Episodes
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On this week's show I welcome back Matt Wenning. If you have not already listened to my first interview with Matt please be sure to check it out. We talk about how he has helped our country's military and first responders get stronger and reduce on the job injuries.On this show we talk about the conjugate method in detail. How it can be used not only for power lifters but athletes and anyone else looking to get stronger.Matt shares with us his experience at the Swiss Symposium. It's a conference where some of the industries brightest thinkers share on a wide variety of topics. Matt spoke about the sumo deadlift and lower back health. He also talked about our topic for the week, the conjugate system.The conjugate system was developed by Soviet Olympic weightlifters as an answer to the system they were using, which is more like the modern Bulgarian system. The conjugate system came from the variable system that the Dynamo Club was using. Although olympic weightlifting is only two lifts (Snatch and Clean & Jerk) Dynamo Club was using 70+ variations. This drastically reduced injury and allowed them to go harder.This type of training was first used in the the United States by the Louie Simmons at the Westside Barbell Club but Charlie Francis used these methods with Ben Johnson in Canada in the 70's and 80's. A fun Westside history tidbit is, Matt owns the house Westside got its start in. Matt bought the house from Louie in 2006.I asked Matt about the practice of box and wide squats exclusively in the Westside method. He said that the trick is to do what you are bad at. Typically people are bad/deficient at box and wide squats so generally they should be used more than conventional squats. Matt says a good program will give more than it takes away. Meaning if you do the same thing over and over your body will get used to it and your progress will slow. It's important to constantly change your programing so that we continue to progress. Matt advises that we need to stop looking for a 10 week fix to a multi year problem. Training with the Westside method is a multi year program. Matt attributes his use of the Westside method throughout the majority of his career for his ability to achieve world record strength with very few injuries. The real win is getting very very strong with very little wear. I point out that it's important to note; the whole reason the majority of us train is for health and longevity. Being able to train in a way that reduces wear and increases strength is very important.My next question for Matt was the criticism people have of the Westside method and its lack of competition lifts incorporated in its programing. He agrees with Louie's contention that Westside's heavy use of accessory lifts does improve technique. Matt says he mixes in the conventional lifts once every three weeks.When asked about training large groups Matt says it's impossible to make a perfect program that helps EVERY athlete 100% unless it's one on one training. There are some very common issues that work for most people. That is addressing weak glutes and poor hamstring to quad ratios. Also rear deltoid and rhomboid weaknesses compared to anterior deltoid and pecs. When we address these weaknesses with large groups that gets us 90% there, and when we are 90% that's good enough for large groups.Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
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On this episode Bret and I speak with internet sensation Jujimufu. We talk about his work in tricking, bodybuilding, and keeping fitness fun. Jujimufu shares with us his thoughts on flexibility, his approach to maintaining his size and agility, and he shares stories of some of his most famous videos. Please be sure to check out his website acrobolix.com for his book Legendary Flexibility, clothing, and other great merchandise.
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Missing episodes?
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On this week's show I welcome back Matt Wenning. If you have not already listened to my first interview with Matt please be sure to check it out. We talk about how he has helped our country's military and first responders get stronger and reduce on the job injuries.On this show we talk about the conjugate method in detail. How it can be used not only for power lifters but athletes and anyone else looking to get stronger.I have also just released a free guide titled "Westside Method: The 5 Keys to Success" The Westside Method is a sure path to strength and better efficiency, but it’s not always intuitive. This guide breaks down the Westside methodology, making sense of the plan’s mantras and misconceptions to help you achieve habitual success.Matt shares with us his experience at the Swiss Symposium. It's a conference where some of the industries brightest thinkers share on a wide variety of topics. Matt spoke about the sumo deadlift and lower back health. He also talked about our topic for the week, the conjugate system.The conjugate system was developed by Soviet Olympic weightlifters as an answer to the system they were using, which is more like the modern Bulgarian system. The conjugate system came from the variable system that the Dynamo Club was using. Although olympic weightlifting is only two lifts (Snatch and Clean & Jerk) Dynamo Club was using 70+ variations. This drastically reduced injury and allowed them to go harder.This type of training was first used in the the United States by the Louie Simmons at the Westside Barbell Club but Charlie Francis used these methods with Ben Johnson in Canada in the 70's and 80's. A fun Westside history tidbit is, Matt owns the house Westside got its start in. Matt bought the house from Louie in 2006.I asked Matt about the practice of box and wide squats exclusively in the Westside method. He said that the trick is to do what you are bad at. Typically people are bad/deficient at box and wide squats so generally they should be used more than conventional squats. Matt says a good program will give more than it takes away. Meaning if you do the same thing over and over your body will get used to it and your progress will slow. It's important to constantly change your programing so that we continue to progress. Matt advises that we need to stop looking for a 10 week fix to a multi year problem. Training with the Westside method is a multi year program. Matt attributes his use of the Westside method throughout the majority of his career for his ability to achieve world record strength with very few injuries. The real win is getting very very strong with very little wear. I point out that it's important to note; the whole reason the majority of us train is for health and longevity. Being able to train in a way that reduces wear and increases strength is very important.My next question for Matt was the criticism people have of the Westside method and its lack of competition lifts incorporated in its programing. He agrees with Louie's contention that Westside's heavy use of accessory lifts does improve technique. Matt says he mixes in the conventional lifts once every three weeks.When asked about training large groups Matt says it's impossible to make a perfect program that helps EVERY athlete 100% unless it's one on one training. There are some very common issues that work for most people. That is addressing weak glutes and poor hamstring to quad ratios. Also rear deltoid and rhomboid weaknesses compared to anterior deltoid and pecs. When we address these weaknesses with large groups that gets us 90% there, and when we are 90% that's good enough for large groups.Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition.
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On this episode Bret from Constant Forward Progress and I do some catching up on our training and talk about our new Facebook Group, HomeGrown Strength.
We start the show talking about how I was able to squat everyday for a year and what my thoughts on the experience were. I tell Bret that I think this is a practice (Squatting Every Day) that is absolutely doable but does not suite my current goals. I'm focused on powerlifting goals and need to spend more time deadlifting and doing other leg accessory work. Squatting everyday takes aways from my ability to do that.
I also talk about how much I enjoy following the Conjugate/Westside method. I love the diversity of lifts and being able to max out twice a week. I have recently written a guide to training with the Westside Method called: "Westside Method: The 5 Keys to Success" You can download it for free by going to: http://www.hammershed.com/go/westside/
Bret says his training has focused more on better pull ups so that he can progress to a muscle up. He also shares some exercises he does to increase shoulder mobility. Bret says back bridge variations are a great exercise for increasing mobility.
I then share the details for our new Facebook group, HomeGrown Strength. HomeGrown Strength is about pursuing strength at home, in your garage, backyard, or neighborhood park. You don't need a 10,000 SQFT globo gym to be strong. HomeGrown Strength is here to support your strength and fitness goals, we are here to share what we have learned from building our own home gym, and most importantly we are here to make you STRONG.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. -
Today Jeron Kerridge welcomes me back to Savage Strength and Conditioning to record an episode. We talk about training with some of powerliftings best and managing training intensity.
Jeron first shares with us his trip to Boss of Bosses 3, and the Richard Hawthorn seminar that he hosted at Savage Strength and Conditioning.
The days topic was was intensity. Was talked not only about intensity as a measure of how hard we are working in the gym but also intensity as it pertains to arousal level.
I asked Jeron how he approaches intensity both in his programing and in his training environment. Jeron says he thinks getting super psyched up for lifts, yelling, screaming, and all the other things that is stereotypical of some powerlifters can work, but not for everyone, and is very dependent on an individual's personality.
I also make sure to point out that during our conversation we were talking about two different types of intensity. Arousal level and training difficulty relative to maximum effort. Jeron says he likes to stay in the 70-85% range for most of his work. We agree if you go too light you don't get the strength adaptation response. On the other hand if you too heavy technique can break down. We do agree that it is important to get some reps over 85% because there are some things to be learn about weaknesses and, it allows our body to get use to handling heavy weight. Finding the balance of proper training intensity for individual athletes is where having a coach can be helpful. Having a coach with an unbiased eye is extremely useful too, even for more experienced athletes. If you are looking for assistance with identifying weaknesses or technique assessment, I invite you to apply to be a part of the HammerShed Team.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. -
On this episode I speak with pilates expert Tracey Katona. She shares with use the history of pilates, her background as a professional ballerina, and how some of the best athletes in the world like Lebron James and Antonio Brown use pilates to make them better athletes.
Tracey started ballet at the age of 5. She knew that she wanted to be a professional ballerina so she told her mother that she needed lessons at a performing arts school. After a 12 year career as a professional ballerina, Tracey retired and began her career as a pilates instructor at the Nike world headquarters.
I asked Tracey if she ever had negative pressures during her ballet days to look a certain way or to make unhealthy choices. She said she saw some of it, but also some of that has to do with people who just don't have the genetic makeup to make a career out of it. She said she loves basketball but no matter how much she wants to be in the NBA she just won't because she doesn't have the physical assets that make it possible. Tracey doesn't deny there are pressures to look a certain way but she feels that is present in many sports. Tracey feels that people with bad eating disorders probably would have had them if they didn't do ballet and those with a serious eating disorder wouldn't be able to keep up with the physical demands of the sport either. Tracey says that the ballet industry is much more educated now on the subject of fitness and nutrition and they do a much better job of keeping such issues in check than they have in the past.
I asked Tracey to give us a background of where pilates came from. She tells us Joseph Pilates born in 1883 created his methods to help himself be more fit. He also used his methods to help prisoners of WWI develop their fitness. After the war he came to New York and opened up a studio. He made friends with higher ups of the New York City Ballet and dancers would come to him for rehab.
Pilates is intended to teach you how to acquire complete control of your own body through proper repetitions of the pilates exercises. You progressively acquire natural rhythm and coordination. Pilates supplements your sport by enhancing movement, power and endurance.
As Tracey describes how a typical session with her is set up I note that the similarities of other philosophies. The focus on the feet, addressing asymmetries, importance of the core, and breathing. Tracey focuses on good human movements and teaches her students to be more efficient movers. This work translates into everyday life and most certainly will help improve performance in any sport her students compete in.
To learn more about Tracey Katona check out her website http://www.katonapilates.com/. To find someone in your area that teaches Romana Pilates check out their location directory: http://www.romanaspilates.com/FindLocations.html -
On this episode I speak with Brandon Senn, Head Coach of Virtual Coaching at Kabuki Strength. He and I discuss the use of autoregulation in strength training. We explain its benefits, different types, and how to incorporate it into your programing.
Brandon says he wasn't always a huge fan of the weight room as he found more pleasure in playing sports in high school than preparing for them in the weight room. He notes that he has always had a love for sport and competition. To fill that void after high school he found powerlifting.
Brandon says his coaching started at a commercial gym but found his coaching philosophy and their business model just wasn't the right fit. He met Chris Duffin at a powerlifting meet hosted at Elite Performance Center. He felt that working there (Elite Performance Center) was a better fit for him and his clients. Currently the athletes he coaches are powerlifters, strongmen, and a couple crossfit athletes. Most of his coaching is done online but does some coaching at the Kabuki Strength Lab too.
I then asked Brandon to explain the origins of Kabuki Movement Systems (KMS). He says that, KMS filled a need for a movement based system for strength sports. There are always a time and a place for mobility work, rolling, etc... KMS though, addresses common movement issues with athletes, not only to reduce injuries but also to increase performance/strength. It's a system that helps athletes be more efficient movers, which increase force production.
The main topic of the day is auto regulation. For those of you who are not familiar with what that is, auto regulation as a concept, is the ability to manage training load based on a series of defined metrics. In general there are two different types of metrics. Subjective metrics which include rated perceived exertion (RPE), reps in reserve (RIR), or other questions based around describing how difficult a movement felt. Objective metrics are the other type, these include measured bar speed, heart rate, and reps to failure (AMRAP). The benefit with objective metrics when utilizing autoregulation is it keeps you honest and it's harder to fake. We talk about how there are times when we FEEL good or FEEL bad but the objective metrics show otherwise. In those cases an athlete might make adjustments based on a feeling that would not optimize their training. Brandon does say that there are a time and a place for both methods, and cites work from people like Michael Tuchscherer who uses both methods in tandem.
Brandon talks about how Dr. Brian Mann in working with some of his athletes has found that when they measured athletes bar velocities at certain prescribed percentages they were actually working in ranges undesired for what the programming called for. Cases like this show that not everyone is the same and having some hard data to show us what is really happening can be beneficial.
I then asked Brandon to describe the different types of velocity devices. There are two main types, wearable devices and tethered devices. Brandon tells us that there are also some optical devices but tend to be too inaccurate or cost prohibitive. Brandon thinks that the future will be in wearable tech but right now tethered devices are far more accurate. Currently Brandon's favorite device is the Squats and Science Open Barbell v2.
I asked Brandon to explain typical usage of a velocity device for auto regulation. He says that any program that uses percentages for training load can use velocity monitoring to make it even better. He uses a technique called velocity profiling. It defines what velocity you should be at for any particular percentage of your one rep max. Not everyone is the same and we all travel at different speeds for different loads. The profiling helps clear up the guesswork so you can select weight to match the prescribed percentage for your training.
If you are looking for more information on velocity based auto regula... -
On this episode I am happy to welcome back Dr.Tyna Moore. She and I talk about strength training, its benefits to our health, and how important it is for our sanity. Dr. Moore started the show by telling us that she was able to hit her 200lb deadlift goal she talked about last time she was on the show. Tyna explains that it happened on a day that she stopped focusing on numbers. She has recently hired a coach that has been a huge help in systematically addressing weaknesses and helping her get stronger. An issue she was having with her squats was a hip impingement, and she has found that squatting wider and toed out has helped with the impingement problems. It also is more adductor and glute focused and she appreciates that.
The last time Dr.Moore was on the show we talked about managing pain, so I gave an her an update on how I have been managing pain for me and my family. We have started using magnesium gel for sore muscles and voodoo floss bands. For people interested in learning more about voodoo floss be sure to check out Kelly Starrett and Donnie Thompson's YouTube channels.
The topic of the show is strength training and why we ALL need to do it. Specifically we talk about the conversations we have with people who have not been in the gym for awhile or those who are fit but don't lift weights. I asked Dr. Moore to explain to us, from a doctors perspective, what are the benefits of strength training. Two main benefits she talks about is for pain relief and hormonal balance. She warns that a great way to screw up your hormonal balance is through chronic cardio. It can be inflammatory and fatigue your adrenal glands. Dr.Moore also notes that highly trained lean muscle mass can produce hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, which is a huge win for aging athletes. When performing heavy compound movements our bodies are put in a stressful situation which causes us to not only produce more hormones such as HGH and testosterone but as a whole is forced to become more robust and stronger. The detoxification benefits that we get from strength training are huge.
