Dr. Mike Zourdos and Dr. Eric Trexler answer questions about response variation, individualizing training, movement screens, rest days, protein intake recommendations, exercise variation and joint pain, the effects of alcohol on body composition, pros and cons of caffeine, and training in unconventional locations.

The hosts discuss the rise of antiscience in lifting and the problems it poses. They debate the limitations of science and the importance of exercise science. The chapter explores the historical background and the development of scientific practices. They also discuss the misuse of science for marketing and the misconceptions about applying science in health and fitness.

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 

Dr Layne Norton joins Iron Culture for the first time in this episode to discuss the importance and challenges of science communication in the modern age. They explore strategies for effective science communication, the competition against non-evidence-based individuals, and the challenges of combating misinformation. They also discuss their day-to-day activities, the significance of social media, conflicting evidence on dietary components, the value of debates for education, and personal experiences with injuries and challenges in the fitness industry.

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

In this episode, the hosts discuss fat burners and their effectiveness. They reference a recent study that showed a commercially available thermogenesis fat burner seemed to have some effect, but the extent of its impact on fat loss is uncertain. They also explore the ingredients in fat burners, individual variation in energy expenditure, and the effects of caffeine. The hosts share personal experiences with fat burners during preparation for competitions. They discuss other fat burners on the market and the broader data on this class of supplements.

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 

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/ 

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/  

Dr. Helms recaps WNBF Worlds and explores motivations of bodybuilders. Dr. Trexler discusses muscle loss during weight loss and the misconceptions surrounding it.