Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

In this episode the guys sit down with Jared Pobre, founder and CEO of Caldera Lab, to tell the full origin story of how he created a new category of skincare for men. Jared shares how moving to Jackson Hole at 40 with a new baby wrecked his skin and led him to use his wife's products — and why that sparked the idea to build a premium natural skincare line specifically formulated for men's thicker, oilier, testosterone-managed skin. He breaks down the product development process including wild harvesting survivor plants from the Wyoming wilderness, running clinical trials before launching, why they use exosomes as a delivery system, and why natural actives that work with your skin's microbiome beat harsh retinol-based products every time. The guys share how they started working with Caldera Lab near the beginning — Adam's psoriasis, Justin's dry skin and Sal's oily skin all responding the same way — and why their audience became some of Caldera's highest value customers. Jared also reveals that Caldera is now Nordstrom's number two men's brand just months after launch, has nearly 70% customer retention, and is growing high double digits this year.
 
Caldera Lab: https://calderalab.com/mindpump
Code: MINDPUMP20 for 20% off your first order.
 
GUEST LINKS
 
Jared Pobre — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredpobre
Caldera Lab: https://calderalab.com
Instagram: @calderalab
 
LINKS
 
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
0:00 - Intro
1:03 - Why Jared started a skincare brand for men — Jackson Hole, turning 40 and a new baby
3:05 - How he saw the early signs of men caring about skincare before anyone else did
5:42 - Why men's skin is fundamentally different — 25% thicker, twice as oily, managed by testosterone
6:42 - Why he refused to copy women's formulas and started from scratch with actives
8:48 - How the skincare industry works — the dirty secret of white-labeling and brand shortcuts
10:45 - Why going all natural is far more complicated and expensive than chemical formulations
13:06 - Why every men's skincare brand before Caldera Lab failed — and why that was a green light
15:07 - How Caldera launched in January 2019 with 10,000 units and immediately started selling
17:47 - Customer loyalty nearly at 70% and why men are the most loyal customers once you win them
21:12 - How Adam found Caldera Lab, how he got Justin and Sal to try it and what happened
28:58 - How Mind Pump validated Caldera's core thesis that the longevity and wellness market was the customer
30:54 - The skin microbiome — why skin health reflects gut health, liver health and hormone health
35:05 - The Good — wild harvested survivor plants from Wyoming, botanists and two years of development
38:40 - Clinical trials: 40+ strangers, third party labs, 60-90 days and holding their breath for the results
40:31 - How exosomes work as a delivery system and why The Great and Hydro Layer were built for normal to oily skin
43:38 - Why Caldera stays away from retinol and why natural actives work better for most men's skin
44:48 - Adam's psoriasis, Sal's microbiome take and why Justin's wife switched to Caldera permanently
49:05 - What's next — staying in their lane, deodorant coming, no supplements and the Nordstrom story

MAPS BOGO: https://mapsbogo.com
Buy one get one free — mix and match any of the top 10 most popular programs (Anabolic, Aesthetic, Performance, 15 Minutes, Anywhere, Symmetry, Starter, Muscle Mommy, Powerlift, 40+) for $157.
 
In this episode the guys break down exactly how women over 30 can lose fat and build the body they actually want. They cover why the methods that worked in your 20s are no longer effective, why life stress is actually the biggest enemy (not age), and why building muscle and getting stronger is the single thing that changes everything. They walk through the three key steps — feeding the gains with whole foods and enough calories, making strength the goal rather than the scale or the mirror, and replacing cardio with walking — and back it all up with real client stories including a woman running 25 miles a week and lifting 5 days a week who was stuck at 24% body fat, and how Adam helped Katrina achieve the best body of her life eating 700-800 more calories than ever while doing zero cardio.
 
MAPS BOGO: https://mapsbogo.com
Recommended combo for this episode: MAPS Muscle Mommy followed by MAPS Powerlift — buy one get one free for $157.
 
SPONSORS
 
Rho Nutrition (liposomal NAD+ and Glutathione): https://www.rhonutrition.com/discount/MINDPUMP
Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off everything. Liposomal delivery means it actually absorbs vs. standard capsules.
 
