Barbell Athlete Radio: Recent Episodes
Wyatt Christiansen & James Harris
The BAR looks to bridge the gaps between complex exercise science and the everyday barbell athlete by providing practical applications of current evidence and our own experiences. So, join your hosts James Harris, a physical therapist and gym owner, alongside powerlifting coach and masters of kinesiology student, Wyatt Christiansen, as they explore the many nuances of barbell training.
Behavior and belief change are a fundamental parts of coaching others or yourself be it in the gym, in your career, or in day to day life. Yet it's often glossed over and is a soft skill many coaches never learn about. Anyone else experience the hard ass authoritarian coach that said their way or the high way? Yeah they should've listened to our guest Shelly. Luckily you can and hopefully bring some of those coaching aspects to your own coaching and training.
Introducing Shelly Belk 0:00
What does this coaching look like? 1:12
What is behavior/belief change? 7:50
Models of Change 17:13
Micro Wins 24:18
Eliciting Change in Others 29:50
Eliciting Change in Yourself 38:07
Final Thoughts 48:38
Where to find us
Shelly Belk
https://shelly-belk.mykajabi.com/the-behavior-bridge
@ShellyBelkCoaching
James Harris
https://brentwoodbarbell.com/
@James.BrentwoodBarbell @BrentwoodBarbellClub
Wyatt Christiansen
https://wolfpackstrength.myshopify.com/
https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com/
@Wolf_Pack_Strength
In this episode your hosts bring on Dr. Dave Hagerty to explore various avenues of mentality from kindness to persistence. Many of the subjects talked about in this episode of course apply to the gym, but are also useful in your day to day life interacting with coworkers, maintaining meaningful relationships, or building a business.
Time Stamps:
0:42 Informal intro
7:58 Who is this mystery speaker?
9:17 Strength and Kindness origins
https://open.spotify.com/track/1zi7xx7UVEFkmKfv06H8x0?si=71b46b1ca631410a
15:56 Perspectives and experiences
25:25 Acknowledge your wins
41:45 Investment into goals
47:52 Persistance
Where to find us:
Dave Hagerty
@Dave.StrengthandKindness
James Harris
https://brentwoodbarbell.com/
@James.BrentwoodBarbell @BrentwoodBarbellClub
Wyatt Christiansen
https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com/
@wolf_pack_strength
Starting off the 2023 year, your hosts bring on Dr. Nate Wong to discuss more about injury management and present strategies for how to manage and overcome injury.
0:44 Introducing Dr. Nate Wong
4:21 Rehab vs. Training
11:40 What is "functional" training?
24:45 Rehab should be hard conditioning
35:17 Common injuries among gen pop
56:12 The role of specificity with aches and pains
1:14:18 Disagreeing with the Recommendations of an MD or DO
1:27:30 Why do people seek out rehab clinicians? When should one be seen?
Where to find us:
Nate Wong
@RehabExplained
James Harris
https://brentwoodbarbell.com/
@James.BrentwoodBarbell @BrentwoodBarbellClub
Wyatt Christiansen
https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com/
@wolf_pack_strength
Throughout social media, you may hear many different opinions about physical health and performance. And with social media we don't often get to hear all the nuances and grey areas of the statements people make. What we want to do is explain how to use aspects of both research and anecdote and how they can provide different values to different populations.
Time Stamps
2:05 Research vs. Anecdote
9:16 Extreme Beliefs
16:50 Application to Populations
25:45 Research Application & Experimentation
30:24 The Human Component
33:39 Who to Listen to
Where to find us
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell @brentwoodbarbellclub
brentwoodbarbell.com/
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
rebuildstrongeronline.com
In episode 20 of the BAR we dive into the darkside of powerlifting... equipped lifting. Despite the many internet memes you may have seen, equipped lifting has a great history in the sport of powerlifting and has many things it can teach you. So learn a bit about it, and see if its something you find worthwhile.
Time Stamps
0:00 Introducing John Flagg & Kevin Cann
3:30 First Experiences with Equipment
14:58 Powerlifting History
22:03 What is Equipment?
29:30 Execution in Equipment
35:45 How Often Should You Train in Gear?
48:55 How Equipped Lifts Builds the Raw Lifts
1:03:48 Coaching Philosophy
1:14:20 Resources for Buying Equipment
Gear by David Kirschen
We are back! After a busy end to summer, your hosts are back. And to start out we wanted to talk about our current training and coaching trends.
One of the things to remember when it comes to eliciting performance in strength sports is experimentation and the use of different training styles, thought processes, and program organization.
So join us in our exploration of training. And apologies for the background noise, new mic did not workout so well.
1:16 James' Training
3:04 5-6 Session Microcycles on a 3-4 Day Training Weeks
11:13 Allowing Athlete Exercise Choice
19:05 Wyatt's Training "Sit on a Muscle"
30:01 Training vs Building a Movement (New Bench Rule & Olympic Lifting)
42:27 Tempo Work
49:23 The Future Meets/Business/School
Where to find us:
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell @brentwoodbarbellclub
https://brentwoodbarbell.com/
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com/
Whether you are an athlete or a clinician, you probably know that the rehab industry isn't so simple. In this episode we will discuss the pros and cons private pay and insurance based models for both patients and clinicians, as well as online vs in-person models for rehab.
Hopefully after listening, if you are a patient in the future, you have a better idea of where to go to get the best care for your situation. And if you're a clinician or future clinician, hopefully this serves as a guide in your future endeavors as a rehab clinician.
0:59 Introductions
2:04 Private Pay (Cash Based) vs. Insurance Based
6:51 Private Pay vs Insurance Populations
19:27 Quality of Care
27:54 Increasing Accessibility
31:25 Direct Access Laws
36:56 Schooling
38:44 Online vs In-Person Rehab
48:23 Marketing
55:02 Dealing with Misinformation
Where you can find us:
Derek Miles DPT
@derek_barbellmedicine
www.barbellmedicine.com
Judy Gelber DPT
@movement.physio
www.movementphysio.online
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell
@brentwoodbarbellclub
www.brentwoodbarbell.com
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
For decades we have heard the narrative that cardio kills your your hypertrophy and strength gains. We brought on Dr. Jason Garrett and Dr. Nathan Henderson to discuss both the science and their own personal experiences training both powerlifting and distance running simultaneously.
0:00 Introducing Dr. Henderson & Dr. Garret
0:58 Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise
14:15 Interference Effects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33751469/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34757594/
23:11 Training Organization
https://www.myosynthesis.com/squat-every-day
42:45 Fun and Carry Over to Life
50:18 Running Specific Exercises
53:52 Overtraining & Recovery
1:03:58 Mental Toughness
Where to find us
Jason Garrett
@dr.jgarrett
Nathan Henderson
@liftingwithnate
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell
@brentwoodbarbellclub
www.brentwoodbarbell.com
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
Recorded July 5, 2022
Apologies in advance we had some technical difficulties recording, so please enjoy some awkward silences just like we did!
Now, if you commit to getting past these awkward pauses you will find a plethora of useful information about the career directions of getting an exercise science (or similar) degree. What we as clinicians, coaches, and department directors like David hate seeing is people get degrees and not go on to use them. So give this podcast a listen and who knows, maybe you'll find inspiration to go into the rehab realm, own a gym, or conduct research.
0:00 Introducing Dave Reddy
3:24 Getting into the Ex Sci field
14:15 Exposure to Different Demographics
19:25 Direct Access
21:15 Degrees Alongside Ex Sci
25:10 BA vs BS
33:27 Going Into Research
44:26 Online vs In-Person
54:35 Becoming Over Qualified
1:06:15 Gap Years
Where can you find us?
David Reddy
www.davereddy.com
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell @brentwoodbarbellclub www.brentwoodbarbell.com
In our 15th episode we swing the opposite direction from our last one and look into training "older" populations (meaning 40+). It's often believed that as age increases (beyond our 30s) we tend to trend downward and become more frail. We hear narratives that older people need to avoid heavy lifting and plyometrics so that they don't break anything. This couldn't be any further from the truth. Whether someone is a life long powerlifter or been sedentary for the last 50 years, the training concepts still apply the same. Find an appropriate entry point and try to progress from there.
Recap (hosting, competing, back tweaks, youth/sport strength and conditioning) 0:18
Lifting at 40+ 12:25
Doing non SBD Work 17:07
Exercise Selection Based on Age 22:29
Corrective Exercises and Posture 25:38
Volume Based on Age 35:34
Meaning for "Older" Athletes 47:06
Where to find us
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell @brentwoodbarbellclub
www.brentwoodbarbell.com
Youth training can be quite a heated topic. You might've heard myths that it stunts growth, is highly dangerous, and should only be done after puberty. Despite these widespread beliefs, they are not true and in fact, resistance training is appropriate for everyone and scaleable for everyone. However, in this episode, we bring on Eric Shugars to discuss the current issues with youth training and youth athletics including aspects of burnout, fear mongering certain exercises, and injury.
0:00 Introducing Eric Shugars
3:04 Our personal experience with youth training
15:29 Common issues with youth athletics
37:35 Aspects of building a youth training program
1:13:15 Creating an enjoyable program
1:19:26 How "sport specific" should training be?
Where you can find us
Eric Shugars
@shugnite89 @westminsterstrength
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell @brentwoodbarbellclub www.brentwoodbarbell.com
In Episode 13 we bring on world class powerlifter Claire Zai of Barbell Medicine to discuss women in strength sports. The gym, especially resistance training, has been male dominated for decades. Because of this there are barriers to entry that many men do not see from interactions with other members to societal beliefs about women who lift weights. Claire not only provides insight to these barriers, but also provides several solutions you can implement as a woman in the gym, or things you as a member, coach, or gym owner can do to help create a more inclusive and inviting gym space.
Introducing Claire Zai 0:00
All women's meet recap 1:52
Load Women Fundraiser 11:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uyE3DO8-qI
https://clairezai.wixsite.com/loadwomen
https://www.bonfire.com/store/little-lyss-fitness/
https://www.redbubble.com/people/llfitness/shop?artistUserName=LLFitness&collections=2828427&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=relevant
Physical & mental benefits of resistance training 16:34
Barriers to entry (sexualization, stereotype threat, unsolicited comments/advice) 23:57
Dealing with negative comments 48:02
What can we do to be more inclusive? 55:40
Where can you find us?
Claire Zai
@claire_barbellmedicine
www.barbellmedicine.com
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell
www.brentwoodbarbell.com
Recorded April 25, 2022
On the twelfth episode of the BAR, we bring on guest (soon to be Doctor of Physical Therapy) Nathan Henderson to talk pain and rehab within powerlifting. We start out like any other podcast defining what pain is and what it means, but continue on into practical applications and takeaways that athletes, coaches, and clinicians can find useful in their practice. Lastly we cover expanding your community and creating the overlap between coaches and rehab clinicians to facilitate better communication and care for the patient/athlete.
Introducing (soon to be doctor) Nathan Henderson 0:12
Powerlifting History 3:26
What is Pain 9:20
Load/Fatigue Management 10:37
Healing Process and Desensitization 20:07
Utility of "Rehab" Exercises 28:42
When Load Management Isn't Enough 36:40
The Scope of Practice for Coaches 40:20
Final Thoughts 44:57
Where to find us:
Wyatt Christiansen
@wolf_pack_strength
www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
James Harris
@james.brentwoodbarbell
www.brentwoodbarbell.com
Nathan Henderson
@liftingwithnate
Recorded on March 30, 2022
Another fun episode coming your way. In the 11th episode of the BAR James and Wyatt discuss the process of prepping for a meet all the way from 10 weeks out up to selecting each of your attempts. In addition they discuss aspects of mentality and psychological arousal around each attempt, how to deal with missing a lift, food and supplement intake, and of course some post meet celebrations.
Recap 0:35
Structuring a Meet Prep 5:06
Utilizing Variations 26:13
Organizing Meet Week 30:52
Resistance Priming to Enhance Neuromuscular Performance in Sport: Evidence, Potential Mechanisms and Directions for Future Research. Harrison et al., 2019.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01136-3
Influence of Strength Level on Performance Enhancement Using Resistance Priming. Nishioka & Okada, 2022.
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2022/01000/Influence_of_Strength_Level_on_Performance.6.aspx
Can Priming Sessions Enhance Performance in Olympic Weightlifters? Hald, 2020.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjRi6XNjqH3AhWVDkQIHU4TCdAQFnoECAsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnih.brage.unit.no%2Fnih-xmlui%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F11250%2F2660670%2FHald%2520EMEK%2520v2020.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1%26isAllowed%3Dy&usg=AOvVaw02rPiqeX1TPmicSdDP47c9
Meet Day and Attempt Selection 37:24
Mental Fatigue 46:32
What to Do If You Miss 51:05
Psychological Arousal 56:40
Caffeine 1:00:46
The Lifter's Guide to Caffeine. Trexler, 2019.
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/caffeine/
Effects of Caffeine on Resistance Exercise: A Review of Recent Research. Grgic, 2020. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01521-x
Food 1:10:20
Where to find us
James Harris
@James.BrentwoodBarbell
@BrentwoodBarbellClub
https://www.brentwoodbarbell.com
Wyatt Christiansen
@Wolf_Pack_Strength
https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
Recorded March 15, 2022
On this episode we invite on our 2nd and what should've been our 3rd guests Kevin Cann of Precision Powerlifting Systems and Alex Gardner of James' own Brentwood Barbell, however, some technical difficulties prevented Alex from being able to speak and add to the conversation.
With that said this was a very fun episode exploring the different avenues of max effort training ("WestSide" someone had to say it). But we also go beyond that and dive into some of the more philosophical and psychological aspects of powerlifting.
Introducing Kevin Cann 0:28
Powerlifting History 3:11
What is Max Effort Training? 4:18
Max Effort vs Low RPE Singles 23:48
Specificity 34:30
Mentality and Emotions 45:28
Chasing/Forcing PRs 1:04:35
A Year of Singles 1:12:45
On the Platform 1:17:40
Where to find us
Wyatt Christiansen @Wolf_Pack_Strength
James Harris @BrentwoodBarbellClub @James_BrentwoodBarbell
Kevin Cann @KWCann @Precision
On this episode James and Wyatt discuss the nuances of RPE. It's more than just a rating, it's a tool for how you train, and can be used/interpreted in different ways based on the goals of an exercise. So we will go from how do you start learning it, to it's utility, to how to use it in your own training. Lastly we will discuss the ongoing debate of high vs low RPE.
Additionally, any and all comments pertaining to Russia were made before the attack on Ukraine and are in reference to their athletic history.
Time Stamps:
Powerlifting History 0:22
Client Wins 2:14
Beginning RPE 6:55
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXQaEq4_2lY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xEYSsfiWIE
How to gauge RPE 11:40
The utility of RPE for life 14:03
RPE vs Percentages 18:55
High vs Low RPE 37:30
Personal Experience 44:58
Recorded on February 15, 2022
Find us at
Wyatt @wolf_pack_strength
James @james_brentwoodbarbell & @brentwoodbarbellclub
Have you ever wondered how to organize your strength training? What exercises should you do? How many reps? Should every set be maximal? Machines or free weights? All those questions will be answered in episode 8 of the BAR where we dive into every aspect of organizing training and even some aspects you probably didn't consider.
Time Stamps:
Catching Up 0:37
Organizing Sets and Reps 11:18
How Hard Should Training Be? (RPE) 18:58
Organizing a Week of Training 22:38
Enjoyment 31:12
Single Joint, Compound & Complex Movements 33:44
Unstable vs Free Weights vs Machines 40:46
Specificity 56:06
Technical Improvements 58:44
Exercise Constraints for Load Managements 1:03:08
Overloading 1:07:27
Hypertrophy 1:13:17
Final Takeaways 1:22:34
Where to find us:
Wyatt @Wolf_Pack_Strength
James @James_BrentwoodBarbell @BrentwoodBarbellClub
Recorded February 1, 2022
In this episode James and Wyatt bring on the first guest host, the one and only John Flagg to discuss motivation for training. As many of you know we are looking to facilitate lifelong lifters, but many lifters get caught up in numbers and lose motivation when the bar weight stops increasing. So what do you do when numbers plateau and motivation diminishes? Listen and find out.
Introducing John Flagg 0:00
Staying Motivated 4:16
Becoming Process Oriented 15:07
Stacking Wins 20:58
Chasing Elite 31:33
Motivation for the Beginner/Intermediate Lifter 33:46
Your "Why?" 37:27
Being Selfish 42:59
Identity 45:47
Where to find us:
Wyatt @Wolf_Pack_Strength
James @James_BrentwoodBarbell @BrentwoodBarbellClub
John @Rebuild_Stronger www.rebuildstrongeronline.com
Recorded January 18, 2022
In this episode James and Wyatt provide a broad overview of lifting technique and what it is important for ranging from specificity vs variation , balance components, injury risk, and performance in the gym. Additionally this is our most referenced episode with a couple world record lifters mentioned to various studies that dive into these different aspects of why technique matters.
Time Stamps
James Training Recap 0:17
The basics 4:18
Exercise Variation vs Specificity 7:48
Changes in exercises are more effective than in loading schemes to improve muscle strength https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24832974/
Balance 21:00
Ray Williams Squat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQVciV-hqS4
Effectiveness of Progressive Resistance Strength Training Versus Traditional Balance Exercise in Improving Balance Among the Elderly
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003699/
Balance Improvement by Strength Training for the Elderly
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3885846/
Technique, Pain & Injury 28:46
World Record Squat with 243.5 kg by Amanda Lawrence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tasgbNTvVKs
Effects of training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31230110/
Relative Muscle Contributions to Net Joint Moments in the Barbell Back Squat
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301690652_Relative_Muscle_Contributions_to_Net_Joint_Moments_in_the_Barbell_Back_Squat
Injuries among weightlifters and powerlifters
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/4/211
The Epidemiology of Injuries Across the Weight-Training Sports
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27328853/
Technique & Performance 42:26
Instagram
@Barbell_Athlete_Radio
@Wolf_Pack_Strength
@BrentwoodBarbellClub
Recorded December 14, 2021
Welcome to episode 5 where James and Wyatt discuss the nuances and health implications associated with body composition. Beforehand, spend some time catching up with the hosts discussing what it's like to run a meet (and if their discussion peaks your interest in competing, be sure to visit www.powersloths.com/events to check out some Arizona Strong(wo)man and Powerlifting meets).
0:20 Catching up (Power Sloth Powerlifting Classic)
9:40 Body composition intro
16:05 What is body composition?
17:39 Measuring body composition
28:18 BMI
36:44 Management
40:26 Diets (and myths)
51:12 Protein intake
https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/where-should-my-priorities-be-to-improve-my-health/
57:07 Fiber intake
1:01:24 Saturated Fat
https://www.fda.gov/media/99059/download
1:09:33 Weight loss workouts
Be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date and submit questions!
@barbell_athlete_radio
@wolf_pack_strength
@brentwoodbarbell
Recorded December 9, 2021
Will cardio kill your gainzZz? There is a wide spread belief that cardiovascular training will inhibit your strength and hypertrophy gains as well as has to be done for weight/fat loss. However, there is much more nuance when it comes to aerobic training.
Time Stamps
Cardio Myths 0:20
Energy Systems 7:53
SPP vs GPP 16:05
Powerlifters Should do Cardio 19:16
Being an Athlete 24:54
Correction, NBA players who specialized early experienced a 50% increase in injury rate, rather than were less likely to play professionally.
https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/resistance-training-for-the-youth-population/
How to Implement Cardio 32:54
Other correction, Wyatt is not leaving AZ yet (problems with recording a few months early)
Recorded November 30, 2021
In the 3rd episode of the BAR, James and Wyatt dive into the subject of resistance/strength training, the overall benefits, and the specific benefits of barbellesque type training. Additionally, they explore similar concepts ranging from functional fitness to sport specific training.
Time Stamps:
What is strength training? 0:58
Basic methods of getting stronger 2:22
Benefits of strength (specifically barbell) training 10:44
Our experiences 21:43
What is/isn't strength training? 30:15
Sport specific training 41:26
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7297002/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29135275/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33238784/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4268830/
To keep up to date with us be sure to follow on Instagram
@barbell_athlete_radio
@jamz_brentwoodbarbell
@wolf_pack_strength
Recorded November 9, 2021
Physical activity guidelines are important not only for members of the general population, but also for specific athletic groups. In this episode James and Wyatt discuss why the guidelines matter, how to implement aspects of them into your own training, and the various benefits associated with them.
Time Stamps:
Training vs Exercise 4:00
https://www.brentwoodbarbell.com/2019/02/28/activity-continuum/
Trouble Getting Started 13:30
Guidelines 21:07
https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/physical-activity-guidelines
Making Sacrifices 32:29
Benefits of Resistance Training 34:26
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3337929/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5580990/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3395188/
Instagram:
@barbell_athlete_radio
@jamz_brentwoodbarbell
@wolf_pack_strength
Recorded Nov 2, 2021
Welcome to the Barbell Athlete Radio.
In this first episode get to know your hosts Wyatt Christiansen & James Harris from where they each started to how they started working together and what is in store for future episodes.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date and submit questions!
@barbell_athlete_radio
@wolf_pack_strength
@jamz_brentwoodbarbell