Ben Greenfield is an expert biohacker, strength and conditioning coach, and best-selling author. Ben has worked with CEOs, endurance competitors, and professional athletes from poker champions to NFL players. He joined me to share his wisdom (and his book suggestions) on everything from minerals and their role in human health to parenting advice and the value of tradition. 

For full show notes, visit Joe's website.

BLUblox

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably tried to block out every single spec of light in your bedroom—whether at home or on the road. Well, there’s a better option out there. BLUblox has created this incredible sleep mask that not only blocks out all light but also feels comfortable on your face. It makes getting to sleep and staying asleep that much easier...much like their stylish blue-blocking glasses!

Special Holiday Offer: Head over to BLUblox and enter code RUNGA25 at check-out for a 25% discount.

*Valid now until Tuesday, December 3rd.

Strong Coffee Company

Like many of you, I have a soft spot for coffee, and it’s heartbreaking how tough it can be to find good coffee when on the road or traveling. Thanks to Strong Coffee and its addition of amino acids such as L-Theanine and other nutrients, I don’t have to give up my coffee ritual when I’m away from home! More than just coffee, Strong Coffee is a supplement that leaves me feeling focused, energized and satisfied.

Special Holiday Offer: Get 20-30% off bundle deals* with limited quantity Strong Coffee Company gear. Use code STACKED to receive a free ebook copy of Breaking Fast and RUNGA Mobility Books.

*Valid Friday, November 29th to Monday, December 2nd.

Inside Tracker

Blood doesn’t lie. That is why Inside Tracker not only tests for your most important biomarkers—Glucose, Vitamin D, inflammation and many more—but also tracks your progress, makes dietary suggestions, and even suggests workout protocols to help you find health and wellbeing in your everyday life.

Special Holiday Offer: Use code CHEERSSTACKED for $200 off the Ultimate plan.*

*Valid Thursday, November 28th to Monday, December 2nd.

Brain.fm 

Let me tell you about a little hack I have been using lately: Before every show, I find a quiet place, grab my noise-canceling headphones and head over to brain.fm. With brain.fm you can decide how you want to spend the next few hours of your day— focus, productivity, or relaxation—and brain.fm will play music that has been scientifically engineered to shift your brain in that direction. 

Special Holiday Offer: Receive 35% off this already inexpensive app when you head over to http://brain.fm/stacked or enter code STACKED at checkout.

*Valid Friday, November 29th (Black Friday only).

Support the show

Often called the nightlife maven, Brent Bolthouse is responsible for some of the hottest A-list parties in Hollywood and the iconic Neon Carnival, Coachella’s exclusive, invite-only after-party. In this episode, Brent walks us through the journey of how he went from working at a gas station to creating The Bungalow in Santa Monica, one of California’s most popular bars. This is not just the story of how one man’s journey to sobriety built Hollywood’s nightlife, but a story of finding enlightenment in unexpected places, of the power of gratitude to reshape our lives, and of being in the right place at the right time. This is a story that will make you believe that anything can happen in this life.

“Last year I was pumping gas in Sherman Oaks, and this year, I’m running the nightclub where the Beastie Boys are DJing and Robert Downey Jr is in line.”

Find Brent

Instagram I Facebook I Web

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Inside Tracker

Blood doesn’t lie. That is why Inside Tracker not only tests for your most important biomarkers—Glucose, Vitamin D, inflammation and many more—but also tracks your progress, makes dietary suggestions, and even suggests workout protocols to help you find health and wellbeing in your everyday life.

Special Holiday Offer: Use code CHEERSSTACKED for $200 off the Ultimate plan.*

*Valid Thursday, November 28th to Monday, December 2nd.

Four Sigmatic

I never thought I would see the day where medicinal mushrooms were so widely available and consumable in such delicious, easy-to-drink forms—and it’s all thanks to Four Sigmatic. I drink one of their blends every single day, with Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Superfood Protein being some of my favorite products.

Special Holiday Offer: Get up to 50% off* products with an additional 15% off with code RUNGA (while supplies last).

*Valid Thursday, November 28th to Tuesday, December 3rd.

