Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Author, fighter and family man Mark Tullius (pictured sparring above) first appeared on this site a few weeks ago in the article “Endurance Sports, MMA and Extreme Exercise – Are They Worth the Risks?“
Mark describes himself like this:
“I'm a father and a husband, a brother and a son. I'm an Ivy League grad who worked in a warehouse, an MMA fighter with too many defeats. I'm the bouncer and bodyguard, the drunk guy in the fight. The jailer and the jailed, the guilty and innocent.
I'm a writer shaped by influences, too many to count. I grew up on King and Koontz while force-fed the Bible. I narrate Dr. Seuss and Disney nearly every night. Like you, I've seen things I wished I hadn't, heard some truths I won't forget.
Writing is my heavy bag, the sparring partner that doesn't punch back. It's where I shed my armor and cast off the blindfold, take a look at myself and the world around me. The writing takes me wherever it wants. Dark alley or dinner table, classroom or morgue. I go along for the ride and try to capture the moment, show life like it is and let you be the judge.”
Today, we're going to take a deep dive with Mark into unlocking the psyche of competitive sports, head and other injuries, testosterone and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED's) in MMA and other sports, the best training programs to turn yourself into an absolute beast and much more.
Resources discussed in this episode:
–Martin Rooney's training plans for MMA
–Lumosity Brain Games and Brain Training
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about this interview with Mark Tullius? Leave your thoughts below, and be sure to check out Mark's Amazon author page to see all his books!
2 Responses
I don't think that many people understand that sports actually increase your testosterone levels. The reason why so many males are deficient is because of the lack in sports. MMA fighters have a high test content without even needing the injections! has some good info on the effects of the various substances
You guys covered some great topics. It's been so interesting to watch the progression of MMA over the past 15 years. This will be a really interesting study to read.
I think another category of athletes I see is people who just experience the world through their body and I've seen this in both exercisers and athletes. It's almost like the world makes sense to them kinesthetically and that is where they feel confident and competent. There's no separation between them and their athletic life – it's just who they are and not everyone operates that way.