"Powerlifting is a one-man sport right when you're on the platform, but I think it's the epitome of a team sport because it takes more than just you to get you to that point.

Everyone’s resume looks the same—until it doesn’t. Ashley Jones breaks down how small lies, missing details, and weak standards can cost you your next coaching opportunity.

In Programming for Success 2026, Ashley Jones outlines a hybrid Conjugate and 5/3/1 training system that blends power, strength, and hypertrophy into a structured three-week pendulum cycle. Designed for 3–4 training days per week, the program targets squat, hinge, and upper body push variations while reinforcing balance with supplemental pulls and CARE work.

You're thirty years old, you track everything, and your labs look like a disaster. Before your doctor puts you on a protocol you don't need, read this.

"Arching is not just a trick to reduce range of motion, but a method to anchor the shoulder and use the legs to fortify upper back stability. Instead of jamming the scapula into maximal retraction, lifters should aim to lengthen the neck and spread the collarbones wide to create a larger, more stable footprint on the bench pad."

Dave Tate revisits a 2004 classic and asks the question all over again: why do we do this to ourselves?

To effectively train for strongman loading events in a commercial gym, former pro Russ Hamilton recommends focusing on the posterior chain by simulating heavy object picks with movements like the Zercher squat. These exercises, along with variations like the Wool row, allow athletes to develop the necessary upper back strength and hip drive required for events like Atlas stones or sandbags without needing specialized equipment.

The noise never stops unless you make it stop, and the conversations you've been avoiding are the ones that matter most.

Beginners speak in absolutes; veterans talk in probabilities, because the deeper you go, the more you realize how little you know.

 Dr. Allan Bacon joins the podcast to debunk pervasive health fads, break down the "unsexy" basics of optimal nutrition, and explain how a lack of sleep can slash a man's testosterone levels by almost 50%.

 Tune in as Dr. Allan Bacon discusses the hidden costs of the daily grind, revealing the truth behind optimal macro tracking, the dangers of viral diet cleanses, and how neglecting your sleep can literally cut your testosterone in half.

"I really started to lean into like let's be as healthy as we can while we wreck our bodies... and then as I've gotten older and my priorities have shifted, my avatar has shifted with me."

Most athletes jump wrong, or don’t progress it at all.

This system shows exactly how to build explosive power using structured jump progressions, from basic plyometrics to advanced shock methods — with every exercise linked so you can see it done right.

J.L. details the evolution of The Spot Athletics from a humble 2,000 square-foot start to two 20,000 square-foot facilities, emphasizing how custom EliteFTS equipment, a client-first "family" culture, and salaried coaching positions are pushing the strength and conditioning industry forward.

"If they do all the things exactly as they should which is the most optimized for their own performance from the very jump I think they limit their career."

I didn't get here by having more than everyone else. I got here by understanding what less actually looks like.

Elite strength coach Nathan Payton breaks down the hydration and nutrition strategy he uses to peak World's Strongest Man competitors — and why the principles apply far beyond the sport.

Visiting the elitefts compound to train for an upcoming meet, Henry Thomason utilizes a giant camber bar to accommodate his limited shoulder mobility while performing heavy single-ply squats and discussing the benefits of bar instability for hip strength.

The right weight for speed bench isn't found in a book — it's found under the bar, using a simple method that tells you exactly what to use based on your own strength and skill level.

The lifters and coaches who truly understand the phrase realize that competition doesn't kill community, it sharpens it.

"When you're in the poly bench shirt, there is a large horizontal travel with that bar, so you want to land like an airplane, not a helicopter, to reinforce proper elbow tucking mechanics".

In "In Pursuit of the Perfect Program," Ashley Jones shares his decades-long journey through strength and conditioning, outlining practical programming strategies that blend powerlifting, Olympic lifting, conjugate methods, and French Contrast training to develop strength, speed, and performance.

Before a recent podcast recording, a guest connected Louie Simmons' sled work to Charles Poliquin's knee rehab protocol, and the conversation filled in a gap I had lived for decades without fully explaining.

To manage a torn hand mid-competition, a brutal "Russian" trick involves violently grinding a wire brush into the open wound seconds before the attempt to overload the brain's pain receptors. This extreme stimulation reportedly shuts off sensation just long enough to execute a heavy pull before the pain inevitably returns.

The elitefts Shoulder Saver Pad lets you bench press through shoulder problems by replicating a board press without needing a board, a training partner, or a prayer.