I asked Dr. Moore what her strength training journey has been like. She shares that it was comment from her daughter that motivated her to get in the gym and build up her glutes. Once she had been at it for some time she began to start seeing all the benefits we have been talking about. She saw that this was a major component that was missing from her life and from her patients lives. She tells us it's a great way for her to prepare for life. No matter what it throws at her, being stronger and having more muscle mass is always an advantage. The mental benefits we get from strength training is so important too. It builds confidence, it helps with depression, and alleviates stress.
We then moved on to talking about recovery. Although the gym is great and lifting heavy weights makes us feel good, equally important is rest and recovery. Our exercise stimulates our body to grow when we give it rest. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and reducing our alcohol consumption are all things we can to to help our body recover and grow. Dr. Moore notes that if we pay attention we can see how our lifestyle choices impact our training.
To learn more about Dr.Tyna Moore and her work please go to: http://drtyna.com -
On this episode Bret speaks with Senior PCC and RKC Level II, Adrienne Harvey. She shares with us her story in fitness and how she got invloved with the PCC and Dragon Door .
Adrienne found kettlebells in 2008 and loved that she could get conditioning/cardio in while strength training. In 2010 she got her RKC and decided to do kettlebell training professionally instead of her mail order business. She started her website http://giryagirl.com/ right after her certification. Her work caught the attention of Dragon Door and she has been conducting interviews for their website. She speaks with industry leaders on a wide variety of topics.
When convict conditioning came out Adrienne says she was very intrigued by it and loved the progressions in it. She found it to be very helpful with people she work with. Using progressions from the book she was able to help people do things they never though they could do.
Adrienne has found she is able to cover just about all her and her clients fitness needs with calisthenics, kettlebell training, and sprints. She loves that calisthenics scale so great for groups of people with the use of progressions. She and Bret talk about how important it is to manage expectations on how hard calisthenics can be and how long it can take to master some of the more advanced exercises.
When asked what she does when she or a client reaches ad plateau Adrienne says she has been able to avoid them by learning and practicing progressions and regressions. The key for people who do experience plateaus with exercises is to break it down and address sticking points. Then drilling those weaknesses until they are strengths.
Adrienne is currently working on a book on general strength. It will include body weight, kettlebells, and other modalities as well as sections on recovery and recipes. For me details be sure to check out her website: http://giryagirl.com/ -
On this episode Bret and I talk to Dragon Door Founder John DuCane. We talk about his background in Thia Chi, how Dragon Door originated, and what is to come from many of Dragon Door authors.
John is a Thia Chi and kettlebell expert, but originally was a Track and Field athlete. He grew up in South Africa and was always playing, running, and jumping outside. When he attended high school in England, John ran track and played rugby. John credits his health to a variety of different exercise, movement, and a lifelong practice of rigorous exercise. At age 18 John found the book Light on Yoga, which introduced him to bodyweight exercise.
John goes on to talk about how Dragon Door started the modern kettlebell revolution. When he met a young Russian man by the name of Pavel Tsatsouline they started training together and came out with a couple books. One of which was Power to the People. They also were the first US company to offer kettlebells, which were different from Russian kettlebells because the were solid. Not hollowed out like traditional kettlebells. Dragon Door was also first to come out with videos, books, and certification in kettlebells.
Another huge breakthrough for Dragon Door came when Paul "Coach " Wade submitted a copy of Convict Conditioning to John. This turned into the release of a best selling book which sold over 100,000 copies in the US and the development into the Progressive Calisthenics Certification with Al and Danny Kavadlo as lead instructors.
There are several great title coming out from dragon door including, CrossCore® Hardcore by Marty Gallagher, and new material from Wim Hoff.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. -
On this episode Bret Hamilton from Constant Forward Progress interview Danny Kavadlo. Danny is the older brother of Al Kavadlo, bodyweight training expert, PCC Lead Instructor, and author. Danny shares with us how he got into calisthenics, what he did before he was a coach, and he talks about some of his recent books.
Danny grew up in Brooklyn New York, and as a kid Danny was always very passionate about music. He played in and toured with bands and tells us he didn't even have a "real job" until he was well into his twenties.
Although he never got involved with organized sports, Danny says he was also very passionate about fitness. Always practicing pull-ups, push-ups, squats, and dips. He found fitness was something he could control, which was a good way to balance his life. He feels that fitness is the ONLY thing that really gives back what you put into it.
An important point Danny wants people to keep in mind is most people are goal oriented but not process oriented, which he believes is the most important part, the process.
It was the birth of Danny's son that really got him into the business of fitness. Before that Danny was in the marketing world working for liquor companies. He then decided that he rather settle down and help people be healthy.
When asked why he is a body weight exercise specialist, Danny said that he wasn't always only a body weight guy. He says that in life he tends to be a minimalist. As he progressed in his career he found not only is he best at body weight training but it fit his life and who he is. It was just a natural fit.
To learn more about Danny check him out at http://www.dannythetrainer.com/
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. -
On this episode I speak with sports nutritionist and World's Strongest Woman competitor Jennie Cwikla. Jennie is also the owner of Valkyrie Athletics, a company that specializes in working with elite level athletes. She and I discuss eating for performance, realistic expectations, and common nutrition misconceptions.
Jennie talks about the struggles we all have with balancing life and fitness. She talks about how many public school systems have failed to prepare students for and living a healthy lifestyle.
While in college studying exercise science, Jennie found herself in a position where she was not the person she knew she should be. She was over 200 lbs. and not eating the way she knew she should. Jennie said that was her rock bottom and was determined to make a change for the better.
In 2008 Jennie started running boot camp classes and competing in figure competitions. Jennie even got involved with extreme weight loss studies for infomercials like Nordictrack and other fitness equipment.
In 2010 Jennie competed in her first sanctioned World's Strongest Woman competition, which she ended up winning. That was the springboard into her career. She went on to win Arizona's Strongest Woman, and tied for 5th in The World's Strongest Woman competition.
Jennie is the owner of Valkyrie Athletics, a company that specializes in helping elite level athletes with programing and nutrition. -
On today's episode I speak with Adam Field the co-founder of APEMAN Strong Apparel. Adam shares his story of how he and his brother started a powerlifting company focused on their passion for the sport, inspiring others through powerlifting, and training hard. Adam talks about their approach to design, sponsorship, and he shares the story of APEMAN athlete KC Mitchell. Whether you are a powerlifter or not I am sure you will find this show truly inspiring.
Adam and his brother run APEMAN strong together out of a warehouse in Phoenix Arizona. Adam came from a background in finance and commercial real estate and his brother ran a screen printing business making shirts for local companies.
I started the interview asking Adam what advice he would give people getting started in business or their sport. He says the most important thing is to do something you have a passion for. Chasing money doesn't always make you happy. Even having money may not bring happiness. He has found the most satisfying part of his job is being a part of something he loves. He loves to write, lifting weights, and pursuing strength. APEMAN Strong doesn't think about chasing money, they chase their passion, STRENGTH. When you are doing something you are truly passionate about the money will find you. It's more important to them to find ways to help people with their business than to make a quick buck.
Adam shares that his fascination with strength goes back to when he was a kid and watched The Incredible Hulk with Lou Ferrigno. He always wanted to have big muscles, like the Hulk and characters from the Rocky movies like Sylvester Stallone, Apollo Creed, etc... Also very involved in sports through high school Adam says he has always loved lifting weights. When the real estate market crashed in 2008 Adam explains that he was over stressed, his business partners left, and he had to go through the pains of closing offices, laying people off, and it proved to be too much. On the verge of a breakdown himself he said going on late night runs helped reduce the stress. Unfortunately during a 62 mile race Adam went into kidney failure and put it him in the ICU. Not being able to run and needing some more income Adam's brother invited him to help print tee shirts and workout in the warehouse gym. That is when Adam fell back in love with weight lifting. He became addicted to letting his angst, aggression, and frustrations of life on the barbell. Lifting became a much needed release.
Adam and his brother then began to talk about the idea of starting a brand around lifting weights. It just made sense to them. They loved lifting weights, they were already printing shirts for other people, why not start something that they had a passion for. The original concept was for a lifestyle brand based on the idea that we need to promote strength, taking care of business, and powerlifting.
The first shirt APEMAN came out with was "Lift Angry"
People outside of lifting sometimes can misconstrue the meaning. What it is about is, taking circumstances that have caused pain, hurt, or rage in your life and unleashing it on the weights in a positive way. Not being a jerk in the gym.
One of the athletes APEMAN sponsors is KC Mitchell. His story is a very inspiring one. KC lost a leg while serving our country. Feeling down and out, he turned to power lifting and completely turned his life around and got off all the pain pills he heavily relied on.
Adam and I talk about how training with people who are better than you makes you better. It is inspiring and can show you that the limits you put on yourself are artificial, you can always do more.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, -
On today's episode Bret invites us back to constant forward progress. I start the episode by talking about a great workout I had that morning. Not everyday in the gym is perfect and we don't always feel our best, so when we do it's important to take advantage of it! I have been doing a Westside Method style program lately. This type of programing incorporates a lot of banded exercises and on this particular workout my banded squats felt REALLY easy. I ended up triple checking the weight and doing and extra couple sets with straight weight just to verify I was doing the right amount. For more information on the Westside Method be sure to go back and listen to my interview with AJ Roberts.
