Silver Strength Blog

#109 – Mike Burgos: Navigating the Work-Life Balance

Scott and Matt interview Starting Strength Coach Michael Burgos about his transition from occupational therapy into the field of strength coaching. Burgos trained as an occupationa

#108 – Robert Santana: Building Better Eating Habits with Online Nutrition Coaching

Our good friend Robert “Bob-tana” Santana, RD, SSC, is back on the podcast to talk more about nutrition and diet. Since joining Starting Strength Online Coaching as the

#107 – What (You Know) You Don’t Know with John Musser SSC

Matt and Scott interview Starting Strength Coach John Musser about his career in law enforcement and high-level security detail. Musser’s experience in security has taught hi

#106 – Hypertrophy and Strength Training for the Intermediate Lifter with Andy Baker

Andy Baker is back for another episode, and today he’s tackling hypertrophy for the intermediate lifter. After walking through his preferred strategies for implementing a Hea

#105 – Barbell Logic Extra: Angie Bryant: Strength Training for Moms

Matt and Scott interview Angie Bryant, a Starting Strength Coach, Physician Assistant, lecturer, gym owner, and mother of four. Angie is clearly a busy lady, yet she still manages

#104 – Programming for the Advanced Lifter with Andy Baker

Andy Baker, co-author of Practical Programming 3rd Edition, returns to the podcast to talk about advanced programming. Practical Programming defines advanced trainees broadly as th

#103 – Barbell Logic Extra: The Man Behind the Memes: Pete Troupos

Matt and Scott interview the man behind the Starting Strength Instagram (and it’s memes), coach Pete Troupos. Pete is a Starting Strength Coach currently based out of Dallas,

#102 – In Defense of the Power Clean with Dr. Sully

We talk about the Big 4 lifts all the time, but Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training 3rd Edition covers five lifts, the fifth being, of course, the Power Clean. The Power Clea

#101 – Barbell Logic Extra: Gillian Ward Discusses Hypertrophy for Women and the Power of One

Gillian Ward returns to the show to talk more about her training philosophy, her approach to training women after the LP phase of training, and how she has developed her mindset fo

#100 – The Science of Joint Health and Strength Training with Dr. Sullivan

Dr. Sully returns to the podcast to talk about the effect of strength training on joint health, the efficacy of various types of protheses, and improving joint health for Masters l

Encouraging your parents and older people to barbell train.

Getting your parents to barbell train and focus on strength is VERY difficult. Watch this short video for some tips that may help. 1. Get a home gym or find a private gym (like our

#99 – Barbell Logic Extra: Gillian Ward: Defying Expectations… and Gravity

Gillian Ward is definitely the best athlete we’ve had on the show, and likely the best athlete we’ll EVER have on the show. Her athletic accomplishments are as varied a

#98 – Controversial Topics in Exercise Science with CJ Gotcher

Scientific literature and the pursuit of science has given mankind a vast amount of knowledge, but it has its shortcomings. As anyone who has attempted to teach, coach, or otherwis

#97 – Fighting STRONG with Student of the Gun

Today father-and-son team Paul and Jarrad Markel join us from Student of the Gun, a TV show, podcast, and community providing content on intelligent gun ownership and safety, hunti

#96 – The Starting Strength Seminar: A Review

Matt and Scott discuss the content and format of the Starting Strength seminar, an intensive weekend full of lecture, technical analysis of the lifts, and practical coaching on the

#95 – Experiences vs Things: What Brings Scott Value?

Our sometimes curmudgeonly but always thoughtful co-host Scott Hambrick shares today some of the things that bring value to his life, and some of things that rob his life of value.

#94 – The Things that Bring Matt Value

Matt and Scott have talked a lot about voluntary hardship on the show, and how strength training tends to refine one’s habits and mindset as well as the body. To that end, ov

#93 – Build Your Press with Better Programming

One common criticism of the Novice Linear Progression as detailed in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training 3rd Edition is the lack of volume for upper body work, especially for

#92 – The TRUTH about Barbell Safety

It’s not the sexiest topic, but being safe around barbells is extremely important if you want to have a long and healthy lifting career. Or simply not die. Like handling fire

Summer Vacation!

We’re going on summer vacation! Just kidding, but we *are* going to a once per week release schedule for the rest of the summer. We will be releasing new episodes each Tuesda

#91 – Coop Decides: Home Gym vs Public Gym

Coop from Garage Gym Reviews returns to the podcast to discuss the benefits of training in a home gym vs a public gym. While many think a home gym is out of reach, either financial

#90 – Barbell Logic Extra: Building a Garage Gym with Coop from Garage Gym Reviews

Cooper, founder of Garage Gym Reviews — an excellent resource for in-depth reviews of gym equipment — joins Matt and Scott for a discussion about his personal strength

Eating for Strength: A Day in the Diet of Matt and Scott

Matt and Scott discuss their experience dieting under the tutelage of Robert Santana, a SSC and the head nutrition coach at SSOC. Santana’s basic approach is to coach his lif

#88 – A Chat from Down Under with Joel Rasmussen

SSOC intern Joel Rasmussen flew all the way from Adelaide, Australia to join the Barbell Logic podcast, en route to a Starting Strength seminar in Wichita Falls. While he was in to

#87 – The Books That Successful Business Leaders Read

One of the most requested Barbell Logic topics has been reading recommendations, specifically for books on business and investing. Today Matt and Scott lay out their favorite busin

#86 – Barbell Logic Extra: Niki Sims: Chin Up Progressions, Relationships, and Calf Fries?!

Matt and Scott close out the interviews recorded at StrengthCon I with returning guest Niki Sims. Niki is an SSC and a staff coach, as well as the Relationship Manager at Starting

#85 – Confidence Matters: Strength Training’s Greatest Benefit Isn’t What You Think

Most people don’t think about the emotional benefits of weight lifting, or how exercise can build confidence, when they step into a gym. Yet it is perhaps the most transforma

#84 – Building Confidence and Hard Bodies with The Brusekes

Matt and Scott interview SSOC clients Amber and Taylor Bruseke. Taylor is a surgeon specializing in pelvic floor issues. Amber is a former fitness instructor who discovered strengt

#83 – Programming 101 with St. Vincent College, Pt. 2

Matt brings the programming lecture full circle by elaborating on why the Novice LP eventually must end, what factors are at play, and how to continue to drive progress in the inte

#82 – David Kirkham: Resurrecting the Shelby Cobra Pt. 2

David Kirkham joins the podcast for the second part of his interview at StrengthCon. After flying to Poland with several thousand pounds of car parts in his baggage and narrowly es

#81 – Programming 101 with St. Vincent College

Matt Reynolds presented the basic Starting Strength programming lecture to students of Dr. Nicholas Racculia (a fellow Starting Strength Coach) at St. Vincent College. The lecture

#80 – Barbell Logic Extra: Sailor, SEAL, Salesman, Lifter – Frank Sanders

Frank Sanders is a gifted Master’s lifter who put up a great show at the USSF Nationals Meet in January 2018, squatting over 365 and deadlifting 475 at 66 years of age. Inspi

#79 – Engineering STRENGTH and POWER with Bill Hannon

Matt and Scott spoke with Bill Hannon, engineer and SSC, about his new role in developing coaching standards at SSOC, his recently launched Barbell Coaching Academy, and his athlet

#78 – David Kirkham: Turning MiG’s into Cobras Pt. 1

At StrengthCon Matt and Scott met with a number of fantastic guests, but perhaps none with so interesting a background as David Kirkham. At a young age, Mr. Kirkham taught himself

#77 – Of Mystery & Barbells: A Conversation with Randy Winfrey

A man of mystery and intrigue, and certainly the coach with the best tan in Starting Strength, Randy Winfrey retired from an Air Force career as an intelligence agent in the late 9

#76 – Barbell Logic Extra: Finding Strength after PT with Rebekah Cygan

Matt and Scott chatted with Rebekah Cygan in the luxurious presidential suite of the Baymont Inn in Wichita Falls, TX. There they discussed Rebekah’s story of discovering str

#75 – Barbells to Physical Therapy with John Petrizzo, DPT

John Petrizzo, DPT and SSC joined Matt and Scott at the Barbell Logic table at StrengthCon 2018 to talk about his strength journey which ultimately lead him to a clinical practice

#74 – Barbell Logic Extra: Riffing on Rip with Brent Carter

Matt and Scott continue their series of StrengthCon chats with the man himself, Mark Rip… ah, I mean, Brent Carter. Brent is a Starting Strength Coach and Staff member with a

#73 – Enduring Gravity with Steve Hill

Matt and Scott sat down with Starting Strength Coach Steve Hill during StrengthCon to discuss barbells, physics, cycling, and strength training for endurance athletes. One of the t

#72 – Barbell Logic Extra: From Doctor to Coach: Dr. Jonathon Sullivan

Live from StrengthCon, Matt and Scott sat down with Dr. Jonathon Sullivan. Dr. Sullivan, or Sully as he is affectionately known, was an ER doctor in Detroit for many years before t

#71 – Programming the Post-Novice: Why Weight on the Bar Matters with Andy Baker

Andy Baker, SSC and co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training and The Barbell Prescription, joined Matt and Scott at StrengthCon for a conversation on programming. A

#70 – Barbell Logic Extra: LIVE at StrengthCon with Brett McKay

Last weekend, April 6-8th of 2018, Matt and Scott setup a Barbell Logic table at the inaugural StrengthCon in Wichita Falls, TX and started recording. Brett McKay of Art of Manline

#69 – What is a Cue?

Cues are an important part of the coaching process. What are they, exactly, and how should they be properly used? Simply put, a cue is a reminder. It’s a concise reminder to

#68 – Frog, the Elder Hambrick

Recently Matt and Scott interviewed Matt’s grandfather. Today they interview Scott’s grandfather, affectionately known as “Frog.” Raised by a single mom who

#67 – The Deadlift, Pt. 2

Matt and Scott wrap up their deep dive into the Big 4 lifts (squat, press, bench press, deadlift) with the second of two episodes on the deadlift. After walking through the 5

#66 – Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: A Book Review Pt. 2

Matt and Scott continue their conversation about the thought provoking and, of late, controversial psychologist and common sense advocate Jordan Peterson and his book 12 Rules for

#65 – The Deadlift

Last of the Big Four lifts (squat, bench press, press, deadlift), but certainly not least, the Deadlift is perhaps the purest test of strength. The deadlift is pulled off the floor

#64 – Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: A Book Review Pt. 1

Matt and Scott brave new territory on the podcast with their first book review, Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life. In part one of this two-part episode, they walk through t

#63 – The Bench Press

Although we often refer to the Squat as the king of the lifts, and Deadlift perhaps the queen, it’s undoubtedly the bench press which is most popular out in the world of comm

#62 – Tales from Grandpa Reynolds

Scott and Matt talk to the patriarch of the Reynolds’ family, his grandfather Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds talks about growing up in small town mid-century Missouri, the son of a q

#61 – The Press

Picking up a barbell and shoving it over one’s head might be the most obvious thing to do with the object, to paraphrase Mark Rippetoe. Exactly how the shoving part happens&#

#60 – Barbell Logic Extra: Story Time with Uncle Rip Part 2

Story time continues at Uncle Rip’s house as Rip recounts his friendship with Tommy Suggs and his run-ins with numerous great lifters of yore at the 1980 IPF Worlds in Arling

#59 – The Squat

Simply known as “The Squat,” the low bar back squat, as it is otherwise known, is undoubtedly the king of all exercises. Matt and Scott discuss why the Squat deserves t

#58 – Story Time with Uncle Rip

Matt and Scott sit down with Uncle Rip at his house in Wichita Falls to reminisce about life growing up in the Falls in the 1970’s, including the infamous tornado which broug

#57 – Optimal vs Real Life

Training programs, including the novice LP in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, are typically written with a critical assumption. They assume an ideal training schedule, a

#56 – Barbell Logic Extra: A Chat with the Hellcat – Stephanie Helland

Scott and Matt talk with talented power and strengthlifter Stephanie Helland. Stephanie placed second in the 67.5kg weight class and third overall at the 2018 USSF Nationals in Oak

#55 – Programming Is Secondary

The novice LP is a simple program – simple, but hard, and effective. The path beyond into intermediate training is winding and multi-headed. It’s easy to get seduced by

