The General Muscle Podcast

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence is joined by Dr Stephanie Filbay, a researcher at the forefront of ACL rehabilitation. They discuss the evolving understanding of ACL injuries—what the ligament does, how it’s commonly injured, and why traditional surgical beliefs are being challenged. You’ll learn about the promising CROSS bracing protocol, how it stacks up against surgery a...

In this Q&A episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence is joined by Joey Cantlin to tackle a range of listener questions! Topics include the ideal rate of fat loss during prep, the role of flexing between sets, and what red flags to watch out for when choosing a coach. Joey also shares his thoughts on whether excess skin could impact your placing and offers key advice for first-time competito...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence sits down with Dr. Eliud Sierra to explore the path to becoming a chiropractor in the US—and how the profession is evolving. They discuss the strengths and shortcomings of chiropractic education, the controversial history of subluxation theory, and the challenges facing both chiros and physios in modern practice. Eliud also shares how he inco...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence sits down with Camellia Curreen to explore her journey in the world of bodybuilding—from her first steps into fitness to becoming a seasoned posing coach. She shares insights from her early contest preps, her recent overseas competition experiences, and how her offseason has evolved with Daniel Yates now leading her coaching. You’ll also hear...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence is joined by Alex Thomas, someone who is deeply embedded in the Australian coaching scene to discuss the evolution of the fitness industry. Alex is the founder of the Sports Nutrition Association and continues to work at raising the standards of coaching across the world. They explore how coaching standards, insurance, and industry expectatio...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence sits down with historian Dr Conor Heffernan for a deep dive into the history and culture of bodybuilding. From the early roots of gym machines to the modern split between natural and enhanced divisions, this conversation explores how the sport has evolved over time. We hear about Conor's academic journey, his own lifting background, and how p...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence is joined by returning guest Nick Hannah! They dive into a wide-ranging discussion covering key topics in bodybuilding and contest prep. They share their thoughts on staying natural in the sport, the importance of the mind-muscle connection, and how to maintain high training intensity even during the toughest stages of prep. You'll also hear...

Today Lawrence is joined by Hudson for another instalment of their not a bookclub series. This time they discuss the 2024 documentary, RUNN, which recounts Nedd Brockmann's historic run across Australia. Thank you for listening! Please take the time to screenshot the episode, post it onto to your Instagram story and tag Lawrence and Hudson! Please take the time to leave a five star review on your...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence sits down with Marlette Le-Feuvre to recap her most recent contest season. Marlette shares insights into her off-season focus, the feedback she implemented, and the shows she competed in—including her decision to take her prep international with a show in Korea. She reflects on the differences between competing abroad versus in Australia, her...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence is assisted on this Q&A by Sam Meaney. Sam shares how his training is currently tracking, reflects on the recent dieting phase, and talks through the transition into his new job role. The duo also dives into the common question of whether running and hypertrophy training can coexist, and whether bodybuilders can realistically continue playing...

Today Lawrence sits down for a solo podcast where he breaks down his top 5 physio red flags. Lawrence delves into some unfortunately common practices that you need to keep an eye out for if you are seeking care for an injury. Thank you for listening! Please take the time to screenshot the episode, post it onto to your Instagram story and tag Lawrence! Please take the time to leave a five star revi...

In this episode of The General Muscle Podcast, Lawrence sits down with IFBB Pro Kirra Longmuir to recap her recent season, including show results and the evolution of her approach over the years. Kirra reflects on the feedback she applied from previous preps, the significance of earning her pro card, and how her mindset and training have changed throughout her career. She also opens up about the u...

In this episode, Lawrence is joined by Martin Refalo, who bridges the gap between science and practice in the fitness industry. We discuss his journey into the field, his perspective on the current fitness landscape, and dive into key topics like gender differences in hypertrophy, the rise of fatigue-focused training, and why “women-specific” programs still dominate despite equal research outcomes...

Happy Star Wars Day! Lawrence is joined by his good friend Nathan to chat all things about the galaxy far, far away for the annual Star Wars Special! They cover their recent viewing of Episode III, their thoughts so far on Andor Season 2 as well as all the announcements from Star Wars Celebration Japan! Thank you for listening! Please take the time to screenshot the episode, post it onto to your I...

Welcome to part two of the Bodybuilding Rehab Roundtable in which Lawrence sits down with Mike, Nick and James to discuss the mystery of low back pain! In this episode, they dive into the world of non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) — what it is, why it happens, and how it shows up differently in acute vs chronic cases, particularly among bodybuilders. They discuss the powerful role perceptions and...

Lawrence sits down for a solo podcast all about stretching. He separates fact from fiction and shares some insights about when stretching can likely help you and when it might actually make things worse! Thank you for listening! Please take the time to screenshot the episode, post it onto to your Instagram story and tag Lawrence! Please take the time to leave a five star review on your podcast pla...

In this episode, Lawrence sits down with Brandon Kempter for an insightful and honest conversation about life, bodybuilding, and coaching. Brandon opens up about what inspired his move from Australia to Bali and how it’s transformed his lifestyle, mindset, and daily routine. Brandon shares valuable lessons from his most recent off-season, the keys to training hard in a calorie deficit, and his tak...

In this episode of the podcast, Lawrence sits down with Liv Grace to dive into her journey from the gym to the stage. They explore how Liv’s initial passion for training transformed into a desire to compete, and the challenges she’s facing in her current prep. From the intricacies of her dietician studies and the unique perspective they give her on prep, to managing a busy workload and navigating...

In this episode, The General Muscle Podcast takes a different route as Lawrence dives into his personal experience with managing phone use, from using it productively to unwinding with a scroll. He shares how easy it is to get lost in endless reels, algorithms, and dopamine loops, and how it often leads to a sense of distraction and time wasted. Thank you for listening! Please take the time to scr...

In this episode, Lawrence and Ben Lloyd dive into the his journey, exploring how he got started in the sport and the pivotal moments that shaped his career. From their first off-season with Aj Morris to the strategies that set this contest prep apart, we discuss the lessons learned along the way. Ben shares his experience competing at WNBF Worlds and how they approached the post-show phase differe...

In this podcast episode, Lawrence is joined by Jas Paterson who provides an update on her prep progress, discussing how things are shaping up and what adjustments have been made recently. The conversation then shifts to diet foods, with a focus on how far one should go with macro-friendly creations—finding the balance between satisfying cravings and staying on track with nutrition. Jas also offers...

Happy International Women's Day! The podcast continues a strong tradition of having a special episode centred around the female side of the sport with guests Nicole Hitchcock and Montana Bannister of the Bikini Academy Podcast! Today they sit down with Lawrence to talk about the IFBB's new female division, their thoughts on managing training during the menstruation week and much more! Thank you fo...

Today Lawrence is joined by Nick Hannah, ANB Pro Bodybuilder and Australian representative for the WNBF! Nick had an extremely impressive season in 2024, putting him on the map as one of Australia's top natural bodybuilders. In this episode they cover some details relating to his prep as well as the importance of focusing on one's own process during prep! Thank you for listening! Please take the t...

Today's episode is a round table discussion all about focusing on the major aspects of training and nutrition before worrying about the smaller details. Lawrence is joined by Joey, DY and Hudson as they share personal examples and insights into why you should avoid majoring in the minors. Thank you for listening! Please take the time to screenshot the episode, post it onto to your Instagram story...

This week Lawrence is joined by Michelle Hellyer, 2024 ICN World Natural Games Pro Figure World Champion. Michelle shares some insights into managing a contest prep as a police officer as well as the importance of enjoying your training as opposed to simply training for "optimal results". Thank you for listening! Please take the time to screenshot the episode, post it onto to your Instagram story...