Iron Radio

This week is a bit different. After Drs. Nelson and Lowery cover nutrition news and iTunes reviews, Phil goes out onto the floor of a powerlifting meet for brief interviews. News topics include the anabolic effect of plant proteins, huge protein intakes and fat gain, what healthy poop looks like, and cranberries as anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals that also aid gut health. After the mid-show break, Coach Stevens covers some lifter questions and offers audio clips from the floor of the Sunflower State power meet. Topics include leaving weight on the platform, judging squat depth, positive versus negative reinforcement, first time competitors, timing one's energy drink on the big day, and plenty more. Tune in and see why Iron Radio is the favorite podcast of many strength and health enthusiasts!

The science-vs-sport pendulum swings back toward athletes this week with with Highland Games national lightweight champion Mike Beech. After Lonnie covers some news and mail, Coach Stevens talks shop with Mike. The news is about working and playing hard, and the injury risks in strength and muscle sports. Which sport is most dangerous? Find out! News also covers crazy 1100-pound deadlifts and controversial Crossfit prizes. Then in the day's topic, the guys cover which events take place in the lightweight and heavyweight classes of Highland games, trends in the sport, the Highlander approach to gym time, and tons more. Pull up a bench and get in on this!

Drs. Nelson and Lowery cover news and listener mail, then talk behavior modification with licensed counselor Kelly Lowery. First, coffee science takes center stage and bodybuilding posing tips get covered. What weird applications are coming from used coffee grounds? And how does drawing stick figures help prepare one for physique display on stage? Find out! Then in the day's topic, behavioral therapist - and bodybuilder's wife - Kelly Lowery gets in on a fat loss discussion. What is CBT? How do counselors set up clients for behavior change? Which lifestyle factors help or hinder adherence to a fat loss program? Time to get your learn on.

In this holiday weekend episode, the guys cover lots of news, then discuss dietary supplements. The news is about engineering super broccoli, a huge new whey and casein factory opening in Europe, the mechanism by which gut microbes affect our physiology, coffee - more coffee - and much more. After the break, the talk turns to which dietary supplements each co-host has in his cabinet. From muscle building to dieting, to injury prevention and rehab, and even to nootropics, the bases get covered. Time to turn on Iron Radio while you grill up those steaks!

After everyone answers fun questions in the culmination of the Quick Fire contest, two major topics get attention. First, David Barr - long a critic of overstated claims for pre-post-workout timing - makes some serious observations. Anthony Almada concurs, offering his experise and evidence from the literature as well. Then, after the break, the guys talk all things keto. Do fat-adapted athletes struggle with intense workouts? Are very low-carbohydrate diets only for those of a certain genetic disposition? Almada furthers the discussion with more insights from the literature. This is a fun and informative episode that dares to challenge convention.

We are all creatures of habit. But can you manipulate yours to benefit your training? After some news on diabetes and a new handheld spectroscopy-based food scanner, the guys talk behavior change. Trainer, podcaster, and entrepreneur Mark Rogers shares insights on how long it takes to form a new lifestyle habit, what mechanisms underlie it, how to set yourself up for maximum benefit, and more. It's time to reinforce your own weekly practice - of listening to Iron Radio!

News and on-site coverage are some of the best things a podcast can share. This week you get five hosts and guests offering both! First, Phil and Jon cover recent deaths as well as doping in the news. After the break, Lonnie catches up with Korey Van Wyk and Sean Casey to get thoughts on the International Society of Sports Nutrition conference, and lessons from Sean's new dietary supplement company start-up. Note that the audio can be a bit rough at times bu the information is good!

This week the crew covers news, listener mail, and then shares upcoming Iron Radio-related events. The news is about science journalism and how much we can trust nuritrion studies. The two mail bits cover herniated disks and under-eating. After the mid-show break, the day's topic is just catching up with the myriad fitness industry events that have the co-hosts running everywhere. Dr. Nelson's speaking engagements and certifications, Coach Stevens' Barbell Open event and behind-the-scenes happenngs, and Dr. Lowery's research presentation on muscle recovery this summer. Also tune in for Iron Radio plans like the Quick Fire contest, upcoming guests, and more. Join in!

Phil and Lonnie cover some news, then sit down with collegiate strength and conditioning lab instructor Oliver Harper. The news is about extremely brief, high-intensity workouts, and the power of nutrition to change physical structures. The Topic of the Day covers academic strength and conditioning preparation. What do undergraduate students bring to the table? What do they lack? And what types of experiences do they need in their education? This holiday edition of Iron Radio offers insights for any lifter curious about getting educated in his pursuits.

Lonnie and Jon cover news and mail before moving to the Topic of the Day. The news involves longer rest periods between sets and a drug side effect warning that may affect lifters. The mail asks about lactose intolerant lifters and protein powders. And the day's topic of discussion is on bad ideas and good ideas. Have you ever screwed up with a nutrition or supplement plan? Do you have any tales of lifting programs that really worked? Drs. Lowery and Mike share some stories of their own. There may be some lessons here that could prevent you from wasting time, money and effort!

Lonnie, Phil and Mike talk about Phil's big announcement and other news before discussing the Topic of the Day. In the news, Phil and some other industry names are putting together a video-based powerlifting event. Could be BIG! Also in the news is a video on complete breakfasts, the current higher-protein trend, and pre-workout supplements. After the break, the guys offer discussion on things they can't explain. From high-dose caffeine, to muscle recovery, to insulin, grindig strength, and more, everyone ponders. Pull up a bench and get in on this!

Phil, Jon and Mike cover some news and have a relaxed chat about muscle confusion. The news covers a new at-home three-dimensional body scanner, problems with Biggest Loser participants, supposedly-wasted time spent in the gym, and the upcoming Olympic trials in weightlifting. Then, in the Topic of the Day, the guys discuss misconceptions over the concept of muscle confusion. Is it just a marketing ploy? How does muscle tissue actually respond to training variety? And how might a lifter use real programming principles such as variety and overload, or unilateral lifts and different planes of movement, properly? It's time again for your weekly dose of Iron Radio!

Dr. Lowery does some science news from the road, then Coach Stevens catches up with JP Price about his recent groundbreaking HUGE squat and great meet. First, in the news, Dr. L covers at-risk nutrients among popular diets - vegan, low-carbohydrate, and paleo-diets. There's also information on what a high-fat diet may be doing to your daytime sleepiness and nighttime sleep quality. Then, after the break, the Topic of the Day is a discussion with powerlifter JP Price on his recent 1003-pound squat. Unbelievable!

How do you ramp up for the gym or relax at night? Drs. Lowery and Nelson share the news, then talk dietary supplements. The focus is on pre-workout stimulants and sleep aids. Benefits and pitfalls are both addressed. Ingredients such as niacin, beta-alanine, caffeine, magnesium, theanine, melatonin, and valerian root are among compounds that get attention. Also tune in for news on how caffeine works in the body, the global state of obesity and diabetes, and additional benefits of milk proteins in your protein bars. Lastly, check out the Quick Fire contest on the Iron Radio Listeners Facebook page!

After the usual news and mail, the guys talk periodization. Which frameworks exist for designing training programs and avoiding staleness? There are basic concepts at work that help educated lifters better understand the myriad commercial programs out there. Linear, reverse-linear, undulating periodization - they are all valid depending on your goals. Also tune in for information on a common painkiller that might be interfering with your mental state and even lifting technique, insurance discounts at the grocer, and a proposal for new food labeling. Finally, don't forget to participate in the April-May Quick Fire contest. Prizes await those posting on the Iron Radio Listeners Facebook page!

Note, audio glitch mid-show is now fixed. Come on site with Drs. Lowery and Nelson for a sneak peak into breaking science that may help lifters.

Travel, surgery and flu notwithstanding, Phil and Dr. L serve up a brief discussion on some key lifting terms you may not know, or of which you may have definitions of your own. From grinding to hitching, from muscularity to ripped, the persistent pair offer their thoughts. Also tune in for news on what long naps may do to your metabolism, and what implications they may hold for your macronutrient choices. Finally, tune in for an April-May contest in which the guys put out a call for Quick Fire questions. Prizes await those posting on the Iron Radio Listeners Facebook page!

This week the guys talk to powerlifter, teacher, and not-for-profit organizer John Downing. John is already coordinating efforts to bring powerlifting to Zimbabwe and has his sights set on other countries as well. How does one go from simply hearing the clanging of iron plates in a foreign weight room to setting up agreements with governments and business donors? What does this mean for the health of the people around the community centers where it takes place? And what positive impact could powerlifting have on the health of the locals? Tune in to find out! Also in this episode, Dr. L talks about biological clocks and nutrient timing and Phil shares insights about his surgical recovery. Note, Phil is dealing with a substitute mic in this episode, which will temporarily affect his audio quality.

The fitness and nutrition news, and the listener mail, have been mounting so Drs. Lowery and Nelson cover it all in a slightly longer episode. Topics include a downturn in the U.S. diet, salt and appetite, changing your taste preferences, the bogus overuse of weight-for-height as a wellness marker, eating second breakfast, fucoxanthin supplementation, slacker fitness standards for the Navy, doping in sport, and tons more. Also tune in for discussion on properly measuring your max lifts, the role of thyroid for physique management, and careful re-feeds after a diet. Come on in and get informed!

This week Coach Stevens and Dr. Mike are joined by philosopher Dr. Andew Cutler. After the usual listener mail and news, the guys get contemplative. Dr. Cutler offers for your consideration concepts above and beyond physical fitness. Have you considered higher level issues such as lifelong learning and self-actualization, helping others, citizenship, liturgy and reflection on it all? This week you are invited to go a little deeper!