Between 2 Racks

Send us Fan Mail Progressive Anatomical Adaptation Blocks, or PAABs, are among the most misunderstood components of the KILO system. In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew breaks down what PAAB actually is, how it differs from structural balance, and why it should be viewed as strength preparation rather than simply rehab or remedial training. Steph and Pauric explain the difference bet...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A episode of Between 2 Racks , the KILO Crew works through a wide range of programming questions that strength coaches and personal trainers run into when building real programs for real clients. The conversation starts with whether different body parts can be trained for different goals within the same macrocycle, and why the answer depends on how far apa...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew tackles a wide range of coaching questions around specificity, strength reserve, long-term planning, and how to make better training decisions when the answer is not obvious. The episode opens with a discussion on preparing for HYROX and other strength endurance events, including why most athletes should spend mo...

Send us Fan Mail Exercise selection is never just about choosing what “works” a muscle. Every exercise comes with a recovery cost, and smart programming depends on knowing when that cost is worth paying. In this episode of Between 2 Racks , the KILO team breaks down how recovery demand changes based on exercise selection, load potential, range of motion, stability, strength curve, muscle length, p...

Send us Fan Mail In this follow-up episode of Between 2 Racks , the KILO Crew continues the sports performance conversation by moving from off-season structure into the decisions coaches have to make as the season gets closer. The episode starts with a student question on tapering, and whether athletes need a formal taper at the end of the off-season or if the reduction in training volume happens...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew breaks down sports performance training through the lens of off-season program design, and why coaches often rush toward specificity before building the qualities that actually support performance. The conversation starts with one of the most common mistakes coaches make when they only have 8 to 12 weeks with an athlete: skipping t...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A, we focus on one of the most important coaching skills, adjusting the plan without losing the structure. We start by breaking down how to train around injuries, including how to maintain upper body progression while modifying lower body work, and how to continue driving hypertrophy when certain movements are limited. We also discuss how to approach pain...

Send us Fan Mail Most people think they’re training, but they’re just working out. In this episode, we break down the difference between training and working out, and why that distinction is the foundation of long-term progress. We explain how training requires a plan, a goal, and progression over time, while working out is often just activity without direction. We dive into common mistakes that k...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A, we tackle one of the most common challenges coaches face, how to make training effective when time, structure, and consistency are limited. We start by breaking down how to approach 30-minute sessions, including what to prioritize when you can’t do everything. From there, we discuss how to structure full body training for strength and hypertrophy, when...

Send us Fan Mail Most lifters think they’re training for strength, but in reality, they’re constantly testing it. In this episode, we break down the difference between training strength and testing strength, and why confusing the two is one of the fastest ways to plateau. We explain how constantly pushing to maximal loads or maximal effort disrupts progression, limits volume accumulation, and ulti...

Send us Fan Mail Cluster training is often misunderstood as just another advanced method, but in reality, it’s a way to reorganize work to improve output, not just increase difficulty. In this episode, we break down what clusters actually are, where they came from, and how they’ve evolved from early strength methods to modern performance training. More importantly, we explain how clusters change t...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A, we cover a wide range of coaching questions, from Hatfield squats and chains to IMCA, hypertrophy programming, and strength ratios. More importantly, we unpack the principles behind each decision. When to use variation versus repetition. How intent changes outcomes. Why movement patterns matter more than muscle groups. And how to adjust programming base...

Send us Fan Mail Loading doesn’t stop at the session level. It has to be structured across phases, blocks, and entire training cycles. In this episode, we break down how to apply loading over time. We define mesocycles, block structures, and macrocycles, and explain how volume and intensity should be distributed to drive specific training outcomes. We cover ascending, descending, constant, step, p...

Send us Fan Mail Loading is one of the most important variables in strength training, yet most coaches and lifters misunderstand how to apply it. In this episode, we break down what proper loading actually looks like across different contexts, from primary compound movements to assistance work and metabolic training methods. We cover RM-based loading, estimated 1RM usage, step loading, complex rep...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 100 breaks down how we actually individualize training, and why systems are only the starting point. We walk through assessment, volume, periodization, and exercise selection, and how these decisions evolve with real client data over time. If you’re a coach looking to move beyond templates and make better programming decisions, this episode will give you clarity. 0:00 Intr...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO coaches break down key programming and coaching questions submitted by listeners. The conversation opens with influential coaches and researchers who shaped their approach, including Charles Poliquin, Tudor Bompa, Mike Stone, Bryan Mann, and Dan Baker, and how these ideas still influence program design today. From the...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A episode of Between 2 Racks , the KILO coaches tackle a wide range of programming questions submitted by coaches and listeners. First, we want to take a moment to wish Alexandra the best. Alex has been part of KILO since the very beginning, back in 2016 when it first started as a gym in California. As she moves into a new chapter focused on building her o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew breaks down why power training deserves a place in long-term development, even for lifters who are not competitive athletes. We clarify what power actually is, what it is not, and how it differs from maximal strength. The conversation explores force-velocity relationships, starting strength, explosive strength, and how velocity-bas...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks, we break down what actually changes in training as you get older and what does not. There is a growing conversation around strength training for longevity, especially for those in their forties and beyond. But much of the discussion lacks context. Blanket statements about rep ranges, intensity, or “age appropriate” training miss the bigger pictu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks, we finally give the squat the attention it deserves. We break down why the squat remains one of the most versatile and scalable movement patterns in strength training. From high bar vs low bar positioning to stance width and foot angle, this conversation moves beyond dogma and into application. The goal is not to argue preferences, but to unders...

Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A episode of Between Two Racks, the KILO Crew answers advanced coaching questions around isometrics, contrast training, chin-up progressions, and programming decision-making. The conversation covers when and why to use yielding isometrics to exhaustion, how to properly load extended eccentrics and contrast methods, and how grip, variation, and angle select...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks , the KILO Crew breaks down what a deload actually is, how it differs from active recovery, and why it is so often misunderstood in strength programming. We discuss deloads through the lens of volume management, intensity preservation, and long-term program design, including when deloads make sense, when they are unnecessary, and when they are si...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO Crew breaks down what coaches tend to outgrow with experience, and why those shifts matter more than new methods or trends. From letting go of perfection, novelty, and short-term thinking to rethinking hypertrophy, nutrition, and “perfect programs,” this conversation explores how real coaching priorities change after years on the gym fl...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Between 2 Racks , the KILO Crew takes a closer look at compliance and why execution matters more than how a program looks on paper. We unpack what compliance really means beyond simply showing up, and how execution breaks down through missed sessions, skipped sets, underloading, incomplete series, and quiet changes that alter the intended training stimulus. The...

Send us Fan Mail Most lifters stall after the first few years because the strategies that work early stop driving progress. The intermediate phase is where technique is more consistent, load selection becomes more accurate, and improvements slow down fast unless training evolves. In this episode, the KILO Crew defines what “intermediate” really means, beyond training age. We break down why progres...