Olly Pierce of Brit's Brothers Gym on The Psychology of Strength, Fitness Culture, and Real Training
A conversation with Olly Pierce, owner of Brit's Brothers Gym, about decades of training experience, the mind-body connection, strength training for MMA and everyday life, gym culture, discipline, and what it really takes to change your body and your life.
The Psychology of Strength, Real Accountability, and Old-School Gym Culture
In this episode of the UpState Press Podcast, we sit down with Olly Pierce, owner of Brit's Brothers Gym, a Greenville-area gym built on decades of training experience, real accountability, and a no-nonsense approach to fitness, bodybuilding, MMA, and strength training.
Olly shares the story behind Brit's Brothers Gym, from growing up in England and playing rugby to recovering from serious injuries, training at Gold's Gym, building a career as a personal trainer, and developing one of the Upstate's most respected old-school training environments.
In this conversation, Olly talks about the mind-body connection, training through discomfort safely, why proper form and foundational strength matter, the difference between bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman, and MMA training, fake fitness influencers, steroid risks, natural training, client accountability, and his long-term vision for building a network of like-minded gyms.
Whether you are starting your fitness journey, looking for a serious gym in Greenville, interested in bodybuilding or MMA, or simply want a more honest conversation about fitness, this episode is packed with practical insight, hard truths, and real-world experience.
Full Transcript
The transcript below is separated by chapter. Click any chapter title to open that exact timestamp in the YouTube episode.
Introducing Ollie & the Gym’s Vision
So, my name is uh Olly Pierce. Uh I've owned Brits Brothers Gym for 32 plus years. And uh Britz Brothers Gym, the name actually comes from me growing up in England. So, British uh and my brother started it with me. So, there were two of us. So, we call it Brits Brothers. There isn't one anyone who works there named Brit. So, when you call up, just ask for me. Um yeah. And so this has been uh really a part of my life uh since I was 18 years old. Started working in gyms. Knew that's what I wanted to do. Started Brits in '94 and haven't looked back since. Man, >> just right out of the gate when you said 32 years. I mean, what does the transformation look like from the idea of starting it to where you're at right now? >> Sure. Uh well, I thought I'd be uh ahead a lot further than I am now, [laughter] to be honest with you, after 32 years. But no, I I finally have the gym now that I've always wanted. Uh and it's a you know, it's a gym of people who are likeminded in the fact that they want to train and they want to get in shape and they want to learn too. Um, so nobody knows it all in the gym business and we all learn from each other and I feel that Bris Brothers has that kind of environment where you have worldclass athletes who are helping out everyday people just to get in shape, let alone, you know, a max lift or anything.
Youth, Rugby, Injuries & Bodybuilding Roots
>> Tell us a little bit about Ali Preittz Brothers. >> Sure. Um, Olli pre- Britz Brothers obviously grew up in England. I was born in America, moved over there when I was 6 months. Uh, went to a private military school. Uh it was fairly very strict, but we had the ability to play pretty much any sport we want wanted to and because it was all guys at the military school. Uh we were really really good. So I was a natural athlete and I just gravitated towards that that school and everything in it. Um I started playing rugby at the age of 11. Uh and that was a real passion that I had and it's still my favorite game out there out of all the games today. And I feel like rugby really helped to shape my um my natural uh athletic ability uh in many ways, not just on a cardiovascular system, excuse me, [clears throat] but also on like being stronger uh having to push against people uh and also uh having your body taking a beating and then still keep on going. And so after playing rugby for about four four years, I when I came over here, uh training with weights was just a natural progression from that. >> Yeah. So when I think of rugby, what I think of is uh people view sports as [clears throat] strength or endurance. >> When I think of rugby, I think of strength in endurance. Not only being able to keep going, but being able to push harder as you go. >> Yeah. >> So that kind of set the foundation for a life of training, fitness, >> pushing my body to the limit. Yeah. One of one of my favorite things to do. [clears throat] I I actually was played with a bunch of injuries at a very young age. So, I used to run track as well, which probably hard to believe now cuz I'm old and crippled, but uh I used to run 100 meters and I ended up uh tearing my hip flexor, clean off my pelvic bone when I was 13. >> Dear Lord. >> And then, uh when I came over here, started playing football in high school. I shredded my left knee. So, by the age of 16, um I had two basically career-ending injuries. And that's one of the things that led me into bodybuilding because I knew that I could train my body at my pace. uh I didn't have a coach yelling at me, telling me to do something I knew my body couldn't do and shouldn't do. And so then I was kind of the master of my own destiny. And I like that feeling. I like being in control of the diet I ate, my training pattern, what I was doing because only I know my body. No one else knows my body. And so that for me, bodybuilding was the path to getting my body back on track. Um and it really helped me out in a lot of different ways. So, you say you were plagued with injuries. Um, how did those injuries play into how you train yourself? Because a lot of people don't realize you can alter how you train based on how you feel and still do it right. >> Yeah. >> So, how did how did learning those differences? >> No, that's a good question. I had to really pace myself. Um, because uh I you know, I love sports. I love training. Uh I love the feeling I get from training. Um, but when your body's broken, uh, you can't push it to the limit and get that feeling that, you know, those endorphins, endorphin rush you get. Um, so I couldn't push my body that hard. So I had to really learn how to pace myself. And I think to be honest with you, having those types of injuries really helped me to become a personal trainer because I had to learn a lot about my own body and it's not functioning properly. So how do I get my body functioning, especially on a high level, right? Not just so I can get up and go to work. I'm talking about like, you know, squatting 800 lb. Man, I don't want to just go to work. I want to do something more than that. And so I I had to really think, research, talk to a lot of people, you know, guys who are old who had injuries, speak to them, and then really learn as much as I could along the way how to rehab my own body. And then that in turn definitely helped me with with what I do today in my job. >> What was the moment when it clicked to you? Hey, I can help people with this. I think I can actually [snorts] fix this thing for them. >> Yeah. Um, so when I was 18, I was uh
Gold’s Gym Experience and Training Philosophy
going to put my myself through college and so I got a job at Gold's Gym working there full-time and um just selling memberships. I wasn't a trainer or anything. But the only way uh as a Grunt uh employee you could sell memberships is if you went out and worked the floor. And what that consisted of was going out onto the floor, introducing yourself, say, "Hey man, my name's Olly. Uh, needed help with any training, just let me know." And then if they come back to you, you know, and say, "Hey, I need you to help me do a tricep push down. I'm not feeling whatever. Can't feel my triceps." So then you show them, they're like, "Oh, man, that's amazing. Thanks, man." And then you hit them with, "Hey, man, if you know any of your friends who want to come in here, let me know. I'll help them train, too, but make sure they come see me." And so that kind of that job allowed me to learn how to uh work people and talk to people in a constructive way. And then once I started actually helping those people and they saw the results and I saw the results they were getting, that's when I knew I was meant to be a trainer. This is what I'm really supposed to be doing. I'm not really a saleserson because I like demonstrating what I know. So, when you come into my gym, I'm not going to talk to you about a program and all this nonsense. I'm going to evaluate you as an individual body part by body part. I'm going to tell you where you're weak and where you strong. And that has I've been allowed to do that with this almost 40 years now of experience talking to people who knew a lot more than me, learning from doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, >> everybody out there. I try to suck in as much information as I can and then utilize that for my customers. >> It's got to be such a good thing to see the proof of concept for yourself. >> Yeah. >> And to see how happy your clients are with the proof. Um what's one of the things that you look for in a client? I know that a lot of people like I want to start my fitness journey um and they drop out. Mhm. [clears throat] >> What is it that you look for in a client to push them into seeing the results you're trying to show them? >> Sure. Uh so, uh 90% I live I work in an industry where 90% of people who start a workout program quit within 3 months. So, what I'm looking for is that 10%. You know, you know, the Marines have a motto, looking for the few and the good. And that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for people who really want to get in shape and not just pretending to get in shape >> because you're not pretending to train them. >> I am not pretending to train them. And when they start working out, there's no there's no pretend muscles on their body. They're real and you're going to feel them because we're going to connect your mind to your body and teach you how to train properly, not just go through a routine. So, um that it's really helped me out a lot in a lot of different areas. I think for me personally [clears throat and cough] and and most people, you go in, you train, and then comes the pain. You have the next day of being sore. You have the questions of, well, when do I go back? I guess I should probably stop for a couple of days. How do you train them through the pain?
Mind-Body Connection: Managing Pain and Discomfort
>> Sure. Um, [cough and clears throat] first of all, I think we have to distinguish what is discomfort and then uh what is pain. >> There we go. And then what is stabbing pain? >> Okay, so we have you know different levels of pain. So most people uh the 90% >> distinguish discomfort as pain and it isn't. >> So the first thing you have to understand is how hard you can push your body. Understanding your limitations. >> Now that doesn't mean you go into the gym and try and lift as much as you can. But what it does mean is you go in there with confidence because you either have a trainer that knows what they're doing or you've done the research to understand the mechanics of the movements that you're doing in the gym. >> What is that discomfort like when you go in and you work out? What is that physically in your body the first few days after your first workout? Um the muscular soreness I think is a part of it, but if you haven't really been doing um any weightbearing movements, you're going to get a lot of ligament and tendon uh soreness, like soreness in your joints, >> and it feels very foreign to someone who hasn't done anything like that. Even someone who's in very good cardiovascular shape, does a lot of running and a lot of cardiovascular stuff, if they haven't done uh the weightbearing movements, they're not going to feel that in their joints and in their muscles like you will weight training. And so, you know, people have to understand, first of all, when you come into the gym, you're not building muscle, you're tearing it down, right? So, you're breaking muscle mass down. So, therefore, your body can repair itself when you eat protein and vegetables. So, if you are going to the gym and you're expecting not to feel any muscular and joint discomfort from lifting weights, you have the wrong mental attitude. So the first thing you have to do is adjust your mind before you go into the gym because you don't want to go into anything with the wrong concept and the wrong ideas and thinking you're just going to uh you know breeze through the gym like you would go jogging. It's not the same experience. So you have to prepare your mind for that. And that's a part of what I do when I train people is I help them connect their mind to their body. >> Is this a situation like you're kind of talking them through it as you're going through the workout? >> 100%. Yeah. Yeah. and and then you know as they're doing a movement like so for instance um your upper back is the foundation of your entire upper body if you aren't training your upper back properly then you you will have problems with your shoulder primarily rotator cuff labum and AC joint problems so it's imperative to learn how to do the movements properly it's not about having a list of back exercises oh I checked this one off well great but how did you do What do you did you feel the muscles between your shoulder blades or you just feeling your biceps and your delts and your traps? Because that's what how most people do pulling movements. They don't know how to pull properly. >> So that's what I try to do is I get their mind connected to their body and understanding what muscles are working in what part of the movement. >> Do you find that in the average Joe there is an aversion to the feeling of working a muscle? Because you know when you're working out you have to go for the feel. I've heard you say a few things that that definitely prove that point. You have to go for a feel. >> When you feel that muscle working, I feel like most people's first objective is to veer away from that. >> Correct. >> So, how do you keep them on that track? >> It's an evolutionary process. So, it's step by step. Um, obviously you're not going to get um someone who's never pushed their body before to come in and do a set of squats with max weight for max reps and red line their body. It's a silly thing to do. >> Mhm. >> So, what we have to do is teach people number one with very light weight how to connect their mind to their body. We do
Bench Press Fundamentals and Weight Transfer
this by as they're doing a movement I will talk about the transitional weight. So, for example, let's talk about a chest press movement. Okay? So, if I'm lying down on a bench, the first thing I have to do is dig my heels into the ground. Second thing I do, I engage my glutes. So, I squeeze my glutes. Now, I have a foundation to push from. Next thing I do, third thing is I arch my back. The reason why you arch your back is because you engage your lumbar muscles which are either side of the spine. those lumbar muscles connect right down into those glutes. Once again, creating a foundation to press from. >> Yeah. >> The next thing you have to do, and the last as far as your foundation, is retract your shoulder blades back as far as you can. The reason why you do this on bench press is because if you have a flaccid back, and yes, I'm going to use that word >> because it's as flaccid as you know what. If you have a flaccid back, when you go to press, there is no foundation in your back. So that weight transitions from your hand through your forearm through your tricep right into your shoulder and it never displaces into your chest efficiently. And so what happens is you get people on the bench press with a flaccid upper back who are trying to get max weight and that's why their rotator cuffs and their AC joints and their labums tear because they have no foundation. So the first thing in any chest press movement you have to do is to establish the foundation. Without the foundation, there is no press. Man, just hearing you describe this stuff, it's you start to realize how many different pieces go into this.
