The Strength Academy

Our guest today is all about community. From elite basketball to bodybuilding to powerlifting, Frances Manias has dominated just about everything, and in the past year, has built one of the best powerlifting training camps to date...Iron Sisters. She is extremely humble in all her accomplishments, and chooses to shine the light on others. We are very excited to have Frances on the podcast for Part I of our interview with her. This episode is so inspirational, you don’t want to miss it!!

Mental Gains: Mindset for the New Year ft. Stacy "Bama" Burr - Episode 62 Empowered By Iron is a resource to help mold you into the lifter and the PERSON you want to be.  If you haven’t figured out by now, we are not your average strength podcast.  We are challenging the cultural dynamics surrounding strong women.   We know you have goals you want to accomplish.  If you didn’t have some sort of goals, you wouldn’t be a lifter.  So we need to find ways to get your mind right to accomplish those goals. With a little help from Bama Burr, we discuss the method of goal setting, how to set yourself up for success and techniques to help you accomplish your goals.

Check out our sponsors:

• Women’s Strength Coalition - Our mission is to build stronger communities through increased access to strength training. We envision a world where everyone has equal opportunity to express their voice and embrace their power.
• Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Coaching - Online nutrition coaching for strength and functional fitness athletes.
• Bama Brick Squad - Stacy offers various coaching services and packages: all geared towards helping you reach your goals. She works with athletes of all shapes and sizes. Support BBS and check out their merch!

Support our Patreon Page! Follow us on Instagram and tag us in your posts by using the hashtag #empoweredbyiron & Please leave us a review on iTunes/Apple Podcast! :)

• 2:50 - What does success mean to you? What does it look like?
• 6:00 - What did you accomplish this year, both in and out of the gym?
  • What worked for you this year? & what didn’t?
• 12:00 - Techniques to help you define your goals.
  • Morning pages
  • Guided meditation
• 21:00 - Bama Rants about visualization
• 23:45 - What do you do?
  • 1) Set a goal.
  • 2) Is this goal specific?
  • 3) Write your goal where you can see it every single day.
  • 4) Give yourself a deadline.
  • 5) Is this goal attainable in the time frame I have set?
  • 6) Plan it into your daily routine.
• 28:30 - Tip and tricks to help you accomplish your goal(s).

We know you have goals you want to accomplish.  If you didn’t have some sort of goals, you wouldn’t be a lifter.  So we need to find ways to get your mind right to accomplish those goals. With a little help from Bama Burr, we discuss the method of goal setting, how to set yourself up for success and techniques to help you accomplish your goals.

Women’s Strength Coalition founder, Shannon Wagner - Episode 61

Most people complain about situations or circumstance, but very few of those people actually take action to make change and our guest today is doing just that. Shannon Wagner is the founder of Women’s Strength Coalition (WSC), a nonprofit organization committed to creating communities through increased access to strength training, a powerlifter and an all around amazing woman. She found her peace through iron and is making strides to help all women, regardless of gender identity, orientation and race, experience that same freedom.

Where you can find Shannon and Women’s Strength Coalition:

• Shannon Instagram
• Women’s Strength Coalition Instagram
• Women’s Strength Coalition Website
• WSC Facebook Page

Check out our sponsors:

• Women’s Strength Coalition - Our mission is to build stronger communities through increased access to strength training. We envision a world where everyone has equal opportunity to express their voice and embrace their power.
• Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Coaching - Online nutrition coaching for strength and functional fitness athletes.

Support our Patreon Page! Follow us on Instagram and tag us in your posts by using the hashtag #empoweredbyiron & Please leave us a review on iTunes/Apple Podcast! :) Highlights:

• 2:30 - Who is the mastermind behind Women’s Strength Coalition, Shannon Wagner?
• 4:25 - The mission of WSC.
• 6:30 - Overcoming disordered eating using Iron.
• 17:00 - What is the biggest aspect of the fitness industry that Shannon would like to change.
• 20:00 - Making strength training accessible for ALL.
• 23:05 - The women behind WSC.
• 25:00 - WSC events
• 28:30 - Back to Shannon...

Most people complain about situations or circumstance, but very few of those people actually take action to make change and our guest today is doing just that. Shannon Wagner is the founder of Women’s Strength Coalition (WSC), a nonprofit organization committed to creating communities through increased access to strength training. She found her peace through iron and is making strides to help all women, regardless of gender identity, orientation and race, experience that same freedom.

Taylar Stallings: Basically Superwoman - Episode 59 From college shot-put to USAW world team athlete, our guest today has done a little bit of everything in her time in the strength world. Today, Taylar Stallings joins us to share her story. We discuss how she got so strong, some of her mental battles as an elite athlete and the diversification of strength sports. Taylar Stallings is basically superwoman.

Where you can find Taylar:

• Instagram: @Taylarmade
• Website: Taylarmadefitness.com

Check out our sponsors:

• Women’s Strength Coalition - Our mission is to build stronger communities through increased access to strength training. We envision a world where everyone has equal opportunity to express their voice and embrace their power.
• Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Coaching - Online nutrition coaching for strength and functional fitness athletes.

Support our Patreon Page! Follow us on Instagram and tag us in your posts by using the hashtag #empoweredbyiron & Please leave us a review on iTunes/Apple Podcast! :) Highlights:

• 2:13 - Who is Taylar and how did she end up on USAW’s world team?!
• 12:30 - Mobility woes
• 18:30 - Dealing with the haters
• 25:20 - Second biggest thing Taylar struggles with as an elite athlete (besides mobility lol)
• 37:35 - What does she wish she knew then that she knows now...
• 39:40 - Comments of the diversification of strength sports
• 43:50 - What has made Taylar Empowered by Iron?

From college shot-put to USAW world team athlete, our guest today has done a little bit of everything in her time in the strength world. Today, Taylar Stallings joins us to share her story. We discuss how she got so strong, some of her mental battles as an elite athlete and the diversification of strength sports. Taylar Stallings is basically superwoman.

Mobility for the Squat - Episode 58 Why can’t I squat to depth?  Why do my hips feel so tight? What is a butt-wink and should I be worried?  If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, this episode is for you.  Kristin, our resident chiropractor and movement/mobility expert breaks down some general mobility and stability principles for us and then goes in depth on how to hit better positions in our squats.   To see examples of the exercises discussed, join our Facebook Group page: Women in Strength - Athlete Resource. Check out our sponsors:

• Women’s Strength Coalition - Our mission is to build stronger communities through increased access to strength training. We envision a world where everyone has equal opportunity to express their voice and embrace their power.
• Fiercely Fueled Nutrition Coaching - Online nutrition coaching for strength and functional fitness athletes.

Support our Patreon Page! Follow us on Instagram and tag us in your posts by using the hashtag #empoweredbyiron & Please leave us a review on iTunes! :) Highlights:

• 2:38- Mobility vs. Stability
• 5:40 - The thing that usually prompts us to up our mobility game...PAIN.
• 9:40 - All about thoracic spine mobility
  • Bench arch
  • Overhead Squatting
• 16:20 - Fixing your squat (the moment we’ve all been waiting for)
• 23:00 - Eccentric Isometrics (what?!)
• 28:00 - ALL about stretching
• 31:35 - Your mobility plan
• 40:10 - Other limiting factors in the squat (it’s not just the hips, ya’ll)
• 44:20 - Final questions from the FB group page

Why can’t I squat to depth?  Why do my hips feel so tight? What is a butt-wink and should I be worried?  If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, this episode is for you.  Kristin, our resident chiropractor and movement/mobility expert breaks down some general mobility and stability principles for us and then goes in depth on how to hit better positions in our squats.

Janae Marie Kroc: Strength is NOT a gender - Episode 57 Women are constantly told they should be less, and our guest today has unique insight into this issue. Janae Marie Kroc is paving the way for transgender women in today’s strength world by striving to live a life that is more and not less.  Join us as we have a deep discussion about what gender is, how she was outed, her journey since then and a whole lot more.  

Where you can find Janae:

• Instagram: @janaemariekroc
• Website: (coming soon!!)
• Documentary: Transformer

Check out our sponsor: Women’s Strength Coalition - Our mission is to build stronger communities through increased access to strength training. We envision a world where everyone has equal opportunity to express their voice and embrace their power.

Support our Patreon Page! Join our Facebook Group page: Women in Strength - Athlete Resource. Follow us on Instagram and tag us in your posts by using the hashtag #empoweredbyiron & Please leave us a review on iTunes! :) Highlights:

• 11:15 - Welcome, Janae Marie!
• 25:00 - Breaking stereotypes...the Transgenda?
• 37:06 - There is nothing wrong with you because someone doesn’t understand you...Life advice from Janae.
• 53:00 - Education Station: Gender fluid & non-binary?
• 60:00 - Less is NOT more
• 81:00 - What lifting has done for Janae especially during her transition
• 91:00 - Transformer the documentary
• 96:00 - What does Janae know now that she wishes she knew then?