Welcome to the Shark Bite show, where we dive into the stories of our members, coaches, friends, and family. Shark Bite fitness and nutrition. All right, let’s go. So, guys, today I’m here with Rich Bellini. He is a member of our Fort Myers gym. A police officer is a friend of mine. He is a military veteran. He’s a huge goofball. And he is a member of the short, short, short brethren with me. So you will find us wearing those without talking about it many times. Alright, man, so talk to me. First off, who are you? How long have you been interested in fitness? What got you into it? Why do you do that?
Rich
All right. Y’all know it was originally from Jersey board.
Nick
Never would have guessed. Right.
Rich
So growing up in Jersey, my father always worked out with my father; he was big in the fitness game and all that stuff. And I remember specifically being very, very young. My dad came back from the gym, and he would make these protein shakes. And I would always have Alizad that looks good. And it smells good. I was like, oh, so my dad would say you can have a sip of this. If you do five push-ups. Oh, so I would start doing five push-ups. And I’d get like a little those Little Dixie cups that you would wash out, then he would fill that up with a protein, like a little bit of protein shake. And then that’s smart. Yeah, so that’d be my reward for doing something active and all that stuff. Cool. So fitness was put into me at a very young age. And my father credits that, and as it progressed, it’s just in control of your body and your health, you know, I saw it with like, not taking care of yourself does. Unfortunately, some sicknesses and, you know, cancers run in my family. So fitness and health are significant. So it’s about our family beliefs and all that stuff because of taking care of yourself. You’re not; no one will take care of anyone except yourself.
Nick
That’s a good way to put it. So what about functional fitness style training? Like what we do now? How did you get into that?
Rich
Okay, so I’ve been in the bro gym for years. Yeah, I’ve been abroad to like it. So until I want to say, God, maybe when I first enlisted in the Army. Yeah. You know, it took for me to get deployed. My most recent deployment and I want to say 2017, When we were in Africa, and they had a box, like just out in the open,
Nick
okay. Like a workout place like a CrossFit gym.
Rich
Yep. Yeah, that was in camp. Lemonnier Djibouti, Africa. It’s called 30 parallel. Crusher. 30 ferula. And I saw, you know, Kyle again. Yeah. So he was in our, yeah, he wasn’t. He was. So he was on overtime. I saw him, you know, just do this. I think I want to say Pat was a power clean and jerk, and it was like doing something. Yeah. And I’ve watched him do this. I’m like, Oh, absolutely not. I’m like, I’m this big gorilla. Look into him. I know. I gotta do it. And when I couldn’t do it, I was like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, this ain’t happening. Well,
Nick
And for the people that don’t know, Kyle is not that large. Um, he probably weighs 140 pounds.
Rich
Yeah. And he is five feet short. Yeah. I’m sorry, this ain’t happening. So once I saw that I was like, teach me. And from there, it just, I did one workout. And that was it. It was just that I was instantly hooked. That’s what when I say like the real hook got me. But I have done CrossFit before. Deploy, like when I was in Florida, at the old location. Yeah, like, but it became my primary source of fitness when I was overseas when Kyle did that lift, and I could not.
Nick
I had the same thing happening. He was the guy in the army, doing the work I called Sydney. So push-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, squats. And man, he just embarrassed me so bad. I was like, Alright, I don’t ever want to do anything different, man. Like, I, I need to do this. And only this. And it’s been since that. I totally resonate with that. So did you play any sports or anything growing up like so you worked out? Right? Were you involved in athletics,
Rich
I did a little football during my senior year. And that was the only sport I played in high school, which waited till their senior year of high school. On the drum lines, I was banging. Okay.
Nick
I mean, until I was in ROTC, which is like fake army stuff before you’re in. Yeah, so you said it’s just as nerdy as bandstop, I promise you, but it was pretty physical, you know? And I remember watching the band guys, and they were pretty physical too.
Rich
Surprisingly. core strength is very much involved. Drum carrying your drum and hanging out with them. Yeah.
Nick
So what brought you from? I think anyone doesn’t know; I think Rich was literally born in the house. Jersey Shore. People came From right.
Rich
A lot of people don’t know that I was actually born. The bathroom that Sammy and Robbie brought in.
Nick
What brought you from that sweet hellscape of Jersey?
