Between 2 Racks

KILO Education
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

Between 2 Racks is a strength training podcast from KILO, a coach-led education company built to support personal trainers and strength coaches who want a deeper, more durable understanding of training. The goal is simple: create a home for sound knowledge. Not trends, not shortcuts, and not recycled talking points. Each episode explores program design, loading, periodization, and coaching decisions through real-world application. We focus on what holds up over time, where theory breaks down in practice, and how coaches can make better decisions for the people they train. Hosted by experienced coaches with decades spent in private training, performance settings, and long-term athlete development, the conversations are practical, honest, and grounded in principle. If you are a coach looking for clarity, depth, and a place to think critically about training, Between 2 Racks is that space. Let’s kick it!

  1. 1d ago

    Rapid Fire Q&A: Squat Frequency, Chin-Up Progression & Wave Loading

    Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A, Stéphane and Pauric break down how coaches can progress training without introducing complexity before it is needed. The episode begins with squat frequency and how training age should influence the structure. For novice trainees, repeating the same rep scheme twice per week can provide the rehearsal needed to improve the lift. As strength increases, heavy-light loading, smaller progressions, and planned reductions in volume can help preserve frequency while managing recovery. They also discuss when direct shoulder work can replace arm or remedial exercises, why foundational program design structures prioritize certain movements, and how to organize two microcycle structures across a 12-week macrocycle. The conversation then moves into chin-up progression. Rather than forcing repetitions to failure, coaches should use frequent exposure, leave repetitions in reserve, and gradually increase total volume. This approach produces more high-quality work and protects performance in the next session. Finally, the crew covers how to introduce hypertrophy methods, how much to increase a beginner’s load, and where wave loading fits within a training year. The central principle is simple: methods should reflect the trainee’s conditioning, training age, recovery capacity, and the specific goal of the phase. Complexity has value when it solves the right programming problem. 0:00 Intro 0:18 Squat frequency and rep scheme programming for beginners 10:17 Shoulder, delt, and arm work placement in program design 13:54 Building a 12-week macro with two microcycle structures 20:32 Why the chin-up isn't a featured OSR lift 28:12 Choosing hypertrophy training methods for new clients 33:07 Progressing load with constant loading standard sets 36:14 Best time to use wave rep schemes 44:18 Wrap up and outro Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  2. Oct 5

    Building a 12-Week Macrocycle: Goal, Intensity, Structure

    Send us Fan Mail A 12-week macrocycle is more than three months of workouts. It is a defined training period built around one outcome, with every block, mesocycle, microcycle, and training session organized to support it. In this episode of Between 2 Racks, Kelsey, Stéphane, and Pauric break down KILO’s approach to building a 12-week macrocycle for personal training and strength coaching clients. They explain why KILO commonly uses a 12-week timeframe, when shorter or longer macrocycles may be appropriate, and how the plan changes when a client commits to three months versus a full year. The conversation follows the decisions a coach must make when constructing the plan. First, determine the primary training goal. Then identify the intensity range required to produce that adaptation, select the appropriate periodization model, establish the block loading and structure, assign specific strength qualities to each mesocycle, and organize the weekly training split. They also discuss phase undulating and linear periodization, progressive, extensive, and intensive blocks, fixed and variable structures, upper-lower and body-part splits, training frequency, recovery capacity, client preferences, training age, and previous training experience. The central principle is simple: periodization does not end when a coach names the goal. The intensity, sequencing, and structure of the training must be capable of producing it. Build the outcome first. Then make every layer of the plan support it. 0:00 Introduction and episode overview 0:47 What a macrocycle really means 1:56 Why gen pop clients use 12 week macrocycles 2:39 The four macrocycle goals 3:47 Blocks mesocycles and microcycles explained 9:50 Fitting macrocycles into a full year 10:36 3-week mesocycles and periodization models 11:53 Undulating vs linear periodization 13:22 Comprehensive periodization and program design 18:06 How to determine the macrocycle goal 20:39 Choosing relative vs absolute strength 21:42 Why training age matters 22:37 Relative strength ratios explained 27:54 Choosing a periodization model 28:45 Fixed variable and integrated block structures 30:08 Determining mesocycle strength qualities 30:55 Building the microcycle structure 33:40 Training splits at three sessions per week 35:56 Body part splits for advanced trainees 45:14 Final tip on intensity and goal setting Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  3. Sep 28

