SPEAKER_00 0:02

Okay, this is episode uh twelve, I believe, of the podcast. Um today. Kevin is running late. Um, so today we have Mike Prosino on. Um Prosino is someone that I play football with. Um a near and dear friend, uh to me at least. Prosino, I'm really happy to have you on. I'm gonna let you get started. Um just tell me, you know, give give the audience. I know a lot about you already, give the audience or my my very small audience your rundown, your athletic background, coaching background, um, and what has led you to where you are now.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

All right, yeah. So uh my name is Mike Procino. Uh I grew up in Whee Sport, New York, so I assume uh a lot of people don't know where that is. It's uh about 30, 40 minutes outside of Syracuse, um small little town. Um obviously met Joe, played football at SUNY Courtland. Let's see, it was like I guess I got there in 2018, graduated in 2022. So yeah, we spent a lot of time together. Um currently I'm a strength conditioning coach for the University of South Carolina uh Gamecox football. Um, so what basically what got me there, um I don't know if like people people I don't know how much you're familiar with like the the process of you know D1, the differences of D3 as far as like the training cycles go, but like in in D1 football, um all the guys train, they train during summer, they stay on campus. Um so in D3 football is not the case, though. So in D3, you know, once classes are over, you go home for the summer. And uh how I how I got started into you know kind of this profession was uh I had a buddy who uh used to intern for Syracuse Football Strengths, and uh he he set me up with them and um for three summers, you know, while I was home, I would just intern with them, help them out, you know. Um and then once I was done playing football, uh I knew you know I I should go see something else, you know, try and gain like different philosophies, meet new people, build my connection network. And you know, I was fortunate enough to go intern for the University of Georgia football. Uh that would that was pretty cool. You know, they were coming off a national championship. Um so yeah, very fortunate to be able to go there and then um did a did a good job there, um made a little money. So I was there two semesters, the second semester they I was paid a little bit, not much, but a little something, which which, you know, if you if you know about this profession, like it's it's hard, it's hard to it's hard to make it. And so, you know, when you start when you start at the beginning, like as soon as you can start making money, it's huge, it's a big deal, you know. So I started making a little money there. Um, and then I was fortunate enough there was an opportunity over at uh University of South Carolina and interviewed for it and got the job. So I've been here since I guess I got here, it was like August 2022. And yeah, now it's 2026. It's kind of crazy how long it's been, but but yeah, so that's that's kind of getting you up to speed where I'm at.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

Yeah, um, talk about your time at at Syracuse if you're if you're able to. Um I mean it's been a while since since then, right? But uh you know, talk about you know, maybe people you met, people you learned from, um, valuable lessons you learned at Syracuse that you know maybe you carry over now, or even things that maybe you thought then that you don't think now.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Right. Um, yeah. So my time at Syracuse was awesome. Um met a lot of great people. Um let's say I'll just shout out the staff that was there when I was there. It was uh Coachy, he was the head strength coach. Um there was Coach Caton, Coach Teeter, uh Coach Webb, and then uh Coach Scorzelli. That was the OG staff when I was there. Then you know a couple people left. Um then there was uh Coach Shaq, uh Coach Hill, and uh I think that was it. So yeah, that was it. Um it was awesome. Um I remember I remember walking in and I remember like growing growing up, like I was like worked out. I was decently strong. Um, I remember walking in and the coaches were in their lifting, like squatting against these heavy gray vans Coach Caton was. Like, I mean it was outrageous, like how strong he was. Um, and I was like, dang, it's like I feel like a wimp right now. You know what I mean? Like it was awesome. Um but I don't know. I think what I take away the most from Syracuse was how how much they they put into us um as far as like not only just teaching us and you know how to be a strength coach, but like they put so much into us as far as like trying to get us bigger and stronger. Because I mean the reality of it is like like this what I believe, and like I know other people don't believe it, but like I believe like in strength condition feeling like you gotta walk the walk. You know what I mean? Like you can't just like at least at some point you have to you have to have walked the walk. Like you can't you can't expect to go and coach these guys up to be as strong as they are, um, and not have done it yourself. Like I figure it'd be wrong. Um yeah, so I mean not to elaborate on that too much, but but that's what I believe. Um it was awesome though. Um ton of ton of for three years. It was or three summers, not three full years, but three summers, like that was probably the highlight of it, you know, just get into you finish up training with the team, um, then we'd all get to live together. And those those are probably the most what I take away from that. That was like the most fun I remember. Um, as far as training with the team, it was awesome. Um yeah, I we would I'm trying to think the schedule it was the whole team would run at 6 45, and that would go for about 45 to an hour-ish, and then uh after that we'd all walk inside, they'd have about 20, 20 minutes, you know, to kind of just calm down, chill out for a little bit, and then the older guys, you know, some like mid mid-classmen would be in the first group. Um, that would go, and then after that was over, uh, then the younger younger guys would come in, they would lift, and then once that was over, we'd uh go down and we'd get breakfast, and then uh, you know, we'd come back, clean up a little bit, and you know, we get ready to lift, and then you know, once you're done lifting, he cleaned up for the rest of the day and then he went home. It was awesome.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

It's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Yeah, dude, I uh I mean I think eventually, right, in terms of the walk the walk thing, you have to, if you're gonna be in the if you're gonna be in the profession of some sort, like attempting to train people in any way, I think, whether you're like a private like CrossFit coach or a personal trainer, um I think you have to at some point be training for something. It doesn't necessarily you don't have to be like doing the exact same thing that your athletes or your clients are doing, but you have to be you gotta be training for something, right? So I like that. Um I love that that that that's kind of like that those coaches were instilling that so they were instilling that that like thought process into you guys as interns. That I think that that's fantastic. Um and then the the brief time at Georgia, can you can you uh talk on that a little bit?