Adapting Training to Varied Body Types
>> You [clears throat] have to have a a knowledge of anatomy. You have to have a knowledge of of how muscles work. Um, and obviously just going through the processes with people and seeing the results. >> So, I can hear you talking now, >> but what did early days Ali sound like when you first opened the doors at Britz Brothers? What was early days Ali >> stressing then? >> Yeah, man. I'll be honest with you, it wasn't that much different. The only because the foundation of what I had was so solid as far as the knowledge. >> And again, I worked at Gold's Gym, um, Vaughn's Plaza, or I don't know what it's called now, but it's off East North Street there. >> And it was the number one gym, I think, in the state for a while. It was huge in the 80s. >> And so, [clears throat] there were so many top-notch lifters coming through there. Um, I just learned as as much as I could from them. And so going as a young person, uh, because [clears throat] I was, you know, a pretty good athlete and all that stuff, um, I was, you know, training with them. And so, um, I took that knowledge and then I made it my own. See, because I I took what they gave me, the knowledge they gave me, I put it into my training, I felt and saw the results, and then I took that knowledge and I saw how can I put it into this person? >> What part of this knowledge pertains to this person over here? how can I help this person with this knowledge? You see what I'm saying? And so it was a evolutionary process of me learning different things across the decades now >> um of uh what to do, how to train. And the biggest thing, man, is is different body types. That's the biggest trick because if everybody had the same body, man, same physique, it this thing would be figured out a long time ago.
Addressing Structural Weakness with Heavy Lifting
>> Yeah. >> But there are so many ins and outs, right? And you have so many issues that a lot of people have issues they don't even know. [sighs] So I was probably in my 30s before I realized the base of my spine. All right, the very base right here where your spine fits into that sacrum right here. >> About a third on my left side of the top never form properly. >> Mhm. >> And so you know the first thing they said was, "Hey man, whatever you do, don't train heavy." Which pretty funny because the only time my back felt good is when I went really, really, really heavy. and max reps. So I'd take a very very very heavy weight and max it out as many reps as I could for my back and that's where my back felt good because it was keeping it strong. >> Oh,
Overcoming Structural Weakness and Client Motivation
>> you see? So when you have a structural weakness, you cannot just do a bunch of physical therapy movements. It is not enough. You have to do weightbearing heavy hard movements in order to be proficient at doing something other than just getting up out of a couch. >> Yeah. You see, so if you want to go hiking and fishing and hunting and doing all these things, your body has to be prepared for it. And this is the biggest selling point at Bris Brothers Gym is like, man, if you want to live your life, you need to have a body to do it. >> How does the culture play into how you do what you do at Britz? >> Sure. Uh, well, for me, the vibe of a gym or the culture of a gym is everything. >> Uh, you know, we live in a very plastic, fake age. Everyone pretends to be something they're not. Mhm. >> And you know, uh, in the gym business, it's even more extreme. >> It [clears throat] is. Yeah. >> So, you I'm dealing with a bunch of other people out there who are plastic and fake and just want to make money and they don't really want to help people. So, one of the the ways I've avoided that is just tried to connect with people that I train with and not be um just focused on money and numbers. Does that make sense? >> Absolutely. Because without the connectivity, this human connectivity that you and I have right now, really life doesn't mean anything. And so, if I don't connect to my customer, then I can't really help them. So, I'm not really the trainer for you. >> That make sense? Absolutely. I I need to make sure that you and I are on the same page and you understand what I'm saying and I get where you're coming from and I Okay, you know, your shoulder hurts. Let's back off on this, do something else. And we need to have that connection in order to to figure out how I can train your body. >> Like a transparency. >> Exactly. Again, it goes back to being real, right? Don't pretend to be something you're not. Right. >> Yeah. Well, you mentioned that it's a it's an industry full of that. >> Yeah. [clears throat and cough] And I hear you describe what you do as such a resultsdriven thing. So, I ask myself like, how how do all of these fake things continue to overpop populate the fitness space when it's such a resultsdriven industry? >> Sure, man. Uh, it goes back to what I just said a few minutes ago. Uh, people pretending to be something they're not. And people lying to themselves. A lot of people out there lie to themselves. It sounds crazy, but until you do what I do for a living, for as long as I have, you're like, "Wow, these people are living in a technological world in their own mind, there's nothing real up there. Everything is philosophy." >> Mhm. >> Everything is written. Uh, it's something they've read. It's not anything they've written. They just read stuff. They heard stuff and they put these collection of ideas in their head, but they don't actually do anything. >> Yeah. They create a false reality >> and they're talkers. See, there's two types of people in the world. There's talkers and there's doers. Talkers talk and that's all they do. They don't do anything. Doers do. Now, you talk for a little bit to understand what you got to do, but at some point you got to be a doer. And that sounds very simplistic. >> Mhm. >> But at some point, most people out there don't realize they're lying to themselves and they they are really just looking for that next dopamine hit, >> whether it's on the internet or whether it's food or drugs or whatever. And so with a mind like that, I cannot help you get in shape because you don't really want it. And again, I go back to 90% of people. That's what I work with on a daily basis. >> It's like uh the difference between being an airplane passenger and a skydiver is only one step. >> That's right. [laughter] >> Right. That's right. >> And so what you're looking for is the You want people You want to push them out of the plane. You want them to jump. >> Yeah. >> Get some stuff done. Yeah. >> That's the only way you can really learn. I mean, we can talk about jumping out of the plane till we land, [laughter] but