Big Cat and Brandon DOMINATED Their First Morning Workout | The Yak 2-17-26
YouTube · _RaY2znyBgY
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Big Cat and Brandon started a daily workout, finding it grueling but committing to continue together.
- ❖Chinese New Year traditions include showering, cleaning the house, and receiving 'lucky money' in red pockets.
- ❖Michael Jordan is framed as the 'most protected celebrity' due to his lack of social media presence and detachment from public scrutiny.
- ❖A host issued a public apology to fitness influencer Malibu Fitmax after mistakenly commenting on his appearance, learning he is an IED blast survivor.
- ❖An old ESPN list ranking sports by difficulty sparked debate, with bull riding surprisingly ranked below badminton.
- ❖The hosts play a game of guessing themed lists, including 'favorite things' and 'states with best beaches'.
Insights
1The Daily Fitness Commitment
Big Cat and Brandon initiated a new daily workout routine, describing it as a 'grueling effort' that left them out of breath for an extended period. Despite the difficulty, they committed to continuing the workout every day, initially together, to build a habit.
Brandon stated it took him '35 to 40 minutes to catch my breath.' Big Cat declared, 'We're going to be doing this workout every single day for the rest of our lives.'
2Chinese New Year Customs and Calendar
Stephen detailed Chinese New Year traditions, including taking a shower and cleaning the house the night before to remove bad energy, enjoying a nice meal, and receiving 'lucky money' in red pockets (lysies). He also clarified that China operates on a different ancient calendar, currently around the year 4723 or 4724, though they still observe January 1st.
Stephen mentioned, 'you're supposed to like take a shower and clean the house that night... get the bad energy out of the house.' He also stated, 'I think it's like uh 4023 or something like that. 40. It's a different year.'
3Michael Jordan's 'Protected' Public Image
Brandon argued that Michael Jordan is the 'most protected celebrity in the history of American celebrity' because he avoids social media and public engagement. This detachment, according to Brandon, prevents him from making gaffes that would attract 'haters' and allows his legacy to remain untarnished, unlike modern athletes who face constant scrutiny.
Brandon stated, 'I think he's the most protected celebrity in the history of American celebrity.' He contrasted this with LeBron, saying, 'LeBron will say taco funny on on Twitter and and people people just ruin him.'
4Public Apology for Misjudgment
A host issued a sincere apology to fitness influencer Malibu Fitmax after previously making comments about his appearance, specifically suggesting he had 'a lot of work done' or 'lip injections.' The host learned that Fitmax is a military veteran and an IED blast survivor, leading to deep regret and a public retraction.
The host said, 'it turns out he is a military veteran who was it's an IED blast survivor who is incredible and I am sorry.'
5Debate on Sports Difficulty Rankings
The hosts discussed an old ESPN list ranking 60 different sports by degree of difficulty, based on various physical attributes. The list sparked disagreement, particularly with bull riding being ranked below badminton, and fishing being dead last. The main point of contention was whether difficulty should be judged by the ease of participation or the challenge of achieving professional success.
The list showed 'bull writing is below bad mitten.' A host questioned, 'is it how how hard it is to just do it or how hard it is to succeed?'
Bottom Line
The NBA's regular season being 'bad' is strategically beneficial for the overall sports calendar, allowing other sports like college basketball to capture attention before the NBA playoffs intensify.
This suggests that the NBA's perceived lack of regular-season effort might be an unspoken, advantageous market positioning rather than a flaw, preventing direct competition with other major sports during their peak seasons.
Sports leagues could intentionally manage their season's intensity to align with the broader sports calendar, optimizing viewership and engagement by avoiding direct competition with other popular events.
The evolution of internet vernacular, such as 'mogging' and 'floyds/mods,' originating from niche online communities like 'incels,' is now entering mainstream discourse.
This indicates a concerning trend where terms from potentially harmful subcultures are becoming normalized, reflecting a broader shift in online communication and its impact on everyday language.
Content creators and educators have an opportunity to critically analyze and explain the origins and implications of such vernacular as it enters the mainstream, fostering media literacy and critical thinking about online trends.
Opportunities
Electronic Interactive Board Game (Board)
A brand new gadget called 'Board' that functions as an electronic board game, designed to encourage family interaction and reduce screen time. It features a screen that plays like a board game, launching with 12 games, and is marketed as 'great for all ages' and a potential 'savior of family game night.'
Themed Nostalgia Restaurants (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Pizza Restaurant)
A restaurant concept based on popular childhood franchises, specifically a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed pizza restaurant. This capitalizes on adults' 'childhood dreams' and willingness to spend money on nostalgia.
Lessons
- Commit to a daily fitness routine, even if it starts small, to build a habit and improve overall well-being.
- Practice stoicism by focusing energy only on what is controllable, reducing stress from external opinions or uncontrollable circumstances.
- Engage in cultural traditions, like those of Chinese New Year, to foster connection, good fortune, and a sense of community.
Notable Moments
Pete's Curling Choke
A video clip showed Pete 'completely choking' during a curling match in the 2018 Olympics, forgetting to release the stone, which the hosts humorously attribute to his 'villain origin story' and current personality.
Michael Jordan Ice Incident Debate
The hosts revisit a controversial clip of Michael Jordan interacting with a child, with one host insisting Jordan was merely removing ice from the child's shirt, leading to a 'blanket apology' to Jordan.
Malibu Fitmax Apology
A host publicly apologized for insensitive comments about fitness influencer Malibu Fitmax's appearance, revealing Fitmax is an IED blast survivor, highlighting the importance of empathy and verifying information.
Daytona Ashes Incident
A fan at the Daytona 500 attempted to scatter ashes at the finish line during a crash, only for the ashes to blow back into his face, creating a darkly comedic and memorable event.
Quigs' AI City Replicas
Quigs created 'full-on lifelike AI replicas' of cities based on descriptions, which were 'bizarrely accurate,' showcasing impressive skill and intelligence in AI application.
Quotes
"I'm probably going to do it at home. Oh, we're not doing it together. We could do it together. Do you want to keep doing it together? Our journey together. Let's do it together. Let's do it together. Tomorrow, 9:00."
"You guys don't have to be working out because you guys are massive. You're tall. You're respected. You're hulking. You're looming. We're fat."
"I think he's the most protected celebrity in the history of American celebrity. That's what I think of him. I think he is both the best basketball player we've ever seen and an incredible marketing creation that nobody is"
"If you can't control it, do not give it any time. If you can control it, give it all your energy."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes

Joe Rogan Experience #2505 - Tom Segura
"Joe Rogan and Tom Segura dive into the extreme sadism of Uday Hussein, the societal impact of AI, the wild problem of feral pigs in Texas, and the dark side of government overreach and corruption."

Audios de Ángela, Aneliz y Pepe escándalo - Cazzu sí fue a Disney | Javier Ceriani
"This episode exposes a web of celebrity scandals, from the Aguilar family's alleged pursuit of wealth and 'brujería' to Cazzu's new romance in Disney and shocking revelations about Paco de la O and Wendy Guevara."

Trump's HEATED Call + AOC's Data Center Deep Dive | PBD #804
"This episode dissects the week's most impactful events, from Trump's contentious call with Netanyahu and Elon Musk's path to trillionaire status, to the societal implications of AI-driven job displacement and AOC's unexpected political alignment on data center concerns."

Hobby Horsing Around | The Basement Yard #555
"This episode takes listeners on a wild ride through internet trends, bizarre bar rituals, and a hilarious, pseudo-scientific calculation of how many 'humps' equal a mile for fitness goals."