Firefighter, strongman competitor, and Supp Dawg founder Chris Northern joins the show to talk about staying in the game for 10+ years, how strongman made his bench stronger, and why he formulates supplements with “everything that works and nothing that doesn’t.”

What you’ll learn

• From PL to Strongman: Why Chris moved from a decade of powerlifting to three years of strongman—and how pressing events drove his bench from 396 → 427 in the gym.
• Make it fun (and last): The “titration” mindset to avoid burnout and keep training light, competitive, and enjoyable.
• Train when life is chaotic: How a career firefighter balances 24–72-hour shifts with progression—split heavy days and accessories, control what you can, and put the phone on Do Not Disturb.
• Supps with integrity: Why Sup Dog launched high-stim “Shock Collar” alongside a non-stim formula that stacks cleanly (half-and-half for 200 mg caffeine + full pumps).
• Sleep you feel (not groggy): The thinking behind Rough Night—a melatonin-free approach built around ZMA, botanicals, and hops.
• Cutting & water management: How their thermogenic helps fasted cardio and weight cuts (thermogenesis + dandelion root).
• Creatine, upgraded: Buff Dog adds electrolytes + pH buffers for absorption and fewer GI issues—why Chris ate the cost to keep the formula right.

Chapters (timestamps)

• 00:03 — Intro + who is Chris Northern (firefighter, strongman, founder of Sup Dog)
• 00:58 — Powerlifting roots, hip injury, and switching to strongman; Arnold firefighter comps
• 05:41 — Keeping training fun; overhead work that pushed bench strength up
• 23:36 — When to call a rest day; focus rules (timer on, phone in the bag)
• 30:46 — Thermogenic, weight-cut lessons, and broader product lineup
• 31:40 — Why buffer creatine (Buff Dog) and clearing up dose myths

Mentions & takeaways

• Supp Dawg: Shock Collar (high-stim), Non-Stim Pre, Rough Night (sleep), Thermogenic, Buff Dawg (pH-buffered creatine).
• Programming gems: Rotate movements to keep progressing; split heavy lifts vs. accessories around shift work; “control the controllables.”

Enjoy the episode—and if this helped, follow the show, drop a rating, and share it with a training partner who needs a spark.