#161 Jim Wendler and Matt Rhodes | Holiday Edition
Together for the holidays, let’s see what ridiculousness these guys are up to.
How to Make Your Rehab Suck
If getting under the bar is the end goal post-injury, here’s what NOT to do. By knowing the wrong approach, it’s easier to grasp what’s right.
Lunch with Dave Tate
Powerlifting is a mess, and sometimes we wonder why we even bother. Yet, it’s given me a tremendous mentor and unexplainable gifts.
#160 Naomi and Tom Sheppard | Training and Intensification Methods That ...
Naomi and Tom Sheppard discuss training and intensification methods that work: eccentrics, isometrics, concentrics, and more!
#159 Amber Hansen | 800 Pound Squat, Air Force, The Main Event Project
Amber serves our country, is a badass on the platform, and is an advocate for women in the sport. Learn more!
Low Hanging Fruit to Improve Digestion and Eliminate Bloating
We NEED to make sure we are nailing down the basics. This is low-hanging fruit that everyone should be doing, regardless of whether you experience bloating!
Density Training for Sport
How can we make rugby players perform better in a very short period of time without a negative impact?
#158 Seth & Meana Albersworth | Activated Performance, #1 in Weight ...
Seth and Meana co-own Activated Performance, where their goal is to elevate the standard of powerlifting coaching and education.
#157 Brandon and Adrian Smitley | Squat World Record and THIRST
Brandon currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132-pound weight class, with a 567-pound squat.
#156 John Haack | 2270-Pound Total and World Record Holder
Number one in your hearts, John Haack sits down with Dave in the 156th episode of Table Talk.
10 Tips for STAYING Lean During the Holidays
The holidays equate to roughly 12 meals. If you can’t handle 12 meals and instead turn into a slob overnight…
#155 Shawn Frankl | 5X Body Weight Squat, Coach Rick Hussey, and Big Iro...
Shawn Frankl is the first to squat over 5X his body weight, squatting 1055 pounds at 198. Learn how Rick Hussey’s influence shaped Shawn.
#154 Jim Wendler | Author of 5/3/1 and High School Strength and Conditio...
The creator of 5/3/1, let’s see what Jim is up to this month and how his high school football team did this past season.
#153 Tom "Huck" Finn | Let's Get Stupid, 2030 Total, and ...
Tom’s life goal is to crack open a beer with every one of his followers. Let’s get stupid.
Do LESS of These 10 Things to Increase Your Progress
Your best progress will usually be found outside your comfort zone or by doing something you haven’t done before.
Are You Overtrained? Should You Deload?
Two catchwords that continue to make me shake my head are overtraining and deload. The end goal is a balance between training and recovery.
The Coaching Process
It’s up to us as coaches to stay relevant and be open to changing methods to meet the demands of the changing generations.
Stop Neglecting Your Posterior Chain
It’s interesting seeing a quad-dominant athlete squat 400 pounds but struggle to squat off a box with 135.
#152 Dave Hoff | 5x WPO Champion and All-Time Highest Powerlifting Total
Only 30 episodes later, Dave is now a 5x World Powerlifting Champion! Listen about his training prep and what he’s preparing for next.
#151 Cory Gregory | CoryGFitness, Max Effort Muscle, and Cofounder of Mu...
Cory worked as an underground coal miner to save money for college until he opened his first gym at 20. Co-founder of Musclepharm, where’s he now?
Implementing APRE With Max Effort Conjugate Training
Although this may look super confusing initially, I promise that if you can do some simple math, you can make the APRE system work.
You Don’t Know JAC Squat
The basis of the program is conjugate periodization, with some scheduled deloads and a reverse band peaking schedule from Brian Carroll’s 10/20/Life.
#150 The Ingrams | Owners of Heavy Metal Fitness
Strong supporters and longtime customers of elitefts, learn more about their story as competitors and business owners.
Equipped Powerlifters, Control Your Variables
You can master all of these variables: gear fit, gear sponsors, travel, and weight. But If not, they’ll ruin an entire training cycle.
#149 Blaine Sumner | IPF Powerlifting World Champion, Multiple All-Time ...
Blaine Sumner is an IPF Powerlifting World Champion and currently holds the most Open World Records in Powerlifting.
No More Shitty Pecs
This is a fun one where I relate viscoelasticity to training stimuli in a way you’ll understand to fix your shitty pecs…
16-Week Powerlifting/Bodybuilding Hybrid Program
If you have an equal love for bodybuilding and powerlifting with a goal to become bigger and stronger, this program is for YOU.
#148 Mike Van Wyck | WYCKED Training, IFBB Pro, Bodybuilding Vs. Powerli...
Learn more about Mike, his competitive background in football and bodybuilding as an IFBB pro, training methods, injuries, and more!
#147 Dr. Trevor Pfaendtner | Renaissance Periodization Coach and Health ...
Trevor is a coach for Renaissance Periodization and specializes in diets and training plans. He’s totaled elite in multiply and raw divisions.
What's on the Inside?
After all, a black belt is a white belt who never quit. Beyond genetics and character, what do you have on the inside that keeps you going?
#146 Dr. Teddy Willsey | Physical Therapist, Citizen Athletics, Influenc...
Teddy is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, strongly influenced by his extensive background in strength and conditioning (stops with Buddy Morris) and powerlifting.
3 Ways to Keep Making Progress
Where do you turn for answers to continue to make progress? Beyond elitefts, are you using an online coach, a club, or consultations?
10 Reasons Why You Aren't Making Progress
Why do people give up after only a few years? Sticking to a plan for only four weeks? Always looking for motivation? Training too easy…
8-Week Offseason Strength Training Program for Higher Jumping
As a powerlifter, I jumped higher than two athletes that jump constantly for their sport. Here’s why with an 8-week program to increase YOUR vertical.
#145 Joe DeFranco | World-Renowned Coach, DeFranco's Gym
Joe’s “gym blueprint” is now the industry standard, and DeFranco’s is a globally recognized brand.
Ability-Based Assessment and Programming for Large Tactical Populations
This piece of the puzzle is what sets tactical strength and conditioning apart from its athletic counterparts.
You're Screwed Without A Crew
In a recent elitefts poll, 88% of lifters responded that they train alone. I used to train alone (when I was weak). Then I found a team and turned elite.
14 Deadlift Tips and Tricks
His not-so-secret deadlift tricks and personal tips for fixing those bad habits. Insight from the man himself, Dave Tate.
#144 Skip Hill | Intense Muscle, Bodybuilding Maestro, TEAM Skip
Skip was one of the early pioneers of online contest prep (2001) when bodybuilding message boards were still in their infancy.
10 Exercises Powerlifters Should Be Doing (But Aren't) to Stay Pain...
What do you believe you need more of in your training? More rotation? Is the low back super cranky? Pick 1-2 exercises and get started.
Training All Contractions
Eccentrics and Isometrics are for BUILDING, while Concentrics are for TRANSFERRING. How do you program them all?
Fix Your Walkout
A rack squat and a monolift squat are two different beasts. I totally underestimated the brutality of the walkout…
#143 Steve Goggins | First 1100lbs Squat, USPA, Powerlifting Legend
Steve Goggins has competed in powerlifting for over 25 years and was the first powerlifter to squat 1100 pounds.
Strength Athletes, Control Your Variables
Consider where YOU lack focus. These things are widespread knowledge, nothing ground-breaking but surprisingly not prioritized correctly.
#142 Big J Extreme Fitness | Ronnie Coleman, FitCon, and CSO
Big J has trained on and off with 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman as his training partner at Arlington’s Metroflex for over 20 years.
The TEAM SKIP Training Protocol of 2022
I’m tired of answering questions about TEAM SKIP Training. Here’s the updated version, for free. You’re welcome.
Simple Does NOT Mean Easy
Here’s the blueprint that’s simple, yet most don’t follow. It’s hard but it’ll yield great results for performance, strength, and size.
Does the Drill Carry Over?
To create a long-term change, there needs to be a stimulus strong enough to elicit an adaptation and groove the pattern.
Better Ankles Equals Better Conventional Deadlifts
If you can’t go into more dorsiflexion, your calves and quads won’t be in an advantageous position to deadlift.
The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Let’s start with why you should use an RPE scale as opposed to a percentage program. Even though percentage programs are easy to use…
#141 Fouad "Hoss" Abiad | Entrepreneur, IFBB Pro, Heavyweight ...
Fouad is a retired Canadian IFBB pro and owner of Hosstile. He racked up an impressive nine top-three finishes over his 15-year tenure, including two victories.
Future Self, Don't Forget Your Past
Did you bomb your last meet? GOOD! Tell me, what did you learn from the whole experience? USE IT to get better.
6 Underrated Exercises for Building Muscle and Strength
Sometimes a new exercise can give your workout an added jolt of enjoyment to push harder. Here are six exercises to test out.
Programming Different Physical Qualities
I like to program from a metabolic, strength, or power focus. The three-day-a-week program allows more stimulation for each major area.
# 140 Travis Ortmayer | World's Strongest Man, Survivor, Texas Ston...
After a 10-year hiatus, stripped of strength and muscle, Travis returned to the World’s Strongest Man in 2021.
How to Smash Track PRs with Timed Squats
We adopted the timed squat method from Louie Simmons. Let’s just say we had the most regional qualifiers in school history.