Strong Coffee Company

Like many of you, I have a soft spot for coffee, and it’s heartbreaking how tough it can be to find good coffee when on the road or traveling. Thanks to Strong Coffee and its addition of amino acids such as L-Theanine and other nutrients, I don’t have to give up my coffee ritual when I’m away from home! More than just coffee, Strong Coffee is a supplement that leaves me feeling focused, energized and satisfied.

Special Holiday Offer: Get 20-30% off bundle deals* with limited quantity Strong Coffee Company gear. Use code STACKED to receive a free ebook copy of Breaking Fast and RUNGA Mobility Books.

*Valid Friday, November 29th to Monday, December 2nd.

Essentia Mattress

Sleep quality is one of the most important ingredients to vibrant health, and yet it’s one that many health-enthusiasts overlook, often focusing more on supplements and sophisticated biohacks. Well, Essentia has developed a truly life-changing mattress that is one of the best investments you can make for your health and your home. 

Special Holiday Offer: 25% off Everything* + 2 Free Latex Cloud Pillows with Mattress Purchase ($300 value). Tatami Hybrid not included. Some exclusions apply. Discount automatically applied at checkout using this link

Support the show

Dr. Paul, Carnivore MD, is the leading advocate of a carnivore diet as a promising solution for a number of common ailments, specifically autoimmune conditions, chronic inflammation, and a number of mental health issues. Paul aims to combat misinformation with verified research and correct the roots of chronic disease.

On this extremely educational episode of Stacked, Dr. Paul has something to say about all the claims made in The Game Changers (if you haven’t watched it, you might want to go do that first). He starts out by contradicting the common understanding about the correlation between cholesterol and heart disease, and then we take a virtual trip back in time to learn valuable lessons from our ancestors. Nothing is off-limits here: We discuss bodily functions in detail, and mince no words in setting the record straight on Vitamin C and heme iron.

• Paul's upbringing: how an MD stumbled on the carnivore diet (3:15)
• Paul debunks myths and breaks down the functions of HDL and LDL cholesterol (8:00)
• What the Framingham study really tells us (16:30)
• Plot twist: High LDL cholesterol can actually extend lifespan in older adults (25:30)
• So what’s the ideal triglyceride/HDL ratio anyway? (31:45)
• What triggered spikes in our evolutionary development? (35:00)
• No, your teeth don’t actually indicate that our ancestors only ate plants (38:00)
• And you wouldn’t be better off in the wilderness with knowledge of plants than a spear (40:00)
• And animals are not just middlemen for plant protein (sorry, Rhonda Patrick.) (51:00)
• And plants are not the only source of Vitamin C for humans (how much is ideal, by the way?) (53:00)
• Sure, heme iron is bad—when you’re a calcium-deficient mouse (57:05)
• You can poop without fiber, and it doesn’t prevent cancer development. There is an interesting correlation with diverticulitis though (1:00:00)
• Does Paul follow eating patterns or take any supplements? (1:13:45)
• We can’t make this shit up: According to The Game Changers, “The more meat men eat, the more quickly they lose their manly manhood” (1:17:45)
• What is the effect of intense exercise on the gut? (1:21:00)
• Will Paul be a carnivore forever? (1:23:45)
• How to get started on a carnivore diet (1:26:30)

Find Dr. Paul

 Instagram I Facebook I Web

Mentioned In This Episode

• The Carnivore Code (Pre-Order)

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Patreon

This episode is brought to you without traditional sponsors reads. Instead, I am introducing you to the Stacked Patreon channel. Your support of the podcast means the world to me and a contribution through Patreon - equivalent to the cost of a cup of coffee or green juice - will help us continue to provide valuable content and also, help us expand how we deliver this content (e.g. video). On top of that, you’ll receive access to exclusive content such as Q&A’s and behind the scenes footage.

To support the show, please head to Patreon today!

Support the show

Stacked 014 - Seeding the Microbiome with Ara Katz

Ara Katz probably knows more about your own gut than you do. She’s the co-founder and co-CEO of Seed, a consumer health company that aims to enhance the wellness of the human microbiome. This trailblazing entrepreneur has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of burnout, and it’s now her mission to combat misinformation and prevent sickness.

