00:00.87 nextlevelguypodcast and shows for card but Thank you so much for coming on the show. 00:04.73 Andy No, no, appreciate you, appreciate you. 00:04.82 nextlevelguypodcast I've followed you now for so long. i mean You've been one of the the big names in Scottish powerlifting, but if you overheard somebody describing you in the gym, what would you want them to say about the man that is in front of me? 00:21.94 Andy If somebody was describing me in the gym, and I think in the gym, me and my training partner Bob, we're always trying kind help people round about us. and You know, whether it's, you know, somebody's got a sore knee and you show them a wee trick to kind of warm up better. 00:38.21 Andy Probably just that, you know, took a wee minute to try you know try and help them. think that would be the kind of main thing. and not overly f fussed about people worrying about my lifts or my size or anything, but I think if, you know, you can help someone... 00:54.99 Andy maybe warm up and avoid a bit pain they'll probably appreciate that. 01:00.24 nextlevelguypodcast And what about your character? What about if you a man, would you want them to say you're warm, friendly, approachable? Which I suppose you kind of answered in that... 01:09.58 Andy Yeah mean I think so I think we're quite approachable anyway so I hope people do take that away. don't think I've ever snubbed MD in a gym, I've never not made time for someone so I would like to think that they knew they could approach us and if I could help them I'd like to help them. 01:27.39 nextlevelguypodcast I think that's a big part of your appeal. you know It's that warmth, that friendliness, that what you see on the tin is what you're getting. Because I love how... You swear on your staff. 01:38.76 nextlevelguypodcast You're a typical Scottish lad during your presentations and your stuff. 01:39.06 Andy Yeah. 01:43.29 nextlevelguypodcast um 01:43.34 Andy yeah 01:44.50 nextlevelguypodcast it's You're so effective. You just can't help but smile when we watch your content. But you made this amazing transformation. from but You went from flabby to badass. What was the emphasis to change that in your life when you made that initial change? 02:00.90 Andy ah Honestly, it was just embarrassment. I think we all get in a slump, especially when you've got kids. You know, you focus on them, quite rightly so. They become the, know, you're everything. You know, you focus on making sure they're eating, they're doing this. 02:20.26 Andy And I was just like eating unhealthy. I was being a bit of a grubber. Eating shite at work, not making my PCs, going to McDonald's. And then, you know, the kids wanted to walk up this big hill, you know, of a Monroe or anything, it's just a hill. 02:41.09 Andy And first time we tried it, I just i couldn't do it, you know. and i probably made it 20 minutes up and I was i was mortified. I was embarrassed, I was ashamed. 02:52.47 Andy My kids were barely fucking getting out of first gear and I was out of breath. So I just knew a big change had to happen and that's when was 29 turning 30 and I thought you know what it's it's never never. 03:07.44 Andy am I joined the gym, got started with that just as a kind of weight loss doing the treadmill and only really doing cardio and the weight was coming off and then I'd always kind of watched Strongman and I thought I'm going to give it a wee go. 03:22.53 Andy And it just kind of took off rapidly, to be honest. It was good. But the main catalyst, if I'm honest with you, was just embarrassment. You know, i was embarrassed in front of my wife at the time. I was embarrassed in front of my kids. 03:35.39 Andy You know, they continued on up this hill and I kind of, I never forget. I remember just like sobbing on the way back to the car, just feeling like, You know I'm so unfit, I can't even enjoy hill walk with the kids. 03:48.80 Andy You know, it's it was a low moment, yeah. 03:52.83 nextlevelguypodcast It's quite amazing that you go from that to making other people cry on the podium when you get first place and you're beating them. it's because you're 03:59.90 Andy Not this year. 04:00.62 nextlevelguypodcast that 04:01.95 Andy but last year 04:02.12 nextlevelguypodcast well that The transformation has been incredible. When you see the photos, you're like, no guy that size should be that muscular and that strong. how But you you competed in your first time, was it after three months of training? 04:15.92 nextlevelguypodcast And how on earth 04:16.53 Andy ah It was right about that. Yeah. 04:19.31 nextlevelguypodcast What is it about that they you just took to the sport? What is it about it the sport that just you're calling 04:24.82 Andy Honestly, I just loved it. The minute I got going with Strongman, knew it was going to be something I'd done for a long time. It was going to be more than a hobby. 04:37.31 Andy and I just took to it. I enjoyed the training. At the time, my guy Ben Badger was coaching me. He was Wales' strongest man at the time, Ben Brunnen Badger. 