Man In Your Corner

Shaun Tucker
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Breathing performance for fighters. Why you gas out in round two, why the nerves take your legs, and how to get your heart rate down between rounds.   Shaun Tucker is a health scientist and breathing performance trainer in Melbourne. His first MMA fight lasted sixteen seconds. The video of it has been watched more than 2.8 million times. He knows what it costs to walk in under pressure, and what it takes to walk back in after losing in front of everyone.   Short daily episodes on nasal breathing, CO2 tolerance, the adrenaline dump, recovery between sessions, and the work he does with young fighters who lose themselves under the lights.   You're not switched on too much. You're switched on too hard.   If it can be measured, it can be changed.   For coaches and gyms: private breathing performance workshops inside Australian fight gyms. Ninety minutes with your squad, measured at the start and measured again at the end. shauntucker.com.au

  1. 2h ago

    The Breath-Hold Test That Tells Me If You're Ready to Fight | Ep. 220

    Grab a stopwatch — this one's interactive. In this episode I run you through a simple cold breath-hold test, and that single number tells me more about your fight readiness than any hard training camp you've ever done. Here's how to do it properly: sit somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed, breathe in normally, breathe out to about halfway, pinch your nose and start the timer — then stop the moment you feel that first real need for air (that's "air hunger," not your absolute last breath). Whatever the number is, that's your baseline. Why does it matter? Because if that number is low, you're leaving a lot of performance on the table — and remember, this is calm, with no pressure. When the cage door closes and the adrenaline hits, it drops further. The good news: the number isn't fixed. Once you start consciously using your breath — training it, breathing in and out through the nose, becoming aware of how you breathe during the day — it changes. And you don't even have to get fitter; you just have to learn to use the tool that's been under your nose the whole time. So do the test, then message me your number — I want to see where you're starting, and point you in the right direction from there. What you'll take away: - A simple cold breath-hold test you can do right now — and how to do it properly - What a low number says about your fight readiness (and what you're leaving on the table) - Why real pressure makes the number worse — and why that matters - The exact protocol: exhale to halfway, pinch, time it to the first air hunger - Why the number improves with breath training — without getting any fitter Safety: do it seated and quiet — never while driving — and only to the first hit of air hunger. This is a comfortable test, not a max breath-hold. Don't force it. CTA. Do the test and message me your number — @theshauntucker on Instagram (same handle across socials). If you found this useful, please leave a rating on the podcast platform you're on right now — it helps get this to the fighter who needs it. Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:19) Cold — hold your breath (00:39) Grab a stopwatch (01:23) Ready? Go — the hold (01:55) What that number tells me (02:10) Whether you're ready to fight (02:19) A low number = work to do (02:52) Under pressure it drops further (03:28) It's air hunger, not max effort (03:43) The protocol (04:09) Pinch the nose, start the timer (04:12) First air hunger = stop (05:07) The number changes with training (05:10) You didn't even get fitter (05:29) Message me your number

  2. 1d ago

    Why Fighters Freeze in the Cage (It's Not Fear) | Ep. 219

    You didn't freeze because you're scared. When a massive adrenaline dump hits, your nervous system picks one of three survival responses — fight, flight, or freeze — and in that moment your body decided that staying still was safer than moving. That's not weakness and it's not a discipline problem; it's a body that's trying to protect you. A snake appears and freezing is the smart move — the problem is that a sanctioned fight is a different game, and freezing (or going full berserker) will cost you. Here's the part most fighters never train: a fight is tactical. Go full berserker and your thinking brain drops offline, your focus narrows, and you stop seeing the openings — and a high fight IQ beats raw aggression far more often than a lucky knockout. The real opponent is the one in the mirror: it's you versus you. The way you take back control is the breath — and not just "breathe, man." There are four parts to a breath (inhale, hold on the fullness, exhale, hold on the emptiness), and a whole set of breathing muscles — diaphragm, ribs, sternum, neck, jaw — that have to actually work, which means being relaxed enough under pressure to use them. The place to cash all of this in is the 60 seconds between rounds: breathe through the nose only, drop the heart rate, get out of the survival switch, recover your gas tank, and come back online — calm, composed, and seeing everything. What you'll take away (for coaches and fighters): - Why freezing in the cage is a survival response — fight/flight/freeze — not fear or weakness - Why your body chooses "freeze," and when that response actually makes sense - Why berserker mode drops your thinking brain and fight IQ — and why calm beats psycho - Why the real opponent is you (the mirror), and what "losing control on purpose" means - The four parts of the breath, and the breathing muscles that have to work under pressure - How to use the 60 seconds between rounds to drop the heart rate and recover your gas tank The core idea: the freeze is your body protecting you — and breath control is how you take the wheel back, stay online, and perform when it counts. CTA. If this helped, please leave a rating on the podcast platform you're on right now — it gets the message to the fighter, coach, and team who need it. Want to improve how your breath actually functions? Message me — and try the free breath test on my Instagram, @theshauntucker (link's on my YouTube channel). Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:21) You didn't freeze because you're scared (01:06) It's an adrenaline dump — three responses (01:11) Fight, flight, freeze (01:41) Freeze = you literally can't move (01:53) It's a survival state (02:28) The snake test — freezing is smart (03:36) Your body is smarter than you think (04:21) Berserker mode drops the thinking brain (04:41) You need a high fight IQ (05:34) Calm beats psycho (06:18) It's you versus you (06:39) Lose control — on purpose (07:06) Keep your mind online (07:50) The four parts of the breath (08:23) The breathing muscles (09:20) Relax so they actually work (09:48) The 60 seconds between rounds (10:08) Recover your gas tank (10:31) Do NOT breathe through your mouth (10:56) Your heart rate just drops (12:33) The free breath test + message me (13:45) Create an unfair advantage

  3. 2d ago

    The 60 Seconds Between Rounds That Decide the Fight | Ep. 218

    Your fighter comes back to the corner and sits down calm. He's trained himself to look composed at an elevated heart rate — but that's the trap. Calm on the stool isn't the same as recovered. If his heart rate is still sky-high, he's sitting in a survival state: the adrenaline is peaking, the thinking brain is offline, and he is not going to perform at his best in round three no matter how composed he looks. That 60 seconds between rounds is the window that decides the fight. And winning it isn't about chasing a knockout — it's about lasting the round, staying sharp, and taking the points. Here's the drill for that minute: breathe in and out through the nose only, and make every exhale roughly twice as long as the inhale. It should be uncomfortable — that's the point. Slowing the breath down (not speeding up) drops the heart rate, drives the Bohr effect to push oxygen into the tissues that have gone offline, and switches the prefrontal cortex — the thinking brain — back on. That's when a fighter stops flailing and starts seeing every shot coming, including openings his opponent (and sometimes his own coach) can't see. The calm, contained fighter beats the one running on raw adrenaline nearly every time — it only takes one clean shot to change the round. What you'll take away (for coaches and fighters): - Why "calm on the stool" isn't the same as recovered — and how an elevated heart rate keeps a fighter in survival mode - Why the 60 seconds between rounds decides round three - The exact between-rounds drill: nose-only breathing, exhale twice as long as you inhale, deliberately uncomfortable - Why slowing down (not speeding up) is what restores composure and vision - How the Bohr effect and a switched-on thinking brain let a fighter see every shot coming - Why the calm, contained fighter beats the one running on adrenaline The core idea: recovery is a skill you run on purpose in the corner — control the breath, drop the heart rate, get the thinking brain back, and you get your fighter's real performance back when the last round decides it. CTA. If this helped, please leave a rating on the podcast platform you're on right now — it gets the message to the coach and fighter who need it. And if you want help in your team, your academy, or as a fighter learning to take control of this, message me. Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:17) Calm on the stool — heart rate isn't (00:46) The 60 seconds that decide round three (01:15) You're calm, but your body isn't (01:31) An elevated heart rate = survival state (01:55) It's not about the knockout (01:59) Win the round on points (03:03) Control your breath (03:40) Slow everything down (03:46) It's not about speeding up (04:11) Disarm the "angry drunk" (04:28) One clean shot changes the round (04:54) The drill: nose only (05:06) Exhale twice as long as you inhale (05:11) It should be uncomfortable (06:19) Turn fatigue into opportunity (06:44) The Bohr effect (07:13) The thinking brain switches back on (07:41) Now you see every shot coming (08:15) They do everything right — then collapse (08:46) Message me

  4. 3d ago

    Why Your Fighter Freezes When the Cage Closes (It's Not Him) | Ep. 217

    Your fighter has drilled that same combo a hundred times a day in sparring. Then the cage closes — and it's like he forgets everything, sometimes he can't even get his hands up to protect himself. Here's what I want every coach to hear: your fighter is not to blame. That freeze is the body's response to the immense dump of adrenaline that floods the system under real pressure — and it can be brought back under control, without needing five or ten more fights to learn it. When you understand how the breath mechanism works, you can take a fighter out of that deep survival switch: extend the exhales, the heart rate drops, the survival response comes off, and the thinking brain comes back on. That's when fight IQ returns — he starts observing instead of just surviving, seeing where the other guy isn't blocking, where he's hurt. And it's when your fighter can finally hear you again. What you'll take away (for coaches and fighters): - Why a fighter who's flawless in sparring freezes the moment the cage closes — and why it isn't a discipline problem - The adrenaline dump and the "survival switch," and how breath control switches it back off - Why the fix is trainable outside the cage — you don't need ten fights to learn it - Why elite fighting is strategy and IQ, not who hits hardest — and how composure lets a fighter see openings - How to turn it around: pressure your opponent into survival mode while your fighter stays calm - The corner problem: a fighter in survival mode literally cannot take in new information — so he can't hear your instructions The core idea: composure isn't a personality trait, it's a trainable state. Give your fighter the breath tools and you get their real performance back when it matters most — on fight night. CTA — for coaches, academies and teams. If you want to explore how I can help you, your fighters and your team recover harder and perform better on fight night, message me. I'd love to see what we can open up for your club and your fighters. Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:23) He's drilled the combo a hundred times (00:30) Then the cage closes — and he freezes (01:15) Your fighter is not to blame (01:24) It's the adrenaline dump (01:31) It can be brought back under control (01:48) Understand the breath mechanism (02:02) Heart rate down → thinking brain back on (02:20) Martial arts is an art form (02:55) It's strategy and IQ, not power (03:29) The best observe while they fight (03:36) More control — more likely to win (03:46) Turn it around: gas the other guy out (04:29) Take control of your breath (04:44) Now you see the openings (05:08) Why your fighter can't hear you (05:20) 99% of the time — in survival mode (05:26) Information can't be taken in (06:24) That's where composure lives (06:41) How I can help your fighters (06:55) Message me

  5. 4d ago

    Why You Gas Out in Round 2 (It's Not Your Cardio) | Ep. 216

    You've trained your cardio. You've conditioned yourself. You can keep going. So why do you still come out gassed in the second and third round — when it counts the most? Here's the part almost no one trains: it isn't your conditioning. When the adrenaline dumps under real pressure, your body flips into a survival switch — the thinking brain drops offline, and without realising it you've been mouth-breathing the whole time. That default is convenient, but it's not effective: operating from survival mode is three to four times more expensive, so you burn your tank and gas out. The fix is trainable. Breathe through your nose, extend the exhales, and your heart rate comes down — the survival switch comes off and your thinking brain comes back on. Then you're not just surviving on adrenaline; you're calm, focused and intentional, and you start seeing shots you'd never see in that deep survival state. It's the same mechanism whether you're in the cage or making executive decisions in the boardroom. This is the lost art of breathing — and martial arts is an art form. Integrate it into how you train and how you fight, and you become a far harder man to put away. What you'll take away: - Why you gas out in round two even though your cardio is conditioned - The adrenaline dump and the "survival switch" — and why it isn't nerves - How mouth-breathing keeps you in survival mode, and why nasal breathing + long exhales flips it back - Why survival mode costs 3–4× more energy — the real reason you burn out - How to train the discomfort so you recover faster and don't gas late - Why staying calm lets you see shots you'd otherwise miss The core idea: composure isn't a personality trait, it's a trainable state — and the breath is the lever. Recover as hard as you train. CTA. If this helped, please leave a rating on the podcast platform you're on right now — it gets the message to a fighter who needs to hear it. Full episode on YouTube: youtube.com/@theshauntucker Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:27) It's not your cardio (00:31) So why do you gas out in round 2? (01:10) It's not just the adrenaline dump (01:42) High stakes — win or lose (02:13) It's not nerves — it's a survival switch (02:29) The thinking mind switches off (03:02) You've been mouth breathing the whole time (03:14) Nose breathing → heart rate down, thinking brain on (03:42) My 16-second fight (03:59) Same response in the boardroom (04:32) Mouth breathing: convenient, not effective (05:23) Train the discomfort (06:19) Survival costs 3–4× more energy (06:37) Your opponent's in the same boat (07:39) Stay calm — see shots you'd miss (07:55) The lost art of breathing (08:13) Become an unstoppable force (08:37) Are the best already doing it? (09:18) Change your state

  6. 5d ago

    My Fight Lasted 16 Seconds — Then It Went Viral to 2.9 Million | Ep. 215

    My fight lasted sixteen seconds. I got TKO'd in front of about eighty people — and two or three weeks later the video had been seen by 2.9 million. This episode is what I learned inside those sixteen seconds. The bell went, we touched gloves, and the adrenaline was already loaded. I didn't freeze completely — I still had my thinking brain on, went for the takedown, copped a knee to the chest — but once that adrenaline dump hit fully, I couldn't defend myself, and the ref rightly stopped it. Here's the thing almost every fighter, coach and academy has lost sight of: under real pressure, the first thing to go is breath control. And when your breathing goes, your gas tank, your composure and your ability to think go with it. What you'll take away: - What actually happens in the body in the first seconds of a fight — adrenaline, the "dump," and why the energy cost of being in the ring spikes - Why breath control and coordination is the foundation martial arts teaches early and then forgets under pressure - How shallow, panicked breathing empties the gas tank you walked in with - The freeze/fight/flight response, and why your thinking brain drops offline exactly when you need it - The practical reset: mouth closed, nasal breathing, using the diaphragm — heart rate down, thinking back on, control back over your state - Why this isn't just for fighters — it's how you take back control of your body under any intense pressure The core idea: control can shift in a moment, and it goes to whoever takes it. Train your breath under pressure and you take back the round — and the body. CTA — message me. If you're a fighter, coach or academy and you want to learn how to train this, message me. I'm putting together resources to show exactly how it works and how to use it — so you can walk out of Fight Night knowing you left nothing on the table. Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:19) My fight lasted 16 seconds (00:35) …then the video went viral to 2.9 million (01:23) I did not freeze completely (02:01) The bell goes — blow by blow (02:36) The cue my coach gave me an hour before (02:46) I went down for the takedown (02:53) Then a knee to the chest (03:38) The adrenaline dump was real — I froze (03:57) The ref stopped the match (04:26) What martial arts has forgotten (05:01) It's breath control and coordination (05:18) In the ring, the energy cost quadruples (05:37) Your gas tank is suddenly gone (05:51) Freeze, fight, or flight under pressure (06:36) Why fighters lose control of the breath (07:03) This doesn't just apply to fighting (07:22) Mouth closed — breathe through the nose (07:39) Thinking back on, heart rate down (08:57) It's not how you move — it's coordination (09:23) The one way to improve the connection (10:09) The one thing you can't go without: air (10:39) Train it under pressure (12:14) Message me — I'm giving resources away (12:40) Get home knowing you left nothing on the table (13:15) Change your state, choose how you show up

  7. 6d ago

    It's Not the Hour in the Gym — It's the Other 23 | Ep. 214

    It's not about what you do in that one hour in the gym. It's about what you do the other twenty-three. This episode is a straight-up challenge to the "optimised," dialled-in grind: people underrate recovery, they underrate how they feel, and they underrate the relationships they have with themselves and everyone around them. I've done the bodybuilding show, dialled in, the whole thing — and I'll be honest, that version of life made me intensely miserable, because I was forcing outcomes and calling it discipline. What I care about now is how I feel during the day, how I sleep, whether I'm actually joyful — not just whether I looked good on stage. What you'll take away: - Why the results you want come from the 23 hours outside the gym, not the one hour in it - The trap of the "optimised" life — strict, closed off, and quietly miserable - Joy vs pleasure: joy comes from inside you, pleasure is bolted on from outside — and why chasing pleasure never fills the gap - The difference between being "on" and being stressed out of your mind - Satisfaction vs fulfilment — and why it's the growth, not the goal, that matters - Getting curious about your own body — "the greatest chemical factory known to man" — instead of just punishing it - One honest question to ask about every action in your day: are you actually enjoying it, or just forcing it? The core idea: stop treating the gym hour as the whole game. Recover, feel good, stay curious, and get fully involved in all 24 hours — that's where the performance actually comes from. CTA — this one's a conversation. If you want to talk about goal setting, or any of this — how you're showing up outside the gym — message me. I'd genuinely love to hear what's going on in your life and see if there's a perspective shift we can make together. Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner (00:45) It's not the gym hour — it's the other 23 (01:14) People underrate recovery (01:29) It's not about how hard you punish yourself (02:01) Showing up in every hour outside the gym (02:36) Why the "optimised" life isn't the good life (03:20) I did the bodybuilding show — it's not for me (03:43) I care about how I feel during the day (04:07) Being "on" vs stressed out of your mind (05:21) When I chased the goal, I made myself miserable (05:43) The thing I care about more is how I feel (05:58) Joy and pleasure are not the same thing (06:10) When you're joyful, you don't need pleasure (06:52) Can you enjoy the whole thing? (07:25) Being strict means you're closed off (08:04) Goal chasing is highly addictive (08:30) Freedom is the choice — that's joy (09:07) Dream bigger than you can comprehend (10:06) Satisfaction vs fulfilment (10:35) Learn, grow, get better — don't hold on (10:52) Your body is the greatest chemical factory (11:18) The more curious, the more playful (11:37) It's not about achieving the goals (12:06) The missing piece: being fully involved (12:30) Deep rest, fully aware (13:07) Message me — let's talk goals (13:33) Change your state, choose how you show up

