Progressive Rehab & Strength

In this follow-up episode, Drs. Rori Alter, PT, and Alyssa Haveson, PT, delve into the critical decisions powerlifters face when selecting a weight class for competition. Building on their previous conversation about the timing of entering a meet, they explore the key factors that influence whether you should cut weight, bulk up, or stay at your current body weight to optimize your performance. In this episode, they answer essential questions like: How do powerlifting weight classes work, and who are you actually competing against? What factors should influence your decision to lose weight or gain weight for a competition? When is it a smart strategy to cut weight (and how to do it safely), versus bulking for powerlifting? Should you train at a heavier body weight relative to your weight class? What’s the difference between a weight cut and a water cut—and when should you do either? When is it time to change weight classes, and how does this impact your personal records (PRs)? How does gaining or losing weight affect your strength, technique, and overall performance? Should you outgrow a weight class, and what are the signs? If you're wondering how to make the right weight class choice for your next competition—or if you're unsure whether to bulk or cut—this episode is packed with expert advice on how to navigate these tough decisions!   Resources mentioned in this episode: Weigh-in & Meet Day Eating Guide Episode #24: Danny Lennon, MSc - Cutting & Confining to a Powerlifting Weight Class | A Decision Hierarchy      If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on  Apple or Spotify.   Free Resources! By opening this email you have exclusive premier access to our FREE, brand-spankin’-new Powerlifting Meet Day Guide and Meet Day Checklist!  Our PRS Powerlifting Meet Guide is a comprehensive guide that walks you through every aspect of your meet day from start to finish so you feel confident, knowledgeable, and supported throughout your meet.  This guide covers federation rules, packing the perfect meet bag, and navigating weigh-ins, equipment checks, and the warm-up area.  Detailed tips on timing warm-ups, managing flights and lifting order, and commands will ensure you are prepared for every phase of the competition. Additional insights include nutrition timing, strategies for staying focused, and how handlers can best support you if you’re using one.  Our practical, step-by-step checklist is the ultimate powerlifting meet preparation tool. From packing your meet bag to tracking warm-up and attempt timing, this printable checklist ensures you don’t forget any of the details. Simply check off each task to reduce stress so you can focus on lifting your best. Our Meet Day Checklist is the perfect way to ensure you stay organized and confident without forgetting anything. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced competitor, these resources provide everything you need for a smooth and successful meet day. Download them here to take the guess work out of meet-day logistics!   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery     Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com  Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

When people get into barbell training as their form of exercise, they’ll at some point ask the question, “should I do a powerlifting meet?” After just over a year hiatus from the PRS Podcast, Drs Rori Alter and Alyssa Haveson are back with the first in a series of five podcast episodes on all elements of powerlifting competitions.  In these five episodes they will cover exactly what you need to know to do well in your first powerlifting competition all the way to the international powerlifting platform.  In this episode of the PRS Podcast we cover: Where we’ve been and what we’ve been up to over the last year Introduce Dr. Alyssa Haveson’s background as a competitor and elite competitive powerlifting coach and the three elements she brings to the table for game day powerlifting coaching How a person gets into recreational or competitive powerlifting for the first time What it means to do a competition and how do we choose it at the right time? The two ways the topic of doing a powerlifting competition comes up with a novice lifter The Questions: “How strong should I be to do my first competition?” - and does it matter? One of the most intimidating parts of competition for new powerlifters Why the question, “What goals do you have for me?” isn’t the best question for a powerlifter to ask their coach Who you are actually competing against in powerlifting competitions The 7 goals for the novice powerlifting competitor Three types of Novice Powerlifting Competitors Important things for the higher level powerlifting athlete to consider when choosing competitions    If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Free Resources! By opening this email you have exclusive premier access to our FREE, brand-spankin’-new Powerlifting Meet Day Guide and Meet Day Checklist!  Our PRS Powerlifting Meet Guide is a comprehensive guide that walks you through every aspect of your meet day from start to finish so you feel confident, knowledgeable, and supported throughout your meet.  This guide covers federation rules, packing the perfect meet bag, and navigating weigh-ins, equipment checks, and the warm-up area.  Detailed tips on timing warm-ups, managing flights and lifting order, and commands will ensure you are prepared for every phase of the competition. Additional insights include nutrition timing, strategies for staying focused, and how handlers can best support you if you’re using one.  Our practical, step-by-step checklist is the ultimate powerlifting meet preparation tool. From packing your meet bag to tracking warm-up and attempt timing, this printable checklist ensures you don’t forget any of the details. Simply check off each task to reduce stress so you can focus on lifting your best. Our Meet Day Checklist is the perfect way to ensure you stay organized and confident without forgetting anything. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced competitor, these resources provide everything you need for a smooth and successful meet day. Download them here to take the guess work out of meet-day logistics!   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery     Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com  Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

