THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Renée Mihail back to the show! Renée is a member of the Albany CrossFit Barbell Club who is currently attending Yale Law School to become a lawyer. On the show Renée discusses pursuing her CrossFit Level 1 certificate, training in Denver, Colorado, her current major and goals while studying at Yale, the Sports Law class she took recently, the Ted Steven's Act and thoughts on how it applies to current events in weightlifting today, and many sports related cases and rulings that she's learned about.

On this episode James welcomes Mike Micare back to the show! Mike is a member of the Albany CrossFit Barbell Club and on the show he discusses having surgery to correct his scoliosis, the recovery process from the surgery, getting jacked and super strong with his new back, his goals in weightlifting, bombing out at a competition, having a David Goggins mindset in life and weightlifting, his experiences traveling to the Philippines, his crazy diet, and much more!

On this episode James welcomes Jennifer Howell-Clark to the show! Jennifer is a member of the Albany CrossFit Barbell Club and here we learn all about her and her insights into training. Jennifer discusses joining Albany CrossFit, switching from CrossFit to Weightlifting, staying motivated during hard training, her athletic history, competing vs. being a competitor, juggling a busy schedule and training, rowing on the water vs. an erg, advice she'd give herself if able to go back in time to day 1 of weightlifting, and much more!

On this episode James welcomes Sara Soto to the show! Sara is an athlete rep for the New York WSO (Weightlifting State Organization), a member of the USA Weightlifting Board of Directors, and an IWF Category 2 Referee. Sara wears many hats in the sport of weightlifting and on the show she discusses: how she found the sport, volunteering and giving back to weightlifting, training and personal goals, WWE wrestling stories, favorite horror movies, the best advice she's been given, meaningful accomplishments in weightlifting, and so much more!

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show to continue their studying to prepare Josh for the CrossFit Level 3 examination. This time they discuss the CrossFit Journal article written by Greg Glassman titled "Fooling Around with Fran". James and Josh discuss this classic CrossFit benchmark workout and dive into some interesting calculations that can be done with benchmark data to figure out an athlete's power output along with some variations of Fran that might be interesting to take on at the gym.

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show to continue their studying to prepare Josh for the CrossFit Level 3 examination. This time they discuss the CrossFit Journal article written by Greg Glassman titled "A Postural Error, A Costly Biomechanical Fault: Muted Hip Function (MHF). James and Josh discuss what Muted Hip Function is, how it effects athletic movement, more anatomy and physiology, and strategies to correct the error. Bonus: Josh takes a quiz that helps to review some topics from the Simple Nutrition study sessions.

On this episode James welcomes Albany CrossFit Barbell Club (@albanycrossfitbarbellclub) team members Haley Maisonet (@haley.mais) and Renée Mihail (@rmmihail) back to the show. The three discuss their experiences competing at the USA Weightlifting North American Open Series 1 (The Arnold) during the week of March 2 to March 5, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Topics include surviving an 18-hour car ride with Miguel & Shaaf, having your family watch you compete, thoughts on the expo, competing at this level of event, navigating nervousness at meets, individual snatch and clean and jerk performances, fist bumps before lifts, and weightlifting comradery. #hoofhearted?

Thank you for listening!

On this episode James welcomes Albany CrossFit Barbell Club (@albanycrossfitbarbellclub) team members Miguel Porter (@couldntbemiguel) and Shaaf Syed (@taco.shaaf) back to the show. The three discuss their experiences competing at the USA Weightlifting North American Open Series 1 (The Arnold) during the week of March 2 to March 5, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Topics include competing at the event in 2020 vs. 2023, individual performances, the sports festival expo, changes to the athlete mindset, the magic of the back warm-up room, lifting in the training hall, along with many stories from the trip!

Thank you for listening!

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show to continue their studying to prepare Josh for the CrossFit Level 3 examination. This time they conclude their discussion on the "Simple Nutrition" five-part video series presented by Coach E.C. Synkowski featured in the CrossFit Journal. Topics include the Zone Diet, using different diet plans as tools to achieve goals, practical advice for planning meals, and building healthy & positive relationships with food and eating.

