
Philosophical Weightlifting Podcast
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!
Latest episodes

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/

Jun 12, 2025 • 1h 5min
Ep. 293: The DNA of Champions | Sergii Putsoff, PhD
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit:Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Follow Sergii:https://www.instagram.com/putsoff/https://torokhtiy.com/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/

Jun 6, 2025 • 59min
Ep. 292: Utilizing Plyometrics: Why Biomechanics & Velocity Matter | Mike Young, PhD & Jessie Stemo
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, where Mike will present on plyometrics for sport!Register here:https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Follow Mike:https://www.instagram.com/mikeyoungphd/?hl=enhttps://www.athleticlab.com/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/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/

May 30, 2025 • 1h 10min
Ep. 291: How to Develop Elite Technique | Max Aita
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, where presentations will cover all things strength, hypertrophy, power, and MORE.Register here to attend the greatest online Strength Power event in 2025: https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Follow Max and sign up for CoachLogik:https://www.instagram.com/max_aita/https://app.coachlogik.com/loginFollow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/Onyx:https://www.onyxstraps.com/ with code PHILWL for 10% offVirus:https://virusintl.com code PHILWL for 10% off

May 23, 2025 • 1h 17min
Ep. 290: What Makes People Curious? | Todd Kashdan, PhD
Todd Kashdan is an intellectual idol of mine. He has a PhD in clinical psychology, is the founder of the Well-Being Lab at George Mason University, and a leading educator to the public. He's written books on curiosity, negative emotions, and the art of insubordination. His writings alone have influenced the trajectory of my life and career.In this episode, we explore the underpinnings of curiosity, how to manage social anxiety, and the reason relationships fail (and why that's okay). Check out Todd's Substack:https://toddkashdan.substack.com/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/

May 16, 2025 • 1h 2min
Ep. 289: How Heavy Should You Train? | Jessie Stemo
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, where Jessie will present on her experiences as an elite athlete, elite weightlifting coach, and the CEO of Power and Grace Performance!Register here for an early bird discount: https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/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/

May 8, 2025 • 59min
Ep. 288: Unlocking Human Potential | Scott Barry Kaufman
Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a psychologist, professor at Columbia University, best-selling author, and host of The Psychology Podcast. His work has reshaped how we think about intelligence, creativity, and self-actualization—and in this conversation, he brings those ideas to life.In this episode, we explore topics like reframing trauma, overcoming a victim mindset, and building self-belief. Scott also shares insights from his new book Rise Above and explores how authenticity, flow, and the environment support personal growth.Follow Scott and buy his book, Rise Above:https://scottbarrykaufman.com/books/rise-above/https://www.instagram.com/scottbarrykaufman/Follow me and get coaching:https://www.instagram.com/josh_philwl/Follow Jessie:https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/Weightlifting House: code PHILWL for 10% off https://www.weightliftinghouse.comOnyx: with code PHILWL for 10% off https://www.onyxstraps.com/

May 4, 2025 • 1h 11min
Ep. 287: How Many Sets & Reps to Build Size | Jake Remmert, PhD(c)
Jake Remmert, a PhD candidate specializing in hypertrophy and strength, joins Jessie Stemo, an insightful coach from Power and Grace Performance. They dive into the significance of personalized training approaches and the balance between research and practical coaching. Listeners will discover the ideal sets and reps for muscle growth, hear about the dynamics between education and experience in coaching, and learn how female coaches are fostering a supportive community in weightlifting. Their engaging conversation strikes a perfect chord between science and real-world application.

Apr 24, 2025 • 42min
Ep. 286: Slow Progressions, Creative Programming & Competition Debriefs | Jessie Stemo
Sign up for the Power and Strength Summit, where Jessie will present on her experiences as an elite athlete, elite weightlifting coach, and the CEO of Power and Grace Performance!Register here for an early bird discount: https://www.powerandstrengthsummit.com/Follow Jessie: https://www.instagram.com/jessiestemo/https://powerandgraceperformance.com/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/