Barbell Shrugged

Delving into the impact of stress on the body, the podcast covers topics like HRV monitoring, CO2 tolerance tests, and cortisol curves. They explore the autonomic nervous system, stress management, and health optimization programs. Additionally, they discuss cardiovascular training, CO2 tolerance, breath training, and holistic approaches to stress management.

Expert on heart rate recovery Bryan Boorstein discusses the importance of monitoring heart rate after workouts, implications for overall health, and strategies for improving recovery rates. Topics include interval training, optimizing cardio workouts, interpreting HRV scores, and utilizing heart rate data in programming for enhanced fitness. The conversation also touches on endurance training, biking preferences, and the significance of midline support in training goals.

In this episode, Doug Larson, Travis Mash and Anders Varner catch up on the Olympic trials, international weightlifting meets, and Anders’ pursuit of a 6-minute mile. Coach Travis Mash has been out for a couple weeks as he has traveled the world for international weightlifting meets leading up to the USA Olympic Qualifiers for weightlifting. We initially discuss Anders' pursuit of the 6-minute mile, with training insights, and move into weight cuts, jet lag, performance and recovery, for athletes. We also dig into the latest research on Olympic weightlifting that offers new insights into speed development vs. top end strength and how Coach Mash is using this in preparation for the Olympic trials. Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Listen to performance nutritionist Alan Kenny discuss the importance of DEXA scans in evaluating body composition and health indicators. Explore topics such as the role of visceral fat in health, analyzing DEXA scan reports, optimizing health through tailored interventions, and assessing body composition for targeted supplements and nutrition plans. Gain insights on the precision of DEXA scans and their implications for holistic health management.

As an Educator and Coach at SH/FT, Emily Hightower leverages her expertise in the neurophysiology of trauma and resilience to help clients master their stress response and improve their quality of life. By combining over 25 years of experience as a breathing expert, yoga teacher, river guide, and wilderness EMT, Emily empowers high performers to disrupt limits, align with nature, and heal their bodies and minds. Emily developed SH/FT’s Skill of Stress course and teaches the N=1 Exposure Experience and Mentorship program with Brian MacKenzie. Her experiential teaching approach enables clients to understand and direct their stress response to drive optimal performance under pressure while promoting long-term balance. Before joining SH/FT, Emily founded Intrinsic, where she helped combat veterans, athletes, and clients recovering from substance abuse resolve past traumas and gain clarity using a science-based approach and tools such as breath, exposure, somatic yoga, archery, and integrative nutrition. Earlier in her career, Emily’s practice was based in a neurology clinic, where she integrated her approach with cutting-edge neuroscience and research. Her clients include the United States Special Operations Command Adaptive Care Unit and other Veterans services in the US and Abroad. She also served as the Education Director for the Headwaters Institute, facilitating river education seminars on 28 watersheds in the US and Chile. Emily is a Master Yoga Teacher with 16,000+ hours of teaching experience specializing in Pranayama Breathing. She lives with her husband, Brian Hightower, and their son and loves to ski, run rivers, and bow hunt.   Emily Hightower on Instagram Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Professor Phillips is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health in Aging. He is a Professor in Kinesiology, and Graduate Faculty in the School of Medicine at McMaster University. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (FCAHS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). His research is focused on the impact of nutrition and exercise on the mechanisms of human skeletal muscle protein turnover. He is also keenly interested in diet- and exercise-induced changes in body composition particularly in older persons. His research is funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the National Science and Engineering Council of Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the US NIH, the USDA, and several industry partners. Dr. Stu Phillips on Instagram Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Guest Pratik Patel, health and performance coach, discusses using data to build personalized nutrition and supplementation programs. The podcast covers the importance of lab testing and data collection, optimizing health through nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle, managing high cholesterol, making informed decisions about nutrition vs. supplementation, understanding risk factors and navigating health information, the benefits and dosage of creatine supplementation, and the importance of omega-3.

Dr. Chris Perry, an Assistant Professor at Eastern Kentucky University, discusses the concept of chronotype and the impact of melatonin, alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine on sleep. The guests explore the significance of sleep regularity, aligning sleep with circadian rhythm, and the effects of time-restricted eating. They also discuss the importance of temperature in sleep, psychological well-being, and the effects of substances on sleep quality and health.

In today’s episode of Barbell Shrugged, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis sit down with Anders coach, Dr. Mike T. Nelson. For those that have followed the show, you know Anders has been in pursuit of running a sub-6 minute mile at the age of 40. Dr. Nelson is the coach Anders hired to help with that goal. In this episode the crew walks through program design, initial intake, and execution of how to build cardiovascular fitness. You will learn performance tests used to design Anders training program, how priorities are scheduled into a busy life, understanding higher intensity efforts mixed with Vo2Max training, Zone 2 efforts, and how to maintain strength throughout the process. We hope you enjoy. Work with Dr. Nelson Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

In today’s episode of Barbell Shrugged, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis dive into the thought process and strategies we use to build a positive conversation around fitness and nutrition. We dig into the proper framing of how to eat, the benefits of specific foods, and the steps we take to ensure our kids are eating well. We also discuss the steps we take to ensure our kids see fitness as a healthy part of life by being outside, seeing us train, and celebrating an active lifestyle. This show will give you insight into a subject we do not dedicate full shows to, however, is something we think about on a daily basis when raising our kids. We hope you enjoy. Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram