Best Paul Burch Podcasts (2025)

1
Does Trump know what the F#@! he’s doing? 55:35

1d ago55:35

55:35

After a rollercoaster week of news - the threat of World War 3 suddenly felt a little overstated. But a few short hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran - both countries returned to a war of words and missiles - leading to President Trump delivering an outburst for the ages: “They don’t know what the F*** they’re doing”. But does Trump? Ni…

1
Matt Rakestraw - Gunpowder and Paper 1:09:04

2d ago1:09:04

1:09:04

In this episode, I talk shooting, training, and writing with my friend Matt Rakestraw of “Gunpowder and Paper.” Matt is an insightful and intelligent writer who has documented his training journey in a series of notes that are publicly available to everyone. Matt has also become an excellent shooter along the way……

1
U-turn after U-turn: who is the real Keir Starmer? 59:04

6d ago59:04

59:04

Keir Starmer is not afraid of a U-turn. From abandoned policy pledges to reinstating the winter-fuel allowance, the list is growing. To add to this - this week, the PM has expressed his support for Israel’s military action against Iran, despite criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza. Then he caved in to calls for a full national inquiry into grooming…

1
Steve Anderson and the Mental Management Program 2:49:16

9d ago2:49:16

2:49:16

In this episode, Steve Anderson and I talk about hair metal, dryfire, and the mental game. Plus, Kita Busse makes a surprise appearance.By Matthew Little

1
Is Labour finally being Labour? 57:07

15d ago57:07

57:07

Rachel Reeves has delivered her very first spending review, promising to ‘renew Britain’ with big cash boosts for the NHS, housing and defence. It’s a marked change of tone but the Tories are calling her approach “spend now, tax later”. Nish and Coco dig into the details and are left with some questions. Are tax rises in the Autumn inevitable? Are …

1
Jorge Tierno Ray - Spanish Military Officer and Trainer 1:13:31

16d ago1:13:31

1:13:31

I have a conversation with Jorge Tierno Ray about the state of military and law enforcement training in Spain, competition as preparation for combat, and the ACE VR shooting system.By Matthew Little

1
How to protect abortion rights from the far-right 58:59

22d ago58:59

58:59

England and Wales is still - unbelievably - operating under an 1861 law that criminalises abortion access. An unprecedented rise in prosecutions and the rise of an aggressive US-style anti-abortion movement in the UK have triggered calls for change. Labour MP Stella Creasy joins Nish and Coco to break down her bill to decriminalise abortion and mak…

1
Aaron Cunningham - Chicago PD, Filipino Martial Arts, and training cops in El Salvador 1:00:29

23d ago1:00:29

1:00:29

I’ve known Aaron for decades. I’ve supervised him on the Chicago Police Department, helped him teach combatives to police officers, and trained martial arts with him. He’s one of the smartest cops I’ve ever met, and we have a great conversation in this episode that you won’t want to miss.By Matthew Little

1
Babies, Benefits and Black Lives Matter 56:47

29d ago56:47

56:47

Stay out of wombs Nigel! Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wants us to have more babies - which for new mum Coco feels like being bamboozled into being rightwing. Not only this, Farage is even coming for abortion - saying it’s “utterly ludicrous” to allow abortion up to 24-weeks. Keep your wits about you! From leaked memos and inner-circle beef to U-tu…

1
Dave Cardenas - Special Forces, Airsoft, and Rock & Roll 1:04:00

1M ago1:04:00

1:04:00

My old Friend Dave Cardenas and I talk about our time in Special Forces, his music label, the scenario-driven airsoft competition he runs, and building the resilience to thrive in retirement.By Matthew Little

1
Gaza and Benefits: is Starmer changing course? 50:05

1M ago50:05

50:05

Reunited, Coco and Nish are finally back together in the studio to talk U turns, disability benefits, Brexit and… gimp masks? There’s a lot of politics to catch up on including some big shifts from the Labour government. First on Gaza - Keir Starmer and David Lammy changed tack with fierce criticism of the Israeli government. But critics argue that…

1
Chuck Pressburg - Applying Your Skill to the Task at Hand 1:25:41

1M ago1:25:41

1:25:41

Chuck Pressburg of Presscheck Consulting is an army special operations veteran with an immense amount of real world experience. He and I geek out on night vision technology, talk about the sliding scale of speed and accuracy in shooting, and the pitfall of only pushing for speed in shooting.By Matthew Little

