Tim FerrissKneesOverToesGuy — Workouts That Produce Wild Results and Lessons from Charles Poliquin
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:00
Ben’s mom and Ben’s own training: small doses, big consistency
Ben describes bringing his mom to the gym after a fall and how she became consistent with sled work for years, keeping sessions gentle and short. He also shares that he trains just twice per week and that both he and his mom use the same exercises scaled to their levels.
- •Ben says his mom has been sledding regularly for eight years after she fell in love with it
- •He describes her training as gentle and typically 10–15 minutes per day
- •Ben says he works out only twice a week
- •He notes his mom and he do essentially the same exercises at different levels
- •He mentions his dad uses different pieces of the programming to address old pains
- 1:00 – 2:32
From “Old Man” in high school to chronic knee pain
Tim asks about Ben’s early nickname, and Ben explains how stiffness and long warmups led a coach to call him “Old Man.” Ben traces that back to intense workouts from a young age and chronic knee pain by age 12 that limited how low he could get in his legs.
- •Ben says a high school basketball coach nicknamed him “Old Man” بسبب stiffness and slow warmups
- •He reports doing extreme workouts starting around age nine
- •He says chronic knee pain began around age 12
- •He describes being unable to get low in his legs during high school
- •He suggests stiffness during puberty may have affected how things formed
- 2:32 – 5:51
Surgeries, dark period, and discovering Poliquin’s “knees over toes” idea
Ben recounts escalating knee issues, major surgeries, and a difficult period involving painkiller use. He then describes finding Charles Poliquin’s material contradicting the common “don’t let your knees go over your toes” rule and recognizing it as a missing piece after trying mainstream approaches.
- •Ben says doctors suspected an issue around age 14 and he later had surgery at 18
- •He lists a partial kneecap replacement, quad tendon reattachment, and a meniscus transplant
- •He describes being immobilized and unable to run for about a year and a half
- •He says his right knee later hurt worse and he felt he might need another surgery
- •He says he stayed on painkillers secretly and then found Charles Poliquin’s guidance supporting training knees-over-toes positions
- 5:51 – 10:06
Backward sled dragging: pain-free circulation, strength, and a path off painkillers
Ben explains that backward sled dragging was the first practical method that helped him reduce pain and begin rebuilding capacity with knees-over-toes exposure. Tim adds his own experience finding sled pulling therapeutic and “hard to hurt yourself,” while noting medical caveats.
- •Ben says backward sled dragging was the first thing that helped him get off painkillers
- •He frames it as a gentle way to load knees over toes and build circulation
- •He describes starting with pain-free levels, high repetitions, and gradual progressions
- •Tim describes coming to appreciate sled pulling as therapeutic compared to only pushing sleds
- •Ben says he intentionally stopped painkillers within a week to experience the new route despite remaining pain
- 10:06 – 11:46
Why sled dragging is considered safe and scalable (including a 1,000-pound demo)
Ben and Tim discuss why sled dragging can be scaled in a way that reduces injury risk compared to bearing load directly on the body. Ben shares his coaching experience with many sessions and describes a dramatic demonstration involving his mom attempting to drag a heavily loaded sled without being harmed.
- •Ben says he coached the sled movement over 100,000 times with no one getting hurt in those sessions
- •He describes loading 1,000 pounds on a sled for his 71-year-old mom to attempt dragging backward
- •He explains the load isn’t bearing down on the person in the same way as barbell work
- •Ben notes he learned from Poliquin via articles and self-teaching before social media videos were common
- •He describes sled dragging as a stepping stone rather than a total solution
- 11:46 – 18:19
Deep squats, range of motion, and using heel elevation + counterbalance to stay pain-free
Ben explains that Poliquin’s influence also pushed him toward full range-of-motion squatting, contrasting it with common advice to stop at 90 degrees and avoid knees-over-toes. He offers practical ways to make deep squatting accessible, including elevating heels and using a weight in front as a counterbalance.
- •Ben says many basketball environments discourage deep squats and knees-over-toes positions
- •He states deep squats hurting and feeling immobile are common problems for adults
- •He suggests elevating the heels to help people get lower in a squat
- •He explains holding weight in front acts as a counterbalance, reducing knee pressure by allowing a slight lean back
- •He gives a progression idea using a towel for heel lift and progressively closer-held loads (plates to kettlebell to bar position)
- 18:19 – 21:20
ATG split squat and step-based progressions for safer depth
Tim returns to the front-foot-elevated split squat (ATG split squat) as a controlled way to explore depth and knees-over-toes without common squat pitfalls. Ben agrees and points to extensive step-by-step videos, emphasizing how stairwells allow scaling with balance support and adjustable step height.
