The Macro Lounge Podcast

Chris Bold and Rachel Mead

🎙️ Welcome to The Macro Lounge Podcast Your backstage pass to the world of bodybuilding and bikini competition. Hosted by Chris Bold, Head coach of Team Bold Physique and Rachel Mead of Accentuate Bikinis, this podcast dives deep into everything from prep and posing to post-show rebounds.
 Whether you're a seasoned athlete, first-time competitor, coach, or just curious about what goes on beyond the tan. 💪 Real talk about training, nutrition, mindset & stage prep and suits
 🔥 Tips, Q&As and hot takes
 Subscribe and join us as we flex, learn, and laugh our way through the sport we love.

  1. 1d ago

    When Did a Pro Card Become the Only Success Story? Ep 29

    Somewhere along the way, bodybuilding decided there was only one version of success. Chris and Rachel dig into when the pro card became the ultimate goal, who actually decided that, and what it has cost the athletes who never wanted it in the first place. They cover the marketing machine behind pro status, why a pro card has become the sport's version of a qualification, and the uncomfortable truth that for a lot of athletes, the day they win their pro card is the last time they ever win a show. Rachel talks about turning one down because she wanted to earn it properly, and Chris makes the case that amateurs are not the bottom rung of the ladder, they are the entire foundation the sport stands on. Plus a challenge to New Zealand promoters on production value, why treating athletes well costs nothing, and the question worth asking instead of "when are you turning pro". Also in this one: rhinestone season, the Tauranga posing workshop, a puppy stealing the show, and Chris surviving a six kilometre mud run. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think. Find us here: 🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify 📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast ▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast 📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us: 👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/ 💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/ ✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  2. Aug 9

    Peak Week Myths: Water Loading, Sodium Games & Why Less Is More - Ep: 27

    Peak week has a reputation for being complicated. Chris and Rachel think that reputation is mostly nonsense. This week they go through the most common peak week myths, water loading, sodium manipulation, depletion weeks, the backstage burger, the honey, the alcohol shot, all of it. They talk about what actually changes a physique in the final week, what doesn't, and why the best peak weeks are usually the boring ones. If your coach has ever told you to cut water, drop sodium, or do something "because that's just how it's done," this one's for you. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think. Find us here: 🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify 📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast ▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast 📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us: 👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/ 💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/ ✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  3. Aug 2

    ICN North Island Classic Recap: Earthquakes, Donuts, and a Very Stacked Bikini Lineup | Ep: 27

    Chris and Rachel are running on four hours of sleep after a brutal back-to-back weekend in Palmerston North for the ICN North Island Classic, and it shows. This week they're breaking down a massive show: nearly ninety athletes, a five hundred plus crowd, and division after division of strong lineups from bodybuilding through to bikini. Highlights include a real debate on classic physique posing (yes, the Arnold three-quarter pose discourse), the ongoing "wrong division" conversation, why novice bikini is somehow scarier than open, and a genuinely touching moment as the Shelley Bunce Memorial Trophy is presented on stage. Plus the usual chaos: an actual earthquake, a donut delivery gone wrong, and judging calls Chris and Rachel are very happy to disagree with. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think. Find us here:🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us:👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  4. Jul 26

    Who Is Bodybuilding For Anymore? Fit Model, Natural vs Enhanced and Elitism | Ep 26

    This week Chris and Rachel ask the uncomfortable question: who is bodybuilding actually for anymore? They kick off with a recap of the South Island APA posing workshop in Christchurch, the ICN open training and coaches symposium, and an update on the NZ Muscle CEO drama (Dave resigning after just seven days - yeah, we have thoughts). Then they get into the real topic. Has the entry point to bodybuilding gotten so high that everyday people no longer see themselves in the sport? They talk through the Fit Model class and whether it solved a problem or just created a new revenue stream, the growing gap between amateur and pro physiques, whether natural federations are actually a priority for the big players or just an afterthought, and why elitism (and yeah, a bit of misogyny) still shapes who feels like they belong on stage. Grab a coffee, this one gets a little spicy. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think. Find us here: 🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify 📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast ▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast 📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us: 👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academyhttps://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/ 💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physiquehttps://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/ ✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinishttps://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  5. Jul 19

    Prep Goggles: Trust Your Coach, Not Your Eyes Ep: 25

    Prep season has officially hit, and everyone has their goggles on. Chris and Rach break down "prep goggles" - the circus-mirror distortion that hits when you're deep in contest prep - and why your check-in photo is lying to you. They cover why unrealistic comparisons to pros wreck your headspace, the "do you trust your coach" flowchart for cutting through prep panic, why more cardio isn't always the answer, and how to stay grounded when the wheels start coming off. Plus: an update on the NZ Muscle saga, Rach's missing car jack, and a preview of the Christchurch posing workshop. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think! Find us here:🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us:👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  6. Jul 12

    Wedding Dress Shopping vs Bikini Prep: Is Rachel's Big Day Just Another Show?

    One year into the Macro Lounge Podcast and Chris and Rachel are celebrating the only way they know how - by turning Rachel's wedding dress search into a full-blown prep breakdown. Turns out choosing a wedding dress has more in common with picking a competition bikini than you'd think - the confidence question, the fit issues, the "is this the right shape for my physique" spiral, all of it. Rachel shares what actually happened in the fitting rooms so far, the comments fitness women get told about their arms and shoulders on their big day, and why the goal was never to be the skinniest bride. Plus a Christchurch posing workshop is on the horizon, so stick around for that. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think. Find us here: 🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify 📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast ▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast 📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us: 👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/ 💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/ ✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  7. Jul 5

    What Judges Are Actually Looking For in Bikini - Ep 23 Season 2

    Ever wondered what's actually going through a judge's head while you're on stage? Chris pulls back the curtain on 25+ years of judging experience, breaking down muscularity, conditioning, symmetry, balance and presentation, and why the written criteria is way vaguer (and more open to interpretation) than most competitors realize. They compare how IFBB/NPC, ICN and OCB each rank these differently, unpack the difference between graininess and striations, and get into judges' pet peeves (overposing, bad sportsmanship, elbow fights on stage). Plus the line every competitor needs tattooed on their brain: stop trying to impress the judges, start trying to become the obvious winner. Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think.Find us here:🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us:👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academyhttps://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physiquehttps://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinishttps://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

  8. Jun 28

    Don't Wait to Feel Ready - Confidence, Body Image & the Photo Shoot ft. Peter Morris Ep 22: Season 2

    In this episode, we explore the art and psychology of physique photography with Peter Morris, a photographer with over 30 years of experience behind the camera. Peter shares what three decades of shooting bodybuilders, competitors and everyday people has taught him about confidence, body image and the stories people carry into a shoot. We get into: the "handbrake" effect, and why so many people hold back instead of giving a shoot everything they've gothow social media has reshaped trends in bodybuilding and what "stage lean" is supposed to look likethe difference in how men and women approach a photo shootwhy capturing your journey through photos matters, even when you're not where you want to be yetpractical advice for anyone considering their first shootIf you've ever told yourself you'll do it "once you're ready," this episode is for you. You can find Peter on Instagram right here: https://www.instagram.com/peter_at_photoshoot/ Like and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube - it helps more than you'd think. Find us here: 🎧 Follow The Macro Lounge on Spotify 📸 Instagram: @macro_lounge_podcast ▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMacroLoungePodcast 📩 Email: hello@boldphysique.com Work with us: 👙 Posing School: Accentuate Posing Academy https://www.instagram.com/accentuate_posing_academy/ 💪 Coaching with Chris: Team Bold Physique https://www.instagram.com/teamboldphysique/ ✨ Competition Bikinis with Rachel: Accentuate Bikinis https://www.instagram.com/accentuatebikinis/

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About

🎙️ Welcome to The Macro Lounge Podcast Your backstage pass to the world of bodybuilding and bikini competition. Hosted by Chris Bold, Head coach of Team Bold Physique and Rachel Mead of Accentuate Bikinis, this podcast dives deep into everything from prep and posing to post-show rebounds.
 Whether you're a seasoned athlete, first-time competitor, coach, or just curious about what goes on beyond the tan. 💪 Real talk about training, nutrition, mindset & stage prep and suits
 🔥 Tips, Q&As and hot takes
 Subscribe and join us as we flex, learn, and laugh our way through the sport we love.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Bold and Rachel Mead
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Chris Bold and Rachel Mead
  • Show Website
    The Macro Lounge Podcast

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