#338 Tactical Muscle: Why Special Ops Train Like Bodybuilders | Jordan Betz

Dave Tate's Table Talk

Dave Tate

Health & Fitness, Fitness

4.9 • 586 Ratings

🗓️ 25 March 2025

⏱️ 114 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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In this episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast, Jordan Betz joins us.

Jordan Betz is a leading strength and conditioning coach in the tactical and Special Operations communities, known for developing the world's strongest operators while achieving record-low injury rates. With over a decade of experience in Division I athletics and Spec Ops, he has trained everyone from Air Force Cross recipients to NFL first-round draft picks.

A former Texas A&M University-Commerce football player, Jordan shifted to coaching after multiple knee surgeries, working at Rice University and the University of Wyoming before moving into Spec Ops.

He and his wife, Riley, founded Down Range Strength, specializing in assessment and selection train-ups, powerlifting and strongman prep around deployments, and injury prevention for elite military units. They also run World's Strongest Operator, an invite-only strongman event honoring fallen operators.

Jordan holds a Master's in Kinesiology and certifications from the CSCCa and NSCA. His journey began in a powerlifting gym, where a veteran conjugate crew set him on the path to training warriors.

Jordan's IG: https://www.instagram.com/downrangestrength/

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Transcript

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0:00.0	All my best ruckers, they're like, you know what we don't do? We don't ruck.
0:03.0	And so my best ruckers were avoiding it like plague, but I'm doing different things to keep them ruck ready year round of like the safety bar walks, the chains, the sleds.
0:12.0	I do think everybody needs body build, but that's just because bodybuilding is strength training and injury prevention.
0:17.0	When you look at all good athletes who are injury-free or limited injuries or playing around injuries, it's bodybuilding.
0:23.6	It's time to sit down, keep it real, and cut the bullshit. Welcome to Table Talk.
0:39.6	All right, guys, we're back with another episode of Table Talk.
0:42.0	Today, our guest is Jordan Betts.
0:43.7	He's got over a decade in the Strength and Conditioning world,
0:46.6	working with Division I athletes,
0:48.7	and focusing now on special ops,
0:51.5	the founder of Downrange Strength,
0:53.6	and the creator of the world's strongest
0:56.1	operator.
0:57.3	Did I leave anything out there?
0:58.6	And there's a master's degree.
1:00.1	There's others.
1:01.1	Yeah.
1:02.1	I'm good looking for Mangles, sending lighting.
1:04.2	Yeah, but we'll let the audience decide that.
1:06.8	Yeah.
1:07.8	Masters, a little bit.
1:08.8	All right.
	...

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