Barbell Shrugged

In this Episode of Barbell Shrugged:

1. What is inflammation why does your body have it
2. How inflammation can improve performance
3. The difference between Good and Bad inflammation
4. Proper ways to reduce inflammation
5. What is Chronic vs. Acute Inflammation

Connect with our guests:

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Dan Garner on Instagram

Dr. Antonio is Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, an academic nonprofit dedicated to the science and application of sports nutrition and supplementation.

In addition, he is the Co-founder and Vice President of the Society for Neurosports, an academic nonprofit with a focus on sports neuroscience. Dr. Antonio earned his PhD and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers as well as 15 books. His current areas of research include: dietary supplements (e.g., creatine, protein, etc.), sports neuroscience and human performance. He is currently a Professor at the Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida and serves on the Advisory Board of Forbes Health. - www.sportsnutritionsociety.org

Work with RAPID Health Optimization

Links:

Dr. Jose Antonio on Instagram

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Flavia Pereira on Instagram

In this Episode of Barbell Shrugged:

1. Why maintaining a healthy bodyweight is so hard
2. Why health is the key ingredient to maintaining a healthy weight
3. The myth that you cannot build muscle and lose fat the same time 
4. The importance of feeding your lean body
5. The mental and emotional benefits of maintaining a health weight

Connect with our guests:

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Dan Garner on Instagram

Andy Galpin, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University. He is the Co-Director of the Center for Sport Performance and Founder/Director of the Biochemistry and Molecular Exercise Physiology Laboratory. He is a Human Performance scientist with a PhD in Human Bioenergetics and over 100 peer-reviewed publications and presentations. Dr. Galpin has worked with elite athletes (including All-Star, All-Pro, MVP, Cy Young, Olympic Gold medalists, Major winners, World titlist/ contenders, etc.) across the UFC, MLB, NBA, PGA, NFL, Boxing, Olympics, and Military/Special Forces, and more. He is also a Co-founder of Vitality Blueprint, Absolute Rest, BioMolecular Athlete, and RAPID Health & Performance.

Work with RAPID Health Optimization

Links:

Dr. Andy Galpin Website

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

In this Episode of Barbell Shrugged:

1. Why the gut is so important for optimal health.
2. What causes poor gut health and how to avoid it
3. How important is a stool sample to find potential hidden stressors
4. What your poop can tell you about your health
5. Ways to improve gut health

Connect with our guests:

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Dan Garner on Instagram

Lacey Dunn is a functional medicine dietitian with a fiery passion for helping women feel and look their very best! People call her their “Hormone Fairy Godmother” as my one mission in life is to help women go from surviving to thriving. Dunn has an obsession for all things hormones, thyroid, gut, and metabolism. Aka - a nerd.

Dunn says her job is to help people like you to reclaim their health, hormones, and become the master of their own bodies. I am committed to help my clients take their life back into their control.

As a functional medicine dietitian, Dunn is passionate about helping women because she has been in the trenches of hormonal chaos herself. Before discovering functional medicine, she was burnt out. Her hypothyroidism and cortisol issues left her suffering with chronic fatigue, random weight gain, hair loss, anxiety, and depression. Dunn had primary ammennrohea until age 25 (aka no menstrual cycle), and was left frustrated and confused. Her years of bodybuilding and weight training were no longer showing in her physique and she felt like she was hit by a truck on a daily basis.

Conventional doctors would not listen so Dunn listened to herself. Dunn found (and treated) her own hypothyroidism and got her period finally, naturally. She became my own health advocate.

Lacey’s best-selling book “The Women’s Guide to Hormonal Harmony” which is available on Amazon gives women the knowledge, tools, and confidence to rebalance your hormones, master your metabolism, and become the boss of your own body. I am very thankful to have been featured in top media outlets, such as TIME magazine, Forbes, US News, Eat This Not That, Popsugar, Health, Well + Good, 30 seconds, Bodybuilding.com, and Paste Magazine! My goals as a dietitian are to give people like you the tools, confidence, and knowledge to take your health back into your own hands and be the master of your body and life!

Work with RAPID Health Optimization

Links:

Lacey Dunn on Instagram

Work With Lacey

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

In this Episode of Barbell Shrugged:

1. The optimal amount of water you need to drink in a day.
2. The role of salt in optimal hydration
3. Why your drinking a ton of water and still dehydrated
4. Why dehydration is killing your progress in the gym
5. Proper hydration and supplementation protocol

Connect with our guests:

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Dan Garner on Instagram

This week on Barbell Shrugged we are throwing it back to the first show where we met Dan Garner. We take the deep dive into strategies for naturally boosting testosterone levels. Key topics discussed include the importance of creating a comprehensive health profile with blood work, stool, urine, and saliva, which together offer a full picture of an individual's hormonal and metabolic state. By identifying micronutrient deficiencies and other physiological markers, these health professionals aim to address factors that directly impact testosterone production and overall vitality.

The hosts discuss how maintaining a healthy body composition is crucial, as excess body fat can convert testosterone into estrogen, which impacts hormone balance. Additionally, managing stress levels and lowering cortisol—known to inhibit testosterone production—is emphasized. The episode also delves into how specific dietary adjustments and targeted supplements can help, along with psychological factors like confidence, which can positively influence testosterone levels.

Work with RAPID Health Optimization

Links:

Dan Garner on Instagram

Dr. Andy Galpin on Instagram

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

In this Episode of Barbell Shrugged:

1. Understanding the stress response system
2. What is the function of cortisol
3. Why you struggle adapting to stress
4. The myth of adrenal fatigue
5. The difference between chronic and acute stress on your physiology

Connect with our guests:

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Dan Garner on Instagram

On this episode of Barbell Shrugged, we’re diving into the keys for regaining speed and power—whether you’re coming off an injury, a long layoff, or just looking to level up your performance.

Speed and power are foundational for athleticism, and they require a smart approach to rebuild.

We’ll explore the science behind explosiveness, focusing on neural adaptations, muscle fiber recruitment, and how to maximize your fast-twitch capabilities.

We’ll break down the importance of proper recovery, which is often overlooked but critical for regaining speed.

You’ll learn about the best exercises to activate your central nervous system and enhance your power output, including plyometrics, sprints, and Olympic lifts.

The podcast will cover progressive programming, designed to gradually increase intensity without overloading your body.

We’ll also talk about mindset, discussing how to stay patient during the process and the role of consistency in your training.

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just trying to get back into peak form, this episode will provide actionable insights to help you regain your speed and power faster than you thought possible.

Work with RAPID Health Optimization

Links:

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram