Neil Strauss is an American author, journalist and ghostwriter, perhaps best known for his controversial best-selling book The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, in which he describes his experiences in the seduction community in an effort to become a "pick-up artist." He is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and also writes regularly for The New York Times. But Neil's interests go far beyond "seduction". For example, in his book Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life, he spent three years surviving amongst survivalists, tax-dodgers, billionaire businessmen, and the government itself, and the book was hailed by Rolling Stone as an "escape plan" for the current world crisis. When I visited Neil's home in Malibu to record this interview, I found myself immersed with Neil in everything from advanced virtual reality game playing, crazy underwater pool workouts, surfing with internet celebrities and drinking "billion-dollar smoothies", all of which you'll hear about in this podcast recorded from Neil's kitchen.

During our discussion, which gets slightly explicit at times, you'll discover:

-Exactly how to do an underwater pool workout like Laird Hamilton...[7:25]

-The ingredients of the "billion dollar smoothie"...[12:50]

-Why Neil and I were surfing with internet celebrity Cameron Dallas prior to recording the episode...[16:20]

-Why Neil is so interested in advanced virtual reality gaming...[18:20]

-Why Neil checked himself into sex addiction therapy...[22:30]

-Neil's uncomfortable volley of questions to me in which I potentially throw my Mom and Dad "under the bus"...[36:40 & 55:00]

-Neil's three steps for "rewiring" your brain without the use of smart drugs or biohacks...[45:30 & 63:00]

-Why Neil paid to get thrown in the back of a trunk with his hands ziptied together...[77:30] -And much more!

Resources from this episode: -My podcast with Laird Hamilton and Gabby Reece about underwater workouts -The book "Rules of the Game" -The book "The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships" -The book "The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists" -The book "Everyone Loves You When You're Dead: Journeys Into Fame and Madness" -The book "Radical Honesty" -The book "Superlife" -Intranasal oxytocin

Do you have questions, comments or feedback for Neil or me? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com and one of us will reply!