The ZAO Strength Podcast

On this episode of The ZAO Strength Podcast, we chat with powerlifting coaches Tyson Eckel, Seba Ehmann, and Jim Elli about implementing Intuitive Training with their athletes. This is the fourth episode in our series exploring Intuitive Training for strength sports.Tyson, Seba, and Jim give us insight into how they utilize Intuitive Training principles in their own training and coaching. We discuss how they determine training load, handle fatigue management, modify programs based on readiness, and individualize training for each lifter.The coaches explain how Intuitive Training provides a framework for athletes to tap into their innate wisdom about what their body needs day-to-day. This allows powerlifters to train in tune with their bodies for better progress and injury prevention.Tune in to hear Tyson, Seba, and Jim share real-world examples of Intuitive Training from their experience coaching national and world-class powerlifting champions! You'll come away with practical tips you can apply for your own Intuitive Training journey.Watch the video version on youtube @ www.youtube.com/ZaostrengthZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Coach Jim Elli and Jake from Data Driven Strength discuss how and why auto-regulation principles, combined with getting helpful feedback from athletes, can help coaches optimize their athletes' strength development programs. Auto-regulation is making a comeback, and we want you to be ready and able to take advantage of it when you're ready.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode of the ZAO Strength Podcast,  coaches Jim Elli and Tyson Eckel bring back guest Michael Churnin to discuss the art of mastery  the realm of strength sport.Additionally, we dive deeper into what it means to train intuitively if your intention is to become a master of your craft.We had a lot of fun with this one so make sure to share it with your friends if you enjoyed listening!ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Join Tyson Eckel and Jim Elli as we discuss how to design a program based on intuition. We will explore how intuition can be used to solve complex problems, how to create a program framework that embraces intuition, and where to start if you've never done something like this before. You can tune in each week to learn how to design a program based on your intuition and creativity.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, coaches Seba Ehmann and Jim Elli welcome Dr. Buckner from the University of South Florida. Research focuses on skeletal muscle adaptation, and his current work emphasizes enhancing understanding of the effects of blood flow restriction on muscle size. Dr. Buckner has 60 papers published in peer-reviewed journals, and in 2012 was the Guinness World Record holder for the most consecutive 90-degree pushups. On this podcast, we discuss some common myths which are often magnified in the powerlifting community, how to implement effective training strategies for muscle growth, and the intricacies of individualized training for optimal performance.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Thank you for your patience. It's been 4 months since our last podcast upload. We are happy to bring to you this absolute gem of content to help you dig deep into your powerlifting brain. We had the pleasure of speaking with Mike Churnin who recently wrote a book titled "strength speaks" to learn how powerlifters and strength athletes think about their training journey. Enjoy :)ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

 In this Episode, Olympic Weightlifter, ex-rugby player, powerlifter, and powerlifting coach Jacob Lynch joins ZAO Strength Coach Jim Elli to discuss the realities of the powerlifting Left. is powerlifting really an "individual" sport, or is it dependent on the comradery of our fellow community members? Later we shift to discussing what it's like to be black in the strength community, and how these concepts intertwine into many of the struggles we face outside of the gym today. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

I began working with Ben Wharton in November of 2018. Working with Ben taught me more about coaching than I had learned in 3 years. The first competition that mattered to him... IPF Worlds 2019 in Sweden was a disaster. Nothing went to plan. Strength was down, tears were had, we needed to make a change. We listened to the data, and made an incredible comeback into the European Championships in 2019 in Lithuania. Our last competition together before the Covid-19 Pandemic started. Buckle up, this ride is a bit shaky!ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, we had the pleasure to speak with Swedish Powerlifting Phenom Alba Bostrom. Alba is the 2021 Open World Bench Champion, a 4x Swedish National Champion, Bronze Medalist at Junior IPF Worlds and has a lot to share about her unique powerlifting journey. So, sit back, get your best headphones, and enjoy the episode!ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

The last two episodes of the ZAO Strength Podcast feature the legends Josh Pelland and Zac Robinson from Data-Driven Strength and they were so much fun to speak with. In part two of the series, we discuss specific moments in our coaching careers that forced us to get creative to solve lifting problems that our clients have experienced. Interestingly, Mario makes a secret entrance into the episode and helps one of our athletes overcome a very stressful period in their training career.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Periodization can be described as the way in which we organize our training day, week,  month, and year. Proponents of a top-down periodization model typically encourage pre-planned training structures with some built-in predictions. Whereas bottom-up periodization involves minimal up-front planning. Instead, bottom-up periodization is typically implemented through building the plan organically based on the athlete's response to training.However, perhaps the way we think about these periodization models is too reductionistic. In this episode, we speak with Josh Pelland and Zac Robinson to dive deeper into the nuances of our respective coaching styles. We speak about ways to effectively blend top-down periodization with bottom-up periodization in a synchronistic manner to maximize strength outcomes and much more.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

It's no question that Boris Shieko has made a great impact on powerlifters around the world. Canadian Powerlifter Matt Vena is not immune to this influence. Matt is currently ranked 9th in the 93kg weight class in the IPF, has amassed 83k subscribers on Youtube in less than 2 years, and provides great insight on what it takes to make progress within the sport. We dive deep into his approach to programming, dealing with an injury, his advice to beginning powerlifters, and much more. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, coach Jim Elli speaks with American deadlift record holder, 2018 USAPL National Champion, and Brazos Valley Strength Owner David Woolson. We speak about what it takes to self-coach, achieve greatness within the sport of powerlifting, and how to use your lifting experiences to make better training and coaching decisions.  If you're considering working with a coach, go to https://zaostrength.com/coaching/ to apply today.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, coach Jim Elli chats with IPF Powerlifter, World Deadlift Record Holder, and Content King Bryce Krawczyk about his powerlifting journey over the last few years. We discuss his hip injury and how he's managed to break world records despite it, how he creates so much epic youtube content, and what his vision for the future of powerlifting looks like. If you enjoy this episode consider sharing this episode with your friends, family, dogs, whoever you think would enjoy it with you.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, coaches Jim Elli and Tyson Eckel speak with Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum from Barbell Medicine about the problem of disinformation and misinformation in the lifting world. Disinformation can be described as "intentional misinformation" which has the potential to alter perceptions of the naive and/or undereducated and impact their decision making in a negative way. Dr. Feigenbaum is well aware of this phenomenon and is one of the few leaders in the industry who isn't afraid to confront misinformation head-on.Jordan's company, Barbell Medicine was created to bring modern medicine to the strength & conditioning world. By utilizing the scientific method, prioritizing the scope of practice, and communicating the latest research with great impact, Barbell Medicine has revolutionized the way we think about training. If you enjoy this episode, consider sharing it with your friends and subscribing to our channel so you never miss a new episode!ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, coaches Jim Elli and Tyson Eckel speak with Madi Riebe from Better Outlook MN about the limitations of powerlifting coaching, when to refer out, when to seek help, the unjust stigma of mental health disorders in powerlifting, and how we can be more mindful powerlifters along our respective journeys. If you have questions about today's episode, email us at [email protected] Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode of the ZAO Strength Podcast, Coach Jim Elli speaks with Australian Powerlifting Queen Liz Craven about what life as a powerlifter has been like after her federation left the IPF, the pandemic started, further fractioning of Australian Powerlifting, and shifting priorities we evolve as powerlifters.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

