December 24, 2020
My friends Sal, Adam, Justin, and Doug at Mind Pump not only have some of the best training plans (called MAPS plans) out there for everything from muscle gain to fat loss to at-home training to athletic performance and beyond, but they're also chock-full of interesting and intriguing questions and topics that we always have a great time unpacking in our podcast episodes. Previous Ben Greenfield Fitness episodes with the Mind Pump guys include:
- Unschooling, Plant Medicine, Anti-Aging, Veganism vs. Carnivore & More With The Mind Pump Guys!
- The Official Edgy, Explicit & Epic Podcast With Me & The Mind Pump Crew: Longevity, Religion, Parenting, Biohacking, The Joe Rogan Debates, Snake Oil, Pseudoscience & Beyond.
- Six-Egg Breakfasts, Ketosis For Bodybuilders, Resetting Weed Tolerance, Kratom Experimentation & Much More With The Mind Pump Guys!
- The Mysterious Kuwait Muscle-Building Phenomenon, The Too-Much-Protein Myth, Anabolic Triggering Sessions & More With The Mind Pump Podcast Crew.
- The Mysterious Micro-Workouts, Turning On Your Butt, Overdosing With Melatonin & More With The Mind Pump Guys.
I've also been a guest on the Mind Pump podcast a handful of times as well, including on the episodes:
-
- Fatherhood, Parenting, Home Schooling & Religion With Ben & Jessa Greenfield
- Ben Greenfield On Putting On Several Pounds Of Muscle, Living A Long & High Quality Life, Ways To Slow Aging, Unschooling His Sons & MORE
- Ben Greenfield On Anti-Aging, Minimizing Jet Lag, Starting A Supplement Company & MUCH MORE!
- Ben Greenfield Bares All- His Rules For Life, Hacking His Penis, His Family Life, Religion & MORE
- Ben Greenfield On His Testicle Mishap, Bodybuilding Career, Personal Motivation, Greatest Challenge & MORE
- Ben Greenfield On Elevating Testosterone Levels, Achieving Epic Erections, Benefits Of Swimming Naked, Worthless Fitness Products, Raising Health Conscious Kids & MORE
But this episode with Mind Pump is different.
See, this time I traveled to the Mind Pump studios in San Jose with my wife Jessa Greenfield to discuss fatherhood, parenting, religion, homeschooling, unschooling, cooking, and much, much more. We had such a great time that I figured I'd bring you in on the conversation. Enjoy!
During this discussion, you'll discover:
-Ben's secret to adding several pounds of muscle in the last few months…05:48
- Russian kettlebell certification
- 1 Cheap & Easy Underground Training Method For Growth Hormone Release, 5 Biohacks to Increase Strength in 60 Seconds, 7 Exercises for the Eyes to Radically Enhance Stamina & Speed With Kusha Karvandi.
- BFR bands (use code BEN20 for 20% off)
- Go Greenfields Podcast (Ben's children's show)
- Joel Salatin's and Tai Lopez's farm (use code BEN10 to save 10%)
- Ancestral Supplements organ capsules
- BPC 157 and TB 500
- No noticeable changes in performance (no longer racing)
- Resistance training is better for longevity
- Kion Colostrum
- Jessa's sourdough bread recipe and baking instructions
-How the dynamic between a father and mother affects their parenting style…14:50
- Ben and Jessa are highly involved in their children's lives, but are by no means “helicopter parents”
- Attachment theory (anxiety and avoidance): your attachment to parents as a child influences your parenting style as an adult
- The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
- Giving gifts to children can turn into “lazy parenting”
- Time and traditions trump gifts every time
- Consistency and routine builds families and legacies
- You're not raising your children, you're raising your grandchildren
-How Jessa's childhood brought stability into her and Ben's family dynamic…28:15
- Ben was “pleasantly agnostic” about traditions, stability, consistency in childhood
- Predictable environments provide stability in the lives of children
- Ben's father switched jobs, businesses often
- Ben's spiritual disciplines journal (coming soon)
- Purpose statement
- Express gratitude
- Show empathy for others
- Abide app
-Why you should allow your children to embrace the world on their own terms…37:15
- “Love and Logic” parenting (mentioned in a previous Mind Pump podcast)
- Love and Logic Institute free course
- Allow children to suffer consequences, but not to excess or in a harmful way
- A good example from the parent is essential
- “Don't do things that would make your kids dislike you.” -Jordan Peterson
- Also don't do things that will develop an improper “friendship” between parent and children
- Mathnasium
- Forcing certain activities today will breed resentment tomorrow
-How traditions and values are instilled in childhood…50:15
- A child will want to do the opposite of their parents to assert their independence
- However, they often go back to what's familiar when they have their own family
- Take parents into the home when they are old and infirm (honor your father and mother)
- Fatherhood is devalued in modern society (Modern Family)
- “Peter Pan” syndrome in the Health and Fitness and biohacking community
- Children raised without fathers are highly vulnerable to drug abuse, criminality, etc.
