Zach and Alex sit down with Hewitt Tomlin, co-founder and CEO of TeamBuildr, to talk entrepreneurship, leadership, and the business of building a strength and conditioning software used by coaches around the world.

They dive into the evolution of TeamBuildr, what it takes to grow a company in a fully remote environment, and how Hewitt’s leadership philosophy has helped create a lasting culture of trust and accountability. Later, they explore the role of AI in strength and conditioning—and what innovation really means for coaches and athletes in the modern era.

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

Alex and Zach tackle two big topics this week—how the education system is shaping young athletes and where brain technology is heading next.

They open by discussing motivation in schools, why failure is necessary for growth, and how redefining success can change the way kids learn and train. Later, they dive into the latest wave of neurotech: wearables that track your brain activity, sleep cycles, and mental readiness. From classroom reform to EEG headbands, this episode is about how humans learn, adapt, and perform better.

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

Zach sits down with entrepreneur and author Brian Slipka, founder of the True North Family of Companies, to talk about faith-driven leadership, building a holding company from scratch, and why character always outlasts profits.

They dive into Slipka’s book Winsome and its five-pillar framework, explore vulnerability in leadership, and unpack the dangers of self-deception—why, as Slipka puts it, “we deceive ourselves with the smallness of our compromises.” This episode blends business wisdom, personal faith, and practical lessons for anyone looking to lead with integrity.

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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
Brian Slipka Website: https://www.thetruenorthfamily.com/learn-more

Zach and Alex open this one with a breakdown of new bat tech—including their take on Deleno Bats’ latest bat release—and what actually counts as “innovation” in baseball. Then the episode shifts toward the mental side of sport: how memory works, why we tend to forget big moments, and how athletes can train awareness as a skill.

They explore everything from pattern recognition and cognition to flow state, identity, and whether we’re doing skill development all wrong.

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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

Louie Varland joins Zach and Alex just weeks after being traded from the Twins to the Blue Jays. He shares what it’s really like to get “the call,” pack up overnight, and show up in a new city mid-season. They talk about his recovery routine during a career-high workload, how different teams structure their bullpens, and what it takes to stay consistent when everything around you changes. This one’s all about adaptability, mindset, and life inside the chaos of professional baseball.

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MacStrength Website: https://www.macstrengthmn.com
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Coach Zach Elder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachzachelder
Louie Varland Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louievarland

Alex and Zach reunite after a summer break to catch up on everything from international travel to broken economic systems.

They swap stories from Croatia, Hawaii, and Korea, unpack how travel reshapes perspective, and discuss how different cultures handle work, rest, and performance. The guys also touch on burnout, nutrition, school structures, and why most U.S. athletes are learning movement all wrong.

It’s a mix of storytime, rants, and insights into what actually makes athletes adaptable in a globalized world.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.
@coachzachelder @dralextwenge @macstrengthmn

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

#macstrength #athletedevelopment #sportsandperformance #youthsports #internationalperspective #travelandtraining #sportsperformance #coachingmindset #recoverymatters #movementtraining #athleteburnout #trainlikeanathlete #sportspsychology #collegebaseball #mobilitytraining #economicliteracy #adaptableathletes #globalcoaching #fyp #spotify #reels #podcastersofinstagram #culturalperspective #hardtokill #athletelife #baseballtraining

Alex and Zach go deep on creatine—again—after their interview with Mark Faulkner shook their confidence in monohydrate. They unpack new thoughts on HCl dosing, gut health and inflammation, fertility science, and why every lifter should probably eat more fiber. Later in the episode, they talk foot function, knee rotation, and what it actually means to be “hard to kill.” This one covers everything from bowel movements to barefoot training.

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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 sit down with Mark Faulkner, founder of CON-CRET Creatine, to talk about his journey from forensic toxicology to inventing one of the most patented creatine formulas in the world. They cover the steroid era, supplement scams, performance enhancement ethics, the surprising benefits of creatine HCl, and what it was like dealing with real-life doping scandals from inside the lab.

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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

Mark Faulkner / CON-CRET Creatine:

Official Website: https://www.con-cret.com

In Episode 31, Zach and Alex fly solo for a fun, chaotic ride through the quirks of professional sports. They break down the legendary “Masters Marker” in golf, emergency backup goalies in hockey, and Zach’s time unpacking Jose Abreu’s massive pants. The guys also compare golf and baseball tech, rant about NBA bench seating, and propose a fan-fighting policy for pro athletes. If you love odd sports rules, behind-the-scenes stories, and banter—you’ll love this one.

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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 are joined by Jacques Wilson, a D1 golfer turned professional amateur, to talk about his journey through Minnetonka High School, the University of Kansas, Charleston Southern, and beyond. They dive into how the culture of golf is changing, the rise of the Grass Clippings League, the realities of training and competition, and why competitive reps—not just practice—separate winners from pretenders.

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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

Jacques Wilson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jwilsongolfs/