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Yeah, yeah. So uh I mean Georgia, Georgia, I really appreciate that experience. Uh just start with staff. It was Coach Sinclair. Um let's see, for brief time it was uh Coach Mo Sims was there. Um this guy, Coach Rodney Prince. He was there like two days and then he left. So I didn't know him too well, but he was there. Um coach Coach Ben Southerns, he he's the one I interviewed with to get there, but then he had taken another job before I got there. So, you know, I didn't get to know him, but but you know, blessed or grateful that you know at least got to talk with him through interviews. Uh then as far as the coach who was there when I got there, it was uh Coach Tessa Uha, um, and then Coach Jordan Barber, and then Coach LB. Um, you know, uh Georgia, Georgia's awesome, different experience, obviously, very high-level program. Um got there. I think it was like the week after they won the national championship. So um wasn't, you know, they're kind of gave the players a little time off, you know. So uh the craziest part, um, I remember walking in the first day, and like the first two people I met was was Scott Cochran and like Coach Sinclair. And I mean that was wild. Um because I mean for a long time, like Coach Coach Cochran was was like the the poster man for strength condition, like if you wanted to be for like Division I um, you know, it's time at Alabama. Um and then I mean Coach Sinclair is just awesome. Um I'm trying to think. So I mean when I got there, like I said, uh players weren't there. Um they had some of the mid-year guys, so the early enrollees, they were they were there. Um so we do like a entry, very entry-level workout. I don't even want to call it like a true like training session, it was just like a little 45-minute deal just to kind of get them acclimated to what what was expected at Georgia and you know kind of how the workouts would be. Um it was different, but um, it was cool. Um and I remember the wild thing there, it was my second day, and it was at this point, I think the only two people there were Sinclair and Coach T. And they're like, all right, well, you enter and you're gonna you're gonna run a station. I'm like, dang, like like day two, you know what I mean? Like it was it was crazy. Um, you know, and going back to Syracuse, like uh how we didn't we didn't run the state. So how Syracuse did the team, like they would they broke off into four uh different groups, sorry to backtrack, but um and then so it'd be like the your older uh linemen, you know, big skill would be in that group. Then they'd have like the older skills, and then it was they'd have a freshman group, and then it would be like somewhere in the middle, it'd just be another group. And so you they would each group would kind of be off with their own coaches, and once they did their uh once they did their training, whatever the main lift was for the day, then they'd break off and like interns would be at each station. Um, you know, it was just it was very flow-through. Um like they'd go, they get to work in, you know, not to say they didn't, but like at Georgia, so speed up to Georgia, um, the way they ran station, it would be, you know, I remember station I had to run, it was, you know, I mean it was single-arm incline bench, and you know, not that complicated, but like obviously like with the nerves and everything, you're like trying to trying to you know follow how the how the coaches do it, you know, um, so how they do it, it would be like it'd be like this side, it'd be like half the group was on the left side of the racks, there'd be like five benches, and then on the other side of the dumbbell rack, there'd be five more benches. So the group on the left, that'd be like group one. That'd be group one, and the right would be group two, you'd be like, all right, here we go. Um, we got dumbbell inclined bench, you know, eight eight reps. Uh show them a demo. They're like alright, here we go. Let's go, group one, sit down, and here we go. Uh set one, go get it. And then they do the reps, both arms, and then you're like, all right, group two, set one, go get it. They do the rep. It's kind of like that. Um, so it's just different because I understood why they did it, and it makes a lot of sense, you know, just to kind of keep it organized to make sure everyone's getting all their sets in. But it was, but it was different than what I've you've been used to. So that was uh that was a tough adjustment, I remember. Um just getting in the flow of that. Um uh big I'm trying like the biggest thing for me at Georgia, and I I really commend Coach Sinclair for it. Um, is he was like, standard's a standard, and like he had a certain standard of how he ran his room, and he brought a lot of energy. A lot of it. Not to say Syracuse didn't, but like he like really demanded. Like he's like, you gotta be loud, like you gotta bring energy, like like a certain level of excitement, and so it was constant, like you know, trying to bring this out of us. And like, I mean, you know me, like I'm not the most talking, I'm not the most talkative guy, like not the loudest. Um to you and you and uh Bob and then Michael Bailey and Roman. Uh-huh. You know, but uh so that was a lot of growth that I I had to do. Um you know, at the end, like I finally get clicked, and I was able to I was able to do it to where uh you know Coach Sinclair approved it. And then it was cool. That was just cool. It was kind of nice to be like, ah, yes, like I I got it, you know what I mean? Um that was cool. Um but Georgia, you appreciate how much business Georgia was, you know. It was cool, it was cool, it was different, it was different at first. Like, I was like, dang, this is just so different from Syracuse, and I was like, I don't know if I like this. But then as you kept going through, you're like, okay, like I appreciate the grind, I appreciate the work, and then you found ways to enjoy it. And um, we would do we do uh staff lifts as a you know uh and it was they're different, but but it was still fun, still get out got after it. Um but yeah, so it was awesome.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

So um so what you're saying is to like at Syracuse, it was kind of a more like you might have to, you know, was it more free-flowing kind of for the athletes?

SPEAKER_01 16:14

Whereas Georgia, it was kind of like you guys cadence the workouts in a way, where like yeah, more so, like, like because like it'd be like okay, like so at Syracuse, I was I would work with it'd be the the linemen and the big skill, the older guys mostly. So there'd be it was Coach Kate and Coach Peter and uh Coach Webb, you know, over the course of the three summers, those were the guys, so you know, all those the older guys in the first group, they'd come up there, you know, they'd have it, they'd have workout sheet. And you know, when I first got there, it was Coach Kate and be like, all right, look, he goes, today it'd be, you know, it was very conjugate-based. So it'd be like, okay, look, you gotta get five sets of two uh whatever the bar that they was, five sets of two safety safety squat bar. He goes, we're gonna warm-up. Uh you gotta make sure we're watching. Um, so it'd be four racks, each coach would have two racks. Um, make sure we're watching, and then once it starts to get heavy, then okay, now we're gonna we'll start marking down your sets. And it would be work like that. And then it would be like, okay, depending, depending how long that went, because I mean, you know, I mean, it was it was heavy. It was heavy. They were strong. They were really strong. And you know, and I mean the reality of it is like when you're lifting that heavy, like real, a true like five sets of two, like takes a long time to do. Yeah, especially it's not it's not like it's just one person doing it. Like, it's I mean, it's the whole, it's the whole, you know, a bunch of people. So they it may be like, okay, okay, it's an hour. Okay, so look at accessories. Look, cut, cut one set off this, um, you know, do this one, do this one, do this one. You know, and they and they were trusted because they're older guys, you know, um, they weren't gonna necessarily do that with the younger guys, but these guys were more trusted, which is why they're in that group. So then they were able to just go through go through the workout, like the other group may have started at this point. So they were able to just kind of go and do their thing. Um but yeah, or like like I said, uh when it would be the younger group lifting, like we'd just be like as soon as they're done squatting or whatever, like we'd just be posted up. Hey, you know, incline bench. You got three sets of eight here, whatever it was. Okay, you know, you're watching for them, crafting them. Okay, here, that's too easy, go up. You know what I mean? It was it was different. We had we had a lot of interns when I was at Syracuse, so you're able to do that. Um, but yeah, but Georgia was yeah, I guess just different in that way. Yeah, not better, not worse, just different.

SPEAKER_00 18:55

Um so I guess like this was probably gonna lead me into your training stuff, but um I mean I'm I'm always very curious about like the velocity stuff. So like when you say like when sets were starting to get heavy for the guys, like our velocity, like our tendo units hooked up, and you guys are monitoring how fast the bar is is going to say like yeah, these this is your like this is your first working set. At least like at Georgia, at least, like when you're describing that to me.

