Earn your Death: 18 July 2025

There are certain coaches I have followed for a long time, and who provide me with endless sources of mental and physical inspiration. Two of them are Jim Wendler and Dan John.

Most of you will have heard of Wendler, as he is the architect of one of the most popular and best-selling strength programs of all time, 5/3/1. It is a program that I consider the best program around for general strength. It is adaptable, simple, and highly effective.

Dan John is a name that most in my age group will recognize, as he is a legendary coach; however, younger generations may not be familiar with him. If you are one of those who have never heard of Dan, you should look him up.

Both of these men excel in the simplicity of programming, and both are superb writers.

I look at the programs they write, the advice they give, and the way they approach life with awe.

Jim barely has a social media presence and opts to spend his time coaching the kids from the London (OH) football team. A few years ago, Phil Stevens hosted a N.O.V. meet at his gym in Topeka, KS. At the time, Phil was my coach, and I headed to the meet to watch. Unlike a normal powerlifting meet, the lifts for this were the Duffalo Bar squat, strict overhead press, and the trap bar deadlift. Jim was there to watch, as the meet was named after an initialism of a phrase he popularized. I will leave that up to you to find out what it means.

Jim and I had a chance to talk for a while, and he was sharing insights into his training, chatting about life, and talking about the kids he coaches at London HS. I came away with some fantastic nuggets to keep in mind.

Dan John is another man whose writing and talks provide endless sources of inspiration. In 2011, I was invited to speak at a seminar in Texas. Three other men were on the bill with me: Dan John, Jack Reape, and Gant Grimes. Three men who have been successful in sport, life, and coaching. It was an honor to be included, and listening to Dan speak about the simplicity of his coaching was eye-opening and incredibly informative. When it was time for me to present my information, Dan was in the audience, taking notes on what I was discussing.

There are many lessons to be learned from both of these men, and they are lessons I return to time and time again.

• Keep things simple, not complex.

Don’t get caught up in doing more for the sake of it; master what you are doing and perfect it. If you’re trying to improve your relationship, consider what distractions you can eliminate so you can focus on your partner. If you are trying to get in better shape, you don’t need complex conditioning workouts; start by improving your aerobic capacity. If you are trying to get stronger, doing more only takes away from focusing on what you need. If you are trying to add muscle, doing extra work doesn’t magically make muscle grow more; you have to stick to the basics and do them over time with intensity. If you are trying to improve your career, you don’t do it by making things more complex; you do it by doing your job better and more efficiently. The list goes on.

• Focus on family

Jim spends his free time with his wife and kids. Dan is very family-focused. For those who don’t have a family they can spend time with or are separated from for whatever reason, you can cultivate a similar type of bond with good friends. In some ways, that can be more rewarding because you choose your friends. It all depends on your situation and perspective.

• Appreciate progress

Both of these men know that progress is never linear and the process of self-improvement can take years. One specific man is a good example of this - Vincent Dicenzo. Vincent was a record-holding bench presser who was massively overweight. He embarked on a personal journey called “Operation Be Less Fat,” a 16-year endeavor that has resulted in a 135-pound weight loss. That averages to a little over 8 pounds a year. To some people, that seems like an excruciatingly long journey for such a small weight loss per year. Many people would be frustrated and give up because the expectations of losing weight quickly are too tempting to ignore. For Vinnie, he stayed the course, took his time, and ultimately transformed his body and mind. At 55 years old, he is more active than he has been in years.

Simplicity has served these men well in their lives, careers, and personal accomplishments.

It’s a lesson we can all learn.

Learning and growing are what make life special.