Most people fear one life-changing setback. Matt Blanchard has survived two. And today on Crackin’ Backs, we’re not just talking about recovery — we’re talking about life after paralysis. What happens when the crowds fade, the rehab ends, and an entirely new version of living begins?

Matt’s story is as raw and real as they come. In 2006, a rollover accident left him with a T-12 spinal cord injury, paralyzed from the waist down. After 15 years of relentless therapy he defied the odds and walked again. Then in 2021 a head-on collision with a drunk driver erased his progress — the jaws of life, an air-lift to a trauma center, paralysis again. Through it all, Matt founded St. George Adaptive Sports, became a nationally recognized motivational speaker, and rewrote what resilience, strength and real living mean.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How identity dies and is reborn when you rebuild life twice after paralysis — the truth behind “starting over.”
• The smallest, most overlooked daily habit that keeps Matt grounded, mentally resilient and strong — still to this day.
• What happens after the world stops watching: how do you create momentum when no one is cheering and your body still carries the load?
• What healthcare providers still get wrong about the long-term physical realities of paralysis — and the hidden mental load they often miss.
• A perspective every fully-mobile athlete would gain if they lived just one day in Matt’s body — about training, gratitude and physical mastery.

Connect & Support the Mission
If you feel inspired by Matt’s journey and want to join the cause:

• Visit St. George Adaptive Sports (Utah-based nonprofit) to donate, volunteer or learn how adaptive golf and inclusive recreation are rewriting strength HERE
• Follow Matt on Instagram: @mattyblanch3 & Facebook: Matt Blanchard 333 to stay updated, share his message and support his speaking mission.
• Book Matt as a speaker or connect for collaboration via BlanchardInspires.com

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

On today’s episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with one of the most quietly powerful humans we’ve ever met—Dennis Lappin, a career firefighter, father, and American Ninja Warrior who embodies what real strength looks like when no one’s watching.

Dennis runs toward burning buildings for a living…
and for fun, he runs straight into obstacles most people wouldn’t ever attempt.

But his story isn’t about the spotlight.
It’s about the moment the lights went out.

While competing on American Ninja Warrior, Dennis tore his Achilles and calf—an injury known to end athletic careers, especially for tactical athletes who rely on explosive strength and stability. Doctors told him he might never compete again. Most people would’ve taken that as their cue to step back.

Dennis didn’t.

He didn’t fight his way back for cameras, applause, or a redemption storyline.
He came back because ordinary people don’t do extraordinary things—extraordinary decisions do.

In this raw, emotional, and deeply human conversation, we explore:

The exact moment he decided “I’m not done”

Was it in the firehouse, during rehab, or alone at home when doubt got loud? Dennis opens up about the internal line he refused to cross.

How he built elite-level fitness around 24-hour firefighter shifts, stress, trauma, and unpredictability

Firefighting isn’t structured—so neither was his training. His system wasn’t built on convenience… it was built inside chaos.

How he balanced three identities: firefighter, athlete, and father

What happens when the heaviest “hat” isn’t the one people see? Dennis talks about emotional load, fatigue, and showing up even when you’re empty.

Why his rehab philosophy wasn’t to “get back,” but to LEVEL UP

He breaks down the one rehab principle everyone ignores—and why it completely changed his recovery.

The real fear he faced—on a fire call and on the Ninja Warrior course

And the exact mindset tool he used to get through the type of fear you don’t talk about.

His message for anyone who says: “I’m too tired, too old, too busy, too late”

Dennis doesn’t give motivational clichés. He gives truth earned in smoke, sweat, and setbacks.

What healthcare providers often misunderstand about firefighters and tactical athletes

If you treat firefighters, law enforcement, or military personnel—this is a masterclass in understanding stress load, biology, and performance under pressure.

The one life lesson he hopes his kids remember from watching him fall and rise again

A moment that will hit every parent, coach, and athlete right in the chest.

This episode isn’t about Ninja Warrior.
It isn’t about firefighting.

It’s about every human being who has ever been knocked down and had to decide whether today is the day they stay down… or rise.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

In this compelling episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Andria Klioze—physician, disease-reversal pioneer, and founder of the wellness platform Shield of Life. After years inside the rule-bound system of the Veterans Affairs (VA) caring for patients with advanced illnesses, Dr. Klioze made a bold decision: to leave the traditional structure and build a new model of care focused on gut health, soil microbiome, energy medicine, and true resilience.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What it costs a doctor to trade “prescriptions for possibility,” and how hope, truth, love and faith can meet evidence-based medicine.
• The hardest lessons she had to unlearn after stepping away from the VA, and what healing really looks like when you remove bureaucracy.
• Why she calls her garden philosophy – and how the soil beneath your feet may reflect the health within your body.
• Her breakthrough integration of the human gut microbiome, soil biology and pulsed electromagnetic activation (PEMA), uniting energy medicine and biology.
• A life-changing patient story that redefines “reversal,” and the tools she uses when everyday life feels numb or cynical to keep belief alive.

Whether you’re looking for ways to reverse disease, reboot your health, or question the limits of modern medicine, this discussion cuts deep. It’s for the seekers, the skeptics, and anyone ready to step into possibility.

About Dr. Andria Klioze:
Dr. Klioze graduated from the Eastern Virginia Medical School in 1995, completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1999 and a fellowship in faculty development in 2002. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. In 2002 she left her role as Director of Faculty Development at UF and as a hospitalist for the VA in Gainesville, to work in the VA’s new metabolic clinic in Daytona Beach. Today she leads Shield of Life, a physician-led program that focuses on disease-mitigation, remission and reversal through holistic, science-driven protocols.

Learn more & connect with Dr. Klioze:
Website: Shield for Life
Instagram: @drandriaklioze
Facebook: Shield of Life Facebook Page
(Check for her podcast, webinars and educational series at her site.)

Don’t miss this—tap in now and discover what modern medicine misses, what your body knows, and how one physician is rewriting the rules of healing.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

What if greatness isn’t something you’re born with… but something you grow into?

On today’s episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with one of the nation’s leading minds in performance psychology: Dr. Amy Athey, Chief Wellbeing Officer at the University of Arizona, former NCAA athlete, and trusted mental performance advisor to Olympians, Special Forces operators, professional athletes, and high-pressure CEOs.

Dr. Athey has spent decades inside the mindset of the world’s highest achievers — and her message is both powerful and radically freeing:

Greatness isn’t fixed. Talent isn’t destiny. The truly elite are simply… still evolving.

In this eye-opening conversation, we dive deep into:

The biggest myth about talent and greatness — and why believing it is dangerous for your potential
How elite performers fall in love with the process, especially when results stall
Why reflection is a performance superpower (and what the “action of reflection” actually looks like in real life)
How Olympians and executives keep going when motivation dies
The role of connection, purpose, and community in building mental resilience
Self-compassion vs. inner fire — how to stay driven without destroying yourself
The internal shift that separates those who crumble from those who evolve after injury, loss, burnout, or failure
And the personal moment that forced Dr. Athey herself to evolve — reshaping her work and her mission

This episode is a must-listen for athletes, coaches, clinicians, leaders, and anyone chasing high performance without sacrificing wellbeing. If you want to understand what truly drives greatness — and how to build it within yourself — this conversation will change the way you train, think, and live.

Learn more about Dr. Amy HERE

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

“Reversing Alzheimer’s: Restoring Brain Chemistry with Plasmalogens”

Description:
What if Alzheimer’s isn’t something we merely “treat” but a biochemical imbalance we can restore? On this episode of Crackin’ Backs, we go deep with neuroscientist Dr. Dayan Goodenowe — a pioneer in the science of plasmalogens, memory, and brain restoration.

We begin by peeling back his personal journey: what sparked his fascination with Alzheimer’s, biochemical disease, and the hidden chemistry of consciousness. Then we dive into the heart of the episode:

• What are plasmalogens and why are they essential for brain health, memory, and cognition?
• How could plasmalogen deficiencies be the missing link in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
• Which other biochemical pathways may hold keys to closing the gap between molecules and awareness?
• Can restoring a brain’s chemistry truly void the myth that Alzheimer’s is irreversible?

You’ll hear stories, concrete science, and a vision for the next frontier of Alzheimer’s prevention, reversal, and cognitive restoration.

Whether you’re caring for someone with dementia, curious about brain longevity, or fascinated by the intersection of biochemistry and consciousness — this episode offers new hope and actionable insight.

About Dr. Dayan Goodenowe, PhD

Dr. Goodenowe is a trailblazing neuroscientist, inventor, and the driving force behind Prodrome Sciences. He has led more than 15 years of research into metabolic biomarkers, Alzheimer’s, and neurological disease. His groundbreaking work has identified plasmalogen deficiency as a potential causative factor in Alzheimer’s and dementia, shifting the conversation from damage control to restorative biochemistry. He is also the author of Breaking Alzheimer’s: A 15-Year Crusade to Expose the Cause and Deliver the Cure.

Dr. Goodenowe founded the Dr. Goodenowe Restorative Health Center, which specializes in biochemical restoration protocols for neurologic conditions including Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s, and cognitive disorders.

He has published on topics such as plasmalogen supplementation in mild cognitive impairment, serum plasmalogens and Alzheimer’s biomarkers, and metabolic correlates of aging and cognition.