LINKS
 
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
SPOTIFY TIMESTAMPS
 
0:00 - Intro
2:18 - How women over 30 can lose fat and build the body they actually want
2:37 - Why the old methods stopped working — it's not age, it's accumulated stress
4:40 - The real enemy: more stress, more responsibilities, less time and worse sleep
7:14 - Why the methods that worked in your 20s were never actually effective long term
11:02 - The one thing that makes the biggest difference — building muscle and getting stronger
13:48 - Why muscle shifts your metabolism, hormones and insulin sensitivity in your favor
16:03 - Step 1: Feed the gains — why eating more whole food is non-negotiable
20:47 - Step 2: Make strength your goal — the specific lifts that move the needle most
22:25 - Step 3: No cardio — why walking beats running for body composition
24:39 - Why walking beats cardio for women managing high stress loads
25:36 - Client story: woman running 25 miles a week, stuck at 24% body fat — what happened next
27:35 - Katrina's story — best body of her life on zero cardio and 700 more calories a day
30:32 - MAPS Muscle Mommy and MAPS Powerlift — the best 6-month combo for this approach

MAPS BOGO: https://mapsbogo.com
Buy one get one free — mix and match any of the top 10 most popular programs (Anabolic, Aesthetic, Performance, 15 Minutes, Anywhere, Symmetry, Starter, Muscle Mommy, Powerlift, 40+) for $157.
 
In this episode the guys break down 5 tips for bigger arms — full range of motion and why going lighter beats stopping short, always including a stretch exercise like incline curls or overhead tricep extensions, why elbow angles completely change which part of the muscle you target, using compound lifts like close-grip bench and chin-ups as the foundation, and how occlusion training can add serious size without heavy weight. They also get into cannabis now beating alcohol as America's most commonly used daily substance and the loneliness epidemic it's feeding, the over-justification effect and how rewarding kids for things they love actually kills their motivation, the power of validation and why it's different from coddling, MOTS-C peptide being back on the MP Hormones menu and how it compares to SS-31 for mitochondrial energy, and crazy new patents including a Motorola throat tattoo microphone and Amazon's flying drone warehouse. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.
 
Vita Bella / MP Hormones: https://mphormones.com
Book a complimentary 10-minute consultation to find out if Vita Bella is right for you. MOTS-C peptide now back on the menu.
Consultation: https://meetings-na2.hubspot.com/alever/marketing-membership-consultation
Or use code MINDPUMP365 to start your annual membership and receive a free blood panel and gift.
 
Mind Pump Fitness Coaching: https://mindpumpfitnesscoaching.com
1.9 NASM CEUs
 
SPONSORS
 
Kion (essential amino acids): https://getkion.com/mindpump
20% off automatically applied at checkout. EAAs discussed on air — non-essential amino acids not required for muscle protein synthesis, making EAAs more efficient during a cut.
 
LMNT (Lemonade Iced Tea): https://drinklmnt.com/MindPump
Free 8-count sample pack with any purchase, no code needed. Lemonade Iced Tea — 50mg caffeine, L-Theanine, polyphenols, no sugar.
 
LINKS
 
Submit a live caller question: https://mplivecaller.com
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
SPOTIFY TIMESTAMPS
 
0:00 - Intro
2:46 - 5 tips for bigger arms — why most people are leaving major gains on the table
3:51 - Tip 1: Full range of motion — going lighter beats stopping short every time
8:28 - Tip 2: Always include a stretch exercise — incline curls, overhead tricep extensions and cable curls
13:03 - Tip 3: Elbow angles change everything — how position changes which muscle fibers you hit
15:01 - Tip 4: Compound lifts — close-grip bench, chin-ups and dips as your arm foundation
17:27 - Tip 5: Occlusion training — how to add serious size without heavy weight
20:09 - Kids learning about taxes, entrepreneurship and the reality of margins
33:41 - Cannabis now beats alcohol as America's most commonly used daily substance
39:42 - Cannabis, loneliness and why the combination is uniquely dangerous
43:27 - The over-justification effect — why rewarding kids for what they love kills their motivation
51:35 - Validation vs. coddling — why validating feelings is one of the most powerful parenting tools
54:55 - MOTS-C peptide is back on MP Hormones — how it compares to SS-31 for mitochondrial energy
57:45 - New patents: Motorola throat tattoo microphone, Amazon flying drone warehouse and porch pirate deterrents
1:06:24 - Caller: Kayla (New York) — 39, SIBO history, perimenopause, HRT, 3 kids, wants to look her best at 40
1:20:49 - Caller: Robert (South Carolina) — rebuilding after years of undertraining, gets MAPS Anabolic
1:34:00 - Caller: Aidan (Kansas) — returning caller follow-up, asymmetry progress update
1:41:31 - Caller: Clark (Oklahoma) — detailed history, complex situation, gets individualized program recommendation

In this episode the guys break down 5 easy ways to fix obesity that are sustainable long term — injecting more movement into your daily life in small ways, avoiding hyper-palatable drug-like processed foods, lifting weights occasionally (even just once or twice a week is enough), connecting through activity with friends and community, and turning off social media an hour before bed. They also discuss the obesity epidemic now hitting Italian kids as processed food arrived, the milkshake study on how belief changes physical response, Adam's internal battle between ego and caution while squatting, Sal's dad performing CPR for 15 minutes on a motorcycle accident victim, pneumatic gym equipment and why it beats traditional machines for explosive training, the Brick phone device Sal and his wife are using to block social media before bed, the sauna temperature and longevity data deep dive, and Butcher Box egg bites and the best things in their lineup. Then they answer questions from Instagram.
 
Paleo Valley (organ complex): https://paleovalley.com/mindpump
15% off automatically applied at checkout. Organ complex discussed on air — freeze dried liver, heart and kidney capsules, nature's multivitamin.
 
Butcher Box: https://butcherbox.com/mindpump
No code needed. Free ribeyes, NY strip steaks or filet mignons in every order for a year plus $20 off first box. Egg bites and tater tots discussed on air.
 
Our Place (non-toxic cookware): https://fromourplace.com
Code: MINDPUMP for 10% off sitewide. Always Pan replaces 8 pieces of cookware. Forever chemical free, 100-day trial, free returns.
 
LINKS
 
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
 
SPOTIFY TIMESTAMPS
 
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - 5 easy ways to fix obesity for the long term
2:46 - Tip 1: Walk more — pair it with habits you already have instead of scheduling workouts
10:57 - Tip 2: Avoid drug-like foods — processed food eaters consume 600 more calories per day in studies
16:03 - Tip 3: Lift weights occasionally — even 1-2 days a week produces dramatic results
19:31 - Tip 4: Connect through activity — community is the number one predictor of consistency
22:02 - Tip 5: Turn off social media an hour before bed — the Brick device Sal is using
32:33 - Paleo Valley organ complex — nature's multivitamin and who Sal recommended it to
34:28 - Italian kids obesity epidemic — how processed food arrived late and hit hard
38:03 - The milkshake study — how belief changes physical response
40:16 - Adam's internal battle under the bar — ego vs. caution vs. longevity
45:43 - Pneumatic gym equipment — why Kaiser machines are better for power training
49:58 - Adam cheated on Katrina in her dream and she's still processing it
56:24 - Sauna temperature and longevity data — the Finnish study and what the data actually shows
1:09:41 - Q&A: Best way to come off a GLP-1 and reverse diet
1:14:15 - Q&A: Can you gain mostly fat instead of muscle during a bulk if you overtrain?
1:15:32 - Q&A: How much training volume is optimal in a calorie deficit?
1:18:15 - Q&A: Best advice to remain patient and trust the process

MAPS BOGO: https://mapsbogo.com
Buy one get one free — mix and match any of the top 10 most popular programs (Anabolic, Aesthetic, Performance, 15 Minutes, Anywhere, Symmetry, Starter, Muscle Mommy, Powerlift, 40+) for $157.
In this episode the guys break down exactly how strong you should actually be — covering the real strength benchmarks for men and women across bench press, squat, and deadlift from decent to good to great to advanced, why strength is one of the single best predictors of longevity and all-cause mortality, why we are in a muscle weakness epidemic, why mainstream workouts designed around sweat and soreness are terrible for building strength, why training to failure hurts more than it helps, and why focusing on 4-5 compound lifts for the first few years of training beats everything else. Sal shares the summer he met powerlifters at 15 and gained 17 pounds of lean mass, and the story of his ER doctor friend Justin who went up 40 pounds on bench in 4 weeks wondering why it felt so easy.
SPONSORS
Crisp Power (protein pretzels): https://www.crisppower.com/mindpump
Code: MINDPUMP for 10% off. Everything flavor — 25-28g protein, 10g fiber, 6g net carbs per 1.75oz bag.
LINKS
Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
0:00 - Intro
1:47 - How strong should you actually be — and why strength is the best longevity metric
2:51 - The muscle weakness epidemic — a college male today has the grip strength of a 60-year-old in 1984
3:48 - The good news — everyone can get significantly stronger with the right training
5:39 - The risk of weakness vs the risk of heavy lifting — and who this actually applies to
9:49 - Why mainstream workouts built around sweat and soreness are terrible for building strength
11:10 - The conversation Sal had with every new client for the first 30-60 days
16:36 - What the Soviets figured out that the US hadn't — scientific strength programming
17:38 - Strength programs have fewer exercises and more practice of each lift — here's why
21:07 - Why training to failure hurts your strength gains more than it helps
22:38 - Schedule your deloads — the study that showed a week completely off matched constant training
25:17 - The actual strength benchmarks — decent, good, great and advanced for men and women
26:55 - Bench press, squat and deadlift numbers for men broken down
27:22 - Bench press, squat and deadlift numbers for women broken down
28:05 - Why good is the right goal and why advanced post-40 is high risk with diminishing returns
28:46 - MAPS Anabolic to MAPS Powerlift — the best 6-month strength combo