but are you going to do it, bro? I mean, yeah, that's a great training system. What are you doing, dude? Yeah, that's a great way of eating. What are you doing? Why are you distracting yourself with all these training systems when you don't even know what you want? >> Oh, yeah. >> Like, it doesn't make sense. You see what I'm saying? So, when I say people um lie to themselves, I mean, it's true. They actually lie to themselves and they don't know. And those types of people are really never going to get in shape until they're honest with themselves. And once they get to that point, they stop talking and they start doing, that's when their life changes. And that's what I love when I get people in the gym who have been talking about doing something for a long time and they just couldn't quite pull the trigger. Then they pull the trigger and then you watch their life change, man. I mean, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, one year, friends change, they get promoted. All these things in their life change. their kids respect them more because now they're in shape. They're showing self-disipline, which is what you're telling your kids, but yet you're not doing it. How can you be a parent if you're not disciplined, bro? >> You can't, man. You can't. Don't tell me you can. >> You have to be able to raise kids, dude. Under 30 and 27. You got to show discipline. >> Yeah. >> And if you're an out of shape parent and you love being out of shape, that's great. But understand what you're doing to your kids, the example you're setting. Not to mention the genetics you're passing on. >> That's true. I do believe that a lot of people that is their motivation. They want to be a better example for their
Critique of Fake Fitness Influencers
kids. Y >> um but we we live in a world where our kids are influenced by online influencers and uh which kind of leads me into something. >> I know you've seen these guys. I mean there's there a dime a dozen. There's a billion on the internet and >> that's where people get their information from. What's the one thing that drives you the most nuts about the age of the fitness influencer? >> [snorts and clears throat] >> Uh, I go back to the falsalseness of it all. They don't have any real knowledge. I mean, most of these kids are what, 20, 25. >> They got good genetics. They're taking really good drugs. They're training a little bit >> and um they eat pretty good. I mean, shoot, man. You don't have to do a whole lot when you're 25 with good genetics, >> you know? Be let's be honest. >> Yeah. For real. And then really all they're looking at is, you know, um everything the setup on their on their web page or their social media and all they're looking at is numbers and who, you know, who liked this, who did this. And so the influence that they supposedly pass on, they're being influenced by what they're passing on by the people they're passing it on to. And it literally makes no sense because they adjust what they say and what they do depending on how many likes and hits they get and how much money they make. And that's not knowledge, right? You're just playing somebody, man. If you don't have foundational knowledge that you have tested yourself and other people have tested, it means nothing. So, you can get on social media and do a couple, oh, look, I do pull downs like this and it I feel it on the back side of my lat, outside of my lats. Well, that's great. What about the center of your back? >> Did you think about that, dude? Because now you're out of balance if you get someone who has already strong lats outside and a weak center. So, there's no thought process. It's just likes, dopamine hits, and hey, look at me everybody. I don't really do anything, but >> and it's just, you know, it's just kind of silly. >> The strategy strikes me in a way [clears throat and cough] to where it would be like if somebody came into Britz Brothers and listened to 30 seconds of your workout with another client, walked out and told their family, I train with Oi. >> Yeah. >> That's what it seems like. >> Yeah. Yes. And that's another part is so let's say you get an influence who's actually legit has real information they're giving out and then someone listens for 30 seconds gets one piece of information and then it means nothing because they didn't listen to the collective of what that person is talking about. >> Yeah. What if they didn't hear the foundational point first? >> Exactly right. So so that's that's another part of the issue. So then that
Defining Goals and Lifestyle Adjustments
goes back into what we were talking about before is understanding what it is you want. Do what is it you want out of life? Do you want to be out of shape and feel terrible? Well, that's fine. That's if you do. But if you don't want to do that, there are certain things you have to do. You have to drink water. If you're lifting weights, you have to eat a certain amount of protein. You have to eat vegetables, some certain amount of fruit. And if you're doing those things and you exercise, you will radically change your life, especially if you're eating a bunch of processed food. Now,
Brits Brothers’ Eclectic Training Styles
>> what is the uh what's the style that Britz Brothers has made a name for? What are you most known for [snorts] stylistically at Brits? >> Um I would say uh more kind of a bodybuilding and training fighters as well. So fighting bodybuilding gym as a it's kind of my it's kind of our where we really where my expertise is what Brits has amalgamated into. Now we have uh Jake Henderson and other trainers there is we have a really big powerlifting community. >> Um and uh we have some another trainer there, Jeff, who was there before um who uh you know had a lot of people training there. Uh and we have a pretty good strong strong man community too. So um we have some really really strong people at the gym. So I would say it's a fairly eclectic mix. I wish I could tell you it was one thing. Uh my personal um thing is going to be more bodybuilding and fighters. Uh but we have a big powerlifting and strongman community too. >> I think that's the other confusion too. A lot of people don't know the differences between these things. Yeah. >> Uh I was lucky enough one of my friends was a strongman competitor >> and so the way that he would describe things to me were vastly different from the way that the fighters were describing. There were always branches
Divergent Paths and Evolving Body Types
