CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:06
Meeting Pat McNamara: badass reputation, aging, and staying hungry
Joe welcomes Pat McNamara and immediately frames him as the kind of person you’d want around in a crisis. They talk about why people use age as an excuse to stop training and how consistency beats “secrets.” Pat explains the idea that many men can be at peak fitness in their mid-40s—if they train intelligently.
- 1:06 – 2:21
Battle-worn body: reconstructive surgeries and injury stories from a long career
Pat details the physical toll of a special operations career: surgeries, broken bones, and accumulated trauma. He and Joe compare notes on knee reconstructions and recovery timelines, including graft types and how injuries can reoccur if you return too fast.
- 2:21 – 8:11
From military rehab to Combat Strength Training: rebuilding the “combat chassis”
Pat explains why he created his own training system after leaving the military—his body needed a sustainable approach that still built real capability. Joe and Pat connect the training to functional durability rather than gym aesthetics.
- 8:11 – 11:54
Range-life workouts: improvised training and who shows up to tactical courses
Pat describes his heavy travel schedule running tactical courses and how it led him to train wherever he was—often right at the range using what’s available. He explains the wide demographic in his classes and how “range workouts” became part of the culture for attendees.
- 11:54 – 17:19
Functional training philosophy: transverse plane, “life-saving and ass-kicking” fitness
Pat lays out his core training philosophy: most people train in the sagittal plane and neglect rotational/transverse strength that matters in real life. He also defines four reasons to train—health, saving yourself, saving others, and fighting capability—while dismissing purely cosmetic motivation as secondary.
- 17:19 – 27:15
Cardio, warmups, and shooting under stress: interval conditioning with purpose
They discuss how Pat approaches conditioning through circuits that hit anaerobic thresholds to build aerobic capacity, and why warmups matter more with age. Joe connects this to hunting competitions and Pat explains his “shot impossible” style drills—hard physical work followed by demanding precision shots.
- 27:15 – 34:51
Coaching everybody: modifying courses for seniors, disabilities, and Parkinson’s shooters
Pat explains that his official training courses aren’t extreme physical gauntlets because his students include older people and those with serious medical conditions. He tells a story about adapting rifle support for a 77-year-old student with Parkinson’s so he could still participate meaningfully.
- 34:51 – 42:56
Rock Steady Boxing: Parkinson’s training, purpose, and the end of excuses
Pat describes how his gym supports a Rock Steady Boxing program for people with Parkinson’s, emphasizing movement, coordination, and community. Joe and Pat tie this to broader motivation: if people with severe limitations can show up, common excuses about time and effort don’t hold up.
- 42:56 – 58:29
Recovery, lifestyle, and diet discipline: beer, bourbon, and “eat food” simplicity
Pat says he doesn’t rely on modern recovery tools like saunas or cryotherapy, joking that beer is part of his recovery ritual. He explains how diet discipline (meal prep, whole foods, grocery store “periphery” shopping) lets him enjoy indulgences while staying lean and capable.
- 58:29 – 1:04:43
Rebuilding after retirement: depression, rock bottom, and the decision to fight back
Pat opens up about his difficult post-military period: depression, a destructive relationship, heavy drinking, and instability. He describes a pivotal moment in 2013 where he decided he wouldn’t be defeated, used training as a lever to change his life, and began rebuilding from scratch in his late 40s.
- 1:04:43 – 1:12:19
What Pat enjoys most: motivating through fitness and helping others find momentum
Joe asks what Pat likes best—social media, training, or shooting—and Pat says workouts have the widest reach. They discuss how being told you’re motivating others can fuel a motivator, and how one good day can create momentum that changes a life.
- 1:12:19 – 1:22:29
Building the brand: social media platforms, impersonators, analytics, and community
Pat explains how he got into social media after someone impersonated him, and how his wife helped him learn the platforms. He describes using analytics to understand what his audience wants, posting short instructional videos, and spending significant time engaging with followers.
- 1:22:29 – 1:29:40
Fight training, carrying while training, and managing a degenerative neck
Joe notices Pat blending martial arts concepts into workouts; Pat explains the real-world intent and why he sometimes trains with an unloaded carry setup to ensure movement compatibility. They get into his degenerative spine/neck issues, numbness symptoms, and tools like inversion tables and decompression to manage it.
- 1:29:40 – 1:41:22
Hobbies and wilderness “privation”: drawing, birdwatching, and grizzly-country trips
Pat explains how he balances his high-intensity work with many hobbies—art, music, fishing, and time outdoors. He describes yearly wilderness trips focused on navigation, self-sufficiency, and controlled discomfort, including frequent grizzly encounters and the importance of carrying both bear spray and a pistol.
- 1:41:22 – 1:42:11
Wrap-up: where to train with Pat (courses, CST, Instagram, YouTube)
Joe closes by giving Pat a chance to share his main websites and where people can find his programs. Pat lists his tactical training site, Combat Strength Training resources, and his social channels for workouts and shooting content.
