Episodes
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Buy back your time with a professional coach. Coaching yourself means less progress in the gym and more time learning to become a coach.
Buy Back Your Time: Grocery Delivery ExampleYou probably need to value your time more. Too often, people avoid certain purchases because they deem them as too expensive. Sometimes this is true, but often buying back your time - a non-renewable resource - is the best thing you can do.
Grocery delivery for most people is a no-brainer. You spend little money to avoid the headaches and time needed to go to the grocery store.
Mowing services for grass are another great example. If you do not enjoy doing these tasks and need more time, pay money to someone who will do it for you to earn back your time.
Buy Back Your Time: Home GymHaving a home gym is another great way to save time working out. In this case, you will probably also save money over a long-enough period of time.
Don't wait for equipment, don't worry about the broccoli hair Zoomers, lift when you want at your house.
Buy Back Your Time: Professional CoachThis is really the benefit of hiring a professional coach. An expert takes something off your plate, allowing you to not worry about it. That expert will move you to more progress than you otherwise would have gotten. Additionally, you do not have to learn some level of the expertise.
Any time you decide to "do it yourself," you are taking on the burden of learning a certain skill that someone else is an expert or professional at. Sometimes, the task is quick, so it's fine.
You should consider buying back your time, however, by hiring a professional online coach.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Pain and setbacks can derail progress. Overcoming pain and setbacks requires addressing your why and acknowledging how you feel when you perform healthy habits.
Overcoming Pain and Setbacks: Oh Snap!A client finds himself making progress in all areas of fitness, at the lightest bodyweight in years and working toward specific barbell numbers.
He has a week of stressful work, where sleep was out-of-whack, he sat more than normal, and his schedule was off.
He returns to the gym and during his warm ups feels a tweak and hears a pop.
Training has to change now. Right before he crested the mountain top, he was cutoff at the knees. Suddenly, he found himself letting nutrition, alcohol, and sleep slip too. After all, why was he training now that the clear goals were unachievable?
Overcoming Pain and Setbacks: What is Your Why!?This client's why had really become the weight on the bar. It is easy to get emotionally tied to seeing the numbers go up. The numbers cannot (and will not) always go up.
It is critical to touch on your deeper whys for training. Even if you signed up for coaching or began training with specific numbers in mind - even if you are an elite lifter chasing numbers - you certainly actually have a deeper reason than seeing a larger amount of iron go up.
Overcoming Pain and Setbacks: What Feels Good!?Remembering how you feel when things are going well matters. Yes, the numbers were going up. That was fun. Did you feel good when you were eating healthy, drinking less, and ensuring you got sufficient high-quality sleep?
How did it feel to check off your nutrition, fitness, and health tasks every day?
When considering how you feel and how you felt, think about over a long period of time. Yes, staying up late with alcohol and processed food feels good in the moment. How do you feel that next morning? How does it feel to check your bodyweight on the scale? What do things look like after a couple weeks of these behaviors?
Overcoming Pain and Setbacks: Think of February & March!Think about the future. You may think about running this process through your head - what will things look like if the sloppiness continues for weeks and months?
You might also think about a specific time or place in your future. How do you feel in February after months of excess calories? How do you feel in March (or insert your time here) at that beach vacation?
What feelings arise when someone who has not seen you in awhile sees you and you've gained weight?
Overcoming Pain and Setbacks: Love the ProcessLoving the results without loving the process will cause problems.
Enjoy exposing yourself to discomfort through training. Maybe the weight on the bar is not challenging, but you get to feel a pump. Maybe you don't get a pump, but you have to complete high-repetition exercises you hate - this is voluntary hardship too!
Overcoming pain and setbacks is challenging, but you can do it.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Missing episodes?
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Mastering fitness habits is the key to crushing your goals and gaining lasting results to boost your health and quality of life.
Mastering Fitness Habits: Actions You Do No Matter WhatHabits are things you do without making new decisions. For Andrew, his four healthy habits are walking, food choices, sleep, and training.
He can go on auto-pilot in these areas, which automatically bring him toward his health and fitness goals.
Niki's dog died recently. No one would have blamed her for not training. For Niki, however, it was not only important to maintain the habit but it actually provided an emotional outlet, where she could get out of the house and get out of her mind and do something healthy for herself.
Mastering Fitness Habits: Applied Principles Not Rigid RulesThis does not mean black-and-white rigid programs. It does not mean if you do not do your 3x5 low bar squats, 3x5 bench press, and 1x5 deadlift with at least 5 minutes of rest you are not doing the program and have failed and are a bad person.
Rather, you incorporate walking regularly as part of your day. Most of the time that means at least 10,000 steps for Andrew, but sometimes that is unrealistic.
On vacation, for example, he continues to train, but workouts will tend to be shorter with less volume and less weight.
Sleep may become a lower priority on vacations, but it is not completely ignored and certain actions that help Andrew sleep better will be maintained.
Mastering Fitness Habits: Find FreedomHabits do not restrict freedom they create it.
Do you feel free when you cannot say no to the office donuts or that second or third drink or have to go through the drive through on your way home from work? Is this freedom?
No, freedom is not choice. Freedom is the ability to do what you want, in line with your values. If you want to be healthier and more capable, and be able to do more, you have to regularly train, sleep, and eat well.
Mastering fitness habits is not complicated, but it's not easy. Learn some tips to crush your health and fitness goals.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Learn why you should walk more, how it improves your health, mindfulness, and quality of life. Don't eschew this pedestrian but effective fitness tool.
Physical Fitness Benefits of Walking MoreA good reason why you should walk more is because it provides many health & fitness benefits.
Andrew mentions a study that shows that the benefits of walking 10,000 steps a day equates to, essentially, a "change in effective years" of 8 years. To simplify, it equates to making you 8 years younger than you otherwise would be.
Now, it is easy to draw too much from studies, but what is clear is that walking was correlated with positive health outcomes. Walking is accessible to almost all people, usually exposes you to the sun and gets you out from behind screens, and gives you time to think about things.
Mental Health Benefits of Walking MoreAnother reason why you should walk more is the benefits to your mental health. Walking gets you away from screens and your everyday problems. Creating this time and space to do something else let's you think or do other important activities such as think, talk, or listen to a podcast or audiobook.
Walking is a great activity to do with deep work. You can decide to take a break from the urgent and focus on the important, while doing something physical.
Why you should walk more!? Because it's all-around good for you.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Learn about how Jack Armstrong, BLOC client, completed the Three Peaks Challenge for charity. You can donate to the cause here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/daniel-surphlis-1718352507474
Three Peaks Challenge for CharityJack Armstrong, BLOC client, competed the Three Peaks Challenge. The challenge involves climbing the 3 highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales, along with driving to the peaks, within 24 hours.
Jack's training had to change, with much higher volume at low intensity and ensuring that his back (which can act up with heavy deadlifts and squats) was healthy.
He also hiked regularly.
The event itself was one long, hard day, and the team only failed to complete the challenge under time because they got stuck in traffic (but they ascended and descended the hills under their planned time).
Despite the rain, wind, cold, hail, and physical pain, this - being stuck in traffic - was the most painful moment of the day.
If you want to help donate to the hospital where Margot, who has cancer, is being treated, you can give here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/daniel-surphlis-1718352507474
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Subscribe to the Build Your Business podcast hosted by Matt & Chris Reynolds, who help you overcome the fears, unknowns, and challenges of business ownership.
Learn more about Ryan Matt Reynolds.
Learn more about Chris Reynolds, CEO & Founder of Surton.
Subscribe to the Build Your Business PodcastIf you have a skill or passion you're good at, you may have been told, or you may have considered, turning it into a business. Many coaches began as fitness enthusiasts who wanted to help others get stronger and healthier. That's great.
If you sell you services, however, you are a business owner. If you are a business owner, you have to work as the owner, manager, and technician in the business.
The technician is the role you're probably thinking about. You're the coach, power washer, baker, etc.
You have to run and oversee the business. This is the management and ownership.
Many businesses fail because they fail to do this.
Don't be saddled with the anxiety that comes from being a new business owner. Learn advice from Matt & Chris, who have nearly 40 years of business ownership between them.