that were kind of the same, but it went in totally different directions. What's a little bit of the difference between strongman versus powerlift? [snorts] >> That's a good question. So strongman is a an eclectic group of exercises that you have to perform or movements you have to perform. Uh powerlifting is just three movements. So you got bench, squat, deadlift. Uh so the training for that is obviously max weight for those three lifts. >> In strongman, uh you don't usually know what all the events are. >> Uh and they're so eclectic. I mean, it's like picking up, you know, boulders or stones or uh throwing kegs or whatever it is. So, it's it's really hard to train uh for strong man because there's such a a varied amount of things you do. And so, you know, you may go say if you're competing, right, and you you you go in the world's strongest man, you win one year. Well, you may go back the next year, be just as strong, just as fit, >> not even place, >> but because they they've got different events and they they're your weak events, right? So, like strong man right now really on an international level really appeals to the taller taller guy. the events appeal to the taller guy. >> And uh that's one of the things we uh uh with strong man that has evolved over the last 30 years is the strong men who were winning in the 80s and 90s. They wouldn't make it nowadays. They don't have the height to do, you know, the finger lifts and all these other things that it takes to be tall. So all these sports kind of evolve and change and as they evolve and change, you see these different body types kind of amalgamating into those sports.
Bodybuilding as Scientific Basis for All Sports
>> Now I would say bodybuilders [snorts] are the scientist of the guys in the gym. That's what I've noticed because there's you just have to have an intimate knowledge of each muscle that you're working. >> Yeah. >> And and why you're working it. I mean there's like a whole point system to this. >> Yeah. Um, what do you think the difference is in wanting to have a physique and wanting to be a bodybuilder? >> Sure. I think there to a certain degree they're one and the same. Uh, so to me what bodybuilding means is uh building a uh well ststructured foundational body. >> Mhm. >> Uh that can actually do things right. It's not just to look at. Now, in bodybuilding, if you're going to step on stage, if you have a weak point in your body, you have to train that harder to get it up so it balances with the rest of your body. If you are an athlete, you have to do the same thing. This is why bodybuilding, if it's done properly, like real body, I'm talking about fake bodybuilders, real bodybuilding, >> real bodybuilding works for every single sport because every single person has a weak point at some point in their body and you have to use bodybuilding techniques in order to adjust that. So, you can then be a powerlifter, a strongman or fighter or whatever.
Strength Training Integrated with MMA Fighting
>> Now, the fighting thing that's I used to cover uh MMA in Hawaii for a very long time. Um, I got to see intimate moments of different gyms and different styles and different ways of training. And there was this one uh gym they trained, you know, jiu-jitsu on these days, they trained kickboxing on these days, they had sparring on these days, wrestling on these days. [clears throat] >> And then as a separate thing, they had u a guy named Victor Bell and he ran a a a thing called Warhorse Strength. >> Yeah. And so on the weekends or or on these certain off days from like the actual fight training, they would go to Warhorse and they would say, "What is the what is the weakest point when you're doing takedowns? How are you not able to drive through? This is what we're going to do. You're going to do this and you're going to do it till you throw up." Yep. >> Like and and I see the value of that. So that's the piece you're talking about. If you build that strength core, >> Yep. >> then you can move that into your other You get stronger in your wrestling, you get stronger in your jiu-jitsu, you get stronger in your kickboxing. >> Yep. 100%. And I had we had John Mak here I think last month and he was like a uh really a pioneer in mixed martial arts and uh that's one of the things he and I talked about is how important um not so much strength uh is but muscular balance >> because you can be strong in one movement but that can you transition that onto the mat. If you can't transition the bench press onto the mat why who cares? it doesn't mean anything, right? As a fighter. >> And so strength, um, speaking from my own personal experience, I am not very good at ju Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but yet I tapped out some black belts as a white belt. It's cuz I was 300 lb. I was a very good athlete. I was extremely quick and very, very strong for my body weight. So pound-for-pound, I was very strong. And so when you have that kind of power, it doesn't really matter what you know. >> Muslim, >> I'm just going to I'm just going to because I have the athleticism now. You take the same body, but if it's not balanced and if he's not an athlete, that jiu-jitsu guy is going to break his arms and do whatever he wants to him because there's no there's no balance to you can't there's no foundation to that body. I mean, if I get the jiu-jitsu guy in this position, oh wow, I might get 10 reps with him. I mean, what's that going to do? It's not going to do anything in a fight, right? >> Yeah. >> So, why are you doing bench press as a fighter? You don't really need it. You need to be doing training your back because as you train your back and you go to pivot and you throw that punch, all that power that comes from the hips, it has to trans transition through your upper back, through your body, bam, into that fist. If you have a weak point in your upper back, which most people do, then your punch will not be as hard as it could. And so you have to throw more punches and leave yourself open to getting taken down or punched or kicked back. And so these are the things with a fighter that makes me feel really good about having giving them a complete physique. So when they step into the cage or they step into the ring, they are ready to go physically. >> You're going to give them the ability to not avoid getting taken down, but have the strength to get back up. >> Exactly. >> Because that's not how you train to fight. You don't train to never be taken down. You train to get out of it when it happens. >> Well, yeah. if you have the muscular strength to get out of it. And if you don't have the muscular strength, I don't care what you know. Reason why I know that because I put that to the test. >> Yeah. >> You see what I'm saying? I don't care what I don't care if you if you what you know, it's not going to help you. >> And that is why with fighters, they have to be muscularly balanced. Otherwise, they're going to get injured and they're never going to really have the full potential.
