BarBend Podcast

Today I'm talking to Pro Strongwoman Inez Carrasquillo. After a short, record-setting powerlifting career, Carrasquillo turned her focus to strongwoman and almost immediately began turning heads. In under three years, she rose through the ranks and earned her pro card with a hallmark victory at the Arnold Sports Festival. Now, she has her sights set on taking on — and beating — the sport's absolute best.

Here's a super-popular episode from the archives, and definitely one of our most listenable of all time. Jordan Syatt is a record-setting powerlifter and content producer who’s best known to many as Gary Vaynerchuk’s personal trainer. We sit down to talk about sacrificing everything to reach lifting goals, the psychological components of fitness, and the number one thing everyone in fitness can do to improve their communication skills. Jordan also shares a personal story of how Westside Barbell kept him from dropping out of college.

Today I'm talking to Steven Koontz, best known online as RhinoStrength. Steven has made a name for himself with some pretty epic displays of old-timey and unconventional strength (80+kg bent presses, anyone?). And a big reason Steven pushes his limits is to challenge the notion of strength being static, boring, or easily defined. Steven is a musician and artist by training, and our conversation focuses on how strength sports and lifting can act as self expression. Could it even be an art form?

Today I’m talking to my friend Angela Gargano, who is a bit of an “OG” in the fitness space. She’s competed on American Ninja Warrior multiple times, earned the title of Miss Fitness USA, and she’s also a serial fitness entrepreneur. She joins me from Austin, Texas, which just might be the best city in America for fitness pros and enthusiasts alike. Let’s find out why.

Today, I’m joined for the second time by Tommy DeFea, one half of Massenomics. They make memes, they sell apparel, they record a podcast, and mostly, they don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s definitely the best multimedia strength sports company from Western North East South Dakota. We talk smelling salts, lifting jorts, and a lot of other stuff that would never touch a normal strength sports podcast. Hope you enjoy.

Today we’re bringing back one of the most popular guests in BarBend history — record-breaking powerlifter Joe Sullivan. Joe joins us for the second time to talk about training, overcoming injury, and why elite strength athletes are probably not the best health role models. He also gives his thoughts on how to bring more unity to the powerlifting world, and whether or not the sport can shift to an abundance mindset instead of focusing on scarcity.

Here's a popular one from our archives: Today we’re talking to Josh Clemente, Founder and President of Levels, a company producing wearable tech so users can track blood glucose in real time to maximize diet and exercise results. Josh is a veteran of both SpaceX and Hyperloop One, and his background is in designing life support systems for the next generation of space exploration. In today’s episode, we discuss how that work inspired Josh to found Levels, why metabolic responses can vary so differently from one person to the next even with the same food, and what this means for actionable insights into strength and performance.

Today I’m talking to powerlifter and coach Daniel DeBrocke, Director Of Education at Kabuki Strength. He’s also a writer for Breaking Muscle, a website in the BarBend network, so I’m obviously a huge fan of his writing! Daniel is one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever encountered when it comes to athlete prep and programming for competition. In today’s episode, we dive deep on programming for powerlifting, including the sometimes-unexpected changes that occur when progressing from beginner to intermediate to advanced. Daniel drops some real knowledge bombs in this episode, great for athletes and coaches alike!First, a quick word from today’s sponsor. Organifi is a line of organic superfood blends that offers plant-based nutrition made with high-quality ingredients. Each Organifi blend is science-backed to craft the most effective doses with ingredients that are organic and free of fillers and contain less than 3g of sugar per serving. Take Organifi Red Juice as an example: It’s formulated to recharge your mind and body with a delicious superfood berry blend of premium, organic superfoods that contain potent adaptogens, antioxidants and a clinical dose of cordyceps. It’s designed to promote energy with zero caffeine and only 2 grams of sugar.Go to www.organifi.com/barbend and use code BarBend for 20% off your order.

Today I’m talking to Andrew Gutman, BarBend’s Editor-In-Chief. Andrew has joined the BarBend Podcast before, but this time, we’re talking about something a bit different: The future of strength content. What will the industry look like in 5, 10, or even 20 years? And what was it like (for both of us) to witness the downfall of print in fitness journalism? We look into the past to try and see the future — and that means predictions about everything from BarBend itself to fitness influencers. Let’s see what comes true!First, a quick word from today's sponsor. Organifi is a line of organic superfood blends that offers plant-based nutrition made with high-quality ingredients. Each Organifi blend is science-backed to craft the most effective doses with ingredients that are organic and free of fillers and contain less than 3g of sugar per serving. Take Organifi Red Juice as an example: It’s formulated to recharge your mind and body with a delicious superfood berry blend of premium, organic superfoods that contain potent adaptogens, antioxidants and a clinical dose of cordyceps. It’s designed to promote energy with zero caffeine and only 2 grams of sugar.

