The Consistency Report – Volume 2

I've never really felt like I fit in.

Not in school. Not in sports. Not even in the fitness industry.

I've always strived to be different.

Fitting in is easy. I hate it.

And, in today's world, it's easier than ever to be influenced by others. Scroll long enough, and you start to wonder if any of your thoughts are even your own.

Learning from others is one thing, but make sure you still give yourself time to think and be yourself.

Staying consistent with who you are is where the good stuff lies.

Here's the rundown this week.

Fitness – The Smith Machine

Part of me, as a barbell purist, used to hate seeing people squat on the Smith Machine. But the truth is, it's a great tool. I've been using it more and more lately.

However, if your Smith Machine is angled, the key is facing the right way.

If you want to make the movement more quad-dominant, face outward so your knees move into the tilt. This allows you to stay more upright and let your knees come forward. It feels more like a natural squat pattern—at least for me.

If you face the other way (how most people do), your hips move toward the tilt, which shifts them back. That's better for an RDL or hinge movement, but it's not what I'm looking for when squatting.

→ Watch me squat on the Smith Machine to see what I'm talking about.

Mindset – The Price of Success

"There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs." —Thomas Sowell

It's common to envy what others have. But what we don't see is what they gave up to get it.

More money? Less time at home.

Shredded abs? Hunger, sacrifice, and missed meals out.

A booming business? Long nights, big risks, and stress behind the scenes.

You don't get to cherry-pick someone's life. You have to take the whole package—trade-offs included.

Want a certain result? Ask yourself what you're willing to exchange for it. That's how you find the things that matter to you.

As Ronnie Coleman said, "everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but nobody wants to lift no heavy ass weight."

What I've Been Into

A.I. – I've been going down the rabbit hole lately. That's why I recently did a podcast on it. But funny enough, the deeper I go into AI, the more I believe in building an offline community and leaning into human interaction. There will be a massive opportunity here. Both a business opportunity and a quality of life opportunity. Get outside and meet people.

Aaron Judge. – As a kid, I was obsessed with baseball stats. The 10-year-old me would be losing it watching Aaron Judge this year and really the past few years. As of today, he's batting .396 with 25 home runs... and it's only June 12. Wild.

Ken Burns on JRE. – I haven't listened to the full episode yet, but I watched a YouTube clip where Ken was talking about the American Revolution (one of my favorite topics). He's releasing a new documentary on it this fall. I'm queuing this one up for the weekend.

This Week's Podcast Episodes

• EP 507 – Iron Therapy: The Mental Health Benefits of Lifting Weights

Why lifting isn't just for the body—it's medicine for the mind.

→ Listen here

• EP 506 – How Mental Training Improves Strength Performance in the Gym

Practical ways to build confidence, focus, and performance under the bar. Love this one.

→ Listen here

Final Thought

Everyone wants progress. Few want repetition.

But the secret is in the reps.

Not the shiny ones—the boring, unsexy, behind-the-scenes ones.

That's how you win.

You win with consistency, not intensity.

-Kyle

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Talk to you next week!