Physical Freedom through Nutrition
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Release Date: 02/04/2025
Do You Really Need to Power Clean? Rethinking Explosive Lifts for Lifters Who Train for Life
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Do you really need to power clean to be strong and explosive? For most lifters training for longevity, hypertrophy, and health—not competition—the answer might surprise you. In this episode of Beast Over Burden, part of the Rethinking the Big Lifts series, coaches Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson break down the real purpose of the power clean, who it's actually for, and why there are better options for developing explosive strength without the technical headaches or injury risks. If you’re lifting for life—not for sport—this one’s for you. ✅ What You’ll Learn Why the power clean...
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Is the Overhead Press Worth It? Rebuilding the Most Skipped Lift
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Is the overhead press worth it for most lifters? In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson take a hard look at the most skipped lift in strength training: the overhead press. They break down why it’s often abandoned, what makes it frustrating, and how to rebuild your pressing with smarter technique, variations, and programming for long-term strength and longevity. Whether you’re dealing with shoulder pain, struggling with progress, or questioning if it’s even worth your time, this episode gives you a clear, no-nonsense answer. ✅ What You’ll Learn Why the...
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Does the Deadlift Still Matter? How to Make It Work for Your Life
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Does the deadlift still matter in your training? If you’ve ever felt beat up by barbell pulls or unsure how to keep deadlifting as your goals and body evolve, this episode is for you. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson unpack how the deadlift should serve you—not wear you down. From trap bars to kettlebells, from smart programming to pain management, this is a no-nonsense guide to making the deadlift work for life—not just your PR sheet. 🎧 This is part of the Rethinking the Big Lifts series—where we challenge conventional thinking to build training that’s smarter, sustainable, and...
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Is the Bench Press Overrated? Rethinking Its Role in Your Training
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Is the bench press overrated—or just misunderstood? In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson challenge the default status of the bench press in most lifters’ routines. Whether you’re trying to get stronger, avoid pain, or train for the long haul, this conversation will help you rethink the bench’s role in your program—and whether it’s serving your goals. This is part of the Rethinking the Big Lifts series, where we explore how foundational barbell movements evolve over time and how to train smarter, not just harder. ✅ What You’ll Learn Why the bench...
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What is a Squat? How it Evolves with You for Life
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
What is a squat—really? In this first episode of our new Big Lifts series, strength coaches Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson ask the question many lifters overlook: what are you actually trying to get out of your squat? Whether you’re chasing PRs, trying to age with strength, or just want to move better, this conversation breaks down why your squat should evolve with your goals, your body, and your season of life. Let go of the dogma—and train for you. 💡 What You’ll Learn Why “the squat” isn’t one fixed movement How to define a squat based on your goals What matters more...
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You’re Training Hard, But Are You Progressing?: Why Doing Everything Might Be Slowing You Down
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Are you training nearly every day—strength, cardio, HIIT—and still not seeing the results you want? In this episode of Beast Over Burden, strength coaches Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson tackle a common question: Are you progressing, or just working hard? They break down the sneaky signs of overtraining, the truth about cardio intensity, and how recovery—not more effort—is often the bottleneck to strength, muscle, and long-term health. 💡 Key Takeaways Training hard ≠ guaranteed progress Doing too much can stall strength and muscle gains Most “HIIT” is just moderate...
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The Perfect Program Won't Save You: Train Smarter, Not Harder
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Still searching for the perfect program to fix your fitness? In this episode of Beast Over Burden, strength coaches Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson expose why the “one right plan” mindset is keeping lifters stuck. They break down how perfectionism, rigid programming, and unrealistic expectations sabotage long-term progress—and share smarter, more sustainable ways to train for strength, health, and life. Whether you’re burned out, frustrated, or just tired of starting over, this episode will help you trade pressure for progress. 💡 Key Takeaways (Bullets) The perfect program is a...
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Overcoming the 3 Big Training Pitfalls: Snacking, All-or-Nothing Thinking, & Weak Boundaries
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
This episode tackles overcoming the 3 big training pitfalls that silently sabotage lifters: mindless snacking, all-or-nothing thinking, and poor boundaries. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson break it down with practical tips, real-life stories, and strategies that actually work for strength, longevity, and real-life training. 💡 Key Takeaways (Bullets for Engagement & Search) Identify and overcome the 3 big training pitfalls Why snacks you don’t count still count How “perfect or nothing” leads to burnout Real-world boundary-setting tips for parties, travel, and stress ...
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From Frustrated to Free: A Realistic Guide to Long-Term Strength
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Struggling to stay consistent with strength training? Feel like you're always starting over? In this episode, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson deliver a realistic guide to long-term strength—not hype, not hacks—just what actually works for lasting progress, muscle, and freedom. 💡 Key Takeaways Physical freedom = the ability to adapt and train for life—not just 12-week spurts You don’t need 6 weeks—you need 18–24 months of structured training Muscle = your emergency fund for long-term independence A coach can accelerate your growth and cut years off your learning curve ...
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Training When Life Gets Messy
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Life’s messy—but your strength doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson dive into how to stay strong when life throws curveballs. From missed workouts to surprise illnesses, chaotic travel, or just busy seasons, they reveal how to adapt your training, stay consistent, and keep building strength—without falling into the all-or-nothing trap. 💥 Topics Covered: Why perfection kills progress (and what mindset to replace it with) Programming hacks for crazy schedules, travel, and low-energy days Real-life coaching stories showing how to...
info_outlineGain physical freedom through nutrition. Sustainable nutrition builds a foundation for health and physical freedom.
What is Physical Freedom?
Let's first consider financial freedom, a term often discussed. We define financial freedom as the ability to do what you want with your time. You achieve this because you have earned enough time (in the form of money) to be able to do what you want with your time.
Physical freedom is the ability to be able to do what you want with your body. You earn this through the discipline of healthy training and nutrition habits over time.
You can gain physical freedom through nutrition and exercise habits.
You build habits that support your goals. These habits become joyful. You have agency and the ability to influence your life. Things do not just happen to you. Sometimes things are outside your control (injuries and illnesses). Either way, you roll with the punches and control what you can.
Physical Freedom Through Nutrition: Body Image & Bad Goals
Many of us spend all or most of our lives walking around comparing ourselves to some image or celebrity. For many, that is Bradd Pitt in Fight Club.
Andrew actually experience 6-pack abs and extreme leanness in an environment he would never want to recreate, where he was training like crazy, had little freedom and was undereating.
Later, Andrew learned how to build sustainable habits that did not require extreme diets. He actually was able to enjoy the process and sustain that level of leanness. He had built habits that supported his goals. The Brad Pitt goal was a false idol.
Physical Freedom Through Nutrition: Love the Process
Learning to love the process really matters. Both Andrew and Niki have found themselves able to enjoy periods such as the holidays, where they kick back a bit, enjoy more alcohol, more desserts, but do not eat to physical discomfort.
Ironically, when Andrew had less healthy habits, he was more anxious about holiday periods, felt he could not enjoy them, but regularly ate until he was physically sick.
Approaching these periods with the long-term in mind, no anxiety, and knowing you can enjoy them but that includes enjoying yourself after the meal (not feeling sick) is sustainable and healthy.
Achieve physical freedom through nutrition.
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