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.

The barbell builds you, teaches you, humbles you, and eventually demands something back. Inspired by Elitefts Table Talk Episode #422, this article breaks down the hard-earned lessons Jim Wendler, Matt Rhodes, and Vincent Dizenzo share on aging under the bar, coaching the next generation, training for longevity, and redefining strength when max-effort lifting is no longer the goal.

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.

From teenage lifter to burned-out founder, Mike Stratton’s story is a raw look at strength culture, hormone health, entrepreneurial sacrifice, and the wake-up call that reshaped his mission with Marek Health.

Most missed benches are not just strength problems—they are position problems. This guide breaks down how to use elitefts bands to create controlled “chaos,” build a tighter unrack, strengthen the upper back, improve lat engagement, and develop the bracing capacity needed to stay locked in under heavy weight.

Build a stronger, faster, more explosive lower body with a sport-focused training model that blends maximal strength, contrast training, plyometrics, sled work, unilateral development, and force–velocity profiling for better transfer to the field.

Every strength athlete eventually faces the question: Can I come back, or should I? Tyler Desplenter, PhD, reflects on 14 years of strongman, serious injuries, lessons in rehabilitation, and the moment when the pursuit of strength becomes bigger than the platform.

What does it take to hit PRs for 10 straight years without burning out? Marcellus “The Swolefessor” Williams breaks down competing often, building work capacity, treating powerlifting as a skill, protecting your mental battery, and using strength to build a better life—not just a bigger total.

Motivation is not something you wait for. It is something you build. This article breaks down how action, progress, and better goal-setting create the kind of long-term drive that keeps lifters training when the weight gets heavy, life gets messy, and excuses start talking.

If your squat falls apart before you hit depth, your walkout may be the problem. This guide breaks down how to build a tighter squat setup from the rack out: grip, upper back tension, stacking, bracing, foot pressure, and the common walkout mistakes that make heavy squats feel harder than they should.

Matt Sharafinski’s story is more than a powerlifting comeback. From high school addiction and identity struggles to becoming “The Sheriff,” an elite 2,000-pound totaler and coach, this feature breaks down how discipline, psychology, health, and the weight room helped him rebuild his life under the bar.

Raw strength matters, but the fastest vertical jump gains often come from cleaning up the leak: foot pressure, descent speed, arm timing, and how violently you redirect force into the floor.

Stop majoring in the minors. Dr. Ian Butcher explains what lifters actually need: hard training, better recovery, smarter nutrition, and real-world discipline.

Go inside the brutal triceps gauntlet I ran with the American Gladiators and learn the exact movements you need to build unbreakable lockout strength and massive arms.

Elite strength is built in the margins. This article breaks down how elite powerlifters evolve over time through smarter programming, better fatigue management, refined technique, harder accessory work, stronger training environments, and strategic weight-class decisions.