t's powerlifting week at Strength System and this week's podcast is an introduction to the sport and a preview of our women's powerlifting meet this April!

Varun and special guest host Prashanti talk about:

A brief history of the sport of powerlifting - it's not as old as you might think

- What is powerlifting and how do you win?

- Our own experiences competing in powerlifting and why we want to do this meet only for women

- Why we think everyone could benefit from some time focusing on the powerlifts.

- 'Will I get fat if I powerlift?' and other myths busted.

- How to sign up for the meet.

This week coaches Varun & Chirag talk all about coaching. They discuss:

- We call ourselves coaches - but what do we really do?

- What do we think we do as coaches?

- What other people think we do as coaches?

- Our own experiences with getting coaching.

- What to look for in a good coach?

- Coach Varun's rigorous training to earn his title as the 'fittest' coach at Strength System.

We have two podcast episodes this week, and this one's all about the squat!

Varun and Nivedhan have a freewheeling discussion about everything squat-related. They discuss:

- Why the squat is a fundamental human movement. Or is it?

- Common things we hear about the squat that aren't true. In particular, the old classic of 'your knees shouldn't cross your toes'.

- Things that really matter for a good squat - is your weight over the middle of the foot?

- The most common technique issues we see with squats and how to fix them.

- How to train the squat and pick the right variation for you.

The Strength System podcast is back for the new year!

This being resolution season, we've been seeing a lot of dubious health ideas floating around.

Varun and Prashanti are back hosting, and are fired up to bust the 5 most persistent myths we've been hearing:

- 'Traditional' and 'local' foods being better for you.

- Yoga as a magic fix for back pain.

- The timeless fat-burning classic: hot water with lemon and honey.

- White sugar is worse than every other kind of sugar.

- Your body is not a walking assemblage of imbalances, asymmetries and weaknesses.

You gave us feedback and we listened!

Here’s our first short format podcast episode - we talk supplements that work!

Coaches Varun and Prashanti discuss whey protein, creatine, fish oil, pre-workout and some other often recommended supplements. We discuss benefits, ways to use, timing, dosage and brands.

Listen all the way till the end for a very important reveal of some super top-secret information!

This week’s episode is a must-listen! We talk to Dr. Joe Camoratto about navigating the maze that is pain.

If you’re someone who has ever dealt with pain or know someone who has (which is pretty much all of us), then sit back and listen in.

We start with the current understanding of pain (the biopsychosocial model), talk about why so many common narratives (muscular imbalances, poor posture, poor technique) about the causes of pain are harmful, and close with some reflections on how to practically deal with and understand your pain.

Timestamps:

02:51 : Meet Dr. Joe Camoratto

07:35 : What is Pain?

19:10: Effect of past experiences, psychology and social interactions on pain

26:10 : Impact of posture and lifting technique on pain - is there any?

33:35 : Are there any bad or harmful exercises?

36:30 : Does your therapist listen to you and try to understand how you experience the world?

43:15 : Importance of maintaining physical autonomy through the pain experience

50:50: Factors that can make the pain experience more prolonged

53:45 : Is your weak/inactive 'stabilizer' muscle causing your pain?

62:20 : Things in your control that can make navigating through your pain experience easier

68:05 : Final word - a clinician should reassure and empower, not instill fear

Find out more about Dr. Joe Camoratto at https://www.instagram.com/dr.joe.dpt/

Coach Varun and coach #angryprashanti review the Netflix documentary 'The Game Changers'. Did you see the film and wonder if you should switch to a vegan diet before your heart explodes? Listen to this episode before you do!

They discuss:

- The good things about a plant-based diet.

- Why do so many studies show amazing outcomes for vegans and vegetarians? It's probably NOT because of their diet!

- Why the athletes who appear in the film are good, but they're not the absolute elite.

- Why good science is about trying to falsify your hypothesis, not cherry-picking evidence to prove it right.

- Why on earth the film spends so much time on nocturnal erections, drinking beet juice and big muscular herbivores

In this episode of the Strength System podcast, coaches Varun and Nivedhan talk about the basics of writing a programme.

They discuss:

The starting point of writing a programme: what is the goal?

The next step: figuring out indicator exercises.

The fundamental movement patterns and how to sort them into tiers.

Guidelines for sets: how many per workout and per movement pattern.

Guidelines for reps: it depends on the goal!

It's the big 3-0 for the Strength System podcast!

In this episode, coaches Varun and Prashanti dig a little deeper into the 'why' of training.

If you don't have a clear reason why you train, or if you've never really thought about it, then you need to listen in to this one. We talk about:

-> the short-term goals we typically see and why they're not very useful

-> why you don't need motivation if you have a clear 'why'

-> our own stories with finding our why

-> why variety in training and nutrition is not your friend, and how to get used to the 'park bench'

-> how to get started with figuring out your own personal why

We answer your training-related questions in episode 29! Coaches Varun and Nivedhan cover:

* Transitioning from group HIIT workouts to individual strength training (00:45)

* How to motivate yourself to exercise (04:40)

* Are bodyweight push ups, pull ups, dips and squats good enough to retain strength? (08:20)

* Which exercise is best for increasing strength and getting ripped? (11:40)

* What should ideal breathing technique be? (13:38)

* What is your take on women training during their periods? (16:15)