Project StrengthCast

Jay and Tapas

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Health & Fitness

Learn how to get stronger by getting smarter.

3d ago

How to Squat: The Only Video You’ll Ever Need | Ep. 11

In this episode of Project Strengthcast, we go over the fundamentals of squat, technique. A lot of coaches take cues that work for one group of lifters and apply them to everyone. That usually causes problems, because people differ so much in anatomy and in how they express technique. So we start with the bigger frameworks every lifter should follow, then move on to the individual nuances. We talk about why your setup decides so much of your session, and how technique can drift when fatigue builds or when you stop paying attention. We also get into why coaches ask for accessory videos and how much outside activity, sleep and stress can quietly change how you lift. From there we go deep on squat mechanics: foot pressure and what "midfoot" actually means, spinal position, bracing, low-bar elbow positioning and how the scapulae move on the bench. If you've ever struggled to make sense of a cue, I hope this helps you understand what it's trying to do. Timestamps for this episode: 0:00 - Intro and Episode Objectives 1:07 - Squat Fundamentals: Setup First 3:34 - Technique Big Picture: Competition Standards and Repeatability 4:39 - Technique Drift and Movement Quality 5:58 - Why Coaches Ask for Accessory Videos 7:15 - Hinging, Knee Discipline and B-Stance RDLs 10:41 - Why Accessories Are Programmed 11:59 - Following the Program: Outside Training and Extra Stress 12:59 - Externals: Soreness, Sleep and Technique 14:35 - Recovery From Stress Outside the Gym 17:34 - Hobbies, Steps and Dosing Stress 18:50 - Midfoot Pressure Explained 22:03 - Foot Pressure Cues and Using Elevation 26:53 - Heel Shoes and Creating Space at the Ankle 29:31 - Spinal Shape: Extension vs. Flexion 31:05 - Matching Top and Bottom Positions 33:55 - Technique as Stress Distribution 37:35 - Bracing and Rib–Pelvis Position 40:08 - Bracing for Squat, Deadlift and Bench, and Belts 44:05 - Elbow Positioning and the Low-Bar Shelf 48:42 - Scapular Retraction and Depression as a Spectrum 52:06 - Squat Wrap-Up Follow us on instagram @projectstrengthcast Follow our hosts: Kaushal- @kaushal_ironcreed Jay- @jay_ironcreed Tapas- @the.quadzilla Follow our sponsor & shop the more premier fitness equipment manufactured in India @siegefitnessindia!
Oct 15

Rehab, Pain & Movement Quality for strength athletes | Ashley Lewis

Hey everybody, today Ashley Lewis of Polaris Rehab joins us for a practical conversation on pain, rehab, injury risk, movement quality, and strength training. today's discussion covers how athletes can keep training around injuries, why rehab and training belong on the same continuum, the biopsychosocial model of pain, building capacity, ribcage and pelvis mechanics, and why there’s no such thing as perfect posture, and much much more. Today's episode is super valuable for athletes and coaches alike, especially those looking to widen their understanding of rehabilitation and it's relation to strength training, and dealing with athletes in pain. Chapters: 00:00:00: Introduction 00:02:23: How to Approach an Injured Athlete 00:08:11: Rehab, Training and Manual Therapy 00:18:52: Movement Quality and Functional Training 00:29:30: The Biopsychosocial Model of Pain 00:35:16: Pain, Identity and Psychology 00:42:32: Pain Tolerance in Different Athletes 00:55:39: Can You Become Injury-Proof? 01:06:25: The Ribcage, Pelvis and Bracing 01:10:55: Single-Leg Work and Pelvic Control 01:15:13: How to Hinge Properly 01:23:46: Ribcage Mobility and Movement Awareness 01:30:17: What Movement Quality Really Means 01:48:27: Is There Such a Thing as Perfect Posture? 01:53:17: Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Ashley Follow Ashley on Instagram: @Ashley.rehab Follow our page & hosts on Instagram: @projectstrengthcast @kaushal_ironcreed @jay_ironcreed @the.quadzilla Follow & shop from the premier equipment provider in the Indian strength space: @siegefitnessindia
Oct 1

