Podcast – The Drop Set | Five Starr Physique

Episode 300 of The Drop Set — and I’m marking it the way it makes the most sense to me: with nine lessons from 300 episodes of podcasting that also happen to be nine lessons about bodybuilding. The through-line surprised me when I wrote it down. Everything this show has taught me, the gym already […]

Genetics set the ceiling. Your habits determine how close you get to it. In episode 299 of The Drop Set, coach Darin Starr breaks down the six habits that consistently separate good physiques from great ones — and none of them are about genetics, bone structure, or anything else you can’t control. From building consistency […]

This week is a full deep dive on how to actually start bodybuilding the right way, not the version influencers are selling you. I’m covering the complete framework from the ground up: setting real goals and figuring out where you actually stand through an honest self assessment, deciding whether you should focus on growth or […]

This week I’m getting personal. I had a moment this past weekend where my prep got real — a diet and cardio revision landed and the initial reaction was honestly just defeat. Not dramatic, not a breakdown, just a quiet “oh.” I’m going to walk through exactly what that felt like, what the revision actually […]

This week I’m getting into what’s actually happening to your body during prep at a hormonal and metabolic level — without turning it into a physiology lecture. Leptin, cortisol, thyroid function, metabolic adaptation — these aren’t abstract concepts, they’re the reason you feel the way you feel at six weeks out, and understanding what’s driving […]

This week I’m covering what happens after the show — and why the post-show period is one of the most important and most neglected phases of the entire prep cycle. Reverse dieting isn’t just eating more. It’s a structured process of restoring metabolic function, managing the psychological shift that follows a major goal, and setting […]

This week I’m going deeper on posing — specifically what happens after you’ve got the mandatory poses dialed in. We’re talking about the finer points that separate technically correct from genuinely compelling on stage: transitions, weight distribution, facial expression, and how to craft a presentation that fits your specific category. I’ll also get into the […]

Today we’re going to take a break from the standard format and just dive in to some Q&A on a range of topics.  And at the end you can help me troubleshoot my new shop project with Claude – it’s more interesting than it might sound, trust me! As always you can call in and […]

This week I’m breaking down how to eat for your physique without letting your grocery bill get out of control. Whether you’re in prep or just trying to eat well on a budget, there are some simple swaps and principles that can cut your food costs significantly without touching your results. We’re talking bulk buying, […]

This week I’m breaking down one of the most common training mistakes I see when athletes transition from a growth phase into prep — failing to shift the mindset around progressive overload. The goal of your training changes the day prep starts, and if your program and your expectations don’t change with it, you’re going […]