Welcome to the Barbell and Beyond podcast, where we talk to athletes, coaches and experts about all things related to training and competing in the sport of Powerlifting.
The Secret Cut and 20 Years of Lessons From the Platform: Kjell Bakkelund
Kjell Bakkelund returns to Barbell & Beyond following his stunning second-place finish at Sheffield 2026 — complete with a world record deadlift and a weight class reveal nobody saw coming. In this episode, Kjell pulls back the curtain on the months-long plan to return to the 66kg class, the mental and nutritional adjustments that made it work, and how nearly 20 years of competition experience gives him edges that don't show up on a leaderboard.We also get into his coaching philosophy, his approach to autoregulation, why he prefers percentages over RPE, and what he's building toward for the rest of 2026.Hosted by Carli Dillen & Luke SelwayWant to know more about coaching? Visit us at www.barbellandbeyond.online/
(00:00) Introduction
(00:14) Training Frequency: From Six Days a Week to Three
(02:56) Post-Sheffield Recovery — What Happens the Week After a Big Meet
(05:10) Mental Flexibility: Why Elite Athletes Don't Panic When Plans Fall Apart
(09:24) The Sheffield Strategy: Why He Opened Heavy and Stayed Focused on Himself
(11:47) The F1 Movie That Changed Everything — Deciding to Return to 66kg
(15:18) The Weight Class Deception: How He Convinced Everyone He Was Going 74kg
(22:16) The Weight Cut That Actually Worked — More Calories, Better Sleep, Fewer Mistakes
(26:46) Inside His Coaching Team: Nutrition, Mental Coach, and Head Coach
(34:53) The Sheffield Experience Advantage — What 20 Years at the Same Meet Gives You
(38:54) Attempt-by-Attempt Breakdown: Squat, Bench, and the World Record Deadlift
(47:24) Meet Day Mentality — PRs at 37, Stoicism, and Why Satisfaction Matters
(53:19) What the Prize Money Goes Toward (And Why the Family Is Always First)
(57:47) Coaching Philosophy: How Kjell Teaches Autoregulation to His Athletes
(01:03:56) RPE vs Percentages — Why He Trusts the Numbers Over Feel
(01:11:41) Pre-Lift Routines and the Mental Cues That Unlock His Best Lifts
(01:13:15) What's Next: Worlds, November Sheffield, and Staying at 66kg
(01:20:50) The Future of Powerlifting — What the Sport Needs to Keep Growing
20 Feb 2026
IPF Rule Changes 2026: The Truth From Inside the System | Tim Konertz
Tim Konertz is the president of the German Powerlifting Federation (BVDK), creator of the DOTS formula, and the man who filed a formal complaint against the IPF after new rules were announced via WhatsApp on January 1st with no prior notice.
In this episode, Carli and Luke get into how the 2026 IPF rule changes actually happened, why the process was the problem as much as the rules themselves, and what needs to change for powerlifting governance to catch up with the sport's growth.
We also cover the origin and methodology behind the DOTS formula, the stiff sleeve controversy, the commercial pressures the IPF faces, and what to expect heading into the General Assembly in Dubai and the 2027 executive elections.
If you compete in IPF-affiliated powerlifting, this episode is essential listening.
Topics covered:
The January 2026 IPF rule changes and Tim's formal complaint
Low bar squat, bench press heaving, and elbow depth rules explained
Why IPF rule language is so consistently vague
How the DOTS formula was built and whether it needs updating
The stiff sleeve problem: quality, specifications, and commercial reality
What the Dubai General Assembly could change
IPF executive elections in 2027 and the future of the federation
Hosted by Carli Dillen & Luke Selway
Want to know more about coaching? Visit us at www.barbellandbeyond.online/ (http://www.barbellandbeyond.online/)
00:00 – Introduction
00:14 – Meet Tim Konertz: IPF Powerlifting's Most Vocal Advocate
00:49 – Tim's Powerlifting Journey: From Beginner to 3x World Championships
02:47 – Aerospace Engineer, Army Captain, and Federation President: How Does He Do It All?
04:21 – How Big Is Powerlifting in Germany? The Numbers Behind the Growth
07:38 – How Engineering Meets Powerlifting: The Birth of the DOTS Formula
08:12 – The Problem With the Wilks Formula (And Why Something Had to Change)
14:10 – How DOTS Was Built: The Data Methodology Behind the Formula
16:41 – Does the DOTS Formula Need an Update? Tim Gives His Honest Assessment
20:08 – The January 2026 IPF Rule Changes: Announced via WhatsApp on New Year's Day
21:01 – The Stiff Sleeve Controversy and Gaston Parage Resignation: The Context You Need
22:16 – Tim's Push for Democratic, Transparent IPF Governance
24:25 – Why Tim Filed a Formal Complaint Against the IPF
31:43 – Breaking Down the New IPF Rules: What Actually Changed?
32:10 – Questionable Safety Justifications: Necklaces, Low Bar Squats & Bench Press Heaving
35:20 – The Low Bar Squat Rule: An Enforcement Problem for Referees
37:00 – The Elbow Depth Rule, the Heaving Bench, and Stacking Rules on Rules
40:18 – Why the IPF's Rule Language Is Always So Vague (And What to Do About It)
47:30 – Tim's Upcoming Competition: Running It on DOTS, No Weight Classes
48:46 – The New Sleeve Assistance Rule: More Logical Than Most People Think?
49:23 – The Stiff Sleeve Problem: Quality, Specifications, and What an Engineer Would Do
53:00 – The Commercial Reality: Why the IPF Can't Just Ban Stiff Sleeves
54:43 – The IPF General Assembly in Dubai: What Tim Plans to Propose
55:09 – IPF Approved Should Mean Highest Quality — Why That Matters to Every Lifter
56:49 – The Power of Athlete Feedback: How New Zealand's Survey Changed Things
58:28 – What to Expect Before the March 2026 Rule Implementation
59:40 – IPF Executive Elections in 2027: The Bigger Picture
1:01:23 – Will There Be Further Rule Clarification Before March?
1:03:12 – Should Tim Run for IPF President? His Answer
1:05:23 – Closing Thoughts: Why Every Lifter Has More Power Than They Think
27 Jan 2026
Strength Rooted in Culture. Maori Sportsperson of the Year, World Games, Sheffield & Life Balance
Luke and Carli talk to 2025 World Games Champion, World Champion and Maori Sportsperson of the year, Dr. Karlina Tongotea. They discuss her reaction to the proposed IPF rule changes, cultural implications and sensitivity. Karlina shares more about her incredible 2025 year in Powerlifting, how her culture, family and team culture have helped her get to where she is, and her views on life balance and preventing burnout.
Hosted by Carli Dillen, Luke Selway
Want to know more about coaching?
Contact us on our website - www.barbellandbeyond.online/
(00:00) Powerlifting, sport & high-performance mindset
(03:25) Early athletic background and discovering the weight room
(07:40) Why powerlifting hooks athletes
(12:15) The dark side of chasing performance
(16:05) Fast progress, big lifts & rising expectations
(19:55) Athletic transfer & building a strength base
(24:05) Beginner vs advanced lifter realities
(27:55) Coaching quality, trust & training environments
(31:55) Long-term development vs short-term results
(36:00) Identity, self-worth & excellence in sport
(40:05) High-performance culture across sports
(44:00) Injury, burnout & physical breakdown
(47:25) Rebuilding after injury or burnout
(51:25) Sports science, research & real-world coaching
(55:00) Advice for lifters and strength coaches
(58:00) Final thoughts on longevity in strength sports
18 Jan 2026
What It Really Takes to Win: The Mindset of Sheffield & World Champion Kjell Bakkelund
In this episode, Carli & Luke talk to multiple-time Classic and Equipped World Champion, 2025 Sheffield Champion, Kjell Bakkelund. They go behind the scenes to understand his coaching and support team, family life, highest priorities, mindset and more. Kjell shares his secrets to a long and successful career in Powerlifting.
Hosted by Carli Dillen, Luke SelwayWant to know more about coaching?
