Old School Weight Training, Mental Aspects, Big Arms, Powerlifting, Christian Iron - Dave Yarnell interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 31) - 13 April 16

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Tonight our guest is one of the top muscle writers of our time, Dave Yarnell. Dave is a true dyed in the wool iron game expert and historian. He has spent 43 years in the lifting trenches, started weight training at age 12, and since then has read almost every book and magazine related to the subject. He has also competed in Powerlifting for close to 30 years and has some impressive lifts. He has written for Powerlifting USA, Natural Strength.com and others.

But its his books … that really make Dave shine.

Dave has written 14 great iron game books. Just to name a few, … his titles include: King Squat: Rise to Power, … Forgotten Secrets of the Old Time Strong Men, ... Getting In The Zone: The Mental Aspects of Strength Training Revealed, … The Old School Strength Training Secrets Bible, … The Illustrated Old School Muscle Building Secrets Manual, and several others that I’ll mention in my questions.

Dave is a well rounded guy and has other passions too including conservative politics and fishing. He is a writer for a fishing magazine. Dave is also a devout Christian. He has a great website called Christian Iron.com

Dave, its great to have you on the show and welcome to Natural Strength Night.

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Ken Mannie, High Intensity Training, Strength and Conditioning, Dan Riley, Coaching, Leadership - Ken Mannie interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 30) - 17 February 16

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Tonight our guest is one of the best strength & conditioning coaches in the world, if not the best, my friend Ken Mannie. I’ve known Ken for over 20 years. He wrote a great chapter in Iron Nation called: Steel City Tough. We’ll be talking about that later. Ken has been a big help to me in my career … with websites, books …. you name it. When I started NaturalStrength.com, way back in 1999, Ken encouraged me more than anyone. I still remember him saying .. “If you build it… they will come.” … There is no one in this field that I appreciate more and respect more than Ken Mannie.

Ken is a 42 year coaching veteran and is now in his 22nd year as the head strength & conditioning coach at Michigan State University.

If I read all of his awards and credentials we would be here all day. His great bio could be a book, ... but just to name just a few: He has a masters degree in exercise science from Ohio State University, and also holds several certifications. In July 2014, he was inducted into the USA Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame.

Ken is also a prolific writer. He has written hundreds of articles for: Coach and Athletic Director, Championship Performance, NaturalStrength.com and many others.

Ken is an advisor for: Athletic Strength and Power, Ultimate Strength and Conditioning and more.

He is also a consultant to several NFL teams. He has coached numerous All-Americans, and many players who have gone on to have highly successful NFL careers.

To describe Ken as a dynamic speaker is an understatement. I’ve never seen one better. If you ever get a chance to see him speak at a clinic, … you gotta go! He is super high-energy, speaks from the heart, and he’ll keep your mind glued to every word he says. His enthusiasm is contagious and its easy to see why his players love him.

Ken, its an Honor to have you on the show and welcome to Natural Strength Night.

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Natural Bodybuilding Champion, Staying Lean & Strong, Bill Pearl, Getting Ripped, Cancer Research - Ian Duckett interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 29) - 31 January 16

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Tonight our guest is one of the top natural bodybuilders in the world ... Ian Duckett. I’ve been watching Ian’s career with great respect for over 20 years. The guy has so many titles in natural bodybuilding that if I read them all, it would take all day! ... But, just to name a few, … his titles include: Natural Mr. Britain, … a Natural World’s win, … a Natural Masters win, … Mr. Muscle Mania Europe, … the NPA Pro Title, and the UNBN World Title … and the list goes on and on! …. And these are just the body building titles! … He has also won many natural powerlifting contests as well.

Ian is lifetime steroid & PED free … and he gives rock solid information you can take to the bank. He has written several great e-books and also has a brand new book coming out too. He will be telling us about it on the show. Please visit Ian's website at: BodyInDesign.co.uk

Ian, ... welcome to Natural Strength Night.

Dana-Farber Cancer Research

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Strongman Christian Ministry, Dinosaur Training, Dennis Rogers, A Unique Odd Object & Lawn Mowing Workout - Jeff Bankens interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 28) - 24 December 15

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Tonight... our guest is the Louisiana Strongman, Jeff "T-Rex" Bankens. Jeff is lifetime steroid & PED free and he has an impressive list of strength feats that include: tearing phone books and decks of cards in half, bending horse shoes and steel bars, and breaking chains and baseball bats with his bare hands. But his most impressive stunts and feats involve neck strength. In this area of strength, Jeff hold 4 World records with Record Holders Republic. One of these feats included pulling two vehicles at the same time using just a neck harness and strap. Jeff will be filling us in with the details on his records later in the show. We will be focusing tonight on how Jeff built such tremendous neck strength. Jeff, Welcome to Natural Strength Night and Merry Christmas.