1
Pod Save an Island of Strangers 54:59

1M ago54:59

54:59

Coco’s back! She’s both sleep and politics deprived, but Nish is ready to fill her in. The government's shake-up of legal migration laws landed this week - but the news has been dominated by one question. Is Keir Starmer Enoch Powell incarnate? His speech warned that we ‘risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks together’ - a ca…

1
Karl Rehn of KR Training 1:39:01

1M ago1:39:01

1:39:01

In this episode i sit down with one of the mainstays of both the competition and defensive shooting communities, Karl Rehn. We talk about progression in training, the realities of training for self defense, and how your level of commitment influences the skills you train.By Matthew Little

1
How Labour should (but probably won’t) reset after Reform’s big win 54:03

2M ago54:03

54:03

There’s no ifs or buts - Reform had a won big in last week’s local elections - but it’s not all bad news. Near-total Tory wipeout, positive signs for the Liberal Democrats and Greens and a lesson for Labour: acquiescing to Nigel Farage will only empower him. A slightly jetlagged Nish and a fresh as a daisy Zoë digest the results before diving into …

1
Rob Epifania - Building On Demand Performance 1:07:41

2M ago1:07:41

1:07:41

Rob Epifania is back on the show to talk about programming your training to build consistency and performance on-demand.By Matthew Little

1
The UK Supreme Court ruling and the fight for trans rights 57:41

2M ago57:41

57:41

In the wake of the UK Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of woman should be based on biological sex, Nish and Zoë speak to LGBTQ+ activist Ellen Jones, author of "Outrage: Why the fight for LGBTQ+ equality is not yet won and what we can do about it" about the implications for trans people . They discuss how the campaigning of reactionar…

1
Eric Kamps and the Race to GM 57:07

2M ago57:07

57:07

On today’s episode I talk with my long time friend Eric Kamps, world traveling GM shooter. We started USPSA around the same time, made Master around the same time, but he won our race to GM handily. We talk about training, matches, and that time I choked him out at a local…By Matthew Little

1
Scott Jedlinski - AIWB Jedi 56:41

2M ago56:41

56:41

We do a deep dive into the AIWB draw with one of its most accomplished instructors, Scott Jedlinski of Modern Samurai Project.By Matthew Little

1
Nish and Coco spill the tea: your questions answered 44:44

2M ago44:44

44:44

As Parliament sits for Easter Recess, Nish and Coco dive into the PSUK mailbag to answer your burning questions. There’s the serious political questions - who are the real progressive party? How can we fight Reform? Should we all just leave the UK?? But there’s some curveballs, too - like what’s up with Bob Dylan’s instagram posting? Boxers or brie…

1
Chris Workman of the Army Marksmanship Unit 1:15:21

2M ago1:15:21

1:15:21

This one is a great conversation with a good friend of mine. Chris Workman of the Army Marksmanship Unit and I talk about the benefits of training like a competitor for the warfighterBy Matthew Little

1
Trump’s Tariffs: are you feeling liberated? 50:50

3M ago50:50

50:50

UPDATE: 10/04/25: President Trump has planned to pause extended tariffs on most countries for 90 days, while pushing ahead on plans to implement a 104% tariff on Chinese goods. A flat 10% tariff remains in place. Trump’s tariffs continue to cause chaos in the stock markets and the threat of a recession looms. As Rachel Reeves put it in her Spring S…

1
Chris Magyar - Sambo, Paintball, and ACE 1:39:21

3M ago1:39:21

1:39:21

Chris Magyar and I talk about his training journey, from Japanese Jujitsu to Russian Sambo, Paintball to USPSA, and all things self-defense…By Matthew Little

1
Waiting For The Apocalypse: tariffs, food security and the right to protest 59:47

3M ago59:47

59:47

Warning: this episode contains descriptions of sexually explicit and sexist song lyrics. While we wait to see if Trump’s tariff juggernaut is going to squash our fragile economy, Nish and Coco count the cost of the “bill-mageddon” we already face. It’s a perfect storm of steep rises in household bills and a bonkers global trade war. While we’re sta…

1
Cecil Burch of Immediate Action Combatives 1:12:53

3M ago1:12:53

1:12:53

In this episode, Cecil Burch of Immediate Action Combatives and I talk about training practice, and culture in martial arts, combatives, and shooting.By Matthew Little