Rich
So my father was in corrections in Jersey. He retired pretty early with all His benefits, all that stuff, which was good. But you know, it’s like an arm and a leg to live. Yeah. Yeah. So I think it was a week into his retirement; he was just in the kitchen. He’s like, you know, it’s great that we’re gonna up and leave, like, where are we going? Like, I like Florida. And then my mother, you know, loves the beach. So she picked her like, oh, Fort Myers, pretty close to all that stuff, and like the beaches. So, at the time, I had just recently started. I just started dating Giselle, you know, my wife. So she had family in Cape Coral. So she made the decision to actually move with me and today anyway,
Nick
I’m just so sorry. I’m so sorry. You did that.
Rich
Let me tell you how great Stockholm syndrome is. It is amazing. So she has family in Cape Coral. So my mother was like, that’s why she picked my sister. She’s like, Well, her family right over the bridge. You know, this, this works out. So here we are.
Nick
That’s cool. How long was that?
Rich
There’s always a discrepancy in the data between managers. I say September 2014. Now, at least you convinced me it was that?
Nick
Okay. Around the same time? I did. That’s cool. All right. So are you planning on moving back? Yeah. Okay, so you, you did CrossFit when you were deployed? That’s where you found it. Right. And you worked out at a different gym before being part of SharkBite. Right? When we expanded from Cape to Fort Myers, we absorbed the gym you were part of, right? What’s it been like? Kind of like joining the SharkBite family and getting used to how we do things?
Rich
Very much involved. You know, it’s very happy to see, you know, it’s the same, you know, an approach like Sue O’Brien, you know, they were there when I first did my they when thoroughbreds had their group on, you know, and I had my first coach with Brian and all that stuff, you know, when you think your deadlift is good now it’s not he’ll pick it apart for me on my toes. And you know, being a cop, you need a professor to keep the cop in check because I will articulate and find loopholes to get through. No, no, no way. But it is very much involved, you know, it’s what I like, the bigger group meant a lot more people, always more challenges. Especially like, at these, like, competitions like bloodline balls when you made it. Yeah. You know, like it was, it’s a big thing. It was a big to-do and all that stuff. So, you know, it’s good to have that. That camaraderie or stuff bonding with people I bow to the beach was a blast, too. Yeah. That was just what we intended to do.
Nick
We participate. And that’s been one of my favorite parts about the expansion in the gyms, right? It’s just like literally meeting more people. Like, I think you and I had met once or twice beforehand, but I didn’t really know you. But no, like, I have a real friend that I made from the gym. And I love that I feel like it with each new gym; we’ve picked up three now. I get to keep meeting these, like groups of awesome people I might not have met otherwise.
Rich
Yeah, that is definitely true. Yeah.
Nick
So you mentioned that earlier, your wife Giselle, she comes here to work out with her. What’s it like? What’s it like kind of getting to share recreation like that with her too? I should say, You guys work really weird schedules. Yes. Yeah. Cuz you’re a cop. You know, she’s a firefighter. So your schedules are all over the place. Yeah. Right. Does this help to have something like that?
Rich
Well, when you’re a firefighter,and you have the luxurious, you know, lifestyle, podcast. Um, it worked out, you know, she’s got 20 to 24-hour shifts on, and then she gets like two days off with the shift she’s currently working because she’s going to go to paramedic school. It just still works out. And in line with my schedule. It helps that, you know, she had a very good support system; she definitely made a name for herself in the Fire Academy. And, you know, she got the right people to notice her for the right reasons, a lot of stuff. So they really do bend over backward to help her. And, you know, when her command came up, it was like, listen, her husband’s a canine handler. We don’t want to keep them away to modify stuff. And like, their chief was like, I just handled it, you know, that’s a good look to them. That’s awesome. That’s super cool. So but the 12-hour shifts, especially being a night shift, you know, it’s, it could be a project sometimes getting here. Yeah, because I’m trying to get my recovery in, which is one of my bigger Yeah. I actually just got this whoop; I’m surprised. Yeah, so I’m surprised right now. It surprises me that the recovery section doesn’t say, ” Oh, well, it hasn’t called 911. But it’s, you know, you make it happen, like, this is important to me enough where I make it a priority. But I’ve also learned to make, you know, time outside priority as well as like recovery and like time with my wife and all that. It’s a prime just coming here is just a private like you got to take care of yourself because that those hours they catch up to you, especially on nights when you’re trying to stay up, you know, copious amounts of caffeine you got to take
Nick
Yeah, rabbits. Rabbits, yeah, I can’t do those in America on
Rich
A different side.