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The Mighty Atom Documentary, Mind Over Matter, Harry Houdini, You Dig Your Grave With Your Knife and Fork - Steve Greenstein interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 27) - 6 December 15

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Tonight … our guest is Steve Greenstein. Steve is the grandson of The Mighty Atom, Joe Greenstein. We are going to be talking tonight about the interesting life of The Mighty Atom, who was one of the most colorful and beloved figures in the history of physical culture. He is one of my favorites. I still have an old framed picture of him biting a chain. I had it on the wall of my gym in Washington, DC for over 20 years! I still have it here in Florida! All of his amazing feats were done naturally, way before the steroid era. We are going to be talking tonight about some of his amazing stunts and feats of Strength. Steve is currently Producing a Documentary about his grandfather. I can’t wait to see it. Steve, Welcome to Natural Strength Night.

Please visit themightyatomdoc.com and hit the "donate now" button. 

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Belts and Straps, Birthday Stone Workout, 3 or 2 Days Per Week, High Rep Deadlifts, Good Mornings, Full Range of Motion - Jim Duggan Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 26) - 23 November 15

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Tonight our guest is my good friend, "The Fire Fighter Strongman" Jim Duggan. Me and Jim have a bonding in this area too. We are fire fighter brothers. I was a fire fighter and EMT for 8 years in the Air Force way back in the 70's and early 80's. Big Jim is one of the strongest natural guys in the field and he is also one of the nicest.

Jim is 51 years old and a massively built 6 feet tall. He is a Lifetime Drug-Free RAW Power Lifter and Strongman Competitor in the 275 and 242 pound weight classes. Jim had a Bench Press that was over 500 pounds with NO SHIRT and a deadlift of 688 pounds. Jim is a Captain in the NYC Fire Dept. and is assigned to Engine Company 231 in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He has written dozens of great Strength Training articles for The Dinosaur Files and NaturalStrength.com where he has a column in the Special Features section. Big Jim, Welcome to Natural Strength Night.

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American Combato, Bradley J. Steiner, Self Defense, Close Combat, Martial Arts - Bradley J. Steiner Interview with Bob Whelan - THE RUGGED INDIVIDUAL podcast - (episode 1) - 16 June 15

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It’s an honor for me to welcome back to Mind Force Radio, as the first guest on our new podcast The Rugged Individual, Professor Bradley J. Steiner. Brad was a guest last year on Natural Strength Night, but tonight he will be talking mainly about some of the important principles of self defense. Brad is a world-renowned expert in two separate fields: strength training and the martial arts. (Especially self-defense and close combat.) He has written over 30 published books in these areas of study. Brad is a tenth degree black belt and Founder and Grandmaster of American Combato.
Professor Steiner is President and CEO of the International Combat Martial Arts Federation, an elite and prestigious organization of internationally recognized close combat, self-defense, and martial arts authorities. Brad has a great home study DVD course and a great monthly newsletter, SWORD AND PEN. For more information, please visit Brad’s two websites … AmericanCombato.com and SeattleCombatives.com

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Training Middle and High School Athletes, Intensity and Good Form, Recovery for Natural Lifters, Steroid Dangers - Dick Conner Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 25) - 02 June 15

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Tonight… our guest is my good friend Dick Conner. I've known Dick for over 20 years. He was a speaker at several of my Capital City Strength Clinics. Dick is the longtime coach of THE PIT GYM powerlifting Team. The PIT Powerlifting Team has won 19 state powerlifting championships and 9 national championships. The team has traveled all over the country to meet any challenger. Dick is like the John Wooden of powerlifting coaches. He has written many articles for Hardgainer Magazine and NaturalStrength.com. Dick has over 60 years experience in the iron game so listen to his wisdom. He is very entertaining and has a great sense of humor. If you live anywhere near Evansville Indiana, you need to get a workout with coach Connor. Visit the website at: ThePitBarbellClub.com

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Norb Schemansky's 91st birthday, York Barbell, Dick "Smitty" Smith, John Terlazzo, Doc Ziegler, Bill St. John, Getting Arnold's Job, Jan Dellinger, Mike Gittleson - Roger La Pointe Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 24) - 06 May 15

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Tonight our guest is Roger La Pointe. I’ve known Roger for almost 20 years… he was just out of college and working for York Barbell when I first met him. He has a lot of interesting stories about his time at York … we’ll be talking about them tonight. There is a lot of information here. If you love iron game History, then you are in for a real treat!
 

