We are joined by Ryan Lapadat on this episode, host of the King of the Lifts podcast, and arguably the best and most prolific powerlifting commentator, despite his relatively recent emergence onto the scene. How did Ryan find himself in the position he’s in today, and how has he contributed to the increased interest and popularity in powerlifting that’s occurred in the last decade? Ryan will be commentating at the Sheffield next month, and there is a bright future for the legitimization of powerlifting if things continue in the direction they’re headed. Join us in this episode as we learn the some aspects of how powerlifting got to be perceived as it is today, the value of narrative in making fans care, and what the future holds for the sport. 00:00 Reviewing reviews with Ryan – Cultural beliefs surrounding women in lifting Iron Culture Ep. 177- Jessica Buettner: 2x IPF World Champion Powerlifter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-M4XAlOa90 Iron Culture Ep. 103- The History Of Women's Bodybuilding              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL-2qymV73k Iron Culture Ep. 7- The Rise Of Women In Powerlifting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNd4XCKLcMQ 13:16 Balancing entertainment and knowledge in Ryan’s commentary 27:00 Leaning into storylines to bring excitement 43:41 Growth of powerlifting and IPF 50:41 IPF Sheffield 2023 hype up 58:33 Getting “out angled” by Jess Buettner and the revenge 1:06:05 The Masculinity in Crisis Tour and the angle game 1:19:26 The future and growth of powerlifting  1:44:50 An update on Eric’s previous Street Fighter tournament SuperLoreBoys YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SuperLoreBoys  1:50:06 Closing out and where to find Ryan Instagram: @6packlapadat https://www.instagram.com/6packlapadat/?hl=en and                   @kingofthelifts https://www.instagram.com/kingofthelifts/?hl=en King of the lifts podcast: https://linktr.ee/KOTL

Stretch-mediated hypertrophy is all the rave at the moment, and much of the enthusiasm is based on a single study out of a specific lab, but, there are actually many other studies that this lab has recently published that give further insights into the topic. Ultimately, what the cult wants to know, is whether stretching-induced gains are complementary or redundant to resistance training-induced gains. In this episode, we discuss not only these possibilities, but also a recent study on SuperCreatine (TM) indicating it might not be so super, but also, that gives us insight as to whether creatine loading is even necessary.

It’s episode 208 and yes, you’re right, that means it’s been four years of episodes coming out weekly, every single . And guess what? In typical iron culture fashion, we completely forgot it was our 4 year anniversary while we recorded this episode. But, dear listener, that’s because we were totally focused on YOU, bringing you the latest news in the iron game, from the final Sheffield roster now that the wildcard picks are complete, to the recent USPA controversy, to a new study published on physique contest preparation. Next week, we’ll have our belated 4 year anniversary, but this week you get to enjoy another MONSTER episode. 00:00 Intro: what is it? Reviewing reviews 07:50 Revisiting/clarifying menstrual cycle-based approach to training Iron Culture Ep. 207 - Is Menstrual Cycle Periodization Evidence-Based? (ft. Lauren Colenso-Semple) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esHslB5IOQA 16:32 Back to the reviews 24:00 A detailed IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships 2023 summary and update 52:04 The bad news in Powerlifting…  1:02:57 Intermission with another 5-star review 1:05:26 THE STUDY: Physiological adaptations during contest preparation Helms Isola 2023 Weight loss induces changes in adaptive thermogenesis in female and male physique athletes https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36645885/ Eric’s ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric-Helms-2 1:24:00 What Eric would like to see in this area of research de Moraes 2019 Carbohydrate Loading Practice in Bodybuilders: Effects on Muscle Thickness, Photo Silhouette Scores, Mood States and Gastrointestinal Symptoms https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31827362/ 1:31:48 Closing out

We were joined by McMaster University PhD. candidate Lauren Colenso-Semple who is studying the influence of exercise, nutrition, and hormones on skeletal muscle, specifically as they relate to the menstrual cycle. She has an extensive background not only in academia, having worked with a veritable “who’s who” of exercise science researchers in her journey to her PhD studies, but she also is an experienced personal trainer. In this episode she helps us understand whether “menstrual-cycle phase based training” is truly based on firm evidence, or if in some cases, the popular guidance sometimes extends beyond what we currently know (and what makes sense from a physiological perspective). Make sure to tune in to learn what we do and don’t know on this fascinating topic.

If comparison is the thief of joy, then what hope do competitive bodybuilders have for happiness? In a sport where you stand before a panel of strangers who numerically rate your nearly nude body in comparison to others, you’d think it’d be impossible. But is it? What happens to bodybuilders’ body image over time? Is it true that whether they place 3rd at the all-valley “championships” or 1st at worlds, they still feel small? If it’s not true, why not, to what degree, and in what circumstances? In this episode, we explore whether or not it’s true that the day you start lifting is the day you become forever small, and how this mindset can manifest, change, and differ between groups and individuals. 00:00 An update on the Iron Culture documentary and the frequency of episodes 04:50 Self-perception in the social media fitness space Omar’s YouTube video will be linked here when it is published! 11:00 Mental and physiological distress in physique athletes Helms 2019 Towards a Sustainable Nutrition Paradigm in Physique Sport: A Narrative Review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31315180/ 19:29 The marketing of bodybuilders and the “desirable” physique 37:21 The motivation to become a bodybuilder and physique (dis)satisfaction  Jankauskiene 2007 Muscle size satisfaction and predisposition for a health harmful practice in bodybuilders and recreational gymnasium users https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17485962/ 1:00:55 The stressors and influence of the fitness industrial complex  Iron Culture Ep. 28- The Problem With The Fitness Industry (with Chip Conrad) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2rtKZ3AnXM 1:17:25 Tethering your expectations to people who can provide you with constructive criticism 1:26:23 Closing out: the internet is terrible but listen to our podcast (on the internet)  

After our recent episode with Dr. Guillermo Escalante discussing the potential contributing causes and possibly what could be done about the recent deaths of a number of high profile enhanced bodybuilders, we wanted to follow up. As you recall, this conversation came about because of a Washington Post article series that not only discussed these tragedies, but also exploitation and corruption at the heart of the biggest bodybuilding organization: the NPC/IFBB pro league. Omar made an eye opening YouTube video summarizing these articles, and we discussed them in further depth today, not for controversy’s sake, but rather because we both truly want a better future for the sport and art of bodybuilding. In addition, in the latter half of this episode we discussed the challenges of predicting hypertrophy from proxy measures, and where we are at scientifically in this regard, and what it means for practice.   00:00 Revisiting the bodybuilding controversy Iron Culture Ep. 203 Can Enhanced Bodybuilding Be Safer? (Ft. Dr. Guillermo Escalante) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G_c1umHswE Washington Post Investigation https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/investigating-the-sport-my-dad-made-famous/ Omar Isuf Why I Don't Support BODYBUILDING (And Neither Should You) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwpolgBBeI 22:18 Experiential knowledge: how coaches can guide and empower athletes 25:44 The inherent risks of PEDs and taking responsibility for your actions 46:35 Regional hypertrophy and optimising exercise selection Is Regional Hypertrophy Predictable? https://www.strongerbyscience.com/regional-hypertrophy/ Albarello 2022 Non-uniform excitation of pectoralis major induced by changes in bench press inclination leads to uneven variations in the cross-sectional area measured by panoramic ultrasonography https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36334406/ Chaves 2020 Effects of Horizontal and Incline Bench Press on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Untrained Young Men https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32922646/ Iron Culture Ep. 163- All About EMG and Hypertrophy (ft. Andrew Vigotsky) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIccFeOknew 1:00:05 Reaching conclusions with assumptions embedded in (proxy) measurements 1:10:10 Applying this information: considerations for exercise selection (and the limits to our knowledge) 1:22:06 Closing out    

It’s 2023, and the boys just can’t be denied. Four years strong and they’ve weathered cyber attacks from a bearded AI, fended off an Irish serial killer, and somehow, managed not to get themselves cancelled. In the new year we have big plans, but before we focus on our plans, we want to focus on yours dear listener. First, we know you’re still recovering from staying up late for New Year’s Eve, and let’s be honest, for many of you it wasn’t your only late night. How much does getting less sleep than normal impact your training and what can you do about it? After we tackle this practical question, we have an in depth discussion on how to identify the snakes in the garden - the less obvious, shiftier influencers you currently think are helping you, but are just waiting for an opportunity to take advantage of your trust. 00:00 Introduction to a brave new world (and a happy new year!) 14:12 The effect of sleep loss on lifting performance Craven 2022 Effects of Acute Sleep Loss on Physical Performance: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35708888/ Blumert 2007 The acute effects of twenty-four hours of sleep loss on the performance of national-caliber male collegiate weightlifters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18076267/ Knowles 2022 Sustained Sleep Restriction Reduces Resistance Exercise Quality and Quantity in Females https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36136596/ 28:45 Strategies to circumvent acute sleep loss Hsouna 2019 Effect of different nap opportunity durations on short-term maximal performance, attention, feelings, muscle soreness, fatigue, stress and sleep https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31491444/ Petit 2014 A 20-min nap in athletes changes subsequent sleep architecture but does not alter physical performances after normal sleep or 5-h phase-advance conditions https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24276580/ 45:33 Optimising sleep and training within the given constraints Sargent 2021 How Much Sleep Does an Elite Athlete Need? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34021090/ 59:59 Patterns of behaviour to guide who to follow and avoid 1:10:12 Leveraging trust to sell products 1:30:26 The motivation to create controversial content Stronger By Science: YOUR Drug-Free Muscle And Strength Potential by Greg Nuckols https://www.strongerbyscience.com/your-drug-free-muscle-and-strength-potential-part-1/ 1:41:41 The final takeaway and the masculinity in crisis tour