MMA Influence and Fighter Development at the Gym
>> At what point in these 32 years did the fight scene start to bleed into the gym more and more? >> Yeah. Um, so let's think, um, cannot remember the exact year, be honest. I wish I kind of looked this up. It was around 2006, I think it was, when MMA became legal in Greenville, >> uh, or South Carolina. And, um, I am a massive MMA fan. I love it. I love watching it. I wish I could still do some of that stuff. >> Uh, but it's like my favorite. It's my favorite sport bar none. And so [clears throat] I fell very passionately for the sport. And so I really wanted to put some fights on >> and uh promote fights. And about that time I had a become a friend of mine, James Lynn, Lynn, Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Um and he uh came on board and said, "Hey, I want to teach people doing jiu-jitsu." >> And then it just evolved from there and we started putting on fights together. Um >> had three really big venues. Uh two at Quake Stake and Lube. um had anywhere from 830 to,300 people watching >> uh several of the fighters that fought on our cards went up to the USC and fought. So it was a really really good talent pool and I just absolutely love being a part of it, you know. >> No, absolutely. It's a huge >> Oh, and the guy you meet you, you know, you've interviewed, right? And they're cool guys, man. Most of them. >> You get the average MMA guy, he's a really good dude. >> Oh, solid. Well, a lot a [clears throat] lot of what people don't understand is in order to uh succeed at a physically demanding, physically challenging, physically dangerous sport is a lot of discipline and a lot of talking to people and a lot of just staying the course. When you talk to some of these people, it's just so easy to see how driven they are. They they talk about what they love and they love what they do. And >> it's not a bunch of thugs doing stuff. It's usually a bunch of people that are helping you clean up the mats after a gym, right? Like that's kind of what it is. >> Yeah. That's And again, you know, I don't care what the sport is or what anything is, you're always going to have your fake people in there. And you got your fake fighters who run their mouth or and they don't win usually in the cage or on wherever it is. And so you're
Bodybuilding Decline, Steroid Risks, and Natural Training
going to get that nonsense. And you know, unfortunately, going back to bodybuilding, which was kind of my [sighs] thing, is unfortunately in about 2000, early 2000s, bodybuilding really took a nose dive and just a lot of fake uh people got in there running uh events. Uh a lot of um a lot more drugs came on the scene and bodybuilding. >> Uh so now, [clears throat] which is crazy. I mean, the numbers that these kids are doing, it's like, man, um, did you not learn anything from Boston Lloyd? >> Did you do you not do you not get that? I mean, Rich Piana's dead, too, bro. Do you not do you think that's funny? Cuz I don't think it's funny for an 18-year-old or a 17-year-old to blast two grams of gear a week. >> Mhm. >> And that's what these idiots on social media are telling them to do. And so you got these kids who are destroying the endocrine system uh within a few years and they're in early 20s and they're not big. They don't look good. They're pimply. They're bloated and look like trash. >> They're just fundamentally starting wrong and killing their body doing >> destroying their body from the get-go. And so that's what happened to bodybuilding. And that's why I do train people for bodybuilding still. Uh but I that's it's not my sport. And I I kind of left bodybuilding 25 years ago really. I don't have anything much more to do with it until it just starts to come back. um you know where people aren't doing that and people aren't aren't encouraged to do that. Uh the only saving grace of bodybuilding right now is the the [clears throat] natural competitions and so I've been training more natural competitors uh just because I just want to see these kids destroy themselves by the time they're 25 man. >> Absolutely. >> Like I actually have a conscience unlike uh some of these people on social media who are just making money off you and then and then they're selling the drugs on social media too. So, >> what is what is it about the gear that makes people think it's going to make it easier? >> Yeah, it's it's super easy, man. So, what happens is you see a a great athlete like uh or bodybuilder like uh Arnold Schwarzenegger uh or you know, you name the athlete out there you um doesn't matter who it is uh and you find out they're taking steroids. See, the average person who's not an athlete who's never trained before goes, "Wait a minute. If I take steroids, I could run that fast. If I take steroids, I could punch that hard." And no, you can't. >> Still got to train. >> Yeah. So, you're living in a fantasy world, bro. Who are you? Look in the mirror. First of all, look at your parents. And if they act your actual parents, then look at yourself cuz you're not that far removed from that. Look at the family members. Is there anyone who's a freak athlete in your family? >> Well, I hate to break it to you, two grams of gear a week is not going to help you achieve it. It's just going to kill you like it did Rich Piano and Boston Lloyd and all these other guys who are out there talking all this nonsense and and killing people basically. So, uh, until people stop buying into the nonsense, until people stop thinking there's a quick way, uh, they're always going to fall into these traps and there's nothing you can do to stop them because they don't want to change. And again, they're living in a fantasy world and they are, uh, not in reality and and they they are they are living a false life. >> I think what I like about you is even from the early times that we've met, you're just kind of matterof fact about things. So, if somebody comes in and is like, "Yeah, you know, I was watching this guy and I'm just going to take this and do that." I feel like you're going to be like, "That's ridiculous. Don't do that. That's stupid." >> Yeah. I I tell uh if you're you're under 25, man, you do not need to take steroids. Just period. >> You got plenty of steroids in your body. If you don't have enough steroids in your body, natural production of of testosterone, then you need to check your diet. >> What are you eating? Because that's going to affect your testosterone. You also need to check, are you sleeping? >> If you're not sleeping, your testosterone is going to be low. What are you doing on the weekends, man? You partying? Well, that's going to drop your testosterone. You see? So, what is it you're trying to achieve? Cuz blasting gear into your body is just going to burn your body out. So, we already know that because we seen all these people die around us. So, for me, it's just getting people to understand that it's an evolutionary process. >> You are not going to get there in a day. There is no quick way to get there. And if you are not an athlete, don't pretend you are. Stop lying to yourself. Go play pickle ball, bro. Go do something else, right? >> Don't don't don't don't try to blast three or four grams of gear a week and kill yourself by the time you're 30. It's not going to help you, man.
