Latest / Wits & Weights | Strength & Fat Loss Over 40 / How Tinsel the Elf Defeated Doubt with Perfect Form (A Holiday Tale of Strength vs Shadows) | Ep 258

Transcript

How Tinsel the Elf Defeated Doubt with Perfect Form (A Holiday Tale of Strength vs Shadows) | Ep 258 · Wits & Weights | Strength & Fat Loss Over 40

• 0:01
  Philip Pape: Welcome back, dear listeners, to the magical village of Strongpoint, where snowflakes shimmer like perfectly polished 45-pound plates and every elf has a story to tell.
• 0:11
  Philip Pape: If you joined us last year, you'll remember the inspiring journey of a small but mighty elf named Tinsel.
• 0:18
  Philip Pape: For those who missed it maybe you were too busy tracking your macros or obsessing over your step count let me catch you up.
• 0:24
  Philip Pape: Tinsel wasn't always the symbol of strength and hope that Strongpoint now knows.
• 0:28
  Philip Pape: He once felt as weak as a first-time lifter, trying to explain why they skipped squat day.
• 0:33
  Philip Pape: But with the guidance of Whitney Strongpoint's most compassionate and wise mentor and, let's be honest, the only one who truly understood proper periodization Tinsel discovered that true transformation comes from consistency, proper form and occasionally admitting that, yes, you probably should sleep more this week.
• 0:51
  Philip Pape: By last Christmas Eve, tinsel had become Strongpoint's go-to example of what happens when you actually follow the program instead of just doing whatever that one elf fluencer on Elfingram or EG suggests.
• 1:04
  Philip Pape: Santa himself recognized Tinsel's efforts, entrusting him with leading the sleigh-loading team, a task that requires both strength and the ability to convince Reindeer that no, they cannot skip their carbs.
• 1:15
  Philip Pape: But today's story is different.
• 1:17
  Philip Pape: It's about what happens after you've hit your goals, when the progress pictures are framed on the wall and the before and after shots have gotten a thousand likes.
• 1:25
  Philip Pape: It's about facing a different kind of challenge, one that can't be solved with just another set of bench presses, though Tinsel certainly tried.
• 1:33
  Philip Pape: So grab your protein shake properly, mix this time.
• 1:36
  Philip Pape: We don't want those clumps find a comfortable position, with a neutral spine, of course.
• 1:40
  Philip Pape: And let me tell you about the time Strongpoint faced its darkest hour, which, considering we live in the North Pole, where it's dark half the year, is really saying something.
• 1:51
  Philip Pape: Chapter 1.
• 1:51
  Philip Pape: The First Signs, or why Recovery Actually Matters.
• 2:00
  Philip Pape: The trouble began on what seemed like an ordinary day in Strongpoint.
• 2:01
  Philip Pape: The village glittered under fresh snow, toy production was hitting new PRs and Tinsel was doing what he did every morning teaching a group of young elves the finer points of Romanian deadlift form, while simultaneously meal prepping and reviewing Santa's logistics spreadsheets.
• 2:14
  Philip Pape: Remember, he demonstrated with a perfectly loaded barbell keep your core braced, like you're about to tell Mrs Claus that her cookie recipe needs more protein powder.
• 2:22
  Philip Pape: Have you ever actually done that, asked Pip, the youngest and most inquisitive of his students.
• 2:27
  Philip Pape: No, tinsel admitted.
• 2:29
  Philip Pape: But I did once suggest she try protein ice cream instead of regular ice cream in her shakes and that felt pretty close to me needing maximum intra-abdominal pressure.
• 2:36
  Philip Pape: That's when Holly burst into the training area.
• 2:39
  Philip Pape: Her usual sparkle dimmed and her festive bells jingling in what could only be described as a minor key.
• 2:45
  Philip Pape: Holly was known throughout Strongpoint for three things Her cheerful songs, her perfect barbell bent over row form and her ironclad rule about never interrupting a training session unless something was seriously wrong.
• 2:57
  Philip Pape: Tinsel, she gasped Something's out there in the woods, something wrong.
• 3:02
  Philip Pape: Tinsel carefully unloaded his plates and racked his barbell because proper gym etiquette doesn't take holidays and asked Holly to explain.
• 3:10
  Philip Pape: I was out gathering pine cones for our lateral raise superset station.
• 3:14
  Philip Pape: She began when I felt it watching me.
• 3:16
  Philip Pape: It's cold, but not the kind of cold you feel in your fingers, more like the kind you feel when someone tells you you're rounding your back too much with your deadlift.