SPEAKER_01 19:29

Yeah, okay. So so as coach Syracuse, uh one of the groups, um one of the groups would use tendos, like the the linemen they didn't. So it's just it was just you know, like I said, each coach has to watch each set. Be like, okay, like that's you're good. You know what I mean? Yeah at Georgia they had uh they had perch. So it's like they had a camera on the top of the rack, and then a little iPad, and I mean it's just the iPad was the interface, so the uh camera would watch how fast the bar moved and that spit it out. So yeah, at Georgia it was very heavy, like okay, like you gotta stay within this range. You know, it'd spit it out like on the iPad. If it was in the if it was if the rep spit out blue, you're good. If it spit out yellow, like you moved it faster, so then okay, add weight. And then uh if it was in the red, then okay, take some weight off, you know. So they're very at Georgia, yeah, it was everything. Anything that was in the rack was was monitored by velocity. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

Um cool. Very cool. What about uh just uh give me your opinion on force plates?

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Uh they're cool. Um, I think they can give you some some valuable information um as far as like deficiencies and but I won't like I don't know. I'm not gonna lie. That's not my thing. I leave that to some other people. Like I know how to use them and whatnot, but but I let other people interpret that data. That that's not me. That's not me.

SPEAKER_00 21:04

I hear ya. All right, Brussino. Let's uh let's get into the the let's get into the the your training. Um your equipped powerlifting. I'm very curious about it. I've always been very curious about it. It's something that I'm not very familiar with. Um so I guess like we were kind of talking about we were texting about it, but I want to kind of give me a breakdown of like your week of training, how you structure that, um how do you manage fatigue through all of this uh with putting such heavy loads under under your body or uh on your body, I guess, so to speak. Um just give me a general outline right now of of what you got going on training wise and and how you manage it.

SPEAKER_01 21:55

Right. So uh see yes, as Joe was saying, uh in the Equipped quote unquote powerlifting. I I can't really call myself a powerlifter. I I haven't I've done one meet. Um I haven't done any anything equipped. I so kind of kind of I'll get into the reason of that eventually. So um I don't know. Back, I guess I probably started 2022. I started playing around with it a little bit and um equipped powerlifting, as I'll call it for right now. I'm not claiming to be a power lifter yet. Um that's the goal, you know. Um, but anyway, so equip powerlifting. So um people get frustrated, people get mad at it, like to be honest. Like, if you ever follow equipped powerlifters on Instagram, like people are like, oh, this is so stupid. Like, oh, why are you doing this? Why are you using a swingshot? Like all this stuff. Like it's different, it's a whole different sport. So, like, that's the that's the main thing you people have to get out of their head when trying to understand that it's different than raw powerlifting. Um different realm. It's like um like Matt Wennon says, like, one of them's like F1 and the other's NASCAR. You know, it's just different. Um, so kind of how I got into it. I just uh you know followed Westside barbelling. That's kind of the origin of it all. Um they have a documentary, Westside vs. the world, watch that. Uh and you're just like, dang, like these dudes are strong. Lifting like crazy, crazy amounts of weight, benched in like seven, eight hundred pounds. Like, how is this possible? Okay, well, they're wearing a bench shirt. Oh, what's that? You know, look, doing your research. Like, I want one. You know what I mean? Like, I want one. Like, I want to do that. Yeah, same thing with squatting. Like, oh, like, I mean, it's outrageous. Like, these dudes like squatting like 11, 1200 pounds. Like, I mean, it's it's it was out, it was, it didn't make sense to me. So, okay, well, like I wanna I wanna try and see what I can do, you know. Um so 2022, I'm at South Carolina, and I got there and I was like, I wanna like I wanna do this powerlifting thing. And uh let me quickly shout out the South Carolina staff. Uh my boss that's a head strength coach, Luke Day, um under him. Then I got Chip Morton, Jameel Walker, uh Mitch Oki and Nate Sedigren, and then uh two the other guys of my boat, uh uh Will Mullins and Jacob Kernett. Um so anyway, so back forward back backtrack towards 2022. So, you know, I get there and I'm like, okay, like, you know, people know I'm strong and whatnot. And I'm talking to Mitch. Mitch was Mitch is the short guy, but um he's about I don't know, I don't know how tall he is, but he's weights like 160 right now. But a couple years ago, Mitch, Mitch was a power lifter. Mitch used to be like 240. He's like five foot something, like he was 240.

SPEAKER_00 25:07

Has he ever been in your spot videos? Huh? Has he been in your spot in your in your videos? Spot videos?

