Episodes
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Whitney Houston said it best: “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” Here at Iron Culture, we’re old, irrelevant and out of touch. But, we believe in platforming the next generation of educators to carry on the torch (or at least pandering so they’ll platform us in return when we can no longer pay the bills). In this Roundtable we’re joined by Dr. Milo Wolf, Dr. Pak, and first-time guest Max Coleman, to discuss the challenges of growing a following using social media in 2024 as an evidence-based content creator. The game has changed what worked for us, won’t be as successful, and striking the right balance is not easy, and getting it wrong comes with lashback. Are we all just doing more harm than good? Join us as we discuss!
00:00 Ignoring our actual guests and introducing Jim Powers
05:06 Actually introducing the young pioneers and getting into the topic
13:22 Milo’s thoughts and using the hook of the title and the thumbnail
Iron Culture Ep. 268- Science Communication, Gatekeeping & The Fitness Industry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOuoJoF5IDA
20:43 The rise of Eric’s visibility and gaining a foothold in social media fitness
28:52 Dr. Pak’s perspective and how he shapes his content
36:28 Playing the social media game
49:18 Nuance, and (finally) getting Max Coleman’s viewpoint
1:00:54 Doing it for the fame, the saturation of the landscape, and finding yourself within it
1:10:24 Milo’s tips for new content creators (one weird trip to explode your social media presence)
1:22:05 Max’ favourite movies and some applications to takeaway
1:33:20 Closing out and where to find our guests (to increase their subscriber count by 2)
Milo https://www.youtube.com/@WolfCoaching, IG @wolfcoach_ , wolfcoaching.com
Dr Pak https://www.youtube.com/@Dr__Pak IG @dr__pak , drpak.com
Max IG @coleman.et.al
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Dr. Pak is back on Iron Culture for his third appearance! This time, he sat down with Omar and Dr. Helms for a meta-discussion on the challenges of science communication. How do you maintain credibility when you’re using social media as a science communication tool? This challenge has changed, but it isn’t new by any means. The “Sagan effect” describes the well-researched phenomenon by which the scientific community perceives other scientists who get more media exposure as less legitimate scientists - despite the fact that, on average, scientists more active in science communication typically publish slightly more often and with a higher impact than scientists less active in science communication. In modern times, however, the incentive structures are different, and many instances of expert creep, “selling out” and pseudoscience have been propagated on social media by some academics or members of the medical community. In this episode we discuss the challenges of attempting to communicate science without being criticized for doing so, how this has and hasn’t changed over time, and the instances of gatekeeping which are ultimately counterproductive to increasing scientific literacy.
00:00 Introduction to Helms Haven/Deep
04:57 The Dr Pak Trilogy and The Grizzly at the Raskol booth at the Arnold
16:13 The Grizzly backstory
32:52 Pak’s experience with The Grizzly
42:43 The academic and the memer
52:18 The scientific community and public scientists
Martinez-Conde 2016 Has Contemporary Academia Outgrown the Carl Sagan Effect? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26888919/
1:13:53 Getting the reps in within the science communication game and being critiqued
1:35:00 Academics and science communicators across social media platforms
1:42:35 The closing pieces to this monster episode
Where to find Dr. Pak
Instagram: @dr__pak https://www.instagram.com/dr__pak/
YouTube: @Dr__Pak https://www.youtube.com/@Dr__Pak
Website: https://www.drpak.com/
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Missing episodes?
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The holy trinity is back and holy smokes do we have a Holy Ghost of an episode! First, to kick things off the crew discusses the recent “March madness” of powerlifting that just finished: IPF European Champs, the UK Arnold, and Powerlifting America Nationals. Some absolutely stunning performances occurred all over the world in powerlifting and it seems the rising tide of talent has no end. Then we get into the meat - or should I say the bottomless soup - of the episode. While fraud in research is exceedingly rare, it does happen, and unfortunately, more common issues such as p-hacking are a far more prevalent issue. What is to be done in situations like this? One tool, as the Erics discuss, is replication.
