Ep 342 - New Data: Does Growth Really Drive Strength Gains?
In this episode of Iron Culture, hosts Eric Trexler and Eric Helms discuss various topics including the ongoing debate about the relationship between muscle growth and strength gains. They discuss brand new findings from the largest and longest-running study on resistance training, explore the implications of "apparent" sex differences in strength gains, and emphasize the need for nuanced statistical analysis in understanding the factors that contribute to strength gains and observed sex differences. Want to read a thorough analysis of the article we discussed in this episode (and many more)? Support the show by joining the MASS Community at massresearchreview.com Chapters 00:00 Intro 09:10 The Debate on Muscle Size and Strength 12:30 New Research on Muscle Strength and Size 20:45 Exploring Sex Differences in Muscle Training 26:40 The Hierarchy of Evidence in Research 32:00 Relationships Between Strength And Muscle Size 36:40 Lifting For Sport: History And Changing Cultural Norms 39:00 Back To The Study Results (Understanding Sex Differences in Strength Gains) 42:15 Nuances of Statistical Analysis: Relationships Between Strength And Muscle Size 54:10 Aside About Collegiate Sports In USA 56:50 Causal Discovery Analysis in Strength Research 1:08:00 Summary and Conclusions: The Role of Muscle Growth in Strength Gains 1:21:45 Listener Question: Sample Sizes in Exercise Science 1:27:10 Outro
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Ep 341 - Unpacking Individual Responses to Training Volume
In this episode of Iron Culture, hosts Eric Helms and Michael Zourdos engage with Dr. Zac Robinson to discuss his dissertation research on the effects of resistance training volume on muscle adaptations. The conversation delves into the complexities of individual responses to training, the importance of research design, and the implications of findings for coaching practices. They emphasize the need for caution in interpreting data and the evolving nature of sports science, highlighting the significance of collaboration and flexibility in training approaches. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 06:25 The PhD Journey and Team Dynamics 11:32 Dissertation Overview and Research Focus 18:43 Research Methodology and Individual Variability 26:50 Understanding Individual Response Variation in Training 32:09 Study Design: Isolating Variables in Training Responses 37:33 The Importance of Replication in Research 42:40 Findings 53:41 Limitations and Implications of the Study 01:00:17 Genetics and Individual Response Variability 01:02:59 The Dose-Response Relationship in Training 01:06:25 Shifting Perspectives on Training Individualization 01:11:00 The Role of Sports Science in Coaching 01:19:51 Future Directions in Resistance Training Research
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Ep 340 - Protein: Valuable, But Overvalued
In this episode, Drs Trexler and Helms discuss various topics including updates on Eric's surgery, the valuable (but very modest) effects of protein intake on muscle gains, incontinence after contest prep, the relationship between sleep quality and nutrient timing, the recent ban on smelling salts in the NFL, and more. Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Preview of next week's episode (non-responders, hyper-responders, etc) 07:01 Trex's surgery update 12:11 Discussion on Protein Meta-Analyses and Research Updates (how much does protein intake actually matter for gains?) 33:10 Why meta-analyses differ from RCTs in terms of "expiration dates" 44:15 The Impact of Training vs. Nutrition (for muscle growth) 51:41 Q&A: Supplementation for Lifters (and Specifically Vegans Who Lift) 55:49 Incontinence, Increased Urine Output, and Contest Prep 59:16 Chrono Nutrition and Sleep Quality 01:11:28 The Role of Smelling Salts in Sports Performance (and Football)
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Ep 339 - ECA Stack & Yohimbine
In this episode of Iron Culture, Helms and Trex have a lengthy discussion about the ECA stack and yohimbine. The history, the mechanisms, the regulatory changes, the practical applications – you name it, they cover it. Don’t miss this episode if you have an interest in fat loss, stimulants, or dietary supplementation in general. Also, be sure to check out the newest issue of the MASS Research Review! Learn more at massresearchreview.com Time stamps 0:00 Intro 4:18 New issue of the MASS Research Review 10:42 Helms contest prep update 13:15 The history of the ECA stack and supplement regulation 30:07 Ephedra vs Ephedrine 35:31 Why people took ephedrine / ECA stack 36:30 Trends in PED use over time 45:00 Research on the ECA stack 50:58 Banning lifters for stimulant use 53:15 Effects of ephedrine + caffeine on metabolism and fat loss 1:02:44 What does aspirin really add to the ECA stack? 1:13:00 Do NSAIDs blunt hypertrophy? 1:21:25 How yohimbine works (and yohimbe vs yohimbine distinction) 1:31:10 Regulatory status of yohimbine 1:32:58 Practical applications
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Ep 338 – The many eras of evidence-based fitness (ft. Dr. Jim Stoppani)
Back when Trex was a 14 year old, his wrestling coach noticed his passion for training and nutrition. This coach took Trex under his wing, and they started absorbing and applying as much information as they could. Their source material, almost exclusively, was the content produced by Dr. Jim Stoppani – primarily from magazine articles, but also from the totally novel medium of online video content. Jim was a jacked PhD with tons of “in the trenches” experience - back in 2005 that was a very rare combination, and there’s no question that people like Jim led the way for the next generation of “bodybuilding academics” like Helms and Trex. Jim has made a huge mark on the fitness industry. Perhaps his most impressive feat is maintaining his impact and relevance as the industry has fundamentally transformed itself multiple times. Jim was the face of some of the biggest muscle magazines (in their prime), one of the most recognizable content creators when bodybuilding dot com was THE place for online fitness, and way ahead of the curve when it comes to building your own platform and leveraging mobile fitness applications. In this episode of Iron Culture, the Erics have a great chat with Dr. Stoppani about how the industry (and science communication more broadly) has evolved over the last 25-30 years. To learn more about Jim and support his work, check out his social media channels and his website https://www.jimstoppani.com/ Time stamps 0:00 Intro 3:22 Jim’s education 14:18 Jim’s transition to the muscle magazine industry 30:44 Jim’s bodybuilding dot com days 44:52 Fitness content creation in the age of social media: the good, the bad, and the ugly
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.
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