Dan John on Easy Strength For Quick, Efficient Workouts That Really Work

Published: Aug. 11, 2021, 10 a.m.

In this podcast, I interview Dan John, and we chat all about his concept of \u201ceasy strength.\u201d

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Easy strength is a style of training Dan writes about at length in his latest book, Attempts: Essays in Fitness, Health, Longevity and Easy Strength, which I highly recommend.

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We\u2019ll get more into the nitty gritty details in the podcast, but \u201ceasy strength\u201d is all about effective workouts done with key exercises that you can get done quickly. This gets you in and out of the gym quickly, giving you more time to recover and train for your sport. The best part is you\u2019ll get stronger without beating up your muscles and joints, which means less soreness and joint pain.

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If you\u2019re skeptical, I understand, but Dan isn\u2019t exactly the new kid on the block. In fact, he has quite the resume\u2014he has competed in the Highland Games, written more than 14 books, and coached athletes and weightlifters for over 40 years now. As you can imagine, he has seen and heard it all, and knows a thing or two about coaching athletes.

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In this episode, Dan and I discuss . . .

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  • The benefits of not \u201cdestroying\u201d yourself in the gym
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  • Exercise as practice
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  • The importance of not missing reps
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  • How to program your workouts and progressively overload with \u201ceasy strength\u201d
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  • And more . . .
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So, if you want to learn how to incorporate easy strength workouts to get stronger without beating yourself up or spending hours in the gym every day, listen to this episode and let me know your thoughts!

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Timestamps:

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15:46 - What is easy strength?

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28:57 - What does an easy strength program look like?

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35:11 - How do you progressively overload?

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39:44 - What is "easy" as a percentage of 1RM?

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44:56 - How much weight do you add to the bar?

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Mentioned on the Show:

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Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/