- National Fatherhood Initiative Father Absence Statistics
- Sundays are full-on family days in the Greenfield house
- Bishop Barron Presents Arthur Brooks: Love Your Enemies
- Love Your Enemies by Arthur Brooks
-Religion, the foundation that holds communities together…58:15
- God the Father and the Son are the perfect father/son example
- Showing children humility and reverence to God is a powerful example
- Absolute truth and morality is what the foundation is made of
-The scientific value of having a strong spiritual practice and life…1:02:15
- Reducing everything to scientism can be fruitless; allow space in your mind for the unknown and mysterious
- Spiritual practices have many physiological and longevity benefits
- Books by Richard Foster and David Wallace
- Fasting is for spiritual health, not physical
- Equality of mankind is of spiritual and religious origins
- Article: Practicing Gratitude May Help Lower Blood Pressure
-Why science doesn’t work if you have morality attached to it…1:09:15
- Rather than asking “should we,” asking “can we?”
- Once science becomes absolute truth, slippery slope toward the absence of morality
- Head knowing (science) vs. heart knowing (morality, personal convictions)
- The real value is the journey, not the destination
-Why more parents are choosing homeschooling/unschooling…1:14:00
- Parents taking a more active role in the development of children
- Technology makes it more affordable and accessible
- Children discover their passion, are surrounded by tools and resources to pursue
- Light guidance from parents
- 5 key tools a child needs:
- Reading
- Writing
- Arithmetic
- Logic (computer programming)
- Rhetoric/persuasion
-How Ben and Jessa are teaching their kids saving and investing…1:23:45
- Tuttle Twins book series
- Be involved with finances related to their podcast
- Buy anything that will fuel something they want to learn about
- They can buy whatever they want (with their own money)
-The beginning of the end of education as we know it?…1:27:50
-And much more!
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources from this episode:
– Mind Pump:
- Mind Pump Podcast
- MAPS Fitness Programs
- MAPS Starter – Get started the right way.
- MAPS Anywhere – No gym required. Minimal equipment needed.
- MAPS Anabolic – Foundational muscle-building.
- MAPS HIIT – Rapid fat loss & conditioning.
- MAPS Performance – Train like an athlete. Perform like an athlete.
- MAPS Prime – Mobility movements customized to your body.
- MAPS Prime Pro – Move better. Increase performance. Prevent injury & pain.
- MAPS Aesthetic – Balance. Symmetry. A visible representation of health.
- MAPS Split – Hardcore body sculpting. Intensity, frequency, & phasing.
- MAPS Strong – Unconventional strongman movements. Drastically improve your strength & workout capacity
– BGF podcasts with Mind Pump:
- Unschooling, Plant Medicine, Anti-Aging, Veganism vs. Carnivore & More With The Mind Pump Guys!
- The Official Edgy, Explicit & Epic Podcast With Me & The Mind Pump Crew: Longevity, Religion, Parenting, Biohacking, The Joe Rogan Debates, Snake Oil, Pseudoscience & Beyond.
- Six-Egg Breakfasts, Ketosis For Bodybuilders, Resetting Weed Tolerance, Kratom Experimentation & Much More With The Mind Pump Guys!
- The Mysterious Kuwait Muscle-Building Phenomenon, The Too-Much-Protein Myth, Anabolic Triggering Sessions & More With The Mind Pump Podcast Crew.
- The Mysterious Micro-Workouts, Turning On Your Butt, Overdosing With Melatonin & More With The Mind Pump Guys.
– Mind Pump podcasts with Ben Greenfield:
- 1340: Fatherhood, Parenting, Home Schooling & Religion With Ben & Jessa Greenfield
- 1145: Ben Greenfield On Putting On Several Pounds Of Muscle, Living A Long & High Quality Life, Ways To Slow Aging, Unschooling His Sons & MORE
- 867: Ben Greenfield On Anti-Aging, Minimizing Jet Lag, Starting A Supplement Company & MUCH MORE!