04:49.03 nextlevelguypodcast Mm-hmm. 04:50.06 Andy and He was kind of just sending me a bit of a plan. i was just making do with some, like, I had yoke and some stones at my workshop. And i I just loved it, you know, I had a real passion for it. 05:03.81 Andy My first competition, there was a bag of nerves, I was looking about, going, fuck, he's a big guy, fuck, he looks strong, you know. um And, you you know, luckily I won my first comp, but that was a kind of nice wee boost to kind get me going. So I just kind of took it from there, done an inters comp. 05:24.00 Andy And then think I done two or three smaller comps and then I started with the national stuff and i went on to kind of got the strongest man, etc. 05:33.26 nextlevelguypodcast So what did you take from that? You know, that moment, like, mean I'm sure we've all been there when you're shitting bricks and thinking, oh, God, that guy's massive. I know if going to beat this guy here. I've never done this lift. 05:45.07 nextlevelguypodcast what What did you take from that initial competition that kind of put you on the trajectory? 05:51.80 Andy but I think I took a little bit of like, you know, you you're good at this or you can be good at it, but that that side of it never left me. 06:03.38 Andy i mean, if I go and compete tomorrow, I'll be nervous. I'll be like, fuck, he looks in good shape. Fuck, you know, this. ah I'll be like, it's just, I think just part of my adrenaline response is just, you know, observing everyone else and, 06:20.98 Andy feeling nervous, especially the week out before a Giants Live show, I'm like vomiting every night. It's just, I get nervous. I mean, I'm not scared and I know I've trained and I know I'm prepared. It's just like kind a kind of subconscious thing, I guess. 06:36.08 nextlevelguypodcast Have you ever tried that trick where you name your fear? You know, you give it a name and go like, ah fuck off, Hector, or whatever, you know? and I find it works for me because I get really bad social anxiety, but if I go, hu yeah bit of get to bed, bellend, I'm off out, you know you know? It finds it takes its power away by, but I mean, I've never... 06:56.48 nextlevelguypodcast pulled a 400 kilo deadlift in front of thousands of people you do it like it's like it's better and it's quite i think it'll help a lot of people knowing people so you still get it 07:03.25 Andy No, mean... 100% I get it. Especially every big lift in the gym I have in my head, general know this is like a big moment and somebody could be watching and just make it count. I think that's the main thing. I remember Luke Stoltman just telling me make it count at my first Giants Live show and that's kind of stuck with me. Just try and make it Do your best. I don't think it matters, especially at any level. It doesn't matter if you win, lose or draw. 07:36.60 Andy You know, strongman's a one-player sport. It doesn't really matter. But I think it's just, just fucking make it count and, you know, do the best you can do that day. 07:47.61 nextlevelguypodcast And is that a big factor for it, that it's a one-man sport, but you have that brotherhood there, that kind of you're all helping and encouraging each other, you know, you're helping put on the wrist wraps. And even though you are competing against each other, there seems to be this bond between strongmen. 08:04.37 Andy I think everyone, especially, i mean, at the smaller comps, i found it the opposite. Everybody was very out for their own a wee bit. 08:12.89 nextlevelguypodcast Hmm. 08:13.10 Andy And then... As you kind of get into the national comps, yeah, I think everyone's just got so much respect for each other because they understand the sacrifice everyone's made to be there. 08:25.73 Andy i mean, very few people are just lucky and got there as a fluke. You know, people, you dedicate a lot of your time. You know, you miss nights with the kids. You miss dates with a girlfriend. You miss... 08:40.23 Andy work on some occasions, you know. miss a lot of your life, 09:44.87 nextlevelguypodcast I love that, you know, because it's something we don't really hear. We see the kind of the hugs and stuff on on there and the backstage stuff, you know, but we never really see the bond. And I think that's what's like World's Strongest Man's really helped with is seeing the guys in the hotel, seeing you, know, conversing and training and doing in the prep beforehand. 10:04.84 nextlevelguypodcast But how on earth do you start preparing for this? mean, I've done a bit powerlifting. But I've never had to pick up stones at 120 odd, like farmer carries and walk carrying them like they wear a kilt. 10:16.73 nextlevelguypodcast You know, I've never had to be as strong as a bull, but as nimble as a fox. as you know and There's so many different components. How do you plan for something where you've got to be strong, fast, quick, balanced? Yeah. 10:52.57 nextlevelguypodcast Yep. 12:05.31 nextlevelguypodcast That's a great insight because, I mean, how many people think, oh, it's just lifting heavier and heavier than the next guy, which it doesn't always work. You know, you eat a plateau, you you fry your CRS and all that kind of stuff. 12:17.42 nextlevelguypodcast Were you always, like, lifting heavy stuff when you were younger? mean, I grew up around sheep, so we had the hay bales and stuff like that. So I got a wee bit of lifting when i was younger. Where does your kind of rawness, your power come from? 13:18.22 nextlevelguypodcast i've worked in a quarry and i've seen some of those parts and to think you were just throwing them around it's quite it's quite crazy like 13:27.55 nextlevelguypodcast I suppose you're not having to pay a gym membership for it. ah be You said there that you disliked the gym. What was it about? like How did you build into that habit where you now seem to be at peace in the gym? you know you it seem You've missed, like you were saying, family dinners and stuff like that to train. 13:45.47 nextlevelguypodcast What kept that consistency, that motivation? 