Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast

Timestamps Below:

00:00 Intro

00:52 Carb cycling on week 11 of a cut – training is getting harder

03:17 Creatine dosing

04:49 How many intra-workout carbs should you use?

07:34 My Mount Rushmore of training exercises

09:30 Do you take HCG? At what dose?

10:11 Can a natural lifter eat 900g of carbs on a high day?

11:05 Is 1,900 calories too low for a 220 lb person finishing a cut?

12:51 How do you reverse diet and know you're at maintenance?

14:36 Macro percentages for bulking vs. cutting

16:41 Nutrition after surgery (ACL repair)

18:52 How should I structure a reverse diet after fat loss?

19:56 My disc injury, rehab, and mental recovery

22:31 Do you need a coach for a reverse diet?

23:26 How would I redesign collegiate strength & conditioning?

25:24 Rest days vs. active recovery

26:15 Addressing metabolic slowdown during a calorie deficit

27:24 Training program or nutrition plan first?

28:07 When should athletes use a weight belt?

28:56 Do you live in North Carolina?

29:02 Will I ever do an endurance event?

29:45 Recomp for a competitive powerlifter?

31:03 Do women reach maintenance faster after a diet?

32:00 Should you add activity calories to BMR?

32:54 Nutrition for early morning training

33:44 How do you get your girlfriend into the gym?

34:42 Thoughts on designer PEDs

35:20 Carb cycling for endurance training

35:54 Ending a cut, hunger, reverse dieting & refeeds

37:20 One thing I wish I knew before starting my business

38:44 Best way to learn the science of nutrition

40:13 Coming off retatrutide into maintenance

40:43 Is 0.8 g/lb of protein enough naturally?

41:14 Balancing lifting with speed & agility

41:48 Programming lifting and running together

43:13 Can you maximize lifting and cardio simultaneously?

44:09 Finger flexor training for rock climbing

44:31 Training during cutting and reverse dieting for general population

45:06 Choosing a coach when transitioning from natural to enhanced

46:20 When is moving to enhanced a good idea?

47:33 Thoughts on BPC-157 for strength

48:16 Transitioning from a cut into maintenance or a bulk

48:49 Nutrition recommendations postpartum

49:46 First time I witnessed freakish strength

50:49 Could I beat Devon Larratt in arm wrestling?

51:41 My current carb cycling approach

52:08 Could I beat The Undertaker?

52:23 Thoughts on intermittent fasting

53:46 Balancing physique and performance goals

54:36 When am I dropping merch?

55:35 Outro

Dr. Michelle Gordon is a board-certified obesity medicine physician with a background in general surgery and lifestyle medicine. After spending years as a practicing surgeon, she shifted her focus to treating obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease, helping patients understand the complex physiology behind weight regulation, metabolism, and long-term health. Her work emphasizes evidence-based care, the science of obesity, and the appropriate use of therapies such as GLP-1 medications to improve health outcomes.

Obesity is one of the most misunderstood conditions in healthcare. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Michelle Gordon to separate fact from fiction and explore what obesity really is, when it becomes a disease, and why it's far more complex than simply eating less and moving more.

We dive into the biology behind weight regulation, discuss the role of genetics, hormones, and metabolism, and unpack the science surrounding GLP-1 medications—including who they're for, common misconceptions, long-term use, and where they fit into obesity treatment. Whether you're a coach, clinician, athlete, or someone looking to better understand metabolic health, this episode provides an evidence-based look at one of the most important topics in modern medicine

This week's nutrition rant...Why do people like me get cast out as "the weird one" for adhering to structured nutrition and passing on alcohol? The frustrating backlash we face from society when we have a fitness based lifestyle.

Joe Pedulla is a strength and conditioning coach specializing in sprint development, return-to-play, and athletic performance. He has worked with athletes across multiple levels of sport and is known for his practical, evidence-based approach to integrating weight room training with on-field speed development.

How do you actually get faster? In this episode, I sit down with speed coach Joe Pedulla to break down how to effectively program both the weight room and field work for speed development. We discuss sprint mechanics, exercise selection, weekly programming, balancing lifting with sprint sessions, common mistakes coaches make, and how to build athletes who are faster, more explosive, and more resilient. Whether you're a strength coach, sport coach, or athlete, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways you can immediately apply to your training.

In this week's nutrition rant I cover some tips and perspective on how to handle your diet when traveling in various situations

Drew Donaldson is the founder of DDT Method Training and a coach known for his evidence-based approach to performance, body composition, and health optimization. Through his coaching, podcast, and educational content, Drew helps athletes and everyday individuals bridge the gap between training, nutrition, recovery, peptides, and biohacking to maximize both performance and longevity.   In this episode, I sit down with Drew for a deep dive into the world of peptides, biohacking, and human performance.We discuss practical strategies for improving cognitive function, reducing brain fog, enhancing recovery, and optimizing overall health. We also break down several of the most popular performance and fat loss peptides, covering how they work, who may benefit from them, and the common misconceptions surrounding their use.

Weekly nutrition rant. Many people build their diets by over analyzing singular foods based on foods they believe to be "good" or "bad"..."healthy" or "unhealthy"...this is a fallacy. Here is a better way to evaluate and build your ideal diet

IFBB Pro Olivia Oneid is a professional bodybuilder, nutrition coach, and educator known for her evidence-based approach to physique development, sustainable nutrition, and helping athletes build healthier relationships with food. Through her coaching and content, Olivia has become a trusted voice on topics like flexible dieting, body image, contest prep, and long-term success in fitness.

In this episode, Olivia joins me for a deep dive into the psychology of nutrition and the habits that actually move the needle. We discuss tracking food effectively, the role of journaling, developing a healthier body image, improving your relationship with food, and practical strategies for navigating hunger and constant food noise while pursuing physique and performance goals.

You sent your questions in to IG...Will Ratelle and I go in depth answering them here. Time stamps below!

00:00 Intro
03:17 Nicotine pouches – how much do you use?
06:00 Best Assault Bike interval protocol (4x4 and alternatives)
07:33 Which strongman movements transfer best to rugby?
09:32 How would you train military, police, and firefighters?
12:36 Best isometrics and eccentrics for strength & athleticism
17:10 Best way to build strength and muscle without sacrificing either
19:12 When should you lower calories during a fat loss phase?
20:27 How to break through an overhead press plateau
21:59 If you only have 1–2 strength & conditioning sessions per week, what should you prioritize?
23:12 How to eat more during a bulk (7,000+ calories)
26:57 Most overrated vs underrated exercises
30:58 Can front squats replace back squats for swimmers?
31:31 How to evaluate a strength plateau
34:08 What would you do differently starting your online business?
36:23 Best exercises for golfer's elbow
38:05 Pre-workout carb timing
38:35 Transitioning into strength & conditioning from a corporate career
40:24 Thoughts on mobility and static stretching
43:40 Ideal weekly bodyweight change for bulking and cutting
44:50 Are Zercher holds worthwhile for upper back thickness?
45:30 Can you run a 6-day program over 8–9 days?
46:10 Can heavy hyperextensions replace deadlifts?
47:27 What's something you've changed your mind on in the last 5 years?
50:56 How to modify training around a fresh tattoo
54:25 Do isometric holds potentiate explosive movements?
54:46 How should recovery change when starting a new training cycle?
57:21 Is cardio after lifting okay?

50:56 How to modify training around a fresh tattoo

54:25 Do isometric holds potentiate explosive movements?

54:46 How should recovery change when starting a new training cycle?

57:21 Is cardio after lifting okay?

58:15 Thoughts on Retatrutide (GLP-1s) for fat loss

01:00:28 Is 0.2 g of fat per pound too low for naturals?

01:01:23 How to break through a fat loss plateau

01:02:32 Best carb sources if rice and potatoes cause bloating

01:03:44 Should you do cardio on a refeed day?

01:04:17 Is jogging 20–25 miles per week a good fat-loss strategy?

01:05:49 Should muscle strength ever outpace tendon strength?

01:06:55 Why change rep ranges weekly instead of using double progression?

01:08:47 Should you work in a commercial gym before starting your own coaching business?

01:10:11 Will Ratelle x Jon Heck training program announcement

01:11:08 Accessory exercises that never leave your program

01:15:08 Maximum calorie deficit for a 40% body fat powerlifter

01:15:54 Deadlift going backwards week to week—what should I do?

01:16:12 Best advice for aspiring online coaches

01:17:59 Most overrated mainstream lifting program

01:19:42 Cronometer: Prioritize macros or calories?

01:20:16 Testosterone cypionate: once weekly or more frequent injections?

01:20:43 How to lift heavy every day

01:21:28 How to set calories for fat loss

01:22:09 Podcast suggestion: Dr. Emily Dow

01:22:50 When programming phases, prioritize movement patterns or specific lifts?

01:23:33 Fitness beliefs the evidence supports less than people think

01:24:59 Best lifts for durability in endurance runners

01:25:33 Most common mistakes intermediates make

01:26:28 Best exercises to improve a poor front rack

01:28:02 Nutrition recommendations for men vs. women

01:28:57 Anatomy & biomechanics vs. sport-specific education for strength coaches

01:30:32 Best body hair trimmer

01:31:47 Are CrossFit athletes actually natural?

01:33:28 What habit do you wish you'd developed while playing college football?

01:35:36 Outro

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Katie Dabrowski, sports physical therapist and performance expert, to discuss why rehab shouldn't look like traditional rehab—it should look like training.We dive into injury prevention, returning to sport, strength training after injury, common rehab mistakes, pain myths, and how athletes and lifters can bridge the gap between physical therapy and peak performance.Whether you're dealing with an injury, coaching athletes, or simply want to train smarter, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.