Rori and team are taking a quick break from podcasting for the fall. Stay tuned, though, because they'll be back soon with more podcasts!   In the meantime, check out the PRS website (link below) as well as the many other resources PRS offers.     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

Shoulder surgery is one of the most painful and debilitating surgeries that we see people go through. Because of this and the comparable outcomes of physical therapy relative to shoulder surgery, we encourage powerlifters to exhaust all conservative options before having shoulder surgery.   Shoulder surgeries seem to be the most challenging for people to deal with because it affects so many things: Personal hygiene Driving Feeding yourself Putting on and taking off shirts Sleeping Cooking  Grocery shopping  And much more   Contrary to popular belief, barbell training and powerlifting alone do not usually cause most of the “injuries” associated with the shoulder. Things like rotator cuff tears and tendinopathies, labral tears, “impingement,” etc. are all things that affect the general population. So it’s more likely that training volume, intensity, and barbell techniques are irritating a shoulder that already has some of this going on. And it’s more than possible to reduce symptoms and make a full recovery without surgery.   Dr. Rori Alter and Dr. John Petrizzo discuss common shoulder injuries that affect barbell training and strategies for managing and rehabbing them, including physical therapy, training modifications, medical interventions such as cortisone injections, and finally, surgery.     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

The shoulder is one of the most commonly injured areas of the body in the sport of powerlifting and strength training. But injuring your shoulder does not mean you should stop training. Barbell lift modifications can be made so you can continue to powerlift while you rehabilitate your shoulder injury.   In this episode of the PRS Podcast the Clinical Coaches discuss our algorithm for technique modification to allow you, your clients, or patients to continue to train each powerlift while rehabilitating a shoulder injury. Additionally, we discuss how you can continue to train your whole body early on after having shoulder surgery and what early return-to-sport for powerlifting  looks like.   We break down technique modifications and return-to-powerlifting after surgery via a discussion on each lift so there is no reason why your athleticism should decrease when you are recovering from a shoulder surgery or injury.    Resources mentioned in this episode: Pain & Injuries Part 1 Pain & Injuries Part 2 Pain & Injuries Part 3 Barbell Strap    If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

The shoulder is one of the most common sites of injury in powerlifting and barbell training because it is involved in every single powerlift. So in order to protect yourself from shoulder pain or injury, it’s important to have good bar placement, grip width, and shoulder position to optimize force production while minimizing extraneous forces on the shoulder.   In this episode of the PRS Podcast we discuss not just the functional anatomy of the shoulder and the four joints it’s composed of, but how it functions in each lift and how you should move to reduce your risk for injury while getting as strong as possible.    This episode is broken down by lift and common myths or misconceptions about technique and the shoulder in barbell training.   The Shoulder In The Squat: What are some misconceptions people have about bar placement, stability, and grip width in the squat? How does the shoulder impact grip width and bar position in the squat?   The Shoulder In The Bench Press: How does arching your back improve bench press execution and support muscle development?  Why does excessive arching in the bench press create a problem at the shoulder? Why do we want to maintain tightness and not sink the bar into the chest when bench pressing? Why is the idea of tucking and flaring during the bench press problematic for the shoulder?   The Shoulder In The Deadlift: What role do the lats pla in the deadlift? How does the role of the lats in the deadlift influence our back/shoulder angle?   The Shoulder In The Overhead Press: Why is overhead feared by doctors and physical therapists? How do you protect from impingement in the shoulder while overhead pressing?   If you’re a chiropractor, physical therapist, medical doctor, strength coach, or student clinician, this episode is a great review and application tutorial regarding the foot and ankle in barbell training.   If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

Chiropractic adjustments are often used for the treatment of neck pain and headaches. However, there is an increasing awareness that cervical spine manipulation may not be safe, therefore it’s important to know the risks, benefits, and alternatives when determining if cervical spine adjustments are best for you.    There is a strong relationship between the structures of the neck and head with balance and performance in barbell training and powerlifting. This is why we coach people to maintain a neutral neck posture in line with the rest of their spine and to focus their eyes on a specific point close to their bodies while executing the powerlifts.   Not considering and adhering to sound technique in the cervical spine may lead to neck pain, headaches, dizziness, or injuries in barbell training. This may lead you to seek out the care of a chiropractor for manipulation or adjustment of the cervical spine for neck pain or other disorders of the head and neck. But is chiropractic adjustment of the cervical spine safe and what you need?   In this episode of the PRS Podcast, our hosts sit down to discuss Dr. Taylor Goldberg, DC who discusses the efficacy and safety of cervical spine manipulation.    There are many other treatments that can provide the same benefit in a safer capacity One of the iIssue with traditional chiropractors is they market themselves as the only way to fix symptoms and make someone healthier. The narrative and language used by traditional chiropractors scares people into believing they need adjustments forever and it is the only way to feel well Chiropractic manipulation isn’t doing what it says it’s doing because… Bad palpation skills Not adjusting the level we think we are adjusting Bones don’t move Medical Subluxation & Chiropractic Subluxation are different confusing people about the mechanism of their pain  Contraindications to manipulating the cervical spine and when WOULD she recommend and use cervical spine manipulation? How are the neck, ears, jaw, and eyes connected to dizziness and balance How might movement of the neck while lifting cause dizziness or fainting Is there truly bad posture and how does that influence neck pain? Types of headaches stemming from our traps and how they are different from migraines Cervicogenic headaches  Tension headaches Where does botox fit into the treatment of cervicogenic and tension headaches?   Some of Taylor’s Educational Articles: Hypermobility & Adjustments What is an Adjustment?    Connect with Taylor @theyhypermobilechiro on Instagram     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

In a perfect world, you should pull all the slack out of the bar and body system in the deadlift set up. The deadlift should leave the floor in a very smooth, quiet manner. You shouldn’t hear the bar, yank it, or get excessive body movement before the bar leaves the ground.  In this What We Saw Wednesday episode of the PRS Podcast, Dr. Alyssa Haveson reviews a PRS client’s form check video where we see a very jerky deadlift start.    She discusses: What these deadlift set-up errors look and sound like The importance of why the slack must be pulled out before the deadlift is executed some strategies to address these issues How to make sure you pull out the slack and maintain it before lifting the bar   To view what this deadlift error looks like and the weekly form check that his PRS Coach Rori provided, check out the video here!     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

Neck tweaks and dizziness can sometimes occur with barbell training and powerlifting. So if you’ve ever wondered why you get dizzy when you lift heavy, why you tweaked your neck from the overhead press, where you should look when you squat, etc., you should understand that your eye gaze and neck position is very important when you lift heavy.     The neck is a region of the body that does not actively contribute to the bar moving up in the squat, bench press, overhead press or deadlift. Therefore, we consider the neck joints accessory joints rather than mover joints. While it’s impossible for the neck to stay completely still when you lift it should be your goal to keep it as still as possible and reduce the amount of position change that occurs as the rest of your body moves in space.    Our eyes also play a significant role in our overall lifting experience and execution so we should be very specific with what we are doing with our eyes as well.    The role of eye gaze in barbell training is to: Provide visual feedback about the environment/where our body is in space Maintain as much neutrality in our neck as possible to support the function or structures in our neck and inner ear that promote balance and equilibrium   At Progressive Rehab & Strength, we have a few general rules for eye gaze and neck position that applies to all exercises, including non-barbell/non-powerlifts: The cervical spine or neck and head are extensions of the spine and should remain in line with the rest of the spine throughout the lift If the cervical spine cannot remain in neutral throughout the lift, it should be positioned at the start and end of the lift such that it is positioned in neutral during the most stressful parts of the lift The eyes should be positioned perpendicular to the line of the spine when it is at its most neutral position during the lift   In this episode of the PRS Podcast we dive deeply into our eye gaze and neck position recommendations for each barbell lift. For some lifts this is obvious,for others it is not. Check out the full episode to learn how to improve the execution of your lifts while reducing injury to your neck.     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

