Welcome to Episode 192 of the Bodybuilding Down Under Podcast!

This week, we dive into a topic that sits at the core of the bodybuilding experience: discomfort, when it’s necessary, when it’s unavoidable, and when it’s often self-inflicted.

The episode opens with a discussion around the idea that bodybuilding should feel hard at times. From brutally demanding training sessions to the realities of long build phases, calorie surpluses, and contest preparation, the boys unpack where discomfort is an essential part of driving adaptation, performance, and long-term physique progress.

From there, the conversation becomes more nuanced, exploring whether certain phases of bodybuilding are made unnecessarily difficult through misinformation, poor expectations, or chasing extremes. The boys debate energy surplus size, bodyweight gain, maintenance phases, and whether progress truly requires constant discomfort, or simply better execution over time.

The discussion also touches on athlete maturity, exposure to the process, and how experience changes what feels “hard,” alongside considerations around longevity, lifestyle stress, and setting athletes up for sustainable progress rather than short-term extremes.

This episode is a grounded, honest look at the difference between productive discomfort and avoidable suffering, and how learning to tell the difference can shape better outcomes in both bodybuilding and life.

Enjoy!

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Welcome to Episode 191 of the Bodybuilding Down Under Podcast!

In the first episode of 2026, the boys kick things off with a wide-ranging Q&A discussion covering the realities of contest prep, natural bodybuilding, and where the sport may be heading this year.

We open with a deep dive into a question many competitors quietly ask after their first show: how many people actually come back to compete again  and what factors influence whether someone returns for a second or third prep. From lifestyle demands and expectations to placings, enjoyment of the process, and long-term goals, we unpack why contest prep tends to be a make-or-break experience.

The conversation then shifts to natural bodybuilding integrity, including discussion around emerging peptides, appetite-modulating drugs, and where the line sits between recovery tools, unfair advantage, and the spirit of drug-tested sport. We also explore supplement quality, third-party testing, and the realities of contamination risk for natural athletes.

To wrap up, the boys reflect on major fitness and bodybuilding trends from 2025, make some early predictions for 2026, and discuss individual training priorities, exercise selection, and performance goals moving into the new year. Enjoy! 

Welcome to episode 190 of the Bodybuilding Down Under podcast! 

This week only two of us locked in, and somehow the podcast still rolls on. In this episode we wrap up a massive 2025 for Bodybuilding Down Under, not missing a single weekly episode, turning up to nearly every national show, commentating NBA Nationals, meeting listeners from all over the world, and hitting 45,000 listeners. From there, it turns into a chat covering building a coaching business without gimmicks, why consistency beats clickbait every time, the potential problems with business coaches and low-barrier online coaching, balance vs sacrifice, and some uncomfortable truths around mental health, motivation, and competing for the right reasons. 

Enjoy!

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Welcome to Episode 189 of the Bodybuilding Down Under Podcast!

This week the boys sit down for a slightly different end-of-year episode, recorded as we head into the final days of 2025.

A reflective discussion on the year that was, unpacking the biggest wins, lessons learned, and moments that didn’t quite go to plan across competing, business, and life outside of bodybuilding.

The boys then dive deeper into habits, routines, and decision-making that drove progress throughout the year, touching on coaching growth, athlete development, prep experiences, injury and surgery recovery, balancing relationships, and managing priorities as responsibilities increase.

The episode wraps up by looking ahead to 2026, outlining individual intentions, coaching goals, content direction, and what success looks like moving forward, alongside an early update on the next BDU Lift & Greet planned for March.

Enjoy!

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Welcome to Episode 188 of the Bodybuilding Down Under Podcast

Lawrence recaps his recent trip to the United States, sharing his experiences training at Alphaland and Destination Dallas, comparing gym equipment, atmosphere, and overall training experience.

The boys then work through current training and nutrition updates, including post-travel adjustments, changes to training splits, off-season decision-making, recovery from injury and surgery, bodyweight management, and how each of them is approaching their current phase of training.

The episode finishes with a long discussion on exercise selection, as the boys build a complete bodybuilding training split by talking through movements for every major muscle group, sharing preferences, disagreements, and practical considerations around execution, fatigue, and recovery.

Enjoy!

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Welcome to episode 187 of the Bodybuilding Down Under podcast!

