06 Aug Beyond the Barbell: A Final Lift, Last Words, and the Fight to Finish Strong
Article Rundown
- Shawn reflects on his final conversation with mentor Rick Hussey.
- Brian recounts the mental and physical battle behind his 1306 squat.
- They discuss the gift of seeing movement others miss.
- The episode highlights legacy, injury, faith, and finishing on your terms.
A Final Lift, Last Words, and the Fight to Finish Strong
In Part 2 of my conversation with Shawn Frankl, we moved past numbers and technique and got into the raw stuff — stories about pain, regret, drive, and the people who’ve shaped our lives. This episode goes deeper than a recap of lifts. It’s about the mindset it takes to keep going when everything in life is telling you to stop.
If you’ve ever battled through injuries, loss, or questioned whether it’s time to hang it up, you’ll relate to this one.
Everyone Has a Back Story
We kicked things off by talking about how common back pain is. It doesn’t matter if you’re a lifter, an office worker, or a movie star — everyone has a story about their back. I hear it all the time, and so does Shawn in his gym. It’s one of the reasons I do what I do now. I’ve learned from the best — Dr. Stuart McGill — and I try to share what I’ve learned to help people get out of pain and stay that way.
Shawn mentioned he’d love to start teaching some basics at his gym — simple things like spine hygiene and movement awareness. Things that can prevent years of setbacks if you catch them early.
“I’d love to help people once a month. Just teach them how not to beat themselves up.”
Seeing What Others Miss
One of the big themes that came up was this: some people just see movement differently. I was fortunate to learn from McGill how to really assess movement patterns — what’s wrong, what’s risky, and what’s just inefficient. Shawn’s got that same eye. He might not use all the same language, but he can look at someone lift and know instantly what’s off.
It’s not something you can always teach. Either you see it or you don’t.
“That’s my gift,” Shawn said. “I can just tell by watching what someone’s doing wrong.”
That’s why great coaching isn’t just about programming — it’s about paying attention to detail, catching what others miss, and knowing what actually matters.
Rick Hussey’s Last Conversation
Shawn opened up about his final conversation with his mentor, Rick Hussey. It was heavy. Rick knew his time was short and started trying to hand off the Big Iron legacy. But Shawn wasn’t ready to talk about that. He was still thinking about their next meet together. Days later, Rick was gone.
“If I could change one thing, I’d have spent more time with him. I would’ve camped out in Omaha.”
You could feel the emotion in Shawn’s voice. This wasn’t just a coach — this was someone who changed his life. And that loss fueled him through some of the hardest chapters in his career. If you’ve ever had someone like that in your corner, you know how much it means.
The 1306 Squat — And What Came With It
I shared the story behind my final squat — the 1306-pound lift that closed the book on my competitive career. What most people don’t know is how much went wrong before that meet. I tore my pec, got shingles, tore my bicep a few weeks out, and caught COVID. I had newborn twins at home. I was beat to hell — mentally and physically — but I still felt like I had one more in me.
So I prayed on it, told God I was willing to accept whatever happened, and put everything I had into that one lift. Not for a trophy. Not for social media. But for closure.
That lift wasn’t just about strength — it was about letting go. And when I stood up with the weight and heard “good lift,” I felt peace. I was done. And I was good with it.
The Final Word
This episode isn’t just about squatting 1300 or chasing records. It’s about what happens around the platform — the life that happens in between the lifts. It’s about honoring people we’ve lost, fighting through pain that doesn’t show up on the score sheet, and knowing when it’s time to walk away on your terms. Shawn’s story with Rick, my road back from injury, and the way we both pushed through setbacks — this is the stuff that lasts. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s why I think this episode might hit harder than most. The full podcast is now live on my YouTube channel, which you can find [HERE].
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