In this episode of Truth Serum, I sit down with Rob Wilson, a human performance specialist and the mind behind Check Engine Light.

We break down why performance rarely falls off all at once and how most high performers miss the warning signs long before things go sideways. Sleep disruption, mood changes, lingering fatigue, pain. These aren’t random. They’re signals.

We talk about treating the body like a performance system instead of something you can just push harder forever. Why burnout is usually a failure of awareness, not effort. And how staying sharp is less about motivation and more about paying attention to what’s already happening.

This episode is for anyone who takes performance seriously and wants to extend their runway instead of learning the hard way.

Learn more about Check Engine Light

https://www.instagram.com/thecheckenginelight/?hl=en

https://www.wilsonhealthandperformance.com/check-engine-light

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast #checkenginelight #robwilson

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Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

00:00 Intro

01:30 Rob’s background in human performance

04:10 Treating performance as a system

08:45 What “Check Engine Light” really means

13:30 Early warning signs before breakdown

18:40 Sleep disruption, mood, and fatigue

24:55 Why pain is usually a signal, not the problem

31:20 High performers missing the signs

37:50 Stress, pressure, and decision making

44:15 Why self care misses the point

50:40 Training for durability, not output

57:30 Performance decline doesn’t happen suddenly

01:04:10 Staying operational under long term stress

01:11:30 Catching signals before things go wrong

01:19:00 Final thoughts on sustainable performance

Greg “Vick” Navickas leads human performance for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare training and is the founder of Echotyr, a platform built to connect operators and high performers with elite training, performance, and support resources.

In this episode, we break down how modern warfighters are trained more like tactical athletes, why sleep is the true foundation of performance, how brain health and traumatic brain injury are changing readiness, and why future conflict demands a different level of human resilience.

Vick shares how military performance systems translate to business, sport, and leadership, along with how Echotyr is helping bridge the gap between elite operational knowledge and real-world application.

Echotyr Website

https://echotyr.com/

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

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TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

In this episode of Truth Serum, I sit down with Steve Petre, the Executive Performance Chef for the UFC, to break down what really goes on behind the scenes to keep fighters fueled and able to make weight at the highest level.

Steve shares how fighters are supported through training camp, weight cuts, and fight week, including the attention to detail required to fuel performance without missing the scale. They talk about traveling to different countries for UFC events, how food is sourced and prepared in foreign locations, and the challenges of maintaining consistency while cooking across cultures and environments.

Steve also walks through how he got started with the UFC, what led him into one of the most demanding roles in professional sports, and the lessons learned along the way. To close it out, he offers practical advice for people who are new to cooking and want to build confidence in the kitchen.

This episode pulls back the curtain on elite preparation, global travel, and the standards required to perform at the highest level.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

On this episode of Truth Serum, I sit down with Ray Thompson, one of the most accomplished karate coaches in the United States and the man who laid the foundation for Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson.

We talk about Ray’s early years and the origins of when he was fighting himself. His childhood, how he was raised, and how those experiences shaped his mindset around discipline, respect, and work ethic. Ray shares what it was like growing up in a tougher era, why those lessons still matter today, and how they influenced the way he raised his own children.

We also get into parenting. What Ray believes parents today are getting wrong, why kids need more structure and accountability, and how raising tougher, more resilient children starts with consistency, standards, and leading by example.

This conversation is about legacy, responsibility, and raising strong people in a world that has gotten a little too comfortable.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle - Use code: 10SAVINGS to save an additonal 10%

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

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Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Chris Camacho is the strength coach behind legends like Daniel Cormier and Gennady Golovkin.

In this episode, I sit down with Chris to talk through past fight camps, the realities of preparing athletes at the highest level, and why great coaches must always put their athletes first even when pressure, money, and expectations are high.

Chris also opens up about the motorcycle crashes that nearly ended both his and his brother’s careers, and how those experiences reshaped his perspective on training, risk, and longevity.

This is an honest look at championship preparation, coaching integrity, and the lessons that only come from surviving the hardest moments in sport.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle - Use code: 10SAVINGS to save an additonal 10%

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

On this episode of Truth Serum I sit down with Dan Ige to break down the night everything changed. When Diego Lopes needed an opponent on short notice, Dan stepped in and delivered one of the most respected performances of the year. We talk through why he took the fight, what was going through his head backstage, and how that moment reshaped the way fans and fighters see him. Dan opens up about the role his faith plays in how he competes, the support he draws from his family, and how his Hawaiian upbringing shaped his resilience and mindset. This is a real look at the night he became a UFC star.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle - Use code10SAVINGS to save an additonal 10%

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

In this episode I sit down with UFC world title winning coach Eric Nicksick to unpack the path that took him from a football coach to one of the most respected leaders in mixed martial arts. Eric tells the full story of how he ended up in the corner for some of the biggest fights in the world, and what he learned along the way about culture, accountability, and building fighters who can handle real pressure.

We revisit the night Dan Ige stepped in on short notice and how that decision shaped Dan's career. We talk about why a fighter’s wife or partner often has more influence than people realize and how that dynamic can make or break an athlete in camp. Eric also gives his honest take on the truth about Sean Strickland, the human behind the headlines, and what most people get wrong about him.

This conversation is packed with leadership lessons, real stories from the trenches, and the mindset that produces champions.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Jon Heck has lived the evolution of college football, from suiting up for UNC to coaching strength and conditioning at both Troy and his Alma Mater. He’s worked with elite athletes chasing the NFL and everyday players chasing their peak, and his approach to performance goes way beyond the weight room.

In this episode, Jon and I get into his exact methodology for getting in the best shape of your life, the training systems, the nutritional principles, and the mental discipline that separate elite performers from everyone else. We talk about how NIL has reshaped the mindset of college athletes, what’s really driving performance in the modern game, and why accountability and consistency still beat talent every time.

This one’s packed with truth about training, recovery, and the new world of college football, straight from a coach who’s lived it at every level.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products

Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance.

👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Work with Jon

https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/brand/Hammer%20and%20Chisel

Jon's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/what_the_heck71/?hl=en

 @HammerAndChiselPerformance  

#TruthSerumPodcast 

Follow Truth Serum Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

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TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Jordan Sullivan (The Fight Dietitian), has fueled some of the most elite MMA fighters and endurance athletes on the planet. In this episode, we break down what it really takes to perform at your absolute limit, whether you’re cutting weight for a fight or running 100 miles through the mountains. Jordan reveals why most athletes are under-fueled, over-trained, and chasing bad advice. We talk carb timing, sodium balance, recovery nutrition, and how to make weight without killing your performance.

From UFC fight week to ultra marathons, this is the real science of human fuel, not the influencer version.

If you’ve ever wondered how to push further, recover faster, or perform stronger, this one’s your blueprint.

✅ Fuel Your Performance – Protekt Products Electrolytes that actually work. Liquid, clean, and built for warriors. Hydration, energy, and recovery—backed by science and performance. 👉 http://protekt.com/truth

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel. 👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Jordan's Website

https://thefightdietitian.com/

Jordan's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the_fightdietitian/?hl=en

#TruthSerumPodcast Follow

Truth Serum Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/truthserumpodcast_/?hl=en

TikTok: @TruthSerumPod

Website: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

Newsletter:

https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/truth-serum-weekly-newsletter/

Performance coach Mike Dolce joins Truth Serum to dismantle the soft culture that’s taken over men’s health and the UFC. He reveals how to rebuild strength from the ground up, through nutrition, discipline, and the daily pursuit of something greater. This is a blueprint for men who want to win at life again.

✅ Protekt Ultimate Sideline Giveaway

👉 https://protekt.com/collections/2025-ultimate-sideline-giveaway

🏋️‍♂️ Train Hard. Recover Harder – Tuft & Needle 

Better sleep = better performance. Upgrade your recovery with the only mattress I recommend. 

👉 https://tuftandneedle.attfm2.net/c/5951425/662499/10403

🥩 Wild. Healthy. Sustainable – Maui Nui Venison

The most nutrient-dense red meat on the planet. Ethically harvested wild venison from Hawaii—packed with protein, low in fat, and insanely delicious.

👉 https://mauinuivenison.com/truth

🍲 Real Food That Never Fails – Essential Provisions LLC - Save 10% with the link below

Shelf‑stable meals and performance blends built on Chef‑crafted, clinical‑nutrition principles. Up to five years of ambient storage, gluten‑free, non‑GMO, preservative‑free, and developed originally for Special Forces. Meals that taste like homemade but work like mission-critical fuel.

👉 https://essentialprovisions.com/discount/TRUTH10

🔪 Blades You Can Bet Your Life On – Half Face Blades

Crafted for operators, adventurers, and people who demand the best. These knives are no joke.

👉 https://www.halffaceblades.com/

Mike's Website

https://thedolcediet.com/

Mike's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thedolcediet/?hl=en

#TruthSerumPodcast