Philosophical Weightlifting Podcast

Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit (Jan. 24th/25th) to hear Andrew's presentation: https://powerandstrengthsummit.comThis week, I sat down with Andrew Stuart to talk about what sport science looks like outside of the lab.Andrew walks through how monitoring and assessment systems are built in environments with limited staff, time, and resources. We discuss needs analysis, selecting meaningful metrics, scaling testing from “bronze to gold,” and building reporting systems that coaches will use.We also explore how interns are developed in applied sport science roles, what skills matter most early in a career, and how performance monitoring fits into day-to-day coaching rather than sitting on a hard drive.This episode serves as a preview of Andrew’s upcoming presentation at the Power & Strength Summit and a practical framework for coaches looking to apply sport science without overcomplicating the process.Enjoy.Follow Andrew: https://www.instagram.com/coachastuart/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew-Stuart-14Follow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.philosophicalweightlifting.comWeightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.weightliftinghouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.onyxstraps.com/⁠

Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit (Jan. 24th/25th) to hear Chris' presentation: https://powerandstrengthsummit.com/This week I’m joined by Dr. Chris Taber, one of the most frequent guests on the Philosophical Weightlifting Podcast, to talk about something that separates “I think this is working” from “I know it’s working”: How to build an athlete testing & monitoring battery.We dig into the full process Chris is literally writing the book on: starting with a needs analysis, using the scientific method to identify what matters, selecting KPIs, and building a monitoring system that fits your context — even if you’re operating in a grassroots setting with limited time, staff, and equipment.We also get very practical on what weightlifters and strength coaches can actually implement right now: session RPE, wellness metrics, jump testing (static + CMJ), basic bar speed tracking, and how to standardize procedures so the data means something.If you’re coaching performance outside the simple “hit a top set and hope it moved,” this episode is your blueprint.Enjoy.Follow Chris:⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drchristaber/⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christopher-Taber⁠Follow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/https://www.philosophicalweightlifting.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.weightliftinghouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.onyxstraps.com/⁠

This week, I sat down once again with Seb Ostrowicz — founder of Weightlifting House, commentator, and professional voice-note philosopher — for a conversation that’s a little different from our usual banter on weightlifting Xs and Os.We use the upcoming Power and Strength Summit (January 24–25) as a backdrop to dig into mentorship:Who counts as a mentor? How do they shape our careers and lives? And why does it feel like real mentorship is increasingly rare?From there, we branch into:The difference between influences and true mentorsHow a single email reply from Glenn Pendlay changed the trajectory of Weightlifting HouseWhy some people seem “lucky” and what you’re still 100% responsible forBuilding a business (or a career) without a clear blueprintThe role coaches play in shaping young lifters as people, not just athletesWhy “inaction is an action” and the price you pay for staying the sameIt’s part philosophy, part behind-the-scenes of our own paths in coaching, business, and life, and an honest look at how we’re all trying to become the kind of person who could actually mentor someone else.Enjoy.Follow Seb and WH:https://www.instagram.com/seb_ostrowicz/https://www.instagram.com/weightlifting_house/Follow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.weightliftinghouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.onyxstraps.com/⁠

This week, I sat down with Dr. Lee Bell — researcher, practitioner, and senior lecturer in Sport & Exercise Science — to explore one of the most misunderstood areas in strength training: how hard we should train.Lee has spent years studying overreaching, deloading, and the messy realities of bridging science with practice. We dive into his recent squat-overreaching study, the challenges of defining terms like “overtraining,” and why the human side of training — trust, communication, and honest feedback — matters.We talk about why some athletes feel terrible yet hit PRs, how allostatic load shapes performance, and what coaches can learn from observing training rather than chasing perfect models.Enjoy.Follow Lee's work:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lee-Bellhttps://www.instagram.com/lee3ell/?hl=enFollow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.weightliftinghouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.onyxstraps.com/⁠

This week, I’m joined by Seb Ostrowicz of Weightlifting House to break down the IWF’s new bodyweight categories and what they mean heading into LA 2028.We get into:- Why the new classes were created and how the IOC forced the reshuffle- The 65/75/85/95/110/+110 and 53/61/69/77/86/+86 structure and where it makes zero sense- Who wins, who gets screwed, and why some lifters now have to make insane jumps- How stricter testing, body size, and talent pools are reshaping top-end performances- A quick life + projects catch-up, including my PhD work and what’s next for Weightlifting HouseIf you care about elite weightlifting, qualification strategy, or how these changes will shape the next generation of freaks on the platform, this one’s for you.Enjoy.Follow Seb and WH:https://www.instagram.com/seb_ostrowicz/https://www.instagram.com/weightlifting_house/Follow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.weightliftinghouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.onyxstraps.com/⁠

This week, I’m joined by Dani Myers Glynn — better known as @DaniLiftsHeavy — alongside today's co-host Mandi from the Two Girls, One Bar podcast. We discuss Dani’s prep for the upcoming IDFPA World Championships in South Korea and what it really takes to get butt-ass strong.We break down the training model that’s carried her from Nationals to Worlds, including how we’ve shifted from traditional high-rep progressions to lower-rep, high-intensity blocks, managed volume across lifts, and adapted training after dropping weight classes. We also dig into athlete psychology, the coach–athlete relationship, and the fine line between “high-performance mindset” and training for health.Outside of training, we talk about fundraising for Worlds, building community through authenticity, and how Dani’s Lift Heavy brand has become a movement for inclusivity and strength at every size.Enjoy.Help us get to South Korea: Donate directly - https://bio.site/daniliftsheavyBuy merch - https://www.bonfire.com/daniliftsheavy/ and https://www.bonfire.com/hot-people-lift-heavy/Follow Dani: https://www.instagram.com/daniliftsheavy/Follow Mandi and the 2 Girls, 1 Bar podcast:https://www.instagram.com/mandimurakami/https://www.instagram.com/2girls1barpod/Follow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/https://www.philosophicalweightlifting.com/

After a brief hiatus, Jessie Stemo and I are back! This week, we dive into the art of meet week preparation — from tapering, warm-ups, and attempt selection to the mental side of competition.Jessie shares her perspective on building confidence and helping athletes manage nerves on competition day. We also touch on her international career — from youth Pan-Ams to lifting in Russia and Japan — and the balance between type 1 fun and type 2 fun that defines weightlifting.If you’re a coach preparing lifters for the platform, or an athlete looking to perform your best under the lights, this conversation will give you both practical strategies and perspective from decades of experience.Enjoy.Follow me and get coaching:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/https://www.philosophicalweightlifting.com/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.weightliftinghouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.onyxstraps.com/⁠