Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode!

Discounts

1. 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!
2. Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new.
3. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC.

Connect With Matt

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

  Connect With Scott

• Scott on Instagram
• Silver Strength – Scott's website
• Scott on Facebook
• Scott on Twitter

  Connect With the Show

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

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode!

So you heard us out in Getting Started #1 and you've decided it's time to get strong. How do actually do that? For that matter, how do you improve any physical attribute?

Before we get into specific exercises, sets, and reps, it's important to understand the distinction between exercise and training. Exercise is what most people do when they join the local globo gym or decide to jog around the block. It's randomly selected activity for an unspecified duration or intensity, with no real plan for progression over time. The goal of exercise is simply to get hot, sweaty, and tired today. And it works! Anyone that goes from the couch to an exercise program will experience an increase in energy, physical performance, they will probably feel better, and may even lose some weight in the process. This is called the novice effect, which will be covered in another episode.

The problem is, how long will exercise work? A couple weeks? A month? Two months? At some point, progress will stall without a clear plan for progression. That's where training comes in. Training is a logical, systematic series of workouts designed to improve a physical attribute -- in our case, strength. The goal is clear and measurable. In a linear progression, each workout requires the lifter to lift a little bit more weight than they did before, which causes them to get a little bit stronger each time. Although programming won't always be this simple, training in this manner can allow a lifter to get strong for years.

The General Adaptation Syndrome, first described by Hans Selye in the 1930's, essentially says that every living organism reacts to stress in its environment by either dying or surviving. If it survives, the organism adapts to the stress by becoming more resilient. Applied to barbell training, stress means lifting a weight that is challenging (heavy) today. It requires your muscles to contract harder than they are used to, disrupting homeostasis or their normal, day-to-day state. Fortunately barbell training doesn't kill you, so you rest, eat, and recover after the workout, and your body responds by building more muscle mass and learning how to more efficiently recruit muscle. Note that the adaptation here is specific to the stress. Lifting barbells makes you stronger... not necessarily better at swimming (although being stronger will make you a better swimmer, to a point).

In a nutshell, that's how you get strong! You must train, not exercise, and there must be progression built into your program. A good barbell training program is simple, hard, and effective, with an emphasis on putting weight on the bar. In the following weeks, we will dive deeper into the specifics of a novice program.

Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A!

Discounts

1. 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!
2. Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new.
3. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC.

Connect With Matt

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

  Connect With Scott

• Scott on Instagram
• Silver Strength – Scott's website
• Scott on Facebook
• Scott on Twitter

  Connect With the Show

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

So you heard us out in Getting Started #1 and you've decided it's time to get strong. How do actually do that? For that matter, how do you improve any physical attribute?

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode!

Discounts

1. Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new.
2. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC.

Connect With Matt

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

  Connect With Scott

• Scott on Instagram
• Silver Strength – Scott's website
• Scott on Facebook
• Scott on Twitter

  Connect With the Show

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

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode!

You've decided. It's time to get started. It's time to get in shape. But... how? Do you start jogging around the block? Join the local YMCA and hit the elliptical machine? Do a couple circuits on the shiny weight machines? There is a vast library of exercises you could do, and endless amounts of conflicting information on the best way to exercise. Judging by the physical condition of the average American, none of these approaches seem to work very well.

At Barbell Logic we argue that strength is what you should train for. Strength is, simply put, your ability to produce force in your physical environment. Getting out of bed, sitting up from a chair, picking up your grandkids... these activities, and everything else you do, requires some degree of force production. Merely standing up requires your body to resist the force of gravity. Your physical existence is predicated upon your ability to produce force, to be strong.

That doesn't mean strength is the only thing worth training for. There are other physical skills -- power, endurance, speed, balance, accuracy -- but training these won't improve your strength. At least not enough to matter. On the other hand, getting stronger will improve all the other physical skills. That's because all the other physical skills require force production.

So, with that in mind, you should start building your fitness by getting strong. We like barbells for that. You can start with as little as 5lbs, and make any increment of weight jumps (seriously, you can get plates as small as 0.25lbs each!). A few simple exercises -- the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press -- will train your entire body efficiently and safely. Barbell training is simple, hard, and very, very effective.

So get started today! Check out the Barbell Logic website for more podcasts, articles and videos on how to get started, and to find an excellent coach to guide you through the process.

Have a question about training? Send a question to Matt and Scott! Email us at [email protected] and we'll answer your question on an upcoming Saturday Q&A!

Discounts

1. Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new.
2. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC.

Connect With Matt

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

  Connect With Scott

• Scott on Instagram
• Silver Strength – Scott's website
• Scott on Facebook
• Scott on Twitter

  Connect With the Show

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

You've decided. It's time to get started. It's time to get in shape. But... how? Do you start jogging around the block? Join the local YMCA and hit the elliptical machine? Do a couple circuits on the shiny weight machines? There is a vast library of exercises you could do, and endless amounts of conflicting information on the best way to exercise. Judging by the physical condition of the average American, none of these approaches seem to work very well.

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode!

Discounts

1. Do you have trouble with the bar rolling down your back on squats? You need A7's patented bar grip shirt. Even kyphotic guys like Scott can keep the bar on the back with it. A7 is always rolling out new clothing and gear, too, so head over to their store to see what's new.
2. Need a(nother) lifting belt? Dominion Belts makes the best belts in the business, and Barbell Logic listeners can save $10 off any purchase by using the discount code LOGIC.

Connect With Matt

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

  Connect With Scott

• Scott on Instagram
• Silver Strength – Scott's website
• Scott on Facebook
• Scott on Twitter

  Connect With the Show

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

Matt and Scott are back with another round of Saturday Q&A. If you'd like to ask Matt and Scott a question, email [email protected] and we'll feature you on a future Q&A episode!