Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic

If you're working a job where something doesn't feel quite right, this is likely the podcast for you. CJ Gotcher talks to Andrew Jackson about his path from planning to become a computer engineer to joining the Navy to climbing the corporate ladder to ultimately deciding to become a coach and pursue whole-ass coaching. People too often think about a career or course of action in black and white: coach or not coach, stick with your career or abandon it. There is a middle path, that for most people offers a better path than taking a plunge all at once. Andrew decided on computer engineering because of the initial salaries, but ultimately decided that he did not want to pursue a career in computer engineering. He ultimately decided to accelerate his life, so he joined the Navy and served as an officer in the Navy. After the Navy, he began a more traditional corporate job and began to climb the corporate ladder. He was making good money, but had this feeling that things did not feel right. No matter what he did: receive a promotion, change jobs, etc. Ultimately, Andrew concluded in retrospect that this feeling was a mismatch of culture, between the values Andrew had and the values the companies he worked for had. He wasn't motivated to take the steps to get to the next level. While he did well in his position, doing well was the bare minimum to move to the top positions within the company. When you're in the right culture, however, doing this extra work doesn't feel like suffering. If you have this feeling, try to identify why this feeling exists. If you can identify the problem, the solution may present itself. Job hopping and change for change sake won't fix the issue. Try to identify the actions you take that you feel good about. You might need to look at your hobbies or interests outside of your work. You may also look at which tasks or actions or aspects of work you most enjoy. One thing Andrew did that helped create his current position and success was that he put himself out there at a coaching conference when he still didn't plan to make this jump. While this can be thought of as networking and can have an "icky" feel, getting to know coworkers and other people in your industry makes sense. You don't have to pitch something to these people, but just introduce yourself and talk to others. Because he did this and put in work, what may seem like luck in terms of getting his job at Barbell Logic was really dependent on the work and networking he had already completed. This opportunity would likely not have presented itself if he had not done this. You can't really develop a 5 or 10 year plan, but you can identify your values, have an idea of where you want to head, work hard, put yourself out there, and opportunities will almost undoubtedly present themselves. Another thing that helped enable this jump (which came with a signficant decrease in pay) was that he had not had his lifestyle fill his income. Too many people begin to earn more money and their pursuits and house and lifestyle requires that money to maintain itself. Andrew stayed frugal, which meant that when he shifted jobs his lifestyle did not have to dramatically change. Andrew & CJ discuss intentionality and how you spend your time. Are you all in, and what DO you spend your time doing. You can't do everything all in, so as much as possible be all in on the things that align with your values. If you find yourself in a job or role that doesn't align with your values, develop a plan to get out of that position. That doesn't mean leave today, but make a plan. Also, you WILL feel like an imposter. That's inevitable and, if you don't, that might actually be a problem. Keep learning and improving and stay half a step ahead. Apply MED to your life. Course correct as you go. Set goals and crush them. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Lifting regularly and interested in learning more about lifting and coaching? Jesse shares his story of lifting, coaching, studying in the Barbell Academy, and ultimately deciding to not pursue coaching professionally and how the Barbell Academy helped him realize this. CJ Gotcher talks to Jesse Mecham, Founder of YNAB and Barbell Academy student, about his experience going through the academy. Jesse came to lifting in his teens, reading a special edition of Muscle and Fitness magazine that covered Arnold Scharzenegger. His first experience with coaching came from someone warning about hurting his back from deadlifting, which scared him away from simple, hard, effective training for a while. He continued to lift. Eventually, he found Barbell Logic and a more effective approach to strength training. Jesse, someone who applies himself at anything he does and wants to do anything he does well, built a garage gym and invited others to lift with him. His role evolved into somewhat of a coaching role, and as this occurred he signed up for the Barbell Academy to help deepen his knowledge of programming and coaching. As he completed the Academy, he learned a lot and was better able to program and cue his fellow lifters. He even arranged a Barbell Logic seminar at his gym, which not only helped improve his coaching but also helped the other lifters learn to better identify and fix their own errors. Despite this, he ultimately decided to NOT pursue becoming a professional barbell coach, with his other commitments of family and running a business. In addition to this, CJ & Jesse talk about productivity and setting up the first coaching arrangement so you don't grow resentful. Many coaches coach their first lifters for free, and this makes sense, but you have to ensure you set up the situation so you receive value as well. Experience is valuable, but see if you can get the lifters to provide testimonials or other means of providing you value as you grow as a coach--and potentially grow a business. Jesse & CJ also discuss balancing your natural tendencies as a coach. Some coaches tend to be too timid and need to work on assertiveness, confidence, and being loud. Others, however, may insert themselves readily and easily and need to not overcue. They finish talking about being relentless about what you care about: spend the time, effort, and money where you want to. This requires intentionality and planning. This means limiting and managing distractions, being honest about things that take up your time but don't provide value, blocking off times for deep work and self-improvement and preventing distractions during these blocks. This podcast will provide value wherever you are and show how the Barbell Academy can help, even if you never become a professional barbell coach. https://www.youneedabudget.com/ GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

The Barbell Academy provides an online learning environment for passionate lifters, novice coaches, and professional coaches. Whether you're simply interested in the "why"s behind strength training, considering coaching, starting to coach, or would like to deep dive & continue your coaching education, the Barbell Academy offers something for you. Furthermore, it has become the funnel & process to identify new coaches for Barbell Logic & earn your Professional Barbell Coach (PBC) certification. The Principles Course helps passionate lifters and new or potential coaches learn the basics--the principles--of anatomy & physiology, programming, biomechanics, and the 4 main lifts. It helps you understand why we do what we do. It will make you a better lifter and a better coach. Even if you don't plan to coach others, if you develop your own training, then you're acting as your own coach, so knowing the basics can help you improve your lifting. The new Barbell Academy allows you to learn at your pace on your schedule. The previous academy had required you to commit to a 2-hour time block weekly. It also tied you to one coach, and though that coach was a great coach and lifter, this new platform allows the expert in a particular subject to write & teach that portion of the curriculum. It has also freed up CJ & other coaches to have more time to engage the community as a whole, as opposed to calls with 6-10 people. CJ is regularly engaging the Academy students on topics they care about, on calls and on social media. One of the great benefits of the course is that it incorporates a variety of perspectives & learning strategies & reiterates the material through different methods (multi-modal learning). This ultimately helps you better learn and retain the material. Now, what are the steps or courses of the academy? First is the Principles Course, which is out now and is perfect for passionate lifters, new coaches, and coaches looking to brush up on knowledge. Second is the Advanced Course, which is coming soon. This takes a deep dive into important topics, and is aimed at lifters who REALLY love this material and want to understand it deeply, coaches looking to earn the PBC certification, and coaches serious about improving their coaching. The other crucial part about the Advanced Course is that we will develop more courses, so if you purchase the Advanced Course when it opens, you'll get further courses for no additional cost. Now, for the PBC Certification. This is now the standard to coach as a staff coach at Barbell Logic. What's the value of the PBC? The process of earning the PBC will make you a better lifter and coach. You'll become part of a community of coaches, dedicated to self-improvement who will also be there for you with their expertise & experience. You will also have the stamp of approval of Barbell Logic and be searchable on our coaching database, so if a coach in your area searches for a Barbell Logic coach, they can find you. The PBC is something you will be proud to earn and represents a high-level coach. Though all coaches at Barbell Logic will have a PBC, not all PBCs will work at Barbell Logic (though there is a great chance this will happen). Okay, so how do you earn your PBC? The 3 steps are: written exam, oral interview, and platform test ALL OF WHICH CAN BE COMPLETED ONLINE. The written exam & oral interview are currently occurring online, with the written exam being the first step. Next will be the oral interview. The final step, and what had heretofore been an in-person event, will be the platform evaluation. This is being beta-tested, but you are able to upload videos of your coaching & will receive feedback and a pass or fail for the PBC. If you have passed the other exams and are deemed likely to be a great fit for Barbell Logic, you stand a good chance to be invited to an apprenticeship process at Barbell Logic and coach as an associate coach. Ultimately, this is about making more great coaches. It's about providing Barbell Logic great coaches--without lowering the standard--and ultimately having more lifters receive great coaching. It's about making the process to becoming a great coach easier and creating a community. So, here it is, the Barbell Academy. It's for lifters, it's for coaches, Check it Out. 0:00 Introduction 2:09 The Barbell Academy & The Principles Course 8:25 Self-Paced Learning on YOUR Schedule 13:16 Principles Course Overview 17:27 Incorporates Multiple Learning Strategies 22:21 Steps & Courses 27:29 The Advanced Course: Who is it For/Who is it By? 34:13 The Value of the PBC Certification 41:15 PBC Process 48:43 Apprenticeship & Online Platform Test 55:37 Putting it All Together GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Join the Reynolds family to see how they finished the Take Charge 10 challenge, how they feel about it, and what changes they plan to keep. Day 8 you don't drink caffeine 6 hours before bed. This, again, helps reduce caloric beverages in the afternoon & dinner, but it also helps improve your sleep. Good sleep helps bolster healthy living. One way the Reynolds family was able to prepare for a gathering that normally might involve alcohol & food was they prepared the food and ensured it was healthy--but still tasty. They simply didn't drink alcohol for the gathering, and though it would have been nice they continued to feel good and it wasn't as big of a deal as they had expected. One thing Matt identified was that gamifying things--working to achieve macros & calories & sticking with goals using MyFitnessPal--really helped motivate him to stay on track. On day 9, you heed to balance your meals, so no all carbohydrate meals especially. For many, an all carbohydrate meal will lead to a big spike in insulin and they'll ultimately feel hangry soon thereafter and look for more food. Trying get a little bit of everything--fruit & nuts or cheese, for example--really helps. For the Reynolds, this wasn't a hard day but a day to really solidify those habits they had already developed. For the final day, you have to know everything you're eating and not eat outside the home. The Reynolds family partook in some Cox wings & BBQ sauce--Cox Sauce, get you some--and really enjoyed it. Overall, everyone was feeling better and though there were certain things they looked forward to, they largely wanted to continue the habits and success they created with the challenge. They also didn't feel deprived, so they didn't go and have a 3000 calorie meal, like they might have after a typical "diet" in the past, but rather went out to a diner and eat reasonably but some foods that they hadn't had over the past 10 days. Ultimately, this is about sustainable nutrition habits to achieve your health goals. If you follow a diet that you couldn't keep up with long-term, you need to think about why you're following that diet. While there are certain circumstances where this may make sense, most people can just follow the basics of nutrition, not feel so deprived, and reach their goals. For Rachel and their daughters, they mostly missed sugar. For Matt, he craved a bit more fat. They're glad they did it, and glad they did it together. They felt more conscious, more intentional about food, but without neuroticism or morality. Join us for the Take Charge 10 nutrition challenge. If you missed the kick off on March 22, no problem, you can do this anytime you want. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Take Charge 10 continues, with booze, veggies, and fiber. On day 5, you eliminate alcohol. For some people, this will be the easiest step of them all. For others, this may cause some anxiety and may be difficult, especially as this falls on Friday if you begin on a Monday. The first day didn't give Matt or the Reynolds family too much trouble. On day 6, you add more veggies. This was easy for the Reynolds, as they regularly eat vegetables. They worked to increase them. An approach Rachel has learned from homeschooling is "easy + 1," meaning that easy doesn't work - then you don't improve, but too hard doesn't work easy. It's really another way to say minimum effective dose--what's the least you can do to move toward your goals and be healthier? Day 7 you have at least 30g of fiber. This one will stump a lot of people. Planning for this day will help. First, increasing the veggies helps get you there. You may find that certain highly fibrous foods can really help here. Grape nuts & chia seeds can be added to yogurt or overnight oats. Legumes also provide large amounts of fiber. Fight for that fiber! Finally, the Reynolds really begin to notice the benefits from the challenge. People have commented on their appearance, they feel good, and skin looks better. They also feel like there's been cascading benefits in other areas--improving one aspect of your life seems to spill into others. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

