May 11, 2024

From a young age, Justin Roethlingshoefer has always been self-motivated to improve, developing the discipline and work ethic necessary to excel. At 13 years old, his father said, “Son, talent will get you noticed, but consistency will get you paid,” setting up his quest of founding Own It.

I met Justin when my wife and I presented to guests at his Own It event for couples in Napa Valley, and we hit it off right away. After being exposed to his deep body of knowledge and witnessing his passion for helping people achieve physical, mental, and life success, I knew I had to have him on the podcast.

Today's show is all about optimizing not just your fitness, but your life — you'll get to explore topics like training for the Spartan DEKA FIT, using HRV tracking to measure human performance, understanding your purpose, taking ownership of your life, and much more!

Over the last 20+ years, Justin has worked with Stanley Cup champions, NHL MVPs, Super Bowl champions, Olympians, 8-, 9-, and 10-figure entrepreneurs, and Fortune 500 companies. After completing his MS in Sports Performance and Human Biology, Justin sought out post-graduate work in functional medicine. He has worked as a performance director in the NHL and NCAA and founded a private camp for professional hockey players focusing on healing them from the inside out.

Justin's work focuses on peak performance, human optimization, and applying data and testing to create personalized blueprints. He excels at simplifying complex concepts, particularly within the Outer Energy team at Own It Coaching, where he takes the latest research on nutrition, training, and recovery and packages it into digestible, systematic, and applicable steps.

Additionally, Justin is an Amazon best-selling author for the books: Intent, The Athletic Performance Blueprint, and Own It…

…and now the brand new book we discuss in this show: The Power of Ownership: Redeem Your Health, Live Life by Design, and Break the Relentless Pursuit of Normal.

During this discussion, you'll discover:  

-Justin Roethlingshoefer…06:53

• Ben met Justin at the Couples Collective Retreat
• Own It
  • Background in strength conditioning
  • Worked with Stanley Cup champions, the NHL Super Bowl champions, Olympians, different entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies
• The Power of Ownership: Redeem Your Health, Live Life by Design, and Break the Relentless Pursuit of Normal.

-Spartan DEKA FIT event…08:21

• Ben decided to do DEKA FIT with his sons in Austin, Texas
  • Started by Yancy Camp
  • 10 different strength or power-based exercises
  • Run 500 meters between exercises
  • Combination of strength, power, and aerobic fitness — hybrid athlete
• Lining up to the start lines and going through and finishing something for the first time in their life
• Ben is preparing for the June 8th event in Austin
• Three different opportunities:
  • DEKA FIT with 500m runs in between
  • DEKA MILE with 200m runs in between
  • DEKA STRONG – just those 10 events
• Last year, Justin qualified for the World Championships in 2 of the 3 events
• Ben raced Spartan for the Reebok Spartan team
• Most beneficial in the preparation was transitioning from running with good efficiency after gassing yourself out on an obstacle

-Justin's journey into the realm of human performance…13:33

• Justin grew up in Canada and played hockey
• Justin's dad’s advice:
  • Talent will get you noticed, but consistency will get you paid
• Became obsessed with habits and tracking data
• Started to wear a heart rate monitor and pulse oximeters
• Became interested in heart rate variability (HRV) — a measure of the variation in time intervals between heartbeats 
• Podcast with Dr. Jay Wiles:
  • A Deep Dive Into HRV: How To Use Heart Rate Variability To Optimize Your Sleep, Stress, Recovery, Performance, Nervous System Balance & Much More!
• Came to the States with a hockey scholarship
  • Got his master’s degree, did postdoctoral research in HRV and sleep
  • Also has a massage therapy license and became an NHL health and performance coach
• Started using data to make decisions
• Had personal problems — brain fog, fatigue, insomnia
  • Doctors and functional medicine specialists said he was healthy but he knew that something was wrong
• Went for a colonoscopy and endoscopy
  • Diagnosed with precancerous polyps in his colon and an ulcer in his stomach
• Realized his calling was to solve the health problems of all people, not just athletes
• No genetic predisposition to cancer