#54 – Texas Strong: A Talk with Mike Cordova

Matt and Scott chat with the uber strong yet humble Mike Cordova. Mike is top competitor in strengthlifting and boasts personal bests of 672lb squat,  255lb press, and 701lb d

#53 – Minimum Effective Dose

Matt and Scott revisit the concept of minimum effective dose, elaborating on this bedrock concept of strength development for novice lifters and beyond. The minimum effective dose,

#52 – Barbell Logic Extra: A Conversation with Chase Lindley

Matt and Scott talk to WFAC wunderkind Chase Lindley. When he’s not gracing Rip’s videos on the Starting Strength youtube channel, Chase trains and coaches at Wichita F

#51 – Meet Day

Matt and Scott talk about the day that you’ve been training so hard for… meet day. This is the day where all your hard work comes to fruition, distilled into nine attem

#50 – Barbell Logic Extra: Intellectual Linear Progression

In the 50th episode Reynolds and Hambrick talk about www.intellectuallinearprogression.com, Scott’s online great books project. They discuss why people should read the g

#49 – Prepping for Your First Meet

Matt and Scott walk through the preparation for your first strengthlifting or powerlifting meet. Once you’ve paid your membership dues and registered for the event, it’

#48 – Barbell Logic Extra: An Interview with Robert Santana, RD, SSC

In the second episode with Robert Santana, Matt and Scott interview the man about his history with strength training, how he started studying nutrition, and becoming a Starting Str

#47 – Nutrition Basics with Robert Santana, RD, SSC

Matt and Scott talk nutrition with Registered Dietician and Starting Strength Coach Robert Santana. In the first of a two-part series, Robert lays out the basics of nutrition for b

#46 – Barbell Logic Extra: Tom Campitelli and the US Strengthlifting Federation

Matt and Scott catch up with Tom Campitelli during the inaugural nationals meet for the US Strengthlifting Federation. The USSF is a new lifting federation hosting competitions in

#45 – You Can Still Use Linear Progression

By now we’re familiar with the Novice LP as used by rank novices. But does the usefulness of LP end there? Hardly! Today Matt and Scott talk about the effectiveness of LP bey

#44 – Barbell Logic Extra: Harder to Kill with James Yeager

Matt and Scott talk to firearms and tactical expert James Yeager, founder of Tennessee based Tactical Response. James was also joined by his daughter Heather, owner of Camden Stren

#43 – A Clarification

Matt and Scott clarify their stance on some of the topics introduced thus far, including learning to grind as a novice, the role of volume and intensity in driving progress in the

#42 – Barbell Logic Extra: Catching Up with the Barbell Medicine Crew

Matt and Scott talk to everyone’s favorite docs who lift, Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum and Dr. Austin Baraki of Barbell Medicine. The crew chats about Barbell Medicine’s recen

#41 – Transitioning from Stronglifts to Starting Strength

Matt and Scott address followers of the popular Stronglifts 5×5 program and how they can continue the gainzZz train by switching to the Starting Strength Linear Progression. A

#40 – Barbell Logic Extra: Catching up with the Inimitable Niki Sims

Matt and Scott catch up with Starting Strength Coach and general badass Niki Sims. Aside from being a veteran SS staff coach, Niki is a team leader at Starting Strength Online Coac

#39 – Merry Christmas from Barbell Logic

Sincerely from your friends at Barbell Logic – Matt Reynolds, Scott Hambrick, and Producer Trent – we wish you a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year to come.

#38 – Barbel Logic Extra: Rehabbing and Excelling after Shoulder Surgery, Charity Hambrick

Matt and Scott chat with Charity Hambrick SSC about her rehab experience following shoulder surgery. Just four months after surgery, Charity went on to press the second highest lif

#37 – How to be a Coachable Client

Today Matt and Scott discuss coachability and the qualities that define the ideal student of the barbell. Whether you are a new trainee just beginning your training, an experienced

#36 – Barbell Logic Extra: Hambrick’s Story

In this week’s Extra Matt interviews the man of mystery himself, Barbell Logic co-host Scott Hambrick. Scott talks about growing up in rural Oklahoma, walking out of a colleg