Working with Bret and interviewing some of the industries greatest calisthenics experts has inspired me to spend more time learning new skills on my rest days. Not only does this help with my body awareness and strength is also helps improve my mobility and aids in recovery. Bret shares how making minor adjustments such as hand placement, can make a huge difference in difficulty when doing calisthenics. Bret also advises that strength sport athletes do more single leg or single arm accessory work to help prevent or fix asymmetries.
We briefly highlight some of the great performances in track and field during the Olympics. Michael Johnson's 400M world record was broken and Ryan Crouser an Oregon Native broke the Men's Olympic Shot put record.
Bret and I then move on to the topic for the show which is the compounding effect of consistency. There are some many times when we want to skip our training. Either we don't feel good, we are not motivated, or we feel like there are better things to do. This is where so many people go wrong. You will not get anywhere being a fair weather athlete. It's the days we don't feel at our best yet still manage to push through and complete our training that help us reach our goals. Not missing workouts for a head start on the weekend makes the your next PR come even sooner.
One important lesson I learned from Squatting everyday is there are days, where I don't feel good, even after a extended warm-up. On those days I have to fight every urge not to call it quites. Even though I didn't feel strong and doubt what would come from the workout I have been able to surprise myself and set PR's. You never know what you are capable of until you test yourself.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. -
On this episode I speak with AJ Roberts. AJ is a two time world record holder in power lifting, successful entrepreneur, and sought after strength coach. We talk about how he got into power lifting, AJ explains the Westside Method in detail, and he explains how to program intensity into your workouts.
AJ grew up in England playing basketball and moved to Oregon for High School on an exchange program. This is where he discovered weight training and the Bigger, Faster, Stronger program. Due to eligibility issue AJ was not able to compete in basketball his senior year so he transitioned to power lifting and bowling.
He then shares with us his powerlifting story, time at Westside Barbell, and breaking world records. Early in his career AJ recognized that training with people better than him was a vital part of getting better. After 17th place finish at nationals he was not satisfied his results and was determined to win. In 2006 AJ met Louie Simmons and after college AJ moved to Columbus, Ohio so he could train at Westside Barbell.
The Westside Method Outline:
A blend of maximal effort, dynamic effort, and submaximal repetition work in a four day per week program. Two days dedicated to maximal effort, two days dynamic effort, and repetition work done after your main lifts.
Maximal Effort (work up to heavy single)
Day1: Upper body, followed by accessory work.
Day2: Lower body, followed by accessory work.
Dynamic Effort (use bands)
Day3: Upper body (35% 1RM + 25% band tension for 9X3), followed by same accessory work from Day 1.
Day4: Lower body (3-week wave 50,55,60% with 25% band tension 12x2, 12x2, 10x2) followed by same accessory work from Day 2.
72 hours between maximal effort and dynamic effort. Submaximal work is done with accessory exercises for the entire body but should target weak areas. 20% of total volume should be done in the three power lifts and remaining 80% in accessory work. For more details check out AJ's video on the Westside Method
AJ reminds us that we are only as strong as our weakest link, therefore the assistance work is so important to unlocking our strength. He thinks that many powerlifters over do it on the main three (squat, bench, deadlift) and don't do enough accessory work.
Another benefit of the Westside Method is you raise the strength of everything at once, due to the variety of lifts in your programing. It's a longevity program that you can do for a long time. People who do the Westside Method for a long time usually gain a tremendous amount of strength. The key is you MUST do the accessory work.
I then ask AJ how a non-powerlifter could apply the Westside Method to their training. His suggestion is to superset or tri-set exercise to reduce the time requirements in the gym.
When talking about his world record total run, AJ said he had a conversation with Donnie Thompson and "Super D" told him, it was not about AJ's strength but his preparation. So AJ adjusted his recovery, nutrition, and carefully picked his accessories to address his weaknesses.
When asked about environment and intensity AJ shares with us a article he wrote on the Conjugate Strong FB Group. He used to think that environment and intensity came from external factors, such as your training group. AJ has recently realized that the intensity he thought came from the environment at Westside can actually be programed through competition in your program, not needing the external environment.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the in... -
On todays episode we have a full house! Joined by Bret and Megan Hamilton we welcome Al Kavadlo to the the Show. We talk about, the PCC, developing body awareness and training outdoors.
Growing up Al always worked out doing push-up's and pulls-up's, and in high school got into lifting weights. He, started as a traditional personal trainer but slowly transitioned to more body weight movements with his workouts and with his clients. Now most of his work with body and calisthenic work.
Bret and Al talk about how making slight adjustments to exercises can make a huge difference in how the exercise feels, and how calisthenic work can be so fun and creative.
Al graduated college with an English degree and just happen to fall into a personal training job. Al luckily found a publisher looking for a fitness writer and so began his writing career. Al has become an accomplished author of many books, his first book was We're working out. When a copy of that book got into Paul Wade's hands he approached Al to be apart of Convict Condition 2. Al's current book is Street Workout a book he and his brother Danny wrote together.
When asked about grip strength and hand maintenance Al says that is a aspect that commonly gets overlooked by trainers and people new to calisthenics. His suggestion is to just ease into it. Bret suggests using towels to hang from and Megan recommends, pumice stone or corn huskers lotion.