Contact us on our website - www.barbellandbeyond.online
(00:00) Why Kjell Bakkelund Is Different
(01:40) From Normal Lifter to World-Class Numbers
(07:50) Talent vs Hard Work: What Actually Matters
(15:30) How Champions Think About Big Weights
(24:10) Winning on the World Stage
(33:40) The Pressure Nobody Sees
(42:20) When Winning Stops Being Enough
(50:50) Fatherhood, Balance & Changing Priorities
(1:00:30) Training for Longevity, Not Just PRs
(1:10:40) Advice for Lifters Who Want to Go Far
(1:22:40) What Comes Next for Kjell
6 Nov 2025
Training as a New Dad: Our Lessons from the Early Days
In this episode, Lukas Shaw (https://www.instagram.com/lukas_barbellandbeyond/) and Dr Hayden Pritchard share what it’s really like trying to train when you’re a new dad. Lukas reflects on his first few months of balancing fatherhood and strength, and we unpack the obstacles, mindset shifts, and unexpected lessons that come with it. From finding time and motivation to adapting training plans and your expectations, we explore how parenting reshapes priorities and what “progress” means. We also discuss why regular movement and health habits matter more than ever during this time, and ponder when “dad strength” might actually kick in…
For more science-backed training tactics on training during busy seasons, check out our ”Strategies to Keep Training and Progressing During Busy Life Seasons” (https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ggG04xGSQFCmTVPUuS8O0?si=039SIuYfSoaPGD8fQEd8Sg) episode.
Want to know more about coaching?
Contact us on our website - www.barbellandbeyond.online/ (http://www.barbellandbeyond.online/)
8 Sept 2025
Building Confidence Through Strength with Lauren Macmillan
In this episode, Luke interviews Barbell and Beyond (https://www.barbellandbeyond.online/) coach, Lauren Macmillan.
Lauren shares about her training and coaching background, her recent workshop with fellow coach Emma, and her transition from in-person to online coaching. She also dives into her passion for lifting as a form of empowerment and how strength training can help build confidence both inside and outside of the gym.
Host: Luke Selway (https://www.instagram.com/thelukeselway/)
Guest: Lauren Macmillan (https://www.instagram.com/lauren_barbellandbeyond/)
Want to know more about coaching?
Contact us on our website - www.barbellandbeyond.online/ (https://www.barbellandbeyond.online/)
6 Jul 2025
Strategies to keep training & progressing during busy life seasons
Dr. Hayden Pritchard, Carli Dillen, and Lauren Macmillan explore training strategies for busy powerlifters, reviewing literature and sharing experiences to help listeners maintain strength with minimal effort.
24 Jun 2025
Modern conjugate-style programming for classic Powerlifting with Lukas Shaw
Lukas Shaw discusses his athletic background and journey to embracing the Conjugate Method for powerlifting, offering insights into effective training strategies in an interview with Carli Dillen and Luke Selway.
18 Jun 2025
The story behind the Powerlifting Physio - Pei Boccanfuso
Carli Dillen interviews Pei Boccanfuso, The Powerlifting Physio, about her journey building a multi-location practice and her expertise in injury prevention for strength athletes, offering insights into effective programming strategies.
10 Jun 2025
Powerlifting's best kept secret: Get to know coach Emma Dixon
Emma Dixon discusses her powerlifting journey, individualized coaching methods, and navigating chronic illness, showcasing her expertise in an interview with Carli Dillen.
4 Jun 2025
Mike Tuchscherer: Self coaching tools including VBT (velocity-based training) with the legend who brought RPE to Powerlifting
Mike Tuchscherer discusses using velocity-based training in powerlifting, strategies for self-coached athletes, and balancing training with family life in this interview with Carli Dillen, Luke Selway, and Dr. Hayden Pritchard.
27 May 2025
When to compete in Powerlifting & what to expect
Carli Dillen, Luke Selway, Dr. Hayden Pritchard, Emma Dixon, and Lauren MacMillan share their initial powerlifting competition experiences and provide insights for first-time competitors.
Who has been a guest on Barbell and Beyond Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lukas Shaw
Pei Boccanfuso
Emma Dixon
Mike Tuchscherer
Lauren MacMillan
Podcast Authority Score: 8 / 100
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