Subscribe to the Build Your Business podcast at turnkey.coach/build
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Struggling to get back into the gym after a long break? Learn how to overcome mental and physical challenges and restart your fitness journey with our beginner's guide.
Returning to the Gym After a Long Break: Shift Your Mental MindsetYou went on a vacation, got sick, had a baby, were injured, or had your gym closed down. How do you get back to working out regularly?
Niki and Andrew first, of course, recommend that you probably want to avoid this situation if you can. Even if it's just some light bodyweight exercises, this is significantly better than no exercise.
The hardest aspect of this is in your head.
Once you take a break longer than about 3-5 days, you will find a significant decrease in performance. Because of this, you will have to deal address your expectations for what your body can do based on its past performance versus its current performance.
Focus on the habit of training and identify yourself as a lifter - you are someone who strength trains.
Lastly, remember that you are moving toward your goal, but that it will likely take longer than you would like (but in the grand scheme of things it will not take that long).
Returning to the Gym After a Long Break: Soreness & Other Physical ChallengesAs you have to adjust your mindset, you also need to adjust the weight and volume. Begin with lower volume and lower weight. It is much better to err on the side of too light than too heavy. It will help you ease back into the program, build confidence, and enjoy the quick gains from the lower weight as opposed to quickly missing reps because you tried to begin as close to your limit as possible.
Expect that your second workout or second day at the gym will be harder than the first. Especially with the squat, you will experience soreness.
Remember that movement will help with soreness. Enjoy the shock to your system.
Beginning your strength training routine after a break should not be scary. Take it easy, adjust your mindset, and get back in the gym!
Share your experience with returning to the gym after a long break.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Should I lift if I'm tired? It depends, on your tendencies, goals, experience, normal state, and more. We help you answer for yourself if you should lift today.
Should I Train if I'm Tired? Experience & TendenciesYou're going to feel tired sometimes. What do you do if you feel tired? Should you train?
It depends.
Niki recently felt tired and ended up taking a nap instead of training. She has learned, over years and decades of training, that this occurs regularly, she knows she will train the next day. Niki loves training and knows she will train the next day.
You may begin to find similar patterns. Remember, though, most people seek to avoid training, so know your tendencies.
Andrew shares a different experience, where for a long period of time he was sleep-deprived and always tired. He has had to learn, over time, that he would feel better after training, but he also had to reduce the expectations. If he never trained when he was tired, he would never exercise. Expecting the weight to go up every workout, however, is creates a loop of disappointment, guilt, and can lead to missed training.
Should I Train if I'm Tired? Take Ownership of Your TrainingRegardless of your decision, you have to own your decision and your training. If you skip today, own it, know why you did it, and do not let it break your training habit.
If you train, own that as well. Expecting PRs or the prescribed weight and volume may be counterproductive. Rather, aim to maintain the habit.
This is about behaviors and patterns that contribute to your quality of life and long-term goals. This is not about hacks, short cuts, or other snake oil. You have to put in the work over the long haul.
Should I train if I am tired? Find out!
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Learn how to get your back back after a chronic injury. It takes patience, focus on recovery, and a focus on what is truly important.
How to Get Your Back Back: What Is Your Goal?You have to remember what your goal is. What matters most to you?
Niki had an emotional attachment, built over years with baked-in assumptions she had to reevaluate, about the need for the weight on the bar to go up on a few lifts in a limited rep range.
She had to ditch this as the metric that mattered.
What she REALLY wanted was to build muscle mass, enjoy the gym, and limit or eliminate pain. Dreading the gym and waking up in pain every morning was not working.
Do you HAVE to deadlift to build muscle mass? No you do not. We love the deadlift, but if the deadlift is causing you to hate your workouts and be in pain all the time, then it is not moving you closer to your goals and you should ditch the deadlift.
Niki also decided to stop BJJ. While she enjoyed it, she was underrecovered and it was not bringing her closer to her most important goals.
How to Get Your Back Back: PatienceInstead of lifting heavy, Niki had to reduce stress and prioritize recovery. This first looked like lighter bodyweight and light implement movements. Then it moved onto machines. For Niki, the jump to machines was huge, because she was able to train hard without making her back worse.