A complete playbook to powerlifting coaching | Ep.9 ft. Norman Cheung

In today's episode, Norman Cheung from Strong Ambitions Coaching joins us at Project Strengthcast for an in-depth conversation on building better powerlifting systems. We explore and discuss upon topics like training doses, progress versus progression, athlete profiling, technical decision-making, fatigue and injury management, and the judgment coaches need to solve problems over the long term. This episode is a truly practical masterclass for coaches and lifters who want sustainable progress, both in training & in their careers. Timestamps for this episode: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Training Dose & Coaching Systems 00:02:18 - Training Dose and Dose Response 00:06:15 - Progress vs. Progression 00:13:13 - Designing Training for Athlete Buy-In 00:20:03 - Personality, Psychology & Coaching 00:22:40 - Mental Models and Titrating Training Dose 00:28:19 - Needs Analysis and Training History 00:32:49 - Diagnosing Flat Performance 00:43:54 - Competency, Capacity & Performance 00:52:33 - Technique, Constraints & Bottlenecks 01:10:48 - Learning From Coaching Failures 01:19:14 - Coach-Athlete Trust and Long-Term Progress 01:26:22 - Discipline, Sleep & Sustainable Training 01:30:50 - Powerlifting Education and First-Principles Thinking 01:38:52 - Powerlifting Education in India 01:45:44 - Q&A: Accessory Volume and Periodization 01:49:20 - Q&A: Genetics, Long-Term Potential & Process 01:55:51 - Q&A: Fatigue Sets and Managing Intensity 01:57:28 - Q&A: Injury Management and Pain Caps 02:03:17 - Q&A: Accessories Before Main Lifts 02:09:15 - Closing Thoughts Connect with us on instagram: Follow Norman: @strongambitionscoaching Our page: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Sep 24

Coaches Need Models, Not More Information | Ep.8 with Jamie Smith

Most coaches are solving the wrong problem. In this episode's discussion, we talk to Jamie about why better results start with better models. And how the way you understand movement can improve both pain management and performance. We also discuss client-led coaching, breathing as a sensory tool, bone-first thinking, movement strategies, pain narratives, and why “stability” is often misunderstood. Jamie also gives us insights from coaching elite powerlifters, including how to create more movement options, manage load, and know when to focus on technique or take a broader view. If you want to coach smarter, communicate better, and stop mistaking symptoms for the real problem that may be occuring within your systems, this episode is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Coaching Models and Better Problem-Solving 02:12 - Why Coaches Need Training Models 11:37 - Jamie’s Coaching Model: Inputs Shape Outputs 19:06 - Client-Led Exploration and Better Coaching Communication 24:08 - Breathing Drills as Sensory Practice 32:50 - Top-Down and Bottom-Up Constraints 40:05 - Bone-First vs. Muscle-First Thinking 53:29 - Pain, Biomechanics, and Better Narratives 1:01:22 - Moving Beyond Pain-Focused Coaching 1:07:23 - Building More Ways to Load and Move 1:16:45 - External Load vs. Internal Load 1:21:36 - Helpful and Harmful Training Narratives 1:33:08 - Relative Motion vs. Movement Orientation 1:39:09 - Solving Technique Breakdowns as Skills 1:43:21 - Why “Stability Training” Misses the Point 1:50:25 - Mentorship, Learning, and Closing Thoughts Connect with us on instagram: Follow Jamie @j.smith.culture Our page: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Sep 17

Programming for Success with Anas Anbar | Ep.7

Hey everybody, welcome back to Project StrengthCast. We promised you the best, and here we are delivering. Today we have on Anas Anbar for an elite discussion on all things programming. Anas is a USAPL pro athlete, an elite coach and co-host of StackedCast. Be sure to check Anas and StackedCast out both on youtube and instagram after you finish watching this episode. This episode is immensely valuable to lifters ranging from intermediate lifters to advanced powerlifters looking to improve their critical understanding of the mechanisms behind how strength works. Coaches will also benefit by learning a lot more in-depth about concepts from a different point of view. Our discussion also had topics and nuances apart from our official topic list as we like to keep things organic. As always, be sure to stick around till the end to receive the most value possible from this episode, and be sure to leave any feedback you may have down below! Timestamps for this Episode: 00:00 - Introducing Anas: coaching, mentorship, and better programming 02:32 -SRA explained: stress, recovery, and adaptation 08:43 - Finding the real bottleneck in a lifter’s progress 18:24 - Does better technique always make you stronger? 22:11 - Building a lifter profile and tracking more than top sets 26:19 - Communication, accountability, & getting athletes to adhere 43:44 - Fatigue misconceptions and why hard training still matters 60:07 - Bar speed, force production, and why grinding reps can stall progress 70:38 - Work capacity: what it is and how to build it 75:33 - Why every training block doesn’t need a PR 84:50 - Movement Quality Degradation due to Fatigue 92:16 - Asymmetry 1:06:25 - Maintaining movement quality and technique year-round 1:14:30 - Exercise selection isn’t enough, execution matters 1:20:56 - Injury management 1:23:48 - Managing stress and capacity instead of simply resting 1:29:52 - Model-based coaching and learning to solve the right problem 1:50:06 - Building a stronger coaching culture in India 1:52:51 - Natural lifting, long-term development, and avoiding shortcuts 1:57:06 - Final thoughts from Anas and where to follow the conversation 1:61:19 - Closing remarks Connect with us on instagram: Follow Anas @Anasanbar StackedCast @stackedcast Our page: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Sep 3

Founder of Siege Fitness talks about the Indian fitness space | Ep.6

This episode is essential for lifters, gym owners, coaches, and anyone tired of overpriced equipment that talks a big game and performs like garbage. In this episode, Pranav, founder of Siege Fitness, joins us to provide invaluable insider insight on the Indian Fitness Space. Pranav shares how Siege started during COVID out of necessity, after he couldn’t find a proper power rack in India and decided to make one himself. We push the conversation further with real-world examples from coaching, gym ownership, and training in spaces where bad equipment limits progress. The result is a blunt, practical look at what happens when gym owners cut corners, why people are demanding better gear, and how stronger standards can raise the entire fitness ecosystem. Pranav also explains how Siege chooses athletes and creators to work with, why brand fit matters more than follower count, and how feedback from lifters, coaches, and gym owners directly shapes new products. If you care about training quality, building a better gym, or understanding what makes fitness equipment actually worth buying, this episode is packed with useful perspective. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 02:48 - How Siege Fitness Began 03:51 - India’s Home-Gym Market After COVID 14:14 - Safety, Durability & Functional Design 20:07 - Why Equipment Makers Need to Train 34:00 - Better Gyms Build Better Communities 43:02 - Choosing Athletes and Brand Collaborators 47:47 - India vs. International Equipment Markets & standards 53:42 - Competition, Innovation & Design Philosophy 61:31 - Gym Culture, Community & Higher Standards 65:22 - Why Multi-Gyms Fall Short 71:14 - AI, Creativity & Critical Thinking 78:33 - Small-Space Training & Closing Thoughts Connect with us on instagram: Podcast: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @Jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Sep 1

Tapering, Deloads & Athlete Mindset | Ep.5 (Pt-2)

This is Part 2 of Episode 5 of Project StrengthCast. Today we talk about a wide range of topics ranging from Tapers, Deloads, breaking plateaus, accessory selection, data & education in powerlifting, off-season in powerlifting (why thats not a good way to phrase it), a QNA, and a lot more. This episode has been split into 2 easily digestible parts. Timestamps for this episode: 0:00 -Peaking and tapering explained 4:09 - Why offseason training should build, not just express 12:16 - Powerlifting vs other sports: role of the coach 18:23 - Deloads, intro weeks, and when to use them 28:43 - Cultural shift: think in-season, not off-season 30:40 - Handling bad meets and post-meet mindset 37:20 - Self-regulation vs coach intervention 44:52 - Independence, boundaries, and coach-athlete dynamics 52:32 - Setting expectations and dealing with unrealistic athletes 59:25 - Hobbies outside lifting and avoiding burnout 61:49 - Q&A: minimum time on a program before changing 63:37 - Q&A: why people seem weaker after the off-season 68:51 - Q&A: how to teach RP and self-regulation 71:16 - Q&A: why coaches need coaches 78:46 - Closing thoughts and sign-off Connect with us on instagram: Podcast: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @Jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Sep 1