SPEAKER_01 25:13

Uh sometimes, every now and then. Not not usually, but um anyways, so I'm talking to him. He is he he done a I'd say entry-level eclipse in a little bit. Like he'd use some like briefs, um, and like some a little bit of a bench shirt. Not nothing too crazy, but so I kind of brace from him a bit. You know, he he influenced a lot of my training to how I got to where I'm at now. Um, at least starting off. So I'm like, alright, well, order a pair of briefs. Um reel me into if I'm getting off topic. I'm trying to like think of everything and whatnot. So anyway, so order a pair of briefs, order bench shirt. Um briefs were cool. The bench shirt was horrible. They're horrible. I mean, like, I'm like, okay, like I I get it. Uh it was a single plot. I don't even know what it was called. It was just so it was like it was they're both like 40 bucks. Um I was like, alright, well we'll see what the see what I can do. I remember the first Saturday I tried in the breeze, so I'm like, I'm just gonna max out just because it's the help. Um and I'm as to the breeze, like you notice the difference. Um it just it really just slows your descent down, um, gives you some stopping power at the bottom. Um also it protects you. I mean, like that that's one thing like people don't understand. Like it'll if you want longevity lifting heavy, like I mean, it's definitely the way to go. Um it even if you're a raw lifter, like like it'll still give you some strength, it'll still help your raw numbers go up. It's at least Brief's will. Um anyway, so Breesy noticed that. Um put on the mint shirt, and I think I did less than I did raw. I was like, dude, this is so stupid. And I remember like I'm like, alright, I'm not gonna use this for a little bit. And uh so I'm like, I'm just gonna, you know, West Side Conjugate, like stuff me and Miss talked about. I'm like, okay, like just doing the raw. And then I'm like, okay, I want to try to bench strip again. And then I'm like, no, like this, like something's not right. Like, so I'm doing more research. I'm like, okay, well, like I just bought like a very entry-level shirt. So I'm like, okay, well, and I and I did it because I was like, I was so new to it, but then I came a certain point, I'm like, you know what, like screw it. Like, I'm gonna buy, like, at least as far as I knew, it was the best. You know, there's other stuff now. Um, but like when I but at least it was Insur uh SCP. I bought, and I remember like getting it in the mail, and I was like, dang, like this is what a venture is supposed to feel like. Um so I remember I remember uh you know going to work and I I honestly I think it was just my one one friend was there, and it was like the first time like we put it on, and I I mean the bar like it barely moved down. Like it was probably like I don't know, like it'd be equivalent of like if you had like a four or five board like stacked up. Like that's how like how stiff it was. And I'm like, oh my god, like like I was sitting there like dang, like I can't even get this like close to my chest. Um you know, and it was funny because in the bench, you're not very you're not very mobile either. So like as far as the handouts, you can't really help out too much. So it was my one friend Will just lifting off like five five hundred some pounds, like trying to. Um, that was funny. Um you know, so anyway, just time goes on and it starts to get a little better. Um squatting's getting better. Um and it was just it was just eventually I hit a point I was like, I need a squat suit. So I'm like, okay. Uh I'm looking. And the the part of my clip listing, it's not it's not cheap. So like, alright, well, you know,$500 here. I'm like, dang, like that hurt, but I gotta do it. So like bought a squat suit. Squat suit, it was uh Leviathan Ultra Pro. So it's like this uh I don't know, if you look it up, it's like this black and blue squat suit, and it's got like cord cords on the side that you can tighten up. And there's other squat suits that don't have cords, but it's just so like a thought process is like you can slide in and then you can just tighten it up. Um so like if you're if your weight fluctuates, like it's not like because a lot of the squat suits now, if you get a like in in Zerez's can canvas one, um, I think that's just called a Leviathan. Uh but that's like like measured, like you have to measure every little every little part of your body just to like get get to fit exact to your size. But the problem with that is like okay, well, like since I've been in South Carolina, like when I got here, I was 3 315. And like now I'm like the heaviest I've gotten was like, I mean, it's too heavy. The heaviest I gotten was 360. And I'm like, dang, you know, that's heavy. I I try and stay around 345, 350. But anyway, but still, weight flux weight. So I'm like, okay, well, I want something that like if I do get heavier, do get lighter, like I can adjust. Um get the squat suit. It is brutally tight. Like, in a good way, but like you try and squat out the same thing. Like you cannot you cannot get down in this. I'm like, oh my god. So like, and I say all these things, and it's like it's when you get them, it's like, dang, like, how am I ever gonna like get to the point where I can like do a regular squat in these? Um, and it's just it's just something I was like, okay, well, I'm just gonna have to learn it, like on my own. Like, just and I got people around me that like know know strength and stuff, so I'm like, I'm just gonna win it, you know what I mean. That's kind of how I've gotten into it, how I've done it, just trial by error. Um, you know, um, and let's see, I probably got that spotsu 2023. So it's been three years now, um and I still have yet to do a meet, and it's okay. I I don't I get frustrated by it sometimes. I'm like, dang, like, you know, how can I call myself like people like uh you're are you a powerlifter? I'm like, like, I mean, like, that's the goal, you know what I mean? But but it's just the process. Oh, I don't know. You a lot of quit powerlifting, I don't know. I'm not at the end of the day, it's hard. And like until you've done it, people don't realize how hard it is to get down in a squat suit. And like people get mad saying, oh, that squat's high, yada yada yada. And whatever, some of them may be a little high. They're more lenient. The bottom line is, but like, I haven't done any because I want to like I want to do it the right way. Not to say other people aren't, but like, like, I mean, you go back and watch like uh Donnie Thompson, he was the first power lifter ever, totaled 3,000 pounds. He lives about 20 minutes from here. Um good friend of mine. Um and I I'll go to his I'll go to his house every now and then and I'll squat with him. And like just if you look back at some of the the lifts that he's done, oh he's like getting down there. Um I'm like, I want to do that. Like, I don't I don't want to be again, not not trying to like sound bad and like throw dirt on anyone, but like I want to like I want my squat to look like that. You know what I mean? Like I want to do it the right way. I want to make sure I can get to death. Like I don't want I don't want it to be I don't want it to be like a video that I post and like people are like shitting on it because they're oh that's that's not squat, you know what I mean? So it's been a grind trying to get to that point. Um but it's been fun. It's been fun. Met met some people on the way. Um but yeah, that's kind of kind of been the journey in it. Um now I now have different bench shirts. It's uh F8 Customs bench shirt. Um so it's it's it's kind of a different different category of shirts. So I'm gonna quit lifting as far as benching goes. There's single ply, multiply, and now there's unlimited. Okay, so um single ply is like one layer, and then multiplies uh two or three. But then so now there's unlimited division, and it's it's this thing called a band shirt. And it's literally like I wish I had it with me now, but uh it's instead of being made out of poly, it's uh it's like elastic, like very like tight elastic material. Um I mean it's so hard to get down to. Um it's probably it's more forgiving, I would say, as far as like using it, it's easier to use. Um but you get the thing with the unlimited division, you can stack as many plies as you want up. So like I don't know. If you ever anyone's ever curious, the look at a look at FA Customs bench shirt. Um and then you can buy inserts for it. So I have two single plot inserts that uh my my bench shirt's a three-ply, but I could throw I could throw one of the inserts in. And I I could really throw two of them. I've tried. A five-ply shirt is like impossible. It's impossible. The four-ply, the four-ply we're working through right now. Um, seeing some good results with that, but but yeah, I don't know. Once we're sort of it's it's a work in progress, it's fun. I don't I'm finally to the point now where it's like it's I'm getting close to where I feel comfortable enough to uh do a meet. So I'm hoping, hopefully, let's say within the next year I'd like to do one. So yeah, so that's where I'm at right now.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

Um what does your weekly training look like?

SPEAKER_01 36:03

Okay, yeah, yeah. So weekly training, so how do I do this? So Monday, Monday I'll go uh Max Effort Bench. And I I don't even call Max Everett, I I I guess I'd call it heavy bench. That's easier to understand. So heavy bench. So um if I if I have the people around, because the thing with the bench, like I mean, the weight's so like outrageously heavy, like it comes to a point you need three people to lift lift it off the rack so you can do it. So depending on whether or not like I can get people to help me out, if I can get people to help, I'll go, I'll wear it. If not, then I'll just like I may go raw, or I may just use one of the single pie inserts, like you can still be heavy, but you can kind of you can give more help in that. Um so heavy bench. And then if I go raw and say I don't go as heavy as I playing, then I'll hit accessories that day. But if if I go like pretty heavy, reality is I'm not hitting accessories. And then Tuesday, Tuesday, um right now, right now, I alternate a heavy squat and a speed squat. So every other week I switch between them. And the reason I do that is just like the reality of this, like like now, I'm at the point now, like when I squat, it's like it's gonna whether I use bands or chains, like, or just straight weight, like it's gonna be over a thousand pounds. And like, you know, when I was lighter, I could do it every week. But it's to the point now my body feels it more. I mean, it's it it's it's it's a lot, you know what I mean? So so I alternate that with the speed squats to just give give myself a good break. Let let everything kind of recover. Um the speed squat's still like it's still and they train like if you train hard, it's gonna take it's gonna take a lot out of you, but but still, it's not a thousand pounds. So, you know, um again, same thing on a heavy squat. I'm not doing any other accessories. If I speed squat and maybe, maybe hit reverse hyper or something like that, maybe do some abs. Um, but nothing too crazy. And then what I try and do Wednesday, try and just do some some accessories, just you know, film what I hit some things, what I what I missed. Um and then Thursday I've been running a deadlift program. Um found off lead FTS. Um I ran that. I said kind of I this past week I kind of didn't I didn't do it, but uh I guess I okay, so the reason the reason I started running this deadlift program was um I tweaked my peck, I tweaked my peck uh back in December, like a week before Christmas. And uh long story short, nothing, nothing like too serious, but but serious enough that I was like, like, I don't wanna like I was being very smart with it, because like it wasn't as it wasn't enough to set anything back, but I was like, I don't want it to become something that like really like cripples me, you know. So um I at this at that point I tried to bench two days in a week, but but with the peck, I it it hurt I could get one day off. I got to the point I could get one heavy bench day off without it hurting. But then like if I tried to speed bench later in the week, like it would it would kill me. So I so I'd uh I took away that second day of bench and I started doing this like full-time this deadlift programming. Um it was cool, it just uh kind of revolves around you know, sumo and conventional, it kind of works both of them. Um bunch of accessory work. It's a long day, it sucks. It's like takes like three hours to do it.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

Yeah, I looked at it when you sent it. It literally looks like it is like every single deadlift in the book. Yeah, it's like every hinge pattern you can get. Yeah, yeah, it's like you're doing a lot of them.

SPEAKER_01 40:22

It sucks. It's like it'll be like your weaker stance, and then it'll be your stronger stance, and then it's like RDL. I mean, it's crazy. I mean, it it's it's worked, um it's worked, it it uncovered some it's uncovered some things that I didn't realize like I had some weaknesses in. Um and then let's see Friday. I mean, to be honest, like Friday I might do some maybe some like upper body accessories, just depending. But at the end of the day, like I don't know, it's probably bad like saying it, but like I don't know. Life, like, life happens, and like like in this profession, like you don't get that much. I mean, I guess it's with anyone's work. Like, you don't, I mean, you work, you know, Monday through Friday or Monday through Saturday. Like, the reality is like sometimes like you just want to leave. You just want to leave work, you know, like you just want to go relax. So that's kind of how I live by. Um, you know, when when you have to be there, then okay, well, I'll do something. But you know, uh, so that's kind of where I'm at now. Um kind of circling back to the deadlift. Uh prior to the running this, so pre-peck injury, what I do. So basically, Monday was the same. But then I was instead of alternating my heavy squat with speed squat, I was alternating my heavy squat and a heavy dead. And um, and then Thursday would be a speed bench. But like I said, I changed it up. Um and it was almost a blessing in disguise that I tweaked my peck because it forced me to adapt my training around to it, you know. So, like I said, I took out the speed bench and then I threw in this deadlift program, and it was every week. So this is like, I mean, let alone the most reps I've ever done on a deadlift, like in a day, like I've consistently been doing it for like six, seven weeks, you know, and it's it's paid off for sure. Um and like I said, I I've like I said, I uncovered some weaknesses, and I like the big the big thing for me was like the bar would always roll forward when I start my pull. It would always roll forward and pull out. So like it was it was just like a fight with your like back just to get it up. Um so now with his like his deadlift program, and so one of my uh this guy, Dan Austin, he was he was a world champ power lifter, so um he's always there when I'm lifting. Um I don't know if he's ever watched my videos, he's a short, short black dude. He's awesome, super, super good friend of mine. Um so he's he's helped a lot with my technique and whatnot. And so so now I'm I've made some good strides with it. Um I pulled 640, which which I've that was P that was a lifetime PR. And it was raw. So um it was cool. It was cool. It's paid off. Um yeah, shout out Shall say shout out my spotters for keeping me safe.

SPEAKER_00 43:38

Uh it's always always on the show.

SPEAKER_01 43:41

But uh, but yeah, so so re I Monday, Monday and Tuesday, the the uh throwers will come in and lift. So Dan, he's the uh he's their strength coach. Um so he he'll be uh he'll be in there, and then you know, so it'll always be him, help me spot, and then it'll be alright. You grab a couple throwers, you know, to come over and spot. Um it's uh yeah, it's cool. It's cool. Oh but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:07

So that's um dude, I I I have a few thoughts. I can't help but feel some similarities in your start with the same thing that I kind of went with. And and I'm still very fresh into it. So it would be like, you know, if you're saying you started in, you know, a few years ago, like me starting like this this sprint thing that I've been doing, right? Like I kind of started last year and you know, I I bought the I bought the skills um timing gates, and you know, they're like$140, something like that. And like at the time it was like, oh my god, like I'm gonna I'm gonna get some numbers, I'm gonna get some times out there. But they're terrible. They're like actually terrible gates. Like they don't work half the time, like sometimes they don't pick up, like sometimes they give you a time that's way faster than than what you're actually running. Like, you know, I got like a 4640 one time on it, and that's just like absolutely ridiculous. Like, I'm not running a 4640. And I I definitely wasn't last year, too, when I was I was like probably like 20, 30 pounds heavier too at the time when I got them. And uh, and then I was just like, I gotta invest. Like, I'm I if I want to do this and I want to do it right, like I'm gonna spend the money. So, you know, I went, I've spent the$500 on the OVR gates, and I've gotten my work, I've gotten the worth out of them. They're they're amazing, and I love them. Um, you know, I kind of feel the same way. Like, I I felt like I had to get spikes. I'm really good about eBay. Um so like eBay, the getting track spikes was actually not that bad. I've gotten some pretty like expensive track spikes for very, very cheap. So that's really nice. Um, but yeah, man, I think like if you're gonna go and do something, I a hundred percent am in agreement that it's like you know, you go and you try the cheap route, and it's like oh, this bench shirt sucks. Like and then you get the more you get the more expensive one, and it's like, oh well, oh, this is how it's supposed to feel. Like this is this is this is what the timing gates are supposed to to give me. Um so yeah, I love that. And I I I I think I also have a very similar experience. Last year, I last year, like 2024 into 2025. I was really into like trying to be really good at what I wouldn't even say I was trying to be good at Olympic lifting. I was just trying to I just wanted to be able to full clean a lot of weight, you know what I mean? I wanted to to drop into a full squat with a shitload of weight and be able to stand it up. And I didn't even care about the jerk or anything, I just wanted to clean heavy, and I would throw statches around every once in a while, but I I was God, my training was so horrible. I look back on it, it was just like so fatiguing, and my nutrition was not there for it. And like I would pretty much just like max out almost every day. Like at least I'm I'm going max effort every day, whether it's I'm I'm maxing out on a double or a single, and then I'm you know, I'm gonna go front squat up a to a heavy single, and then I'm gonna go 85% and do like a giant set of 30 or something. Like it was it was high volume, like I was I was like and I hurt my back, and and it was like I would say that it was it wasn't an injury, you know, so to speak, you know, we you know we've always I feel like the the constant thing is like are you hurt or injured? And it was like, well, I was injured, I couldn't do what I wanted to do, so to speak, but I could train still pretty heavily, you know. I was able to sprint still, I was able to I I really got into belt squatting, I loved belt squatting, yeah, yeah, yeah. Heck yeah. Um, and I was benching a shit ton. Like I was benching a lot. And uh and yeah, man, I I would say that I would say very similar thing. Like, you know, you learn how to work around that and it kind of changes your entire perspective on training, right? So like now I look at it and and honestly, thank God for me. I know you don't use the VBT, but for me, the VBT is probably probably the biggest game changer in in training for me because I have that governor of like, oh well, I you know, I only move the bar 0.4 meters per second on this squad. So like I'm just gonna like this is the way for the day, you know what I mean? Like I can control it way more seeing the number on the screen. Um, so I'm not like killing myself in the weight room. Right. I mean, um, but I I mean I I love that, you know. I think everybody has to go through something like that, especially if and like like I wouldn't say, you know, I feel like you you you you can't discount yourself pro Sino and say, like, oh I'm not an equipped palette, but like yeah, you never maybe you're not maybe you're not competing too much right now, but like you're working it, you're doing it. Right. I mean, like I'm not a sprinter, but I definitely train sprinting and and you know, and it's something that I enjoy doing. So I think uh dude, I think it's great. I mean, I I will say, I'm not gonna lie, like sometimes I have like early on, I think I saw your videos and I was like, damn prose, you know, you gotta get lower, like you gotta hit depth. But then you look at it and it's like, well, he also has a thousand pounds on his back. And then you know, you explain it, and it's like, well, I'm also in this suit that you like have to learn how to squat in. And that makes so much sense to me, man. It's like it is, it's it's a skill, it's a skill benching in the bencher, it's a skill squatting in the squat suit. Like, all these things are skills that you have to develop, and and with the amount of weight that you have going, it it just makes complete sense that it's like would you say that the amount of weight makes it the amount of weight that you have to have on your back to reach the stimulus to get stronger with these things? Does that make it harder to also learn how to use the stuff because maybe the frequency is lower? And you don't you don't maybe you don't get the reps in each week that you want to, maybe you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 50:28

Kind of does that make sense I feel I hear what you're saying. You're saying because like because yes, I uh so okay, so this past last week, last week, uh I was last week Easter. I think last week was Easter, right? Yeah, yeah. So uh Friday, Saturday. Um my buddy, my buddy Duncan, uh he used to be a GA at Clemson, but uh now he's he moved to Columbia, and uh so he he's freaking strong too. Uh so he he's in the equip power lifting. Um so we go over uh to Spudding, they got a gym over here in Columbia. Um, awesome place. So, you know, if you ever anyone's ever here, check it out. It's awesome. Um we go over there and let's see, Friday we benched. Um and we're like uh it's it's been a while since we both like threw on a shirt, you know, and and and Wayne, it was still a good session, but you're like, dang, like like I could be so much better if I could do this every week. Yeah, or like at least like like three weeks in a row, and then maybe take a week off or a week or two off, and then okay, three weeks in a row, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, the frequency, if you can get in more, like I think that's the thing, like with any skill, like the more you do it, the better you get at it. And it's it is tough. I mean, frankly, it is tough, like because like like mentioned, like I said, you need three people, like you need, and then like if um like if you don't have those people, you can't do it. And so, yeah, it is it definitely is tough because the more you do it, like I said, the better you can get at it. So there's that aspect. Um and and same thing with a squat suit, like I mean, that's the point. Like, like when you're getting that heavy, like you need spotters, you need three. Um, it's now it's not quite as like they're not as hands-on, you know, spot in the squat as they are, like literally, like you said in the bench strips, like they literally have to like lift it off the rack for you. Like, you know, obviously squat, you're lifting it off yourself, but you know, same premise, you still need the people there. Um now the thing, the thing with a squat suit, right? Um, and I guess all click lifting, um, there's like an insane amount of pressure that you feel, like just with your body, right? Because it is so hard to take it down, like like so with like multiply benchmark with the Polly shirt, it's so hard to get it down, and you feel so much pressure with it. With the F8, I mean, there's pressure, don't get me wrong, but it like I said, it's a little more user-friendly. Um, the squat suit, like, like it is so hard to explain the feeling that goes on in your face and in your head, like when you're trying to like literally sit down a squat with a thousand pounds, and just you're just like it's just a like people, it's it's literally in a way, it's just like patience. Like you squat down and you're like, how long can I just sit here and let this weight push me down? But it like it is crazy, like the feeling you get in your face, like it is so much pressure, and like people are oh get lower. Well, like you are trying, like you think I don't want to? Like you think I want to like squat like a three-quarter squat. No, I don't, but like sometimes it's just not going, you know what I mean? I get it, and it's funny, it's like uh um it's funny, yeah. So like I don't know, if people are interested, you know, buy buy some buy some briefs, that's a good way to get into it. But it's fun, it's fun, though. Like it's like you said, different skill to do it. Like, yeah, you can't just like throw it on and like try and be good at it, but it's fun, it's fun, it's a different challenge, you know.

SPEAKER_00 54:26

Yeah, I think of it like uh I think you know, I just it it the thought was kind of based around the Olympic lifting thing. You know, you listen to Olympic lifters or Olympic lifting coaches talk about, you know, especially high-level ones, not even just like um, you know, like well, like actual Olympic weightlifters and and people that do it. Um, or like you know, Dylan Cooper.

SPEAKER_01 54:50

Name's familiar, I can't can't place it.

SPEAKER_00 54:53

His name on Instagram is like dozer.wl. Okay. Um he talks about they all talk about it, really. You know, you have to be able to do double sessions, right? You know, you gotta be able to go in and do like if you want to be a good Olympic weightlifter, if you want to be good at snatch and clean and jerk, you have to snatch and clean and jerk pretty much every single time you step into a weight room and you have to like squat daily. Like these are and these are the like that's how you develop that skill. But if you're putting the if you're you know creating this massive potent stimulus by putting a thousand pounds on your back or you know, holding 800 pounds in your hands, like you cannot do that every day. You can like you said, you can barely do that every week. And then like so it makes sense that it takes longer to develop the skill. The reps, the reps aren't there to be able to say, like, you know, you know, it's not like after a month of being in the squat suit, like, what is that? A month in the squat suit is maybe what two or three sessions in your squat suit?

