Ben Pollack

www.phdeadlift.com

Ben Pollack is a professional physical culturist. In 2017, he won the world's largest powerlifting meet and became the strongest powerlifter in history in the 198-pound class with a 2039 raw total. He earned his Ph.D. studying the history of strength from the University of Texas in 2018. In 2019, Ben qualified to compete for his pro card in bodybuilding and became an IFBB pro in 2021.

 
Are You Hearing or Listening?  It Could Be Killing Your Gains
Are You Hearing or Listening? It Could Be Killing Your Gains
Perfection is the enemy of greatness. Here's how to get it right.
Should You Squat Low or High Bar?
Should You Squat Low or High Bar?
It's a trick question: I believe you need to use both in your training, or else you're selling yourself short.
True Inspiration
True Inspiration
A police officer overcomes potentially devastating injury.
WATCH: Squats & Leg Training
WATCH: Squats & Leg Training
Some heavy bodybuilding work.
Hickam's Dictum and How It Will Make You Strong(er)
Hickam's Dictum and How It Will Make You Strong(er)
The simplest explanation ISN'T always right.
Bodybuilding for the Powerlifter— How to Use High Reps to Get Strong(er)
Bodybuilding for the Powerlifter— How to Use High Reps to Get Strong(er)
High-rep training is extraordinarily useful to powerlifters (even if it’s also extraordinarily unpleasant). Like any other programming tool, however, it needs to be used appropriately, or it can cause more harm than good.
WATCH: Deadlift & Back Training for Size & Strength
WATCH: Deadlift & Back Training for Size & Strength
Bringing the intensity with high-rep deadlifts, lat pulldowns, and more.
Four Ways to Unf*ck Your Program
Four Ways to Unf*ck Your Program
Learning to program for yourself is the single greatest secret to become a great lifter.
Spoon-Feeding is for Babies, Not Lifters
Spoon-Feeding is for Babies, Not Lifters
Ben’s diving into a much-needed extended offseason. Throughout the course of this month, he’ll be sharing his approach to diet and training. Of course, the mental game is always a big part of Ben’s process, and so he’ll also share some approaches to managing progression without any external goals. Other topics on the docket: gear reviews, Texas powerlifting events, and more!
Why Your Meet Prep Sucks
Why Your Meet Prep Sucks
It can be hugely discouraging to feel that all the work you did in the offseason and during your meet prep was wasted because you had one bad day, Unfortunately, all that really counts is what you put up on the platform. Or is it?
Everybody Wanna Be a Bodybuilder
Everybody Wanna Be a Bodybuilder
Including me – and here's why.
Stop Trying to Be Someone You're Not
Stop Trying to Be Someone You're Not
The best gains of your life will come from being true to yourself and your own strengths.
WATCH: Should You Wear Squat Shoes?
WATCH: Should You Wear Squat Shoes?
It's not as simple as you might think.
Three Gym Habits I Hate
Three Gym Habits I Hate
What NOT to do if you want to get strong.
Looking the Part
Looking the Part
Success isn't always rational, and that's okay.
Visualization for Powerlifting: How to Train Your Brain for Big Gains
Visualization for Powerlifting: How to Train Your Brain for Big Gains
Sorry to burst your bubble. There’s really no such thing as 60 seconds to a huge PR. Training, whether it’s mental or physical, requires practice.
Why You Are Injured
Why You Are Injured
It's rarely why you think, so stop feeling sorry for yourself and start fixing yourself.
How Much Accessory Work Should You Do?
How Much Accessory Work Should You Do?
The last video explained how to choose bodybuilding exercises for your strength program. This one explains how to use them in a workout.
Gurus & Charlatans
Gurus & Charlatans
It's no secret that some powerlifters are a little extreme – but don't let the extremes of the fitness industry change how you feel about yourself.
Know Your Motivation
Know Your Motivation
I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who have no time under the bar, no idea of why they’re training, and no vision for their future powerlifting career. Once I started to understand why I lift, I became a better lifter overnight.
WATCH: Exercises for Powerbuilding
WATCH: Exercises for Powerbuilding
When you’re scrolling through your Instagram Explore page, maybe you notice that hey, there aren’t a whole lot of guys who are big and strong. But most programs out there say that if you want to get big, you have to get strong; and that if you want to get strong, you have to get big. What gives?
The Shop Gym
The Shop Gym
It ain't easy opening a strength mecca in the nation's capital, but it's worth it.
How to Find Work-Life Balance as an Online Coach
How to Find Work-Life Balance as an Online Coach
It's easy to get sucked into a never-ending work cycle, but you need some balance to excel in the long term.
WATCH: The NEW Unf*ck Your Program
WATCH: The NEW Unf*ck Your Program
A new series for the new year.
Did You Train this Christmas?
Did You Train this Christmas?
Do you REALLY care about your progress?
Staying Calm When the Weight is On — 60 Seconds to a Huge PR
Staying Calm When the Weight is On — 60 Seconds to a Huge PR