Nick
All right. So you touched on it a little bit. You’re a military veteran, right? You were in the army. How long were you in? What were your experiences? Like what do you do?
Rich
So I did eight years. Cool. Okay, I did. I served in the National Guard. Started in New Jersey and came to Florida guard when
Nick
Sierra was transferred to the Florida guard? Yes. Cool.
Rich
Yeah. I was an infantryman. So it’s very demanding on the body, you know, firsthand. Carrying all that way in, though, like, I was always the SAW gunner. So you know, those I know the size of the squad automatic weapons. So it’s the machine gun. And when you’re moving and doing those long heights, you’re hauling? What? 2400 rounds, plus that weapon system plus the three extra barrels plus your MRA plus everything you got on you, and you’re so bad, but then you know, when you’re going lean. Hey, that’s alright. Yeah.
Nick
It’s pretty fun. Yeah, it’s awesome.
Rich
Yeah. So I always did that. I can’t, you know, the experience was amazing. You know, you meet people from all corners of this country. You know you meet people from like, I remember, in boot camp, I met somebody from Puerto Rico. And to me, that was just the craziest thing. And like, just the way he was just explaining how lifestyle is over there, and why he’s in the Puerto Rican National Guard. Because they have their own, you know, they have their own on their guard system. So, you know, just meeting all those people. And, of course, when I went there, one guy I was with heard me ask, like, hey, where can I get a cup of coffee from, and it was like, all the southern boys were like, what do you call it? I’m like, you got this guy from Mississippi coming up? Do you know Chanel? I’ve seen her once or twice. Yeah, you know, if you spend 12 hours in a Humvee with somebody, you’ll learn much about him quickly. Yeah, I’ve met. I’ve specifically like being to Africa, like I’ve in Djibouti, just the most loving human beings I’ve ever really, yes, they, their living conditions aren’t the best, you know, I’ll never forget, we’re walking through just one of the villages just doing to pretty much just a meet and greet, you know, seeing what the village needs and all that stuff. Because we have a base there. And we’re just, hey, does anybody need a job? You know, because we contract the locals. So we’re helping put money in the city. And I’ll never forget, this man just came out of this tiny hut. There is no shirt, raggedy pants, or all that stuff, and see the family inside. And he came up to me, and my buddy said, ” Hey, you guys like to come to eat dinner? And I was like, Lord, forgive me if I’m ever ungrateful. Like it was. This man barely has enough to feed his family. And he came up and asked if we were hungry. So I was, like I said, just the most loving, caring person ever. Like the people had a huge party on base. And when we came, you know, we’re just passing by like, Hey, what’s going on? Everyone’s all happy. And all this stuff. Like, that’s a celebration from watching this lady’s life. Like these people are just happy to be alive. I’m like, and I’m like, my god, I was just complaining about wifi 20 minutes ago. And it definitely puts stuff into perspective. But definitely, you know, it brings humility. And I’m a very humble guy, to begin with. Yeah, but it really, really opened my eyes to a lot of things. So
Nick
Who was just talking to you about this? I think it was on Rachel’s podcast. However, she did mission work, right. And it was like yeah, just seeing how people live in other countries. Gives you a real awareness of what you should and shouldn’t complain about. Yeah,
Rich
yeah. And I always said like, yeah, everyone has their day-to-day problems, everybody, you know, there are those stressors, but like, there’s nobody totally some people have no idea where like perspective really matters. You can’t get that unless you physically get it.
Nick
Yeah, yeah, what you’re describing, I remember exactly like seeing a house where half of it isn’t there anymore. People are still living in it. And houses like you know, the house is a relative term. I’m talking about two and a half; that’s what I mean. Yeah, you know, yeah, some stuff on top. Be right in that you’re when the only other people I’ve heard say that because I feel the same way I was in Iraq, I think whatever I would Iraq, and There was obviously some aggressive stuff, right. But there were also a lot of really friendly people. And I don’t think I would be that friendly if a bunch of people from a different country with guns was hanging out. Right? But they cared; they gave us food, and they’d help us with a tire pop com offer to help. Yeah, it was wild. So you were a veteran; you spent time in the army and decided to get out. Now you’re a police officer, right? You’re a first responder? What is like fitness was more important to you than other reasons, right? Why is fitness important to you now? Why is staying healthy important, you know?
Rich
So this, this is like a huge, huge talking point, like from a belief and all that stuff. Just first responders in general, you know, whether five RT EMT, paramedic police officer, any of that sort, I’ve and I posted like it was a meme on our page of, I think, maybe one or two years ago, and it showed the top half of a gym. And it said the difference of effort you put out here is the difference of could be the difference of life and death out there. And also finding prison life. So you know, that’s part of it. And slowly, that paradigm started to shift for me a little bit. I believe that 100%, but I know I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. But you know, they say train like your life depends on it. Because your fitness, you know, will affect your life, and your life depends on your fitness. But now, somebody’s out of somebody else’s life. Probably depends on your fitness. I, you know, always say, I can live on my own failure. You know, I could be like, maybe if I just conditioned a little more, I wouldn’t get punched in the face that day or something like that, you know, if I come home from it, you know, God, God willing. But I can’t imagine failing someone or some family because I couldn’t push the extra step. After all, I was out of shape. Because I was winded because I couldn’t lift somebody or rip the car door open. We have the tools, but your body needs to push to that limit when seconds matter. Yeah, you could save someone’s life, or, you know, the worst.
Nick
It’s interesting, right? I didn’t understand that I was in the army for the first couple of years. I don’t know why I did. I couldn’t. I don’t know. I don’t have a good excuse for it. I just didn’t, right. Like I wasn’t in great shape. I didn’t care about getting in shape. I didn’t view that as something neat or important to me. You know, but later in my career, I realized similar to you. I think it was once I started becoming a leader, and I was like, oh my god, it’s not just me. Like, it’s if I am not fit enough for the soldiers who work below me or the guys who work next to me like I could make as they die. And that was like a whole different awakening. And I remember definitely being really embarrassed at myself, that I like, couldn’t recognize that before. I was ashamed of that.
Rich
And yeah, I’ve had that realization, too. And it’s just, you know, we’re our own worst enemy. Like, I was like, Yo, man, you know, nobody can get in our heads. Except last. But once we’re in our heads, oh, it’s
Nick
so Jim says that makes his trainer be punished, right? That’s his favorite tagline. He’s talking about the same thing you’re talking about, you know, on his bike accident with him. He gave a great story about when he was an instructor and the NYPD, and he would tell people a very similar story to what you just told them. It’s like, other people are relying on you. Yeah, how important it is to not only be fit for you, you’re being fit to keep other people safe. You’re being fed to keep other officers safe. You’re being fitted to keep the people you’re supposed to protect safe. You know, like, it’s a man I like. I’m getting like, tickle you. I wish I had known that at 18.
Rich
It’s yeah, you know, hindsight is like 20. And, you know, like, the same thing with CrossFit. I wish I wasn’t such a stubborn idiot, dude, bro. Yeah, when I can imagine if I just like this knowledge and stuff. Like when I was what, like, 18? Yeah. God, I wouldn’t. I can’t imagine like to be clear.
Nick
We’re not old enough that we’re out of our primes yet. Right? But like, if you imagine if we’d started this when you’re eight. Yeah, You said you were a 240 got urban Sagana. Right. I was a 240 under my first deployment. So if anyone doesn’t know, that’s like a 30-pound gun you carry around with a ton of other attachments and ammo and stuff. And I weighed like, 170 pounds, you know? Yeah. I try to think, Man, like, if I did what I did now, how much easier that would have been, you know, yeah, how much more comfortable that would have been carrying that big gun on my neck would have not been painful at all, compared to like, no, back then I’m breaking my body in half to do.
Rich
You also have like, you know, these idiots and criminals on the street who do their thing. And they got their puffed up with adrenaline and nice, and you know, somebody’s on adrenaline, going to a different level of durability and all that stuff. And you know, I remember specifically, and I’ll get more into it, like with the most recent shooting on Alico when our guys were shot at trying to stop a home invasion robbery, and we had two canine tracks. We got them both, but I remember being back up on both canine tracks, looking into the woods for these two people that just shot at our guys. So you’re gonna, you know, trying to maneuver through all these wood lines to water and ditches and all that stuff, and you know, and even just backup, you know, you’re watching the guy handling the dog and all that stuff. So afterward when we got them all, my sergeant was making a joke kind of like, you know, everybody was like, shocking gay race like me, like when did like, not to my own horn, but uh, he’d look at me and be like, was bleach ready to keep doing box jumps in the woods? And I was just standing there, chilling, like, alright, yeah, we don’t because, and I and you know, command presence is the big toe, especially so you know, you see like this, you know, out of shape. Um, you know, oh, God, whatever you do is the first one. You’re lazy looking, like out of shape, just not in it. Do you want your life to depend on that guy, you know, do you like, do you think, oh, I can get away when I want with this cop showing up and all that stuff. But like, you know, you try and make that image or like, you know, oh, my god, like, what the hell just showed up on seeing like, we’re not getting away. Like, as a band. I wanted to make it known that what was looking for them would get them, and it wasn’t stopping.
