The Barbell 1 Show

506: IFPA Champion Jeff Alberts w/Cliff Wilson on Coach's Corner - Younger vs. Older Bodybuilders - Lessons Learned Mar 15, 2016

Today Cliff Wilson is back on Coach's Corner, joined by IFPA Pro Natural Bodybuilding Champion to discuss the differences between new competitive bodybuilders and seasoned vets. It is important to tease out these difference so all competitors can gain a better understanding of what it takes to be healthy and competitive for many years should they desire to pursue competitive bodybuilding as a lifestyle.

505: Ron Williams - Natural Bodybuilding Legend, Inventor, Author, Pastor Shares His Story Mar 15, 2016

Ron Williams has won over 200 natural bodybuilding titles including multiple overalls at the Natural Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe. Ron also invented the Iron Chestmaster which adds lateral resistance to make an ordinary pushup more effective. As an author and pastor, Ron offers unique points of view from his year's of experience in this new episode of the Barbell 1 Show. To see the video interview filmed on location at Dialed in Fitness in Sandy Utah, check out the video above.

504: Philip Ricardo Jr. Returns! The 2015 Natural Olympia Champion talks All Things Natural Bodybuilding Nov 30, 2015

Philip Ricardo Jr. returned to the natural bodybuilding stage and took home the Natural Olympia title in convincing fashion this November! I was there to see it live - be on the lookout for video footage coming soon. Today I sit down with the champ for a little over an hour to discuss many interesting topics - money in natural bodybuilding, how he prepped, and his tips for having a healthy family life and spousal relationship while pursuing bodybuilding at such a high level.

503: Brian Whitacre - 2015 WNBF Worlds and IFPA Yorton Cup Natural Bodybuilding World Champion! Nov 30, 2015

Today's special guest is the only natural bodybuilder to win these two prestigious world titles in the same year! Tune in to hear about Brian's training, nutrition, lifestyle, and more! Thank you Brian for joining us!

502: Chocolate Milk Post-Workout – IT is Magic, or What it Provides is Magic? Nov 07, 2015

It seems nowadays everyone who likes to train with weights hates doing cardiovascular exercise. With this has come an emergence of creative forms of resistance training and interval training that more closely resemble the weights we love and the cardio machines many of us hate. We discuss a research study looking at just how many calories weight training burns and discuss pros and cons of doing more weights, less cardio, or keeping some more traditional cardio in our training split. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26314086 .

501: Do You Even Cardio? Could you Just do More Weights? Nov 02, 2015

It seems nowadays everyone who likes to train with weights hates doing cardiovascular exercise. With this has come an emergence of creative forms of resistance training and interval training that more closely resemble the weights we love and the cardio machines many of us hate. We discuss a research study looking at just how many calories weight training burns and discuss pros and cons of doing more weights, less cardio, or keeping some more traditional cardio in our training split. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26466137.

500: Episode 500!!! Internships, Degrees, Careers with Guest Host Gabe Wilson Nov 01, 2015

Gabriel Wilson, PhD, brother of Jake Wilson and Head of Science and Innovation for MHP joins me as we give a guest lecture/Q&A to a university class of IFPA Pro Bodybuilder James Perez. We discuss degree programs, getting opportunities for internships and careers and more. Oh and it's the 500th episode of the Barbell 1 Show!

499: High Protein Diets – The Update! Oct 28, 2015

While some people continue to bi**h about high protein diets, others just keep on getting results from them – we discuss another high protein diet study on today’s show. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/s12970-015-0100-0.pdf .

498: CEO Workouts - Examples and Strategy to Implement Oct 26, 2015

In an earlier episode I mentioned a tactic called CEO Workouts to allow a good volume and quality of weight training in a short period of time. When life gets crazy and normal workout don't fit you can usually get a CEO Workout in.

497: 1 vs 4 vs 8 sets of Squats? Research from 2012 Oct 12, 2015

Oftentimes studies comparing different numbers of sets to gauge their effectiveness look at say 1 vs 3 sets. Very few studies go to the extreme and look at something like 8 sets of an exercise. Today’s study does with the squat and so we review and discuss. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22158142 .

496: Listen to Life's Lessons in Training Oct 10, 2015

So although the debate over whether or not just a set or two done with high intensity is just as good as being a volume junky doing tons of sets is largely over – most research seems to indicate more is better to a degree – there are still some that hang onto the idea that volume may in fact be overrated for some people. Again volume means weight times reps times sets or the total amount of work you do in a training session. As I’ve discussed on the show before there is some research that show some people just continue to activate or turn on more and more muscle the more the keep hitting it, while for others it seems more muscle mass only gets activated during training up to a certain point after which more seems to be perhaps overkill. The tricky part of so many studies which call into question the importance of training volume is that they’re typically done on relatively untrained participants and so we are always left with the reality that those result probably apply to people not very trained – of course it doesn’t take much to create a response when the body is used to no or minimal training – but what about in advanced lifters who train hard and often – clearly they must need more of a stimulus. Well that was what intrigued me to review today’s study on 79 men and women – the participants had been weight training for 4 years on average. We discuss the study and further thoughts on manipulation of resistance training variables. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Steele4/publication/266746184_The_effects_of_low_volume_resistance_training_with_and_without_advanced_techniques_in_trained_participants/links/546b0bc10cf2397f783039b1.pdf .

495: Alberto Nunez & Brian Minor - Pro Natural Bodybuilders - Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Q&A Sep 14, 2015

Alberto Nunez of Team 3DMJ and Brian Minor of INOV8 Elite Performance are back fielding a variety of powerlifting and bodybuilding questions as part of a Q&A series from the Team 3DMJ YouTube channel. Thanks Alberto and Brian for sharing with us!

494: Alberto Nunez & Brian Minor - Pro Natural Bodybuilders - Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Q&A Sep 11, 2015

Alberto Nunez of Team 3DMJ and Brian Minor of INOV8 Elite Performance are back fielding a variety of powerlifting and bodybuilding questions as part of a Q&A series from the Team 3DMJ YouTube channel. Thanks Alberto and Brian for sharing with us!

493: Rest Between Sets – Compound Moves only or All The Same? Sep 09, 2015

For a long time bodybuilders were very concerned about keeping rest periods short and feeling the burn – in fear that not training this way would short change their muscle gains. Newer research tends to challenge this belief and so today we review that research. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/publishahead/EFFECT_OF_DIFFERENT_INTER_SET_REST_INTERVALS_ON.96784.aspx

492: Eric Helms on Rep Tempo - Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid Level 6 Sep 07, 2015

Eric Helms is back and talking exercise tempo when weight training on today's continuation of sharing Eric's Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid.

Find all of these YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ/videos

491: Host John Bosse Interviewed on the Octane Athletic Performance Podcast - Bodybuilding Prep & More Sep 04, 2015

Today you will be hearing an interview I did with the Octane Athletic Performance podcast recently in the interview I discuss my own contest prep as well as my overall philosophies on deciding upon the right training and nutrition plan for you.

Original interview here: http://octaneathleticperformance.com/58-cutting-weight-and-lifting-heavy-with-john-bosse/

490: Eric Helms on Rest Periods: Do they Matter? - Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid Level 5 Sep 02, 2015

Eric Helms is back and talking rest periods between sets on today's continuation of sharing Eric's Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid.

Find all of these YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ/videos

489: Grunting in the Gym – Just for Meatheads of for Smart Strength Athletes? Aug 31, 2015

I feel like there’s some people who think grunting and making a lot of noise in the gym is only for stupid meatheads. Then there are other people who say grunting is OK, but that lifters don’t use it at the right time during a lift. We will discuss a little of all above today. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26270695 .

488: Eric Helms on Exercise Selection - Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid Level 4 Aug 28, 2015

Eric Helms is back and talking exercise selection on today's continuation of sharing Eric's Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid.

Find all of these YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ/videos

487: Eric Helms on Progression - Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid Level 3 Aug 26, 2015

Eric Helms is back and talking progression on today's continuation of sharing Eric's Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid.

Find all of these YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ/videos

486: Natural Bodybuilding Contest Prep - Testosterone, Pyschological Stress - Male vs. Female Differences - Coach's Corner - Cliff Wilson, Peter Fitschen Aug 24, 2015

Peter Fitschen and Cliff Wilson discuss natural bodybuilding contest prep. What happens to your testosterone? What is the influence of psychological factors? Are there gender differences? What can be done to minimize the negative effects of extreme fat loss?

485: Volume, Intensity, and Frequency - Everything You'd Want to Know - Eric Helms Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid Level 2 Aug 21, 2015

Eric Helms of Team 3DMJ discusses the most important variables in resistance training programming - volume, intensity, and frequency and shares a nice compilation of research backed advice on these areas.

Find all of these YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ/videos

484: Sets to Failure with Low Weights – Do You Recruit/Exhaust More Muscle? Aug 19, 2015

So now that we have more research that tells us lifting lighter weights can still be good for muscle size gains assuming we accumulate enough volume it’s always good to test some of the theories behind why the light training may have benefit. Some would say maybe it is because taking a light set all the way to fatigue may recruit all possible muscle fibers – slow twitch for a while and then finally fast twtitch until the muscle is completely exhausted – but is this just a theory or is there actually sound data to support it – let’s check out this new study on the area. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26270694 .