This breathing exercise will help you to perform your heaviest sets with much more confidence and ease. It will take practice to get the hang of the process, but once you do, I promise, it’s absolutely worth it.
Goals are Worthless
Goals are Worthless
It doesn’t take a whole lot of ability to try really fucking hard.
Keep Track of Your Training This Holiday Season
Keep Track of Your Training This Holiday Season
Struggling to maintain your gains during the holidays? Here are some tips to help.
Why Mobility Sucks for Gaining Muscle
Why Mobility Sucks for Gaining Muscle
It's not enough to be able to move a lot. You have to be able to move well.
WATCH: Powerlifting Tips with Mind Pump Media
WATCH: Powerlifting Tips with Mind Pump Media
Bench, squat, and deadlift tips straight from the Mind Pump studio in San Jose.
Reader Q&A: November 2017
Reader Q&A: November 2017
If you’ve got a question, shoot me an email: ben@phdeadlift.com!
The Internet Gold Standard
The Internet Gold Standard
"That looks high. I can tell from some of the pixels and from missing quite a few squats in my time."
Meet Report: All-time World Record and Best Overall Lifter at 2017 Reebok Record Breakers
Meet Report: All-time World Record and Best Overall Lifter at 2017 Reebo...
I finished 7/9 with a 799 squat, 424 bench, and 815 deadlift (raw with wraps). That was good enough for a 2039 total and an all-time world record in the 198-pound weight class, plus a 592 Wilks and best overall lifter.
Broscience Is More Than Just BS
Broscience Is More Than Just BS
Don't be the guy who ignores good advice.
WATCH: Un-fuck Your Programming
WATCH: Un-fuck Your Programming
My new YouTube series on basic programming principles.
Are Your Genetics Holding You Back?  Here's How to Fix Them
Are Your Genetics Holding You Back? Here's How to Fix Them
Genetic enhancement really is the secret to powerlifting success.
The Best Things to Eat Before Training
The Best Things to Eat Before Training
Some preworkout nutrition tips.
Think Big: How to Make the Perfect Powerlifting Program
Think Big: How to Make the Perfect Powerlifting Program
The basics of periodization.
How to Use Knee Wraps to Squat 800 Pounds
How to Use Knee Wraps to Squat 800 Pounds
How to choose and use the right knee wraps (with video).
WATCH: Un-fuck Your Deadlift
WATCH: Un-fuck Your Deadlift
New YouTube video on the basics of deadlift technique.
Why Mobility Sucks (and What's More Important)
Why Mobility Sucks (and What's More Important)
Unless you’re into some truly extreme sex stuff, your hips don’t need a 360-degree range of motion. Here's what to focus on instead.
How to Heal Any Injury Overnight
How to Heal Any Injury Overnight
When recovering from a recent hamstring tear, I started using a simple practice that can not only make training more intense, productive, and satisfying, but can also help you handle anything in training — including injury.
3 Exercises to Supercharge Your Squat
3 Exercises to Supercharge Your Squat
Squat got you down? Here are three exercises you've never heard of to help clean it up.
Unfuck Your Squat Technique
Unfuck Your Squat Technique
Part 2 of a two-part series but much larger project on fixing your body and how it moves for any strength sport.
WATCH: How to Perform the Hook Grip
WATCH: How to Perform the Hook Grip
There is an astronomical amount of misinformation floating around right now about the hook grip, and, in my opinion, that’s the result of a lot of people (mostly beginners) using the hook grip inappropriately.
WATCH: Un-Fuck Your Squat
WATCH: Un-Fuck Your Squat
Mike Lusby and I share some corrective exercises for squatting dysfunction.
Powerlifting Is a Team Sport, Part 2
Powerlifting Is a Team Sport, Part 2
If you don't have a support system: build one!
Bodybuilding Versus Powerlifting
Bodybuilding Versus Powerlifting
You CAN be both big and strong -- if you train hard and smart.
August Training Roundup
August Training Roundup
The split I'm using for my raw training leading up to Reebok Record Breakers.
Is Your Coach a Con Artist?
Is Your Coach a Con Artist?
There's a lot of shady online coaches out there. Is yours one of them?
Training Discipline
Training Discipline
What do you suck at? DO THAT!
The Dark Side of Motivation
The Dark Side of Motivation
So you had an awful training session and you feel like shit? Here's what to do about it.
July Training Roundup
July Training Roundup
Some opportunities I'm taking and some I'm passing up.
Hook Grip Help!
Hook Grip Help!
Help me fix my hook grip weaknesses!
Bodybuilding Exercises for the Powerlifter — Get a Grip on Your Guns
Bodybuilding Exercises for the Powerlifter — Get a Grip on Your Guns
I’ve neglected training both my upper and lower arms, and now I’m suffering for my lack of grip strength. Prevent this. Here's my newfound twist on traditional arm and grip work.
How to Heal Any Injury Overnight
How to Heal Any Injury Overnight
Your mindset makes all the difference during rehab.
Reader Question: Sweet Dreams
Reader Question: Sweet Dreams
Dealing with sleep problems.
Guest Post: Staci's UGSS Lessons
Guest Post: Staci's UGSS Lessons
My girlfriend Staci shares her own take on UGSS.
Powerlifting Is a Team Sport
Powerlifting Is a Team Sport
Learning to Live, Learn, Pass On.

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