Podcast Episodes

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." — Ray Bradbury

Ben Mudge is a social media influencer, life coach, personal trainer, and fitness model (who happens to look like the superhero Thor) — and he joins Tim and Steve. Ben lives in Ireland, but will be in the Lehigh Valley on Friday, April 28th. If you hear this episode before then, head over to Sports Factory of the Lehigh Valley in Allentown to meet him. In the meantime, you'll hear these topics and more: How we all crave to be part of a tribe His belief on being unique to make life ...

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says “I’m possible!”" — Audrey Hepburn

Abraham Maslow was a famous American clinical psychologist. He became best known for his theory on the Hierarchy of Needs. The model depicting this is known as Maslow’s pyramid. On this episode Tim and Steve discussed the following quote: “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” — Abraham Maslow NOTE: At the time of recording, they only discussed the first sentence from Maslow, and were no...

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate." — Linda Grayson

Dr Robert "Bobby" Livingston, a 1988 Olympic Cyclist and Doctor of Chiropractic, realized early on that one of his strengths was the ability to embrace suffering. Bobby joins Tim and Steve as they discuss these topics and more: Fight or flight Self-discipline Olympic cycling Yin yang philosophy Staples “Easy Button" Mind-body connection Healthy lifestyle choices Holistic, integrative medicine Diabetes and other chronic...

"He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty." — Lao Tzu

To live a quality life you must stay vigilant in protecting and preserving what you have. Self-defense is not just about physical tactics and techniques. It’s defending “The Pillars” — your faith, your mind, your body, your spirit, your relationships, and your finances. Faith is not a magical thing. Nurture it through prayer, gratitude, and reflection. Being mindful of your mental health means avoiding toxic people and bad situations. Eating right and exercising are essential i...

“It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Are our lives random or predetermined? Many factors contribute to the journey. Nature and nurture both play a role. Many things we have no control over — but we can control how we respond to circumstances and the opportunities we are presented with. We can use our talents, resources, and blessings we have been given to create a life full of purpose and meaning — helping others less fortunate, and leaving a positive impact.

“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.” — Lao Tzu

Thirty years ago, Brian Miller and Steve Mittman got their first black belts together — training under Tim Hoover at his karate school in Whitehall, PA. On this episode, you'll hear the process Brian discovered that can help you in all aspects of life. Brian, Tim, and Steve talk about achievement, bullying, confidence, how good things take time, patience, philosophies of Bruce Lee, Royce Gracie and the early days of the UFC, sacrifice, suffering, the “eye of the tiger,” and so much more.

“The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.” — Confucius

The phrase “the luck of the Irish” was originally an insult. It was used to describe Irish immigrants who had come to America to mine for gold. They had to overcome great obstacles, including a famine in Ireland at the time. Many others felt that the Irish were not deserving of their success and good fortune. Carol, Tim's wife, is on the show. She shares the Cinderella-like story of her mom. Just as Tim and Steve discussed earlier this week (on the KYW episode), hard work and determination ar...

“Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it and I'm afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work — and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't.” — Lucille Ball

The phrase “work smart, not hard” has become commonplace in our modern world. This sentiment is especially important for those of us in the martial arts world, where physical prowess is of the utmost importance. As we age, our physical abilities...

“If you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there.” — George Harrison

Life skills and character development. Are they things you work on? Tim and Steve tell you when it comes to martial arts training it's not about physical techniques. It's about mental and emotional strength. It's about your emotional intelligence — your EQ. They talk about: Respect for oneself and others Perseverance and resilience Honesty and integrity Self-awareness Self-control These traits build strong relationships. They also help you to overcome adver...

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” — Mark Twain

Breaking through figurative walls is necessary for personal growth and achieving goals. It helps to overcome mental and physical barriers that hold us back. We need to be pushed beyond our comfort zone to reach new heights. It also provides a sense of accomplishment, empowerment, and confidence to tackle future challenges. Being part of a constructive, positive group provides support, encouragement, accountability, and diverse perspectives — making it easier to knock down these walls and atta...

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” — George Bernard Shaw

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi is a classic text on strategy and martial arts, but it also contains valuable lessons about motivation. Motivation is a crucial aspect of achieving our goals and fulfilling our dreams. It is what drives us to take action and make progress, even when faced with obstacles and challenges. The Moody Blues song "22,000 Days" is a reminder of the limited time we have to pursue our passions and achieve our goals. With approximately 22,000 days in the averag...

Kick-start Your (Valentine's) Week with several quotes about love including: “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and “Where there is love there is life” — Mahatma Gandhi

Listen to this podcast episode, then play the Peter Gabriel video and enjoy the alluring and enchanting song: “The Book of Love”