RippedBody.com

In this first episode of the second season I have my friend James Clear of JamesClear.com. James writes and teaches people how to instill lasting habits. I've been reading his work for years, and there is no doubt that his writing has helped me to become a better coach. After 6 years of writing, he's releasing his first book called Atomic Habits. So, while everything is super fresh in his mind, I decided to have him on to give us advice on the best ways to set training and nutrition habits. For the full show notes head to: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-james-clear/

Hypertrophy researcher, Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, answers questions covering considerations for older lifters, hypertrophy mechanisms, training splits, the value of mind-muscle connection, and how to tell if you are training too much or too little. For the full show notes & links visit: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-brad-schoenfeld

Joseph Agu talks about the challenges he faced working as sports nutritionist to the British Athletics Team, and how those lessons apply to us regular trainees. For the full show notes and links go to: rippedbody.com/podcast-joseph-agu

In this second part of our interview, Menno talks about the recent HMB and Ketogenic diet study fraud, and why using steroids can be like creating a "game over" scenario which you want to avoid. For the full show notes & links visit: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-menno-henselmans-pt2

Recorded in my living room in Tokyo, Coach Menno Henselmans of BayesianBodybuilding.com shares tips on how he has stayed jacked and shredded while traveling for the last five years. I also asked Menno about the somewhat controversial topic of race-based muscular potential, why he isn’t a fan of HIIT, why he quit business consulting to pursue a fear in fitness, and his frank thoughts on meal timing and intermittent fasting. For the full show notes & links visit: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-menno-henselmans/

This time I have Patrick Umphrey on the show, the man behind the legendary "Eat. Train. Progress." Facebook group. I talk to him about the power of empathy when working with clients, building that community, and how that has lead to a stream of applicants for his coaching business. For the full show notes and links go to: rippedbody.com/podcast-patrick-umphrey

This interview with Luka Hocevar was absolutely epic. Luka owns Vigor Ground fitness, a 12,000 square foot facility just outside of Seattle in a town called Renton. It's the best gym I have ever walked into, so I invited Luka on to talk about his journey to opening that, from being a regular LA Fitness trainer. The interview ended up being SO much more than that. The start of this episode may sound like an advert for his gym, but the point of it is that I want you to hear the vision and the passion, and be inspired if you are looking to do something similar. Later in the interview, we start talking about building a fitness business yourself. How Luka has run charity boot camps for the last 10 years every Saturday, which is not only something he loves doing but has helped him seal a solid reputation in the community and earned him heaps of clients along the way. We dig into how you can leverage ideas such as this to build trust, empower people to make a change, and build a business out of something you love doing. Show notes and links here: rippedbody.com/podcast-luka-hocevar

Special Q&A Session with questions from members of the RippedBody.com Family Facebook Group. Why not join the family? https://facebook.com/groups/rippedbody Get the full show notes and links here: https://rippedbody.com/podcast/andy-morgan-2

"The thing that ties all lifters together, regardless of their level, is that we are all interested in getting to the next PR." On this episode, I interview Mike Tuchscherer, founder of Reactive Training Systems, and father of using 'Rate of Perceived Exertion' (RPE) based on 'reps in reserve' to modulate recovery with training. Mike has coached 12 people to world records, he is one of only five people to have ever totaled over 2100 lbs in the 260 lb in the IPF, and is something of a legend in the training community. In this interview, you'll hear the story of how Mike accidentally pulled a world record deadlift. You'll learn how to use RPE in your training to help manage and progress better, and we also answer reader questions. Enjoy! Show Links Super Training - The go-to book in Mike’s college lifting career https://goo.gl/iCLHia Reactive Training Systems - Mike’s coaching business http://www.reactivetrainingsystems.com/ Free Applications - To monitor athlete training and recovery https://goo.gl/LDmyUf Greg Nuckols’ kitchen sink analogy - On work capacity and recovery https://rippedbody.com/work-capacity/ RTS Basics - Great starting resources on RPE http://articles.reactivetrainingsystems.com/category/rts-basics/ “Fixing the ‘Tuck Under’ When I Squat” - Fixing butt wink / limited squat depth by Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2012/03/q-a-fixing-the-tuck-under-when-squatting-part-i/ Project Momentum - It’s for a training question we do not have an answer for http://articles.reactivetrainingsystems.com/2016/04/01/project-momentum/ Complete Show Notes here: https://goo.gl/TdiK8u