• 3:25
  Philip Pape: The young elves gasped.
• 3:27
  Philip Pape: They knew that was the worst kind of cold.
• 3:30
  Philip Pape: Chapter two the growing shadow, or why you should never skip your compound lifts.
• 3:37
  Philip Pape: That evening, as the village gathered around the great tree to share stories and their carefully measured portions of casein protein pudding, more elves spoke of the mysterious presence Aspen, strongpoint's most dedicated powerlifting enthusiast, who once attempted to convince Santa to replace his sleigh with a power rack stepped forward.
• 3:54
  Philip Pape: It drains your energy, he said, his voice unusually quiet.
• 3:58
  Philip Pape: I went out for my usual lower body day, you know, just a light session of back squats, leg press and walking lunges, and I barely made it back.
• 4:06
  Philip Pape: It's like something sapped my will to train.
• 4:08
  Philip Pape: I even considered skipping my accessory work.
• 4:11
  Philip Pape: The crowd murmured in horror.
• 4:14
  Philip Pape: Aspen never skipped accessories, ever.
• 4:17
  Philip Pape: Tinsel exchanged glances with Whitney who had been quietly analyzing the situation while doing her evening set of overhead presses, because shoulder health doesn't take holidays either.
• 4:26
  Philip Pape: This sounds like more than just seasonal fatigue, whitney said thoughtfully, though I do think some of you could benefit from a deload week.
• 4:33
  Philip Pape: But what could cause such weakness?
• 4:35
  Philip Pape: Tinsel wondered aloud, absentmindedly, doing some trap, bar shrugs as he thought.
• 4:39
  Philip Pape: Even that time we accidentally replaced all the pre-workout with decaf Elvish Energizer tea.
• 4:44
  Philip Pape: Wasn't this bad.
• 4:45
  Philip Pape: Just then, jingle, strongpoint's resident gym equipment mechanic and unofficial chronicler of weird stuff, pushed through the crowd clutching an ancient-looking book titled Supernatural Phenomena and Proper Programming Splits.
• 4:57
  Philip Pape: I think I know what we're dealing with, jingle announced, flipping through pages.
• 5:01
  Philip Pape: The symptoms match perfectly with legendary accounts of the Shadow Wraith, chapter 3.
• 5:10
  Philip Pape: The Preparation Phase, or why Programming Actually Matters.
• 5:14
  Philip Pape: The revelation hit Strongpoint harder than doms.
• 5:17
  Philip Pape: After week one of a new high-volume phase.
• 5:19
  Philip Pape: The Shadow Wraith wasn't just a legend.
• 5:22
  Philip Pape: Parents used to convince elflings to rack their weights.
• 5:24
  Philip Pape: It was real.
• 5:26
  Philip Pape: According to these records, jingle continued adjusting his spectacles while doing standing calf raises, because elves are excellent multitaskers.
• 5:34
  Philip Pape: The Shadow Wraith feeds on doubt, fatigue and improper form.
• 5:38
  Philip Pape: It's basically like that one guy at the gym who always has something negative to say about your technique, except, you know, supernatural and actually dangerous.
• 5:46
  Philip Pape: Whitney stepped forward her strategic mind, already mapping out a plan.
• 5:49
  Philip Pape: They will need to be stronger, not just physically but mentally.
• 5:53
  Philip Pape: Tinsel.
• 5:54
  Philip Pape: Remember how you used to doubt yourself before learning about progressive overload.
• 5:57
  Philip Pape: You mean last year, when I thought I couldn't load Santa's sleigh?
• 6:00
  Philip Pape: Tinsel replied unconsciously, straightening his posture, because posture cues never leave your thoughts Back, when I didn't understand that strength is built gradually, like adding five pounds to the bar each week.
• 6:10
  Philip Pape: Exactly, whitney nodded.
• 6:13
  Philip Pape: We need to prepare everyone the same way, but this time we're not just fighting physical weakness, we're fighting something that targets our insecurities.
• 6:20
  Philip Pape: And so began Operation Iron Will, named by Tinsel, though Whitney had lobbied for the unforgiving Project.
• 6:27
  Philip Pape: No Excuses.
• 6:29
  Philip Pape: The village transformed into what can only be described as the world's most festive training camp.
• 6:34
  Philip Pape: The toy workshop became a makeshift gym with production lines cleverly redesigned to incorporate the main movement patterns.
• 6:40
  Philip Pape: Elves practiced their form while assembling dolls and trains, turning every toy-making session into an opportunity for gains.