#35 – The TRUTH about the Bill Starr Rehab Protocol

Matt and Scott discuss Bill Starr’s legendary method for rehabbing muscle injuries. They discuss the types of injuries appropriate for Starr rehab, why it works, and Matt dis

#34 – Barbell Logic Extra: Reynolds’ Story

Scott interviews Matt about his own path through life, from skinny high school nerd to elite powerlifter and pro strongman. Matt talks about his struggles transitioning from school

#33 – A Rational Philosophy for Early Intermediate Programming

Matt and Scott dive deeper in the how’s and why’s of early intermediate programming. The coaches talk stress-recovery-adaptation as a new intermediate, introducing heav

#32 – Barbell Logic Extra: Bacon Definitely is Rad, Michael Montfort

Matt and Scott talk with WFAC member and bacon aficionado Michael Montfort. Listen to Michael’s story of Crossfit redemption, training with Rip and Company, and getting stron

#31 – Reynolds’ 5/3/1

Matt and Scott break down Reynolds’ variant of 5/3/1, and how and when to work it into intermediate training. Today we introduce heavy singles, RPE, accessories, conditioning

#30 – Barbell Logic Extra: Meet the Man Behind the Sound, Producer Trent

Matt and Scott chat with the man behind the mixing board, Barbell Logic producer Trent Jones. Listen to Trent’s strength journey with the Starting Strength organization and g

#29 – The Four Day Split

Matt and Scott delve into intermediate programming with variations on the four-day split. They touch on details including implementing the split on a weekly and multi-week basis, i

#28 – Barbell Logic Extra: A Discussion with #TheJackedPriest, Fr. John Floeder

Matt and Scott discuss the process of getting jacked with #TheJackedPriest himself, Father John Floeder. Along the way they touch on beer, atmospheric black metal, Thomas Aquinas,

#27 – Embracing the Grind

Matt and Scott discuss the all-important grind, the “hard” factor in the simple + hard + effective equation. What does it actually mean to grind through a lift? The boy

#26 – Barbell Logic Extra: Training to Survive Cancer with John Wilson

  Matt and Scott talk to WFAC member John Wilson about training with something heavier than iron, a Stage IV kidney cancer diagnosis.     Connect With Matt Matt

#25 – The TRUTH about Avoiding Common Novice Pitfalls

  Matt and Scott discuss the pitfalls that cause novices to stall or plateau in their linear progression work.   Scott’s Favorite Belt and Wrist Wraps The 10mm thic

#24 – Barbell Logic Extra: Training in your 80’s. A Talk with Miss Sibyl.

Sibyl Sharp is our guest.  She’s in her 80’s, has an artificial knee, two artificial hips, fused vertebrae, a damaged Achilles tendon, and trains with HEAVY barbel

#23 – Voluntary Hardship

Scott Hambrick interviews Matt Reynolds about the concept of “voluntary hardship,” a guiding principle for both strength training and life. They discuss what voluntary

#22 – Barbell Logic Extra: The Hammer: A Conversation with the Heart of Aasgaard, Nick Delgadillo

We interview Nick Delgadillo, Chief of Staff and Hammer at Aasgaard company about working with Rip, Krav Maga and more. Whiskey of the Week Weller 12  90 proof 12 year old The

#21 – Are Supplemental Exercises a Waste of Time for Strength?

A supplemental lift is a lift that LOOKS like the main lifts. Training the supplemental lift carries over to improvements in the main list.  We do them to: 1) move more weight

#20 – The Wolf-Man Cometh: An Interview with Michael Wolf

Coach Wolf, Starting Strength Coach and Strength Coach at Crossfit Solace talks about training with injuries, training for strength in a crossfit environment and more.  No one

#19 – The Truth About Deloads, When you should and when you shouldn’t.

Sell your B&R 1.0 bar to Hambrick!  Email him at shambrick@ssonlinecoaching.com. A deload is a period in training, typically a week, in which the stress in the programming

#18 – Barbell Logic Extra: Stef Bradford PhD., Woman of Mystery

Hambrick and Reynolds speak with Stef Bradford, coach, editor and author about the genesis of Starting Strength, food, dogs and more. When you shop at amazon, click here to support

#17 – Old Man Texas Method EXPOSED!

