Phil Daru has trained some of the biggest names in combat sports — Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes, and countless UFC and ONE Championship fighters — and built one of the most respected performance training brands in the game.

In this episode, Kenny sits down with Phil to talk about the concussion that ended his pro fighting career, the framework he built at American Top Team that shaped how he coaches today, and how he's now applying those same principles to busy executives and entrepreneurs through his partnership with Marek Health.

We get into readiness tracking and auto-regulation, why wrestling is the real foundation of great fighters, his Mount Rushmore of trainers, his brief stint in bodybuilding and powerlifting, and what he's building next — a certification course, a new HQ facility, a book, and a returning podcast.

#PhilDaru #StrongNewYork #MMA #UFC #StrengthAndConditioning

CONNECT:
Follow Kenny: @kennysantucci
Follow the Strong New York Podcast: @strongnewyorkpod
Follow Phil Daru: @darustrong

This episode is sponsored by:
🔥 Celsius — the energy drink that fuels every Strong New York workout. Follow @celsiusofficial on Instagram for all the new flavors.
🩸 Marek Health — optimize your hormones, recovery, and performance at marekhealth.com. Use code KENNY for 10% off Diagnostics, Supplements, and Guided Optimization.
🤝 Founders Club — a trusted circle of 2,500+ builders across North America who share resources, open doors, and raise the bar for entrepreneurship. Learn more at FoundersClubOfficial.com.

00:00 – Intro: Welcome Phil Daru
01:30 – What makes Phil stand out after 20 years in the industry
04:15 – The 2-hour intake: understanding a client's true "why"
07:40 – Training fighters vs. training executives
10:20 – Readiness tracking: RPE, HRV, and the green/yellow/red system
13:00 – The concussion that ended his fighting career
16:45 – Opening his first gym at 22 while still fighting pro
20:10 – Scaling from an 800 sq ft gym to 11,000 sq ft
23:00 – Phil's Mount Rushmore of trainers
28:15 – Learning the conjugate method from Louie Simmons
32:00 – Making pro debut at 155 and the brutal weight cuts
36:30 – The final concussion and the decision to walk away
40:00 – Chasing the competitive itch: bodybuilding, Strongman, powerlifting
46:00 – Top 3 things every trainer needs to know
50:30 – Why wrestling is the real foundation of elite fighters
54:00 – Blocking out the noise: what separates elite fighters mentally
58:00 – Building Marek Health's performance division
1:02:00 – What's next: certification course, new HQ, book, and podcast
1:06:00 – Where to find Phil Daru