Iron Culture Eric Helms & Omar Isuf
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- Hälsa och motion
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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. The lifting community has become fractured over the last ~70 years and this Podcast will attempt to explore the fundamental threads that unite these different tribes. The Podcast focuses on dispensing practical, useful information to the listener, bouncing from history, to philosophy, to contemporary lifting culture issues, to science. This can range from teaching the audience about lifting, programming, nutrition, supplements/PEDs and the history of lifting culture. 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.
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Menstrual Cycle Training Roundtable (w/Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple & Dr. Kim SantaBarbara)
Fresh off of their successful doctoral defenses, Lauren and Kim join Iron Culture to discuss all things menstrual-cycle related for lifters! Dr. Helms had the pleasure of mentoring Kim, who recently completed her PhD at AUT, in which she surveyed and monitored the menstrual cycle symptoms of resistance-training women, and also led an intervention of mindfulness-based yoga to see the impact on menstrual cycle symptom severity. These findings are complemented by Lauren’s PhD research, recently completed at Stu Phillips lab at McMaster University, where she looked at muscle protein fractional responses to resistance training in women during different menstrual cycle phases. Covering both the applied and mechanistic side of the equation, this Roundtable discussion led by the Erics gives you the cutting-edge low down on whether or not menstrual cycle phased based training is all that it’s hyped up to be.
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Beyond Pain Science: When Injuries Don’t Resolve
We’re back with another trio episode, and in this one, the hosts dig deeper into the Trex-lore. Eric Trexler has been training since his early youth, but only recently has he struggled with his fitness, and health and even had to rethink who he is as a lifter, due to lingering pain. Pain and injury are complex and multifaceted, but the body is resilient and often heals itself with time. But what can you do when nothing seems to work? When you seemingly can’t change your circumstances the only thing left is to change your perspective. Join us in this episode as the hosts share these perspectives, with a collective experience of over 50 years under the bar.
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Biomechanics for Bodybuilding (with Kassem Hanson)
To complement the recent appearance of Dr. Wes Goodman, we now have the founder of N1 Education, Coach Kassem Hanson to join us on iron culture to discuss applied biomechanics and anatomy for bodybuilding. We discuss the limitations of research, what might be considered fundamental features of effective hypertrophy exercises, common mistakes and misunderstandings of applied anatomy, individual differences and more! Join us in this discussion of bodybuilding functional anatomy and learn how to take your, or your clients training that much closer to optimal.
00:00 The Erics introduce Kassem and the topic
Iron Culture Ep. 273- Biomechanics For Powerlifting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB6_fIlx8EA
05:09 Why and how Kassem is ruining resistance training for the youth
10:43 Kassem’s background and what he does
19:00 What the technology is actually measuring and their limitations
27:13 Exercise selection principles
40:43 Working around structural limitations and injuries
47:27 Getting into the weeds of exercise selection for hypertrophy
1:00:08 The application of biomechanics research for training
1:06:30 Making the leg press more glute or quad focused
1:16:33 Considering and balancing different variables
1:25:12 An insight into an N1 study and a quick discussion on lengthened partials
1:32:32 The application of biomechanics principles and research
1:42:15 Closing out this conceptual discussion and where to find Kassem
Kassem
Instagram: @coach_kassem https://www.instagram.com/coach_kassem/?hl=en
N1 Education
Website: https://n1.education/
Instagram: @n1.education https://www.instagram.com/n1.education/?hl=en
N1 Training
Website: https://n1.training/
Instagram: @n1.training https://www.instagram.com/n1.training/?hl=en -
Do Hardgainers Need More Volume?
Since the beginning of the iron game, different methods have been promoted as the best approach to train for “hardgainers.” Likewise, in the scientific literature, the variability in individual response is well documented, including the identification of “non-responders” and poor responders to exercise. However, only recently have studies been undertaken to determine how to manipulate training to help poor responders to resistance training get better gains. So, is it true what they say? Does “hard work beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard”? And if so, what type of “hard work” needs to be done exactly?
