Some battles don’t happen on a competition floor… they happen when life steals your breath and dares you to quit.

In this Defenders LIVE episode, 5x world champion Molly Metz shares what mastery actually costs—and why she kept fighting when the system wasn’t fair.

• What elite training teaches you about failure and courage

• Why growth can feel lonely (and why it’s still worth it)

• The mindset shift that happens after pain, setbacks, and injustice

• How to keep moving forward when you feel outmatched

Defenders LIVE is supported by you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

What does mastery really demand, and what happens when life hits hard enough to knock you off your feet? In this episode of Defenders LIVE, Lora Thorson sits down with Molly Metz, a five-time world champion jump rope athlete, coach, entrepreneur, and inventor whose story goes far beyond athletics. Molly opens up about the discipline and precision it takes to build elite skill and why she believes real growth often comes only after you’ve been forced to stop.

Molly shares how a serious car accident woke her up to bigger purpose, how she built a jump rope training movement that reached 800+ gyms, and what it cost her to defend her inventions when larger companies allegedly copied her patented technology. This is a conversation about resilience, integrity, and courage…the kind that keeps moving forward even when the fight isn’t fair. If you’ve ever felt misunderstood while trying to grow, or tempted to quit when the opponent looks bigger than you… this one’s for you.

Watch more at Defenders-LIVE.com or subscribe for future conversations.

Thanks for reading Defenders LIVE! This post is public so feel free to share it.

He didn’t find faith the way people expect.And that’s exactly why this story matters.

Christian Griffith returns to Defenders LIVE to share the most unexpected chapter of his life, from lifelong agnostic to a faith journey that changed everything.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

* What finally opened the door to faith after years of resistance

* Why healing doesn’t end after the big achievement

* How to keep moving when life feels heavy and motivation is gone

* The power of small, faithful steps on the hardest days

* What resilience looks like when you’re rebuilding again

Defenders LIVE is supported by you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Here is the previous interview with Christian from 2024 that started it all:

Two years after his unforgettable first appearance, Christian Griffith returns to Defenders LIVE with a story no one saw coming, not even him. Known for extreme endurance, unfiltered honesty, and relentless resilience, Christian opens up about the most unexpected turning point of his life: a faith journey that began not with certainty, but questions.

In this deeply personal conversation, we talk about what happens after the big feats. After the 3,000-mile run, after the spotlight, after the grind, when life gets heavy again. Christian shares how healing actually unfolds over time, why small acts of obedience matter more than massive wins, and how faith entered his life through moments he could never explain away. This episode is about courage, surrender, and learning how to keep moving forward, even when you are starting over.

Watch more at Defenders-LIVE.com or subscribe for future conversations.

Thanks for reading Defenders LIVE! This post is public so feel free to share it.

In this episode of Defenders LIVE, Lora Thorson sits down with Lee Weems—career peace officer, trainer, and adjunct professor—to talk about what most people miss when they judge high-stakes incidents from a single camera angle. Lee breaks down why “objectively reasonable” is the legal standard (even when it’s emotionally unpopular), how media narratives form, and why good tactics don’t always look good on video.

They also go deeper into what makes training actually work: adult learning, asking better questions, and coaching the individual instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all method. Lee shares the moment bureaucracy rerouted his path, why he still can’t walk away from the profession, and how cognitive load exposes the gaps in our “square range” confidence. This is a conversation about truth, accountability, and becoming the kind of protector who can think clearly under pressure.

Defenders LIVE is supported by you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this Defenders LIVE conversation with Lee Weems, we go deep on what really matters when pressure is high:

Why video clips can distort the truth (and inflame the public)

What “objectively reasonable” actually means in use-of-force decisions

How bureaucracy reshaped his life—and pushed him toward purpose

Why coaching beats commanding when you’re training adults

The difference between technical skill… and real-world application

Learn more about Lee at: www.thatweemsguy.com and www.firstpersonsafety.com

Thanks for reading Defenders LIVE! This post is public so feel free to share it.