This time we changed things around. Mike Israetel is the podcast host and interviews Steve Hall. We wanted to give you an insight into a competition season as a natural bodybuilder, mainly talking about Steve's current competition season, what he did to get here, how it went and much more. Hope you enjoy the show! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:36) Was it the first show Steve ever one at the qualifier of UKDFBA and how did it feel to win a show? (05:00) Increased sense of belonging to bodybuildin...
Nov 01, 2021•59 min
Today I chat with Michelle MacDonald. Michelle is a WBFF pro, the founder of Tulum strength club & wonder women official coaching. Also, she is a regular listener of the podcast which is always great. We dig into her background and how she is helping lots of women. Empowering clients and creating results particularly with older women beat the myth that they can’t get into amazing shape! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (18:06) Importance of mindset and communication. (32:52) Making progress as an o...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 7 min
We dig into each person's philosophy surrounding manipulating volume and why. Going into things such as volume ramping, deloads and overreaching periods. You’re in for a treat with some great take-homes. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:03) Application for lower volume phases/resensitisation phases (08:50) James take on volume ramping (14:38) Volume ramping and maintenance phases, Menno's perspective (23:54) Is average volume vs volume ramping (37:04) Study about 2weeks on/off (44:40) Criticism aga...
Oct 18, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Mike Zourdos is back on the show. We dig into what he’s been up to personally & an injury that took him away from the iron he loves. And then we go into depth covering the literature surrounding training to failure & how this impacts us practically as trainees. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (04:56) Why powerlifting isn't a focus anymore and how an injury can end a lifting career (14:18) Training for something that you really enjoy and that makes you feel good about yourself (18:08) Enjoyment...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 22 min
This week we have Brian Minor back on the show. In this episode we dig into his 2017 prep where he was able to take his food from 2300kcal up to 3000kcal with less activity. The result of this was not fat gain but a more conditioned look, through what might be known as a metabolic building phase. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:22) Can you be ready too early? And personal experience with it. (15:10) When do you know you're lean enough? (23:16) Adding refeeds super beneficial when being super lean ...
Oct 04, 2021•58 min
Mike is back with another fantastic episode. We're talking about some of the recent tragic events in bodybuilding, the risks and responsibilities of the sport and the dangers of diuretics. Furthermore, we talk about some of your guys questions. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:47) Supplement protocol and the reality of certain compounds and results (10:11) Responsibility and risks of taking supplements (15:06) The dangers of diuretics (19:03) Health in bodybuilding and aesthetics (23:46) Bands and ...
Sep 27, 2021•56 min
Laurin Conlin is back on the show to talk about a recently published study where they compared a flexible vs. rigid diet and its effects on body composition and metabolism. We did into this study, its background and what the outcomes were and practical outcomes. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-021-00452-2 Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:49) Why doing this study? (08:00) Study design (14:49) Any expectations of findings? (20:25) How to know when someone didn't sticks to a di...
Sep 20, 2021•1 hr 10 min
Greg is back on the show for another sleep clinic. In today's episode we talk all about end-of-day nutrition and supplements on sleep. We’ll discuss some things to consider when selecting supplements to help sleep, and we’ll also chat about some of the more popular sleep aids. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:04) Pre-bed supplementation (20:10) Fibre and intake on glycemic index (21:32) Surplus and cutting make a difference? Supplementing with melatonin? (26:22) What to consider when selecting supp...
Sep 13, 2021•1 hr 15 min
Menno is back on the show. We dig into his recent mini cut, book release all about self-control and of course answer your questions. Never a bad show with Menno in your ears! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:35) Maingaining/Gaintaining (10:05) The science of self-control (12:41) Diet chapter and psychological traits (21:11) Overlooked things when dieting (28:29) Maximum Fibre intake (31:16) Better gains with lower volume (38:11) When to eat before training (41:47) Eating three meals per day optimal...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Can you be ready too early? This is a discussion between two natural pro bodybuilders who had different perspectives on this question. We dig into it all the way from considerations for the person's level of advancement to their physiology and psychology. You’re not going to want to miss it. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:37 Bertos statement about his athlete and being ready early 08:48 Andrew's take on if you can be ready too early 12:08 Is it worth it as a first-time competitor 15:02 Aesthetic phy...
Aug 30, 2021•1 hr
John Jewett is an IFBB heavyweight Pro with a masters of science in nutrition & is a registered dietician. We talk about how he uses science & his experience to propel his bodybuilding & his client's results. Digging into how his training has evolved over time & even some insights into how he peaks. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:17) Anecdotal evidence (06:53) Why John is the way he is (15:01) Injuries (17:18) What are the biggest things that changed over the years? (22:10) Traini...
Aug 23, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Mike is back with another Q&A. This time we're covering things such as technique for hypertrophy vs. powerlifting, how important the stretch is and much more! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (15:56) Technique for Hypertrophy vs Powerlifting. Discussion about good technique (33:06) Focusing on proper form (36:04) How important is it to feel the stretch (41:20) Future of hypertrophy anything revolutionary? (58:47) Decline in session performance okay? Thanks, please comment, like and subscribe! COACH...
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr 14 min
Stu is a prolific researcher with currently more than 32000 career citations and 250 research and review papers. His research is focused on the impact of nutrition and exercise on the mechanisms of human skeletal muscle protein turnover & interest in diet- and exercise-induced changes in body composition. We touch on protein (of course) and dig into some supplements including; HMB, BCAA’s, EAA’s & collagen. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (09:11) Protein recommendations per bodyweight (12:38) ...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Here is part 1 if you haven't watched it yet: https://youtu.be/D4KUI1E_HaI Scott Stevenson is back on the show. We dig into a recent paper he was part of all to do with peak week. Peak week seems to be a mysterious time for a lot of bodybuilders, we dive into how this study helps tackle this. As ever so much to dig into in this chat with Scott, one not to miss. https://bmcsportsscimedrehabil.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13102-021-00296-y#:~:text=Bodybuilders%20typically%20employ%20periods...
Aug 02, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Scott Stevenson is back on the show. We dig into a recent paper he was part of all to do with peak week. Peak week seems to be a mysterious time for a lot of bodybuilders, we dive into how this study helps tackle this. As ever so much to dig into in this chat with Scott, one not to miss. https://bmcsportsscimedrehabil.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13102-021-00296-y#:~:text=Bodybuilders%20typically%20employ%20periods%20of,8%2C9%2C10%5D. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:43) Peak week thoughts (...
Jul 26, 2021•57 min
Mike is back with another Q&A. This time we're covering things such as what's a reasonable weight gain from maintenance to mass in the first week, argument of naturals needing more rest days per week, when to run a longer cut instead of mini cut and if the anabolic rebound after a cut is real Timestamps: (00:00) Update (05:00) What's a reasonable weight gain from maintenance to mass in the first week (10:45) How to overcome the downside of veganism (14:08) How different can full ROM be from ...
Jul 19, 2021•59 min
Another sleep clinic is underway with Greg Potter. This week we cover everything from lucid dreams to how good are tracking devices at differentiating between different sleep stages. If you’re interested in optimising your sleep, this is a must-listen. Timestamps: (00:00) Stages of sleep (24:29) How do fitness trackers identify sleep and how accurate are trackers in general? (45:44) Why still feeling tired & groggy after 7-9h of sleep (54:10) How to minimise detrimental effects of alarm use ...
Jul 12, 2021•1 hr 20 min
Hattie, Laurin & Holly are back on the show for a contest prep-specific chat. This is part 2 of the roundtable. Go here for part 1: https://youtu.be/GMWK8FCIGYg We cover how long you should take to get to stage, how to monitor progress, peak week and much more. This is one you don’t want to miss. Timestamps: (00:00) Manipulation to variables in peak week (18:02) Food choices when carbing up (29:19) Post show approach https://www.instagram.com/laurinconlin/ https://www.teamlocofit.com https:/...
Jul 05, 2021•53 min
Hattie, Laurin & Holly are back on the show for a contest prep-specific chat. We cover how long you should take to get to stage, how to monitor progress, peak week and much more. This is one you don’t want to miss. Timestamps: (00:00) How to decide someone is ready to compete (06:01) General framework to get someone to stage? (12:06) Diet Breaks & refeeds (18:04) Monitoring progress (21:49) How to take progress videos/photos (26:30) How to take the menstrual cycle into consideration when...
Jun 28, 2021•45 min
The week Greg Potter is back on the show and that means we’re diving into sleep. In fact, this is going to be a semi-regular thing you will find on the podcast. Myself and Greg will be holding a ‘sleep clinic’ session where we will cover of your questions, in DEPTH. This week we talk about tips to help with waking up during the night and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:58) Tips against waking up during night (24:31) Supplements when waking up during night? (29:38) Tips to help fall asle...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 9 min
This week we have Adam Tzur from Sci-Fit. Sci-Fit launched in September 2016 and they publish articles and study collections based on fitness and nutrition research. We talk about why science is important but also some very important limitations of science. Learn today why study results don't always apply to you. Timestamps: (00:00) Philosophy of science (04:08) Study vs. anecdotes (05:51) Survivorship bias (11:52) Length of studies as a limitation (16:57) Number of participants and statistical ...
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 4 min
This week I talk with Chris Barakat. We delve into his competitive season and what are some of the strategies he will use to get into the best shape of his life whilst balancing life’s duties. A fantastic chat you’re not going to want to miss. Timestamps: (00:00) Why you want to step on stage (04:48) Mental growth of prep (10:02) Getting a pro card overrated? (11:24) Current stats (13:56) Length of prep (17:53) Aligning private life with contest prep (25:04) More is better? Hardcore mentality (2...
Jun 07, 2021•1 hr 7 min
This week I interview Jason Cholewa. We dig into his background & what got him so interested in ergogenic supplementation. Then we discuss some of the common pre-workout supplements & whether or not they’re worth investing into. If you take or are considering pre-workouts, this episode is for you. https://www.instagram.com/dr.redperformance/ https://jasoncholewa.com/ https://www.facebook.com/jason.cholewa.2012/ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:52) What got Jason into health & fitness (0...
May 31, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Today we introduce to you the WNBF UK and the founders Andrew & Steff. We go over their competitive background & what got them into natural bodybuilding before digging into how the WNBF UK came to be & how it will run. It’s a very exciting time for natural bodybuilders within the UK. https://www.wnbfuk.co.uk/ https://www.wnbfuk.com https://www.instagram.com/wnbf_uk/ https://www.proprepcoaching.com/ https://www.instagram.com/proprepcoaching/ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (04:00) How much ...
May 24, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Mike is back for another Q&A. This time we're talking about prep, deload and calories, maintenance phases, best bodyfat percentage and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:48) Mike's current training & nutrition (04:44) Deload and calories (17:38) Refeeds on contest prep individuals (23:39) Horizontal and vertical pulling distribution (30:58) 15-20% bodyfat better for gaining than 10-15% (40:28) Maintenance phases to reverse some of the negative adaptations of dieting (45:55) Full de...
May 17, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Menno is back on the show for a Q&A. Before we dig into questions we get an update on Menno’s bulk and how that’s been going. Within the Q&A we cover everything from muscle imbalances to combo sets and definitions of training to failure. https://mennohenselmans.com/ https://www.instagram.com/menno.henselmans/ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro and update on Menno (05:38) Exciting research that is in the works (07:14) Menno's current study he's working on and diet breaks (11:12) Why do certain peo...
May 10, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Andy is a coach & the owner of rippedbody.com, he also co-authored the muscle & strength pyramids. In addition he is the author of his own texts including the recently updated diet adjustments manual formally called the last shred. Andy is a very experienced & skilled coach we dive into ‘diet adjustments’ including transitional periods from bulks to cuts & vice versa. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro, Andy's new book, who it is for and why you should get it (11:48) Visual content of the...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Eric is back on the show. This week we touch on what the hell Eric has been up to and whether or not he will step on the bodybuilding stage. But the majority focus of the podcast was on the latest evidence surrounding the efficacy of vegan diets for hypertrophy, some new exciting research has just been released. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro and personal situation (13:58) Vegan Diets: Gamechanger for bodybuilding? (42:50) Protein, minerals and vitamins considerations for vegans (49:50) Getting blood...
Apr 26, 2021•1 hr 10 min
Matt Jansen is back on the show. We dig into his coaching background and what lead him to become a coach. Touching on his athlete check-ins and what data he values and the difference between coaching an enhanced and natural athlete and more! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (08:51) Relationships with clients (14:56) Differences of enhanced vs. natural athletes (20:30) Blood work and what to do when it's off (25:01) Staying too lean (29:16) Matt's check-in process with his clients (33:34) Quality vs. qu...
Apr 19, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Austin has a degree in exercise science & became an IFBB pro in 2014. He recently wrote a very exciting & unique book to fill a hole within the space called the science of strength training. We dig into Austin’s background & what you can look forward to within the book. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (18:17) People that had a big influence on Austin (32:43) Austin talks about his book (44:27) Stretching (53:39) Hardcover version and where to get it (01:04:54) Where to find Austin https://...
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr 12 min
