Why You're NOT Getting Stronger At The Gym | FitnessFAQs Podcast #52 - Eric Bugenhagen

[@FitnessFAQs]

Hey legends - Get my free calisthenics workout - fitnessfaqs.com/homehero/ - Here's the timestamps: 0:00 - Don't Be Average 11:25 - Why Unconventional Lifts 22:26 - Mindset 36:24 - The Problem With Science 49:34 - Simple Workouts Are Better 55:55 - Daily Routine

[@spikespiegel5434]

Eric: "Horse-COCKING.. Thrust it--!" Daniel: "🙂"

[@DarthNoshitam]

Should've brought up horse stance lol

[@Atlas2040]

I noticed that.

[@Felale]

“Yeah”

[@bieszo]

Bro didn’t even need an interviewer 😂

[@jolothefighter]

i mean just let him talk hes got the experience and knowledge.

[@jakkritphanomchit]

That's the gear talking

[@wackojacko8391]

@@jakkritphanomchit He was like this before the gear.

[@jonsmith8924]

​@@jakkritphanomchit no gear man that's pure raw garlic honey and an enormous amount of instant coffee crystals

[@NineInchFailz]

@@jonsmith8924he has to get it all out before the wife and kid get home

[@captainjacobkeyes6733]

Best guest. Eric is unironically the most motivating dude on the internet

[@GVS]

No need for preworkout today!

[@What8_]

Hey I know you

[@What8_]

Jokes aside love your content

[@bullinvginshop9011]

Yeah I think it’s a mistake watching this before bed. I can’t wait to wake up and horse cock some weights.

[@liamburns8554]

No way does GVS take pre workout.. I am not buying it

[@logomarkz]

​@@liamburns8554he takes Chinese pharma grade meth

[@RTH140]

I am absolutely flabbergasted by this collab, but I am HERE for it!!! THE HORSE IS IN THE STABLE

[@mack7207]

Daneil saying “horsecocking” and “pencil neck” in his smooth calm voice rumbles my insides

[@tim.osterhus]

I love how completely opposite their demeanors are. Couldn’t be more polar opposites, and here they are, having an entertaining, educational conversation. Life is beautiful.

[@whitefang9758]

Bro what? I would NEVER have seen this coming.

[@StopTheDamnTape]

That’s what she said

[@ethanbyrne6462]

You're not the only one, man. I don't think any of us did. This is certainly a combination I never would've imagined cuz their approaches r so different from one another...or so I thought before this vid lol

[@thegoldfish123]

Sticky Ricky aka The Professor of Mass & Hypertrophy aka the BROscience based lifter aka Dr Density aka The Sultan of succulence aka Mr Spice aka the scientist of mutant mass aka THANK YOU FOR BEING MAH FREEEEENNNNDDDDDDDAAAHBHHH

[@msbegaofnwha]

ggghey

[@fgymclips2025]

No way! What a collab 😆

[@sensid-iwnl-5201]

Wish I could fill you up 😮😊

[@DarthNoshitam]

Daniel you deserve so much praise for the way you interview your guests! Nothing is more annoying than a host who invites someone onto their platform and then constantly interrupts them (Peter Attia comes to mind). Thank you for listening (even when your guest doesn't stop talking 😂)

[@randompuppy789]

Love how we dive right in the the horse.

[@msbegaofnwha]

lol ok...

[@randompuppy789]

Lol!

[@calebbrunson7120]

Mr. Hands

[@GVS]

The one and only!

[@TomPlayzEpicMC]

Loved it so much he commented twice

[@Bjorn_R]

I was not expecting to be horsecocking braincells today! Looking forward to this

[@ryandeffley7652]

52:13 - This is why I've always liked full body. You're doing one primary lift for lower body, upper push, and upper pull. So it allows more focus and intensity vs doing a "leg day" or so many different back or pressing exercises. You can truly put your all into three main movements and then add on a bit of isolation after.

[@sirmustard5337]

Exactly

[@gibbsm]

Do between 1-30,000 reps, and 1-500 sets. Somewhere in between there is optimal.

[@FindSpencer]

I used to watch Ricky and think “hell yeah, super entertaining, but I’ll stick to my actual programming.” After around 5 years of running programs I found that doing what I love the most in the gym, I always have good results. Being excited about a lift is way more valuable than strict programming, to me at least.

[@raspy__]

Did you learn how to program for yourself or are you going to just instinctually train?

[@FindSpencer]

@@raspy__ hey sorry just saw this. I have learned how to program myself, and I’m not against running actual programs. Alexander Bromley has some great strength programs, as well as all the free ones I find on Boostcamp. I will usually run something, and then write my own program for after. This allows me to follow something very structured, and then my program for after is more focused on something I really enjoy doing. Usually odd lifts that I will build into a program, and try to PR on them, such as Zercher squat or Jefferson Deadlifts.

[@FindSpencer]

@@raspy__ a little late to answer but I did learn how to program a long time ago. As long as you program bother vertical and horizontal pushing and pulling, hinging, and squatting, you’re covering all your basis and can really choose any exercise for each movement pattern, progressively overload it, and you will progress.

[@boahnation9932]

I hit a new deadlift pr the other day - 150kg 😎 or 330lbs. Currently at 77kg. That for me was horsecockin!!!!

[@mauort6870]

yeah boy

[@robbedink3284]

💪

[@contecrusoe]

Awesome!

[@ericcartman9594]

How is your butthole feeling?

[@WilliamsWrestlin]

Thats why I follow Rick De La Thick. Mr. Bulbous Horse Cocker himself because he understands that you need intention, integrity, and intensity to grow size and strength

[@BGeezy4sheezy]

He’s hilarious, but I really believe he cuts through to the root of all achievement. It’s not the equipment, the program, the exercise,the science, thats gonna get you engorged; it’s the cojones and gusto you bring that allows for improvement

[@Doris-i4x]

Awesome collab Daniel. Eric is so infectious/passionate about his training. What a character he is. Thoroughly enjoyed Podcast a lot & getting into the mindset of this “beast”. Cheers.

[@maxmaximum-sh4bx]

Sticky Ricky is going LIVE

[@TheStrengthScholar]

After reaching my intermediate phase in my lifting journey My biggest issue wasn't not training hard enough it was taking a step back. Decreasing frequency while maintaining very high intensity is super underrated for fast gainers.

[@USS_Liberty_never_forget]

I agree with you

[@yo25999]

I think this might be my issue too. How much did you decrease frequency? Did you also adjust volume?

[@DobromirYordanov07]

Its great to bring guys who are more about the mindset. Because some people lack the mentality to go hard. They only train smart and not actually hard. Its nice yo bring guys like Eric because the mentality part he preaches has its part in training. Being able to smash a workout is a different feeling. Going as hard as your body allows, it builds your character man. Which is useful when times aren't optimal. It's very good for your podcast to bring totally different approaches to training that just makes it more whole for the listener.(Or its just me idk). Thank you for improving the value and perspectives you give to us!❤

[@jumbothompson]

I think Eric said this, most people major in the minors. That quote could be applied to so many aspects of life. This is pretty much the reason why people don't have success in the gym or anywhere else.

[@KurokamiNajimi]

This isn’t relevant to the larger topic of science based vs bro vs niche non science based advice. Training hard is a given but that doesn’t lead to the conclusion the an explosive traditional touch and go bench etc is superior or even equal to other methods. Eric mentions moving low weight being appealing to novices or early intermediates which is true on paper but what you guys may or may not understand is that someone who can do harder variation has the strength to do the easier one and vice versa. We’re still getting strong and progressively overloading the presentation of it is just different

[@nofluffagain]

​@@KurokamiNajimia lot of text to say you're a pencil neck

[@oopscapslock3532]

One of the best fitness podcast sessions I've seen among dozens, the energy and great points are absolutely awesome.

[@Lyshota]

"Dont talk it, Horsecock it" Words to live by

[@NorthStrongSC]

Stumbled across your channel yesterday and then this collab happening is sweet timing lol. Great content on your page.

