She's 119 lbs and Deadlifted 275. Here's What Happened. | Rocio Cortez | Game Plan | Ep. 027

Welcome back to Game Plan the Pod! In this episode, Davis and Juico sit down with Rocio Cortez, combat sports athlete, videographer, and content creator based in Austin, TX. Rocio opens up about competing in APEX — an elite athletic combine where she went up against Olympians and football players at 119 lbs — hitting multiple PRs on the day including her 40-yard dash, broad jump, and a 275 lb trap bar deadlift she had never touched before. They also get into her journey from wildlife ecology grad student to freelance videographer, building her body through sprint training and strength programming, traveling through Europe for work, and figuring out what it means to be a martial artist who loves striking but keeps getting pulled back to Jiu-Jitsu. Plus, the creative side: fighting perfectionism, finding inspiration, and the early days of building a videography business from the ground up. Follow Rocio on Instagram: @rockin_rocio Check out her Website: https://www.rociocortez.com/0:00:00 – Intro & Meet Rocio 0:02:37 – She Just Competed Against NFL Athletes (APEX Breakdown) 0:04:37 – Running a 5.7 40-Yard Dash After Less Than a Year of Sprint Training 0:08:40 – Deadlifting 275 lbs at 119 Pounds (No Weight Classes) 0:11:54 – Multiple PRs in One Hour: What APEX Actually Tests 0:19:14 – What's Next: Striking vs. Jiu-Jitsu, and Why She's Going Back to the Mats 0:21:39 – Starting BJJ at 27, Getting Tapped by 12-Year-Olds, and Winning Gold 3 Months In 0:25:47 – How Sprint Training Made Her a Better Striker 0:28:25 – Living in a Barn, Training Twice a Day, and Going to Grad School for Wildlife Ecology 0:48:09 – Artist Dates: The Mental Reset Every Creator Needs 0:51:26 – Where Do Your Best Ideas Hit You? (Never at a Good Time) 0:53:52 – Starting a Videography Business from $0 to Charging Real Money 0:57:02 – NAB Convention: New Cameras, AI Tools, and the Future of Podcast Sets 1:05:18 – Flown to Copenhagen, Amsterdam & Paris for Work (and She Ate Everything) 1:07:08 – Being a "Muscle Mommy" in Europe: Fashion, Stares, and Wearing What You Want 1:32:56 – Walkout Songs, Trash Talk, and the Entertainer vs. Warrior Debate 1:35:41 – Entertainer or Competitor? What They'd Actually Do in a Pro Fight 1:38:49 – She Cried After the Deadlift. Here's Why. 1:40:50 – Relationship With Food, Never Cutting Weight, and the Sugar Addiction Nobody Talks About 1:41:57 – Final Shoutouts & Where to Follow Rocio