Hawk Fit Presents: Anabolic Radio

In this episode of anabolic radio I’m joined by @ajmorris where we spoke about a variety of topics that range from his recent injury, future contest prep, to insights about both our coaching practices.
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One thing you will find in this episode, a wealth of knowledge that has been gained by learning through experience. The most valuable teacher we have in bodybuilding- and in life.
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Honoring individual variation within the context of- program design, contest prep, fat loss, gaining phases etc.. is imperative for ‘ideal’ outcomes/adaptations for that individual. It is never one size fits all.
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Individual responses to exercise and diet can vary dramatically from one person to the next. This is why I always preach- learning through experience and trail and error will be the foundation for which you can fast track your own progression.
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All of this suggests that you need to consider how you respond individually to changes in training and diet in order to determine what works best for you.
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Links: https://linktr.ee/ishak_ishak

Know your limits
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A mature athlete is someone who knows their limits, accepts them, and understands they can still improve on them.
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An imposter is delusional to the fact they have limits and eventually their inflexible approach will be the end of them.
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This is just one of the many topics of conversation in the latest episode of Anabolic Radio ft. Dr. (And now PRO) Eric Helms. We also discuss his recent competitive season among hype surrounding topics such as longer muscle length training, partials, and much more.
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More often than not when trying to progress towards a certain performance or body composition related goal (e.g. build muscle, get stronger, or lose body fat) people are immediately drawn to what sounds like ‘the best’ approach, or the complexities of nutrition and resistance training.
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This prevents them from mastering the basics and seeing the big picture.
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We look for advanced methodologies, techniques, or protocols and proceed to pursue an approach that is inappropriate for our current level of advancement and unsustainable long term.
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This is sort of like trying to build a house, or skyscraper, without a proper foundation in place.
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We fail to recognize that before we apply the science of muscle building, we must first learn how to master the basics.
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These are among a few topics of conversation I had with nutrition overlord Alan Aragon and easily one of my favorite episodes to date.
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What I think is great about research…

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Is that in the context of exercise science/bodybuilding is that it has validated much of what ‘old school’ bodybuilders did within their training.

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Training to failure

Partial ranges of motion

The importance of variables related to nutrition

The list goes on.

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On the flip side of the coin, it also dismisses the most absurd approaches from muppets who think you won’t get results if you’re not following ‘insert dogmatic training approach’ or see ‘x diet’.

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On the latest episode of anabolic radio I had the pleasure of speaking to @zacrobinson who lead the latest paper on training to failure for strength/hypertrophy. He talks us through the design, we go into practical application of the findings, and how some people can put themselves in a box with RPE/RIR based training.

Missing the forest for the trees?

I don’t blame you.

With information being readily available at our fingertips, understanding how to navigate, or decipher what’s pertinent for you can be similar to finding a needle in a haystack.

In the recent Anabolic Radio episode with @dr_pak we chatted about a variety of topics that range from his PhD on ‘The Minimum Effective Dose’, to training longer muscle lengths, to Deloads, to what makes a great ‘science-based’ communicator.

Tune into the full episode to understand what’s worth your precious energy when it comes to making long-term progress in the gym.

Thanks for your time Dr. Pak!

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In the latest episode of Anabolic Radio I had the pleasure of chatting to @FORTITUDE_TRAINING where we discuss Nuances of Range of Motion

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Range of motion is simply the objective measurement our joints/muscles are able to move through.

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In every exercise there will be 4 phases of a rep:

• Eccentric (in a squat that will be the downwards motion)
• Isometric in the Lengthened position (bottom of a squat)
• Concentric (upwards motion in a squat)
• Isometric in the Shortened position (top of a squat)

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For myself and my clients I always program tempo, which is simply allowing us to standardize how long we spend in each 4 phase of a rep. This is incredibly important when it comes to standardization of what you’re doing during a set.

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Back to range of motion- as of late in the industry people have been off their rocker about emphasizing the lengthened position in an exercise. Dr. Scott took a few days, before the episode to brush up on what the current body of literature is suggesting when it comes to whether it’s best to train a muscle through a full range of motion, partial, or emphasize the lengthened position.

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I couldn’t think of anyone better to have a deep dive on this topic with, thank you for your time Dr. Scott!!
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After a slight hiatus, Anabolic Radio is back!!

