PREP COACH PODCAST

Finally joined by special guest, Donna Atkins, known as one of the best posing coaches in the country but also famous for her alter egos, being a comp tanner and FMG PRO. We start by going through her competition journey starting in 2003 as a Figure athlete and the road to being an FMG PRO in 2022. Then we talk about the rise of Deadpan Don, how it all started and where is she now. We then discuss the journey of becoming a Posing Coach, leaving her corporate job of over 20 years, building a posing studio and training a posing coach to represent her brand, and her step by step methodology of teaching posing. We finish on answering listener questions covering online vs face to face coaching, using FMG style posing in other federations, why she is always booked out, and what's next for Donna.

Q&As:

✳️ From First Comp to FMG PRO
✳️ The Rise of Deadpan Don
✳️ Becoming a Posing Coach
✳️ Building the Posing Locker
✳️ Developing Ty as a Posing Coach
✳️ Your Posing Methodology
✳️ Online vs Face To Face Coaching
✳️ Using FMG Posing in Other Feds
✳️ Daily Life, Training and Nutrition
✳️ You're Always Booked Out
✳️ What's Next for Donna

We really appreciate all the questions!

Kick of the episode by discussing the reasoning behind the NBA Bikini posing change and how it will be judged. Then talk about if you lose your natural PRO status is you decide to take PED and compete in untested federations. Cover if using diuretics is banned and if they are useful, before moving onto discussing how to navigate meal prepping on the weekend before you get your coaches check in on monday, and how to structure meals around training. We finish on training discussions around ideal program length, programming intensity techniques, and our personal favourites such as rest pause partials.

Q&As:

✳️ NBA Bikini Posing & Judging
✳️ Standarising Posing
✳️ Losing your PRO Status
✳️ Using Diuretics Banned
✳️ Meal Prep before Check In
✳️ Meal Structure around Training
✳️ Training Program Length
✳️ Programming Intensity Techniques
✳️ Rest Pause Partials

We really appreciate all the questions!

MG is back and explains how he was talked out of getting back surgery. Scotty explains his research study and finding participants. We give an update on IFBB Naturals for Season B 2025, and the recent changes to show in Season B 2024. Then discuss coaching related topics such as saking a client if they no longer want to compete, how to deal with jealousy within the team, clients not working hard enough but expecting to win, and finally how to transition to online coaching. We finish on can you sleep too much, what's the ideal pump up formula, and using smelling salts.

Scotty and MT take on all listener questions kicking off with are waist trainers effective, can you do back to back seasons or what should be the ideal length of an offseason. Chat about the recent INBA show, the pro cards given out and the same winner across two divisions. Then discuss can you justify expensive coaching with justifying add-ons to coaching, move onto if we recommend cardio in the offseason, and is it worth carbing up in peak week if you're not lean enough.

Q&As:

✳️ Lower Back Injuries
✳️ Waist Trainers
✳️ Back to Back Seasons
✳️ Ideal Length on an Offseason
✳️ INBA Shows
✳️ First Timers Winning PRO Cards
✳️ Winning Figure and Fitness
✳️ $120 Weekly Coaching Expensive
✳️ NBA Merch Drop
✳️ Turkesterone
✳️ Cardio in the Offseason
✳️ Cut Cals and Cardio Starting Prep
✳️ Carb Up When Not Lean
✳️ ICN Nats Open Divisions Only

We really appreciate all the questions!

MG judges the WHPH Show and give an update about back surgery. Recap an awesome season finale at an epic ICN Nationals, and we discuss the feedback we received about differing opinions on decisions made, and how to use this to positively impact the sport. Talk about how best to live stream an event, what's the differences in criteria between ICN and NBA, and how there's different posing across the states. We finish on discussing deloads, taking progress photos, planning minicuts in the offseason, and when to do a pre prep phase.

Q&As:

✳️ MG Judging WHPH Show
✳️ MG Needs Back Surgery
✳️ ICN Nationals Judging
✳️ Public Feedback & Opinion Differs
✳️ Live Stream Commentary Yay or Nay
✳️ ICN vs NBA Criteria Differences
✳️ Posing Differs by State
✳️ Planned Deloads and Frequency
✳️ Against Taking Progress Photos
✳️ Minicut in the Offseason
✳️ Planning Pre Prep Phase
✳️ Fats Too Low in Offseason

We really appreciate all the questions!

We talk to Alex from NXTGEN Visuals in the new podcast room about his story from being expelled from high school, joining the army to then be medically discharged, to building a successful group fitness facility to then being one of the best videographers in the industry, and completely self-taught!

Recap on an epic weekend in NBA Nationals in Melbourne, what are our pet peeves at shows, and some of the Fitness girls looked better than Figure, does Natty Fitness equal IFBB Bikini, and to taller girls have an advantage in Bikini. We then talk about setting up Reverse Diet calories and rate of gain, and how to manage intense hunger post comp.

Recap on an epic weekend in Sydney, and if we are living the dream or doing way too much. Discuss how to do include hybrid training for Hyrox into your bodybuilding training, then cover how to deal with going through a slump between shows. Then talk about mentally dealing with injuires, ideal offseason weight for females, removing creatine in peak week and decreasing training intensity too. We end on if PTs should be more than rep counters, and if training to failure is more practical than using Reps In Reserve (RIR)

Q&As:

✳️ Epic Sydney Show
✳️ Hybrid Hyrox Training
✳️ Prep Slump Between Shows
✳️ Mentally Dealing with Injuries
✳️ Ideal Offsaeason Weight for Females
✳️ NBA Bikini Judging
✳️ Removing Creatine Peak Week
✳️ Training Intensity Peak Week
✳️ Being a PT or Rep Counter
✳️ Training to Failure or use RIR

We really appreciate all the questions!

Quick recap of a big weekend of shows, then we dive into a big list of listener questions covering getting favouritism from judges, importance of sodium, topics about coaches, picking categories, optimal gap between shows and how to do back to back peak weeks successfully!

Q&As:

✳️ Importance of Sodium in Diet
✳️ Show Weekend Recap
✳️ Buying Judges
✳️ Coaches Not Going to Shows
✳️ Coach Picking Bikini Colour
✳️ Feedback from Another Coach
✳️ Sticking to One Category
✳️ Avoid Tigerbread Tan
✳️ Cooking Protein Powder
✳️ Figure vs Figure International
✳️ Best Gap Between Shows
✳️ Back to Back Peak Weeks

We really appreciate all the questions!

We talk about the shows on the weekend and a beautiful mum and daughter moment on stage. We then go in to a deep question about if you should continue with prep when coming out of an abusive relationship. Next cover our thoughts on different forms of recovery such as ice baths, and if they are useful for bodybuilders. We finish on picking the best carbs to use on show day and using liquid carb and electrolyte drinks.

Q&As:

✳️ ICN SA Winnig a Sword
✳️ Beautiful Mum & Daughter Moment on Stage
✳️ Bali Retreat Spots Nearly Full
✳️ Abusive Relationship in Prep
✳️ Boost Immunity in Prep
✳️ Best Recovery Ice Bath & Saunas
✳️ Best Carbs on Show Day
✳️ Liquid Carbs on Show Day

We really appreciate all the questions!