We recently had the chance to connect with Tycho Bergquist and have shared our conversation below.
Tycho, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
There is an Unhappiness Epidemic in our world. People believe they have to live at a sub-optimal level of “okayness” and so they just drift along, close to the edge, wondering when their life will start. People will ask others “How are you?” and not really mean it. And people will answer “Good!” and feel like complete shells of themselves.
There is a tendency for the human mind (reptilian brain) to search for what is negative because that keeps us safe! But, in our American society, most of us are safe enough to find a problem…that isn’t really there! We have shelter, clothing, sleep, air, plenty of food and water and basic overall health, but our brain is still working the same way, even though we have evolved. So, we are constantly finding what’s wrong and it turns inwards, until we decide that Unhappiness is normal and we coast through life without really knowing Unconditional Joy.
THIS is why I do what I do.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
For me, it all started with drumming. At 13 years old, I was a young teenager who didn’t enjoy structured athletic pursuits. I tried rock climbing, white water rafting, track, soccer, Ultimate, football and basketball but nothing piqued my interest. When I landed on that drumset, I felt my body moving like a dance—four limbs coordinating and pulsing, my head bobbing to the beat and my heart feeling the entire experience. And I knew I was in my body and my mind–both physically and creatively.
Fifteen years later, I had a eureka moment. I had been training in the gym and realized every time I would sit back on my drum set throne, my coordination was efficient and my power was endless. I decided to teach what I had found: the key to unlocking your potential lies in the physical body, with the mind as its guide and the heart as its compass. And so, I got certified in the science-based professional personal training ACSM certification. As my business grew, I also found Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and fell in love with snowboarding—two mind/body connecting sports that excited me.
Since 2011 and now in Nashville, TN, Tycho is coaching something unique and special in the health industry. He has found his purpose and decided on Music City as the home to his new, masterfully efficient coaching practice. Now, Tycho coaches from his dream creation: The Inner Core Gainz Fitness Center in the Bellevue section of Nashville, 18 minutes southwest of downtown. I am the only Fitness Coach in the World to offer my unique modality, which includes Subconscious pattern optimization as the foundation for the precise 6 week fitness and nutrition programs. Because of this, I deliver Permanent Fitness Results in Half the Time!
Every day better than the last.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
You know, I could tell a story about how I started stage acting in 5th grade as Charlie Brown and got so good the by the time I was in college in Los Angeles, I directed, produced and acted in 6 productions of The Zoo Story by Edward Albee at the Stella Adler Theater in Hollywood Blvd directly across from the Oscars!
I felt powerful then.
But you know what? My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when my family of origin went on a spring break vacation out of town. I was in 6th grade, so 12 years old, in a different play at the time, called L’il Abner. I was the villain, named Evil Eye Fleagle. We still had a few productions to do when my family left and they told me to skip it and come with them. I stayed at home to finish my part, even though there was an understudy for my character. I skipped half the vacation, by my own choice, to fulfill a promise I had made to myself and my co-actors. I believe this is when I realized that follow-through is one of the most important characteristics of any successful person. Now, I consider this a huge reason for my success.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Winston Churchill once said “Never give in, never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.”
I have lived this sentiment in my life,
One of the most memorable times that I came close to giving up was when I climbed Mount Shasta on September 4, 2019. Two colleagues of mine and I left from our campsite at 8,500 to the 14,179 foot peak at 3:44am. Mt. Shasta is the 5th highest peak in California, the second highest peak and the most voluminous stratovolcano in the Cascades.
At about 7 hours, the three of us had stopped to catch our breath. One of the crew was really hurting and decided to drop his bag and crawl to the top with the other guy. I was stuck alone.
Having just done my deadlift day the day before, I was also sore. But I love a good challenge. I told myself not only would I bring my bag but I would also bring my food and water to have a snack at the top. About 45 minutes to the top, it was hot and almost vertical. My snow pants were sweating, I had ground many of my toenails to the core (I would lose 3) and i kept seeing people stop and give up. One lady I passed was sitting and said “If it’s your first time, you can always come back and try again.” That really got me going.
I pushed up and up. It got cold and snowy again and the air was thin and my breath was hard to catch. I could see the top and told myself that I would give myself a treat and cook myself a good meal at the top.
I made it. But the camp-stove wouldn’t work. And I had to descend on my own.
It was totally worth it.
Even the 15 months it took to grow back my two big toenails and the middle one on the right foot.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
There are a lot of scientifically-inclined, really intelligent people turning our American fitness/health industry into a “hackathon” full of: Ozempic shots, peptide stacking shots, 10 minute per week OsteoStrong ‘Ultimate Biohacks’ and club membership-based scam sales.
Almost 14 years into my Specialty Fitness Coaching, I can say this drives me absolutely bonkers. Literally, these people are looking at fitness trends and saying this is what will make the money.
When did Health and Fitness turn into Scam and Hacks? I’d say over the last 3 years.
That is exactly when and why I started implementing my Subconscious pattern optimization, aka Mind/Body Connection method. This is what makes my Fitness Offering Unique to the World! And I would also call it a hack, but it has only healthy side effects and is not invasive or problematic in any way.
This unique connection work is something that I have learned as part of the Human Potential Movement, started in the 1960’s. This was based on the concept that everyone has extraordinary untapped potential that can be fostered and therefore expressed fully for each person to express their full potential. This specific aspect of the science has a basis in subconscious clearing. Most people notice that they keep hitting the same problem in a part of their life, like, for example, their bosses keep being rude and micromanaging. Or, in relation to fitness, they keep hitting the same plateau or can’t quite perform a movement. This is most often a product of a subconscious/unconscious choice. And it is interesting to know that only 3-5% of our experience is a product of our conscious work. So all those hours and ‘deep’ desires to change often end up in the same difficulty because the rest of our experience, 95%, is running our lives! And so, I noticed how much it tied to the problems I see with my fitness clients. Once I started incorporating this work with them, they literally experienced their goals achieved twice as fast. Like, for example, I had been training a 45 year old woman for 10 years and she kept hitting plateaus. I included this work in tandem with the fitness and nutrition programs and she lost 9 pounds and 8% body fat in 6 weeks. And so, I saw it work and now have made a Fitness Center that offers this work in Nashville, intentionally, to uplevel our city’s health!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
There is a tendency for humans to believe that someone has always been who they are now. I can agree that most people aren’t willing to do the work that really, truly changes them. But I never believe that someone has always been who they are. And I try as best i can to find out how someone got to where they are and why they made the choices that got them where they are.
I can now say that I feel empowered and in my heart most of every day. That wasn’t true until about 2 years ago. So, for the first 11 plus years of my Fitness work, I felt like a shell of myself. I knew, though, that in order to truly change other people, i had to be willing to truly change myself.
So, I created my own personal retreat of 500 days of 2 hours a day on average of meditation per day. That meant some Saturdays I spent 7 hours on the cushion.
I went to the jungle of Peru and worked with plant medicine for 6 weeks to see where I was stopping myself from my own full Purpose and Heart.
I got 100’s of hours of this Subconscious clearing work done on myself to live my own potential.
3 years ago, I started with a personal coach who works on my actual Heart to open it up and get me to live through it. It is based in question/answer format, much like my own Mind/Body Connection work.
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People will misunderstand that I do this unique work because I was always this way and that I always wanted it this way. It has been a growth, just like me. I embody my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ICGainz.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/InnerCoreGainz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tycho-bergquist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnerCoreGainz
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/Inner Core Gainz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/innercoregainz5993
- Other: Drum videos: www.youtube.com/tychobray662