- •Tim describes the front-foot-elevated split squat setup using a step or stacked plates
- •He highlights avoiding low-back rounding (“butt wink”) risks associated with poorly executed deep barbell squats
- •Ben says he has created many step-by-step free videos to teach the movement
- •Both note stairwells can be a near-perfect tool due to hand support and scalable height
- •Tim describes starting higher with railing support and progressing over time
- 21:20 – 24:17
Mom’s hip deterioration to sprinting at 71; Ben’s dunking progression and genetics question
Ben explains he began training his mom because her hips were deteriorating and she had a fall, and over years of consistent training she regained impressive capability, including sprinting. He also shares his own arc from being unable to grab the rim in high school to dunking for over a decade at age 34 without knee problems, while acknowledging uncertainty about genetics.
- •Ben says his mom’s hip deterioration and a fall motivated him to start training her
- •He says he has trained her for about eight years and she fell in love with the sled
- •He describes his dad as more fragile and recounts a hamstring pull story from a youth speed class
- •Ben says his mom credits the split squat with fixing her hip problems and improving mobility with grandkids
- •Ben reports going from unable to grab the rim in high school to dunking for over a decade by age 34 without knee problems
- 24:17 – 25:50
If Ben’s mom picked only a few exercises: sled, full range of motion, split squat, and posterior work
Tim asks what Ben’s mom would keep if limited to a few exercises. Ben lists sled work in both directions, full range-of-motion work, the split squat, and a posterior-chain option—likely their use of a back extension machine to complement hip stretching and glute contraction.
- •Ben says his mom would choose sled work forward and backward
- •He says she would keep full range-of-motion training (individualized to the person)
- •He includes full range-of-motion split squat as a top choice
- •He says she would add a posterior-focused movement, likely their back extension machine approach
- •He links the combination to desk work posture and balancing hip flexor stretch with glute contraction
- 25:50 – 32:39
What Poliquin left Ben with: flexibility earlier, and strength + mobility in harmony
Ben and Tim reflect on Charles Poliquin’s influence beyond specific exercises. Ben recalls Poliquin’s regret about not prioritizing flexibility sooner and emphasizes blending strength and flexibility so positions feel both mobile and strong, while Tim shares examples of building mobility through strength-based practice.
- •Ben recounts Poliquin saying his only regret was not getting into flexibility sooner
- •Ben describes his own approach as combining strength and flexibility so you’re strong in flexible positions
- •Tim describes mobility improving when strength is developed at end ranges
- •Tim shares an example of building ankle mobility via light overhead squats on the minute
- •They agree training can address strength and mobility simultaneously without huge time commitments
- 32:39 – 35:11
Where backward sled pulling came from: Westside Barbell, Louie Simmons, and “dragging trees”
Ben tells the origin story of sled dragging as a training tool, tracing it through Westside Barbell and Louie Simmons. The story includes the influence of Finnish powerlifters’ work dragging trees, and how sled dragging became embedded as a warm-up and training staple, later popularized via equipment like prowler-style sleds.
- •Ben says Louie Simmons was influenced by Finnish powerlifters who credited dragging trees
- •He explains Louie Simmons developed dragging weight as exercise at Westside Barbell
- •He mentions Dave Tate and EliteFTS and the prowler-style sled
- •He quotes the idea that they didn’t call it warm-ups, just “the stuff you do before you train”
- •Ben ties this lineage to Poliquin using backward sled work for knee rehab in an Olympic athlete case study he read about
- 35:11 – 40:24
Bob Gajda, tibialis training, and the tib bar (plus no-equipment tibialis raises)
Ben credits bodybuilder Bob Gajda as a major influence for strengthening the front of the lower leg via a device Gajda called the DARD. Ben explains how he helped translate that idea into a simpler “tib bar,” discusses copying and his preference for American-made manufacturing when possible, and shares a wall-based tibialis raise that requires no equipment.
- •Ben introduces Bob Gajda and describes his shift away from bodybuilding’s emerging steroid culture (as Gajda told it)
- •Ben says Gajda created a DARD device enabling the opposite of a calf raise to strengthen the shin muscles
- •Ben links tibialis and calf training to his “ground up” approach following sled work
- •He describes suggesting a “tib bar” to an equipment company and notes it became widely available
- •Ben and Tim describe a no-equipment wall-lean tibialis raise variation and an added side-to-side emphasis for foot/ankle control
- 40:24 – 43:19
Wrist bar and the “hug of death”: product demand spikes and just-in-time fulfillment
Tim explains why he featured Ben’s wrist bar in his newsletter and how it supports progressive loading for wrist/forearm work. Ben describes the sudden surge in sales and how American-made production enabled rapid fulfillment, while Tim explains the risk of media-driven demand spikes for small businesses.
