What does it take to perform at your best when it matters most? Former NFL linebacker Brian Peters thought he knew—until his playing career ended and he discovered the real secret wasn't just physical training.

In this episode, Brian shares his evolution from a player "chasing edges" to becoming a nervous system regulation expert who travels the country in a 26-person mobile sauna, teaching everyone from professional athletes to firefighters how to achieve what he calls "predictable excellence."

If you've ever wondered how elite performers stay calm under pressure or how to build unshakeable confidence in any domain, this conversation offers a roadmap from someone who's lived on both sides of peak performance.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

Go Texans 🤘

#NervousSystemRegulation #BreathingForPerformance #HumanOptimization #PredictableExcellence #NFLMindset #PerformanceCoaching #StressManagement #HighPerformanceHabits #MentalPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment #Texans #Sorinex

052 - Predictable Excellence w/ Brian Peters

If Part I opened your eyes to Raphael's philosophy, Part II will completely transform how you approach skill development and athlete communication. We dive deep into the gap between teaching skills in isolation and building habits that transfer to game situations.

Raph leads a masterclass in state-dependent learning, his skill acquisition model, and Efficiency vs Force. He also shares how he taught his son Raider to attack ground balls despite his fear of failure - and why rewarding the right decision matters more than the outcome.

Plus: An intimate look at the immersive apprenticeship experience that shaped Tex's development as a Coach - from ocean swims to deciphering workout codes to building habits that transfer from training room to competition.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

Education - Why They Won't Listen: Coaching Modern Athlete - listen.captainsandcoaches.com [https://listen.captainsandcoaches.com/]

#SkillAcquisition #StateDependentLearning #HabitBuilding #BaseballCoaching #SportsPerformance #MotorLearning #AthleteTraining #PerformanceUnderPressure #CoachingCommunication #SportsPsychology #RaphRuiz

051 - Accelerated Skill Acquisition - Raph Ruiz - Part II

Raphael Ruiz transformed his coaching philosophy when he realized stronger athletes weren't necessarily better performers. This master strength and conditioning coach has trained everyone from Olympic athletes to middle schoolers, from professional boxers to high schoolers sprinting in socks and lifting rusty equipment. 

Raph's philosophy is both practical and profound, offering insights that will change how you think about coaching, leadership, and human development.

In Part 1 of this interview, Tex & Raph regale some fun stories from Tex's apprenticeship, Raph shares his evolution from traditional strength training to movement-based coaching focused on "skill acquisition" - training how athletes actually move in their sport rather than just how much they can lift - and they discuss calculated coaching of well-behaved vs obedient athletes.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

Education - Why They Won't Listen: Coaching Modern Athlete - listen.captainsandcoaches.com [https://listen.captainsandcoaches.com/]

#CaptainsAndCoaches #StrengthAndConditioning #MovementTraining #CoachingPhilosophy #AthleteDevelopment #YouthSports #SkillAcquisition #SportsPerformance #CoachingTips #FunctionalMovement #LeadershipDevelopment #RaphRuiz

050 - League of Shadows- Raph Ruiz - Part I

What happens when a CrossFit Games competitor trades the podium for the classroom? Dr. Allison Brager joins us to share her remarkable journey from elite athlete to neurobiologist to military leader, and now professor at West Point.

Neurobiologist specializing in sleep and circadian rhythms, former CrossFit Games competitor, Army officer, and author of "Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain." She currently serves on advisory boards for NATO, US Special Operations Command, and multiple research organizations, and is heading to West Point to teach leadership psychology.

We dive deep into the identity trap that ensnares athletes who build their entire sense of self around competition, exploring why backup plans aren't just smart—they're essential. Allison shares hard-earned lessons about the evolution every athlete must face: from competing to coaching, from personal achievement to developing others.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#FromPodiumToProfessor #LeadershipDevelopment #WestPoint #AthleteEvolution #CrossFit #MilitaryLeadership #CoachingMindset #ArmyFitness #CrossFitGames #SummerStrong #neuroscience

049 - From Platform to Professor w/ Allison Brager

True champions aren't built through specialization - they're forged through foundations that last a lifetime.

We visit Houston, Texas to sit down with Ben Fairchild, the movement visionary behind some of professional sports' most remarkable comebacks. Ben shares why multi-sport development builds adaptable, resilient athletes and shares real-world assessment strategies that reveal an athlete's true potential (and limitations).

This isn't about creating robots who excel in one narrow skill. Ben's approach cultivates complete human beings - athletes who can adapt, problem-solve, and thrive when faced with the inevitable challenges that sport and life present.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#AthleticDevelopment #YouthSportsCoaching #MovementQuality #MultiSportAthlete #HolisticTraining #AthleteComeback #FunctionalMovement #SportsParenting #HumanPerformance #AthleticFoundations

048 - Athlete Resurrection w/ Ben Fairchild

How do you coach a million-dollar athlete s w ith all the talent in the world a nd varying levels of motivation? Tampa Bay Rays S &C Coach Andrew Mitchell s hares his experience with the "Skill W ill Matrix" – a simple but powerful framework that's transforming how he communicates with everyone from injured veterans to rising prospects.

