#264 Iron Neck, Mike Jolly, & Adam Davis, Part 2- R2RR
Release Date: 04/15/2026
#266 Coach Katie Guillory Episode 2-BSAR
Be Legendary Podcast
In the second half of this conversation, Katie Guillory shares a side of performance that has nothing to do with programming and everything to do with perspective. She opens up about a period where she had to step away from coaching completely after hitting a low point mentally, and how that decision ultimately changed the trajectory of her life. What followed was a series of events she couldn’t have planned, including an experience at Winter Strong that would later play a role in helping save her life during a traumatic accident. This part of the conversation shifts from coaching to...
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#265 Coach Katie Guillory Episode 1-BSAR
Be Legendary Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Coach Katie Guillory from LSU, and right away you understand this isn’t just a conversation about performance. Katie shares her journey from being a relentless competitor at LSU to now coaching at the highest level, and the path in between wasn’t clean or easy. Multiple knee injuries, constant setbacks, and the reality of fighting to find her role shaped how she approaches performance today. She didn’t always get the outcomes she wanted as an athlete, but she learned how to control what she could, show up for her team, and bring energy every single day....
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#264 Iron Neck, Mike Jolly, & Adam Davis, Part 2- R2RR
Be Legendary Podcast
In part two of this Research to Reps Roundtable conversation, we got practical and broke down what neck training actually looks like. Mike Jolly walked us through the fundamental Iron Neck exercises and explained why multi-planar movement, full ranges of motion, and neuromuscular control matter so much more than just loading the neck in one straight line. What stood out to me was the bigger principle underneath all of it: the neck is not fragile, and training it well is about preparing it to handle the demands of sport, life, and unexpected force from every angle. We also talked about common...
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#263 Iron Neck, Mike Jolly, & Adam Davis, Part 1- R2RR
Be Legendary Podcast
In this Research to Reps Roundtable conversation, I sat down with Dr. Ernie Reimer, Coach Adam Davis, and Mike Jolly, founder of Iron Neck, to dig into a topic that deserves a lot more attention in performance training: neck strength. We unpacked Mike’s personal motivation for creating Iron Neck after watching former teammates suffer from the long-term effects of brain injury, and we explored the research-based connection between neck strength, multi-planar control, and reducing the forces that contribute to concussions. What stood out in this discussion is that neck training is not just...
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#262 Patrick Sapp, Ep. 2- BSAR
Be Legendary Podcast
n the second half, I talk with Pat about how his career evolved into building and leading outside of sports, and why he was able to impact so many different rooms without changing who he was. We dig into what development work really is and why raising major gifts is a competitive space that demands emotional control, resilience, and a deep understanding of people. Pat explains how learning the donor mindset, handling rejection, and finding someone’s “why” became a training ground that translated into everything he did next. From there we shift into the work he is doing now in mental...
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#261 Patrick Sapp Ep. 1- BSAR
Be Legendary Podcast
Patrick Sapp and I go way back to our rookie days with the San Diego Chargers, and this conversation starts right where it should: with relationships, loyalty, and what it means to take care of people when nobody is watching. We talk about how those early years in the league shaped us, what it really feels like to fight for a roster spot no matter where you were drafted, and the kind of leadership and mentorship that shows up in small moments but changes your whole path. Those Chargers teams had strong examples, and we both carried those lessons forward. We also discuss one of the most unique...
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#260 Dr. Paul Comfort, Part 2- R2RR
Be Legendary Podcast
In part two of my conversation with Dr. Paul Comfort, we shift from exercises and metrics to the bigger picture of performance itself. We unpack what performance really means and why it can never be reduced to a single number or test. Performance is technical, tactical, physical, psychological, emotional, and relational. It is how the mind and body work together in real time and how individuals come together inside a team. Paul reinforces that we do not control performance, we influence it. That influence is shaped by belief, trust, communication, and cohesion across the entire performance...
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#259 Dr. Paul Comfort, Part 1- R2RR
Be Legendary Podcast
In this episode of Research 2 Reps, we had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Paul Comfort, whose work has influenced how so many of us think about Olympic lifting, power development, and applied sports science. Paul walks us through how his early research on pull variations reshaped real-world training for athletes who may not be ready for or suited to full catches. We talk about what happens when you shorten the pull, how power and rate of force development can actually improve, and why removing the catch is not the step backward some believe it to be. What stands out is how curiosity in...
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#258 Jason Dierking Ep. 2- BSAR
Be Legendary Podcast
In part two of my conversation with Jason Dierking, we pick up right where we left off and go even deeper into leadership, identity, and what it really looks like to build a staff and a culture that lasts. Jason talks about how he structures his sports performance department, how he intentionally develops his coaches, and why character has to come first if you want sustained excellence. We get into the reality of retention, growth, trust, communication, and why leaders have to create an environment where people feel valued, challenged, and capable of doing meaningful work. Jason also opens up...
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#257 Jason Dierking Pt.1- BSAR
Be Legendary Podcast
In part 1 of this Beyond Sets & Reps episode, I get to sit down with my friend Jason Dierking, the Director of Olympic Sports Performance at the University of Louisville. We talk about his path from growing up in the Midwest to becoming one of the most respected leaders in our profession. Jason opens up about how his faith, values, and love for the training process shaped who he is as a coach and a person. We look back at how the field has changed, how discipline and gratitude were built into him early, and how those lessons still guide the way he serves athletes today. We also get into...
info_outlineIn part two of this Research to Reps Roundtable conversation, we got practical and broke down what neck training actually looks like. Mike Jolly walked us through the fundamental Iron Neck exercises and explained why multi-planar movement, full ranges of motion, and neuromuscular control matter so much more than just loading the neck in one straight line. What stood out to me was the bigger principle underneath all of it: the neck is not fragile, and training it well is about preparing it to handle the demands of sport, life, and unexpected force from every angle. We also talked about common myths around neck training, why control matters just as much as strength, and how this work applies well beyond football to golf, baseball, motorsports, and any environment where posture, vision, reaction, and head stability all influence performance.
We also spent time on the rehab and recovery side, which is where this conversation got even more interesting. Mike shared how athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports medicine professionals are using Iron Neck not only after neck injuries, but also as part of concussion rehab and return-to-play progressions. That led us back to the deeper reason behind his work: protecting brains, especially in younger athletes whose brains are even more vulnerable to long-term damage. As I listened, I kept coming back to the responsibility we have as coaches, practitioners, and leaders to look deeper, question the easy answers, and train the body in ways that truly prepare people for what sport and life demand. This part of the conversation was a strong reminder that neck training is not a niche add-on. It is an important piece of resilience, recovery, and long-term athlete health.
Shoutout to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.