483: Supplementing with Nucleotides for Post-Training Immune Boost Aug 17, 2015

When I was in grad school studying sports nutrition most people talked about the importance of post-workout carbs and protein in terms of actual physical muscle recovery from exercise. However, we also learned that the immune system is compromised after exercise for a brief period – basically while the body gets its bearings back. Are there any supplements we would take to prevent this or bounce back faster? We review a possible option. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/publishahead/The_Physiological_Effects_of_Nucleotide.96819.aspx .

482: Eric Helms Guest Content - Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid Level 1 Aug 15, 2015

Eric Helms, MS - PhD Candidate provides today's guest hosted content in the form of Level 1 of his Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid which helps lifters of all levels gain a better grasp of priorities in trainining programming. Find all of these YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ/videos

481: Weighted Stretching – Another Tool in the Muscle Building Too Box Aug 13, 2015

Dr. Jacob Wilson seems to have rekindled interest in weighted stretching as a muscle building tactic While we wait for Dr. Wilson’s research to be published we review older studies from the 90s on birds that initiated interest in this tactic. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2142581

480: Do You Even Have to Count Reps? Timed Sets Rather than Rep Sets in Personal Training – Better or Worse? Aug 10, 2015

Personal trainers used to have the job of counting reps, but these days I see more and more counting total time spent training. Is this a valid way to have clients exercise – timing set length and stopping when a certain time count is reached? Let’s examine a study. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1691&context=gs_rp

479: Mode of Cardio – Does it Matter for Fat Burning? Aug 07, 2015

It seems nowadays everyone is pushing for higher volume, higher frequency resistance training programs. But what about when life, injury, or recovery ability calls for periods of decreased training? Should you fear loss of gains or could you perhaps rely more on nutrition to keep the gain train chuggin. Today we review a research study on this topic and tackle different ways of viewing training and nutrition. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26060092 .

478: Can you Make Up for Less Training with More Protein? Aug 05, 2015

It seems nowadays everyone is pushing for higher volume, higher frequency resistance training programs. But what about when life, injury, or recovery ability calls for periods of decreased training? Should you fear loss of gains or could you perhaps rely more on nutrition to keep the gain train chuggin. Today we review a research study on this topic and tackle different ways of viewing training and nutrition. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2010/01001/Effects_Of_Resistance_Training_Volume_And_Whey.171.aspx .

477: Pro Natural Bodybuilders Alberto Nunez & Brian Minor Field Questions from Instagram - 30 mins of Powerlifting & BodyBuilding Q&A! Aug 03, 2015

Alberto Nunez of Team 3DMJ and Brian Minor of INOV8 Elite Performance are back fielding a variety of powerlifting and bodybuilding questions as part of a 3 part Q&A series from the Team 3DMJ YouTube channel. Thanks Alberto and Brian for sharing with us!

476: HMB – Does it Have a Place as a Regular Use Supplement? Jul 31, 2015

HMB is a controversial supplement because it is expensive, but in some studies shown to be highly effective. Anytime I see a new study on this supplement I’m sure to review it to update everyone. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/s12970-015-0092-9.pdf .

475: Same Low Calories Daily When Dieting or Does there Need to be Refeeds? Jul 29, 2015

Because dieting bodybuilders and strength athletes have such high physical performance demands, the implementation of high carb days, cheat days, reefed days, whatever you want to call them seems to make a lot of sense. While these tactics are employed to promote performance and a mental break, there’s always debate that remains if adding calories or carbs briefly amidst a general decline in intake when dieting also does some special things physiologically – does it really prevent weight loss plateaus and stalled progress. Many strength athletes and coaches have sworn for years that it does, but research is lacking – also do these tactics even apply to our general population weight loss clients. Well – there was actually a study done! So we review. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4018593/?report=reader .

474: Is Breakfast a Must to Keep Weight/Body Comp in Check? Jul 27, 2015

Whether in public health announcements or in school – everyone always tell you that you must eat breakfast to be healthy, lose weight, etc. Is this true or is it somewhat of a myth if you keep your calories in check the rest of the day? John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898236 .

473: Recovery Tactics – Compression After Training? Jul 24, 2015

Elite strength athletes are always walking a fine line of exposing themselves to as much training stimulus as possible while not exceeding their ability to recover between training sessions. Today we look at some newer purported recovery modalities and the research behind them. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26154154 .

