Jared Slater, owner of IHT Performance joins Zach Elder and co-host Alex Twenge for a sharp, wide-ranging conversation about Square One, RPR, and the messy reality of training real humans.

If you've ever wondered why one athlete suddenly unlocks speed, why another keeps “failing” rehab, or why trust and environment matter more than most coaches admit, this episode goes deep.

Jared breaks down how he uses Square One as a motor control restoration system built around head and eye position, gait isometrics, and brain state. He contrasts it with RPR, explains why he thinks training is always secondary to survival from the brain's point of view, and shares how that lens changes the way he coaches sprinting, jumping, rehab, and return-to-play. You’ll discover how he screens athletes with gait tests, posture clues, proprioception drills, and force-frame testing, then layers in the kind of feedback that reveals what the body is guarding.

Jared explains how lighting, water, red light, open doors, and trust all influence whether an athlete is receptive enough to change.

Zach and Alex push the conversation further with real-world examples from throwing, back pain, foot function, and movement education in kids - including why so many young athletes can’t squat, lunge, skip, or even move through the basics because their feet, ankles, and movement exposure have been neglected.Then the episode pivots into the business side of building a serious performance facility. Jared opens up about leaving a restrictive job, starting with almost nothing, pricing tiered training in Charleston, and learning how to run a service business without burning out. He also lays out his long-term vision for expansion, why location matters, and how his mother's work ethic continues to drive everything he builds.

Jared Slater is the owner of IHT Performance in Charleston, South Carolina, and an athlete performance coach known for blending strength and conditioning, rehab, data, and neurological principles into one system.Perfect for coaches, clinicians, trainers, baseball people, and anyone who wants a more honest look at what actually moves the needle in performance.

Jared's Stuff:

@iht_performance

@slater_hp

https://ihtperformance.com/

A new baby just exposed the truth behind “bundle of joy”, and Zach and Alex are not sugarcoating what the first weeks of fatherhood actually feel like. If you’re a new parent, expecting, or just wondering why everyone keeps talking about newborns like they’re magical when they’re mostly sleepy, hungry, and furious, this one will feel real in the best way. Zach returns from five and a half weeks of parental leave with a crash course in the chaos, guilt, wonder, and weird comedy of early fatherhood. From contact naps and sleepless nights to diaper explosions and the first tiny smile that makes everything briefly make sense, he and Alex turn a “how’s the baby?” check-in into a brutally honest conversation about what actually changes when your child arrives.You’ll hear them unpack:

• why the early newborn phase can feel more like type two fun than joy
• the pressure parents put on themselves to “love every second”
• how a baby can mirror a parent’s own colicky, high-intensity temperament
• why dads often feel useless at first, and why that’s not a character flaw
• the difference between loving your child and feeling bonded to a personality that’s still forming

Alex brings the outside perspective every new parent needs, while Zach shares what it’s like to live inside the first weeks. The exhaustion, the identity shift, the unexpected gratitude, and the surreal moment when you realize your parents once had no idea what they were doing either. Along the way, they get into grandparent joy, asking for help, and the surprisingly deep question of how much of “self-improvement” is really just self-pressure in disguise.This episode is for anyone in the thick of early parenthood, anyone about to enter it, or anyone who wants the honest version instead of the Instagram version. It’s funny, vulnerable, and far more relatable than the polished parenting advice you usually hear.If you need a laugh, a reality check, or permission to admit that newborn life is hard before it gets beautiful, this is essential listening.

Zach and Alex tackle some of the biggest myths they hear every day as coaches and clinicians, separating common misconceptions from what they've actually seen working with athletes.

From lifting heavy and mobility to recovery, training, and performance, they break down why so many popular beliefs stick around despite the evidence. It's a practical, myth-busting conversation designed to help athletes train smarter and better understand what actually drives long-term progress.

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MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge
Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex sit down for a conversation about coaching, athlete development, and the gap between what people think they’re doing and what’s actually happening.

They discuss feedback, making adjustments, learning new movement patterns, and why improving often starts with being honest about reality instead of relying on perception. The conversation also touches on communication, training, and how small changes can lead to better long-term results. A practical discussion on coaching, self-awareness, and getting better over time.

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MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn
MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge
Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex have a practical conversation about what they’ve learned from building service-based businesses.

They discuss earning referrals through great customer service, why relationships matter more than transactions, when it’s okay to fire a difficult customer, understanding gross vs. net margins, and how to manage your time as a business owner. A straightforward episode on the realities of running a business and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Follow us on socials for updates and more content:
MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn
MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge
Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex break down the first-ever Enhanced Games and the reactions that followed.

They discuss whether performance-enhancing drugs actually delivered on the hype, why so few records were broken, and what the event says about the future of sports. The conversation moves through athlete compensation, Olympic culture, anti-aging trends, and the broader question of how far society should push human performance. A candid discussion on competition, incentives, and the tradeoffs that come with chasing an edge.

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MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn
MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge
Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex dive into two topics that have been getting a lot of attention lately: the state of youth sports and the growing conversation around peptides and performance-enhancing substances.

They discuss year-round sports specialization, overloaded schedules, travel ball culture, and why many young athletes are competing more than ever while playing less actual baseball. Later, the conversation shifts to peptides, recovery, performance enhancement, and where the line should be drawn between helping athletes recover and giving them an unfair advantage. A candid discussion on modern sports culture, athlete development, and the unintended consequences of chasing an edge.

Follow us on socials for updates and more content:
MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn
MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge
Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex sit down for a conversation about confidence, coaching, and the balance between belief and self-awareness in athlete development.

They talk about how confidence can help athletes grow but also hold them back when it turns into ego or resistance to feedback. The episode moves through stories from coaching, observations from working with athletes, and discussions on communication, development, and how people respond differently to pressure and expectations. A straightforward conversation about mindset, growth, and learning how to improve over time.

Follow us on socials for updates and more content:
MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn
MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge
Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex sit down for a conversation about development, coaching, and what actually makes a difference over time.

They talk through what tends to get overcomplicated, where athletes waste time, and how progress usually comes from doing simple things well over a long period. The episode moves through observations from working with athletes and how their approach has evolved. A straightforward conversation about focusing on what matters and cutting out what doesn’t.

Follow us on socials for updates and more content:

MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn

MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com

Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge

Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder

Zach and Alex sit down for a conversation on training, coaching, and what they’ve been seeing lately with athletes.

They talk through what’s working, what’s not, and how athletes respond to different approaches. The episode moves through observations from the gym, adjustments they’ve made over time, and how coaching continues to evolve. A straightforward conversation about development, problem-solving, and figuring things out as you go.

Follow us on socials for updates and more content:

MacStrength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macstrengthmn

MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com

Dr. Alex Twenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralextwenge

Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder