18 Best Calf Exercises to Bulk Up Skinny Legs

You might not want straight-up tree trunks for legs, but if you’re craving more solid muscle mass—especially in the notoriously tough-to-build calves—you need targeted calf exercises, aside from just hammering your lower body in colossal leg-day workouts.

Calves can be especially challenging. We’ve heard plenty of lifters complain that they just don’t have the right genetics to build big calf muscles. But these stubborn muscles can grow, if you approach your workouts the right way.

First, some anatomy: The calf is made up of two main muscles. The gastrocnemius is a lower leg muscle that sits just under the skin, and it makes up the bulk of the calf. Then there’s the soleus, a wide, flat muscle that starts below your knee and runs down your lower leg, connecting to the Achilles tendon above the heel. These muscles connect the knee and ankle joint to help with knee flexion and extension so you can walk, run, and jump.

Here, we’ve compiled some of the greatest muscle-building calf exercises (think single-leg calf raise) you can do to add some definition to your legs. Try these on for size during your next leg day workout; just be sure to move methodically with proper range of motion to really stimulate the muscles. Also consider working in some explosive cardio like sprinting and jump rope to help develop stronger, more muscular calves. They’ll create micro-tears in the muscle fiber that’ll cause the body to send blood and nutrients to the cells in need, growing your calves bigger and stronger.

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The Best Exercises for Calf Workouts

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A Wolf in Wolf’s Clothing: The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR

As the new Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR rolled into my driveway in Toronto, it was love at first sight. From the sturdy definition of its more-dressed-than-naked frame to the hand-stitched black leather seat and wasp tail, the Speed Triple 1200 RR is flat-out chic—a couture machine engineered with the power and tech to back it up its aggressive appearance. I eagerly suited up and tossed a leg over the bike to experience the performance firsthand.

Downtown Toronto traffic comes with a multitude of challenges. The area has a seemingly unplanned grid of one- and two-way streets, and it’s shared by a network of streetcars and bicycle lanes and criss-crossed with pedestrian crossings. But despite the chaos, navigating these buzzing urban thoroughfares on the nimble and sporty Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR was painless. At rider’s command, the bike offered instant and sustained power to zip around obstacles. And with Triumph’s Quickshifter, I maneuvered through traffic at variable speeds with ease.

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Person riding a Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR.
A uniquely-shaped cockpit fairing gives Speed Triple 1200 RR a chic and aggressive street look. Renata Kaveh

An Apex Predator

When it comes to power and performance, Triumph delivers the goods with this bike. The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR is powered by a liquid-cooled, 12-valve, DOHC, 1160cc, inline three-cylinder motor that generates a responsive 177 horsepower and 92 lb-ft of torque. The motor has a low-inertia design that’s quite unlike its competitors: Whereas a bit of jolting is typical, the Speed Triple 1200 RR offers a smooth ride via its six-speed transmission and electronic throttle.

Those enhancements combine with the stainless steel three-into-one header system, underslung primary silencer, and a side-mounted secondary silencer to create the bike’s throaty-but-smooth sonic signature. It was a perfect soundtrack for my ride through Toronto’s concrete jungle.

The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR’s chassis consists of an aluminum twin-spar frame, a bolt-on subframe, and single-sided swingarm. It’s equipped with an Öhlins 43mm adjustable USD fork up front and a monoshock in the rear; both use the Öhlins S-EC 2.0 OBTi electronic compression and rebound damping system.

That high-tech suspension excelled in areas like Queen Street West, where potholes reign. Twin Brembo disc brakes up front and a single disc in the back provided ample stopping power. Better yet, the adjustable front braking system allows riders to tweak the feel of the lever to their preferences.

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Man walking away from a parked Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR.
Speed Triple 1200 RR comes with a multitude of carbon fiber elements and top-tier ride-control electronics engineered for both road and track. Renata Kaveh

 

Genuine Sports Ergonomics and Handling

Rider ergonomics are no afterthought with the Speed Triple 1200 RR. I measure six feet tall and weigh 205 pounds, and I was pleasantly comfortable on the bike. It offers a more relaxed riding posture that creates a painless rider triangle ratio; it’s ideal for the streets and roads I’m after. When paused at stoplights or threading through stop-and-go traffic, heat radiation off the motor was nearly non-existent.

But when you want to get more aggressive, the bike is happy to accommodate you thanks to the clip-on handlebars and well-measured footpeg distance. My body wasn’t complaining after a day of dynamic riding.

The Speed Triple 1200 RR comes with high-performance Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 tires; combined with a lightweight cast aluminum chassis and an optimized center of gravity, it achieves a new benchmark in Speed Triple precision handling and agility. While I didn’t have the opportunity to test the bike on a track, grip and cornering traction around the city and on the highway were laudable.

After getting my fill of the downtown matrix, I merged onto the Don Valley Parkway, Toronto’s municipal expressway, and rode along Lake Ontario’s freshwater shoreline. The Speed Triple 1200 RR was dynamic and sprightly—and stupid fast. On one traffic-free stretch of highway, I may or may not have realized the bike’s top speed of 165 mph.

At high speeds on straightaways, and with my weight pushed behind the fairing, the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR ate up miles with impressive steadiness. That said, the front fairing screen creates a very tiny protected area. This is where my size is probably a disadvantage—I nearly had to pin my chin to the fuel tank to keep from getting buffeted by the wind.

Person riding a Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR on a narrow bridge in a city.
The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR applies modern design and engineering to the British café racer archetype. Renata Kaveh

Designed for Less Effort, More Fun

Performance-enhancing technologies are a prerequisite for such a powerful beast, and the Speed Triple 1200 RR provides the perfect showcase for rider-aid tech. The Optimized Cornering ABS and Cornering Traction Control are state of the art, and they function across all riding conditions. In addition, Front Wheel Lift Management operates via the traction control to help maintain front wheel contact with the earth. These systems have become more intuitive thanks to input from the Inertial Measurement Unit, which provides critical data when the bike is leaning through a corner.

A five-inch color TFT display handles all instrumentation and ride electronics. The Speed Triple 1200 RR’s five Riding Modes are included with three pre-programmed for Road, Sport, and Rain. A fourth mode is rider programmable, and the fifth is exclusively for riding on a track.

Amid all the gadgetry, some of the simplest concepts, like neutral position and standing balance, shouldn’t be taken for granted. I’ve found myself fighting with some motorcycles over these simple tasks, but the Speed Triple 1200 RR presented no issues. While no featherweight, the bike is light enough—with a full tank (3.4 U.S. gallons), the Speed Triple 1200 RR weighs in at 438 pounds and can deliver 37.3 mpg.

Man in a leather jacket walking away from a Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR
The bike offers pure elegance, performance, and attitude. Renata Kaveh

The Perfect Equation

The competition to create the perfect motorcycle is fierce. Designers, engineers, and mechanics all work in alignment to push forward the boundaries of motorcycle dynamics and presentation. If there’s a secret algorithm for the perfect ratio of beauty, sophistication, attitude, and performance, Triumph has uncovered it with the Speed Triple 1200 RR.

After my ride, I have to give kudos to Triumph for creating one of the most aesthetically beautiful production motorcycles to debut in the last decade. Set amidst many production bikes in its price range, the Speed Triple 1200 RR truly stands in a class of its own.

[From $20,950; triumphmotorcycles.com]

Get it

Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR Bond Edition on a black background.
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Celebrating 60 Years of James Bond

Want to get a really special bike? Consider a limited-edition Speed Triple 1200 RR. To commemorate 60 years of James Bond and the partnership between two iconic British brands (Triumph and 007), Triumph is releasing a limited run of 60 motorcycles, dubbed the Speed Triple 1200 RR Bond Edition. The bike comes in a custom color scheme of Granite and Storm Grey with carbon fiber and hand-painted gold accents. Each motorcycle is individually numbered and includes a hand-signed (by Triumph’s CEO Nick Bloor) certificate of authenticity. Prices start at $24,995.

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Halloweekend recap

Hi friends! And Happy Halloween to those of you who are celebrating today! TBH, I feel like Halloween has come and gone already, and feeling like I really need to rally tonight lol. Between the Trunk or Treat, class parties, friend parties, we celebrated. The kids have tons of candy and fun memories. We good. But we’re still going to bring it strong tonight. 😉 High fives to all of my mama friends out there pushing through; we’re almost there!

It was a super fun weekend. To kick things off, we celebrated P’s birthday with her friends from school + her cousins! The kids had a half day on Friday, so it was the perfect afternoon for a party at Wild Katz. I love parties like this because the kids can run around, the parents can chill, we sing “Happy Birthday” and eat cake, and done. Minimal cleanup required. 😉

I found this cute banner on Etsy:

ordered cupcake toppers, and picked up green candies from Party City.

For treat bags, I filled them with ninja turtle masks and curly straws, slime, nostalgic candy, and the star of the show was these pizza cookies from Simply Bliss.

(For lunch, we ordered the family-sized pizzas from Mama’s Pizza and they delivered. Just a heads up for my local friends; it made it super easy for a Wild Katz party)

It was the perfect celebration for sweet P. She has the best time hanging out with all of her friends and we were so thankful so many of them came out to celebrate with us.

Friday night, we hung out at home, and Saturday was Trunk or Treat at the dance studio.

Our team’s theme was Pirates of the Caribbean, and I volunteered the Pilot to be our Jack Sparrow. You guys, he WAS Jack Sparrow. He was fully in character for a captive audience the entire time haha. I told him he always has potential for Disneyland if the pilot thing doesn’t work out.

(Also funny story: when P was in preschool, her friend couldn’t understand her when she said her dad was a pilot, and she thought P said her dad was a pirate. She thought Tom was a real pirate for a few months and it was amazing.)

Our team mom is above and beyond, and our set-up came out so well!!

One of the parents made a plank for the kids to walk,

and I put together the Caption Hook ring toss.

We got third place, which I’m calling a huge win because all of the set-ups were seriously so so good!

After Trunk or Treat, we headed straight to the squadron family Halloween party, which was at a friend’s house. The had activities for the kids (movies playing and a jumping castle) and lots of delicious food and craft cocktails. When we first got there, we were all feeling pretty tired, but then no one wanted to leave. 😉

Sunday morning, madre made an epic brunch. No one ever knows what to get the Pilot for his birthday or any holiday, so she said she’d make him a birthday brunch. We all agreed that he should request this for every upcoming birthday because we all loved it. Coffee cake, beans, egg casserole, corned beef hash, potatoes, bagels, the whole spread was a dream.

In the afternoon, the Pilot took the girls to our neighbor’s Halloween party – I caught up on some work stuff at home and was feeling pretty rundown at this point – and we had turkey pumpkin chili and cornbread for dinner.

Now we’re back into the week and into the Halloween fun! I’ll probably catch a midday yoga class for a little zen in the middle of the activities. I hope you have a wonderful day, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see ya tomorrow with my first gift guide of 2022!

xo

Gina

The post Halloweekend recap appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior Podcast Episode 32: Ezekiel Mitchell

Men’s Journal’s Everyday Warrior With Mike Sarraille is a podcast that inspires individuals to live more fulfilling lives by having conversations with disrupters and high performers in all walks of life. In episode 32, we spoke to professional bull rider Ezekiel Mitchell.

Listen to the full episode above (scroll down for the transcript) and see more from this series below.

This interview has not been edited for length or clarity.


Mike Sarraille:
Welcome to the Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior podcast. I’m your host, Mike Sarraille. I’m joined today by Ezekiel Mitchell—25 years old, the only Black bull rider in PBR. Is that correct?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I guess at the Unleashed to Be Series or the Team Series level? Yeah. I’m the only one.

Mike Sarraille:
I wanna dive into that. And you’re 36th in the world.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. I’d like to be a lot higher than that, and I know I’m capable of being a lot higher than that. So, uh, I don’t know. It, it doesn’t sink in. I guess. It, it never will. I’ve been riding bulls professionally for I guess four years now. Four seasons, and I still don’t believe that I get to do this every weekend as a job.

Mike Sarraille:
I love that answer. Yeah. I mean, to anyone else, cuz there’s a lot of bull riders out there that aren’t ranked and would love to be in your position, but for you, it’s, it’s not good enough.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
No. Uh, I don’t think it’d ever be good enough until I win the world.

Mike Sarraille:
Is that the goal? Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
That’s ultimately,

Mike Sarraille:
Ultimately, you know, Um, Do you know who General Co Powell is?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Can’t say. Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
You’re 25 in, uh, General Co. Powell, uh, was a, uh, you know, I don’t wanna get this incorrectly. I don’t wanna say he was the first Black four-star general but he was probably, he will go down in history as one of the greatest generals in the US military. Mm-hmm. . And he was once asked like, What does it feel like that you’re gonna go down in history as, uh, one of the best black generals in the U.S. military? And he looked at him and he was like, What does Black have anything to do with it? I wanna be one of the best U.S. generals in the history of the military. How does that make you feel?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I feel the same exact way. Um, you know, uh, like active on social media and stuff, and I’ll post things and people were like, Oh, you’ll be like one of the best Black cowboys. And I was like, I don’t wanna be the best Black cowboy or best Black bull rider. I wanna be one of the best bull riders. I feel like, uh, a lot of times in, in our society now, especially too, we get really caught up in the whole race thing. And I just think we’re all people and we all, you know, we’re all God’s children, so

Mike Sarraille:
Amen to that. You, you know, the one unique thing about, and, and I know you didn’t serve in the military that are loved is nobody cared if you were black or white. Mm-hmm. Hispanic or, uh, Asian, uh, men or woman, uh, straight or gay. Uh, if you were competent, if you were a great warrior mm-hmm. , That’s how we saw you. Yeah. Simply as that. Not, and, and, you know, there was, there was great black, uh, seals, there’s great white seals, but at the end of the day, none of that mattered. If, are you good at your job and do you have my back? Is all that mattered? So, uh, interesting story. I know you’re living in North Carolina right now and we’ll, we’ll get to that. But you were born, uh, in Rockdale, Texas for the, uh, for the listeners, they probably have no idea where Rockdale is. Uh, Walk me in. Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Rockdale is probably about a halfway point between Austin and Brian Col Station. Uh, so it’s somewhere in central Texas. Yeah. Little video town, probably population 3000 people, maybe at the most, at

Mike Sarraille:
The most . Did, did you enjoy growing up there?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah, I did. I, I really enjoyed it. Um, growing up I moved back and forth, uh, with my mom and my dad. My mom, they’ve been outside of Houston. Uh, but I had to say, I guess as a kid being in Rockdale is more fun for me. You know, I was, uh, always riding horses and I was able just to be kind of kid that I wanted to be. I felt like whenever I’d go live with my mom, I was kind of boxed in because, uh, living in the city and neighborhoods and stuff like that, I, I really didn’t like it that much. So

Mike Sarraille:
I, I made an assumption. Were were your parents divorced at one point? Uh,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. They, uh, I guess they’re never really married, so they were together had, uh, four beautiful children together. And, uh, after that, I guess it just didn’t work out. They had to go their separate way. And, uh, my mom ended up, uh, with my step, which I, I think of him as my second dad. I don’t think of him as good man. Yeah. Good man. Uh, both, all my parents are great people. So, um, I don’t know. It’s been a pretty cool life. I’ve, I got to have a lot of strong men in my life and, uh, my mom is amazing too. So

Mike Sarraille:
How, how important do you think that is? Cause I know there’s a, there’s there’s a lot of discussion about, you know, the presence of a, of man in the home or, or a male, uh, role model. Do you think that was pivotal to your sort of maturation as a, as a, as a man?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Yeah. And, uh, having two different dads, I guess it, it made it even better because I had two perspectives on life, uh, in two, two ways. They both grew up and, um, I think it’s always super important to have a father figure or a male figure and, and another guy’s life. I’ve had a lot of male figures that have stepped up in my life and, uh, really helped me out to be the man that I am today. Uh, if I didn’t have their guidance. It’s the same way with kids that grow up in the streets though, and choose a different life. If you have male influences, the guy that’s showing you something bad Yeah. The dude, then you’re probably gonna grow up to do the same thing. So

Mike Sarraille:
Yeah. We’re, we are definitely a product of our coaches and mentors in life, uh, either good or bad. Uh, and we’ve seen it, it’s, you know, the whole nature versus nurture. Have you ever heard of that concept? Mm-hmm. , Like you’re either born with a skill Yeah. Or it’s developed mm-hmm. , Uh, I, I believe nature, uh, or I will minimize nature. It’s all how we nurture the, the the young leaders. Yeah. Uh, coming up and, and I, I, you noticed that I said the word young leaders, I don’t care if there’s a young teenager who’s a man or a woman at the age of 15 that’s like a future leader of our country. Yeah. And you’ve gotta show ’em respect, whether you’re 30, 40, 50 older than them, uh, and build ’em up. Not, not, not push down, but, uh, so I read that, uh, you had 11 siblings total.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Something like that. ,

Mike Sarraille:
Uh, most of ’em still in Texas.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, I think pretty much all of ’em are still in Texas. Oh, nope. I have a sister in Louisiana, but, uh, besides that, yeah, I think everybody’s pretty much still in Texas.

Mike Sarraille:
So you’re, you’re back, you come back to Texas quite a bit, I’m assuming, to, to see your family? Or is it, is it, is the rodeo dominating your life right now?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah, the rodeo. Uh, I try to get down here as much as possible and come see everybody, but, uh, being going every weekend, I don’t really feel like flying here instead of going home.

Mike Sarraille:
What, what, what is the life of a professional bull rider? Is that, I mean, is that pretty much 24 7, 365, or is there an off season?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, even when we have an off season, it’s not really an off season. Yeah. The only time, uh, at least for me, the only time I’m really off is if I’m injured or something because, um, I, I don’t know, loving this sport so much, uh, can’t really stay away from it. Even whenever we’re supposed to have our off season or free time, we’ll still go out and enter like, the challenger events and like smaller events or hometown rodeo that’s close to us or, or something. So, um, I’m pretty much always going

Mike Sarraille:
And the sad realization, well, maybe it’s not sad, but, you know, it really, it really struck me when my career in the seal teams was over when I retired. Yeah. You, you only do have a, I don’t wanna say small, but there you only have a window that you can compete for so long before age and, and the body say, Yeah, I’m done. Um, so you were mainly, if, if I read this correctly, you focused on football and track in the early days?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Yeah. Uh, I was, I was really, really into track. I liked track a lot, um, and, uh, I was a distance runner and I did hurdles and like everything pretty much. Uh, and I don’t know, I, I really enjoyed track and then horses and rodeo and stuff took over and kind of forgot about football and, and track, so.

Mike Sarraille:
Interesting. So what was it about Rodeo that just pulled you in?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I don’t know what, from the time I was a kid, uh, I could never see myself doing anything else but being a cowboy, Uh, and we didn’t grow up with a lot of money, but like, whenever I, there’s a guy there in our hometown in Rockdale, uh, named Eli Green . And uh, he pretty much gave me and my best friend, our first horse, and we spent a bunch of time together just riding, uh, horses and trying to train these little ponies for other kids in the neighborhoods and stuff. So, uh, I don’t know, it, it really just started consuming me then. And then I was like, Man, I’m gonna figure out what rodeo events I can do. So we taught ourselves how to rope. We made our own bucking barrels and stuff and bucked each other on ’em. And so

Mike Sarraille:
I, I read this, you guys used Car Springs, is this right? Yeah,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I had one with a car spring. Um, I’ve had one, a few of ’em that just hung by ropes in a tree and um, yeah, we, we’d done tried and made, tried to make anything that we possibly could to make it work, but

Mike Sarraille:
Uh, with did with the car spring, did you guys weld or? Yeah,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, . So, uh, pretty much had a neighbor, a few houses down that could weld and, uh, he was gonna teach me, but he pretty much just did it all hisself and yeah. Carried all the, uh, all the pipe and stuff down there. And I can’t even remember how I got all the pipe in the car springs, but found the car springs somewhere and he welded at some plates together for us and I had to cut a hole in this plastic drum and set it over the top of it and try to screw it in. So it was, uh, it was a whole experience.

Mike Sarraille:
You got pictures of it?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I actually do have,

Mike Sarraille:
I didn’t have to see him

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Later. Yeah, I think I have a picture of it on my Facebook for sure. Cuz uh, he’d come pick me up from Baytown and we had to haul that thing. Yeah. All, I’m pretty sure it’s still at one of my friend’s house in their backyard, unless he gave it away. Yeah. But it’s still sitting there. Had to drive it all the way back and there was no way to take it apart. So there’s like four foot of pipe hanging outta my dad’s truck, headed down to Rockdale.

Mike Sarraille:
So was, uh, was a live green also a mentor coach? Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh, most definitely. Uh, taught,

Mike Sarraille:
Taught you how to take care of horses. Ride.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
He was, uh, pretty much the first person in my life that showed me like how to ranch and work cows and stuff like that. He had, um, his own cows and horses and stuff like that. He has probably three or four places that, different ranches that he owns, Little plus of, uh, acreage I guess. And, uh, he, he’s pretty much who got us into bull riding too. He had these big jersey steerers, uh, pretty much to, they were gonna be fatten up and slaughter and for some reason we went out there one day and we roped him out there in the middle of the pasture and me and my buddy John would riding him across the pasture and the groups of the cows and stuff. And, uh, that, that was kind of my first experience with bull riding was just in the middle of a pasture. No

Mike Sarraille:
Kidding. Yeah. You know, I’ve always respected, uh, the cowboy way of life. All the dude, I, I was born and raised in San, like San Francisco, the Bay Area. Mm. So, uh, riding horses or, or any of that, or even farming and ranching was just not Yeah. Organic to the area. But when I finally joined the Mil military, I joined the, uh, the Marines first. Even all these kids from Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, uh, Alabama, that they either grew up on ranches farming or, or something else, but they were the most disciplined people up early. They, you know, they had these just strong habits. They, they did not shy away from high, like, hard work. Mm-hmm. , uh, they had no problem getting dirty. Do you think that led to a lot of your, your current habits that you have? Cause I’m sure a live screen was very strict about, hey, you gotta do things the right way, you gotta get ’em done.

Ezekiel Mitchell:

Yeah. Uh, he, yeah. The main thing that I really took away from him is, is just the fact to have respect for animals and the things that you have and take care of. You know, Uh, he had a old Ford truck and a thing look pretty much brand new. Pristine. Yeah. Pristine and, uh, drove it to the farm every day, but he just made sure he took care of everything he had. Um, and every vehicle that he had was nice. Everything had to be put in a certain place. If you borrowed a, a bridle or something, make sure you put it back exactly where you found it. Cuz whenever he goes to look for it later and it’s not in that spot, you’re, you hear Yeah, you’re getting an ear full.

Mike Sarraille:
Uh, when, when you give your ear full, was it yelling or was it more like that brotherly love, like, Hey, I’m not, I’m not upset, I’m disappointed, and you, you know, the right thing to do and you didn’t do it.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
It depend, it depended on the day and how, how bad it was. Fair. Yeah. Fair. Yeah. For the most part, he was, he just talked to us and, uh, you know, there, there was a few times though he got pretty mad at us and yelled at us pretty good. But that’s,

Mike Sarraille:
That’s fair, man. That is, uh, hey. Yeah, there was times, uh, my old man did it with Grace and then there was times where he brought the, uh, the hammer . Uh, so I did read, and, and I’ve gotta verify this, that your initial step into bull riding didn’t start in the fields or in a rink? It it started in, uh, on YouTube. Yeah. Explain, just walk me through that. Well,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
About that time that we were hanging out with, uh, Mr. Green, uh, we were really trying to figure out what we wanted to do in rodeo. Me and my best friend there. And, um, I don’t know, I just started looking up There was, I actually looked into a lot of rodeo events, but I just type in the basics of bull riding. And then somehow, uh, I found this, uh, YouTube page called Bull Rider Coach One or something like that. And then it was, uh, Dusty Elliot, Dustin Elliot, and, uh, Wiley Peterson. And they were just pretty much given the basics on these drop barrels and, and like, I would just wait around every week until another episode would come out. And, uh, sitting at home, I’d just try to get on those barrels we built and try to do the same thing initially that they were doing. It was almost like somebody was teaching me how to ride bulls, but I just wasn’t face virtual face. Yeah, yeah. Virtually,

Mike Sarraille:
I mean, was the guidance they were putting out the fundamentals pretty sound?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Oh yeah. That’s, uh, both of those guys, I believe they both made the PPR world finals, the, the NFR and stuff like that. So, uh, it definitely was, I don’t know, It, it made it simple for me mm-hmm. , you know, uh, it made a lot of sense. Um, I, I really feel like they did a very good job of explaining bull riding and I got a lot of, give ’em a lot of credit for, you know, they, they pretty put pretty much put me into the sport I’m in. Uh, and I got to meet Dustin Elliot, uh, at the college finals one year and I was like, Man, you taught me how to ride bulls and you don’t even know it.

Mike Sarraille:
Where, So were you in the college

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Finals? Yeah, I made the college finals, uh, in bull riding two years in a row. Where,

Mike Sarraille:
Where, where’d you go to school?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas.

Mike Sarraille:
Hillsboro, Texas? Mm-hmm. . Okay. And and they’ve got a pretty established radio

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Team. Yeah. Yes sir. We, um, he’s, Paul’s probably been there, our coach, Paul Brown’s probably been there 30 years or so. And, uh, uh, he’s, uh, had a lot of national champions and never had a national championship team, but we finished like second one year fourth. And yeah, he is gotten really close, but, uh, hasn’t got the win yet, but hope somebody can get it for him soon cuz he, he’s good as gold.

Mike Sarraille:
How, how do he find you?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Um, another guy, uh, that, um, he used to put on a free bull riding school. Mm-hmm. . And I had met him and, uh, he really got to believe in me after a few years and he was a really good mentor. He, if I sent him my videos or whatever, he pretty much helped me figure out how to fine tune, uh, my bull riding a lot. He, he was one of the biggest people in my life then at that point because he really believed in me. Um, and at the time we, uh, he was like, Hey, there’s this bull riding called the best in the south bull riding. They wanna invite you. It’s like the used bull riding. It was like for, uh, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. Competitive. Yeah. Competitive. And they were trying to see who had the best kids, I guess. And, um, I was like, Man, I don’t have a vehicle.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
My parents ain’t gonna take me way out there. So he drove from this area, He lived in the Austin area, drove to Houston, picked me up, and then drove me all the way to Midland in the middle of the, the competition was Yeah. Where the competition was. And, um, when we were there he was like, Man, we should go check out this college Odessa College. They got a rodeo team. You should start thinking about going to college. Cuz at that time I’d been, oh, excuse me, I’d been outta high school for about a year. Yeah. And, uh, I was not doing much. I was making a lot of money. I mean, riding these amateur rodeos. Yeah. And we drove all the way out there and he showed me all deaths of college. And he was like, I’m just gonna put you together a promo video of all your rights.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
And I’m just gonna start sending them to sending them to coaches. And, uh, he sent them to the coach in Warden and Odessa and, uh, he’ll, he’ll college. And then I still kind of drug my feet on it for a while and I just, I was gonna go, but I wasn’t ever gonna go. And, um, Paul Brown, he was kind of nonchalant and let me go, um, pretty much the whole summer. And he’d call me and I’d call him, It was like phone tag, never really got each other on the phone. Yeah. And he was like, Hey, you know, if you still wanna come to school, you can come to school. And I was like, Man, I think I’ll go. So I rode with his son up from South Texas to, to Hillsborough. And, uh, the rest is kind of history on that deal.

Mike Sarraille:
It sounds like you’ve had a lot of influential, influential people, uh, in your life that help get you to where you are and, and when a lot of people, you know, I’ve met some professionals mm-hmm. who were the most arrogant people feel they did on their own. Uh, I I can get a sense from you that, you know, you, you, you’re very respectful of the fact that a lot of people help, uh, get you here. Yeah. Uh, do, Is it, is that something you hold dear and you’ll, you’ll never forget?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah, no, most definitely. Uh, I always, whenever I was growing up, I always figured like I, I’d want to be famous for something. Yes. You know? And I always heard like, money changes people or success changes people. Yeah. I feel like success does change people, but it doesn’t always have to be in a negative way. Um, and I also believe that, uh, being successful changes the people around you. Um, so I don’t know, you, you gotta be respectful and and thankful for everything that you have and everybody that’s helped you along the way. Uh, cuz I don’t think there’s a single person that’s done anything on their own. Um, and I really like to give back to those people that have been there for me.

Mike Sarraille:
I, you know, Zeke, you just said something that I’ve never heard before and I just wrote that down, man. Uh, being successful may change you, but it also changes the people around you. That’s, that’s powerful man. Um, and I noticed, and I’ve been told, you have a tattoo that says blessed and motivated. Yep.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
That’s right here.

Mike Sarraille:
Why, why those two words?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, I don’t know. It just kind of became a mantra for me whenever, uh, right around the time that I started riding really good. And, uh, whenever I started going to college, um, for some reason everybody was posting on like, on their bull riding videos. I would like hashtag bless. And then I was like, Man, I’m blessed, but like, I’m motivated. I’m motivated to be better. And I feel like for the longest, that’s what I tell people. Like, it’s, I’m blessed just to be alive, so that motivates me to live another day. So, um, I figured that’d be my first tattoo because it, I just started living by it. I’m blessed and motivated and, uh, I guess, um, I was just a hungry kid then that wanted to get to the point that I am today. So, um, it’s pretty cool to live by and I guess it’ll be there forever. Yeah,

Mike Sarraille:
It will. Well, God bless medicine if you wanna get rid of it. Uh, yeah. A few lasers can. Uh, I’ve, I’ve had a few tattoos. I are still getting lasered off, but and definitely getting some, uh, ink. I was just with, uh, you know who, uh, Dave Patista, the actor wrestler, uh, Avengers. He’s the big, Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
Okay. Yeah. Uh, he, he just opened a, uh, tattoo shop in Tampa, really Florida with, with a, uh, famous tattoo artist, uh, John. So we just interviewed them on Friday. Um, amazing, amazing chop. So if you want more ink, we’ve got some, uh, great artists I can ever for you to. Well, hey man, I, I know it hasn’t been the smoothest ride. It never is. Where there is success, usually there’s adversity that shape is shapes us. I know, uh, life brought some unexpected challenges with Hurricane Harvey. Yeah. Uh, in 2017. Walk, walk me through, uh, what happened there and how it impacted your life.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, I, I, at the time I was in school, I was up here, uh, well in Hillsborough and, um, got, uh, called my mom and them when I was talking to them and I was like, Hey, y’all probably should, you know, get up here or something. I’ll buy y’all a room if y’all wanna come. And she was like, I think we’re just gonna wait it out. So they did wait it out. Um, and, um, it got pretty bad. Flooded pretty good. And, uh, inside of the house, the drywall got ruined from the flooding. So, uh, to help my parents out, I, you know, took some of my own money and, uh, sent it to them so they can start making the process of fixing the house or whether that, or just helping the kids with school clothes. Like my siblings, uh, I always just tried to make sure I took care of my family, you know? So, um, I don’t know, I guess it was a big responsibility for a 19, 20 year old kid, but it was, uh, something that I felt that I needed to do, um, because there’s no way I’m gonna let my siblings or my parents sit in the house with no walls, you know? So, uh, whatever I had to do to help them out, that’s what I was gonna do.

Mike Sarraille:
Yeah. I’d say that’s, I, that’s pretty inspirational that a 19 year old or 20 year old is in a position to, to do that. Do you think the fact that you’re in bull riding Yeah. That you were in that position to

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Do that? Yeah. That was the craziest part about it. I had realized pretty early on, even before I started going to PBRs, like I was making just as much money or not more than my parents were, you know, as, as a 19, 20 year old kid. Uh, and that was, that was weird for me. Yeah. Uh, and I almost felt obligated to do that. I should have been doing more, you know, uh, because I’m 19, 20 year old kid. So. Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
Well, you know, I don’t think that ever goes away. You’re always, even when you do good, you always ask yourself, Could I do more? Mm-hmm. and there is a point you gotta take care of yourself as well. Yeah. That’s one thing I learned too late in my career. Yeah. Is, uh, you know, the Marine Corps teaches, uh, uh, sort of a mantra that leaders eat last. So if you’re in charge of team, you make sure all your guys eat first. If gear comes in, they get the gear first and there’s stuff left over, you get it. I took it to the extreme and, uh, always, and I don’t wanna sound overly uh, altruistic here, um, always made sure my guys were taken care of before I was mm-hmm. , but it, it, it went to a point where it wore me out. So yeah. If I can pass you anything, man, that you’ve gotta take care of yourself as well in order to take better care. You just said it. Mm-hmm. , you know, being successful changes the people around you. Well, you gotta make sure that you’re balanced to a degree as well.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Yeah. I’m learning that slowly but surely now, uh, I, I need to start taking care of myself a little better. Uh, especially now I’m 25, uh, and

Mike Sarraille:
Get old 25 getting old, man. What do you do? I mean,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
It’s bull rider years, man. I’m like 60 year, that’s true’s bull rider years. So that’s true. I gotta start taking care of myself and, uh, getting things settled in my life that I need. Uh, cuz I have goals and ambitions and plans after bull riding. I know that, uh, bull riding won’t last forever, and I honestly don’t want to get a real job anymore, . So, uh, I’d like to just enjoy my horses and if I can make money off of them Yeah. That, that’s the thing that I’d rather do. I mean, I guess it’d still be a job, but I didn’t enjoy

Mike Sarraille:
It. I know what you’re saying. You don’t want the, uh, the office space eight to five behind the cubicle. Yeah. No, thank you. I’m with your brother. That’s why, that’s why I started my own companies. Uh, I guess I can never be fired, but sometimes it feels like the people, uh, on my team, uh, might have that responsibility. . Uh, they won’t hesitate me to hesitate to tell me when I’m not pulling my, uh, my weight. Yeah. Um, so you know what, I, I think this is pretty good. Uh, actually no, uh, actually, yeah. You know, I’m gonna hold this until after the break, man. But, uh, uh, before we do aro break, we ask what we call the hard questions. Um, so first one is, what is the heart’s decision you’ve ever had to make?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Um, I, I’d have to say, um, moving from moving away from Texas, um, whenever, I guess 2019 into 2019 mm-hmm. , my rookie year, uh, I was living in Houston, uh, with my cousin. Uh, we had a rent house that we were staying at. And, uh, during that, that time we had a, actually had a PBR event in Houston. And, uh, Max, my agent came over to the house, uh, one morning and there was friends of ours that are just laid out on the couch house is kind of dirty. Um, and he was like, Man, how do you live like that? And I was like, I don’t know, You know, they’re friends, you can’t leave them behind. He was like, Man, if you move, if you wanna come up to North Carolina, I got a rent house that I own. You can, you can stay there for free.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I won’t charge you anything. Just come on up and get away from everybody. Start taking care of yourself. Worry about Zeke. And I was like, All right. I dragged my feet on that. I act like, Yeah, I’ll be up there in a few weeks. Oh, well I gotta do this and that. Yeah. And I’ll be there. And then next thing you know, I finally made the decision. I was like, you know, I’m just gonna go try it. I’m gonna see, I’m not gonna, I’m not even gonna take my vehicle up there, leave my truck in Texas. I’m gonna fly up, spend a few weeks. And then I, I really realized that that was the best decision for me, even though it seemed scary and it, Yeah. It, like

Mike Sarraille:
You, you’re leaving your, you’re the only network, you know? Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. I have, I know no one here, like, I’m by myself. I’m all alone. Uh, but I decided to make that jump and, um, I, I don’t regret it at all, Um, because I feel like it really showed some, some true colors on, on some people. And, uh, just the fact, uh, like you told me, whenever you leave here, you’ll be outta sight and outta mind. Yeah. People won’t ask you for money no more and could not be more true. So I guess I was only their friend whenever they convenient.

Mike Sarraille:
Yeah. Yeah. That happens. So you felt like you, like a lot of distractions just were removed and you, you became more laser focused on mm-hmm. , I’m gonna become number one in the world. Yeah. You, you know, it reminds me, uh, you know, I’d be in like Iraq and it, this was 2006, um, and it was, it was a very, uh, combat heavy deployment. Mm-hmm. and I got a letter cuz it, we were deployed during the summer and buddies, like, it was, I think August 1st or around August, I got the letter. He’s like, Bro, you missed, you missed the biggest party in Lake Tahoe. It was a rag, you know, like drinking Yeah. And women everywhere. And I’m like, and it, it hit me then I’m like, I didn’t miss anything, dude. Yeah. I’m exactly where I need to be surrounded by the guys who also believe in the same thing.

Mike Sarraille:
And we may be in the combat zone, but we were exactly where we need to be, man. Mm-hmm. , it was that, that was a sort of a, a revelation or a, a very particular moment, uh, that impacted my life. Uh, second question is, uh, and one of the things we don’t accept is no regrets. Mm-hmm. , everyone has regrets, man. Uh, that’s like somebody saying, I’ve never, I never have doubts. Bullshit. We all have doubts. Yeah. The best leaders, the highest performers always had doubts. And if you, if you, if you really research into their lives and you talk to the people around them mm-hmm. , they’ll, they’ll, they’ll validate that. Uh, what’s the biggest regret of your life?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, yeah. I, I’d have to go with, I don’t know, just not taking care of me, you know, uh, still, still not taking care of myself like I’m supposed to. You know? I feel like, uh, my biggest regret is like the lack of discipline, the lack of like the want to, to do stuff. You know? Uh, I feel like I, I haven’t been the best me that I can be. And, um, I really wanna find that that guy the best me.

Mike Sarraille:
You realize most 25 year olds wouldn’t say that , they’re focused on, Hey, where’s the next party? And Yeah. And, and join, uh, if they went to go college, post college or that, That’s insane. And you call yourself, well, you didn’t say undisciplined, you said you’re not as disciplined as you would like to be. Mm-hmm. , if I went and spoke to people that know you, would they probably describe you as like insanely disciplined in their eyes?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I don’t know. I don’t think so. Uh, some, some people would, I guess not. Uh, I, I,

Mike Sarraille:
Let me ask you this. Do you, do you feel like you hold yourself to a higher standard?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I, I do hold myself to a higher standard, uh, in a lot of aspects in my life. Uh, but I, they could be higher. I’ve always been an athletic guy and I’ve never really had to work out or work for stuff, you know, and football on track, I was kind of just natural and I loved running. So running didn’t really make a difference to me to do. Um, but now, like I, I got a little older, a little lazier I guess. And, uh, I really want to crack back into, you know, somebody that’s hungry, that wants to, wants to be successful, not somebody that’s already successful and think, I don’t, I don’t like being content anymore. Yeah. And I feel like I, I’ve been content like the last two seasons. Two or three. Yeah, two seasons

Mike Sarraille:
Now. Now you’re making me reassess, dude. Yeah. I’m like, Oh, great. Now I gotta reassess my discipline. This is, this is insane. Um, how about other areas of, of your life beyond that? Like, do you, you feel you have discipline, like with finances? Um,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah, now that too. Not as much. No. Yeah. I don’t have, I don’t have very good discipline when it comes to finances. Uh, I’m finally getting to the point where I, I am. Uh, but for the longest I had this mentality that, uh, you can’t take it with you when you go. Yeah. And, uh, I, I believe that. So I like, and I figured, I mean, I ride bulls good enough, it’ll always come. I’ll always have it. Yeah. You know? Uh, and, and that doesn’t seem to be the case, you know, I’m still comfortable, but I’m just not where I want to be. You know, I figured at, at 25 I’d be, I’d be in a big house and a big ranch and everything else, but I realized , I, I, I did not take care of myself for the longest. I mean, as far as like, setting myself up for the future. And I, I really regret that too.

Mike Sarraille:
I guess. You got time. Yeah,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I got

Mike Sarraille:
Time. You got time. I got time. Well, with that, we’ll take a midroll break and we will be right back. All right. And we are back with, uh, Zeki, uh, Ezio Mitchell, uh, Professional Bull Rider and part of the, uh, the new PBR team series with the Austin Gamblers. Um, you know, we talked about Hurricane Harvey, and we know that impacted your family and that impacted you. Uh, but you were in a position to help and you, you showed, uh, quite a bit of, uh, sacrifice to make sure that they were okay. I know that’s not the only thing that’s, uh, impacted you. Um, I know in January of 2019 something unthinkable happened. You lost one of your friends, uh, Mason Lowe. Uh, how did that impact you, man?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh, man. Uh, for, I, I, I don’t even know where to begin there, you know, uh, when he passed away, I think it just, it really shook the whole Western community first off. Like, not even just, just me, but you could almost feel like the life just leave the Western community that night when we found out, you know, uh, I was there, uh,

Mike Sarraille:
You watched, did you watch it happen?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I didn’t watch it happen because literally, uh, he rode right before me. Yeah. I was, And

Mike Sarraille:
So you’re getting ready.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I was very, that was the very next guy. Uh, so, uh, that was, I don’t know. That was sad, sad day. Um, and it was almost more scary. Like the fact that we left that bull riding, I didn’t have to get on again, and I had to literally, um, when we got back from Denver, I had to literally go straight to the practice pen and get on a bull because I felt like if I didn’t get on soon or fast enough, uh, I wouldn’t wanna do it ever again.

Mike Sarraille:
So, wait, he rides before you Uhhuh , the incident happens and you did not go next? They, they stopped the

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh, yeah. Competition. Well, no, they didn’t stop the competition. I still had to get on, but, uh, I don’t know. We didn’t know the extent of what it was.

Mike Sarraille:
So you didn’t quite know. All you knew was he was injured Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
At the time. Yeah. We knew it was bad. Just didn’t know how bad. Um, that was the scariest thing about it, you know? We, we thought for sure it, it was just okay. You know, And at this point, nothing, like on the professional stage, I mean, I’m sure there’s been some bull riding related desks mm-hmm. mm-hmm. , but like nobody’d really seen something like that since like Lane Cross. Yeah. So like, I had another buddy pass away riding bulls a few years prior to that too. But like, and I wasn’t there, but like for this, I was there. Uh, and I don’t know that that’s, it was tough. Are

Mike Sarraille:
You, would you say you’re still processing that to this day?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, I mean, not, I guess. I guess I am still processing it, but, uh, it was, I don’t know. It was, it’s tough. I mean, yeah, it’s still tough to think about, you know, But hey, I mean, we want to say, Yeah, he died doing something he loves or yeah, blah, blah, blah. But it’s still something that’s hard to understand, which

Mike Sarraille:
Is a lot more than a lot of people can say. Yeah. Um, but you, you just said something interesting. So you said once you got back from Denver

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Mm-hmm.

Mike Sarraille:
, you had to get on a bull as quickly as possible. That was you driving that. Yeah. That was personal to you, to, to make sure that the fear didn’t set in and cripple

Ezekiel Mitchell:
You. Yeah, that definitely, that’s, I guess that was my exact thoughts. Like, and at the time, like, uh, I ride in a helmet, of course, for the pbr. I went home and he rode in a cowboy hat. So wore my cowboy hat, got on in my cowboy hat. And, uh, I don’t know, I just had to make sure that like, the fear wasn’t gonna get to me. I, that’s when, and then it just kind of went back to the same routine once we got on the bulls. But it was just, it was really weird. Uh, really, it was really tough day. I mean, just, it was just tough through and through leaving Denver being there. I know it was, it was a hard day.

Mike Sarraille:
It’s interesting you say that because when we would lose a guy down range, we would try to get the guys, as we say, back out the door the next night mm-hmm. as quickly as possible to, to, to, to prevent what, what you were fearful of, of like that that, you know, rigor mor setting in where people didn’t want to go back outside the side, the wire. So, um, you know, I one or two to agree if, if it, like, it helps you just sort of compartmentalize that you, you start doing what you do again, you compartmentalize that and you deal with it later. Mm-hmm. . Um, but it sounds like, you know, you’re moving forward Yeah. And you’re still processing that as, as I’m still processing a lot of the deaths, uh, of my brothers.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Don’t, Yeah. Yeah. It’s weird. Uh,

Mike Sarraille:
Did it also bring to, and I know you said you lost another, uh, buddy before this mm-hmm. . Um, is the, the risk of what you guys do never lost on you? Hmm. The risk of what you guys do bull riding, is that never lost on you? Like every, you know, I mean, you’re, you’re getting on what’s, what’s the average, what’s the average bull? Wait,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh, I’m guessing about 1500 pounds or so

Mike Sarraille:
Insane.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
They vary from about 1300 to 2000 pounds or so. So yeah, they, I’d go ride in the middle of that and say 1500, 1500. But, uh, yeah, no, it, I mean, we, we all know like potentially what could happen. Yeah. Uh, but I’ve always been a firm believer in this. And, uh, this is like, me and my mom used to argue about she didn’t want me to Red Bull. So this used to be my argument all the time. Uh, but I can, I can die walking out this door and trip over a ledge or something, hit my head and you’ll never see me again. Or the fact that there’s more deaths in a car and we jump in a car every day. Uh, so I, I really made it a point to say like, I really don’t care. I can die doing whatever. So this is, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Either way, I’m supposed to be riding bulls. The God gave me a passion. He gave me something that I never knew I was gonna have. You know, he’s shown me so many things, and I’ve got to see so much of this, this country, and hopefully I can continue seeing the rest of this world because of what bull riding’s done for me. So I, I know God put me here for that purpose. And if, if I have to pass away from riding bulls, then this is where God, God designs, This is where God wanted me to be. And, uh, I’m happy about it. You know, I’ll get to go, go to heaven, hang out with Jesus.

Mike Sarraille:
They’re yo . Well said. Um, so tell me about, uh, Max Maxwell. He’s, uh, he’s your agent.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, agent, friend, mentor, brother. Uh, I, I can’t say enough good things about him, you know? Um, and the, the story, uh, of us meeting is crazy. Uh, you wouldn’t, wouldn’t even suppose he lives in North Carolina. I’m from Texas. Yeah. I, I never would’ve thought that I’d even meet this guy or be on his radar. But, uh, I guess, uh, a few years back I did a piece with Vice Media or something like that. Yes. Yeah. Uh, and, um, in that piece, I was, uh, coming up in the bull riding world, you know, I was really trying to get to the point I am now. And, um, I sat in there at some point, he was like, What did, what did it take for you to get to the next level? And I was like, Well, money, you know, uh, if, if I can get the money to get on the road, uh, you take it to another, Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I can take it to another level. And, um, Max, I guess, went and found me off of that and looked me up on Instagram. And he commented under one of my posts, he was like, If money is the, uh, if money is the problem, he me. Yeah. Yeah. So I DMed him. Uh, a lot of stuff happened in between there. Like, uh, my phone broke, so like, I couldn’t, I didn’t talk to him for like two weeks. I was traveling up north, going to some rodeos, so I didn’t get to, I didn’t get a phone for two weeks. And me and this guy were talking about how he was gonna come meet me in Houston. And, uh, so finally get a phone, text him back and was like, Hey man, sorry, my phone broke. I wasn’t trying to ignore you. Uh, but yeah, I really could use some help.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
And he was like, All right, so you’re in Houston, right? And I was like, Yeah. He was like, Well, I’ll fly down there next week or something. We’ll go have breakfast. And I was like, Uh, yeah, right. This guy’s, this guy’s not gonna come. But I was like, All right, cool. And then that, I think he was supposed to be there on a Monday, and he hit me up Sunday night and was like, Hey, I’m not gonna make it tomorrow, so, uh, let’s shoot to reschedule this for Tuesday. And I was like, Oh, this guy’s really guessing now. But he shows up that Tuesday we go eat breakfast. Uh, and he asked me a few questions and he was like, All right, so do you think you can be at the top of your sport if you have the money? I was like, I, I don’t think I know.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
And he was like, All right, let’s get to work. So we left my little, um, I was driving a Crown Victoria at the time. Uh, you have a police car. And, um, we left it there at that breakfast spot. They had like a little parking garage over there. And he paid a guy $20 to watch the car all day. And I jumped in with him and we rode around town, uh, we went and got me all new Western clothes. And then he rented out a, um, a studio space. And we took pictures and head shots and Yeah. All kinds of stuff. And I was like, Man, this guy’s for real. And, uh, he was like, Yeah, where, where’s your next event? And helped me out, paid for me to get to Salinas, California. Uh, and then after that, I mean, we just got closer and closer and became friends. And, um, he’s really been a, a good influence on my life. And, um, even now my little brother, uh, is living up there for the summer while he’s outta school, and he’s helping him try to make him become a better person and a better man. Um, and I don’t know, Max is a great guy.

Mike Sarraille:
That’s, that is so awesome that you guys met over Instagram. Mm-hmm. funnier things that happened. Uh, my partner in my leadership development and, uh, executive search, front firm, uh, talent war group, uh, I met him over LinkedIn. He just so happened to live in Austin. Yeah. And we’ve written a, uh, bestselling book together and we started a company, uh, together. It’s, you know, that’s, that’s just the new age. Yeah. People meet on, on, on virtual, uh, platforms. Was it, uh, was it maxed to stress the importance of social media to you? Yeah. Cause I know you’ve got a massive falling, You’re probably one of the, I think I read it, you’re one of the only, uh, uh, writers with the dedicated social media, uh, media team.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, we, yeah, we have a, we still have a social media team, uh, but yet Max is really big on, on branding. Yeah. You know, and he’s like, he’s like, You have a prime, a prime thing right here. Uh, he’s like, You’re you, you can, you can be whatever you wanna be, but like, live it up. Like, show people who you are. He is like, uh, he felt like the PBR or just bull riding Rodeo in general. They were like, Y’all do nothing for y’all self like y’all. Exactly. Y’all, yeah. Nobody knows anything about you, but you ride bulls. He was like, people want to act like, uh, actually know you. Like they, they wanna feel like they’re best friends with you. And I was like, Man, I guess. And started posting and realized how much like it does impact people. And it, and it helps, you know, uh, people want to know you. And, uh, that’s why I like going like, live on social media and answering questions and, um, cuz I, I feel like I wanna know my fans too. Uh, and I feel like they deserve more, to know more about me. You know,

Mike Sarraille:
I, I I bet you get some heartfelt messages mm-hmm. , uh, possibly from, you know, young men who, who wanna be just like you. How does that, how does that make you feel, man?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh yeah. I, I don’t know. It, it really, it, it really makes me happy, uh, to be influencing people. You know? It, at first it was, it was weird for me. Yeah. It was really weird. And, uh, I didn’t know how to re respond or react to it. And then I started realizing like how many, how many people look up to me and, uh, how, how I can be a positive influence on people’s lives. And, um, just the amount of like young kids that, uh, I, I love telling this story. Now, it’d happened recently. We, uh, during the PBR world finals, they had the bill picket invitational rodeo over there and, uh, in the stock yards. And I decided to go over there and watch cuz my cousin was riding. Mm-hmm. didn’t have nothing to do during the day. Yeah. So I was like, let’s just go over there.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
And I’m walking through, headed to the concession stand, looking down, got my head in my phone, and there’s this little kid that runs up to me and hugs my leg and grabs me . And I was like, Whoa. And then his mom turns around, she was like, Oh my gosh, it’s you. And he is like, he loves you. You’re his favorite person ever. And, uh, she had to run up and go get his phone, her phone so he can take the picture. And, but he told me he loved me. And I was like, that, that like, really, I don’t know what that did to me. I, it

Mike Sarraille:
Do you feel a, a sense of responsibilities to all your followers? Like the way you conduct yourself and, and the the example you have to set for them? Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I, I try, I try to be the best that I can be. I mean, of course I’m still a 25 year old kid. I’m still gonna want to have fun. I’m still,

Mike Sarraille:
Man, you’re a 25 year old man. Yeah, yeah. Kid anymore.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I just, uh, I know I’m gonna, I’m gonna mess up. You know, we’re, we’re human. We’re not perfect. Damn. Right. But, uh, if I can do the most, for the most part, be that good role model, uh, that, that’s very important to me.

Mike Sarraille:
Hey dude, I’m 44 and my wife will go on for days, but all the mistakes I still make, so Yeah. You gotta catch yourself a little bit of a, a break. Um, what, what about the other side of social media? I have no doubt. I mean, hey dude, you, you’re good looking, uh, young man or or girls coming every which way from you over social media?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
No, not really.

Mike Sarraille:
I think he’s being modest. I I think he’s being modest.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
No, Yeah. It, it’s, I’m the hot TikTok cowboy now, apparently. No kidding. Oh,

Mike Sarraille:
I’m sitting here with the hot TikTok cowboy. Yeah. Hot. Wait, wait. Do you dance?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
No.

Mike Sarraille:
TikTok? No. Uh,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Let’s see. Have I done any of the, I did like one or two of the dances back day. Yeah. I don’t know. I I like to dance like I dance all the time, but, uh, I don’t know. It’s something about dancing in front of a camera for me. It it’s a little odd. Yeah, it’s odd.

Mike Sarraille:
Yeah. You dance on a bull. Yeah. Uh, what, what, what, what, uh, what dancing do you like? Is it you like, uh, country dancing or, or,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I like anything really? Yeah. I mean,

Mike Sarraille:
You can cut a

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Rug. Yeah, I can cut a road. Here you go a bit.

Mike Sarraille:
Well, dude, uh, you know, I know you got drafted, uh, as the, with Austin Gamblers, you’ve got an amazing group of teammates mm-hmm. and one hell of a coach who I actually have on the podcast, uh, as well. Do you call him G Man? Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
G Man.

Mike Sarraille:
I, and I know you knew who he was growing up. Mm-hmm. . What, tell me about G-Man. I mean, is it, is it surreal that he’s your coach, man?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Yeah. I, I remember being a kid and like, especially when I first started watching bull riding, really getting into it, watching G-Man ride a little yellow jacket, you know, um, I, I’d always wanted to meet him. And then, uh, I guess when this team concept started coming around, he started slowly coming back in into the world and I was like, Oh, snap. Finally get to meet him. He’s just like the coolest, nicest guy ever in the world. And now to be able to work with him and, and the rest of these guys on my team, um, it’s pretty amazing. And, uh, I, that, that was a huge reason why I, I actually didn’t get drafted. I got picked up in free agency. Yes. And, uh, that’s one of the biggest dis reasons I made the decision to come here was was him. Uh, I felt like he was like, he was genuine about everything. That his,

Mike Sarraille:
You just a word. I was gonna say, genuinely authentic man.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. And, uh, it wasn’t like he was, he was trying to sell me or pitch me on coming over here. He was just like, Hey man, we really want you to be here and if, if you wanna come you, we’d love to have you. And, and just left it at that. It was pretty simple. Uh, it wasn’t no, no gimmicks or nothing like that. He was just genuine. And I was like, that’s somebody that I, I really feel comfortable being around and, and learning from. And he’s been a world champion, so he knows what it takes to be a world champion. I love, and that’s what, that’s what I wanna be. I wanna be with winners.

Mike Sarraille:
It iron sharpens iron, so is one man sharpens another. Mm-hmm. . Uh, so I, I know you respect all your teammates mm-hmm. , is there one teammate in particular who you, you recognize, Hey, you know what, I can actually learn a lot from this, uh, from this man?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I, I don’t think I, I could say that, uh, I don’t, I can’t really pinpoint one guy. Um, and it’s crazy how, how good our team is. Like the, the guys on our team is phenomenal, like topnotch. Uh, I’m really privileged to be with these guys and, uh, I don’t think there’s one guy there that doesn’t want to help build each other up. So like, I think that’s one of the biggest things that gonna help us be successful. This year is the fact that we’re, we’re behind each other a hundred percent. So, uh, I know that this team is gonna be behind each other, so I don’t know who’s gonna be able to teach me the most, but I’ll probably be able to tell you if we do another podcast one day. Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
Okay. Know that’s fair. I’m, I’m sure you’ll learn from each of them, there’s always one little aspect that they, they do something better than everyone else. Um, what are your predictions for this, uh, this season?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Um, I don’t, I don’t wanna be too cocky, but I, I really feel like the Austin gamblers are gonna take it all home and it’ll be pretty evident, pretty quick that we’re, we’re here to play. You

Mike Sarraille:
Can bring that championship home to Austin.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. I think in everybody, everybody’s like, all they get to see is our fun, like, the fun that we’re having, like when we went out on the boat and all this other stuff and all these teams are like, Oh yeah, y’all, y’all are just half as it, or whatever. And I’m like, No, we, we actually work hard, you know? Yeah. It’s not our fault that our coaches just let us have fun afterwards. .

Mike Sarraille:
Yeah. All work. No, uh, fun made. Uh,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
And I feel like that’s another fun element to our team too. Like, uh, like we work really hard and then we all get along. So it, it makes for a fun time. Work

Mike Sarraille:
Hard. You party hard. Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. We don’t even have to party. We just hang out. Like, we’ll sit there and play Black Jack with no money and just sit around playing.

Mike Sarraille:
What is

Ezekiel Mitchell:
That? Yeah,

Mike Sarraille:
I know. I mean, you know, the name of your team is the Gamblers, right? Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Yeah. We need, we need, You

Mike Sarraille:
Guys gotta step up the game. Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. We’re just gonna get JJ to like, just pitch in a pot and then we’ll just play for the

Mike Sarraille:
Pot . We’ll, we’ll see what, uh, JJ has to say about that. Um, well, you know, before we get to our sort of rapid fire questions, you said you did have some aspirations beyond, uh, professional, uh, bull riding. I know you want to own a ranch. Um, tell me what that vision is. Did.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, well really I want, I want to, I wanna own a ranch. Uh, I wanna have a whole bunch of horses. You know, I, I, I’d really like to get into raising quarter horses, registered quarter horses, Uh, don’t really have, want to raise bulls anymore, so, Yeah. Yeah. Just gonna leave that out there. Uh, but I also wanna do some acting. I wanna, uh, try to do some, like, crossover stuff that way. Like, I feel like we gotta move bull riding in our sport into the mainstream media, you know? Um, the Rock is a huge reason why the WWE was so big, is because he was that crossover guy. He brought so many eyes into that sport, and I’d like to do the same for, for bull riding eventually.

Mike Sarraille:
Hot damn dude. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he’s, he’s got a face for, uh, for movies. Dude, you, you would crush it all. Well, you know, I would love to, to help there and may be able to connect you with some people. Not that I would ever, uh, I, I’ve got a face for radio, as they say, , Um, which I’ll always, uh, stay behind, behind the u or besides the YouTube, We, uh, we do. Um, no, man, that’s, that’s an awesome goal. Yeah. That you, again, having, uh, just interviewed Dave Patista, he’s, you know, basically said that there’s nothing wrong with being famous mm-hmm. . And he, he, he defined it in a way of like, there is a level of impact. I’ve no, I know I’ve had on the world when I fly too, he’s like, Bulgaria and step off the plane and people are like, Oh my God, it’s, it’s you. Mm-hmm. . So, uh, the fact that you want to do it and you wanna bring bull riding to, to the mainstream is, uh, is awesome. Do we, do we need to get Yellowstone to, to get you out for, for, for a scene? Yep. Cause they are crushing it right now. That’s

Ezekiel Mitchell:
What I’m saying. And I’m friends with some of the people on, on, on some of the shows or the 1883 spin off of

Mike Sarraille:
Friends with

Ezekiel Mitchell:
A few of it. One, the few of those guys. So, got to meet those, those guys, and they’re pretty cool. Uh,

Mike Sarraille:
That, that’s a, that’s a damn

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Inspiration. Got seeds. I’m like, Hey man,

Mike Sarraille:
That’s, that’s all you can do, man. Tell

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Taylor Sheridan that, you know, I’m

Mike Sarraille:
Available and, and just continue to, to do, to increase these social media following. It’ll, it’ll happen, dude. It, it will happen. Uh, do you think that you’ll have to redefine yourself in a sense, picking up the, the skill of acting?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, I, I’ve already, you know, I already feel like it’s gonna be something that I’m gonna have to work at. Yeah. You know, uh, just like anything. But, uh, I feel like we all think, Oh yeah, I could do that. Because I mean, as you watch movies and stuff, but I really, uh, as I start to look in it more, look into it more, I, I think it’s gonna be a lot tougher than I thought. But, um, I’m always up for a challenge and, uh, hopefully westerns just staying in like the now. Yeah. And everybody likes Western, so I can just keep being a western actor.

Mike Sarraille:
There’s nothing more American Yeah. Than an, than an American cowboy man.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. See, I don’t wanna, I don’t have to play any other parts if they just cast me as a cowboy.

Mike Sarraille:
I think what, what a lot of people don’t recognize cuz they don’t know history, is you go to the 19th century, what was it, out of every five cowboys,

Ezekiel Mitchell:
One in four,

Mike Sarraille:
One in four. Mm-hmm. was

Ezekiel Mitchell:
African American and

Mike Sarraille:
Right.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Man. Or native or Mexican. Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
Um, let, let’s get to the rapid fire. This is where we put you to the test. Dude. Wait. And, uh, if you need a pause to think that’s okay. I mean, that’s, uh, let’s go with this. Uh, what advice would you give somebody who ever experience experience this failure?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh, failure is a part of everything. Uh, you, you have to fail in order to succeed. Um, I think the, the only problem is with failure is, is if you’re allowed to stay, let you stay down. You know, if you can fight through it and, and come back failure, you’re supposed to be a part of

Mike Sarraille:
It. Damn Right. I, I couldn’t have said that any better. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Probably just that. Yeah. You know, uh, don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to, to strike out, you know, in a sense, uh, it’s all good. Just make it happen.

Mike Sarraille:
Uh, do you like the, uh, the phrase pull yourself up by your, uh, your boots? Yeah, yeah. . Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, you know, we often talk about, you know, the, the title, the podcast is The Everyday Warrior, Uh, warrior means nothing about the profession of arms. That’s, that’s a war fighter. Mm-hmm. . Um, what does it mean to you to be a warrior?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Oh, man. I think to be a warrior you have to be courageous and, and resilient. You know, Uh, whenever I think warrior, I, I think of that the Native Americans and just, and them being fierce. Yeah. And, uh, protecting what they love at all cost, you know? Um, and fighting for something that’s greater than yourself. I think that’s what a warrior, true warrior is.

Mike Sarraille:
Joey, it sounds like you’ve studied Native Americans, you have a respect for their culture. Yeah, I have.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
So do I, uh, what do you, what mindset do you believe is most crucial to anyone’s success?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, positivity. I think, uh, being positive is, is is huge in anything because, uh, your mind already is, is babbling you throughout the day. Like, do I look good today? Do I, I, could I do this better? Could I do that better? You did this wrong. You did that wrong. Like, your, your mind’s always trying to put you down. So I think like, counteracting that with being positive all the time, just trying to stay positive. Eventually you can start tricking yourself into being happier. You know, even if you’re having a bad day, being faking positivity will lift your spirits, you know? Yeah.

Mike Sarraille:
It, dude, positivity, uh, what is it? Positivity breeds positivity. Mm-hmm. . Um, and we’ve been even in some fierce firefights where we’re surrounded and one guy would cro crack a joke mm-hmm. , and it would reset everyone’s mindset. Like, Hey, Yeah, what are we worried about? It’s us. Yeah. We got this. Whether we’re outnumbered or not. That’s, that’s good. So we, we we end with two questions, man. Um, well, let me ask this. What is your greatest accomplishment to date? Or what do you want your greatest accomplishment to be in life?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Um, man, I, I really hope to win the world. Uh, and in doing so, that’s one of my main goals is to inspire and influence people. Uh, because, uh, I feel like up until, I mean, I know of a lot of black cowboys that are successful in rodeo, but this new age of a social media and, uh, me having a presence there, if I win the world or, or something like that, I can be even more of an influence. And people will realize, like, you don’t have to look like what you think, um, a bull rider’s supposed to look like, or a scientist or whatever. You can do whatever the heck you wanna do, as long as you put your mind to it and, and, and you want it bad enough.

Mike Sarraille:
Even the, the, the young girls watching this. Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I, I, I’m, I’m ready to see a girl, like step up and like become a PBR boy Rider. Um, I don’t know when that, Would

Mike Sarraille:
That put a smile on your face? Like hot

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Damn. Yeah. I, I think it’s cool. I think it’s cool. Uh, a lot of people don’t like the idea of it, but, uh, I think it’s cool. I, I I can’t tell anybody. No, because the simple fact is that people told me I didn’t look like the part, or I wasn’t gonna make it. No kidding. Yeah. So I, I didn’t want Wait,

Mike Sarraille:
Wait. Based off the color of your skin.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah, I guess some of it was, you know, um, but it was mostly like my elementary teachers and stuff. Like, they didn’t ah, they didn’t think I was gonna be a cowboy or it was a stage or a phase or whatever.

Mike Sarraille:
Hey, hey, let me tell you about elementary school teachers. Uh, they’re often wrong. Yeah. And we’ve heard this from a lot of high performers where their school teachers told their parents, This kid will never amount to anything uhhuh, and they were wildly wrong. Uh, but I’ll leave my commentary for, uh, , uh, current elementary and grammar school, uh, teachers for later date. Um, so to the final questions we do is, uh, what are those, And it doesn’t have to be three, those one to three things that are non-negotiable for you, that have been your keys to success. And, and when we say that we know that you can even follow your own tenants and sometimes you end up unsuccessful, but mm-hmm. , what, what are, what are the, the, the mindsets, the attributes that you hold dear? Like, discipline, things like that?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Yeah. Uh, first off, like faith, uh, my faith is, is huge to me. Um, I may not be the, the most perfect Christian in the world. Uh, but I, I do love, I love, I love Lord. And, uh, I feel like, uh, that that’s the number one thing that holds me together. That’s the glue to everything. Um, and then, uh, I guess confidence, probably. I feel like, uh, even faking confidence sometimes, you

Mike Sarraille:
Know, fake it until you make it. Yeah.

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Fake it until you make it. I, uh, because I mean, especially in this sport, uh, it’s easy to get torn down. Uh, I mean, you’re riding something that outweighs you by 10 times and you’re, I mean, you’re not really supposed to be able to do it. I mean, that’s one of the coolest things about being a bull rider. It’s like making the impossible possible. Like, you look at a bull, you’re not gonna think like you’re supposed to. The guy’s not supposed to be able to do that, Let’s just be honest. Um, so, uh, that, I guess those are my two, my faith and my confidence. Okay.

Mike Sarraille:
I love that. Making the impossible possible. What we, I actually say that quite a bit. Yeah. Cause I served with a group of guys that you put them together. Mm-hmm. , they would make the seemingly impossible possible. Yeah. Yeah. That’s awesome. Um, all said and done. When you look back on your life, how are you gonna determine whether you’ve lived a life of impact and purpose?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
I think that’s one of the biggest things in, in my life, is I wanna inspire because somebody’s gotta have drives. There’s gotta be someone there in your mind that makes you wanna be better. And if some people don’t have a father figure, or if they don’t have somebody to look to, I could be that guy, you know, Even if they don’t know me personally, but, uh, uh, they’re like, I wanna be like him,

Mike Sarraille:
Brother. I can thank you enough. And again, excited to watch you, sir. All right guys. Hey, I appreciate you joining us with the Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior podcast. Uh, especially sitting down here with a warrior in, in your mindset at Ezekiel Mitchell. Uh, where can they find you on social media? What are your handles?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
Uh, uh, my Instagram handle is the blue Mitchell, t e Blue Mitchell. And same thing for TikTok, the blue Mitchell, but 90 at the end. 9 0 9

Mike Sarraille:
Oh . Or as he said, known as the what type of, what was it? The TikTok? Another?

Ezekiel Mitchell:
No, the Hot Cowboy Now. Hot

Mike Sarraille:
Cowboy, TikTok Cowboy. Yeah. What a, uh, what a label, man. Alright, we will see you again next time. Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior Podcast. Hey, whatever platform you utilize to listen to our podcast, please, please leave a review. We read all of them. That’s how we get better. And lastly, again, thank you to our sponsor, Pendleton Whiskey. We’ve got your six. Cheers.

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Author: Men’s Journal Editors

Mountaineer Rick Ridgeway on Chasing a Life of Adventure

Mountaineer Rick Ridgeway spent five decades traveling to uncharted regions, conquering the world’s most treacherous mountains, sometimes before anyone else. Here are his keys to achieving peak performance. — As told to Charles Thorp

Seek Inspiration

I’ve always had a passion for books, and I’ve been a big reader since I was a boy. It’s had a profound effect on my life on multiple occasions and initially inspired me to become a climber. I read a National Geographic story about the first American to climb Mount Everest and wanted to be like him. That guy was Jim Whittaker, and little did I know he’d be the leader of our first American ascent of K2 in ’78. It was around the time of my own K2 ascent when another book came out called The Snow Leopard. The naturalist George Schaller, who’s the main character, become my mentor and one of my best friends. I set up an expedition with Galen Rowell, Conrad Anker, and Jimmy Chin to find the birthing ground of the chiru, an endangered Tibetan antelope, to supported George’s research and help protect the animal. It was the most meaningful trip of my life. My home has a room where I’m completely surrounded by books, including the first one I bought when learning to climb called Freedom of the Hills. That room is one of my favorite places to be.

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Redefine Peak Condition

I don’t remember any of my friends who were climbing back in the ‘60s or ‘70s ever going to a gym. None of us had a training regimen. We just climbed all the time and went on long hikes to get to the mountains before expeditions. The on-foot approaches to the landmark climbs people are familiar with were a lot longer than they are now. That was our bootcamp experience for whatever mountain we were climbing, whether it was hiking from Kathmandu to Everest or up to K2. I did start going into the gym in the ‘80s, but never doing anything too crazy. I learned the benefit of doing low weight with high repetition to keep the lean mass I needed. I do that about three times a week these days. I always valued fitness, even as a teenager. I got in shape in high school and never fell out of it. I weigh exactly the same as I did back then, 157 pounds. I know to some it may sound like a brag, but I’m proud of that fact. That commitment to physical health is one that’s served me well over the years.

I got in shape in high school and never fell out of it.

Better to Bend Than Break

Over 20 years ago, my hips were making problems for me, and causing a terrible amount of discomfort. It was only getting worse over time. They were getting so bad I was having trouble sleeping because of the pain. I met with a doctor who tried to advise me to get a hip transplant while I was still “young and strong,” in his words. I was in my 50s at the time. I was still worried about what the recovery and complications could be. That’s when I discovered yoga through Yvon Chouinard. Shortly after that I met Gerry Lopez. Getting to know Gerry had a big effect on me, because I could see how beneficial yoga was to maintaining world-class surfing skills at an older age. It seemed like he was getting better every month, and he attributed it to yoga. I was working at Patagonia when I started my practice, and I would go to the classes we had at the office. I started to see the benefits pretty quickly and was able to avoid having the surgery. Being flexible and limber while staying strong is crucial at my age. I’ve created my own routine over the years that I do on my mat at home. I do it around three times a week. I like not having to bring my phone out for it or look at any videos. It’s a good time for me to find peace. I do it in the afternoon, because I can clear my head of noise and finish my day in a better mindset.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger Says He’d Reprise His Role as Conan the Barbarian

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Stay in the Running

I started trail running in my early 20s, and it’s still one of my favorite activities. I first began when I was traveling a lot for work, because it seemed like an easy way to get outdoors and stay in shape no matter where I was in the world. All I needed was a pair of shoes. These days I do most of my running at home in Ojai. I live right next to Los Padres National Forest. There’s an incredible network of trails right off my backyard. I’ve been on those trails every day this week, but I have to be careful. This morning my foot came about eight inches away from a rattler. I have to make sure I’m always on the lookout. Over the years I’ve become a fan of the feel and performance of HOKA’s trail running shoes. I plan on staying on the trail as long as possible.

Find Your Base of Operations

I was always a surfer as much as I was a climber—an ocean and a mountain person. So, it was important for me to live somewhere I could do it all. I stayed in Malibu in the ‘70s, but over time was disenchanted with the number of posers. I started visiting the Ventura and Santa Barbara area to surf when I first met Yvon Chouinard, who I would later work with at Patagonia. Eventually we started climbing around there and I discovered it was a much better fit for me personally. I asked Yvon to keep his ear to the wind for a place I could call home. It didn’t take him long to find one, and I moved a few doors down from his place. This was back in the late ‘70s, so I guess I qualify for a local at this point. Over the course of my career I estimate that I’ve slept about five years of my life in tents, and I can say it’s nice living somewhere you’re happy to come back to. I’ve gotten just as much enjoyment going out to the wild areas in my backyard as I have in the farthest reaches of the world.

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Author: Charles Thorp

The Best Bodyweight Exercises for Your Back

When it comes to a great back workout, you need to ensure you include exercises that attack all the muscles: namely the deltoids, traps, lats, and rhomboids. You may think you need a cable machine along with barbells and dumbbells to do all that. But you don’t. There are tons of great bodyweight back exercises that you can do right in your own living room, with minimal equipment.

The 10 exercises below, chosen by Marc Megna of Anatomy at 1220 in Miami Beach, FL, will get you started. To do them, all you’ll need is a suspension trainer and a pullup bar (many of the moves, though, require no equipment at all).

You can do all of these exercises together as part of one cohesive best-ever bodyweight back workout, or you can pick a few of your favorites and mix them into your existing routine. Look out for Megna’s pro tips sprinkled throughout the descriptions to maximize every movement.

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50 Best Shoulder Exercises of All Time

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The 10 Best Bodyweight Back Exercises

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Author: Caitlin Carlson

How Putin’s Mercenary Army Does the Dirtiest Work in Ukraine

After a week of heavy fighting against Ukrainian forces in and around Bucha, the Russian military captured the strategic town on the outskirts of Ukrainian capital Kyiv on March 4, 2022. The next day, another cadre of uniformed invaders arrived, older than the typical teenage Russian conscripts, and the noncombat killings began in earnest. It was obvious to besieged locals that these were not regular soldiers. They appeared to act autonomously, and more viciously.

At first, the bloodshed was indiscriminate. A middle-aged man riding his bicycle was shot in the back for sport, a woman returning from the grocery was cut down by a burst of automatic fire. Unarmed residents were robbed at checkpoints and then murdered. Gunfire was heard at all hours, as were the screams. Bodies were left where they fell as warnings. Soon, the carnage grew even more sadistic, and systematic. Survivors recall how these “soldiers” raided apartment blocks to round up males under 50 years of age, and then bound and executed them. Women were raped and tortured as the armed men laughed and drank. Some corpses were set on fire. Bucha residents, at great peril to themselves, dug hasty graves for other victims, their friends and neighbors, when the Russians weren’t watching.

When Ukrainian forces liberated Bucha on April 1, they entered a ghost town littered with rubble and smoldering vehicles. The dead were everywhere. Bodies were strewn for half a mile along Yablosnka Street in the southern part of town. By conservative estimates, more than 400 men, women and children had been murdered.

That massacre is yet another landmark of horror perpetrated by the notorious Wagner Group, a mercenary organization serving Moscow’s global sphere of influence—from the steppes of Ukraine to the deserts of Syria to the killing fields of Africa. Mysterious and ruthless, the Wagner Group has become a much-feared arm of the Russian regime. And those with knowledge of Kremlin machinations know they function as Putin’s private army.

Russian oligarch Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin, 61, is widely believed to be the owner of the business enterprise that is the Wagner Group. Born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), the eruptive Prigozhin grew up a streetwise student of the Soviet Union’s rampant corruption. He spent nine years in prison for theft and robbery before being released into the tumultuous pivot of Russian history when the Iron Curtain crumbled from communism to nepotistic capitalism. The Soviet penal system provided a master’s degree for opportunists who were savvy and ruthless enough to stake their claim amid the chaos.

Starting with little, Prigozhin amassed a fortune. He grew a humble hot dog business into a supermarket franchise, and used the proceeds to buy casinos. His St. Petersburg restaurant, The New Island, was a favorite of the city’s rich and notorious—including many former KGB officers. One of his VIPs was rising political star Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin became known as “Putin’s chef,” and with his shaved head and $5,000 suits, looked like a Hollywood stereotype of a Russian henchman.

When Putin assumed power in 2000, the country’s spoils were divvied among such men, who adhered to a simple rule: As long as Putin is in power, this new breed of oligarchs are allowed to rake in untold fortunes, but their survival hangs by a thin wire of absolute loyalty—and financial servitude—to the
Russian president.

Wagner Group illustration
Illustration by The Sporting Press

Prigozhin was handed lucrative catering contracts for the nation’s schools and military. Those contracts made him a billionaire, and he used the profits to launch even more businesses, including firms specializing in information, such as Internet Research Agency, a nefarious troll farm of some of the most capable Russian hackers. (Well before punishments were leveled at Russia for invading Ukraine, he was already under numerous sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department for cyber interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.)

In 2014, two years into Putin’s third term as Russian president, Prigozhin invested in a shadowy mercenary firm founded by Dmitry Utkin, a neo-Nazi and former GRU (Russian military intelligence) officer who idolizes Adolph Hitler. Utkin is a veteran of two bloody wars against separatists in Chechnya—including house-to-house battles in Grozny—and commanded a Spetsnaz commando formation. He left in 2013 as a lieutenant colonel, but did not spend his retirement fishing. He went to work as an enforcer-for-hire for Slavonic Corps, a Russian private security company contracted by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s regime to recapture oil fields seized by ISIS and punish enemies in that country’s ugly civil war. Utkin’s radio call sign was “Wagner,” a reference to Hitler’s favorite composer. (Ironic, given Putin’s flimsy “denazification” rationale for invading Ukraine.)

Prigozhin’s deep pockets lent stature to Utkin’s private-army enterprise, and, with Putin’s approval, it became Private Military Company Wagner.

Though Slavonic Corps was registered in Hong Kong, there are no official corporate records for the Wagner Group. Foreign Policy wrote, “[Wagner] has become a shorthand, bound up in mythology, [a] network of companies and groups of mercenaries that Western governments regard to be closely enmeshed with the Russian state.” In fact, according to Marc Polymeropoulos, a retired clandestine officer and author of Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA, “the Wagner Group is the paramilitary arm of Russian military intelligence.” In other words, they are the contractors and subcontractors of Putin’s will.

Mercenaries actually are outlawed under Russian law, but companies specializing in trigger pullers willing to risk their lives and commit atrocities for big paydays are an open secret. They’re deemed necessary to protect criminal territories and businesses controlled by the oligarchs who serve Putin’s interests. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Wagner Group follows the trend of the “privatization of state violence” in Russia.

At first, like the Western private military companies that emerged during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (think: Blackwater), the Wagner Group hired elite-unit veterans with combat experience who were paid as much as $3,700 a month—CEO money in Russia—to put their skills to ruthlessness ends. Further tying the knot to the Kremlin, the Russian Ministry of Defense provided Wagner with part of a GRU and special-forces base in the town of Molkino in southern Russia. The base includes barracks, shooting ranges and other installations needed to prepare an army for war. The GRU also provided Wagner with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. Those trained at the base ranged from seasoned combat veterans to wannabes who had never fired a weapon before.

According to a Wagner fighter interviewed by the BBC, there are three types of people attracted to joining the group. The first is the classic soldier of fortune, someone who craves adventure, combat pay, heavy drinking and fast women. The second is the lost soul resigned to the realization that fighting and killing is the only conceivable way he can earn a living. And the last category is what the operator termed the “romantic,” people who are determined to serve their country and in the process get a jolt of adrenaline and a paycheck.

Interviewed in silhouette by Britain’s Sky News, a former Wagner operative named “Alexander” said, “The training was quite intense. We were taught how to aim, use arms, artillery, rifles, missiles, tanks and APCs.” Alexander had no military experience before entering the gates of the Molkino camp. He received a bonus of 250,000 rubles (about $4,000) as an incentive to stay on. A trigger puller, even a green rookie, could earn as much as $16,000 for a three-month tour—approximately a full year’s average salary in Russia.

Wagner units were first noticed in 2014 in eastern Ukraine. The hired mercenaries joined Russian conventional forces and their separatist allies in the annexation of Crimea, and then terrorized civilians in the Donbas region, committing acts of murder and pillage designed to intimidate Ukrainian soldiers and civilians into surrender. The Ukrainians dubbed this new threat “the little green men.”

A reputation for brutality became a marketing bonanza. Wagner’s services were soon in demand in the Middle East, most notably in the internecine slaughter of the Syrian civil war to support Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad. According to intelligence estimates, the Wagner Group assembled close to 5,000 soldiers of fortune for Syria. They arrived in August 2015 aboard the same Antonov and Ilyushin transport aircraft as regular Russian forces, touching down at the sprawling Khmeimim Air Base near the Latakia coast. The military bombed anti-government targets, then Wagner fighters participated in clearing Syria’s cities in house-to-house fighting, dirty work requiring heavy hands, brutal tactics and plausible deniability. Civilians were frequently caught in the crossfire, and sometimes made examples of. The bodies of those killed were left in the desert or cremated; families received payouts to avoid political fallout.

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Syria was a windfall for Prigozhin. He cut lucrative energy contracts with the Assad regime, earning a whopping 25 percent stake in Syrian oil fields liberated and protected by his men. Tribute, of course, was kicked up to Putin’s secret bank accounts. “Mike,” a Kurdish liaison officer with U.S. and coalition units in Iraq and Syria, once commented, “The Russians were nothing more than bandits, seeing what they could steal and not letting anything get in their way. Soldiers do not kill women and children, they do not steal. Only criminals do that.”

Human rights groups also took notice of Wagner and accused its personnel of perpetrating war crimes wherever they were deployed. But for Putin’s purposes, the mercenaries were deniable and cost effective.

The Wagner Group does not employ a public affairs officer to elaborate on its missions. Its employees are forbidden from giving interviews. As such, the Kremlin can always issue a boilerplate shrug that it had no knowledge of their presence in a war zone. But most believe that there exists no daylight between Wagner and the Kremlin. John Sipher, a 28-year veteran of the CIA’s National Clandestine Service, says, “The Wagner Group’s operations are designed to provide Moscow with plausible deniability, but the opposite is true. They work closely with the GRU, the SVR foreign espionage service and the FSB, the post-Soviet KGB. They are irrefutable organs of the Russian state. Their deniability is purely implausible.”

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Wagner Group illustration
Illustration by The Sporting Press

Wagner puts boots on the ground wherever natural resources and pro-Putin regimes with tenuous security situations need extra tactical muscle. Wagner units fought government forces in Libya. They deployed to the Central African Republic, Sudan and Madagascar. Wagner even has been detected in the Americas, in oil-rich Venezuela, supporting the narco-regime of President Nicolás Maduro. Wherever they are sent, civilians are tortured, raped and murdered. Moscow denies, but in the age of smartphones, hard evidence that Russian nationals are implicated in horrific atrocities is impossible to mask.

So, too, was the only conventional battle that has occurred between Wagner operatives and the U.S. military. On Feb. 7, 2018, approximately 600 Wagner fighters, supported by tanks and artillery, attacked a Syrian Democratic Forces position near Deir Ez-Zor in the eastern stretch of the desert near the Iraqi frontier. The SDF contingent, mainly Kurdish fighters, was bolstered by elements of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command, including operators from Delta. AC-130 gunships unleashed airborne fire support from thousands of feet above the desert to assist the Americans and Kurds. What was not obliterated by air was left for the Delta operators to sort out on the ground. More than 300 Wagner Group fighters reportedly were killed in the lopsided battle. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis would tell Congress, “I ordered their annihilation.”

Russia’s state-controlled media made no mention of the engagement, of course. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the reports as “fake news.” The nameless mercenaries were left to rot where they were killed. There were no military funerals, only small payouts delivered to their next of kin, as per their contracts.

The myth of the Wagner fighter as some sort of Russian Rambo was debunked in the Syrian desert that day. “Killing women and children was a lot easier than fighting a disciplined and capable military opponent,” says Polymeropoulos. “But owning a reputation for killing civilians is precisely why we see Wagner mercenaries in Ukraine today. Their presence alongside Russian conscript forces is designed to terrorize an occupied population.”

Putin likely hoped that his proxy private army would not be needed in Ukraine at all. Moscow designed the war to be fast, furious and finished before the West could respond. The massive Russian blitzkrieg would overwhelm Ukraine’s military, murder President Volodymyr Zelensky and install and a pro-Putin puppet regime in Kyiv. Putin’s generals assessed that the Ukrainian capital would be seized within three days and the country pacified within a week. The Pentagon, in congressional testimony offered by Defense Intelligence Agency director Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, concurred.

But best-laid plans did not calculate the furious defiance of the Ukrainian people and Zelensky becoming a modern Winston Churchill. Putin also misjudged NATO’s resolve. Russia’s conscript army was soon stalled, and forced to lay siege to a nation of more than 40 million inhabitants. It’s Russia’s way of war: Unleash overwhelming firepower that has little regard for international law and civilian casualties, and if that fails, deploy a more covert attack that, as John le Carré once wrote, “obliterates, punishes and discourages.” It is a scenario tailor-made for the Wagner Group.

Wagner mercenaries were first deployed to the separatist enclaves of Donetsk and Luhansk to help crush the will of the pro-Ukrainian population. But as the initial Russian offensive stuttered into a quagmire, heavily armed men sporting Wagner patches were sent in to join—and lead—the military effort elsewhere. They were not only ruthless—always an effective tactic in beating down an occupied population—they were more dependable than the green Russian troops thrust into a conflict they did not want or understand.

A significant number of the armed men on Wagner’s payroll are Serbs, a Slavic ethnic group with a long history of executing wars of ethnic and religious butchery. Murals have appeared in Belgrade applauding the actions of Wagner fighters in Ukraine. But Wagner leaders also pulled personnel from other global hot spots and summoned violence-tested veterans. Chechens arrived on the battlefield, as did Libyans and Africans—a cheaper alternative to the Russian soldiers of fortune.

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The Wall Street Journal reported that the Bundesnachrichtendienst, Germany’s foreign intelligence service, intercepted secret electronic communications between Wagner Group operatives solidifying what NATO espionage services already suspected: Russian mercenaries played a dominant role in the Bucha massacre.

But just a few days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, another Wagner Group cadre also was still hard at work in Africa, propping up Mali’s military junta leader, who is reliably pro-Moscow and can protect Russia’s interests in the resource-rich region. On March 27, the mercenaries entered Moura, a rural hamlet that was not playing along. Some arrived on trucks and others were choppered in via military helicopters. They advanced quickly through the dirt streets, raiding the mosque in search of Islamic insurgents, pulling men from their homes. Those unlucky enough to be captured were beaten, bound and marched four miles to the banks of the Niger River. By the time the mercenaries left four days later, more than 300 corpses lay rotting in the muddy water. Nearly all of the dead were civilians.

Prigozhin and Utkin already have been sanctioned by the European Union for their Wagner roles. There is talk in Congress and in the E.U. of classifying the Wagner Group as a designated terrorist organization, a legal move that would allow nations greater leeway in bringing members to justice. To that end, U.S. and other NATO intelligence services are already gathering evidence to prosecute Russian soldiers—and soldiers-for-hire—in war-crime tribunals that most certainly will follow the eventual cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. No doubt some of that bloody account of atrocities will be laid at the feet of Wagner Group fighters. Hopefully, the charges also will extend to their paymasters, even at the highest level.

Samuel M. Katz has written more than 20 books on counterterrorism and special operations. His latest, No Shadows in the Desert, covers the spies who carried out the secret espionage campaign to eliminate the heads of ISIS.

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Author: Men’s Journal Editors

UK Rapper Tinie Is Face of Ben Sherman’s Latest Campaign

Tinie is a man of many talents. You may know him from his performance from the back of a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe at the closing ceremonies of the London Olympics in 2012. Or you may have heard one of his musical collaborations with Swedish House Mafia, Rita Ora, and Labrinth, among others. The award-winning rapper has six UK number one singles, more than any other UK rap artist in history. But his range extends beyond music. Tinie started his own menswear label What We Wear and created Raps, a fried chicken and wraps delivery restaurant in London. In addition, his television show Extraordinary Extensions, which explores home additions is coming back for a second series in 2022.

Tinie wears Signature zip-through track top from Ben Sherman.
Ben Sherman

The one thread that weaves through all of Tinie’s ventures—music, television, and business—is his immeasurable sense of style. It came as no surprise when he was named Best Dressed at GQ’s Man of the Year awards in 2012.

Tinie x Ben Sherman

Tinie’s sense of style is on display in a global advertising campaign for the iconic menswear brand Ben Sherman. Wearing pieces from Ben Sherman’s Autumn/Winter collection for 2022, Tinie cuts a sharp figure.

“Ben Sherman has always been a staple in British culture,” Tinie says. “It was great to get the call to front the AW22 Menswear campaign. I enjoyed collaborating and shooting with the team, and it was great to reconnect with a brand that made such an impression on me coming up”.

Tinie wears Signature Harrington jacket from Ben Sherman.
Ben Sherman

The campaign is connected to the Ben Sherman Global Artist Foundry, a platform where music, art, and fashion intersect. The foundry is a support system for musicians, artists, and creatives at every level—from unsigned to well-established. Like Tinie, the original Ben Sherman was also a man of style. Born Arthur Benjamin Sugarman, Ben Sherman launched his own clothing line in 1963. The oxford cloth Ben Sherman shirt he created was revolutionary at the time and remains an iconic style staple today.

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Author: Men’s Journal Editors

Head for the High Country With Columbia’s Silver Ridge™ Utility Collection

This article was produced in partnership with Columbia Sportswear

Hiking a high-altitude trail is always a challenge. As the mile count grows and you climb higher, your breath gets shallower, your steps become slower, and your body grows more fatigued. But once you get the chance to pause, breathe crisp mountain air, and look around you, the journey’s hardships start to fade. Above the tree line and at higher altitudes, you gain a new perspective on your surroundings—and on life overall.

A memorable adventure spent day-hiking in the high country starts with packing gear that will stand the test of time. A heritage brand known for classic hiking staples, Columbia Sportswear recently introduced its Silver Ridge™ Utility Collection, and it’s an ideal choice for a backcountry trip. The collection includes four garments crafted with recycled materials and packed with function to keep you comfortable, both on and off the trail. Forget about hauling a dresser’s worth of clothes—these essentials are the foundation for a day (or multiple days) of hiking anywhere in the country.

Multicolored Columbia Silver Ridge Utility Collection shirts folded and stacked against a black background.
Columbia Silver Ridge™ Utility Lite Longsleeve Courtesy Image

The Utility Lite Longsleeve and Utility Lite Plaid Longsleeve feature snap buttons at the collar—which makes them easy to open up when conditions get hot—and Omni-Shade™ UPF 50 sun protection, so you won’t have to slather your whole body in sunscreen. They also come with double chest pockets for convenient storage, they’re made with durable recycled polyester fabric, and they have a timeless silhouette for a laid-back look.

 

Man wearing flannel shirt and blue pants walking through woods
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The Utility Pant is made with a moisture wicking, two-way stretch fabric that moves with you, and it also comes with an integrated removable belt for a snug fit and four pockets to keep your on-trail essentials close at hand. Expecting hot weather? Reach for the Utility Convertible Pant, which turns into a pair of classic shorts just by zipping off the pant legs.

Once you’ve packed the right gear for your trip, you’re ready to choose a trail. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best trails for backpacking and day-hiking—from the West Coast to the East Coast—to add to your bucket list. Whether you’re an experienced backpacker or you’re just starting out, there’s something for you here: Tackle the full trail length or split them up into sections for more approachable hikes. Either way, you’ll get a true backcountry challenge and incredible views to boot.

View from the John Muir Trail in California
Harry Laub/imageBROKER / Shutterstock

1. John Muir Trail in California

One of the most iconic routes in the world, the John Muir Trail (its original native name is Nüümü Poyo) stretches 211 miles through the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. The trail passes through Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks and passes through some of the world’s finest mountain scenery along the way. Hikers can expect towering granite cliffs, steep climbs, high altitudes, lush meadows, backcountry lakes, and ancient forests.

When you don’t have three weeks to spare for the full thru-hike, section hiking the trail is a more accessible alternative for experiencing this incredible route. The best segments for spending a few nights in the wild include Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows (about 20 miles) or Kearsarge to Whitney Portal (about 49 miles).

The Day Trip Mod: Visit one of the main destinations along the route, such as the impressive Devil’s Postpile National Monument or Sequoia National Park. Find parking nearby and follow the trail for a few miles for an out-and-back day excursion.

A pair of hikers traverse the trail New Hampshire's Presidential Range on Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Jim Cole/AP

2. Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire

Although it’s one the shorter routes on this list, the Presidential Traverse is just as challenging and rewarding as the longer hikes. For about 20 miles, this classic New England trail ascends and descends some of New Hampshire’s highest peaks. The trip is most enjoyable when completed over two or three nights, and you’ll have the option to stay at Appalachian Mountain Club huts along the way.

The White Mountains are notorious for strenuous conditions made more difficult by bad weather, but don’t get discouraged: With little tree coverage, the views of the valleys and surrounding mountains are constantly panoramic.

The Day Trip Mod: For a doable day hike, try one or two of the peaks along the route, such as a 7.5-mile loop of Mt. Clay and Mt. Jefferson. The trail gains 3,600 feet and features panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Red Castle in the the High Uintas Wilderness
Quinn Calder / Shutterstock

3. Uinta Highline Trail in Utah

The Uinta Highline Trail stays above 10,000 feet for the majority of its 104 miles, which makes it the crème de la crème of Utah hiking. This point-to-point trail follows the Uinta Mountains from Mirror Lake to a forest service road north of Vernal, UT, and it covers over 16,000 feet of elevation gain. Along the way, you’ll pass through rock scrambles, hike over gentle meadows speckled with wildflowers, and skirt stunning lakes and creeks. This trail is a serious challenge, so it’s best to spend 10 days hiking 10-mile sections to complete its entirety.

The Day Trip Mod: You don’t have to be a pro to get a taste of the Uinta Highline Trail. For a more manageable day hike or overnighter, try a 16.8-mile out-and-back jaunt from Mirror Lake to Blue Lake, which also passes a number of other beautiful bodies of water. There’s also a scenic 10.5-mile point-to-point route from Dime Lake to Chepeta Lake. You can also make a pitstop to Red Castle (shown above) via the China Meadows Trailhead.

Timberline Trail in Oregon
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4. Timberline Trail in Oregon

Circumnavigate Mt. Hood at or above the tree line on the Timberline Trail, a 41-mile trail with around 10,300 feet of elevation gain. Snag a free permit at a trailhead kiosk before you start your journey, and then treat yourself to incredible vistas, waterfalls, alpine meadows, and lush forests at every turn. Most people complete the full trail in three days and four nights.

