Iron Culture

The Iron Culture alumni tour continues with the four year anniversary of the last appearance of Cliff Wilson, who returns to Iron Culture after another four years in the trenches to share his perspectives on coaching. Simply put, Cliff probably has the most impressive coaching resume of any physique coach in the game. Most interestingly, he sees himself as an evidence-based coach. But that’s not necessarily a win for #science, if anything, it’s a wake up call for people to have a better understanding of what it actually means to blend experience, scientific findings and individual differences together into the art of effective coaching. Join us as we sit down to discuss the topic with one of the most decorated coaches in the game. 00:00 Introduction: the return of Omar Isuf to YouTube Science vs Broscience: What Will Actually Build More Muscle!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHmceMSIrxg  05:42 Welcoming Cliff (and his polo) back to Iron Culture Iron Culture Ep. 36- How To Look Your Absolute Best: Peaking ht

The duo’s recent pilgrimage to Texas ended with a trip to the state-of-the-art Texas Tech University body composition lab led by Dr. Grant Tinsley. Eric and Omar went through a battery of body composition assessments and had their RMR tested there, and Eric’s second epic duel with the Bod Pod went down. This duel resulted in only partial redemption for Eric, and we also learned just how “headstrong” Omar truly is. In this episode Grant joins Iron Culture to discuss the findings of the trip and all the nuances of body composition testing to help us understand the sometimes non-intuitive results the team got, and more broadly the pros, cons, strengths and weaknesses of the various body composition tests that are available. 00:00 The controversy that the Iron Culture won’t stand for 08:03 Welcoming back on the podcast, Dr Grant Tinsley 13:27 Understanding how body composition is estimated by multiple compartment methods 31:20 The applications of bioelectrical impedance for physique sport peaking 37:00 All about

It’s the four-year anniversary of the last appearance of then MR. Alex Kolliari-Turner, now DR. Alex Kolliari-Turner, who returns to Iron Culture to share the results of his now-completed Ph.D. research on the long-term performance-enhancing effects of anabolic steroids (if any). A lot has changed in this burgeoning area of research, as it hinges on a theory of muscle physiology: myonuclear domain theory. Our understanding of the mechanisms of “muscle memory” leads to the possibility of anabolic steroid use providing permanent long-term effects…but what if myonuclear domain theory comes under scrutiny? That’s exactly where the science is at the moment. As new mechanisms of muscle memory are being explored and the first human data emerges, the picture becomes more complicated. Join us in this fascinating episode as we explore the intersection of muscle physiology, performance-enhancing drug mechanisms, and anti-doping! 00:00 Introduction to an anabolic episode of Iron Culture and Dr Kolliari-Turner Iron Cultur

The MASScast Iron Culture episodes are back! Today Dr. Eric Trexler joins us to answer the murky question: “What is an evidence-based guideline for a minimum dietary fat intake?” It’s easy to find guidelines and minimums for various circumstances and goals for protein, and while there is some debate, the same could be said for carbohydrate. However, a minimum intake for fat has been elusive. Fortunately, Dr. Trexler has been thinking deeply about this topic and wrote an extensive article on the topic in our upcoming issue of The MASS Research Review, and he’s here to discuss his conclusions in depth with the CULT. Make sure to tune in, as this information can inform best practices in various situations, as the answer isn’t a simple black and white one.

Dr. Andy Galpin, world leading muscle fiber researcher, is back on Iron Culture! Dr. Galpin is not only a researcher, but a sports scientist and coach working with some of the most prominent elite athletes in the world, and an excellent science communicator. So, it was a privilege to have him on to talk Muscle fiber typing; because everyone talks about it, but very few people get it right when they do. Should you train differently if you’re predominantly a fast or slow twitch lifter? Can slow and fast fibers convert into one another? How do we measure the fiber composition of muscles? Are fast twitch fibers stronger than slow twitch? Can you produce fiber-type specific hypertrophy? Why are exercise science classes still teaching things about muscle fiber types that were shown to be wrong decades ago? What is on the horizon in this area of research? All of these questions are answered in this highly educational episode! 00:00 Welcoming back Dr Andy Galpin to the Iron Culture Joe Rogan experience and the muscle

