The Reactive Training Systems Podcast

Systems Over Willpower: Build A Better Environment

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coach Mike Tuchscherer, Gaby Muller and nutritionist Pia Marangoni discuss the role of environment in shaping behavior for better training and nutriti...

Crafting the Perfect Training Program: Frequency, Volume, and Engagement

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How often should you really be training—and when does more become too much? In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer, Gaby Muller and Andrew Jessop break d...

Peak Performance: The Journey of Setting New Lifelong PRs

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you turn injury and setbacks into lifetime personal bests on the platform? In this episode, Coach Mike, Coach John and Dr. Nathan Dailey break ...

Pawel Jurczynski: High Frequency & Dynamic RPE

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coach Mike, Coach Mel and Pawel Jurczynski dive into high-frequency training systems, sharing insights from the European Powerlifting Conference and P...

Balancing Strength and Technique: Insights from Mike and Andrew

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How much should a coach shape an athlete's technique, and how much should be left to self-discovery? In this episode, Coach Mike and Coach Andrew unpa...

Dr. Zac Robinson & Josh Pelland: Can Science Make You Stronger?

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can lifters and coaches apply the latest research to train smarter and perform better? In this podcast, Coach Mike and Andrew talk with Zac and Jo...

Inside The World Of Equipped Powerlifting with Hugo Duarte and Dominic Wetekam

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Equipped powerlifting isn't just about putting on tighter gear—it's about pressure, trust, and problem-solving when it matters most. In this episode...

Dr. Nathan Dailey: Rehab With Emerging Strategies

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Nathan Dailey returns to the RTS Podcast to talk with Coaches John Garafano and Ross Leppala about powerlifting rehab, competition stress, and hig...

John Garafano: The Comeback Story

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Reactive Training Systems, Coach Ross Leppala and John Garafano discuss John's journey back to competitive powerlifting after a sig...

Jochen Strubbe: The Ideal Athlete

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Belgian coach and athlete Jochen Strubbe shares his coaching journey in the sport, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, c...

Thomas Lilley: Techniques & Strategies

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the RTS Podcast, Coach Mike and Coach Mel talk with Thomas Lilly, founder of Zero Weakness Gyms. Known for coaching elite lifter Co...

Mike's Powerlifting America Nationals Recap

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can 20 years of powerlifting still teach you? In this episode, Coach Mike reflects on lessons from competing at the Nationals, sharing insights o...

Kjell Bakkelund: Champion Mindset

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coach Mike and Mel sit down with 2025 Sheffield champion Kjell Bakkelund. They dive into the art of coaching, building strong coach-athlete relationsh...

Ade Omisakin: Self-Coached Road To Sheffield

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we dive into the art of self-coaching in powerlifting with Ade Omisakin. We talk tracking progress, spotting trends, and using tools ...

Dynamic vs Static RPE: A Deep Dive Into Modern Programming

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coach Mike, John and our newest RTS Coach Andrew discuss gym safety, managing fatigue, and the differences between dynamic and static RPE systems. The...

Kedric Kwan: The Art Of Coaching

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This conversation explores powerlifting, focusing on the recent Sheffield competition, coaching strategies, and competition challenges. Kedric Kwan di...

Kelly Mann: Coaching Excellence at Sheffield

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mike and Gaby are joined by Kelly Mann, fresh from coaching at Sheffield, to discuss her experience as the first female coach at the event. They cover...

Sheffield 2025: Challenges, Triumphs, and Takeaways

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The excitement about Sheffield 2025 is still high. Coach Mike, Peter and Gaby reflect on the competition and strategy of the attempt selection for Tha...

Personal Growth in Powerlifting: Lessons from the Platform

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike and Ross discuss various techniques and mental strategies in powerlifting training, diving into the importance of intentional tr...

Ready For Sheffield: Kasemsand Senumong

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To share the excitement about Sheffield this year, coach Mike and Mel sit down with Kasemsand Senumong, also known as Opor Kasem, the current 66kg wor...

The Science and Art of Coaching with Jason Tremblay

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, coach Mike and Mel are joined by Coach Jason Tremblay from The Strength Guys to discuss various approaches to training elite powerlif...

RTS 2024 Recap

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The RTS team celebrates a successful year, sharing highlights, key achievements, and challenges faced throughout the year. Mike, Mark, Ross, Gaby, Pet...

Unveiling the Secrets of Powerlifting Success with Pawel Jurczynski

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike, Mel, and special guest Coach Pawel Jurczynski, CEO and co-founder of A-game Athletic Performance in Poland explore his journey ...

