E604: When Hard Work Isn’t Enough: Jay Jones on Identity, Failure, and Grit

This week Jiunta welcomes Jay Jones to the Podcast. From walking on to a D1 football team, to becoming a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Marines, Jay’s story is a raw and unfiltered journey through identity, failure, and grit. Tune in as the guys talk about what happens when hard work isn’t enough, why identity beyond sport matters, and how the lowest moments can redefine your purpose. https://www.instagram.com/sweetjones_1911?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Certification for professionals tired of slow progress and corrective exercise. PSL1 enrolment is now LIVE! https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Welcome Jay Jones (00:00:00) D1 Football & Harsh Realities (00:01:15) Identity Beyond the Game (00:02:56) Losing Confidence and Quitting the Dream (00:09:18) From Corporate Climb to Collapse (00:16:04) Rock Bottom and the Hustler’s Grind (00:23:10) The Plasma Moment (00:27:34) A New Direction: Joining the Marines at 30 (00:33:01) Getting Accepted After Being Denied (00:44:09) Marine Corps Reality Check (00:49:21) Staying Jay in a Uniform (00:51:15)

Shallow and Jiunta dissect the lazy content cycle plaguing the fitness industry. We're talking injury reaction videos, surface-level hot takes, and the constant chase for algorithm relevance. They break down why both the “this was preventable” crowd and the “injuries can’t be prevented” counterculture are missing the point. PSL1 Is Now Live For Registration! Sign Up Now At  https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Shut Up or Add Value (00:00:00) The Injury Clout Cycle and NBA Hot Takes (00:01:02) Why Most Content Is Just Reaction Bait (00:04:45) The Myth of Preventable Injuries (00:07:13) Injury Prevention vs Real-World Risk (00:14:21) Acute:Chronic Load and the Elite Athlete Dilemma (00:21:14) You’re Not Coaching a Pro—Don’t Pretend You Are (00:25:04) Fix the System, Not the Symptom (00:29:00) Foot and Ankle Mechanics That Actually Matter (00:33:48) The Real Role of the Nervous System (00:35:57)

The fitness podcast space looks nothing like it did when RX’D Radio started. In this episode, Shallow and Jiunta reflect on what’s changed, what still matters, and why trust is the currency that separates real coaches from content creators.  Certification for professionals tired of slow progress and corrective exercise. Join the PSL1 waitlist now! https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Coke Zero & Coaching Evolution (00:00:00) The Podcast Space Isn’t What It Used to Be (00:05:28) How Social Proof and Trust Work in Coaching (00:10:05) Why Experience Still Wins (00:17:12) You Don’t Get to Charge Year 10 Rates in Year 1 (00:31:01) The Price of Growth and Long-Term Success (00:33:33)

Why do you shift during squats? Should you train differently during a fat loss phase? And can you get stronger and run without losing progress on either? In this episode Shallow and Jiunta break down some of the most common and misunderstood topics in the fitness space. Certification for professionals tired of slow progress and corrective exercise. Join the PSL1 waitlist now! https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ 0:00 Intro: Why Most Podcasts Don’t Last 3:38 The Glute God & Fitness Gimmicks 5:45 Squat Hip Shift: Causes and Corrections 16:42 Fat Loss Training: What Should Actually Change 26:27 Internal Rotation from Benching: What to Do 37:02 Strength + Cardio: Training Them Together 49:01 The Real Problem with Hybrid Training

Shallow and Jiunta unpack a wild placebo study where elite powerlifters and sprinters were told they were on steroids... but weren’t.  We dive into the psychology of belief, placebo effects, and how the mind might be the most underutilized performance-enhancer in training.  It's time we get serious about exercise prescription. Join the PSL1 waitlist now! https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Croissants and Intravenous Drugs (00:00:00) Drug vs. Alcohol Logic: The Dark Humor Segment (00:02:00) Performance vs. Feeling Good (00:09:40) The Steroid Placebo Study Breakdown (00:10:18) The Psychology Behind Perceived Strength (00:14:10) Belief vs. Recovery: What’s Really Helping? (00:15:26) The Power of Perception in Training (00:16:12) Coaching as a Placebo? (00:20:28) What Athletes Actually Trust (00:24:06) Outliers and Self-Belief (00:27:14) When Placebos Wear Off (00:29:16) Kobe, Floyd, and the Power of Belief (00:31:00) Mental Weakness or Missed Opportunity? (00:36:00) Confidence, Self-Doubt, and Growth (00:39:00) Steroids, Fairness, and the Playing Field (00:41:00)

