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Chris Duffin

Known as the “Mad Scientist Strength” Chris is an Ex Corporate Executive turned Inventor and Movement professional. He has positioned himself uniquely in the fitness world bridging the gap between (and working with both) the top clinical rehab and sports professionals in the world and the in the trenches athletes and S&C coaches. He promotes and uses evidence-based approaches in developing his coaching and cueing methodologies and strength training equipment. Chris keeps it simple with reinforcing clean natural movement patterns and then focusing on building strength. 

He is the only person in the world today squatting and deadlifting over 900lbs at his bodyweight and is one of the best Powerlifters of our age, and one of the most respected strength coaches in the industry. Chris’s professional background prior to his current roles includes 18 years of diverse operations management experience in running aerospace, automotive, and hi-tech companies or divisions, utilizing his BS in Engineering and MBA. Chris also co-owns the Kabuki Strength Lab in Portland Oregon and is CEO/Co-Founder of Kabuki Strength Equipment providing innovative equipment and methodologies to the S&C field.

Kabuki Strength Lab

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Chris’ Training Logs

April 5, 2018

DONATE HERE on GoFundMe Watch the intro video above for a brief introduction on what this project is all about and why we are doing it. Scroll down to see every 800 pound squat, day-by-day, along with the vertical bar speed of each squat! My name is Chris Duffin and I am the Co-Founder of Kabuki Strength.  This is the #800everyday fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon.Kabuki Strength is an organization deeply devoted to optimizing human ability + performance via original equipment, research-based education, and world-class coaching.Our mission and vision is to help make the world a better place through strength. We deeply believe that the pursuit of strength - physical, mental, and emotional - is a virtuous and rewarding endeavor to all who undertake it.Cassandra La Madrid, one of our coaches here at Kabuki Strength, volunteers as a powerlifting coach for Special Olympics Oregon and with her leadership, we want to do our part to help this incredible group of athletes and the SO organization.This fundraising campaign and feat of strength is an effort to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics organization in Oregon, with the end goal of eventually hosting a Special Olympics Powerlifting Fundraising Meet here at Kabuki Strength Lab later this year.I will be squatting at least 800 pounds every day for 30 days, taking a single rest day every week.Please share this page with your friends, share each of the #800everyday videos, and donate to this awesome cause.Thank you,Chris Duffin and Kabuki Strength#800EveryDay is Complete!Daily Analytics (Avg. Velocity, Peak Velocity, Depth) Daily Squat Feed Day 30 - .24m/s Day 29 - .20m/s Day 28 - .18m/sThese last few days is getting really tough on this #800EveryDay Squats For special Olympics fundraiser and awareness. Today was by far the slowest squat to date and in fact I was worried I was gonna black out...

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Chris' Training

July 22, 2017

Conventions, different gyms, flying, driving, funerals, and yes some training as well.  I was able to get all my work in for the week which was quite challenging considering the activities for the week.  But that is how living should be done.  Met some great people, saw sights, and spent quality time with good friends.  Even got some heavy squats in which was not expected nor in the plan of the week either.Click the image below to see the full details of my training as well as the planning approach we use for myself and all our coached athleteshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FImJtlzVNQw...

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Chris' Training, Podcasts

July 17, 2017

Our own Chris Duffin recently recorded an episode of the Muscle Expert with Ben Pakulski. Check it out below and make sure to subscribe to the podcast! Reposted from http://www.benpakulski.com/podcasts/chris/This podcast is brought to you by BiOptimizers our digestion expert sponsors upgrade your digestion for optimal recovery and better nutrient uptake with MassZymes.  Get 23-45% off plus an additional 10% off and 1 free bottle of HCL Breakthrough when you checkout the MassZymes here. This podcast is brought to you by Gasp! Top notch quality training wear, Muscle Expert approved training gear! Get 10% off when you use the discount code BEN10 at checkout at Gasp Online Today! EPISODE SPECIAL!  Code “11PAK” 11% off the entire Kabuki Strength Store: www.kabukistrength.net Use Code “onemonthfree” for a 1-month free trial to www.kabuki.ms, our subscription movement library. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio!Love the podcast? Leave a review in iTunes!Who would you like Ben to interview? Tell us here! INTRO: Known as the “Mad Scientist of Strength” Chris Duffin joins Ben on the Muscle Expert Podcast today for an extremely insightful episode! Chris shares the story of his very challenging beginnings, growing up homeless in Northern California and eastern Oregon, graduating valedictorian and his success as a corporate executive and athlete. Ben and Chris also dissect the necessary cues for mastering the squat and improving stabilization for better execution for all exercises, whiskey and deadlifts, the road to a 1000 pound deadlift and MORE!In This Episode5:50 – The myth of balance, pushing extremes and avoiding mediocrity 08:48 – Brining your game face and the best online resource for getting ridiculously strong safely. 11:40 – Growing up homeless and living outdoors to graduating valedictorian and an all state athlete. 24:00 – Going from successful  business professional to the top of the powerlifting ranks. 27:00 – Squatting 4x bodyweight, ammonia and grade 3 hamstring tear 30:00 – The best way to squat, neural output, and core stabilization 32:20 – The highest cost...

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Chris' Training

July 10, 2017

Its certainly easy to let circumstances get in the way of training.  This las week I was out of town for the first half of the week and then had my kids with me at work the remainder of the week.  Despite the travel and trying to stay caught up on my busy work schedule and entertain the kids I got everything worked in for the most part.Click the image below to see the full details of my training as well as the planning approach we use for myself and all our coached athletes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dvsHLr5LtE...

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Chris' Training

July 2, 2017

This last week marks the first full week of pretty consistent training.  Feeling like I'm finding my groove again with the growing responsibility of expanding Kabuki Strength, personal changes in life, and getting back on training post injury.  Last week I updated my rehab process and now we begin regular updates on training again.Click the image below to see the full details of my training as well as the planning approach we use for myself and all our coached athletes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xDPr2F1nV8 ...

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Chris' Training

July 2, 2017

Recent discussion on where I'm at with training and rehab since my freak accident in May result in multiple muscle tears.  The worst of which was grade 3 tears of the Hamstring Bicep Femorus and the Peronus following a bout of walking Pneumonia.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG2EVF9IxEI...

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Articles, Chris Duffin, Chris' Training

April 12, 2017

Editor's note - I would recommend listening to Chris' reading of this piece via the voice-over video above. In editing this piece I found myself with my stomach in my throat, especially towards the end when Chris' emotions show in his voice. Having known Chris for a few years and having heard bits and pieces of stories from his childhood, I can say with certainty that him writing this piece was no easy thing. I could tell that Chris struggled processing and sharing some of these experiences. I urge you all to listen open-hearted and take all the good you can from an experience like his. There is no deeper connection in humanity than the empathy and love we can share for one another. [caption id="attachment_13824" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Me and my younger sisters when we were all older, after I had custody of them and raised them.[/caption]Writing these pieces has been challenging as I’ve had to dig up memories and emotions that had long ago been shoved into a dark, hidden corner of my heart. It’s especially difficult because I have kids now the same age as when some of these stories take place for me or my siblings.  Looking at my kids while at the same time reflecting on what the past held for me taps deep into that emotional bank and often brings me to tears.  I don’t want to see my kids live through anything like that, yet at the same time I would never, EVER, trade my life and experiences for anything else.  With pain, mistakes, and lows also comes highs, joys, glory and has been a huge part in contributing to the beautiful and blessed life I have lived; a life arc that most can’t fathom.  This is pretty much what this writing is about, Heartbeak and...

Kabuki Strength
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Chris' Training

March 16, 2017

Without a specific plan for training for the week, not wanting to hit any volume because of the cold, and feeling I left some weight on the platform in the cage I pushed the weights heavier than I should have.  While volume was low this week it was quite a demanding week (or two in actuality) that will require me to take it much easier this coming week.  Looking at going into a high frequency deadlift routine on conventional deadlifts starting soon however.  This will be interesting as I have not specifically trained conventional deadlifts for at least a decade and never done them with high frequency.  All in prep for an event coming this fall.  Should be interesting.  ...

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Chris' Training

March 9, 2017

Below is a short video that we put together at the Arnold really quick right after the event.  A longer, higher quality one, will be going up later next week I believe.  But first is a lengthy video detailing my experience as well as some of the challenges I faced coming down with a cold heading into this.  As well as regrets...

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Chris' Training, Podcasts

February 25, 2017

Inventor, Strength Coach, CEO/Co-Founder of Kabuki Strength Equipment, & Co-Owner of Kabuki Strength Lab in Portland Oregon Chris Duffin, explains how the 'Whiskey & Deadlifts' concept came to fruition, what it was like growing up homeless, his views on nutrition, and Duffin discusses how his Engineering & Manufacturing background play a role in his current business. ...

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Chris' Training

February 20, 2017

Hit an amazing super set and some awesome squatting on Monday.  But after that had to focus on some stuff with the move of my shop and my house which was quite involved and stressful to pull off in a short period of time.  In this video I talk about how I handled that and adjusted my training to match.  You will see a lot of issues with adherence to plan in regards to the training plan below.Click the image below to see the full details of my training as well as the planning approach we use.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGZ8i8obSVs...

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Chris' Training

February 19, 2017

Really great week of training despite some major work and life stresses.  The beginning of the week was particularly brutal in training with a massive superset with heavy loads.  The quad is feeling great for back squatting but by the end of the week was fatigued for transformer bar squats.  Overall quite pleased even though the deadlift day was under plan by 30lbs.Click the image below to see the full details of my training as well as the planning approach we use.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRmc_K9t3RM...

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Articles, Chris Duffin, Chris' Training

February 13, 2017

You can listen to the spoken word version of this article on YouTube here.The first time I remember being taught how to catch and play with live rattlesnakes I was 6 or 7 years old. At the time, we were living in the mountains in central California up outside of Potter Valley. Rattlesnakes were prevalent in the area and in fact a den of them was real close to our camp. For that reason we had logs lashed into the trees for our sleeping areas as we frequently had them show up in and around our camp. At this time it was my mother, stepfather, brother, sister, and myself. We also added the second of my three sisters that same summer.The story of my sister’s birth is entertaining in and of itself. We didn’t have transportation at that time so when my mom went into labor she had to hike out to the dirt road and ended up flagging down a dump truck. The cab was full but they did allow her to climb into the back of the truck and they drove down the mountain with her bouncing around the back of the truck. They drove her right up to the emergency room of the hospital where she climbed out the bed of the truck, walked inside, and gave birth. That must have been quite the sight having a woman in labor climbing out the back of a dump truck at a hospital.There are many memories of my childhood that I don’t remember actively. When something triggers them it can be quite a flood between the memories and the emotions. However, this is a period in my life with many clear and fond memories. My parents had some hippy friends with a house up in the mountain and we settled down the...

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Chris' Training

February 4, 2017

Feeling pretty solid this week.  The trick now will be to not push it to hard or to fast and move backwards on the progress to date.  But as you can see I'm just about 100% back in action now.  This week was originally planned as a deload week but due to the the lower training while rehabbing it was changed to a transition week.  Loads remained higher the first half of the week then tapered a bit in preparation for the next week.Click the image below to see the full details of my training as well as the planning approach we use.https://youtu.be/RrgDEekptMI...

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Chris' Training

February 4, 2017

The quad rehab is coming along quite well and I was able to push things pretty hard this last week.  Not as hard as I would have liked but that would have meant no injury to begin with.  But there is not a better point I could be sitting at right now than where I am at given the recent injury.  Click the image below to see the full details over everything that has gone on in my training this week and to see how we approach the planning process.https://youtu.be/ZPEppndio8Y...

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Chris' Training

January 23, 2017

Well this week didn't go as planned starting out with an injury on an already short prep cycle.  But all you can do is go with the new flow and develop a plan of action and execute.  Here I show some of the work thats been done over the course of the week.  Below is also the training log with all details on what was done during the course of the week. https://youtu.be/oxM5TxcVLcg...

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Chris' Training

January 16, 2017

Feeling a lot more stable with my squats this last week.  Was also quite happy with all my big lifts for the week given I'm just getting back into hitting all 3 major lifts in the same week again.  I'm squatting twice, benching once, and deadlifting once, with one two accessory back days.  I still have a little bit of an issue with nagging oblique and QL strain on the left side which is likely due to the last training cycle but it is recovering quite well.  Prep time for Arnold Fit Expo is quite short but overall I'm walking around stronger than I have ever been before so I don't think I'll need to be reliant on a huge prep period.  The details of the training plan are below.https://youtu.be/2WgIkyebHd4...

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