#374 Your RPE is a LIE. Here's How to Find Your TRUE Max Effort | Ben Pauli
Release Date: 10/14/2025
#406 Any Idiot Can Make You Tired (The Professionalism Crisis) | Jack Lovett
Dave Tate's Table Talk
The industry says you need more certifications, but the truth is you just need to be undeniable. Jack Lovett walked away from a stable government career and flew to New Jersey with no winter coat and an empty bank account because he knew that "good enough" coaching was a death sentence for a dream. From training Tier 1 special forces to building the UK’s premier warehouse gym, his journey is a masterclass in why high standards and results-based strength are the only true currencies in a saturated market. Inside the Episode: The Spartan Credo: Why "with it or on it" is the operating...
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#405 The 50% Testosterone Drop: The Hidden Cost of "The Grind." | Allan Bacon
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Most people believe that mastering your physique requires a radical sacrifice of your professional sanity, but the reality is that the most elite transformations happen through calculated precision rather than brute force. Dr. Allan Bacon spent a decade operating as a dental surgeon before walking away from the clinic to prove that the same clinical rigor used in surgery could be applied to human metabolism and performance. After watching his father battle cancer, he realized that fitness isn't just about vanity—it’s about building a physiological fortress that can weather any storm life...
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#404 Stop Drinking Water: Why Every Elite Athlete is Doing Hydration Wrong | Nathan Payton
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Your nutrition protocol is failing not because of your effort, but because you are ignoring the biological godfather that dictates every gram of muscle gained and every ounce of fat burned. Before Nathan Payton was the architect behind eight World’s Strongest Man titles, he was a Duke-trained specialist navigating the clinical reality of integrative medicine to bridge the gap between science and the most extreme physical demands on the planet. By mastering the delicate art of insulin modulation, he transformed a career of observation into a proprietary methodology that has kept his athletes...
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#403 The Peptide Gray Area: Crossing the Line in 2026 | Anthony Castore
Dave Tate's Table Talk
EPISODE DESCRIPTION The industry lied to you: performance isn’t built on a squat rack—it’s engineered at the cellular level. Most coaches are guessing with your biology, while Anthony Castore has spent thirty years proving them wrong. Before becoming the bridge between elite medicine and the weight room, Castore was a student of the “Old Guard,” forged in the high-stakes environments of Westside Barbell and mentored by legends like John Meadows and Charles Poliquin. He didn’t just learn strength—he witnessed the systemic breakdown of high performers following conventional...
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#402 11 Years of Ballroom Dancing Made Him This Strong | Adam Roszkowski
Dave Tate's Table Talk
In this episode, we dive into the extraordinary “Triple-Threat” career of Adam "Rosco" Roszkowski, one of the most uniquely versatile athletes in modern strength training. We explore the mental and physical shift required to transition from the grace of competitive ballroom dancing to the gridiron of American football, and finally to the world stage of Strongman. This conversation breaks down the blueprint for athletic performance, elite-level muscle development, and the relentless discipline needed to secure five Strongman Champions League (SCL) titles and a spot at the World’s...
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#401 The Most Overlooked Part of the 800lb Bench | Nick Benerakis
Dave Tate's Table Talk
In this episode, we sit down with Nick Benerakis, the mastermind behind Big Benchas, to deconstruct the technical precision required for elite strength training and world-class athletic performance. With 13 years of experience in the trenches of powerlifting, Nick shares the secrets of the equipped bench press and how he navigated the journey to a massive 820 lb multi-ply lift. We explore the nuances of meet-day execution and the high-level coaching strategies that turn standard lifting into a pursuit of performance longevity and record-breaking strength. Meet the Guest Nick Benerakis...
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#400 The Strength Athlete's B-Plan: How to Pivot | Anthony Diehl & Aaron Chappel
Dave Tate's Table Talk
In this episode, Anthony Diehl and Aaron Chappel from MODUS pull back the curtain on the "Longevity Arc" of elite strength. From World’s Strongest Man stages to the life-changing reality of metabolic health, we break down why the "Meathead Identity" is dead and how to build a B-Plan that actually saves lives. We discuss the transition from "Big and Fat" powerlifting to a "Metabolism-First" approach, proving that muscle is more than just for show—it is your primary defense against chronic disease. MEET THE GUESTS Anthony Diehl (Founder, MODUS): A pro-level strongman and coach who...
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#399 Powerlifting Rivalry 2026: This Pro Athlete is Making a Massive Mistake | Zachary Zeus Smith
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Zachary “Zeus” Smith is the owner of Flex Gym (Virginia Beach) and a veteran Powerlifting Coach who has spent a lifetime in Rugby and Combat Sports learning exactly which "investments" actually bear fruit. Whether he’s building high-performance athletes through elite gym culture or "generously" using Joe Jackson’s horoscope to predict his rival’s inevitable downfall, Zeus’s coaching is rooted in high standards and higher stakes. He specializes in developing lifters who perform when it counts, proving that while horoscopes might be a joke, the Legacy he’s building is anything but....
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#398 How to Stop Wasting Force: The Power of Globalized Core Training | Josh Miller
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Josh Miller, founder of NTBFW Training Systems and UNC Chapel Hill Exercise Science alumnus, is a strength coach and powerlifter specializing in globalized core training and force transfer. This episode explores building a 'coordinated unit' to manage spinal stenosis and herniated discs while utilizing conjugate principles and block-style organization. Miller also breaks down his 'Other 22 Hours' performance system and the use of natural ergogenic aids to ensure long-term progress for advanced lifters without getting 'lost in the weeds.' Josh Miller: Website: Instagram: ...
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#397 In-Season Strength Training: How 100% of Our Team Hit PRs | Michael Brinson
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Michael Brinson is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Jackson Academy athletics and a competitive powerlifter with a 2155 raw total. He’s coached performance at every level, from collegiate football programs (Southern Miss, Kansas, Liberty, Missouri) to Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne bringing a no-BS approach to building strong, fast, resilient athletes. Follow Michael: Instagram: @brinson_strength X: @Coach_Brinson_ Coaching Inquiry + Links: linktr.ee/brinsonmichael7 Become an elitefts channel member for early access to Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast and...
info_outlineWe welcome Ben Pauli to this episode of Dave Tate’s Table Talk Podcast!
As the Athletic Director of Rochester Performance Gym (RPG), co-founder of Coaching Revolution, and owner of Michigan BarBenders Barbell, Ben brings a unique blend of Conjugate methodology and data-driven auto-regulation to the strength world. A seasoned multi-ply powerlifter with best lifts of 1,107 lb squat, 810 lb bench, and 810 lb deadlift, his “strain as a skill” philosophy reflects a mindset built on grit, adaptability, and precision. From first-time lifters to UFC contenders, Ben’s ability to develop resilient, high-performing athletes has cemented his reputation as one of the most respected coaches in modern strength training.
CONNECT WITH BEN
- Instagram: @coach_p_strength
- Coaching Revolution: coaching-revolution.com
- Michigan BarBenders: michiganbarbenders.com
- Rochester Performance Gym: rpg-strength.com
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