Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 436 is my conversation with Joe Hippensteel, founder of Ultimate Human Performance and one of the names David Goggins thanks in Can't Hurt Me. Joe is the person Navy SEALs have quietly worked with for over a decade to stay out of shoulder surgery. I found him through Goggins' book and through Joe's brother Dave, a four-time CrossFit Games champion in the 60-plus division who openly credits Joe's 24-movement system. We get into muscle lock, the 24 ranges of motion, and why most people stretch wrong.
Listen now: Megaphone · Spotify · YouTube.
Joe Hippensteel is the founder of Ultimate Human Performance and a mobility and stretching expert who has worked with Navy SEALs for over a decade to prevent injury and avoid surgery. He is named in David Goggins' book Can't Hurt Me, and his brother Dave Hippensteel is a four-time CrossFit Games champion in the 60-plus division who credits Joe's system.
David Goggins credits Joe Hippensteel in Can't Hurt Me. As Joe tells it, Goggins at first thought the stretching work was a waste of time, but after his body broke down while on numerous medications, he called Joe back. The exchange that followed is the one that ends up in the book, and Joe tells the full story in the episode.
Joe Hippensteel's system is built around 24 ranges of motion designed to restore full mobility, relieve chronic pain, and prevent injury. It centers on concepts like muscle lock, holding stretches for about two minutes, and working through what he calls the dead zone, the range where most people never train. He recommends starting with four foundational stretches.
Joe argues that most stretching is too brief and too shallow to create real change. His approach uses longer two-minute holds and targets the full range of each joint, including the neglected end ranges, so the body actually adapts. He frames it as the difference between going through the motions and unlocking real mobility.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 436 with Joe Hippensteel is available on Megaphone, Spotify, YouTube, and the Tom Rowland Podcast feed. The video version is embedded at the top of this page.
I found Joe two ways, through David Goggins naming him in Can't Hurt Me, and through Joe's brother Dave, a four-time CrossFit Games champion in the 60-plus division who openly credits Joe's system. When two people that driven point to the same guy for mobility, I pay attention. I wanted listeners to hear the actual method, not the hype, from the person who built it.
Press play in the player above to hear it.
Goggins came through Joe's pipeline and at first told him the work was a waste of time. After his body broke down on a stack of medications, he called back, and the line he said next is the one in the book. Joe tells it in the episode.
Joe's system maps 24 movements designed to restore full mobility and keep athletes out of surgery. He explains muscle lock and why end ranges matter most. Listen to that section of the conversation.
Joe argues most stretching is too short to change anything, and that the real work happens in the range most people never train. He breaks down the method. Press play in the YouTube player above.
Joe gives a starting point anyone can use to begin restoring mobility, no special equipment required. He explains how to do them right. Worth hearing in full.
Listen to the full conversation: Megaphone · Spotify · YouTube.
The image Joe uses for what was happening inside Goggins' body is the most memorable thing in the whole conversation, and I will let Joe deliver it. The bigger takeaway is that mobility is trainable at any age, and most of us have been leaving it on the table.
If you deal with chronic pain or just want to move better for the rest of your life, this one is worth your time. Press play in the player above, or grab Episode 436 on Megaphone or Spotify.
Joe Hippensteel · Ultimate Human Performance · David Goggins · Dave Hippensteel · Can't Hurt Me · Tom Rowland (host)
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Joe Hippensteel is the founder of Ultimate Human Performance and a mobility and stretching expert who has spent years working with Navy SEALs to improve flexibility, prevent injury, and keep athletes out of surgery. He is named in David Goggins' best-selling book Can't Hurt Me, and his brother Dave Hippensteel is a four-time CrossFit Games champion in the 60-plus division. Joe's 24-movement system, built around concepts like muscle lock, two-minute holds, and training neglected end ranges of motion, has helped elite performers and everyday people restore mobility and relieve chronic pain.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.