472: Spacing Protein Throughout the Day - What is Optimal? - Coach's Corner with Guest Hosts Cliff Wilson & Elliot Reimers Jul 22, 2015

Coach's Corner guest host Cliff Wilson is joined by Elliot Reimers - Muscle & Strength Author and lead developer of Simply Shredded's new supplement line. Cliff and Elliot discuss numerous philosophies regarding the optimal distribution of protein throughout the day.

471: Explosive Concentrics or Slow & Controlled for Muscle Size and Training Prioritization Jul 20, 2015

There always appears to be disagreement and arguments amongst bodybuilders and the like over if you should do slow controlled movement to really contract a muscle you’re trying to grow or instead say do more explosive concentric reps to get some added power or performance benefits from your training. Would doing these faster concentric make muscle sise gains suboptimal compared to a more controlled technique? We go all the way back to 1993 today to look at what research tells us. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/1993/08000/The_Effect_of_Voluntary_Effort_to_Influence_Speed.9.aspx .

470: Red Meat – Not Going to Kill You, But May Save You? Jul 17, 2015

Is red meat going to make you die early or live longer? This is a tough question to answer, but today we review a study that helps shed some light. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/99/4/899.full.pdf+html .

469: Workout Music Reviewed - Volume XIII Jul 15, 2015

(I do not own the rights to this image - please support the artist)

You guys know I love new music for training to so here's some of the recent editions to the iPod that I discuss on the show.

Angels & Airwaves - Call to Arms30 Seconds to Mars - Vox PopuliSlipknot - Me InsideFive Finger Death Punch - Jekyll and Hyde Epic Themes Album by London Music Works

468: Best of Barbell 1: Episode 93 Big J Shares Old School Tactics for Gym Owner Success & His Next Chapter! Jul 13, 2015

If you missed part 1 of this interview be sure to check out episode 75. In today's Part 2, Big J shares old school tactics for growing a gym membership and building a community that still work in the new school! So many valuable lessons can be learned from Big J's old school approach to growing a loyal gym membership which have now been used to build a raving YouTube audience of nearly 100,000 subscribers in just a couple short years. Big J also shares the highest and lowest moments to inspire you on your journey to open your own facility.

Finally we dive deep into Big J's behind the scenes life as an international catastrophe response officer and also discuss his knack for bending horeshoes and what the coming decades have in store for him. Big J was an awesome interview and I hope you enjoy his stories and tips as much as I did. To learn more about Big J check out his awesome YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/user/BigJsExtremeFitness

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review under ratings and reviews on iTunes. Thank you for your support!

467: Best of Barbell 1 - Episode 75 Big J's Extreme Fitness - Jason English Behind the Gym Jul 10, 2015

Today's guest is Jason English, AKA "Big J" of the highly popular YouTube channel and hardcore gym in Texas - Big J's Extreme Fitness. Having served in the US Army and currently as a catastrophe response officer, Big J knows sacrifice for others better than almost anyone in the often selfish fitness industry. Today we get a unique look at what it's like to grow a niche gym while being out of town and in harm's way so often. Big J is old school, but his messages of positivity are timeless. Also if you ever wanted to be inspired you'll hear Big J's amazing recovery story after being run over by a hum v while in active duty. Enjoy! Oh and if you want to see Big J bending horseshoes for fun check out this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRv7Olo7mSE.

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review under ratings and reviews on iTunes. Thank you for your support!

466: Foam Rolling or Dynamic Stretching Before Training – Which is Better? Jul 08, 2015

Is foam rolling or dynamic stretching before training better? We examine and discuss new research. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26121431.

465: Fish Oil and Omega 3s – Not Just for Inflammation – Possible Performance Enhancer? Jul 06, 2015

Many strength athletes are taking omega 3 supplements for the inflammatory benefits, but perhaps some do not understand the potential nervous system benefits as well. Learn more about these benefits as we review today’s research article. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/s12970-015-0089-4.pdf .

464: Cardio or Weights First – Is Cardio Ruining the Gains? Jul 03, 2015

People give a lot of short term performance rationales about how you should prioritise weight training and cardio – but what about muscle mass gains – does the order make a difference. We examine a new study on this topic in women today. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26020708 .

463: 25-35 Reps Sets for Muscle Gains – The Pump is Real or We Need to Get Real? Jul 01, 2015

While nowadays it seems many more bodybuilders are hybridizing their programming with powerlifting, there are still some who do very high rep sets and swear by training for the pump. Today we review a rare find – a study on WELL TRAINED lifters, comparing different rep ranges. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25853914 .

462: Reverse Dieting & Metabolic Adaptation Pt 2 - Guest Hosts Cliff Wilson & John Gorman Jun 29, 2015

Check out episode 429 to catch the first part of this episode with special guest hosts Cliff Wilson and John Gorman. Wilson and Gorman are two of the most highly sought after natural bodybuilding and physique competitor contest prep coaches. They share insights on how to properly address the metabolic adaptations that occur from prolonged dieting and how to transition into offseason eating habits with minimal residual effects.

461: Best of Barbell 1 - Mark Bell - Reebok Crossfit Shoe, Opening Super Training Pt 2! Episode 79 Re-Air Jun 26, 2015

Pt 2 of the interview started in Episode 77! Mark Bell is an elite powerlifter with best lifts of a 1025 squat, 832 lb bench, and 722 deadlift with a history training under Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell. Prior to powerlifting, he was even a professional wrestler. He is known for his revolutionary product that aids shoulder health and strength in the bench press called the Sling Shot. In today’s episode we chat training philosophy, but focus primarily on the launch of his products. Get inspired hearing the trials and tribulations of someone who had a vision and saw his prototypes through to success and be sure to check back for part 2 of this interview soon. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain good video over our connection, but a YouTube episode of this interview containing some of the video of our discussion will also air soon.

460: Best of Barbell 1 - Mark Bell Inventor of the Slingshot, Record Holder Powerlifter Pt 1 - Episode 77 Re-Air Jun 25, 2015

Mark Bell is an elite powerlifter with best lifts of a 1025 squat, 832 lb bench, and 722 deadlift with a history training under Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell. Prior to powerlifting, he was even a professional wrestler. He is known for his revolutionary product that aids shoulder health and strength in the bench press called the Sling Shot. In today’s episode we chat training philosophy, but focus primarily on the launch of his products. Get inspired hearing the trials and tribulations of someone who had a vision and saw his prototypes through to success and be sure to check back for part 2 of this interview soon. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain good video over our connection, but a YouTube episode of this interview containing some of the video of our discussion will also air soon.

459: Squat Stance – Targeting Outer Sweep or Teardrop for Real? + Life Lessons from a Special Wedding Jun 23, 2015

Bodybuilders for years have talked about different squat stances to develop different areas of the thighs is this info for real or just bro science? Research on the topic is reviewed. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10188748 .

458: Best of Barbell 1 - Elliott Hulse Shares the Seasons of His Life, Helps us Understand Ours Jun 19, 2015

Today's awesome interview is with Elliott Hulse on the "seasons of life." Elliott has amassed over ONE MILLION subscribers on YouTube, who come eager to learn all his amazing insights on taking the strength training life so much deeper to create the strongest version of oneself on all levels. Elliott shares many "versions of himself" that have evolved over time as the seasons of life have unfolded. Hearing this first hand account, the hardships he's overcome with tenacity, etc. was truely inspiring to be a part of and I am excited for all of you to listen and grow.

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review under ratings and reviews on iTunes. Thank you for your support!

457: Donnie Thompson - The Only 3,000 lb Powerlifting Total - World Record Holder, Inventor, and Sports Therapy Expert - Pt 2 Jun 16, 2015

I just got back from the AAU Nationals in Mesquite Nevada and am excited to bring you a very special interview. My guest is the only man to ever total 3,000 pounds in powerlifting, that’s right, squat, bench, and deadlift in a meet, totaling 3,000 lbs. In additional to his accomplishments on the platform he is an accomplished inventor and wizard of sorts when it comes to innovative sports therapy techniques - here is part 2 of 2 of my interview with Donnie Thompson - part 1 in 456. .

456: Donnie Thompson - The Only 3,000 lb Powerlifting Total - World Record Holder, Inventor, and Sports Therapy Expert - Pt 1 Jun 15, 2015

(photo credit - T-Nation)

I just got back from the AAU Nationals in Mesquite Nevada and am excited to bring you a very special interview. My guest is the only man to ever total 3,000 pounds in powerlifting, that’s right, squat, bench, and deadlift in a meet, totaling 3,000 lbs. In additional to his accomplishments on the platform he is an accomplished inventor and wizard of sorts when it comes to innovative sports therapy techniques - here is part 1 of 2 of my interview with Donnie Thompson.

455: Building Legs with Squats – More About the Depth or More About the Weight or Depends Jun 10, 2015

So unlike many people who just blindly accept that they should always be striving for deeper squats, I am just always striving to understand what happens at different depths and also trying different variations – all with the goal of trying to find movements I can do safely and with sufficient range of motion to get the muscle development I want. This research study is along those lines – and it’s on women! John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22797000 .