    Rapid Fire Q&A: Chin-Up Decisions, Step Loading, and Quickness Training

    Send us Fan Mail In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO Crew works through a wide range of programming questions that all point back to the same coaching responsibility: selecting the right tool for the trainee, the phase, and the training environment. The episode opens with step loading for specialty squats and deadlifts in the B Series. Stéphane and Pauric explain why heavy standalone multi-joint lifts often need to be treated more like primary exercises, including the need for additional warm-up sets when the loading demands change significantly. They also cover ankle mobility, why frequency and joint mechanics need to be considered beyond loaded stretching, and when a lat pulldown is a better starting point than the chin-up progression. For novice trainees, the priority is building upper-back strength, elbow flexor strength, torso control, work capacity, and an improved strength-to-bodyweight ratio before dedicating a large portion of the session to chin-up-specific work. Additional questions include incline bench angles within the 90° principle, structuring two strength days around CrossFit, keeping higher-repetition assistance work in a novice fat-loss phase, selecting performance markers for defensive linemen, and choosing pressing variations for trainees with limited overhead mobility. The episode closes with a direct discussion of speed, agility, and quickness drills. The crew separates quick feet from true quickness, explains the roles of reaction time and maximal strength, and questions training methods that cannot be measured or transferred clearly to sport. Choose the right tool for the athlete in front of you. 00:00 Intro and rapid fire Q&A setup 00:19 Step loading vs constant loading for specialty squats and deadlifts 08:19 Improving ankle mobility beyond calf raise holds 10:44 Lat pulldown vs chin up progression for new clients 20:45 Choosing incline bench angle with the 90 degree principle 24:32 Programming strength days around CrossFit training 30:10 Rep schemes for assistance work in a novice fat loss phase 34:15 Indicator lifts for defensive linemen 39:02 Alternatives to overhead press for limited shoulder mobility 42:11 The value of SAQ and quickness training drills Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  4. Sep 21

    Building Strength vs Displaying Strength: Managing Volume, Intensity, and Fatigue

    Send us Fan Mail Coaches often use “strength training” as though it describes one objective. In practice, the training required to build greater force potential is not the same as the training used to express that potential at the highest possible level. In this episode, the KILO Crew breaks down the difference between building strength and displaying strength through the principles of program design, periodization, intensity, volume, neural adaptation, and fatigue management. They explain why many classic strength-building rep schemes fall between 80-90% of 1RM, with enough volume to develop both neural qualities and muscular cross-sectional area. They then examine what changes when the goal becomes strength expression: higher average intensities, lower total volume, greater specificity, and enough fatigue reduction for fitness to become visible. The discussion covers the fitness-fatigue paradigm, step loading, standard versus complex rep schemes, rate coding, motor unit recruitment, disinhibition, and the recurring 40% reduction in volume seen across deloads and peaking strategies. The crew also explains why hypertrophy phases, lower-intensity training, exercise selection, and multi-joint skill development remain essential to long-term strength development. Machines can help build the muscular qualities that support a lift, but coaches must still train the movement through which strength will eventually be displayed. The question is not simply how heavy the program looks. It is whether the current phase is designed to create more strength potential or reveal the strength that has already been built. Build the quality first. Display it when the timing is right. 0:00 Intro building strength vs displaying strength 0:38 Defining building strength 2:22 Defining displaying strength 3:00 The fitness fatigue paradigm 3:51 Program design and periodization frequency 6:03 Rep scheme trends for building strength 9:42 Loading strategies for building strength 13:44 Rep scheme trends for displaying strength 24:56 Hypertrophy vs strength development 29:11 Intramuscular vs intermuscular coordination 34:52 Volume limits for strength training 37:57 Why the 70 to 80% zone matters 40:46 Long term periodization models 45:19 Outro and resources Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  5. Sep 14

    Rapid Fire Q&A: How to Load Body Building Methods, Progress Eccentrics, and Structure Training

    Send us Fan Mail How should coaches load giant sets, tri-sets, and advanced German Body Composition methods when fatigue begins to accumulate? The answer starts with understanding what the method is designed to develop. Submit your questions https://form.typeform.com/to/R7JfaTZS In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO Crew explains why metabolic hypertrophy methods should initially be loaded around maintaining the prescribed repetitions and total time under tension. When coaches prioritize load too early, repetition quality and training duration fall, changing the adaptation the session was written to produce. The discussion then moves into transition phases and active recovery training, including how coaches can bridge the gap between complete rest and productive training without creating unnecessary fatigue. The Crew also presents a progression for eccentric training methods based on a client’s exposure, training age, and the specific response being developed. Extended eccentrics, accentuated eccentrics, concentric-eccentric combinations, and eccentric-only work each have a place, but personal preference is not a programming framework. Additional questions cover how the intensity spread of step loading changes as set volume increases, how to structure a three-day fat-loss program, and when the bent-over barbell row fits better than supported rowing variations. This episode is about selecting and loading training methods according to their purpose, the trainee’s current level, and the structure of the complete program. Program the adaptation you are trying to build. 0:00 Introduction and rapid fire Q&A kickoff 0:19 Loading strategies for giant sets and tri-sets 1:22 Neural hypertrophy vs metabolic hypertrophy 2:31 Why undershooting load matters early on 5:16 Progressing load as work capacity improves 7:47 Cellular efficiency and time under tension 14:12 Regular GBC vs advanced GBC 17:00 Transition phases explained 19:40 Active recovery weeks and vacation training 21:22 Choosing eccentric methods for clients 26:02 Coaching based on client needs, not personal preference 29:32 Spotting technique and safety 31:32 Step loading percentage ranges 38:24 Structuring training weeks for fat loss clients 44:56 Why barbell bent over row isn't a bigger staple Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  6. Sep 7

    Intramuscular Coordination: When Heavier Loading Becomes the Priority

    Send us Fan Mail Strength is not only a movement skill. It is also the nervous system’s ability to recruit, fire, and coordinate motor units within the muscles producing force. In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO team breaks down intramuscular coordination and clearly separates it from intermuscular coordination. They explain the three main neural factors, motor-unit recruitment, rate coding, and synchronization, and discuss how each contributes to force production as training intensity rises. The conversation then moves from theory to coaching application: why loads above roughly 80% of 1RM place greater demand on intramuscular coordination, why rate coding becomes increasingly important at very high intensities, and how heavy strength work can build qualities that transfer to sport without trying to imitate the sport in the weight room. The team also examines when advanced methods such as static-overcome-by-dynamic work, concentric pauses, wave loading, and stage systems can target recruitment, sticking points, or force expression. Just as importantly, they explain why these tools are often introduced too early. Advanced programming is valuable only when an athlete or client has earned the need for it through sound movement, connective-tissue preparation, consistent training, and continued progress on the basics. For trainers and strength coaches, this episode offers a practical framework for deciding when to build the lift, when to load it, and when a specialized method is actually justified. As a coach-led education company, KILO is not here to give you more methods to collect, but to help you understand which adaptation you are training and why. Build the foundation. Then earn the complexity. 0:00 Introduction to intramuscular coordination 0:16 Defining intramuscular coordination 1:17 Three main factors overview 3:52 Bench press example explained 7:02 Recruitment and the all-or-nothing principle 7:31 High threshold vs low threshold motor units 7:54 Slow twitch fiber characteristics 9:04 Fast twitch fibers and training implications 10:13 Heavy vs light load rep example 14:10 Rate coding introduced 18:40 Building tendon and joint resiliency 22:35 Static overcome by dynamic technique 23:38 Concentric pauses technique 26:35 Running back example 32:05 Angle-specific isometric limitations 32:55 Russian weightlifting isometric use 38:40 Accumulation vs intensification phases 40:22 Advanced periodization example 45:50 Wave loading and potentiation 49:52 Why advanced methods exist 51:36 Don't rush into advanced methods 55:46 Wrap up and final thoughts Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  7. Aug 31

