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Matt and Scott discuss several ways to modify linear progression for senior trainees. Seniors have many challenges to overcome when they first start training with barbells: low muscle and bone mass, low testosterone levels, obesity (others have very low bodyweight), lack of mobility in their joints, and a general state of deconditioning. Consequently, seniors often get the best results by modifying the typical approach to linear progression. To start, Matt and Scott recommend senior lifters acquire a 15lbs barbell. While some lifters will be able to start squatting and deadlifting with a standard 45lbs bar, many will struggle to press a 45lbs bar. Some will require a 15lbs bar for all the lifts, so it's a useful tool to have in your arsenal. Discounts Never buy toilet paper again! Save 10% off any bidet or bidet accessory from Tushy by going to: https://hellotushy.com/logic Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Never buy toilet paper again! Save 10% off any bidet or bidet accessory from Tushy by going to: https://hellotushy.com/logic Get 50% off your first month of Standard, Premium OR Club plus a FREE gift card to help you build a home gym. Use code "april20" at checkout right here -- limited time only. Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, Director of Curriculum at Precision Nutrition, discuss a challenge many are facing right now -- practicing good nutrition habits in this time of crisis. With families locked down and cutoff from their normal eating and exercise schedules, some have struggled to make healthy food choices. Dr. Scott-Dixon offers some advice for staying grounded, nutritionally and mentally, while on coronavirus lockdown. Krista's tips: Write down your intent for the day, at the beginning of each day. Krista actually likes to call it your commitment. This includes your to-do list, but it's not limited to it. A commitment could be something broad like, "I'm going to be supportive of someone else today," or "I'm going to be optimistic today." Committing to one small thing each day can help you build a more positive mindset. Develop a structure, with small habits. Pick one small thing everyday that you can do to create a sense of order and structure to your day. It can be something as simple as "I'm going to eat lunch at 12:00pm today." Constructing your routine slowly results in lasting habit changes. Think like a restaurant, and set hours for your kitchen. Krista closes her kitchen between the hours of 2 and 4pm, because in her experience, no good snack decisions are made then! It's only two hours, she says, so you can hold out until dinner. Create a feedback loop for evaluating your day. Every day, spend a bit of time analyzing what went well (don't focus on the struggles) and why. Then try to do a little more of that the next day. By bookending your day with a statement of intent and then an evaluation of the positives, you can learn to stay positive and bring some order to an otherwise chaotic world. You can find Dr. Krista at: Precision Nutrition: https://www.precisionnutrition.com Coalition of Health and Fitness Leaders: https://healthandfitnesscoalition.com Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl: https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X Discounts Get 50% off your first month of Standard, Premium OR Club plus a FREE gift card to help you build a home gym. Use code "april20" at checkout right here -- limited time only. Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Productivity expert and YouTuber Thomas Frank joins the podcast to discuss strategies for working at home without sacrificing efficiency and productivity. Since many listeners are currently stuck at home during the lockdown, unable to work at their normal office, Matt invited Thomas to help us all make the most out of our "new normal." The first thing Thomas recommends is creating separation and isolation for your workspace. If possible, designate a room for your office space. If that's not possible, designate a space for work (more on that below). This space should reflect it's purpose (work) and therefore be clean and clutter free. Discuss with your family and come to an agreement about what kind of behavior and interruptions are acceptable while you are working. If you don't have an entire room to dedicate to work, try to at least set up a desk that only gets used for work. Even if you don't have space for a permanent desk, set up a folding table at the same time everyday and dedicate that to work. Face your desk away from the rest of your family and possessions (especially the TV!), so you have less visual distractions while you're working. Thomas follows the "20 second rule" to incentivize good habits and disincentives bad ones. The concept behind the rule is that starting anything requires a certain amount of "activation energy," that is, the amount of time and effort required to start a given task. If you have something you want to do more of, make it easy to access and quick to start. Ideally, you should be able to start the task or activity in 20 seconds or less. Conversely, for the things you want to do less of -- perhaps video games, surfing the internet, or other non-productive activities -- make them as inconvenient as possible to start. Working in the same space, especially small home offices, can get monotonous. Thomas suggests breaking up your day by taking walks outside. Not only is the walk physically and mentally refreshing, it also serves as a nice divider between tasks, allowing you to "context switch" more efficiently and with less procrastination. Thomas also recommends managing sound in your workspace. Sound is an involuntary sense. It's always on, and you don't get to choose what you hear, unless you block it out. He recommends getting a good pair of sound canceling headphones to reduce noise and auditory distractions while you are working. Decision fatigue is another challenge of working from home. At home you have to make every decision about the day — when to eat, when to take breaks, when lunch happens, etc. Those who are accustomed to working in an office, which operates on it's own schedule (open and closing hours, set lunch hours at the cafeteria, etc), may find the lack of structure in their home fatiguing as they have to manage decisions that were previously taken care of. Setting a schedule and sticking to it can mitigate this fatigue. To that end, Thomas likes to rely on an external system for accountability. If you work for someone else, you probably have a manager, and thus someone to hold you accountable for your productivity. If you work for yourself, you have to create a boss, so to speak. Thomas likes to use a white board or scheduling system to plan the order and priority of his tasks for the day, then go execute them. Without that planning step, he often finds himself procrastinating and finishing things last minute. Limit your list. Don't dump everything you want to do on there, just the important things to accomplish today. If you add too many things to the list, and you don't accomplish them, then it's easy to go several days without crossing everything off the list. This obscures your daily work capacity and makes it difficult to determine how to schedule work in the future. It's also disheartening to see a seemingly never-ending list, never get shorter! Thomas prefers to tackle the biggest item on the list first. That way he knows he's getting work done on the highest priority task in case there are unexpected interruptions during the day. Matt follows a similar strategy, but allows himself the first hour of the day to take care of the smallest, easiest tasks on his list. This gives him the satisfaction of crossing off several things on the list, while he's waking up and his brain is getting ready for deeper, more creative work. You can follow Thomas Frank for many more productivity tips on his Youtube channel (check the links for his new Working from Home series), How to Set Up Your Workspace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMTxikrSe8g How to Plan Your Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWW7Q4eJr8w And more to come! College Info Geek Podcast: https://collegeinfogeek.com Thomas on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tomfrankly/ Discounts Get 50% off your first month of Standard, Premium OR Club plus a FREE gift card to help you build a home gym. Use code "april20" at checkout right here -- limited time only. Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email experience@b

David Puder, psychiatrist and host of the Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast, returns to the podcast to address the fear, anxiety, and chaos that many are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Puder explains how cognitive distortions can skew our perception of the world and influence our emotions, and offers some ways you can "put your thoughts on trial" and ground yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Some practical tips from Dr. Puder: Organize your house (literally). Many of us are living with more people in the house, more often, than usual, and that means mess accumulates quickly. Cleaning up your living room, your workspace, and other areas can have a positive impact on your brain function and reduce stress and anxiety. Start with cleaning a single room. Organize your physical body. If you haven't been training consistently, create a training schedule that fits your new normal and stick to it. If you're feeling anxious, try incorporating some cardiovascular exercise like brisk walks, bike rides, or jogs for its stress-relieving properties. Put your thoughts on trial by journaling (you can use Dr. Puder's 9-day Cognitive Distortion Journal in the link below) and reflecting on your thoughts. Learn to identify your cognitive distortions, rewrite your thoughts to be more accurate, and bring some stability to your moods. Limit your news intake, including "hot take" type programs in which you are watching anxious people talk about their anxieties. Allow yourself a little time to watch or read the news each day, and stick to that schedule. Create spiritual order in your life. If there are people you need to forgive in your life, or people you need to make amends to, look for ways you can use this time and space to do so. You can reflect on the Greek's concept of agape, selfless love, and look for ways you can serve other people in your life. Remember that selfless love is acted out for the benefit of the other person, not yourself, so your actions may not be reciprocated. That's ok, doing these things can help focus your mind and spirit on topics that are meaningful, rather than the dire projections of the 24-hour media. The COVID Cognitive Distortion Journal: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a0b24e0bff200118a898f2d/t/5e703c9171d82c71d189d565/1584413841876/9+day+journal+V003+COVID-19+.pdf You can follow Dr. Puder at the following links: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast @dr.davidpuder on Instagram @dr.davidpuder on Tik Tok Discounts Get 50% off your first month of Standard, Premium OR Club plus a FREE gift card to help you build a home gym. Use code "april20" at checkout right here -- limited time only. Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Get 50% off your first month of Standard, Premium OR Club plus a FREE gift card to help you build a home gym. Use code "april20" at checkout right here -- limited time only. Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Bert Sorin of Sorinex Exercise Equipment joins the podcast to discuss how Sorinex is helping in the battle against COVID-19. Sorinex has a long reputation as a top of the line equipment manufacturer, and you can find their equipment in serious strength gyms around the world -- professional sports team gym, college facilities, and high end commercial gyms. But as millions of people sit at home under lockdown due to the pandemic, Bert saw the need for helping people outfit home gyms, especially as many of the leading home gym manufacturers are currently sold out of equipment. So he and his team designed the OFF GRID Rack, a basic, inexpensive, no-frills rack that can be mounted in nearly any environment: garages, spare bedrooms, patios... they even tested it by bolting it to a couple trees! Sorinex is selling the OFF GRID rack as cheaply as possible, and donating all of the profits to the Coaches vs. COVID-19 fund. It's Bert and the company's way of helping the community stay strong, healthy, and in a positive mindset. You can purchase the OFF GRID rack at the Sorinex website, it's on the home page: https://www.sorinex.com/ Discounts Get 50% off your first month of Standard, Premium OR Club plus a FREE gift card to help you build a home gym. Use code "april20" at checkout right here -- limited time only. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

BLOC master coach Michael Wolf returns to the podcast to talk about the many ways you can turn a relatively spartan training environment into productive training. Like many people across the world, Wolf has been stuck in his apartment under lockdown due to COVID-19, with only a couple kettlebells and some loadable dumbbells to train with. So, Wolf has put together a series of progressively challenging kettlebell workouts you can do at home. You don't necessarily need kettlebells either! Wolf focuses on replicating the barbell lifts as closely as possible (after all, the big barbell lifts were created from major human movement patterns), using anything heavy that is available. Objects like sandbags, water jugs (full of course), heavy stones, duffel bags, etc. can be used to add weight to basic movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses. Matt and Wolf both agree that it's important, even when training with suboptimal implements, to focus on progression. Progression is what separates exercise from training, after all. If you can't make the object you're lifting heavier, look for ways to make the movement more difficult using leverage and balance. If you do have access to a kettlebell or dumbbell, Wolf has created a series of videos to teach you how to perform all of the basic movements and progress them. You can check them out on his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpCSjmwes23hKsrTNxB-og You can also follow Wolf on Instagram for more training tips @wolf_strength Discounts Use the discount code HOMEGYM when you sign up for Barbell Logic Online Coaching to receive a free $200 gift card to your equipment manufacturer of choice! Whether it's Rogue, EliteFTS, Titan, or other, BLOC wants to help you setup a home gym and keep your body strong and fit during the lockdown. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott reflect on the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and how it impacts everyday activities, including training. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Barbell Logic Coach and VP of Coaching Excellence, Andrew Jackson presented a lecture to students at the March 2020 Professional Barbell Coach (PBC) Seminar on what being a professional barbell coach means. Many aspiring coaches get caught up in the nuts and bolts of training, programming, teaching, and cueing, while neglecting the business side of their coaching -- finding a market, setting profitable price points, and identifying good customers. Andrew's lecture touches on all these points, and how the PBC certification helps prepare coaches for success on the platform and in the marketplace. You can download the slides from Andrew's presentation here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jsUSsyvv8d2YPF_6EQ7qaBWrJ7xmobv0 Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Continuing from Episode #285, Scott expands on how he uses the MED Toolbox to troubleshoot problems that arise when programming in the MED (Minimum Effectives Dose) style. The episode begins by revisiting the SRA model and Zatsiorski's two-factor fitness/fatigue model. Then Scott discusses the most common presentation of programming problems in intermediate and advanced athletes, and how to deal with them. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott check in while uncertainty and fear grip the world in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. After contracting COVID-19 during a heavy travel schedule, Matt is back at home and recovering well, though under quarantine from the rest of his family. We wish everyone at Barbell Logic and beyond the best as they endure these difficult times. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

BLOC Coach Dan Flanick returns to the show to discuss the Youth Barbell Club, a program he has developed to help young teens get strong and develop both their athleticism and confidence using the barbell. Dan is joined by Gabe Dean, a wrestling coach for Cornell and 2x NCAA National Champion. Gabe co-hosts the Youth Barbell Club Radio Podcast with Dan. The Youth Barbell Club is open for sign-ups! The first group will launch in April, so sign up now to reserve a slot. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In a bonus round of the MED (Minimum Effective Dose) Masterclass series, Scott lays out a practical method for troubleshooting programming problems for any level of trainee. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Coach Matt wraps up the eight and final installment of the MED (Minimum Effective Dose) Masterclass on programming with a discussion on incorporating accessory lifts into any program. In general, accessories allow a lifter to get extra volume, extra "work," which can drive hypertrophy gains and thus support strength gains in the long term. However, unlike the main barbell lifts and supplemental lifts, accessories cannot be done at high intensities, so they are best chosen when the lifter needs more volume and hypertrophy without stressing their joints and connective tissue. Accessories are rarely, if ever, mandatory for a lifter, but they are useful when controlling the amount of stress on these other non-muscle tissues is important. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Save 50% off Standard or Premium coaching at Barbell Logic Online Coaching. Use discount code SAVE50 at checkout! Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Save 50% off Standard or Premium coaching at Barbell Logic Online Coaching. Use discount code SAVE50 at checkout! Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In the sixth installment of the MED (Minimum Effective Dose) Masterclass series, Matt takes a deep dive into supplemental lifts, why you should do them, when to incorporate them, and which variations are best for developing continued strength adaptation. Matt considers supplemental lifts to be exercises which look like the main lifts, but differ in range of motion, intensity/load, amount and type of musculature trained, or some other aspect of the lift. This is in contrast to accessory lifts, which may train similar muscle groups but are significantly different. For example, a box squat would be a supplemental lift for the squat, while lunges would be an accessory lift. There are dozens of potential supplemental lifts, but the primary ones discussed during this episode are (in no particular order of preference): Squats Box squat Pause squat Tempo squat Pin squat High Bar / Front Squat Banded/chain squats Safety squat bar (or other bar variation) Belt squat Deadlift Straight leg DL Romanian DL (RDL) Deficit DL Rack Pull Cocaine DL Paused/Halting DL Bands/chains Snatch grip Bench Press Incline Press Floor Press Paused Bench "Hover" Bench Tempo Bench Slingshot Bench Close Grip / Wide Grip Bench Pin Bench Press Block Press Dumbbbell Bench Bands/chains Specialty bars — axle, football, etc. Press Press lockouts Strict press Seated press w/ or w/o back support Dumbbells Paused press Press starts Push press Push jerk Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Pressing on with installment #5 of the Minimum Effective Dose (MED) Masterclass, Matt explains how volume and intensity work in the 3-Week mesocycle introduced in the previous class. While most lifters can continue to PR both their intensity sets (using backoff sets) and their volume sets (by increasing tonnage), eventually they run into a practical dilemma. When is enough volume... enough? Logically, a lifter could continue to make progress in the 3-week model by adding more volume. But at some point doing 6x5, 7x5, 8x5, etc. becomes both daunting and logistically impractical for the vast majority of people. So instead of driving volume up ad nasuem, Matt prefers to merge volume and intensity days. Now the lifter is performing a single "intensity" top set, followed by typical volume work -- 4x5 or 5x5. This keeps the total amount of work in a single workout manageable, while providing enough stress to continue to drive strength adaptations. This is also the point where Matt starts to look at supplemental lifts. Supplemental lifts are lifts that look similar to the main lifts -- rack pulls, pin squats, press starts, etc. These can be used on the secondary movement of the workout as a lower-intensity but still high-stress lift. Supplemental lifts also provide some much-needed novelty, which serves as a mental break and also tends to drive additional gains via a sort of "novice" effect. Lastly, they can be used to shore up the lifter's weak spots, such as breaking through a particular sticking point in the deadlift or squat. In next week's masterclass, Matt will discuss supplemental lifts in more detail, how to choose them, how to cycle through them in the 3-week program, and how to judge their effectiveness. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Robin Olds -- aviator, American war hero, sweet mustache: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Olds Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In part 4 of the MED Masterclass, Matt discusses the various ways you can structure the volume and intensity days in the 4-Day Split, including sets, reps, exercise selection, and accessory work. While the 4-Day Split opens up many programming options, the goals for each day of the split are clear: intensity is about setting PR's (weight on the bar), while volume is about increasing stress via tonnage (sets x reps x weight). Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! The Lightphone 2: https://www.thelightphone.com Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In part 3 of the MED Masterclass series, Matt walks through the transition from an HLM or Texas Method style program to his favorite program, the four-day split. In the four-day split, a lifter trains four days instead of three, and performs an intensity and volume workout for each of the main lifts. Typically, the four-day split is setup as an upper body / lower body split, with squats and deadlifts on one day and press and bench press on another. This is probably the biggest MED change a lifter will make to his program, but it's an important one. As the lifter advances deeper into intermediate programming, squats and deadlifts become an increasingly stressful event (since they are very heavy), challenging their recovery resources. At the same time, in a 3-day full-body program like HLM, the lifter is only performing each press 1.5x per week on average (one week he will bench twice, press once; the next week he will press twice, and bench once). As a result, squat and deadlift frequency are too high to recover from, while press and bench are not frequent enough to drive continued strength adaptation. The four-day split solves this problem nicely, reducing squat and deadlift frequency to 2x per week, while increasing bench and press frequency to 2x per week. The workouts are shorter, since they only require 2 lifts, which satisfies the third MED criteria of economy. The shorter workouts also leave room at the end of the workout for additional work in the form of conditioning, accessories, or supplemental lifts. With it's high level of flexibility, the four-day split can help intermediate lifters make gains for years, while keeping the amount of time spent in the gym to a minimum. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Every man dies, but not every man really lives. Count Professor Paul among the living. After a long, difficult battle with cancer in his neck, Paul Markel has emerged victorious and we are happy to welcome him back to the podcast. We often talk about strength training as a sort of physical 401(k), an investment in our body that we may need to draw on in the future. This was especially true for Paul, who lost over 40lbs during treatment. Fortunately, he was a strong, conditioned lifter before his cancer diagnosis, squatting and deadlifting in the 300's. His physical strength carried him through the painful, draining radiation therapy, and gave him (literally) legs to stand on during the recovery process. On his first day back to the gym after completing treatment, he squatted the empty bar. Where would he have been without the strength training? Paul credits barbell training for his resilience, but even moreso for his mental fortitude during treatment. Not satisfied with overly conservative conventional medical advice regarding nutrition and physical activity during treatment, Paul sought out expert opinions on eating a ketogenic diet while continuing as much training as he could manage. Professor Paul has penned a book about his life-changing experience that you can find on Amazon -- Fight Solves Everything: Destroying Cancer with Faith, Nutrition, and Science. You can also follow Paul and his journey on Instagram @paulmarkel. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In the second masterclass on Minimum Effective Dose (MED) programming, Matt discusses the three principles or "rules" of MED, and offers specific examples of post-novice programming for the squat, deadlift, bench and press. Timestamps: Squat - 16:05 Deadlift - *38:45 (after the midroll break) Bench & Press - *52:15 *exact time will vary depending on length of the midroll break In the MED masterclass, you'll get to sit in the coach's seat and learn how to think more deeply about programming, identify problems, and formulate solutions based on logic and analysis -- not just looking at templates. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In 2019 Coach Matt delivered a series of lectures to the Barbell Logic staff on Minimum Effective Dose (MED) programming. MED is all about simplicity, identifying the smallest change you can make to a lifter's programming to keep him or her progressing. Of course, MED is not a new concept for Barbell Logic. Matt and Scott have discussed it as far back as Episode #53, and the idea underpins all of the programming episodes we've done since then. Despite this, there is still much confusion around what to do after the novice linear progression. Many people see programming as a progression through a series of templates -- Novice LP, Texas Method/HLM, Block, DUP, etc -- and while you may make progress on these templates for a while, eventually things stop working. And without an understanding of how programming actually works, you're left scratching your head for what to do next. The MED approach essentially throws away the idea of templates, and asks you to first understand what the problem is -- why exactly did you stop progressing? Is it because you need more stress to drive strength adaptation? Or are you under-recovered? In the MED masterclass, you'll get to sit in the coach's seat and learn how to think more deeply about programming, identify problems, and formulate solutions based on logic and analysis -- not just looking at templates. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Longtime strength coach and now PhD Neuroscience student Jayson Ball joins the show today to talk about his work in the world of pain neuroscience. Pain is a perplexing thing. While many people understand it as a strictly mechanical phenomenon (you slam your fingers in a door and say "ouch!"), pain also has a complex emotional and neurological component that cannot be ignored. A massive pain management industry, including opiate and opioid drugs, has grown to meet the demand of pain sufferers, but with little to show for making long-term impact on pain symptoms. So it's an important question. What is the nature of pain and what can we do to manage and treat pain symptoms? Clearly, exercise -- and strength training in particular -- is the best drug we have today. But neuroscientists are close to running human trials which could help deal with the unforeseen consequences of the pain management industry, such as the current opioid epidemic. Coach Jayson Ball works at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He is also a staff coach at Barbell Logic. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Barbell Logic coach Niki Sims returns to the podcast to discuss her experience balancing strength training with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Niki has been strength training for about 10 years, and started training BJJ about two years ago, seeking a new hobby. During that time she has kept strength a priority, pulling 430lbs at a meet in 2019. BJJ is a stressful sport that demands a lot of recovery resources, however, so Niki has learned to balance her rolling with strength training. BJJ is a metabolically intense sport, similar to HIIT style conditioning, but it doesn't have to be all sparring. Niki recommends BJJ athletes limit their sparring and spend plenty of time working on technique at 70-80% intensity. Likewise, she doesn't do any conditioning off the mat, as BJJ practice alone is sufficient to keep her in shape for rolling. Niki trains BJJ twice per week, and despite being an advanced lifter, Niki strength trains only 3x per week. She takes the weekends off. True rest days are important, she says. BJJ is a hobby, not a profession, so she limits her frequency on the mat to avoid overuse injuries and ensure she has plenty of recovery in between bouts of heavy strength work. To keep her lifts progressing, Niki trains each lift frequently, pulling three times a week and pressing 4-5 times per week. Squats are particularly taxing, so she typically only squats twice per week. Accessory lifts -- particularly chin-ups -- fill in the gaps of the program. You can find Niki at Barbell Logic and on Instagram at @vera_nahce. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

It has become something of a tradition at Barbell Logic for Hambrick to share some of his favorite jazz tunes to celebrate the Christmas season and the passing of the old year. In this third annual Christmas special, Scott plays selections including classic big band swing from Benny Goodman, Joao Gilberto, the father of Bossa Nova, hard bop from Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, and more. You can listen to the complete versions of these songs, as well as the music from previous Christmas specials, on the Barbell Logic Jazz Selections Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4IKnTFtnZhNNqDrV2qnesQ?si=EjzdTwWUQx-erOJXhAel4w Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Super athlete, barbell coach, and BLOC nutrition coach Gillian Ward returns to the podcast to discuss how to rethink your approach to nutrition in the final installment (maybe) of the Getting Started series. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Q&A starts at 19:45 mark, following the interview with the good folks from A7. Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are joined by Darin Deaton, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Starting Strength Coach at Fort Worth Strength, to discuss special populations including Masters (over 40) lifters, post-injury trainees, and people with other medical issues. Darin has 30 years of experience in the clinic and the gym, and has found that barbells are the most effective tool for making all populations stronger, healthier, and more useful human beings. You can find Darin at his gym Fort Worth Strength & Conditioning, in his clinic Riata Therapy Specialists, or occasionally posting about his ranch on Instagram @drdeaton. Darin also hosts a podcast about training, fitness, and health with Producer Trent called 40fit Radio. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Regain control of your email inbox with Sanebox. Listeners can try Sanebox for FREE with a 14-day trial! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

You've heard it before. A good training program is simple, hard, and effective. But what does hard mean exactly? Most novices have never done anything physically hard in their life -- especially physical tasks that require maximal amounts of force production. So they must learn what hard means, in the context of strength training. The first encounter with hard often comes as a shock. With practice, determination, and encouragement from a good coach or training partner, however, a novice lifter can learn to overcome, set PRs, and become a lifter for life. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Happy Thanksgiving folks! BLACK FRIDAY SALES Barbell Logic Online Coaching -- Get 3 months of coaching for only $499! Offer valid from Nov 28th to Dec 3rd. Discount will apply in your cart when you checkout. Dominion Strength Belts -- Save 15% off your total order with code DST15! Discount code will also be provided on the website. Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

A wise man once said: you don't get strong from lifting weights, you get strong recovering from lifting weights. In today's episode Coach Matt and Scott discuss the most important things you need to know about recovery so that you get the most out of your strength training. Many factors affect your ability to recover from the work you do in the weight room -- nutrition, sleep, job stress, children, taxes, your mortgage. Some of these we can control, and some we can't. Of the factors we can control, we really care about two: Food Sleep Food is fuel for your body. You need lots of protein to rebuild muscle that is stressed from heavy lifting in the weight room (and build new muscle on top of that), carbohydrates to fill and replenish the glycogen stores that power heavy working sets, and fats to maintain healthy cellular function. Without it, the adaptation piece of the SRA equation cannot happen. Trainees that under-eat protein may even develop tendonitis, a sign that their body is not adequately recovering from the stress from prior workouts. Likewise, trainees that restrict carbs too severely may feel weak or "gassed" too early in their workouts. Underweight trainees undergoing linear progression need to eat a LOT of food. The amount of calories required to grow new lean mass -- muscle, bone, and connective tissue -- is difficult to measure, but we know it's a large number. Males should be eating at least 200g of protein every day (more for larger trainees, a 6ft+ male will likely need 225g or more), and females should be eating 150g of protein. Overweight trainees already have adequate energy surplus, stored in the form of body fat, to fuel their workouts, so they need fewer calories, specifically less carbs and fats. Their protein intake should remain high. Sleep is equally important. There are hundreds of articles and studies that discuss the benefit of a solid 8 hours of sleep each night, but trainees should pay attention to their sleep quality as well. Turning off your cell phone, TV, and other digital devices an hour before bed, sleeping in a cool and dark room, and taking time to mentally calm down before hitting the pillow are a few ways to ensure that you get both quality and volume of sleep. Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In the sixth installment of the Getting Started series, Coach Matt and Scott explain why the simplest way of training is, in fact, the best way to train for strength. Linear progression refers to a program which increases the weight of the lifts every single workout. The increments are small -- 5-10lbs at first, 5lbs thereafter, perhaps 2.5lbs or less for women -- and the weight increases constantly. The lifter's progress on this program would be represented on a graph as a straight line with a positive slope, steadily climbing upwards. The exercises, sets and reps, and frequency stay the same; the focus is the weight on the bar. We know this programming approach works because of the Stress/Recovery/Adaptation (SRA) cycle, which has been covered extensively in previous episodes. In short, stress (represented by the weight on the bar) must go up over time to produce a strength adaptation. Linear progression ensures that stress goes up in a measured, sustainable manner without adding unnecessary complexity. In linear progression, there is an A workout and a B workout. Workout A calls for Squats 3x5, Press 3x5, and Deadlift 1x5. Workout B swaps the Bench Press for the Press, and looks like this: Squats 3x5, Bench 3x5, Deadlift 1x5. That's it! Notice there is no dedicated "cardio," no accessory movements, no ab or "core" work. The compound lifts train your entire body, and the nature of constantly adding weight means that by week four, you will likely be huffing and puffing pretty hard after your work sets! It is common for a trainee's squat to double in the first month or two of linear progression. Some larger men and gifted athletes will triple it. The deadlift will make similar progress, and the pressing movements, though they tend to stall faster, will increase dramatically. So take the linear gains while they are on the table! Linear progression doesn't work forever, but most people will be far stronger than they've ever been just by dedicating themselves to this simple, hard, and effective program. Need some help getting started? Email [email protected] for a FREE trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A! Discounts Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

If you've listened to the first four episodes of the Getting Started series, you've got all the knowledge you need to start a productive strength training program and get stronger than you've ever been. Now it's time to put that knowledge into action and do it! In your first workout, your goal is to find a starting weight for each of the lifts: squat, press, and deadlift. You will perform the bench press on your next workout, since the press and bench press alternate each workout. Matt sometimes coaches all four lifts on day one, but realize that you will be tired from pressing, so your bench press will be lighter than normal in that case. For all the lifts, start with the EMPTY bar. A standard barbell is 20kg or 45lbs, which may be too heavy for you, especially on the pressing movements. In that case, find a smaller bar. A women's barbell is smaller in diameter and typically weighs 15kg or 33lbs. There are even smaller aluminum bars which weigh as little as 10 or 15lbs, if you need them. You will perform a couple sets of 5 reps with the empty bar, then start adding weight. Men will add anywhere form 5-20lbs, and women will make smaller 5-10lbs increases. Do another set of 5. Add more weight, and do another set of 5. When the weight just begins to feel heavy -- that is, slightly challenging -- we will call that your first work set. Everything up to this point was warm-up, this is the actual workout weight. Write it down in your log book. Do two more sets of 5 at this weight, and move on to the next lift. Remember, we only do ONE work set on the deadlift, since it is generally a more taxing lift. Note that if you have trained before but are coming back to the bar after a long layoff, you may be strong enough to make yourself VERY sore if you overdo it on the first workout. In this case, it's best to do only ONE work set on squats, and be very modest with your starting weights. Otherwise you may have trouble crawling out of bed the next day! Listen to Coach Matt and Scott's advice, and walk into the gym with confidence. Good luck with your first workout! Need some help getting started? Email [email protected] for a FREE trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A! Discounts Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Thursday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Once you've made the decision and started training instead of exercising, it doesn't take long to realize the average commercial "globo gym" is woefully inadequate for productive barbell training. Waiting to use the squat rack while someone finishes their high-rep curl set, poor quality barbells, dodecagonal plates, not being allowed to use chalk -- these are just a few of the reasons that most trainees at Barbell Logic choose to build a home gym. With a modest outlay, you can equip a home gym with high quality equipment that will allow you to continue getting strong for years, and will last long enough to hand down to your children. In addition to the gym equipment, you will also need a few key pieces of personal equipment. The Gym What you need: Barbell Plates Microplates A rack -- commonly known as a power rack, squat rack, or sometimes a power "cage" Bench Platform Personal Equipment Both home gym lifters and commercial gym-goers will need: Weightlifting shoes Belt Wrist wraps (optional) Lifting straps (optional) Knee sleeves (optional) Some of the brands we like and mentioned on this podcast: Rogue Fitness Rep Fitness Microgainz A7 International Dominion Belts Fringe Sport Nike / Adidas / Reebok / Rogue Do-Win (for shoes) Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Scott's Pumpkin Pie recipe: https://barbell-logic.com/pie/ Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

In Getting Started #2, Matt and Scott discussed the big picture of getting strong, which occurs by lifting progressively heavier weights over time. Since this is Barbell Logic, you guessed it... we accomplish this progressive method of strength training using barbells. Though there are thousands of different exercises we could do in the gym, barbell training comprises just four exercises, the so-called "Big Lifts." These compound movements -- the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press -- should make up 90% of any athlete's strength program, regardless of their level of advancement. Matt and Scott explain why these lifts are simple, hard, and most importantly, brutally effective at building strength. Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

So you heard us out in Getting Started #1 and you've decided it's time to get strong. How do actually do that? For that matter, how do you improve any physical attribute? Before we get into specific exercises, sets, and reps, it's important to understand the distinction between exercise and training. Exercise is what most people do when they join the local globo gym or decide to jog around the block. It's randomly selected activity for an unspecified duration or intensity, with no real plan for progression over time. The goal of exercise is simply to get hot, sweaty, and tired today. And it works! Anyone that goes from the couch to an exercise program will experience an increase in energy, physical performance, they will probably feel better, and may even lose some weight in the process. This is called the novice effect, which will be covered in another episode. The problem is, how long will exercise work? A couple weeks? A month? Two months? At some point, progress will stall without a clear plan for progression. That's where training comes in. Training is a logical, systematic series of workouts designed to improve a physical attribute -- in our case, strength. The goal is clear and measurable. In a linear progression, each workout requires the lifter to lift a little bit more weight than they did before, which causes them to get a little bit stronger each time. Although programming won't always be this simple, training in this manner can allow a lifter to get strong for years. The General Adaptation Syndrome, first described by Hans Selye in the 1930's, essentially says that every living organism reacts to stress in its environment by either dying or surviving. If it survives, the organism adapts to the stress by becoming more resilient. Applied to barbell training, stress means lifting a weight that is challenging (heavy) today. It requires your muscles to contract harder than they are used to, disrupting homeostasis or their normal, day-to-day state. Fortunately barbell training doesn't kill you, so you rest, eat, and recover after the workout, and your body responds by building more muscle mass and learning how to more efficiently recruit muscle. Note that the adaptation here is specific to the stress. Lifting barbells makes you stronger... not necessarily better at swimming (although being stronger will make you a better swimmer, to a point). In a nutshell, that's how you get strong! You must train, not exercise, and there must be progression built into your program. A good barbell training program is simple, hard, and effective, with an emphasis on putting weight on the bar. In the following weeks, we will dive deeper into the specifics of a novice program. Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A! Discounts Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about! Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC. Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver Strength – Scott's website Scott on Facebook Scott on Twitter Connect With the Show Barbell Logic on Twitter Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]