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In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking to Lauren Colenso-Semple who is currently finishing up her PhD and has worked with the likes of @billcampbellphd @bradshoenfeld @andygalpin and now currently @stuphillips . We discussed all things related to women’s physiology and hypertrophy in addition to her latest paper on Menstural Cycle, or Phase based training.

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I think the biggest take away from our discussion was in general- Often we like to turn to research to tell us how to structure our diet and training programs, and studies certainly can act as guidelines or starting points. We must remember, however, that in general, most research reports averages.

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Individual responses to exercise and diet can vary dramatically from one person to the next; averages don’t provide us with this information.

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This is why I always preach- learning through experience and trail and error will be the foundation for which you can fast track your own progression.

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All of this suggests that you need to consider how you respond individually to changes in training and diet in order to determine your optimal program design.

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Tune into the full discussion for a deeper dive- available on all streaming platforms.

Thank you for your time Lauren!

Going through a bodybuilding contest prep is like an eating disorder simulator
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EVEN if you have never experienced eating disorders or body dysmorphia, these are potential issues you will experience during your journey. Especially more so the case when nearing the tail end of a dieting phase/contest season.
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Going from 5-6% to 8-12% for a male or
Going from 10-14% to 15-20% for a female
A sudden shift, necessary shift, still looking better than 99% of the population, but you THINK you look bad because you’re no longer ‘your best’, it’s all mind games and perception.
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Depending on the:
1. Degree of the deficit
2. Approximate weight/body fat lost
3. Diet Duration
We are bound to experience natural responses from our body that are ‘BUILT IN’ our systems and these responses helped our ancestors survive during periods of starvation/famine. Metabolic Adaptations and Low Energy Availability or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (termed RED-S) are bound to occur at some point, so understanding how to maneuver and manage them is critical for long term success.
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Even more so the case when it comes to the Recovery Phase.
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These are among a few topics of discussion in the latest episode of @anabolicradio with the virtuois, poetic @helms3dmj from his white ivory tower, who NEVER misses. You’ll want to tune into this one, available on all streaming platforms!
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In the latest episode of @anabolicradio I had the pleasure of chatting to Champion bodybuilder, father, and businessman Doug Miller. We dive into Dougs background, his mentality, the mindset of what makes a champion, and what he’s learned through his transition as a business man.
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In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting to Dr. Campbell on his latest project Body By Science. This is not just another research review, rather, a deep dive of the literature topped with a cherry of practical application for how you can get the best results- for yourself, or your clients! Tune into the full episode for an in-depth dive on the first issue.
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Tune into the full episode to understand principles for progression.
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In the latest episode of @anabolicradio I had the pleasure of chatting to my friend @brianminor where we discuss the nuances of progression, periodization, mesocycle structure, and fatigue management.
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Think more overtime.
Not more overnight.
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Oftentimes many people who go to the gym, whether that be for recreational, or competitive reasons- fall for the fallacy of thinking more is better, or thinking the only way to ‘progress’ is by increasing load/weight for movements.
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When in many cases, before even considering any means of progression- we must ensure that a proper foundation is set in place and we are competent with our execution across all movement patterns.
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Overlooking this critical step in building a proper foundation to later progress on is similar to building a skyscraper with a rubbish foundation.
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Furthermore, there are contextual and practical limitations to progression- imagine trying to progress a lateral raise by 5-10lb increments every other week or so- it’s extremely realistic and if we consider progression from a relative perspective that will differ when compared to something like an RDL [isolation vs compound movements].
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The truth is…
There are MANY training variables we can manipulate within the context of a training program in order to progress the stimulus, outside of load lifted, such as:
- Effort (RPE/RIR)
- Reps
- Sets
- Tempo
- Rest Periods
- Improved execution
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Tune into the full episode to understand principles for progression. 
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Recovery after a fat loss phase, or contest prep is- NON-NEGOTIABLE

There are two methods that have application following a fat loss phase

1. The Reverse Dieting approach
2. The Recovery Diet 

Both have application depending on the purpose, however a majority of the time it best to just increase calories to your ‘theoretical maintenance’  (air quotes because our ‘maintenance’ down regulates as we begin the process of becoming smaller human beings).

Something that will make the post-show period significantly easier is…

Any guesses…?

1. Being less attached to the outcome and more focused on continuing to improve! This will be different for everyone, but an ex. could be taking a small hiatus from being a hyper focused athlete, or implementing an improvement phase right away

2. Understanding that if you got from point A to point B, before, you can do it again. It’s not like you forgot how to induce a deficit, but taking time away from a deficit is very important. The focus post diet should be gaining body fat at an appropriate rate.

3. It takes roughly ~4-6 months for metabolic rate and hormone levels to recover in a drug-free athlete (1) (2) (3) (4). Focus on training performance, and restoring internal health, and less on your body composition.

4. Set long-term and short-term training performance-related goals.

These are among a few topics of conversation I had with Uncle @nunez3dmj on the latest episode of Anabolic Radio.

Think of peaking like icing on the cake 🍰

Rapid backload

Backload

Linear load

Front load

😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 what to do? What to do?!

While manipulating variables within the peak may not change the actual ‘cake’ component- having a complementary flavor of icing and distribution of it can be something that takes the cake from ‘good’ to ‘flavor bomb’…

Same thing goes for a peak- and the reality is with the level of competition that’s stepping on stages today, you may need that additional 1-3% over others to win your category and even further, an overall. 

Most the work with regards to fat loss and formulating a peak week plan must be done before peak week comes around.

‘Peaking’ is a SHORT-TERM process, which is funny because the process of ‘getting there’ is something that takes months and months of around the clock compounded effort... but it is a very rewarding process.

In this episode of Anabolic Radio I had the pleasure of chatting to @christopher.barakat and his latest paper ‘Peak week recommendations for bodybuilders: an evidence based approach’ led by @doctorgfit and colleagues @fortitude_training @thealanaragon @bradschoenfeldphd

We chatted about many things such as, standardizing definitions for different peaking strategies, how to obtain data and  formulate a plan, considerations from a training perspective, and misc. variables (e.g. sleep, stress, supplements) that have an ability to influence a peak.

Tune into the full discussion to understand how to optimize your peaking process!

Support the show (http://www.hawkfitcoaching.com​)

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Pain is very complex.

The worst thing you can do is not take the time to take internal inventory and assess the appropriate steps to bounce back.

In this episode of Anabolic Radio I had the pleasure of chatting to Aaron Horshig from SquatU, we dive into his background, how to assess pain, and improve movement quality over time. If you’ve ever struggled with nagging pain that in some cases limits your training, turn it the full discussion to understand the process on which you can address and resolve the situation.

Thank you Aaron for your time!

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Noticing visual changes in body composition is similar to watching paint dry, especially when you don’t have any metrics for measuring progress.

This is why tracking things like your training and taking measurements is rather important, as objective data will allow you to accurately assess whether progress is occurring, or not.

In this episode of Anabolic Radio, I had the pleasure of chatting to Dr. Grant Tinsley who is a professor at Texas Tech University and recently has been a pioneer on analyzing changes in body composition and standardizing testing.

Additionally, he has conducted research in the realms of fasting- in the second half of the episode we chatting about standardizing terminology between fasting and time restricted feeding and nuances within both of those topics.

Tune into the full episode to understand the true value of standardizing body composition measurements and nuances of fasting.

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Grant: https://granttinsley.com/

Stay tuned for future content, but don’t forget to like the video if you took something valuable away from it, comment and let me know what you'd like to see in the future, and subscribe for upcoming content!

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Much of this industry will lead you to believe that there’s some special secret behind what they do and how they achieve results, but here’s a hard truth

The secret is there is no secret.

Surround yourself by people that are better than you, or know more than you. Pretty simple, right?

There is no magic diet. There is no magic exercise. There is no magic way of living.

Success in whatever your goal is comes down to a variety of different aspects.

Exercise in a way that is specific to your goals, in a way you can recover from and enjoy.

Push yourself enough to create the adaptation you need, then allow the body to adapt.

Eat the appropriate amount of food for your goal, not too much, not too little, just right.

Be patient, be consistent and keep an open mind.

See how easy it is at a basic level?

In this episode of Anabolic Radio, I had the pleasure of chatting to my friend Kassem Hanson founder of N1 Education. We speak about a variety of topics such as: foundations in the gym, understanding why being specific with your training is important, and how to individualize your approach based on your training level of advancement and goal. Tune into the full discussion to understand how to apply principles intelligently.

Support the show (http://www.hawkfitcoaching.com​)

Kassem: https://n1.education/

Stay tuned for future content, but don’t forget to like the video if you took something valuable away from it, comment and let me know what you'd like to see in the future, and subscribe for upcoming content!

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In this episode of Anabolic Radio, I had the pleasure of chatting to Alan Aragon. If you are unfamiliar with Alan... You're probably a young lad/girl, so you should make it a point to become more familiarized with his work as he is a pioneer for many of the evidence-based nutrition recommendations we have today.

Just like any topic, there may be some truth in simple statements. However, the reality is generalizations and oversimplifications can often leave critical details out of the picture.

Think about it as the pictures on the wall of your home. It starts with a house, then you get furniture, power, and water, and once all that’s said and done- now, you can think about some pictures to hang. Until you have the foundation set, getting caught up on the details will only cause more stress than is needed.⁣

Tune in to the full episode Where we chat about foundations of nutrition all the way to optimizing the ’small’ details.

02:30 Intro
03:10 Parroting and the importance of context
06:40 Body Recomposition
10:30 Recomp. Is a Spectrum
13:13 Recomp. in Advanced trainees
17:30 Protein
19:00 Protein Overfeeding
27:00 Protein Turnover (Timing)
35:00 Peri-workout nutrition
44:00 Plant-based nutrition considerations
52:00 Change within the industry 

In this episode of Anabolic Radio, I had the pleasure of chatting to Dr. Eric Helms. This episode was very exercise science and training theory-heavy, so put on your seatbelt.

At the heart of science lies this one small fact: one size does not fit all. While general principles apply to all individuals, putting these into practice is more art than science.

Innate differences in aerobic capacity, muscle fiber type, insertions/origins, and even proportions/ratios in our skeletal structure- affect how you will respond to a program.

Only through trial and error will you be able to determine what works for you.

Science is the framework that should guide the development and execution of your training program, but there is no substitute for experience, common sense, and effort- All of which will be common denominators regardless of the program.

In this episode, we spoke about a variety of topics ranging from exercise selection, to biomechanics and individual differences in training, to volume requirements, all the way to training to failure.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:20 Eric’s Offseason/Return to the stage

03:50 The importance of context

04:30 Efficient exercise selection

09:00 Squat mechanics/biomechanical differences 

10:44 Optimizing set up/execution for movements

11:30 Volume requirements

15:00 Movement tradeoffs

17:00 Principle specificity

18:30 Exercise sequence

24:24 Effort/Proximity to failure

30:00 Nuances of failure

38:00 Anatomy/Biomechanics in training

44:00 Overreaching & overtraining

50:00 Repetition tempo

Stability is one of the most important, overlooked variables that significantly influences how much you can get out of any exercise. When I take a look at peoples shoes at the gym, oftentimes they’re overly cushioned, do not provide stability at the sides, or do not have a flat sole.

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I don’t know who had the idea that squatting, or doing any movement on *basically* PILLOWS would be a a good idea.

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We have 104 different mechanoreceptors on the bottom of the feet. They respond to different stimuli such as texture, deep pressure, skin stretch and vibration. ⁣Roughly 80% of the receptors on the bottom of the feet are sensitive to vibration. This is actually how we detect impact forces coming in to our bodies!

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Guess what shoes and socks do? They block this powerful information from coming into the body via the nervous system making the information delayed or inaccurate.

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In order to improve balance and stability, we want to stimulate these small nerves in the skin on the bottom of the feet. Having a minimal shoe that enhances your natural foot function (not replace it) will allow this information to travel to the brain quicker and place you in a more stable position.

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In this episode of anabolic radio I had the pleasure of chatting to Andy Bryant who has been a practicing podiatrist for 10+ we dive into the nitty gritty details of feet, shoes, walking mechanics and much more! Tune into the episode for the full discussion.

In our modern world, there is a false narrative that women are supposed to eat less, lift light, and do tons of cardio over, eating like a normal human, and progressive resistance training.

This can lead down a negative path of severe calorie restriction and a decreased quality of living in hopes of chasing 'the perfect' look. I think this is so silly and a toxic way of thinking. Beauty comes in many forms and there are other qualities beyond someone's physical appearance that make them beautiful.

Sometimes it’s not about eating less and doing more.

Oftentimes, it’s about eating enough to fuel performance/recovery, identifying specific goals with your body composition, or performance and enjoying your training!

In this episode of anabolic radio, I had the pleasure of chatting to Sharelle Grant. Sharelle, previously has 7+ years of experience working as a midwife/nurse whilst this was her career- she had a massive passion for fitness and taking care of her health. Eventually, Sharelle decided to peruse her passion and since then has been working for herself full-time. In this episode, we chat about the nuances of fitness for Women and extra precautions that should be taken into account when it comes to nutrition/training.

Tune into the full episode to listen to our discussion’