Today I’m talking to kettlebell sport world champion and Master of Sport Juan Pellot. Spoiler alert: Juan is actually my coach, and I interact with him pretty darn regularly. But we’re flipping the script this time, and I’m asking Juan to dive deep on the differences between kettlebells as a training tool versus contested sport, and why the latter — a sport popular in Eastern Europe — has taken so long to catch on in the Western world. And does a kettlebell sport set really feel like doing the CrossFit workout Fran for 10 minutes straight?

Today we have one from our archives, one of the most popular episodes in BarBend Podcast history: PGA Tour Pro Scott Stallings. Scott joins us to talk about how discovering CrossFit and functional fitness impacted his golf game. Scott has trained with some of the fitness world’s biggest stars, and he’s got stories you simply don’t want to miss. First, a quick word from today’s sponsor. Organifi is a line of organic superfood blends that offers plant-based nutrition made with high-quality ingredients. Each Organifi blend is science-backed to craft the most effective doses with ingredients that are organic and free of fillers and contain less than 3g of sugar per serving. Take Organifi Red Juice as an example: It’s formulated to recharge your mind and body with a delicious superfood berry blend of premium, organic superfoods that contain potent adaptogens, antioxidants and a clinical dose of cordyceps. It’s designed to promote energy with zero caffeine and only 2 grams of sugar.Go to www.organifi.com/barbend and use code BarBend for 20% off your order.

Today I’m talking to trainer, writer, and podcast Tom MacCormick. A writer for sites like Breaking Muscle and BarBend — but hey, I’m biased — Tom is a veteran of the strength and conditioning industry. But one thing he’s best known for online is helping people harness the power of mini cuts — targeted, specific periods of concentrated fat loss — that Tom says can actually help long-term muscle-building and strength goals. Tom joins us to explain how mini-cuts can be adapted to almost any training environment, along with tips on how to balance nutritional parameters with in-gym progress.Organifi is a line of organic superfood blends that offers plant-based nutrition made with high-quality ingredients. Each Organifi blend is science-backed to craft the most effective doses with ingredients that are organic and free of fillers and contain less than 3g of sugar per serving. Take Organifi Red Juice as an example: It’s formulated to recharge your mind and body with a delicious superfood berry blend of premium, organic superfoods that contain potent adaptogens, antioxidants and a clinical dose of cordyceps. It’s designed to promote energy with zero caffeine and only 2 grams of sugar.Go to www.organifi.com/barbend and use code BarBend for 20% off your order.

Today I’m talking to legendary fitness researcher and bodybuilding Dr. Jim Stoppani. When it comes to influencers in the space, Dr. Stoppani’s resume is almost unparalleled. He’s an active research scientist who has also spent decades in fitness publishing. And he’s a straight shooter, not afraid to separate fact from fiction and to admit when the research is still coming up short on topics in strength. Stoppani joins us to talk about everything from training myths to protein requirements as we age. Don’t miss out on this conversation with one of the most knowledgeable people in strength. Before we get into that, I want to give a quick shoutout to today’s episode sponsor, Colter Dillon. Do you struggle finding a t-shirt that fits as well as that ONE t you loved until it wore out? Do you wish a standard medium was JUST a little bit longer, or maybe a large wasn’t so baggy for you? Then you’ve got to check out Colter Dillon. They personalize the fit for YOU, and they have tons of color options — you can even personalize artwork on the shirt! They deliver your perfect t-shirt every time. Check out Colter Dillon today.

Today I’m talking to multi-time CrossFit Games athlete Emma McQuaid, who just qualified for the 2022 Games. The Irish athlete has a length background in sports but didn’t find CrossFit until she was 24 years old. Now in her 30s, McQuaid talks about her background in quad bike racing — ATV racing in American slang — how it both helped and hurt her career in elite fitness competition. Before we get into that, I want to give a quick shoutout to today’s episode sponsor, Colter Dillon. Do you struggle finding a t-shirt that fits as well as that ONE t you loved until it wore out? Do you wish a standard medium was JUST a little bit longer, or maybe a large wasn’t so baggy for you? Then you’ve got to check out Colter Dillon. They personalize the fit for YOU, and they have tons of color options — you can even personalize artwork on the shirt! They deliver your perfect t-shirt every time. Check out Colter Dillon today.

Today I’m talking to Canadian strongman phenom Mitchell Hooper. After just a few short years of elite strongman competition, Hooper burst into the conversation by qualifying for the World’s Strongest Man final in his first year at that competition — a meteoric rise in the sport. Now, he has his sights set on more, including world record deadlifts. Mitchell joints the podcast to talk about his broader professional and wellness goes, and he also explains how we made the progression from marathon runner to world’s strongest man contender in under 5 years.Before we get into that, I want to give a quick shoutout to today’s episode sponsor, Athletic Greens. I first tried Athletic Greens back in 2012. It was already a massively popular daily supplement, and since then, they’ve undergone dozens of formulation tweaks, each an improvement on the last. It’s the rare all-in-one greens supplement that’s NSF-certified — a must for competitive athletes — and also tastes delicious (I’m probably a bit biased because I love the subtle notes of pineapple and vanilla). Interested in trying it? Visit athleticgreens.com/barbend to get a free gift with your purchase.

Today I’m talking to Lucy Campbell, a CrossFit athlete who just became the second British Woman in history to qualify as an Elite Individual for the CrossFit Games. A former gymnast and swimmer, Lucy rose to the highest level of CrossFit competition after barely five years in the sport. What about that athletic background helped her progress so quickly? And as a former gymnast, why were things like handstand push-ups still so challenging? I hope you enjoy my conversation with a rising star in the sport of fitness.Do you struggle finding a t-shirt that fits as well as that ONE t you loved until it wore out? Do you wish a standard medium was JUST a little bit longer, or maybe a large wasn’t so baggy for you? Then you’ve got to check out Colter Dillon. They personalize the fit for YOU, and they have tons of color options — you can even personalize artwork on the shirt! They deliver your perfect t-shirt every time. Check out Colter Dillon.

Today I’m talking to BarBend News Editor Phil Blechman. Phil is covering the 2022 World’s Strongest Man contest live on the ground in Sacramento, California. We’re recording this podcast on the Friday before the World’s Strongest Man final, so while we know the 10 finalists, we don’t know how the podium will shake out. Phil gives insights into the top stories and surprises from this year, including a firsthand look at how weather and event conditions impact the competitors. Do you struggle finding a t-shirt that fits as well as that ONE t you loved until it wore out? Do you wish a standard medium was JUST a little bit longer, or maybe a large wasn’t so baggy for you? Then you’ve got to check out Colter Dillon. They personalize the fit for YOU, and they have tons of color options — you can even personalize artwork on the shirt! They deliver your perfect t-shirt every time. Check out Colter Dillon.

Today I'm talking to accountant, stats guru, and CrossFitter Tyler Watkins. He's on a mission to help identify where competitive CrossFit — which is still a very, very young sport — can level the playing field to be a more holistic, consistent, and fair test of fitness. Beyond Tia-Clair Toomey winning every year, how can organizers and programmers really set out to find the fittest athletes? Tyler takes a numbers-based approach, and his learnings are relevant to any fan of strength sports — CrossFit, weightlifting, powerlifting, you name it!Today's podcast is brought to you by Colter Dillon, makers of custom cut-and-sewn t-shirts to give you that perfect fit each and every time. Get 25% off with code BARBEND.

Here's a great one from the archives: Weightlifter, coach, and YouTuber Zack Telander joins us to talk about transitioning back and forth between CrossFit and weightlifting. Zack also talks about setting realistic goals for weightlifting athletes, along with changing the paradigm of which sports are “worth it” in American culture. Zack also gives his thoughts on dealing with weightlifting data and the most underrated coach in American weightlifting.

Today I'm talking to CrossFit athlete Khan Porter, an Australian native who's competed in the CrossFit Games as both an individual and on a team. One of the sport's most durable stars, Khan had a choice for the 2022 season: Find a new training environment to make yet another run at Individual competition, or form a team in Australia. But on Christmas 2021, a third path opened up: legendary athlete Annie Thorisdottir invited Khan to live and train with her team in Iceland. Now part of CrossFit's newest super team, Khan joins us to talk about optimizing your training environment and how to continue improving after nearly a decade in the sport of functional fitness.

Today I’m talking to a friend I’ve had the pleasure of working with for years. JP Nicoletta is USA Weightlifting’s Coaching Education Manager, and he’s perhaps even better known internationally as being one of the sport’s most accomplished color commentators. JP has pushed the boundaries of what weightlifting broadcasts can do to inform and make the sport more accessible for viewers. He’s also called some of history’s most impactful lifts and world records. We chat about what good commentary can do for strength sports and what’s next in the world of weightlifting broadcasts.

Today I'm talking to Andrew Gutman, BarBend's Editor-in-Chief, a veteran of numerous fitness publications. We're giving you tips and tricks on how to network your way into this industry, whether you want to contribute as a writer, editor, videographer, designer, you name it. We cover some of our best insights into how to get involved with outlets like BarBend (and maybe even some of our esteemed competitors in the fitness journalism space).

If you’ve heard breaking news out of the strongman world in the past couple of years, chances are it came from one of two sources: BarBend.com, or someone named Matt Rhodes. Matt has the inside track to the highest levels of strongman competition and often gets news about athletes and events before, well, almost anyone else. We talk about how a love of strongman turned into a growing media footprint that includes interviews with champions, breaking news, and frank discussions a lot of interviewers are scared to dive into. If you’re a fan of grassroots sports coverage — especially when it comes to strength — Matt’s story is one you won’t want to miss.

Today we're talking to Griffin and Jarika Shaffer, the husband/wife duo behind fitness meme (mostly CrossFit meme) producer Chalk Llamas. We chat about not taking fitness or lifting too seriously, sourcing ideas for memes in the dustiest corners of the most mysterious gyms, and how Griffin turned a love of digital humor into a full-time gig making memes for CrossFit Inc. It's the strength meme story just crazy enough to be true.

One from our archives: Kevin Oak has held multiple all-time powerlifting world records throughout his career. Currently, he holds the 242 lb raw all-time world record for the squat with his recent 860 lb lift. Outside of powerlifting, Kevin also owns his own apparel business, Barbell Commission. In today’s episode we chat with Kevin about a variety of topics including his pre world record mindset, what his next epics feats of strength will be, and much more.

Our guest today needs almost no introduction. Mat Fraser is a 5-time CrossFit Games Champion. He has a lengthy background in strength sports as a youth weightlifter, all the way through to the fittest man in history. I've known Mat for years, before he was a CrossFit Games Champion, and it's awesome to finally get him on this podcast. We talk about everything from nutrition to his eating habits as a weightlifter and goals in the sport, transitioning to CrossFit, training without knowing what was really going on in functional fitness, all the way through today. These days, he runs HWPO (Hard Work Pays Off), a training and coaching empire.

Today we're joined (for the second time) by pro strongman Gabe Peña. Gabe has come a long way since we last chatted. In his World's Strongest Man debut as an alternate, Gabe had to withdraw due to an irregular heartbeat. Now, after an unexpected but very manageable medical diagnosis, Gabe is heading back to WSM, but as a full-fledged competitor. He's also an accomplished event organizer and recently put on South Texas' first-ever Pro-Am Strongman Contest.

Today we're talking to Doctor of Physical Therapy and trainer Dr. Bo Babenko. Bo has worn many hats in fitness over the past decade: physical therapist, triathlete, CrossFit Regionals competitor, and more. Our conversation focuses heavily on what’s changed about physical therapy and recovery during Bo’s career so far, along with the most common myths and misconceptions when it comes to injury recovery. We’ll get right to it, because this is one episode that can be useful to just about anyone who strength trains.

Today I’m talking to chef, entrepreneur, and athlete Dan Churchill. Dan has been featured on MasterChef Australia, Good Morning America, the Food Network, and more. He’s also the mastermind behind the restaurant Charley Street in NYC. He also has a masters in exercise science. Dan exists at an interesting nexus between fitness and nutrition, and today, he joins us to talk about fueling for performance based on your lifestyle and goals.

Today I’m talking to legendary rapper, songwriter, and actor Ice-T. Since his origins in the underground rap scene of the 1980s to his long-term stint on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ice-T has been a cultural force in America for as long as many of us have been alive. But one thing a lot of people might not know is his passion for fitness. In his youth, Ice-T was a competitive gymnast and fan of physical culture, and now in his 60s, he’s exercising often twice per day.