    Intermuscular Coordination: The Skill Behind Long-Term Strength

    Send us Fan Mail Intermuscular coordination is the skill of becoming more efficient at a specific lift, and it plays a major role in long-term strength development. In this episode of Between 2 Racks, the KILO team breaks down how the nervous system organizes the muscles involved in a movement so each repetition becomes more stable, repeatable, and efficient. They explain why this quality is highly specific to the exercise, why beginners need frequent exposure rather than constant variation, and why carryover depends on how similar two movement patterns truly are. The discussion then moves from theory to programming. You’ll learn why most intermuscular coordination work belongs below 80% of 1RM, why 70-80% is often the most productive range, and how KILO’s buffer system preserves total volume while reducing fatigue within each set.  The team compares a traditional 3x12 approach with a 6x6 structure, explains the value of constant loading, and shows how high-quality repetitions can improve motor learning, concentric speed, and recovery. They also cover how this approach applies differently to beginners, intermediate trainees, and advanced lifters approaching a plateau, and why it can be useful when recovery is limited without abandoning productive training. The planned discussion of intramuscular coordination continues in the next episode. This is not about making training easier. Before you ask for more force, build a better way to express it. 0:00 Introduction 0:36 Why intermuscular coordination matters for strength training 1:15 Defining intermuscular coordination in simple terms 3:37 Does intermuscular coordination carry over between exercises 9:10 Central factors and the nervous system connection 12:14 Why intermuscular coordination matters for advanced lifters 14:39 How to train intermuscular coordination 17:56 Volume, hypertrophy and neural adaptation working together 19:37 Training intensities and the 70% to 80% sweet spot 22:34 Applying this to assistance and accessory lifts 23:56 Explaining the buffer system 26:41 Why constant loading beats step loading here 28:07 How the buffer increases concentric speed and motor unit recruitment 31:27 Why this benefits both beginners and advanced lifters 34:12 Programming across accumulation and intensification mesocycles 36:24 Knowing when to move on from this training style 38:22 Applying this method with true beginners 43:02 Using the buffer system for deload and recovery 45:47 Applying the buffer to primary lifts like deadlift and front squat 49:08 Final thoughts and preview of next episode Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

  8. Aug 24

    Rapid Fire Q&A: Off-Season Programming, RPE, and Volume Progression

    Send us Fan Mail What should change when an athlete’s schedule, training age, or recovery does not fit the model? In this Rapid Fire Q&A, the KILO team works through the programming decisions that appear when textbook structure meets a real athlete or client. The episode opens with off-season planning for hockey: how training age, competition schedule, and the athlete’s biggest weakness should determine whether you extend anatomical adaptation, hypertrophy, maximum strength, or power. From there, the discussion moves into step loading versus constant loading, including why two sessions can carry the same average intensity but produce different exposures, recovery costs, and strength outcomes. The coaches also explain where RPE and reps in reserve fit inside a percentage-based system, why RPE is often unreliable for selecting load, and where it can still help evaluate the overall stress of a session.  They then break down when a client may need to move from low to medium volume, why consistent programming makes that decision easier, and how to give general-population clients the feeling of “more work” without compromising the quality of their strength training. The episode closes with two sharp questions: when twice-weekly training is enough, and when expectations need to change, and why the upper body is “smart” while the lower body is “dumb.” Between 2 Racks is produced by KILO, a coach-led education company for personal trainers and strength coaches who want durable principles, not disposable tactics. Better coaching starts with better decisions. 0:00 Intro rapid fire Q&A format 0:26 Hockey off-season training progression 7:53 How training age affects anatomical adaptation length 8:24 Training while still playing at night 9:38 Step loading vs constant loading 11:10 Step load vs constant load volume math breakdown 15:17 Using RPE and RIR 19:12 Why RPE is inaccurate for load selection 23:32 Moving from low to medium or high volume 26:51 Managing clients who want more work than they need 32:59 Why training twice a week is frustrating 37:05 Weekly activity recommendations research 38:12 Why upper body training is more complex than lower body 44:02 Closing thoughts Stay Connected with KILO:  Have a question? ⁠Submit it for a Rapid Fire episode⁠. Learn more at ⁠trainkilo.com⁠ Follow KILO on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.

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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Between 2 Racks is a strength training podcast from KILO, a coach-led education company built to support personal trainers and strength coaches who want a deeper, more durable understanding of training. The goal is simple: create a home for sound knowledge. Not trends, not shortcuts, and not recycled talking points. Each episode explores program design, loading, periodization, and coaching decisions through real-world application. We focus on what holds up over time, where theory breaks down in practice, and how coaches can make better decisions for the people they train. Hosted by experienced coaches with decades spent in private training, performance settings, and long-term athlete development, the conversations are practical, honest, and grounded in principle. If you are a coach looking for clarity, depth, and a place to think critically about training, Between 2 Racks is that space. Let’s kick it!

Information

  • Creator
    KILO Education
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Between 2 Racks
  • Show Website
    Between 2 Racks

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