00:00 An intro in unison (as always) and Trexler the bouncer
MASS Research Review https://massresearchreview.com/
Raskol Apparel https://raskolapparel.com/
10:20 Introducing more Trex lore
14:42 Powerlifting America Nationals, Arnold UK, and IPF European Champs recap
34:45 Trexler yawn-gate rears its head again and some numbers behind tzhe sport
54:37 Trexler’s return and getting into the science of replication
1:10:08 The bottomless soup bowl
Wansink 2005 Bottomless bowls: why visual cues of portion size may influence intake https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15761167/
Lopez 2024 Visual cues and food intake: A preregistered replication of Wansink et al. (2005) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37917442/
Vigotsky 2022 Improbable data patterns in the work of Barbalho et al. https://osf.io/preprints/sportrxiv/sg3wm
George 2015 Data fraud in clinical trials https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25729561/
1:19:41 What is a successful replication?
1:29:10 Closing out with a brief history of violence
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After their recent reconciliation, the Erics got together for this duo episode to bond over their mutual love of protein. But, dear listener, this might not be the home-cooked high-protein meal you hoped for. Dr. Trexler tackles the question of whether or not, GASP, protein restriction might extend lifespan! Then, to add insult to injury, the Erics dig into the question of whether or not plant-based protein sources could be superior to animal sources for improving healthy aging! Along the way, you’ll also learn about the limitations of both epidemiological and mechanistic protein research, and how the two can complement each other to lead to more robust conclusions. So grab your pea protein shakes - or maybe your protein-free placebo - and tune in for another monster episode of Iron Culture.
00:00 Introduction to another Eric duo episode and protein restriction?!
https://massresearchreview.com/
12:10 Caloric restriction for longevity
Speakman 2007 Starving for life: what animal studies can and cannot tell us about the use of caloric restriction to prolong human lifespan https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17374682/
24:23 Protein restriction for longevity
Speakman 2016 Calories or protein? The effect of dietary restriction on lifespan in rodents is explained by calories alone https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27006163/
Korat 2024 Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging - results from the prospective Nurses' Health Study cohort https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38309825/
36:49 Protein sources, healthy ageing, and methionine restriction
Richie 2023 Dietary Methionine and Total Sulfur Amino Acid Restriction in Healthy Adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36806866/
44:30 Dosages to maximise outcomes
Morton 2018 A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/
Nunes 2022 Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35187864/
57:52 Plant vs animal sources of protein and accompanying food
Zou 2020 mTOR signaling pathway and mTOR inhibitors in cancer: progress and challenges https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32175074/
1:08:53 Planting the flag on this study
1:14:08 Nutrition science and study design discussion
1:24:23 Eat your vegetables and bringing back the third host next time
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As you know, Iron Culture reps the neutral to positive gang around these parts. While most new supplements released to the market don’t pan out as effective, some do. So, if preliminary data supports the potential efficacy of a new supplement, why not try it out? The only potential downside of trying a new supplement is wasted money, right? Not so fast. In this episode the Erics duo explains why the typical supplement consumer is not accurately weighing the true potential cost of supplement investment. Unbelievably, some data indicates 10-30% of all supplements are contaminated - you heard that right. Could that be true? If so, why and how is this happening and what can you do about it? Join us to find out!
00:00 A successful intro
07:40 Supplements and the Helms algorithm for recommendations
https://massresearchreview.com/
Trexler 2014 Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24571926/
14:41 Breaking down Trexler’s supplement tier list
26:26 Why caffeine is not a Tier 1 supplement
Gardiner 2023 The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870101/
35:33 Weighing up the pros and cons of supplements and issues in sports
Burke 2023 The Effects of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Regional Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37432300/
Lauritzen 2022 Dietary Supplements as a Major Cause of Anti-doping Rule Violations https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35399596/
Geyer 2004 Analysis of non-hormonal nutritional supplements for anabolic-androgenic steroids - results of an international study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14986195/
Yun 2017 Monitoring of the amphetamine-like substances in dietary supplements by LC-PDA and LC-MS/MS https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30263651/
Matthews 2018 Prohibited Contaminants in Dietary Supplements https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28850291/
Jagim 2023 Prevalence of adulteration in dietary supplements and recommendations for safe supplement practices in sport https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37841887/
Tucker 2018 Unapproved Pharmaceutical Ingredients Included in Dietary Supplements Associated With US Food and Drug Administration Warnings https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30646238/
1:05:37 How banned substances can negatively affect you and where to read the FREE cover story
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/new-supplement/
1:13:33 The concept of 3rd party testing and licensing
https://examine.com/
1:24:26 Final thoughts on the topic
1:32:17 Closing out this double Eric episode
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Evidence-based practice has unfortunately become a meme, and its meaning, role, and utility are less understood than they were just a handful of years ago. In this episode we dive deep, discussing how to incorporate study findings into practice. If you don’t have the ability to gauge the impact of a study’s findings, how do you stay up to date? We answer critical questions like: How does the hierarchy of evidence operate in a field where many meta-analyses have errors? What is the role of mechanistic research compared to applied research, and when should you look to each to inform what you do in the trenches? At a time when many seem ready to simply throw in the towel on the evidence - despite it actually being of a higher quality, than it ever has been, we are here. We are going to bring you back from the brink so that you can make those sweet, sweet evidence-based gains.
00:00 Revealing some of the mystery of the cult
https://massresearchreview.com/
Iron Culture Ep. 263- Is Protein Timing Debunked? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AyX9Uzek2U
08:41 Getting into it before the 10 minute mark
12:23 Actually kicking it off… The hierarchy of evidence and meta-analyses
Kadlec 2023 With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Common Errors in Meta-Analyses and Meta-Regressions in Strength & Conditioning Research https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36208412/
32:44 So what actually is a meta-analysis? And which ones to read
42:57 Changes in paradigms
Schoenfeld 2017 Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/
Baz-Valle 2022 A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291645/
Enes 2024 Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is There a Dose-Response Effect? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37796222/
Damas 2016 Resistance training-induced changes in integrated myofibrillar protein synthesis are related to hypertrophy only after attenuation of muscle damage https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27219125/
Robinson 2023 Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions https://sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/295
57:17 Sources of information and the carrot of capitalism
1:09:19 The research chain and when it should be broken
1:26:26 What we do when we don’t get the study that we want
Smith 2003 Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge: systematic review of randomised controlled trials https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14684649/
1:41:32 The final thoughts and a teaser for next time
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It's time for a MONSTER episode about protein. Naturally, Helms has recused himself because of his heavy biases and conflicts of interest with the shadowy figures behind Big Protein. As a result, Trex and Omar take a trip down memory lane and discuss everything we used to know about protein, and how a surprising percentage of that knowledge has changed over the last decade or so of research.
It wouldn't be fair to say that everything you thought you knew about protein is wrong, but there's no question that evidence-based protein guidelines have been significantly impacted by some paradigm-shifting studies that have occurred in the last few years. In this episode, Trex and Omar discuss what these new studies have taught us about protein, and how we can put this new information into action.
00:00 Intro to another episode with controversy (Helms’ one week suspension from the cult)
9:51 Trex leading the charge on protein timing
23:12 The limitations and applications of mechanistic research
MASS Office Hours https://www.youtube.com/@MASSResearchReview
MASS Research Review https://massresearchreview.com/
30:40 A short detour to muscle hypertrophy and the pump
35:17 Protein ingestion and the anabolic response: breaking down the latest study
Trommelen 2023 The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humanshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38118410/
56:00 Has protein distribution and timing been debunked?The takeaways
Taguchi 2021 Increasing Meal Frequency in Isoenergetic Conditions Does Not Affect Body Composition Change and Appetite During Weight Gain in Japanese Athleteshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33361498/
Yasuda 2020 Evenly Distributed Protein Intake over 3 Meals Augments Resistance Exercise-Induced Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy Young Menhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32321161/
1:04:49 Quantifying (un)certainty and applying caveats
1:14:53 Omar and Trex’s history with protein
1:25:52 Closing out another monster episode
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The trio is back on the heels of THE Sheffield 2024, the biggest powerlifting competition to date, which outdid its inaugural 2023 performance. Once again, the 12 best IPF-unequipped women and men clashed in a cross-weight class competition ranked by their total as a percentage of their respective world record. This meet incentivizes going BIG, rewarding cash prizes for both placing and breaking individual lift records, with over $500k USD up for grabs, boy did it deliver. The sold out crowd watched the first ever 300kg women’s squat in sleeves by Sonita Muluh, and Jesus Olivares break Ray Williams’ squat world record. Women’s champion Agata Sitko totalled an astonishing 600kg at 69kg, benching an incredible 152kg, annihilating the 69kg total record by 51kg alongside 10 additional women who totalled over the world record. Without question, powerlifting is on the rise, and there is a lot to discuss, so make sure to listen in!