Learn More & Dive Deeper

• Clinical trials & published research: drgoodenowe.com/clinical-trials Dr. Goodenowe
• ProdromeNeuro supplement & plasmalogen clinical data: drgoodenowe.com/tag/prodromeneuro Dr. Goodenowe

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

What do a struggling student, a decorated Navy SEAL, and a hospital CEO all have in common? The answer: Jeff Mengenhausen.

In this explosive episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with the only Navy SEAL in the country running a hospital—a man who’s rewriting the rules of leadership, resilience, and what healthcare should really be.

Jeff’s story is anything but ordinary. Once labeled a “poor student,” he went on to earn Navy SEAL honors, a Purple Heart, and combat commendations. Today, he’s transforming Montrose Regional Health into one of the most respected community hospitals in the nation. But his mission doesn’t stop there—Jeff is exposing the cracks in America’s hospital culture and challenging the grip Big Pharma and profit-driven systems have on patient care.

Inside this episode, we ask:

• Why isn’t the Navy SEAL ethos of “embrace the suck” translating into healthcare leadership?
• What behind-the-scenes SEAL lessons still drive Jeff’s decisions as a hospital CEO?
• Why are so many hospitals failing their patients—and how is Montrose setting a new standard?
• Has Big Pharma hijacked the direction of care in America?
• And after trillions spent on cancer and chronic disease, why aren’t outcomes improving?

This conversation isn’t just about medicine. It’s about survival, clarity under pressure, and the courage to flip a broken system on its head.

Learn more about Jeff Mengenhausen and Montrose Regional Health:

• Montrose Regional Health

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Ever feel your body slam on the brakes at the worst moment—or light up just from someone’s tone of voice? That’s your nervous system running the show. In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, polyvagal performance coach Michael Allison (Polyvagal Clinic / The Play Zone) shows us how to find clarity in chaos and silence within the noise—teaching practical tools to shift from stress to calm, from pressure to play right when it counts.

Michael breaks down Polyvagal Theory for non-experts—what it is, why it matters for peak performance, and the top myths he wants coaches and clinicians to retire (looking at you, oversimplified “fight-or-flight” narratives). Then we dive into his frameworks: The Play Zone and Autonomic Agility™—how to read your physiological state, respect its impact on performance, and shift under pressure. You’ll get a crisp 90-second routine Michael uses with athletes and performers (such as high end tennis professionals and golfers) and learn exactly what a coach should observe and what the athlete should feel when it’s working.

Why listen? Michael’s methodology is endorsed by Dr. Stephen W. Porges, developer of Polyvagal Theory, and he trains coaches globally through the Polyvagal Institute—working across MLB, NBA, ATP/WTA, FIFA, NCAA, and more. If you want nervous-system regulation, vagus-nerve-informed performance, and state shifts on demand, this episode is your playbook.

Learn more about Michael Allison

• The Play Zone (programs, coaching, resources): HERE
• Psychology Today column (“The Pressure Paradox”):
• Instagram (updates & clips): HERE

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

“Why Are We Still Afraid to Talk About the Pelvic Floor?”

We glamorize six-packs, obsess over core strength, and chase the latest fitness hacks—but here’s the shocking truth: the foundation of your health, strength, and even your confidence isn’t your abs, it’s your pelvic floor. And yet, it’s still one of the most ignored, stigmatized, and misunderstood parts of the body.

On this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with the bold and unapologetic Kim Vopni—aka The Vagina Coach—a woman who has built her career tearing down taboos and speaking the truth the fitness and medical industries often avoid.

In this provocative, unfiltered conversation, we dive into:

• Why pelvic floor health is more important than six-pack abs.
• The real cost of ignoring pelvic health—from back pain to sexual dysfunction.
• Why the classic advice to “just do Kegels” is outdated and sometimes harmful.
• The top pelvic floor problems men face in silence—and how they can start healing.
• Whether leakage during workouts should be normalized—or treated as a red flag.
• How constipation, bathroom posture, and daily habits silently sabotage your pelvic floor.
• Which products are fads vs. game-changers in the crowded pelvic health market.
• The intimate connection between pelvic strength, pleasure, and sexual health.
• Kim’s vision for a world where pelvic floor training is as routine as brushing your teeth.

This episode is not just about women, not just about childbirth, and not just about aging—it’s about every body. Whether you’re lifting heavy, sitting at a desk, navigating menopause, or recovering from injury, your pelvic floor is central to how you move, feel, and live.

If you’ve ever felt like this conversation was too taboo, Kim Vopni is here to blow the doors wide open. Prepare to rethink everything you thought you knew about your body.

Learn more about Kim Vopni here:

• Website: The Vagina Coach
• Instagram: HERE
• YouTube: HERE
• Facebook: HERE

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube—and join us in breaking the silence on the most important muscle group you’ve never talked about.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast