Brutal Iron Gym

When switching from offseason to pre-contest training, what considerations should be made in regards to exercise selections?  Should you use the same exercises that you used in the offseason, or, if the diet is changing from surplus to a deficit, should your training change as well?  Listen to today's podcast to find out!

Are you feeling stressed?  Overwhelmed?  Uncertain?  When it comes to dieting feeling stressed isn't uncommon, but thankfully it doesn't have to be the norm!  In today's podcast I share 5 tips for how to reduce dieting stress!!!

She did it!!!  She qualified for Nationals!!!  In today's podcast Meredith and I discuss how the first show went including ALL of the chaos that ensued haha.  It definitely wasn't an ideal or normal experience, that's for sure haha.  Listen in to share in the fun!!!

Are you worried about losing muscle mass when you're away from the gym?  Maybe you have a trip coming up, or a surgery, or have just been missing more training sessions than you'd like... and you're worried you're going to lose all of your gains!!!  In today's podcast we discuss the process of muscle loss and how to avoid losing muscle tissue when you can't be in the gym as much as you'd like!

Are you struggling?  Are you considering quitting?  Before you do, listen to today's podcast!  In today's podcast I discuss the mindset that can keep you going and allow you to keep a sense of hope!!!

If you're using self-regulation techniques in your programming, such as RPE, today's podcast can be helpful for learning to identify two common issues people struggle with that often derails their programming and progress!

When our efforts start, our expectation of seeing results starts... but, is that the right expectation for success?  Creating the right expectation of when we should see results can help set us up mentally for success!  Listen to today's podcast to find out when you should expect to see results for your efforts!!!

Are you struggling to reach your protein requirements without overconsuming your calories?  If so, you're not alone!!!  This is a struggle many vegetarian and vegan athletes face when trying to balance a healthy diet.  In today's podcast I share the advice I give my clients and how YOU can solve this issue!

When you think of mental toughness, what do you picture?  Often we think of mental toughness in extremes... extreme amount of effort, but for only a short duration.  But, is that the mental toughness approach you need to reach your goals?  Listen in to learn more!

Peak Week!!!  We're finally here!!!  In today's podcast Meredith shares how she's feeling and what she's thinking leading into our upcoming contest!!!  Be sure to follow our Instagram channel "brutalirongym" for contest updates!!!

If you've plateaued in muscle growth, in order to grow more, you may actually have to train less!  How can this be true?  Listen to today's podcast to find out!!!

If I could only tell everyone ONE piece of nutrition advice... what would it be?  Listen in to find out!!!

If you have to change the order of your workouts, is that really significant?  ABSOLUTELY!!!  Workout order absolutely matters!!!  Listen in to learn why AND how you can modify the workouts to ensure you still achieve the best results!!!

Do you want to make progress, or, do you want to be right?  Those two options aren't always the same!  When progress has stalled, are you willing to try something new, even if it proves that what you were trying before wasn't right?

Did you know that you can modify your rest periods to create more intense workouts without having to increase weight or reps?  Did you know that "rest periods" also refers to the time between similar movements?  Want to learn more specifics and fun ways to create more workout variety?  Listen in!!!

Do you believe you know what "good" foods are?  Maybe... maybe not!  In today's podcast we discuss how to approach the "good" food concept to know exactly which foods are best for you!

We're almost there!!!  2 weeks until the first show!  In this episode we discuss how our approach is working in spite of having zero cardio AND Meredith still being healthy enough to have her period!  Lots of great information for how a contest prep diet should be structured!!!  Listen in to learn more!

Are you consistent with group training but you're not seeing the results you expected?  In today's podcast I explain why that may be happening and what you can do to correct it!!!

What is the right depth of difficulty needed to reach your goals?  How do you know if you're working "hard enough" or "too hard"?  In today's podcast I discuss how we can better balance the difficulty needed to produce change with the consistency needed to sustain the change!

Do you need to burn off more fat, but you're afraid of burning off muscle tissue?  Which choice is better... increasing cardio or decreasing calories?  Listen in to find out!!!

Do you work 10+ hours a day?  If so, are you struggling to eat healthy and stay active?  Probably.  If so, today's podcast can help!  I discuss how you can properly manage nutrition and training even with a busy schedule!  Lots of helpful info!

