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Ben Skutnik

@benskutnik

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Assistant Professor 👨🏻‍🔬 @butler_kinesiology
Director of Nutrition 🥩 @powerathleteinc
Host 🎙️ @eattheweekpodcast

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I’m not really a religious person, but death often opens the door for belief.

Thirteen years ago I found myself in the loneliest time of my life. It was a messy and self-destructive time. I needed companionship so I decided to adopt a dog. I’d planned on adopting a different dog, just to find out someone had just claimed him the day before I showed up. They asked if I wanted to meet “Cocoa”, a dog they’d just picked up from Fort Riley. The name didn’t stick, but she sure did.

She was there for me over the next decade plus when things got real dark. At times literally being the reason I’m alive. In the darkest of times I would think “but who’s going to take care of Zo?” She was my running buddy, my roadtrip co-pilot, and the thing I cared about the most.

She stuck with me through three states, seven homes, two graduate degrees, getting married, and having two kids. She was there for the absolute worst of times, and because of her I made it through to the best of times.

In September we were told her kidneys were failing. Just as things were going really well for me, she started getting sick. It’s like she knew her job was done and she was moving on. Selfishly I kept her around because I still needed her. I couldn’t think of life without her. But today she’s no longer sick, no longer suffering.

When I was 11, one of my closest grade school friends died. At 15, my best friend died. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, they’ve all come and gone. Loss is never easy, but with humans I can rationalize it. I could accept it. Losing Zo hurts more than all of those combined.

I’m not a religious person, but I can’t help but think Zo was divine intervention. She was put in the shelter that day to be my guardian, to make sure I made it out of the darkness. I just hope I showed her the love that she deserved. I hope she knew how important she was.

Rest easy Zo dog. I’ll love you forever. by @benskutnik

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a year ago

Train for possibilities, not probabilities.

The stakes are high with law enforcement and first responders. Is every call going to be a big one? No. But when the big one comes through, are you going to be able to be effective? @tysonshumway lays out his approach to training and how his number one priority is to be capable in whatever situations may arise.

#gpp #accountability #training #strength #swat by @benskutnik

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4 days ago

Tactical Athlete…emphasis on “athlete”.

If you’re wanting to run and gun, you’ve got to make sure you’ve got the “run” part figured out. As well as the jump, lift, and throw part of being an athlete. Power Athlete Master Coaches @benskutnik and @tysonshumway discuss how the responsibility starts with Academies and how they’re emphasizing physical training for a group who may not be well-versed in the field.

#lawenforcement #training #athleticism #tactical #firstresponder by @benskutnik

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5 days ago

Flying down to Austin tomorrow to talk nutrition and conditioning for the rest of the week.

Gotta get one more sprint session in before we leave.

Wise words by @tysonshumway. by @benskutnik

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5 days ago

A successful foot chase is built on more than just hopes and dreams.

Power Athlete master coach and seasoned law enforcement officer @tysonshumway talks about the importance of hitting top speed on a regular basis. He reminds us that sprinting, like all things in life, will wither away if you don’t give it the attention it needs.

#sprint #speedkills #lawenforcement #tactical #training by @benskutnik

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6 days ago

Tactical fitness: tactical or tacti-cool?

#training #strength #movement #leo #firstresponder by @benskutnik

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6 days ago

An exercise substitution should solve a problem without losing the purpose of the training. Before you swap, understand what you’re being asked to do: a hinge, a lunge, a push? What stress is that movement supposed to create?

If your equipment or a cranky joint calls for an adjustment, choose an alternative that still checks that box. The more you understand your program, the better you can adapt it without quietly rewriting the whole damn thing.

Power Athlete Discord Q&As: Featuring knowledge bombs from @benskutnik, Hunter Waldman, @menacedolan and @thegaragegympt.

Bring the training questions, our Master Coaches help you make it work. by @benskutnik

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7 days ago

What are you training for?

The most fundamental question regarding program design and outcomes. If you can’t answer that, then you’re wondering. But the answer doesn’t necessarily have to be a singular event.

Power Athlete Master Coach @thegaragegympt talks about how he stays motivated daily by fighting off Father Time. Increasing the stimulus over time, by whatever means you choose, will keep the blade sharp enough to still cut when it’s needed.

#aging #fitness #performance #workcapacity #athleticism by @benskutnik

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9 days ago

When is less actually more?

If you’re dealing with a nagging injury, you’re probably searching for what you can add to your program to fix it. Where’s the magic bullet? What’s the one thing you’re missing out on?

The truth? It’s probably caused by doing too much. Power Athlete Master Coaches @thegaragegympt and @benskutnik talk about the reality around injury and load management this week. Using the model of elite sport, it’s safe to say your remedy is more about intentional work rather than volume.

#sport #training #injuryrecovery #hamstringrehab #pain by @benskutnik

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9 days ago

Dosis sola facit venenum. Only the dose makes the poison.

Training is great for you up until the point that it’s not. You’ve got to be aware enough to know when the signals are there to pull back otherwise you might come crashing down.

Power Athlete Master Coach @thegaragegympt reminds us that it is okay to have a light day if the rest of our life is heavy. You can take your foot off the gas if the engine is running hot because no amount of weight lifted in the gym is going to offset a life that’s in a spiral.

#health #wellness #training #stress #balance by @benskutnik

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11 days ago

What’s your 1RM High Knee Skip?

As the adage goes: how you do anything is how you do everything. Apply this to your warm ups? Do you approach your sprint prep with the same intent as your actual sprinting?

Power Athlete Master Coaches @benskutnik and @thegaragegympt comb through the nuance that most people overlook in this week’s episode. Warming up is more than just getting your temperature up, it’s tissue prep and it might be the key to you staying healthy and hammering for years to come.

#warmup #training #sprinting #injury #resilience by @benskutnik

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12 days ago

If you want to understand injury, recovery, and adaptation you need to understand cellular biology.

This week, Power Athlete Master Coach and Physical Therapist @thegaragegympt gives a crash course on how our body adapts (and recovers) at a cellular level. Consistency with training is key, but knowing how long the runway is will really allow you to take flight.

#adaptation #stress #resistancetraining #lifting #health by @benskutnik

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13 days ago