STRENGTH SENSEI PODCAST REVIEW
Under the Bar: Episode 52
The Strength Sensei discusses his work with Olympians and his education as a strength coach
Under the Bar is a podcast by Rawdon Dubois and Tom Hewett, personal trainers from Sydney, Australia. The hosts seek out the world’s experts in health, nutrition, body transformation, sports performance, and physical fitness training. Their journey has led them to interview many of Coach Poliquin’s associates, including Andre Benoit and Ian Danney.
Under the Bar programs are professionally produced, and hosts Dubois and Hewett are knowledgeable, ask intelligent questions, and have a few laughs along the way. The podcast, recorded in 2016, is available through this link:
https://soundcloud.com/under-the-bar/utb-poliuin-part-1-final
“It took me 38 years to become an overnight success!”
– Charles Poliquin
This 46-minute episode was pre-recorded before the Rio Olympics where Coach Poliquin saw his female 53-kilo (116 pounds) wrestler Helen Maroulis win gold and his male triple jumper Will Claye win silver. Another female wrestler was Elena Pirozhkova, who wrestled at 63 kilos (138 pounds), who tied for fifth overall, had a 3-0 lead in her bronze medal match. All athletes are from the United States.
[:40]
Charles Poliquin Introduction. The hosts explain that the podcast was taped when the Rio Olympics was just beginning.
[9:26]
Interview begins. Charles discusses why he decided to work with the athletes he did before the Olympics. “I’m always looking for new challenges, and I’ve never coached anyone in the triple jump, and I’ve never coached a wrestler.” He says that these are “volunteer jobs” for him, as he didn’t get paid.
[11:00]
Discussed the concept of personalizing workouts for athletes and the concept of sports specificity. Says that Maroulis could not do a single chin-up when she started working with Poliquin but she eventually completed two reps with 30 kilos (66 pounds).
[13:45]
Talks about Maroulis’s grip strength and its importance to wrestling.
[15:00]
Why he loves to see “haters” eat their words.
[18:00]
Talked about his home gym, and how he continually upgrades it.
[19:25]
The use of matching workouts to personality types.
[21:40]
His desire to produce quality training videos to expand his audience for those who cannot attend his seminars.
[24:30]
His quest for knowledge, seeking out the best mentors.
[26:00]
His interest in improving brain function with executive clients.
[28:00]
How the Internet has devalued quality information and the problem with fraud.
[28:45]
The 1/25 rule and how it applies to investing in classes.
[32:00]
Why everyone should have 4-6 passions and try to complete one item per passion each day. Diet. Discussed The Passion Test by Janet Attwood and Chris Attwood. He said he became friends with Attwood, and after he read her book, “didn’t work a single day after that!” Also discussed his passion for wildlife conservation.
[39:45]
How it took Poliquin 38 years to become an overnight success, why he still wants to coach, and his belief that he was put on this earth “to make people better than what they used to be.”
[42:45]
Why coaches seek him out and his surprise at how he is recognized on the street in other countries.
[46:45]
Summary of podcast and concluding comments by the hosts.
Please go beyond these notes and listen to this entire interview with Strength Sensei Charles Poliquin. (TSS)
