Podcast
Iron Culture presented by MASS
Hosted by Eric Helms & Eric Trexler · EN
Iron Culture was started by Eric Helms and Omar Isuf as a means of exploring the world of physical culture and attempting to distill a unified philosophy of lifting and to help listeners find greater meaning from the iron. It's now hosted by Eric Helms and Eric Trexler, who repeatedly beg Omar to return as a guest.
Iron Culture focuses on dispensing practical, useful information to the listener, bouncing from history, to philosophy, to contemporary lifting culture issues, to science. The format includes casual conversations between the two hosts on a variety of topics, discussions with a panel of experts and interviews with authoritative figures in the lifting community.
Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review.
394episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep. 292 - Cutting Edge Research on Volume, Protein & Cardio
Sep 16, 202401:07:20Tap to summarizeResearch moves slow, well, at least slower than we wish it did. But, that doesn't mean it doesn't also produce paradigm shifts that shake up practice. In this episode Dr. Helms and Dr. Trexler sit down to answer questions using research, most of which that is actually still in the publication process and not yet available. This research will have a major impact on the future of practice in nutrition, as it relates to protein while dieting, training, as it relates to how much volume lifters perform, and cardio, for both training and health. You don't want to miss this cutting edge research Q&A! 00:00 Can Trexler get out of the old school matrix? And an insight into scientific publishing Helms 2014 Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24864135/ Helms 2015 Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: resistance and cardiovascular training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24998610/ 05:46 Getting into the Q&A. Question 1: Pprotein intakes during dieting Helms 2014 A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes: a case for higher intakes https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24092765/ Morton 2018 A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/ 18:08 Unwrapping some Christmas gifts: Helms' Masters research and some conclusion from the upcoming systematic review and meta-regression Nunes 2022 Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adultshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35187864/ 35:08 Question 2: Cardio intensity https://massresearchreview.com/ Hamaya 2024 Time- vs Step-Based Physical Activity Metrics for Health https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38767892/ Steele 2021 Slow and Steady, or Hard and Fast? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Studies Comparing Body Composition Changes between Interval Training and Moderate Intensity Continuous Traininghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34822354/ Mielke 2024 Physical activity volume, frequency, and intensity: Associations with hypertension and obesity over 21 years in Australian womenhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38735532/ 57:06 Question 3: Resistance training volume Schoenfeld 2017 Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysishttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/ Baz-Valle 2022 A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291645/ Robinson 2024 Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38970765/ 1:06:23 Closing out this hour of power episode
Transcribe →Ep. 291 - Who is the Male Natural Bodybuilding G.O.A.T?
Sep 9, 202401:29:02Tap to summarizeIn this Iron Culture episode Dr. Helms sits down with fellow 3DMJ coaches and Iron Culture veterans Brian Minor and Alberto Nunez for a spirited debate about who they each think are the top 5 natural male bodybuilders of all time. Bodybuilding is where art and culture meet science, where science meets sport, and if you are a fan of natural bodybuilding and its history, you will love this episode. Listen in as they struggle to even agree on a criteria for someone to be The Natty GOAT, learn little-known facts about the early years of Kai Greene's career when he was natural, and pay careful attention to the honourable mentions, as there are many potential candidates, for the "Mt. Rushmore plus one" of natty competitive bodybuilding. 00:00 Welcome to an exciting episode without Omar and Trexler 02:29 Brian and Berto's history with bodybuilding Iron Culture Ep. 26- How Progressive Overload Actually Works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfe8tsxFieI&t=37s 10:20 A debate of the Mt Rushmore + 1 of natural bodybuilding 23:00 A quick Kai Greene and IFBB/NPC history lesson 28:30 Continuing the debate 51:00 Fleshing out everyone's 5th and final competitor and some honourable mentions 1:14:13 The top 5 ranked 1:20:48 Final comments and closing out
Transcribe →Ep. 290 - Is Caffeine an Overrated Supplement for Lifters?
Sep 2, 202400:56:20Tap to summarizeCaffeine is incredibly popular among lifters and non-lifters alike. In a variety of cultures all across the globe (including the iron culture), caffeine is a daily staple. While most people use caffeine for a morning boost of energy, lifters have long used caffeine as a performance-enhancing supplement. There is a tremendous amount of evidence reporting acute ergogenic effects from a single dose of caffeine, but there is a surprising lack of research addressing critical questions about caffeine's utility as an "everyday" pre-workout supplement. In today's episode, Eric Trexler reviews a new study suggesting that caffeine improves performance when consumed in the morning, but not in the evening. This is followed by an in-depth discussion about when caffeine may (or may not) be effectively used as a performance-enhancing supplement, and how to balance potential tradeoffs between acute performance enhancement and sleep disruption.
