We share our go to healthy recipes. These are tasty, healthy, and enjoyable and help you crush your goals (without suffering). Go To Healthy Recipes: Consistency, High Protein, Veggies Before we go on to discuss some of Andrew and Niki's go-to recipes, let's discuss some principles for how the find, make, or purchase these. Find ways to get as high protein as possible (from natural foods). 2:1 protein to fat is good. This tends to mean, looking for lean beef, chicken, eggs, or Greek yogurt (there are, of course, other options, but these are readily available high protein options). Seek ways to strip unnecessary fats out of your diet. Think about things that minimize suffering. Some examples include reducing cooking oils, removing or reducing cheese in salads, replacing high fat dairy with lower fat dairy, and using some egg whites with whole eggs. Eating the same foods consistently is helpful. These meals provide stability. You know how you will feel after them. Unless other big changes have occurred in life, you know how much to cook, it's easy to know your calories and macros, and you know how full you will feel and for how long. Go To Healthy Recipes Andrew and Niki both like the Made In Blue Carbon Steel frying pan. It cooks eggs well. Niki loves a high protein and veggie breakfast. She cooks some onions, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, and bok choy. Add some salt (not until the end!) and then some Boar's Head pastrami turkey (about 50 grams). Cook some eggs and back, put all of it in a low carb tortilla and you have a healthy breakfast that is under 400 calories. Andrew will often go to Starbucks. When eating out, look for options that have high protein to calories ratios. Greek yogurt with fruit (fresh or frozen), sugar free jello, and maybe grape nuts is super tasty and high in protein. Whipped cottage cheese is similar. Andrew also has a chicken breast meal with potatoes. Cut the chicken breast in half (to make it thinner). Salt ahead of time (could even salt and leave in the fridge over night). Cook some baby potatoes in the oven (don't salt until the end)! Enjoy. Lastly, a rice hack. Forget about the rice button on your instapot. Rinse the rice, add your water or chicken stock, some salt, and (optional) pat of butter or oil. Cook it for 3 minutes, do NOT have the keep warm function come on afterwards, then immediately start dishing out. These are some of your go to healthy recipes. What are yours? Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Swing for the fences! Don't leave anything on the table, give it your best shot, and go full bore ahead. Swing for the Fences! - Aggressively Pursue the Urgent & Important A single decision or event can change the course of your life. Regardless of life, philosophy, or religion, this is true. When presented with a big opportunity, you need to swing for the fences. Hyperfocus your life and efforts on this. This is when urgent and important overlap. This is when you put your sleep, family life, and other things on the backburner to aggressively pursue the opportunity. You don't get the outcome if you don't swing for the fences. You don't even get to swing for the fences if you don't swing at all - if you fail to show up. Swing for the Fences Regardless of the Outcome This does not mean you succeed. You may fail. You will fail often. Another opportunity will come. Work hard, prepare yourself for those opportunities, and be ready to show up and wing for the fences when the opportunity falls in your lap. Don't leave life with regrets about what you did not seek, what you failed to try. Swing for the fences! This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Are more sets better? We dive into a new study and an associated article and headline. Are More Sets Better? Evidence-Based & Nuanced We're talking about muscles and hypertrophy today. Outside Magazine recently featured an article that discussed adding more sets for building muscle, which argued that you should add more sets to build muscle. Andrew and Niki are here to be your funnel of truth. Are More Sets Better? Let's Dig Deeper When we look at scientific studies, it's important to avoid the seemingly easy route of reading a headline or even a news article. If you read the study itself, don't assume that the study title or abstract will match the data necessarily. News media exist to sell their product, and weak headlines don't sell. These incentives exist for scientific magazines and scientists as well - no results or another study confirming what we would expect to find do not dazzle. That being said, studies and scientific literature are not worthless. What Andrew & Niki find is that the headline overstates the findings. Remember, we all have models of how the world works. Ideally, your model has been built according to investigation and astute observation. Studies can and should inform that model, and if a piece of data disagrees with your model you should confront it. That being said, upturning your model because of one study is not recommended. Are more sets better? Maybe, it depends, as adding sets is certainly a tool to use. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Enjoy the pursuit not the outcome. We are refine by the pursuit, by the difficult process, not the outcome or achievement. Enjoy the Pursuit Not the Outcome We find joy in the pursuit of hard things. The process of doing hard things refines us, not the outcomes. Jasen Huang shares how he would not do it again if he could do it again. He did not know how hard it would be but often asks, "How hard can it be?" Andrew Schulz discusses with Joe Rogan how Joe enjoys hard things. You have to come to love the hardship and pursuit it voluntarily. Hardship is coming for you, one way or the other. You can choose it, or it can choose you. If you pursue comfort, hardship will find you. You almost certainly know someone who seeks comfort too much. What does this lead to? Pain, things being taken from you, inability to physically or emotionally do things. Enjoy the pursuit, not the outcome. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Learn about the good news - the gospel of hard. Hard things done intelligently and consistently create good results. The Gospel of Hard: Voluntary Hardship We at Barbell Logic have been spreading the good news of voluntary hardship for years. Truly, if you expose yourself to hard things, intelligently, consistently, good things will happen. Truth be told, even if you do this somewhat poorly, the persistent hard work often produces results. Hard does not feel good, especially at first. But if you repeatedly expose yourself to hard things and overcome them, you will learn to associate hard with opportunity, and build a lifelong habit of pursuing challenges and the fruits of these obstacles. The Gospel of Hard: Physical & Psychological Benefits This is Barbell Logic, so clearly we love the physical benefits from strength training. That being said, the psychological changes matter and may be bigger. Completing hard tasks builds confidence. It builds a pathway that you can apply in other areas of your life. A heavy set of squats can help you become a better father or employee or friend. We obviously love barbell and strength training, but we highly encourage you to pursue something hard regularly, especially in the physical realm. See the fruits of your efforts. If you're looking to begin, but are stuck, look for a coach. Look for someone who can help you with technique and programming, but also connects well with you. Experience the gospel of hard. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

You have to undergo uniquely hard efforts for uniquely successful outcomes. Expect (and demand) nothing less from yourself. Uniquely Hard, Uniquely Successful If you set challenging goals, expect (and demand) hard efforts. Alex Hormozi said on the Modern Wisdom podcast, the following: When things get hard, this is where most people stop. And this is why they don't win. And hard feels shitty. This is what hard feels like. And this is why most people can't do it. People who succeed work hard. And, guess what, in those rare circumstances and outliers you can think of, where everything falls into someone's lap, they don't value the wealth or whatever else they received. You don't respect them either. We look up to the Michael Jordans, the Larry Birds, the Rudys. We look up to those who put in the work, day in and day out, for weeks, months, and years. Uniquely Hard: Walking Through the Valley of S#%& What are you going to do TODAY to move you toward your goal. Do it - TODAY. Don't just listen to Alex Hormozi or Jocko or me. Do. Get in the arena. Take the first step. Know that you'll have some initial motivation and the honeymoon phase. Before it becomes a habit, you'll want to quit. Don't. Persist. Walk through the valley of suckiness. Accomplish something uniquely hard. Accept your circumstances and the outcomes, but put in the work. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

How can I look like Jake Gyllenhaal? If you've asked yourself or your coach this, we discuss what this looks like (really). How Can I Look Like Jake Gyllenhaal? The Goal A popular movie comes out with a young actor who takes his shirt off and shows his shredded mid-section. What comes next? The onslaught of requests and goals to look like him. Articles explaining his training routine, diet, and more. Shred your abs with this Roadhouse routine. Andrew and Niki explore what this process might look like (really). How Can I Look Like Jake Gyllenhaal? The Process It's going to take a long time and, contrary to many people's expectations and desires, you will almost certainly have to gain weight before you cut. For many, they are unwilling to add weight. Second, the cut is going to be rough. It may begin easy enough, with sustainable nutrition practices, but you will end feeling (and being) weak and lethargic. Realize that Jake approached this like a bodybuilder for a show. This is the peaked, temporary appearance of someone who underwent a long process and was not walking around like this for a long period of time. It is inherently unsustainable. How Can I Look Like Jake Gyllenhaal? The Mindset Third, it will take a lot of consistent, hard training over a long period of time (some of which you will feel and be weak). Lastly, and not unimportantly, you will have to deal with the hunger and what comes next. You will have extremely low energy near the end, not want to train, not want to work, and think about food most of your day. You got shredded, took the picture, posted it to Instagram. Now what? It will be hard to not compare yourself unforgivingly against this temporary success. If you want to look like Jake Gyllenhaal, you need to envision the life around the body and be prepared to dedicate the sacrifice this will entail. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

We discuss applying MED to coaching beyond programming. MED principles underlie an effective, successful approach to online coaching. Applying MED to Coaching Beyond Programming (Some Principles) Matt and Scott developed the principles of MED programming, which approached programming by keeping as many variables constant as possible. Change as little as possible. This does not mean easy. Simple and hard is wildly ineffective. The approach focuses on intelligent resource allocation. For example, if you can get stronger and add muscle with 1x5 deadlift, why do 3x5 or 5x5? Keep things simple. Don't do complexity for complexity's sake. Applying MED to Coaching Beyond Programming - An Approach Toward this approach, Matt has revised the 3 principles of MED for coaching. simplicity over complexity economy over excess effort over easy The approach needs to be client-focused. It needs to be personal and flexible, simple and frictionless. The Barbell Logic & TKC approach values clients' and coaches' time and money. This system is flexible in 3 ways: does not force client into inflexible schedule does not force client into one location does not force client into limited equipment The fitness industry needs to be reformed. We aim to do that, one coach and client at a time. Applying MED to coaching beyond programming. It's simple, hard, but effective. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

We talk about the evolution of training expectations as you move from novice to intermediate to advanced lifter. How you you manage your mindset, so you can train for life? The Evolution of Training Expectations: Managing Your Mindset PRs measure progress, encourage buy-in and consistency, and help make training fun for novice, intermediate, and early-advanced lifters. This slows or ends. You want to keep training for the rest of your life, though. The driving force for keeping you training cannot be PRs. You cannot expect to drive up weight on the bar consistently. Failing programmed reps is not actually failure, in the scheme of your goals to train consistently and grow and maintain strength, vitality, and health over time. If you are overly wedded to today's workout - if there is a hyper focus on today - you are, really, falling into an exercise (not training) mindset. Now, it's true that training involves following a plan. But our bodies do not always cooperate - even the best coach in the world cannot perfectly predict your performance that day. Things need to change. The Evolution of Training Expectations: Accumulate Hard Sets Accumulate heavy but doable sets over time. This is the way to build strength and muscle over time. As you progress, great flexibility will likely need to be built into your program. You will not be able to grind away RPE 9.5-10 sets. You need to enjoy training. Picking a specific exercise to drive up, as opposed to everything, may make sense. Focusing on consistency (even if it's one lift a day) can help. Play with different supplemental lifts and different rep schemes. Take the PRs when they are there, and enjoy them. You may think about maximizing recovery. It will take longer and longer to get PRs (and one day they will stop). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

When should I leave my "safe" job? Jesse Mecham, founder and CEO of YNAB and author of the book You Need a Budget, joins Matt to discuss when you should leave the supposed safe job to make your side gig your main job. When Should I Leave My "Safe" Job? - There Is No Safe Job Totally safe, secure jobs do not exist. If you're an employee, whether it be at a small or big company, you could lose your job for countless reasons outside your control. If you work in the government, a shutdown or change in law could spell the end of your job. Furthermore, even if you have a job that has a lower chance of loss, what is it costing you? Do you find satisfaction with it? Do you get to spend time with your family? If you own a company, it is true, it is all on your shoulders. But, in reality, things are on your shoulders any way. If you like the idea of being your own boss and have the temperament and ability to do so, this is worth considering. First, you need a side gig. When Should I Leave My "Safe" Job? - Go For It, Prudently If you have a side gig that is making good money and want to make it your main job, you should probably go for it if you've met the following conditions. You have paid off all debt (excepting the mortgage) You have saved up enough money to pay for at least 3 months of bills Your spouse (if applicable) supports you One critical note here is that before you come to this point, you need to ensure that you do not raise your living standards to the income from both jobs. Save the side gig money, do not raise your monthly expenses to your temporary monthly income. When should I leave my "safe" job? If you are ready, you should probably leave it. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Tips for Training While Traveling: Whys Why train while traveling? While, in part, it depends on how often you travel, your goals, the length of travel, and how consistent you are outside of travel. For those who are extremely consistent and rarely travel, it might make sense to take the week off. If you travel for business, you need to train. You will feel better if you train. The workout might not feel good, especially to start, but you will feel better afterwards. You might even feel better during the workout (e.g. initial warm ups feel terrible, then the heavier warm ups and work sets move well and feel good). It also helps provide structure to your days, which on vacation can often lack structure. Additionally, it gives you some short amount of you time, and, importantly, healthy you time. Tips for Training While Traveling: Hows Incorporate your gym seeking into your travel planning. Checkout the hotel gym and nearby gyms. You can often find a serviceable gym that has a guest policy. You might need to call the gym to check the visitor policy. Pack and prioritize some equipment. Belts and other bulky items are not needed. Having a pair of shoes that you can both lift and do cardio with makes sense. You might pack some small things like liquid chalk, straps, or knee sleeves. Plan your workout ahead of time. Intend to do at least something hard - get into that "worth it" zone. Depending on the number of times you will train and decide whether you will do full body and a split. Fewer times means full body makes more sense. Besides that, Niki and Andrew have some general tips and approaches they take: Mentally let go of the weight on the bar AMRAPs supersets (antagonistic or similar) burn out sets drop sets hard exercises that don't require tons of weight (e.g. bulgarian split squats) bend these joints: knees, shoulders, elbows, hips Try out these tips for training while traveling. A couple links for helping you train while traveling can be found here & here. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Hear a motivating online coaching success story with Adam Skillin, a BLOC coach, who works full time at BLOC. Online Coaching Success Story: Before Coaching Adam Skillin worked various jobs, including banking, but always knew he did not want to go down the typical 9-5 path. Adam lives and grew up in New Jersey. He worked in the banking industry and also did various jobs including bartending. More than once he picked a job that did not align with good macroeconomic timing. He became interested in BJJ and MMA, and thought that this would become his side hustle. He planned to open up a gym and tried to get a professional fight. In 2010 he saw someone in his weight class (he was 5'6" and weighed 130 pounds) deadlift 405 pounds and did not think that was possible. Further, he immediately saw that getting stronger would provide benefits to his strength. He began training, got stronger, it improved his BJJ game, and others grew interested. Suddenly, he was coaching other people. Online Coaching Success Story: Quality of Life Adam saw that this could become his side hustle. He got stronger, got certified, and as he started to coach people in his free time outside his 9-5 job, online coaching became a thing. He immediately saw the benefits. A few months later, Matt offered him a job at BLOC to start coaching online. Adam now coaches over 50 clients making 6 figures a year and works an average of 75-100 minutes a day. He has 100% on-time feedback and extremely high retention. This is his online coaching success story. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

We really need to talk about menopause. What to expect, how you make changes to lifting, nutrition, expectations, and more. Menopause: Causes & Expectations Menopause is about a 10-year period of life for women where estrogen decreases, causing other changes to a woman's biology. Some changes include the end of the menstrual cycle, decrease in energy levels and trouble sleeping, increased difficulty trying to retain muscle mass, hot flashes, and sex drive changes. Let's face it, it does not sound all that fun. But it happens, so it makes sense to understand it, prepare for it, and undergo it in a way that matches our goals and values. Menopause: Approaching & Undergoing It Intentionally Really, what you do in the weight room and kitchen do not change. You need to eat protein and lift heavy weights. That does not change. Managing expectations is important. Adaptations cannot occur as quickly. You will not be able to handle as big of a dose of stress, and you will take longer to recover. This is why Niki recommends, for those who are in a position to do so, to put on the muscle mass while it's easier to do so before menopause. Building the habit now and understanding how to enjoy training, over years and decades, is important. This may not be the most fun time to train, but it is important to continue to train. We really need to talk about menopause. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Reliability costs nothing but changes everything. Show up on time every time and say what you are going to do. Reliability Costs Nothing - Integrity over Time Andrew Jackson shared his value equation a couple years ago, which includes ability, integrity, and benevolence. Reliability is essentially integrity over time. Do you show up each time, on time, and do the thing you said you would do. This costs no money. It takes time and effort. It means you will show up when you're sick, tired, and for whatever reason do not feel like it. Reliability Costs Nothing but Changes Everything Reliability brings tons of value to those you interact with. You likely have been in a situation, as a parent, supervisor, or friend, where you know whom you can rely on with a difficult task and whom you cannot. As a manager, it is wonderful to know that you have an employee (or multiple employees) you can rely on to get the job done each time. You can fake benevolence for a short period time. You can probably fake integrity for a short period of time. Over months and years, however, your character reveals whether you are reliable or not. Decide to be reliable today. Consider if you are reliable. Think about how others (your spouse, friends, supervisor, etc.) perceive you. Would they say you're one of the most reliable people they know? How can you become more reliable? Reliability costs nothing but changes everything. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Learn how to better your bench with proper technique and good equipment. Improper gear and form means less weight on the bar. Bench more. Learn the way. Better Your Bench with Good Equipment For anyone who has tried to bench heavy in a commercial gym, they typically find that the experience is frustrating. Weights are harder than expected and may even come with missed reps. Bad equipment is often to blame. Whether it is slippery bars with nearly no knurl to those bench-rack combinations that have the bar far too low or too high to slick benches that prevent you from digging into the bench and freezing your scapulae, these gear problems abound in commercial gyms. You can, typically, make a bad situation worse. You can better your bench. Wearing a bar grip shirt helps your shoulder blades stick better to the bench. You may want to bench in a squat rack, which typically has smaller jumps between holes, then in those bench-rack combos. Having a spotter so you don't have to shrug the bar 4 inches off the j-hooks can help. You may need to put plates underneath your feet so you can get a better arch. At home, getting a monolift is a good investment, especially if you tend to experience shoulder pain. Also, you may need to lower expectations. This can be a good situation for autoregulation. Better Your Bench with Correct Technique Technique matters too. You want to have the maximum amount of stability for the longest duration possible. You should not be wiggling after the bar is unracked. Don't do it! Build tension as you set up. Your legs should drive up the bench into your shoulders into an arch. You should use the weight of the bar to help pin your shoulders down into the bench. You should squeeze the bar hard. Another consideration is breathing. If you can do it efficiently, complete 2-3 reps on one breath. If not, focus on maintaining scapula position between breaths. Better your bench with proper equipment and good technique. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

We talk about defining your core values. These underpin your goals & actions, help you make decisions, & reflect your personality and aspirations. Defining Your Core Values: Brainstorming & Reflecting Matt discusses how to identify and list your core values. These should reflect your personality but also be aspirational. For example, for Matt, quite reflection would not be a core value. He verbally processes ideas, and he would be working against his natural tendencies. Rather, lean into your personality, though work on addressing your weaknesses and bolstering your strengths. Notice what attracts you on social media, literature, podcasts, movies. Which characters and actions attract you (and which repulse you)? What are your natural tendencies and preference that you have no problem with? Start listing these out, thinking about them, and you can move on to refining your list. Defining Your Core Values: Refining & Defining As you create your list, think about different aspects of your life, such as family/relationship/interpersonal, business/professional, religious/spiritual, etc. Once you feel you've taken some time and reflected, identify the top 5 core values. These help underpin your goals and actions and all your decisions. They help avoid chasing shiny objects and help you avoid the lesser, easier, more comfortable paths that clash with your values. Defining your values is useful, whether for just yourself or your business. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Programming Difficulties for New Dads Having a newborn changes your life, and training has to change as well. For a dad, the change is different than for a mom. For the mom, she undergoes physical changes for 9-10 months leading up to the birth, so her training has to change prior to birth. For fathers, however, their changing (mostly) does not change before the birth. At birth it changes drastically. This is an especially busy time for fathers, and part of it is the lack of predictability. When will the baby sleep (when will mom sleep). You might think you were going to train and then mom falls asleep and you're watching the kid. Flexibility is required in your training for these programming difficulties for new dads. Programming Solutions for New Dads If you have a coach, it's important to talk to your coach prior to the birth about what is likely realistic (this will change). Lower your expectations for how long training will be. You might also have to cut training sessions short. Both Andrew and Niki have seen many clients train with their babies in the gym. This is fine. Something like a one life a day program is probably what is called for. It helps if you have a home gym or at least some equipment at home. If you don't have a home gym, you need to make your gym as convenient as possible. Something that is on the way to work and open early so you can workout early is likely ideal. Working out before bed affects sleep. Overcoming programming difficulties for new dads also tends to involve more autoregulation and lifter control. The client might decrease the weight and volume a bit if they're exhausted. If they're feeling good, they might go for extra reps or an extra set. Aim for at least 3 workouts a week. Think about getting in a training session over a series of workouts, as opposed to one longer workout. Mindset Shift for New Dads How you define training and training sessions and how you identify that will have to change. 4 sessions of 90 minutes a week is probably over. Uninterrupted training sessions and full body training sessions are probably on hold for a bit. Productive, useful training, however, does not have to look like that. Planning, preparing, and completing something each week is massively better than taking weeks or months off. Here are some thoughts on overcoming programming difficulties for new dads. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

When one teaches two learn. Matt shares his teaching approach - from interest to refined speech or presentation. Teaching and coaching with pressure are critical to mastering anything. When One Teach Two Learn: Importance of Teaching In order to become an expert coach, or to master any subject, you have to coach, or teach, when it matters. You may have found at some point that you had read or consumed a lot of material on a subject. When you tried to explain it to someone else, the apparent coherent thoughts were not there. Technique coaching in person is important to mastering technique coaching (you can simulate that, to some degree, online). This goes for teaching as well. Taking your ideas and trying to turn them into an article, podcast, or speech helps the knowledge not only deepen but also cohere. Many times, you have unordered ideas in your head - you need to order them. When One Teach Two Learn: Matt's Teaching Process Matt has a process he has followed to go from interest to refined speech, presentation, sermon, etc. Dive deep into a topic of interest Organize major thoughts Speak it or write it Before the first action, you have to find something that interests you. It could come from a book, podcast, YouTube channel, thoughts - whatever. Something peaks your interest and you want to learn more. Matt starts at a general place, such as Wikipedia, and goes from there. Look to the sources from those initial places, dig deeper, and learn as much as you can. As you do so, take notes. As you take notes, you'll start to see certain patterns and major points or thoughts. Consider these major bullet points and how they related to each other. Try to put them in a coherent order. Next, speak it (or write it) and share with someone else. For example, if you have to talk in front of a group of 20, first talk to your spouse or a friend. This rehearsal helps you better organize your thoughts and refine your speech. It is, however, a critical step. When one teach two learn. Go learn (and teach). This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Niki and Andrew interview Melissa MacGregor, wife of BLOC coach Mac and BLOC client, and her coach Joel Rasmussen. Melissa suffered a stroke but, with patience, perseverance, and strength training, was able to return to physical activities she never thought she could do again. Healing Through Strength Training: Perseverance & Experimentation Melissa saw her husband benefit from strength training and decided to give it a try herself. Joel, her coach, tried many creative ways to help her focus on what she could do. They experimented and pushed into the pain. Pain was feedback that, in her case, was positive because it was a sensation. Joel also had to get creative for new ways to feel her body during lifting, as she did not have the normal sensations and proprioception that others have. Over time, with patience and hard work, she has regained not only the ability to complete certain lifts "normally," but has also been able to return to activities such as biking and skiing, that she never thought she would be able to do again. Listen to this heartwarming and motivating story of patience, perseverance, grit, and healing through strength training. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com

Matt talks to Dave Tate about building EliteFTS. What were the struggles, successes, and untold stories that created EliteFTS? Dave Tate & EliteFTS had a huge impact on Matt Reynolds & Barbell Logic, whether it be from introducing him to the Russian programming literature, to programming tips and principles, to recommending the e-Myth. This podcast is brought to you by TurnKey Coach. Enhance your coaching effectiveness and efficiency with TurnKey Coach. You can learn more by going HERE. Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Check out Coaching 101 - the new Academy course designed to cover the basics of coaching. It's leaner and tighter than our other offerings (and cheaper). Check out the Barbell Logic podcast landing page. Building EliteFTS - Before EliteFTS Both Dave's dad and grandfather were business owners, who inculcated and demonstrated the value of hard work. Dave helped his dad as a teenager, and his dad stressed the importance of quality products (which Dave has stressed with EliteFTS' equipment). As a teenager, Dave grew sick and tired of being "beat all the time," so he trained harder and worked harder and started to see benefits. His wrestling coach saw him running stairs one day and told him that if he worked harder than everyone else, he wouldn't be beat. This, paired with the benefits of strength, started to help him build confidence. Dave also struggled in college, but ultimately decided to return, work hard, and brought up his GPA. He was deciding whether to move to Columbus or Cleveland and ultimately decided to move to Columbus (in part) because of a girlfriend, which meant that Dave would train with Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell. Dave had different jobs, including personal training, bouncing, and gym management, and describes in his story at a couple points where he did not want to continue on the track he found himself, so he made a change. Helping Louie sell equipment and deal with customer service, paired with creating a Q&A website, ultimately created EliteFTS. Building EliteFTS Elite FTS began in the late 1990s, with the internet early and shipping times for gym equipment being 16 weeks. He learned, from eMyth, that he needed to free up time to spend more time as manager and then owner of the business. Dave and Matt talk about the importance of adversity and how it has refined them both. This aligns with Matt's voluntary hardship principle. Ultimately, as a business owner, coach, and human, you will face adversity. Prepare yourself by doing so voluntarily so that when the involuntary challenges come, you can handle them better and grow from them as well. Enjoy Dave and Matt talking about building EliteFTS. Get Matched with a Professional Strength Coach today for FREE! No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: Start experiencing strength now: https://store.barbell-logic.com/match/ Connect with the hosts Matt on Instagram Niki on Instagram Andrew on Instagram Connect with the show Barbell Logic on Instagram Podcast Webpage Barbell Logic on Facebook Or email podcast@barbell-logic.com