Nick
Yeah, we used to have an idea where, you know, we’d like great houses. The hope was that we didn’t even have to shoot anybody. The idea was that, hopefully, we were intimidating enough. As we came in, they were like, I’m done. No more don’t want to participate in this, you know? And you’re right. If you’re, if you’re bent over looking like a target, that’s nothing that’s not gonna happen. The
Rich
a funny thing was actually said to me, I had one guy when I showed up on seeing all my canine gear at Costco. And I had this guy be like, Oh my God, why is he here? That Machoke-looking motherfucker. And he called me macho, quick, and Eliza Pokeyman. And I’m like, you know, that was the coolest thing. Macho, just beefy looking, poke him on. And I’m like,
Nick
That was funny. That’s like the best compliment, especially for a nerd, and it’s the best. Oh, yeah.
Rich
But he was dead serious. Machoke Lucas. But, you know, it ties into it spiritually and mentally.
Nick
Yeah, that’s what I want to get into next, right? Because, like, you and I were talking about this a couple minutes before we started the podcast. And that, like, we’re both like large dudes with tattoos. You don’t expect people like us to talk about mental health, right? But like, this matters to us, right? Like, what? What is this for you for that?
Rich
So I wrote this on a post on our bright spot Friday; once that, you know, I look forward to coming here more than just to get a workout. It’s because the atmosphere here is therapeutic. You know, just to go and dance. Yes, it’s when and especially like being off shift and just getting off ditching the gear and all that, you know, like now I’m not a cop anymore. Now it’s okay. I’m always rich. But now I really like Rich. And you know, it’s always hugs, smiles, and happiness. You know, anyone that comes in here is always welcome.
Like we’ve known each other for years. Yeah, even the newest members are greeted with, ” Hi, are you doing and you see that, and he’s like, ” Oh my god. Cuz you don’t find that anywhere else. There’s no other gym I like, like your regular bro gyms and all that stuff. Like, you know, Globo gyms. You don’t do that. Yeah, but I was like you here, which always brings out those warm and fuzzies. I like to call them, you know, and it’s just smiles and hugs; I get to see my friends. You know, Hey, how was your day? How’s this going? All that stuff. And like, it’s just so supportive here. Like, you could be like failing your lifts and all that stuff. And a big shout out to sue for lying to me, telling me I’m not a total piece of crap for missing my lifts. You know, I shouldn’t. But you know, it makes me feel better every now and then. And I actually don’t know this. And I do want to share it like that after both OSHAs, so my first shooting was in March of 2020, right before the lockdown. And then, most recently, off a week, I came to class, the first available class when I woke up the next day, like after, after the shooting. And it was just because, after that situation, your adrenaline is going like I couldn’t sit still. And it wasn’t just because, you know, my mind was in a bad spot or nothing like that. It’s just that adrenaline dump is so serious. So I’m like, I’m either gonna sit here, staring at the ceiling, or, you know, play video games. And we’re gonna actually healthily expand this energy. Yeah. So the more recent one in November, when I came to class, and she was coaching, I walked in, and I’m still like that, but in a good way. I’m happy for me, but she’s like, oh, yeah, like, how much pre-workout did you take? And I told her what she’s like, Oh, my God, are you? And I’m pretty sure it was at Ashley that goes here. And you know, I think she saw it on the news. And she just messaged the page and just say, hey, has anybody heard from Richmond and everyone’s talking like, Yeah, I heard their canine involved in shootings and all that stuff like that, and just, you know, my friends that care about me and care about each other that, you know, hey, has anybody heard from him? Because, you know, the news says one thing, and they made it seem like we were all hit, I can understand why people were concerned. But you know, waking up to that, like everybody’s concerned and all that stuff. I was like, oh my god, like, you know, It was heartwarming, you know that people actually care. Yeah. And, you know, they want to know how I like each other, how we all are doing and how we’re taking care of each other. And it’s, it truly is. It’s, it’s humbling, you know, like, it’s, it’s heartwarming, it’s the best way to describe it.
Nick
So how old are you?
Rich
I’m 29. I got a death grip on it because I turned 30. I turned 30 on 30
Nick
Okay, so 29, I’m 32, Right?
Rich
Like, does it hurt when you turn 30?
Nick
Yes. Yeah. And then it hurts every day after that. Oh, no. I find people our age, especially guys our age, man. Like, there’s not a really good way to make friends. You know, I know. That might sound lame to some people, like whatever. Do you think it’s lame? You’re lame like it? Yeah, it’s hard to make friends. If you’re especially in towns, we didn’t grow it right. And I met pretty much every person I care about, like I’m close to, through one of these gyms, you know? And like many of them don’t come in anymore, and that’s totally okay. But you’re right to like having people who care about what’s going on in your life. And that you get to like and care about them, and you get to interact with them. You get to create a community like that. It’s fucking awesome. I always tell people like, you know, I don’t really like working out much. I like getting my ass kicked. Well, hang out with my friends now and like yeah, that’s what we’re doing here. We’re not, I say
Rich
it’s always when I’m rolling around and Matt has copious amounts of pain. Like I need to find new ways to hang on to my friends.
Nick
Alright, so in the short time,e we’ve known each other, right. We’ve done some cool events together, usually wearing short shorts. Yeah, we did a couple CrossFit competitions together. Do you want to talk about this?
Rich
I actually do.
Nick
So we did battle at the beach. Yeah, that was up in St. Louis. And then we did the blue line bra, the amazing bloodline bro as always hosted by blood like CrossFit; really hot, right? Yep. Talk to me about your favorite memories of battling the beach.
Rich
Okay, so battle the beach, you know we show up well actually started the night before when I’m getting you to know, video chatted by you and Mike. You guys. Sorry, Richard. I don’t know if we’ll be able to do it tomorrow. Chung likes kicking me while here I have foam rolling. I got the tiger playing. I’m doing my stretches here, getting videos from YouTube blogging, getting hammered. Like
Nick
We didn’t do a great job communicating our views; our level of seriousness doesn’t matter. But I bought it there.
Rich
Yeah. And he told me, Yeah, so the last card will happen at like 9:30 at night, and I absolutely do not. But what was good was when I realized, I’m like, I got it. I was gonna be hungover and destroy it. Actually, you know what that might benefit me from being contaminated, like a stun. So it was a good time, you know? And once the shorts came on, and all that stuff,
Nick
and I think you know, we didn’t even talk to each other about that. We just both wore shirts and shorts.
Rich
We brought them. I was like, Yeah, I brought these, and you’re like me too, and I’m like, Well, okay. After now, we’re obligated.
Nick
Is that a great photo? We’re about dumbbell snatching. Short wedgies up our ass.
Rich
Those were upside-down McDonald’s arch in there, so that was a really fun time. Yeah, again, a nice poem. It was our work kind of workout. You know, it was like benches and benching and one snatching. The other one that wasn’t fun was the run along Long because I don’t run. That’s why I have a German Shepherd in a car running kick rocks, but the funniest one where I started dying in the water and cracking up was just, and I shouldn’t like it should have clicked the plan when we were on the beat when we ran into the Lord you and me, and we’re smoking all these other dudes I mean granted like you know these other guys I’m looking around like
Nick
They were a lot fitter-looking. Yeah,
Rich
yes, very much, so these gentlemen prepare
Nick
there was there were six ABS on our entire team, and they were all on Mike
Rich
Yeah. We get the water, and we’re smoking these dudes. It gives you know I mean I I know how to move to the water like that and so did you so we were using that term and we were in gas from it, but I’ll never forget when we made the first turn around my boy and here’s Mike’s little self-standing there with the robe. I just tried to find my call, and I died, and oh my god, I just pictured what it would be like if he ran in just come out the ones.
Nick
That said, the workout was something like a long run, and then you’d go out into the water like three times like swim out of these buoys and come back and then do another long run back. And Mike is, you know, three-foot-two. We didn’t want to sit on the water, so we didn’t lose him. For I met with them. Rich and I would go out to the water every time we came back and overtake pretty much everybody in the water. Yeah, time, and then we come back on land. And we smoked. Yeah. And then all these people would blow past those on the run. Yeah. And it was just that cycle over.
Rich
Are you talking so much crap to the people? You’re like, that’s rude. You are, I’m like, this clown.