- •Tim describes the wrist bar design and how it can be plate-loaded for progressive resistance
- •He mentions using it for pronation/supination work while recovering from elbow surgery
- •Ben recounts staff noticing unexpected wrist bar sales spikes and tracing it to Tim’s newsletter
- •Tim explains the “hug of death” risk when exposure leads companies to over-order inventory
- •Ben says American-made production let them fulfill orders without placing risky large inventory bets
- 43:19 – 46:53
Ben’s recommended “minimalistic workout” video, honest titles, and avoiding clickbait
Tim asks which videos Ben wishes had more attention, and Ben responds that his best content tends to rise, especially when it helps people long-term. Ben emphasizes he avoids lying in titles, mentions encountering misleading titles on other channels, and points listeners to a specific recap video with his actual two-workouts-per-week program.
- •Ben says he made a recap video specifically aligned with this podcast discussion
- •He states his better, more helpful videos tend to get more views over time
- •He says he tries to never lie in a YouTube title and criticizes exaggerated “guaranteed” claims
- •Ben names his recap video: “Minimalistic Workout Program With Sets and Reps”
- •He says the video includes his actual two weekly workouts and similar versions used for people he trains
- 46:53 – 54:02
Minimum effective dose training: scaling volume, two workouts per week, and staying healthy long-term
Tim and Ben discuss not getting fixated on perfect sets and reps and instead scaling volume to what’s sustainable. Ben explains he often starts people with one to two sets, uses more sets only when progressively loading, and warns against treating the work as short-term rehab before reverting to old methods.
- •Tim argues you can regress volume as well as range of motion—starting with very small commitments
- •Ben says his starting system is typically one to two sets
- •He says he adds more sets mainly for exercises where he plans to increase weight, with few true exertion sets
- •Ben says he now does two workouts per week (about 45 minutes) and wouldn’t have believed it years ago
- •Ben says his biggest mistake was viewing the approach as short-term rehab and trying to return to prior methods
- 54:02 – 1:03:54
Sled work, ATG principles, and simple basketball warmups
Ben summarizes his training philosophy as three principles: forward/backward resisted movement, training from the ground up, and building strength through mobility. He says his training largely serves as his warmup, and for basketball he uses a straightforward ramp-up—dribbling in place, dribbling in motion, then shooting—without special routines.
- •Ben lists three principles: forward/backward resistance, ground-up training, and strength through mobility
- •He describes using a resisted treadmill at home as an efficient sled substitute
- •Tim and Ben discuss restoring lower-leg balance and its relationship to chronic foot pains for people Ben has worked with
- •Ben says he generally doesn’t need a special warmup because training covers it
- •He describes a basic basketball warmup progression: dribble in place, dribble in motion, then shoot
- 1:03:54 – 1:15:41
Integrity in content creation: avoiding audience capture, trend-chasing, and compromised trust
Ben asks Tim how he’s grown without bashing others or using low-integrity tactics. Tim explains how chasing trends can lead to audience capture and escalating exaggeration, and he emphasizes that trust is fragile—once people question your credibility, it’s difficult to regain.
- •Ben praises Tim for succeeding without starting arguments or using misleading tactics
- •Tim recounts resisting the temptation to do multiple crypto-focused episodes after one breakout hit
- •He describes audience capture and the risk of becoming what the audience rewards
- •Tim argues exaggeration compounds over time and can cross lines gradually
- •He emphasizes that failing to deliver on titles or causing harm can permanently damage trust
- 1:15:41 – 1:27:16
Long-term trust vs. short-term money: supplements, discretion, and compounding reputation
Tim shares why he avoided launching a supplement brand despite the financial upside, citing perceived conflicts of interest and trust erosion. He also describes how being discreet and consistently trustworthy opened opportunities like angel investing, and both reflect on compounding small integrity-aligned decisions over years.
- •Tim says launching supplements tied to his recommendations would lead people to question his motives
- •He explains that a seed of doubt—one moment of “can I trust this?”—can be enough to lose trust
- •Tim describes “Friend DA” discretion as a key trust-building practice in professional circles
- •He says trustworthiness helped enable angel investing opportunities over time
- •Ben connects the discussion to his family and business values, including continuing efforts to make products in America and improving that capability incrementally
- 1:27:16 – 1:28:30
Where to find Ben’s work and closing remarks
Tim and Ben wrap up by directing listeners to Ben’s platforms and the pinned overview video. Tim closes with where to find show notes and his customary sign-off.
- •Ben says the best places to learn his methods are YouTube and Instagram under Kneesovertoesguy
- •Tim reiterates they will link to Ben’s content and the video they recorded together
- •Tim directs listeners to the show notes page and how to search for the episode
- •Tim and Ben exchange thanks and close the conversation
- •Tim ends with his closing message about being kinder than necessary to others and yourself
