Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast

Epizody

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  Ep. 103| Bryce Johnson, The Hidden Battles of Elite Athletes 06.10.2026 1h 6min

  Bryce Johnson is an American professional strongman.He has established himself among the top competitors in the sport. Johnson won North America’s Strongest Man in both 2025 and 2026, competed at World’s Strongest Man in 2025 and 2026, placed 5th at the 2025 Rogue Invitational and Strongest Man on Earth, and finished 6th at the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic. He also pulled 1,000 lb (453.5 kg) at the 2026 World Deadlift Championships What happens behind the scenes when your identity, livelihood, and goals revolve around performing at the highest level?In this episode we talk about the side of elite athletics that fans rarely see. We discuss mental health in high-level sport, the pressure that comes with competition, the sacrifices required to become one of the best in the world, and the challenges athletes can face away from the spotlight.Bryce also shares perspective from his journey through football and into professional strongman, and we talk about the strange contradiction of being expected to embody strength and toughness while still dealing with the same struggles, doubts, and difficult periods as everyone else.
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  Nutrition and Training Q&A with Dr. Emily Dow 01.10.2026 1h 45min

  You asked, we answered! I am joined by Dr. Emily Dow for a joint Q&A answered segment. Some great discussion points here on all things training and nutrition. Time stamps below 0:00 Intro3:53 How to track/weigh your food while seeming normal in front of your kids during a family dinner6:44 Does age change how carbohydrates should be allocated?8:17 Should the same calorie-per-kilogram metabolism multipliers be used for women?11:45 How do you eat for performance without gaining unwanted body fat?13:39 What is the optimal fat intake?16:32 How do you calculate energy availability for athletes?18:18 Refeed days: planned or reactive?22:14 How should nutrition differ for endurance vs. strength training?25:18 How do you approach nutrition for an athlete trying to reduce body weight in-season?27:07 For improving VO2 max, how much HIIT vs. endurance work is ideal?28:28 How do you translate macros into a meal plan?31:46 Why do carbohydrates get so much hate, and how would you explain to a middle schooler that carbs aren't bad?35:11 Advice for a woman dealing with perpetual bloating37:19 What are your most affordable nutrition hacks?39:28 If you could go back, would you change your formal education to nutrition-based?40:26 How should caloric targets change on days with long efforts or large energy expenditure?41:32 What's one thing you would change Dr. Emily's mind about?43:47 As a beginner runner over 200 lb, what should the main focus be?45:45 How would you space out meals for someone working night shift?47:43 What are your favorite carbohydrate fuels during extended exercise?49:07 Do nicotine benefits outweigh the risks?51:30 How do you lose weight while training for an ultramarathon without sacrificing performance?53:16 Is it okay to use cereal during a cut if it fits your macros and calories?55:08 What strength training methods work best for endurance athletes?56:57 When cutting or gaining, does meal timing or frequency change?58:15 Do you track your macros year-round?1:01:49 What should nutrition look like before and after a race?1:03:39 How do you carb cycle in a gain phase?1:04:41 What nutrition strategies support bone fracture healing?1:05:34 How do you adjust carbohydrate intake when coming off an injury?1:05:59 How accurate are micronutrient values in tracking apps and nutrition labels?1:08:07 Do liquid carbohydrate mixes, gels, and chews differ in absorption or usefulness?1:09:04 What's one traditional strength & conditioning or sports nutrition idea that needs more context?1:10:52 How much creatine should females and males take?1:13:32 What are your favorite zero-effort meals when you don't feel like eating?1:15:45 How do you balance academic/professional burnout with training?1:16:47 Any advice on staying on a diet while having a girlfriend?1:18:53 If cannabis raises heart rate during training, can that be used to improve the workout?1:20:34 When should you swap from rice to potatoes or other carb sources during a fat-loss phase?1:21:36 What is the relationship between serotonin and the gut?1:23:44 How essential is having a menstrual cycle to a woman's performance, and how do you support it nutritionally?1:24:50 Should all beginners start with full-body workouts?1:26:28 Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, and why?1:27:21 What area would you like more education or knowledge in?1:30:06 Is a maintenance phase beneficial during November/December and the holiday season?1:32:46 Is there value in periodically getting DEXA and VO2 max testing?1:35:23 How do you break into the performance space, and how much do degrees/certifications matter?1:41:10 What is interesting about the relationship between the gut microbiome and exercise?1:42:49 Outro
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  Ep. 102: Mike White | Gut Health & Fitness Industry BS 29.09.2026 1h 32min

  Mike White PhD(c) is the founder and co-owner of Grey Matter Training. He is a highly intelligent and experienced strength and conditioning, fitness, longevity and nutrition coach who brings a practical, evidence-informed perspective to health, performance, and the coaching industry. He serves as an educator through his platform to coaches all over the world. His work focuses on cutting through misinformation, challenging ineffective protocols, and helping people identify strategies that actually produce results. With a strong interest in gut health, nutrition, and professional development, Mike offers a perspective on the intersection of scientific research, real-world coaching experience, and building a successful career in fitness.
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  Making permanent body compositon changes with a long term approach. 24.09.2026 30min

  Most people diet and lose a ton of weight...only to have it all come right back. In this episode I dive into my perspective on applying a long term, slow approach to nutrition and taking multiple diet phases over the course of a year and beyond to create a new set point for your body, thus creating long term permanent changes to your body composition.
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  Ep. 101 | Judd Lienhard: 12 Steps to Getting Lean 22.09.2026 1h 15min

  Judd Lienhard is a former U.S. Army Ranger, collegiate football player, and strength and performance coach with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. A former All-Conference linebacker at Truman State University, Judd served three deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded two Bronze Stars. He is the founder of MASS Method, a training system emphasizing Movement, Athleticism, Strength, and Speed. Through his coaching, podcast, and Always Be An Athlete philosophy, Judd promotes building strength, maintaining athleticism, and improving long-term health and performance.In this episode we dive into some major misunderstandings around fat loss, misunderstanding around the "calories in, calories out" principle, and some actionable steps for how to effectively improve body composition.
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  Why Diet Transition Phases are Crucial 17.09.2026 24min

  Stop cutting right after you bulk and stop bulking right after you cut! In this week's nutrition rant I talk about why transitional maintenance diet phases are critical.
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  Ep. 100 | Garrett Walker: Toxic Body Positivty and the Decline of Masculinity 15.09.2026 1h 5min

  Garrett Walker, better known as Runvus Coaching, is a fitness coach and content creator known for his direct, no-BS approach to training, nutrition, discipline, and self-improvement. His content frequently challenges popular narratives in the fitness and wellness space and calling out bad actors in dishonesty in the industry.In this episode, we discuss the body-positivity movement and where acceptance can cross the line into normalizing unhealthy behaviors and the importance of personal responsibility and accountability.We also dive into what Garrett sees as a decline in traditional masculinity among men, the value of strength, discipline, resilience, and doing difficult things, and how modern culture may be shaping men's attitudes toward responsibility and self-improvement.
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  Eat more to lose fat. Start by building your metabolism. 10.09.2026 31min

  Many people want to ultimately get leaner and lose body fat...but they are not consuming enough food to support an effective calorie deficit. Here is the approach I take instead, and how to evaluate whether or not this is the route for you to take.
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  Ep. 99: Brian Kula | Speed Training 101 08.09.2026 1h 1min

  Brian Kula is a veteran speed and performance coach and the founder of Kula Sports Performance. With roughly three decades of experience developing athletes from the youth level through the professional ranks, Kula has coached National Champions, All-Americans, Gatorade Players of the Year, Olympians, and professional athletes. He is especially well known for his longtime work with NFL star Christian McCaffrey and has also worked with athletes including Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown. Kula's background spans track & field, football, strength and conditioning, and speed development, and he was himself an All-American decathlete at the University of Northern Colorado.Brian gives us a Speed Training 101 look at how he structures an athlete's offseason. We cover acceleration, max-velocity sprinting, mechanics, force production, strength and power development in the weight room, recovery, and how all of these pieces fit together within a complete training week. Kula's approach emphasizes high-quality sprint exposures alongside strength and power work while managing fatigue so athletes can actually perform at high outputs.
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  Monthly Q&A Answered: All things diet and training 03.09.2026 1h 3min

  0:00 Intro1:22 How do you integrate eating out into your macros?2:30 Nutrition strategies for appetite when using Adderall or Vyvanse4:32 Do macro and calorie recommendations differ for women?5:07 My experience with retatrutide: benefits & side effects6:45 Optimal body fat percentage for performance & aesthetics7:59 Can you flex your pecs?8:23 How to structure a surplus for a 50kg female9:42 How to combine Olympic lifting with hypertrophy training10:21 Optimal daily creatine dose for muscle & cognitive benefits11:21 How should training change when going from growing to cutting?13:00 How to progress your strict press from 130 to 200 lbs14:03 How would you diet natural vs. enhanced lifters differently?15:12 Fast or slow weight cut for a strength competition?16:21 How many steps should you get while dieting?17:19 Favorite carb sources during a gaining phase18:33 Grass-fed, organic vs. conventional meat: is it worth it?19:13 Genetic limitations for natural muscle gain20:17 How to carb cycle during maintenance20:55 How much pre- and intra-workout carbs21:35 How much fluid should you drink daily?21:58 Does knee bend make an RDL not an RDL?23:19 How long should transitions between diet phases be?23:52 Best post-workout meal one hour before bed24:23 Do high-volume meals before bed affect digestion and sleep?25:06 Thoughts on nutrition & strength coaches without degrees26:20 How much fat should be in a post-workout meal?26:37 What body fat percentage should you start a growth phase at?27:04 My end goals for physique and training28:03 “skinny fat” beginner lifters28:47 Why are your biceps so sexy?28:57 Should you make body composition changes in-season?29:51 My go-to cheat meal31:04 How much fluid is too much during a workout?31:36 TSA with supplement powders32:01 Why almond butter over peanut butter?32:43 My pumpkin pancake recipe33:15 How to increase carbs during a reverse diet33:35 weight loss stall34:36 Best ways to learn strength & conditioning and nutrition35:32 Do natural testosterone boosters actually work?36:26 Will I offer discounts on coaching?36:50 How to foster a lifelong love of physical activity in your kids38:17 How to transition from bulking to cutting and vice versa38:49 Do I love Donald Trump?40:03 How to structure A/B or A/B/C weeks for squats & deadlifts41:14 How to get your first pull-up41:55 Meal timing & frequency for bodybuilding and performance42:45 Downsides of starting a calorie surplus while peaking for competition43:24 Should you log meat cooked or raw?43:38 What nutrition concept should every strength coach understand?44:14 Nutrition tips for very early morning training45:02 How I start a new nutrition coaching client45:49 How to structure pre- and post-workout nutrition47:01 How to transition from a cut into a gaining phase47:16 How much muscle can you gain after 5+ years of lifting?47:55 How much cardio should you do during a gaining phase?48:58 Ideal weekly rate of weight gain during a building phase49:16 How to approach a recomp if you’re “skinny fat”50:19 Am I natural?50:57 How to calculate daily electrolyte needs51:43 Do you like hugs from the right person?52:05 Does my enhancement protocol change when bulking vs. cutting?52:38 Do I have siblings?52:54 Meal plans vs. “If It Fits Your Macros”53:47 Best training split if you can only train 4 consecutive days54:32 Should baseball players prioritize physique or performance?55:05 How many of your daily carbs should be around your workout?55:24 total carbs or net carbs?55:39 How to improve squat, bench & deadlift while running56:20 How long should a building phase last after fat loss?56:47 body fat set point?57:45 How my nutrition & training philosophy has changed over 5 years59:18 How many sets per week are ideal for strength and size?1:00:40 Best barbell-only exercises for quad hypertrophy1:01:24 How should carb cycling change if you’re also running?1:01:58 Carnivore diet
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  Ep. 98: Maximus McCall, Unorthodox Diets and Supplements 01.09.2026 1h 39min

  Maximus McCall is an Australian nutrition and strength coach. He works with some of the most elite strongman competitors, powerlifters and fighters in the world. Max is highly intelligent and utilizes some unorthodox strategies for dieting, as well as some unique protocols for managing mental issues like addiction and depression. We dive into several of those interesting unique diet and supplementation protocols in this episode and there are some incredibly interesting takeaways from this conversation.
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  Why SLEEP May Be Overrated... 27.08.2026 21min

  In this week's rant, I go delve into a different topic than nutrition and training and talk about SLEEP. And I have an alternative perspective to offer here.
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  Ep. 97: Stan Efferding | Nutrition, Longevity & Legendary Stories 25.08.2026 1h 15min

  Stan Efferding is an IFBB Professional Bodybuilder, elite powerlifter, coach, entrepreneur, and creator of The Vertical Diet. Known as “The White Rhino,” Stan has spent decades at the highest levels of strength and physique sports while becoming a respected voice on nutrition, metabolism, performance, and long-term health.Beyond his accomplishments as an athlete, Stan is known for his practical, evidence-based approach to improving body composition, bloodwork, digestion, cardiovascular health, and performance. His work emphasizes mastering the fundamentals—nutrition, training, sleep, movement, and health markers—rather than chasing unnecessary complexity.
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  The Truth About “High-Carb” Foods: You’re Eating More Fat Than You Think 20.08.2026 21min

  In this week's nutrition rant, I dive into a huge error that people make when evaluating foods and their diet overall...over focusing on carbs and neglecting to account for the fats they do not realize they are eating!
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  Ep. 96: Dr. Ben Skutnik | Nutrition Made Simple 18.08.2026 1h 37min

  Dr. Ben Skutnik is a performance scientist, educator, and nutrition coach with a Ph.D. in Human Performance from Indiana University. With over a decade of experience in strength & conditioning, sport science, and nutrition, Ben has worked with everyone from collegiate athletes to national-level weightlifters and Olympians. He currently serves as Head of Nutrition Coaching for Power Athlete, where he helps athletes turn evidence-based nutrition principles into practical, sustainable habits that improve health, body composition, and performance.In this episode of the Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Ben Skutnik to get back to the fundamentals of nutrition.With social media constantly pushing new diets, supplements, hacks, and conflicting nutrition advice, it’s easy to lose sight of the things that actually matter. Ben and I break nutrition down to its basic principles and discuss what people should understand before worrying about the more advanced details.We cover the roles of calories and macronutrients, food quality, meal structure, building sustainable eating habits, nutrition for performance and body composition, and why consistently executing the basics will take most people much further than chasing the latest nutritional trend.Whether your goal is to lose fat, build muscle, improve performance, or simply develop a better understanding of nutrition, this episode provides a practical foundation you can actually apply.
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  The BEST Diet Approach to Gain Muscle 13.08.2026 29min

  There is currently a debate in the fitness industry. Is the best way to grow muscle by essentially eating at maintenance and training effectively? Or smashing tons of food and gaining weight? I break down both sides and give MY opinion on the best way to approach this
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  Ep. 95: Vince Wilkinson, The Art of Locking In 11.08.2026 1h 21min

  Vince Wilkinson is one of the most unique humans alive. He is a strongman competitor, in the Army, has a massive social media following, and has become a huge influencer of men through his conquests in the fitness industry. A truly one of a kind human. LOCK in for this episode
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  Bonus Q&A with Will Ratelle, 70+ Questions Answered 09.08.2026 1h 20min

  I met up with Will Ratelle at his house in North Dakota. We trained our asses off and answered all of your questions you sent us on Instagram!TIME STAMPS0:00 Intro1:46 Advice for novices to gain as much muscle as possible3:25 Hunger hacks during a fat loss phase4:39 Best way to improve bench with a history of pec pulls/tears6:08 Cutting body fat while running high mileage7:26 Best protein, carb & fat split when cutting8:43 Are Zercher cleans useful for explosiveness and thickness?9:01 Could you guys beat Kane in a fight?9:33 How long to convince Jon to move to North Dakota?10:12 Top set/back-off sets vs. equal-weight working sets12:17 Would you return to strength & conditioning for an NFL head job?14:26 How important is electrolyte supplementation?15:53 How should you track cooking fats?16:26 Thoughts on full-body training for hypertrophy18:34 How to gain 10–15 lbs when training is already on point19:08 How should night-shift workers track calories?20:03 Do you miss college/pro football strength & conditioning?22:21 Reasons and timing for a mini-cut24:37 Should you go straight from a cut into a bulk?25:19 Nutrition, training & sleep: two great, one terrible25:48 Should training change between cutting and bulking?28:03 How lean should a male be before starting a gain phase?29:15 Thoughts on sauna for athletic recovery30:13 Which area of your business would you drop first?31:09 Should you adjust calories based on WHOOP calories burned?32:19 Top 3 protein and carb sources33:47 Does Will still warm up with dot drills?34:09 Diet structure for performance vs. body composition35:20 Minimum calories/kg before starting a cut36:09 Can you improve bench using only dips and behind-the-neck press?36:33 Best frequency and volume for sprint training37:46 What attributes do you like in your clients?40:13 All-time favorite training split42:02 What food scale brand do you recommend?42:21 Is power work and jumping overrated?43:23 Training an obese client with limited range of motion44:12 Hobbies outside of lifting and fitness45:26 How many years to reach your natural lifting limit?45:36 What have you changed your mind on nutritionally?47:30 Can a busy dad get big, strong & capable training 3–4 days/week?50:02 How do you recover after heavy training sessions?52:03 Favorite movies53:19 Could you arm wrestle Devon Larratt?54:29 Best strategies for injury prevention55:43 Does your pre-workout meal change between gaining and cutting?56:05 What do you believe that 99% of the field would disagree with?58:59 How to drink alcohol in moderation while maintaining a healthy lifestyle1:01:27 Can you still make gains while drinking on weekends?1:01:35 How should you adjust calories and training after surgery?1:02:23 Is hunger necessary for a good calorie deficit?1:03:19 How do you stay on plan while traveling?1:05:30 How can you speed up digestion?1:06:02 Accessory lifts improving but compounds regressing during a cut1:06:27 Why are Jon's calves so small?1:07:08 Should you stay in an 800-calorie deficit during a peaking cycle?1:08:17 Most impressive athletic feats1:09:58 Struggling to lose more fat after going from 25% to 13%1:10:46 Athletes you looked up to growing up1:12:10 Is an initial weight spike normal when starting a gain phase?1:12:42 Does undereating your calorie target during a cut matter?1:13:14 What do you think of people who say bulking is dumb?1:14:36 Preferred rep range for hypertrophy1:15:53 Maintenance or surplus on vacation with little exercise?1:16:21 Are barefoot/minimalist shoes worth it for training?1:16:38 What do you do to stay disciplined?1:19:47 Outro
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  Matching Training with Your Diet Phase 06.08.2026 39min

  In this week's nutrition and training rant I cover how to properly match training cycles with the diet phase you are in. How to approach training while cutting, while bulking, and in transition or maintenance periods.
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  Ep. 94: Ashley Kowalewski, Unorthodox Training Methods 04.08.2026 1h 55min

  Ashley Kowalewski is a Strength & Conditioning Coach at LSU, where she oversees performance training for the Tigers' volleyball and women's tennis programs. A former Division I javelin thrower at the University of Oklahoma, Ashley has coached at Arizona, Missouri, Michigan, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center. Known for her innovative, athlete-first approach, she specializes in developing resilient, high-performing athletes through unconventional and evidence-based training methods.Time Stamps00:00 Intro01:08 Meet Ashley Kowalewski (LSU Strength Coach)07:30 Pull-Up Progressions for Beginners11:42 Ashley's Coaching Journey18:34 Assistant Strength Coach of the Year20:14 Isometric Training Explained24:34 Yielding vs. Overcoming vs. Quasi Isometrics30:09 How Ashley Programs Isometrics38:34 Offseason Isometric Progressions43:23 Sponsor Break / Training Programs45:17 Isometrics for Recovery & Performance46:36 Hotel Workouts with Ratchet Straps50:50 "Train Like an Athlete" Misconceptions56:45 Deep-Tier Plyometrics & Landing Progressions01:01:45 Olympic Lifts: Are They Necessary?01:05:50 Why Athlete Availability Is King01:10:17 Single-Leg Training & Pit Shark Progressions01:18:40 Gamifying Training for Athletes01:28:30 Unilateral Training Philosophy01:36:45 Hold Strong Opinions Loosely01:45:10 Coaches, Social Media & Sharing Knowledge01:54:16 Where to Find Ashley Kowalewski01:55:08 Outro