[@HaraldNilsson]

The tiger and the gorilla meet up to discuss the mindset. What a collab

[@No-way-way]

Awesome collab! Been a big fan of both of you for a long time, but was’nt expecting this video.

[@MrPtrlix]

The chillest dude meets the man who's always on rage mode

[@Gojimaru]

God damn it. Never in a million years i'd have thought you two doing a collab. Now you got to make a training video together.

[@jsg9575]

Wow I've been following you both since you guys had around 20k-40k subs.

[@Auctorion]

Always competing against yourself is hands down the best way to train. You can still be inspired by others, but you're not comparing yourself to others and feeling like you're behind. Eric talks about it with respect to 1RM, but you can totally do it with anything measurable. Right down to trying and succeeding at a new move or a new progression in calisthenics.

[@maxheithmar334]

Rick de la STICK…the collab we NEEDED

[@zerotoguitarhero5023]

Bugenhagen as your PE teacher is a hell of a thing to imagine

[@mattybhoy6522]

Lol probably the most insane collabs 😂 100 to 1 odds kind of stuff. Epic.

[@SCUD7005]

Love this guy - endless inspiration

[@BUFFAL0S0LDI3R]

I’m thinking of upgrading my dose of mindset from 300mg weekly to 450mg here soon

[@gibbsm]

I'm scared of Snap City, not failure.

[@Cato-e6p]

0:04 "a self proclaimed gymrat" 😂

[@Matman3124]

Understatement of the century lmao

[@CN073]

King of the RATS NEST

[@RATM77777]

That was a great podcast. I hope to see Jujimufu (Jon Call) on here sometime!

[@DeeDagreat]

Hell yeah you have to be in that zone especially if you going consider your self an athlete but you have to bring that intensity 🔥🔥💪

[@cglnarcissist5700]

The most unexpected collab of 2024

[@norodzubara8888]

a collab I have never expected to happen 😁

[@Davichiz]

Eric is such a fckn legend, nothing gets you more pumped to move weight than watching ric do his shit.

[@ED-cl7nl]

The two best Erics in the fitness game in a row!

[@Cato-e6p]

Daniel and Eric getting together well 😂

[@SuperStruct]

Is this THE Daniel??!? WHAT is in this preworkout Daniel?!?

[@157MattH]

At the end of the day, its all about the mindset.

[@Fedethedangerous95]

I rarely watch your podcasts, but I was surprised to discover how much you have in common with someone like Eric, and see you genuinely have fun like that I agree, his videos can be really motivating!

[@cristiangaete32]

collab of the year

[@itssupermilodude]

Dang im super late to this and its awesome. Ive followed you both for years!

[@Themandogh]

Great interview, a lot of training wisdom here from both guys

[@kemshasan8866]

The Buges is an absolute unit. His old videos when he was natty is a great example for me of what is attainable with black coffee and no gear 🤣

[@LeoSkyro]

That talk about how the sports mindset translates to real life is so true I played high level amateur golf my whole youth up until my early adulthood: always dedicating my time to training, research and getting better, giving up on pleasures and distractions. Even at the time I could see how different my frame of mind was compared to my peers. Even now more than 10yrs after quitting the sport because I could not make it to pro, that mindset still remains Too bad that even though I know how important hard work is and can put it into practice, with the gym I simply cannot escape the fact that I started weight training in my late 20s, with the only athletic activity in my youth being golf (and some swimming) I just cannot escape the fact that I have close to zero WORK CAPACITY, no MOBILITY, no athletic strength from previous sports, and on top of that, HORRENDOUS leverages for all lifts, bad muscle bellies and insertions. Not really excuses, I'm still gonna get after it, but no matter what intensity I put in, 10x of anyone else in the gym, I will still plateau 5x longer and more frequently, have injuries more frequently, have worse strength and aesthetic gains and mobility/flexibility. Nothing I can do to change that, and I wish blessed people like Eric knew that more, though having been a coach he probably knows it.