This is the third and final of a multi-part interview with Greg Nuckols of StrongerbyScience.com. Greg is one of my favorite people in the industry, exceptionally smart, a gifted writer, and happens to be one of the strongest people in the world. Greg answers reader questions and we cover three key things: - Squats: How do your muscles distribute the load when squatting? - Why Greg is not a fan of the term “progressive overload”. - Muscle Gain: Pushing yourself and why we stop growing. Greg on load distribution when Squatting. - How do bi-articular muscles distribute the load over the entire lower body when squatting? If this section goes a little over your head, get in-depth squatting guides and information on StrongerbyScience.com [1:15] Greg on hamstring emphasis. - How much can we emphasize the hamstrings when sitting back when squatting? Greg digs into the research on forward knee travel and muscle activation. Ultimately, there tends to be a lot of similar muscle activation, even when squats look very different. Greg was initially skeptical of this research, based on his personal experience with front squats. [9:15] Progressive Overload. - How should we think of progressive overload and accumulation of volume when you are not a newbie anymore? Greg is not a fan of the term, “progressive overload.” Training stimulus relative to their capacity is key. [15:45] Not pushing yourself in the gym. - Greg thinks the majority of people train like a bitch. There is a big difference between people working directly with a coach versus given a training program. There are genetic limits, but how hard you train determines how far you can progress. [23:00] Is it fine to add upper body accessory work on a lower body day? - Greg says, yes. You will likely want to hit more of your upper body on different planes. [29:15] What are the behaviors of people who have gained a lot of strength? - They tend to have extreme personalities. They tend to have obsessions with sleep. [32:15] Can unilateral exercises be helpful in bringing up maximal strength in the big lifts? - Greg doesn’t think they build much strength directly, but it helps avoid injuries or hypotrophy. [33:45] Is it optimal to put competition lifts and secondary lifts on different days? - In a perfect world, split them up. However, generally, it is better to put them into one session (based on recovery). [36:15] My squat has plateaued, I’m trying to avoid leg hypertrophy, what should I do? - If your squat is not going up and you do not want to get bigger, you have simply plateaued. [37:15] Should strength go up during a mesocycle? - Greg thinks your strength should improve or stay flat, most of the time. However, if you are seeing a bigger drop, you are likely over-reaching. [38:15] How would you set up a power-building plan? - Powerlifting and power-building are pretty much the same. Power-building is just smart powerlifting training. [39:45] Does the body adapt to cardio and burn fewer calories over time? - Yes, your body does become more efficient, to a degree. There are relatively larger differences between individuals, but the difference within an individual is small. Unless you are a competitive endurance athlete, the differences will likely not be noticeable. [41:15] Is it possible to strategically drop training volume in order to resensitize for muscle growth? - Greg thinks there is something to varying the stimulus itself. However, that’s essentially why you use a periodization program. [43:45] Why do we stop growing(muscle)? There is no strong data to show why. Greg doesn’t know why people stop growing. [47:15] Show Links: Strongerbyscience.com - Greg’s website: http://strongerbyscience.com/ Gregnuckols.com - Greg’s blog: http://gregnuckols.com/ MASS - Greg’s research Review: www.strongerbyscience.com/mass/ Podcast Interview #3 - Greg Nuckols on Lifting Heavy Things, Business Ethics, Beer and Music: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-greg-nuckols/

This is the second of a multi part interview with Greg Nuckols of StrongerbyScience.com. Greg answers reader questions and we cover three key things: Protein timing recommendations - are smaller people eating too little when they set their protein intake based on bodyweight? Misapplication of science to push agendas and how to treat people with opposing points of view Hilarity of consuming too many blueberries. If you wish to skip past the funnies and straight to the first question covering why Greg doesn’t bother with Youtube, jump to the 8 minute mark. Pineapple on Pizza? Greg thinks, yes. Andy’s odd Japan pizza experiences. [1:45] Ben Carpenter vs. Greg Nuckols. Is Greg really in Andy’s “Top 3?” [2:45] Beard Care. Genetics is really what’s responsible for a great beard, according to Greg. [3:45] Greg’s blueberry intake. Greg usually has one pint of blueberries per day, but it is not the secret to his intelligence. Greg warns not to eat too many blueberries. [4:45] Is there anything Greg does not know? Greg is really good at steering a conversation into things he knows a lot about. [7:30] Why did Greg stop posting on YouTube? Greg feels that the YouTube fitness industry is “cancerous.” He thinks the reason is due to the highly visual nature of the content and the audience’s knowledge. [8:00] Greg on Protein Intake Articles: Jorn Trommelen vs. Eric Helms. Greg speaks to the differences between “Perfecting Protein Intake in Athletes” by Jorn Trommelen and “Reflecting on Five Years of Protein Research” by Eric Helms. The difference really boils down to what research you are looking at and how you balance the research. The newest research has shown that muscle protein synthesis does not show different recommended amount of protein based on lean body mass. Jorn will add an addendum to the article to clarify that if you get enough lucine to trigger muscle protein synthesis. [11:45]. Could a protein study work for lighter powerlifters? Greg would want to see if a study would work above and below the normal range. [24:15] Japan’s Powerlifters. Andy and Greg talk about Powerlifters in Japan and their amazing bench pressing technique. [25:45] Misapplication of science to push agendas, GMO vegetables, and wide-squats. Greg thinks you should treat information and people differently. You don’t always need to agree with people, but you should treat them with respect. [27:45] Show Links Strongerbyscience.com - Greg’s website: https://strongerbyscience.com/ Gregnuckols.com - Greg’s blog: http://gregnuckols.com/ MASS - Greg’s research Review: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/mass/ “Perfecting Protein Intake in Athletes” - Article on Greg’s website by Jorn Trommelen: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/athlete-protein-intake/ “Reflecting on Five Years of Protein Research” - Article on Greg’s website by Eric Helms: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/reflecting-on-five-years-studying-protein/ Listen on iTunes and Stitcher: ↳ iTunes: goo.gl/sH8g8s ↳ Stitcher: goo.gl/zDLA1t

"Dude, if you're like a hardcore Ketofile, you're probably not going to be aware of the vast majority of research that says otherwise. If you're not spending time on Pub-med, and you're mostly spending time reading blogs and perusing social media, you find yourself in an echo chamber. Then if you get in a discussion and toss those studies out at people, it's not cherry picking, that's just being unaware of what else is out there." How Greg felt about presenting at a fitness conference. - Greg described presenting with Eric Helms and Mike Tuchscherer as a surreal and great experience. [2:00] How Greg started. - The story of how Greg got started in the industry until now, where he is invited to speak internationally. Greg didn’t feel like his formal education is really meaningful. Greg learned out of genuine curiosity as to why things are true. Greg started writing on GregNuckols.com because of the encouragement of his wife. Next, Greg started to offer online training because he was moving cities. Greg decided not to go back to school, and instead worked with his wife, Lindsay, to focus on their online business. [3:00] Greg as a speaker. - Greg doesn’t take himself too seriously, even through his material is very data driven. Greg also doesn’t feel like he is on the same level as others with a more formal education. [7:30] Contradicting studies. - Greg explains why this myth exists and how he recommends you critique research findings. Greg mentions different populations, different methods of data collection, different methods of study design, or statistical change. Greg admits that single studies can be wrong, but that’s where a larger body of research is valuable. [9:30] People caught in an “echo chamber.” - Greg thinks that people are generally not cherry picking, but instead are caught in an echo chamber. If you are not spending time on PubMed, you are simply unaware of the information that is out there. [17:15] Hanlon’s Razor. - "Do not ascribe to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity." [19:00] The Dunning-Kruger effect. - What you think you know versus what you actually know. People who didn’t know much on a topic tend to overestimate how much they know. Greg thinks that more people should use the statement, “I think.” [20:30] Keeping up with research. - How crucial is keeping up with research yourself versus relying on a research review? What Greg recommends you do. Most of the time, Greg recommends to let other people model how to interpret research. If you struggle to read a paper, it is likely not relevant to you. Research reviews, such as MASS, are also available. Sometimes, Greg feels that other people’s interpretations of papers are incorrect. [27:15] Thanks for listening - Andy and Greg

"I don't track my macros either, and loads of people are surprised when they hear that because I talk about it all the time. But if you want to do it via the simplest method possible, why would you track more meticulously than you need to?" Ben Carpenter is an in-demand and immensely popular UK-based personal trainer. He's well versed in all the geeky stuff we fitness nerds like to talk about on the internet, but I would argue that his special talent lies in the ways he takes that information and breaks it down to advise the regular folks who walk into his gym. In this interview, we did into that. We also discuss his incredible physical recovery from losing nearly 50lbs, all his hard-earned muscle mass and more, twice(!) after suffering bouts of Crohn's disease, and most common mistakes he sees with his clients with advice on how you can avoid making them. For detailed show notes and links, head to www.rippedbody.com/podcast-ben-carpenter

In this 60-minute interview, researcher and coach, Eric Helms, answers twenty reader questions posted in our Facebook Group. We talk about a variety of topics including RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion), full-body versus splits, protein frequency and how bodybuilders can progress through a plateau. The show also starts off with an exclusive musical number by yours truly. Enjoy! For detailed show notes and links - Click here www.rippedbody.com/podcast-eric-helms-3

How can we stay up to date with training research? What is the point of even trying to do so when we have studies coming out that seemingly contradict one another so often? Fresh off of finishing up his Ph.D., I welcome Eric Helms back on the podcast to explain why these seeming contradictions exist, how research can be useful, and the tools we can use to stay on top of it. We begin with a story of the hard realities of conducting the type of studies we want - those that will tell us how to get more jacked and ripped. Eric, as always, totally crushes this. I hope you enjoy this conversation with my friend, co-author, researcher, geek, powerlifter, bodybuilder, and highly sought-after coach, Eric Helms. For detailed show notes and links - Click here www.rippedbody.com/podcast-eric-helms-2

On this episode of the Rippedbody Podcast, I welcome back researcher and online coach, James Krieger, who I have invited back on the show to discuss one of the most important considerations for tweaking a nutrition and training program, individual differences. Research is great at telling us what will likely work on average, but it isn't able to tell you what will work best for YOU. In this interview, James suggests some simple questions you need to ask yourself when looking to optimize your nutrition and training strategies. Not only is James one of the most educated researchers out there, he is also one of the most genuine guys in the industry and I really enjoyed this second deep dive chat with the one and only, James Krieger. For detailed show notes and links - Click here www.rippedbody.com/individual-differences Thanks for listening!

Welcome to this frank conversation with writer, speaker, strength and conditioning specialist, power lifter, and the owner of Push Private Fitness in LA, Chad Landers. Chad has been a 'legit' trainer to rock stars and Hollywood actors for over 24 years and throughout this interview you’ll find simple, actionable, no-nonsense advice, which is all too often absent from this area of the industry. For the first half, we focus on how his nutrition and training advice differs for his actor clients on a time crunch versus his regular clients. In the second half, we talk about how Chad built his career, going from a farm in Illinois to being California state co-chair of USA Powerlifting, and training Hollywood clients in Studio City. For detailed show notes and links - Click here www.rippedbody.com/podcast-chad-landers Thanks for listening!

On this episode of the Rippedbody Podcast, I interview one of Britain's most well-known sports nutritionists, Martin MacDonald. We discuss Martin's beginnings in the industry, including his early "lucky break" that catapulted him into sports nutrition superstardom, becoming one of the countries most popular celebrity trainers, and now the owner and founder of the recently created Mac-Nutrition University. Martin also goes on to discuss why he felt the need to create his 12-month Mac-Nutrition University course, addressing the gap after graduation between theory and practice, and in the last half of the episode, we chat about walking the tightrope of calling out charlatans in the industry. For detailed show notes and links click here: www.rippedbody.com/podcast-martin-macdonald. Thanks for listening

On this Rippedbody podcast, I answer listener questions. Topics covered include my stance on intermittent fasting, tips for maintaining strength during a cut, how I determine a client's ideal body weight, my stance on calorie cycling for maximizing results, and many more. Thanks to all of you that submitted your question via Facebook and Instagram and hope you gain some valuable knowledge from this episode. For detailed show notes and links click here: rippedbody.com/podcast-andy-morgan/

On this episode of the Rippedbody Podcast, I interview sports nutritionist, researcher extraordinaire, educator, and one of the most influential figures in the fitness industry’s movement towards evidence-based information, Alan Aragon. Alan shares the inspiring story of his career journey to date, starting off the “wrong foot”, his feelings about the hoard of smart upcoming talent in the industry biting at his heels, plus the one piece of advice he would give for those looking to build a career in the fitness industry. I also get Alan’s take on the recent HMB study, and as per usual, Alan does not disappoint with his honest and very diplomatic answer. For detailed show notes and links click here: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-alan-aragon/

On this episode of the Rippedbody Podcast, I interview James Krieger. James is a published scientist, author, speaker, fitness competitor, statistical wizard and the mind behind the immensely popular blog and membership site, Weightology.net. We discuss the different methods available for tracking body fat percentage, the two-component model used by BIA machines, my secret method to cheating on a B.I.A. scan, carb loading, and how to successfully assess your progress. James is a wealth of knowledge and we cover a really broad and interesting range of topics in this great chat. Show notes: - Any and James discuss Jame's website www.weightology.net. Andy believes these are some of the best written articles available on the net [00:20] - Today, Andy wants to dig into body fat measurement. [3:00] - The only way to measure your body fat percentage accurately [4:30] - Methods for measuring body fat percentage . [6:15] - Why James is not a fan of most measurements. [9:10] - Why the Bod Pod isn’t as good as other testing methods. [12:50] - The Two-compartment model and BIA Machines. [14:00] - How to see fat free mass DEXA Scan. [19:55] - Taking weight first thing in the morning to find a seven day average. [20:45] - How to cheat a DEXA scan - [22:10] - How much could you swing a BIA and how long would it take?. [24:10] - James talks about his first men’s physique show. [26:40] - Carb-loads and cheating. [29:30] - Andy’s secret recipe to cheat on a BIA measurement. [32:10] - “CheatYourBodyFatTest.com” Let’s get this setup. [33:00] - Back to two-compartment model . [34:40] - Why not all BIA machines are made equal. [38:30] - Talking Inbody: Any BIA machine will have an error. [41:00] - Assessing progress and finding the best methods. [44:00] - Andy’s Free Diet Guide. [48:00] - The future of James Krieger. [49:50] - James discusses his website membership section benefits. [53:00] - Reading opinions versus reading the direct research information. [56:00] - One wish for the fitness industry and human nature. [57:30| - If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. [1:01:00] For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: rippedbody.com/podcast-james-krieger

In this episode, I interview Tony Gentilcore, one of the three original founders of the exceptionally successful, Cressey Sports Performance, and now founder-owner of the new CORE training center in Boston. The interview starts off talking about the subjectiveness of strength, moves to training with purpose and intrinsic motivation, progressing the chin-up for women, the hollow hold positions, progressing the deadlift for men and finishes up with the “trainable menu”. Tony is one of the great personalities of the fitness industry. It was a hell of a lot of fun doing this interview and I hope you enjoy it. Show notes: - Writing [2:00] - How do you describe it is what you do [3:25] - Training with purpose. What are we working toward? [8:20] - THEME: PROGRESSING THE CHIN-UP FOR WOMEN - Intro: Progressing the Chin up for Women [9:00} - Woman are can be impeded by the media on what they can achieve. The ‘chin-up’ resonates with a lot of woman as a goal to work toward. [10:20] - Progression pattern to get that first chin-up. [13:50] - Tony’s impressive YouTube on form and technique. [17:15] - Hollow hold position as a first step. [19:00] - THEME: PROGRESSING THE DEADLIFT FOR MEN - Intro: Progressing the deadlift for men [26:00] - Deadlift stance. Conventional deadlift is actually the most difficult. [27:30] - How to get started with a conventional deadlift. [35:00] - Using video to fix deadlift technique. - THEME: THE "TRAINABLE MENU" - Intro: The "Trainable Menu". [39:00] - Working with your anatomy, “trainable menu”. [41:00] - Resources. [45:00] - More about Tony. [51:00] - Best deadlift article from Tony. [51:40] - Grant one wish for the industry. Not being dogmatic. [53:00] For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: rippedbody.com/podcast-tony-gentilcore

Andrea is a member of the 3D Muscle Journey bodybuilding and powerlifting coaching team. She is a bodybuilder, Grid competitor, and is my co-author on the Muscle and Strength Pyramid books. Today's conversation covers three main topics: 1. Coaching philosophy and building the coach-client relationship. 2. The importance of getting "un-lean" after competing when moving into a muscle gain phase. 3. How training for another sport has made her a better bodybuilder and may be something worth consideration. At the end of the podcast, we went a little off topic with Andrea schooling me on how to use Instagram and Snapchat. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the absolute bundle of energy that is... Andrea Valdez! :) Show notes - Why Andrea believes 3DMJ is one of the best coaching teams in the industry." [5'30] - The story of how Andrea brought us together to write The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books came about. [10'00] - Coaching philosophy and building the coach-client relationship. [16'00] - "I learned this coaching 10-year-olds and it is the same with adults, but you get to ask the hard questions." [22'00] - Why people need to get "un-lean" during the off-season. [30'00] - Andrea explains her sport, Grid. [40'00] - Why having another physical hobby has been the best thing for her bodybuilding. [44'00] - Client selection and the different coaching packages that 3DMJ offer. [52'00] - Andrea educates Andy on Snapchat and Instagram [58'00] For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-andrea-valdez/

Spencer is an American family physician who specializes in helping people with obesity. He helps his patients with lifestyle interventions first, via diet and exercise, before using to his prescription pad wherever possible. We talk about many topics: why obesity has been recently classified as a disease, why calories in vs calories out is what determines weight loss, but telling someone to eat less and move more doesn't generally work, how spencer gets buy in from his patients, how certain medicines can cause side effects that hamper weight loss, how to look at and interpret your cholesterol numbers, and the potential dangers of bulletproof coffee. Show notes: - Why Spencer puts diet and exercise first. [0'30] - The reasons why doctors don't generally put diet and exercise as medicine first. [3'00] - How Spencer gets 'buy in' from patients. [6'30] - Why obesity has been classified as a disease [10'30] - "Is it not just about calories in, calories out?" - "Yes but not entirely." [13'30] - The importance of controlling your food environment. [19'00] - "I don't feel that fixing one habit at a time is the best way for people." [22'00] - "The data shows that people who lose weight rapidly in the beginning tend to do the best." [23'30] - Is a donut less delicious to some people? [26'00] - Why Spencer wrote The Fat Loss Prescription [29'00] - Spencer talks about how medicines can cause side effects that hamper weight loss. [34'00] - In the current system I can't do what I want to do for my patients. [39'00] - Cholesterol talk. How to look at and interpret your cholesterol numbers. [41'00] - Bulletproof coffee and the damage it can cause. [47'00] For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-spencer-nadolsky/

Mark is the man behind Mark Fisher Fitness, a unique gym in New York City. Actually, as Mark will tell you, it's not a gym, it's a club house, they don't have members, they have ninjas, Mark is the ninja master, and their tagline is Serious Fitness for Ridiculous Humans. Now if all of this sounds a bit weird, that's because it is. But embracing weirdness is what has catapulted Mark's gym to huge success over the last five years. In terms of profit per square foot, it's likely the most successful Gym in NYC, which likely makes it one of the most successful gyms in the world. Mark has achieved this by building a unique and vibrant culture, and in this interview, we take a deep dive into exactly how and why he did that. Show notes: - How Mark got into the fitness industry and starting a gym. [2'30] - "Our first year we did $1mil in revenue. Then we did $2mil in the second year, $3mil in next, $4mil the next..."[9'30] - How Mark has created this success [10'30] - "It's like a human behavioral change experiment that's pretending to be a business." [11'40] - "We set a high bar for ourselves and we don't always make it. That is where all growth can happen." [16'30] - The way Mark used 6-week transformation contests to build Mark Fisher Fitness. [19'00] - Mark talking about how they split the client education by personality types and experience level. [22'00] - "We're all a lot more affected by our environment than is maybe immediately apparent." [27'00] - On the accidental creation of 'Fitness Friends Summit' in Mexico. [31'00] - What would you write on a billboard in Times Square? [40'00] For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-mark-fisher/

Jordan is 25 but already has an 11-year personal training career under his belt. What's most impressive to me about Jordan is how relentless he's been about putting himself in positions where he could intern under some of the best coaches in the world. What he's currently doing right now is no exception, except that he's getting a business education of a lifetime. Jordan is Gary Vaynerchuk's personal trainer. If you know Gary's work then you probably have an idea of how intense this is. Jordan is contracted to train him every day, for three years, with no holiday, and gets flown around everywhere he goes. In this interview, I dig into the details of how Jordan coaches his clients in person and online, and how working with Gary over the last 6 months has influenced his business for the better. Show notes: - "I was thrust into the evidence based industry at a very young age. I got my first personal training job at 14 years old." [3'30] - "Clients took me seriously because I had two mentors who presented me seriously." [5'20] - How Jordan's thoughts on training and nutrition changed since working with Martin Berkhan at the age of 18. [8'30] - "That's what everyone is missing, the patience to stick with a program. That's all it is." [10'10] - How Jordan works with his online coaching clients. [13'00] - "For me, the best business strategy has been to work off referrals. It forces me to maintain a really high level of coaching." [16'30] - The differences Jordan has found with coaching women. [18'30] - "I won't let anyone work with me for less than 6 months." [24'00] - The crazy story behind how Jordan got to coach Gary Vaynerchuk. [27'10] - "I train Gary 7 days a week. I travel with him anywhere he goes" [32'10] - "Basically, the job is 3 years, no vacation. But I'm happy to do it, it's a huge opportunity." [34'30] - How the lessons learned from working with Gary has positively impacted Jordan's business. [36'00] - "My job is to give them the action plan as clearly, simply and effectively as I can." [41'40] - An insane day in the life of Jordan [42'50] - "I think people are looking for the easy road when they try and get into the online space." [46'40] - Advice for coaches looking to build a business online. [50'00] - How Jordan got into business coaching. [53'00] - Jordan's attempt to fix the resting bitch faces of New York. [59'00] For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, go to: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-jordan-syatt/

It is no exaggeration to say that Sol Orwell knows everyone in fitness. He is on the advisory board for Schwarzenegger.com, has built Examine.com into the world’s biggest supplement information site, and yet, he has only been in the industry for five and a half years. This success is no accident. From SEO to online gaming, Sol has been building and selling businesses based out of his interests since he was 16 and retired twice now. How did he achieve this and what lessons are there for us in the fitness industry? I spent the last week hanging out with Sol in Toronto, and took the opportunity to record an interview on the last day before leaving for the airport. We get stuck into the following topics: Building a business and network through cookies, the importance of letting employees shine, the importance of expressing gratitude daily. Controversies, the importance of seeing the bigger picture when looking to make an impact, and where Sol feels fitness professionals get it wrong. Show notes: - Sol’s entrepreneur journey. – “I make businesses around my interests.” [2’30] - What is examine.com? “We analyze research in nutrition.” [4’30] - On the sensationalistic headlines in the media. [5’15 ] - At what point did you monetize your site? – “For the first 2.5 years, we didn’t make a dime in revenue.” [6’30] - How the business was born out of Reddit. – “There’s a big problem and you do your little bit to solve it.” [8’30] - The business case for staying in the background and letting employees take the limelight. [11’30] - On the insane questions they get asked. [17’30] - Sol’s background and first businesses. From Pakistan to Saudi Arabia to Houston, USA to Toronto. [18’30] - The mistakes people make when networking. How to go about it in a better way. [20’30] - “Don’t ever use the phrase, ‘I want to pick your brain,’ instead, try something different, for example, ‘I’m going to bribe you with the best chocolate chip cookie in Toronto!'” [23’10] - “People are too obsessed with the immediate thing they can get from somebody.” [25’30] - Sol’s morning routine. [26’30] - How Sol’s background has affected how he sees the world. [29’10] - Where people go wrong in the fitness industry. [31’30] - “Our job is to get access to more people. We publish anywhere that has an audience.” [34’30] - “If there’s one thing that humanity needs more of, it’s travel.” [39’30] Selected links: - For unbiased advice on supplements – http://examine.com/ - Sol’s business musings – http://SJO.com/

Coach JC Deen discusses the underrated mental game when dieting. Show Notes: 1. Andy's marvellous introduction of JC. [0'00 ] DIET HABIT RELATED STUFF ↓ 2. How do you manage to write in such a way that the reader feels like you are in their head? [3'20] 3. The need to consider the mental game of dieting. [5'00] 4. The story of how JC got into the industry. [8'30] 5. The Christmas bodybuilding show bet between friends [10'00] 6. "Alan Aragon changed my life one Saturday." [13'45] 7. "The media just writes for eyeballs." [16'00] 8. The first time JC hired a coach. [19'30] 9. "That was the lightbulb moment - realizing that this is just math. I was no longer trying to figure out what the best diet was, no longer looking for the shortcuts." [22:45] 10. An introduction to the 6 perils facing dieters. [27'30] 11. On setting realistic goals when you're starting out. [32'00] 12. "If you believe that nothing works for you then it probably won't." [34'30] 13. Quit searching for shortcuts. [40'00] 14. "A lot of times, more information is not going to make you better." [43'30] BUSINESS/COACHING RELATED STUFF ↓ 15. "I decided to head off to live in Northern Thailand." [52'00] 16. How did the travel impact your physique? [55'00] 17. "You can make anything work if you're prepared to be versatile." [56'30] 18. How has travel impacted your business? [58'40] 19. "I'm weary of anybody that has a simple answer for something that should require a lot more information." [67'40] 20. Do you have any advice for people trying to get into this industry? [73'00] 21. Wrap up [77'00] For links to the resources discussed, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-jc-deen/

