Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic

Brett reflects on his strength journey, including success and stumbles at meets and how the process has changed him. Brett discusses why and how he began the Art of Manliness, which transforms into a discussion on authenticity and meaning. The episode ends with Brett answering questions from an audience.

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Brett reflects on his strength journey, including success and stumbles at meets and how the process has changed him. Brett discusses why and how he began the Art of Manliness, which transforms into a discussion on authenticity and meaning. The episode ends with Brett answering questions from an audience.

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

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Scott, Matt, and Brett discuss Brett's initial foray into strength and some of the progress he made, including weight gain and weight loss. They cover the physical and mental benefits of strength training and voluntary hardship. They also discuss how welcoming and supportive the strength community is despite how things may appear on the covers of fitness magazines or social media posts.

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Connect With Matt

• Matt on Instagram

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• Barbell Logic on Twitter
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• [email protected]

Scott, Matt, and Brett discuss Brett’s initial foray into strength and some of the progress he made, including weight gain and weight loss. They cover the physical and mental benefits of strength training and voluntary hardship. They also discuss how welcoming and supportive the strength community is despite how things may appear on the covers of fitness magazines or social media posts.

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Connect With Matt

• Matt on Instagram

Connect With the Show

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• The Website
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• [email protected]

The press often challenges lifters and coaches as the lifter advances. The press uses less muscle mass and less weight than the other lifts and is less forgiving of bar path deviations. Because of this, the press doesn't stress the body as much as the deadlift, squat, or even the bench press. Heavy singles and missed reps don't wreck lifters like a heavy deadlift single or a missed squat. The press benefits from practice, with lots of triples, doubles, and singles. Heavy singles especially help the lifter practice for PR attempts and competitions. Niki and Matt discuss different approaches to advance the press. Further away from a meet or attempting a PR, they like to program higher volume, full range of motion, stricter presses. Exercises might include seated press and strict press and accessories. Closer to a meet or attempting a PR, they like higher intensity, overloading partial ranges of motion, and more explosive variants. Exercises include press lockouts, press starts, and a competitive version of the press using a hip throw or the Olympic press. The other aspects of this lift is that people will miss this lift more than any others. Weight loss negatively affects the press. Small deviations from the most mechanically efficient bar path will lead to a miss. They discuss how to cope with and confront the challenge of missing reps and understanding this is to be expected with the press.

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

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The press often challenges lifters and coaches as the lifter advances.  

The press uses less muscle mass and less weight than the other lifts and is less forgiving of bar path deviations.  Because of this, the press doesn't stress the body as much as the deadlift, squat, or even the bench press.  Heavy singles and missed reps don't wreck lifters like a heavy deadlift single or a missed squat.  The press benefits from practice, with lots of triples, doubles, and singles.  Heavy singles especially help the lifter practice for PR attempts and competitions.  

Niki and Matt discuss different approaches to advance the press.  Further away from a meet or attempting a PR, they like to program higher volume, full range of motion, stricter presses.  Exercises might include seated press and strict press and accessories.  Closer to a meet or attempting a PR, they like higher intensity, overloading partial ranges of motion, and more explosive variants.  Exercises include press lockouts, press starts, and a competitive version of the press using a hip throw or the Olympic press.  

The other aspects of this lift is that people will miss this lift more than any others.  Weight loss negatively affects the press.  Small deviations from the most mechanically efficient bar path will lead to a miss.  They discuss how to cope with and confront the challenge of missing reps and understanding this is to be expected with the press.  

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

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MED offers a useful framework to modify lifters' programming, taking a lifter from the novice linear progression to and through advanced, longer, more complicated programs. Small changes not only increase stress, lengthen the stress recovery-adaptation-cycle, and bring continued PRs but allow the coach and lifter to tweak a program that has brought success, experiment with which small changes tend to enable more progress, and tailor effective templates to the lifter. Despite MED's utility, small changes may stop being effective because of lifters' changed goals or boredom. If lifters' goals change, coaches can modify programming to better suit their goals. The goal suggests the path because we understand how to better program for hypertrophy, weight loss, or a triathlon. If lifters grow bored of the relative similarity that advanced programming can sometimes bring, we can alter programming substantially to keep lifters interested and enjoying the process. We can also encourage changes outside of programming. Some potential changes include AMRAPs, new lift variants, Westside-style programming, changing from block to DUP or vice versa, lifting in a public gym or outside, finding a lifting partner, dynamic training, and signing up for a competition.

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Connect With Matt

• Matt on Instagram
• Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website
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• Matt on Twitter

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MED offers a useful framework to modify lifters' programming, taking a lifter from the novice linear progression to and through advanced, longer, more complicated programs.  Small changes not only increase stress, lengthen the stress recovery-adaptation-cycle, and bring continued PRs but allow the coach and lifter to tweak a program that has brought success, experiment with which small changes tend to enable more progress, and tailor effective templates to the lifter.

