EPISODE · May 12, 2026 · 1H 50M
Joe Kenn: There Are No Absolutes in Strength Training (Full Episode)
from Westside Barbell · host Westside Barbell
Joe "Big House" Kenn coached strength in the NFL for nearly a decade. He sits down with Tom Barry for four decades of lessons. From a guard at Wake Forest to leading strength programs at Boise State, Utah, Arizona State, and Louisville, Joe Kenn has built one of the most decorated coaching careers in the NSCA. He created the Tier System, served as head strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019, and is the only coach to have won both the NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year and the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. He now runs Big House Power and works with elite strongman athletes including Brian Shaw and Tom Evans. In this episode, Joe and Tom dig into how strong is strong enough at the highest levels, how NIL and the transfer portal have rewired strength coaching, how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons rather than copying him, practice-based evidence vs evidence-based practice, why he stopped programming power cleans for three years at Arizona State, peak velocity over average velocity, and why the strength coach often has to be the sacrificial lamb in a team sport setting. TOPICS COVERED 00:00 What the public misunderstands about strength at the top level 05:35 Joe's background: Wake Forest to the Carolina Panthers 10:41 How NIL and the transfer portal changed strength coaching 28:58 No absolutes, and how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons 32:00 Dynamic effort, compensatory acceleration, and peak velocity 36:00 When three quarters of the NFL trained one set to failure 41:00 Lineage, principles, and "absorb, modify, apply" 49:00 The apprenticeship problem: 32,000 grads, 14,000 jobs 1:13:00 Why Joe stopped programming power cleans for three years 1:30:00 Why the strength coach has to be the sacrificial lamb 1:36:00 What Louie Simmons actually contributed to Joe's tier system LEARN THE CONJUGATE METHOD Conjugate Coach Pathway: https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/conjugatecourse Digital Internship (Level 1): https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/digital-internship Conjugate Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/ CONNECT WITH JOE KENN Instagram: @bighousepower Website: https://bighousepower.com/ FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL: Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/ Instagram: @westsidebarbellofficial Facebook: @westsidebarbellofficial Twitter: @westsidebarbell Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport Surfaces CLMS Conjugate Tactical The Conjugate Club
What this episode covers
Joe "Big House" Kenn coached strength in the NFL for nearly a decade. He sits down with Tom Barry for four decades of lessons.From a guard at Wake Forest to leading strength programs at Boise State, Utah, Arizona State, and Louisville, Joe Kenn has built one of the most decorated coaching careers in the NSCA. He created the Tier System, served as head strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019, and is the only coach to have won both the NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of the Year and the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. He now runs Big House Power and works with elite strongman athletes including Brian Shaw and Tom Evans.In this episode, Joe and Tom dig into how strong is strong enough at the highest levels, how NIL and the transfer portal have rewired strength coaching, how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons rather than copying him, practice-based evidence vs evidence-based practice, why he stopped programming power cleans for three years at Arizona State, peak velocity over average velocity, and why the strength coach often has to be the sacrificial lamb in a team sport setting.TOPICS COVERED00:00 What the public misunderstands about strength at the top level05:35 Joe's background: Wake Forest to the Carolina Panthers10:41 How NIL and the transfer portal changed strength coaching28:58 No absolutes, and how Joe interpreted Louie Simmons32:00 Dynamic effort, compensatory acceleration, and peak velocity36:00 When three quarters of the NFL trained one set to failure41:00 Lineage, principles, and "absorb, modify, apply"49:00 The apprenticeship problem: 32,000 grads, 14,000 jobs1:13:00 Why Joe stopped programming power cleans for three years1:30:00 Why the strength coach has to be the sacrificial lamb1:36:00 What Louie Simmons actually contributed to Joe's tier systemLEARN THE CONJUGATE METHODConjugate Coach Pathway: https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/conjugatecourseDigital Internship (Level 1): https://www.westside-barbell.com/products/digital-internshipConjugate Club: https://www.conjugateclub.com/CONNECT WITH JOE KENNInstagram: @bighousepowerWebsite: https://bighousepower.com/FOLLOW WESTSIDE BARBELL:Website: https://www.westside-barbell.com/Instagram: @westsidebarbellofficialFacebook: @westsidebarbellofficialTwitter: @westsidebarbellPlease support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Dollamur Sport SurfacesCLMSConjugate TacticalThe Conjugate Club
NOW PLAYING
Joe Kenn: There Are No Absolutes in Strength Training (Full Episode)
No transcript for this episode yet