This episode is a twoforone, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode No. 55 "Pavel Tsatsouline on the Science of Strength and the Art of Physical Performance" and episode No. 158 "The Secrets of Gymnastic Strength Training."

Please enjoy!

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Timestamps:
[00:00] Start
[05:26] Notes about this supercombo format.
[06:30] Enter Pavel Tsatsouline.
[06:50] Pavel’s background as a worldclass trainer.
[07:23] Considerations while customizing a training regimen.
[09:56] Strengthbuilding principles over equipment.
[10:52] When in doubt, train your grip and your core.
[13:13] How to grease the groove.
[16:24] How not to strengthen the “core.”
[19:09] Approaching training as a practice.
[21:32] Prioritizing strength — the “mother quality of all physical qualities.”
[24:13] The most counterproductive myths about strength training.
[27:30] Pavel’s hypothesis for the science behind hypertrophy.
[28:17] Deadlifts, kettlebells, and the most common mistakes with both.
[29:47] People who exemplify success to Pavel.
[30:25] Calmness is contagious.
[32:47] Enter Christopher Sommer.
[33:39] Defining Gymnastics Strength Training™ (GST).
[37:24] Types of strength that most nongymnasts will not have.
[41:26] Biggest mistakes made by those who selfteach handstands.
[46:26] Top exercises for identifying weaknesses in strength and mobility.
[57:03] The problem with focusing on muscular fatigue when training.
[1:05:19] What is a pike pulse and why does it matter?
[1:08:01] On kipping pullups.
[1:11:32] Identifying solutions to pain.
[1:18:54] The Jefferson curl.
[1:23:22] Why weighted mobility work needs to be approached with a different level of intensity than conditioning work.
[1:28:25] If someone is 35 years old, a former athlete, and has never done gymnastics, what’s a good exercise and what should be avoided?
[1:33:47] 35 joint mobility exercises for getting strong.
[1:39:08] Preferred way to work on shoulder extension.
[1:44:56] A good goal for those seeking to improve mobility.
[1:46:31] Yoga handstands vs. gymnastics handstands (aesthetics vs. gold medals).
[1:54:36] Coaches who have impressed Coach Sommer the most.
[1:56:05] The story of Dmitry Bilozerchev and Alexander Alexandrov.
[2:00:52] Differentiating immature athletes from mature athletes.
[2:03:59] Training for success.
[2:08:59] Describing the systematic approach to GST.
[2:17:14] Exercises to avoid for the first six months of GST.
[2:18:43] Breaking down the muscleup.
[2:24:15] Understanding the purpose of using various grips.
[2:31:44] How Coach Sommer mentally preps athletes for a big competition.
[2:41:29] Questions Coach Sommer would ask a gymnastic coach before sending children off to train with them.
[2:45:52] Questions Coach Sommer would ask a gymnastic coach who trains adults.
[2:48:00] Balancing stretching and training time.
[2:53:08] People who exemplify success to Coach Sommer.
[2:58:32] Most gifted books.
[3:01:20] Morning rituals.
[3:05:18] Coach Sommer’s billboard.
[3:10:28] An ask for the audience and parting thoughts.

Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an earlystage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4Hour Workweek, The 4Hour Body, The 4Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 900 million downloads and been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three years running.

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