Valerie Smith’s path through powerlifting proves that the platform is only one part of the education. From bombing out at her first meet to becoming a lifter, coach, referee, and meet director, she learned that better lifting comes from better decisions, sharper standards, and a broader view of the sport.

A stripped-down, no-BS guide to conjugate training structure: how to organize max effort, dynamic effort, secondary work, accessories, bands, chains, and auto-regulation without overcomplicating the system.

Build a bigger chest and back by learning how elbow path, grip angle, wrist freedom, and joint position determine where tension actually goes. This article breaks down smarter pressing, dips, pulldowns, rows, and EliteFTS gear choices for more precise hypertrophy training.

I picked up a book about organizational strategy and ended up reading a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of every training mistake I made for the first decade of my career.

The gym teaches you more than how to get strong. If you pay attention, it teaches you how to lead, how to think, and who you actually are.

The Lifetime Table Talk Crew Membership is open again — and likely for the last time,  giving lifters and coaches a one-time chance to lock in all-access membership for just $299. No renewals, no monthly fees, just lifelong access to exclusive content, community, and support that fuels the future of the Table Talk Podcast.