C oach Mitchell shares his unconventional journey from coaching Parkinson's patients and personal training to professional baseball. We dive deep into why coaching is ultimately a people business, not a programming business, and how understanding the intersection of skill and motivation can revolutionize your approach to human performance.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#StrengthAndConditioning #BaseballPerformance #SportsCoaching #AthleteMotivation #PerformanceCoach #ProfessionalBaseball #SportsRehab #CoachingCommunication #SportsPsychology #AthleteDevelopment #TampaBayRays #SkillWillMatrix

047 - Coaching Skill & Will w/ Andrew Mitchell

Derek Woodske challenges everything you think you know about athletic success. While the sports world obsesses over superstars, Derek reveals why championships are actually built by the "glue guys" - the unsung heroes who hold teams together when everything falls apart.

Drawing from his experience coaching across multiple sports and levels, Derek shares the raw psychology behind delayed gratification in sports, the moment when athletes realize their careers are over, and how great coaches help players find their true purpose within the team dynamic.

This isn't motivational fluff - it's honest, psychological insight into what actually makes teams work. Whether you're a coach, athlete, or simply fascinated by human performance, Derek's philosophy will challenge how you think about success, failure, and finding your role in any competitive environment.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#SportsCoaching #TeamBuilding #SportsLeadership #AthleteMindset #PerformancePsychology #SportsMotivation #TeamCulture #CoachingPhilosophy #AthleticDevelopment #SportsSuccess #delayedgratification #sorinex #summerstrong #glueguy

046 - Delayed Gratification & Team Building w/ Derek Woodske

What if the most crucial skill for extraordinary success isn't talent, strength, or speed - but the ability to adapt and transform in the face of any challenge?

Stephanie Mock Grubbs, the trailblazing Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Houston Astros and the first female coach in franchise history, has mastered what she calls the "best ability" - adaptability - transforming how we develop resilient leaders in professional sports and beyond.

Discover how Stephanie built her comprehensive "arsenal" across volleyball, football, and baseball, creating a unique framework for social-emotional leadership development. Learn her powerful approach to helping athletes "get comfortable being uncomfortable," transforming wellness check-ins into trust-building conversations, and reframing stress as challenge rather than threat. From guiding college freshmen to embrace their "clean slate" mindset to helping professionals navigate elite competition pressures, Stephanie reveals strategies that create lasting transformation.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#AdaptabilityTraining #SocialEmotionalLearning #LeadershipDevelopment #StrengthAndConditioning #Astros #FemaleCoach #ResilienceBuilding #MentalToughness #GrowthMindset

045 - Adapt Ability w/ Stephanie Mock Grubbs

True leadership isn't just about being tough—it requires the poet, the science, and the warrior working together. That's the philosophy of Rudy Reyes, Marine Force Recon veteran and star of Fox's "Special Forces World's Toughest Test."

From raising his brothers out of a Kansas City boys' home to leading elite military units and training world champions on reality TV, Rudy has learned that sustainable leadership demands emotional intelligence, precision, and courage—all adapting to conditions on the ground.

In this candid conversation, Rudy opens up about his evolution as a leader, sharing hard lessons about the fine line between pushing limits and causing harm. He reflects on confrontations with celebrities like NFL star Dez Bryant that taught him profound lessons about forgiveness and letting go.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#RudyReyes #Leadership #SpecialForcesWorldsToughestTest #MarineVeteran #SelfLeadership #CoachingPodcast #MilitaryMindset #PersonalDevelopment #ForceBlue #VeteranStories #TeamLeadership

044 - Rudy Reyes on Complete Leadership: "The Poet, The Science, and The Warrior"

This episode isn't just about training methodology - it's about redefining what it means to pursue excellence in every area of life.

We travel to FAST Performance in Denver, CO to chop it up with Joel Raether, S&C coach for the Colorado Mammoth and leader in hunter performance. We discuss Joel's process-oriented approach to reframing failure as fuel for growth, the art of "connecting the dots" to accelerate buy-in, and practical strategies for developing self-awareness under pressure.

From teaching youth fundamentals to helping professionals find that crucial edge, Joel demonstrates how every rep becomes an opportunity for profound personal development. Listen to learn how movement can be a catalyst for extraordinary transformation that ripples through every aspect of life.

Old Bull Training Program - 7 Day Free Trial: https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#ProcessOverPerfection #StrengthAndConditioning #MovementAsMedicine #CoachingPhilosophy. #AthletesDevelopment #PerformanceCoaching #HumanPotential - #GrowthMindset #MovementTransformation #FASTperformance

043 - Process Over Perfection w/ Joel Raether

The Fast-Track to Becoming a Game-Changing Leader.

Discover how the greatest minds in sports build winning cultures. Dive into raw, no-nonsense conversations with elite coaches and captains who've been in the trenches. We're not here for fluff – expect:

 * Hard-hitting strategies to skyrocket your team's performance
 * Insider tips on building unbreakable team chemistry
 * Career-defining lessons from both victories and failures

Whether you're calling plays or taking the field, we're building you up, not breaking you down. 

Ready to raise your game? Let's do it together.

Press play. Listen and lead with purpose. Become the leader your team needs.

Tex McQuilkin

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