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show to continue their studying to prepare Josh for the CrossFit Level 3 examination. This time they continue their discussion on the "Simple Nutrition" five-part video series presented by Coach E.C. Synkowski featured in the CrossFit Journal. Topics include vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits and starch, sugar, oils, dairy, and alcohol.

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show to continue their studying to prepare Josh for the CrossFit Level 3 examination. This time they start with an A&P quiz to review topics from the last study and then begin to cover the topic of nutrition by discussing the "Simple Nutrition" five-part video series featured in the CrossFit Journal. The presentation is given by Coach E.C. Synkowski who breaks down the first two sentences in CrossFit's 100 Words of Fitness written by Greg Glassman: "Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake levels that will support exercise but not body fat." Topics covered here in Part 1 are: macronutrients, micronutrients, nutrient density, nutrient synergy, protein, and fat.

On this episode James welcomes Lester Ho back to the show! James and Lester discuss the providing opportunities for athletes to be successful, the mechanics of the foot, how the foot impacts movement on the weightlifting movements, ways to warm-up prior to lifting, programming and evolving as a coach, biomechanics of the lifts, lessons learned from athletes, and much more involving the science of lifting and the art of coaching.

Thank you for listening!

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show! James and Josh continue their study to prepare Josh for the CrossFit Level 3 examination. This time they take on the often daunting topic of anatomy and physiology with a discussion on the original article written by Greg Glassman titled "Anatomy and Physiology for Jocks." On the episode James and Josh also discuss many other topics such as requirements to take the L3 exam, where to find study materials, and some general coaching and CrossFit topics.

On this episode James welcomes Will Castillo to the show! Will is an Army combat veteran, an accomplished Para Bobsled athlete, and a member of Team USA. During the episode Will discusses his recent gold medal win at the World Cup in Austria, being ranked the #1 Bobsled Pilot in the world, his military service background, how God and faith guides him through life, being introduced to Para Bobsled, experiences in training and competing all over the world, and so much more!

On this episode James welcomes Justin Curry to the show! Justin a member of the Albany CrossFit Barbell Club, a professor at SUNY Albany, a mathematician, and a student of the barbell. James and Justin discuss how mathematics influence our daily lives, Justin's work as a mathematician, his introduction to strength training, lessons learned from weightlifting training and competition, and Justin's exciting work with NASA.

Thank you for listening!

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show! Josh, a current CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, is embarking on a journey of study to someday sit for the Level 3 Certified CrossFit Trainer examination. As a L3 Hopeful, Josh needs to hit the books and study CrossFit Methodology in addition continuing to spending time coaching athletes in the gym. To kick off the study James and Josh read "Benchmark Workouts" written by Greg Glassman for the September 2003 edition of the CrossFit Journal. The two breakdown the article talking about their main takeaways and discussing topics such as coaching standards, "The Girls," metabolic demands of these benchmarks, exploiting weakness, and coaching strategies.

On this episode James welcomes Josh Heller back to the show! James and Josh discuss bringing in the New Year with athletic and coaching goals, putting in the time to practice movement skills, and then they tackled the question of "What qualifications signify a world-class CrossFit coach?". This question originated from an online survey and came with 5 qualifications that a person would rank to form their answer. If you'd like to play along, rank these qualifications on your own and then listen to the podcast where James and Josh give their answers and discuss each one.

In no particular order the 5 qualifications to rank are...

1. Wide breadth of fitness training besides CrossFit.
2. High level of CrossFit credential.
3. Mentorship under an experienced CrossFit coach.
4. High volume of CrossFit coaching hours.
5. Developing and/or mentoring a team of CrossFit coaches.  

Share your answer to the question and thoughts by emailing james.amcd@yahoo.com.

Thank you for listening!

James  welcomes Josh Heller back to the show. Josh is a coach at Albany CrossFit and was previously on the show all the way back on Episode XXVIII (28). Recently Josh took the CrossFit Level 2 Trainer course and passed the exam to earn the "Level 2" credential. On the show James and Josh talk about coaching and big takeaways from Josh's experience taking the L2 course.

James welcomes Frank Ford back to the show. The two discuss a recent CrossFit "World Record", enjoying their current off-season break from weightlifting, dealing with missing training sessions, weightlifting meets, and more!

Thank you for listening!

James welcomes Frank Ford back to the show. It's been a while, but the two discuss many new events in life and weightlifting.

Thank you for listening!

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes George Nagy to the show. George is a member of the Albany CrossFit & Court Club gym in Albany, New York. During the interview George discusses his weightlifting training in Hungary during the 1960's, defecting to the United States to escape communism, interactions with many weightlifting legends like Tommy Kono, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Jamie Swagler back to the show to discuss the upcoming New York State Championships. Jamie is the meet director for this weightlifting competition coming up on Saturday, October 23rd and Sunday, October 24th in Auburn, NY. James and Jamie discuss many topics about the meet including...

General:

• COVID procedures and expectations.
• Spectators.
• Live streams and lifter photography.
• Volunteering at the event as a loader or referee.
• Food at the hotel and surrounding area.

Lifters Specific:

• General schedule for the weekend.
• When the start list and volunteer signups will be released.
• Weigh in and check scale locations.
• Dropping down or going up a weight class.
• What to expect in the warm-up room and on the competition platform.
• Training Hall: located at Swagler Strength & Performance (contact Jamie for access).
• Declaring and changing attempts at the Marshal's table.
• Bathroom locations.

Other:

• Youth and Masters competition and awards.
• When awards will be given for each weight class.
• Team competition and awards.
• Regional team competition and awards.
• Breaking NY State and NY State Meet records.

Resources:

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James shares more audio from his time working with Coach Glenn Pendlay on the upcoming book: American Weightlifting. The main topic involves a small piece of Coach Pendlay's coaching philosophy pertaining to the athlete and coach relationship, why athletes need to take responsibility for their own lifting, when a coach should offer advice on missed lifts plus an effective way to offer feedback, and how a coach's actions can give athletes confidence or stunt their progress. 

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James shares more audio from his time working with Coach Glenn Pendlay on the upcoming book: American Weightlifting. Some of the topics include motor learning and its application to the snatch-clean-and jerk, learning the lifts with light weight vs. maximal weights, training under fatigue, jerk steps and how the exercise helps a lifter train jerk footwork using heavy weight while in a fatigued state, lifters adapting to training and learning how to manage training stress day to day...week to week...and month to month, modifying the training program based on how you feel, and tapering for a weightlifting meet.

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

Coach Glenn Pendlay passed away on September 5th, 2019 and it's hard to believe that we have gone by another anniversary of his passing. That's why today's episode will be in tribute to Coach Pendlay. The audio you hear is not an interview, but instead a recording from a conversation James and Coach Pendlay had on the snatch while working on the forthcoming book, American Weightlifting. James and Coach Pendlay recorded countless hours of book meetings and they're filled with knowledge that both made it into the book and also many things that didn't because Coach Pendlay was always evolving as a coach. Sharing these audio clips and very soon releasing the book are two ways James hopes to contribute to honoring the memory of his friend and mentor Coach Pendlay.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Joe Rodriguez (@cuppajoeweightlifting) to the show! Joe discusses his preferred morning brew, the origins of the Cuppa Joe logo, his background in the sport as an athlete and coach, PEDs in weightlifting, how to have tough conversations with athletes, lessons that can be learned from different eras of the sport, the Bruce Lee approach to programming, being successful in training when you feel physically and mentally exhausted, recovering from injuries, being more resilient than the average person because of training, why he wanted to pursue a career in coaching, how his athletes have made him a better coach, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub | @hudsonvalleyweightlifting

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James discusses his recent experiences while sitting in the refs chair at local weightlifting competitions. Some topics include: learning more about the sport by experiencing it from different perspectives, differences in lifting styles between athletes, no bar body contact snatches, the grip it and rip it technique, what you think the lifts should be vs. what they are for others, coaching languages, different coaching styles, making attempt declarations, being assertive as a coach, training for the unknown variables that could occur at a meet, volunteering at local meets and using them as opportunities to learn.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub | @crossfitsona

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Frank Ford (@frank_ford_) back to the show! The two discuss in detail the newest barbell club on the block: Sona Weightlifting (@sonaweightlifting). Topics include: answering the question of "what is Sona Weightlifting?," coaching a team while lifting for another one, the need for more teams and coaches in NY, taking the initiative and first steps towards starting a team, the Sona coaching staff, current club programming, what works and what doesn't work from a coaching perspective, the Sona Weightlifting team mission statement and philosophy, the future goals of the club, a recap on how the team did in their second meet at the Capital District Open (May 15th, 2021), and how you can join the team!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub | @crossfitsona

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Catherine Toniatti-Yanulavich (@strongcatty) back to the show! The two recap how Cat did at the 2021 Virtual World Masters Championships on Saturday, May 29th. Some topics discussed include: "dirty doubles" during team training, Cat's journey to the world championships, a breakdown of her attempts, a competitors mindset when things aren't going as planned, bombing out and how to use it as an opportunity for growth, limiting long-term progress by being afraid of bombing out, experiences from strongman competition, displaying who you really are on the platform, and much more!

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Frank Ford (@frank_ford_) back to the show! The two discuss how Team ACBC did at the Capital District Open weightlifting meet held on Saturday, May 15th at CrossFit Schenectady (@crossfit_schenectady) which is the home of Capital District Weightlifting (@capitalweightlifting).

Additional Topics include: documenting meets and training through social media, using meet videos as "game footage" for future meet planning and coaching, posting missed lifts opposed to only PRs, different types of competition PRs, investing in the future with third attempts, building momentum and setting PRs meet to meet with small increases, putting weights on the bar to get into the next level of competition within a session, a special gift the sport gives you if you work hard enough and do enough meets, the mental hold certain numbers can have over lifters, and trust in the athlete and coach relationship when it comes to making meet decisions.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub | @sonaweightlifting

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James celebrates his 10 year anniversary at Albany CrossFit! On the show he ponders where the time has gone and how small events shaped his future. He expresses immense gratitude for ACF and all of the athletes both past and present that he's had the privileged to coach across the last decade. He also shares the story of how he joined the ACF community, gives advice to interns out there looking to find a job, and reflects on lessons learned from the good, the bad, and the ugly that he's experienced over the years and how those experiences have shaped him as a person and a coach. 

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Dyke Naughton (@cuttingedgesportssciences) to the show! Dyke is the owner and head coach of Cutting Edge Sports Sciences located in the Capital District / Albany, New York area. Dyke is a fellow SUNY Cortland alumni who has been training athletes for over 25 years. During his studies he interned at the Australian OTC (the Australian Institute of Sport) learning about biomechanics and sports psychology and also spent time learning at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.

On the show Dyke discusses starting a gym in 1990, getting involved in strength training and powerlifting at a young age, unique pieces of equipment he has at his gym, lessons he learned interning at both Olympic training centers, common psychological issues strength athletes experience in training and competition, geared vs. raw powerlifting, role models in the sport he admires, mistakes new powerlifters make when they pick up the sport, mistakes new coaches make when working with athletes for the first time, his best lifts in training and competition, his competition mindset, warming up properly, making slow gradual progress on the lifts opposed to making big jumps, common errors and corrections for the powerlifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift, conventional vs. sumo deadlifting, and much more!

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Haley Hahn (@haleyth12) and Miguel Porter (@couldntbemiguel) back to the show! The trip discuss the current training mindsets, why they want to take the USAW Level 1 course, educating yourself as an athlete, thoughts on where "3 attempts" on competition lifts came from, accessory exercises that might pop up in the team's next training cycle, taking all of your attempts at the beginning of a competition session vs. at the end, being in the competition game and taking attempts to win vs. running your own race, and thoughts on the recent string of international competitions: Pan Ams, Asian Championships, and European Championships.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

-------------

If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Frank Ford (@frank_ford_) back to the show! The two discuss the weightlifting seminar James coached at CrossFit Sona (@crossfitsona) on Saturday, April 24th. Topics include: the importance of taking notes at seminars if you're a coach, the definitions of "ugly" and "beautiful" snatches, why you shouldn't be hard on yourself as a beginner, the difference between drills that isolate parts of the full lifts and the actual snatch and clean and jerk, why you should be stubborn and fight to hold positions, not being a blind follower and not leading others to failure, manipulating teaching progressions to correct movement errors, spending time with the empty bar and practicing positions, Frank making a surprise snatch jump from 115 kilos to 130, some thoughts on Godzilla vs. Kong, and lessons learned from PRs the Sona crew made during the seminar.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

