Why Emotionally Present Dads Win at Parenting, Recovery, & Relationships ft. Brandon Mancine

The Dad Edge Podcast

Larry Hagner

Health & Fitness, Education, Self-improvement

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 29 September 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this powerful episode of the Dad Edge Podcast, I sit down with fitness coach and father Brandon Mancine to talk about what it truly means to be consistent, resilient, and connected in fatherhood. Brandon shares how the lessons learned from sobriety, fitness, and fatherhood all intersect—and why your physical discipline directly impacts your emotional presence at home.

From building routines that work to leading by example and showing up in the hard moments, Brandon reminds us that no one gets it perfect—but if you're consistent, you'll make an impact. Whether you're a dad in recovery, rebuilding trust, or just trying to show up better, this episode will challenge and encourage you.

TIMELINE SUMMARY

[0:00] - Welcome and introducing today's guest: Brandon Mancine

[1:42] - Brandon's story: growing up, addiction, and breaking the cycle

[4:15] - How sobriety and fatherhood gave his life new direction

[6:32] - The parallels between fitness discipline and emotional presence

[9:10] - Why consistency wins over intensity in both training and parenting

[12:27] - Learning to show up when you least feel like it

[15:14] - Rebuilding trust with your kids after failure or absence

[17:06] - The shift from proving yourself to leading with humility

[19:25] - What recovery has taught Brandon about self-awareness

[22:43] - The power of structure and routine in family life

[24:58] - Why dads need to model vulnerability, not perfection

[27:09] - Tools Brandon uses to stay grounded and connected

[29:40] - Brandon's advice to dads who feel like they're "too far gone"

[31:56] - Final reflections on faith, fitness, and leading from love

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Consistency Beats Intensity

Whether it's in the gym or with your kids, showing up regularly matters more than doing it perfectly. Your presence is your power.

2. Recovery Requires Ownership

Brandon shares that the key to rebuilding trust is accepting where you've been, owning it, and showing up differently—without needing a pat on the back.

3. Fitness Is a Mirror for Fatherhood

Discipline, patience, and pushing through discomfort in training teach us how to lead with strength and humility at home.

4. You're Never Too Far Gone

No matter how far you feel you've fallen as a father, you can always begin again—with consistency, honesty, and grace.

5. Vulnerability Builds Connection

Perfection isn't the goal—presence is. Leading with vulnerability opens the door to trust, healing, and deeper relationships with your kids.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Brandon Mancine Coaching: https://bmfcoaching.com/
Hair XT (Brandon's hair restoration brand): https://hairxt.com/
The Dad Edge Alliance: https://www.thedadedge.com/alliance
25 Questions to Spark Connection With Your Partner: https://www.thedadedge.com/25questions
Dad Edge Podcast Website: https://www.thedadedge.com/podcast
Sign up for Poststack Updates: https://www.thedadedge.com/poststack
Podcast Show Notes: thedadedge.com/1381

If this episode encouraged you to lead with greater intention, please follow, rate, review, and share the podcast. Every download helps another dad find the tools and mindset to live legendary.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Dad Edge podcast. The Dad Edge movement creates leaders of men, leaders of families, and leaders of communities. We will not only impact this generation of fathers, but the next generation as well. The kids we are raising will have better chances and odds stacked in their favor because of the amazing example
0:21.2	that their fathers emulated for them. We are here to change the world. We are here to change
0:27.6	relationships. We are here to positively disrupt this generation of fathers so no man goes to their
0:33.6	grave with regret. We disrupt the drift of busyness and replace it with razor-focused intention,
0:40.3	passion, purpose, and direction.
0:43.7	We are the Dad Edge,
0:45.7	and we're here to change the game.
0:47.8	We're here to change the game.
1:06.5	I don't know. Sometimes life it's going to hit us harder than what we ever thought possible.
1:09.7	The question isn't if we're going to feel the pain.
1:14.7	The question becomes what are we going to do when the pain comes for us?
1:19.1	My guest today, gentlemen, is Brandon Mancini, and he is a former Marine.
1:24.7	He is a professional coach and a man who has been called the Real Life Wolverine. If you're watching us on YouTube today, you are absolutely going to understand why.
1:30.3	Back in 2017, after a tragic accident that should have been the end of his strength, the end of his career,
1:36.3	and quite possibly the end of his life, Brandon defied every single odd. And what could have been
1:42.7	the end of his story literally became the beginning of a brand new
1:47.0	mission.
1:48.0	Gentlemen, what's going on?
1:49.0	My name is Larry Hagner.
1:50.1	I am the proud father of four boys, the lucky husband of a woman who I've been married
1:54.9	to Jessica for the past 22 years on the host of the Dad Edge podcast.
1:58.9	I started this show because I was a guy who wanted to be a
	...

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