159 - Alex Uslar - Hybrid Performance Method - From Druggie Punk Rocker to Strength Icon

Alex Uslar is the manager of the Hybrid Gym and the Director of Operations for the online company Hybrid Performance Method. Alex is a powerlifting, weight lifting, and crossfit coach. The Hybrid Performance Method is a virtual gym that provides accessible, affordable, and effective online workout programs to athletes of all skill and experience levels. In this episode, we talk about Alex's journey and how he used nutrition and working out to stay sober. Like many addicts, Alex had a rough start and turned to alcohol and drugs. Unlike many, he discovered what he wanted to do at a young age. He was then able to harness that desire and use it as fuel for sobriety. We talk about his journey and how he was able to turn his experience into a positive. Show Notes [02:47] Alex is 26 years old, and he just had his 7 years sobriety date. [02:59] He was born in South Florida and moved to Pensacola when he was 4 years old. [03:15] When he was 13, he moved to Miami. [03:44] He had some emotional and psychological abuse when he was younger. [04:13] He was expelled from private school, and he started public school in the middle of the year. [04:47] It only took two or three days before kids tried to sell him drugs. [05:06] He started smoking marijuana. [05:31] There are people who drink super heavily in the punk rock scene. They're also the straight edge kids. [05:49] Things escalated after 8th grade for him. [06:51] His parents are from Venezuela. [07:18] His family left Venezuela when things got really bad, but his dad stayed over there. [08:01] Ben and Tom see a lot of clients who have had instability in their lives when they were young. [09:12] From 13 to 19, Alex's entire life revolved around music and partying. [10:51] Alex wouldn't change or trade anything that he went through, because without that he wouldn't be where he is now. [12:49] He dropped out of school and in the process, he got arrested. The counseling he had to go through helped him a lot. [17:09] He still went down a super destructive path. When he was 19, he wanted to get his act together. [20:29] The catalyst for him was getting a DM from an older punk rocker who owned a gym. They had similar stories and signing up for the gym was his first day sober. [21:23] He even realized that he wanted to work at a gym. [21:53] Staying sober and staying mentally strong and going to the gym was one of the hardest things he did. He had to relearn how to live. [25:34] He was given an opportunity to do an unpaid internship at the gym. The owner was his mentor in sobriety and coaching. He eventually became one of the head coaches. [32:06] Follow your passion if you work hard, you have the opportunity to rewrite the script. [32:46] Taking steps forward can be uncomfortable. [33:56] Alex became an extrovert as he learned how to sell gym memberships. There weren't any promises that he would get hired. He still worked hard and kept getting more and more work. [35:44] He ended up with the most personal training clients and made more money than anybody at the gym. [36:32] He showed so much ambition and desire that he kept growing and growing until h maximized his abilities and income. [38:52] Alex left his mentor's gym in 2017 to go work for Hybrid. [40:18] They talked three or four days ago. [45:18] People come and go in life sometimes. [47:16] Utilizing fitness and nutrition in sobriety. Alex feels people need something to rely on. [49:39] He believes that you control your thoughts and your actions. [52:06] At the end of the day, we are all trying to get to a better place. [53:58] If you don't want to look for a higher power, find a higher purpose. [55:46] Alex got sober by working out. [57:44] He loved seeing his clients transform. Now his social media following has grown. Links and Resources: Hybrid Performance Method Alex Uslar on Instagram The OK Podcast by Tom Boyden & Jujimufu Stefi Cohen & Alex Uslar