[powerpress]
The universe knocks.
First gently. Then louder. And if you keep ignoring it, it has a way of taking you off your feet entirely.
That’s what happened to me.
In 2011, a year after completing Epic Five, I was diagnosed with a Grade 2 spondylolisthesis. My chiropractor was clear: you’re going to need surgery. I didn’t want to hear it. What followed was fifteen years of wandering in the wilderness of every imaginable alternative healing modality. I saw a lot of guys. I did a lot of stuff. And through all of it, I kept pushing — because that superpower had built everything I was proud of. I wasn’t about to surrender it to a back problem.
Until I could barely get out of bed.
On May 8th, 2025, I underwent a 360-degree spinal fusion. I underestimated what came next. Extreme pain for weeks. A walker. About forty pounds gained. A protracted stretch of barely getting by — showing up to the studio, putting a smile on my face, and privately struggling to find anything to look forward to.
But eight months in, something shifted. And the decision I made in that moment changed how I engaged with all of it: I wasn’t going to try to get back to who I was. I was going to find out who I could become.
That’s what this solo AMA is about.
Here’s where it goes:
- The 360-degree spinal fusion and what recovery actually looked like
- The diet protocol: portion control, plant-based protein, and losing 37 lbs in about 100 days
- The training rebuild: PT, core activation, resistance training, and zone two cycling
- Why restraint is its own discipline — and why holding back is harder than going hard
- Mood follows action: the system that makes consistency automatic
- Aging, crystallized intelligence, and inhabiting a different kind of life
- The NYC Marathon, turning 60, and doing hard things as an act of service
For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Peace + Plants,
Listen, Watch, & Subscribe
For listeners of the show, we are offering an exclusive offer of $20 off an annual subscription of the meal planner. Go to meals.richroll.com
Go Brewing: Makers of award-winning, non-alcoholic small-batch craft beer. Go Brewing has an impressive lineup of delicious brews that are naturally low in alcohol and high in flavor. Try ’em out yourself at gobrewing.com and use the code Rich Roll for 15% OFF your first purchase and get free two-day shipping with 3 six packs or more.
Airbnb: While you’re away, your home could be an Airbnb. Hosting on Airbnb while you’re traveling is such a practical idea. Your space—which would otherwise be sitting empty—could earn you some extra cash while you’re gone. It’s a great way to offset travel costs or even fund your next adventure. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.
Seed: Stewarding the future of how we will use bacteria to restore and sustain human and planetary health, Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic combines 24 clinically verified and naturally-occurring, probiotic strains with plant-based prebiotics. Visit seed.com/RichRoll and use code RICHROLL25 for 25% OFF your first order.
There are a few simple ways you can support the show and the content we strive to craft and share every single week
Subscribe & Review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Spotify). This helps tremendously!
Patronize Our Sponsors: Supporting the companies that support the show! For a complete list of all RRP sponsors and their respective vanity URLs and discount codes, click the ‘Sponsors’ tab in the ‘Shop’ menu.
Spread The Word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favorite episodes by posting about it on social media.
Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Tyler Piatt & Dan Dake for producing, audio engineering, & creative direction; associate producer Desmond Loh; Blake Curtis & Morgan Mcrae for video editing, graphics by Bryan Lawrence & Alejandro Ribadeneira; portraits by Dan Drake; copywriting by Ben Pryor; social media management by Shaina Savoy; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