-------------

If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Shaaf Syed (@taco.shaaf) back to the show! Shaaf discusses taking days for himself for mental health and to reset, a breakdown of his mental approach to lifting and how it translates to life outside the gym, changing his physical approach to big lifts and adapting it in the moment, the role music plays in his training, being driven to be better as a weightlifter, setting 30 new personal records since January 1st, reflections on the challenges of training over the last year,  advice for lifters who are feeling impatient waiting for results from their training, why he seeks out extra training, his performance at the ACBC Spring Cleaning weightlifting meet, how he is able to lift and find success in high pressure situations, and observing Ramadan while continuing to train for a meet, balance work and everyday life.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

-------------

If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James discusses one of his first CrossFit competitions: the 2012 Albany CrossFit Tri-State Throwdown. This event was held at Albany CrossFit in Albany, NY on February, 11th 2012. On the show James reads from a blog he wrote years ago recapping his experience, fills in some details that were left out of the article, and offers some lessons that can be learned from mistakes he made as a novice CrossFitter.

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Emely Banguero-Hurtado (@emelybanguero) back to the show! First, the two talk about Emely's experience at her first weightlifting meet. Then, Emely practices being an interviewer by asking James questions on CrossFit methodology. The topics include the 10 General Physical Skills, the relationship between health and fitness, training for technique and intensity, threshold training, the Zone diet, why measuring food is important, the benefits of recovery, common mistakes in CrossFit programming, and why working on weaknesses is important.

The CrossFit Level 1 handbook is a free resource available to the public on CrossFit's website.

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Frank Ford (@frank_ford_) to the show! The two recap the weightlifting meet hosted by the Albany CrossFit Barbell Club on Saturday, March 27th 2021. They give shout outs to the gyms, guest athletes, and all the volunteers who helped make it an awesome event. Frank and James also discuss lessons the they learned from fellow ACBC team member performances, team results, lifting technique, weightlifting programming, running a weightlifting meet, and Frank coaching at a meet for the first time.

"WWE Promos" discussed during the conversation:

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Emely Banguero-Hurtado (@emelybanguero) to the show! Emely discusses pursuing a degree in business management with a concentration in sports management, mistakes gyms make with their marketing, owning her dream gym and the services she would offer, interning at Albany CrossFit, her experiences with CrossFit, training for her first weightlifting meet, her mindset as a competitor, dealing with losing in team and individual sports, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Chris Smith (@longislandweightlifting) to the show! Chris discusses how he entered the sport of weightlifting 30 years ago, training at Lost Battalion Hall Weightlifting, historical figures in NY weightlifting such as Rudy Sablo, Larry Mintz, and Nick Curry, the history of the Metropolitan LWC (@metropolitan_weightlifting), coaching and programming for beginners, correcting technique issues on the snatch and clean and jerk, his experiences in competition, his best training lifts, advice for someone doing their first weightlifting meet, and the upcoming NY State Weightlifting Championships.

Register now open for the New York State Weightlifting Championships!

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Jesse Miner (@ironandfaithfitness) to the show! Jesse discusses his experiences in being a trainer in the fitness industry for 15 years and a co-pastor for 10 years, his mission with Iron and Faith Fitness, the meaning behind "Stronger in Christ, Stronger in Strength", how a person can improve their relationship with their faith and spirituality, what it means to have good spiritual health, having empathy towards other people, and the similarities shared between training through physical activity and working hard to improve one's relationship with their faith.

For easy reference, below are scripture references to personal health and physical training that Jesse discussed on the show:

• “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air." - 1 Corinthians 9:26
• “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” -‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:19-20‬ ‭
• “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” - ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:8‬ 
• “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” - ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:11‬ ‭
• “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” - ‭‭James‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬
• “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” - ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ 

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Dr. Joshua Brown (@sciencebasedchiro) to the show! Dr. Josh discusses his time as a student at SUNY Cortland, his science based approach to chiropractic care and weightlifting training, starting a private practice, competing in weightlifting, his best career lifts to date, coaching at the 2016 University World Championships for Team USA, interning under Jared Enderton, and thoughts on the impact of social media on sports medicine and coaching.

Dr. Josh's (@joshbrown14) office can be found inside Swagler Strength & Performance (@swaglerstrength) located in Auburn, New York.

