

Philosophical Weightlifting Podcast
Joshua Gibson
Join me as I explore the minds of elite athletes, coaches, and experts in strength, power, and human performance. During these conversations, I often look for the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and well-being; a combination you've never seen before and will never hear again!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 3min
Ep. 303: What Separates Great Coaches | Sean Rigsby
As a follow-up to our past conversations, I welcome back Sean Rigsby — coach, lifter, and founder of Heavy Metal Barbell. Sean has long been recognized for his curiosity and commitment to continual coach development, and in this episode we explore how that mindset has shaped his career.We discuss his journey from athlete to coach, the influence of mentors like Glenn Pendlay, and the importance of building foundational knowledge while staying critical of new methods. We also touch on filtering information, balancing science with practice, and the role of empathy in coaching.Enjoy.Follow Sean and Heavy Metal Barbell:https://www.instagram.com/seanmrigsby/https://www.instagram.com/heavymetalbarbellclub/Follow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.philosophicalweightlifting.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://usastore.weightliftinghouse.com/Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.onyxstraps.com/

Aug 14, 2025 • 1h 15min
Ep. 302: Beyond Sets and Reps – Rethinking Coach Education
As a follow-up to years of conversations on the podcast, I sit down to reflect on the evolution of coach education — using the recent Power and Strength Summit as a springboard for discussing what it is, why it matters, and how we can do it better.We explore lessons learned from research and real-world coaching, connecting theory to practice, and moving beyond sets and reps toward a deeper understanding of athlete development.If you enjoyed this discussion, keep an eye out for future Summits where these conversations continue to grow.Enjoy.Sign up for the next Power and Strength Summit!https://www.eventbrite.com/e/power-strength-summit-tickets-1554135524189?aff=oddtdtcreatorFollow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/Follow Mandi and the 2 Girls 1 Bar podcast:https://www.instagram.com/mandimurakami/https://www.instagram.com/2girls1barpod/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://usastore.weightliftinghouse.com/Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.onyxstraps.com/

Aug 8, 2025 • 57min
Ep. 301: Building Stronger Athletes | Quincy Johnson, PhD
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Quincy Johnson — strength coach, sport scientist, and Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas. Quincy’s career spans from high school powerlifting champion to working with elite athletes in the NBA, MMA, and NCAA.We discuss the role of maximal strength in sport performance, his “10-5-3” training model, and the use of cluster sets and density training to improve quality and output. We also explore how to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world coaching, and his advice for the next generation of S&C professionals.Enjoy.Follow Dr. Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/quincyjohnsonphd/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Quincy-Johnson-4/researchFollow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://usastore.weightliftinghouse.com/Onyx: with code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.onyxstraps.com/

Aug 1, 2025 • 59min
300th Episode Special | Seb Ostrowicz, Weightlifting House
What better way to bring in a milestone like the 300th episode than having on one of the most influential people in my life: Seb OstrowiczFor those not in the know, Seb is the founder of Weightlifting House. In this episode... or better yet, metasode, we chat all things podcasting, weightlifting, and philosophy.EnjoyFollow Seb and WH:https://www.instagram.com/seb_ostrowicz/https://www.instagram.com/weightlifting_house/Follow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, the best damn strength and power conference in 2025!!Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/

Jul 27, 2025 • 1h 24min
Ep. 299: Conditioning for Health & Longevity | Jordan Feigenbaum, MD
As a follow-up to a series developing on the podcast, I welcome Jordan Feigenbaum, founder of Barbell Medicine, physician, strength coach, and expert on many things health and performance.In this episode, we discuss conditioning (cardio) and its role in augmenting health-related adaptations. This includes the mechanisms of impact, prescribing conditioning for health and performance, and how to incite and support behavior change. Enjoy.Support Jordan and BBM:https://www.barbellmedicine.com/https://www.instagram.com/jordan_barbellmedicine/?hl=enFollow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, the best damn strength and power conference in 2025!!Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/

Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 4min
Ep. 298: Heavy Carries, Top Singles, & USAW/USAPL Nationals | Jessie Stemo
In this episode, Jessie and I debrief on our experiences at USAPL and USAW Nationals. We explore the successes, what could have gone better, and how we are approaching our programming and coaching differently to navigate those needs.Follow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, the best damn strength and power conference in 2025!!Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/

Jul 11, 2025 • 1h 15min
Ep. 297: Dr. Michael Roberts | Muscle, Longevity, and the Biology of Aging
We are joined by Dr. Michael Roberts, a professor and researcher at Auburn University and one of the most published scientists on muscle hypertrophy and skeletal muscle biology. In this episode, we explore the mechanisms of muscle growth, individual response to training, and how skeletal muscle health allows us to age well. Follow Dr. Michael Roberts:https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BiIJ5xsAAAAJ&hl=enFollow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, the best damn strength and power conference in 2025!!Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/

Jul 4, 2025 • 57min
Ep. 296: Endurance Training for Strength Athletes | Jacob Goodin, PhD
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, the best damn strength and power conference in 2025!!Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Dr. Jacob Goodin is an associate professor of kinesiology and Director of Sport Science at Point Loma Nazarene University. He holds a PhD in Sport Physiology from East Tennessee State University, where he studied barbell squatting styles, muscle fascicle architecture, and athlete monitoring techniques.Alongside his academic pursuits, he also competed in track and field and cross country, showcasing his prowess as an endurance athlete (and eventual coach). In this episode, we examine the role of endurance training for strength and power athletes. Follow Jacob: https://www.instagram.com/drjacobgoodin/https://www.drjacobgoodin.com/Follow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 10min
Ep. 295: REAL Coach-Athlete Relationships, Training Remotely, & 2025 Nationals | Red Gauge Crossover
Every episode of my podcast covers some aspect of training theory, coaching, psychology, and nutrition. Pretty much anything related to performance. With that comes a lot of abstract thinking and imagining how it would play out in practice. Until now...In this crossover episode, Dani and I get interviewed by the Red Gauge podcast and discuss our coach-athlete relationship, remote coaching, and USAPL Nationals. We also get roped into playing the "Newly Coach" game, one of the funniest segments I've ever been involved with on a podcast. Follow Dani: https://www.instagram.com/daniliftsheavy/?hl=enFollow Red Gauge:https://www.instagram.com/redgauge1/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/@RedGaugeFollow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/

Jun 20, 2025 • 54min
Ep. 294: Bridging the Gap Between Weightlifting and S&C | Zach Caswell
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, where Zach will present on bridging the gap between weightlifting and sports performance. Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Follow Zach:https://www.instagram.com/ciniman_waffle/https://www.instagram.com/optimus.performance/https://www.instagram.com/optimus.barbell/Follow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/https://www.instagram.com/philosophicalweightlifting/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% offhttps://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off/https://www.onyxstraps.com/