Talk is cheap if you’re not in the trenches.  Shallow and Jiunta draw a hard line between talking about fitness and actually doing the work. This episode is a deep dive into what makes real coaching valuable, from navigating client goals, to exercise selection, and why most fitness content is missing the mark. If you’re tired of recycled advice from people who don’t coach, this one’s for you. It's time we get serious about exercise prescription. Join the PSL1 waitlist now! https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ The Problem with Talking Heads in Fitness (00:02:00) Exercise Selection: What Actually Matters (00:05:00) Why Enjoyment is the Key to Consistency (00:10:00) Coaching Gen Pop vs. Athletes (00:15:00) Getting Buy-In When Clients Don’t Have Goals (00:20:00) Celebrating Small Wins and Skill Progressions (00:26:00) The Trap of Scientific Nihilism in Coaching (00:32:00) The AI Coaching Threat and Human Adaptability (00:40:00) Career Longevity and Enjoyment (00:50:00)

Welcome to a solo Q&A with Jiunta where biomechanics, rehab, and bad Instagram questions collide. Jiunta dives deep into foot mechanics, disc injuries, unilateral vs bilateral training, and why chasing “optimal” sometimes misses the mark. It's time we get serious about exercise prescription. Join the PSL1 waitlist now! https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Foot Pronation and Upstream Effects (00:05:08) Joint Mechanics Aren’t a Debate (00:09:01) Disc Herniation and Weightlifting (00:14:00) Rehab Strategy: Control and Capacity (00:20:45) Why Barbell Single-Leg RDLs Miss the Mark (00:29:35) Box Squats and Hypertrophy: Yes or No? (00:40:15) How Jiunta Selects Exercises for Gen Pop Clients (00:46:50) Tips for Selling as a New Coach (00:56:30)

Shallow and Jiunta unpack the growing obsession with objective training data and why it often misses the point. From heart rate monitors to force plates, they challenge whether these metrics matter when the goal is often subjective, like feeling good or moving without pain. It's Time We Get Serious About Exercise Prescription.    Sign Up Now.  https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Living in Chaos (00:00:00) The Myth of Optimization in Fitness (00:03:00) Can You Objectively Measure Subjectivity? (00:06:00) Why Load Isn’t Always the Goal (00:09:00) Tracking What Actually Matters for Clients (00:14:00) The True Role of a Coach vs. Trainer (00:21:00) How to Add Value Beyond the Gym (00:29:00) Measuring Sleep, Stress, and Success (00:36:00)

Shallow and Jiunta unpack low back pain, the pitfalls of overconfidence, and how trust and humility create real progress in rehab and performance. Class Has Begun! This is your LAST CHANCE to sign up for this cohort of PSL1.   https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Coffee, chaos, and creatine (00:00:00) Why chiropractic college is the “fat kid” of academia (00:02:30) What art, science, and philosophy reveal about treatment (00:05:50) Tools vs. outcomes: The problem with dependency models (00:09:00) From fake dummies to real relationships (00:13:45) Humility and trust as clinical cornerstones (00:17:00) Filtering pain: Mechanical, inflammatory, or damage? (00:22:00) Overcoaching and the power of taking things away (00:28:15) Motivation, buy-in, and mapping out recovery (00:36:30)

Shallow and Jiunta dig into what it really takes to build a big, strong back. Forget Instagram hacks and isolated fluff—this is a conversation about foundational strength, spinal control, and why deadlifts and bent-over rows still reign supreme. From coaching cues to misunderstood anatomy, we break down the principles behind effective back training and why most lifters get it wrong. Class Starts May 12th! Sign Up For PSL1 Now At  https://www.pre-script.com/psl1 FREE Coach's Field Guide: https://www.pre-script.com/coachs-field-guide We’ve got a new sponsor! Marek Health is a health optimization company that offers advanced blood testing, health coaching, and expert medical oversight. Our services can help you enhance your lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to medical treatment and care. https://marekhealth.com/rxd Code RXD Don’t miss the release of our newest educational community - The Pre-Script ® Collective! Join the community today at  www.pre-script.com. For other strength training, health, and injury prevention resources, check out our website, YouTube channel, and Instagram. For more episodes, subscribe and tune in to our podcast. Also, make sure to sign up to our mailing list at www.pre-script.com to get the first updates on new programming releases. You can also follow Dr. Jordan Shallow and Dr. Jordan Jiunta on Instagram! Dr. Jordan Shallow: https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/ Dr. Jordan Jiunta: https://www.instagram.com/redwiteandjordan/ Why Most Podcasts Rinse and Repeat (00:00:30) Deadlifts: The Foundational Back-Builder (00:06:30) Strength vs. Hypertrophy: What Actually Grows Your Back (00:08:00) The Role of Spinal Control in Hypertrophy (00:12:00) Bent-Over Rows and Shear Tolerance (00:14:30) Isolation Doesn’t Work Without a Strong Base (00:17:00) Core Control: The Secret to Better Back Training (00:20:00) The Lat Pulldown Mistake Everyone Makes (00:23:00) Why You’re Not Licensed to Train Lats Yet (00:25:00) The Case for Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows (00:27:00) Ribcage as a Fulcrum: Leveraging Spinal Mechanics (00:29:00) Prerequisites Before You Ever Pull Overhead (00:31:00)