00:00 Introduction to a duo episode with two of the best Erics in the fitness industry and the history of the "hardgainer”
09:48 “Non-responders” in the literature and measurement error
17:27 Individual vs group level responses
25:32 Challenging the idea of non-response to training
Montero 2017 Refuting the myth of non-response to exercise training: 'non-responders' do respond to higher dose of training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28133739/
Lixandrão 2024 Higher resistance training volume offsets muscle hypertrophy nonresponsiveness in older individuals https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38174375/
35:20 The narratives surrounding responses to training
40:52 Changes in training to break through plateaus and variability in repetition performance
Bellinger 2020 Muscle fiber typology is associated with the incidence of overreaching in response to overload training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32816636/
1:04:55 A quick insight into some upcoming PhD research and closing out with an advertisement for MASS Office Hours
https://massresearchreview.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTPlGKLOFok&list=PLq2Hpu55tCKbaklI9h4Z5-2kJYf5T3ren&index=36
Barbend Article: https://barbend.com/tom-platz-legs-massive-at-67/ -
Biomechanics for Powerlifting feat Dr. Wes Goodman
Wes Goodman recently completed his PhD in Exercise and Nutrition Science with an emphasis in Biomechanics and Motor Control at Montana State University under Dr. David Graham with our very own Dr. Helms on his committee as well. But he’s more than an academic, he’s a certified strength and conditioning specialist, gym owner, power lifter, strong man and Highland Games competitor! He studied how musculoskeletal modelling can help us understand the nuances of how the body performs squats. In this episode you’ll learn about the theory and application of motor control to lifting, the limitations of common biomechanics studies, and how modelling helps us understand that muscles can influence joints they don’t actually cross, and to Omar’s dismay, that a calf raise might actually be a squat accessory exercise!
00:00 Addressing the controversy before introducing our guest Sooper Gforce
Iron Culture Ep 269- Are Social Media PhDs Ruining Fitness? (feat Dr. Milo Wolf, Max Coleman & Dr. Pak) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgp9h5D0yqI
Enes 2024 Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is There a Dose-Response Effect? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37796222/
04:37 Introducing Wes Goodman and what is biomechanics?
13:15 Necromechanics, what we can measure with biomechanics and its limitations
Iron Culture Ep. 163- All About EMG and Hypertrophy (ft. Andrew Vigotsky) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIccFeOknew
28:45 The degrees of freedom problem and clarifying
37:00 The dominant theories on motor control and neuroscience
45:04 Motor learning strategies in lifting and the theoretical/philosophical perspective
58:45 Cuing in (power)lifting and the approaches to providing feedback as coach
1:06:53 Wes’ PhD research: the intricacies of muscle function within tasks
1:20:05 Modelling in science and furthering our understanding of squat biomechanics
1:24:55 Wes’ initial thoughts on his data regarding the calves
1:29:29 Closing out and where to find Wes
Website: https://likeironstrong.com
IG: @likeironstrong_wes https://www.instagram.com/likeironstrong_wes/
ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/William-Goodman-12
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Mike Tuchscherer: Peaking After 20 Years of Powerlifting
The man, the myth, the legend, Mike T is back! Fresh off a 900kg total, an 800lbs deadlift, and placing just off the podium at Powerlifting America National by bodyweight, Mike T is showing how much longevity can be had for the lifelong lifter, even at the highest level. We’ve only got a penlight in this pitch-dark morphing cave, but that’s apparently all you need. Join us on this episode where we discuss mental maturity and growth as a lifter, Mike’s journey and his future plans in equipped lifting!
00:00 Introduction to a homecoming episode
Iron Culture Ep. 4- Periodization & Autoregulation Roundtable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVw1OxvZUA
07:15 Catching up on Mike T’s achievements and competing equipped
Iron Culture Ep. 46- Powerlifting: Raw vs Equipped Lifting (Ft. Calgary Barbell, Corvus Strength & RTS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG618RmkoPA
22:13 Keeping the spark for lifting and training
Lepper 1973 Undermining children's intrinsic interest with extrinsic reward: A test of the "overjustification" hypothesis. https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Motivation/Lepper_et_al_Undermining_Childrens_Intrinsic_Interest.pdf
Fishbach 2012 When thinking about goals undermines goal pursuit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597812000222
30:42 Mike T’s athletic arc
37:30 Facing and navigating adversity: injuries and load management
50:10 What has changed over time for Eric, especially with his injuries
01:04:18 The ‘hot streak’, sticking with it, and moving forward
01:19:15 We are all getting out of this cave together… or do we even need to get out?
1:25:44 The plan for Mike T the athlete and where to find him
Instagram: @miketuchscherer https://www.instagram.com/miketuchscherer/
Threads: @miketuchscherer https://www.threads.net/@miketuchscherer
Reactive Training Systems Coaching https://pages.reactivetrainingsystems.com/coaching
RTS Lab https://pages.reactivetrainingsystems.com/rts-training-lab
Kundrecensioner
From little Canada
Hi, I’m from Sweden, and let’s be honest Scandinavia is just a crappier Canada but in Europe.. I just wanna say that this episode was killer. Surrendering your souls to the old gods has definitely made you master podcasters. Praise Paimon🙏 Now I have a silly question for Eric, about bodybuilding.. so when pumping up backstage, is do you think using Citrulline would give you an advantage? Y/N: Why do or do you not think so? Love the show keep it going guys!
Educational and entertaining!
Great dynamic these two have. Admirable moral and values.
Makes listening to the podcast very enjoyable. I learn and I laugh (in the good way) when listening to it. Go for it!
Great podcast
Cant get enough of the content and the level of discussion is just so perfect. And both Eric and Omar are so genuinely nice individuals who want to help people.