Nick
I was asking the other teams to please slowdowns. They weren’t embarrassed. They did not appreciate that.
Rich
Yeah. And when we had this plant, we were walking, we were walking on the soft part of the scene, and it was one of you too. And you’re like, hey, let’s walk in the hearts or, you know, the hard part of the sand. So, we got more training, which was a good idea. Yeah, until we did that. And there were all those shells there. And you hear the crack and like, so we have to immediately go back to that was just.
Nick
Terrible.
Rich
We got so bad. And yeah, and then I got, I think it was I forgot his name. He did. He worked on me on the table. Josh, Josh. Yeah, Josh worked on the table. And he finally saw it, like a dismantled human being, and he was like, Oh, my God does wrong. Or you might just tell me, please, it’s so bad. So that guy was like, Oh, we offer this service to I kind of need this. And he did one pinch. And now my squat form is perfect. I was like, outstanding.
Nick
Well, so then we also did the bloodline bra. Right. And that was fine. Because we also wanted that with very low expectations.
Rich
Yes. Yes.
Nick
So we’re doing pretty good. We did amazing. Yeah, way better than I expected.
Rich
Yes. So what do we get? 766? Out of what? 17? Or
Nick
something? We thought we would be in the top 17? Yeah,
Rich
So was it a clown show? Work. And we had this like a solid plan and all that. And we stuck to it. It worked out fantastically. Um, the ACO Blanc, working on the ankle bike definitely helps with the regular. Absolutely. Like, I remember hitting my calories. And I’m like, I’m not exerting that much energy, but I’m getting there. And holy crap, I’m actually doing it. The deadlift portion was hysterical. I think you did one or two things, like halfway. And then you just stretched like you were not there. And I’m like, Oh, my God, I have to keep going.
Nick
With a workout with the deadlifts and the bikes. And I intended to do a little bit more on the bike. Can you do a little bit more of the deadlift? And then I realized I had a pretty good advantage on the bike; you had a pretty good advance on the deadlift. So I think you thought you had two reps left, and I just smacked on the button. I was like, you’re finishing, and I walked away.
Rich
And I just kept going. We did really well on the box. The higher those box.
Nick
48 inches, four inches. Yeah. So
Rich
And I’m like, I got this, I do this. I get paid to do this. So I think it was the first time I jumped over it. We did. I went over first, and here you come. But you went, why? Yes. And I just remember seeing the bottom of your feet coming down. It was like slow motion. I started hearing like Hello, darkness. I’m gonna get my skull stomped. All right, and it’s actually recorded. There’s documentation of me saying I’m okay. Right before you land. I’m gonna get stopped. And you went, Oh, god, okay.
Nick
Yeah, I jumped over and couldn’t tell where you were, and then suddenly popped up. And I was like, too late to move the rest of the room on myself. Luckily, I did not kick you in the face. Yeah,
Rich
That was great. And then we had another workout with that medicine ball. Right? Shoulder. Yeah, yeah. And I was actually proud of myself for how many ropes climb I did. And then I’m gonna, I’m very grateful you had to finish because I did that last rep for me. I looked up like now I’m gonna fall, I’m going to fall. If I do this next one, it’s gonna be bad. So I just did that. And I remember looking at, like, we’re the final standing and all that stuff. And like, especially when they described the last part of the workout and listened to teams who made it. And when we weren’t there, it was like, Oh, thank god. Yeah.
Nick
I, Zach from Atlanta, came up to me and said, you’re gonna love this workout. You better get to the final, and I was like, Ah, you jerk? Yeah, there’s gonna be muscle-ups. And it finally, and I’m not gonna get there. And then that turned out we just barely missed it. And then they show the workout. And I was like, Oh, thank God for rosters and handstand push-ups. The two things I hate the most.
Rich
I remember looking at the standing and where we were. I know I’m coming home, and I don’t know why. We did amazing. Or everybody else had a bad day, and there’s no way I did this.
Nick
I’m choosing to believe that we did well.
Rich
I want to throw out there that, you know, some guys I work with are participating in a bloodline brawl, and our team beats, there are no shots. But that was, you know, that bloodline role really showed where I was and where I improved from and all that stuff. Like I remember, I died on the road, and I read Rich Froning his book, and the rope was his, you know, killer. Yeah, and all that stuff. And he just, you know, the way he broke it down in his book, like, you know, if you suck at something, work on it. Okay, and get paid off. So.