Laurin Conlin is back on Iron Culture after a long hiatus! For those who missed her first appearance, Laurin Conlin, MS is a coach and high-level competitor, having competed as an IFBB Pro Bikini athlete from 2014-2018. She recently visited Eric before they flew to Melbourne to present at the annual Ultimate Evidence Based Conference at JPS Health & Fitness. In her and Eric’s conversations in and around the event, they discussed “the competitor trap”; the unique atmosphere and culture in the NPC and IFBB that seems to encourage bikini competitors specifically to compete annually, stay lean, and in many cases work with coaching teams with bad reputations. Why does this happen, and what are the consequences? Tune in to find out! 00:00 Laurin’s New Zealand journey and travel tips with Eric 05:43 Reintroducing Laurin Conlin 2021 Flexible vs. rigid dieting in resistance-trained individuals seeking to optimize their physiques: A randomized controlled trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34187492/ Iron Culture

Last week we dropped the bombshell that we were going to have the opportunity to interview icon and 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, this week, we recap how it went. This episode was recorded while we were still in Texas, after returning to Austin following our road trip to the original Metroflex in Arlington. We not only got to interview Ronnie while there but also Brian Dobson, the founder of Metroflex and the man who shepherded Ronnie into competitive bodybuilding. The story of Metroflex and the philosophy it’s based on is just as important as Ronnie’s story, as it helps us understand the environment where this champion formed. We also had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing Big J, who we are eternally grateful to as he was the one who set up our interview with big Ron. He shared his experiences as the training partner of Ronnie and as a long-time member of Metroflex. You’ll learn a lot of interesting things in this episode, like: what was the Texas bodybuilding scene like decades ago? What were Ronni

Yup, it’s confirmed. We’re going to interview living legend, 8-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman at the one and only Metroflex in Arlington Texas, in person, along with its founder Brian Dobson, and long-time training partner of The King, Big J. This is huge news and a big part of our Iron Culture documentary filming in Texas. Eric, Omar, and Conor recorded this episode just days before heading to Metroflex after confirmation of the interview. They discuss the cultural and historical impact of Ronnie Coleman on bodybuilding, and beyond, tune in, because the next episode will be the recap!

With both hosts traveling to Texas, this is one of the rare weeks in which you get only Eric. Even more tragic (or perhaps a relief), you only get him for 10 minutes. But, it’s an exciting 10 minutes as you’ll learn exactly why the duo is headed to Texas: to from the holy hunk trinity by meeting up with Dr. Conor Heffernan for the second filming location of the Iron Culture Documentary. We’ll be there with cameraman and audio editor extraordinaire Brandon Wells, to do it live. Where exactly are we filming? What exactly are we filming, and what are the future plans for the doc? Tune in to find out and we’ll all see you next week, in person, in full!

In this MASScast episode Dr. Helms shares his recent experience cutting down to and competing in the 83kg category - a weight class lower than his typical - in the midst of his bodybuilding contest prep, and how he maintained the vast majority of strength from the start to the finish of this process. Then, he does a deep dive on the topic of muscle fiber-type specific hypertrophy, with a focus on a new systematic review that asked the question of whether blood flow restriction training can cause it. For more MASS science-based content check out https://massresearchreview.com (en español https://revistamass.com/) 00:00 They said he couldn’t do it… but first, reviewing (non-AI) reviews 16:12 Eric’s meet recap 30:40 Weight cuts for Powerlifting 37:49 Discovering what weight class to compete in 47:22 The timeline of moving down a weight class and explaining coefficients 1:05:01 Fiber-type specific hypertrophy and some applications  Schoenfeld 2023 Fiber-Type-Specific Hypertrophy with the Use of Low-Load Blood Flo