Learn more about his services at www.sciencebased.net. 

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Joanna Toman (@lilyv81) to the show! Joanna discusses what it's like living with someone obsessed with weightlifting, training considerations for introverts, working as a registered nurse in a psychiatric hospital, memorable experiences at Albany CrossFit and weightlifting meets throughout the years, her experience doing her first weightlifting meet, a renewed commitment to training, advice for introverts looking to do their first competition, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

-------------

If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Albany CrossFit Barbell Club team members Renée Mihail (@rmmihail) and Haley Hahn (@haleyth12) to discuss their experiences competing in the 2021 North American Open Series 1. The AO1 was the first of its kind by featuring both in person and online competition via ZOOM. James, Renée, and Haley discuss their individual thoughts on the event, competition results, coaching through ZOOM, how the event was organized, things that they learned, what they could do to be better for the next competition, and much more!

Special thank you again to ACBC team members Shaaf and Miguel for loading and helping out during both lifting sessions.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

-------------

If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Lester Ho (@lesterhokw) back to the show! Lester discusses giving athletes hope to keep training during multiple shutdowns in Melbourne Australia, whether or not press outs count as PRs in training, basing training off theoretical maxes, the athlete and coach relationship, how coaches can improve their communication skills, how programming can affect athletes psychologically, and how James can finally settle the debate of who is the fastest lifter in the Albany CrossFit Barbell Club.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Frank Ford (@frank_ford_) back to the show! James and Frank discuss Mat Fraser's recent retirement from CrossFit and whether or not he should be in the same conversation as athletes who are almost universally considered the greatest of all time such as Jordan, Gretzky, Pelé, Ali, and Brady. Throughout the discussion many questions were brought up such as: is the term G.O.A.T brought up too often?, is CrossFit too young of a sport to be in the conversation?, how do you decide what sports have their greats put on the level of a Jordan or Ali?, is there a G.O.A.T. of G.O.A.Ts?, and many more. Frank and James also list off their personal Mount Rushmore of G.O.A.Ts from different sports they have followed throughout their lives.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James hands the reigns of the podcast over to his better half, Joanna Toman (@lilyv81). Joanna flips the script and interviews James asking a series of hard hitting questions on topics such as: who he most admires and how they have impacted his life, what accomplishments his younger self would be proud of, what his goals were when he first started training and what those early days were like, what was the hardest obstacle he has overcome, the moment he knew he wanted to be a coach, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Renée Mihail (@rmmihail) back to the show! Renée discusses hiking with the goal of becoming an Adirondack 46er, managing being both a CrossFit athlete and a weightlifter, her experiences before-during-and after her first weightlifting meet, being bit by the competition bug, accomplishing a big end of 2020 strength goal, taking on the December and January USA Weightlifting online qualifiers to add 12 kilos to her competition total in a quest to qualify for the AO1, how sports have impacted her life, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Haley Hahn (@haleyth12) to the show! Haley discusses competing in her second weightlifting meet after the NY lockdown, experiencing and managing anxiety in competitions, an upcoming shakeup in the Team ACBC training room, her experience with COVID-19, setting new PRs after returning to the gym, managing a busy schedule and weightlifting, how sports have impacted her life, and much more! 

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

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Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes

Welcome to THE BARBELL STRIKES BACK!

On this episode James welcomes Catherine Toniatti-Yanulavich (@strongcatty) to the show! Cat discusses her undefeated streak on Barbell Jeopardy, whether or not Brock Lesnar could beat her in trivia, WWE wrestlers and matches, managing injury while pursuing weightlifting, thoughts on her first weightlifting meet, powerlifting meet horror stories, the highland games, why it's important to start working on your passion or start competing in strength sports before you're "ready," qualifying for the 2021 Virtual World Masters Weightlifting Championships, how sports have impacted her life, and much more!

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy!

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If you enjoyed the show please consider leaving a review and 5-star rating.

@thebarbellstrikesback | @jamesamcdermott | @albanycrossfit | @albanycrossfitbarbellclub

-------------

Song: The Mandalorian Theme (Metal Version)

Music provided by Mat Graham of Artificial Fear

Listen to Artificial Fear on Spotify & iTunes