It seems as though powerlifting is on a never-ending roller coaster with an unknown destination. From the Covid-19 Pandemic to the recent departure of the USAPL from the IPF, it can be difficult for athletes to find motivation for the sport. So, coaches Verena Grimm and Jim Elli called up Jessica Buettner to gain insight on what she has done to regain motivation, hit PR's, and prepare for IPF Worlds 2021 (spoiler, she crushed it.) ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Yeah... you weren't expecting this were you? A powerlifting podcast where we talk about drugs that have nothing to do with performance or anabolism. In this episode, Coach Tyson Eckel, Jim Elli, and IPF World Champion/Owner of The Strength Athlete Bryce Lewis talk about the impact Psychedelics such as Psilocybin impact our brain, why they are stigmatized, and what benefits these magical mushrooms may provide for our lived experience.Let's do it. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Setbacks are inevitable. In this episode coach Jim Elli, Verena Grimm, and Tyson Eckel discuss how we've all experienced relatively significant setbacks in our training and what we've done to overcome them and thrive in training. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

The thing with strength sports is that sometimes it feels like we have to justify our dedication, passion, and sacrifice for the sport by competing. In this episode, coach Jim Elli, Seba Ehmann, Verena Grimm, and Tyson Eckel discuss their first competitive experiences and their desire to compete in strength sports. Then we dive into what types of lifter should and shouldn't compete in strength sports. Make sure to share this episode with your friends if you enjoyed it, and reach out to us on Instagram @zaostrength! ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this wild episode, we speak with our first guest, Sal Nakhlawi from StrongHER Girls®. Sal is both a business owner, a signed sports and fitness model at Wilhelmina Models, has a B.S in Neuroscience, African Studies, and Social Entrepreneurship. She's pretty badass and we share similar philosophical ideologies in regards to how we want to impact the strength and fitness world. We're not going to lie and tell you that this episode is super structured because it's not. We just wanted to chat, talk about business, life, the struggles and perks of self-employment, how to cook without wanting to throw up your food, and learn about Sal's unique strength journey.So, grab some popcorn, paint your room, lift some weights, (in that order) and listen to this episode of the ZAO Strength Podcast. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, coach Verena Grimm, Seba Ehmann, and Jim Elli discuss the role that Body Image has in our strength journey. For many of us, the way in which we relate to our bodies and how we see ourselves may impact how we relate to the world. In the fitness world, we are constantly exposed to what the "Ideal body type" is. Growing up, magazines like Men's Health and Women's health influenced how we ate, how we trained, and the sports we played simply to convince us that we would love ourselves more if we looked a certain way. Your strength journey and how you relate to your body is unique and we hope that this episode shines some light on the darker side of the fitness industry as we share our stories with How Body Image Shaped Us. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this episode, the ZAO Strength team chats about sustainable nutrition.  What is Sustainable Nutrition? Why is it so difficult to develop a sustainable approach to your nutritional habits? Why have all of the coaches had such a wild journey in their relationship with food and nutrition? Find out about all of this more on this week's episode of the ZAO Strength Podcast. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

In this weeks episode, coaches Seba Ehmann, Jim Elli, Verena Grimm, Tyson Eckel and Seif Adel talk about what it means to develop sustainable strength. How do you know if your training approach is sustainable? What should you do about it once you learn your training approach is unsustainable? Can you reach elite levels of strength...sustainably?It's the important questions that we try to answer here on this weeks episode of the ZAO Strength Podcast.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

 Mindfulness: a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.In this episode coaches Tyson Eckel, Jim Elli, Seba Ehmann, and Seif Adel talk about mindfulness and what it means to them, how they have implemented it into their training, and what our initial experiences were when we first heard about mindfulness and the potential benefits it could have on our lives.ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength

Welcome to the ZAO Strength Podcast. In this episode, we attempt to explore what it means to be a strength athlete. We all start somewhere and the journey is not as predictable as we may expect. So today we speak with coaches Seba Ehmann, Verena Grimm, Tyson Eckel, and Jim Elli to share our respective strength journeys. If you enjoy this episode, feel free to share it with your fellow lifters. ZAO Strength Youtube: https://youtu.be/OUFVva5i6PI?si=TAHrrfFxtP3aYVs1ZAO Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaostrength/Jim Elli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.zaostrength/Tyson Eckel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson.zaostrength/Seba Ehman's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seba.zaostrengthSeif's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seif.zaostrength