Iron Culture presented by MASS

In this episode, Eric Helms and Eric Trexler share their current approaches to diet, training, and supplementation, emphasizing pragmatic strategies, individualization, and the importance of evidence-based practice. They discuss how constraints, habits, and intrinsic motivation shape their approaches to fitness, offering valuable insights for both athletes and everyday lifters.
Catch new Iron Culture episodes every Tuesday at 5:30 pm eastern time!
Be sure to use code "MRR10" for 10% off your order at elitefts.com
Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review
massresearchreview.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and episode overview
00:04 Introduction to current fitness and diet approaches
02:13 Eric Helms discusses his role as co-director at Sprints
04:00 The importance of legacy and impact in fitness and research
06:04 Transition to practical training and nutrition strategies
10:45 Current training routines and scheduling challenges
16:05 Training volume, frequency, and adaptation
22:44 Fasted training, resilience, and human adaptability
26:16 Frequency and assessment of deloads
31:32 Personal training journeys and health challenges
36:38 Training habits, constraints, and optimizing within limits
43:20 Philosophy of motivation, identity, and long-term adherence
50:49 Balancing evidence-based principles with real-world constraints
51:46 Eric Helms discusses his current diet and body composition
52:13 The importance of a holistic approach to dieting
52:25 Adjustments in diet based on body composition and goals
53:24 Caloric intake and daily habits
55:23 Meal structure and food choices
57:20 Flexible eating and meal planning
58:55 Strategies for gaining or losing weight
01:02:03 Impact of medication and food addiction on eating behavior
01:04:51 Behavioral strategies during extreme dieting
01:07:37 Supplements and their role in performance and health
01:19:15 Cardio, step counts, and cardiovascular health
01:24:34 Training adaptations and managing physical constraints
01:29:17 Balancing resistance training, cardio, and lifestyle constraints
01:34:05 Final thoughts on personalized, evidence-based practice

In this episode, Eric Helms and Steve Hall discuss training strategies, auto-regulation, the role of cardio in bodybuilding, and practical techniques for efficient training. 
They share insights from their recent training camps and personal experiences to help listeners optimize their workouts and recovery.
 
Catch new Iron Culture episodes every Tuesday at 5:30 pm eastern time!
Be sure to use code "MRR10" for 10% off your order at elitefts.com
Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review
massresearchreview.com
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and episode overview
01:55 Training environment and mental focus during camps
03:57 Eric and Steve discuss recent training experiences
06:50 Auto-regulation and its role in effective training
11:59 Time-saving techniques: drop sets, clusters, and rest pause
19:49 Cardio in bodybuilding: health benefits and recovery
29:56 Monitoring performance and avoiding overtraining
39:58 Practical tips for implementing efficient training methods
49:58 Reflections on training, recovery, and future plans

In this episode, Eric Helms and Richard Collins explore the art and science of coaching, emphasizing the importance of motivation, rapport, and tailored strategies in achieving long-term success in fitness and bodybuilding. In this episode, Richard shares his extensive experience in physique sport coaching, mental performance training, and how athletes and coaches can optimize their mindset and preparation for peak performance.
Check out Richard's instagram (richard_collinscoach) to stay up to date with his work.
Catch new Iron Culture episodes every Tuesday at 5:30 pm eastern time!
Be sure to use code "MRR10" for 10% off your order at elitefts.com
Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review
massresearchreview.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and guest background
01:53 What is coaching and why it matters
04:04 The importance of motivation and internal drive
07:04 Building rapport and trust with clients
10:10 Transition from sports to bodybuilding coaching
14:53 Differences in motivation between athletes and general clients
19:56 Creating internal motivation in clients
25:07 The role of accountability and standards
29:54 The impact of emotional intelligence and relationship building
34:58 Misconceptions about tough love and discipline
40:14 The importance of understanding client context
45:04 Practical strategies for long-term adherence
49:55 Lessons learned from sports coaching
55:09 The value of humility and continuous learning
01:00:12 Closing thoughts and key takeaways

In this episode, Eric Trexler and Eric Helms explore the energetic cost of building human skeletal muscle, discussing recent research, practical implications, and misconceptions about muscle growth and energy expenditure.
Relevant papers:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31482093/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37914977/
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.17.745156v1.full.pdf
Catch new Iron Culture episodes every Tuesday at 5:30 pm eastern time!
Be sure to use code "MRR10" for 10% off your order at elitefts.com
Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review
massresearchreview.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:52 Powerlifting shout-out
11:55 Introduction to new paper on energetic cost of building muscle
20:01 Components of muscle tissue building and their energy costs
22:59 Practical implications of the 3500 calorie rule
30:05 The five additive components of muscle growth energy cost
33:49 Variability in individual energy expenditure responses
40:12 Limitations and future directions in research
50:10 Summary and concluding thoughts

Trexler and Helms dig into sleep and how it intersects with body composition and supplementation. They open on the sleep-and-lifting landscape, then work through the frequently cited 2010 study on insufficient sleep and fat loss, laying out its design and the details behind its dramatic-sounding numbers. From there they discuss what the broader literature does and doesn't establish, the acute effects of sleep restriction on power, skill, and pain perception, and observational data — including sleep patterns in hunter-gatherer societies and among elite athletes — plus the relationship between sleep duration and sleep efficiency. The back half turns to supplementation. They trace the history of research on creatine and sleep, from early findings that creatine might reduce sleep need to newer work on brain creatine under sleep deprivation. This leads into a crossover trial testing caffeine and creatine against a sleep-deprivation cognitive challenge, its findings on rugby passing accuracy, and how to interpret an isolated positive result on a little-studied question. They cover a more recent high-dose replication, then close with the practical side — creatine dosing, the common report that creatine disrupts sleep, and caffeine timing — before wrapping up.
Join us for a live recording of Iron Culture! We go live Tuesdays at 5:30 pm eastern time.
Be sure to use code "MRR10" for 10% off your order at elitefts.com
Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review
massresearchreview.com
Chapters
0:00 Intro
9:44 Sleep & body composition
11:16 Unpacking the famous 2010 sleep study
20:52 The blind spot in the sleep literature
23:04 Sleep restriction, power, skill & pain
27:20 Sleep duration vs. sleep efficiency
31:45 The big takeaway on sleep & gains
34:57 Creatine & sleep: the research history
41:22 The caffeine vs. creatine study
44:47 What the study found
54:21 A newer high-dose replication
1:08:26 Practical application: dosing, timing & sleep complaints
1:15:44 Wrap-up