Mastering the Mindset: Training and Competing Like a Champion

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The team engages in an in-depth discussion about the diverse experiences and strategies used by competitive powerlifters. The conversation highlights ...

Elliott Sykes on the Rise

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer and Gaby Muller welcome coach Adam Jones and special guest Elliott Sykes, 2024 IPF World Champion. Elliot shares his...

Outsmarting The Competition With Scouting Strategies

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ross Leppala and Peter Lucey discuss the pivotal role of scouting reports in powerlifting. A recent experience at the Masters World Championships prof...

Keys to a Successful Competition: Planning, Flexibility, and Execution

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, coaches Ross Leppala, Peter Lucy, and Adam Jones discuss essential factors for a successful powerlifting meet. They highlight the imp...

Individualized Techniques with Mike, Mel and Kenny

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike, Mel and Kenny delve into the diverse techniques used by powerlifters. The discussion covers the concept of self-organized techn...

Building Better Powerlifters: Integrating Accessory Work with Pat Horvath

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, join Mike, Kenny and Pat Horvath as they dive into pivotal coaching strategies and the nuances of work capacity in powerlifting. Dis...

Skill Acquisition with Jacob Tsypkin

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, host Mike Tuchscherer talks with Coach Mel Kasper and Jacob Tsypkin about learning skills in powerlifting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Th...

Navigating the Chaos: Game Day Coaching with Mike, Gaby and Kenny

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast episode about game day coaching, Mike Tuchscherer discusses with coaches Gaby and Kenny the challenges and strategies of handling mult...

The Power of Coaching: Bryce Krawczyk

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer, Gaby Muller, and Mel Kasper engage in an insightful conversation with Bryce Krawczyk of Calgary Barbell. They refle...

Mike's Competitive Future

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer discusses his recent powerlifting competitions, milestones, and reflections on the sport's evolution. Talking about ...

Train with Pain: Dr. Nathan Dailey

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer and Gaby Muller welcome Dr. Nathan Dailey, a renowned physical therapist with a background in the U.S. Army, for an ...

The Winning Formula with Alexander Eriksson

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features a conversation between Mike Tuchscherer, Gaby Muller and coach and athlete Alexander Eriksson, discussing the Sheffield 2024, Al...

Measuring Strength Progress with Mike, John and Mel

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Power Of Belief With Evans Nana

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer and Gaby Muller sit down with Evans Nana, aka the "Ghanaian Gladiator" or "Evans The Hulk", and discuss the power of...

Mike T's Experience on Individualized Back Pain Management

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Turning Adversity into Success

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At some point, all lifters will face some degree of adversity in their training. It's important to our long-term development that we learn how to use ...

Kelly Mann: Bridging the Gap between Biomechanics and Powerlifting

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast episode, host Gaby Muller and Mike Tuchscherer sit down with Adam Jones and founder and coach of Performotion, Kelly Mann. Dive into t...

Master Your Training Environment

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, coach Ross Leppala, Mel Kasper, and Gaby Muller explore how travelling and moving can affect a training routine and how to deal with ...

Extracting Lessons from Newton Cheng´s Nationals Performance

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Tuchscherer, John Garafano and Kenny Allen sit down with Newton Cheng to talk about his performance at the nationals recently and extract some va...

Coaching processes and building client trust: A conversation with Claire Zai

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this riveting podcast episode, Mike Tuchscherer engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Claire Zai, coach from Barbell Medicine and powerl...

Plant-based Powerlifting: Insights from Ryan Stills (5x World Champ)

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer sits down with Ryan Stills to discuss the fascinating intersection of veganism and athletics. The conversation delve...

Risk to Resilience: Injury Risk Management from a coach's perspective with Jason Tremblay

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer engages in an insightful conversation with renowned head coach, Jason Tremblay, from The Strength Guys. Together, th...

Running a Successful Powerlifting Business with Newton Cheng

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this insightful episode of "Running a Successful Powerlifting Business," hosted by athlete Newton Cheng, the tables turn as he interviews the renow...

AI and Making Smarter Training Decisions with Kedric Kwan

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kedric Kwan or Reformance joins RTS Founder and Coach, Mike Tuchscherer to discuss all things AI and its impact on coaching.

IPF Worlds 2023 Recap

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The RTS Coaching team was in full swing at the 2023 IPF World's Championship in Malta. This is a podcast from coaches Mike Tuchscherer, Adam Jones, an...

Reimagining Possibilities- Nathan Baxter's Inspirational Story

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mike sits down with powerlifting legend, Nathan Baxter, to discuss his inspirational story. The conversation naturally evolves to discussing finding y...

