training
The Biological Overhead of the "Enhanced" Era: Why Optimization is a Career-Killer
"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."
What You Have Is More Than You Think: A Lesson From Marcus Aurelius and a $1,000 Loan
I didn't get here by having more than everyone else. I got here by understanding what less actually looks like.
How Nathan Payton Feeds the Strongest Men on Earth
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.
The Specialty Bar Periodization Framework: A Professional Guide to Conjugate Rotation
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.
Stop Debating the Percentage. Here's How to Actually Find Your Speed Bench Weight.
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.
Community Over Competition: Iron Sharpens Iron, Even in Business
The lifters and coaches who truly understand the phrase realize that competition doesn't kill community, it sharpens it.
Stop Benching Like a Helicopter: 5 Counter-Intuitive Secrets to a Massive Shirted Bench
"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 Pursuit of the Perfect Program
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.
Two Different Worlds, One Answer for Your Knees
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.
The "Russian Trick" to Shut Off Pain and 3 Other Brutal Powerlifting Secrets
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: Keep Pressing When Your Shoulders Are Done
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.
Building a Powerlifting Empire: 5 Counter-Intuitive Lessons from the Origins of EliteFTS
The EliteFTS gym evolved from a simple backyard shed used for sled work in 1998 into a world-class strength facility over the course of two decades of growth and warehouse relocations.