-How Justin connects with God…20:43

• First 30 minutes of his day, Justin sits in a sauna in silence
  • Waits for the Lord to tell him what to do
• The Lord is speaking through imagination, creativity, epiphanies, connecting the dots, his neurological system, and mental breakthroughs
• The Lord wanted him out of the National Hockey League
  • Being there was more for his ego than it had to do with serving other people
• SLOW — stillness, silence, surrender, a chance to listen, obedience, wisdom for his will
• Bible in One Year
• The Power of Ownership by Justin Roethlingshoefer
• Associating something that makes your body better with something that makes your spirit better
• Two concepts of creating longevity within a habit
  1. Decrease limbic friction — the difficulties you have to overcome to make something happen
  2. Context dependency — relying on a person, place, or thing to do something
• Tying being silent to something pleasurable — a PEMF mat, sauna, steam room, hot tub
• Non-negotiable things when Justin travels:
  • A hotel must have a sauna or a hot tub and a gym
  • A grocery store within a mile's walk
• Travels with a small red light and PEMF mat
• Tracking heart rate variability
  • HRV is 10% higher than when he does not do sauna
  • 5% higher than when he does not do PEMF mat

-HRV parameters Justin pays attention to…32:15

• Notes his HRV trend for the week and for the month
• A dip somewhere could be caused by 
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Extreme workout
  • Mental, emotional, or spiritual stressors
• The response is the same — increasing epinephrine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, cortisol
• Chronic stress leads to cellular deficiencies and symptoms of chronic illness
• The importance of looking for stressors
• A system to understand emotional and spiritual stressors should be developed

-Wearables to track HRV – 41:04

• Jason is wearable agnostic and can use any device
• WHOOP
• Oura Ring
• Algorithm scores can be misleading and tend to confuse consumers
• HRV is the body's language that communicates how you're adapting to stress and strain
  • A drop in scores is something that should be looked into more
• HRV is the best, most holistic metric to understand health and how your body handles stress
  • All-encompassing and indicative
  • Understanding what the numbers mean and utilizing them to make decisions for your behavior the next day

-Ben’s ad for his Spokane house…51:16

• BiohackedSpokaneHome.com

-Jason’s opinion on vagal nerve stimulators…52:56

• Used them with a lot of different routines but didn't notice a massive impact
• Jason doesn't like the concept of trying to video game your body
  • You don’t need a better score, you need a better life
• A Harvard study: Healthy Longevity 
  • Looked at 5 areas — how do you change the trajectory of somebody's lifestyle, how do you optimize for longevity?

-The importance of WHY you do something…57:14

• What's the reason? What's the deeper outcome? What's the goal that you're trying to achieve?
• Everything looks like a physical adjustment — it's a habit, a hack, an action, or a behavior
• Not focusing only on physical entities because that can make you fearful
• Afraid of stepping into a certain pattern
• Fear leads you to thoughts and beliefs of “I'm not good enough, I'm not worthy”
• That only separates you further from your spiritual call
• You should ask this question first: “What is my identity in what I've been called to do?”
• Finding the answer renews your mind, transforms fear into faithfulness, confusion into conviction
• After that, you can think about changes in your physical behavior

-The Power of Ownership vs. Extreme Ownership…1:00:28

• Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink
• Leaders with unhealed wounds often bleed over those they are trying to lead
• Ownership to Jason is the intersection point between responsibility and accountability
• It is not about a high level of masculinity or extremism of any kind
• Ownership means ultimately getting to where you want to go
• People all have great things that they're called to do
  • But not everyone has the capacity for what is required to get there
• Ownership requires you to start allowing your habits and behaviors to become aligned with where you want to go