Nick
Alright, so I feel we will have some more events in the future. That would be fun. So next time we do one of these, we’ll talk about those. If you were going to talk to someone who was scared to get stopped by a tornado and had preconceived notions about things like, what is this kind of working out right? And you want to help me get started, what would you tell him?
Rich
You know, I’d have to condense everything I just told you. That’s pretty much it, you know, I would have to tell him, you know, what, what, when and when do you want to comment? When do you want to, and I’ll be like, you know, I’ll be there too, and I just met these people to be in the atmosphere walk in and tell me if you’re, you know, your fears will be dispelled about anything. And it’s just the walk like I said, the welcoming atmosphere, everyone’s always happy to see each other even if you’re brand new, you’re just there’s this excitement that, you know, somebody’s just interested in coming here. And, you know, if you think you can’t do a movement, you know, that’s your, your mind setting your own limitations. And I tell people all the time, they’re like, oh, you know, there’s no way I could, I’d be able to deadlift, you know, just the ball, I can’t do this on my back and stuff. Like, there is a modification for everything. You know, I remember working on my deadlift form, I got smoked with a PVC pipe, and it was just working on my form. I’m like, this is absurd. So I tell you to know, whatever fears they have, and it’s normally just like, you know, walking in and not knowing what to do. And I tell people, you are never alone.
In this gym, you are never in the dark; there is not one second you will be confused or, you know, not know what to do. And if you are, and before you can even say, I need help. Somebody’s already there asking how you are doing? Do you need help with something and all that stuff? There’s so much wealth of knowledge here. A couple buddies I work with are trying to come here now. And I tell them like just go there, man. Just walk in. I can tell you tumbling in the face how great this play this place is, and I will, but you gotta feel it. Yeah, it really, really is amazing here. And just, like I said, it’s therapeutic, you know, you could be having a bad day, come here, get smoked. And you come out and be like, you know, like being so bad.
Nick
For almost 10 years. And that still happens to me. You know, like I have a bad day, I’m stressed. You know, we’re a pretty big business now. We have lots of things that pop up out of nowhere, and I’m just like, I can do a class; I feel so much better. My day changed immediately.
Rich
Yeah, definitely. Especially like, I’m coming here, which is, I’ll tell you to know, our demanding schedule. And you know, sometimes we don’t see each other for maybe a day or two, just from sleep patterns and all that stuff. But you know, our time is spent here. And I tell people, you’re joking. Like, yeah, I’m gonna go to the bar with my wife. And then we’re posting pictures, or we’re CrossFit. And they’re like, Haha, I get a bar because it’s you know, that’s, that’s time we’ll spend you know if you have friends, you know, get your friends to get your family to come here too. It’s, it’s actually you know, they say, you know, suffering is a good way to bond to avoid embracing it is yeah, so, you know, that’s, that’s time well spent with my wife too. You know, just pushing each other, motivating each other on stuff. Asserting dominance, you know? So, yeah, oh, god. Okay, so, the disclaimer that she’s she, she’s been so humble and modest about her abilities lately. And lately, she’s just like blossomed, and I’m so happy, but at the same time, I’m like, oh, no, she realized her potential, and she’s doing these like same thing like she’ll be doing open work and she’s like, Oh my god, I’m actually doing it and she’s smoking me, and I’m like, no, no, no, no, no. And I’m like, she’ll stop recording stuff. She now realizes that she’s like very, very good at this, so say you were holding yourself back for you know, you don’t want to get sore or hurt or all that stuff but like well you’re throwing this weight around like a joke. You made me look like an idiot. I think I was wondering, um, I don’t think you know, we pretty much covered it, you know, I love talking about this place just hanging out here. Yeah, I A big shout out to when you know she joined the right side of the family who aside all that stuff they shout out to all the other first responders I go to his gym and all that stuff you know that have done much more before me and you know, our veterans too. Thank you for your service, bro. Yeah, I’m, you know, there’s so much more I could say about this place and what we do and, you know, the community and on we all have, but I’ve been talking for hours.
Nick
We love having you know; we love coming here, brother. All right. Thanks for hanging out with us today on the Shark Bite show. If you’d like to get a hold of us, you find us on Facebook or Instagram at Shark Bite fitness Nutrition or on our website at SharkBiteFitness.com. If you’d like to learn more about our guests, their information will be in the show notes. If you’d like to talk to us about getting more fit. Feel free to schedule a free no-sweat intro at one of our locations in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples, Florida.
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