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Published: July 16, 2014, 7 a.m.

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This week on Barbell Shrugged we are joined once again by the one and only\\xa0Kendrick Farris, two-time Olympian for USA Weightlifting, tattoo aficionado, part-time comedian and all around amazing dude.\\xa0

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Just in case you missed Kendrick\\u2019s first two appearances on the show, make sure you go back and check outepisode 55, as well as\\xa0episode 76. Trust me, you never want to miss out on what he has to say.\\xa0

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Kendrick always gets us fired up when he speaks, but it\\u2019s quite another to actually see Kendrick lift. Imagine, a man his size easily tossing\\xa0almost 500 pounds overhead, or easily\\xa0squatting 550 pounds rep after rep. It\\u2019s incredible. On the world stage this guy is as strong as any lifter his size, period. The Olympics are always a really tough competition\\xa0for\\xa0the United States, sure, but I for one can\\u2019t wait to see Kendrick on the Rio platform in\\xa02016. The Barbell Shrugged crew will be right there in the stands, sipping Caipirinha\\u2019s and cheering him on as loud as we possibly can.\\xa0

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To get that damn good, you would think Kendrick has sacrificed everything for the sport of weightlifting. It wouldn\\u2019t surprise you if he came off as obsessed, hyper-competitive and all that. But the truth is that he lives a remarkably balanced life. Kendrick\\u2019s\\xa0Instagram\\xa0feed is not just a showcase for his lifting prowess. It\\u2019s mostly pictures of friends, family, and more than a few tattoo sessions. He\\u2019s the type of guy who loves and shares openly. He wants you to be better than him one day, which is probably exactly why he\\u2019s such an amazing lifter. Attitude is everything.\\xa0

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Kendrick doesn\\u2019t compete to impress anyone, especially not himself. He\\u2019s just interested in learning what works best for\\xa0weightlifting. Sure, dominating the platform is the ultimate goal, but only because it creates a platform for Kendrick to inspire, teach, and share his remarkable point of view\\xa0on\\xa0lifting and living. It also gives him the opportunity to meet the best coaches in the world, to mix and share ideas, and to push the community forward.\\xa0

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Between Kendrick and\\xa0the lovely Diane Fu\\xa0there\\u2019s never been a better time to learn the sport of weightlifting. They both have such an amazing, open attitude to coaching and sharing information. Their seminars really are some of the best coaching experiences you could hope to have, really.\\xa0

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You can check out dates for\\xa0Kendrick\\u2019s Bless the Gym Tour here. Also, if you want some Diane Fu in your life, check out her\\xa0event schedule. You\\u2019d be silly not to go, especially when they coach together. Do it!\\xa0

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If you want a summary of Kendrick\\u2019s wisdom look no further than his attitude towards weight and diet. Lifters often obsess about cutting weight before a big competition. The rationale is clear enough. If you can cut hard, then regain weight after weigh-ins you will have a clear competitive advantage over the other folks in your weight class. And that\\u2019s true, but more often than not the cut leaves you feeling like shit. This is what happens when you spend more time thinking about the competition, forgetting what it is that\\u2019s best for you. Likewise, diet is cool and all, but there\\u2019s no sense in obsessing over it. The details, demands, and strict food limitations aren\\u2019t necessary. That\\u2019s time and effort that could otherwise be spent with the barbell, which is a far better way to become a great lifter. Does Kendrick eat\\xa0Paleo? Does he have a personal chef or catering services provide him meals? Hardly. He seems to spend most of his time crushing bags of trail mix in between training sessions. It\\u2019s not ideal, but he seems to love it. Maybe that\\u2019s the only dietary detail that matters.\\xa0

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Get with a great coach, or two, or three. Move efficiently, but find out works best for you. There are no hard rules. Do your thing. Refine it. Put together a long-term plan and be patient. Train hard, and with a community of great lifters. Eat what you need to eat. Weigh what you\\u2019re going to weigh. Be the strongest possible version of yourself. \\xa0

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If you want more Kendrick in your life, make sure to follow him on\\xa0Instagram. You don\\u2019t want to miss any of his pancake sessions or heavy squat workouts, trust me. You can also follow him on\\xa0Facebook\\xa0and\\xa0Twitter.\\xa0

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Bless the gym!

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Cheers,\\xa0

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Chris Moore

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