1
Austerity 2.0: can Reeves cut her way to growth? 53:40

3M ago53:40

53:40

First the good news: we might just manage to build a lot of new houses. And the bad news? Millions of people will be worse off and about fifty thousand children will be pushed into poverty by welfare reform. Nish and Coco unpack Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement with the help of economist James Meadway, former advisor to John McDonnell. It was pretty…

1
Tony Blauer and the Speed of Violence 1:12:11

3M ago1:12:11

1:12:11

In this episode I talk with the SPEAR system’s Coach Tony Blauer again. We discuss the categories of efficacy in martial arts and how to hardwire your flinch response to improve self defense with a firearm.By Matthew Little

1
Welfare cuts: are Labour copying Tory homework? 48:14

3M ago48:14

48:14

After weeks of speculation, Liz Kendall has confirmed what benefits are to be axed in order to save £5 billion from the welfare bill - but at what cost for sick and disabled people? Keir Starmer says the rising benefit bill is “devastating for public finances” and has “wreaked a terrible human cost”. But many of his own Labour MPs have accused him …

1
Tim Herron - The Magic of Randomizing Your Training 1:33:30

3M ago1:33:30

1:33:30

In this episode, Tim and I talk about how his recent class with the great Eric Grauffel transformed the way he trains, practicing like a musician, and the power of consistency.By Matthew Little

1
A true story of money, Mafia & the Vatican (Shadow Kingdom Episode 1) 28:39

3M ago28:39

28:39

Today we're excited to bring you the first episode of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker. In the summer of 1982, the Vatican’s top money man was found dead. Roberto Calvi was at the center of a prolific money laundering scheme that put him in the crosshairs of the Sicilian mafia, a secret far-right chapter of the Freemasons, and the Catholic Church. Fort…

1
Welfare, Warehouses and Playlist Diplomacy 53:29

4M ago53:29

53:29

We’ll start with the good news - Reform UK appears to be imploding. Nigel Farage has had a wildly public fallout with (now former) Reform MP Rupert Lowe, who was stripped of his whip and investigated by the police over alleged workplace bullying and “verbal threats” against the party chairman. As Reform flounders, the Government is busy making itse…

1
Paul Sharp; Retired LE, Shivworks and Straight Blast Gym Instructor 1:16:03

4M ago1:16:03

1:16:03

In this episode I catch up with my old friend Paul Sharp, fellow retired cop, Shivworks Collective founding member, Straight Blast Gym instructor, and powerlifter. We talk about the importance of “looks” in our training for skill development and application, the progression of mastery in rock and roll guitarists, and the fact that you can actually …

1
Keir Starmer - the unlikely leader of the free world? 1:00:39

4M ago1:00:39

1:00:39

A shouting match in the Oval Office probably should have been on everyone’s Trump 25 bingo card - but the extraordinary breakdown in relations between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy shocked the world. Keir Starmer rolled up his sleeves and spent the weekend in full-blown diplomacy mode - leading to Politico calling him the “unlikely leader of…

1
Joel Levan of Radius Factor 1:20:51

4M ago1:20:51

1:20:51

In this episode, Joel Levan of Radius Factor and I discuss the military martial art of Pikiti Tirsia Kali and making your training effective in conflict.By Matthew Little

1
Dear Donald: Can Starmer Tame Trump? w/ Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey 52:08

4M ago52:08

52:08

War - what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. But this week we found out that defending the UK from it is going to cost us a lot of money. And the losers will be the world's poorest people - the money for Britain's boosted defence budget will come from foreign aid. Sir Ed Davey - leader of the Lib Dems - tells Coco he has an alternative: bigger ta…

1
Craig Caudill and the Mindfulness of Wilderness Skills 1:15:37

4M ago1:15:37

1:15:37

In this episode, I talk with Craig Caudill, an old friend from my traditional martial arts days, about his school Nature Reliance, which teaches survival and tracking to law enforcement, military, and civilians. We discuss wilderness training, and the mindfulness aspects of survival and tracking. Check him out Here…

1
Trump’s plan for “Peace” in Ukraine only pleases Putin + The Politics of Modern Love 53:43

4M ago53:43

53:43

As Europe looks on in disbelief, Donald Trump has been throwing his geopolitical weight around. A monumental meeting with Russia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine was held without Ukraine or Europe.Trump then branded Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and accused Ukraine of starting the conflict. Keir Starmer has said he is “ready…

