“The rule is: the basics are the basics and you can’t beat the basics.” — Charles Poliquin

Charles Poliquin (@strengthsensei) is one of the best known strength coaches in the world. He has trained elite athletes from nearly 20 different sports, including Olympic gold medalists, NFL All-Pro’s, NHL All-Stars and Stanley Cup champions, and IFBB bodybuilding champions. His clients include long-jump gold medalist Dwight Phillips, NHL MVP Chris Pronger, and MLB batting champion Edgar Martinez, among many others.

Poliquin is currently teaching advanced hypertrophy, nutrition, and strength seminars alongside one of my favorite athletes, Olympic weightlifting icon and medalist Dimitry Klokov.

Poliquin has authored more than 600 articles on strength training, and his work has been translated into 12 different languages. He has written 8 books, including his latest, a short gem entitled Arm Size and Strength: The Ultimate Guide. Find much more about Poliquin and his latest at strengthsensei.com.

Please enjoy!

You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

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In this podcast, we frequently referred to my past episode with Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can listen to my conversations with Arnold here. In this episode, we discuss psychological warfare, and much, much more.

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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: After listening to Poliquin, are there any strength or diet experiments you’d like me to explore and report back on? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

• Learn more about Active Release Techniques (ART)
• Learn more about gotu kola, the herb for repairing loose skin or stretch marks
• Learn more about Charles’s 3-day Advanced Strength Programming Design
• Download the Braverman Test to learn your neurotransmitter type
• Explore The Journal for Applied Strength and Conditioning
• Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
• Learn more about Charles’s “most underrated health test”
• Visit the American College for Advancement in Medicine to find quality doctors
• Explore the Natural Database to search for natural medicines
• To learn more about the process of medical research, read The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
• Learn more about hormone replacement therapy
• Learn more about European world-class endocrinologist, Dr. Hertoghe
• The benefits of nandrolone for joint recovery. (Note: this is not study referenced by Poliquin, but it addresses some of the proposed benefits.)
• Visit EWG.org for rankings of common household products that are unhealthy
• Try Teras Whey – non-GMO maltodextrin goat whey
• 59 Seconds and Quirkology by Richard Wildman and see his magic tricks
• The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
• Pick up Charles’s suggested fish oil, Omegavail
• Learn more about the Bamboo Bench
• Selected movies: A Prophet and 22 Bullets
• Jailhouse Strong by Josh Bryant
• Life 101 by Peter McWilliams
• Connect with Charles Poliquin:

StrenthSensei.com | Facebook | YouTube | Google + | Twitter | Instagram

Show Notes

• The story behind Charles’s passion for strength and how he quickly learned multiple languages [6:05]
• Charles’s secret skill that only his best friends know [10:40]
• How to eliminate stretch marks or loose skin after extreme fat loss [15:05]
• Something Charles believes that most people find crazy  [18:20]
• On taking huge doses of fish oil [31:35]
• How to select a quality doctor who can administer and interpret blood testing [42:10]
• Favorite go-to sources for research [50:50]
• Thoughts on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) [53:50]
• HRT challenges with DHEA-sulfate levels [1:00:05]
• Exploring the use of Deca-Durabolin to support joint repair [1:04:05]
• What Charles tries to eliminate from his home [1:06:35]
• Thoughts on warmup routines [1:11:45]
• The perfect preparation for strength workouts [1:14:40]
• Most common post-workout mistakes [1:20:25]
• Commonly neglected ways to decrease body fat [1:25:05]
• On planning vacation first [1:34:05]
• Common mistakes training female clients [1:46:10]
• On CrossFit and training with Dmitry Klokov [1:48:50]
• Favorite mobility exercises [1:57:40]
• On the surprising side effects of kettlebell swings [2:03:55]
• Thoughts on achieving maximal strength on a plant-based diet [2:05:35]
• High-bar vs. low-bar squats. Sumo vs. conventional deadlift. [2:06:40]
• Most bang for your buck tips to increase testosterone and sex drive [2:10:50]
• The supplements everyone should take [2:14:15]
• When Charles thinks of the word “successful,” who is the first person that comes to mind? [2:19:35]
• Favorite documentaries and movies [2:21:35]
• A purchase of $100 or less that improved Charles’s life [2:24:05]
• On morning routines [2:25:40]
• If you could have one billboard anywhere, where would it be and what would it say? [2:36:50]
• Advice to your thirty-year-old self [2:40:00]

People Mentioned

• Ed Coan
• Mauro Di Pasquale
• Karen Percy
• Dmitry Klokov