454: Daily Undulating vs. Linear Periodization Jun 08, 2015

Like any topic – say volume means the most gains, or undulating perioidization always means better gains, I think the biggest proponents of these stances would lead you to believe there is no debate and all strength and conditioning professionals agree. I like to show studies like today where there are some people that continue to challenge the “accepted” conventions. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25760153 .

453: Are Your Ankles Holding Back Your Squat? Jun 05, 2015

With a movement like a leg extension it’s pretty straight forward, either your quads are strong enough to move the weight or they’re not. However, with something like a squat, it’s much more complex. To achieve a certain range of motion takes coordinated expression of strength from multiple muscles across multiple joints. Today we try to gain a little insight into some subtleties that may help with achieving a deep squat safely and strongly. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4415844/pdf/jhk-45-59.pdf .

452: Smith vs. Free Weight Bench Press – Does it Matter if You Train Hard and Program Well? Jun 03, 2015

The smith machine is always bastardized as being sub-par or below free weight variations of exercises performed on it. Does it deserve this bad rap, or is there research to show it can have its place? We review a study from 2010 on the ability of the smith machine to activate the pressing muscles compared to a barbell bench press. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093960 .

451: More Protein – Just for Strength Athletes or Most Anyone? Jun 01, 2015

Let’s discuss the importance of dietary protein for anyone wanting to keep their muscle as long as they can. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/early/2015/05/27/jn.114.204925.abstract .

450: Day in the Life Currently and Future Summer Barbell 1 Plans! May 29, 2015

Ever wonder what John does in a typical day? What he has up his sleeves for this summer? All of the above are discussed along with a transition to a 3 times a week show having reached our 450th episode.

449: How Many Meals Should be in Your System Before you Train? May 28, 2015

Some people like to train in the morning and some like to train in the evening. There’s even some people who prefer to train fasted. Regardless of which seems to work best for you, there seems to be a common mediating factor – people are trying to master the amount of meals they consume before training that feels best for them. I thought it was pretty cool to find a study on this topic. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25970668 .

448: Finding the Optimal Muscle Building Training Split May 27, 2015

With bodybuilders branching out into powerlifting training splits there are so many splits to choose from these days, but is there any research on which one actually builds the most muscle over the long term? Today’s research study is on just that! John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.humankinetics.com/ijsnem-in-press/ijsnem-in-press/effect-of-two--versus-three-way-split-resistance-training-routines-on-body-composition-and-muscular-strength-in-bodybuilders-a-pilot-study .

447: Productivity Hacks for Your Fitness Lifestyle May 26, 2015

In this episode I share some nutrition, training, and lifestyle related productivity hacks that have helped me balance my bodybuilding lifestyle with everything else I have going on both now and in the past.

446: Power vs. Strength Training – Which Boosts 1RM More May 25, 2015

You know I am always stressing that the response to any training or diet intervention is very individual and that studies actually show this, but no one ever talks about it, people only talk about the mean or average finding of everyone in the study. Well today’s study looked at baseline strength level and then used that to compare responsiveness to different styles of training – that is – do those with less strength respond differently than those with more strength. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks2013/278/ .

445: Use Bands Before Lifting/Sprinting to Be More Explosive May 22, 2015

I previously reviewed a study in episode 146 showing that doing band squats prior to max squat attempts can boost your strength and so when I saw another article along these lines showing banded squats prior to sprinting also improved performance I was definitely intrigued and wanted to share. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/publishahead/POST_ACTIVATION_POTENTATION_EFFECTS_FROM.96901.aspx .

444: Increasing Protein Intake to Increase Gains – John’s 2nd Publication May 21, 2015

On Monday we reviewed one of my previous review papers on protein intake and today we review the 2nd one. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-9-42.pdf .

443: D-Aspartic Acid Lowers Testosterone Levels?! May 20, 2015

D-aspartic acid doesn’t seem to be quite as popular these days, but it has gone through phases where it was the hot new ingredient claimed to boost testosterone levels. I was surprised and wanted to review today’s study when I saw that in some cases it might actually reduce testosterone levels. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/s12970-015-0078-7.pdf .

442: Workout & Background/Mood Music Reviewed - Volume XII May 19, 2015

From time to time, I realize I've been listening to the same songs too many times over and it's time to add some new songs to the iPod and share what I've added for those of you that may be interested.

441: Protein and Body Composition – Reviewing One of Bosse’s Publications! May 18, 2015

When this podcast was newer, I mentioned a few times how I have a few peer reviewed publications, but I never reviewed them on the show oddly enough. So here we go! I review one of my own articles from 2012 on protein in weight management that was published in Nutrition & Metabolism. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/pdf/1743-7075-9-81.pdf .

440: More Research on Multi-Ingredient Performance and Testosterone Supplements May 15, 2015

I can tell by the download numbers that many of you like the reviews of supplements. I think as high achieving people we are always striving for that little edge and so we want to know if there’s anything that could give us this edge. Today we review a new study on the supplement T+ by Onnit Labs. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/publishahead/THE_IMPACT_OF_FOUR_WEEKS_OF_A_MULTI_INGREDIENT.96907.aspx.

439: Review of Best Ways to Train for Maximum Muscle Gain May 14, 2015

As you know if you’re a regular listener of the show I typically review original research articles, but occasionally I do cover reviews of research and we have one of those articles today. Often times the reason I don’t cover reviews is because I was to avoid a potential extra layer of bias in interpreting the research, but reality is most people writing an in depth review of a topic are going to be quite while versed in the content and I think reading a few reviews gives a little bit of checks and balances – more than likely one group is going to highlight some aspects of the body of research that another group either forgets to include or is not as aware of or does not believe in for whatever reason. By quickly skimming the abstract of this study I got the feeling I might see a few different perspectives that are not as well discussed highlighted and so since most of you listeners are interested in building muscle – had to review this one. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/259390281_Evidence-Based_Resistance_Training_Recommendations_for_Muscular_Hypertrophy .

438: Programming Q&A with Pro Natural Bodybuilders and Coaches Alberto Nunez and Brian Minor May 13, 2015

Brian and Alberto are both excellent coaches and recently polled fans for questions which they answered in a very well done video. So well done, that I asked them if they would mind my sharing it in an episode. Tune in for many great questions and answers on resistance training programming. Have a question for Alberto? Follow Alberto @nunez3dmj on instagram to submit questions for him to answer in future videos.

437: Geared vs. Raw Powerlifting – Some Research May 12, 2015

People argue all the time whether or not raw powerlifters should ever lift in supportive powerlifting gear or knee wraps. Will this prevent them from ever being able PR when lifting raw or will it actually create more overload allowing them to progress their raw lifts faster. I think the questions are still up for debate, but let’s review and discuss a 2012 research study on the topic. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22395280 .

436: Natural Bodybuilding Prep Case Study! May 11, 2015

Case studys and peer reviewed research on natural bodybuilding contest preparation or taking the body to extremes of body composition are pretty rare so whenever there’s a new study I pretty much always review it. Today we review a case study written by some individuals from Eric Texler’s lab – Eric is a previous guest host of the Barbell 1 show on several occasions. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/s12970-015-0083-x.pdf .

433: 15 Tips for First Time Hitting the Stage - Bodybuilding Focussed - Pt 2 of 2 May 08, 2015

I was taking a look over my friend Andrea Valdez's ebook Beyond the Build and in the process was coming up with many notes on my first experience competing as a bodybuilding. Here are 28 tips in no particular order - 15 yesterday, and 13 today. Enjoy!

434: Bed Time Protein Shakes – Brand New Study! May 07, 2015

I have been having a middle of the night protein shake since about 2009 so I am always interested in research around bedtime nutrition. Everyone always says it’s the main time for the body to recover – so one would think feeding it makes sense, but has anyone researched this? Here comes a brand new study on the topic! John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25926415 .

433: 15 Tips for First Time Hitting the Stage - Bodybuilding Focussed - Pt 2 of 2 May 06, 2015

I was taking a look over my friend Andrea Valdez's ebook Beyond the Build and in the process was coming up with many notes on my first experience competing as a bodybuilding. Here are 28 tips in no particular order - 15 yesterday, and 13 today. Enjoy!

432: 15 Tips for First Time Hitting the Stage - Bodybuilding Focussed - Pt 1 of 2 May 05, 2015

I was taking a look over my friend Andrea Valdez's ebook Beyond the Build and in the process was coming up with many notes on my first experience competing as a bodybuilding. Here are 30 tips in no particular order - 15 today, and 15 tomorrow. Enjoy!

431: Opportunities in Online Personal Training + Confidently Taking Risks as a Young Entrepreneur with Matt McGunagle of Strength Portal May 04, 2015

Matt McGunagle is the CEO of Strength Portal, a highly flexible platform that personal trainers across a range of disciplines can use to create and personalize workout programs, record and track session data, and evaluate client results. Based in Berkeley, California, StrengthPortal was founded in 2013 by three graduates of California Polytechnic State University. One of Matt's partner's has been very helpful with the Barbell 1 website and so I want to give them a big thank you.