-Taking ownership for DEKA FIT…1:03:36

• Stepping out of your comfort zone
• Going through preparations
• Getting a couple of people together to run 1 mile every morning 
• DEKA FIT — sign up for the race
• Your group will hold you accountable
• Step up to the start line, no matter where you finish
• Cross the finishing line knowing you are better for crossing it than having not done it

-How does Jason train for DEKA FIT?…1:04:50

• Strength training 4 days a week — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
  • Heavy anaerobic work with the Airdyne
• On Wednesday and Saturday, he goes to the track and focuses on runs
• Wants to be holistic in how his body operates
• Sunday is solely focused on mobility, work, and pliability

-Jason’s writing process…1:09:14

• 30-minute time in silence in the sauna
• Just speak and record everything that comes to mind
• Half an hour of Zone 2 work on the bike
• Listens to recorded audio
• 3-hour block — 7 to 10 in the morning writing, 5 days a week
• Justin gets his greatest downloads and clearest thought processes during his sauna and quiet time
• The importance of practicing to receive God’s download

-And much more…

Upcoming Events:

• Health Optimization Summit — London: June 15–16, 2024

The Health Optimization Summit is the ultimate gathering for anyone passionate about biohacking, wellness, and living their best life. Dubbed a must-do event, it promises a transformative weekend filled with the opportunity to meet and learn from over 35 world-class speakers (including yours truly) in nutrition, longevity, mental health, relationships, and more. Learn best-kept secrets, try out the latest high-tech health gadgets, and discover the cleanest supplements and foods on the market. Don't miss this life-changing weekend — grab your tickets before they're gone here.

• The Longevity Circle Retreat in Croatia — Superyacht Wellness Adventure: Sept 4–10, 2024

Step aboard the ultimate luxury wellness journey: the longevity-focused Superyacht Wellness Adventure, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Croatia from September 4–10, 2024. This exclusive, invite-only event offers an unparalleled experience that blends opulence with the pursuit of wellness, disease prevention, and a long, happy life. With only 10 cabins available, this intimate retreat promises personalized attention and an atmosphere of elite exclusivity. Each day, I will lead 5–6 invigorating workouts, share insights through 1–2 enlightening talks, and engage in organic discussions and Q&A sessions, ensuring a transformative experience. Secure your spot here on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure and be part of a select group dedicated to elevating their health.

• Biohacking Retreat with Ben Greenfield — Costa Rica: Oct 28–31, 2024

Join me this October for an unparalleled biohacking retreat set in the breathtaking landscapes of Costa Rica. This is an exclusive opportunity to dive deep into the world of biohacking, wellness, and personal optimization at Kinkára, a sanctuary of rejuvenation and adventure. Over three nights, you'll get to explore cutting-edge strategies for enhancing your health and performance, from engaging lectures to hands-on meditation and breathwork sessions. We'll bond over group hikes, savor three meticulously prepared meals daily, unwind with live music, and experience the transformative Temezcal ceremony. Plus, you'll enjoy luxury amenities and quality time with me and a community of like-minded individuals. Space is intentionally limited to 50 guests to ensure a personalized and impactful experience. Don't miss this chance to elevate your well-being and connect with the essence of biohacking amidst Costa Rica's natural beauty. Secure your spot here to ensure you don't miss out!

• Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources from this episode:

– Justin Roethlingshoefer:

• Own It Couples Collective Retreat
• Books:
  • The Power of Ownership
  • Intent
  • The Athletic Performance Blueprint
  • Own It

– Podcasts:

• A Deep Dive Into HRV: How To Use Heart Rate Variability To Optimize Your Sleep, Stress, Recovery, Performance, Nervous System Balance & Much More!
• The Single Biggest Contributor To Poor Health And How To Combat It With Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Training.

– Books:

• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

– Other Resources:

• DEKA FIT
• Sauna
• PEMF Mat
• Red Light
• HRV
• Whoop
• Oura
• Airdyne
• Bible in One Year

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Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for Justin Roethlingshoefer or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!