Davis Diley, entrepreneur, content creator, and competitive strongman—joins the show to challenge one of the most common fitness myths: that more training equals better results. Drawing from his own journey pushing elite numbers in strength while juggling business and content, Davis breaks down why recovery, frequency, and nervous system management matter more than just intensity.

He explains how training less—but smarter—has led to bigger lifts, fewer injuries, and more consistency over time. It’s a refreshing, no-BS take on performance, discipline, and letting go of the grind-for-grind’s-sake mindset.

00:00 Introduction
01:00 Kicking off inside a $55,000 home gym setup
04:46 Planning and building a professional-grade home gym
07:15 How the pandemic reshaped fitness content and workout habits
08:10 Davis’ gym journey, football and a hunger for control
10:47 Discovering bodybuilding as an outlet for personal responsibility
14:17 How training helped avoid distractions and anchor discipline
16:18 Is fitness coaching too saturated for newcomers?
20:12 Navigating conflicting advice and finding trusted voices
22:32 Trimming the fat from training as an advanced lifter
25:36 Going all in on food, focus, and gym execution
28:00 Building and scaling your own fitness app the hard way
34:45 Davis’ unexpected viral moment sparks a new career path
38:58 Why content creation never gets easier, just more demanding
45:46 Crafting standout short-form videos with just a phone
49:13 Shifting from aesthetics to long-form content and longevity
51:00 Strongman days, extreme bulking, and chasing World’s Strongest Man
58:09 Narrowly avoiding steroids after a career-altering back injury
1:02:16 Staying lean, staying motivated, and the mental cost of shredding
1:09:35 Meals, volume, and why boring food is killing your cut
1:11:38 Travel routines, smart walking, and eating without spiralling

» Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life: https://www.digitalplaybook.net/
» Transform your physique: https://www.thrstapp.com/
» My clothing brand, THRST: https://thrstofficial.com
» Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston
 • 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO
 • 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO

» Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/
» Join WHOOP – get your first month for free: https://join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst

» Follow Davis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davis.diley/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davis.diley?lang=en