Can you eat whatever you want (pizza, donuts, cereal) and still lose weight assuming you're in a calorie deficit?  Listen in to find out the answer!!!  It may surprise you!!!

When we face challenges in our life; self-chosen or not, we do still have a choice.  We have a choice in what we expect in the process.  And what we should expect is our challenges to be... challenging!!!  If you expect the process to be hard you will be more mentally prepared to work through the obstacles and find a way to fight through them.

New weight loss PR, dealing with hunger and fatigue, and storing post-show snacks!!!  These are some of the topics we discuss in today's podcast!!!

When training in a deficit you're liking going to feel less than your best.  You may struggle with wanting to skip a few reps, skip a challenging exercise, or skip an entire workout!  How can you push through this fatigued and tired mindset to still put your best efforts in?  That's what I answer in today's podcast!!!

Has your fat loss plateaued?  You're following your diet, you're in the gym, you're doing everything according to plan, but... progress has stalled?!!  You may still be losing "some" weight but you're not actually looking any better... what's happening?!!  In today's podcast I explain what happens when a diet stalls out and how you can fix it!

Are low reps better for muscle growth because they allow you to use heavier weights?  Or, are higher reps better because you can push the muscle deeper into muscular fatigue?  In today's podcast I explain the pros and cons of both low and high rep training AND provide an answer for what rep range actually is best!!!

"If it's good for you, but you hate it.  Learn to love it.  Because it's likely what you want is on the other side of it."  These words sound great, but how do we actually do that?  How do we learn to love something we once hated?  In today's podcast I discuss this concept and explain how you can "get to the other side".

Want some ideas for your next workout?  Or a client's workout?  In today's podcast I share the techniques I used in a recent leg workout including eccentric overloads, drop sets, and rest/pause.  Lots of fun ideas and helpful details!

Can you lose fat AND be strong, be explosive, grow new muscle?  Absolutely!!!  In today's podcast I discuss how to set up your nutrition approach to balancing fat loss and performance!!!

Only 4 more weeks!!!  Time travels fast when you're having fun haha.  In today's podcast Meredith and I discussed the "fun" she's been having with her diet and training this past week along with our tips and advice for how to still adhere to your diet around appointments and special events!

If you're a hard gainer, this podcast WILL HELP!!!  In today's podcast I discuss nutrition, training, and supplement advice for hard gainers all the way from a beginner to advanced level of detail!  A ton of great information!!!

What you think about what you do, or don't do, can make or break the outcome!  Your perspective is powerful, and, it's entirely up to you!  Listen in to learn more!

If you have hypermobile joints you may worry about being injured when lifting weights.  If so, in today's podcast I explain how to properly warm up and strengthen your joints so that you can be safe AND strong while lifting weights!!!

How low should you go when it comes to calories in a fat loss diet?  Should you go as low as you can tolerate?  Are there any possible negative impacts in doing so?  In today's podcast I discuss what considerations come into play when deciding the proper calorie deficit for a fat loss diet.

Want to improve your cardiovascular performance, BUT, you're limited to only indoor options?  And you don't have traditional cardio equipment?!  No problem!!!  In today's podcast I explain how you can achieve a great cardio stimulus without a lot of space or equipment!  Listen in to learn how!

Do you want change in your life, but you're feeling defeated?  Or struggling to know how to create the change you want?  If so, in today's podcast we explore 3 steps that can help you create change in your life that will allow you to shift your life closer to what you truly want it to be!

Down 3 pounds and feeeeeeling it haha.  Meredith had a great week but the diet is now starting to push her into "uncomfortable" territory!  Listen in to learn what she's working through AND how we're working through it!!!

Are you considering using an AI generated training program?  Do you wonder what the pros and cons of AI generated programming are?  Is it best for you, and your specific goals?  I answer all of these questions, and more, in today's podcast!

Want to ensure you're eating enough to grow without gaining unwanted body fat?  In today's podcast I discuss how to set up a personalized diet that will provide enough calories and protein for muscle growth without causing unwanted body fat gains!

Want some workout ideas for training your chest and back together?  We got you covered!!!  In today's podcast we share 3 workout structures that you can use to personalize your workout to best match your needs!!!  Listen in to learn more!

Are you fearful of trying a new approach?  If your current approach isn't working, and you believe you do need to move on to a new approach, BUT, you're afraid to do so... today's podcast can help!  I share 3 tips that'll help you move on to the new approach with more confidence and conviction!!!

Are you worried about the impact of running on your joints?  Have you heard that running is bad for joint health?  If so, in today's podcast we answer those concerns and provide steps for how to protect your joints while being able to include running into your exercise routine!

Want to learn how to set up a fat loss diet for yourself or a client?  In today's podcast I teach how to determine the right calories, the appropriate deficit, and how to balance your nutrition with your activity for an overall fat loss diet approach!  Lots of great information!!!

Another fun week!!!  This week we talk about food dreams, the impact of your period on a diet, and share some fun memories!!!  Lots of laughs in this one!!!

If your body weight changing per day impacts your emotional health and/or can feel demotivating at times, this podcast can help!  In today's podcast I explain what a weight scale measures and how / why our body weight can fluctuate daily.  Better understanding the reasons for day to day change can help us better control our reactions and actions so we can stay the course and achieve our goals!

What's holding you back from reaching your goals?  What's the one thing you can never seem to get past?  In today's podcast we explore what to do when you have a seemingly immoveable object in your path.  Listen in to learn!!!

Want to get stronger without getting bigger?  In today's podcast I share a program I recently wrote for a client that achieves exactly that goal!!!  And, it's totally for free!!!  Listen to the podcast and if you want a free copy of the program reach out at brutalirongym@gmail.com

Want to learn what we cover in our weekly client check-ins?  In today's podcast I review a recent client check including the weekly nutrition review and the weekly Q&A topics and answers discussed!  This is a fun insight into what is covered within our one-on-one services!

I was asked this question recently by one of my personal trainer clients and I thought it would make a great podcast!!!  If you'd like to learn if your struggles are also shared by others (hint, hint - they often are) you can listen to today's podcast to find out if so and what we do to work through them!

If you beat yourself up when things don't go as planned please listen to today's podcast!  In today's podcast I discuss self-blame and how it often shows itself in fat loss diets when it comes to our weight on a scale and the food choices that we make.

What a fun week!  Meredith's weight loss plateaued so we had to make some adjustments but everything's back on track and pushing forward!  To learn what adjustments we made... listen in!!!

Pre-exhaust before Squats?!!  Yep!!!  The benefits may surprise you!!!  In today's podcast I share a squat pre-exhaust program I wrote for a client including the individual-specific benefits, exercises, and exercise selection thought process!!!  There's a ton of great programming knowledge in this podcast!!!

Do you have to avoid carbs to lose body fat?  Do you have to be in a state of ketosis to lose body fat?  In today's podcast we explore what carb vs fat content a diet needs in order to be successful for fat loss!  Listen in to find out!!!

Do you want to get stronger without gaining fat, muscle, or added body weight?  Many people want to increase strength without feeling bulky or without having to move up a competitive weight class.  If this explains you, today's podcast is for YOU!!!

When we think of what we want to achieve... what does it take?  What will we have to do to reach that goal?  In today's podcast I share a client story of someone who asked that exact question... "what will it take" and the answer surprised her!!!  Listen in to find out what that answer was!!!

Want to learn how the best in the sport of powerlifting structure their offseason vs peaking programs?  In today's podcast I share the training for a 4x Elite Total Powerlifter!!!  What we focus on in their programming that allows them to be their best and how YOU can do the same!!!

Do you struggle with your emotional response to your weight and/or your appearance?  If so, you likely are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, defeated, and maybe even burned out.  In today's podcast I discuss how you can diversify your focus, how you can "find more to enjoy" along the process so that you can better enjoy and sustain the process!

Another great week!  This week we discuss recent progress photos, how to manage stress and why that's important, and we even discuss some fun "what if" questions related to diet and exercise!!!  Lots of fun!!!

If you'd like to set up a PPL routine that is more personalized to your needs today's podcast will teach you how!  In today's podcast I share 3 common complaints about the PPL approach and what you can do to counter those complaints to create a fully personalized program!

When you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and unmotivated do you tend to stop your efforts?  Do you tell yourself that you'll take a "short" break to recover before coming back... to only then have that "short" break become way too long?  In today's podcast we explore the concept of how to manage these negative emotions WITHOUT stopping so that we can better control both our experience and our outcome.  Listen in to learn more!

Want to add more variety and excitement to your deadlift workouts WHILE progressing your strength?  Who doesn't?!  In today's podcast I share a program that I wrote for a client focused on warming up for the deadlift using non-deadlift specific exercises designed to address weaknesses and increase explosivity!  Listen in to learn to more!

No matter your goal calories in vs calories out will play a significant factor in the process of reaching your goal.  In today's podcast we discuss the three main factors of the calories in vs calories out equation; nutrition, exercise, and activity.  And how you can manipulate these factors to create a personalized approach to your goal to ensure the best experience and outcome possible.

We often hear differing and often conflicting advice towards our fitness goals which can lead to us feeling uncertain and overwhelmed.  Why is there so much variance in what we hear?  And how do we know which advice to follow?  Listen in to today's podcast to find out!

Another week of prep and another week of PR weight loss!!!  This week Meredith navigated traveling while pushing herself the hardest she has so far in the prep!  In today's podcast we discuss her recent training and nutrition, her mindset as we push harder in the prep, and what changes we'll be making in the upcoming week!

Are you struggling with poor sleep quality?  Are you tired when you should be but when you lay down you can't seem to calm your mind?  If so, today's podcast can help!  We discuss common reasons for poor sleep quality and provide tips for how you can address those issues!

What's holding you back?  In today's podcast I share 3 client stories of overcoming negative training mindsets that were holding them back and how YOU can use the lessons they learned to help you become your best self!

Yes you can lose body fat while eating carbs!  In today's podcast I discuss how to manage carbs as well as general caloric deficits during diets in order to modulate diet stress to improve long-term adherence and consistency!

In today's podcast I discuss the per workout format, exercise selection, and the training methods used in Meredith's current contest prep workouts!  These same concepts can be used to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of YOUR workouts so it's definitely worth a listen!!!

Do you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and behind in all of your goals?  If so, it could be because you're struggling with "purposeful productivity".  What is that?  Listen in to find out!!!

Have you plateaued in your progress?  If so, it may be because you've plateaued in the degree of uncomfortable that you experience in your workouts.  In today's podcast we discuss 3 training techniques that will allow you to safely progress the challenge of your workouts so you can progress your... progress! haha

Meredith hit a new weight PR this week!  She's hungry but she's in good spirits!!!  In today's podcast we share this week's updates along with a discussion on "diet brain" and how being disciplined in your diet can help increase your discipline in other areas of life as well!

Have you ever started a weight loss diet but ended up GAINING weight?!!  If so, you're not alone!  This is more common than people think!!!  Listen to today's podcast to find out why this happens and what adjustments to your diet you should make!

If you're struggling with being overly fat but under muscled today's podcast can help!  In today's podcast we discuss 3 options you can use to approach how to lose body and gain muscle while better managing daily energy, workout performance, and recovery!

Are you looking for a product or program to help you achieve your goals?  If so, you're likely considering between two categories; things that replace work vs things that magnify your work.  Which is best?  Listen to find out!!!

Want to learn how to blend absolute strength, relative strength, and cardiovascular endurance into a complete program?  If so, you're in luck!  In today's podcast I review a current client's program that combines all of these goals as well as corrective therapies for the shoulders, hips, and lower body joints!  Tons of great information AND the program is available for FREE upon request!!!

Want to know what a bodybuilder eats in the offseason?  In today's podcast I share the diet structure of a current client who's eating to maximize muscle growth while minimizing body fat gains.  The diet has specific foods but also allows for variety within the diet to help with adherence!

Want to know what the experts say about how to lose body fat?  In today's podcast we discuss advice from seven experts on what are the best approaches for fat loss!!!

Another successful week!  In today's podcast we discuss nutrition when traveling and how to train when you return from traveling!  We also discuss recent nutrition changes and our approach towards the upcoming week!

What happens if what we expect doesn't happen?  What happens if what we want doesn't happen?  We're... unhappy!  In today's podcast I discuss thoughts from the book "Solve for Happy" by Mo Gawdat and share 3 insights that can help you better control your happiness!

What are the most common training mistakes I see in commercial gyms?  You'll have to listen to find out!  Also in today's podcast, I share how you can avoid making these mistakes in your own training!!!

If you have diverticulitis and you're worried about what foods are safe to eat or what's foods are best to build a healthy diet today's podcast WILL help!!!  I discuss what the condition is, how we can avoid it / lessen flares ups, and what foods are best!  Lots of great information!!!

Do you need a nutrition coach to reach your goals?  For some people, no, for others, it may help.  In today's podcast I discuss nutrition "coaching" options such as apps, automated programs, and actual human coaches and who would benefit the most from each!

When what you want to do can't be done... how do you react?  Your reaction is the difference between success and continued failure.  In today's podcast we discuss how to react so you can make the best choices to help you reach your goals!!!

If you're pushing for new strength, how hard should you push?  Should you always feel strong and confident in training?  Should you always feel beat up and on the edge of burnout?  What's the right programming intensity that will allow you to get the most from your training?  In today's podcast we explore these questions!  Listen in to learn!!!

Crazy week with travel!!!  In today's podcast we discuss how we manage nutrition and training while traveling along with updates from this recent week of the prep!  Fun info as always!!!

Do you struggle with creating variety in your diet?  You'd like to eat different foods but you're not sure what or how to change your meals without losing progress?  In today's podcast I discuss food substitutions and how to make them without derailing your progress!!!

When you think back 5, 10, 20 years from now what stories do you recall with fondness and self-pride?  What accomplishments do you recall?  Now, if you think 5, 10, 20 years ahead of today what stories will you recall?  What stories are you writing now that you'll remember with fondness and self-pride?

Are you struggling with self-confidence?  If so it can feel depressing, defeating, and overwhelming.  It's hard to know what to do when you doubt your ability to "do".  In today's podcast I discuss 5 tips that can help you build self-confidence so you can get unstuck and feeling more confident!

In today's podcast I read through a recent powerlifting client's program AND offer that program for FREE to you!!!  I explain the reasoning for the workout structures and exercise selection so that you can learn how to best structure your workouts and select your exercises!!!  Tons of great programming information as well as a great opportunity for high quality FREE training programming!!!

Two common mental mistakes that clients make when it comes to nutrition is... #1) They worry about nuanced details without accounting for the foundational elements, and #2) They believe that tracking macros can be "accounted" for in other ways; eating "clean" foods and/or excessive exercise.  In today's podcast we explore these two mistakes and discuss what corrections we can make to avoid these traps.

Do you struggle feeling extremely bent over in your squats?  Maybe you struggle with low back pain, rounding of the shoulders, and/or squatting just doesn't feel natural for you?  In today's podcast we provide 6 steps you can follow to improve your squat mobility and help personalize your squat positioning to ensure better depth, better performance, and less pain.

Another fun chat with Meredith!!!  In today's podcast we discuss how to manage poor sleep, refeed days, heavy vs high volume training preferences, and what our plans will be for the upcoming week!

Do you always worry about what could go wrong?  When you consider starting something new do you look ahead and worry about what obstacles may cause you to fail?  Does that worry then prevent you from ever starting?  In today's podcast we discuss this mindset barrier and how you can overcome it so that you can get started towards crushing your goals!

Slowed eccentrics have been shown to be beneficial towards muscle growth.  But, how slow is slow enough?  How slow is too slow?  In today's podcast we discuss the benefits of slowed eccentrics and provide specific parameters that will allow you to maximize their benefits!

A client recently asked me to discuss what I eat per day!  In today's podcast I share my daily meals and the reasoning behind what foods I choose to eat!  I also share my daily supplements and how I track progress over time.  Tons of information!!!

How long should you hold the peak contraction of your exercises?  Should you hold it at all?  Is there a "too long" length of time?  The answer may surprise you!!!  The length of your contractions can actually COMPLETELY CHANGE the outcome of your efforts!!!  Listen in to learn more!!!

Do you struggle with losing motivation when you lose clients?  Do you feel discouraged?  Do you worry about gaining new clients?  If you're a personal trainer you will lose clients from time to time, but how you respond is key to keeping your business growing!!!  Listen in to learn more!!!

Are you too tough on yourself?  Are you tough enough?  In today's podcast Meredith and I discuss the "tough love balance" of knowing how and when to be tough on yourself in order to progress and grow in life vs when you need to give yourself grace in order to heal.  It's a great discussion!!!