- 767: Ben Greenfield Bares All- His Rules For Life, Hacking His Penis, His Family Life, Religion & MORE
- 529: Ben Greenfield On His Testicle Mishap, Bodybuilding Career, Personal Motivation, Greatest Challenge & MORE
- 461: Ben Greenfield On Elevating Testosterone Levels, Achieving Epic Erections, Benefits Of Swimming Naked, Worthless Fitness Products, Raising Health Conscious Kids & MORE
– Other podcasts:
- 1 Cheap & Easy Underground Training Method For Growth Hormone Release, 5 Biohacks to Increase Strength in 60 Seconds, 7 Exercises for the Eyes to Radically Enhance Stamina & Speed With Kusha Karvandi.
- Go Greenfields Podcast
– Jessa Greenfield:
– Books:
- The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
- Love Your Enemies by Arthur Brooks
- Tuttle Twins book series
- Books by Richard Foster
- Books by David Wallace
– Supplements:
– Other resources:
- Christian Gratitude Journal
- BPC 157 and TB 500
- Russian kettlebell certification
- BFR bands (use code BEN20 for 20% off)
- Abide app
- Love and Logic Institute
- Mathnasium
- National Fatherhood Initiative Father Absence Statistics
- Bishop Barron Presents Arthur Brooks: Love Your Enemies
- Article: Practicing Gratitude May Help Lower Blood Pressure
Episode sponsors:
-The Kion Fasting Challenge: The Challenge starts January 6th, it's completely FREE to join, and when you do you'll get a bunch of exclusive content including access to a Q&A by yours truly answering all your burning fasting questions.
–Fit Soul: Get Ben Greenfield's newest book for FREE. Fit Soul is filled with practical, easy-to-understand tips, tricks, strategies, and solutions to care for your soul, attain true spiritual fitness, and find the happiness you have always craved and deserve.
–Organifi Red Juice: Enjoy all the benefits of the 11 superfoods and their micronutrients that help increase resting metabolism, support cardiovascular health, and remove toxins to turn back the hands of time! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code BENG20.
–Joovv: After using the Joovv for close to 2 years, it's the only light therapy device I'd ever recommend. Give it a try: you won't be disappointed. For a limited time, Joovv wants to hook you up with an exclusive discount on your first order. Just apply code BEN to your qualifying order.
–Clearlight Saunas: You can be sure that I researched all the saunas before I bought mine and Clearlight was the one that stood out from all the rest because of their EMF and ELF-shielding and their Lifetime Warranty. Mention BEN GREENFIELD and you’ll receive an extra discount on your purchase.
–Paleovalley Beef Sticks: 100% grass-fed AND grass-finished. Keto friendly and higher levels of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Receive a 15% discount off your order when you use my link.
I am always amazed at Ben’s ability to process information. I appreciate that I can listen to his podcast and usually have some nuggets I can put to use in my life,
But man, every time he does a podcast where he’s given the freedom to talk about life and not studies I just get blown away at the myopic views he throws out. in this case it was a bunch of guys talking about the attributes of Christianity while totally blocking the woman in the group from talking. But I guess that’s a patriarchal religion at work.
Let’s just stop a minute and sit on the words Bens wife did drop bout home schooling)g and the state, this is where ben and know his wife often lose me and I end up contemplating listening to him further. He is talking to the 1% or the 7%. His home schooling first of all is not home schooling. It is a private school for his 2 boys with a curriculum they get to control (I.e., person who drives them around for assignments a virtual teacher and a contractor who helped the kids build a treehouse)
Jessa, Stop for a Second and think about POC’s redlined into specific horrible living situations across America dropping there kids off at low performing public schools. So they can hop on a bus to their first job to punch the clock at a big box to put a roof over their kids heads because nowher in the US can you make minimum wage and afford a 2 bedroom apartment. Yes they would trade places with you and your situation. But hopefully if they were in your situation they wouldn’t on a podcast flippantly judge people for dropping there kids off at the state.
Also remember to be careful with how you pick and chose god’s
Laws and love, Jesus said those that are tepid to me are vomit in my mouth.
And remember that the chance of the rich going to heaven are like threading a camel through the eye of the needle, I would believe you guys should use your platform to bring your knowledge to the poor not just the elite.
