Iron Culture presented by MASS

Omar and Eric are joined by two experts in psychology, Dr Kori Propst and Amanda Rizo, MS, who are not only therapists, but are both lifters themselves. Dr Kori Propst was a elite level natural physique athlete and has worked with the Diet Doc alongside Dr Joe for a decade as a world leader in bodybuilding psychology. Likewise, Amanda Rizo, MS is a licensed therapist and the Team 3DMJ mental health consultant. Join us for an in depth discussion of what goes on in the minds of physique competitors.

This is a Podcast you'll want to listen to from start to finish. Selected by hosts Eric Helms & Omar Isuf as one of their favourites (look, they can do that), this Podcast delves deep into the art of coaching. The hosts are joined by Sioux-z Hartwig-Gary, Matt Gary and Dan John; three veteran coaches at the top of their respective fields. Coaching is so much more than giving someone a spreadsheet or telling them their macros. Learn insights from these three who have spent decades honing their craft. Whether your goal is to become a better coach or just be more introspective as a lifter, this episode has something for everything.

In this episode, the hosts learn about the brief but interesting history of CrossFit, both as a fitness movement and competitive sport. They are joined by James Fitzgerald, the first CrossFit Games champion, who transitioned from athlete to coach, to a coach of coaches as the sport has evolved. A highly influential leader and thinker in the high-intensity functional fitness arena, he has watched CrossFit change and morph over time. Also, they are joined by Marcus Filly, a prolific athlete having competed at the games six times while CrossFit only became more competitive. He is also a coach, and pioneering thought leader using rational approaches to combining high-intensity functional fitness training with other modalities such as bodybuilding.

The reality of lifting is that most individuals do not make it a lifelong pursuit. For a variety of reasons people start lifting and somewhere along the way, they stop. Why? In this episode, Eric & Omar explore motivation and take a look at the outcome vs the process of any activity. How can we frame lifting in such a way that we stick with it forever?

For a long time in the fitness industry, it was said that scientific information wasn't sexy. If you wanted to attract an audience, go with a captivating headline and tell people what they want to hear. One weird trick to lose weight. And for a long time, this was the norm. However, two individuals in the last several years have completely disproved this theory. Greg Nuckols & Jeff Nippard have grown sizeable audiences while actually increasing the complexity of science in their fitness information. How do you effectively communicate information so it reaches a large audience? How do you avoid clickbait? What can we learn from marketing? Hosts Eric Helms & Omar Isuf explore these questions and more in this extended podcast!

The hosts are joined by 3DMJ, a group of extremely knowledgeable coaches aimed at providing science based strategies for the natural lifting community. In this episode, the coaches share war stories from their competitive days. You might think you know what dieting is like but it is a whole different animal when you are preparing for a bodybuilding show.

Today the hosts are joined by two elite Powerlifters, Bryce Lewis & Isabella von Weissenberg. Both athletes have achieved tremendous success in the sport of powerlifting, as well as being internationally recognized coaches. However both have had to come to terms with using social media as a tool for business and their athlete profiles. Is social media all that it is cracked up to be? What are some of the potential pitfalls? We explore these questions and more in today’s episode.

Eric & Omar are joined by Dr. Joe Klemczewski, the pioneer of modern natural bodybuilding coaching. Many practices taken for granted today, including tapering for a proper peak week, were first utilized by Dr. Joe. He is the OG evidence based natural bodybuilding coach.  He also was one of the first successful coaches to transition into online coaching. The hosts discuss his successes in a multitude of business ventures and learn tips applicable for aspiring fitness entrepreneurs.

Eric and Omar are joined again by Dr. Dominic Morais, Physical Culture and Sport Studies scholar, to discuss the emergence of the “Iron Game” in the early to mid 1900’s. We learn what it was like to be a lifter when Muscle Magazines emerged. Communities formed around shared experiences created by the stories told in magazine columns. This contemporary history would be the first battle grounds between magazine owners, athlete icons, “gurus” and training philosophies. During this era Olympic Lifting underwent changes, bodybuilding became a legitimate separate endeavour and powerlifting would also formalize. Further Resources: 1. https://www.starkcenter.org/ 2. https://www.mbpowercenter.com/powerprof Dominic (@brainybrawn)

In this episode, the hosts are joined by calisthenics competitor and filmmaker Rain Bennett. His documentary Raise Up illuminates the recent explosion of calisthenics (body weight training) around the world. Chronicling the rise in Brooklyn in New York and drawing parallels with the rise in Russia, Rain explains the fundamental appeal and utility of calisthenics.