Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast

Jon Heck

My name is Jon Heck, and I am a strength and conditioning coach and nutritionist. I am a former strength coach from Division-1 college football and the NFL. I now ruin my coaching business Hammer and Chisel Performance full time, working with all walks of life on nutrition and training. With a background in powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman, football and coaching in different fields, I will be bringing on a wide variety of guest from all of these realms of the world of performance and the fitness industry to talk all things coaching, nutrition, training, business, and more.

  1. 3 days ago

    Q&A Answered with Will Ratelle: Training/Nutrition

    You sent your questions in to IG...Will Ratelle and I go in depth answering them here. Time stamps below! 00:00 Intro03:17 Nicotine pouches – how much do you use?06:00 Best Assault Bike interval protocol (4x4 and alternatives)07:33 Which strongman movements transfer best to rugby?09:32 How would you train military, police, and firefighters?12:36 Best isometrics and eccentrics for strength & athleticism17:10 Best way to build strength and muscle without sacrificing either19:12 When should you lower calories during a fat loss phase?20:27 How to break through an overhead press plateau21:59 If you only have 1–2 strength & conditioning sessions per week, what should you prioritize?23:12 How to eat more during a bulk (7,000+ calories)26:57 Most overrated vs underrated exercises30:58 Can front squats replace back squats for swimmers?31:31 How to evaluate a strength plateau34:08 What would you do differently starting your online business?36:23 Best exercises for golfer's elbow38:05 Pre-workout carb timing38:35 Transitioning into strength & conditioning from a corporate career40:24 Thoughts on mobility and static stretching43:40 Ideal weekly bodyweight change for bulking and cutting44:50 Are Zercher holds worthwhile for upper back thickness?45:30 Can you run a 6-day program over 8–9 days?46:10 Can heavy hyperextensions replace deadlifts?47:27 What's something you've changed your mind on in the last 5 years?50:56 How to modify training around a fresh tattoo54:25 Do isometric holds potentiate explosive movements?54:46 How should recovery change when starting a new training cycle?57:21 Is cardio after lifting okay? 50:56 How to modify training around a fresh tattoo 54:25 Do isometric holds potentiate explosive movements? 54:46 How should recovery change when starting a new training cycle? 57:21 Is cardio after lifting okay? 58:15 Thoughts on Retatrutide (GLP-1s) for fat loss 01:00:28 Is 0.2 g of fat per pound too low for naturals? 01:01:23 How to break through a fat loss plateau 01:02:32 Best carb sources if rice and potatoes cause bloating 01:03:44 Should you do cardio on a refeed day? 01:04:17 Is jogging 20–25 miles per week a good fat-loss strategy? 01:05:49 Should muscle strength ever outpace tendon strength? 01:06:55 Why change rep ranges weekly instead of using double progression? 01:08:47 Should you work in a commercial gym before starting your own coaching business? 01:10:11 Will Ratelle x Jon Heck training program announcement 01:11:08 Accessory exercises that never leave your program 01:15:08 Maximum calorie deficit for a 40% body fat powerlifter 01:15:54 Deadlift going backwards week to week—what should I do? 01:16:12 Best advice for aspiring online coaches 01:17:59 Most overrated mainstream lifting program 01:19:42 Cronometer: Prioritize macros or calories? 01:20:16 Testosterone cypionate: once weekly or more frequent injections? 01:20:43 How to lift heavy every day 01:21:28 How to set calories for fat loss 01:22:09 Podcast suggestion: Dr. Emily Dow 01:22:50 When programming phases, prioritize movement patterns or specific lifts? 01:23:33 Fitness beliefs the evidence supports less than people think 01:24:59 Best lifts for durability in endurance runners 01:25:33 Most common mistakes intermediates make 01:26:28 Best exercises to improve a poor front rack 01:28:02 Nutrition recommendations for men vs. women 01:28:57 Anatomy & biomechanics vs. sport-specific education for strength coaches 01:30:32 Best body hair trimmer 01:31:47 Are CrossFit athletes actually natural? 01:33:28 What habit do you wish you'd developed while playing college football? 01:35:36 Outro

    1hr 38min

  2. 6 days ago

    Ep. 89: Dr. Katie Dabrowski, Rehab should look like training!

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Katie Dabrowski, sports physical therapist and performance expert, to discuss why rehab shouldn't look like traditional rehab—it should look like training.We dive into injury prevention, returning to sport, strength training after injury, common rehab mistakes, pain myths, and how athletes and lifters can bridge the gap between physical therapy and peak performance.Whether you're dealing with an injury, coaching athletes, or simply want to train smarter, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

    1hr 21min

  3. 25 Jun

    TRT 101: What you need to know. Myths debunked

    In this week's nutrition rant...I wanted to cover a topic unrelated to nutrition that people ask me about all the time...Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Who should consider it? How does it work? What are the REAL risks and side effects? Is it dangerous? How to use it effectively. Lets dive in

    37 min

  4. 23 Jun

    Ep. 88: I Left Football to Launch My Own Business (How and Why)

    Solo episode of the Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast! In this episode I discuss my transition from 9 years working in NFL and college football strength and conditioning to launching my own coaching business and starting my journey as a solo business owner and entrepreneur. I discuss the pros and cons of both sides, why I decided to leave, how i set myself up for success, what the lifestyle looks like now, my advice for those considering going into business for themselves, leveraging social media, the money and more.

    1hr 5min

  5. 18 Jun

    The keys to building muscle (and what's holding you back)

    In this week's nutrition rant I dive into my philosophies around building muscle, and what I see many people doing wrong! I talk about both the training and nutrition sides of this. Enjoy and let's get big.

    34 min

  6. 16 Jun

    Ep. 87: Tom Hibbert, How to Train for Strongman

    Tom Hibbert is a world-class strongman coach, educator, and founder of Winning Strength. Known for his evidence-based approach to strength development, Tom has coached athletes from beginners to elite-level competitors across strongman, powerlifting, and strength sports. Through his coaching, content, and programming, he helps athletes maximize performance by blending practical experience with sports science, making him one of the most respected voices in modern strongman training.

    1hr 18min

  7. 11 Jun

    How to transform a physique over time

    Weekly nutrition rant! I dive into how I break the year up into a planned series of structured phases to drive physique improvement over time...step one of this process is get lean!

    28 min

  8. 9 Jun

    Ep. 86: Dr. Emily Dow, Performance Dietitian

    Dr. Emily Dow is a performance dietitian specializing in sports nutrition, body composition, and evidence-based strategies to help athletes and active individuals optimize performance, recovery, and long-term health. Through her work with competitive athletes and fitness enthusiasts, she focuses on practical nutrition approaches that improve training outcomes without unnecessary restriction or fad dieting.

    1hr 34min
See All (105)

About

My name is Jon Heck, and I am a strength and conditioning coach and nutritionist. I am a former strength coach from Division-1 college football and the NFL. I now ruin my coaching business Hammer and Chisel Performance full time, working with all walks of life on nutrition and training. With a background in powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman, football and coaching in different fields, I will be bringing on a wide variety of guest from all of these realms of the world of performance and the fitness industry to talk all things coaching, nutrition, training, business, and more.

Information

You Might Also Like