Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic

Who are we, and how did we get here? Matt addresses these in his 2021 BLOC Party State of the Union. This is Matt's address to the Barbell Logic coaches and staff at the 2021 BLOC Party. Matt delivers these roughly quarterly to the staff, and he initially intended to keep this internal as past state of the unions have been. Ultimately, though, at the prompting at some of his staff, he realized this is a good address to release. It's a good overview of how much Barbell Logic has grown and changed over the past 2 years. He touches at the staff of Barbell Logic who work to deliver the high standard of service, oversee and run operations, deliver content, create and improve the Academy, market our services, and grow the company. We hope you enjoy this, and it helps you better understand who we are, and how we got here. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

Matt & CJ Gotcher answer your questions about the Academy and coaching, including when you should fire a client, how Matt's coaching practice has changed, the PBC process, and how to know if coaching is NOT right for you. CJ Gotcher is a staff coach for Barbell Logic and the Academy Director. 0:00 Introduction 1:57 Firing a Client As a coach--or really anyone in the service industry--you will eventually come across a client who you no longer wish to serve. Often, this comes from repeatedly crossing boundaries. Often the coach is not a good fit for that person--it doesn't mean that the client is a bad person. How could I do this better? Often, that client needs a different coach who can better serve them. This is a great aspect of Barbell Logic, that we can usually find a different coach to better serve that client. Occasionally, a client may habitually cross boundaries--the term "malevolent" pops up--and you should not feel like you need to protect yourself from the client. That is a sign you might need to fire a client. 7:02 How Has Matt's Coaching Practice Changed? We've moved from strength at all costs to strength as a tool to improve quality of life. There are other things important beyond strength training. We still value barbells and think barbells are a fantastic tool to improve quality of life. What is the client life-cycle? Matt has hit big squat and deadlift PRs, but he's okay with the idea that he never will again. He recognizes the sacrifices it would take to hit another PR, and he doesn't want to make them. 11:32 Credibility in Coaching - Clients' Wants vs Needs Have to realize that a new client has not necessarily bought in fully to your training paradigm, that you have to build credibility. For whatever reason, they've come to you, but you were likely one of multiple options. What really matters--to you and the client? For example, if the client wants to compete in powerlifting and won't squat, that's a problem. If, however, the client wants to sumo deadlift and you think the conventional deadlift is better, how important is that to you? Can the client still accomplish his or her goals? For example, Matt now has Gillian Ward coaching him for strength (already a nutrition client). Matt is beat up from years of Strong Man & Powerlifting. Gillian has been asking how exercises feel, if they hurt, if they do hurt, where and how much? She is building trust and problem-solving and not pushing Matt into a cookie-cutter program. 16:26 Is Coaching NOT For Me? Just because you love to lift, doesn't mean you'll love coaching or be a great coach. If you don't really care about people, that's a red flag. Really ask yourself if you enjoy it? If you feel some resistance, which aspects of coaching might you not enjoy (because you will always not enjoy SOMETHING about a certain job or profession). There are lots of different demographics and types of coaching, so experiment and see if a different demographic or type is better. 23:33 Training Older Men Can I find guard rails where they can push themselves (maybe a super heavy low bar squat can't be pushed, but what about some accessories or box squats or stressing the deadlift). Educate them on why you're doing what you're doing. A huge trust-builder here is to be more right about their experience than they are (eg they hammer themselves on Wednesday with extra volume after you've pushed less volume, have a discussion with them after they bonk on Friday--not an "I told you so" but a moment for education). 27:43 How Frequent is the Academy? It's at your own pace in an online learning environment. There are optional events, but you complete it when and where you want. Also, there is the Advanced where you can deep dive into a subject you need to focus on. 30:26 Long-Legged Athletes-Squatting & Pulling They're going to look more bent over, but can also be too bent over. CJ finds himself using overcorrection cues "overcues." Most people aren't made to squat AND pull well. So, there are tradeoffs (Kirk Karwoski versus Ed Coan). 33:42 Beginning to Charge Clients Money It really should be as early as possible, because the money--even if it's not much--gives the client skin in the game. The flipside is you need to know that you can provide value to them. How Not to Totally Suck as a Coach is a good article to Read. Make the exchange explicit--it might not be monetary. 38:56 In-Person & Online Coaching Hybrid Model? It depends on your situation, but it can definitely work. The general model might look like an introductory session or sessions and then go to a cheaper, online model that stresses accountability, programming, and just technique tweaks & reminders. 40:55 Coaching as a Side Gig? Is coaching worthwhile as a side gig? It depends. You have to enjoy and be good at coaching. You can certainly MED your way into coaching. It's DEFINITELY better than quitting your accounting job and going "all in" on coaching and "swing for the fences." 46:27 Best Way to Work at BLOC? We're not doing interviews & looking at resumes anymore. If you want to work at BLOC, go through the Academy, earn your PBC, and this is your BEST way to work at BLOC. It's not a guarantee, but it gives us a good way to evaluate you and your fit for BLOC. 49:50 Coaching My Parents...AAGH! Make it fun, limit the whole "I'm the expert," and ensure you're providing value--maybe you find another option. 51:40 What is the PBC Platform Process? First, yes, you can apply for the PBC without having gone through the Academy (you are forewarned, the failure rate is much higher for those who have not gone through the Academy). The written exam is done first and you will do it on Zoom so we can see and observe you taking the exam. The exam is designed that you do not have enough time to look up the answers--if you came in and planned to look up all the answers on your phone, you will fail. If you failed, you will know which sections caused you to fail (eg you did well on 3 sections but were weak on programming & biomechanics). The next step--if you pass the written exam--is to schedule and go through an interview. Right now Andrew & Niki are doing them, but that may change. Lastly, you go through the virtual platform evaluation. You will be coaching a real person, whom YOU must find. You submit videos of yourself taking them through the teaching progressions and working sets and submit that to a current PBC. We want to see how you coach in your own space. The virtual exams allows the evaluator to provide better feedback on why you failed (if you fail). For example, the 3rd set of the squats, what error did you miss? What might you have cued? You can see what the evaluator saw and get feedback on what you need to work on. If you pass, you join the PBC registry and receive your physical PBC certificate in the mail. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

