This week the machas discussed a rather burning question, how far is too far for dietary advise by trainers? We also made some time to answer some Q&As from our listeners.

@ongshengyang - Whats your take on BCAAs and pre for regular gym goers

@i.am.adie.kamal - is bench press, squats and deaflifts the only way to measure strength?

@ravi_goldd - Is creatine recommended?

@risyaanth - does hypothyroidism affect muscle gain?

@ibrahim_zihan - Does melatonin supplementation prove to be of any benefit?

@jonng6969- How many hours do you sleep a night?

This week, the machas dived into 2 more papers covering different aspects of the lifting field. Does tempo really matter for hypertrophy and strength development? Should you still be icing your soft tissue injuries for weeks? Should you be resting after an injury, if yes, how long? Would pain meds be recommended after an injury? We covered these and more on this episode.

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References:

1.Pearson, J., Wadhi, T., Barakat, C., Aube, D., Schoenfeld, B. J., Andersen, J. C., ... & De Souza, E. O. (2021). Does Varying Repetition Tempo in a Single-Joint Lower Body Exercise Augment Muscle Size and Strength in Resistance-Trained Men?. J Strength Cond Res.

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2.Dubois, B., & Esculier, J. F. (2020). Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British journal of sports medicine, 54(2), 72-73.

This week the bearded meathead nerds discussed how to help clients navigate their nutrition. Not everyone has the time or ability to prepare their food for the week. Not everyone will be suitable candidates for calorie counting. So how then do we advise them to make better choices with their meals? Listen in as we give our takes and approach on this topic.

This week, we are going to be doing something a little different. We are starting a mini series on how to train a particular muscle group well. Since it's International Chest Day , so we thought we would do an Inner Chest Special.... Just kidding... You know that doesn't exist. We covered angles, volume, rep ranges, and many other key factors to get those pecs growing. Listen in as the machas ( as you know have some well developed pecs ) discuss the topic and give you some valuable pointers.

In this week's coaches corner, we discussed what it takes to be a good trainer. Being a trainer is more than just writing a programme or counting reps. There is a lot of thought processes that goes into creating a robust training programme, taking into account various wants and needs of the client. And sometimes, they just want some one to talk to and that makes a difference. Listen in as the bearded nerds, give their take from their many years as trainers themselves.

This week we took a dive into research papers to give you guys some sweet highlights. First up, we Coach Luke giving us a review on the ever controversial topic if Soy is bad for men and their gains. Following that, Dr Arvin reviewed a few papers to answer the question, Is the Age Old Cupping Therapy, Legit or A Sham? Crank up that volume and listen what the machas have summarised for you to listen.

1. Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or isoflavones on reproductive hormones in men: results of a meta-analysis

Jill M Hamilton-Reeves, Gabriela Vazquez, Sue J Duval, William R Phipps, Mindy S Kurzer, Mark J Messina PMID: 19524224

2. Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies

Katharine E. Reed a, Juliana Camargo b, Jill Hamilton-Reeves c, Mindy Kurzer d, Mark Messina

3. Rozenfeld, E., & Kalichman, L. (2016). New is the well-forgotten old: The use of dry cupping in musculoskeletal medicine. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 20(1), 173-178.

4. Wood, S., Fryer, G., Tan, L. L. F., & Cleary, C. (2020). Dry cupping for musculoskeletal pain and range of motion: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 24(4), 503-518.

5. AlBedah, A., Khalil, M., Elolemy, A., Elsubai, I., & Khalil, A. (2011). Hijama (cupping): a review of the evidence. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 16(1), 12-16.

Supplements. An industry worth 150 billion USD and growing. With that being said, there are tones are supplements in the market claiming to be effective for performance enhancement or in other words an ergogenic aid. But are all these supplements worth your penny or are they just fluff marketing. Lets take a dive in into supps that are worth being on your counter and those that are better off in the trash.

This week's episode is short and sweet. We covered some fundamental aspect of what periodization is, and how it is used to optimize an athlete's performance. We also discussed how this concept is applied to the general population and why it may be beneficial as well. Its snappy but its full of information

This week on coaches corner, we answered some questions from our listeners like:

1. How do you manage athletes with injuries but still want to compete - @zhun cai

2. Is it necessary to use belts all during squat/dl? @ravin.momo

3. What does it take for a usual frequency gym goer who is passionate in fitness to be a part time trainer - @chazism

4. Is a slight caloric surplus superior for building muscle compared to eating at maintenance? @bryanc_

5. How do you balance the physical aspect of coaching as well as the mental aspect . I find it hard to tend to clients needs in both aspect - @ashwvin00

And many more.. Tune in as we give our opinions on this matter.

This week's episode is rather exciting. It is not your typical research review. This time we bring you 2 studies that are very sought after topics in the fitness industry. The first paper covers the possibility to hypertrophy in a calorie deficit. The second study we discussed was in regards to Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM). There was so much to discuss in this episode and we definitely had fun doing it.

Energy deficiency impairs resistance training gains in lean mass but not strength: A meta-analysis and meta-regression

Chaise Murphy et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2022 Jan. (Open Access)

PMID: 34623696

Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) John Lyle; Chris Cushion; Patrick Duffy, Ph.D. (pg 29-39)

Sports coaching : professionalization and practice