259: What is the Wendler 531 Strength Program?

Garage Gym Athlete is not going anywhere. In this episode I talk directly to the Garage Gym Athlete community about where I've been, how getting injured and burned out pulled me away, and why I'm going all in again for 2026. If you train in a home gym and believe in daily over decades, this is your invite to lock back in, rebuild with us, and make Garage Gym Athlete the best home gym community on the planet.

Unlock the most practical and effective calisthenics program for building real-world strength, endurance, and resilience. In this episode, we break down Strike Zero — a bodyweight system designed to rapidly improve pull-ups, push-ups, lower-body stamina, and conditioning using simple rules and smart progression. You'll learn how the Strike Zero method works, why strict rest periods matter, and how to tailor the reps to your current level. Whether you're traveling, training at home, or just need a brutally efficient calisthenics routine, this calisthenics program delivers a full-body challenge in under 30 minutes. If you want a leaner, stronger, and more capable body using only your own weight, this is the program to follow. Get ready to upgrade your fitness with one of the most powerful calisthenics programs we've ever created. Episode Chapters:  00:01 Welcome + What Is Strike Zero? 01:16 The 6 Core Rules of Strike Zero 03:35 Supersets, Rest Rules, and Why They Matter 05:50 When to Adjust Reps vs. Rest 07:29 Failure vs. Reps in Reserve 08:28 Form + Execution Questions 09:43 Workout A Breakdown 12:45 Workout B Breakdown 14:50 How Rest Works in a Superset 16:49 Workout C Breakdown 18:48 Conditioning Philosophy Across the Program 21:09 Black Friday Offer + Why the App Matters 22:39 How to Add Strike Zero Into Other Training 24:55 Holiday Mindset: Consistency Over Perfection 26:43 Why Time Off Might Make You Stronger 29:42 Injury Prevention + Long-Term Thinking 30:32 Dave's 5K Goal Update 32:48 Jerred's New Track + Training Experiments 35:59 Kettlebell Snatch Test Results 37:44 Why the Protocol Isn't VO2 Max Magic for Everyone 41:11 When Snatches Become "Stupid" 42:50 Jump Rope and Smarter VO2 Options 44:10 Final Notes + Holiday Deals + Outro

This week on the Garage Gym Athlete Podcast, we're running three completely different scientific studies through the grinder—and none of us saw each other's ahead of time. Expect surprises, arguments, and some actionable training takeaways you can start using immediately. Jerred digs into a kettlebell snatch protocol that boosted VO₂ max without running. Joe explores how dietary nitrates (think beets, spinach, arugula) improve isometric endurance by 25%. And Dave breaks down a 2025 study showing how heavy strength work dramatically improves running economy, durability, and time-to-exhaustion in well-trained runners. We also kick things off with an update on last week's isometric training experiment—spoiler: it was brutal—and end with a practical roundtable on supplements we actually use. If you train in a garage gym, want science-backed performance strategies, and enjoy a little misery mixed with progress…this one's for you. 00:00 – Intro: This week's study mash-up 00:30 – Isometric training update & why Jerred is wrecked 02:25 – Immovable objects, heavy loads & iso strategy 03:47 – Dave digs into CNS fatigue from the iso session 04:52 – Transition: Let's get into the studies 05:16 – Study 1: Strength training improves running performance 08:48 – 31% improvement in time-to-exhaustion 10:27 – Jerred on heavy lifting for runners 12:04 – Joe on balancing strength, speed & endurance 13:56 – The truth about soreness & "gaining mass" fears 15:28 – Study 2: Nitrates boost isometric endurance (Joe) 18:48 – How much beets/spinach you actually need 19:26 – Joe's real-life beet adventure (never pickled…) 20:53 – Study 3: Increase VO₂ max by 6% with kettlebells (Jerred) 21:16 – VO₂ max simplified — oxygen demand & oxygen debt 23:16 – The 15s on / 15s off kettlebell snatch protocol 25:17 – Circuit training vs kettlebell intervals 27:39 – How to implement the protocol in real training 30:36 – Kettlebells vs running for conditioning 33:32 – Supplement roundtable: what we actually take 34:29 – Joe: nitrates & tart cherry 36:05 – Dave: creatine, protein & coffee 39:28 – Jerred: electrolytes & hydration 42:45 – Are electrolytes supplements or just life? 44:22 – Closing thoughts & "Kill Comfort" reminder

