Barbell Shrugged

This week on Barbell Shrugged we chat with Joel Jamieson, leading expert on combat sport training and founder of 8WeeksOut.com. If Joel’s name rings a bell that’s because he’s the author of Ultimate MMA Conditioning, which made ourtop 10 list of books that every Crossfitter should read. He’s also the creator of the BioForce HRV Training Management System, an awesome tool that uses heart rate variability as a measure of fatigue and training readiness. If you’re interested in performance then you really should be considering HRV. Why not? Great programming is all about balance. You have to know when to push forward, and when to back down so you can live to fight another day. Keeping the balance that makes extraordinary results and sustained progress possible. But that’s easier said than done. Without a clear measure of readiness it’s really easy to push too hard, too soon. Any coach or athlete worth their weight in chalk expects to see great results. They are driven to succeed, they are quickly drawn towards high intensity and fancy tools because that’s what the best use, right? Right, but rushing towards that result is the easiest mistake to make. The only thing it gets you is a weak and unsound foundation, poor mechanics, probably injury, and inevitably, a quick and messy exit from the sport you enjoy. We can do better than that. The coach and athlete have to communicate and understand all the gaps in the game up front. They have to take the time and cultivate the base before things get intense and the fancy toys come out. From there the push can build and build, but not without careful monitoring. Every stress has to be considered, every addition to the training program must be accounted for. That’s what makes measures such as heart rate variability so damn useful. It’s an early warning to correct course before the rush takes hold, before the wear, tear and bad habits really start to set in. Without that data programming is only educated guesses and serial assumptions. Be honest, assess status, progress slowly, get all the data you can, then regulate the plan. Be honest, quantify it. That’s the quickest path to improved performance. Cheers,Chris Moore

w/Michelle Kinney and Mike McGoldrick

Interview w/ former CF Games atheltes

The impact of CrossFit

5/3/1 by Jim Wendler explained

Snatch, Clean, and Jerk chit chat!

Christmas Abbott Christmas Special!

One of our most sought out topics from our fans finally gets its own episode!

Train your mind and body to go faster

What your lifting numbers should look like to be competitive.

Dominating the CrossFit Open this year.

Prepare to laugh!

Fu Barbell coach and founder Diane Fu joins us to discuss weightlifting!

K-Star, mobility guru and human performance expert joins the show this week!

Snatch, Clean & Jerk. When it comes to these lifts Greg is one of the most respected minds in the sport. We traveled to Sunnyvale, CA to visit Greg's gym Catalyst Athletics to interview him and his wife Aimee.

Rich Froning, Jason Khalipa, Ben Smith and Matt Chan join the podcast to talk about the CrossFit Invitational: Team USA vs Team World.

Interview w/ Miranda Oldroyd

Interview w/ NorCal CrossFit's Garret Fisher

The Shrugged crew joins freestyle movement expert and former gymnast at his home gym San Francisco CrossFit and talks about how to make your movement sexy.

The side of Jason Khalipa you don't see.

Filmed in front of a live audience, the Barbell Shrugged crew is joined by CrossFit Endurance coach Brian Mackenzie.

A list of 10 training books Crossfitters should read!

On this episode of the Barbell Shrugged podcast the crew is joined by 3-time CrossFit Games athlete Michelle Kinney to talk about her epic comback story and return to the 2013 Games.

Everything you ever wanted to know about CrossFit's most popular benchmark WOD "Fran". It's 21-15-9 of Thrusters and Pullups. Our guest Max El-Hag programs for many regionals and games athletes, and in this episode dissects Fran to show you where your can make improvements to improve your next Fran time.

On this episode of Barbell Shrugged we are joined by 6-month muscle gain coach Alex Maclin to discuss the most common olympic weightlifting mistakes we see and how to fix them.

On this episode of the Barbell Shrugged podcast we break down the Deadlift. We talk about all the different variations, how to use them to increase strength, how to avoid injuring your back, and more!

This week on Barbell Shrugged we interview national champion weightlifter and 2-time olympian Kendrick Farris and 3-time CrossFit games athlete Aja Barto at the 2013 CrossFit games!

Are you consistently left injured or achey after a CrossFit workout? Are you sick of not being able to train because of shoulder, knee, wrist, or ankle pain? To discover the best ways to prevent and avoid injury, this episode of the Barbell Shrugged podcast goes deep on the subject with chiropractor Dr. Brad Cole. You'll learn why focusing on mobility is simply not enough if you want to make big progress in the gym. We'll also teach you the one thing you're probably not focused on that will prevent frequent injury and allow you to train more often.

Do you want the ability to squat a "legit" amount of weight? Are you sick of seeing everyone else in the gym out squat you? To discover how a beginner, intermediate, and advanced athlete can improve their squat, this episode of the Barbell Shrugged podcast goes where most CrossFitters don't dare go: Powerlifting. You'll learn the best set and rep ranges for your current level of ability. You'll learn about chains and bands and why you would use them. You'll also learn about specialty bars and how they can help you squat if you're injured or lack mobility.

Are you consistently blown away by Rich Froning's performances at the CrossFit Games? Do you wonder how fit you would be if you could train all day everyday? To learn more about the 2-time CrossFit Games champion and reigning "Fittest Man on Earth", the Barbell Shrugged crew traveled to Rich's hometown of Cookeville, TN for this episode of the Barbell Shrugged podcast. Rich shares his thoughts about the upcoming 2013 CrossFit Games which is only days away. You'll learn why the ability to train "whenever you want" is only part of the equation to becoming an elite athlete. You'll also learn why Rich is in talks with NASA, why he's able to eat Donuts, and more about his "side job" as a repo man!