Level Up with Duayne Pearce
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Level Up with Duayne Pearce
How Embracing Fitness Transformed an Army Veteran's Mental Health Journey
ep. #123 This episode explores the powerful connection between physical fitness and mental health through the story of Justin WIndsor, a former military man turned personal trainer. He shares his journey of overcoming injuries, depression, and the importance of routine exercise in enhancing well-being.
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I know I perform a lot better the days that I do, even if it's just smashing out 20 or 40 push-ups in the morning, like just before you get going and that's why I like doing PT before you get into your day, like I really want to push people to do things properly so they don't. Like I don't want people to get injured.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean yeah, for me, I like the structure, I like pushing myself, because it doesn't it doesn't take much, does it to?
Speaker 2:get fit. No, some squats, push-ups, planks. If you just do that, you're going to improve your health.
Speaker 1:G'day guys. Welcome back to another episode of Level Up. We are back in the shed this afternoon for another cracking episode. Bear with us today. We do have a little bit of work going on outside, so there may be a few beepers from reversing trucks and a bit of noise going on, but it's a construction podcast, so it is what it is, all right. So today is something a little bit different. So I've set myself a challenge to get fit and get back into shape, and I've teamed up with this awesome young fellow that we've got here with us today, justin from JMW Health and Fitness. And I wanted to get Justin on because he's got a pretty good story. He's been in the army, he's done his apprenticeship through the army, he's a fitter and turner and he's had all sorts of injuries which have led to depression and a few other things, and he, uh, he now spends a lot of his time helping veterans and, um, people like myself get into shape. So, uh, welcome mate.
Speaker 1:Yeah cheers good to be here um, I so just to give everyone a little bit of background. So, um, my wife, camille, goes to a local gym near us and I've been humming and harring about getting a personal trainer for a very long time. I'm definitely not a gym person. I can't think of anything worse than going to a gym and standing in front of everyone else and trying to do some exercise, yeah. But yeah, the trainer that she works with said hey, you should get in contact with this young fella. He's doing good things. So reached out, we had a meeting and now we're into it yeah, no, it's been good, yeah, so uh, but um, what was?
Speaker 2:I was only with you for about bloody three weeks, mate, and then I've yeah, before you had your little uh mishap, um, but yeah, we're back getting into it now and, uh, it's good that your fingers handling like being able to lift stuff and everything.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, that's been good well, it's been good, like you're very accommodating, like even yesterday doing the dead lifts, like you had the strap there and we strapped it to my wrist and took a bit of pressure off the finger. But, um, I'm keen to talk about that as well, because I've been talking about it pretty openly on my socials. Like the doctors and stuff tell me to basically lay on the ground and have three or four weeks off and just take it easy. And like I'm very aware of who I am. Yeah, like I've very openly spoke that I've dealt with depression, anxiety and those types of things. And I know that if I had taken their advice and just even if I tried to sit in the office and do a bit of work, and uh yeah, if I just sit around, I would've got stuck on social media, watching YouTube, just wasting time, and I would've gone down a rabbit hole.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's so hard to get back into it after you go do that as well, so it's good to just like oh yeah, sweet and sweet gonna keep rolling on and yeah, get back into it, even that if it's a like at a lesser, like a limited, like ability.
Speaker 1:But yeah, getting back into it and still get movement yeah, operation on the sunday, and then it was luckily it was long weekend had the monday off, and then, yeah, I was straight back driving around sites checking on things on the tuesday and then had two weeks off and come back yeah doing stuff with you and, yeah, you've been accommodating, working with it and adjusting the exercise to work with it, so that's been good. But, mate, tell us a little bit about yourself. So you were in the army for what?
Speaker 2:12, 11 years yeah, just just under 12 years. Um, I was, yeah, joined in 2020, 2012, and then um went to albury woodonga to do the training. I was there for about eight or so months and then, when I was down there, my dad died. So I got a posting straight back up to Townsville and I originally joined the army to get out of Townsville and spent the next seven years there and then posted down to Brisbane 2020, so COVID year and then been here ever since.
Speaker 1:And then so in your is going to the army, something you wanted to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my dad was in the army for 20 odd years. So I was like I was born in. I was born in Brizzy, moved to Toowoomba, moved to Townsville, moved to Melbourne, back to Brizzy, back to Townsville and then he got out when I was about 12 years old, um, and like, basically I always was really keen on the army, uh. But I had an apprenticeship going out of school, so a school-based apprenticeship, so I got to take a day off school every tuesday and go work as a first-year fitter and turner apprentice and then I just went straight into that. And then, once I finished my apprenticeship, I still wanted to join the Army. So I joined the Army at I was 20 when I joined the Army.
Speaker 1:So was your apprenticeship through the Army.
Speaker 2:So I did my apprenticeship, originally outside of the Army, and then I joined the Army as a fitter as well, outside of the army, and then I joined the army as a like, as a fitter as well, yeah, uh, but I had to go down to aubrey to do just the specific army courses, like weapons courses and stuff like that, um, like the maintenance on like specific army equipment, yeah, um, so my time in aubrey was cut a lot shorter, so I've got a lot of rpl, yeah, um, through that. Plus I got the cert 4 on top of the cert 3.
Speaker 1:Is it interesting? I always see all the big trucks and shit driving around. I think, man, they always got the best gear. It'd be awesome just to go out and do training in the bush.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my first posting was at 5F, so up in Townsville, where they've got the Chinooks and they had Blackhawks at the time, but now they've got the mrhs. Um, but my job was to be on call for maintenance for because they have miniguns on them. So I got to go up in the chinooks and fly around while they were shooting miniguns out the sides and, like I've, yeah, got to do some pretty cool stuff. Um, never got to shoot a minigun, which was always a what's?
Speaker 1:what's a minigun?
Speaker 2:uh, so the six barrel six barrels like spins and shoots 3,000 rounds a minute.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it would have been awesome to be able to shoot one, but I never got the opportunity, yeah. And then, yeah, I went to 3RAR after that and we got to go out with all the grunts and do all the field work and just as support for them. So they'd go out, do all um infantry tactics and all that stuff and we just support them if they're, uh, the carriers like that, um, as4s broke down or something like that. There was a crew of. It'd be like a recovery mechanic, a vehicle mechanic, a fitter, electrician and a boffin, so a five man team in two carriers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, so we just fix everything basically on the run. Sometimes you go, oh, yep, sweet, we got two hours to get in, do some maintenance, and then 10 minutes later they're like, all right, we're going now and you're like I've got this thing pulled apart. I thought I had like an hour to put it back and then you just got to quickly chuck stuff back together and get in the car or get in the truck and you're off again. But yeah, so, no, but it's really good, like I loved it when I was, when I was fit and young, and like I was able to do everything.
Speaker 1:I absolutely loved my time in the army, yeah yeah it, I imagine it, like it's obviously very structured, isn't it like? Yeah, everything it's a routine and, yeah, following orders and timed very well. So like, is that structure helped you in other areas of your life?
Speaker 2:uh, yeah, definitely, yeah, like um, particularly with like pt, like one thing you did every morning. You do pt before you start work, which I think is like one of the best things about the army, because you get in, you do pt and you've already achieved something in the day before you start work, yeah, so, and on the days where you don't have PT, everyone's sort of a bit sluggish and it takes them a bit to get going. You know what I mean. So I think that's one thing that I really got out of the army was that like doing something at the start of the day to get into the rest of your day, kind of thing. You know what I mean? Yeah, into the rest of your day kind of thing.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean. Yeah, well, that's part of the reason I wanted to get you on, because I like with it, with the training and stuff I do in the industry now and even just myself like I, I know I perform a lot better the days that I do, even if it's just smashing out 20 or 40 push-ups in the morning, like just before you get going, like just getting that blood pumping, yeah, a bit of like. Obviously your breath gets harder while you're exercising.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just makes you get through the day better yeah, and like you, you start your week now with 5 30 in the morning. You start your week with a pg session.
Speaker 1:So that's um, but I love it, like I, it's fun. Like I've got to a point now in in my businesses and life and that, like I don't, like every day is the same. I don't, uh, I don't the day before, I don't worry about going to work, like I don't, there's no, oh it's friday, awesome it's a weekend. Or oh it's monday, it's back to work. But um, so I'm. I've got to that level in life that a lot of people dream about where you get to and just every day's a day and you do whatever needs to be done. Like, and that's because I absolutely love what I do and because we've worked very hard to get a lot of systems, processes and structure and those types of things.
Speaker 1:But now that I'm working out with you, like I have been getting to sunday afternoons and going fuck, I gotta go and see him in the morning, yeah, but it's good. But even, and yesterday afternoon, like because we do some afternoon sessions as well like I was running 10 minutes late yesterday I had a meeting go over the client, like I'm stuck in traffic and I'm like, oh shit, I'll just text him and say I'm not gonna come in today yeah then you get, then I'll get there and do it, and you feel fantastic yeah, yeah, and so many times I've I have people come in to do a session with me and they're like, oh, I feel pretty shitty today.
Speaker 2:You know. Oh sweet, we'll just, we'll get into it anyway. And afterwards they're like, oh awesome, like I feel 100% better than I did when I rocked up. Um, and that's why I like, as I said before, the doing PT, before you get into your day, like it does, if you're a bit sluggish in the morning in the army, if you're a bit hungover in the morning, you just sweat it out and then you can hit the rest of the day and feel heaps better.
Speaker 1:So, like one of the reasons I want to get you on, because I, I it's like it's something that I've known I needed to do more of for a long time and um, like the last couple of years, I have been doing more just on my own, walking with some mates um, smashing the push-ups, push-ups in the morning, but, like I've seen in the like, I don't know what, it's been two or three months, maybe two months, two, three months, yeah, two or two months.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just coming with you, like. So the only other times I've ever tried this is like I did the usual thing that everyone does, like three months before our wedding. Yeah, camille and I both joined personal trainers and smashed it out for a little while, but, man, I hurt my back more in that three months than ever, like it was I don't know like. Oh, there was never any um guidance on technique or anything, it was just like keep push, push, push.
Speaker 2:Put more weight on push, push, push I think, yeah, because I have had injuries and I like have like knee issues, back issues, shoulder issues. So I really want to push people to do things properly so they don't like I don't want people to get injured. You know what I mean. And I've had some other clients that have hurt themselves and I'm like, all right, sweet, we'll, we'll do some like rehabby kind of stuff. Like I'm not an expert on the rehab side of things, but all I know is basically what physios have told me to do when I've had the same or similar injuries. And then, after I tell someone that I go to the physios at work, I'm like, hey, I told someone that like this would probably help, or something like, oh, yep, sweet, that's, that's pretty much what I would have told them.
Speaker 1:I'm like, oh cool, so I'm at least I'm on the right track with a lot of things well, I just like the way you like you structure it with the, with the sets, and then, like each week, we're building up to more weight, more sets, and then we'll drop. Like you said, we'll drop back. Or we've just started dropping back, like we got 12 sets, now we're back to 10 sets, but we're doing more weight.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I like for me, I like the structure yeah, and it's like I think that's something that a lot of people will. Then they go to the gym and they don't have either a trainer or a plan. They go I'm just going to go in and I'll do this, I'll do this and do this, and and then they don't really see any progress and then they stop going to the gym, whereas if they just even if they just had a program to follow, yeah, they'd be way more better off because they have a structure and like progression.
Speaker 1:So yeah, it's definitely the structure, I think, for me. And then just having you there, like you you've pulled me up a few times on, like the like, push your bum out, straighten your back out, like just having that guidance so you're not hurting yourself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I haven't come away from yours once like I've been sore but yeah like, yeah, no sore um back or put me back out or anything like that. But it's um, and I don't know if it's because I've gotten older and more mature or whatever, but I I take it on board now when people tell me stuff. So you're, you're the expert, you're the one doing it. So, yeah, give me the guidance and I'll do like the one thing. Like I've said to you, I just want you to push the shit out of me, like push me along. So I'll put it out there now on the podcast because we've spoken about it. But the reason I've started with justin is another builder I know, um at one of our builders breakfast group said to me he was going to do this um 36 hour challenge. Can you? What was it called?
Speaker 2:uh, it's through the mill, the mill gym. Yeah, it's a. It's a like a gym in perth that's run by a bunch of um like I believe they're ss um soldiers, yeah, um, so, yeah, like, like I don't know them at all but I've heard of the gym and everything and I've heard of the challenge as well.
Speaker 1:And he's like I'm going to do this, do you want to do it? And I got online and looked it up. I was like, holy shit, no way in the world I'm ready for that, because that was in May. I'd need to ring him actually and see if he's done it, but and that was about two and a half months ago, but I thought, fuck it like, why not set a goal to do it next year?
Speaker 1:yeah so like I watch, I I like pushing myself, like I know I want to. Like you watch those shows on tv and you see what they push people to do, like the summit and that sas australia, whatever it is, and like I want to push myself, so that's um, that's why I'm with you mate yeah you want you to push me along.
Speaker 1:So, mate, tell us a little bit more about the Army. So you had some injuries in the Army which led to depression and stuff. Yeah, I think that it's pretty common. Obviously, there's a lot of it in the construction industry, but there's a lot of it in the Army as well, isn't there?
Speaker 2:yeah, so I all of my injuries are from just overuse. Um, I did a lot of, a lot of pack marching in my own time. Um, because of, like, my goals at the time and I did a lot of weighted running. I was doing a lot of running, I was doing a lot of like, as I said, pack marching, and it's not good for your knees, hips, back back, and I just got a lot of overuse injuries. So like bulging discs on my back and some facet joint issues and like cartilage in my knees just a bit damaged.
Speaker 2:So, basically, I went from being like one of the fitter dudes in all the units I was at to being unable to participate in PT, unable to do my job as a fitter, which is a physical job, like pulling stuff apart, welding, fabricating stuff, and it just destroys you mentally when you just get something that you love doing. I loved doing my job and I loved PT and I couldn't do either of them to a standard that was my standard anymore and, yeah, like just destroyed me and I went down a rabbit hole eventually, like my wife like pulled me up on it and, um, I went to the psychs on base and said, look, I'm not, I'm not good, um, and yeah started seeing psychologists and stuff and um. From there, basically I I was already on trying to get out of the army voluntarily and then through that process it was decided that I should be going medically instead because of my injuries and the mental depression, and so that process started and then it took me like two years to get out of the army.