Transcribe →Ep. 289 - How Competitive is IPF Powerlifting? (with Panagiotis Tarinidis)
Aug 26, 202401:08:47Tap to summarizeThis week 2x 66kg IPF Open World Champion Panagiotis "Pana" Tarinidis joins Eric Helms on Iron Culture to discuss the state of modern powerlifting. The two of them recently joined legends, phenoms, leaders and top thinkers of the sport like John Haack, Greg Nuckols, Lya Bavoil and others at the 2024 European Powerlifting Conference in Limerick Ireland. The existence of such events is emblematic of powerlifting's growth, but so too is just how competitive IPF powerlifting has become. At 2024 IPF Worlds the podium for the 66kg class was decided by bodyweight, as all three men had identical totals. In this interview Pana shares what it takes to stay in the fight in modern powerlifting, how hard it is to vie for a championship title when the competition is so tight, and the mindset, passion, and focus it requires. 00:00 Intro with the "new Omar" and a recap of the European Powerlifting Conference 09:03 The lifting stones 18:20 Goals and learning from meaningful achievements – Pana's recent IPF World's experience 30:35 The things that can make an effective athlete 39:13 Powerlifting meets and Pana's strong self-belief 47:40 The changes Pana is going to implement into his training 54:39 Experimenting and challenging your beliefs 1:00:47 Pana's advice for improving yourself and closing out https://massresearchreview.com/ Where to find Pana Instagram @thepanash https://www.instagram.com/thepanash/?hl=en YouTube @Thepanash https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1ZlR9h035btvu0t6qFWYg The Panash Training App https://thepanash.app/ Silent Worker https://www.silentworker.fr/
Transcribe →Ep 288 - Is Exercise Variety Necessary?
Aug 19, 202401:04:47Tap to summarizeThe classic Iron Culture duo hosts this week's episode to discuss exercise variety. How have the views on this topic changed over the years and why? First, we need to understand how and when bodybuilding separated from strength sport, equipment availability changes over time, and how these factors impacted the perception of exercise variety. From the Weider "Muscle Confusion Principle" to motor learning concepts like varied practice, there's been discussion of exercise variety in both the trenches and research for decades. In the modern era, concepts like regional hypertrophy and more nuanced understanding of functional anatomy have become more common and widely understood and accepted, leading to the acceptance that at least for hypertrophy, higher exercise variety is necessary to maximise the development of specific muscle groups. But, as they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Many without a sufficiently complete understanding of anatomy make errors when it comes to claims about exercise selection and variety for bodybuilding. So listen in on this episode as we talk through the history, science and culture of exercise variety for hypertrophy, as well as strength! 00:00 A duo episode without the LLM (Chat-GPT) Eric 03:26 Getting into the topic of variety – starting with the muscle confusion principle 15:03 Exercise variation and regional hypertrophy Antonio 2000 Nonuniform Response of Skeletal Muscle to Heavy Resistance Training Can Bodybuilders Induce Regional Muscle Hypertrophy? https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2000/02000/Nonuniform_Response_of_Skeletal_Muscle_to_Heavy.18.aspx 21:39 The importance of understanding functional anatomy and discussing the evidence Chillibeck 1998 A comparison of strength and muscle mass increases during resistance training in young women https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9459538/ Rauch 2020 Auto-Regulated Exercise Selection Training Regimen Produces Small Increases in Lean Body Mass and Maximal Strength Adaptations in Strength-trained Individuals https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29016481/ Burke 2024 Exercise Selection Differentially Influences Lower Body Regional Muscle Development https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42978-024-00299-4 Kubo 2019 Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31230110/ Brandão 2020 Varying the Order of Combinations of Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises Differentially Affects Resistance Training Adaptations https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32149887/ Kinoshita 2023 Triceps surae muscle hypertrophy is greater after standing versus seated calf-raise training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38156065/ 43:23 Shaping the content and some of the real-world application of these recommendations 50:28 The potential effect of the leg press on the calves and implementing exercise variation 1:00:23 Some final hypotheticals to close out this monster episode
Transcribe →Ep. 287 - Do Advanced Lifters Need More Volume?
Aug 12, 202401:16:37Tap to summarizeThe Erics are back, and this time, they work through a mental model of how training volume, or rather, the training dose changes over time. With a rank novice, a single set to failure done once per week will typically produce continued adaptation, and they won't plateau for 1-2 years! However, if you take an advanced strength athlete or bodybuilder, a single set to failure done once per week seems to not only be insufficient for measurable progress to occur, but is even lower than doses that result in small losses of muscle mass. So, it seems the that the minimum effective dose of training changes as one reaches higher levels of training status. But does this mean volume needs increase with training status? Not exactly, but that depends on how you define "needs." There is an interaction of these concepts with the minimum detectable change we can notice, our goals, the timeline we wish to achieve them in, and also the slowing rate of progress that naturally occurs as one gets closer to their potential. Can the Erics reconcile these complexities into a defensible mental model of how the needed training dose changes over time? Tune in to find out! 00:00 Omar and Helms walked… so Trexler and Helms could run 02:13 Let's talk about the topic 06:44 Training age vs status 15:04 Minimalistic level programs as a novice and an intermediate Steele 2024 Long-Term Time-Course of Strength Adaptation to Minimal Dose Resistance Training Through Retrospective Longitudinal Growth Modeling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35591809/ Travis 2020 Preparing for a National Weightlifting Championship: A Case Series https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31373973/ Androulakis-Korakakis 2021 The Minimum Effective Training Dose Required for 1RM Strength in Powerlifters 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34527944/ 27:51 Eric's personal example and scaling back once you are advanced 34:10 Talking about long muscle training again (to alter the stimulus) Maeo 2021 Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34527944/ Kassiano 2023 Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37015016/ 45:43 Perceived plateaus, the dose, and risks 57:58 Exploring different training dose concepts Ogasawara 2011 Effects of periodic and continued resistance training on muscle CSA and strength in previously untrained men https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21771261/ Ogasawara 2012 Comparison of muscle hypertrophy following 6-month of continuous and periodic strength training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23053130/ 1:10:13 Closing out and Trexler's ideas for future Iron Culture episodes
Transcribe →Ep. 286 - Is Hypertrophy Training a Waste of Time for Powerlifting?
Aug 5, 202401:09:45Tap to summarizeThe trio is back to discuss a classic Iron Culture topic: how much does increasing muscle mass contribute to strength? But, before we can answer how much, we must acknowledge that some in the scientific community doubt whether hypertrophy contributes to strength at all! What is the source of this skepticism and how do we resolve this debate? Tune in to learn not only how getting jacked impacts strength, but also the importance of study design, what is needed to make causal inferences, and how to make conclusions in the absence of ideal data. 00:00 Reviewing reviews (and adding a missing reference) Cook 2019 Body Mass and Femur Length Are Inversely Related to Repetitions Performed in the Back Squat in Well-Trained Lifters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30640306/ MASS Research Reviews https://massresearchreview.com/ 16:29 End of the extended banter and into the topic (getting into some research design) 24:25 Breaking down the first study and correlated changes Tromaras 2024 Lean Body Mass, Muscle Architecture and Powerlifting Performance during Preseason and in Competition https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38804455/ Brechue 2002 The role of FFM accumulation and skeletal muscle architecture in powerlifting performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11990746/ Ye 2013 Relationship between lifting performance and skeletal muscle mass in elite powerlifters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23828289/ Xu 2021 Measurement of visceral fat and abdominal obesity by single-frequency bioelectrical impedance and CT: a cross-sectional study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34635516/ Ferland 2023 Body Composition and Maximal Strength of Powerlifters: A Descriptive Quantitative and Longitudinal Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37637239/ 38:51 The responses to different lines of evidence Bhasin Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11701431/ Warneke 2023 Comparison of the effects of long-lasting static stretching and hypertrophy training on maximal strength, muscle thickness and flexibility in the plantar flexors https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37029826/ Wohlann Influence of 8-weeks of supervised static stretching or resistance training of pectoral major muscles on maximal strength, muscle thickness and range of motion https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38240811/ 53:10 A methodology shoutout to the sceptics Buckner 2021 Do exercise-induced increases in muscle size contribute to strength in resistance-trained individuals? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33724646/ 1:02:06 Omar's argument and closing out
Transcribe →Ep. 285 - Are Most Omega-3 Supplements Misformulated? (Feat Ryan Anthony)