15:09.85 nextlevelguypodcast that's ah That's a really good idea. I mean, because a lot of people go to the gym, they try balls to the wall for a few days, then they struggle and they go, no, I'm not going back. Oh, I've tweaked. 15:59.28 nextlevelguypodcast Hmm. 16:08.33 nextlevelguypodcast i think that's what a lot of people need is that as much of a external motivation as well as an internal. Yeah. And I mean, but I think a big thing I've seen videos of you is like, you're always keen to learn. You're always looking to to to go to that next level. And yes, I hate myself for saying that, seeing as the name of the podcast. 16:30.64 nextlevelguypodcast Yeah. What is it? i mean, you when you're pulling a 400 kilo deadlift, like it's butter, you know, a knife through, a hot knife through butter, there's not much you can really learn, but you seem to always be looking for the wee nuances, the fixes, you know, so you get the coaches, you get the help, you listen to the other competitors. 16:49.22 nextlevelguypodcast Is that as much that inspired you as well? Having them kind of keep going again? 17:09.49 nextlevelguypodcast Great guy. 18:24.10 nextlevelguypodcast when you look back, does that not terrify you when you go, ah i pulled 400 kilos raw, you know, what was the sort of the small technical things? Are there things you would pick that would you say that would help all lifters? 18:36.44 nextlevelguypodcast Like if I gave you these three tips for any lift or a particular lift, that would they would go amazingly 20:00.80 nextlevelguypodcast I love that because it's we all think like to get better at something, you have to do the movement. Is that what these kind of coaches have taught you? It's that technical setups? I mean, have they helped you with like the warm-ups, your cool-downs, treating it more as ah as a professional athlete approach? 20:40.27 nextlevelguypodcast They're sadist if they did that. 21:41.19 nextlevelguypodcast ah 21:44.72 nextlevelguypodcast Mm-hmm. 22:23.21 nextlevelguypodcast And how much was it the hat you were wearing? Because i remember you were in, was that bucket hat? Did that give you an extra few ki kilos in your lift? 23:39.75 nextlevelguypodcast I'm gonna have to try that, see if it gets my deadlift over. 23:46.75 nextlevelguypodcast and Was that a help turning up late? you know like You were maybe stuck in traffic that you got there and it didn't let the nerves settle as much, that you had to sort rush it, people were pushing you to kind of get going in your warm-up sets that you couldn't go into, or did you train up to that point? you know how does your How do you prepare for a competition as much, or do you just turn up 24:22.59 nextlevelguypodcast and and you pull this scottish world ah record jesus 24:49.36 nextlevelguypodcast Let's it. 25:21.36 nextlevelguypodcast Okay. 26:45.68 nextlevelguypodcast I mean, moved or okay is an understatement. It looked like it was nothing for you. You look you looked like, with a wee hitch at the end, you looked like you were just motoring through it. you how What was going through your mind during that? 27:01.43 nextlevelguypodcast I'm not surprised because you think of about, mean, I'm, what's my current PR? I'm about 2'0, 2'10 I haven't been in the gym for a while and I just think you're pulling that like it's nothing. as a warm up odd It's that's terrifying. 28:07.62 nextlevelguypodcast I love how you're just like, yeah, if I just get 420 odd, that product money and but i'm fine. you know i think because to a lot of, as normal people, we kind of just go, well I couldn't do that. 28:19.15 nextlevelguypodcast But there's so much technical skill to these lifts. How do you work with Andy? How do you work with your coaches, even with the ref to kind of see a task, like whatever event, and then reverse engineer it to say, this is what I need to build up. This is what I need to work on it. 28:37.13 nextlevelguypodcast Like you're saying the deadlifts, you know, it's RDLs, it's the squats. How do you work back from the comp activities? 30:04.90 nextlevelguypodcast no 30:34.16 nextlevelguypodcast yeah 31:24.65 nextlevelguypodcast I love that. It's like, cause I think that's a good reminder as we all think, Oh, these are superstars. I can never be like, and you know, we put people on pedestals and like you're saying, we all come at the same place. 31:38.47 nextlevelguypodcast How do you work on that? Like, how do you stop comparing yourself to others and just see the guy that you're racing against, like in the mirror? 33:06.61 nextlevelguypodcast Yeah. 33:42.57 nextlevelguypodcast think that helped a lot of people because that is a big thing. It's you hear people say that no one who's above you will be talking down to you. It's only the people who are lower than you. You know, it's the ones who, how many people love to see you come into the gym? How many people love to see you doing well? 34:02.12 nextlevelguypodcast The people who don't, what's the point? You know, why why, why do we care? Yeah. 34:39.95 nextlevelguypodcast hmm 35:25.45 nextlevelguypodcast Yeah. 35:56.62 nextlevelguypodcast I love that because I think we we do forget that because of social media we we look at people's you know perfectly rehearsed snapshots of their supposed perfect life and we judge our entire self against it whereas we don't see the shit or the bullshit behind it How then have you found that that change to focusing on yourself, to analyzing your performance after, even if it was good or bad, and reviewing it to then come back better and then train for these kind of the weaknesses and then focus on your strengths, et cetera?