We jump right into what Seed does, the meaning of “microbiome,” how seeding works, and what we really need to prioritize when it comes to gut health. It’s basically a podcast version of the Magic School Bus, so hop aboard and join us as we geek out on science, debunk some popular beliefs, and answer some hot-topic questions like “where did all these food allergies come from?” 

• What Seed does: the microbiome, the human genome, and the impact of your choices (1:20)
• People mean the gut when they say the microbiome, but that’s less than half the story (12:30)
• The biological process of seeding, and the difference between vaginal and c-section births (16:30)
• Disclaimer: This science is still really new, and often sensationalized (19:45)
• What’s the most detrimental thing we’re doing to our microbiomes? (25:00)
• You’re not eating enough fiber (28:00)
• If you care about health and wellness, you need to care about the environment (32:00)
• Are whole foods enough, or do they leave gaps? (44:00)
• Probiotics are not a miracle cure (47:00)
• Is it more important to avoid foods that are harmful, or add foods that are healthy? (54:45)
• The best marker of wellness: resilience. How long does it take to return to homeostasis? (57:00)
• Give people what they need, disguised as what they want, and teach them to consider the consequences (1:00:00)
• What’s up with the explosion of food allergies? (1:09:00)
• Fasting and the gut (1:13:00)
• We’ve got some real challenges ahead (1:18:00)
• I want to take my health back. What do I need to do? (1:27:45)
• We’re obsessed with replacing things, when we should just eliminate them (1:31:00)
• The basic stuff is the most important, but it’s difficult and not sexy (1:32:00)

Find Ara

 Instagram I Facebook I Web

Proudly Sponsored By

BLUblox

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably tried to block out every single spec of light in your bedroom—whether at home or on the road. Well, there’s a better option out there. BLUblox has created this incredible sleep mask that not only blocks out all light but also feels comfortable on your face. It makes getting to sleep and staying asleep that much easier...much like their stylish blue-blocking glasses!

Head over to BLUblox and enter code RUNGA at check-out for a 15% discount.

Four Sigmatic

A mushroom a day keeps the doctor away… no, really! Four Sigmatic has a wide variety of delicious superfood (and super-good-for-you) beverages made with medicinal mushrooms. Their Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane is my go-to choice when on the road, and at home, I like to start every workday with a double dose of pure Lion’s Mane.

To receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase, visit

Support the show

Stacked 013 - Living with Integrity & Strength with Dan John

Dan John is an icon in the world of…well, pick one: Olympic lifting, throwing, academia, Highland Games, coaching, instructional fitness writing - the list goes on. After becoming an All-American discus thrower and competing at the top levels of Olympic weightlifting, Dan started coaching the next generations of athletes. Over 40 years later, he’s still going strong.

Dan and I sat down during our lunch break at the RKC II to talk about mortality, building a legacy, and how your goals might be tanking your health. We discuss the differences between resume-building and eulogy-writing, evaluate the characters we’ve encountered at high school reunions, and take some shots at conventional health and fitness beliefs.

• Dan John is a legendary strength and conditioning coach…but that’s just the beginning (1:00)
• The higher you go, the fresher the air…and the nicer the people (6:30)
• Let’s talk about life and death (not taxes though) (8:30)
• Olympic medals don’t make you a good person, and other life lessons (16:30)
• The 10,000-hour rule is actually bullshit, and there’s always someone better, hungrier, meaner than you (19:00)
• 15-20 pushes, squats, pulls, is all you really need in a workout (24:00)
• You can’t have Christmas every day: how to set goals you can accomplish without sacrificing your wellbeing (25:30)
• What do recovery and wedding planning have in common? (28:00)
• The most important practices for longevity: you’ll reap later in life what you’re sowing right now (33:00)

Find Dan

 Instagram I Facebook I Web

Mentioned in This Episode

• Dan’s Books
• Dan’s Workout Plans
• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
• The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance
• Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying) by Bill Gifford
• RKC / HKC

Proudly Sponsored By

Four Sigmatic

A mushroom a day keeps the doctor away… no, really! Four Sigmatic has a wide variety of delicious superfood (and super-good-for-you) beverages made with medicinal mushrooms. Their Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane is my go-to choice when on the road, and at home, I like to start every workday with a double dose of pure Lion’s Mane.

To receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase, visit Four Sigmatic and use discount code RUNGA at check-out.

Brain.fm 

Before every show, I find a quiet place, grab my noise-canceling headphones and head over to my brain.fm app. With brain.fm you can decide how you want to spend the next few hours of your day—focus, productivity, relaxation—and they will play music that has been scientifically engineered to shift your brain in that direction. (See

Support the show

Michael A. Rintala, D.C. (@rintala_movementflow) is a chiropractor in San Diego, California who specializes in chiropractic sports medicine and rehabilitation. He is committed to helping you with your rehabilitation and chiropractic needs. Using cutting edge manual medicine, functional rehabilitation, and diagnostic techniques he strives to bring you the quality of care you deserve.  Dr. Rintala is currently a member of the PGA Tour Sports Medicine Team.

In this episode, we discussed how he found Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) and why he gravitated so strongly to it. We dive deep into the theory and the hypothesis behind it. We also discuss High Threshold Strategies, what they are, how you know you’re in it and maximizing fitness through functional capacity training. Other topics include athletes with long-lasting careers such as Roger Federer, breathing, intention, and up vs. down-regulation.

• Microdosing fitness to mitigate stress (5:30)
• How can you incorporate fitness into your daily patterns? (8:00)
• It’s Seamus’ birthday, and he’s drinking dock sludge (11:00)
• The best way to help people make good decisions is to make them yourself (14:00)
• Seamus is a famous chef, by the way (18:00)
• A knock on the door can change your life. Almost dying can too. (24:00)
• When the student is ready, the teacher appears (33:00)
• The power of stories to effect change (41:00)
• A shift toward feminine energy (43:00)
• The therapeutic value of music (47:30)

Find Michael

•  Instagram I Facebook I YouTube I Web
• More on Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization here

Proudly Sponsored By

Athletic Brewing Co.

Athletic Brewing Co. is pioneering a revolution in non-alcoholic craft beer. They use high-quality, all-natural ingredients to create great-tasting brews, so you don’t have to make sacrifices to your diet and health when you want to enjoy that cold beer on a Friday night!

Head over to Athletic Brewing Co. and enter code STACKED at check-out for a 15% discount.

Support the show

Lois Laynee is a dynamic pioneer and passionate lecturer in the fields of Education, Sleep, Scar Release Healing, Cranio Facial Neuro development, and much more. Lois is the CEO of AZ Sleep Apnea Center, a speaker and educator of oxygen wellness and the creator of the Laynee Restorative Breathing Method. Lois represents the integration of East meets West, blending neurophysiology with cranial facial development, to provide the opportunity to experience less stress immediately through the power of oxygen.

We all have underutilized abilities within each of us, and very few of us are operating close to our human potential. Lois teaches us how every dysfunction starts with an interruption or alteration of connections in the brain. Once these connections are activated and integrated, sleep is restored, pain and anxiety can be reduced, movement is fluid and breathing is effortless. This integration can be achieved in all stages of life to help us sleep, breathe, move, and thrive. The possibilities are truly endless. This episode will thoroughly benefit anyone looking to improve their or their children’s quality of life. Lois even touches on important facets of pregnancy and childbirth.

For the full show notes go to www.coachjoedi.com/stacked

• Brain stem injuries literally twist your brain stem (5:00)
• What does Lois Laynee do exactly? (7:00)
• Cranial nerves, breathing, and the flight-or-flight state (10:00)
• Did you know your teeth conduct electricity? (16:00)
• Learning how to tap potential starts with natural motion (25:30)
• The brain stem is wired to protect us, but shock becomes our norm if we don’t reset it (32:00)
• Childbirth is becoming increasingly unnatural (37:00)
• You can’t get pregnant because you have a...sleep disorder? (48:30)
• The step-by-step process of tongue loosening (55:00)
• Spinning babies: it’s actually a good thing (1:02:00)
• Hum, swallow, and tell yourself you’re safe (1:08:00)
• Airplane stories: a little bit of ice water saves lives. And don’t leave home without vinegar. (1:13:00)
• The Dynamic Functional Cranial Nerve Assessment, that’s not a mouthful (1:20:00)
• It’s easy to fix people, but easy to mess them up again too (1:29:00)
• Can you cure sleep apnea with Turkish get-ups? Lois can. (1:38:00)
• Cranial nerve #5 is a big deal (1:39:30)
• Why can’t Joe put two hands on the kettlebell? (1:42:00)
• Vibration plates are not for everyone (1:46:00)
• The connection between the toes and the pelvic floor (1:51:15)
• Harness the power of nature, don’t try to conquer it (2:00:00)

