Skip to main content
Beyond Strength Show

Beyond Strength Show

By Beyond Strength

Beyond Strength, a training gym located in Northern Virginia, provides training and coaching that helps active people discover what their body is capable of, because life is better with strength and endurance.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

05: Your STUPID questions answered 😊

Beyond Strength ShowJul 23, 2020

00:00
09:44
HOW CORY COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED HIS BODY AND MIND (OVER 40LB WEIGHT LOSS) | THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW

HOW CORY COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED HIS BODY AND MIND (OVER 40LB WEIGHT LOSS) | THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW

Cory Hudson has done what you want to do. He’s done what every person that’s ever lived has wanted to do. He’s transformed. Cory’s lost over 40 pounds since joining Beyond Strength in November 2021. More than that, he’s improved his performance during all of our testing weeks, deadlifting over 400lbs, shaving significant time off of his rows, jumping farther, as well as improving on the other battery of tests. Cory is badass. You might have expected Cory to say he did something drastic. Maybe he found some kind of magical secret that helped him to lose the weight. Or maybe he only ate lettuce while screaming at himself naked in the mirror. But there’s no magic. He didn’t do anything drastic. Cory just did what most people don’t do. And on today's episode of the Beyond Strength Show we're talking what exactly that is, and how he got it done... Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon!

May 03, 202459:25
WHAT IS HYBRID ATHLETE TRAINING | THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW | CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER
Apr 26, 202449:37
YOUR NUTRITION QUESTIONS ANSWERED I BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW  I  CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

YOUR NUTRITION QUESTIONS ANSWERED I BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon!

Apr 19, 202401:01:44
2024 DC ROCK N ROLL 1/2 MARATHON RECAP I BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW  I  CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

2024 DC ROCK N ROLL 1/2 MARATHON RECAP I BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon!

Mar 22, 202401:00:17
HOW TO NAIL A DIFFICULT TRAINING WEEK I BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW  I  CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

HOW TO NAIL A DIFFICULT TRAINING WEEK I BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

Difficult training weeks are a part of the fitness process. You might curse your coach and everyone who’s ever loved them while you’re in the thick of hard a session, but we need those sessions to push ourselves forward. The rub is that we must be smart about how we approach them. But the good news is with a few tactics and skills, you can nail difficult training weeks and get the full benefit of all that sweat and strain. And all that cursing won’t be for nothin’. Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon!

Mar 18, 202432:45
STRENGTH METHODS EXPLAINED I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

STRENGTH METHODS EXPLAINED I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

Is there a difference between muscular endurance and strength endurance?


Plus:

  • CHRIS’S DEEPEST FEAR
  • TODD’S DISDAIN FOR CONDIMENTS
  • STRENGTH METHODS
  • STRENGTH TRAINING FOR SELECTIONS
  • YOUTH TRAINING AND EARLY SPECIALIZATION IN SPORTS


Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon!

Feb 23, 202453:02
HOW TO BALANCE STRENGTH AND... I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW  I  CHRIS MERRITT AND TODD BUMGARDNER

HOW TO BALANCE STRENGTH AND... I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT AND TODD BUMGARDNER

In today's episode, we'll outline how to concurrently train for various disciplines... specific capacities, layering skills, and recovering from it all. Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon! Chris and Todd

Feb 16, 202443:34
HOW TO TRACK YOUR FITNESS PROGRESS I   THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW   I   CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

HOW TO TRACK YOUR FITNESS PROGRESS I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

We all want to see the fruits of our labor, right? Why would we do anything, other than something that’s purely pleasurable, if we can’t eventually note measurable progress? Well, unless we are seeing measurable results, or we’re getting some kind of pleasure, we typically stop doing the thing. So, we need to give ourselves reasons to keep doing the thing.

Fitness progress can feel slow because, well, sometimes it is. However, sometimes you’re making progress and you don’t realize it because you just don’t know how to measure it. That’s especially true of progress with conditioning, particularly low and slow aerobic conditioning – something that we all need. 

In today's episode, we'll outline a handful of ways that you can track your fitness progress to help you stay the course and also deepen your understanding of conditioning progress.


Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/⁠ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁 Talk soon! ✌️ Chris and Todd

Feb 09, 202458:20
HEART RATE ZONES FOR TRAINING I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW   I   CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

HEART RATE ZONES FOR TRAINING I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

On this episode of The Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd discuss heart rate training zones. The physiological benefits of the different zones, the mental side of things, and dive into practical application with real-world training examples.

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength/⁠

Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at ⁠https://www.bspnova.com/⁠ 🎁

Talk soon! ✌️

Chris and Todd
Feb 02, 202401:16:25
HOW TO SET PHYSICAL GOALS IN 2024 I   THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW   I   CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER
Jan 27, 202401:03:52
END OF YEAR RANDOMNESS I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW  I  CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

END OF YEAR RANDOMNESS I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW I CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER

On this episode of The Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd look absolutely horrendous and talk through random subjects to close out the year. You'll laugh, you'll have some deep shit to think about, and you'll get a list of our favorite books we each read this year. Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: / itsbeyondstrength Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁 Talk soon! ✌️ Chris and Todd

Jan 06, 202458:01
WHAT WE LEARNED IN 2023 I THE BEYOND STRENGTH SHOW   I   CHRIS MERRITT & TODD BUMGARDNER
Dec 22, 202301:07:40
Bus Bench VS Park Bench Workouts

Bus Bench VS Park Bench Workouts

On this episode of The Beyond Strength Show, the guys discuss how you can approach training when you don't have a date-stamped goal through the lens of some wonky stuff that Chris has been dealing with lately. Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: https://instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro to Beyond Strength Gym at www.bspnova.com 🎁 Talk soon! ✌️ Chris and Todd

Dec 02, 202344:31
What's worth wanting?

What's worth wanting?

People chase all kinds of "things" in their lives... but what's worth wanting? Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength⁠ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁 Talk soon! ✌️ Chris and Todd

Nov 25, 202359:39
The $10,000,000 Question
Nov 18, 202301:01:47
Performance Testing for Tier One Units

Performance Testing for Tier One Units

On this weeks episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd talk about their recent experience with mobility, power, agility, strength, endurance, and recovery testing for tier one operators.

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram:
instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Ready to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Interested in learning more? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Oct 13, 202329:56
How to change up your training throughout the year

How to change up your training throughout the year

On this weeks episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd talk about Beyond Strength’s seasonal approach to developing different capacities in (and out) of the gym.

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram:
instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Ready to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Interested in learning more? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Oct 03, 202342:42
What’s working right now? A discussion on training, nutrition, and recovery.

What’s working right now? A discussion on training, nutrition, and recovery.

On this weeks episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd talk about what’s working for them right now with regard to training, nutrition, and recovery!

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram:
instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Ready to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Interested in learning more? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Sep 21, 202348:26
Movement Assessments: Worth It or Waste?

Movement Assessments: Worth It or Waste?

On this weeks episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd discuss the “controversy” of mobility assessments and moving with good form in the gym.

That is, after we get through about 24 minutes of absolutely ridiculous banter (as always)…

Enjoy!

Want to read the accompanying blog?
www.bspnova.com/building-resilience-how-mobility-tests-enhance-your-strength-training/

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Ready to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Interested in learning more? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Sep 15, 202356:52
Relative Strength: What it is, why we test it, and how to build it
Sep 08, 202328:38
THE (training) Secret: THIS is how you massively level up 🤫

THE (training) Secret: THIS is how you massively level up 🤫

In this episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd talk about a training secret and, I mean, I guess that’s all we can say. You’ll have to listen to discover what exactly it is… and then you can’t tell ANYONE. 🤫

Want to watch the video we reference? Here you go:
www.instagram.com/reel/CwfbGDjreTP/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Here’s the link to the Precision Nutrition article about adherence we referenced: www.precisionnutrition.com/body-transformation-research

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Ready to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Interested in learning more? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Sep 01, 202339:24
Signing up for the worlds hardest ________. 🙈
Aug 25, 202359:15
Why run with a metronome? 🏃

Why run with a metronome? 🏃

In this episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd talk about some wacky shit up front (as always), before diving into their experiences of running with a metronome, how Chris is experimenting with programming changes for his upcoming 50-miler (ultra), and other randomness.

No new blog this week, but dig into the archives here:
www.bspnova.com/blog/

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Now you have TWO options to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Want a free week? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Aug 17, 202339:46
How to Deal with Injuries, Discomfort, and Pain in Training
Aug 11, 202354:31
Feeling Stuck? (life beyond gym goals)

Feeling Stuck? (life beyond gym goals)

Ever achieve your goals and go… now what? 🤔

Or feel like you’re just training, but without a clear purpose?

In this episode of the Beyond Strength Show, Chris and Todd talk about a time where they were both struggling with training motivation, and how they navigated it to get where they are today.

Read the accompanying blog:
www.bspnova.com/life-beyond-your-gym-goals/

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal for his upcoming 50-miler here: www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Now you have TWO options to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Want a free week? Shoot us a message through the chat box in the lower right corner of our website!

Talk soon! ✌️
Jul 27, 202350:53
The Most Important Fitness Variables: Consistency and Continuity

The Most Important Fitness Variables: Consistency and Continuity

Sure you’ve heard of consistency—everyone’s talking about that—but what about continuity?

In this weeks episode Chris and Todd break down the what and the how of the two most important training variables.

Many folks think in terms of workouts. They want to do a HIIT workout. Or they search the internet or magazines for a strength workout. Then they do a HIIT workout one day and a strength workout another day. On yet another day they might go for a run. But it’s all discombobulated because they were thinking small. They thought only about the individual workouts and not how workouts string together in a meaningful way to create a program. That program should fit into a bigger string of programs that composes a year-round training plan. This, sports fans, is how you create training continuity. You think big about training rather than small. You think about how each training day fits with the others. And then how each program leads to the next program so you’re doing the right things at the right time. It’s akin to thinking long-term and seeing the big picture.

Follow Chris’s Threads training journal here:
www.threads.net/@chrisbeyondstrength

Read the accompanying blog and watch Cory’s video: www.bspnova.com/the-most-important-fitness-variables-consistency-and-continuity/

Connect with Beyond Strength on Instagram: instagram.com/itsbeyondstrength

Aaaaaaand now you have TWO options to join Beyond Strength:

1️⃣ Local to Northern Virginia: Sign up for your FREE intro at www.bspnova.com 🎁

2️⃣ Remote: Hybrid Athlete Coaching is launching now!! Interested in a FREE week? Shoot us a DM on instagram or through the chat box at www.bspnova.com.

Talk soon! ✌️
Jul 16, 202352:31
Rucking tips! 🎒
Jun 15, 202345:08
Self-talk, metrics, and optimizing routines
Jun 08, 202301:05:49
Why we stopped talking about body composition
Jun 01, 202347:01
The case for aerobic base building
May 18, 202340:53
The Kettlebell Mile Challenge
May 04, 202320:01
Endurance Training for Longevity (and Performance)
Apr 27, 202354:42
The value of putting something hard on the calendar 🗓️
Apr 14, 202343:27
The importance of resting between sets (and awesome climbing documentaries)
Apr 07, 202329:25
Chris’s Georgia Death Race Recap ⛰️
Mar 31, 202301:02:28
Chris’s Final 🧠 Prep for the Georgia Death Race
Mar 22, 202345:13
The 4 Pillars of Recovery
Mar 16, 202348:43
How to Get the Most Out of Your Training with HRV 🫀
Mar 09, 202335:19
Why do we wait for the “right time”? (and what to do instead)
Mar 03, 202338:30
ChatGPT, Who Came Out First, and the Evolution of Our Training
Feb 10, 202340:01
How to Select the Right Weights and Exercises for YOU
Feb 02, 202334:26
Why Chris is still doing the Georgia Death Race 😨

Why Chris is still doing the Georgia Death Race 😨

Let’s just say, things got weird for a minute…
Jan 20, 202328:24
Up for a challenge?

Up for a challenge?

In this weeks episode, Chris and Todd take a deep dive discussion on this month’s intro to Beyond Strength’s internal (i.e. members only) “Why You’re Doing What You’re Doing” blog.

Here’s that intro (which we read to open the episode as well):

Before we jump into a detailed explanation of why you’re doing what you’re doing, let’s take a second to pause and think forward through 2023. What’s on your calendar? Or, what do you want to have on your calendar? Or, what do you want to kick ass at this year? There might be one, big thing. But there are likely several things that come to mind as you scan through the months to December. Take a moment to see yourself doing them. Not just doing them, but successfully. Doing them with gas left in the tank and feeling like you could keep going, like no obstacle could stop you. Now that you see it, pause to note what it feels like.

Maybe you envisioned a hard thing, a mountain climbed, a trail run, a river paddled. Or, maybe you saw yourself in your everyday life feeling better about who you are and what it’s like to live in your skin.

No matter what you saw, hold on to it. Bring it to mind often, especially when training feels hard and when the sheets wrap tightly around you, goading you to stay in bed. That moment, those moments, is why you’re training.

It’s why you’re watching your heart rate during Endurance class and why you’re doing all those reps during Strength class.

It’s why you’re getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and eating like you give a shit.

It’s your why. See it. Grab it. Hold on to it.

Because this training block is hard, but you can do it. You will do it.

Let’s talk about the detailed reasons behind the training so you understand how your efforts are turning you into the person that conquers the mountain and owns the river.
Jan 06, 202345:27
WTF is PIYOGA?!
Dec 29, 202219:32
🤔 What will our programming look like come January? (and the worst things about kids)

🤔 What will our programming look like come January? (and the worst things about kids)

As we finish up our final block of training, wondering what the new year/new block brings? This one’s for YOU!
Dec 16, 202244:53
Member QnA 12-08-2022

Member QnA 12-08-2022

We’re back with another member QnA this week. This time we’re riffing on the following:

1️⃣ Blake: Love that we have been focused on heavier weights and strength this block. My sense is many folks we clearly see gains based on these sessions. How do we ensure we keep the strength level/gains when the block changes in spring to exercises that don’t support using the heavier weight?

2️⃣Cory: How do you guys recommend keeping yourself loose and mobile during periods when you’re not training?

I’ve been out of town for work training this week and haven’t trained and over the last day or two and my lower back has felt so tight in a way that it doesn’t on days when I train.

The obvious answer seems to be to train using the resources available, which I’ll do in the future, but I thought I’d ask the question anyway for others who might come across the same issue on like vacations and stuff when they don’t really want to train.

3️⃣Suzanne: What about training smart through or around an injury? In the last couple years I've been battling Achilles tendonitis. I think I need to opt out wholesale of Achilles impact, jump rope etc and do more controlled movement till I can do heel drops without blowing it up again. :)
Dec 08, 202227:30
Member QnA 12-01-2022

Member QnA 12-01-2022

We’re back with another member QnA episode! This time covering: 1️⃣ Please explain in more detail how your recovery can still go down even when you’ve gotten good sleep the night before. I understand more than sleep goes into the recovery number and that you may have a “deficit” so that your recovery goes down, but can you give some concrete examples on how this can happen and how to better schedule recovery trainings and/or what to do to allow your body to recover without feeling like you are “wasting” a day of a potential workout. 2️⃣ When working with clients do you tend to see clients have more success accomplishing goals that stretch long periods of time (months/years) or shorter periods (weeks/years)? Also do you tend to see clients have more success with performance-based goals (things they can do in or out of the gym) or weight/body fat/appearance-based goals? 3️⃣ Training question. And I promise it’s not motivated by my vitriolic hatred of the hex bar. I’ve noticed we don’t program sumo or conventional deadlifts anymore. Why don’t we and what’s the advantage of the hex bar deadlift.
Dec 02, 202227:58
Perfect = Failure

Perfect = Failure

Is your pursuit of “perfect” keeping you from your goals?
Nov 15, 202231:33
Member QnA: Nutrition Edition

Member QnA: Nutrition Edition

We received 13 solid questions this week… and today we dive into three about nutrition!
Nov 03, 202234:00
How to add running and rucking to your strength routine

How to add running and rucking to your strength routine

… or any endurance / skill sport for that matter.
Oct 21, 202237:02