• 6:47
  Philip Pape: Mrs Claus even got involved, reformulating her famous hot chocolate recipe to include 25 grams of protein per serving, though the first batch tasted suspiciously like liquid chalk.
• 6:58
  Philip Pape: Tinsel established different training stations throughout the village the Confidence Corner, where elves practice their compound lifts with perfect form Remember, he'd say, the Shadow Wraith can't feed on your doubt if your technique is flawless.
• 7:11
  Philip Pape: The Mental Strength Station featuring a mirror where elves practice positive self-talk while doing triceps, press downs.
• 7:16
  Philip Pape: Your triceps deserve respect became an unlikely but popular mantra.
• 7:20
  Philip Pape: The Team Unity Zone, where partners spotted each other on bench press while sharing their fears and insecurities your spotters got your back just like a vertical bar, but popular mantra.
• 7:23
  Philip Pape: The Team Unity Zone where partners spotted each other on bench press while sharing their fears and insecurities your spotters got your back just like a vertical bar.
• 7:29
  Philip Pape: Path has your spines back during deadlifts.
• 7:31
  Philip Pape: But not everyone was convinced.
• 7:33
  Philip Pape: Bernard, the head of toy production and notorious volume addict, questioned the methodology.
• 7:38
  Philip Pape: Shouldn't we be training harder, he argued during a village meeting.
• 7:41
  Philip Pape: Maybe add some extra sets or triple our working weight.
• 7:44
  Philip Pape: Whitney shut that down faster than you can say eagle lifting, bernard.
• 7:48
  Philip Pape: She said patiently when is doing more reps with poor form ever solved anything?
• 7:55
  Philip Pape: Besides, you still haven't mastered the mind-muscle connection with your lateral delts.
• 7:56
  Philip Pape: Bernard muttered something about lateral raises being overrated, but wisely didn't push the issue.
• 8:02
  Philip Pape: Chapter 4.
• 8:02
  Philip Pape: The Unexpected Challenge, or why you Should Always have a Backup Plan.
• 8:06
  Philip Pape: Just as the village was hitting its stride in preparation, something unexpected happened.
• 8:11
  Philip Pape: The Shadow Wraith, apparently not content to wait for a proper confrontation, began targeting individual elves during their solo training sessions.
• 8:18
  Philip Pape: First was Snowflake, who was known for her incredible ability to train with effort.
• 8:23
  Philip Pape: A few reps shy of failure, she came back from what should have been a simple push day, looking shaken.
• 8:29
  Philip Pape: It made me forget how to feel my pecs engaging.
• 8:32
  Philip Pape: She whispered, traumatized.
• 8:33
  Philip Pape: I was just moving the weight around like a CrossFit athlete.
• 8:37
  Philip Pape: No offense to CrossFit athletes, but proper technique is serious business in Strongpoint.
• 8:42
  Philip Pape: Then came Peppermint's terrifying experiments during his back training.
• 8:45
  Philip Pape: I was in the middle of my lat pulldowns.
• 8:50
  Philip Pape: He recounted, focusing on pulling with my elbows and back, like Whitney taught us, and suddenly this cold voice whispered are you sure you're not just using your biceps, he shuddered.
• 8:57
  Philip Pape: I haven't been able to feel my lats since the final straw came when the Wraith targeted Cookie, strongpoint's most dedicated tracker of macros and training progress.
• 9:06
  Philip Pape: He returned from his session crying out.
• 9:08
  Philip Pape: It made me lose count of my PRs.
• 9:10
  Philip Pape: How am I supposed to ensure progressive overload if I can't accurately gauge my PRs?
• 9:16
  Philip Pape: Tinsel knew they had to act fast.
• 9:18
  Philip Pape: The Shadow Wraith wasn't just attacking their bodies, it was targeting the very foundations of their training methodology.
• 9:25
  Philip Pape: It was time to take the fight to the shadows themselves.
• 9:26
  Philip Pape: But first they needed a plan and, as any good lifter knows, the best plans involve proper warm-ups, strategic loading schemes and, most importantly, knowing exactly when and how to execute the perfect rep with maximum effort.
• 9:40
  Philip Pape: Whitney Tinsel said his voice firm, with determination.
• 9:43
  Philip Pape: I think it's time we showed this wraith the true meaning of training hard.
• 9:48
  Philip Pape: Chapter 5.
• 9:49
  Philip Pape: The Final Preparation, or why Effort Beats Mind Games.
• 9:53
  Philip Pape: Tinsel and Whitney gathered Strongpoint's most dedicated lifters in what they called an emergency programming session.
• 9:59
  Philip Pape: The toy workshop's break room, now converted into a strategy center, was filled with training logs, proper form diagrams and one very elaborate whiteboard showing the perfect bar path for each of the main lifts.
• 10:10
  Philip Pape: Okay, team Tinsel addressed the group casually doing some low bar squat bar stretches, because shoulder health waits for no elf, not even during tactical meetings.
• 10:20
  Philip Pape: We're dealing with an enemy that feeds on our self-doubt.
• 10:22
  Philip Pape: It's basically like that voice in your head that says you're not ready to add another plate to the bar, except this one can actually freeze your soul.
• 10:29
  Philip Pape: So what's the plan, asks Cookie, still traumatized from his PR counting incident.
• 10:34
  Philip Pape: Hit it with some heavy compounds, maybe a German volume training protocol?
• 10:37
  Philip Pape: Whitney stepped forward, shaking her head.
• 10:39
  Philip Pape: This isn't about how much we can lift, it's about how well we can lift it.
• 10:43
  Philip Pape: The Shadow W we can lift.
• 10:44
  Philip Pape: It's about how well we can lift it.
• 10:45
  Philip Pape: The shadow wraith targets our insecurities.
• 10:46
  Philip Pape: But what's the one thing that perfect form and true strength can't doubt that feeling when you nail a rep with perfect execution?
• 10:53
  Philip Pape: Suggested Snowflake Exactly.
• 10:55
  Philip Pape: Whitney smiled.
• 10:56
  Philip Pape: Effort doesn't lie.
• 10:57
  Philip Pape: You either train hard or you don't.
• 10:59
  Philip Pape: There's no room for doubt.
• 11:01
  Philip Pape: Tinsel caught on immediately.
• 11:03
  Philip Pape: So we're not just going to confront this thing, we're going to show it what real strength looks like.
• 11:07
  Philip Pape: Not just moving weight, but moving it with purpose, with focus, with maximum effort.
• 11:12
  Philip Pape: The group finished in unison.
• 11:17
  Philip Pape: Chapter 6.
• 11:18
  Philip Pape: Into the Woods or the Pre-Workout Kicks.
• 11:21
  Philip Pape: In.
• 11:22
  Philip Pape: The next morning, a small but determined group ventured into the forest.
• 11:25
  Philip Pape: They carried their most reliable equipment Perfectly knurled barbells, carefully calibrated cast iron plates because uneven loads are nobody's friends and enough chalk to supply a teacher's convention.
• 11:37
  Philip Pape: Tinsel led the way, with Whitney close behind, providing form cues out of habit.
• 11:41
  Philip Pape: Remember to brace.
• 11:42
  Philip Pape: Maintain a neutral spine.
• 11:43
  Philip Pape: The rest of the team followed, each chosen for their specific strengths Snowflake, whose ability to train close to failure could probably bench press by itself.
• 11:51
  Philip Pape: Cookie, who could calculate protein and a muscle gain calorie surplus in his sleep.
• 11:55
  Philip Pape: Aspen, who had finally admitted that maybe maxing out wasn't always the answer.
• 12:00
  Philip Pape: And Peppermint, who might have been scared of the Wraith but was more scared of missing a scheduled training day.
• 12:05
  Philip Pape: The forest was eerily silent, like a gym at 5am before the pre-workout kicks in.
• 12:10
  Philip Pape: Shadows stretched long and thin between the trees, as if they were doing their own version of superfluous mobility work.
• 12:16
  Philip Pape: Suddenly, a chill swept through the group, carrying with it a laugh that sounded like the creaking of a poorly maintained cable crossover machine.
• 12:23
  Philip Pape: Who dares disturb my domain?
• 12:26
  Philip Pape: The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, like that one guy at the gym who keeps giving unsolicited advice.
• 12:31
  Philip Pape: The shadow wraith materialized before them, its form shifting like the explanations of someone who clearly prefers higher reps and lighter weights Strength.
• 12:40
  Philip Pape: It hissed its voice like the squeak of an unoiled cable machine.
• 12:43
  Philip Pape: You think strength will save you?
• 12:45
  Philip Pape: I am doubt itself.
• 12:47
  Philip Pape: I am the voice that whispers.
• 12:49
  Philip Pape: One more cheat meal won't hurt, and maybe you should test your max again, even though you're in the middle of a training block.