Proudly Sponsored By

BLUblox

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably tried to block out every single spec of light in your bedroom—whether at home or on the road. Well, there’s a better option out there. BLUblox has created this incredible sleep mask that not only blocks out all light but also feels comfortable on your face. It makes getting to sleep and staying asleep that much easier...much like their stylish blue-blocking glasses!

Head over to BLUblox and enter code RUNGA at check-out for a 15% discount.

brain.fm

Let me tell you about a little hack I have been using lately: Before every show I find a quite place, grab my noise cancelling head phone and pop open this little app called brain.fm. With brain.fm you can decide how you want to spend the next few hour of your day — focus, productivi

Support the show

He’s a James Beard award-nominated chef and an accomplished cyclist, but what you may not know about Seamus Mullen (@seamusmullen) is that he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2007. After flatlining on the table during a hospital visit, he submitted to the tutelage of Frank Lipman, M.D., a practitioner of functional medicine. Through a combination of a diet overhaul, conventional medicine, supplementation and acupuncture, Seamus reversed his symptoms and worked his way back to health.

I sit down with Seamus to talk about different approaches to fitness, his experience living with an autoimmune disease, and his definition of success. Seamus shares one of his favorite truisms—“when the student is ready, the teacher appears”—and explains how it not only influenced his approach to life, but literally saved it. 

• Microdosing fitness to mitigate stress (5:30)
• How can you incorporate fitness into your daily patterns? (8:00)
• It’s Seamus’ birthday, and he’s drinking dock sludge (11:00)
• The best way to help people make good decisions is to make them yourself (14:00)
• Seamus is a famous chef, by the way (18:00)
• A knock on the door can change your life. Almost dying can too. (24:00)
• When the student is ready, the teacher appears (33:00)
• The power of stories to effect change (41:00)
• A shift toward feminine energy (43:00)
• The therapeutic value of music (47:30)

The Seamus 45th Birthday Workout

Buy In: 45 Swings, 48kg

2 Rounds:
45 cal Fan Bike
45 KB Swings, 24kg
45 Chin-Ups / HR Push-Ups
45 Goblet Squats

Between Rounds: 300m Double KB Carry, 24kg

Find Seamus

•  Instagram I Facebook I Twitter 
• Seamus’s latest book: Real Food Heals: Eat to Feel Younger and Stronger Every Day
• Listen to the goop fellas podcast here

Proudly Sponsored By

Kettlebell Kings

Every two weeks we are giving away a $150 Kettlebell Kings gift card! All you have to do is leave us a review on any of our platforms and make sure you are on the Coach Joe DI newsletter to be entered to win.

Athletic Brewing Co.

Athletic Brewing Co. is pioneering a revolution in non-alcoholic craft beer. They use high-quality, all-natural ingredients to create great-tasting brews, so you don’t have to make sacrifices to your diet and health when you want to enjoy that cold beer on a Friday night!

Head over to Athletic Brewing Co. and enter code STACKED at check-out for a 15% discount.

Support the show

Blake Houston is something of a virtuoso. Not only is he an excellent barber, he’s also a personal trainer with a rare approach to fitness. A lifelong fitness enthusiast, he pursued bodybuilding, transitioned into muay thai, and then incorporated yoga and meditation.

Blake takes us through his journey, explaining how he works with his clients to help them understand the value of health in all aspects of life. We discuss the prevalence of injury and constant depletion, unpack the effects of social media on the brain, and explore various pathways to meditation.

