18 Jul Brotherhood, Barbell, and Brutal Honesty: My Conversation with Shawn Frankl (Part 2)
Article Rundown
- Brian and Shawn reflect on their decades-long powerlifting friendship.
- They discuss ego, injuries, and learning from past mistakes.
- Training stories highlight grit, humor, and mutual respect.
- Part 2 of their podcast dives into mindset, faith, and lifting legacy.
From Competition to Connection
Some friendships in powerlifting start on the platform. Mine with Shawn Frankl was one of them. I remember Senior Nationals—two guys from different places, different styles, hitting it off. We were about to compete against each other, but that didn’t matter. There was an unspoken respect. After the meet, I realized I never got his number, so I reached out to Becca from the Big Iron site and asked her to connect us.
That simple message kicked off a friendship that’s lasted decades. And in this next chunk of our full-length podcast, we dive into how it all began, why we stayed close, and how we’ve sharpened each other both under the bar and in life.
Just Like Brothers
What makes our friendship unique is that it’s always picked up right where it left off. Whether it’s been seven years or seven minutes, we’ve always had that rhythm. Talking to Shawn is like talking to my own brother. We can talk trash, volley jokes, and trade serious insights—without skipping a beat.
There’s no small talk. It’s real, honest, and unfiltered. You’ll hear that in the podcast—no scripts, no pretense, just two guys catching up like no time has passed.
Bleeding for Progress — Literally
One of my favorite memories (and one we share in this episode) is when I flew up to Nebraska to train with Shawn and the Big Iron crew before a big meet. I was already experienced in a bench shirt, but I came up there to sharpen things, to let Shawn help me dial in my bench and give me tips he’d picked up along the way.
The only problem? I didn’t bring my own bench shirt. So what did they do? Stuffed me into Shawn’s shirt using plastic bags and sheer force.
I was bleeding, slipping, and almost broke my arms—but I didn’t care. I came up there to learn. And that’s what we did. Shawn helped me tune some things up in my bench. I gave him cues on squat suit strap tightness. It was rough, raw, and real. But we both walked away better lifters. That’s how it’s always been with us—give and take, never ego-driven.
Ego: The Double-Edged Sword
We touch on this a lot in the episode—how ego is both a weapon and a weakness in powerlifting. You need it. It fuels the belief that you can do something insane like squat 1,000 pounds. But if you let it run the show, it’ll chew you up. I’ve been there. So has Shawn.
Injuries. Setbacks. Missed lifts. When your ego’s too loud, you stop listening to your body—and that’s when you get hurt. We both had to learn how to harness that drive without letting it destroy us. And in this podcast, we unpack that fine line between pushing and overreaching.
Training Smarter Without Losing the Edge
There’s a shift happening in the training world—more people are talking about reps in reserve, fatigue management, and “optimal” lifting. And I get it. But when you’ve been around as long as Shawn and I have, you also know that sometimes it takes going too far to figure out your limit.
We both lived that life: pushing to failure, bleeding in the gym, and getting back under the bar when maybe we shouldn’t have. It wasn’t always smart, but it was real—and it built something inside of us that no periodized spreadsheet ever could.
Chuck Vogelpohl and the Powerlifting Archetypes
Of course, we had to bring up Chuck Vogelpohl. That guy was—and still is—one of the most intense lifters the sport has ever seen. Watching Chuck was like watching a bomb go off. No hesitation, just full commitment.
Shawn and I trained differently, but we respected the hell out of Chuck. In the episode, we talk about how he approached the game versus how we did, and what we each took away from watching lifters like him blaze their own trail.
Bigger Than the Platform
One thing that’s always connected me and Shawn is faith. It’s not something we’ve ever used to preach or posture—but it’s real, and it’s shaped how we’ve both handled setbacks, handled success, and kept perspective through it all.
This podcast might seem like it’s just about lifting, but if you really listen, you’ll hear the deeper stuff too. Friendship. Growth. Resilience. And the kind of bond you only build by suffering under a bar with someone who wants you to succeed just as much as they want to beat you.
Watch Part 2 Now
This second chunk of our full-length podcast series is live now on YouTube. It’s raw, real, and packed with stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you’re chasing a world record or just want a peek into the mindset of lifters who’ve been there, this one’s worth the time.
Watch Part 2 of the Brian Carroll x Shawn Frankl Podcast now on YouTube!
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.