Ironically, the crooked path toward her goal has brought her closer to PRs than the path of beating her head (or maybe her back) against the wall of pain, frustration, and trying to do the program.
She had to train curious and see if the exercise hurt, be ready to modify the weight or range of motion. She had to emotionally detach from weight on the bar. She had to rather focus on other things - did she wake up in pain. Did her back hurt during the workout?
Waking up without pain was a win aligned with her goals that was worth celebrating.
Learn how to get your back back.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Prioritizing your health helps boost all other priorities in your life. Respect yourself and your boundaries and learn how to prioritize your health, no matter what.
How to Prioritize Your Health: Set & Protect BoundariesDo not allow work travel or other obligations cause you to abandon your priorities. If you lose your health your work and those other responsibilities will suffer.
Prioritizing your health means understanding this is important to you and putting time and effort into it, even when time and effort is severely limited.
When you fail to prioritize your health, not only does your work suffer, but you will likely feel growing resentment, as you have failed to defend your goals and have your actions reflect your core values.
Prioritizing Your Health During Travel & Difficult TimesFor Andrew and Niki, investing in health during travel looks like consistently getting to the gym, maintaining a habit of walking, and picking better food choices.
This does not mean two hour workouts or the same diet one might eat during a strenuous cut.
It means, however, ensuring you maintaining the habit of exercise and working toward your goals. It means attempting to get 10,000 steps. It means looking for healthier food options, prioritizing protein and fiber insofar as you can.
You cannot completely let your guard down. You cannot relax your standards with reckless abandon. This is not how you accomplish your goals long-term.
This is especially important and true if you travel regularly.
Prioritizing your health means respecting yourself, your goals, and your boundaries.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
A powerlifting meet gives lifters and coaches an opportunity for performance under pressure. Learn the whys, hows, and whats of powerlifting meets. Learn about this and the exciting new International Barbell Federation (IBF).
Powerlifting Meets for Everyday LiftersYou don't have to be a 700 lb deadlifter to benefit from a strengthlifting meet.
People of all ages and backgrounds have found the purpose-organizing power of signing up for and preparing for a meet.
Putting the meet on the calendar gives a time and place where you need to perform. It helps you organize your training, eating, even vacations and such around this.
Sometimes, this is not appropriate. You might not want to schedule this when life is throwing you severe involuntary hardship.
Still, novices and experienced lifters, young and elderly, the painfully average or elite can benefit from adding this to their training. As a coach, the best way to get better at helping lifters at meets is to have your lifters go through meets. Second best way is going through a meet yourself.
Powerlifting Meet: The Power of the PlatformBeyond the training-organizing function, the environment of a meet - especially an in-person meet - is powerful.
People regularly experience PRs as they get cheered on.
On the other hand, the unique elements of a meet can throw people curve balls. You have judges and an open platform (as opposed to staring at a wall). You have less control over when you lift and have weird equipment and clothing. Judges may give you commands. You have to handle emotions.
With all this, it is certainly an experience worth having under your belt as a lifter and coach.
Try a powerlifting meet or strengthlifting meet, so you can perform under pressure.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Why participate in barbell competition, and if you decide to compete how do you approach it. Learn about this and the exciting new International Barbell Federation (IBF).
Barbell Competition BenefitsAndrew interviews Jordan Stanton, owner of Next Level Barbell and the Strength Union, both in or around Portland, OR, as well as former owner of the United States Strengthlifting Federation (USSF). As a gym owner, in-person coach, online coach, lifting federation owner, and competitive lifter, he has experienced barbell competition in all its aspects.
Why compete?
Competition focuses lifters' training, organizing it around a purpose connected to time. It also provides some motivation, not only mentally because the meet is on the calendar, but also to train hard and take recovery seriously.
Consider participating in an online or in-person meet, regardless of your training level.
Barbell Competition Tips & General ApproachGenerally, you want to taper before a meet and practice heavy singles. You definitely need to be familiar with the rules of the meet. Having a coach can really help here.
For many, though, the most important thing is not stressing about the meet or how you do but simply experiencing the meet. Lift heavy as people cheer you on. See how all the different rules and aspects of a meet change your lifting and your training leading up to your programming.
Barbell Competition OnlineThe USSF went online during Covid. Now, the USSF has been reflagged and is the International Barbell Federation (IBF).
If you're seeing this before or in October 2024, sign up for the online meet from October 9-20, 2024.
You can do a powerlifting version (squat, bench press, deadlift) or strengthlifting version (squat, overhead press, deadlift).
Make sure you read the rules and ensure you execute accordingly the day you lift.
An online meet is a great lower stress way to compete in your normal environment, not having to take a day out to go somewhere and spend most of the day competing.
Consider participating in barbell competition as part of your overall training approach, even if just one time.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
When you know you have a good product, service, or solution, you have unshakeable confidence. How do you develop this? Learn what this is and how you develop it!
Unshakeable Confidence: Is It Possible & What Is It?Andrew saw a video of someone handing out bags of money and reacting to people accepting or not accepting it.
Seems pretty crazy, to turn a bag of money, right!?
Now, in a big city, we can acknowledge that people might not fully understand what is going on, might be skeptical, and other reasons may exist. But in a situation this obvious - do you want free money? - the person handing it out is not insulted if you turn it down.
Why? Well, because this person is delivering such obvious value.
Andrew realized that when you know you have a good product, good service, good solution, this is how you react to rejection. You don't get incredibly defensive or emotional. You might take it as a learning opportunity.
While you want to spread the word about the good thing you have, your emotions are not so wrapped up in defending the value because you know, deep down, this thing has value.
Unshakeable Confidence: How to Develop ItBe honest with yourself and invest in ability, integrity, and benevolence. If the product needs work, be honest with yourself. That might be part of your pitch and you should charge accordingly.
For example, if you are trying to become a coach, you might initially charge nothing or very little and pitch it as something that will likely provide them value while allowing you to improve your coaching. If they receive value, request a testimonial.
Pick something that keeps you curious, and grow and expand your limits within that thing. Improve your craft. Improvement requires honesty, because you have to acknowledge your deficiencies and work to improve those areas.
When it comes to sales, this will look like not being obsessed with closing the sale, but rather offering a service where you help the other make a decision. Occasionally, it will not be a good fit. That's okay. Do not force something bad when it does not make sense.
Develop unshakeable confidence and then deliver.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Stronger means harder to kill, more able to fulfill your work and domestic obligations, and more useful overall.
Listen to Matt's talk to the Tactical Response alumni. This group of people cares about being prepared, protecting themselves and their loved ones, and more capable overall. If they are weak, however, they have a gap, and they need to be stronger. This applies to you too.
Stronger Means Harder to KillWould you like to be harder to kill, more resilient, healthier, and more useful overall or softer, easier to kill, more susceptible to death and sickness, and a burden on others?
If you're weak, you have a gap that needs to be addressed. You need to get stronger.
Getting stronger is brutally simple. Eschew complication, follow the simple, hard, effective way. Receive the greatest return investment for your time and effort by following basic barbell movements such as the squat, bench press, deadlift, and press.
Strength is about overcoming cancer, staying out of a nursing home, becoming a better father or mother. It is about building the confidence to regularly do hard things, and to be more prepared when involuntary hardship comes.
Act now! Exercise today and work toward training to get stronger and harder to kill.
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
We cover the good, the bad, and the ugly in the recent games in this 2024 Olympics Wrap-Up. 2024 Olympics Wrap-Up: the Impressive & the Controversial
You have to admit it, Olympians' performances are impressive.
The amount of work over years and decades is immense. Genetic gifts abound, but so do mindset and work ethic abilities.
Olympians' RPE 10 is not the same as our RPE 10.
We value voluntary hardship and appreciate what the human body can do. We stand in awe of the excellence on display in the Olympics, but rather than demotivate us it inspires us. In some small way, we get to participate in the same pursuit to not accept mediocrity and burdening others, but improving ourselves.
Enjoy this 2024 Olympics Wrap-Up!
PS - If you're interested in taking online coaching with Barbell Logic for a test run, check it out here.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Back pain for lifters can be scary & frustrating & varies in severity. Learn the causes, treatments, approaches, & red flags as a lifter and coach.
