The Strength System Podcast: Recent Episodes
Strength System
The Strength System podcast is a series of conversations about fitness in India. We are passionate about getting people stronger, and this weekly podcast gives you no-nonsense information on all things strength, health and nutrition.
In episode 68 of the Strength System podcast, coaches Nivedhan and Cheryl discuss their respective experiences with training through pain - a 2 year old hernia for Nivedhan and costochondritis for Cheryl.
They discuss:
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their experience with the medical industry in navigating through pain,
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contradictory messaging that they received and how they managed the fear and panic often associated with long-term pain experiences,
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how taking accountability for their situation helped come to terms with their new 'normal',
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questions to ask the medical industry when going in with pain, especially in the context of returning to training,
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modifying and managing training through pain.
If you're someone who deals with any kind of pain, give this a listen!
In this week's episode, coach Nivedhan catches up with Cheryl, who co-runs Muscle Mechanics, a YouTube channel that's established itself to be the gold standard for fitness information in Tamil, especially in the context of muscle building and body transformations.
They discuss:
- benefits of muscle building other than for aesthetics
- top 3 factors that can affect muscle building
- realistic and practical timelines for someone to look like a magazine model
- low hanging fruits everyone can prioritise to keep building muscle along with other training goals
- common mistakes people tend to make during initial stages of muscle building
- closing thoughts on body image issues and training for aesthetics
If you're interested in building muscle, we highly recommend giving this a listen!
In this episode, coaches Prashanti and Nivedhan catch up with he who wishes to remain anonymous aka Muscle Hypertrophy on Instagram. They discuss everything from the role that meme pages can play in dismissing fitness misinformation to how people can identify misinformation online to the accurate ways of drinking water.
In episode 64 of the Strength System podcast, coaches Nivedhan and Prashanti catch up with 5 of our most consistent and bad ass members, all of them with different goals and expectations from their relationship with fitness.
We discuss:
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their first training experiences.
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their training goals and how they've evolved over time.
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their relationship with training and how they view progress.
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ways in which they've managed to build a long-term relationship with training and stay consistent.
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things they wish they'd known when they first started training and advice to anyone who's just starting to figure out training.
If you're someone who currently trains or are considering getting started on training or are struggling with staying consistent with it, we highly recommend you give this one a listen!
What happens when things don't go according to plan? Maybe you lack motivation to train, or your progress plateaus, or you're dealing with pain or injury.
In episode 63 of the Strength System Podcast, we talk about how to troubleshoot your training program when you hit one of these roadblocks.
This is the 3rd part of a series, so make sure you listen to the previous 2 episodes for maximum context!
Episode 62 of the Strength System podcast is up! Picking up from the previous episode, Varun and Chirag discuss how to approach an actual training program.
You have a piece of paper (or a pdf) with exercises, sets, reps and (maybe) weight written out. How do you go about translating this into a workout? And how do you progress these workouts every week?
We walk you through how we approach training programs and how we help our trainees make decisions when we coach them.
Next week, we'll cover how to troubleshoot when things don't go according to plan, so stay tuned for that!
Training ought to be relatively simple, but the fitness industry loves to make it unnecessarily hard. Usually with arbitrary rules like: - doing an exercise with imperfect technique is useless - having 'must-do' exercises for specific complaints - emphasizing warm ups, mobility and cardio more than actually training productively The trouble with all of these is that they make you less likely to actually enjoy training and make it a part of your life. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about how we like to view fitness and some really, really basic principles for long-term success.
Strength training during pregnancy can be a controversial topic and often heavily misunderstood!
Since our opinion will be biased when it comes to this topic, we thought it might be best to bring on two experts to talk about training during pregnancy.
Gayatri, who is currently on her second pregnancy and Amrita, who trained through her pregnancy a few years ago, talk to coaches Prashanti and Varun about their personal experiences.
If you're considering getting pregnant or are currently pregnant, we highly recommend you give this a listen!
Ever been a little skeptical of those sensationalist media stories reporting the latest nutrition study? You should be.
Varun and Chirag discuss a typical newspaper article they came across lately about eggs and diabetes and how the actual study's findings were rather different.
So do eggs really increase your risk of diabetes? No, despite whatever the headline on your newspaper might be screaming.
Coaches Varun (while sipping on his fat-burning green tea) and Prashanti (trying hard not to let sleep deprivation get to her) discuss the ever-elusive concept of the caloric deficit.
While we all know that being in a caloric deficit is the only thing that matters when it comes to fat loss, what it entails in practice is rarely discussed.
Listen till the end for our top takeaways!
Coaches Varun and Prashanti have a freewheeling chat with coach CJ Murphy - competitive strongman athlete and powerlifter, owner of Total Performance Sport (Massachusetts).
They discuss:
- Murph's lifting and fitness business ownership journey
- Powerlifting as a way of training for non competitive athletes
- Why women shouldn't be afraid to lift big weights
- Fitness industry trends and predictions in a post-covid world
- Why our junior trainer Krithin needs to get a haircut
In this episode, coaches Varun and Nivedhan give you our current thoughts about foam rolling.
Foam rolling has been around for a good decade now - It's something we used to do a lot of, but not anymore.
We talk about how foam rolling might work, the (small) benefits it has, and why we don't use it anymore.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637917/
In episode 55, coaches Varun and Prashanti talk why quick fixes, magic pills, detoxes and other far-fetched health claims might actually work sometimes.
They discuss:
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the mechanism behind why these diets work sometimes.
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why we need to be more aware of the multiple variables involved in positive outcomes.
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how we can be more discerning when it comes to consuming health information.
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Varun's personal tragic experience with the low-carb diet.
In this episode of the Strength System podcast, Varun and Prashanti talk pull ups!
We talk about: -When we got our first pull ups (later than you might think) -Why the pull up is such a worthy goal -How to train for the pull up when you can't do one -Why women CAN do pull ups (since some people say they can't) -and much more
If you listened to the podcast and are currently struggling with pull ups, make sure you check out our Instagram for our #PullupwithSS program. All you need is a place to hang from and you're ready to go!
There's a spectre haunting the fitness world - the spectre of 'mobility'.
No one really knows what it means, but everyone feels like they don't have enough of it. This means lots of time wasted on pointless foam rolling, stretching, activation drills and bodyweight shenanigans.
This is valuable time that could be spent training productively with actual weights. And guess what? If you train right, you'll get more mobile without having to do specific mobility work.
Coaches Varun and Nivedhan hop on the mic today to discuss just why this excessive focus on mobility is a problem. We're not just breaking stuff down, however. We give you some concrete ways to incorporate a mobility focus in your strength workouts.
This week's podcast tackles a difficult subject: how do you make the most out of limited equipment? It's a challenge for almost everyone training now - whether you're training at home or at a gym.
Varun and Nivedhan take you through some of our strategies to ensure you get the most out of every set, whether your goal is to get stronger or to bud muscle
In this episode, we have a freewheeling chat with the co-owner of The Strength House, Coach Tony Bonvechio!
We discuss The Strength House's core values, their work with youth athletes, coaching in the post-covid age, and a lot more.
We also talk about Coach Tony's famous BenchLikeABeast program and his carefully curated beer recommendations for Chirag when he hits his first 100 kg bench press!
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If there's one person that the entire fitness industry looks up to and agrees with unanimously, it's coach Dan John! For our very special 50th episode, he joins Varun and Prashanti to discuss his ideas of fitness as relevant during the pandemic, gives some very profound fitness and life advice and promises to officiate Prashanti's wedding!
Coaches Varun and Chirag sit down to talk all about how beginners can get started with training. They discuss:
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Who a 'beginner' is in the weight room
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Their fitness journeys as beginners and the super secret stories of how they earned their bro cards
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What beginners should know when they hit the gym for the first time
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What you can do as a beginner if you don't have access to a coach
Click here to access our free at-home bodyweight and dumbbell based workouts.
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We're back with another quarantine episode of the Strength System Podcast and we're joined by Lavangi S, a Chennai-based gynecologist.
Varun and Prashanti chat with Lavangi about:
- Parameters that define a 'normal' period
- When someone needs to see a gynecologist to troubleshoot issues with the menstrual cycle
- What PCOS really is and why it's so often misdiagnosed
- Some commonly asked questions about the menstrual cycle - PMS, training around the period, factors that support a healthy period.
This week on the Strength System podcast, we're talking about progress and why it's often not linear.
Most textbooks and most fitpros make it sound like progress is a straight arrow, all you need to do is set a goal, train hard, eat right, and you're there.
But this doesn't match what actually happens in practice. More often than not, progress plateaus for a while and even regresses before really accelerating.
Nivedhan and Varun dive into just why that might be, and give you some practical rules of thumb to make sure that you're not panicking prematurely because progress has temporarily stalled.
Maybe the isolation's got to us, but the Strength System podcast has had enough!
Sick and tired of all the BS health and fitness claims we see all the time, we're giving you a primer on just why they're wrong.
We use the examples of (1) the uncritical respect given to Ayurvedic claims (2) the harmful narratives around the treatment of back pain to make a larger point: we need to be much more critical of all claims in the health and fitness world.
This is an entertaining listen, so sit back and prepare to be offended.
In episode 45, Varun (remotely) interviews two of our long-time clients, Praveen Ananth and Vrunda Maroo, about their experiences with combining strength training and running.
Praveen and Vrunda are avid runners, and we thought it would be great to get their thoughts on just how strength has helped them run better, faster and become more bulletproof.
If you're interested in the nitty gritty of strength training for runners, register for our (free) webinar on Saturday, June 13. Just email us at contact@strengthsystem.in, and we'll get in touch!
Varun and Nivedhan discuss returning to training after an enforced lay-off and what to expect. Some of the questions they discuss:
- Will you have lost all your gains? Spoiler: not as much as you think.
- Why your first few workouts back will be pretty rough.
- How your training might look in terms of sets, reps, weight and frequency
- Why you probably won't take too long to get to your pre-lockdown levels.
It's been almost a month since our last podcast, so like everyone else in the world, we got on a Zoom call!
We talk about: * Whether it's possible to maintain or build strength and muscle mass if you're stuck at home. * Some simple nutrition strategies to keep yourself on track. * A lot of off-topic chat.
No gym? No problem! We still have a podcast for you.
Varun, Chirag and Prashanti host, all seated at a safe distance from each other.
We discuss how to keep your fitness and nutrition on track while at home and without access to the gym.
Basic principles of bodyweight training? Nutrition tips if you're at home? It's all here.
Have a listen and subscribe if you like the podcast!
We have a special guest for this week's episode of the Strength System podcast, and it's none other than Coach Greg Robins!
Greg is the co-owner of The Strength House (fun fact: they like purple just as much as we do), a seasoned coach who has coached many lifters through their first meet, and an accomplished lifter in his own right.
We chat with Greg about:
- His background in sports and how he got interested in powerlifting.
- Why someone might benefit from powerlifting-style training even if they don't want to compete.
- How to train the lifts year-round while still building your skill.
- Some mindset tips during meet prep.
- His top 5 pieces of advice for first-time lifters.
In this podcast, coaches Varun and Nivedhan talk about just why the deadlift is their favourite lift of all time. They discuss:
- Why even deadlift? What does it do for you?
- The many ways you can deadlift - it doesn't have to involve a barbell.
- Why deadlifts are NOT dangerous for your back.
- Our 3 biggest technique pillars for the deadlift.
- The most common technique mistakes we see.
- Our favourite variations of the deadlift and when to choose them.
Coach Varun and nutritionist Sharmada Venkat discuss:
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Her background in nutrition science
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Her approach to nutrition and why she emphasizes long-term behavioural change.
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Why she doesn't like a restrictive approach to eating that only tells you what you NOT to eat.
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The role physical activity can play in a long-term approach to nutrition.
And a lot more!
t's powerlifting week at Strength System and this week's podcast is an introduction to the sport and a preview of our women's powerlifting meet this April!
Varun and special guest host Prashanti talk about:
A brief history of the sport of powerlifting - it's not as old as you might think
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What is powerlifting and how do you win?
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Our own experiences competing in powerlifting and why we want to do this meet only for women
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Why we think everyone could benefit from some time focusing on the powerlifts.
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'Will I get fat if I powerlift?' and other myths busted.
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How to sign up for the meet.
This week coaches Varun & Chirag talk all about coaching. They discuss:
- We call ourselves coaches - but what do we really do?
- What do we think we do as coaches?
- What other people think we do as coaches?
- Our own experiences with getting coaching.
- What to look for in a good coach?
- Coach Varun's rigorous training to earn his title as the 'fittest' coach at Strength System.
We have two podcast episodes this week, and this one's all about the squat!
Varun and Nivedhan have a freewheeling discussion about everything squat-related. They discuss:
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Why the squat is a fundamental human movement. Or is it?
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Common things we hear about the squat that aren't true. In particular, the old classic of 'your knees shouldn't cross your toes'.
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Things that really matter for a good squat - is your weight over the middle of the foot?
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The most common technique issues we see with squats and how to fix them.
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How to train the squat and pick the right variation for you.
The Strength System podcast is back for the new year!
This being resolution season, we've been seeing a lot of dubious health ideas floating around.
Varun and Prashanti are back hosting, and are fired up to bust the 5 most persistent myths we've been hearing:
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'Traditional' and 'local' foods being better for you.
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Yoga as a magic fix for back pain.
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The timeless fat-burning classic: hot water with lemon and honey.
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White sugar is worse than every other kind of sugar.
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Your body is not a walking assemblage of imbalances, asymmetries and weaknesses.
You gave us feedback and we listened!
Here’s our first short format podcast episode - we talk supplements that work!
Coaches Varun and Prashanti discuss whey protein, creatine, fish oil, pre-workout and some other often recommended supplements. We discuss benefits, ways to use, timing, dosage and brands.
Listen all the way till the end for a very important reveal of some super top-secret information!
This week’s episode is a must-listen! We talk to Dr. Joe Camoratto about navigating the maze that is pain.
If you’re someone who has ever dealt with pain or know someone who has (which is pretty much all of us), then sit back and listen in.
We start with the current understanding of pain (the biopsychosocial model), talk about why so many common narratives (muscular imbalances, poor posture, poor technique) about the causes of pain are harmful, and close with some reflections on how to practically deal with and understand your pain.
Timestamps:
02:51 : Meet Dr. Joe Camoratto
07:35 : What is Pain?
19:10: Effect of past experiences, psychology and social interactions on pain
26:10 : Impact of posture and lifting technique on pain - is there any?
33:35 : Are there any bad or harmful exercises?
36:30 : Does your therapist listen to you and try to understand how you experience the world?
43:15 : Importance of maintaining physical autonomy through the pain experience
50:50: Factors that can make the pain experience more prolonged
53:45 : Is your weak/inactive 'stabilizer' muscle causing your pain?
62:20 : Things in your control that can make navigating through your pain experience easier
68:05 : Final word - a clinician should reassure and empower, not instill fear
Find out more about Dr. Joe Camoratto at https://www.instagram.com/dr.joe.dpt/
Coach Varun and coach #angryprashanti review the Netflix documentary 'The Game Changers'. Did you see the film and wonder if you should switch to a vegan diet before your heart explodes? Listen to this episode before you do!
They discuss:
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The good things about a plant-based diet.
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Why do so many studies show amazing outcomes for vegans and vegetarians? It's probably NOT because of their diet!
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Why the athletes who appear in the film are good, but they're not the absolute elite.
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Why good science is about trying to falsify your hypothesis, not cherry-picking evidence to prove it right.
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Why on earth the film spends so much time on nocturnal erections, drinking beet juice and big muscular herbivores
In this episode of the Strength System podcast, coaches Varun and Nivedhan talk about the basics of writing a programme.
They discuss:
The starting point of writing a programme: what is the goal? The next step: figuring out indicator exercises. The fundamental movement patterns and how to sort them into tiers. Guidelines for sets: how many per workout and per movement pattern. Guidelines for reps: it depends on the goal!
It's the big 3-0 for the Strength System podcast!
In this episode, coaches Varun and Prashanti dig a little deeper into the 'why' of training.
If you don't have a clear reason why you train, or if you've never really thought about it, then you need to listen in to this one. We talk about:
-> the short-term goals we typically see and why they're not very useful -> why you don't need motivation if you have a clear 'why' -> our own stories with finding our why -> why variety in training and nutrition is not your friend, and how to get used to the 'park bench' -> how to get started with figuring out your own personal why
We answer your training-related questions in episode 29! Coaches Varun and Nivedhan cover:
- Transitioning from group HIIT workouts to individual strength training (00:45)
- How to motivate yourself to exercise (04:40)
- Are bodyweight push ups, pull ups, dips and squats good enough to retain strength? (08:20)
- Which exercise is best for increasing strength and getting ripped? (11:40)
- What should ideal breathing technique be? (13:38)
- What is your take on women training during their periods? (16:15)
This week's episode is all about becoming a meal prep wizard.
Coaches Varun and Prashanti talk about the basics of preparing for a good week’s nutrition.
They discuss:
(1) Why relying on willpower is NOT the best idea
(2) How to grocery shop for success
(3) The basics of meal prep and one-pot cooking
(4) Why freezing and reheating your food is ok.
Today's episode is all about unleashing your inner athlete.
Ever felt like you lack a certain something when you have to go and play a sport? Maybe you gas out quickly, or you pick up annoying niggles, or you just feel ‘slow’.
Coaches Varun and Nivedhan break down what it means to be athletic and how to think about your training:
(00:30) Our athletic ‘credentials’ - they’re very extensive!
(02:50) What is athleticism?
(05:00) Strength: the base of all athleticism
(10:55) Our basic strength standards
(12:10) Cardiovascular ability - just what is it?
(15:20) How to tell if your cardio is good enough?
(17:00) Jumps: the first skill of athleticism
(21:50) Throws: ‘linking’ the upper and lower body
(25:50) Sprints: can you run?
In this episode, coaches Varun and Nivedhan answer YOUR questions from Instagram. They talk about:
(1) Differences in quality of dietary protein and how it matters for muscle gain (01:00) (2) Should you do cardio before or after lifting? (03:20) (3) How to breathe and brace for heavy lifts (06:40) (4) How to gain mass as a vegetarian + why plant-based diets are not the greatest idea? (11:00) (5) How to handle nutrition as a 'skinny-fat' person: should you bulk or cut? (17:40) (6) How to deal with muscle imbalances (20:45)
We catch up with coaches Raj and Arvind from The Quad, and talk shop! We discuss:
- Their origin stories - how did they get into fitness in the first place?
- How and why did they decide specifically on outdoor, kettlebell-based group fitness?
- Bonus question: how did they even find kettlebells back then?
- How they use social media to continue to educate and motivate
We catch up with coaches Chris Morris and Hayley Madigan, and talk about:
- Their journey in the fitness industry, and how they came to Chennai
- How and why they preach a message of moderation when it comes to fitness
- Hayley's advice for women struggling with PCOS
- And much more!
Coach Sandeep is our podcast host for the week and interviews two recent graduates from our internship programme: Pratyusha and Kishore.
They discuss: * How they got into fitness and why they decided to take the plunge into the internship. * How they simultaneously managed their regular day jobs and the internships. * Their biggest takeaways from the internship. * Their future plans in the fitness industry!
Coaches Varun and Sandeep sit down to talk about:
- Why they first got into coaching and their outlook on it now
- What are the common characteristics of a good coach
- What a coach should NOT do for you
- Their experiences of being coached
- How to find the right coach for you
In this episode, coaches Varun and Sandeep do Strength System’s 2nd Q&A! They discuss:
- The difference between injury and soreness
- Ways to increase your squat and build your quads
- Intermittent fasting
- Body recomposition
- The importance of blood work
- Basic training approaches people overlook
- The minimalist approach to fitness
- A bonus question - where one can score HGH
In this episode, we switch places, with Prashanti hosting and interviewing Varun, Chirag, and Nivedhan.
We discuss: 1. Our stories behind how we got into coaching 2. What a typical day looks like for us (no, we don't have a 'real' day job) 3. What coaching really encompasses: it's not just about teaching exercises, but a lot more 4. One tip from each of us for potential entrants to the fitness industry
Coach Shaun Cairns is back for another special podcast episode! Coach Shaun is a Master instructor with StrongFirst (StrongFirst is a global provider of strength education). He was in Chennai recently to conduct the StrongFirst Barbell Course. He was kind enough to sit down with us and talk training!
Among other things, we discuss:
- What StrongFirst is all about
- Different training modalities - bodyweight, kettlebell and barbells, etc and how we can incorporate them
- Why strength is important and why we must earn the right to do specialised training
- The importance of key training principles such as consistency and specificity
- The value of having a coach or mentor to guide oneself through the training process
- How Coach Shaun likes to train and what his current training is like
In this episode, coaches Varun and Nivedhan discuss the common elements of a successful training program.
They talk about: 1. The difference between training and working out 2. What a structured training program looks like 3. The value of compound lifts as part of the training plan 4. 5 essential movement patterns to focus on 5. The importance of progressive overload and tracking progress
In this episode, coaches Varun and Chirag talk about 5 basic habits you need to check off to be 'healthy': 1. Strength training 3+ times a week 2. Low intensity activity every week 3. Sleeping 7+ hours a night 4. Eating like an adult 5. Mindfulness
In this episode, coaches Varun and Prashanti talk all about fitness during travel!
They talk about: 1. Whether we lose all our hard-earned strength and muscle when we travel (hint: we don't!) 2. Why you might come back from a vacation stronger and healthier 3. How to stay on track when your work involves frequent travel 4. Practical training and nutrition tips if you still want to keep your vacation relatively 'clean'
In this episode, coaches Varun and Chirag talk all about nutrition for vegetarians!
They talk about: 1. Who vegetarians are and why they choose to be so 2. Advantages of a plant-based diet 3. Important considerations for vegetarians such as nutrient deficiencies, supplementation and protein needs 4. Protein options for vegetarians 5. Chirag's current plan for getting jacked
In this episode, coaches Nivedhan and Varun talk all about training for kids: (1) Why it's necessary (with a good dose of 90s nostalgia) (2) What does strength training for kids look like? (3) The merits of not letting kids specialize in one sport too early (4) Some practical takeaways for kids to start moving and eating better
In this episode, coaches Varun and Prashanti talk all about powerlifting!
They discuss: 1. What powerlifting is 2. Prashanti's experience with powerlifting 3. Strength System's Women's Only powerlifting meet on May 5th 4. Most importantly, why powerlifting is great and beats cardio hands-down
In this episode, coaches Varun and Chirag do Strength System's 1st Q&A! They talk about:
- Training for senior adults and kids
- How to effectively recover from workouts
- Whether its okay to consume coffee during workouts
- Whether one needs to do cardio to lose weight
- And most importantly, why Bros must earn the right to curl in the squat rack!
In this episode, coach Varun talks with sports physiotherapist Sathish about rehabbing injuries, if there's a perfect posture to keep you healthy and more! They talk about:
(1) His process for dealing with injuries - why you can always train around them.
(2) Why posture is overrated - and how it varies for each person.
(3) The habits he would like to see more people adopt to stay healthy and bulletproof.
In this episode, coaches Varun and Sandeep talk about the basics of sleep! They run through: (1) Why sleep is important (2) How much sleep is ideal, and how to know if you're getting enough (3) Why circadian rhythms (say what?) are crucial for sleep (4) 3 very practical sleep tips you can implement right now to sleep better
In this episode, coaches Varun and Nivedhan (making his first appearance!) talk about the basics of gaining weight. They discuss:
(1) Why it's a legitimate goal (2) How to know if you should gain weight (3) The basics of a good nutrition plan (4) How to track progress and ensure you don't get too big
In episode 8 of the podcast, coaches Varun and Prashanti have had enough! They tackle 5 common nutrition myths:
(1) Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? (2) Why detox diets aren't really 'cleansing' anything. (3) Are superfoods really anything special? (4) The fear that eating more protein will damage your kidneys (5) Why your favourite diet (Atkins, paleo, GM) actually works - it's not about the diet itself!
Coaches Varun and Prashanti talk menstrual health and training! They cover:
(1) The different phases of the menstrual cycle (2) How to deal with PMS (3) How to train on your period (4) Nutrition dos and donts for menstrual health (5) Why the menstrual cup is the best thing since sliced bread
In this episode, coaches Varun and Sandeep sit down to talk with Coach Virendran about a number of topics: * His background as a high jumper and his decision to join the fitness industry. * His philosophy when it comes to working with clients. * Why true body transformation programmes are rare and what you don't see behind the scenes. * The one piece of advice he'd give everyone to get better today
In this podcast, Coaches Prashanti and Varun discuss:
(1) What fat loss really means (2) How to know your starting point (3) The 'low hanging fruit' for nutritional change (4) How to train for fat loss (5) Tracking progress for fat loss
Coaches Varun and Sandeep discuss: (1) Why we need muscle (2) Why women won't get bulky if they lift weights (3) Training and nutrition for muscle building (4) How to track progress
Coach Shaun Cairns is a Master SFG instructor with StrongFirst. He was in Chennai this past weekend to conduct the SFG L1 KB certification.
He was the 1st person to successfully complete the incredibly hard Beast Tamer challenge - where one must do a 1-arm press, pistol squat and a pull-up with the beast - the 48 kg KB.
Coach Shaun was kind enough to spare some of his time (despite a packed schedule) to sit down and chat with us about training, goal setting and his ideas on strength.
Topics covered:
- (00:40) - Strength System origin
- (01:40) - Founding philosophy of Strength System
- (03:40) - What is strength?
- (04:30) - What does strength mean to us? Personal experiences
- (09:50) - Strength application - injury prevention, fat loss, muscle gain
- (11:20) - Strength is subjective and expressed differently
- (13:40) - Are you getting stronger? Environmental progress markers
- (14:40) - Value of strength - being comfortable in your own body
- (15:45) - Podcast summary
Topics covered:
- (00:20) - Why do most new year resolutions fail?
- (02:05)- What is your 'point A' - your starting point?
- (02:50)- What is your 'point B' - your ideal outcome/goal?
- (4:58) - More about 'point A'
- (07:33) - Focusing on the process: layering habits for success.
- (14:22) - Accountability - creating checklists.
- (17:22) - Assessing Progress: choosing one method, keeping it simple!