• Here’s what’s on the menu for today (5:15)
• Cold and hot immersion can be really stressful for the body(9:30)
• The middle place is actually a good place, and when you think you need your ass kicked, you probably don’t (11:30)
• Your most valuable resources are the people around you (15:30)
• The fitness story: bodybuilding to muay thai to yoga (17:45)
• The yin yang approach (22:45)
• If your hormones are a mess, you’ll never reap the benefits of your workouts (29:30)
• Tarot cards: wait, what? (32:30)
• Joe’s first kundalini experience (39:30)
• Track your time, get your day back (47:30)
• Heart math and body coherence (51:30)
• Porn is causing erectile dysfunction and infertility (55:30)
• Time to go back to our roots. Let’s talk about grounding (1:00:00)
• Blake’s morning routine (Hint: it’s not coffee) (1:10:30)
• Our worst vices started out as sacred rituals (1:19:30)

Proudly Sponsored By

BLUblox

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably tried to block out every single spec of light in your bedroom—whether at home or on the road. Well, there’s a better option out there. BLUblox has created this incredible sleep mask that not only blocks out all light, but also feels comfortable on your face. It makes getting to sleep and staying asleep that much easier... much like their stylish blue blocking glasses!

Head over to BLUblox and enter code RUNGA at check-out for a 15% discount.

Kettlebell Kings

Every two weeks we are giving away a $150 Kettlebell Kings gift card! All you have to do is leave us a review on any of our platforms and make sure you are on the Coach Joe DI newsletter to be entered to win.

Support the show

Regan Burns runs more obstacle course races than you do. It’s a fact. He’s only running 15 this year, but don’t worry, he’s not slowing down. He’s just also busy doing other things like being an actor, a comedian, a personal trainer, an OCR trainer, a running instructor, a psychic, and a dad.

With a laundry list of occupations like that, it shouldn’t be any surprise that this episode is the Godfather of Stacked episodes to date. Regan’s so easy to talk to that the time just flies. We leave virtually no stone unturned on this one: from health trends we wish we hadn’t embraced, to parenting strategies, to reasons why your mindfulness practice isn’t making you happy, to our approaches to alcohol consumption. Buckle up, it’s a hell of a ride!

• Strap yourselves in, it’s a long one (1:00)
• Let’s just sing Four Sigmatic’s praises for a minute (2:00)
• The worst podcast intro ever (7:45)
• What does Regan do all day? (8:30)
• Health trend regrets (13:30)
• Why do we eat food that isn’t great for us? (22:00)
• Let’s get one thing straight: sugar-free isn’t a synonym for healthy (29:00)
• The science of sleep, and how lists of life hacks don’t improve life quality (35:00)
• The reality of OCR (40:00)
• Fitness at the expense of health (46:30)
• Breathwork as an entrance into meditation (1:00:00)
• What’s your diet look like? (1:09:00)
• Joe screwed Regan over once (1:14:00)
• What does Joe the Parent look like? From OCR to parenting advice (1:26:00)
• RIE: not to be confused with rye bread (1:32:00)
• Why does everyone hate kettlebells? (1:52:30)
• How do you know if you’re swinging it right? (2:04:00)
• What “rest day” actually means (2:12:00)
• Burgers and alcohol, oh my (2:22:00)
• If you’re happy, healthy, and with it, then your numbers don’t really matter (2:32:00)
• Best place for the holidays? Iceland. (2:37:00)

Proudly Sponsored By

Four Sigmatic

A mushroom a day keeps the doctor away…no, really! Four Sigmatic has a wide variety of delicious superfood (and super-good-for-you) beverages made with medicinal mushrooms. Their Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane is my go-to choice when on the road, and at home, I like to start every workday with a double dose of pure Lion’s Mane. 

To receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase, visit Four Sigmatic and use discount code RUNGA at check-out.

Athletic Brewing Co.

Athletic Brewing Co. is pioneering a revolution in non-alcoholic craft beer. They use high-quality, all-natural ingredients to create great-tasting brews, so you don’t have to make sacrifices to your diet and health when you want to enjoy that cold beer on a Friday night!

Head over to Athletic Brewing Co. and enter code STACKED at check-out for a 15% discount.

Kettlebell Kings

Every two weeks we are giving away a $150 Kettlebell Kings gift card! All you have to do is leave us a review on any of our platforms and make sure you are on the Coach Joe DI newsletter to be entered to win.

Support the show