Eric Helms is possibly the most humble man in the industry. He is a coach, athlete, author, and educator. As a part of the 3DMJ Team he coaches drug-free strength and physique competitors at all levels. Eric has competed since the mid 2000’s in natural bodybuilding, unequipped powerlifting and recently in Olympic lifting. He earned pro status as a natural bodybuilder with the PNBA in 2011 and competes with the IPF at international level events as an unequipped powerlifter. Eric has published multiple peer reviewed articles in exercise science and nutrition journals and writes for commercial fitness publications. He’s taught undergraduate and graduate level nutrition and exercise science and speaks internationally at academic and commercial conferences for fitness, nutrition and strength and conditioning. He has a BS in fitness and wellness, an MS in exercise science, a second masters in sports nutrition, and is a strength and conditioning PhD candidate at AUT in New Zealand. In this interview I pick Eric's brain about his online coaching practice. We go into detail on two topics that I believe are the most under-discussed in the industry - progress tracking and the adjustment decision making process. Eric explains exactly what data he looks at, and the different principles that he applies when making decisions for his powerlifting and bodybuilding clients. Show Notes: - Andy's marvellous introduction of Eric. [0'00 ] ↓ ON AUTOREGULATION [3'08~]↓ - What are the uses of RPE training? [6'05] ↓ ON ONLINE COACHING [12'10~]↓ - What kind of clients do you work with? [12'15] - How did you get started in the industry? [17'10] - On client communication - E-mail vs video messages, note taking, spreadsheets etc. [19'05~] - "The pros [of online coaching] so greatly outweigh the cons in my opinion that it's worth it. [24'45] - How often do you get clients to check in? What specific data do you ask for? [28'00] - On the pitfalls of body-fat measurement devices: "It's an issue of validity and reliability." [33'30] - How do we tell the difference between muscle loss, fat loss, and water fluctuations? [37'05] - "It's very important if you ask someone to weigh in every morning - especially when you are dealing with physique athletes, who are more prone towards body image and disordered eating type of behaviour - to contextualise why. [To explain] that we do not care about the day to day fluctuations..." [39'40] - On the kind of data that Eric bases his adjustment decisions off of [41'20] - On the mechanical inefficiencies of getting leaner - "Believe it or not, as you lose fat off your ass, your bench [numbers] will go down." [42'45] - "Trying to discern how much of the weight change is muscle and how much is fat is very difficult." [45'00] - On muscle mass change in competitors when dieting for a competition: "At the beginning of the diet, you're probably putting on a little muscle if you're doing things right, in the middle you're probably not seeing much change, and then towards the end you're losing muscle, almost unavoidably if someone is 4 or 5% body fat (if you're a male). So really you're trying to keep as much as possible over the course of it, as a net." - "It's not all just nutritional math..." [47'40] - Eric's explains his fat-loss guidelines. [49'00] - "The way I track and make decisions for a bodybuilder is different than for a powerlifter..." [50'40] - On faster vs slower rates of weight loss. [54'00] - Where you can catch up with Eric and his team. [58'30] - When I say 'punchable,' who is the first person that comes to mind? [61'45] - If you could grant one wish for the industry, what would it be? [62'30] For links to the resources discussed, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-eric-helms/

Danny Lennon is the man behind the Sigma Nutrition podcast, which has grown over the last couple of years to become the best podcast on nutrition. Danny is a sports nutrition coach from Ireland, and he's interviewed so many people over the last year that I thought it was about time that people found out more about the man himself. We get into some interesting areas on improving diet compliance for coaching clients, and the nutrition mistakes of MMA fighters. I really enjoyed this interview and I hope you do too. The content can be quite technical and so there are a lot of coaches, academics, and trainers that really appreciate the work he does in getting his interviews out there. Show notes: - The challenges of describing to people what you do. [~1'05 ] - "If you keep putting out good stuff and keep helping people then eventually things take off." [~6'30] - How did you get into the industry? [~7'10] - "I don't think that people that aren't actually coaching should be writing about it." [~12'10] - "Some people want to have more complex plans than they actually need." [~13'50] - What would you say is the key value that people derive from coaching? - "It depends on their current level." [16'00] - "When coaches try to write their own training program, they second guess it all the time." [~17'30] - "It's important to have skin in the game." [~18'40] - How do you help to give a wealthier client the same level of buy-in without unfairly charging them more? [~24'40] - "None of my coaching is based on an hourly rate or fee per hour of time..." [26'05] - What do you mean by, "a traditional, punch yourself in the face, contest diet?" [~29'15] - The mistakes that MMA fighters make with their nutrition [~31'30] - "There is no way they can perform at their best with a low carbohydrate diet." [37'50] - Why should I not take my fat intake really low? [43'15] - Highlights of the EPIC Summit in Birmingham [~45'00] - The value of making industry connections in person [~47'40] - What has been your most rewarding experience thus far in your job? [54'10] - "I think everyone kind of feels like a fraud in what they are doing to a certain extent when they are starting out." [~57'35] - "When you start putting the emphasis on good quality content, and you keep repeating that over time, eventually, people start to take notice." [~60'40] - When I say "punchable" who is the first person that comes to mind? [61'50] - Tim Ferriss' podcast - praise and criticisms from a biased fan. [~63'40] - "It's not about the endpoint, it's the journey that people have to enjoy." [~68'00] - Charging per vegetable change in a meal plan!? [~72'50] - If you could change one thing about our industry, what would it be and why? [74'55] For links to the resources discussed, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-danny-lennon/