• 12:57
  Philip Pape: Tinsel stepped forward, his heart pounding, but his form perfect.
• 12:59
  Philip Pape: We're not afraid of doubt, he said.
• 13:01
  Philip Pape: We faced it before during every plateau, every failed rep, every time we had to deload.
• 13:06
  Philip Pape: But we learned something important True strength isn't about never doubting, it's about moving forward anyway, with proper form, maximum effort and progressive overload.
• 13:16
  Philip Pape: The wraith loomed closer, its shadowy tendrils curling like a loaded barbell, trying to pull you forward during a deadlift.
• 13:22
  Philip Pape: Prove it, it whispered, chapter 7.
• 13:27
  Philip Pape: The Final Set, or Perfect Form Meets Perfect Storm.
• 13:31
  Philip Pape: What happened next would be talked about in Strongpoint for generations to come.
• 13:35
  Philip Pape: Each elf stepped forward, demonstrating not just strength but mastery of form and technique.
• 13:39
  Philip Pape: Snowflake performed an intense set of perfect form barbell rows.
• 13:40
  Philip Pape: But mastery of form and technique.
• 13:41
  Philip Pape: Snowflake performed an intense set of perfect form barbell rows.
• 13:44
  Philip Pape: Her level of effort so strong it seemed to make the shadows themselves retreat.
• 13:48
  Philip Pape: Cookie executed a series of textbook stiff leg deadlifts, each rep timed with mathematical precision.
• 13:53
  Philip Pape: Aspen, instead of trying to max out, demonstrated the beauty of controlled, sub-maximal pause, front squats with perfect execution.
• 14:00
  Philip Pape: The Wraith screamed in frustration, its form flickering like an influencer's attention when they're checking their phone in the gym.
• 14:07
  Philip Pape: This means nothing.
• 14:09
  Philip Pape: You still doubt, you still fear?
• 14:12
  Philip Pape: Of course we do.
• 14:13
  Philip Pape: Whitney stepped forward, but we don't let it stop us.
• 14:16
  Philip Pape: Every single one of us has felt uncertain, scared, even weak, but we show up anyway.
• 14:21
  Philip Pape: We put in the work, we trust the process and, most importantly, tinsel added setting up for what would be the most important set of his life.
• 14:29
  Philip Pape: We never sacrifice form and effort for ego.
• 14:34
  Philip Pape: Chapter 8.
• 14:34
  Philip Pape: The Final Showdown, or when perfect form meets the perfect moment.
• 14:40
  Philip Pape: Tinsel stepped up to the perfectly positioned barbell, his stance shoulder-width apart, because even in a supernatural crisis, proper setup is crucial.
• 14:46
  Philip Pape: The rest of the team arranged themselves in a perfect circle like the world's most determined group of spotters.
• 14:52
  Philip Pape: Watch and learn, tinsel said to the wraith, his voice steady.
• 14:55
  Philip Pape: This is what real strength looks like.
• 14:57
  Philip Pape: He began with what appeared to be a standard deadlift setup, but this was no ordinary lift.
• 15:02
  Philip Pape: Every elf present could feel the magic building, not the usual North Pole variety that made toys dance and reindeer fly.
• 15:09
  Philip Pape: But something deeper, more fundamental the kind of magic that happens when determination meets perfect technique.
• 15:14
  Philip Pape: You call that a setup.
• 15:17
  Philip Pape: The wraith mocked its voice dripping with the kind of condescension usually reserved for gym bros critiquing someone's form on Elfengram.
• 15:23
  Philip Pape: I can sense your doubt, your fear, your worry that maybe your back isn't perfectly neutral.
• 15:28
  Philip Pape: But Tinsel didn't waver.
• 15:30
  Philip Pape: Instead, he did something unexpected.
• 15:33
  Philip Pape: He cued each part of his lift out loud, turning his technique into a battle.
• 15:36
  Philip Pape: Cry Brace.
• 15:37
  Philip Pape: The ground seemed to stabilize beneath them.
• 15:39
  Philip Pape: Engage the lats.
• 15:41
  Philip Pape: Shadowcry Brace, the ground seemed to stabilize beneath them.
• 15:43
  Philip Pape: Engage the lats.
• 15:43
  Philip Pape: The shadows flickered uncertainly.
• 15:44
  Philip Pape: Drop my hips.
• 15:44
  Philip Pape: The darkness began to retreat.
• 15:45
  Philip Pape: Drive through the floor.
• 15:47
  Philip Pape: Light started breaking through the trees.