Can you gain real muscle with isometric holds and little to no equipment? We break down a 2025 study comparing long-muscle-length isometric training to full range of motion isotonic work for quadriceps hypertrophy in trained lifters. We translate the science into simple setups you can use at home or in a hotel gym, explain why long-length positions matter, how to hit a true 10 RPE on static holds, and when to pair pre-exhaust sets with isometrics for serious growth without beating up your joints. What you'll learn: Isometric vs isotonic for hypertrophy and when isometrics can win How to find and hold true long-length positions for chest, back, quads, and hamstrings Making bodyweight isos hard enough to matter with 30-second max-effort holds Joint-friendly use cases for tendons, pain, deload weeks, and travel A plug-and-play isometric session you can try today Sample session: Pull: Chin-over-bar hold to failure, 4 sets Push: Handstand push-up iso 3 to 6 inches off the floor, to failure, 4 sets Quads: Wall sit at or just below parallel, 30-second max holds, 4 to 6 sets Unilateral: Rear-foot-elevated split-squat iso, back knee 1 inch off floor, 30 seconds, 4 sets per leg Optional overload: Pins, fixed bands, or plates on lap for wall sits Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:00 The 2025 study in plain English 03:30 Why long-length isometrics drive growth 06:50 Execution cues: 30s holds and true 10 RPE 08:30 Rehab and tendon applications 10:40 Pre-exhaust plus isos for hypertrophy 12:45 Minimal equipment programming ideas 15:10 Full sample isometric workout 20:20 Soreness, CNS load, and recovery 23:10 Movement skill benefits and coaching cues 27:45 Key takeaways and next steps Links: Free trial of our programming: https://garagegymathlete.com

Fueling for Performance: Avoid the Wall, Train Smarter & Live Better | Garage Gym Athlete Podcast Have you ever "hit the wall" mid-workout — or mid-day? In this episode, Jerred Moon and coaches Joe and Dave reveal how to fuel for performance using simple, science-backed strategies — whether you're training for a 100-mile ultra, crushing CrossFit, or just want more energy as a busy parent. 🔥 What You'll Learn: ✅ What "hitting the wall" really means (and why glycogen runs out fast) ✅ How to use periodized nutrition — match carbs & calories to your training ✅ Why under-eating kills mood, focus & family time (even on rest days) ✅ 4 Pillars of Performance Nutrition: Protein, Calories, Fats, Fiber ✅ Free Macro Calculator: garagegymathlete.com/tools — enter weight, get targets instantly 😂 Funny Moments: Jerred's fingers swelled like balloons from too many electrolytes Joe threatens to disown his brother over the Baltimore Marathon The heated white rice vs. brown rice debate (Team White Rice FTW?) ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Have You Hit the Wall? 01:46 – Glycogen 101: What is "the wall"? 06:43 – Dave's 100-mile ultra fueling (PB&H = MVP) 11:31 – Periodized nutrition for daily life 15:38 – How under-eating ruins sleep, mood & relationships 23:40 – 4 Nutrition Pillars + Free Macro Tool 33:11 – Daily Takeaways: Think Like an Athlete 🔗 Resources: 👉 Free Macro Calculator 👉 Start Training (14-Day Free Trial) 💀 If you don't kill comfort, comfort will kill you. Tags: fueling for performance, hit the wall, glycogen depletion, periodized nutrition, garage gym athlete, crossfit nutrition, endurance training, daily energy, protein timing, carb cycling, ultra marathon fueling, spartan race, macro tracking, performance nutrition, athlete mindset

This week we are looking at a study comparing active rest and passive rest and how it impacts performance. We break down the study, give our thoughts on if and when you should do active rest, and more on resting between sets. 

Motivation fades and excuses pile up. This is when most people quit (but you'll learn how not to). In this episode, we unpack a surprising study that shows how to actually keep making progress when you don't feel like it (using Self-Determination Theory). No hype or fancy programs (these guys didn't even follow a workout plan). Just autonomy, competence, connection, and human to human coaching. Learn the mindset strategies that keep you training (or bettering any area of your health), even when you're not feeling it.

this week Jerred and Dave are talk about weighted vest and what the benefits of using them are. 

This week we are going over a study that examines performance and sauna use after a training session. We talk more about sauna use and how you should think about using them.

This week Jerred and Dave are talking about a study on self determination theory and how it impacts training.