And the guys are wrong, public schools are not worried about home schools, during covid the 7% have amassed billions where as the other households have accrued $25k in debt, 93% of the population can’t homeschool.
Ben, I thought this was a wonderful podcast. I have a very hard time sometimes as I was adopted and very different from my adopted parents. Growing up there was NO support for my aspirations and plans after high school. To this day, very negative and not supportive. After finding my biological mom 15 years ago and not wanting to meet I felt alone. Even with my adopted parents I only hear from them if I reach out. I have a lot of take a ways from this podcast.
Fun conversation, and enjoyed hearing from Jessa, too.
Regarding how fathers are portrayed in shows/movies. Most of the film making/Hollywood powers that be are still men, so this another* place where men must speak up/out to other men to create change. It is also another way the Enemy devalues God himself. *rape culture and the ever growing sex trade, which are directly connected, is an aspect of human life that needs good men to speak up and step up in everyday contexts.
So, thank you for speaking out in a public way.
Thank you for sharing. I follow Ben and would love to hear more from Jenna – as a working mama and as a woman trying to navigate life to have the optimal health and quality of life for our family and myself.
I mean Jessa.
If you’re going on a podcast with your wife, then maybe let her finish at least one single sentence without jumping in, steering the conversation back to talking about you and dominating the conversation
I have to agree with the other comments left before mine. Unfortunately, Jessa never gets to complete a thought. It seemed like she had some really wonderful insight to share, yet you constantly cut her off before she could even complete a sentence! It was very distracting and hard to unhear. When you listen back, you will see how Jessa constantly allows you to speak and diminishes her own voice for the sake of yours. She is a strong woman. It was cute that you introduced her and called her babe and spoke highly of her sourdough (I guess women are praised for their cooking skills, but not much else…), but your showy efforts didn’t hold true as the conversation continued. It was obvious that you dominated the conversation. Not sure why you bothered to invite her on at all.
There was some valuable insight in regards to parenting. I liked the concept of Sundays as “family only” days and as a break from technology. I also loved the part about carrying on family traditions, which will be remembered over material things. I also liked the idea of being a good parent for the sake of your future grandchildren, as well as your children now.
Lion Dad: How to Nudge Your Cub into the Ivy League – A Comprehensive Guide For Elite School Admission https://www.amazon.com/dp/1938517954/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_fabc_lno5FbXDWR9H6
This is the best book on parenting I have ever read.
I love when your wife is on. For your female listeners it is nice to her a mother going through the same situations we are going through and hear how she handles them. My one complaint is please let her speak. She gets going on a a topic and you interrupt her and she isn’t able to finish what she was saying. It is very frustrating. I know you don’t do it on purpose and it keeps the conversations going however I have had to stop listening because her thoughts are never completed therefore I can never grasp the full concept.
Thanks for all the info you put out. Many of your podcasts have been extremely educational.
Ben, Seriously, you should listen to this recording to hear how often you talk over your wife. Your kids are going to pick that up as something that is natural to do with a wife.
I agree. I see this in my own brother. He picked up that behavior from my father and also speaks that way to my mother sometimes.
“is this the beginning of the end of education?” I think you ask the wrong question. The government schools ARE the 10th plank of a Satanic document called the Communist manifesto. They produce a preponderance of socialists/communists. That is their purpose as Charlotte Iserbyt was told by the Ford Foundation when they were asked. Specifically they stated that our schools were meant to produce a population that could be merged with the soviet union.
All of this is paid for of course by the 1st plank of the communist manifesto. The property tax. This office lies cheats and steals and little can be done to protect yourself from them. They doubled my tax and knew that I could not afford a $500 appraisal to prove them liars! So I paid the extortion because men with guns would come and either kill me or make me homeless if I did not pay the extortion. This is what you are supporting if your want kids to go back to these communist schools Ben. You are supporting the extortion of old people for a communist agenda. You are supporting the reason that I have not been able to visit a dentist in over 2 years…… why the hell can’t parents pay to educate their children using the free market in an ostensibly free contry?
Great interview. I just wish Ben would let Jessa finish a thought. She gets interrupted frequently. I particularly wanted to hear what Jessa was going to say about asking the question ‘do you want to drop your kids off to the state everyday’. Ben took that way.
My favorite spiritual book is the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. One of the most famous spirual book of our times. You’ve never mentioned the book. I think Ben should read the book. I’m a little worried about the conversation about science. People have always used religion and science to do awful things.