1
Bryan Eastridge of American Fighting Revolver 1:30:11

4M ago1:30:11

1:30:11

In this episode I talk with Bryan Eastridge of American Fighting Revolver. Bryan is an 82nd Airborne Veteran and retired police officer who is definitely an SME on fighting with wheel guns. We talk about 2nd amendment accessibility, famous American gunfighters, training with a revolver, the “grandma factor,” and the firearm as “fire extinguisher.”…

1
Les Kismartoni and Training LE 1:20:01

4M ago1:20:01

1:20:01

My friend Les Kismartoni is back. This time we talk about the pros and cons of hit factor style firearms training for law enforcement, how these are no magic pills, and the value of force on force and decision training for civilians.By Matthew Little

1
Trump’s Gaza madness ft Lewis Goodall 49:28

5M ago49:28

49:28

Donald Trump has left the world reeling with a plan to turn Gaza into *checks notes* “the Riviera of the Middle East”. He vowed that the US will “take over” and “own” the Gaza strip, effectively endorsing the ethnic cleansing of 1.8 million Palestinians who would have “no alternative” but to leave. With rumours circling that his inner-circle are ca…

1
Thea Van Syoc of “Vanleethea” internet fame 1:10:05

5M ago1:10:05

1:10:05

In this episode I talk with Thea Van Syoc, known as “Vanleethea” on the internet. She’s a jujitsu competitor, fitness fanatic, and an Internet personality who can actually shoot, and shoot well.By Matthew Little

1
Masculinity and Misinformation: How JimmyTheGiant Escaped The Alt-Right Pipeline 50:13

5M ago50:13

50:13

Warning: this episode contains strong language and a term of racist abuse. Nish and Coco dig into some scary data about Gen Z. A poll of 13-27 year olds this week suggested nearly half of them favour authoritarian government. And nearly half of young men think women have been given too many rights. Youtuber JimmyTheGiant joins the pod to tell us ab…

1
Jake Labhart of In Extremis Performance 1:34:16

5M ago1:34:16

1:34:16

In this episode I talk with the founder of In Extremis Performance, Jake Labhart, a former airborne infantryman and D1 collegiate football player with a PhD in physical therapy. We talk about training movement for the tactical athlete and programming training in the law enforcement and military spaces.…

1
Trump 2.0: Fear and Loathing in DC 52:51

5M ago52:51

52:51

A trigger warning for progressives: this episode contains explicit Trump content. Nish and Coco’s nightmare begins with inauguration Trump meme coins, grinning tech bros and disputed Nazi salutes. Then comes the blizzard of executive orders targeting migrants and freeing rioters. But this is not just a bad dream for our liberal hosts. This is the r…

1
AJ Zito: The 1911 Whisperer 1:05:44

5M ago1:05:44

1:05:44

In this episode we talk all things 1911/2011. Shooting them, setting them up, and building them. Plus, why AJ, Tim Herron and I are the cast from Lord of the Rings.By Matthew Little

1
Facts versus F-wits: how to fight the Alt Reich 56:09

5M ago56:09

56:09

Artificial intelligence will be “mainlined into the veins” of the nation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared, with a multibillion-pound investment and huge public rollout. Amid bond market chaos and a falling pound, the Government is pinning its hopes for growth on the AI revolution - what could possibly go wrong? To unpick the technogobledig…

1
Cliff Byerly and the Warrior’s Life 1:10:26

5M ago1:10:26

1:10:26

In this episode I talk with Brazilian Jujitsu black belt and retired LAPD SWAT cop Cliff Byerly about the realities of martial arts training and the value of being not just a practitioner of your craft but a scholar of it as well.By Matthew Little

1
Billionaire BS: How can Britain Stop Musk’s Disinformation? 51:10

6M ago51:10

51:10

Happy New Year - is 2025 going to be the year of disinformation? Elon Musk started in attack mode with a flood of vitriolic and false tweets about UK grooming gangs. In Musk’s crosshairs: Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. He accused them both of cover ups. Can Nish and Coco survive a year of Musk madness - the man who already ma…

1
Scott Jedlinski of Modern Samurai Project 57:30

6M ago57:30

57:30

On today’s episode, I talk with Scott Jedlinski about his training for shooting, his background as a martial artist, and whether you should be a performer or a craftsman.By Matthew Little

1
Rob Epifania: The More You Give, The More You Get 58:17

6M ago58:17

58:17

In this episode, I talk with Rob Epifania about finding your own best technique, grip tension and fast splits, and how the more you give the more you get.By Matthew Little

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