The guest on the show today is a good industry friend of mine, Greg Nuckols. Greg is the content manager for Juggernaut Training Systems, one of the biggest strength training websites in the world. He's also the owner of Strengtheory.com, a site that has exploded in popularity over the last year due to the quality and originality of the writing that he's putting out. In addition to being a very well educated and exceptional writer, he’s also an elite level powerlifter, with best lifts including 755 pound squat, 475 pound bench and 725 deadlift (so over 1900 pounds total). Greg holds one all-time world record, he used to have two more but those were beaten in the last year, and I know he is itching to get those back. I hope you enjoy this somewhat rambling conversation between two friends. We cover a lot of topics, not just on lifting, but on business, ethics, beer and Greg's terrible taste in music. Show notes - Greg’s surprising music taste confession -On beards & hipsterism - Q) What do you do? - "I try my hardest to not sound like a drug dealer" - Stephen Hawking, Wall-E, Big Boys Aren't Afraid To Cry - Greg's lifting world records & how genetics played their role - 'The Art of Lifting' and 'The Science of Lifting' - Greg's books - The credibility hit we take when recommending fitness products - Q) If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why? - "More transparency" - The power of honesty - "When I started doing everything wrong with my website is when things started taking off." - Don't do this for the money - "If you computed my hourly earnings over that 2.5-yearr span, even taking out all the social media stuff, I guarantee you I've averaged less than $3 an hour. You have to embrace the grind. You have to love what you are doing. If money is what drives you, you're going to have a bad time." - Sleep & stress - "The two best strength gain periods of my life were where I was sleeping an average of 11 hours a day." - Greg answers this commonly asked question: "If you know what you are doing with your training, why aren't you any stronger than you were two years ago?" - The importance of 'buy-in' - Andy's ultimate buy-in tool to get Greg shredded... and why it fell through. - Beer talk. "I don't make enough money to become an alcoholic drinking the beer that I like to drink." - The importance of training environment for strength and muscle gains. "The longer that you can think of yourself as weak, the less chance there for your brain to get in the way of you continuing to make progress, and I think that is a big benefit of training in a gym with really strong people." - "Beating my hero, Tavis Mash, flipped a switch. 'I went from thinking, 'I'm done,' to 'I can do anything!'" - How taking fake steroids can gain us size and strength if we believe they are real. - Why it's sometimes best to turn down business. For links to the resources discussed, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-greg-nuckols/

My first guest is Chase Erwin. Chase is physique competitor and trainer based out of Little Rock Arkansas. He coaches people online also. Today you’re going to hear us talk about both our training histories, the experiences that made him the coach he is today, how he overcame being skinny, and we discuss what really makes him tick – why he loves his job. Show notes: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-chase-erwin/

Welcome to the Rippedbody.com Podcast. I’m Andy Morgan founder and head coach at Rippedbody.com, and I will be your host. I originally started this podcast as an excuse to reach out to the best coaches and researchers in the fitness industry. I wanted to steal an hour of their time to ask questions so that I can refine my craft as an online nutrition and training coach. It has become much more than that though. Frankly, I’ve enjoyed doing this a lot more than I thought. I’m touched by the positive feedback these free-flowing interviews have received, so I’ve decided to do more. You’re about to listen to the first season. This is your chance to get to know these people, because in the coming seasons we will delve into much more specific topics with them, so that you can get a broad range of opinions from the top experts, on what matters for muscle growth and fat loss. These interviews are here to complement the no-nonsense nutrition and training guides on the site. We’re in our seventh year now at Rippedbody.com. I’m amazed and supremely grateful to say that as I record this, the site has been viewed over 11 million times, and our free nutrition setup guide has been downloaded nearly 60,000 times. If you haven’t read that yet, head on over to rippedbody.com and enter your email address, here: https://rippedbody.com/podcast Now one last thing. I coach people online, full time, and have been doing so since 2011. This is the main source of my income, and I love it. If I don’t my clients results, I get fired. This means I can only afford to talk and write about what works. So you’re not going to hear any one-sided dogma, nor will you get any supplement sales talk thrown at you, only solid, evidence-based, no-nonsense nutrition and training advice.