Ditch the PR Obsession: A Smarter Way to Lift for the Long Haul
Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic
Release Date: 04/15/2025
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_outlineOn this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki and Andrew break down what it means to ditch the PR obsession and rethink your entire approach to lifting. If you’ve ever felt burned out chasing endless personal records, this is your permission slip to step off the hamster wheel and build a system that actually works. You’ll learn how to structure your training week, hit every major muscle group with efficiency, and understand the role recovery plays in long-term growth. Whether you’re a seasoned lifter or still finding your groove, this episode delivers the practical mindset shift you need to stay strong for life.
Ditch the PR Obsession: Why SMART Goals Alone Don’t Work
The central theme of this episode — ditch the PR obsession — starts with a mindset shift. Chasing PRs feels great until they slow down, or stop altogether. Then what?
Andrew shares how major goal accomplishments often left him feeling empty, while Nikki reflects on the outdated advice she used to give: "just add weight to the bar." The truth is, progress isn’t linear, and it’s not always measurable by a new number on the bar.
This is where systems thinking comes in — the shift from an all-or-nothing focus on outcomes to valuing consistency, execution, and adaptability in training. Lifters who make this shift find joy and freedom in the process itself.
Build a Week That Works: Training 3–4 Days for Full-Body Strength
Nikki and Andrew lay out a sustainable weekly training template that any lifter can follow. Rather than rigid programming, they present a flexible "menu" of slots — squats, presses, pulls — you can mix and match across 3–4 days per week.
The focus is on efficiency and simplicity: train your knees, hips, and shoulders; hit your arms and back with smart accessories; keep sessions manageable so they can be repeated and adapted.
By using this approach, lifters can ditch the PR obsession and stay in the game long-term. Progress comes not from perfect programs, but from consistent effort over time.
Smart Volume, Real Intensity: How Much Work Is Enough?
Volume isn’t just about doing more — it’s about doing enough of the right kind of work. Andrew explains how 9–20 hard sets per muscle group per week, at 1–3 reps from failure, forms the foundation of meaningful progress.
They also highlight ideal rep ranges for hypertrophy (4–12), the value of variety in set structure (like EMOMs), and why effort matters more than chasing “optimal.”
This perspective helps you create a training plan that isn’t just science-based — it’s sustainable. When you know how to push hard and when to hold back, it becomes easier to keep going — and keep growing.
Accessory Work Isn’t Optional (Especially for Your Arms)
Ever feel like your upper body is lagging behind? You’re not alone. Compound lifts are powerful, but they often fail to fully stimulate smaller muscle groups — especially biceps and triceps.
The solution: don’t neglect accessories. Chin-ups, rows, curls, and triceps work can accelerate progress in your pressing movements and round out your physique.
If your gains have stalled or you feel unbalanced, accessory work might be the piece you’re missing. It’s not fluff — it’s fuel for long-term development.
Recovery: The Most Underrated Lifting Skill
Recovery isn’t sexy, but it’s absolutely essential. Nikki and Andrew talk about what it really looks like to manage stress, adapt, and train consistently without burning out.
Too many lifters equate doing more with doing better — but real growth comes from doing enough, and then recovering. Sleep, food, and rest days are the foundation. You don’t need ice baths or gadgets (unless you want them). You need time, patience, and permission to ditch the PR obsession once and for all.
This isn’t about training less — it’s about training smarter so you can do more, for longer, and with fewer setbacks.
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