Despite MED's utility, small changes may stop being effective because of lifters' changed goals or boredom.  

If lifters' goals change, coaches can modify programming to better suit their goals.  The goal suggests the path because we understand how to better program for hypertrophy, weight loss, or a triathlon.  

If lifters grow bored of the relative similarity that advanced programming can sometimes bring, we can alter programming substantially to keep lifters interested and enjoying the process.  We can also encourage changes outside of programming.  Some potential changes include AMRAPs, new lift variants, Westside-style programming, changing from block to DUP or vice versa, lifting in a public gym or outside, finding a lifting partner, dynamic training, and signing up for a competition.  

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Connect With Matt

• Matt on Instagram
• Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt’s website
• Matt on Facebook
• Matt on Twitter

Connect With the Show

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

Barbell training is a safe, effective way to get stronger and improve one's health. That being said, some basic precautions can increase safety and prevent needless injuries--and even fatalities. Proper spotting and correct placement of safety pins or spotter arms in a power rack or on a squat rack make the squat and bench press safer. Different lifts, however, require different safety considerations.

For the squat, if possible, squat in a power rack. Put the safety pins just beneath where the bar is at the bottom of the squat. This allows the lifter to lower the bar down to the safety pins, which will take the weight of the bar, and safely get out from underneath the bar. If spotters are needed, have two spotters on each side of the bar. Spotters grab the bar in the crook of their elbow and grab the plate with their fingers. The two spotters need to grab the bar at the same time. The spotters assist the lifter standing up with the bar and--because they can see the j-hooks--help the lifter guide the bar onto the j-hooks. The lifter cannot bail on a squat with spotters--this puts a dangerous amount of weight into the spotters' arms with little to no notice.

The bench press presents the most danger, as lifters move the bar over their face and neck. Lifters should not put safety clips on the bar, so the weight can slide off the ends of the barbell if needed. Lifters should also use safety pins set up low enough that they do not hit the pins in the bottom of the bench press but high enough so that if they get rid of their arch and flatten their torso, the pins--not their chest--take the weight of the barbell. It is recommended, however, to have a spotter. One spotter is needed. She should stand behind the lifter's head. The spotter should help lift the bar off the j-hooks and move the bar to the top position over the shoulder joints, stand back to stay out of the lifter's gaze, and only grab the bar if the lifter asks or if the bar starts moving down. The spotter helps move the bar back from the top position to the j-hooks. The spotter uses a mixed grip to do this. For the lifter, he should never move the bar from the rack to the top position or vice versa without locked elbows.

Finally, the press, deadlift, and olympic lifts should not be spotted because they cannot be spotted safely.

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Connect With Matt

• Matt on Instagram
• Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt's website
• Matt on Facebook
• Matt on Twitter

Connect With the Show

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

Barbell training is a safe, effective way to get stronger and improve one’s health.  That being said, some basic precautions can increase safety and prevent needless injuries--and even fatalities.  Proper spotting and correct placement of safety pins or spotter arms in a power rack or on a squat rack make the squat and bench press safer.  Different lifts, however, require different safety considerations.

For the squat, if possible, squat in a power rack.  Put the safety pins just beneath where the bar is at the bottom of the squat.  This allows the lifter to lower the bar down to the safety pins, which will take the weight of the bar, and safely get out from underneath the bar.  If spotters are needed, have two spotters on each side of the bar.  Spotters grab the bar in the crook of their elbow and grab the plate with their fingers.  The two spotters need to grab the bar at the same time.  The spotters assist the lifter standing up with the bar and--because they can see the j-hooks--help the lifter guide the bar onto the j-hooks.  The lifter cannot bail on a squat with spotters--this puts a dangerous amount of weight into the spotters’ arms with little to no notice.

The bench press presents the most danger, as lifters move the bar over their face and neck.  Lifters should not put safety clips on the bar, so the weight can slide off the ends of the barbell if needed.  Lifters should also use safety pins set up low enough that they do not hit the pins in the bottom of the bench press but high enough so that if they get rid of their arch and flatten their torso, the pins--not their chest--take the weight of the barbell.  It is recommended, however, to have a spotter.  One spotter is needed.  She should stand behind the lifter’s head.  The spotter should help lift the bar off the j-hooks and move the bar to the top position over the shoulder joints, stand back to stay out of the lifter’s gaze, and only grab the bar if the lifter asks or if the bar starts moving down.  The spotter helps move the bar back from the top position to the j-hooks.  The spotter uses a mixed grip to do this.  For the lifter, he should never move the bar from the rack to the top position or vice versa without locked elbows.  

Finally, the press, deadlift, and olympic lifts should not be spotted because they cannot be spotted safely.  

BLOC sales and special offers: https://barbell-logic.com/offers/

Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email [email protected] for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

Connect With Matt

• Matt on Instagram
• Barbell Logic Online Coaching — Matt’s website
• Matt on Facebook
• Matt on Twitter

Connect With the Show

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