Matt was a previous guest on the show and today we catch up and talk about opportunities in online personal training and about confidently taking risks as a young entrepreneur.

430: Update and Special Message on Our Strength vs. Cancer Fundraiser May 03, 2015

Update and Special Message on Our Strength vs. Cancer Fundraiser

429: Reverse Dieting & Metabolic Adaptation - Guests Hosts Cliff Wilson & John Garafano w/Special Guest John Gorman May 01, 2015

Tune in for awesome in the trenches insights on popular topics of reverse dieting and metabolic adaptation as it pertains to the physique athlete. Also please share and support our strength vs. cancer campaign running May 1 & May 2.

428: Magnesium Supplementation – Good Idea for Most of Us? Apr 30, 2015

We previously reviewed a study on magnesium supplementation in volleyball players who were not deficient. That was in episode 297. Today we are back at it again and once again it seems there may be something to supplementing with this mineral. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/s12970-015-0081-z.pdf .

427: Blood Flow Restriction Training – How Many Sets? Apr 29, 2015

I get questions fairly often about how one should implement blood flow restriction training. Is it better than regular strength training and how much of it should they do. We attempt to answer some of these questions today via this research study and some of the commentary afterward. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23278841 .

426: Does CLA Supplementation Boost Your Gains? Apr 28, 2015

CLA is one of those supplements that never seems to die. Some people swear by it while other say it’s overhyped and under delivers. When I stumbled across this study from 2006 I wanted to pull it out for review. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16531905 .

Our premium patellar straps are in!

425: Muscle Maturity; Pound for Pound Strength Apr 27, 2015

You know how you’ll hear people like Jeff or say Philip Ricardo Jr. who are top competitors in their 40s talk about the so called muscle maturity they have now that they didn’t have in their younger competitive years. Like no one can seem to explain it fully, but it just seems that the longer you’ve been lifting the muscle just looks a little different through the skin and no matter how ripped you get as a younger competitor you can’t seem to achieve quite the same grainy or granite like look at the older guys. So what is it – what makes their muscle looks different. Well when I saw today’s research study on muscle quality I thought maybe – and again I’m just theorizing and guessing, but I thought maybe I might find some clues or answers. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25412292 .

Our premium patellar straps are in!

424: Revisiting “Can You Shape a Muscle?” Once Again Apr 24, 2015

The debate on whether or not you can shape a muscle seems to be dead for most people, but I keep it alive and so do researchers of articles like in today’s study reviewed on the show. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25811947 .

423: Sit or Stand During Rest Periods? Apr 23, 2015

I always stand during my rest periods, but I know many who sit. Some say you’re weak if you sit down, others say it’s smart to recover faster. Today we look at a research study comparing the two methods and looking at lying down as an alternative. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25774623 .

422: Dealing with Injuries as Strength Athletes & Trainers/Coaches of Them Apr 22, 2015

As someone battling injuries currently myself and knowing others in the same boat, I decided to review a review of the literature on the psychology of overcoming injuries. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: https://www.strengthandconditioning.org/publications/218-publications/asca-journals/jasc-22-4/953-jasc-22-4-review-of-the-literature-managing-injured-athletes-a-psychological-perspective-for-the-strength-conditioning-coach .

421: Bodybuilding Supplement Use and Cancer Risk? Apr 21, 2015

Whenever I see a study headline that seems like it could easily be misconstrued, I definitely want to review it to clarify it. Today’s article on bodybuilding supplements and testicular cancer is one of those articles. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25826226 .

420: Being a Night Owl….Does it Hurt Your Gains or Not Matter? Apr 20, 2015

If you get enough total sleep, does it matter when you go to bed and wake up? As someone living a very hectic life, and often sleeping late, this is a question I often ask myself so today we look at some research. John always reviews the full-text of every article, but you may view the free abstract by clicking here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25831477 .

419: Best of Barbell 1 - Bryce Lewis Talks the Details of Powerlifting - Part 2 of 2 Apr 17, 2015

Being out of town for the IPF Master's Bench Press Worlds I figured it would be a great time to let new listeners hear this awesome two part interview with previous guest Bryce Lewis. Bryce is now a Barbell 1 sponsored athlete and is one of the top raw powerlifters in the USAPL. To follow Bryce's awesome YouTube content check out his channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/bryce126.