On this episode we talk about mixing calisthenics into your existing program and how picking one or two movements to do on rest days or between sets is a great way to expand your movement vocabulary and get your toes wet in calisthenics. Not only does this give a playful feel to your workouts it also keeps your heart rate elevated and allows you to get more work done in less time.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. -
On Todays Episode I speak with Stan Efferding. Stan Efferding is an IFBB Professional Bodybuilder and World Record Holding Powerlifter. He is one of only 10 men in the world to ever total over 2,300 pounds raw in competition. Stan also holds the title as the World's Strongest Bodybuilder. We talk about what it takes to be a professional body builder and power lifter, we stress the importance of eating real food and not relying on supplements. At the end of the show Stan talks about his newest venture, the Kooler.
Stan was a 135 lbs soccer player who was sent to the weight room by his college coach and instantly fell in love with the iron game. Stan studied exercise science in college and found lifting, coaching, and strength sports to be a lifelong passion. Not only is Stan a gym rat but he is an information junkie who takes the time to learn as much about training and nutrition as he can.
Stan spent years of hard work in the gym trying to build up his physique. He stresses the importance of training smarter, feeding your body properly and getting enough sleep and recovery in. When I asked him what he learned from training both bodybuilding and powerlifting he said that there is a huge benefit in doing hypertrophy training for powerlifters. It helps with recovery, endurance, and it can shore up weaknesses. Stan thinks that power lifting is terrible for body building. I asked Stan what type of issues he has come across while powerlifting and he says he has had it all. Stan learned that listening to your body is very important, and to eliminate the thing that is causing the pain. That means working around it, changing bars, grips, or exercises. Stan says a great way to stay healthy is active recovery rather than passive methods.
We talked about eating for performance and eating for aesthetics. When bodybuilding Stan ate a lower fat diet sticking mostly to steak. When powerlifting he would increase the fat slightly but always made sure to be in a caloric surplus. Stan also warns us that supplements are not food. They should be used to aid against deficiencies not substitute food.
Final Four
Professional goals - promote the Kooler, share information, and help people not make the mistakes I made along the way.
Fitness Goals - Be in the best shape possible with least amount of work.
Favorite Music - I don't hear the music when working out...On my way to the Gym, AC/DC
Favorite Exercise - 20 REP Squats. Weighted Carry!
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, -
On today's show I speak with Bench Press Specialist LeRoy Walker. LeRoy got into powerlifting while still in HS and has become one the the greatest bench pressers of all time with a personal best of 675 pounds RAW! He and I talk about how he got into the sport, what it takes to be an elite powerlifter, and the importance of consistency.
Leroy got into power lifting in high school, but explains that, like many people in the sport he didn't grow up thinking he would become a power lifter. We both agree that as kids, seeing lots of geared lifters posting huge numbers, it didn't seem possible to reach those kinds of numbers. What seems to be a common thread is, guys often start lifting to help them perform a sport they play better, and the guys who love the gym workouts and stick with it are the ones who ultimately become the big power lifters.
LeRoy has always been a raw lifter and he shares with us a story of his first sanctioned meet when he was competing against mostly geared lifters including Ryan Kennelly and how that had an impact on his future in lifting.
LeRoy's current PR is 675lbs which places him 6th All-Time. LeRoy talks about his quest for a 700lbs.+ Bench Press. Over the last couple years that goal has been within striking distance and he shares with us how important the mental aspect of lifting really is. Injuries, mental blocks, and conventional wisdom can make the mental game just as tough as the physical aspects.
LeRoy warns us to consider the source of information in regards to training methodologies and training volume. Who is giving you this information and what are they primarily training. Getting advice from someone focused on aesthetics may not give you the best advice for performance training.
We then talk about consistency and how it plays a role in your understanding of movements, your sport, and of your body. Being consistent with nutrition, training, sleep, and logging or journaling can reveal so much about where you need to make adjustments. When you are consistent you learn more about yourself and how you respond to different stimulus. That knowledge is priceless and the key to becoming great at anything in life. LeRoy also highlights the importance of Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.
When asked about what he does as preventative work LeRoy says he utilizes light pool work the day after heavy lifting. He says it helps him assess what joints or muscles need attention, if anything hurts, he then adjust his workouts for the rest of the week.
To find more from LeRoy Walker check out his Instagram account and watch his interviews with Chris Duffin.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried -
Bret and I start the show talking about the our training, Bret talks about his trip to New York, and we note how incorporating play into workouts make training more fun.
Next week's show I speak with LeRoy Walker, a Bench press specialist who has a RAW PR of 675lbs ! He and I talk about motivation, being an elite lifter, and the importance of consistency.
My powerlifting program is coming to a close as I prepare for my powerlifting meet in Sept. All three of my lifts are steadily improving and I am hoping to PR in all three at the meet. Bret talks about how he is planning on adding some more bars at his gym to practice more calisthenic exercises.