SPEAKER_01 56:04

Probably two, maybe maybe, maybe two, maybe two.

SPEAKER_00 56:08

That's like that's not enough time to develop that. So it makes sense, it makes way more sense why why it takes longer, but it also, you know, like you said, it's it's gotta be frustrating sometimes where it's like, oh god, this is so.

SPEAKER_01 56:21

I think I think the important thing, like people like people understand that you have to listen to your body, and like there's a difference, like you said being like hurt and injured, and like there's a difference of being like I guess like soft about like oh like I don't feel like doing it. Well, a lot of times I don't feel like doing it now, you know what I mean at times, but like you do there's but there's a difference of like like mentally I don't want to do this, or like like damn, like my body is like if I do this, I may like hurt myself, you know what I mean? Like there's a difference, and uh you know, it's it's funny. Um, you know, because like what Westside Barber, like Louis Simmons, like they're talking, oh like Louis, like you know, um, obviously, like such a smart guy, um, super strong and like influenced so many people. Like, if you watch the Westside Barber documentary, he talks about how he had to get surgery and um they gave him anesthesia, and he which he was allergic to. Um, and then so long story short, like he I think he almost died, but didn't die. He had like like a hole in I think he's talking about he had a hole in his throat. And uh the next day, like his buddy picked him up. It's like, all right, we're going to the gym, you're gonna max out, bench, with this hole in his throat. And it's like it's it's I mean, it's cool. Like, I I you know understand like the whole the whole premise of like you know being tough, but like dang, like I mean, like people if I not to discount anything, but like to do that is like it's crazy to me.

SPEAKER_00 58:02

Like you guys can do that, I'm not gonna do that.

SPEAKER_01 58:04

Yeah, I'm good. Like, like, like I, you know, she fight through, but like I think back to three times I've I guess discounting the pick. Three times I've been hurt squatting. And the funny part is the three times I got hurt squatting, it was only 405 on the bar, and it was a day that I was like, I don't want to do this, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Yeah, and it was just like I'm gonna go speed, and it probably was because like I'm like, oh, it's only 405, but then you like not to say you half-ass it, but probab I guess you're probably not as locked in as you should be. Because the end day it's still 405, it's still a lot of weight in a way, but um, but that those are like the only times I've been hurt. Like um I'm like I tweak tweaked my back twice, and then the third time, the third time uh I was at this rent this gym nearby. Um and I was like, uh my buddy, he was he was doing some log dunking, he was doing some uh log cleaning press or actual bar cleaning press. And I was like, I'm not doing that. I was like, I'm gonna speed squatting. Uh someone had like the safety bar on the J hooks, like outside of the rack. And I was like, well, I'm only going four or five. Like, I'm not gonna set up, I'm not gonna like move it inside, you know, to where like the safety straps are. It's like I'll just do it. And like the last set, oh, it was so stupid. I go to put it in the rack, and I like bumped it and it rolled off my bat, like onto my leg. Um, and it's just it's just funny. Like, like just like the parallels, it's always been four or five that has hurt me. Yeah, you know, and it's just and it's just days you're like, uh, I guess you're not locked in. So it's just um, I don't know, it's funny.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:02

But I will say, when I when I hurt my back, dude, I it literally is like when I hurt my back, I remember feeling that day. It was a Tuesday. Um it was a Tuesday, and usually Tuesdays are like leg days for me. So I knew I was going in and I was gonna do heavy cleans. Um I could just feel my my back did not feel good that day. Like I was sitting in a I was sitting in a meeting at work, and I could just feel the like the radiating pain, like some sciatica type of shit going down my like down the back of my leg, in my back. I could feel the spot. Like, this is gonna like this hurts today. I'm very sore. And I still went and did it, and I was warming up, and like at that time, like 225 was a warm-up for me. And I just I I I went and I caught it, you know. I did the lift. I it's just as soon as I came down and caught it, I just felt the the boom, just a pop in my back. And after that, I like couldn't move. I actually I what's funny is after that I've I've always been able to pull with uh with like a fatigued lower back. So afterwards, I think I think I did like a I think I was doing clean pulls afterwards because I'm like, I'm just not gonna clean, I'm just gonna do pulls after. So I did like three, I did maybe three or four sets of of like doubles at 365 doing clean pulls. And then afterwards, I uh like we were working out in my garage, and and I look at Alexis and I'm like, I can't do this anymore. I gotta go. I gotta, I gotta, I can't, I'm done. My my back is killing me. I like I actually couldn't move for a couple of days.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:47

Yeah, pretty sore.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:48

And then I I I took a week off, I tried to do it again, and I I went back in and I was doing heavy RDLs, and you know, I hit a set. Like, oh, that didn't feel too bad. You know, maybe maybe I'm just uh in a little bit of you know, I'm a little bit sore still, and I went back and I did it again, and boom, popped. Um and then after that I was just depressed for months. And you know, after a few weeks I tried to do 135 clean again, popped it again. I just kept re-injuring myself and I was like, all right, it's really time to just stop being stupid. Yeah. Just actually that's the wake-up call. Sometimes it takes a wake-up call for you to be like, no, maybe I'm just not gonna do this today.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:35

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:36

And I'm actually I'm you know, I you know Tony Holler? Tony Holler is like uh he's like a sprint coach. Um feed the cats is his is his thing, and he's really big on like microdosing, low fatigue, like only doing things when you feel like you should. Um and one thing he says a lot is never let the previous day affect the next day. Um so I mean that that's gonna be like my approach for for sprinting um this summer. But yeah, man. I I I think all that is is very valuable. And one thing I wanted to talk about too is you mentioned earlier that you think and this makes sense, like obviously, like you you said um equipped powerlifting would probably make you, you know, would make people better or better raw power lifters.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:33

To an extent for sure.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:35

Which I think I think that makes I think that makes perfect sense. Like you think about the tools that people use, and like obviously there, I I would say that there's different like tiers to them, right? But like in a way, and and this might be a little ignorant to say, but in a way, like knee sleeves, belts, wrist wraps, it's equipment in a way. Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:00

Nowadays, some of these knee sleeves are as outrageous how how much they can help out.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:06

And I mean, like, you know, we we look at these things and we kind of like we don't even think about it, you know. It it's it's almost like you know, you see someone do a deep squat and they've got knee sleeves and belts and and and and weightlifting shoes on and all these things, and it's like well, they're not really making them like using those things isn't making you weaker. Right. You know what I mean? So like using these using these things in the equip powerlifting, you're getting the you're getting this insane stimulus to your your nervous system. It's like obviously you're still gonna be strong as hell when you take that equipment off. You know, I think that that's that's something that that when people look at it, they don't think about either.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:53

