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- Why I Never Train Alone
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Welcome to The Movement Memo, a bi-weekly newsletter where I share actionable tips to help you live your best day ever, every day.
Today's Programming
Movement: 40-minute EMOM
Quote: Proverbs 28:17
Lesson Learned: Never train alone
Optimization: Why I never grill alone
Today's Movement
Complete as a 40-minute EMOM (every minute on the minute):
Minute 1: 15 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lbs)
Minute 2: 12 Toes-to-Bar
Minute 3: 10 Goblet Squats (70/53 lbs)
Minute 4: 12 dumbbell bench press (50/35 lbs)
Never eat alone!
Today's Quote
“Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Every time you train, every conversation you share, every challenge you tackle side-by-side—it all compounds.
Growth happens when you’re surrounded by people who raise the bar, who push you beyond what you thought possible.
It’s not just about building connections; it’s about leveling up with people who bring out the best in you.
Find those who make you stronger, sharper, and unstoppable.
Today's Lesson Learned:
Why I Never Train Alone: My Subway Footlong Framework
The Lesson That Started It All
When I was 27, I was just a guy with a footlong and no focus.
Every day, I’d sit alone with my Subway sandwich, going through my to-do list, thinking success was all about hustle and grind. Then, a friend handed me Keith Ferrazzi’s book, Never Eat Alone, and told me, “If you start sharing meals with people you admire, your life will change.” I was skeptical but gave it a shot.
Suddenly, my days transformed.
I was out the door at 7 a.m. for coffee meetings, at the track by noon with training partners, sitting down for lunch with mentors, and capping each evening with dinners that recharged my drive.
Those small acts of sharing—a coffee, a meal, a run—became the structure I needed. Every connection built my business, expanded my vision, and pushed me further than I could have gone alone. Today, I still live by Never Eat Alone. Coffee with friends, grilling with buddies in the backyard, gathering my people around the dinner table—it’s about creating intentional moments.
These aren’t just social hours; they’re where ideas bloom, confidence builds, and energy compounds.
My personal twist? “Never eat alone” became “Never train alone.”
Why It’s More Than a Workout
Somewhere along the way, those shared meals and coffees evolved. They weren’t just about networking or fitness—they became my backbone, the very structure that kept me grounded and growing.
It’s not just “working out.” –it’s building connections, refining ideas, and strengthening bonds.
When I train with others, I’m building muscle, yes, but I’m also doubling down on my network, shaping strategy, and stacking skills.
The training session becomes a meeting of the minds, an unfiltered conversation, a shared experience that compounds in value.
A workout alone is exercise.
But a workout with someone you admire?
That’s time multiplied—fitness, friendship, and focus, all packed into one.
The Cheat Code for Growth
Dan Martell’s book, Buy Back Your Time, introduced me to the concept of the Investment Quadrant. He describes this quadrant as the tasks that might not yield big results immediately but compound in value over time. And my approach of shared workouts and meals fits right in. These aren’t just hours logged—they’re hours invested.
I call it “multi-tasking without multi-tasking” because every minute spent training with others accomplishes so much more than any meeting room could.
Here’s why it works:
• Physical Activities: Run five miles alone, and it’s a workout. Run those miles beside someone a level above you, and it’s a masterclass. It’s connection, camaraderie, and a shared respect for discipline. It’s where the best insights happen because no one has their guard up.
• Time with Others: Nothing builds a bond faster than shared sweat and struggle. Training buddies become co-creators, confidants, and allies—relationships that go beyond the gym.
• Hobbies with Purpose: Fitness isn’t just a hobby; it’s where creativity, resilience, and energy multiply. It’s a mental reset that refuels everything else. When you’re in your element, with people you trust, you’re not just getting stronger—you’re getting sharper.
The Power of Never Training Alone
Here’s the thing about training with people who push you—they give you perspective.
They help you see beyond your own limits. When you’re under the weight or pushing through a sprint, there’s no small talk, no distractions, just the shared focus and resilience of two people giving it everything.
The best partnerships I’ve built didn’t start in conference rooms—they started on trails, in gyms, with someone right beside me breaking through their own limits.
And now, I don’t just train to stay fit. I train to stay sharp, connected, and ahead of the game.
Growth is a team sport—and I plan on playing with the best.
Make Time Compound with Connection, Growth, and Momentum
• Don’t Go It Alone: The fastest path to growth is with others by your side.
• Fitness Is a Cheat Code: Workouts are where I connect, create, and grow in every area.
• Compounded Relationships: Invest time in activities that challenge you, and you’ll build deeper, lasting bonds.
• Training as a Tool for Business: The people you sweat with will see you at your most authentic, creating the strongest partnerships.
Ready to Join?
The next time you’re ready to train, grab someone you respect and get out there together. Those miles, those reps—they’re building more than muscle. They’re building the future.
Today's Optimization
At 27, I believed success was about solo grind.
Then, a friend gave me Never Eat Alone, and I started sharing meals with people who inspired me. Over a simple meal, everything shifted—my confidence, my goals, even my friendships. That book wasn’t just advice. It was a principle I live by today: every meal, every moment matters.
That’s why I’m all about the Schwank Grill.
This isn’t just a grill; it’s a conversation-starter, a memory-maker. With 1500 degrees of intense heat, it sears the perfect steak in seconds, bringing restaurant-quality cooking to your backyard.
And with its modern design, grill table, and rapid heat-up, it’s built to handle any gathering you throw at it.
Grilling with Schwank is about more than just food—it’s the laughter, the stories, the ideas that happen around it. Whether it’s a backyard weekend or a post-work reset, Schwank turns every meal into an experience you’ll remember.
So, fire it up. Make every meal count.
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Publisher: Eric Hinman
Editor-in-chief: Bobby Ryan