The unrack of the overhead press should put you in the right start position. Yet you may be unracking poorly causing a higher energy expenditure, stress on the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, and putting you in a poor position to start the overhead press.    In this What We Saw Wednesday episode, Dr. Alyssa Haveson reviews this video of an Overhead Press and identifies a common unracking mistake.    She then goes on to review two types of overhead press unracking mistakes and how to properly unrack the overhead press so you don’t hurt yourself and can perform the lift well.     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Need help with an injury or programming? Book a free consultation call with one of the PRS Clinical Coaches here!   Interested in attending some of the free PRS community events and getting early access to PRS Podcast episodes? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59    Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

Cervical radiculopathy is a common condition of the neck that can result in a multitude of symptoms radiating in the arm, including muscle weakness. Acute weakness with the bench press can be a sign that something is impinging a nerve in your neck but when addressed appropriately, you can regain your strength effectively.   Chris Rzany experienced the acute onset of pec and triceps weakness in his bench press from one day to the next. He knew something was wrong and needed medical attention when he could barely bench press the empty bar where previously he was bench pressing 260lbs.   In an effort to preserve his physical health he sought immediate medical attention from an orthopedist, underwent imaging, and other testing, with no conclusive diagnosis to the root cause of his cervical radiculopathy.   Through his recovery journey there were ups and downs, relapses of his symptoms, but eventually, with the brief help from PRS Clinical Coach, Dr. Rori Alter, Chris was able to understand the root of his injury, his training program.   In this episode of the PRS Podcast, Chris and Dr. Rori Alter sit down and discuss his journey from severe cervical radiculopathy back to the powerlifting platform and hitting a raw powerlifting bench press PR.   In this episode you’ll learn how volume, intensity, frequency, recovery, and novel stimuli played into his injury. And he’ll also discuss how he stopped the relapse/remission cycle through monitoring training intensity.    Connect with Chris: IG - @crzany75 Email  - chris_rzany@yahoo.com     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Proper squat depth is defined as the hip crease falling below the top of the knee cap. If you find yourself doing a high squat on the first rep and then the subsequent squat reps are to depth, you likely lack confidence, aka Squatfidence.    When technique is not the issue, two signs you lack confidence in your squat include: The first squat rep is high and the remaining squat reps are of appropriate depth.  The last squat rep is to appropriate depth but all previous are slightly high.    When either of these happen it means you have the strength and technique to perform a squat to depth with the load you are using, you just aren’t confident.   Listen to this less-than-five-minute episode to learn how to combat it!   If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