Roger practices what he preaches and is pound for pound one of the strongest guys around in NATURAL strongman competitions and Olympic lifting. He has overhead pressed … atlas stones … heavier than his bodyweight. Roger is the CEO and owner of Atomic Athletic a great company that was a sponsor of several of my Capital City Strength Clinics. Atomic Athletic makes some of the toughest, hardcore strength training equipment you will find.  I’ve bought many items from Atomic Athletic, including 4 Granite stones, … Farmers Walk utensils, … thick bars, … chalk and many other items.

If you want to buy Strongman Stones, be sure to get them from Roger. Atomic Athletic Stones are chiseled out of GRANITE and are not the cheap stones on the market that are made of CONCRETE, that crack and break when you drop them. Everything from Atomic Athletic is top quality. Be sure to visit Roger's website at: AtomicAthletic.com  Roger, its great to have you on the show and welcome to NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT.

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Osmo Kiiha, The Iron Master, Growing up in Finland, 418 Clean and Jerk, Bob Hise, Homer Brannum, Vince Gironda - Osmo Kiiha Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 23) - 05 Mar 15

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Tonight, I'm honored to have as our guest Osmo Kiiha. Osmo is one of the most respected and knowledgeable guys in every aspect of the Iron Game. From training knowledge, to competing, to the history, Osmo is second to none. He is also my best friend in the Iron Game. I’ve been talking to Osmo regularly for around 25 years and I consider him a brother. He is my “go to guy" whenever I have a question about Iron Game History.

In addition to being a true gentleman and a first class guy, Osmo ranks as pound for pound one of the strongest Iron Game Guys too. At the age of 21 years old, Osmo cleaned and jerked 418 pounds. He competed in the 1968 Senior nationals in the 198 pound class. At the age of only 21 years old, he retired from competitions. Who knows what he could have done if he kept competing for another 10 years or so. He probably would have been a world champion.

Osmo is the founder and editor of THE IRON MASTER magazine which ran from 1989 to 2000. It was one of the highest quality and most informative Iron Game History magazines of all time. I’m proud to have written many articles for THE IRON MASTER. Osmo is also one of the worlds foremost experts on the history of Physical Culture and the Iron Game. He has one of the largest Iron Game memorabilia collections in the world and his house is literally a museum. He will tell us a lot about his vast collection tonight. Osmo, its an honor to speak with you again and welcome to Natural Strength Night.

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Tommy Kono - The Best Iron Game Athlete in Physical Culture History - Tommy Kono Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 22) - 11 Nov 14

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TONIGHT… It’s a huge honor for me to have as our guest one of the greatest and strongest athletes the world has ever known. A man who is truly the best all around Iron Game athlete in the history of Physical Culture … the legendary Tommy Kono.

In his day, Tommy was the best in the world in both Olympic Lifting and Bodybuilding. During the 1950's, from the time he won his first Gold Medal in the Olympics in 1952, Tommy was invincible. He was undefeated internationally for 8 years until the 1960 Olympic Games, where he took a Silver Medal. He set a total of 26 world records in 4 weight classes. This feat has never been matched by any other weightlifter.

During this same period Tommy dominated bodybuilding as well, winning the Mr. World competition in 1954, and Mr. Universe titles in 1955, 1957 and in 1961.

He was also an Olympic Weightlifting Coach for the USA, as well as West Germany and Mexico too.

In addition to being a great champion, Tommy is one of the nicest, most humble and classiest gentlemen you will ever Find. Be sure to get Tommy’s two great books: *** WEIGHTLIFTING OLYMPIC STYLE, and CHAMPIONSHIP WEIGHTLIFTING at Tommy's website: TommyKono.com Tommy, its an honor to speak with you again and welcome to Natural Strength Night.

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Stuart McRobert, Bodybuilding Goldmine, Hardgainer, Brawn, Little Gems, Basics 'Breviated and Best, Peary Rader - Stuart McRobert Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 21) - 2 Nov 14

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Tonight it’s an honor for me to have as our guest Stuart McRobert, the publisher of Hardgainer Magazine. I’ve known Stuart for over 20 years. I consider him my strongest ally in the promotion of good honest training information. The one word that best describes Stuart is integrity. Stuart is one of the few out there with enough guts to take a real stand against the use of PEDS in strength training. You will never see Stuart compromise by using the "drugged-up stars" to sell his products like most others do. You won’t see their pictures on his website or books either. I admire him for that. I’m proud to say that I wrote for Stuart’s great magazine Hardgainer for a 10-year span from 1994 to when the magazine ended in 2004. I owe a lot to Stuart for giving me my start in writing and getting me established.

Stuart saved the modern physical culture movement IMO. I remember those dark days after Perry Rader sold Iron Man, way back in 1986. I was working as a Federal Agent at the time, even before I was transferred to Washington, DC and way before I started Whelan Strength Training. There was nothing new that was good to read. All the magazines were crap. The new Iron Man was swiftly ruined by the new ownership after 1986. They turned that great magazine into another "Muscle and Fiction" drug-rag. I ended my subscription.

Along came Hardgainer in 1989. What a God send! It was an honest magazine for the drug free trainee, and whose message was strongly against the use of drugs. No BS advertising, ... just truthful information for the genetically typical and even the genetically dis-advantaged! Hardgainer turned out to be even better than IronMan in my opinion. Even Peary Rader compromised with the top drug using stars and had a place for them. Stuart never did. I consider Hardgainer to be the best magazine in the history of Physical Culture. It came at just the right time and was so needed.

Stuart has published many great books and has written hundreds of great articles. My favorite book is his original Brawn. It is still the first book I recommend to my clients. The good news is HARDGAINER magazine is now being digitized, under the title of BODYBUILDING GOLD MINE. The first two volumes of BODYBUILDING GOLD MINE are now available in Kindle format from amazon.com Check out all Stuarts great books and get Bodybuilding Goldmine at Hardgainer.com Stuart, welcome to Natural Strength Night.

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Marvin Eder - The Strongest Man Who Ever Lived, Pound for Pound, Drug Free - Marvin Eder Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 20) - 22 Oct 14

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Tonight you are in for quite a treat. Our guest is pound for pound the strongest drug free man to ever walk the face of the earth. The legendary Marvin Eder. I have been friends with Marvin for over 10 years and we have had many long phone conversations. I wish I had them all recorded. Marvin was the recipient of the Physical Culture Award at my last Capital City Strength Clinic, and today, the day of this podcast, October 22nd, its Marvin's 83rd birthday. Happy birthday Marvin.

Listen to what the great iron game historian Osmo Kiiha wrote about Marvin Eder:

“Marvin set the strength world on notice in the early 1950's His incredible power along with a world class physique set him apart from other men of his era. He had tremendous natural gifts, thick joints, great leverage, all his lifting was done way before the era of drugs. Marvin's strength feats were almost super human, he was able to surpass the efforts of almost all super-heavies of the time, weighing only 196-198 pounds. He was the third man in the world to bench press 500 pounds and the only man under 200 pounds to accomplish this fabulous feat in the 1950's. His one single parallel bar dip has never been equaled, 434 pounds, at the bodyweight of 198. He cleaned and military pressed 355 as a middle-heavyweight in 1953, which exceeded the official American record by 74 pounds, but due to being declared a professional athlete at the time, was unable to claim his rightful place as the American and world record holder. Marvin was the original high intensity training kid, very few could stand up to his training volume or load, truly Marvin Eder was pound for pound, the ‘Strongest Man’ who ever walked the face of the earth.”

Marvin, its an honor to have you on Natural Strength Night.

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Close Combat, American Combato, Martial Arts, Self Defense, Strength Training for the Martial Arts, Dangers of Steroids - Bradley J. Steiner Interview with Bob Whelan - NATURAL STRENGTH NIGHT podcast - (episode 19) - 7 Oct 14

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It’s a great honor for me to have as our guest, Professor Bradley J. Steiner. Brad is one of the greatest muscle writers of all time and is a world-renowned expert in two separate fields: strength training and the martial arts. (Especially self-defense and close combat.) He has written over 30 published books in these areas of study. I have read several of Brads strength training books in my early years of training and I credit his great writings in Strength & Health, Muscular Development and Iron Man for giving me a great foundation in my own training. 
 Brad was probably the first to emphasize the importance of STRENGTH TRAINING for self defense and the martial arts. Traditionally the martial arts discouraged weight training (and many still do!) Brad went against the grain and was a leader and pioneer in teaching the benefits of strength training for self defense and the martial arts. Brad is a tenth degree black belt and Founder and Grandmaster of American Combato.
Professor Steiner is President and CEO of the International Combat Martial Arts Federation an elite and prestigious organization of internationally recognized close combat, self-defense, and martial arts authorities. Brad has a great home study DVD course and a great monthly newsletter, SWORD AND PEN. For more information, please visit Brad’s two websites … AmericanCombato.com and SeattleCombatives.com

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