The First 90 Days

The First 90 Days

Eric Turner
Published on: 18/09/2026

Almost everyone quits around week six: after the novelty dies, before the results arrive. A coach with 27 years on the mat maps the dip, explains the psychology behind it, and gives you five moves to make it to day 90 and beyond.

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Out of the Cave

Out of the Cave

Eric Turner
Published on: 11/09/2026

You came to lose weight. You got healthy instead, and now the people in your life are pushing back. A coach and licensed counselor explains the psychology behind the pattern, why it gets worse before the choice point, and how to navigate it.

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What Your Coach Sees in Your First 30 Seconds on the Mat

What Your Coach Sees in Your First 30 Seconds on the Mat

Eric Turner
Published on: 04/09/2026

Terrified of being judged in your first class? A coach with 27 years on the mat reveals what he is actually reading in your first 30 seconds. Hint: it is never your fitness, your weight, or your talent, and the real test cannot be failed.

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The Coach Who Never Yells

The Coach Who Never Yells

Eric Turner
Published on: 29/08/2026

Coach Eric argues that fear-based, "drill-sergeant" coaching handicaps fighters instead of making them tough. He explains how yelling sabotages cognitive function needed for combat and redefines true toughness as composure under fire, not enduring ab

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