Meet my buddy Hunter McIntyre, pro endurance athlete, Broken Skull winner, BoundlessTV co-host, obstacle course racing champion and self-described macho man.

Men’s Journal describes him as “the man behind the Spartan race empire”.

Competitor Magazine calls him the “rising star of obstacle racing”.

Men’s Fitness acknowledges him as “the future of the sport”.

Yes, his list of accolades is indeed mighty impressive. Bad boy turned elite Spartan athlete, in 2011 he moved from New York to Malibu to give a shot at being a celebrity personal trainer and model. After running his first Spartan race on a dare, he placed near the top of the field and was quickly propelled into Elite Spartan status, rarely missing a podium.

He eventually partnered with me on the ObstacleDominator podcast and also appeared on my show in the episode Inside The Masochistic Mind Of The Top Obstacle Racer On The Face Of The Planet.

Hunter McIntyre, AKA "Hunt The Sheriff", six-time Obstacle Course Racing World Champion, four-time Obstacle Course Racing National Champion, three-year Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Ranch Champion, and two-time Tough Mudder X Champion, was granted a wildcard invitation to the CrossFit Games for chance to measure his accomplishments against a deep field of proven athletes.

In this episode, we get into that journey from Spartan to Crossfit and much, much more.

During our discussion, you'll discover:

-Crossfitter vs. Spartan event results [5:50]

• 3 cross fit athletes did an endurance/stamina based Spartan race
• Carrying 190+ lb of gear up mountains with a 30 minute head start
• "I wouldn't do a cross fit race with a month's notice, but these guys made it happen."
• Cross fit is designed for a specific body type: bulky, short, small limbs, etc.
• Ram Roller

-Hunter's transition from troubled teen to champion Spartan racer [11:30]

• On all types of medication: ADD, ADHD, Adderall, etc.
• Got into lots of trouble as a teen
• Loved the intensity of competition, not the training (wrestling and running)
• In rehab and probation for 3 years (in Montana)
• Sought an activity from his probation officer that would exhaust his physical energy: led to a job as a logger in Montana
• Became a model: art with the body as the canvas
• Moved to California, got into marathons, eventually Spartan races

-What it was like moving from endurance to crossfit training [21:45]

• The body grows stagnant, the mind becomes bored, after doing anything for too long
• TMX - the world's toughest mile
• Hunter was able to compete and win in crossfit because of his endurance background; still didn't get street cred in the crossfit community
• It's an incredible test of strength, but not technical strength; if you don't have technique you can't play the game
• Wouldn't feel satisfied unless he could go toe to toe with crossfit pros
• Was invited to the Crossfit Games as a wild card (first ever invitee)
• Trained on his own, no coach
• In hindsight, Hunter believes he tried to close the gap between a moderate crossfit athlete to a seasoned pro too quickly
• Age causes one to lose the luster of training for crossfit and endurance

-How both Ben and Hunter's interests have changed regarding training as they age [40:40]

• Japanese and Sardinian centenarians don't do cross fit or endurance training
• Difference between getting fit and getting and staying healthy
• Interests change as you rearrange priorities (i.e. what attracts the babes)

-How Hunter recovers from intense training sessions as quickly as possible [44:10]

• Hanging (gravity) boots
• Tension, followed by extreme relaxing
• Ready State, Kelly Starrett
• ROMWOD app
• Consume more calories, drink more water
• My Fitness Pal app
• Suunto watch
• Add minerals to your water
  • Quicksilver Quinton
  • The Right Stuff electrolyte drink
  • Water and Wellness (Robert Slovak's company; listen to the BGF podcast with Robert here)

-Hunter's tips for optimizing sleep [52:40]

• "I've never been a person that sleeps very much"
• Need more sleep during crossfit training than endurance
• Keep cold while sleeping
• Have enough calories in the body
• Fan that provides some noise
• Pulse oximeter
• CBD (Pure Spectrum)
• Eco Challenge

-Books and podcasts Hunter and Ben recommend [1:02:50]

• Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
• Hitler's Last Days by Bill O'Reilly
• Peak by Marc Bubbs
• Focused more on personal connections than digital media

-How Crazy Bobby changed Hunter's life for the good [1:08:15]

-And much more...

Resources from this episode:

-Ram Roller

-TMX - the world's toughest mile

-Ready State, Kelly Starrett

-ROMWOD app

-My Fitness Pal app

-Suunto watch

-Water and Wellness

-BGF podcast w/ Robert Slovak

-Pure Spectrum CBD

-Eco Challenge

-Books recommended by Hunter and Ben:

• Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
• Hitler's Last Days by Bill O'Reilly
• Peak by Marc Bubbs

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