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#491: Dr. Stefi Cohen — 25 World Records, Power Training, Deadlifting 4.4x Bodyweight, Sports Psychology, Overcoming Pain, and More

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Jan 7, 2021

Guest

Stefi Cohen

Dr. Stefi Cohen, a groundbreaking powerlifter and doctor of physical therapy, dives into her impressive journey from Venezuela to becoming a 25-time world record holder. She candidly discusses overcoming injuries, the mental aspects of sports psychology, and the importance of visualization for resilience. Stefi highlights the balance between high-intensity and high-volume training, especially for female lifters. Her story of transformation from soccer to powerlifting is inspiring, showcasing how challenges can lead to incredible strength and self-discovery.

02:14:43

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ADVICE

Injury Prevention

Rehab and prehab are essential parts of training periodization to build tissue tolerance.
Injuries occur when load exceeds tolerance, so manage external forces and build internal resilience.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Back Injury Story

Stefi Cohen suffered a career-threatening back injury in physical therapy school, ignoring pain signals.
Despite the injury, she competed, performed poorly, and then sought help.

insights

INSIGHT

Understanding Pain

Pain is not always directly tied to tissue damage and there is no single cause of back pain in most cases.
Focus on actionable assessments like directional preference and load tolerance.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Critical Role of Electrolytes in Low-Carb Diets

03:58 • 4min

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From Caracas to the U.S.: A Soccer Journey

07:50 • 6min

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From Struggles to Strength: A Powerlifting Journey

14:07 • 16min

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Exploring Training Methodologies and Balancing Strength Techniques

29:53 • 5min

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Training Split for Competition Prep

35:15 • 4min

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Navigating Injury and Recovery in Sports

39:00 • 22min

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Exploring the Mind-Body Connection in Chronic Pain Management

01:01:10 • 4min

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Enhancing Back Endurance for Injury Prevention

01:04:46 • 14min

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The Power of Visualization in Sports

01:18:48 • 22min

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Navigating Self-Discovery and Resilience

01:40:44 • 26min

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Final Thoughts and Product Highlights

02:06:33 • 8min

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#32767

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Back in Motion

A Hybrid Approach to Pain

Ian Kaplan

Stefi Cohen

Back in Motion provides insights into common misconceptions about back pain and how perceptions can affect pain management. It offers a hybrid approach to overcoming pain, drawing from the collective experiences of athletes like Mat Fraser and Stefi Cohen. The book aims to provide an easy-to-understand guide for those seeking to improve their physical well-being.

#7732

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With Winning in Mind

The Mental Management System

Lanny Bassham

With Winning in Mind offers insights into how mental preparation can significantly enhance performance in competitive environments. Lanny Bassham shares his Mental Management System, which includes techniques like rehearsal, self-image management, and mental programs to achieve success. The book is designed for athletes and anyone seeking to improve their mental edge.

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An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Body,' Tim Ferriss shares the results of over a decade of self-experimentation and research, involving hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of personal testing. The book covers more than 50 topics, including how to lose weight quickly, gain muscle without steroids, sleep less and perform better, and improve sexual health. Ferriss emphasizes the importance of finding the smallest changes that produce the biggest results, making it accessible for readers to achieve significant improvements in their physical health and performance.

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Healing Back Pain

The Mind-Body Connection

John E. Sarno

This book, written by Dr. John E. Sarno, presents a groundbreaking approach to understanding and treating chronic back pain. Dr. Sarno's research on Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS) suggests that stress, anxiety, and other psychological factors, rather than structural abnormalities, are the root cause of chronic pain. The book explains how repressed emotions trigger tension in the body, depriving muscles and nerves of oxygen, and provides guidance on recognizing the emotional roots of TMS and severing the connection between mental and physical pain. It also advises on how to accept negative emotions, resume physical activity, and change the brain's behavior to heal shoulder, neck, and lower back pain without drugs, surgery, or physical therapy.

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Extreme ownership

How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

Leif Babin

Jocko Willink

This book by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin focuses on the principle of 'Extreme Ownership,' where leaders take full responsibility for their actions and decisions. The authors use their experiences in the U.S. Navy SEALs to illustrate how this mindset can lead to success in any organization. The book covers various principles such as believing in the mission, checking ego, and leading by example. It emphasizes that leaders must own all failures, develop plans to overcome them, and ensure their teams are well-conditioned and aligned with the mission. The authors also stress the importance of humility, discipline, and effective communication in leadership.

#83

• Mentioned in 195 episodes

Mindset

The New Psychology of Success

Carol S. Dweck

In this book, Carol S. Dweck introduces the concept of two mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are static, while those with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning. Dweck shows how these mindsets influence success in school, work, sports, and personal relationships. She also discusses how to adopt a deeper, truer growth mindset, and how this can transform individual and organizational cultures. The book emphasizes the importance of perseverance, learning from failures, and embracing challenges as key components of the growth mindset.

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The Dip

A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)

Seth Godin

In 'The Dip,' Seth Godin challenges traditional views on persistence and quitting. He introduces the concept of 'The Dip,' a challenging phase between starting and mastering a skill, which is necessary for growth and mastery. Godin distinguishes 'The Dip' from 'The Cul-de-Sac' (a dead-end situation) and 'The Cliff' (a risky situation), advising readers to quit the latter two but push through 'The Dip' to achieve significant rewards. The book provides practical advice on recognizing when to quit and when to stick with a project, job, or relationship, emphasizing that strategic quitting can lead to extraordinary success.

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The obstacle is the way

Ryan Holiday

In 'The Obstacle Is the Way', Ryan Holiday presents a framework for turning obstacles into successes. Drawing from the philosophy of Stoicism and the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Holiday outlines three disciplines: perception, action, and will. He illustrates these principles with historical anecdotes from figures such as John D. Rockefeller, Amelia Earhart, Ulysses S. Grant, and Steve Jobs. The book emphasizes the importance of perception in shaping one's response to obstacles, the need for intentional and creative action, and the cultivation of will to persist through challenges. Holiday argues that by adopting these Stoic principles, individuals can transform their obstacles into opportunities for growth and success.

#1651

• Mentioned in 26 episodes

The paleo solution

The Original Human Diet

Robb Wolf

In 'The Paleo Solution,' Robb Wolf combines cutting-edge research from genetics, biochemistry, and anthropology to advocate for a return to the ancestral diet. The book proposes that modern humans should eat in a way that mimics the dietary habits of our Paleolithic ancestors, focusing on whole, unprocessed foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, while avoiding grains, legumes, dairy products, and refined sugars. Wolf provides practical advice, meal plans, and real-life success stories to help readers transition to a Paleo lifestyle, which can lead to significant health improvements including better blood sugar control, lower cholesterol levels, reduced inflammation, and improved weight management.

"[Visualize] a negative outcome. We don’t want to plan for it, but we need to prepare for it so we know how to react. Can you keep it together and try again, or will you crumble under pressure?" — Dr. Stefi Cohen

Stefi Cohen (@steficohen) is a 25x world-record-holding powerlifter and the first woman in the history of the sport to deadlift 4.4x her body weight. She is a doctor of physical therapy, author, co-host of the Hybrid Unlimited podcast, and business owner passionately educating people with her NO BS, evidence-based view on all things training and nutrition.

Stefi is the co-owner of Hybrid Performance Method, where hundreds of thousands of strength seekers go monthly to find progressive strength training and nutrition programs plus tons of free articles and videos. Stefi is a creative mind and loves collaborating with the Hybrid team and partners to develop powerful content, inspired fashion, and both fitness and nutrition tools for a stronger life.

Stefi is also the co-author (with Ian Kaplan) of Back in Motion, now available for pre-order.

Please enjoy!

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