The Return of Barbell Shrugged

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The Barbell Shrugged Podcast took an abrupt pause in the fall of 2015.

We didn’t say much at the time, because honestly, there wasn’t a lot to say. After 4 years of non-stop travel, 199 episodes, and literally thousands of videos and articles later…we were very tired.

In truth, sharing a new show every week for years and years is very difficult. I don’t really recommend it. Unless you’re very curious. In that case, a thirst to know and share is more than enough to carry you a long way.

It was for us.

Forgive us, especially if didn’t catch any of our rather obvious Michael Jordan/Jay-Z references on social media (We laid the clues out pretty heavy). And come on, you know we’d never bail on you like that. We just knew a little tease up front would only make the return sweeter.

This was a pause and not a break.

We’ve actually been hard at work pretty much the whole time. On the road, recording and editing brand new Barbell Shrugged content. This includes a new primetime show that will soon command your living room HD-screen on Wednesday nights, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself.

We’ve also built a new home for Barbell Shrugged that will launch very soon. A site that will make the show more accessible and easier to find, but something that will also establish a higher standard for quality and service in the strength and fitness community. I think you’re going to be very excited when you see it.

The build-up to premiere starts this Monday, January 18th. But before we officially begin our next chapter, I’d like to share the platform with my team, so they can share their own experience and vision of the future.

Thank you for the years so far, and get ready for those ahead. We’re just warming up.

Cheers,

Chris Moore

Mike Bledsoe, Barbell Shrugged CEO and Original Host



The first couple hundred episodes of Barbell Shrugged have been a lot of fun for me.

We somehow got several dudes together in the kitchen of CTP’s house in Memphis, TN, to talk in front of microphones. We brought no plan and our expectations were minimal, which was good because we had no idea what we were doing. In fact, I’m practically embarrassed by the quality of the show in those beginning episodes, but I’m now proud with what we have done.

I would like to start by saying thank you to every single person whoever tuned into the show, downloaded the podcast, gave us a thumbs up on youtube and shared the show with your friends. The Barbell Shrugged journey has been amazing. We started off as a few meatheads wanting to share the information we had collected over the years and to meet other meatheads as well.

I thought we could help people understand training better. I thought we could introduce people to those coaches who didn’t get a lot of attention and had killer information to share. And sure, I also thought, “Hey we might get some attention and that’d be cool.”

What I didn’t bargain for, and what wasn’t at the front of my mind, was how much I would learn. How humbled I would be at times. The people and opportunities we’d be exposed to. The choices we’d have to make, and the praise and criticism we’d receive from just doing what we thought we should do.

Whether the pressure was external or internal, or the expectations were brought on by imaginations (more likely) or by others, it has been a good ride. It has facilitated my personal growth to a degree I didn’t know was possible.

Without you, none of me is possible. And again, I thank you.

After 200 episodes of the show, we decided to take a break so that we could figure some things out, and get some breathing room. During this time off we’ve been able to consciously decide how the show will evolve next. And we have really considered what will make for the best possible shows moving forward.

In short, the question for us now has been, “How can we better serve our audience?”

Now that we’re rebooting and moving forward I’m excited to be bringing members of the Barbell Shrugged coaching team into the limelight. More people who need to be heard. Fresh perspectives to help host. New blood.

I’m also excited to be a part of a brand new show that will be premiering very soon. We have stellar plans for a new kind of viewer experience, and I’m stoked to see them come to fruition. With a brand new format, I think we’re going to be able to introduce you to new people and ideas that you may not have been introduced to otherwise.

I’ve learned more being a part of Barbell Shrugged the last 4 years than I had the previous 30 years combined. Can’t imagine what I’ll learn in the next 4 years and what I’ll get to share with you.

My deepest appreciation for what you’ve given me,

Mike

CTP, Marketing, Brand and Head Production Honcho at Barbell Shrugged

[Sarcasm filter engage!] After 3 years of podcasting, and the passing of my father, I thought I’d try my hand at baseball. Shit got weird for a minute and I was asked to help some cartoons win an epic game of basketball in space.

We scraped by. Got to hang with Bill Murray a bit. And now we’re back. Let’s see if we can do another solid 3 years.

Reign Supreme everybody,

CTP

Alex Maclin, The man that makes shit happen at Barbell Shrugged, and new podcast co-host



From that 1st episode in CTP’s kitchen till now, it’s crazy to see how far we’ve come.

Some bro’s decided to get together and shoot the shit about training, and now 4 years later there are 200 episodes and hundreds of videos that help so many people in this community with their training, personal life, and with reaching their goals. It blows my mind to see the impact that this thing has had.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself, to remind myself that I’m not dreaming. This is real, and I get to be a part of it. Thanks to Doug, Mike, CTP and Chris for giving me that opportunity, and thank you for supporting all of us so that we could all share our passions with you.

You, being a fan and listener, have helped make all this possible. You changed my life more than you probably know. So, thank you.

The past 4 years have definitely been a rollercoaster. So yeah, we took a break after 200 episodes. But trust me, it wasn’t because we wanted to. We needed to take a break so we could work on delivering something truly great. Something so remarkable and valuable, you’ll have no doubt that the pause was worth it. I think you’ll be right here with us for many more years to come.

We talk a lot of about focus and “drop everything and train”. Well, we needed to “drop everything and work on our evolution.” We needed to do a better job of practicing what we preached.

I’m excited to finally deliver what we’ve been working on – New shows, new faces, and new insights. New content that will serve you in training and in life, and help hopefully help you understand that you truly can do anything you want to do.

I hope you’re ready. The ride’s gonna get wild, and it’s gonna be an absolute blast.

Alex

Charlotte Miles, Producer, Director and Editor. If Alex makes shit happen at Barbell Shrugged, Charlotte brings the vision together

To my team…You crazy gang of beautiful, strange and wonderous creatures.

I came to Shrugged not really knowing that much about strength and conditioning. I’d drank the CrossFit Cool-Aid but wanted more than just a workout. High on the potential, my body seemed to be yielding, I wanted to learn more about my physicality…how I could train better and make smarter decisions on my new movement practice.

More than this…coming off the back of a difficult period in life I was at a stage where I needed guidance and inspiration to rebuild. From a dark place I knew I needed a light to guide me on that journey. Right at that moment, Chris, Mike, Doug and CTP came along with a flashlight.

You guys led me out, with every nugget of knowledge and dick joke alike. I appreciated the balance of banter and comprehensive information and loved it all. I trained, laughed and even cried (Tony the Fridge), whilst you taught me everything from weightlifting technique, how to sleep better, mobility drills, efficient running technique, proper form on deadlifts, even through to how to effectively milk a goat.

Through all this information I got healthy. I got happy. I got strong and I got inspired.

That inspiration carried me to you. It pulled me across an ocean and into the belly of the beast; the heart of the mayhem and majesty that is Barbell Shrugged. With the roll of a dice, I became part of this merry band of musketeers and I’m in the fray, making these shows happen, planning, searching, creating, collaborating, exploring and helping to keep the flame protected.

Now, to the outside world we’ve been dormant. The Shrugged light went dark. But we’ve not been resting. Oh no! We’ve been grinding.

There’s been sticky patches, moments of tension, intense graft, long hours and much much love invested into this thing…into the Shrugged beacon that we’ll shortly be blasting out into the world. For all of you waiting patiently for the next phase of Shrugged, thank you. We won’t disappoint. We’ve been super-charging that light of inspiration and believe me you’re going to want to bring your Ray-Bans…because its going to be bright.

We’re using our searchlight to find those most inspiring and knowledgeable of voices to bring to you. We’re passing our torch onto the next generation, keen to train, to educate, to have fun and involve all of you out there. And we’re ready to light some fires under y’all. The re-launch of Shrugged is a call to action. It’s a battle-cry thats going to ask you to take that spark; that desire to be more; better, stronger, faster, fitter and spread that energy into the world around you.

Be ready.

So, to my team…thank you for guiding me out of the dark and for helping me to return the favor for others. Let’s go set the world alight.

As ever, your loving fan,

Charlotte

Mike McElroy, Programing Genius and new co-host of Barbell Shrugged

I’ve known the guys of Barbell Shrugged for over 5 years now.

My favorite memory might be the time I traveled out to Colorado for the USA Weightlifting and Crossfit event in an RV with Bledsoe, Mike McGoldrick, Doug and Rob Connor. At that point there was no show, they were just gym owners like me. But I knew there was something different about these guys.

We’ve all kept in touch over the years, and I’ve watched the podcast grow. I was even goes on Episode 69, but I never thought I would be a part of the team. At that time, I just appreciated the opportunity to share my thoughts on strength and fitness.

When I got the opportunity to coach for Barbell Shrugged I jumped at the opportunity. My passion is for programming and coaching athletes, so it was a natural fit. But like many others on this team, I feel lead to grow, both as a coach and as a person.

I feel called to share my knowledge, and to continually dig deeper in my own learning. Again, so I can share more with others. So I’m super excited for the future of Barbell Shrugged and the platform we’re creating, and for the chance to contribute to one of the best and most dependable resources out there for athletes and coaches.

It’s going to be an amazing year,

Mike

Kurt Mullican, Barbell Shrugged coach, new podcast co-host, and your latest crush

I am a huge fan of Barbell Shrugged.

I have the podcast to thank for who I am today as an athlete and as a human. The show has optimized my experience, and I firmly believe that thousands and thousands of people could say the same.

I’m not sure where I’d be or what I’d be doing if these guys hadn’t decided to put their energy out into the world.

I was so proud to be part of a program they offered. I told everyone, “Na man, I’m not doing Fran with you today. I’m in Barbell Shrugged’s Muscle Gain Challenge.” Fast forward a year and I’m behind the curtain helping other people do what I did.

It’s been a blessing to see from behind the scenes just how much this company cares about helping others grow. We’ve grown too, and with growing comes growing pains, learning how to use our new selves to better serve the world. The blackout gave us the time we needed to do just that.

As a fan of the show, I’ve been a little lost on what to do with my Wednesdays. But imagine a world where Barbell Shrugged is off of the leash. Imagine being able to create, share, and reach out to the world whenever and however we want. The best of all of us, that’s where we are headed.

Big things are coming, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be along for the ride. So thank you, everyone, for being a part of the journey.

Simply put, this is going to be the shit!

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