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Welcome to Iron Sights podcast hosted by Scott Howell. This podcast candidly seeks to create opportunities and deliver impact by sharing the experiences and wisdom of successful entrepreneurs and thought leaders who unapologetically aim to WIN in health, fitness, business, and life. Welcome to old school meets new school, tradition meets innovation, and imperfection meets excellence. Thanks for listening and enjoy the show.
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Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Cliff Byerly — former U.S. Marine, LAPD Gang & Narcotics Officer, and founder of Hill Country Combatives. Cliff has spent decades immersed in high-risk environments — both in law enforcement and in training — and he’s one of those guys who brings a raw, unfiltered honesty to everything he does. I met Cliff out at the Combatives Summit 2025 in D’Iberville, Mississippi, and after missing the chance...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Jerry Wetzel, founder of Red Zone Threat Management Systems. Jerry’s a lifelong martial artist, gym owner, and educator whose mission is simple — to provide real training for real people to survive real violence. We sat down right after the Combatives Summit 2025 in Mississippi and got into everything from his philosophy on violence and self-defense to his experiences as a coach, business owner, and ...
We’re back in the studio for another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and today we’re asking a question that every athlete and coach should think about: does form really matter? In this conversation, the crew digs into how our experiences as coaches shaped the way we look at movement, form, and performance. We talk about where our ideas came from, how they’ve evolved, and why what you think you know about perfect form might not tell the whole story. Some of what we cover might challenge wh...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is my good friend John Valentine, who officially holds the record for the most appearances on the After Dark series. John’s been part of the show since the early days — from his philosophy on combatives and coaching to his role in shaping the Combatives Summit into one of the most respected gatherings in the training community.In this conversation, we debrief the 2025 Combatives Summit, recorded just a day a...
Welcome back to another Iron Sights Podcast! I’m joined once again by the crew to dig into one of the most underrated tools in training — medleys. In this episode, we break down what medleys are, how to structure them, and the science behind why they’re so effective for building real-world strength and endurance. We’ll share practical examples for both gym and unconventional setups, plus tips to help you train smarter, not just harder. Whether you’re already using medleys or you’v...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Chris Urrutia from Vortex Optics and the Vortex Edge training team. Chris and I first met a few years back, and I’ll be honest—our time together on the range left a lasting impression. There was something about the way he approached his craft, his students, and his mindset that told me I had to get him on the show someday. In this episode, we dig into Chris’s story—his upbringing, his career in the m...
Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. Today we’re diving deep into heart rate zone training based on your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR). In this episode, we’re bridging that gap so you can learn how to train smarter, recover better, and get more efficient results from your endurance and conditioning work. We pulled a lot of what we discuss today straight from our brand new Heart Rate Zone Training Guide, which you can download for free at rdfguides.com. Insid...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Justin Li, former law enforcement officer and co-founder of QORE Performance. QORE Performance builds thermoregulation solutions designed to enhance human performance, and today we’re digging into how it all started. Justin shares the story of how he and his partner, J.D. Wilcox, set out to solve a complex physiological problem with a surprisingly simple idea — helping people cool or heat their...
Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Sights Podcast with the crew from Red Dot Fitness. Today we’re diving into one of the most underutilized yet powerful training methods out there — cluster sets. Most lifters stick to straight sets like 3x10 or 5x5, but cluster sets can be a game changer when it comes to improving strength, power, and muscle growth without adding junk volume. We break down what they are, how to set them up, and when to use them depending on your specific goals....
Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast. I’m in the studio today with CeCe and Ryan, and we’re diving into how to build real power in the gym—without Olympic lifts or endless box jumps. A lot of people think power training is reserved for elite athletes or requires advanced lifts like cleans and snatches. While those are great tools, the truth is you can develop explosive strength and speed in safer, more practical ways that work for everyday lifters. We’ll break down the key principles of po...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. Tonight, I’m hanging out with Erik Grohmann, a former U.S. Marine infantryman who found his passion for fitness and nutrition while serving and then went on to earn a master’s in nutrition and dietetics. These days Erik is the nutrition coach over at Modern Athlete Strength Systems, where he works with law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, military members—and really anyone who wants to perform at a higher level. We get...
Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! I’m back in the Red Dot Fitness studio with Ryan and CeCe to tackle a hot topic that’s all over the internet right now: the clash between science-based training and so-called “bro science.” We break down what exercise science research really tells us—and where it often gets taken out of context—so you can make smarter decisions about your own training. We also share practical best practices for applying both evidence-based principles and time-tes...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. My guest today is Phil Downs, partner at Cholakian & Associates, former U.S. Marine Infantry Platoon Commander, and seasoned civil defense litigator. Our conversation goes well beyond report writing. We dig into the nuances of use of force, the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, and the non-uniformity of the U.S. judiciary system. Phil breaks down how legal language is frequently misunderstood, misapplied, and how...
Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! In this episode, Ryan, CeCe, and I are excited to introduce Fit for Action. This isn’t just another cookie-cutter workout plan—it’s a carefully designed system that blends strength training, conditioning, and mindset work so you can be ready for anything. We dive into what the program is, who it’s for, why it matters, and how we’re managing it from the inside. You’ll hear how we structured the sessions, the kind of coaching support you can expect...
In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sit down with retired police sergeant Jamie Borden, founder of Critical Incident Review. Jamie is a nationally recognized expert in police performance analysis, use-of-force investigations, and critical-incident review. We dive deep into what really happens before, during, and after a critical incident—covering how evidence can be misinterpreted, how investigations can be improved, and what both citizens and law-enforcement professional...
Start your free trial of Fit For Action: https://reddotfitness.net/fitforaction On this Iron Sights Podcast episode, I’m joined by Ryan and CeCe to share five essential tips for getting—and staying—fit after 50. I’ve crossed that milestone myself, and between my own experience and years of working with countless clients, we’ve learned what really works as the body changes. We cover smart training adjustments, mindset shifts, and practical strategies to help you keep making progress whether yo...
On this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I’m joined once again by my good friend, Mark Smith of JBS Training Group. This is the third time we’ve sat down together, and each conversation seems to hit a little different. We dig into the importance of mindset—for both students and instructors—and how shifting it can drastically improve performance. Mark also breaks down strategies for aligning training with results, as well as when equipment really matters for shooting perfor...
On today’s episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I’m joined by Ryan and CeCe to answer one of the biggest questions in training: how much volume do you really need to build muscle? We break down the science and the practical side of hypertrophy training, covering everything from junk volume and why it slows down your progress, to how close you should be training to failure, to the right number of sets for growth. If you’ve ever felt confused about whether you’re doing too much or no...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast. Today I’m honored to be joined by Charlie Ross of Hades Consulting—and this one’s special, because it’s the very first podcast he’s ever been on. We first connected back in early 2025 through a mutual friend, and after months of scheduling and logistics, we were finally able to sit down for this conversation. Charlie spent a long career in the United States military working with a distinct special missions unit, and in thi...
Welcome back to another After Dark episode here on the Iron Sights Podcast. Today I’m joined by Scott Savage, founder of the Savage Training Group. Scott’s a law enforcement veteran who believes today’s officers deserve more than just “check-the-box” training hours. We sat down at the 2025 California Force Instructor Association Conference in Napa, CA, after I had the chance to watch him present to a room full of law enforcement instructors, and what struck me most wasn’t just the infor...
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