  8. Sep 8

    The Real Reason I Did 3 Hours of Yoga Before Sunrise (I Was Running Away) | Ep. 213

    For a long time I told myself the two-and-a-half to three hours of yoga before sunrise was discipline. On Father's Day, I'll be honest about what it actually was: a way to run away. My daughter was a newborn, my wife needed me, and I was sneaking off — sometimes falling asleep on the mat, too dead tired to even finish — because becoming a dad had shocked me and shown me everything I was quietly avoiding. This one's for the brother who's in that stage right now: it's not weakness, it's hard, and turning around to actually show up is the thing that makes you the man you want to be. What you'll take away: - Why a "wellness practice" can quietly become an escape hatch — and how to tell the difference - What new fatherhood exposed in me: the things I was truly running from - The honest cost: deprioritising my wife and daughter while I "worked on myself" - Why the caretaker role doesn't come pre-installed for a lot of men — and why that's worth naming, not hiding - The mirror question: is what you're chasing costing you your relationship with your kids or your partner? - Who really put those expectations on you — and why you're the one who gets to make the conscious choice now - Struggling in silence vs. reaching out: why a mate you can talk to without judgment changes everything The core idea: most people wait for their life to change. You don't have to. Change your state, choose how you show up — starting with the people in the next room. CTA — you don't have to struggle in silence. If you're a new dad in that stage, reach out — have a mate you can talk to without judgment, and if you want another man in your corner, message me. If things feel dark, please talk to someone today: Lifeline 13 11 14 (AU). Chapters: (00:00) Intro — Man In Your Corner, Father's Day (00:42) Two and a half to three hours of yoga before sunrise (00:52) Falling asleep on the mat, never finishing (01:04) The honest admission — "it's really a lie" (01:33) Sneaking off for two hours to finish the practice (01:46) I was using it to run away (01:57) Parenthood really shocked me (02:04) The things I was truly running from (02:16) New dad, struggling? Reach out and talk (02:29) Have a mate you can speak to — no judgment (02:38) Escaping being with my wife and daughter (02:53) Deprioritising the provide-and-protect role (03:20) I chose to become a dad (03:24) Recording this on Father's Day (03:44) So proud of the dad I've become (04:11) Train Hard Men's Club — Father's Day morning (04:27) Why was I running away from my problems? (04:57) We only planted the seed — a dad's different story (05:05) For men, the caretaker role isn't the default (05:36) Is it costing you your relationships? (05:48) A long, good, hard look in the mirror (06:15) I was running away from showing up (06:46) The expectations I put on myself (07:08) Who put those expectations on you? You did (07:25) You're making the conscious choices (08:05) If you blink, you'll miss it (08:38) It's not easy to be a dad (08:43) Struggling in silence (08:51) Maybe we don't have to struggle — maybe we can connect (09:13) Most people wait for their life to change (09:23) Change your state, choose how you show up

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About

Breathing performance for fighters. Why you gas out in round two, why the nerves take your legs, and how to get your heart rate down between rounds.   Shaun Tucker is a health scientist and breathing performance trainer in Melbourne. His first MMA fight lasted sixteen seconds. The video of it has been watched more than 2.8 million times. He knows what it costs to walk in under pressure, and what it takes to walk back in after losing in front of everyone.   Short daily episodes on nasal breathing, CO2 tolerance, the adrenaline dump, recovery between sessions, and the work he does with young fighters who lose themselves under the lights.   You're not switched on too much. You're switched on too hard.   If it can be measured, it can be changed.   For coaches and gyms: private breathing performance workshops inside Australian fight gyms. Ninety minutes with your squad, measured at the start and measured again at the end. shauntucker.com.au

Information

  • Creator
    Shaun Tucker
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    225
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Shaun Tucker