[@DarkMuj]

Sounds like you need to alter your training approach to build an athletic base, including mobility, and should focus on pure hypertrophy after a few base building blocks

[@TravisBaginashvili]

yessss the collab i was waiting for, thank you so much

[@mattallthat]

Fantastic episode. Eric inspired me to lower the damn reps in todaya session and it felt good . Low rep weighted dips/pull ups and deads and bench - a great session 👍

[@sacredrelapse2057]

Great episode. Looking forward to more like this

[@saudude2174]

He's a walking testosterone factory haha, motivational vibes :D

[@3pedal372]

My mindset is ready

[@ajw9533]

I've been recovering from an injury. The turning point was when I told the physio how frustrated I was by not being able to do what I usually do. She said, Right let's see what you can do. We worked out there and then that I could not do double kb clean and press (my staple diet), but I could single kb clean and then do pike push-ups to get a bodyweight press. I got the opposite of the nocebo effect from her and kicked on from there. This is, as others have commented, a bizarre collab, and I'm not sure I'll ever use the verb 'horsecock', but there is a lot of good here. Thank you.

[@jacobfrederick1887]

One hour of unfiltered RAW STICK? Sign me up dude

[@JayDee98765]

This awesome. Thanks for the collab. You're both awesome!

[@RoBDeeZL42]

Gotta develop workout capacity for that kind of training. Most dont want to. Because they have lives with kids or jobs or whatever. Going near failure all the time beats up the central nervous system. I train that way but it's not for everyone, for whatever reason. Conditions have to be ideal.

[@TrashPandalorian]

THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRAAAYEND-AH!

[@SOC-ir6im]

Eric is always right!

[@nemil238]

you actually NEVER fail a lift because the muscle cant produce force anymore, but because you reach your maximal tolerable perception of effort in the sensory part of the brain, which then limits muscle contraction. So what Bugez is saying makes a lot of sense scientifically, (even tho hes not big into the science) because motivation, expectation of how heavy something will be and passion do lower your perception of effort, allowing you to express more of the actual potential the muscle group has.

[@Jdm5299]

I think I remember Mike Israetel saying you should make noobie lifters go to failure so they know what it feels like. But you're right. Proximity to failure definitely has a mental aspect to it.

[@nemil238]

@@Jdm5299 not only an aspect, you only fail a lift because of ur perception of effort period. unless ur having a seizure or ur trying to free ur child from under a car your body doesnt allow you to push the muscle to its maximal output to prevent injury. so your perception of effort is the real limiting factor. an easy example is metabolite buildup with high reps. say for example if you could bench 405lbs, youd think you could easily do like 35 reps with 200lbs. But its actually not equivalent because the burning sensation from the "pump" (metabolites) adds to your perception of effort making you hit your cap earlier. you could think about the maximal tolerable perception of effort like a milk jug that you fill up with sensations, and once its full u fail the rep. you could increase the size of the jug or reduce the things you put in it.

[@Jdm5299]

@nemil238 The child under a car idea is a myth, and you're referring to adrenaline, which allows you to access more strength. That's why strong men see sports psychologist, they picture something awful happening to their family, and it heightens their adrenaline

[@ThomasKoenig-f1m]

Shut up nerd

[@nemil238]

@@Jdm5299 yeah but why does adrenaline increase ur strenght? because it increases your maximal tolerable perception of effort. (also increases blood flow but that makes more of a differencr for cardio or high reps)

[@WantedArgonianMale]

Great interview.. two of favorite fitness tubers

[@Misterman214]

Amazingly smooth convo

[@joehavian]

Timestamps (Powered by Merlin AI) 00:05 - Mindset and effort are crucial for achieving strength gains at the gym. 02:27 - Struggle and enthusiasm in lifting foster relatability and progress in fitness. 07:31 - Personal bests in the gym depend on daily body awareness and recovery. 10:00 - Soreness impacts confidence and performance in strength training. 14:59 - Exploring unconventional strength tests for motivation in training. 17:15 - Strength training is a personal journey focused on challenges, not just optimal programming. 21:40 - Mindset is crucial for overcoming mediocrity in strength training. 24:03 - Mental barriers hinder strength gains, but overcoming them leads to progress. 28:43 - Psychological mindset greatly influences strength training success. 31:12 - Push your comfort zone to achieve strength and resilience. 36:17 - Understanding true strength requires pushing beyond comfort and exploring limits. 38:57 - Science-based fitness myths hinder strength gains for healthy individuals. 44:08 - Establishing a consistent workout habit leads to gradual strength improvements. 46:28 - Passion and intensity are key to muscle growth, not just optimal routines or machines. 51:19 - Individual differences in body mechanics affect workout effectiveness. 53:43 - Too much exercise volume can hinder strength gains. 58:48 - Utilizing a blender for convenient calorie intake while traveling. 1:01:04 - Mastering 20-rep squats builds strength and mental toughness. 1:05:32 - Eric Bugenhagen discusses his social media presence and training updates.

[@ronbeast305]

Oh yeah

[@cjbrown2614]

“Eric what about the cholesterol.”Classic😭😂

[@mrarrow8135]

RICK BOOOGS

[@jbprendergast5863]

Two great dudes

[@buen0excellente837]

Here for Sticky Ricky

[@horseman3222]

Eric is the man

[@USS_Liberty_never_forget]

crazy collaboration, I can't wait to see your armwrestling match

[@dothog33]

17:32 "it's all about test", truth was told

[@1AndreasKendu]

Eric is my FRICKIN dude!!!! Lets goh!!!

[@trayarc3958]

Interesting conversation! Personally, I find lifting heavy is less painful than lifting moderate. Pushing through a burn is a lot harder than moving a heavy ass weight for 6 reps. For hypertrophy I find moderate weight a lot better, I can feel it in the muscle WAY more, while hitting failure.

[@oftankoftan]

Bugz is 1% of the 1% in terms of genetics and environment. genetics like a lab experiment together with the work ethic from doing wrestling since a young age. I think he's awesome, but I can't realistically compare myself to him.

[@jahimuddin2306]

You cannot compare yourself to him but you can still push yourself.

[@oftankoftan]

@@jahimuddin2306 F yeah I still blast speed metal and throw my doll around.

[@roobs4245]

​@@oftankoftan Real Doll?

[@oftankoftan]

@@roobs4245 you promised you wouldn't tell.

[@roobs4245]

@@oftankoftan As an old man I'm lucky to out-wrestle my blowup gf.

[@DANOVERBOARDvlogs]

I started watching Bugs years back when Daniel mentioned him in another video. He's good stuff.

[@fgymclips2025]

Would love to see a return of elite weighted calisthenics athlete interviews - like Mathew Zlat!

[@user-sx2rn5sl3m]

Who even is thar

[@fgymclips2025]

@@user-sx2rn5sl3m greatest classic streetlifter ever

[@plnkfloydian7814]

Man I’d love to see Daniel train with Eric and juji

[@SeanWalsh1]

Realest Bueggs interview ever

[@mendoza2489]

Sticky Ricky looking THICKY

[@EatBars]

Rick the Stick get’s me more hyped up than any pre-workout or cocaine.

[@legrandfromage9682]

Fantastic interview

[@jolothefighter]

mindset is king 24.7.29

[@deven9565]

3:00 Nippard

[@krillansavillan]

Excellent excellent excellent

[@PhyrexianFleshgorger]

Learned a out this channel thanks to the Buges! Neato.

[@Jspore-ip5rk]

"Motivate you more than copious amounts of coffee"😂😂

[@constanttension8833]

erics right i wasnt very big but i was somewhat strong for my size and I'd put my sets to max intensity and the other bigger dudes hyped me up and helped me with motivation cause they could see I was actually trying

[@selfmadeselfpaid13]

I need a shirt that says Horse Specimen

[@idarci7202]

Bugez the goat

[@yuvalomrad7090]

"Pen select" in the subtitles ate the start lol

[@imdibene]

It’s Rick the Stick!

[@christopherbrady1394]

Best Collab of 2024

[@oroboros88]

Eric taking up half the stream window with his tremendous girth

[@birddog9201]

Unnecessary grunting is the worst. Almost as bad as taking a phone call with you air pods in and not walking outside.