• 15:49
  Philip Pape: The wraith screamed, its form wavering like the resolution of someone who just discovered the free pizza day at Planet Fitness.
• 15:55
  Philip Pape: Stop, you can't possibly maintain perfect form under maximum load.
• 15:59
  Philip Pape: Wanna bet?
• 16:01
  Philip Pape: Whitney called out.
• 16:01
  Philip Pape: Show it your working sets, tinsel.
• 16:04
  Philip Pape: What followed was the most technically perfect series of reps ever witnessed in the North Pole.
• 16:08
  Philip Pape: Each movement was executed with precision that would make a starting strength coach weep with joy.
• 16:13
  Philip Pape: The bar path was so straight you could use it to align the stars.
• 16:17
  Philip Pape: The other elves joined in, adding their own perfectly executed movements to the mix.
• 16:21
  Philip Pape: Cookie performed overhead presses so precise you could set an atomic clock by them.
• 16:25
  Philip Pape: Snowflake's lat pulldowns were masterclass in scapular depression.
• 16:28
  Philip Pape: Even Bernard, who had followed them into the woods because FOMO affects elves too contributed with some surprisingly well-controlled dumbbell presses.
• 16:36
  Philip Pape: But but the wraith sputtered now, barely maintaining its form.
• 16:40
  Philip Pape: What about progressive overload?
• 16:42
  Philip Pape: Surely you can't progress forever.
• 16:44
  Philip Pape: Progress isn't always about adding weight, whitney declared.
• 16:47
  Philip Pape: Stepping forward.
• 16:48
  Philip Pape: Sometimes it's about better form, better effort, better control.
• 16:51
  Philip Pape: That's what you never understood.
• 16:52
  Philip Pape: Strength isn't just about the weight on the bar, it's about mastery of movement combined with a progress in your work over time.
• 16:59
  Philip Pape: The Wraith let out one final desperate cry something about unconventional training methods before dissolving into mist, swept away by a perfect below-parallel squat depth from Tinsel, chapter 9.
• 17:12
  Philip Pape: The Victory Celebration, or when Proper Recovery Meets Party Time.
• 17:17
  Philip Pape: When the group returned to Strongpoint, they were greeted as heroes.
• 17:20
  Philip Pape: The village erupted in cheers, though everyone was careful to maintain proper bracing during their celebration jumps.
• 17:26
  Philip Pape: That night they feasted on macro-friendly holiday treats.
• 17:29
  Philip Pape: Mrs Claus had outdone herself with protein sugar cookies that actually tasted like cookies instead of flavored chalk.
• 17:35
  Philip Pape: A North Pole first.
• 17:36
  Philip Pape: Even Santa was impressed, though he still refused to swap his sleigh runners for a barbell.
• 17:40
  Philip Pape: You've done more than save the village, santa told Tinsel during the celebration.
• 17:45
  Philip Pape: You've shown everyone that true strength comes from facing your doubts, not denying them.
• 17:50
  Philip Pape: Though, he added with a twinkle in his eye, I still think you could loosen up a bit about strict form during gift wrapping.
• 17:58
  Philip Pape: Tinsel stood at the heart of it all.
• 17:59
  Philip Pape: His posture, athletic as ever, because good habits don't take holidays.
• 18:02
  Philip Pape: He had faced the darkness and emerged stronger, not just for himself, but for everyone around him.
• 18:07
  Philip Pape: As he watched the glowing faces of his friends and neighbors, he realized that the real victory wasn't just banishing the shadow wraith.
• 18:14
  Philip Pape: It was showing that when you face your fears with well-practiced technique, unwavering determination and always making the attempt, there's nothing you can't overcome.
• 18:23
  Philip Pape: And so the legend of tinsel grew, a story retold each holiday season to remind the village that true strength comes in many forms, but preferably with proper form and maximum effort.
• 18:35
  Philip Pape: The end Until next bulking season.
• 18:39
  Philip Pape: Friends and listeners, if you enjoyed the story, I'd love to hear from you.
• 18:42
  Philip Pape: Send me a message on Instagram at Wits and Weights, or join our free Facebook group and hang out with us as we get ready for the new year.
• 18:48
  Philip Pape: Links are in the show notes.
• 18:49
  Philip Pape: I wish you all the happiest of holidays, whatever you celebrate, and a healthy, strong and resilient new year.
• 18:55
  Philip Pape: I'm Philip Pape and you're listening to the Wits and Weights Podcast.
• 18:59
  Philip Pape: I'll talk to you next time.