Hambrick and Reynolds describe and ILLUMINATE how to detune the Texas Method for older lifters and ladies.  We do this by keeping the frequency and intensity of our lifts the

#16 – The Wives Cut with Rachel and Charity

Hambrick and Reynolds speak with their wives.  They start with some softball questions to get the wives talking, then talk training, body image, sex and a lot more.  Whis

#15 – How to Kill It In Your First Starting Strength Session

In this episode Reynolds and Hambrick give you step by step instructions on how to conduct your first weight training session on the Starting Strength Program. Starting weight guid

#14 – Barbell Logic Extra: Brett McKay of Art of Manliness, Disciple of Iron

This week we have Brett McKay, founder of Art of Manliness, SSOC Client, and devoted strength disciple.  Brett walks us through his strength journey, the impact it’s mad

#13 – Beginner Equipment

Connect With Matt Matt on Instagram Starting Strength Online Coaching ? Matt’s website Matt on Facebook Matt on Twitter   Connect With Scott Scott on Instagram Silver St

#12 – Stop Lying to Yourself About Recovery

Whiskey of the Week: Poor Man’s Pappy 60% Weller 12 and 40% Weller Antique 107   Resources/People/Articles Mentioned in Podcast Rip’s Article, “The First Thr

#11 – The TRUTH About Dealing with Injuries with Physical Therapist Darin Deaton

Whiskey of the Week 1792 Sweet Wheat, a gift from Starting Strength Coach, Cody Miller   Resources/People/Articles Mentioned in Podcast   Cody Miller, SSC About Cody 

#10 – The Secrets to Maximizing Linear Progression

How to keep linear progression moving. Make sure you aren’t making jumps in weight that are too aggressive Buy your own fractional plates Iron Woody Dan Miller (The best!) If

#9 – Alan Thrall and Austin Baraki, the Untamed and the Tame

Whiskey of the Week Old Forester 1920 “The Merlot of Bourbons”   Alan tells us about how he prepped to become a Starting Strength Coach and the origin of the ̶

#8 – A Quick and Dirty Guide to Barbell Physics

Whiskey of the Week Slim Haney’s 1965 Seagram’s VO    Reynolds and Hambrick do a quick overview of the forces the body is subjected to when moving barbells. &

#7 – The Softer Side of Mark Rippetoe, Part 2

This is part two of the hour+ long interview with our mentor, Mark Rippetoe.  For part one, click here.   Show Highlights Rip meets Bill Starr! Rip buys the gym and opens

Weight Loss Case Study, Lose weight with barbell training and counting macros.

Photos from the Norman 2017 meetup

Free Training Day June 17th at Styrka Gym in Tulsa, OK

Stronglifts’ 5X5 vs. Starting Strength’s 3X5

Starting Strength Online Coaching Increasing Price April 15, 2017

Rehabbing Shoulders with the Overhead Press

Free Training Day April 22nd at Crossfit 405 South in Norman, Oklahoma

Squatting with shoulder problems

Strength training yields big improvement for runners

My 70 year old client is squatting heavy on her new hip replacement!

Packing on muscle! Evidence our new trainees are gaining muscle mass.

Online Coaching with Starting Strength

Powerlifting and strength training concept number two: progressive loading. Power lifters and strength trainers have known for decades that they need to progressively load their bo

Mark Rippetoe finally answered one of my questions. #askrip

Rip finally answered one of my questions!  He refuses to use my first name correctly.  He’s called me Chastity, Perspicacity, Nativity, Veracity and all of the cardinal virtu

Progressive loading – Powerlifting lessons for the older folk

Powerlifting and strength training concept number two: progressive loading. Power lifters and strength trainers have known for decades that they need to progressively load their bo

Stress, Adaptation, Recovery – Powerlifting lessons for the older folk

We've seen this for years. Young men at the beginning of summer start hauling hay and that first day is almost murder for them. But after hauling hay for a few weeks, they get lean

My Philosophy

Our philosophy is to use powerlifting and strength training regimens to fight Sarcopenia, or wasting. Sarcopenia is the death and loss of muscle tissue and is almost inevitable for