Iron Culture presented by MASS

In the lifting community, two words are often used interchangeably: periodization and programming. Are they, in fact, the same thing? As you will learn in this episode featuring special guest Dr. Mike Zourdos, they are surprisingly not synonyms. What develops from the conversation is a more thorough understanding of the two which will yield a better perspective on your training. Find out in what context both periodization and programming are useful and why Bulgarian style training sounds fun until you actually try to execute it. Don't say we didn't warn you.

If you’re a long time listener of Iron Culture, you’ve been exposed to calisthenics, CrossFit, powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman/woman, and more! Maybe, just maybe, it’s influenced you to pursue multiple avenues of strength? If so, you might have had some head-scratching moments or found yourself struggling to juggle multiple goals simultaneously. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Stefi Cohen and Max Aita, impressive multi-sport strength athletes in their own right, who have made careers out of helping lifters make simultaneous progress in multiple disciplines of strength. Join us in today’s discussion as we learn how that balancing act is performed.

From lifting calibrated plates on competition spec bars in approved knee sleeves through the same three movement patterns to moving uncalibrated humans through a near-infinite combination of vectors and forces while covered in your shared sweat and blood in a half-off Gi. How did such an unexpected turn occur? It seems like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has taken the strength world by storm. Instagram feeds once populated by squats, bench presses and deadlifts are now populated by rolls, holds, and throws. Just what is going on here? Join us we sit down with two individuals who know a fair bit about BJJ: none other than Chad Wesley Smith and Dr. Melissa Davis, as we explore this recent iron game cultural shift.

Dig if you will this picture, of you inside with the kids. This is what it sounds like when gains die. At this point, it has been four weeks without access to gyms for most individuals. Exacerbating the painful absence of the gym is the abundance of free time at our disposal, leading many to struggle with their nutrition. Fear not because in this episode today, Iron Culture co-owners (and current hosts) Eric Helms and Omar Isuf overview what you can do to stay on track with your nutrition. Eric delves into what the literature shows when it comes to activity levels and hunger cues. A robust helpful framework is established to arm you with the tools necessary to better adhere to your nutrition paradigm. We're all going to make it, one deliciously grilled chicken breast and a steamed cup of broccoli at a time. http://www.nutritioncoachingglobal.com

“Nihilism: the belief that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value; used to explain the general mood of despair at a perceived pointlessness of existence.” We’ve all been there folks, and many of the iron cult are without the iron and struggling. In this episode rife with coping-motivated banter and sarcasm, we dig deep and discover that the iron is in fact, always with us. Join us in this iron-forge side chat as we discuss how to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones and find a will, and thus a way forward. What can science and history tell us about training in our current time? The hosts explore this question in today’s episode.

From the 1900s when Eugen Sandow promoted “Plasmon” and his “Health and Strength Cocoa”, the supplement industry has been rife with dubious claims. Since, like a game of limbo, the bar for quality, and scientific accuracy has only lowered. Rather than bending under the low bar, a few individuals vaulted right over by doing the unthinkable: starting companies that sell science-backed products, educate consumers, and use no-nonsense marketing. This week, Eric hosts a roundtable consisting of Ben Esgro, the biochemical-artist behind De Novo Nutrition, Mike Matthews of Legion Athletics, and our very own Omar Isuf, founder of Ouroboros. Learn the challenges they face as iconoclasts in the supplement industry and how they overcame them in this episode.

Ten years ago, any supposedly knowledgeable PT would be making judicious use of the friendly blue foam roller with clients. Ten years later, the blue idol has fallen out of fashion and we've seen a trend towards minimalism. Stretching is overrated. Doing a squat will prepare you to squat and that is the end of the story. Or is it? Co-owners Eric Helms & Omar Isuf are joined by veteran personal trainer and gym owner Dean Somerset. Dean has been successfully navigating the realm beyond simply counting 3 sets of 10 for almost 20 years and his approach is an exemplary model for aspiring trainers to follow. By the end of this episode, you will learn that the blue cylinder is neither friend nor foe but a tool whose utility depends upon the context of use. Spoiler Alert.

Rewind the clock. The year is 2009, Lady Gaga is all the rage, MySpace is THE social media platform and if you eat carbs after 6 pm, you are sabotaging your gains. Enjoy this episode of co-hosts Eric Helms and Omar Isuf reminiscing on their early days as lifting enthusiasts. You'll learn about the most anabolic chili, how far Eric is willing to go to get his protein intake and why adding 5lb per week to the bar doesn't work forever. You'll probably find yourself nodding along relating to many of the anecdotes...and probably being horrified by several others.

What is aesthetic? While the hosts agree on what they consider aesthetic in a physique (except for the importance of calves), individual opinions vary drastically. Despite the variety of opinions, physique sport judges have the difficult task of ranking competitors in multiple divisions. In this episode, we are joined by first-time guests Chris Bumstead, the current Classic Physique Mr. Olympia, and Pro Natural Men’s Physique Champion and Coach, Paul Revelia, to explore aesthetics in and out of physique competition.

Omar and Eric realized that if they maintained their current totals, and cut to the 59kg class, they’d rank among the top 10 raw drug-free powerlifters in the world. In this episode, they bring on three researchers/coaches/athletes: Kedric Kwan, David Nolan, and Arthur Lynch, experts who in the course of their ongoing PhDs have published the only peer-reviewed research in existence on this topic. Ultimately, Omar and Eric’s dreams of becoming elite 59kg lifters are crushed, but the listeners come away with valuable knowledge.