We are joined by Panagiotis “Pana” Tarinidis, the now two-time 66kg IPF unequipped World Champion fresh off his win at the 2023 world championships in Malta. His story is one of redemption, as despite winning Worlds in 2021, he placed 5th at Worlds last year, and bombed out of the European Championship in November. But more importantly, we learn what fuels Pana, his connection with his father, what this win meant to him and his family, and how important community is for a growing sport like powerlifting. Take notice that France tied the US women’s team and placed second to the men’s team at worlds, something no one predicted just a few years ago. France is definitely on the rise and a key aspect of that growth is the sense of and commitment to community among French powerlifters, that Pana embodies. 00:00 Introducing Pana and his cinematic arc 13:32 Pana’s difficult 2022 31:52 Eric’s analysis on Pana’s potential as a natural bodybuilder 34:45 The growth of Powerlifting in France and the importance of communit

In this MASScast episode, we’re joined not only by MASScast fellow host Dr. Mike Zourdos but also Ph.D. candidate Zac Robinson of Data Driven Strength, both of whom are co-authors on a pre-print that is making a lot of waves in the evidence-based community. Their series of meta-regressions has shown that perhaps the impact of failure is more substantial than previously believed, at least for hypertrophy. But is it that simple? Also, is this paper a “game changer” when it comes to the understanding how volume and effort relate to hypertrophy? Tune in to find out the details that almost everyone talking about this paper, besides the authors themselves, are getting wrong. For more MASS science-based content check out https://massresearchreview.com (en español https://revistamass.com/) 00:00 A breakdown of what you are going to learn… in exactly one minute (and reintroducing the Dr Mike Zourdos and Zac Robinson) 4:38 Introducing the paper and how the data was analysed Robinson 2023 Exploring the Dose-Response Rel

With Eric freshly back from coaching and commentating (how dare he) at IPF Classic Worlds 2023 - the largest, most competitive worlds to date - it only makes sense for a recap and discussion regarding the state of powerlifting. How have things changed after the recent Sheffield? Are the champions of today different than the champions of the past? How are things like judging changing with the advent of video replay, and how has the growth of powerlifting impacted the sport? With live-streaming of Worlds on the Olympics YouTube channel while also being televised on Eurosport, are we moving into a new era?

Let’s face it, going to school isn’t cheap. Moreso, you can learn almost anything online that you can learn in school. So is it worth it? How about for personal trainers? If it is worth it, for who and when? We’re joined on MASScast 3 by Lauren Colenso-Semple who is nearly finished with her PhD. Not only does she share her valuable perspective, but she also reviews some interesting new research on women’s rugby coaches, many of whom - despite holding a bachelor's or master's degree - don’t see the value in staying up with research, and prefer to get continued education from social media. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the same coaches also have some shocking misconceptions about female physiology… For more MASS science-based content check out https://massresearchreview.com (en español https://revistamass.com/) 00:00 Welcoming Lauren back as a host of Iron Culture??!! 09:10 Continued education of coaches, trainers, and practitioners Nolan 2023 ‘There’s a perfect way to do things, and there’s a real way to do

Patroklos Androulakis-Korakakis, AKA “Dr. Pak”, is back! In this episode we caught up with Dr. Pak while he was visiting Omar’s home turf in Toronto! There they trained together, and after a crappy training session where they failed PR attempts, they decided to have a completely unrelated episode on why strength is overrated. No, but seriously folks, this is a great discussion of specificity and transfer of strength. We discuss research that suggests maybe going from a 300lbs to a 400 or 500lbs deadlift won’t actually improve performance in most sports, or certainly activities of daily living. This leads into a discussion of how gaining strength at a novice or intermediate level may require different efforts and strategies, and may also be due to somewhat different adaptations. Tune in, this isn’t one to miss! 00:00 Functional fitness and re-introducing Dr Pak 4:46 Powerlifting, specificity, and low back strength Androulakis-Korakakis 2021 Comparison of Isolated Lumbar Extension Strength in Competitive and No

We’re back with MASScast episode 2 and we’re joined by Dr. Mike Zourdos to discuss several things which can impact your strength performance right now. In this episode we discuss the effect of mental stress on lifting performance, the effect of social media use on lifting performance, and post-activation potentiation, which is a tool where you can potentiate your back off sets’ performance with a heavy top set. What constitutes mental stress? How do you minimise the negative effects of mental stress when it can’t be avoided? What type of social media usage might be a bad idea before training? How can you set up your top sets in such a way to improve your volume performance in back off sets the most? Join us as we answer all these questions! For more MASS science-based content check out https://massresearchreview.com (en español https://revistamass.com/) 00:00 Welcoming back Dr Mike Zourdos to the Iron Culture and reviewing reviews. 08:24 What is mental fatigue, and how is it measured? Iron Culture Ep. 135- Li

Here at Iron Culture we’re overjoyed any time the legends of the game are remembered in the current age, and Mike Mentzer, one of the best-built proponents of HIT (High Intensity Training) - low volume, low frequency training to failure - is making a modern resurgence. Is it because he had a top tier golden age physique? Is it the appeal to hard work and masochism that we bodybuilders are always ready to eat up? Or is it the recent research in pre-print status that indicates going to failure might be better for hypertrophy? As you can expect, it’s probably a combination of these factors and there’s more than meets the eye to each. Join us this week as we go deep into this modern HIT resurgence.

We have an exciting announcement at Iron Culture, we are combining forces with MASS, Monthly Applications in Strength Sport to bring you regular “MASScast” episodes where we will be joined by one or more of the expert MASS reviewers to talk science. In this inaugural MASScast episode we’re joined by Dr. Eric Trexler to discuss surprising recent data that suggests basal metabolic rates have been decreasing at the population level over recent decades. Is this true? And if so, what’s causing it? In addition, we discuss the continuing confusion regarding high versus low-carb diets. Where is the cut-off for being high or low carb, and when is each a good or bad approach? Listen in to learn what the latest data indicates and how to apply it! For more MASS science-based content check out massresearchreview.com (en español https://revistamass.com/) 00:00 Intro: expanding the Iron Culture pyramid Iron Culture Ep. 164- A Scientific Examination of the Carnivore Diet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K336B32efS0  9:58 Trex

In this episode, we discuss two topics, when and how to address fringe topics in the fitness space and the growing data in support of long muscle length partials for hypertrophy. In the former discussion, we discuss how science communicators are often in a difficult position when addressing such fringe ideas. When these beliefs are believed by small segments of the population - especially if they are potentially harmful - simply addressing them can potentially give them more legitimacy if not done right. Then we dive into “lengthened partials”, which only a couple of years ago would have been lumped in with the more common short muscle length partials you roll your eyes at in the gym all the time (think half squats). While formerly a fringe idea, the data continues to elucidate that this approach may have merit for hypertrophy. 00:00 Reviewing reviews: addressing the carnivore diet. Iron Culture Ep. 164- A Scientific Examination of the Carnivore Diet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K336B32efS0 40:15 Stretch-m

In this episode, we’re joined by Mitchell Hooper fresh off his 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) win. In addition to winning the 2023 WSM, he also won the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic. He is among only four competitors to have won these two titles in the same year, and he is the youngest ever to do so, now sitting among living legends Brian Shaw, Žydrūnas Savickas, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. In our conversation we discuss how Mitchell seemingly burst onto the scene out of nowhere, what it’s like competing in the WSM, his future, the future of strongman and the WSM in the modern era, and his perspective on being a champion and ambassador. Finally, we discuss how Mitchell’s education - having a master's degree in exercise physiology - influenced his training approach, which is surprisingly simple and seemingly non-traditional. As a relative newcomer to the sport, his approach hasn’t been influenced by typical strongman “dogma” and thus, his entrance onto the scene may have a revolutionary impact on how athlet