Speaker 1:So when I was stuck in limbo if you know what I mean, it just kind of made my mental health situation worse because I wanted to be out, I wanted to be doing something else, but I was just kind of treading water until the, the cogs of the army, done their thing and so how do you do, like when you say you're going down a rabbit hole, because, like, if you're, if you're able to talk about it, because that's um, like I've talked about some of the times and like what I went through, but I think, for people listening because a big part of this podcast is letting people know they're not on their own yeah, and like there's a lot of people that deal with anxiety and depression and all those types of things. So what, what was it like looking back? Like was there signs that you were going down the rabbit hole?
Speaker 2:like um, I, I think at work I was very forgetful of things and I was like really simple tasks that normally would be like I wouldn wouldn't even think of, they'd just get done. I was forgetting things. I was not like I wasn't like able to perform to a standard, like just doing my job. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I was drinking a lot more. So that was another thing which like exacerbates everything. Like drinking and it's very like drinking is very insidious. It can start slow and eventually gets to a point where you're drinking every night and it's not good for anyone. Yeah, um, so there was those two things. I was yeah, just I. I and I think a lot, of a lot of men do this. They like keep everything inside, um, like put a happy face on and like, yep, everything's fine, and then I kind of internalize everything a lot. So I was, um, yeah, just kind of in my own head and I'd snowball and I was sleeping really bad, I wasn't sleeping, which exacerbates it again, just causes more stress, starts arguments with my wife and stuff over nothing. So, yeah, it just kind of weasels its way into you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but it's good. It's hard going through it, but it's great when you've let it out, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:When you get to a point like I don't know if it was a point that your wife pulled you up on or whatever, but I know when I got to a point where I was like, all right, I'm going to start talking to people about it. Yeah, it's like all of a sudden, there's this big weight off your shoulders and it's actually normal and it's actually normal, it's okay to talk to people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it took ages, and I think it's only been in the last probably year that I've actually kind of understood mental health better, because I think prior to that I was in the mindset of, oh, you'd be right, like you'd be right, just harden up, kind of thing, like saying that to myself yeah um, but I also thought that of other people with mental health issues.
Speaker 2:So, um, I think it's hard when you haven't experienced something to like understand it, which now I do understand it because I've been dealing with it. Now I can empathize better with people that, like, are having issues and stuff like that and see signs and stuff like that better.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, yeah, no, it's, it's awesome. And then like, so you've, you've, you've uh managed to like you're not in the army anymore, you've now got your own personal training business and getting all that sort of stuff. But like, did the army help out with like rehab and like getting you back on track and that sort of stuff?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So I yeah, when I was in the army I was seeing physios, seeing doctors, seeing like had surgeries and stuff like that, yeah, and then like DVA, I've had like medical or my medical bills are all paid for through DVA now, so like they do support you in that way and so like mental health services are readily available as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're sweet now from your ops and stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, still got my left knee particularly plays up. My back's still playing up. I have hopefully I'll be getting um like nerve ablation done again on my back, which is they stick a bunch of needles in your back and just zap the nerves off so you can't feel your facet joints anymore. So, um, hopefully I'm going to get that done again soon. And um, I was actually chatting before about my doctor's recommended like medicinal cannabis, like the CBD oil, so I'm going to be trialing that to see if that helps with the pain as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know a few people on that and they reckon it's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so yeah, because at the moment I take, like painkillers and muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatories and sleeping pills to go to sleep and it's kind of to get off that and just yeah, have like the oil drop and hopefully, hopefully it helps.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so now, like now that you've sort of been through it and you've worked your way out the other side, like because I think it's important to talk about this, like are you aware of when it starts coming up again now, cause that's like this sounds a bit funny, but, um, like I didn't, I didn't realize how much my finger would affect me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like.
Speaker 1:I like 10, eight, 10 years ago, years ago, 12 years, like I went through years of being depressed and anxiety and stuff and I I feel like I've been really good for a long time and I know how to like switch off or I know when I need time out.
Speaker 1:And I remember that like the next day I lay in hospital after I'd cut my finger off just and they undid all the bandages and stuff and I was just sitting there like it was wrapped up, but I was like sitting there and just singing oh, you know it's, it's not too bad. I've only lost 30 mil off the end, like it's all good. And then last week, um, yeah, I really went down a bit of a hole because I like I went back and saw my specialist. They took all the bandages off and now I've just got this little tiny cover on there and I can actually physically see the size of it and use it and even just simple things like getting up in the morning and going to the bathroom, going to the toilet, washing your hands, splashing your face and when I wipe my face now I don't have my long middle finger.