The Power of Stress Index and Training Effects: Insights from Mike Tuchscherer

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coach, Gaby Muller, sits down with RTS Founder, Mike Tuchscherer, to discuss all things Emerging Strategies, Stress Index, and different training ...

Strength Through Reflection: Meet Debriefs with Gaby Muller and Kenny Allen

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RTS' newest coaches, Kenny Allen and Gaby Muller join Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano to talk about how important reflection is in the process of i...

From Start to Sheffield Coaching High Performance Powerlifters with Kedric Kwan

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kedric Kwan from Reformance joins Mike Tuchscherer to discuss his experience coaching high-performance athletes at the Sheffield 2023. Mike and Kedrik...

Repost: Pain and Technical Perfectionism w/ Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a repost of an episode that aired on Mar 04, 2019: In this episode, Head Coach Mike Tuchscherer speaks with Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum from Barbell...

Coaching and Training with Sean Noriega

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sean Noriega, Founder of Nori Powerlifting and high-level USAPL 83kg competitor joins RTS Founder, Mike Tuchscherer to discuss all things coaching and...

Dad Life with Newton Cheng

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Newton Cheng who is an RTS Athlete and also the Director of Health and Performance at Google joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano to d...

Repost: The Utility of Periodization with John Kiely and Mike Israetel

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a repost of one of our most popular episodes back in April 2020. If you haven't listened to this episode, we highly encourage you to give it a...

Game Day Excellence with Matt Gary

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Gary of SSPT joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano to discuss all things Game Day execution. Matt also talks about his book on Gam...

2023 Nationals Recap with Mike Tuchscherer

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano sit down to talk about Mike's return to his first national event at Powerlifting America Nationals 2023...

All RPEs are Equal with Zac Robinson from Data Driven Strength

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Zac Robinson from Data Driven Strength recently completed his Master's Thesis at Florida Atlantic University's Muscle Physiology Laboratory on the Eff...

Pulling the Simplest Lever with Dr. Michael Soya

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Mike Soya joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano to talk about how pulling the simplest lever in injury management can often result ...

A Case of SBD Days with Pana

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Tuchscherer sits down with Pana (Panagiotis Tarinidis) to discuss his training philosophy and how he views specificity in training with the use o...

Don't Focus on Specificity with Kedric Kwan

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast, Kedric Kwan joins Mike Tuchscherer to talk about why you shouldn't focus entirely on specificity. To learn more about Kedric and his ...

Rethinking Training Frequency with Dr. Eric Helms

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast, Eric Helms joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano to discuss all things related to training frequency. Eric also provid...

Advanced Weakness Analysis with EMG

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Oro Muscles co-founder, Hobey Tam, joins Mike Tuchscherer to discuss about advanced weakness analysis using EMG. To learn more about Oro Muscles, visi...

Core Competencies with Mark Robb

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer, Mark Robb, and John Garafano talk about the core competencies that you need as a powerlifter and how focusing on the sma...

Minimal Dose Training with Dr. Pak

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Pak from Stronger by Science joins RTS Coaches Mike and John to discuss all things related to his research on the subject of Minimal Dose Training...

Coaching Collaboration with Mike and John

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this latest episode of the RTS Podcast, Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano sit down to talk about their coaching relationship and specifically how ...

Progressing Training with Daniel DeBrocke

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Coach Mike and John sit down with Daniel DeBrocke, Director of Educational Curriculum, from Kabuki to discuss ways that he progresses training with at...

Competing in Chaos with Sara Guzman and Peter Lucey

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Coaches John Garafano and Peter Lucey talk with Thailand Powerlifting's Sara Guzman who competed at the 2021 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championsh...

Coaching Leadership with Clinton Lee and Adam Jones

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Team Singapore's very own Clinton Lee joins Coach Adam and John to discuss his recent performance at IPF World's this year in the 74kg class. Clinton...

Collaborative Leadership with Jesse Scott-Hinkle and Mark Robb

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, RTS Coaches John Garafano and Mark Robb sit down and talk with one of Mark's athletes, Jesse Scott-Hinkle about Mark's collaborative ...

The Coach-Athlete Relationship with Adam Jones and Ross Leppala

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coaches Adam Jones, Ross Leppala, and John Garafano sit down to discuss how the Coach and Athlete Relationship can change over time. Coach Ross ha...

Quality Matters Part 2 with Jason Tremblay

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and Peter Lucey sit down with The Strength Guys' President and Co-founder, Jason Tremblay, for part 2 of...

