Barbell Shrugged

Christopher Fry is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition and the Co-Director for the Center for Muscle Biology at the University of Kentucky. Chris completed a B.S. in Biology at Baylor University (2006), Ph. D. in biomedical sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB, 2011) and postdoctoral training in muscle physiology at t...

In today's episode of Barbell Shrugged, we'll be discussing the various factors that impact brain health and exploring strategies for optimizing brain function. First, we'll be discussing the impact of exercise on brain health. Research has shown that regular exercise can help to improve brain function, enhance cognitive performance, and even reduce the risk of certain neurological disorders. We'l...

Timothy J. Suchomel, PhD, CSCS*D, RSCC is an associate professor of exercise science and program director of the Sport Physiology and Performance Coaching master's program at Carroll University. In addition, Dr. Suchomel serves as the director of the Carroll University Sport Performance Institute and as a human performance coach with Carroll athletics. He is a certified strength and conditioning s...

In today's episode of Barbell Shrugged the team digs into liver health, biomarkers, and optimization. The liver is a remarkable organ that performs numerous essential functions necessary for our overall well-being. Maintaining a healthy liver is vital, and understanding the role of biomarkers and optimization can help us achieve that goal. Our lifestyle choices significantly impact liver health. U...

Matt is a life long educator and has a reputation as a provocative thought leader in education and personal development practices. He is a two-time featured TEDx speaker and he was named Corporate Trainer of the Year at Stanford University, having spoken to over 250,000 people. He is Co Founder of Apogee Strong. Apogee is a specialized mentorship program designed specifically to shape young men in...

L-Carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid derivative that plays a crucial role in energy metabolism within the human body. It is synthesized in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids lysine and methionine. L-Carnitine is primarily involved in the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles within cells, where they can be oxidized to generate...

Kevin A. Murach, Ph. D., received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned the Ronald Hyatt Scholarship in Exercise Science. After graduating, Dr. Murach completed a master's degree in Exercise Physiology at James Madison University at Harrisonburg, Virginia, then earned his Ph. D. in Human Bioenergetics from the Ball State Human Performance La...

In today's fast-paced world, optimizing our health and performance has become paramount. Sleep, recovery, and performance are integral aspects of our well-being, and understanding and improving them is crucial. This is where the Ōura Ring comes into play. This revolutionary wearable technology aims to unlock your potential by providing insights and data to enhance your sleep, recovery, and overall...

In today's fast-paced world, optimizing our health and performance has become paramount. Sleep, recovery, and performance are integral aspects of our well-being, and understanding and improving them is crucial. This is where the Ōura Ring comes into play. This revolutionary wearable technology aims to unlock your potential by providing insights and data to enhance your sleep, recovery, and overall...

Dr. Matt Otteman, DC, is the co-owner of KinActive Kids, a globally renowned pediatric intensive clinic that combines physical therapy and chiropractic care to help children reach developmental milestones. As a chiropractor and former Major League Baseball player for the Seattle Mariners, Dr. Otteman combines his sports-focused foundation of the human body into a unique treatment style to help chi...

In today's episode of Barbell Shrugged Dan Garner dives into how you can start to analyze your yearly bloodwork for performance. Standard blood tests can be ordered around the globe, in every country, and are the gold standard for understanding basic health. The normal reference ranges, however, are not giving you the answers you are looking for when it come to optimizing your health and performan...

Victoria Felkar is a doctoral candidate conducting interdisciplinary research on women's health, reproductive function, and pharmaceutical steroid hormones. With a unique background in both the hard sciences and humanities, her work offers a novel and critical perspective into the use of drugs for health and performance purposes within the female athlete population. Victoria's research has achieve...

Dr. Alexis Cowan received her PhD in molecular biology from Princeton University, specializing in the metabolic effects of nutritional and exercise interventions. She is currently a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania studying microbiome-diet interactions in both health and disease (i.e., cancer). Alexis is passionate about health and wellness at a visceral level. Her h...

Peter Ballerstedt is a prominent figure in the fields of forage agronomy, ruminant nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. With a background in forage production and utilization, Ballerstedt has dedicated his career to promoting the importance of forage-based agriculture in supporting healthy ecosystems and livestock production systems. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from the Universit...

In today's episode of Barbell Shrugged, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Coach Travis Mash dive into periodization models and a framework for longevity through the lens of health and performance. Longevity is a common goal. Unfortunately, it is impossible to define. How do you know if you are doing it right? Do you have to wait 40 years to find out all the at effort gave you 10 extra days? Longevit...

Dan Garner is a co-founder of RAPID Health Optimization which offers high-level, personalized online health and performance coaching for world class results. His coaching resume is second to none having worked with dozens of professional athletes, CEO's, and Investors. Within his clientele he has worked with three superbowl champions, two UFC title winners, an Olympic gold medialist, two Olympic b...

Dr. Michael Miletic is a former Olympic athlete and a prominent physician specializing in clinical neuroscience and metabolic medicine. Dr. Miletic evaluates the brain, mind, and body and brings the latest science and evidence-based treatments to optimize your health. Specializing in athletes, executives, and adolescents looking to reach their full potential. Dr. Miletic's comprehensive training a...

Phil Heath is a renowned American bodybuilder. He gained widespread recognition in the world of professional bodybuilding, particularly for his impressive physique and numerous accolades. Heath's journey into bodybuilding began during his college years at the University of Denver, where he initially pursued basketball. However, he soon redirected his focus towards bodybuilding and started competin...

Dr. Christopher A. Perry, an Assistant Professor at Eastern Kentucky University, began his fitness journey at Penn State University, where he developed a robust background in Strength & Conditioning leading to 17 years in the industry to date. His academic path, leading through a PhD at Arizona State University, deepened his expertise in Exercise Science & Sports, Sleep & Circadian Rhythms, and Nu...

In today's episode of Barbell Shrugged, Bryan Boorstein is back to discuss Heart Rate Recovery. Heart rate recovery refers to the rate at which a person's heart rate decreases after a period of exercise. It is a crucial indicator of cardiovascular fitness and overall health. After intense physical activity, a healthy individual's heart rate should gradually return to its resting rate within a cert...

In this episode, Doug Larson, Travis Mash and Anders Varner catch up on the Olympic trials, international weightlifting meets, and Anders' pursuit of a 6-minute mile. Coach Travis Mash has been out for a couple weeks as he has traveled the world for international weightlifting meets leading up to the USA Olympic Qualifiers for weightlifting. We initially discuss Anders' pursuit of the 6-minute mil...

Alan Kenny is a performance nutritionist with over 10 years experience supporting teams, athletes and executives to optimize their health. Holding a degree in Exercise Science and a Masters in Sports Nutrition, Alan has also lectured at University level in Ireland and currently heads a performance lab in an executive medical clinic in Vancouver, Canada. His work here is focused on optimizing healt...

As an Educator and Coach at SH/FT, Emily Hightower leverages her expertise in the neurophysiology of trauma and resilience to help clients master their stress response and improve their quality of life. By combining over 25 years of experience as a breathing expert, yoga teacher, river guide, and wilderness EMT, Emily empowers high performers to disrupt limits, align with nature, and heal their bo...

Professor Phillips is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health in Aging. He is a Professor in Kinesiology, and Graduate Faculty in the School of Medicine at McMaster University. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (FCAHS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). His research is focused on the impact of nutrition and exercise on the mechanisms of hum...

Pratik Patel is a health and performance coach, speaker, advisor, and consultant to sports teams, startups, and VC groups in the health, wellness, and performance realm. Pratik brings unique perspectives gained from his time in high level elite sport (NFL) to enhance the health and performance of individuals in the real world. Using his internal and external health approach and stress adaptation f...