Raw strength alone doesn’t make the World’s Strongest Man. Mental control, recovery and nervous system regulation do.

In this episode of Staying Relevant, Tom Swales sits down with Mitchell Hooper to explore the psychological, neurological, and recovery principles that separate elite performers from everyone else.

Mitchell is the reigning World’s Strongest Man, a clinical exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in kinesiology and one of the most thoughtful voices in modern strength sport. His rise from marathon runner to global strength champion was driven by curiosity, data and an obsession with understanding how the body and mind actually work.

Together, they break down how elite performance is built beyond the gym.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

▫️ How elite athletes regulate stress and stay calm under extreme pressure

▫️ Why emotional intelligence is critical for high performance

▫️ What brain and recovery testing reveals about strength and resilience

▫️ Which recovery tools actually matter and which don’t

▫️ How purpose, family, and curiosity sustain long-term success

This episode is essential viewing for strength athletes, clinicians, coaches, and high performers who want to improve focus, recovery, and performance without burnout.

🎯 Watch to the end if you want to understand what real strength is built on.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 Fatherhood, curiosity, and evolution 05:30 Brain scans and calm under chaos

16:30 What testing revealed about strength, emotion, and recovery

30:00 From marathon running to strongman 40:00 Inside elite recovery setups — what actually matters

45:15 The ultimate performance enhancer

51:00 The people who shape long-term success

👤 Connect with Mitchell Hooper:

📸 Instagram: @mitchellhooper

🔴 YouTube: @mitchellhooperstrongman

🌐 Website: Lift Heavy Be Kind

🎓 Sponsored by the Advanced Movement Therapist (AMT) Certification The Advanced Movement Therapist (AMT) System helps clinicians and performance coaches understand the nervous system, improve recovery, and build resilient athletes.

👉 Start your AMT training: https://www.amtcertified.ca

#WorldsStrongestMan #MentalPerformance #EliteAthlete #StrengthTraining #Recovery #SportsPsychology #HighPerformance #StayingRelevant