The Reynolds family shares their experience--struggles, victories, stumbles--through the first 4 days of the Take Charge 10 nutrition challenge. Day 1 is drinking more water, and they crushed day 1! They also found that the increase in water intake naturally reduced calories, as they reduced caloric beverages. It also seemed to reduce hunger, which helped reduce calories, because they drank so much water. The second day presented a bigger challenge, largely because of a 16th birthday party. Dan 2 involves keeping added sugar at or below 50g. This really shows, beyond attempting to complete day 2's habit, that life happens, and we can STILL be intentional about eating healthy and reaching our goals. Part of the key for day 2 was to avoid added sugar for the rest of the day to enable them to eat cake for the party and still remain below 50g of added sugar. On day 3, you need to stop mindless snacking. This doesn't mean no snacks, it means increasing your mindfulness and intentionality about what you put in your mouth. It can be easy to take a bite of something here, munch on something while you're waiting for dinner, or try something. These calories count, and you need to be intentional about what you put in your mouth. You keep a food journal on day 4. It can be photographic, hand written, typed, on an app, or some combination thereof. Track what you're eating. If you already do this, try to improve what you do here--track calories or macros. Calorie counter apps can help. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt & Niki talk to Niki and Gillian about the Take Charge 10 nutrition challenge, which begins as a community on March 22 but you can complete anytime you want after March 22. Take Charge 10 is a 10 day challenge, and each day adds another habit. Each day, therefore, builds on the other, so on day 10 you should be trying your hardest to follow all 10 guidelines. ANYONE can do it at ANYTIME, though if you begin on March 22, you'll be doing it along with the BLOC community and many coaches and staff. If you're participating, you can let us and your followers know by adding #takecharge10 to your social media posts. It's a way to fast charge your nutrition and work on healthy nutrition habits with an online community and--hopefully--those close to you as well. It's a reset, where you spend 10 days spending more time and energy and focus on nutrition. It's a way to see how different habits and behavior changes affect your health and reflect on how you might incorporate or sustain some or all of these changes. What is it NOT? It's not 10 days to 6 pack abs. It's not 10 days of extreme dieting or restricting huge types of food. It's not a 10-day suffer fest. Below are the steps: Drink More Water (half your bodyweight in pounds in ounces of water) Reduce Added Sugars (50g max) Stop Mindless Snacking (eat purposely) Keep a Food Journal of Everything that Goes Into Your Mouth Eliminate Alcohol Consumption Eat Your Veggies (eat more, try more) Fill Up on Fiber (30g of fiber from food) Cut off Caffeine (6 hours before bed) Balance Your Snacks (don't eat a snack with just one macro, especially carbohydrates) Prepare all Meals at Home (know exactly what you eat) Gillian designed this nutrition challenge to be inclusive, not exclusive. It was also designed to be done to be something you can do with your family and friends. The 10 habits really form the foundation of any healthy nutrition approach - this doesn't require a specific diet and allows for many different types of diet. These really are the fundamentals and basics, and building this strong base can lead to a sustainable, healthy diet. A strong foundation leads to success, though you can certainly improve on these areas and take them further, based on your goals. Some habits are definitely things that are worth doing all the time, and others you might decide to only do occasionally. Many of the arguments and discussions on programming and nutrition too often focus on the least important aspects of diet. Most dietitians agree with most of these basics. Also, some of these you may already be doing or find extremely easy to do (if you don't drink, eliminating alcohol won't be a problem). Others may be a real challenge. If you're doing something well, you can always aim to push that area a bit further during a challenge. If you struggle with something, it's worth reflecting on why you struggle with it and how big of an impact changing that behavior could contribute to your health goals. Food isn't moral, it's ultimately functional. Are you eating in a way to move toward your goals? If you enjoy a food like chocolate or ice cream, there are ways to allow these foods with planning and adjusting your diet in other areas. The first day you add, not take away, something: you add water. This not only will help many people feel better, but it also helps--as a side effect--reduce caloric drinks. Be weary, however, of "gateway foods." These are foods that tend to cause a chain or more calorically dense foods. For Matt, for example, he struggles to eat tortilla chips without adding things to them and then drinking as well. Reducing added sugars helps you look at labels more closely, especially if you enjoy sweet foods regularly. You may find yourself finding ways to reduce added sugars during the day to enable a dessert in the evening, and that's completely fine! You will likely be surprised where sugar is hidden and in the amounts it is hidden. Stop mindless snacking is a way to prevent intaking calories that you're not eating mindfully. Too often, someone might pick at a food while preparing dinner or eat left over food off of a kid's plate. You can eat a snack, but it should be a deliberate snack. Keeping a food journal helps you track what you eat and can help you track total calories and macros. You can also include how you feel. You can see what you were eating when you felt good and what foods didn't make you feel good. You can also pre-load food into the App to see the calories and macros in those foods. So, for example, if you plan to go out with friends on Saturday evening, you can either look at the restaurant menu and pick some foods. You can also plan to have some lighter meals earlier in the day to offset the increase calories in the evening. Eliminating alcohol for many people helps you better understand and evaluate your relationship for alcohol. For some people, this will be incredibly easy. For others, it may be the most challenging step. Alcohol, however, ha

Actor Ethan Suplee joins Matt & Niki to discuss his journey from morbid obesity to sustainable health--with struggles & stumbles in between. Some of Ethan has acted in movies such as American History X, Remember the Titans, and the Wolf of Wall Street. He also played as Randy in My Name is Earl. Ethan can remember being put on a diet at the age of 5. Since then, he's always felt like he was trying to lose weight. Weighing over 500 pounds, everyday tasks were struggles: putting on shoes, going for a walk, sitting down. He avoided rushing to get somewhere, because rushing would exhaust him and plague the rest of his day. He had to wear multiple shirts and always brought a wash cloth to wipe away sweat. He had to sleep sitting up. The highest weight he every saw on the scale was 536 pounds--on an industrial shipping scale. The motivation to be able to complete seemingly simple activities--such as go to a museum, go hiking, and other things like this--pushed him to finally seek weight loss. Still, since that decision, it has been a long road to find a sustainable way to be healthy. For years, he went on different diets that heavily restricted food options. He also completed extreme amounts of exercise, which often lead to injuries, which led to weight gain while he could not exercise. While eliminating carbohydrates and other food items would lead to weight loss, he repeatedly ran into "walls" where--despite claims that calories don't matter--he could no longer lose weight. He found himself reducing food intake to continue the weight loss. He actually got down to 200 pounds at one point and was "thin," but he wasn't happy with that weight. He found a TedX talk with Mike Israetel, who discussed calories in and calories out and the importance of protein. He actually added calories and carbs--for the first time in years. His weight went up 3 days in a row, and he freaked out a bit, but his waist went down on day 4. He decided to commit to this new way of eating, and this helped lead to a sustainable way of eating. It supports his physical activity and exercise, while also not having him constantly obsess over food. He also--after finding CrossFit--found strength training. The combination of strength training and this new way of eating has led him to not just be thin, but be lean and ripped. He weighs more than he did at his lowest weight, but he looks and feels better. He is able to maintain weight for periods of time, and each time his maintenance weight is higher but he is leaner. Oh, and Tom Segura: the day is coming where Matt will sit with you drinking whiskey. Just wait! GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

What does the lifetime fitness arc of service member look like? How can the military shifts its physical readiness training to better prepare for the demands of combat? Matt explores these topics with Colin Slade. The first hurdle any service member must overcome is the basic requirements to enter: which include bodyweight & bodyfat, medical, and some basic physical fitness levels. Following entry, however, Colin discusses how the military really fails to develop its members fitness. Readiness is key. Readiness is preparedness for combat--however that looks for the different services and the different jobs and roles and ranks in each service, including the unexpected. Even for members who sit at a computer--who can do their job without leaving the United States--physical fitness enables these people to do their job better mentally and prevent injuries from limiting time on the job. So, how do we change the culture? Individual service members certainly need to take ownership of their own physical preparedness, those around them, and--for leaders--those under their leadership and potentially command. At a larger level, the military needs to acknowledge it does not have the subject matter expertise, that the expertise is found outside the military, and that experts--such as the coaches of Barbell Logic--can provide better programming to prepare for combat and improve military readiness. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the United States Government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt talks to Marine Colonel Scott Conway about the physical demands of the United States Marine Corps and ground forces in general--those service members whose fight on land. The Marine Corps have a philosophy--and way of training Marines--that involves the idea that every Marine is a Rifleman. Every service has a similar concept--when things go wrong, everyone must be able to react competently, regardless of their primary job in the military and their particular branch of service. Strength decreases rates of injury and benefits other physical attributes. Clearly, Soldiers, Marines, Special Operations Forces, and all ground forces need conditioning. A greater emphasis on strength, however, paired with conditioning--being "fit and strong"--would most benefit ground forces, preparing them for the rigors of combat and improving their readiness. Some misconceptions about strength training and aerobic endurance persist, despite evidence to the contrary. Strength training can build camaraderie while also providing the appropriate amount of stress for each service member. If service members run together in formation, the pace can only be as fast as the slowest person can run. If, however, a group of service members train together they can adjust the weights while building esprit de corps through shared hardship. A key point of the podcast is when Matt asks Scott about what he would do differently for his physical readiness if he could go back to when he first started his career. Not only would he include strength training, he would have consulted a coach to help with form and programming. This, of course, comes from someone with a history of marathons and triathlons, who also dabbled in CrossFit. Strength training not only benefited his physical performance, but limited everyday aches and pains and helped reduce overuse injuries that had plagued him. Really, Colonel Conway's advice flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Strength training is healthy, not deleterious, to your joint. Strength training doesn't make you too big or bulky or lessen your athleticism, but--with proper nutrition and conditioning--facilitates improved conditioning and aerobic endurance performance. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the US government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

We're on a boat! Niki Sims talks to CJ Gotcher and Andrew Jackson--Barbell Logic staff coaches, full-time employees, and Navy Veterans--about their experience with the Navy and the physical demands of the Navy, including how you squeeze through tight spaces. The Navy--and any organization that involves service on the water or out at sea, such as the Coast Guard--puts some unique demands and challenges for its service members. Sailors have to train while serving on a ship at sea and train while preparing for deployments on land. Living accommodations on a ship are jam-packed, and for many Sailors the challenges are not carrying heavy loads for long distances, but the combined stress of sleep deprivation, long periods of time standing, and navigating a ship. The initial tests to enter the Navy or Naval Academy include medical requirements, evaluated with a physical, and events that generally aren't tested again and bear little relation to everyday physical demands of a Sailor: duck walks, ball throws, and broad jumps. Things going wrong in the Navy looks a little different than it does for the Army or Marines. A major concern--the thing all Sailors must be able to quickly combat--is a fire on the ship and flooding of the ship, such as if a missile hit a ship. The physical culture in the Navy really different from ship to ship, and even on a ship the culture can change dramatically with a different commanding officer. Generally, however, it was expected that Sailors needed to not fail and not be borderline. Expectations for officers were higher. CJ, Andrew, and Niki discuss the point of the physical readiness test in the Navy--and really in the military at large. Ultimately, it's a screening tool. It serves to screen out Sailors and service members who are utterly unprepared for the physical demands of the job. One aspect they talk about that seemed to help with preparing for not just fitness but combat readiness and proficiency was thinking of the general purpose--combat readiness--versus loading tasks onto people. See the forest, not the trees, so to speak. CJ also let's out some pretty good ones: "let's not forget pilots" & "carriers are bougie," and "BLOC Busters." The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the United States Government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

What kind of training are we talking about? ARMY TRAINING, SIR! Niki talks to Nikki Burman, Barbell Logic's Director of Client Experience, and Jerett Burman, Military Police Major in the United States Army National Guard, about the physical demands of the Army and the challenges of staying fit--at home and while deployed throughout the world. Jobs in the Army--as with all services--put different physical demands on service members, but almost all Soldiers will have to pick things up and carry heavy loads, and, of course, all Soldiers must prepare for the realities of combat, including "putting things in certain places." Nikki & Jerett share the experience of seeing a cultural shift occur in fitness centers and gyms on Army posts. For a time, Jerett served in Kansas, and from the time he arrived to the time he left, both Jerett and Nikki saw more people training with barbells, as the realities of the new Army Combat Fitness Test, and the Army's new fitness program, changed how Soldiers had to prepare for not only the test but also how they improved combat readiness. One common they see is Soldiers misunderstanding programming, so--without guidance--many Soldiers go SUPER HEAVY immediately, leaving little to no room for progress. Furthermore, the spirit of competition creates an urge to immediately beat the person next to them, when the more intelligent method would be to add weight over time. Niki asks Nikki & Jerett how they would change Army PT, and they give their answer. They would incorporate the big compound lifts--the squat, deadlift, bench press, and press, along with some other supplemental and accessory lifts--and prioritize shorter sprints and intervals over longer, slower runs. The other consideration, however, is the need to perform event after event. To some degree this is endurance, but it may be better be called stamina. The need to go from event to event and perform, and then, potentially, perform a watch or a desk job while sleep deprived. It's not so much the same things as continuing to run during a marathon, but the ability to keep going despite the sleep deprivation, food deprivation, aches and pains, and other growing fatigue and exhaustion. Often times, Soldiers can train better and more consistently when they are deployed, though that is not the case in more expeditionary situations--where Soldiers and units cannot return to bases with gyms. "You're either getting better or getting worse, there is no staying the same." The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the United States Government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Niki talks to Colin Slade, Air Force Captain, about physical requirements, physical training, and physical fitness tests for the Air Force, Space Force, air crews, and pilots. The demands for Airmen and Guardians differ greatly between jobs and from day-to-day. While people tend to think of pilots when they think about the Air Force, pilots represent a relatively small percentage of people who serve in the Air Force. Pilots--especially fighter pilots--face extreme physical requirements from the speeds and demands of "pulling Gs." The Air Force has created technology to help pilots meet those demands, but physical readiness can help the service member meet the demands. There is a growing recognition that the "industrialized PT model" isn't working, and many services are bringing in license physical trainers to help plan and lead physical training programs. And, what is the 1 MED change Colin would make to the Air Force PT program? Listen to find out! The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the United States Government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt talks to Colonel Scott Conway--this time about leadership and resilience, and how strength training--and physical training in general--can make people better leaders, managers, and parents and help them better face difficult situations and events. Scott discusses his early experience through the Marine Corps' schools to screen and develop officers--Marines given the rank and position and authority to lead and command other Marines. He also discusses returning to some of these as a leader, evaluating and helping shape leaders. Officer and leader development pushes officer candidates to adapt in stressful, difficult situations. The candidates will fail and make mistakes. They ultimately have to prove up to the task of leadership in duress while falling short of making the "perfect" decisions. You have to learn, you have to keep pushing forward and take the burden and run with it. As an instructor--something that seems easier often--you must be constantly "on," because the candidates are looking to you as the example while also--despite their inexperience--being able to identify when the instructors are falling short of their espoused ideals--the Marine Corps' standards. Ultimately, as leaders, and employees, and managers, as parents--as human beings--we should become wiser as we experience more and reflect and learn from our experience--success and failures. Despite this, we can't rely on our past successes or our resume. In whatever position we find ourselves, we ultimately get evaluated by what we offer now. The experience of being a junior officer is in some senses both unique but also relatable to leaders in many situations. You're new to the military, yet entrusted with authority and rank. You have to make decisions and lead, but you also have to learn and rely on the experience and recommendations of those around you. You have to accept the responsibility of leadership put on you, but you can't let it go to your head. You likely feel like an imposter as your experience and authority seem at odds, but you can't be racked by doubt. Many people can relate to suddenly being thrust with power and responsibility and authority--parenting anyone--and not feeling up to the task. People experience being new to a job and feeling like they're not prepared, yet they have to ultimately go forward and do the job. Scott shares the experience of falling short of his own expectations for himself as a junior Marine officer. He did not fail the test, but he knew he could do better. He ran often and far to overcome this. Eventually, he found CrossFit, but CrossFit was painful. Finding strength--as a senior Marine--restoked the fire of fitness while lessening the pain and stress of running and CrossFit. Finally, Scott & Matt commiserate about their shared experience of being "exceptionally mediocre" and "painfully average" as athletes. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the US government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt and Niki talk to Colonel Scott Conway, career Marine Officer, who shares his experiences of service, leadership, and combat. Scott wanted to serve since he was a kid, and ultimately decided to become a Marine and attend the Naval Academy. The Naval Academy emphasizes leadership, academics, athletics, and time management. It throws many big fish in little ponds into the ocean, so to speak, and produces many of the officers who end up serving in the US Navy and United States Marine Corps. Scott shares his experience going through the Naval Academy, some of his service in the Marine Corps, and the experience of going through an ambush--and the emotional dump afterwards. Scott ultimately turned to endurance during his career to bolster his fitness. He found benefits from this, but more recently combining strength and conditioning has led to a greater control than he's ever had. 30 years older than his students, he can lead by example and garner respect when he walks in a room by his image and presence. "If you stay ready, you ain't got to get ready." The views expressed do not necessarily represent the Department of Defense or the United States Government. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook [email protected]

Matt & Niki and your lifting and life questions. Topics include changing hands for mix grip deadlifts, recommended kitchen equipment for meal prep, lumbar flexion during heavy deadlifts, most important gym equipment to begin, and testicle pain after lifting. To get 50% off your first month of SteadyMD, go to steadymd.com/bloc by February 28th. SteadyMD is your personal doctor, online. It's telehealth done right. Email [email protected] to submit a question for future podcasts! 0:00 Introduction 4:34 Testicle Pain After Lifting What may be happening--and what should someone do--if they're experiencing testicle pain after lifting? 10:33 SteadyMD Log up at steadymd.com/bloc 15:56 Mixed Grip: Switch Supinated Hand? Should someone--when deadlifting with mixed grip--alternate supinated hands or just stick with one. 18:06 Coaching Feedback & Form Checking A great coach must help with form and improving form, but that cannot be ALL the coach offers. There must be a balance, and, ultimately, you need to make a good connection with clients. What does the client need right now and long term? 21:16 Recommended Nutrition Equipment What do Matt and Niki use all the time to cook and meal prep: Instapot or pressure cooker: cook stews, chicken, sweet potatoes, rice sous vide: thaw quickly or cook meat to internal temperature vacuum sealer: portion & freeze meat good knife: game changer 2+ cutting boards: to cut and prepare veggies, herbs, meats cleaned out fridge: let you see what you intend to eat clear, stackable tupper ware: see what you're going to eat consider: non-stick frying pan, high quality cast iron skillet, high quality stainless steel cookware 29:18 Flexion During Heavy Deadlifts Is it concerning if some lumbar flexion occurs during heavy deadlifts? If it happens when it's REALLY heavy & the weight it occurs at continues to increase, it's not concerning. If, however, someone rounds then pulls at lighter weights, then, yes, the lifter needs to learn how to set & maintain lumbar extension. Rack pulls, RDLs, floating deadlifts, 5 part deadlifts can help. 35:09 Gym Shenanigans What's the silliest or stupidest things you've seen in a gym? A few things: curling in a smith machine, bouncing on a bosu ball, tying an iPod to a barbell. 37:33 Prioritizing Gym Equipment If you're on a limited budget and starting from scratch, what are the most important things to purchase? The most important thing is to get a barbell and weights. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

0:00 USSF Meet Prep Update & Intro 7:12 RPE 11 Andrew 13:56 Causes & Anatomy 28:06 Cues to Correct 34:14 Supplemental Lifts 37:56 Touchpoint 40:42 Set Up & Conclusion Elbow flare is a common bench press error where the elbows flare out on the ascent. This error, much like a good morning squat, produces movement in the joints without moving the bar up. It decreases the ability of the pecs to contribute to the lift, though it reduces the horizontal moment of the bar from the glenohumeral joint. The first weapon in a lifter or coach's arsenal is corrective cues. Common cues include pinch something between your arm pits or pretend you're being tickled from behind, though these too often do not work. Some other cues are to pretend the bar is a rubber band or to shove the elbows out during the descent, for what lifters often do is find the tension where there is none. Elbow flare may be overcorrecting for lack of tension during the descent. Common supplemental lifts to help correct this error are spoto press (pause the bar 1-2 inches above the touch point; hold it; then press the bar up) or paused bench press. These emphasize tightness & control. The other things to examine are the touch point and set up for the bench press: ensure these are not only correct but optimal. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Dr. David Puder and Brooke Haubenstricker return to discuss training with depression. How do we help those--or help ourselves--exercise and train and reap the benefits of exercise and training if they--or we--struggle to find the motivation to not just exercise but to get out of bed? Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ One hurdle is that many people are overwhelmed and don't know how to begin. They either haven't lifted or--if they have lifted--they've often done "bench and bis" or some other bodybuilding style regimen, or they've done what a coach told them to do for a sport. The methodology of training we're recommending involves full body, barbell exercises to improve strength. Another obstacle is that people too often compare themselves to people in the media or social media that have access to personal chefs, personal trainers, illegal substances, all the benefits of photography and editing, and the fact that they chose a specific time to take the photo--they're presenting they're best, edited self, with the benefits of resources we likely don't have access to. Another difficulty to overcome is that too many people focus on their body and body image. How much time do you want to think about how your body looks? Let's transition to a more functional idea: strength helps us accomplish things, beyond overcoming the weight of the barbell. It takes the focus off something that too often produces unhealthy thoughts and onto something that gives us agency. Finally, they need to be kind to themselves and not so critical. If they assess their selves, it needs to be with charity and patience and love. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Peaking for an online meet provides more choices and thus greater room for strategy (and mistakes) for how lifters peak and complete their attempts. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson explore how to peak for an online meet (or simply complete PR attempts). United States Strengthlifting is putting on an online event. Whereas in an in-person meet, all lifts need to be peaked on the same day and many factors are simply out of the coaches and lifters' control (rest between attempts, equipment, etc.) for this online meet, the lifters have two weeks and three submittals for the squat, bench press, and deadlift. This allows for more control and choice, but with greater choice comes, well, more choices to make. More choices to make means more ways to increase performance but also more ways to screw up. Some lifters may mimic a powerlifting meet and attempt all their attempts at their favorite gym with friends and other lifters present to cheer them on. Others may complete their lifts by themselves, in private, with total control over the atmosphere. Some lifters may take the entirety of the time to peak, making their attempts later on in the 2 weeks. Others may make safer attempts that first weak and then reattempt 1, 2, or 3 of the lifts that second week. Many of these decisions come down to personal preference. Some lifters care more about one lift than another. Some lifters may have a poor performance on one lift tank all their other attempts. Some lifters may want to get things done with, whereas others enjoy only having to go for one lift at a time. Some lifters may have an awesome gym with great lifters who they want to compete with, while others may want to not have to deal with other people. Regardless of how you compete, or whether you even sign up for an online meet, this podcast investigates the mental and physiological aspects of attempting PRs. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

COVID has disrupted our lives and led to isolation and fear for many people. There are the twin fears of getting sick and losing loved ones, and then the fear of losing one's job and other economic consequences. In difficult times, it often helps to read or observe the writings and experiences of those who have experienced harder times than you. Dr. Puder and Matt cover some of Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and how Victor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Jewish person, survived the holocaust and ultimately worked to find meaning in the worst of times. Ultimately, the best way is to find ways to build order amidst the chaos--whether it be making your bed, doing your dishes, getting dressed despite staying home, and building habits and routines whether you're working or suddenly find yourself working from home. This podcast originally aired soon after many things shut down due to COVID, but it applies today as much as then. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

What is grit? How do we increase grit and why do we need it? Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Just as we can increase our strength through barbell training, we can increase our mental toughness and grit through undergoing the challenges involved in barbell training. The grit we develop through this process helps us when life confronts us with obstacles, which it inevitably will. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt, Scott, and Dr. Puder continue their discussion of red flags and green lights: things to avoid and things to look for in partners to build healthy relationships. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Here is the red flags list: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a0b24e0bff200118a898f2d/t/5d957e4af14cb6013b0823c5/1570078283487/Red+Flags+In+Dating+V002.pdf Many people didn't see healthy relationships as a child, and media too often only cover relationships still in the early, puppy love phase. Long-term healthy relationships involve getting past the puppy love phase, learning and then accepting the others' faults. Adults often find themselves mimicking the relationships they had or saw as children. Learn how to work on yourself, and your relationship, and better identify the warnings signs of unhealthy partners. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Whereas Dr. Puder first addressed friendships, he now digs into romantic relationships, how to find and create healthy, enlivening relationships, and what to avoid when looking for a partner. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Here is his red flag list: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a0b24e0bff200118a898f2d/t/5d957e4af14cb6013b0823c5/1570078283487/Red+Flags+In+Dating+V002.pdf Often times, if you find yourself attracted to those people who have many of these attributes, the best way to address this is to work on yourself--seek therapy and other means to improve yourself. Also, have friends and others you can turn to to provide healthy, honest feedback on your dating choices. Ultimately, this is about thriving. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

What is depression? How do we recognize depression in ourselves and others? How can we help those with depression? How do we identify and help those who may have depression as strength coaches? Brooke Haubenstricker--BLOC Staff Coach & PBC--discuss this with Dr. David Puder. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Everyone experiences grief and sadness, but for some at certain points in their life, they become depressed. Though there are different causes of depression and different types, people will often display certain signs, such as increased or decreased appetite, suicidality, lethargy, trouble sleeping or increased sleep. A normal aspect of depression is a gap between reality and perception. People will not take compliments but will linger on critical feedback. Although coaches can take certain actions to help those with depression, it is important to remember that we are not mental health professionals though we can help. The importance of building good relationships and authentic connection is also revealed, as if we have built trust and an ability to communicate prior to depression, we are more likely to be able to not only identify the issue but also help. Dr. Puder and Brooke discuss practical ways to approach lifters, such as changing workouts to a total number of reps and ensuring communication is positive and encouraging. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

What is connection and how do we improve connection. Explore this topic with Scott, Matt, and Dr. Puder. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Here are the components of connection--by improving these, we can improve our connections: empathy psychological safety: ability to be honest alliance (therapeutic or educational): similar goals/on the same page feedback: specificity They also discuss what it takes to develop a friendship and how to create friendships if you don't have any--or you want to improve them. Finally, they discuss increasing your awareness of your emotions and those around you. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt, Scott, and Dr. Puder discuss low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy, and building friendships. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Many men develop low levels of testosterone as they age. They often feel reduced sexual desire and activity, decreased energy and motivation, and decreased confidence. They often don't feel themselves, and too often write off how they feel as just a normal aspect of aging. When men undergo testosterone replacement therapy, they often feel a returned vigor--a return to normality of when they were younger. They discuss building friendships and the importance of firm friendships. Finally, they end by looking at the opposite problems of dealing with being overly busy and how to find time versus suddenly having more time (leaving the military, retirement, etc.) and having to fill time with meaningful activities. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Gillian and Sarah Shanahan, Barbell Logic's Registered Dietician, join Niki to discuss how to build healthy relationships and mindsets around food, training, ourselves, and others to ultimately overcome negativity. Check out Dr. David Puder's podcast here: https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/ Too often people succumb to black and white thinking and negative, spiraling thoughts--e.g. this food is bad and I'm bad for eating it. We find ourselves overcome with negative thoughts and focused on past failures and mistakes. We've got to build structure and routines and habits to ensure we move toward our goals. We need to focus on the present and the current decisions we're faced with, as opposed to staying obsessed with a recent mistake. Finally, we've got to end thinking that taking care of ourselves is selfish--if we do something that helps ourselves and helps ourselves be better parents, employees, spouses, friends, etc., then it's ultimately a good thing. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt, Niki, & Andrew answer your strength training (and random) questions. 1:23 On the squat at powerlifting meets: Why do they have several people spotting lifters at a meet as opposed to having a lifter squat in a power rack with safety arms? 4:22 Questions on distal bicep tendon reattachment surgery & spiders: What training recommendations would you have for long-term recovery? What do you do if you see a spider during training? 10:04 Questions on keeping the arms straight during the power clean. When do they need to be straight? When do they bend? Are there tradeoffs? What about bar crash? How do you clean up a bad catch/rack position? 18:46 How would one determine the impressiveness of a lift across reps--ie would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or 1 horse-sized duck? 24:34 Pavel & pressing a lot to press a lot. Why doesn't LP have greater pressing frequency, and what is "a lot?" 32:42 Any tips, adjustments, or thoughts on hip flexor pain while squatting. 39:37 How can you adjust or choose a different exercise if you have really short arms and don't want pain...in a certain area? 44:11 Why does Matt wear a hat when he lifts? Note: Time stamps above do not include ads. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Many people who come to barbell training have exercised before but haven't necessarily trained. How do you make the switch from exercise to training. Matt, Niki, and Andrew help you make the jump to training. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Bringing it all together, how do we stay grounded with body image; gaining & losing weight; fueling training; staying excited for months, years, and decades of training. Niki & Gillian share their thoughts. We need to develop and maintain realistic expectations and remain grateful for what we have and can do. We need to define success for ourselves and not base it off others. We have to ignore the noise and remember why we're doing what we're doing. Sometimes, we need to really think about what motivates us and keeps us going.. They discuss social media and finding clothes that fit muscular bodies, routines & rituals, newness & excitement wearing thin, pre-workout meals, and much, much more. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

The gym, powerlifting meets, locker rooms: these all have specific sensory mosaics specific to themselves. Niki & Gillian talk about all the many senses you experience in the different strength settings--the sights, scents, tastes, noises, and textures). They then delve into how these can affect your performance and how we often get comfortable with our typical environment, so we should both control what we can (bring plates, sleeves, chalk, etc.) but also potentially prepare for other environments if we must (we're preparing for a meet). Many things can change our settings and how we interact with them: sickness, music, travel, temperature, mood, time of day, food we've recently consumed. They also share lots of funny and ridiculous stories. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Failure arrives unexpectedly on the longer road to greatness and self-improvement. Any meaningful pursuit will come with low points and mistakes. Niki & Gillian discuss approaching and dealing with failure, injuries, low points, and mistakes. We need to enjoy our pursuits--even if we don't enjoy every minute of them. If PRs are the only thing keeping us in the gym, we'll reach a point when we're not hitting PRs. During these times, we need to enjoy what we're doing, maintain the habit, and learn from the difficulties. Also, be thankful that you can lift in the first place. Similarly, goals can sometimes get in the way--enjoy the process, do the work, improve your form, and learn. Goals too often come from other people or from our prior selves. They discuss keeping a training log and some of the helpful things you can record in your log. Have people you look up to and emulate the things you respect in them--not their achievements, but the habits that brought their achievements. They discuss distancing yourself from your performance--from your PRs, from being wrapping your identity up too much in something that might not last or that you do. When it comes to your social media presence, think about representing your account. Don't be embarrassed if you're injured and lifting less than you used to--your showing a part of training that too often isn't shown by fitness figures. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

How do we define success? How do we evaluate if we've succeeded, regardless of our level of experience or talent--novice or advanced, amateur or elite? Niki and Gillian explore this important question and related topics. Gillian discusses how she felt more pride when she lost certain events but less pride when she won but knew she left something on the table. She also explores learning what you're good at and enjoy and balancing your pursuits with the other important things in your lifes, such as your relationships, which can often suffer in the pursuit of excellence. Gillian discusses the many arenas in which she's competed and pushed herself, including attempting to set pull up and push up world records on the same day (about 20 minutes apart, actually). This topic applies to any pursuit, any experience or talent level, and anyone. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt interviews Jordan Gross, a BLOC client and veteran All-American NFL Lineman. They discuss Jordan's experience with football, transitioning out of the NFL, training for strength and health, farming, and the benefits of voluntary hardship. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt, Niki, and Andrew discuss lessons learned from 2020: as a company, as employees at that company, and as individuals. 2020 presented some unexpected challenges, but Barbell Logic remained committed to providing value for its clients and its coaches. We think that we've learned a lot--as a company, as coaches, as individuals--and we're a better company because of the challenges. One of the biggest lessons was reevaluating what online coaching offers. When gyms closed down and many clients were unable to lift, we helped clients train with bodyweight and limited equipment, maintain an exercise habit in their lives, and maintain and strengthen relationships. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt takes a look back at 2020 and gives a sneak peek into new happenings with Barbell Logic for the new year in this short but sweet Christmas special. Things to look forward to from Barbell Logic include more lifting camps and seminars in the New Year, new books, and a brand new Barbell Academy Principles Course. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from our family at Barbell Logic to yours. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no-obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Thanks to the crew at the Music and Ideas Podcast for helping us continue a Holiday tradition. Scott Hambrick is back with co-hosts Karl Schudt and Trent Jones for another holiday jazz music special. This year the guys discuss the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. Sharing their musical insights and a healthy dose of nostalgia for the holidays, the hosts will make you appreciate the classic Christmas special in new ways, starting with the thematic, melancholy centerpiece "Christmastime is Here." Check out the Music and Ideas podcast for more discussion of music, ideas, and art. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt, Niki, and Andrew answer your burning holiday questions submitted through Instagram. This podcast address both fun and helpful topics related to Christmas and winter, to include favorite holiday traditions, lifting outside, adding protein or alcohol to egg nog, best stocking stuffers for lifters, and more. Enjoy the holiday spirit with Barbell Logic! GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

The holiday season is coming up, and for many of us this is a time where we gain weight: whether we justify an unexpectedly large bulk or simply seem unable to avoid our weight inching up despite our best intentions. Learn some practical methods to achieving your goals and preventing or limiting holiday weight gain (or even enabling holiday weight loss). The holidays present unique challenges: huge meals, home-baked desserts, calorically-dense food items, peer & family pressure, fond memories. We can enjoy the holidays while still moving toward our goals. First, leave room in your food & training journal to assess why you deviated from your plan. This isn't to judge yourself, but to build awareness. Were you hungry? Did you eat because you always eat at a certain time? Did you not want to disappoint someone? Did you mindlessly eat? Or, did you just really want that food item? Approaching holiday meals and time periods with realistic plans. Fasting prior to a meal is likely unrealistic. Eating a protein-rich meal the day of a big meal that will have plenty of fat and carbohydrates, however, makes sense. For the big meals themselves, have a plan to help you prevent or at least limit overeating. For example, fill your first plate with a normal amount of food. This may mean limiting the items you put on your plate. This may mean putting sample-size amounts on your plate. Then, when you're done, wait 15 minutes before getting seconds. For dessert, assess whether you're hungry or not. Take a dessert home if you really want it--you don't have to try every type of pie that meal or that day! Finally, Niki & Gillian discuss the idea of "volume eaters" and "intensity eaters." Though people may be some combination thereof, volume eaters tend to overeat through large quantities of food, whereas intensity eaters tend to overeat through calorically dense items (eggnog, anyone?). Arm yourselves with the knowledge and tips to better battle the holidays! GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

You understand the basics and understand the importance of preparation: how does this look in real life? How does a potential meal, day, or week look? Gillian & Niki delve into how to approach nutrition plans practically. Looking at the week and the day helps. When you look at a week, think about when you go grocery shopping, which meals will be eaten outside the house, how much food you need and how many meals you need to prepare. What staples do you always keep in the house, regardless of meals? What meals or snacks do you have on hand if you cannot cook, get unexpectedly hungry, or life just gets in the way of your plans? If you look at a day, look at the meals and snacks you'll eat. Are there certain meals you know you'll have to prepare ahead of time versus certain meals you can cook right before you eat? Do certain times of day tend to cause you to deviate from your planned meals or snacks? What causes this to happen? Once again, planning ahead increase your compliance and aids you in accomplishing your goals, faster. This means planning for the grocery store, meals, days, and weeks. It also means incorporating habits that you enjoy into the plan, such as a drink at the end of the day or dessert. Learn the practices, including specific recipe ideas, that help make healthy eating more fun. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Reaching our goals through nutrition comes with common pitfalls. Help us arm you with tips to overcome these common obstacles. First and foremost, as with training, we apply a minimum effective dose framework, whether you want to primarily gain muscle or lose body fat. This means, we don't cut calories to 1200 or double your calories. We first observe so we can understand your habits, metabolism, and intake. We then can recommend small, realistic changes to begin progressing you toward your goals. This cannot and should not be rushed. We don't want to play all of our cards and end up with stalled progress and little or nothing more we can do. The biggest issues come from lack of preparation and meeting hunger or a surprise challenge, such as someone offering a treat or confronting what you do with the food left on your kids' plate. Developing plans for these things that align with your goals and nutrition plan helps you through these obstacles and help prevent backslide and regret, ultimately helping you achieve your goals faster. Tips to combat these are having emergency meals or snacks if you get hungry--at home or on the go. Portion out foods ahead of time. With complicated foods--such as lasagna or a stew--weigh & measure it once so you have the information. The initial work will enable you to better understand your calorie intake. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Nutrition is a complicated topic, which comes with more emotional baggage and controversy than training. We have to eat, whereas we don't have to train or exercise. Difficulties abound, including trigger foods, grocery shopping, mindless eating, misunderstanding and underestimating calories, certain times of the year, alcohol, family, food preferences, dietary restrictions, and much, much more. Gillian does not have "a way" or "a diet" when it comes to nutrition coaching. The person or client must adopt consistent, sustainable behaviors. Dieting too often implies a limited time period, but what happens after that? Ultimately, you have to create a caloric deficit one way or another. regardless of goals or approaches taken. You can decide to be more or less aggressive: do you want to compete in a bodybuilding competition or just lose some weight to get healthier? How fast do you want to lose weight? What are you willing to give up? Are you doing this to support training and performance or for health or aesthetics? To move toward your goals, you'll have to have metrics to evaluate progress. Bodyweight is one, imperfect measurement. Others include body measurements, for example waist circumference. Some people like, some hate, progress pictures. Another may be trying on your favorite outfit or pair of jeans and seeing how they fit compared to before. You'll also have to break down large goals into smaller goals. How did you do this meal? Today? This week? How do you feel about how you did and how you feel? You'll have to be honest with yourself and your coach--especially if progress is slower or stalled. It may be that you're following the plan but progress will come, you just need to be patient. It may be that you're not including calories from an unanticipated snack, alcohol, or mindless eating. Regardless, we eat for the long haul and to improve our lives. This may mean that we have some non-negotiables that we're unwilling to forego, though we may have to limit these. This also means, however, that we adopt healthy habits, we get better, we move toward our goals, and we adopt voluntary hardship to improve our lives. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

We are excited to introduce the Barbell Academy. It reflects years of refining our material and coaching methodology. It's designed for not only those who seek a career as a professional barbell coach but for those passionate to learn more and grow as a lifter and person. The Barbell Academy will be self-paced, allowing for you to complete the course and future courses whenever you can--just like online coaching. Finally, learn about the experiences and educations of the people behind the Barbell Academy, how they came to lifting and coaching and what they've learned from teaching the earlier material for over two years. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Happy Thanksgiving! Here's a bonus episode for you all on Black Friday: a Thanksgiving message from Matt Reynolds and an update from Mike at MicroGainz. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Matt & Niki answer your questions. Email questions to [email protected] to receive an email answer and get your questions answered on the podcast. Time stamps below do not include the ads. 4:44: How does TRT impact the novice linear progression? Should someone redo LP if they begin TRT, especially as an early intermediate? 9:39: Should you do RDLs on a box or widen the grip if you do not achieve a "stretch" in the hamstrings because of short legs? 13:07: What are the effects on strength training from donating blood or plasma? 16:46: Do you prioritize midfoot balance or stress on the hips with the RDL and box squat? 19:53: Do you have any recommendations for free or cheap templates or programs for advanced lifters who do not have use a coach? 25:05: Which murder podcasts does Niki listen to? 29:12: Is there any benefit to wearing a mouth guard during training to prevent strain on the neck, keep the airway open, or prevent teeth grinding? 31:55: Why don't we do dips, as opposed to the bench press, as one of the 4 main lifts? 38:44: What is your preference for order of upper versus lower in terms of a 4-day split (upper then lower or lower then upper)? 41:46: What are realistic expectations for losing weight and training? GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Programming is, in large part, managing stress. Life stress and your stress from all other aspects of your life besides the barbell counts to your total stress. You can only recover from so much stress. If you're beyond LP, you may have to reduce training stress. Training in the gym may have to be fun, as it's important to maintain the habit and get something done. You likely won't be able to chase numbers during these times. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

In order to adapt, we have to recover. If we're missing reps, our form is good, and we train consistently, we have to check to see if we're resting enough between sets. We have to ensure we're getting adequate protein, calories, and sleep. We must ensure there's no additional physical stress. We have a few ways to manage recovery, if we've taken care of the above. The 4-day split is one of the best moves we can make in our MED toolbox. If delivers a reduced stress per session, but also allows for accessory work to more easily be added. It reduces lower body frequency, allowing more recovery, and increases upper body frequency slightly. The upper body lifts are less stressful (they train less muscle mass) so the increased frequency often helps drive these up. We must rest and recover to grow strong. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

We add stress during LP by adding intensity to a set volume. Exercise selection, for the most part, stays the same. After LP, however, how do we add stress? We have volume, intensity, and exercise selection to play with. We essentially divide the volume and intensity stressors. One session emphasizes volume, often 4x5 or 5x5. The other emphasizes intensity, a top set of 5 or 2x3 or 3x2 or 5x1 or a top triple, double, or single with back off sets. We hold off on changing exercise selection until later, although supplemental lifts can be thought of as modifying the main life toward more volume or intensity by either increase range of motion or time under tension or decrease these. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Block or conjugate programming is an advanced program that MED programming leads to naturally if a trainee lifts consistently over a long enough period of time. It is essentially a 3 phase or block program, divided by deloads, where the primary stress is initially volume, then both, then intensity. During the initial accumulation block, the lifter complete completes a high amount of volume at a relatively low intensity. Supplemental lifts tend to emphasize greater time under tension or longer range of motion. This is followed by a deload week, with an only limited decrease in intensity or no decrease in intensity with volume being peeled back. The transmutation or intensification phase, the volume is moderate and the intensity is moderate and increased. This means total stress is high and fatigue will exist. The lifter tends to not feel great toward the end of this, and a deload allows some fatigue to dissipate. The realization or peaking phase peels back volume but the weights are heavy. Some fatigue is still present, and there is a balancing act between peaking too early and not removing the fatigue prior to the peaking. Lifters may worry about their performance during this time. This phase both allows for practice of heavy singles and allows fatigue to dissipate toward the end to peak performance. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook

Few lifters reach advanced programming, because it requires consistency over a long period of time. Life too often interferes, whether it be injury, illness, vacation, or significant stressors. The road to advanced programming requires putting the work in as a novice and intermediate, adding weight first every 48-72 hours and slowly the SRA cycle lengthens and complexity goes up. This is accomplished through MED changes to continue to progress strength adaptations. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram [email protected] Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram The Website Barbell Logic on Facebook