How you position your gaze and maintain your neck position when you lift is important. Your body’s balance responds to your neck and eye position so when you are barbell training, it’s important to keep your neck still and your eyes fixed to one point.    The position of the cervical spine when you lift is extremely important because many of the muscles that support the bar and shoulders attach to the cervical spine. Additionally, the neurovascular structures responsible for innervating the limbs, brain, and organs all pass through the neck.    When we do not pay close attention to the position of our neck and eye gaze while weight training, you may experience some problems like: Tension headaches Dizziness Radicular pain in the arms Upper extremity weakness Stiff neck   Why do you get dizzy, headaches, a stiff neck, etc. when you barbell train? Stiffness in shoulders, hips, or thoracic spine causes you to get  range from another area in the body. The position of the bar relative to your neck causes tension on the neurovascular structures in the neck. Too much movement in the cervical spine when you lift. This area should remain stable to protect the joints and neurovascular structures which aren’t meant to be loaded as much as the other areas of the body    In this episode of the PRS Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Rori Alter and Dr. Alyssa Haveson discuss position of the cervical spine and neck injuries in barbell training and powerlifting.   If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Despite undergoing a below knee amputation, Bruce Trout never gave up barbell training. In fact, he made a career out of it. After a major accident that cost him his leg, Bruce Trout realized strength training saved his life and continues to inspire people to barbell strength train despite the odds, as if their life depends on it.   It’s easy to give up and fall into a depression when a major injury threatens to take away your abilities. It’s even easier to do so when it’s not just an injury but a major trauma that takes away your leg and threatens your life.   In this episode strength coach, Bruce Trout, shares how his experience getting hit by a car and losing his leg was influenced by strength training and how his accident influenced him as a trainee and coach.    The purpose of this podcast interview is to help athletes feel less alone when experiencing serious injuries affecting one or more limbs. As well, we hope to provide coaches and clinicians with tools to help barbell athletes process their injuries and continue to train even when training is not ideal. Hopefully this interview will provide you with some tools for managing training and rehab around lower limb/non-weight bearing injuries.   Bruce was in a car accident in 2019 which resulted in the loss of his lower left leg. He attributes the fact that he only lost a leg and not his life to his commitment to the Starting Strength Method. Since his recovery, Bruce has found his calling to help other individuals find their own strength and live a longer and fuller life through coaching at Starting Strength Columbus.   Bruce Trout shares his story about losing his leg and barbell training and coaching with a prosthetic limb. In this episode we cover: How he lost his leg What was the driving force to push him through the initial injury How strength training saved his life and influenced his recovery process His experience with phantom pain How he progressed training initially after getting out of the hospital and once he received his prosthetic leg  Why he can’t squat and how his right leg picks up the slack plus other challenges he faces training his amputated leg The role of physical therapy after an amputation The biggest lessons he learned from his accident   Connect with Bruce on Instagram @brucebruce28  Resources mentioned: Article about Bruce Trout’s accident  Harder to Kill by Bruce Trout Starting Strength Columbus Gym   If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

If you’re a weightlifter or powerlifter you may be wondering if your ankle mobility is affecting your squat depth and that it’s something to address before getting under the barbell. For good reason, the internet has been raging about ankle mobility being a major cause of squat depth issues for the last few years. But we’ll argue that your ankle mobility isn’t affecting your squat.   Most people have depth issues related to:   Poor coaching Poor body awareness The load simply being too heavy  The leg being in a poor position to allow proper depth   If you can do the following, you have the ankle range of motion to squat to depth: Walk normally, comfortably, without an atypical gait patternGo up and down normal height stairsPut your feet flat when sitting on a normal-to-low toilet    In the absence of a massive injury, prolonged immobilization of the ankle, or neurological condition affecting tone, the majority of people have enough range of motion to squat to depth without ankle mobility (or hamstring length, since I know you’re thinking that too) causing the issue.   In this episode of the PRS Podcast, Clinical Coach Dr. Rori Alter, PT, PRSCC, SSC shares her own story of an ankle mobility deficit that didn’t affect her squat. In fact, most people have asymmetries in size and range of motion from side to side and it’s considered normal and generally does not affect barbell training and therefore doesn’t need to be addressed.   However, Dr. Rori shares her ankle mobility deficit story to help you see when and why you might address it and what the best exercises are to address ankle mobility. The ironic thing is that she decided to address her ankle mobility issue because of pain from running and used the squat to address it. Funny how that is the opposite of what most people think.   If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Weightlifting shoes are one of the most essential pieces of equipment that powerlifters and barbell strength athletes benefit from. There is no “one-size-fits-all” rule when it comes to what weightlifting shoe is right for you but there are specific things you should consider. Here are 5 things you need to consider when choosing what lifting shoe is right for you!   Stiffness & compressibility of the weightlifting shoe material stability Stability that the shoe provides mediolaterally and front to back What lifts you will be using the shoe for How the weightlifting shoe and your anthropometry work together to improve your biomechanics Any injuries you have or may have recovered from   The goal of this podcast is to provide insight into the purpose of lifting shoes as a whole and per lift. By the end of this episode we hope you’ll have new insight and confidence in selecting the right lifting shoe for you, your budget, and goals. For coaches and clinicians we hope to help you better provide recommendations based on the needs, abilities, and injuries of your clients.   In this episode of the PRS Podcast we discuss:   The purpose of lifting shoe The features we are looking for in a lifting shoe Similarities and differences in our philosophies about lifting shoes Some elements of a shoe that may help/hinder ankle mobility when lifting  We also discuss considerations around helping you purchase the right shoe. We answer: "Should I buy a belt or lifting shoes first?”  “How do you help justify the cost of a higher quality shoe? “If you had to choose ONE shoe to recommend to a new lifter, what shoe would it be and why?”     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Tearing your Achilles tendon is a major injury that may require surgery. While some people can recover from an Achilles rupture without surgery, some will require surgery in order to return to highly ballistic and plyometric sports like gymnastics and olympic weightlifting.   Stacie Barber, PT is a physical therapist, nationally competitive weightlifter, recreational gymnastics, and PT practice owner of The Physio Fix sustained a full rupture of her Achilles tendon at her first annual holiday party. While this injury was devastating emotionally and physically, it did not happen during her chosen sport, but rather during a Ninja Warrior holiday party!   After the shock of the injury wore off, Stacie connected with an orthopedic surgeon regarding her options for recovery. Just three days after the injury Stacie underwent surgery and returned to work two days later. The main factor in deciding to go the surgical route for the Achilles rupture was that there was a 9 cm gap between both ends of the torn tendon and no overlap when she was put in full plantar flexion. This meant that there was little opportunity for the tendon to heal itself.   In this episode of the PRS Podcast, Dr. Stacie Barbell shares the story of her recovery after the surgery, how she continued to train and maintain her strength the whole time, and the process by which she returned to olympic weightlifting and gymnastics after the Achilles rupture with surgery.   In this episode we discuss: What clinical factors lead to the decision to have Achilles rupture repair surgery How her post-op protocol for Achilles surgery varied from the typical protocol and why Footwear and assistive devices for Achillies repairs and how they helped/hindered Complications she experienced after the surgery and the process to address them How she continued to train without interruption post injury  Kneeling & seated lifts to continue to train olympic lifts How long it took and how she progressed to get back to full ROM, heavy power and olympic lifts The timeline and progression for reintroducing gymnastics The importance of asking for help Insurance processes for covering the pre-surgical imaging, surgery, and assistive devices post-op The benefits of going out-of-pocket for post surgical return to sport physical therapy How this surgery changed Stacie as a clinician    Dr. Stacie Barber is the founder and owner of The Physio Fix, which was established in 2017. Stacie received her B.S. in Exercise Science from Illinois State University in 2011 where she was also an NCAA student-athlete, earning several honors in the sport of gymnastics. After undergrad, Stacie went on to become a strength and performance coach, furthering her knowledge of exercise prescription and implementation before pursuing her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree which she obtained from Duke University in 2015.    As a former collegiate gymnast and current Olympic Weightlifter, Dr. Stacie has had her fair share of orthopedic injuries and surgeries (11 surgeries to be exact!), so she understands how detrimental an injury can be for an athlete at any level. Therefore, she spends a lot of time with patients analyzing their movement patterns, identifying deficits, and improving body mechanics to not only fix the current problem but to also prevent further compensations and degeneration.    Get in Touch with Stacie! @ThePhysioFix on IG The Physio Fix website   Resources Mentioned in this Episode: #52 - Functional Anatomy of the Foot & Ankle in Barbell Training with Dr. John Petrizzo, PT, PRSCC, CSCS, SSC How to Train with one leg The Physio Fix Achilles Protocol Program (for purchase from The PhysioFix) Stacie’s Achilles Rupture & Repair Blog (1 full year on Youtube)     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Powerlifting is a relatively safe sport in that the risk for injury is far less than contact and team sports and still less than Crossfit and weightlifting. Foot and ankle injuries directly caused by powerlifting are extremely rare. In fact, most injuries of the foot and ankle that affect your ability to powerlift occur outside of training. If they do occur as a result of barbell training, they are usually caused by a weight room accident.   You may feel that because a foot or ankle injury affects the way you walk or how you bear weight on your foot, that you shouldn’t squat or deadlift. However, in most cases, barbell training can and should be uninterrupted due to a foot or ankle injury. If you can put the foot down, you can perform the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. The reason this is the case is because there is little to no ankle movement and there should be no foot movement during the powerlifts.    In this 10 Minute Tip podcast episode we encourage you to keep training in appropriate ways with respect to foot and ankle injuries in three categories and exactly how to do that: Chronic conditions: Bunions Plantar fasciitis Weight Bearing injuries Stress fractures Ankle sprains Tendonopathy Non-weight bearing injuries Post surgical Fractures     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Tearing your Achilles tendon is a major injury that may require surgery. But do you need to have surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon? Surgery is not the only answer and it is possible to return to powerlifting and continue to hit PRs if you work hard and continue to barbell train during the rehabilitation process.   Martin Hsieh is a physical therapist, parent of five children, recreational basketball player, and competitive powerlifter. In July of 2022 he sustained a full rupture of his Achilles tendon. Like most foot and ankle injuries that affect one’s ability to barbell train, this injury was not sustained while powerlifting, but during a recreational league basketball game.    After the shock of the injury wore off, Martin consulted with a few of his physical therapy associates, and two orthopedists regarding his options for recovery. After a few weeks he decided that it was in his best interest to approach his Achilles rehabilitation without surgery and shares the story of his return to competitive powerlifting in less than a year.    In this episode of the PRS Podcast we discuss: How he tore his Achilles tendon playing basketball and what factors played into the injury presenting itself in that moment The role that fatigue accumulation plays in injury development The two injuries he wouldn’t want to sustain given his experience as a physical therapist Why he elected not to have surgery to repair a full rupture of his Achilles tendon and how he approach rehab insead When he resumed barbell training and what modifications he to help him continue without interruption What he would differently if he tore his Achilles again If and how he plans to go back to playing basketball after an Achilles rupture His best piece of advice for injured athletes when determine what course of action to take next   The purpose of this podcast interview is to help athletes feel less alone when experiencing serious injuries affecting one or both limbs. As well, we provide coaches and clinicians with tools to help barbell athletes process their injuries and continue to train even when training is not ideal.    Martin graduated from University of Maryland College Park in 2008 with a BS in cell biology and molecular genetics. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2012 from University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Martin is a board certified myofascial trigger point therapist who performs trigger point dry needling as well as a level II certified instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization clinician.    He believes that making his patients stronger and moving better with less pain is the key to improving their quality of life. He is an advocate for strength training for patients of all ages and incorporates barbell, kettlebell, and body weight exercises into his treatment regularly. Physical therapy does not have to be therabands and boring table exercises!   In his free time Martin enjoys spending time with his family, basketball, and golf. Since 2014 he has become a semi-competitive powerlifter and is currently a top 100 lifter in the nation in his weight class. He continues to pursue his powerlifting goal in his free time and plans to compete nationally if the timing is right.   Connect with Martin on Instagram @needles_and_deadlifts     If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs

Injuries are unavoidable, and sometimes you may end up with an injury or surgery that leaves you non-weight bearing. You may think you must stop all powerlifting while recovering from injuries or surgeries affecting your legs. However, we encourage you to modify your movements and mindset to continue your barbell training without interruption.    Common injuries and surgeries that may affect your ability to barbell train are quad and Achilles tendon repairs, labral repairs or FAI surgery, ACL reconstructions, knee scopes, or even ankle sprains or fractures. All injuries vary in the length of time it takes to fully heal from them, how much weight you can bear through the limb, and your movement ability at each leg joint.  However, this does not mean you have to stop training, it simply means you have to find a way to continue to train as best as possible.   When designing a powerlifting program to accommodate a leg injury or surgery, we need to consider a few things: Can you bear weight through the affected leg? Are you able to bend your knee? Is it safe for you to maneuver weight plates yourself? What equipment do you have access to besides a power rack, barbell, and weight plates?   Considering all this, we can formulate a training program that allows us to continue training the upper and lower body with little interruption after a significant injury or surgery to one of your legs.   In this 10-Minute Tip Podcast episode, we discuss specific modifications to powerlifting and barbell training for all of these scenarios. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 56 Alternatives to Barbell Train Around Mobility or Injury Limitations (Article)      If you’re enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.   Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery    Got questions or guests you'd like to hear on the show? Submit them here: https://forms.gle/7Vu2HmgHoeQY9xM59  Check out the Clinical Barbell Coaching Institute to learn more about the PRS education opportunities! https://bit.ly/43VjRFz Get in touch with the show! Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com Email: podcast@progressiverehabandstrength.com Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs Bre IG: @breannejulia_prs