Right. Right. You know, and I think like there's there's a there's probably there's definitely a I'd say there's a fine line. Like obviously, like how do I put it? It's like it's like um okay, yeah, like like so if if you get a pair of briefs, like and you're you're a raw power lifter, like like just some of those like heavy squats you do, like in prep, like you probably as you get closer to competition, you're probably not gonna wear them, but like there's a point, like you're gonna be in your offseason, and like you know, you'll probably go several months like before you even like think about like starting quote unquote meat prep. You know what I mean? And it's like but you're gonna keep training heavy. It's not like that's the time to get strong. And like there's a point, like, like if you get like a light pair of briefs, like it'll just put it just helps protect you. Um like I mean, like just the compression around your hips, your glutes, like your hamstrings, like I mean, just like it frankly just helps. Like, um I mean, like I'll squat raw, like not not very often. But uh every now and then, you know, speed squat, I'll go raw. Um, but like if I like if I go, like if I just squat, if I squat raw like to depth, I mean it's like like dang, like you're feeling you're feeling some stuff that like you're not used to feeling. Um yeah. Like, okay, like let me go put the breeze on. Not to say at the end of the day, if you're raw powerlifter, like, yeah, you I mean you gotta at some point you're gonna have to train raw, but yeah, like you said, like I you said everything's just a tool, you know what I mean? And it's just like there's different ways to there's a bunch of ways to skin a cat and um different ways to get strong. And yeah, just at the end of the day, that's what works for you. Um you know, um it's cool, but but yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:48

Alright, bro, so you know we're coming up on an hour here. Uh we're actually over an hour right now. So I'm gonna I'm gonna hit you with some I'm gonna hit you with some rapid fire questions, and then we always do a little thing at the end where we talk about a workout of the week. So you're gonna give us um a workout, a movement, an exercise, whatever you want that you think everybody should be doing. So we'll start with what's the favorite lift that you've ever done? Your your most memorable favorite lift that you've ever done.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:20

Uh my most memorable memorable lift. I remember probably first time I squatted 700.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:26

Okay. Where was that?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:29

That was at Georgia. Um, I'd come off of at Syracuse the summer before I failed it. I I squatted 690, put 700 on, and I yeah, I felt failed it. Um so yeah, it was a year later, and uh yeah, I was able to get it done. And then that that kind of broke. That kind of uh once I did that, then my numbers started exploding.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:54

Love it. Um what's your go-to pre-workout meal?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:00

Pre-workout meal. Um let's see. If I had a if I had a choice, like something sugary, something sweet. Maybe like like a gas station honey bun.

unknown 1:08:14

Okay, there you go.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:16

I don't like a full stomach when I lift. I don't like a full stomach. I just like like something just quick sugar is just to get me going.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:23

Quick sugar. That's the best. That's all you need, really. Post workout meal. What's your what's your go-to?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:28

Um uh a lot of times I'll do pack of ground chicken, uh, taco seasoning, um, like the Uncle Ben's, like cilantro lime rice. I think it's Uncle Ben's, like the you know, throw the microwave for two minutes and then like throw throw that on taco shows.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:44

Hell yeah. Sounds amazing, actually. Yeah, it's good. Death row meal. Death row meal.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:54

Oh god. Oh I don't know. It'd probably be like some kind of burger. Um I don't know. There's this place down here called Henry's. They make a mean burger. They make a mean burger. So maybe like a burger from Henry's. Uh then probably just a bunch of dessert, like all desserts, like cookies. I know you love Oreos.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:23

I was gonna ask you, I was gonna ask you if you're still if you're still into the it you still love Oreos like you used to.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:28

I love I love anything sweet. It's bad. Donuts. Oh, oh, okay. Uh yeah, Kroger. Kroger makes these like glazed donuts. Um, they are outrageous. They are outrageous. So maybe those, yeah. I don't know. I don't know. All the sweets. I want all the sweets.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:49

You want all the sweets and a nice fat juicy burger from Henry's.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:52

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:53

I love it. Um Okay. All right, workout of the week. Give me one. What do you think? What do you think everybody what do you think everybody? Uh maybe, yeah. Yeah, I mean, you can give us an equip thing. You can give us what you think maybe everybody should be doing, what you guys have been doing a lot lately at at Georgia, uh, that you think is super valuable for people in general. Just uh it could be multiple things. Give us a give us a give us something here, Persino. What do you think? Um not Georgia. I sorry. I said you guys are doing a Georgia.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:26

Um I don't know. I I at the end of the day, I think I think everyone should be doing is uh squatting. Like I'm just like frankly, like like there's just something like a back, let's say back squat. Like there's just something different about like like I do. I mean, just loading up your like I mean it's just loading up like your skeletal system, just having some heavy even if it's not heavy, but just like the act of having something on your back and just like adding a stimulus, like I don't know. I just I think like everyone should do it. Like, like not to knock, like obviously there's a million ways to squat, front squat, deserts or belt squat, like it's all good. But I'd say, yeah, I I think like I go back to I think what the most important thing like in my development is a back squat. I think that's I think that's the like if you have to do one thing to stay strong, I'd say that.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:24

Yeah, I think I think I've been finding more and more that the the back squat is something that like if you're a strong back squatter, you're probably gonna be strong in a lot of other ways.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:36

Right. I mean, even just day-to-day life, like just healthy. Like I feel like, you know, just yeah, um, yeah, yeah, back squat. Back squat.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:48

You know what, dude? I'm gonna go uh for my workout of the week, because we I I always add one in two, I'm gonna go. I I'm I'm gonna take a I'm gonna take the summer off of uh I think I'm gonna take the summer off of flat bench press and shoulder press. Okay, shoulder press. That's a good one. That's a good one. I think I'm gonna go shoulder press, like military press or dips here.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:12

Um I'm gonna see what it goes. Do you know, do you know John Heck? Yeah. Love so first of all, I love John Heck. He is he's my go-to for like nutrition information. Right. He's been talking, he's been talking a lot lately about how much he is kind of like anti-bench.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:30

Yeah, and I'm like, you know what?

SPEAKER_00 1:12:32

I trust what John says. Um, I'm gonna I'm gonna go a summer and um, you know, I'm gonna take I'm gonna take the bench away from myself and and see how it goes and see if I can still I just hit 340, so I'm I'm gonna see if I can still hit three plates after not benching all summer, which I think I'll still be able to.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:50

Right. Yeah, you know, that's good. That's good.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:56

Well, Cosino, this was fantastic, man. I really appreciate you coming on and talking to me. Um, it's always nice conversing with you.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:03

Right, you know, appreciate you having me on. Yeah, it's been a while since I, you know, obviously we you know message back and forth every now and then, you know, comment on each other's posts, but you know, good to actually sit down and talk.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:17

Right for sure. All right, thank you.