In a series of recent Washington Post investigative articles about bodybuilding in the NPC/IFBB pro league, Desmond Butler (the son of the producer of Pumping Iron) covered a series of controversial topics. Among them, were the seemingly increasing numbers of competitor deaths. In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Guillermo Escalante, the Assistant Dean and a Professor of Kinesiology in the College of Natural Sciences at CSU San Bernardino, who is a competitive bodybuilder himself, as well as an athletic trainer (a sports medicine first responder). He was interviewed for these Washington Post articles because from 2012 to 2019 he spent many of his Saturdays in Southern California at shows, making himself available in case any athletes had medical emergencies. Dr. Escalante has also specifically published research examining the potential causes of death of enhanced pro bodybuilders. Needless to say, there are few people with more direct knowledge, experience, and perspective on the potential dangers of certain practices in enhanced physique sport, whether these risks can be reduced, and how.

Mr. Benjamin Franklin Esgro has the unique honor of being our first guest in our episodes numbered in the 200’s, as well as being on for his fifth, or maybe sixth time? We aren’t sure, but we like to have the man on! I’m this episode, he’s once again crusading against potential charlatans in the supplement industry. If you remember last time, Ben joined us to discuss the lacking evidence of a mechanism of action behind turkesterone and today, he’s back to give us a dose of reality on paraxanthine. What is paraxanthine you might ask? Well if you haven’t already heard of it, it’s supposedly the next big thing in the stimulant, nootropic and pre workout world. But, while this supplement is interesting and may have specific utility, should we really expect something truly groundbreaking considering it’s a metabolite of caffeine? Join us as we ask Ben Esgro to find out. 00:00 Intro 5:41 (Re)introducing Ben to kickstart another monster episode  19:24 An overview of paraxanthine Lelo 1986 Comparative pharmacokinetics of caffeine and its primary demethylated metabolites paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline in man https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3756065/  Benowitz 1995 Sympathomimetic effects of paraxanthine and caffeine in humans https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8529334/ 34:59 Selling the acute supplement sensation and experience 48:20 Marketing paraxanthine and comparisons with caffeine 1:03:40 Paraxanthine toxicity and bioengineering explained 1:14:55 Chasing the mythical unicorn of replacing banned supplements 1:23:17 Creating demand and producing the same subjective experience as paraxanthine? 1:32:38 Potency and derivatives of compounds 1:38:40 Dosages and densities of powdered supplements 1:43:45 What to expect from a paraxanthine supplement 1:48:38 Closing out with a (metaphorical) mic drop: the positive impact of the evidence-based lifting community Li 2022 Self-Reported Training and Supplementation Practices Between Performance-Enhancing Drug-User Bodybuilders Compared with Natural Bodybuilders https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36165879/ 

It’s the start of a new era, as Omar and Eric sit down for episode 201. In this conversation, the two pick up where they left off from episode 200, tackling the Cult’s questions that were too good, and too deep to cover last week. Specifically, we discuss how to compare the potential effects of dissimilar variables on hypertrophy, such as sleep, protein, and creatine using research. Further, we field questions on how you measure progress and deal with plateaus, and whether higher frequency training can provide unique advantages. 00:00 Introduction to a new era of Iron Culture (and reading comments) 15:11 Start of Q&A. Effect sizes in sport science research (protein, creatine, and sleep) and their application to practice Tagawa 2020 Dose-response relationship between protein intake and muscle mass increase: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33300582/ 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/ Lanhers 2015 Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25946994/ Lanhers 2017 Creatine Supplementation and Upper Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27328852/ Branch 2003 Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12945830/  Craven 2022 Effects of Acute Sleep Loss on Physical Performance: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35708888/ 44:55 Advice for people who love the iron game but may not necessarily have the best genetics and life situation for it (reframing our view of strength standards that we compare ourselves to) 56:58 Which variable(s) to adjust when strength plateaus 1:05:03 How important is it to have a high volume for a specific muscle group in a single session vs across the week? Iron Culture Ep. 40- Training Frequency For Strength & Hypertrophy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDNvJaNeDw4&t=13s Iron Culture Ep. 152-Effort vs Exertion, Frequency, and Qualitative Research (Q&A) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCg_4tQzbC0 Greg Nuckols’ in-house Meta https://www.strongerbyscience.com/frequency-muscle/ James Krieger’s in-house Meta https://weightology.net/the-members-area/evidence-based-guides/set-volume-for-muscle-size-the-ultimate-evidence-based-bible/ Schoenfeld 2017 Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/ Baz-Valle 2022 A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291645/ 1:12:40 Closing out (and Iron Culture TikTok??)