Speaker 2:It feels a bit weird.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you, what your face and your, your long finger rubs your eyebrows and it's like poking yourself in the eye instead of doing that.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm just like fuck like it's not there. Yeah, and yeah, last week I I for a couple of days I was really like thinking, fuck, like I've lost a piece of me, and I started really getting a bit depressed about it. And then I was only throwing a conversation with camille and I'm like, well, look, at the end of the day it's a bit of finger, yes, it is what it is. But, um, so do you find now that you've had and been through it like you, you do pull yourself up every now and then and or you feel, you know, when you sort of go on a bit off track again?
Speaker 2:yeah, definitely do, and I it's like something that I've improved a lot on over the last year is just like talking to my wife and like communication between me and hers are like infinitely better than it was. So I find that she picks up on when I'm not in a rut as well as I can go. I'm not the way I normally am and I do things like breathing and I get in the shower and I just sit there in the shower and breathe and stuff like that. I do notice it now and I have a bunch of exercises that I do like from my psychologist and stuff that I do when I am in a bit of a like, when I'm in a rut, and sometimes it can last like a day, sometimes I'm down for a couple weeks or something like that, but generally, like at the now, I don't let it snowball to a bad point.
Speaker 1:It's important to talk about it because life's like.
Speaker 1:I would doubt there's very many people out there, if any, that just are fine all the time, like and you see all the shit on social media and you see all these mentors and speakers and podcasts and stuff and like just everything's awesome yeah and, like I, just it's not, that's not reality no reality is we all fall off the cart every now and then, and I think that's definitely something I'm really proud of now that I'm aware of it and like even like I said at the beginning with like I knew, if I just went and had a, even if I rested up for a week, I just I knew that I would just go, had a, even if I rested up for a week, I just I knew that I would just go down a rabbit hole and it'd take me a long time to get out of it. So I think it's very important to be aware of your feelings and know when you do start feeling in a certain way or going down a rabbit hole.
Speaker 1:That go like talk to people yeah like just have a chat, yeah, um, because, yeah, I, I believe everyone goes through some sort of depression in some sort of form, like it's um yeah, for sure it's just life. Hey, like we all, everyone's got. We've all got a lot to deal with. Doesn't matter what level you're at what, whether you're employed or you're on your own business, like it doesn't matter. Like everyone deals with something like family, friends, kids money.
Speaker 2:There's always a spanner you're throwing the works you're like jesus and go deal with it.
Speaker 1:And yeah, yeah, I know yeah, and it's how you flick that switch and that's how you deal with it. Like is it?
Speaker 2:do you treat it as a problem or do you find a solution and run with the solution, like yeah um yeah, I try to like, I try to think if I, if there's an issue, I first thing I'd think is like is there something I can do about it? And if there isn't, then I'm like oh well, it is what it is, then yeah, you know so. But if there is something that I can do about it, there's no need to worry about it, because there's something I can do about it you know, so, um, yeah, that's, I try to do that in any way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but sometimes, yeah, like some issues you're like, yeah, they're a problem and it is what it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just sort of get on with it yeah um, so, matt, you're pretty passionate now about helping other veterans out, so, like you're doing a few um things, aren't you do it? Is it a free session?
Speaker 2:you do yeah so every every tuesday and thursday mornings at seven o'clock I run a little boot camp at sabi park here in warner for veterans and their partners. So it's just kind of just free. Come along, do a bit of a half an hour to 45 minute session, just get your moving and stuff, and I get back into the community, I guess, and get back into fitness. It's like it's not about smashing people, it's about getting people back into doing pt again. You know what I mean? Um, because, yeah, like I know from my personal experience how beneficial doing pt is for my mental health and like I know that I can pass that on to other people and hopefully help other people as well and that's yeah.
Speaker 1:So that's why I do that yeah, well, mate, hopefully, uh, for anyone listening that lives in, I don't know, brisbane, southeast queensland or whatever, like reach out jw jmw, yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah, if you're in the warner area, like in like north north brisbane area, like, yeah, every tuesday and thursday at seven o'clock yeah, but on top of that, like if they want to reach out and do some personal training and stuff, yeah yeah, and I'll do that.
Speaker 2:I do like online as well. So if you just want to program and like check-ins and stuff like that, I can do that too yeah, yeah, awesome.
Speaker 1:So like, where do you want to go with it now? You're going to stick on the PT path and just keep doing one-on-ones and a bit of group stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So I'm starting uni next semester, starting sport and exercise science, and I want to go into exercise physiology as well, which will again primarily the focus will hopefully be injured veterans and stuff like that. So that's what I would really like to get into. So I'm pretty excited about starting uni, but I'm just kind of chomping at the bit to get started. So I've got a month. That's still a month to wait. So I'm going to be that mature age student that sits at the front of class and asks all the questions it's.
Speaker 2:Were you that kid at school like no, no, no it's unreal school stuff changes like I wasn't either, but now I'm addicted to it like yeah, as I said before, like I I was, I loved grade 12 because I got to take a day off school to go to work. I got to drop a subject as well. So I had, like I think one day like wednesday or thursday something I had like two spares, then lunch and then two spares and then like one class after lunch or something like that. So I got to, I was just there, I did woodwork and metalwork and all the easy subjects at school. And.
Speaker 2:I just, yeah, I wasn't the academic kind of person at all and now I'm like getting into it and I'm kind of like, oh, hopefully I can, I can write. Like I think like getting what's in my head onto a piece of paper will probably be my biggest, biggest um issue.
Speaker 1:So hopefully funny, as I I'm a one finger typer yeah the best of times, and that was the one thing everyone like people give me shit about, like you're gonna be even slower in the office now, but I actually think chopping my finger off has made me faster.
Speaker 2:Yeah, doesn't get in the way.
Speaker 1:But, yeah. It's I. This is another subject that I really love talking about Because, like so many people you talk to weren't interested at school, and it comes back to that like school's just built for this one size fits all. Like go to school, get taught this shit, bloody um stuff that you get taught, but like I'm passionate about what I do now and I love learning, like you're passionate about what you do, so that's driving you to be passionate about learning it, so yeah like.
Speaker 1:I just think there's got to be another, a better way for um for schools to be run like it's. It's got to be more about a passion, doesn't it like?
Speaker 2:yeah, and I think, like I think a lot of schools are trying to go down that path. But it is hard when it's such a like mass, like yeah, a lot of people to that go through school, and it is hard to kind of cater to everyone yeah, well.
Speaker 1:Well, you're saying that now because there's a lot of people homeschooling, there's a, and then there's a quite a lot a few schools now around that, like, are more specialized for that like people are breaking away from the, from the normal, which I think is awesome.
Speaker 1:But so, like for people out there that are listening and stuff that because they're awesome. But so, like for people out there that are listening and stuff that, uh, like know they need to be doing some exercise but aren't like, what sort of advice can you give them? Like, because it doesn't, it doesn't take much, does it, to get fit?
Speaker 2:no, no, it doesn't take much. It like, honestly, it takes a plan, like something that you can, even if it's just a piece of paper. It says I'm gonna go two or three times a week, um, do a bit like, just do full body, like, do some squats if you don't have any equipment. Some squats, push-ups, planks. If you just do that, you're going to improve your health. Go for a walk, the simplest thing. Go for a walk. Start slow, just go for a walk. Go for a K Slowly build it up. Go for a little bit longer, a little bit longer. But it's about building a good habit and just consistency is going to be the biggest thing. Um, to improve your fitness and health and everything like that. And I like to think well, when I'm 70, 80 years old, I don't want to be a slug.
Speaker 2:You know so and the earlier, earlier you get on to doing PT and stuff and if it becomes just a normal thing you do throughout your life, you're going to be thanking yourself when you're 70, 80 years old that you're not so unfit and like oh, I wish I lost weight when I was younger so that I wasn't dealing with all these health issues.
Speaker 1:now I think it's like I, through my 30s, like, well, yeah, mid 30s, late 30s, like it I got to a point where I was like I'd ache, like you do, a day on the tools and you just ache all the time because, like work, I always thought that I was too buggered after work to do anything else. But yeah, in the last three to four years or probably more, actually five years, um, but definitely last three, just doing that little bit like I go walking with mates one morning a week. Yeah, for a little while there it got to two mornings a week, um, and then, even before I started with you, like I was always doing something, whether it was a, yeah, 20 to 40 push-ups and sit-ups, um, just something like just doing some sort of movement like, and I've had a bad back my whole life.
Speaker 1:I was told I'd be in a wheelchair by the time I was 30. But um yeah, that little bit of movement and exercise just does wonders. Hey, like yeah um.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I can't encourage it enough, like people to get out there and get off the lounge and like, would you? I don't know you might agree with me, but like everybody has time for social media. So like, yeah, if you can spend 15, 20 minutes, half an hour, oh, I say I tell people with um, like my training business now for builders. Like have a look at your screen time on your phone and if you're spending half an hour to an hour on social media a day, that's your success. Yeah, like, instead of spending that 30 minutes to an hour on social media, spend that 30 minutes to an hour on yourself. Yeah, whether it's exercise or personal development or something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah well because, when I exercise I listen to audio books, and I listen to audio books whenever I can and that's like. So sometimes it's like an educational one, sometimes it's like at the moment I'm listening to like Warhammer 40K books, so it's all just like space crazy, space war stuff. But yeah, like and or podcasts or something like that. Um, there's a few like particularly with sport, like um, afl podcasts and stuff like that, and I've got a couple of um. There's one that's a about performance, like afl performance, um, like strength and conditioning coach, so I listen to that a fair bit as well. Um, but yeah, like I, yeah, like I, I do do it like find yourself just like mindlessly scrolling and then, yeah, I think everyone does it these days.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it's like making that an excuse not to do something isn't, yeah?
Speaker 1:yeah, but it's more about the time yeah like if you're, because everyone's number one excuse is I've got no time yeah, I'm too busy. But yeah, I I my thing now, like if you just check your social media screen time on your phone and it's like most, I've heard something the other day.
Speaker 1:Actually yesterday, I was listening to Ed Milet. I know it was actually a Diary of a CEO podcast and they were talking about some studies. Apparently, the average person now looks at their phone over 2400 times a day. Yeah, doesn't surprise me, like, and I was like holy shit, like that is insane.
Speaker 2:But yeah, when you, yeah, just a quick click like oh yeah, no like it's, yeah, like it's taken over our lives.
Speaker 1:So yeah, if you're saying you got no time, you only gotta look at your social media time. And if you put half the time you spend in your social media into doing some push-ups or a bit of exercise or going for a walk or whatever, like you say walking's easy.
Speaker 2:It's like stick your head in. You don't need anything, you can just do it anywhere.
Speaker 1:Yeah, listen to a podcast, smash out an audible book. Especially now the weather here is beautiful. You can go out pretty much any time of day now, so you obviously like your. You mentioned the book you were just reading then because you like your Star Wars stuff as well.
Speaker 2:You've got all your tats with your. Star Wars characters yeah, Space Jam and Star Wars yeah, love it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's just something that's come as you've grown up. Yeah, so where's that?
Speaker 2:Look, that's just something that's come as you've grown up, or yeah. So I think my decision, my decision for Space Jam was when I was down at the trade school and me and a couple of mates were just drinking and we watched Space Jam and I'm like, oh, that'd be a sick tattoo. And then I was already booked in to get a tattoo but I didn't know what I was going to get yet. I might stuff it, I'm gonna get space jam, um. And then, yeah, like star wars I've been a massive star wars fan my whole life, so, um, yeah, I'm getting all the bad guys on my left leg.
Speaker 1:I've just, I've never been able to get into it. I just, yeah, I don't know yeah, I just love like.
Speaker 2:I love like, yeah, fantasy kind of love, lord of rings and stuff like love, yeah, like sci-fi stuff. So yeah.
Speaker 1:So, mate, what's like we'll wrap it up in a minute, but, yeah, I hope people reach out, like if they are in Brisbane or north side of Brisbane and that, and because, yeah, you're like young business, so hopefully we can get some people behind you and get on board and stuff. Um, look for those people that are listening, stay tuned because I'm going to try and do some stuff, uh with justin, um to help the construction industry, uh with exercise and stuff and, um, some retreats and that. So stay tuned for those. But, um, it's out there now, mate.
Speaker 1:like everyone knows that I'm working out and yeah you're pushing me along, so uh we're gonna have to show them the results aren't we?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, we can start taking some videos and stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, getting it um, we're gonna do some videos. The other day and I was trying to get back to training with my finger and that, but uh, it just didn't really eventuate.
Speaker 2:But yeah, we will need to fix up the lighting in my, in my gym, but, um, we'll, I'm sure we'll get some stuff out there.
Speaker 1:But yeah, look, I just wanted to get you on, mate, so we can, like, I want to practice what I preach, so, and I'm on a mission to create a new building industry, and a big part of that is is the mental health and and the exercise. So, um, yeah, I really appreciate you coming on and talking a little bit about what you're doing and how you do it and, uh, dealing with your mental health stuff and that. Like, have you, before we get out of here, like have you got any advice for anyone out there that thinks they're maybe going through some tough times or struggling a little bit like?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, like, honestly, just go talk to someone like it's like the same thing everyone says, but just like tell someone that you're like oh look, I'm not doing that great, you know, and like it takes weight off your chest. Um, because, yeah, you like internalize things and it, yeah, it sucks when you're just dealing with things alone and like, if you say I'm not dealing, I'm not doing too great, like I guarantee the other person that you're talking to has probably had issues as well.
Speaker 2:Have you found that Since now that you've sort of realized that the more people you talk to, the more people have had similar yeah, yeah for sure, like so many people I know now that have had problems, and I think that's why I try to openly talk about it, because it kind of invites people to talk to me, like open up to me about it. So I think it has been beneficial for other people.
Speaker 1:Is it big in the army?
Speaker 2:I'd imagine it'd be huge in the army? Oh yeah, yeah, it is Because people in the army put so much pressure on them. That's what I put so much pressure on myself when I was in the army and that's from like my own, like it was me doing it to myself. Um, so, yeah, a lot of people put so much pressure on themselves and it's like it is a stressful, stressful job, um, and there are like pressures from outside sources as well, like when you're expected to do something.
Speaker 1:Can we talk? Can we talk a little bit about the army are Are we allowed to talk about the army?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm sure I don't know.
Speaker 1:It's just like you get a knock on the door from the Like I said, I've always I see these trucks and shit driving around. I've always thought, shit, that'd be awesome to go and have a play and muck around with them. But what actually happens in the army? Is it what actually happens in the army, like? Is it like you see on shows, where you like, you're in dorms and you get woken up and you got to flog your ass all morning?
Speaker 2:that's that's like kapuka. That's like basic training is like that. So at kapuka you'll go there. Well, when I went it was 12 weeks and it's yeah, wake up every morning, got to make your bed, go to the toilet, all that stuff like walk around like say such everyone or like whatever, and very like for three months it's very, very regimented to kind of break you down and they kind of.
Speaker 2:The idea of Kapuga is like build up people that aren't very confident and kind of like knock down people who are arrogant and overconfident. But then after that it's kind of like just kind of like a normal, like 7.30 in the morning to four o'clock in the Arvo job while you're on base. And while you're on base like for me personally because I was a fitter like all of our job was maintenance on like vehicle mechanics and stuff, so vehicles, weapons and all that stuff and just making sure everything's good to go for field exercises and generally it's like that middle period, that stuff and just making sure everything's good to go for um field, field exercises and generally it's like that middle period like may to july area where there's where you'll be out at up at rocky or up at um high range in towns or something like that, like sleeping under a hoochie um while it's cold.
Speaker 2:So getting woken up at midnight to like go stand on picket. You're like.
Speaker 1:How often do you have to go out in the field and do that training?
Speaker 2:Generally, there's like a couple of big exercises a year and it is generally in that like May to July period. I think the longest I went out for it was probably about a month and a half straight, but a lot, of, a lot of exercises will go for like two weeks or something like that. So you will go out a couple weeks, come back, refurb, get everything sorted ready to go for the next field exercise, which might be in a month's time or something like that.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah, most of it's just training, training, training, um and so what happens when you're out on those field exercises, like is it strict? Like you have schedules and up for breakfast, like everyone's doing it together, like it's not just dawdle around doing this, doing that, yeah so there'll be like an exercise.
Speaker 2:There'll be an overarching plan of the exercise, but it depends on how like many people would be involved, but like, everyone goes out there basically to do their job. So for me it would be yep, wake up in the morning, have have brekkie, um, wait to see if there's anything else happening, uh, and then if there isn't, like, if there's maintenance to do, we'll do maintenance.
Speaker 1:If there's not, chill out a mechanic or a fitter and turner is like you're only on if there's shit to yeah exactly so.
Speaker 2:If there's like and that's the thing it's like if there's nothing to fix, then that's good, you know, but there's always something to fix. Um, there's always there, like especially with the buckets, like there's always a uh something, someone that's gotten bogged or stuck in something and needs to get dragged out, and um, yeah, the people do some pretty pretty crazy stuff and, uh, they break a lot of stuff.
Speaker 2:So, um, we're always, we're always like working yeah and like sometimes like we'd be up at night, like everyone would pack up and everything and then we'd be up at night fixing everything for the next morning and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:So they're going to jump in those big trucks and just saying, oh, these things can go anywhere, and just yeah, yeah and some I've seen.
Speaker 2:I've seen some trucks like go some crazy places, like we're watching, like oh my god, and like the're watching him, like going, oh my god, and like the driver's just like going up these mountains, you're like jesus, but yeah, they get there and you're like cool, like the driver's, like I never want to do that again.
Speaker 1:That was sketchy as I'm like yeah, no, no well, mate, look, thanks very much for coming in. Um, yeah, look, like I said, reach out to uh justin if you want to. Uh, if you're on the north side of brisbane, you want to do some personal um pt like, yeah, like I said, I've never been a gym person, never really been comfortable doing it, and yeah, he's got me out of my comfort zone doing one-on-one and um at his place and stuff. So, yeah, reach out if you want to get involved. But for everybody out there, please, um, exercise, breath, work, cold showers all that type of stuff is just so, so good for you. It really helps with your mental health, anxiety and all those types of things. It's worked wonders for me.
Speaker 1:So, as always, thanks very much for listening to this podcast, making this Podcast Australia's number one construction podcast, and we look forward to seeing you on the next episode Like, subscribe, share, comment, all those types of things. And, yeah, we to seeing you on the next episode. Like, subscribe, share, comment, all those types of things. And uh, yeah, we'll see you soon. Are you ready to build smarter, live better and enjoy life? Then head over to live like, buildcom, forward, slash, elevate to get started. Everything discussed during the level up podcast with me, duane pierce, is based solely on my own personal experiences and those experiences of my guests. The information, opinions and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only, and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We recommend that you obtain your own professional advice in respect to the topics discussed during this podcast.