Rebekah Krieg, Exclusive Coach & former long-time physical therapist, discusses back pain, how to approach it as a lifter and coach, and red flags contraindicate training.
Back Pain for Lifters: Part of the Human ExperienceBack pain happens.
Whether an MRI of your back would look "normal" or "bad," back pain seems to be part of the human experience for those who exercise and train and those who do not.
It is better, all things being equal, to train and strengthen your low back. A strong back is a resilient low back.
Back pain comes in many intensities and durations, from the short-term tweaks, to the multi-month or year variety, to chronic back pain.
As lifters and coaches, we have to approach back pain with some flexibility but basic principles, an openness to refer out, active listening to our clients.
Back Pain for Lifters: Treatments & ApproachesThe general approach is to focus on what you can do.
If a lifter experiences a tweak during the workout, a general approach is to do the following:
reduce load first next, reduce range of motion next, vary the exercise selection be prepared to end the workoutAs a coach, do not encourage or support client catastrophizing. Training curious, see what works. Even if the workout has to be ended, most likely the client will feel better after a day or two and with something easy movements like bending over at the waist to get blood flowing into the back.
Motion is lotion.
For someone with new back that comes in, encourage them to see how the back feels after a warm up (and likely a slower, longer warm up). If they are still not feeling good, than follow the steps above. Often times, though, they will feel better after a warm up.
If someone comes in with chronic back pain, they are used to back pain. Focus on excellent technique and be more conservative with them. Ensure that the back pain does not get worse, and see if it gets better. Communication will be critical, and you may include a back pain metric that helps you and the client ensure pain monitoring is a regular part of the coaching process.
If the back pain is bad and normal enough, they might never do the conventional deadlift. Focus on what they can do. If the conventional deadlift or low bar squat causes significant pain or things to get worse, it does not make sense to force them into these movement patterns.
Back Pain for Lifters: Red Flags that Contraindicate TrainingSometimes, clients should not even warm up. If the client reports any sudden loss of function since the back pain, this contraindicates training. Below is a longer list:
lack of bowel control sexual dysfunction bilateral pain loss of motor function (e.g. foot drop)Do NOT let them warm up. They need to go to the doctor.
Bekah even has said that she has had to fire a client who would not follow her recommendations and guidelines for lifting and would not see a doctor. This may be the kindest thing you can do to them.
What type of glaring signal might it send to someone that a coach will no longer take their money unless they change their behaviors?
Back pain for lifters and coaches can be frustrating and scary. Do not catastrophize, follow some basic steps and principles, and do not be afraid to refer out to another healthcare professional.
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Take action and train because time & strength wait for no one. Get the most out of your training, & don't spend any more time without barbell training.
Take Action and Train: Time & Strength Waits for No OneTime is our most valuable asset because we can never earn more of it. We can make changes to make more money. We cannot make changes to earn more time (though we can make changes to spend our time in more valuable ways).
You do not want to spend another year, month, week, or even day without moving toward your health and fitness goals. You do not want to be ten years older having not trained. Not only will you be no closer to your goals, you may be further away. Furthermore, you will have lost ten years' time to train and reap those benefits.
But there is no better time to begin training than now. Make the change now. If you're short on time, that is no problem: spend time with simple, hard, effective training that delivers the minimum effective dose for maximum return on investment.
Take Action and Train: MED Strength Training for Maximum ValueYou get no better return on your investment of time and effort than using compound barbell movements, such as the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press.
Too many people - especially template peddlers - know because all they are selling is a program, they need to show off by including complexity and many exercise. Because of this, these programs often take 2-3 hours and have needless complexity, as it looks like you received more value with the longer, more complex workouts.
Simple, hard, effective is the way. If you're extremely limited on time, you may even simply perform one exercise a day.
You don't know how much benefit you can get from how little time. It is not easy, but it is simple. It is brutally simple and brutally effective.
Take action and train today.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Tackling tweaks can be terrifying. You're lifting and suddenly - OUCH - pain. We discuss how to handle these tweaks. Tackling Tweaks: Don't Catastrophize
You're lifting, all is going well, then suddenly you feel pain.