The Day Trip Mod: The Timberline Trail is accessible from many points around the mountain’s base, so you can easily break it up into sections. Try hiking Cloud Cap south to Newton Creek, a six-mile section with one stream crossing, or hike Top Spur east to Cloud Cap, an 11.3-mile trek on the mountain’s north side.

Backpacker looking out over rolling mountains in the distance in autumn
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5. Allegheny Front Trail in Pennsylvania

This 42-mile loop is ideal for backpacking over a long weekend. The Allegheny Front Trail links hiking trails, old logging roads, state forest roads, and Native American paths through Pennsylvania’s Moshannon State Forest. The trail snakes through a variety of habitats, including wetlands, forests, and rhododendron thickets. Rated as moderately challenging with just over 5,000 feet in elevation gain, the Allegheny Front Trail is a popular first backpacking trip for novices.

The Day Trip Mod: Using the side trails, shorter trips are also easily accessible. The 8.8-mile Moss Hanne Trail (which includes part of the greater Allegheny Front Trail) crosses boardwalks through the forest and wetlands, while the Six-Mile Run section meanders parallel to a stream.

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Author: Men’s Journal Editors

Here’s How to Choose Your Fall Adventure in West Virginia

This article was published in partnership with West Virginia Tourism

With its sprawling natural wonders, endless outdoor pursuits, rich Appalachian heritage, and charming mountain towns, it’s no wonder West Virginia is known as Almost Heaven. This dynamic destination lures visitors from all walks of life throughout the year. But as autumn starts making its approach, the majestic Mountain State really kicks things into high gear.

There’s no denying the magic of the season once the annual fall foliage commences in September. Towering red oaks, sugar maples, and sycamore trees paint West Virginia’s vast landscapes every autumnal shade under the sun. After all, it’s the third-most forested state in the nation. Endless hiking, biking, and ATV trails burst to life in explosions of color as celebratory fall festivals begin cropping up in every corner of the state. And visitors from near and far can’t resist the warm hospitality of West Virginia’s cozy cabins and historic hotels.

No matter what type of autumnal getaway you’re craving, West Virginia delivers. There’s truly something for every type of traveler to experience in Almost Heaven. To help you plan an unforgettable escape, we’ve compiled some itinerary inspiration across the state based on various interests. Read on to discover what your ideal visit could look like. For even more ideas, download West Virginia’s free digital vacation guide or get a complimentary copy shipped to your door.

Foliage along road
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For the Family Man

Plan a Road Trip

West Virginia becomes a foliage fanatic’s paradise in the fall, fit for the whole family. The crisp autumn air ushers in a hypnotic display with waves of crimson, copper, and burnt umber washing over West Virginia’s dramatic topography. And considering it’s located within one day’s drive from two thirds of the country, it’s the perfect fall family road trip destination. Don’t miss your chance to witness the Mountain State in all its glory. There’s no shortage of epic drives to pick from—but timing will determine which route will put on the best show.

Late September to Early October: Head to the Potomac Highlands along U.S. Route 48. Cruise through the regal Allegheny Mountains on winding, timber-flanked roads. The little ones will love the cozy mountain towns scattered along U.S. Route 219. Some noteworthy pit stops boasting picture-perfect scenery include Canaan Valley Resort State Park, Blackwater Falls State Park, and the Monongahela National Forest.

Mid-October: Make your way to Mountaineer Country for a mesmerizing show. Spend some time exploring Coopers Rock State Forest, which blazes brightly throughout mid-October. Pro tip: The main overlook features some of the best leaf peeping in the state and makes for a once-in-a-lifetime family photo op. Then, follow the forested backroads of U.S. Route 119 to popular destinations like Prickett’s Fort State Park, Valley Falls State Park, and Tygart Lake State Park for even more jaw-dropping views.

Late October: As October comes to a close, cruise along West Virginia Route 45 and West Virginia Route 9. These picturesque drives are easily accessible from hubs like Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Soak in the fall foliage at iconic stops like Harpers Ferry National Historic Park and Shepherdstown, the oldest town in the state.

 

Couple walking through town
Couple walking through historic Harpers Ferry. Courtesy Image

Take a Scenic Train Ride

It seems the train travel trend is full steam ahead, and West Virginia boasts an impressive range of rail routes the whole family will appreciate. Climb aboard the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad to snake through imposing canyons, bordered by sepia-toned forests and craggy bluffs. Keep your eyes peeled—American bald eagle sightings are almost guaranteed. At Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, passengers can take a 4.5-hour round-trip excursion up Cheat Mountain from the comfort of an antique Shay locomotive. The overlook sits at a staggering 4,842 feet above sea level, serving up unobstructed panoramas of the changing leaves. And the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers several routes for tourists to choose from, including dinner trains and themed rides throughout the year. Try booking a rail adventure on the vintage New Tygart Flyer. The 46-mile route kicks off in Elkins (often ranked one of America’s best small art towns) and winds its way through rugged highlands, mountain grades, and the rushing waters of Shavers Fork river.

West Virginia Pumpkin Festival
Gritt’s Fun Farm is a must this time of year. Courtesy Image

Find a Fall Festival

Autumn marks the start of countless fall festivals and celebratory events throughout the Mountain State. Venture to Putnam County to experience Gritt’s Fun Farm. From September 17 to October 30, kids can hit the pumpkin patch, enjoy hayrides, and navigate the farm’s corn maze. Another family favorite is the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival, held October 6 through October 9 in Milton. The fairgrounds transform into an autumnal utopia, complete with larger-than-life pumpkins, live music, and seasonal treats. For something more extreme, don’t miss National Trailfest from October 6 to October 10. ATV and dirt bike enthusiasts flock to the town of Gilbert to tear it up on the legendary Hatfield-McCoy Trail System. The event is chock-full of festive tomfoolery, including races, mud pits, casino nights, and grand prizes just waiting to be claimed.

Father playing Connect Four game with daughter in cabin
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Where to Stay: In terms of lodging, West Virginia is teeming with options to fit any family’s style and budget. Parents and kids alike will fall for Snowshoe Mountain Resort. The property boasts jaw-dropping overlooks of the Allegheny Mountains and encompasses a range of relaxing accommodations, including hotels, lodges, inns, vacation rentals, lodging and more. Families looking for a snug cabin escape are also in luck. There are tons of options hidden all over the state. Choose from luxurious outposts, like Country Roads Cabins, to more rustic sanctuaries, like the secluded Germany Valley Overlook Cabins in Seneca Rocks. And what child wouldn’t jump at the chance to sleep in a treehouse? The custom-built Holly Rock Treehouse measures 24 feet in diameter and features a canopy bridge and wraparound observation deck that’s perfect for stargazing.

 

Elevated cabin in the woods
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For the Outdoor Explorer

Do Go Chasing Waterfalls

Seek out the state’s collection of over 200 cascading waterfalls. In fact, the newly minted West Virginia Waterfall Trail is an easy way to get started. Visitors can sign up to receive this free digital passport directly to their smartphones, which features more than two dozen waterfalls dispersed throughout the state. Check in at the designated sites to win prizes along the way—the more you visit, the cooler the reward. Stops on the trail include Blackwater Falls State Park in Davis, Kanawha Falls at the junction of the New and Gauley Rivers, and the postcard-perfect autumnal setting of Glade Creek Grist Mill Falls.

Hunt Your Heart Out

Wild and wonderful, West Virginia has long drawn skilled huntsmen. The combination of untamed wilderness and challenging game has made hunting a respected pastime in the region. Whitetail deer, red stag, wild boar, turkey, rabbit, waterfowl, and other small game can be hunted throughout the state. Explore more than 31,000 acres of public land, located mainly in the west-central region of the state. While hunting in state parks is off-limits, state forests like Cabwaylingo State Forest, Coopers Rock State Forest, and Panther State Forest are fair game. Other popular spots include privately owned Mountain Meadow Hunting Preserve in Greenville, Land Baron Outfitters in Palestine, and Wilderness Ridge Farm located in Southside. Just make sure to brush up on current hunting dates, regulations, and licensing requirements before planning your retreat. And if fishing is more your style, you can find more than 20,000 miles of sparkling mountain streams and over 100 tranquil lakes to cast a line and reel in the memories.

Fly-fishing in river
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Explore New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

Adventure is ingrained in West Virginia’s DNA. Your next outdoor pursuit is always on the horizon, thanks to the state’s 1.5 million acres of parks and public lands. But the most buzzworthy is the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Truly breathtaking in the fall, the country’s newest national park is an adventurer’s dream destination. Rock climbing, biking, hiking, kayaking, whitewater rafting—there are countless ways to get your blood pumping.

Don’t miss West Virginia’s famed Gauley Season, which kicks off the Friday after Labor Day and lasts until the third week of October. The scheduled water release of the Summersville Dam brings the Gauley River roaring to life, creating more than 26 miles of top-notch whitewater rafting, with rapids ranging from class III to V. Bridge Day is another time-honored tradition that can’t be missed. Held on the third Saturday of October, the iconic New River Gorge Bridge becomes a magnet, luring BASE jumpers from all over the world. The annual event draws thousands of onlookers as these daredevils jump from the bridge, plummeting 876 feet into the expansive canyon below. And if spectator sports aren’t your thing, there are plenty more stunning state parks with endless outdoor recreation activities.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
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Where to Stay: ACE Adventure Resort is a playground for thrill-seekers of any age. Just a stone’s throw from New River Gorge National Park, the retreat is surrounded by 1,500 forested acres. Here, guests can spend their days ziplining, fly-fishing, whitewater rafting, cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and more. Intrepid travelers also flock to the neighboring Adventures on the Gorge Resort. Perched above the national park with spectacular views of the New River Gorge Bridge, this 350-acre basecamp offers world-class whitewater rafting experiences, plus even more land, water, and aerial adventures like wild cave tours, rappelling, kayaking, and zooming along one of America’s longest ziplines. Arrowhead Bike Farm is another nearby gem with well-kept campsites, a full-service bike shop, and a fleet of Trek and Pivot mountain bikes available to rent. Take advantage of their nearby trails and biergarten stocked with craft brews. Hoping for a more rustic getaway? Book one of the Tentrr campsites, tucked away in the heart of West Virginia’s finest wilderness areas, like Hawks Nest State Park. Each site comes with thoughtful amenities, like memory foam mattresses, propane heaters, and fire pits begging for some s’mores action.

For the History Buff

Tour a Historic Town

Almost Heaven is jam-packed with historic hidden gems and enchanting towns committed to preserving the past. Get a glimpse into bygone eras by visiting downright charming corners of the state, like Harpers Ferry. This small 19th-century town is recognized as a National Historic District and its quaint architecture alludes to its past as an important transportation hub in the 1800s. Learn more by visiting the town’s museums or joining a guided tour. At one time, the exclusive town of Bramwell was home to the most millionaires per capita in the nation. Nestled on a peninsula of the Bluestone National Scenic River, Bramwell was a former hot spot for coal barons and other members of society’s upper crust. Marvel at the preserved Victorian- and Tudor-style mansions during a walking tour while hearing tales about the once bustling coal industry. You can even drop by the Bramwell depot, a replica of the original railroad station that served the region. Parkersburg is another historic pocket worth checking out. Its rich heritage is on display in Julia-Anne Square and at several area museums. Then hop on a 19th century-style sternwheeler to Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park where you can explore a Palladian mansion and museum.

Follow the Coal Heritage Trail

Visitors can learn about fascinating legacy of the area through the Coal Heritage Trail. This unique driving trail winds through the formidable Appalachian Mountains, covering 187 miles across 13 counties. Along the way, you’ll follow rushing rivers, traverse immense valleys, and discover the charming mountain towns that defined the region. The trail starts on U.S. Route 52 in Bluefield and takes approximately five hours to complete—but build in extra time to pull over and discover attractions like the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.

Explore Historic Landmarks

There are hundreds of historic landmarks sprinkled throughout West Virginia, each commemorating a different aspect of the region’s deep-rooted past. For example, did you know West Virginia was the only state to be born out of the Civil War? Originally part of Virginia’s Old Dominion, it was granted statehood after seceding from the Confederacy. The Wheeling National Heritage Area is home West Virginia Independence Hall, considered the birthplace of the state. Drop in to get a free tour of this remarkably restored National Historic Landmark. The 16-acre West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston is another captivating point of interest. The 14-karat-gold-leaf-gilded dome of the West Virginia Capitol building soars 292 feet (nearly four and a half feet taller than the U.S. Capitol building). Then, peruse the nearby West Virginia State Museum, a 24,000-square-foot center combining history, culture, art, paleontology, geology, and more. You can also spend a few days tracing the Civil War Trails, a national network encompassing more than 300 significant sites.

The Greenbrier.
The Greenbrier: equals parts historic and majestic. Courtesy Image

Where to Stay: The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs is arguably one of the nation’s most legendary hotels. Known as “America’s Resort,” the grandiose property has welcomed presidents, royals, and countless celebrities since opening its doors in 1778. But one quirky amenity that history buffs will appreciate is the secret bunker. This supersized subterranean fallout shelter was constructed during the Cold War; it’s massive enough to house all 535 members of Congress in the Eisenhower era. Want to stay on George Washington’s old stomping grounds? Book a room at the Hillbrook Inn and Spa, located in historic Charles Town. The inn was constructed in the 1920s on Washington’s first land purchase. You can even take a dip in his bathtub, tucked away in Berkeley Springs State Park. If a visit to Harpers Ferry is on your list, plan to stay at the historic Light Horse Inn. Built in the 1770s, this former private home now offers seven spacious suites that combine epic mountain views with good old-fashioned Americana charm.

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Author: Ian Centrone