The boys are joined by Dr. Eric Helms for a wide-ranging and honest conversation following WNBF Worlds 2025.

We start with a full Worlds wrap-up from an athlete perspective, unpacking what actually matters on the day, judging quality, stage lighting, athlete experience, communication, and how this year stacked up against previous Worlds.

The conversation then shifts into drug-tested sport, integrity, and the future of natural bodybuilding, including nuanced discussion around drug testing, access, fairness, and how emerging pharmaceuticals may challenge current definitions of natural competition.

We wrap up with a deep dive into autoregulation in training and nutrition, breaking down common misconceptions, who it’s appropriate for, how elite athletes actually apply it in practice, and why autonomy and athlete literacy become increasingly important at higher levels of competition.

A long-form episode covering so many important topics, enjoy! 

Welcome to episode 186 of the Bodybuilding Down Under podcast!

The boys are (almost) all back this week, diving into a full discussion on mental fortitude, the athlete mindset, and navigating wins and losses in bodybuilding.

We start with DY’s return from overseas, training across time zones and managing routine while traveling. We also chat about new gym environments, atmosphere, and how the right space can genuinely elevate your progress.

Then we move into the heart of the episode: what actually makes a successful athlete. We break down delayed gratification, love for the process, composure, and the difference between wanting to win vs fearing losing. There’s plenty on staying grounded when things go well, and reflecting productively when they don’t.

We also talk confidence vs arrogance, why humility matters, and how tying your identity to an outcome can hold you back. We touch on taking judge’s feedback, separating emotion from strategy, and how coaches can help athletes stay level-headed heading into future seasons.

A mindset-heavy episode, honest, practical, and packed with the nuance athletes need. Enjoy!

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Welcome to episode 185 of the Bodybuilding Down Under podcast!

It’s another two-man episode this week with Jack and DC holding things down while the boys are overseas and we dive into a full Q&A centred around training, injuries, nutrition, and the realities of bodybuilding across seasons.

DC gives an update on getting back into training post-hernia surgery, how he’s managing load, and why smart progression can matter more than obsessing over injury fears. We also chat through common hernia misconceptions, the psychology of pain, and why catastrophizing your lifts is the quickest way to make them feel worse.

From there, we get into prep nutrition: foods we limit, foods we keep in, why sugar-free products can be a slippery slope, and how micronutrient diversity matters even deep into a diet. We also cover the other side of the spectrum. Off-season eating, digestion, fibre targets, appetite, and why sometimes pushing calories means being strategic (not perfect) with food choices.

Finally, we wrap up with our current supplement stacks, what’s actually useful, and some nuanced discussion around things like berberine, creatine, electrolytes, and sleep supplements.

A more nutrition-heavy episode this week, practical and packed with helpful nuance for all lifters. Enjoy!

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Welcome to episode 184 of the Bodybuilding Down Under podcast!

This week, it’s just DC and Jack holding down the fort while DY and Lawrence are off travelling which means a rare two-man episode and a chance to dive deep into training, recovery, and navigating adversity as a natural bodybuilder.

We chat through how our own off-seasons are unfolding, the mental and physical shifts that come from years of consistent training, and the strategies we use to stay progressing even when life gets busy. Jack breaks down how he’s adjusting his training structure during a demanding period of work, while DC shares an honest look at his recent hernia surgery, what led to it, how he’s approaching recovery, and how to stay positive. 

This episode is packed with practical insights, real experiences, and of course, the usual BDU banter.

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Welcome to episode 183 of the Bodybuilding Down Under podcast!

This week, we’re joined by a very special guest, Benjamin Norris, founder of Citadel Strength Equipment to take you inside the world of elite gym equipment design. From Citadel’s early days and the first hand-built prototypes, to how machines are tested under real working loads, Benjamin breaks down what it actually takes to create equipment that feels as good as it looks.

We chat through the realities of scaling manufacturing, why some markets obsess over biomechanics while others care more about aesthetics, and how culture shapes the way lifters around the world use and judge equipment. Benjamin also shares the stories behind Citadel’s most-loved pieces, what makes them stand out, and what’s next for the brand.

Plenty of industry insight, this one’s a must-listen for anyone who loves great kit and even better conversations!

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