The topic for today's episode is tracking. We talk about tracking our training, our nutrition, and other aspects of our everyday life so we can achieve our goals faster.
We talk about the benefits of having a plan in place to reach our goals, how tracking every workout can help identify why issues may arise, and the importance of nutrition tracking when it comes to performance and aesthetic goals.
I prefer to tack my workouts in electronic form so I can do further analysis on volume progress for individual lifts over time. I am in the process of developing some software for coaches and athletes to create and record programing. If you are interested in being a part of the BETA program please contact me at: [email protected] those apart of the private beta program will not only help finalize the product but also receive a free lifetime membership to the program when if goes live.
People ask me for tips on tracking nutrition. I recommend the LoseIt app or My Fitness Pal. Sometimes the suggested marcros/calories in the above mentioned apps are a touch off. If you are interested in guidance on a personalized plan just for you, send an to [email protected] and we can get you started on plan JUST FOR YOU. Before I used my software I used Fitlist to track my workouts.
A topic we touch on at the end is the use of velocity as a data point to track progress and also auto-regulate your programing. This a type of training I have never done although it looks very promising. We will bring an expert onto the show to talk more about it in the near future.
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, without any limits. Reaching this goal would create a better balance between listener support and sponsorship's, and create a more sustainable model for The HammerShed Podcast. This means better shows, additional video content and, fewer sponsor breaks.
HammerShed wouldn't be what it is today without your support, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter the size. To become a HammerShed Podcast Patron go to: www.patreon.com/hammershed
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Gregory S. Gottfried
Your review of our show would be greatly appreciated! Here are ReviewInstructions. Check out the HammerShed Amazon store to find some great music, book, and equipment recommendations. By going through our store you help support the show allow us to keep producing all of this great content. Please follow us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. -
On today's episode, I am especially proud to welcome back Dan John. Dan and I discuss training the post youth athlete, saggy butts, and he shares with us his goals in life and fitness.
I start the show by asking Dan what keeps him motivated in the gym, his answer was to be able to dance with his granddaughter at her wedding. This was a great segue into our topic for the day, Training the Post-Youth Athlete.
"The biggest mistake in life is to wait for the right moment"
AS we define an elite athlete, what it takes, and the timetable that they work within we discover everyone else who makes a choice to participate in sport and fitness is the Post-Youth Athlete. Dan also draws the important line between Health, Fitness, and Performance.
I asked Dan what advice he has for people who want to improve their health, fitness, and performance by getting stronger but are still not convinced or are scared to strength train. He suggestion is to spend some time reading the works of Vladimir Janda .
As we age our glutes, delts, abs, and triceps get WEAKER. "If you work your butt and you press, good things happen." These are the muscles of youth the stronger, and bigger they are the younger you are. Dan defines age as the loss of lean body mass.
We then discuss goals and an important point coaches need to make clear with their athletes. Its not what you want, your goals should include what you need. To better categorize people needs Dan developed The Quadrants. This is not to discourage people from the goals they have, but as coaches it's our job to make sure we address their needs first, while we work towards their wants.
I have had the privilege of interviewing some extremely strong people on The HammerShed Podcast, and we always preach the importance of strength on this show. I asked Dan what he thought were some good standards of strength everyone should strive for.
* Stand on one leg for 10 seconds.
* Hang from a bar for 30 sec.
* Standing long jump your height
* Farmer's walk while holding your body weight
* Maintain a score of 8 in the Brazilian get back up test
* Be able to goblet squat down for 30 seconds and stand back up
We point out that not all these standards are easy for everyone, but they are important. If you can't do one of these it needs to be prioritized in your programing. It might not happen overnight but with smart programing and a focus on getting better you can achieve these. Dan says "People over exaggerate what they can do in a day, and completely under-mark what can be done in a year." You don't give a 5 year old Shakespeare and expect them to be able to read it first try, so why do we expect ourselves to accomplish our fitness goals overnight. It takes time, practice, and consistency.
Get to Know Dan John:
Fitness Goals: No longer be a three, get his waistline half his height and compete in the discus again.
Favorite Music: Bossanova music, The Who, and Earth Wind and Fire.
Favorite Exercise: KettleBell Swing, Squat, Snatch
To find more from Dan John go to www.DanJohn.net
In Fitness and in Health: Everyone Is an Athlete By Philip B. Maffetone
Please share our show with your friends and family, continue to send me your emails, and remember Consistency is KING!
HammerShed Podcast, a show for anyone who is looking for great information on fitness, coaching, and nutrition. I speak with professional athletes, Olympians, world class coaches, and leaders in research and wellness.
I want to make the best podcasts possible and continue bringing you the best content from the smartest people in the industry. The HammerShed Podcast was made for you, no matter your age, skill level, or strength. You will find great information that will help you achieve your goals. To produce and create the best shows, I need your help.
If every listener donated $2/month, we'd have all of the creative freedom to deliver the kinds of shows we've always wanted to create, - Show more