What do you do? How do you handle this? Why me, why now!?
It can be easy to catastrophize, to immediately assume the worst.
The reality is, your workout may be over, it may not be, you may be able to do something. You want to do what you can do, and most tweaks may affect one or two workouts but will have a quick return to normal.
Tackling Tweaks: Step-by-StepAndrew & Niki break down how Niki dealt with a recent adductor tweak and how this can apply to similar situations for you.
Evaluate for red flags Calm down Check for range of motion Incrementally start loading itThe first two steps may be interchangeable, but first check in with your body. Do you feel tingling? Is there bruising or swelling? Is it unilateral or bilateral? If you feel tingling or see bruising or swelling, it is more than a tweak.
Depending on how you are feeling, you may need to calm down. This may involve sitting or walking around.
Check for range of motion. Move into a position of discomfort and see if it gets better or worse. Stop if it gets worse.
Then, assuming you encounter no red flags, begin to load incrementally. It is probably a good idea to do the movement slow and controlled - maybe a tempo variation with a pause. You may adjust the movement to limit the involvement of the muscle that hurts.
Winning may look like getting some movement done - it will likely not look like getting the programmed workout done.
Tackling tweaks does not have to be terrifying. Learn how.
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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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
How does consistency help us reach our goals? We explore the fundamental but undervalued lynchpin to success that is consistency. Consistency: Lynchpin for Success
Repeated action brings you toward your goal. Obviously, if you want to learn Latin, you need to study Latin regularly - studying Mandarin Chinese will not help.
That being said, a mediocre plan that you consistently follow is better than the "perfect" plan followed sporadically.
Fitness influencers like to argue about the perfect program, the best exercises, the proper technique, and many other things. None of these things matter if you do not train regularly.
The difficult part of this is that you have to put in the effort for a long time before seeing the results you want.
Consistency: Compliance & TechniqueThis is about actions, not outcome, though the actions bring you to your desired outcome.
Compliance - following the actions that bring you toward your goal - does not mean following a rigid plan perfectly without any possibility or flexibility for deviation.
Rather, it means regularly performing actions that bring you toward your goal no matter what. You train whether you are motivated or not. That may mean bodyweight exercises, shorter workouts, fewer workouts, but it means you do not "go dark" for periods of time.
Consistency of technique, as it relates to strength pursuits, is also undervalued. Having a repeatable way to perform an exercise helps provide a clear measuring stick, let's you know if you completed a repetition or not, helps prevent injury, and targets the muscle groups as desired.
Pursue consistency, because nothing matters as much as this.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] -
Learn how to get beyond the sticking points, where failure and quitting too often arise but opportunity and long-term success await those who intelligently persevere. Minimum Effective Action: Where is the Progress?
PRs have stopped, you're not feeling as good as you had been, you'll not looking forward to your time in the gym like you had been.
Sometimes it takes longer to realize than you would think, but suddenly you realize things are not going as you would like them to go (and as they had been before). What do you do?
Because recovery is the limiting factor, it is helpful to think through different areas of your life that contribute to recovery and where you might be falling short or missing the mark:
sleep (quality & quantity) eating (quality, quantity, consistency) alcohol protein routine (do you have one right now?) stressYou will likely identify an area or multiple where you are not doing as well as you can. For example, maybe you've fallen out of your normal routine during the summer, partly by drinking more. The drinking has reduced your sleep quality and quantity and also your protein and fiber.
Tightening things up, reducing alcohol, and reestablishing your routine can help.
Minimum Effective Action: Consistency & Path of Least ResistanceIdentifying the path forward when you want to make changes can be hard. Really, the simple, hard, effective way is the way forward. Focus on one or two things, and do them consistently.
The change needs to be something you can see yourself doing indefinitely. IT needs to become a habit, so that when you do not have discipline OR motivation, it is the easy thing to do.
For example, for Andrew and Niki they feel bad when they do not work or they eat bad food. It has become easy for them to eat healthier and train because otherwise they very quickly identify they feel bad and see the negative consequences.
Take the minimum effective action to reach your goals.
Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page.
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 Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email [email protected] - Show more