Today I’m talking to Adam Sedlack, CEO of UFC Gym. Adam has had an amazing rise through the ranks of gyms. He started as an entry-level employee at a brick and mortar gym, then became a trainer, and from there he spent years working his way to management as he learned every in and out of the gym business. Now, he’s CEO of a gym conglomerate with over 150 locations worldwide — and they’re still growing! Adam joins us to talk about how the fitness industry has changed, separating fad from lasting trend, and how people will train in the near future.

Today I’m talking to a repeat guest on the BarBend Podcast, Fergus Crawley. Fergus is a multi-discipline endurance and strength athlete known for combining the two into unique physical challenges. His latest was “600Sixty” — a 600-kilogram raw powerlifting total followed by a sub-six-hour 60-kilometer ultramarathon.We catch up with Fergus to talk about what it takes to train for both elite strength and endurance, including how his protocols have shifted in the past two years to balance the various demands of these unique challenges.

Today I’m talking to Dr. Dena Garner, professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, the Director of Undergraduate Research and the Assistant Provost for Research and Policy at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Garner is best known in some fitness circles for her work with performance mouthpieces, including helping to develop the technology behind the AIRWAAV mouthpiece. In today’s episode, Dr. Garner joins us to talk about the complex — and in my opinion, truly fascinating — mechanisms through which something as seemingly simple as a mouthpiece can improve athletic recovery and performance. And it’s far from what I expected.I should take a second to mention this podcast is sponsored by, you guessed it, AIRWAAV, performance mouthpiece engineered for serious athletes who demand serious results. Backed by 15 years of research conducted with athletes at cadets at The Citadel - the AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece offers a more efficient way for high-intensity and endurance athletes — including lifters — to open their airways and optimize their performance. Learn more at airwaav.com.

Today I’m talking to Sammy Moniz, an athlete, chef, and now cookbook author perhaps best known as the mastermind behind Feeding the Frasers. Sammy joins us to talk about her path in nutrition, developing recipes, and cooking to fuel performance with her long-term partner and 5-time Fittest Man on Earth Mat Fraser.

Bodybuilder Kevin Malone joins us to talk about finding competition later in life and how his bodybuilding career took off around his mid-40s. We talk about Kevin's focus on compound movements and heavy weights for hypertrophy, and how consistency is ultimately key to success in aesthetic sports. Kevin is proof that a long-term outlook paired with a competition-centric mindset may promote the best results!

Today I'm talking to strongman (and 90kg World's Strongest Man) Nicolai Myers. Nicolai is also the winner of America's Strongest Veteran. We discuss being a strongman in a sport more often associated with giants, and how he capitalizes on his strengths to win competitions that might include some of his weaker individual events. We also talk about Nicolai's training, sport-specific movements for strongman, and a lot more.

Today I'm catching up with American weightlifter Mary Theisen-Lappen. A former collegiate thrower (track & field), Mary found weightlifting about four years ago through a USA Weightlifting recruitment program. Since then, she's made astounding progress in the sport and is now one of the top lifters in the country. She's also a Pan American Champion breathing down the neck of the American women's record clean & jerk. We talk about her rapid progress in the sport, "thrower cleans," and why Mary thinks it pays to be frank about your goals in the sport — even if they're lofty.

Today I'm chatting with a repeat guest on the BarBend Podcast: Powerlifter turned (now professional) bodybuilding competitor Amanda Kohatsu. Amanda originally made a name for herself in strength through her powerlifting accomplishments. But about a year and a half ago, she decided to take a break from competitive squat, bench, and deadlift to enter a new athletic arena: Figure and physique competition. Barely 18 months into her bodybuilding journey, Amanda earned victories and pro cards in BOTH bodybuilding categories, making her one of that discipline's most promising new competitors. We talk about her recent journey and compare powerlifting and bodybuilding stereotypes (sometimes to hilarious ends).

Margaux Alvarez is a 7-time CrossFit Games athlete, long drive competitor, coach, and wine entrepreneur. She's one of the most multi-talented personalities in fitness, and her future in CrossFit — and beyond — is something we had to learn more about. We sit down with Margaux to talk about training across multiple sports, strength training for golf long drive competitions, her future in athletics, balancing wine with recovery, and more.

Today I'm chatting with strongman Rob Kearney, who joins the BarBend Podcast for a second time. Rob has been through a lot in the past two years, including a tricep rupture on an American Log Press record attempt, as well as a testicular cancer diagnosis. Rob joins the podcast to talk about his injury, illness, and road to recovery, including returning to the competition floor at the 2021 Rogue Invitational.

Today on the BarBend Podcast, we welcome two of the BarBend Team's finest: Managing Editor Andrew Gutman and Senior Writer Phil Blechman. We dive into our favorite strength stories, feats, records, and competitions of 2021, then look ahead at the big stories to come in 2022. Did we include any of your favorite moments?

Hey folks, we have a short and sweet one for you. Today I’m talking to American weightlifter Hampton Morris. Just 17 years old, Hampton has an athletic resume that is nothing short of jaw-dropping. He was 2 World, 10 Pan American, and 16 American weightlifting records, and he’s the 2021 Pan American Senior Champion and 2021 Youth World Champion. We chat about Hampton’s meteoric rise in the sport, the unorthodox accessory movements in his training, and more.

Heather Connor is a 2-time IPF World Champion and the first female IPF powerlifter to deadlift 4 times her bodyweight raw. Heather joins us to talk about the injury that sidelined her for nearly a year, along with why it’s so easy for lifters to ignore the signs of significant underlying injuries and issues. We also chat about Heather’s goals in the sport, what big money competitions could mean for powerlifting’s future, and an unorthodox weight gaining strategy. Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded before it was announced the SBD Sheffield 2020 Powerlifting Championships would be canceled due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.

Today I’m talking to weightlifter, CrossFitter, pro strongman, financial advisor, and coach Graciano Rubio, best known online as the Wall Street Weightlifter. He’s also the owner of CrossFit Valley View. In today’s episode, we discuss his strength background and why you should treat training like an investment portfolio — especially when it comes to something called stop loss. Along the way, I also get on a high horse about competing. You’ll just have to listen to find out more.

Today I’m talking to powerlifter Andy Huang, perhaps better known online as That Huge Asian Guy. Andy has put up some of the world’s all-time great totals at 275 lbs bodyweight, and after battling several injuries, he recently came back to top competition form. Andy talks about finding powerlifting a bit later in life, and how his training approach has grown over the years. Andy also discusses the benefits of training with and around other world-class powerlifters, and how their mentality helps shape his own.

Today I’m talking to Donna Moore, a British legend in the sport of strongman and a three-time World’s Strongest Woman. Donna has been competing in strongman since 2012, and in today’s episode, she shares her unlikely origins in the sport — including a seemingly random competition through Facebook — as well as her future aspirations, which include competing in a completely different bodyweight category. Along the way, Donna shares some of her favorite and funniest competition stories and provides some insight into what it takes to start from the beginning and work your way to the tippy top of a strength sport.

Today we have a rare repeat podcast guest, James Fitzgerald. James was the first-ever men’s champion at the CrossFit Games – back in 2007 — and since then he’s built a reputation as one of the fitness industry’s most thoughtful and prolific coaches. His company OPEX offers a variety of online coaching and education resources, which gives James nearly-unparalleled insight into macro trends in fitness. But our conversation here goes deeper than the latest and greatest in working out. James gets candid about discussing how the question “why do we work out?” has more flawed answers than honesty. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the philosophy of exercise, training, and the human condition, this is certainly an episode we hope you’ll enjoy.

From the BarBend Podcast archives: Jen Widerstrom rose to the national spotlight as a star on "American Gladiators," but after the show was canceled, a career in the fitness industry didn't happen overnight. We talk with Jen about behind-the-scenes stories from "Gladiators," finding footing as a coach and trainer, and eventually becoming one of Hollywood's got-to trainers for TV and shows like "The Biggest Loser." What's it like to coach Kevin Hart and Conan O'Brien? Jen gives us the details, along with the incredibly fit celebrities you might not expect.

Today I’m talking to legendary strongman competitor Laurence Shahlaei, better known in the strength community as Big Loz. Loz has a storied strongman career, having competed in more than 10 World’s Strongest Man competitions, winning Britain’s Strongest Man twice, winning Europe’s strongest man, and racking up more podium finishes in the sport than we can list in this intro. He’s since made a successful transition over to sports commentary and is building one of the strength sports world’s fastest-growing communities on YouTube and through his work bringing competitor insight to live events.

Today I’m talking to strongman Adam Bishop, the reigning Britain’s Strongest Man (as of this podcast’s publication). After playing rugby at a high level, Adam became a strength and conditioning coach for professional rugby players. It was only in the past couple of years that he was able to focus full-time on training for strongman, and his results have skyrocketed. Now a three-time World’s Strongest Man finalist, Adam talks about his evolution in the sport, along with the athletes he sees as his closest rivals.