Iron Radio

Join a call to Ernie Lilliebridge Sr. and Ernie Lilliebridge Jr. as they answer Iron Radio listener questions. Coach Stevens has interacted with the strength community and brought quite a few inquiries for these world record holders! Topics range from motivation to injury to genetics to training philosophy and more. If you've ever wondered what high-level frequently competing powerlifters think, this special show will provide some insight. Pull up a bench and learn what you can from these titans of the competitive scene! NOTE - old school phone calls like this do not always result in the best audio quality, so be forgiving and glean what you can.

In another fairly long episode, the guys tackle news and speak with tech-savvy business owner Keith Norris. In the news, yet another protein supplement scam ripples across the industry and fast food realities get discussed. In the Topic of the Day, Keith shares his observations using a new type of technology that monitors force output, primarily during eccentric movements. How does the use of negative reps equal efficiency? Is biofeedback useful to lifters during a rep? And how does one program his training, given the extended time frames surrounding eccentric lifts? Tune in and find out!

It's an extra long show! After some holiday news and a discussion on high-dose caffeine, the guys discuss New Year's resolutions. First, in the news, several questions crop up. What did the guys get for Christmas? What training-related stuff did YOU get for Christmas? And what's confusing about caffeine? Can it help with recovery in some ways but blunt muscle growth in others? Also, how much arse is being kicked by the Eastern European raw lifters? Then, after the mid-show break, talk turns to the new year. Phil shares thoughts on resolutions versus proper goals, Dr. L computes how long it takes to lose significant amounts of fat or gain noticable muscle, and Dr. Nelson offers data on New Year's resolution success rates. Also discussed are exercise timing windows, muscle biopsies, mTOR and cancer, green tea, curcumin, resveratrol, homemade gym equipment, Phil's new gym, diminishing returns, why people fail, and tons more. Happy New Year to the whole Iron Brotherhood!

What was most memorable this past year? Join university strength coach Mary Catherine Powers as she reminisces and makes predictions with the guys. Topics of discussion are myriad. How about a big list? Best researcher, best research topic, social media icons, notable supplement companies and trends, powerlifting records and comebacks, gut bacteria, gluten-free diets, detox diets, IIFYM, GOMAD, favorite Iron Radio episodes and notable listeners, Ed Coan, Bill Pearl, James Flex Lewis, Russion translations of strength texts, lifting after work, the International Society of Sports Nutrition, meat pies, authentic tacos, the quantified self, Fit Bits and new tech, worst drug testing scandal, and tons more. Also, think outside the box musically and check out a holiday pop-classical intro from The Piano Guys.

Dr. Lowery, Coach Stevens and Dr. Nelson cover some news, then discuss the concept of sticky ideas in the fitness field. The news is about cold weather training, minerals that help with carbohydrate metabolism, how bromance reduces cortisol, and how much protein can be consumed before fat-burning cardio. The Topic of the Day covers what features make an idea pervasive and persistent. Some ideas in fitness are bad and just don't go away. Some ideas are good, and we can use the same principles to spread them and make them stick. It's time for your weekly dose of Iron!

After the usual news, Dr. Lowery and Jon Mike get hungry. With Holiday Season bulking days upon us, it's time to tell tales of heroic eating. What are some favorite high-calorie yet nutrient-rich foods? And what stories go with them? Further, what if these foods were broken down into high-carb, high-fat, and high-protein categories? It's a fun discussion that's also informational. Come on in, grab some meat pie, and break through your mass gain barrier!

In an extra long holiday episode, the guys get grateful. The news covers the health benefits of counting one's blessings as well as the nutrition knowledge of sports coaches. Then, in the Topic of the Day, a web search sets the tone for what muscle heads are thankful for. Favorite exercises, supplements, and foods get attention. What are YOU most thankful for? Then, it's time to Enter the Fortress. It's not Thanksgiving up North, so Rob instead shares his thoughts on the anabolic steroid scene in his part of Canada. Brace yourself for Fortress' usual frank talk. Thanks for joining-in!

Like news and topical questions from listeners? If so, this show is for you. The mail bag was stuffed and there's the usual news coming aboout, so the guys wade through a good portion of it. Topics seem to congregate around fat loss but range all over. Lonnie, Phil, and Big Jon cover coffee phytochemicals beyond caffeine, bad Internet searches by those seeking fat loss, a controversial new study on fed-versus-fasting cardio, how a big man cuts down to 12 percent fat, and tons more. There's also information in this one on how to earmark a donation to the show if you'd like to fund Lowery's research or Phil's sponsorship of worthy competitors. Got time? We've got talk!

Yes, you read the title correctly. Politics. They affect us all, on multiple levels. So, after some news on hidden factors that may be packing fat on your frame, the guys tackle the forbidden. In what ways do politics and government regulations affect us as lifters? Discussion ranges from health and nutrition licensure, which are state regulated, to dietary supplement differences between republicans and democrats, to healthcare. Even in-the-gym politics get attention. Bodybuilders, powerlifters, olympic lifters - on a micro-level, can we manage ourselves better than dysfunctional politicians do? Liberal or conservative, feel free to join the discussion!

This week the guys jump right into an interview with sports nutrition and muscle researcher Dr. Chad Kerksick. Lots of questions get answered. Does a scientist's research change how he lifts, himself? What populations stand to benefit from resistance training most? And where do many resistance trainers make mistakes when they could simplify and make progress? Then, after a bit of listener news, everyone moves to the Topic of the Day. The conversation ranges from liquid creatine to protein blends, to the stigma surrounding dietary supplements, and more. Come on in and stay up on the literature!

In the news, Lonnie and Phil talk about new science on what oats do for the body, about the beta-version of the Iron Radio store, and about current lifting meets. Then, in the Topic of the Day, the guys cover another textbook training principle - reversibility. How long does it take to lose size and function of various bodily systems? From muscle mass, to cellular energy processes, to bone density, to the nervous system, several important areas get attention. And of course the guys cover the practical and coaching aspects of reversibility, like programming and gaining maturity to reduce the fear of loss. Tune in to prevent gray matter atrophy!

In the news, Lonnie, Mike Nelson, and Jon Mike share info on detox scams, sensory deprivation tanks, and caffeine habituation. Then in the Topic of the Day, guest Rich Colasante shares insider information on the present and future of orthopedic - mostly spinal - treatments for heavy lifters. Do you do anything to keep yourself pain-free, performing optimally and with a long training career ahead of you? Or do you just keep training, pop anti-inflammatories, live on pain killers, and hope for the best? The guys cover prehab, getting serious with compliance, stem cells, PRP therapy, communicating with your surgeon, preventive traction via bar hangs and tons more. Pull up a bench and get in on this!

After some nutrition and drug-related news, the guys check in with Highland Games world champion Matt Vincent. The news covers colorful foods and recovery, and dimethylsulfoxide - DMSO - as an anti-inflammatory and drug delivery agent. Then, Highland Games world champion Matt Vincent talks about his recent victory, peaking, weight loss, and other late-season factors that helped him win. Then, after the break, Matt drops some knowledge bombs regarding explosive lifts to enhance throwing event performance. Learn what lifts he feels are essential, what he thinks about missing lifts in training, how much throwing practice is necessary, how long he programs strength versus speed cycles, and more. The guys even wax philosophical about balance in the life of a strong dude. Come on in!

Dr. Lowery and Big Jon Mike geek out with professor and sports nutrition researcher Bill Campbell. Dr. Campbell is yet another example of how a love of bodybuilding is not only congruent with, but actually drives academic pursuits. The guys discuss plenty. Topics include meal frequency, arginine products and vasodilation, flexible undulating periodization, and an over-emphasis on sports supplements. Take your seats, muscle class is in session!

With Phil at a competition, Lonnie and Mike Nelson share news and have a chat with tactical training coach, Matt Holmes. First in the news, listener mail regarding body recompositioning gets attention. Then, binging on sugar at Halloween, and the central nervous system get discussed. In the Topic of the Day, Matt, a coach with a difficult past and a history of overcoming obstacles, shares thoughts on tactical training. What is it? How does he get results? And how does military fitness differ from typical training programs? No time for a warm up, let's get into the discussion!

After a bit of nutrition and industry news, the guys chat with Canadian physique competitor and trainer Melissa Traynor. Topics include the Canadian competitive hierarchy in fitness and bodybuilding, business influences, politics, and subjectivity in judging. And through it all, there remains that love of physique competition. Then, in the Topic of the Day, everyone discusses the trend toward high intensity training, all of the time. Does a camaraderie of self-abuse drive the trend? Is a frantic drive for high heart rates the best approach to quality training? And what are the mature alternatives? Take a breath, settle down, and tune in to find out!

Dr. Lowery and Phil share science news and industry news, then talk about their favorite lifting techniques of late. In science news, the guys cover vitamins, fish oils, and coffee naps. In industry news, the Mr. Olympia weekend gets discussion. Then, in the Topic of the Day, favorite training techniques and programs are on tap. Eccentric reps, potentiation, avoiding failure, neural plasticity, and frequency overload get attention. Also, do you fight reps or coast through a lockout? Do you condition yourself to fail? Are you optimizing your muscle protein synthesis windows? Tune in and get some insights. Future guests are also offered. Pull up a bench and get in on this!

Coach Stevens and Dr. L share industry and science news, then go after some of the slickest conmen in our industry. In the news, super-total events, very-high-protein diets, and a new healthy snack get attention. Then, in the Topic of the Day, the guys target nutrition and fitness gurus. What defines a guru? What's an advanced guru? What are they studying to take advantage of you? And why else are they a threat? Tune in and find out. Also covered are cults of personality, God complexes, fake universities, and reinventing established educational paths in one's own image. Tune in and defend yourself!

Dr. Lowery and Fortress cover all sorts of news, go off on tangents, and review weight gainers. In industry news, the death of a famous bodybuilder leads to discussion on career longevity. Where do YOU stand on burning out versus fading away? In science news, new fat loss studies shed light on traditional bodybuilding approaches. Are two meals better than six? Does building muscle inadvertently cause fat loss? And if so, when? Then, in the Topic of the Day, the purchase of a weight gainer powder leads to an invesigation and review of what's actually in them. Can the same product vary depending on where it's sold? Are you paying forty bucks for a tub of cheap sugar? And what's good about mass gainers in general? Tune in and wise up!

First, Phil talks with large mammal Ben Moore on his success in both strongman and powerlifting. Topics range from the interplay between the sports, to peaking for a meet, to nutrition. Then after the break, join Lonnie and guest host Jon Mike for some gym talk. The guys cover conjugate training, using eccentric contractions for gains, and more. Want advice from both an elite competitor and a scientist-lifter? Join the conversation!