Honesty, Accountability, and Client Communication
>> Yeah. Absolutely. >> Yeah. But yeah, I I just don't like I mean, again, you know, I hate fake people. I don't like, you know, fake athletes and people pretending to be something they're not or fake anyone. And so there are a lot of fake gyms out there. They call them fitness centers. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> I mean, hey, I'll put a color up on my gym. Hey. Woo. >> That's going to get you in shape. Oh, just pay 10 bucks a month. That way when you don't go, it doesn't matter, right? But it's not really 10 bucks a month. It's 20. >> Mhm. >> So again, people want to be fooled. I I can't help you if you want to be fooled. If you want to come to Bris Brothers Gym and get in shape, and if you want to help your mind get corrected into focusing, I'll help you do that. But if you want something, if you want to go to, you know, a pink gym, then go ahead and go there, man. >> I view what you're saying as kind of like everybody wants to live in a house, but not everybody wants to build one. >> 100%. >> And so, you're helping them build that house. >> Yeah. >> You're helping them get what they want, but that means there's work, there's skill, there's studying, and they're doing it the right way. >> And and there's you got to there's you got to pay pay for it, man. You know, you got to pay the price. Are you willing to get up early? Are you willing to prep your food? Are you willing to go to bed early and miss out on the partying? Are you willing to do all the things you normally want to do and get in shape? Excuse me. And [clears throat] if you're not, that's fine. I don't want to make you. I I don't really care. Be honest with you. But if you want to get in shape, I'm there for you. >> How do you get people to open up with you and be [snorts] honest about what it is they're [clears throat] thinking, feeling, and doing outside of the gym? Because I feel like that's a huge piece that you need.
Handling Client Resistance and Guiding Growth
>> Yeah. So, how do you get them to open up and be honest with you about what they're really doing? >> Pretty much what I'm doing with you. Just be Excuse [clears throat] me. I'm sorry. Just be real. And then when I catch BS, I just No. Come on, dude. No. Don't think you can get lean and then you eat a pizza and drink 12 beers on Friday night. It's not going to happen, dude. >> Yeah. >> No matter what whatever the thing is they're saying to me that's nonsense, you have to call them on it. And that's what a real friend is, right? So, if I'm not a real friend to you, then I'll let you say nonsense and and live in oblivion, you know? >> But if I'm [snorts] a real friend, I'm going to say, "No, dude. This is the way you got to do it." >> Once somebody commits to the process. >> Yeah. >> What does that look like, [snorts] >> man? It's pretty awesome. It's uh if you can put it in musical terms, it's like a symphony going off. >> Yeah. >> You know, cuz you see these people, man, and like you become friends with them. I mean, I become friends with most of my customers, you know, and uh [clears throat] so, you know, you see someone whose life is kind of it's not going well and they can't sleep, they're anxious, their clothes don't fit them right, you know, their spouse is not happy with them, kids don't respect them. [sighs and gasps] Um, 6 months later, clothes fit great, man. New attitude. All of a sudden, everyone around you changes their attitude, too. You know, I think this this is a big thing for for most men out there. >> Uh you know, if you're a man and you got a family and uh you know, you're flopping around >> and you don't show any discipline um and any self-restraint, then you're really not a man. You're a boy. >> You're a boy pretending to be a man. >> And so for me, um again, I don't like fake people. I don't like fake men, uh boys pretending to be men. So I I help try to help people be honest with themselves. And I expect my friends to do the same thing to me, you know, and I and and and they do. And that's what I like about them. That's why my friends cuz they correct me when I get out of line, too. >> A lot of my [snorts] closest friends are from the MMA days. >> Yeah. >> Because we're just so used to looking at each other and being like, "You're an asshole." [laughter] >> You know? >> Yeah. >> But like we're also the same ones that are like, "I love you, bro." >> Yeah. >> You know, it's just it's one of those things where you get into that. >> So when you see these successes, it's almost like you're not just building their health. You're not just building their body. You're kind of building a new attitude and a new outlook on life. >> A whole new life, man. A whole new life. I mean, again, I'm not going to go bore you guys with a ton of stories, but one is one dude who I trained years ago, and he was like a computer nerd. Looked like one. >> And dude, he was actually very athletic. He had great genetics. And he had no idea he had good genetics. Like, I don't if he had ever gone for a run before. >> And uh within six months, he gained about 15 pounds of muscle. dropped about 25 pounds of body fat and looked like an athlete and then started go he never went out before. Never did anything other than worked. Went home and slept all weekend, played video games. [clears throat] From that point on, he went out every weekend, kept his friends and got a whole bunch of new friends on top of that and his confidence and the way he was living his life completely changed. Girlfriend, >> well, guess what? girls actually like guys in shape who respect themselves because if you don't respect yourself, you can't respect your your spouse. You can't respect your partner. >> That's true. >> So, this is a thing that once you start to see this change in people and they're like, "Oh man, Oie's not just some crazy old dude. He actually knows what he's talking about in this area. You know, don't trust me on anything else. I can't fix your car, but in this area, I know what I'm doing because I've done it for so long and I've seen thousands and thousands and thousands of people change their lives." Have you ever had a client walk in and just kind of be combative about it and eventually have to turn to you and say, "Yeah, you were right."
Discipline, Warrior Mindset, and Future Goals
>> Oh, yeah. [laughter] Yeah. Many times. Doesn't matter if it's on training or diet or whatever. Yeah. I think in the beginning, um not not so much nowadays, but in the beginning, like the ' 90s especially, a lot of people thought if I just eat halfway, okay, which it wasn't halfway okay, but if they in their mind it was okay, and I just train, I'll be in good shape. And it just doesn't work that way, man. If you want your body to be trained, >> start with your mind. >> Start with your mind. That's it. And that's that's the thing. It's like for me, I'm big into uh reading, you know, about warriors, warrior culture, Sunzu, all that kind of stuff. And uh once you start the start to study the way of the warrior, uh it's really the way a man should behave in this world >> uh with integrity, uh honesty, um and self-sacrifice. And if you don't have discipline, you can have none of that. >> You can find a way to make everybody their own warrior. >> Yeah. >> In their own life. >> Their own life. That's right. That's my That's my my goal.
Future Expansion and Gym Network Vision
>> So, speaking of your goals, um I mean, you've already grown the landscape of Britz Brothers over the last 32 years. What's the next 32 look like? >> Well, my uh son and daughter-in-law um have Area 51 and they're linked with Britz Brothers. So, we have Britz Brothers boxing over there. And so my goal is to link up, you [clears throat] know, gyms like that, uh, not just family members, but other people as well, and have a network of of different gyms that work together and help people who are like-minded, who, uh, aren't going to sell you some cream you rub on your stomach and expect to lose body fat for, you know what I'm saying? >> Yeah. uh who are who are real people and really want to help people and change help change the culture um of the the fitness world. Um and help people to be more realistic in their expectations of what to expect when they step into a gym. That it isn't a magic wand that you're waving over yourself, man. It's just going to be a process. It's evolutionary. It takes time. Um, and if you're willing to give up some of the comforts in your life, um, then you'll understand um, how beneficial it is, that self-sacrifice, that discipline, how beneficial it is in the rest of your life. >> You're creating an ecosystem. They can come to you if they want this. They can go to Area 51 if they want to get the boxing and the MMA stuff in. And you want to create a larger net. [snorts] >> Exactly. >> That's fantastic. Just kind of like a partnership of places where you can have other people hold the same clients accountable. >> Exactly. We have Redemption MMA too where my son Evan works as well. And uh again a like-minded gym [gasps] that is uh you know Muay Thai and MMA based. Um and so you know I'd love to be able to continue to uh develop our relationship with them and other gyms out there that you know don't have this silly ego of like you know this peacock attitude. you know, I'm the best and and uh my my way is the only way and all that kind of nonsense. And so my goal is to really build up a network of of gyms and different of different backgrounds and areas uh where we can really help educate people. >> You're expanding a little bit too. You've you've been doing a lot of social media stuff. Um how do people find you? Where can they find you? Where can they get a little glimpse into Britz Brothers?
Gym Culture, Vibes, and Choosing the Right Fit
>> Yeah, man. Social media we got Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, all that stuff. Um, I don't even get on social media, so I don't even know what's on there to be honest with you. Uh, you can go to brisbrosgejy.com. Uh, check out our new website. Uh, we are building it out now. So, it's u in the process. So, what we have now is just the beginning. Uh, but yeah, go to uh go to our website or go to uh our social media, check out uh the videos we have, see if this is the kind of place you want to work out. Um, if it isn't, uh, I understand there are a lot of other really good gyms out there, uh, with different vibes to them.
Differentiating Brits Brothers from Commercial Gyms
>> So, if people out there have a question like, "Hey, I Brits isn't really for me. I'm looking more for this." I can help them go to that gym, you know, the gym they're looking for because there are a lot of um there are god so many gyms in Greenville right now and they a lot of them have different, you know, um I guess avenues of of training and so you have to figure out what it is you want and and the environment you want to train in because you know Brits is only for really people who are fairly serious about getting in shape. Like my mom works out there. She's 88. >> Mhm. but she's very serious about staying in shape. >> Yeah. >> So, uh other people want a more kind of plastic um and it's not nothing I'm not saying anything negative. It's just more of a a plastic environment where it's not quite as real. Um and so we we don't provide that, but there are a lot of commercial gyms out there that can give you that and um if that's what you're looking for.
Final Advice and Call to Action
>> So, what is your your parting knowledge? Imagine people watching this episode are teetering on the edge thinking about their fitness journey. What's that thing that you have to say? What's the Ali phrase that's going to get them going? >> I [snorts] don't know if I could give you one phrase. Uh but first, first of all, take a deep breath, think about what it is you want to accomplish. Um even if you just want general fitness and to feel better, you're going to have to perform a lot of bodybuilding movements. You're also going to have to follow something close to a bodybuilding diet with probably more vegetables in there. Um, and understand you're going to have to go to sleep on time and you can't get messed up on the weekends with drugs and alcohol. Uh, you can, but you're not going to get in shape that way. So, first of all, think about what it is you want. Understand what you're going to have to give up in order to get what you want. And then give me a call. Come by the gym. We'll find out where your weaknesses are, where your strengths are, what you need to do in order to get in shape for you, and then everything will progress from there.
Closing Remarks and Appreciation
>> I think that's a great place to stop. Oie, I appreciate you coming by, spending some time with us. We look forward to having you again. >> Thank you, brother. Appreciate it. >> [music]