Enjoy the panel Q&A that ended the 2021 BLOC Party. Listen to Dr. Puder, Matt Reynolds, Gillian Ward, Niki Sims, Andrew Jackson, & CJ Gotcher answer questions from the BLOC Party attendees.

Topics include nutrition post-vacation, finding clients in a new location, training to looked more jacked, and countering the effects of sitting.

0:00 Introduction

2:20 Finding Clients in New Location Deliberately seek out communities and meet people. Go to the same places and talk to people and get to know them well. Build relationships. Talk to your barber or stylist and have them help spread the word. Don't spread yourself thin, but rather seek out the places where the type of clients you want to coach will be. Social media can also help. Make it super easy for people to find you and sign up for your coaching on social media and search engines. Lastly, the people who are asking you questions about lifting & coaching are potential clients.

5:47 Identifying & Helping Clients with Suicidality or Depression Some people may be chronically suicidal. If you find out that that person has a plan, you may want to escort that person or ensure he or she gets help. Lifting and training will help them feel better, but it might need to be easier and meet them where they are. For depression, you might see change of appetite, loss of interest in things, express guilt or shame about just about everything they do.

9:19 Missing a Week on 3-Week Program For something like this, can usually do the previous week over. When you come back, you should probably lift heavier weights than you think but less volume than you think.

10:33 Psychological Hurdles to Training & Healthy Habits People can develop just about anything to avoid discomfort. You might just need to get people walking. Dr. Puder specifically is very repetitive and will discuss movement, exercise, and moving toward training. It's about little wins. It helps to have them identify as a lifter and see themselves as a lifter. Also, what is the meaning people ascribe to what they are doing? Also, as a lifter, Dr. Puder has noticed that Matt is great at giving Dr. Puder positivity when he needs it. He has a bad workout or a miss and Matt is positive, and that has been refreshing and encouraging.

17:18 Getting Back on Track after Vacation Don't go deprive yourself and starve yourself. Get on track with the normal plan as opposed to swinging the pendulum hard in the other direction. Guilt serves no purpose. Enjoy the vacation, and then return to the plan. Don't try to make up for the caloric surplus immediately.

20:02 Introducing Supplemental Exercises Start lighter, want them to learn the exercise. The stress is the novelty of the exercise.

24:48 Looking More Jacked? Talk to your coach, if you have a coach, but the huge contributor here is nutrition.

25:45 Mentorship Program? Your starting point is your coach if you have a coach. Your coach is your initial mentor. Obviously, if you've signed up for the Academy you can also reach out to CJ and the instructors. Also, they discuss the PBC process and how nice it is to submit a platform evaluation video. Why? Because the evaluating coach can show exactly what they saw and also the coach getting evaluating is coaching in his or her environment, as opposed to having to yell over other coaches.

33:46 Countering the Effects of Sitting Moving during the day can certainly help. It's a big change if you've been active. Also, are there reasons your posture stinks (for example, you're breaking down videos and have to be hunched over to talk into a microphone).

38:53 Why the Change to Discord? It's newer, better, and it stores old conversations.

42:09 Templates in the BLOC App It's surprisingly difficult to get this working, so it's a high priority and should happen soon...but, on promised timeframe.

50:41 Helpful Informational Source for You Lots of different and interesting answers...probably not what you'd expect.

55:30 Smart MED Programming on the App? Easy MED changes at the end of novice LP. It's not some complex programming system, but a way to plan the machine-learning programming needs as LP stops working.

GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE!

Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh

Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

This podcast is a recording from the 2021 BLOC Party. It was the first presentation on Saturday, August 7th that Matt & Niki gave to the staff, coaches, client, friends, and family of Barbell Logic. It comes from a emerging idea that Matt and other staff and coaches at Barbell Logic have been developing, which is that STRENGTH CANNOT COME AT ALL COSTS. We have to consider and balance all facets of health. Sometimes and for some people, that means chasing PRs. But for lots of people, that does not mean chasing PRs. It doesn't mean we don't value strength or barbell training--we do--but we understand we need to improve quality of life. Most people would probably rather not get fat and get sleep apnea just to drive their squat and deadlift up. A useful value can be asking yourself why five times, as this can help you identify your values. You might not know, but it can help you identify why you want to lift, why you want to gain or lose weight, why you're pursuing certain things. Why have you set the goals you've set. Strength training gives us the most bang for our buck compared to training other physical attributes. We haven't abandoned this. We know, however, that if we add 100 pounds to a client's deadlift but that client can't meet his Army physical requirements, doesn't have time to pursue other hobbies, or health depreciates we have not helped that client meet his goals. We understand that health has many different aspects. We have to ensure we tend to mental health, financial health, social/relational health, and physical health. Barbell training is an important tool to improve our health, often across multiple domains of health and fitness, but we cannot and do not advocate strength improvements and chasing PRs regardless of the costs. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

Thomas Frank, popular YouTuber on productivity and related tips, joins Matt to discuss his journey as a Barbell Logic Online Coaching client as he just recently achieved a 1000-lb powerlifting total. You can learn more about Thomas Frank at his YouTube channel. Thomas is publishing a video on his channel documenting his journey. Thomas & Matt met at a conference and Thomas mentioned to Matt that he wanted to do a video on accountability. Matt pitched to Thomas to let him be his coach. Shortly thereafter, COVID hit and suddenly Thomas had no access to gyms and had little equipment. Matt worked with him to develop a program using a chin up bar, a kettlebell, and some sandbags. Despite the equipment limitations, Thomas completed the workouts and slowly got stronger until the gyms opened back up. Since then, Thomas has been able to train properly with barbells and joined Matt as his house to achieve the 1000-lb total. Thomas discusses the criticality of accountability. Without Beminder--and app the creates accountability for whatever task you want to complete--he would not be the successful YouTuber he is today. For some reason, however, he never applied this principle to working out. Thomas stressed the importance of having a coach for accountability. It's easy to lower the intensity or cut the volume if you don't have a coach. It's easy to miss workouts. Having a coach increases compliance which helps ensure results, which means meeting the goals you want to achieve. Learn about Thomas' story and the importance accountability has played to his recent 1000-lb total and his success. GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE! Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/ Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

John Welbourn joins Scott & Matt to discuss his journey from skinny kid to NFL athlete to fitness figure trying to share the benefits of strength & fitness.

John Welbourn enjoyed a long career in the NFL, in part because of his dedication in the gym and in the kitchen. He ate healthy foods, being an early adopter of the paleo diet, and saw the benefits on the field from getting strong in the gym. He also got a degree in rhetoric, of all things, certainly flying in the face of the typical big, strong guy stereotype.

As he transitioned out of the NFL, he found CrossFit and initially bought into the idea of metabolic fitness serving as the base to build a well-rounded general fitness, but quickly realized that strength offers a better base upon which to add metabolic conditioning (think of someone with a 405 clean & jerk doing Grace--30 135lb clean & jerks--versus someone with a 185 clean & jerk, regardless of if the weaker person is better conditioned).

Despite John's elite performance, he has a lot of practical wisdom and ultimately decided to use his knowledge and skills to help everyday people, not just act like the elite strength plans should be followed by novices.

GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE!

Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh

Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

Jordan Stanton, the President of the United States Strengthlifting Federation (USSF) joins Matt & Scott to discuss the differences between USSF & other federations.

3 things stand out with USSF: weigh-outs vs weigh-ins, press not bench press, and no judging commands.

Immediately following your third deadlift attempt, you are escorted by someone of the same-sex to a private room where they take your weight. You are not allowed to use the bathroom until after the weight is recorded. This prevents huge weight drops (Jordan discuss dropping nearly 50 pounds for one of his meets), both making the meets safer and shorter.

USSF primarily involves the press, not the bench press. The USSF now has instituted bench press competitions with rules that do not require commands, but the press is the USSF's bread and butter.

Lastly, and also a huge deal, is that the USSF does not have the judges give commands. Clear rules are posted and the lifters are expected to understand the rules, but the judges judge the lifts. This prevents the judges from affecting the performance of a lift with bad commands.

Some of the other details are that the attempts are in kilograms and go up in 1 kilogram increments and you get 3 attempts per lift. You can take a second attempt at the same weight, but you cannot decrease the weight once you've set the weight.

The USSF, also, has many online competitions. This allows greater competition, cheaper entry, and also prevents some travel and gathering concerns with COVID.

So, if you're looking for a meet to organize your training, sign up for a USSF meet, whether it be in person or online.

GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE!

Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh

Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

We understand that some people don't train strength just for general health or quality of life, but to improve their performance in a sport or physical activity. How do you both train strength and improve sports performance?

Right now, hyper-specific training is in fashion. For example, throwing an extra heavy shot or doing half squats with a narrow stance because it mimicks the football player's stance.

This type of training neither offers productive training nor productive practice.

Training prepares the athletes physically for the sport. This can be structural or metabolic (basically, strength or conditioning).

Practice improves the performance of skills (eg throwing or kicking a ball). While physical stress comes from both of them, strength acquisition comes from strength training. Strength training improves the athletes' ability to produce force, which they can then apply on the field of play.

A common confounding factor with sports is that while we know that strength and conditioning is important for sports performance, world-class athletes are genetic freaks and will remain world-class despite sub-par programming. Despite this, people too often look to the best athletes for their routines, when we really should look at average and below average athletes and see what works for them. How do you take, for example, the typical high school football player who might start squatting 135 on day 1 and get them to squat 405?

People have a limited time and limited ability to recover from stress. The bulk of an athletes strength training should focus on multi-joint exercises that train the most muscle mass over the longest effective range of motion with the most weight. This of course means that athletes should squat, deadlift, bench press, and press.

GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE!

Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh

Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

Despite the fact that meets are fun and help give more purpose to our training, they can be a long, stressful day, and we recommend having a coach or handler who can worry about the administrative and logistical things (when are you up, get you food and drinks, etc.).

There are many common pitfalls that people tend to do their first meet.

Don't stay amped the whole day. Relax when it's time to relax. Don't get amped up until you're going for the final attempts, and, really, you shouldn't get really amped until that final deadlift attempt.

Don't stress about form. You might have that 1 cue in your mind you need to think of, but don't second guess or overthink it. Have a cue in mind and lift the darn weight.

Don't warm up too much or too early.

Eat and drink. If you're nervous, you're likely to undereat, which can harm your performance. Have salt, carbs, and water. Don't eat things you're not used to eating.

Speaking of not eating things you're not used to eating, don't do anything new or for the first time. If you'd like to try something (deadlift slippers, singlet, a food or drink), test it out during at least one normal workout.

Ensure you prepare correctly: have enough of everything. Have extra socks, extra food, extra shoes, etc.

And, remember, it's about setting PRs. Go out there and have some fun.

GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE!

Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh

Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]

You signed up for your first meet: what do you do now? Scott & Matt discuss what to do now.

A huge part of preparing for a meet is realizing the purpose of the meet. The purpose of the meet is to set PRs, give your training a purpose, have some fun, meet some people, and leave feeling encouraged about lifting. Nobody cares who wins.

You should change as little as possible leading up to the meet if it's your first meet. If you're a novice, just keep doing LP. Maybe you can practice some singles and do a super short 2 week "peak," but that's not necessary.

This applies to powerlifting meets and strengthlifting meets. Go set PRs. It doesn't really matter if the league doesn't enforce squat depth: squat to full depth.

So, sign up for a meet, have some fun, set some PRs, and continue your lifting path.

GET STARTED with one-on-one online coaching FOR FREE!

Get your FIRST MONTH FREE on all strength and nutrition coaching plans. No discount code needed and includes a 10-day, no obligation trial. https://bit.ly/2MKeOoh

Special offers from BLOC and our partners: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Connect with the hosts

• Matt on Instagram
• Niki on Instagram

Connect with the show

• Barbell Logic on Instagram
• The Website
• Barbell Logic on Facebook
• [email protected]