In Eat Train Prosper #196, we talk with Connor St. Jean, a WNBF Professional Bodybuilder and Online Physique Coach, about his experiences in Natural Bodybuilding, recent competitions, and the particulars of contest prep. We discuss the evolution of natural bodybuilding federations, common misconceptions specifically about natural bodybuilding, and the importance of truly being in contest shape. Connor shares about prep pacing, cardio strategies, nutrition, and the psychological aspects of mainta...
Aug 12, 2025•1 hr 5 min
In ETP #195, we break down Aaron’s journey to earning his IFBB Pro Card. From the adrenaline of show day to the quiet low points that hit once you see your competition. We share exactly what went into Aaron's prep: the training, the posing grind, and the mental side of the equation that makes or breaks a successful stage outcome. We follow this up with a deep dive into our most recent sets of blood work. Bryan walks through his latest lab results and some health markers he’s watching closely, an...
Aug 05, 2025•1 hr 12 min
In episode #194, we discuss the challenges and adjustments that new and expecting parents may face regarding their nutrition, training, and recovery. We emphasize the importance of establishing routines, setting realistic goals, and maintaining positive communication between partners. The conversation covers practical strategies for meal prepping, finding time for exercise, and prioritizing mental health during the earliest periods of parenthood. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Updates 21:54 ...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 21 min
In ETP193 we dive into a variety of topics from our Instagram followers for our June 2025 Instagram Q&A episode. We’ve got a 90 minute episode jam packed with 20 questions ranging from nutritional approaches, training specifics, to starting your own coaching brand. Advice if you were a coach working under an existing coach brand, but will be starting your own coaching business? What are the things it actually takes to “stay lean” (approx 12% BF for a male) year round. How much activity per d...
Jul 01, 2025•1 hr 25 min
In episode #192 of Eat Train Prosper, Aaron takes us behind the scenes of his first bodybuilding competition. He breaks down the stages of his first peak week—from the depletion protocol and final carb-up, to the psychological grind of show prep and the critical role of structure and execution. We dive into the finer points of show-day logistics: registration, tanning, stage timing, and everything that doesn’t get talked about enough. Aaron shares his own takeaways about physique presentation, a...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In Part 2 of Pre Steroid-Era Training Protocols, we keep the pre-steroid era lens on but bring it forward—pulling lessons from the past into how you can fine-tune your “now.” Rep schemes, recovery, fatigue management, and why progression models likely still need a bit of human touch. Wrapping up with the introduction of Arthur Jones’ Nautilus machines, and romanticizing the minimalist, burly, barbell garage Dad. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Part 2 04:06 Bryan's Training Experiment: ...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 11 min
In part one of this two-part episode episode, we go deep on pre-steroid era training – how some of OGs like Sandow, Hackenschmidt, and Reeves built amazing physiques long before pharma entered the game. We cover the rise of full-body training, the birth of machines, old-school recovery, real food, and timeless work ethic. A look in the rearview mirror at where this all started and what still matters today. Part two releases next week. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Pre-Steroid Era Training 12...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 6 min
In this episode, we dive into real-world meal prep strategies that make sticking to your diet easier. We talk about keeping things simple and flexible, finding the right balance between time and money, and how consistency drives results. We also share personal stories, tips on bulk cooking, handling family meals, and what to do when hunger hits during a cut. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to Effective Meal Prep Strategies 00:13:59 Understanding the Importance of Structure in Dieting 00:28:53 ...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In episode 188, we delve into the concept of Quality Training Volume, discussing the balance between sufficient volume for progress and avoiding unproductive fatigue. We explore the transition from low to high volume training, and touch on individual variability and frequency in optimizing training outcomes. We highlight the nuances of training adaptations, soreness, and the impact of training age on volume tolerance. We wrap up with a section on the need for a balanced approach to training, whe...
May 06, 2025•1 hr
It is time for the April 2025 Q&A episode. A few notable questions from this month’s episode include the changing perspectives on lengthened bias training, and the implications of GLP-1 medications for health. Timestamps: 00:10:08 - Have you ever had to refer a client for ECAL metabolic testing due to normal labs + you believe they were telling the truth. But they just weren’t losing the weight? 00:12:34 - What’s up with the new “trend” of upping creating dose from 5g per day to 10 grams plu...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 15 min
In Episode 186 we cover a question submitted from a woman asking the very complicated question of, “when is enough, enough?”When is the time to stop setting new goals in fitness/physique related pursuits. When you become advanced how do you continue to set new goals? How to know when it’s time to simply maintain what you’ve put the hard work in to earn, and ride off into the sunset. We explore this question from various angles, from both the physical and mental side of things. Timestamps: 00:00 ...
Apr 15, 2025•53 min
In episode 185, we follow up our previous Chest Specialization episode with another body part specialization. This time for the glutes. We detail a few very effective and practical approaches to training the glutes 3x weekly or per rotation taking in all the numerous considerations that go into designing a proper specialization. We walk through our key levers of exercise order, optimizing frequency, the importance of exercise selection, where to increase and decrease volume increases, and intens...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In ETP184, Bryan presents a Masterclass on how to design a chest specialization phase, exploring the various considerations to take into account, and the current lack of depth in using AI for training programming. This episode emphasizes the importance of exercise order, volume, and frequency in optimizing for hypertrophy, intricacies of exercise selection, volume increases, and intensity techniques. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Chest Specialization Phase 03:54 Updates and Personal Progress...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 10 min
00:00:23 Who was the better CrossFitter? Bryan or Aaron? 00:01:47 What are the prime muscle-building years, and how precipitous is the drop off as you age? 00:05:12 What’s your average maintenance diet look like? Can you walk through a typical grocery haul for a week. 00:11:32 What do you think about RFK? 00:16:23 Do you think whey protein powders have merit? Do you think you can build muscle in a low-carb state if you’re eating a ton of protein? 00:18:26 Aaron mentioned using the RP hypertrophy...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 16 min
In ETP 182, we explore the deep connection between mental health and fitness, sharing our own experiences with movement and how it’s shaped our well-being. We talk about why exercise is more than just self-care—it’s essential for a strong mind. We break down the science behind movement, and its role in the dopamine reward system, and how some research has shown that exercise can be just as effective as antidepressants. Timestamps: 00:00 Episode Introduction and Updates 12:26 Personal Experiences...
Feb 25, 2025•57 min
In episode 181, we talk about the differences between cheat meals and free meals, emphasizing the importance of intent and context. We then explore how these concepts fit into different nutritional periodization phases, covering the significance of meal planning and the psychological aspects of your choices in each phase. Then we wrap up with the importance of meal timing, the psychological aspects of dieting, and the impact of exercise on our aforementioned nutritional strategies. Timestamps: 0...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In episode 180 we cover our January 2025 Instagram Q&A. Per usual we kick off with some personal updates from ourselves. Then we dive into our Q&A. Topics this month range from training weaknesses, frequency, chest development, to defining a lean physique. Some lesser frequently discussed topics include fat loss strategies with insulin resistance, cardio training and its impact on hypertrophy, arm training, and lastly practical durations of bulking phases. As always, thanks for listening...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In ETP179 we dive into The Big Five strength movements and how they stack up when it comes to hypertrophy. This is a follow up to a question we were asked in episode #153 that stirred up a small controversy. So we’ve made an entire episode around it. The majority of the episode covers why exercise selection should always be based on individual goals and context. From bench press and deadlifts to overhead press, squats, and rows, we explore their effectiveness for muscle growth and whether tradit...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In this episode, we’re kicking off the New Year with some reflections, personal updates, and a deep dive into the 75 Hard challenge. We talk about how identity plays a huge role in making real, lasting changes and how peripheral elements like your environment shape your behavior. We shift into the challenges of sticking to your word—especially when family, friends, and social events come into play. Ultra-processed foods, managing your surroundings, and even the less thought about psychological s...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 2 min
The final Eat Train Prosper of 2024. Our December Instagram Q&A. Packed with 27 questions to help propel you into a motivated January putting your best foot forward. A BIG THANK YOU to our listeners who’ve supported our ETP project for 4 YEARS NOW. Crazy. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Year-End Reflections 00:04:53 How much do you have to force progress and how much of it comes naturally? 00:09:42 How do you assess different weights on cable machines when traveling to different gyms for ...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 19 min
In this episode, we talk about the importance of identifying your underlying fitness or body composition goals, especially as the new year approaches. We explore common falsehoods promoted in the fitness industry, the challenges of navigating between bulking and cutting, and the significance of understanding your goals. The conversation emphasizes the need for structured approaches to goal setting and the psychological aspects of embarking on your journey. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction to Go...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Once again it’s time for our Monthly Instagram Q&A for November 2024.This month we are talking Heart Rate Recovery, a bit more on abbreviated training, calf training, we talk a little bit of shit on deli meats, home gym Zone 2 training and more. Always a big thank you to the Eat Train Prosper community for providing us help in crafting these Q&A episodes. Timestamps: 00:00:29 Long question on soreness session to session and how to manipulate training. 00:04:51 Heart Rate Recovery is all ...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 16 min
In this episode, we share some personal updates — Aaron’s recent trip home, dealing with family loss, and balancing that with staying consistent at the gym. We then dive into how gym equipment may impact overall training quality and how/why fitness advice is often oversimplified. We chat about the importance of effort in reaching fitness goals, the idea of abbreviated training, and where it fits in today’s world. We break down different training methods, emphasizing consistency, progressive over...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 7 min
In episode 173 we detail how they first started in the coaching industry, how we got past the starting out phase to gain momentum, we share our "Do or Die moments, reflect upon what success means and how those goal posts get moved, and finally highlight some memorable moments in our careers thus far. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Updates 00:12:33 - The Idea of Becoming a Coach 00:24:55 - Getting the ball rolling 00:36:20 - The Do or Die Moments 00:47:08 - Defining Success 00:55:27 - No...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 8 min
It’s time for the Monthly Instagram Q&A. October 2024 edition. Notable questions our opinion on the volume and frequency recommendations, whether additional cardiovascular work can be beneficial to hypertrophy, and how to provide nutrition coaching for an entire 30 athlete football team. As always, a big thank you to the ETP community for providing us help on these episodes. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:36 - I haven’t been able to gain strength in a long time. Been training for 15 years. If I want to k...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 24 min
In episode 171, we propose the idea of spending an entire year dedicated to building your best physique possible (thus far.) We talk about intelligently structuring your training and nutrition phases, from building muscle to calorie deficits, and share some personal and professional anecdotes along the way. We cover key topics like dieting, maintenance, and setting realistic timelines for hitting these big physique goals. Additionally, we talk about the mental side of things, avoiding common pla...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr
In episode 170, we chat about the connection between recovery and motivation in training. We provide updates on how our training is going, talk about different ways to measure recovery, and share some tips on using recovery tools. We highlight the importance of knowing your own stress triggers, the role of a positive mindset, and using methods like physical therapies and active recovery sessions. We wrap up by talking about how relaxation and how even laughter can play a positive role in keeping...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 9 min
It is once again time for our Monthly Instagram Q&A episode. September 2024 edition. This month we cover 18 questions. Notable highlights are a protein bar that might actually be worth giving your macros, and combating overwhelm from all the new content constantly released from the evidence based community. Thanks for listening! Published research that was referenced in this episode: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36754062 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34100789 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 23 min
In this episode, we dive into hybrid training, which is all the rave right now. We point out that hybrid training doesn’t have to mean running, and that your goals should guide your approach. Bryan shares how cutting back on both cardio and lifting volume has worked wonders for him. We also talk about picking the right modality for you and the benefits of zone two training for health. Starting slow and ramping up intensity is key, and it’s important to adjust based on feedback and potentially ev...
Sep 17, 2024•1 hr 20 min
In episode 167, we discuss how to personalize training volume, covering key considerations like progression, training age, effort, and schedule demands. We emphasize the need to find the right balance between volume and effort, and the importance of individualizing volume for different muscle groups. We also highlight the impact of non-gym factors, such as time constraints and recovery capacity, on training volume. Our conversation provides practical insights and strategies for optimizing traini...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr 6 min