Jul 29, 202401:22:23Tap to summarizePhD candidate Ryan Anthony joins the Erics on Iron Culture to discuss the fishy business of Omega-3 supplementation. Ryan is in the final years of his PhD research at the University of Wollongong in Australia, investigating the role of omega-3 fatty acids in reducing muscle fatigue and soreness following exercise. His research has identified consistent methodological issues in many of the studies on the topic, which may explain why omega-3 data has become more mixed in recent years. In this episode you'll learn exactly what omega-3 fatty acids are, how they function in the body, the difference between EPA and DHA and the relevance of their differences, if it is worth supplementing with omega-3s, and whether most supplements on the market are actually properly formulated to provide the potential positive impact sometimes observed in research. 00:00 It's the tag team Eric duo with an introduction to fish oil supplementation 03:08 Introducing our guest Ryan, his research, and Omega-3s 11:57 Fish oil trials, biomarkers, and adverse outcomes Harris 2017 The Omega-3 Index and relative risk for coronary heart disease mortality: Estimation from 10 cohort studies https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28511049/ 20:40 The methodologies employed in this area of research Anthony 2021 The Influence of Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Eccentric Exercise-Induced Delayed Muscle Soreness: Reported Outcomes Are Compromised by Study Design Issues https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33477110/ Anthony 2024 A review and evaluation of study design considerations for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation trials in physically trained participants https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36620998/ 33:40 The effects of Fish oil supplementation on various outcomes 44:35 The Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio, arachidonic acid and the inflammatory response 54:55 Clarifying some of the evidence and some practical considerations of supplementation 59:57 Ryan's breaks down his research 1:09:55 Practical applications for strength and physique athletes https://granttinsley.com/third-party-testing-dietary-supplements 1:15:25 Final words: TBIs and high Mercury, and closing out https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Anthony-2
Transcribe →Ep. 284 - How to Keep Progressing in Powerlifting (feat. Walter Cariazo)
Jul 22, 202401:14:36Tap to summarizeWalter Cariazo joins Omar and Eric Helms on Iron Culture to discuss his decade-long journey in powerlifting. He's won the 93kg National Championship twice and the 105kg National Championship once in Canada and has had the opportunity to represent Canada twice at the IPF World Championship, most recently in Lithuania in June. In this most recent competition, he was a dark horse for the podium, as he placed 4th in the 105kg class, getting the opportunity to pull for the bronze medal position, which would have secured him a spot in the first World Games in 2025 to include the raw division. While this in and of itself is worth highlighting, most impressively, Walter has continually progressed in his decade in the sport, despite a busy, demanding work and life schedule. He is a full-time medical radiation technologist, in addition to working as a videographer (you may have seen him on Omar's YouTube channel) and photographer. The perennial lifelong lifter, Walter embodies the spirit of iron culture as a "blue-collar powerlifter" who is optimizing his lifting pursuits within the constraints of life - approaching the pinnacle of the sport while doing so.
Transcribe →Ep. 283 - Jared Maynard: Rebuilding Stronger
Jul 15, 202401:21:09Tap to summarizeA long lifting career comes with plenty of ups and downs, so we're accustomed to hearing stories about setbacks, comebacks, and perseverance from our favorite lifters. These setbacks can take many forms, but Jared Maynard's extraordinary story exists in a league of its own. Over the course of a few short weeks, a rare autoimmune disease took Jared from being a young, strong, healthy man in his early 30s to being on life support in the intensive care unit. With survival odds worse than the flip of a coin, Jared fought his way out of the ICU and started training right away. The major difference is that his training program involved re-learning how to eat, sit up, and roll over before he could focus on squat, bench, and deadlift. Barely more than one year removed from life support, Jared was back on the powerlifting platform setting PRs and deadlifting over 500lbs. In this episode, Jared shares his incredible story with Omar and Dr. Trexler, and talks about how years of lifting likely saved his life and set him up for a remarkable recovery. 00:00 Not talking crap about our guest today as part of our Iron Culture apology tour 02:12 Introducing our guest Jared and his journey 10:40 The potential recurrence of mononucleosis and Jared's plan if it does 14:49 Treatment and testing modalities 21:52 The crucial role of lifting in Jared's journey and the gradual process of recovery 32:13 Restoring activities of daily living 41:25 Jared's mental challenges and stoicism 50:40 Getting back into training and competing a year later 1:02:08 Setting the example to motivate and the recalibration of perspective 1:12:11 Jared's study of stoicism 1:15:35 Where to find Jared and what's next for him Instagram @jared.rebuild_stronger https://www.instagram.com/jared.rebuild_stronger/ Rebuild Stronger Website https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com/
Transcribe →