Plateaus, Progress & the Training Process | Ep.5 (Pt-1)

This is Part 1 of Episode 5 of Project StrengthCast. Today we talk about a wide range of topics ranging from breaking plateaus, accessory selection, data & education in powerlifting, off-season in powerlifting (why thats not a good way to phrase it), and a lot more. This episode has been split into 2 easily digestible parts. Make sure to watch the first one in it's entirety before moving on to the second one where we talk about deloads, tapers, and even have a qna. Timestamps for this episode: 0:05 - Welcome back + episode overview 1:24 - Plateaus and how to approach them 17:50 - Psychological side of long plateaus 25:42 - What counts as a plateau? Multifaceted progress 31:56 - Self-sabotage, momentum, and training mistakes 35:49 - How to help a lifter who feels stuck 44:05 - Why highlights don’t show the full process 51:21 - Off-season vs in-season mindset 59:07 - Chronic fatigue, pain, and technique drift 65:48 - Accessory work, stimulus, and movement quality 70:30 - Aerobic fitness and general conditioning 77:20 - Why data and education matter in powerlifting Connect with us on instagram Podcast: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @Jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Aug 12

Powerlifting in depth | Ep.4 Part 2 | Coach-client relationships & communication

This is part 2 to a 3 part episode on topics paramount to athletic success and coach-client relationship optimisation. We welcome Kaushal from Ironcreed as our new host who brings us incredible insight and invaluable knowledge from his experience being in the industry for so long This episode has been split into 3 parts, so please watch them sequentially to get the most value out of it as a whole, and we hope you find a lot of value in this one. 00:00 - Influencers vs Real Progress 00:42 - Gifted Lifters 02:38 - Useful Client Communication 06:40 - Boundaries (why not all clients are friends) 29:46 - Coaching Ecosystem Problems 33:16 - Refer Out With Integrity 34:57 - Injury Rehab Communication 47:57 - Boundaries Buy In Autonomy Follow us on instagram Podcast: @projectstrengthcast Kaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @Jay.tries.to.move Tapas: @the.quadzilla Shop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.in Follow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Aug 8

Powerlifting: An Overview | Intent & Buy-in | Ep.4 Part 1

This is part 1 to a 3 part episode on topics paramount to athletic success and coach-client relationship optimisation. We welcome Kaushal from Ironcreed as our new host who brings us incredible insight and invaluable knowledge from his experience being in the industry for so long. This episode has been split into 3 parts, so please watch them sequentially to get the most value out of it as a whole, and we hope you find a lot of value in this one. 0:00 - Introduction & Episode Overview2:54 - Athlete Intent: What It Is & Why It Matters5:19 - Smart Work vs. Hard Work: Pacing Your Training Block7:53 - Why Athletes Must Understand the Basics31:09 - Powerlifting, Money & Content Creation34:10 - Sacrificing for the Unknown: Athlete Mindset37:06 - Athlete Buy-In: The Perfect Program vs. True BeliefFollow us on instagramPodcast: @projectstrengthcastKaushal: @kaushal_ironcreed Jay: @Jay.tries.to.moveTapas: @the.quadzillaShop at Siege Fitness for the most premier comp standard equipment you can find in India: https://www.siegefitness.inFollow Siege Fitness on instagram: @siegefitnessindia
Jul 8

Most people don't understand Adaptations & Accessory Selection | EP 1

Learn how Adaptations work, what different kinds exist, the common mistakes most coaches make when considering them, how accessory selection is way more than just hypertrophy, and a lot more on how to program better to be smarter overall. Follow us on instagram and youtube @projectstrengthcast. Join the movement to lift smarter and better

11 Episodes

Learn how to get stronger by getting smarter.

Creator

Jay and Tapas
Years Active

2026
Episodes

11
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 Jay and Tapas
Show Website

Project StrengthCast