00:00 A synchronised intro, reviewing reviews, and an Iron Culture goal
12:30 Moving onto Sheffield 2024: the rundown
22:00 Development in the sport of Powerlifting
29:03 The men’s side and the KoTL predictions
42:02 Trexler’s take and the limitations measuring the body composition of large individuals
Slater 2011 Nutrition guidelines for strength sports: sprinting, weightlifting, throwing events, and bodybuilding https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21660839/
1:02:42 Segue back to Sheffield and some insider information
1:13:43 What Sheffield means for Powerlifting and a broad recap
1:17:39 Trexler addresses the nasty rumours and men’s physique before we close out
Iron Culture Ep. 33- Pain Science, Injury & Rehab https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-S8nThxpqY
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The nerd super duo is back at it again. This time, Dr. Trexler plays Sherlock and Dr. Helms plays Watson in a discussion of how overtraining syndrome, metabolic adaptation, relative energy deficiency in sport, exercise energy compensation, body fat regulation, and more, are both distinct from one another, yet are all also closely related. Surprisingly, it took a couple meat head bodybuilders to notice the shared characteristics and overlap between these separate concepts. That’s precisely because bodybuilders are crazy enough to go through a process that often results in their simultaneous occurrence! Listen in to find out what these concepts are, when they intersect as well as diverge, how you can identify which you or your clients are experiencing, and what to do about it.
00:00 A (kind of) synced up intro and an appearance from Omar
02:04 A brainstorming session on metabolism
https://massresearchreview.com/
Omar Isuf - Why You Shouldn’t Try To Be “Shredded” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmlGt49Oi1I
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/stay-shredded/
08:30 Low energy availability and the female athlete triad
Areta 2021 Low energy availability: history, definition and evidence of its endocrine, metabolic and physiological effects in prospective studies in females and males https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33095376/
23:20 Energy availability and body fat
Loucks 2003 Energy availability, not body fatness, regulates reproductive function in women https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12882481/
29:15 Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and the drivers of metabolic adaptation
Burke 2023 Mapping the complexities of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs): development of a physiological model by a subgroup of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Consensus on REDs https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37752007/
Mountjoy 2023 2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37752011/
Hackney 2005 Testosterone and endurance exercise: development of the "exercise-hypogonadal male condition https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16268050/
Hackney 2020 Hypogonadism in Exercising Males: Dysfunction or Adaptive-Regulatory Adjustment? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32082255/
48:07 Overtraining syndrome
Stellingwerff 2021 Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S): Shared Pathways, Symptoms and Complexities https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34181189/
Iron Culture Ep. 149- Overreaching, Overtraining, and Insufficient Recovery: Everything You Need To Know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxohJX_F-XY
55:08 Energy constraint and compensation
Dolan 2023 Energy constraint and compensation: Insights from endurance athletes https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37557979/
1:05:13 A practical spin: bringing all the information together
1:20:07 Closing out with a shoutout to our sponsor: The RED-S calorie-free food van
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In classic Iron Culture throwback style, it’s just Omar and Dr. Helms on this one, while the leader of Trex-topia is away at a conference. Omar and Eric give you the classic banter you love, go over reviews, and even engage in an off-the-cuff discussion of the health at every size movement. Then, they get to the meat of the conversation, a recent paper published on whether or not a lumbopelvic movement screen can predict back pain in powerlifters. What can this study teach us about the links between pain, injury, and movement in powerlifting? Tune in to find out!
00:00 Intro to Omar’s bulk and Eric’s end-stage recovery
02:30 The power hour duo episode and reviewing reviews
12:00 The obesity epidemic
Iron Culture Ep. 146- What The Fitness Industry Gets Wrong About The Obesity Epidemic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfAbKeiAuII
Iron Culture Ep. 147- What The Fitness Industry Gets Wrong About The Obesity Epidemic Pt 2 (ft. Spencer Nadolsky) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ1uXpyuu94
30:20 On to the topic: paradigm shifts in pain science
Iron Culture Ep. 33- Pain Science, Injury & Rehab (Barbell Medicine/Clinical Athlete/3DMJ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-S8nThxpqY
Pomarensky 2022 Management of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Through a Biopsychosocial Lens https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35439311/
Kamper 2014 Multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation for chronic low back pain https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25180773/
42:00 Breaking down the study: the chicken or the egg?
Larsson 2024 Lumbopelvic movement control in powerlifters with and without low back pain https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38070289/
Luomajoki 2008 Movement control tests of the low back; evaluation of the difference between patients with low back pain and healthy controls https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19108735/
Weyrauch 2015 Association between rotation-related impairments and activity type in people with and without low back pain https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25933914/
Spence 2023 Range of Motion Predicts Performance in National-Level New Zealand Male Powerlifters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36515597/
58:34 The end of the first power hour and Eric’s final thoughts
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You’ve seen Iron Culture MASScasts before, but none quite like this.
In this very special episode of Iron Culture, we’re co-publishing the most recent episode of MASS Office Hours, which is a live podcast run by the good people over at the MASS Research Review (Dr. Eric Trexler, Dr. Eric Helms, Dr. Mike Zourdos, and soon-to-be-doctor Lauren Colenso-Semple). The MASS crew does this live (and totally free) Q&A every Wednesday night on YouTube. They also offer episodes to all major podcast platforms so you can catch the replay at your convenience.
In this episode of MASS Office Hours, Dr. Eric Trexler and Dr. Mike Zourdos answer questions submitted by listeners and viewers in the live chat. Topics include response variation, individualizing training, movement screens, rest days, protein intake recommendations and consistency across the week, the interference effect, exercise variation and joint pain, muscle and strength loss during deloads, volume cycling and “resensitization,” the effects of alcohol on metabolism and body composition, the pros and cons of caffeine, and much more.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to their channel on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform!
Time stamps:
0:00 Introduction
6:32 Response variation and individualizing training prescriptions.
27:36 Using movement screens to assess capability or injury risk
34:23 Doing a little bit of exercise on a “rest” day
39:10 Protein intake recommendations and consistency across the week.
51:23 Rucking and the interference effect
57:37 Exercise variation and joint pain
1:07:06 Muscle and strength loss during deloads
1:12:25 Volume cycling and “resensitization”
1:22:31 Effects of alcohol on metabolism and body composition.
1:27:42 Recommendations from Eric’s bookshelf
1:30:49 The pros and cons of caffeine
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The trinity is reunited for the first time in 2024, with the Erics joining Omar for what is absolutely a monster episode. We tackle head-on the rise of antiscience in lifting. Currently, attacking exercise or nutrition science in your title or reel is an easy clickbait win for content creators, and you’ll get bonus points via likes, shares, subscriptions, follows and positive comments if you also manage an appeal to what serious lifters “have always known”. Why is this occurring? Is this even a problem? Is it a good thing because those in the exercise and nutrition science ivory towers are so out of touch? If it is a problem, does it lie with science itself, how science communication occurs, or perhaps the expectations put on science? In this episode we discuss all this and more, and it gets spicy!
00:00 Erics… The benefits of living in New Zealand and reading two monster reviews
12:32 Clickbait titles and the anti-exercise science brigade
25:08 The historical perspective
32:26 A monster monster episode: common knowledge of today and where this understanding has come from
45:16 Defining the exercise science field and the origins of sport and exercise science
49:15 The replication crisis
52:06 Science communication and misinformation
1:02:23 Improvements in science: accounting for variables and variation
1:09:21 The gravitation towards short-form content and how science has evolved to address its limitations
1:15:08 The scientist and the consumer: the need for science communication and what needs to be done
1:32:31 The bad actors in science communicators and how scientists apply the research
1:40:54 Takeaways for the listener/consumer
Iron Culture Ep. 256- The Challenge of Science Communication (ft. Layne Norton) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wKS3n_6TgY
1:48:47 It’s a personality thing… and the one hour vacation for Helms
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In our third interview following the 2023 natural bodybuilding season, we sit down with another historic champion with a truly outlier series of performances. This time, Australian phenom Beccy Pateman joined the Erics on Iron Culture to discuss her season, which culminated not only in her winning her WNBF pro card in both Figure and Fit Body, but also winning the WNBF pro world fit body title. As we’ve discussed, for an athlete to turn pro in the WNBF and win a pro world title in the same season is incredibly rare. Further, the weekend prior to WNBF worlds, Beccy won the Professional Natual Olympia Figure title in the INBA/PNBA. Winning two world titles, relatively early in one’s career, in two different federations, and in two different divisions nonetheless, is an even more incredible feat, which only a handful of athletes have ever done in the history of natural bodybuilding. Indeed, the athletes who have done so have, in most cases, gone on to become legends of natural bodybuilding. How did Beccy do it? What did it take for her to get to this point in her career and what is in store for her? Join us to find out!
00:00 Dr Trexler… Dr Helms…
05:22 Introducing Beccy
14:54 The timeline of Beccy’s journey
20:48 A recap of Beccy’s season
31:22 Testing for Natural Bodybuilding: urinalysis and polygraph testing
38:28 Winning her pro card at WNBF Australia and competing at The Natural Olympia
43:18 Competing in two divisions and working with Joey Cantlin
48:45 Beccy’s WNBF Pro debut and potential for the bodybuilding division
59:38 The recovery and what helped Beccy have such a successful season
1:11:50 Transitioning from recovery to off-season
1:14:50 Final words and where to find Beccy
Instagram @beccypateman https://www.instagram.com/beccypateman/
Unrivalledphysiques Coaching
Instagram @unrivalledphysiques https://www.instagram.com/unrivalledphysiques/
Website https://unrivalledphysiques.wixsite.com/onlinecoaching
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Layne Norton and Eric Helms have some similarities in their areas of interest and expertise as well as their career paths. However, they have different personalities and distinct approaches to science communication. That’s what makes this one on one discussion between Eric and Layne interesting and relevant. Each approach has its pros and cons in terms of reach, impact, and effectiveness. Dr Layne Norton joins Iron Culture for the first time in this episode to candidly discuss the importance and challenges of science communication in the modern age where good information is abundant, but good interpretation is sparse. There is a lot to think about in this interview for both content creators and consumers, so make sure to tune in!
00:00 Iron Culture… Layne… (Norton)
06:18 Layne’s philosophy for disseminating science and who to listen to
23:10 Competing with non-evidence-based personalities and effective marketing
42:59 Differing approaches and target audiences
47:12 Layne’s approach to science communication
57:26 Addressing false claims and teaching other how to interpret social media claims
1:13:54 The unicorn fallacy and what science communicators can do
1:20:07 What is next for Layne the athlete and where can we find him?
https://biolayne.com/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqMBA83S0TnfTlTeE5j1mgQ
Instagram @biolayne https://www.instagram.com/biolayne/?hl=en
Twitter/X @BioLayne https://twitter.com/BioLayne?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
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Natalie Hays did what no natural bodybuilder has ever done before. Not only did she win her OCB pro card, to then go on and win the Yorton Cup pro title, but she also then won the Ms. America pro title, and then the WNBF Amateur World title to secure her WNBF pro card…but not satisfied, the next day she competed in the WNBF Pro Worlds, and won the professional women’s bodybuilding title as well. Without any qualifiers, this series of wins at the biggest shows in natural bodybuilding is unprecedented and downright incredible. But, consider that she did this in her very first season competing! In this episode the Erics sit down with Natalie to talk through her historic competitive season and learn just how unique she is, both in her psychology and relentless dedication to her craft, but also in her physiology. Further, like other young champions of late, we learn how she was patient in her decision to eventually step on stage, and was awarded immensely. This is not one to miss for bodybuilding fans!
00:00 We got the intro right and introducing Natalie
Iron Culture Ep. 253- 2023 Lightweight WNBF Pro World Champion Dirk Emmerich https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGapMQFeznA
05:39 Natalie’s prep and first show experience
22:34 Moving into the natural circuit
27:05 Judging criteria and expectations
36:51 Comparing the atmosphere of shows
50:14 Finishing the season and obsessing over bodybuilding
1:00:01 Reflecting on the moments
1:09:14 WNBF Worlds
1:17:56 Self-coaching
1:23:36 Being ready to compete and embracing the lifestyle
1:38:30 Getting on-stage and knowing if bodybuilding is for you
1:42:48 Competing in the Natural Olympia, what’s next for Natalie and where to find her
Instagram: @nph_fit https://www.instagram.com/nph_fit
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@nataliehays5037
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Happy Holidays cultists! We sincerely thank you all for joining us every week to explore the history, science and culture of the iron and we look forward to doing it more in 2024! In this episode, Omar and Helms discuss fat burners: supplements that supposedly enhance fat loss either by increasing energy expenditure and/or by blunting hunger and reducing energy intake. You’ve probably seen dozens marketed over the years if you’ve been around the fitness industry for any decent length of time, but do they actually work? In this episode we discuss the science of fat burners. A recent study coming out of none other than Dr. Grant Tinsley’s lab showed that a commercially available thermogenesis fat burner did seem to do something, but how meaningful it was and whether it actually would lead to fat loss is up for debate. Finally, we discuss where the data lies broadly on this whole class of supplements.
00:00 Not off to the best start… Fuelling conspiracy theories and reviewing reviews
11:31 Getting into the topic of fat burners
Siedler 2023 Chronic Thermogenic Dietary Supplement Consumption: Effects on Body Composition, Anthropometrics, and Metabolism https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38004200/
22:05 The ingredients in the “matrix” and individual variation in energy expenditure
33:02 The curious Eric Helms case: REE, BF%, and fat burners during prep
41:00 Other fat burners on the market and the effects of caffeine
Panek-Shirely 2018 Caffeine Transiently Affects Food Intake at Breakfast https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30033159/
Tabrizi 2019 The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335479/
52:07 Interpreting meta-analyses in the area
Golzarand 2018 Effect of green tea, caffeine and capsaicin supplements on the anthropometric indices: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464618301415
Clark 2021 Comparing effectiveness of fat burners and thermogenic supplements to diet and exercise for weight loss and cardiometabolic health: Systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33427571/
1:01:41 Closing out with some take homes
Ludy 2012 The Effects of Capsaicin and Capsiate on Energy Balance: Critical Review and Meta-analyses of Studies in Humans https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22038945/
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We are joined today by pro natural bodybuilding world champion Dirk Emmerich. Dirk is one of the many emerging stars of the newest era of competitive natural bodybuilding. In 2021, in his very first bodybuilding season, he made history. He won his WNBF pro card in the most impressive way possible, by not only winning his class at WNBF Worlds but then - as a bantamweight - he won the WNBF world overall amateur bodybuilding title, the first bantamweight ever in the then 32-year history of WNBF Worlds to do so. This year, Dirk made just as much of an impact in his pro debut as he did in his bodybuilding debut, as he medalled in multiple pro shows, including winning the pro lightweight WNBF Valhalla title. Finally, his season culminated in winning the WNBF Pro Worlds Lightweight title in the largest lightweight pro class in history, consisting of 16 competitors. How did he do it? What type of planning, mentality, talent, and coaching does it take to be so successful in your debut seasons as an amateur and professional bodybuilder? Join us to learn what went into these historic rookie seasons.
00:00 Eric… Trexler… Helms? And introducing Dirk
05:13 What got Dirk into lifting
11:20 The art of bodybuilding
16:48 Dirk’s natural talent
20:30 Dirk’s calories and individual variation
32:27 The next steps for Dirk and his relationship with Berto
39:16 Dirk’s experience of Worlds and success
45:33 What does competitive bodybuilding mean to Dirk?
53:23 DASGYM and the ANBF
57:00 Rivalry and camaraderie with Benjamin Schuster
1:04:29 The final words and where to find Dirk
Instagram @dirkemmerich_ https://www.instagram.com/dirkemmerich_/?hl=en
https://linktr.ee/dirkemmerich
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The Great Competition, 1901, Royal Albert Hall, London…this was the birthplace of modern bodybuilding. The one and only Eugen Sandow managed to persevere through multiple years of war, logistical setbacks, and a political and cultural climate that viewed physique displays as potentially indecent, sometimes immoral, and at worst, as illegal pornography, to host the first championship bodybuilding show to find the “best built man in Britain and Ireland”. To even compete, entrants had to place top three in a full series of regional qualifiers where hundreds upon hundreds of athletes battled against one another in the years prior. Further, to even enter these regional qualifiers, entrants had to send in their pictures to Eugen Sandow’s magazine for initial screening. The eventual championship in 1901 was truly a spectacle. Nearly ten thousand attendees packed Royal Albert Hall to the brim, an astonishing number that rivals the attendance of any modern bodybuilding competition…even the Olympia. Indeed, this historic event reverberates into the modern era, as modern Olympia winners receive “the Sandow”, a replica of the trophy given to the third-place winner of The Great Competition. In this episode, we’re joined by Marcus Kment, a filmmaker, physical culturist, and amateur historian, who recently produced an excellent documentary on the Great Competition and the athletes who competed in it to discuss its significance and their story. Additionally, he’s joined by our very own Dr. Conor Heffernan who consulted on this project. Join us to learn about this jaw-dropping history, as once again, history proves stranger than fiction!
Barbell Films YouTube & IG: @barbellfilms
00:00 It happened again… Where is Trexler? And the hierarchy of the Iron Culture Obelisk
8:58 Reviewing reviews
13:01 Introducing Marcus to the Iron Culture Pantheon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha80AQqXpT4
17:38 Marcus’ introduction to physical culture and why he does what he does
23:01 The great competition and its grand scale
41:16 The logistical barriers and generating interest
55:05 What happened on show day and the prizes
1:04:52 The dress code (black tights!?), judging criteria, and the winners
1:12:00 A festival of physical culture and what came after
1:20:22 The impact of the great competition
1:37:09 The personal stories spanning generations: the starting point of physical culture
1:43:43 The value this great documentary brings
1:47:44 Jumping to the top of the pyramid (that matters) and what’s next for Marcus
Where to find our guests
Instagram @barbellfilms https://www.instagram.com/barbellfilms/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BarbellFilms
https://physicalculturestudy.com/
https://www.ironhistory.com/
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We’re back. We’re so back (except for Dr. Trexler, he’s sick …but he will be so back). Omar is getting his body composition tested in July and he has publicly guaranteed that he’s going to have increased his lean mass by then. Likewise, Dr. Helms just publicly announced his monogamous commitment to bodybuilding and his push to become a pro champion now that he’s turned pro. How are these not-so-spring chickens going to do it? More importantly for you dear listener, how are you going to do it if you’ve been in the game a while? It’s a complex question, requiring us to define what advanced even means, to understand whether there actually is such a thing as a “natural limit”, both technically and functionally, and to understand the complexity of such an assessment. Does it apply to your whole physique, or is it body part specific? Is there a limit on your muscle mass that is universal, or does it differ at various levels of body fat? More so, one must figure out what tools we even have to assess one’s proximity to your natural potential and also how to assess diagnosis, and ultimately overcome plateaus. It’s a lot! But don’t worry, we get into all of it!
00:00 They tried to stop us… Introducing another monster episode
6:23 Speaking of working… the natural limit and advanced hypertrophy
14:26 The definitions of being an advanced lifter
Kouri 1995 Fat-free mass index in users and nonusers of anabolic-androgenic steroids https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7496846/
Abe 2018 Skeletal Muscle Mass and Architecture of the World’s Strongest Raw Powerlifter: A Case Study https://brieflands.com/articles/asjsm-61763
28:55 Measuring and tracking your progress Straddling the line
35:35 Your limitations and how an advanced competitive bodybuilder may approach their training
Believe 2024 - Forging the Unlikely Pro Champion: Episode 1, Physique Assessment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_S9u1suE70
49:25 Gaining weight for non-competitors
Helms 2023 Effect of Small and Large Energy Surpluses on Strength, Muscle, and Skinfold Thickness in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Parallel Groups Design https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37914977/
Rozenek 2002 Effects of high-calorie supplements on body composition and muscular strength following resistance training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12094125/
1:05:15 Specialisation cycles and bringing up weak parts
1:14:26 The quasi-transactional mindset and the motivation behind it all
1:25:08 Where can we find Eric?
https://3dmusclejourney.com/
https://massresearchreview.com/
Instagram @helms3dmj https://www.instagram.com/helms3dmj/
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The good Doctors Eric are still figuring out how to start episodes without Omar, and let’s just say it’s off to a rough start. But to their credit, they went on to deliver a monster episode even if Omar wasn’t there to officially dub it so. In this conversation, Dr. Helms recaps the amazing battles and historic performances that took place at WNBF Worlds on Nov 18-19, where he participated as both a coach and athlete. Then, Dr. Trexler and he cover a couple of relevant and interesting research papers, the first, covered by Dr. Helms explores the “whys” underlying the motivations competitive bodybuilders have to live the life they lead. The second, covered by Dr. Trexler, explores the often-repeated claim that when you diet, you’ll lose ~25% of your weight as lean mass. Is this true? And if it is, for whom and in what circumstances?
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