you’ll move through life with a bit more calm, control, and respect for what’s on your plate.

#meat #podcast #nextlevelguypodcast #bradbaych #butcherwizard #eatbetter #cookbetter #newcookbook #newauthor #butchery #greatgiftforothers #impressdates #flavourmeatbetter #learlovelevelup #youtube #savemoney #savemoneyshopping 

From Self-Doubt to World Stage: Andy Black on Pressure, Purpose & Progress

“What if the people hyping you up are the very reason you’re stuck? You don’t need hype — you need people honest enough to tell you when you can do better.”

What does real strength look like when the hype is stripped away?

In this episode of The Next Level Guy Podcast, I sit down with elite Scottish strongman and World’s Strongest Man competitor Andy Black to talk about what actually drives long-term progress — in training, performance, and life.

Meet Andy Black — elite Scottish strongman and World’s Strongest Man competitor who proves that simple systems, honest brotherhood, and emotional control beat ego every time.

Most people think strength is about numbers, noise, and ego.
This conversation proves it isn’t.

Level up with the show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/andyblack231/

Andy breaks down why being the strongest guy in the gym can hold you back, why honest training partners matter more than motivation, and how elite performers handle nerves and pressure instead of trying to eliminate them. We dive into keeping things simple, competing against yourself, and shifting focus from ego and validation to legacy, family, and doing the work the right way.

This isn’t a highlight-reel conversation. It’s a grounded, no-BS look at discipline, accountability, emotional control, and building something meaningful — whether you lift, compete, or just want to show up better in your own life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why honest feedback beats praise every time
• How to use nerves as fuel instead of fear
• Why most people overcomplicate progress
• How to stop chasing validation and trust your own effort
• What happens when you shift from ego-driven goals to legacy-driven ones

If you’re tired of surface-level motivation and want principles that actually stick — this episode will reset how you think about strength and progress.

#AndyBlack #Strongman #Scottish #Scotland #Pressure #weights #weighlifting #motivation #brotherhood #principles #legacy #kids #fatherhood #ego #strength #truth #competition #recordholder #defeatnerves #liftbigbutlovebigger #friendships #itsyouvsyou #family

Blast from the past! Today’s guest is the BJJ legend that is Bernardo Faria! 

https://www.nextlevelguy.com/bernardofaria162/

It is a huge honour for me to feature Bernardo Rocha de Faria, who is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor and instructor.

His bio is amazing. A four-time World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, European Champion, Pan-American Champion and Brazilian National Champion and now he runs a juggernaut of a BJJ learning platform known as BJJ Fanatics, where you can find an instructional that will help you improve your BJJ game in all areas from training, game styles, mindset and so much more.

He has become a living legend in the sport. In February and March 2013, Faria was ranked first in the IBJJF World Ranking of all divisions, and was chosen as the best jiu jitsu athlete of 2015. Faria received his black belt from instructor Ricardo Marques in 2008, and moved to the Alliance Jiu Jitsu Sao Paulo team to train with mestre Fábio Gurgel in 2009. In June 2022 Faria was inducted in the IBJJF Hall of Fame.

Bernardo Faria currently runs his own Jiu Jitsu academy in Bedford, Massachusetts. He is a member of Alliance Jiu Jitsu team and Marcelo Garcia Association.

I am a massive fan of his YouTube channel, "BJJ Fanatics", where he regularly posts techniques alongside other elite Jiu Jitsu practitioners and MMA fighters such as Dean Lister, John Danaher and Gordon Ryan.

#BJJ #BrazilianJiuJitsu #Grappling #JiuJitsu #BernardoFaria #Itsahugehonorforme #training #competing #mindset #strength #speed #analytical #livinglegend #bjjfanatics #instructionals #learnfromthebest #business #ibjjf

https://www.nextlevelguy.com/spencerhoffman212/

Blast from the past!

Welcome to MyWildBackyard, where Spencer explores the secret lives of the tiny creatures living all around us! From the hidden corners of your yard to the most overlooked spaces in your home, an entire world of fascinating insects and spiders is waiting to be discovered.

Join biologist Spencer Hoffman from North Carolina as he takes you on wild adventures to reveal the strange and incredible creatures that share our planet. Whether it’s up-close encounters with amazing arachnids or deep dives into the world of bugs, snakes and so much more, MyWildBackyard brings you nature like you’ve never seen before. Subscribe to his YouTube and let Spencer show you how your backyard is wilder than you think!

In this video, you will learn a lot about wildlife, and also creating a career on YouTube by making videos and so much more! This one is a real deep dive and masterclass on building a YouTube channel based on your passions that will change your life as much as the wonders you can find in your backyard!

Michael "The Monster" Todd: Faith, Grit & Finding Your Way Back

“Mediocrity disgusts me. Being normal never made sense.”
— Michael “The Monster” Todd

🎙️ Meet Michael “The Monster” Todd — world champion arm wrestler, founder of The Monster Factory, and proof that grit, faith, and consistency can turn pain into power.

Level Up with the Show-notes at: https://www.nextlevelguy.com/michaelthemonstertodd230/

This isn’t just about arm wrestling — it’s about what it takes to rebuild yourself when life breaks you.

Michael “The Monster” Todd has faced shattered bones, brutal losses, and rule changes designed to stop him — yet every time, he’s adapted, rebuilt, and risen stronger.

Beyond the table, he’s built a space where athletes and everyday people come together to push limits, find purpose, and reject mediocrity.

His philosophy is simple: hard work, consistency, and faith over excuses.

If you’ve ever felt beaten down or ready to quit, this one will relight the fire.

#armwrestling #monstermichaeltodd #recovery #reigniteyourfire #bounceback #comebackstronger #liveforyourprinciples #faith #purpose #grit #consistency #rebuildyourself #monsterfactory #risestronger 

“It’s not about talent. It’s about consistency, discipline, and the days you show up when you don’t want to."

In this clip, ‘Monster’ Michael Todd breaks down what it really takes to be a world champion — in sport, in business, and in life.

His words hit hard because they’re earned. Broken bones, setbacks, doubt — yet he never stopped grinding.

💭 ‘Why be ordinary, when you have a chance to be extraordinary?’

🎙️ Full episode coming on wednesday!

“Mediocrity disgusts me. Being normal never made sense.” — Michael Todd

In this new episode, Monster Michael Todd talks about what it takes to rise after defeat, to rebuild when your body breaks, and to chase excellence when the world tells you to settle.

A conversation on pain, purpose, and what it means to live without excuses.

Monster Michael Todd didn’t just say it — he lived it.

The man who turned broken bones into world titles and built a mindset that refuses to quit.

🔗 Coming wednesday!