#376 "Racking the Bar," The Future of Coaching, and 40 Years of Strength Wisdom | Dave Tate
Release Date: 10/23/2025
#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...
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#396 Fixing the "Unfixable" Athlete: Non-Surgical Chronic Pain Solutions | Chris Stepien
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Dr. Chris Stepien — founder of Barefoot Rehabilitation Clinic (Denville, NJ) and developer of Adhesion Release Methods. Dr. Chris specializes in helping chronic pain sufferers, especially 30–60 year olds who’ve had pain for 6+ months and have already seen multiple doctors or therapists without real relief. He’s also training high-level manual therapists and clinicians to diagnose and treat adhesion and nerve-entrapment patterns so more people can finally get their lives back. Website: Find a provider: Instagram: @barefootrehab | @adhesionreleasemethods...
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#395 Fake Nattys, Synthol Freaks & Gym Fails (Dave Tate Reacts)
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Dave Tate reacts to the internet’s most viral fitness moments, including Kim Kardashian’s Hollywood workout, Ronnie Coleman's take on the modern era of bodybuilders, and Jeff Nippard’s "perfect" exercise. The Westside Barbell legend breaks down the difference between old-school grit and modern hype, tackling everything from teen steroid abuse to cringe-worthy gym fails. Tune in for an unfiltered reality check on what actually builds muscle and strength versus what is just noise. VIDEOS: JEFF NIPPARD - GREG VALENTINO - JESSE JAMES WEST - WSBB - KIM KARDASHIAN - RONNIE COLEMAN - JOHN...
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#394 The Problem with Modern Powerlifting | Joe Jackson
Dave Tate's Table Talk
Joe Jackson, better known as Delco Jesus, is a 140 kg raw powerlifter, coach, and member of the Delco Spotting Crew from just outside Philadelphia. After battling depression, dropping over 100 pounds, and even going through a period of homelessness, Joe found powerlifting and never looked back. With best competition lifts of 826 lb squat, 463 lb bench, and 744 lb deadlift for a 2017 lb total at 308, he’s competed on big stages like American Pro, Ghost Clash, IPL North Americans, and ABS Series meets. Along the way he’s become known for his faith-driven “Delco...
info_outlineelitefts founder and strength legend Dave Tate is back with his third book, "Racking the Bar." In this deep-dive interview, Dave reveals the raw, unfiltered lessons from over four decades under the bar—and why the fitness industry is about to be cleansed.
Dave holds nothing back, discussing why he believes AI will "eat the lunch" of lazy online coaches, the brutal accountability required to reach your potential, and why focusing on your legacy is a destructive waste of time. This isn't just about lifting weights; it's about the relentless pursuit of self-improvement, the changing perception of a lifter through the decades, and the hard-earned wisdom that can only come from becoming "the guy on the other side of the table."
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