The Evolving Needs of a Seasoned Powerlifter with Mark Robb

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mike Tuchscherer sits down with Mark Robb to discuss how a seasoned powerlifter's needs change over time. The conversation addresses ...

Coaching Training vs. Nutrition with Dr. Kristin Lander

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Kristin Lander joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano again to talk about the difference between coaching nutrition versus training....

A Roadmap for Reintroduction with John Flagg

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

John Flagg of Rebuild Stronger joins coach Mike Tuchscherer to discuss all things related to the injury reintroduction process. 

Nonspecific Work with Jordan Feigenbaum

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jordan Feigenbaum joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and Ross Leppala to discuss some of his recent thoughts on nonspecific work in training and how t...

Grasping Adaptation with Derek Evely

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Tuchscherer sits down with Derek Evely to discuss Emerging Strategies and generally how athletes adapt to training stimuli.

Quality Matters with Jason Tremblay

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano are joined by the President and Co-Founder of The Strength Guys, Jason Tremblay, to discuss how quality...

The Business Side of Coaching

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano sit down with Shamal Asnani to talk about all things on the business side of coaching. Now, Shamal is a...

Mentality and RPE with Natalie Hanson

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Natalie Hanson joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer, Ross Leppala, and John Garafano to discuss how your mentality can impact RPE ratings. Ultimately, o...

Using Velocity to Calibrate RPE

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, RTS Founder and Head Coach, Mike Tuchscherer, meets with Jacob Tober of 'Metric' which is a velocity-based training app that helps yo...

Winning The Day with Newton Cheng Part 2

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2! Building upon our last episode in December, Newton Cheng joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer, Mark Robb, and Ross Leppala to dive deeper into u...

Winning The Day with Newton Cheng Part 1

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Building upon our last episode in December, Newton Cheng joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer, Mark Robb, and Ross Leppala to dive deeper into understan...

Evolving Your Coaching with Ben Esgro

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Esgro of Elemental Formulations (https://eformulations.co/) joins RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and John Garafano to discuss how to evolve your coa...

Alternative Set Structures with Landyn Hickmott

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Landyn Hickmott joins RTS Coach, Mike Tuchscherer, to continue the conversation from the previous episode and discusses alternative set structures in ...

What velocity loss should we train at?

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Landyn Hickmott stops by to chat with coach Mike Tuchscherer and coach John Garafano to discuss his most recent article titled 'The E...

Top 3 Things We've Learned

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer, Mark Robb, and John Garafano talk about the top 3 things they've learned in their years in the sport of...

A Tactics Meeting with the RTS Coaching Staff

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered what happens during a Tactics Meeting here at RTS? Well, in this episode, we give you a glimpse into the kind of conversations ...

Replacing The Bulk-Cut Cycles with Dr. Kristin Lander

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Coaches Mike and John are joined by Dr. Kristin Lander to discuss how to replace the Bulk/Cut Cycles for a powerlifter. Dr. Lander also provides a...

Coach-Athlete Relationship Featuring Bryce Lewis and Eric Helms

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the RTS Podcast, RTS Coaches Mike Tuchscherer and Hayden Pritchard sit down with Bryce Lewis and Eric Helms for a discussion on the...

Training with Pain with Dr. Mike Soya

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been in the game long enough, you know that most people eventually experience pain while training. In this episode, Dr. Mike Soya, DPT, join...

Process Mastery with Newton Cheng

20 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Process mastery takes constant refinement--time, heat, and pressure. In this latest episode, RTS Athlete Newton Cheng joins Coach Mike and Mark to dis...

Developing a Resilient Mindset with Charlie Richards

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

RTS Founder and Head Coach, Mike Tuchscherer, and Coach John Garafano sit down with RTS Athlete, Charlie Richards to discuss how he creates a resilien...

Advanced Autoregulation and Coaching

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast, Mike Tuchscherer sits down with Alex and Will from the Weakly Weights podcast to discuss some concepts of Advanced Autoregulation and...

Determining Ideal Technique

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Finding an ideal technique is not something that you arrive at and never change. It is a process that is ever-evolving and changing. In this episode, ...

The Beginner Powerlifter and Autoregulation

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, your host, RTS Coach, and founder, Mike Tuchscherer is joined by RTS coaches Mark Robb and John Garafano to discuss how beginner powe...

When to Change Weight Classes

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, your host, RTS Coach, and founder, Mike Tuchscherer is joined by RTS coaches Mark Robb and John Garafano to discuss when someone shou...

What to do when you have limited equipment

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Round back deadlifting

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas