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The world isn't your oyster forever.

For elite powerlifter Sean Noriega, realizing that 300kg squats were no longer guaranteed forced a complete psychological and technical rebuild.

After a five-year regression that left him chasing the numbers from his junior career, the MIT-educated mechanical engineer turned world-class coach applied the same analytical mindset he used in the lab to rebuilding his body under the bar.

What followed was a transformation from "meathead" lifter to one of the most technically respected coaches in powerlifting.

In this episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk, Sean breaks down the razor-thin margins separating good from legendary while detailing his evolution from world-record athlete to founder of Team Nori and PowerliftingNow.

INSIDE THE EPISODE

• Why huge PRs at 23 can lead to years of stagnation if you don't evolve
• The truth behind high-frequency benching, the controversial "Nori" setup, and practice singles
• How MIT engineering principles shaped Sean's approach to RPE and data-driven programming
• Why loosening his brace and changing his stance finally helped him break through the 300kg barrier
• The political split in tested powerlifting and why top lifters still choose competition over comfort
• The shift from "strength at all costs" to long-term technical mastery

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sean Noriega is an elite powerlifter, coach, and founder of Team Nori — one of the most technically driven coaching systems in strength sports.

A mechanical engineering graduate from MIT, Sean has spent the last decade combining high-level competition experience with scientific optimization. As co-founder of PowerliftingNow, he has helped redefine modern coaching through technical precision, data analysis, and long-term athlete development.

His system has produced national- and world-level athletes across some of the most competitive weight classes in powerlifting.

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