The Improvement Season Podcast

We're back with another episode. Pascal just went through his surgery and we're going to discuss things around it...basically recovering from surgery. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:48) Pascal's surgery (10:24) Stress, sleep and water retention (14:29) Common misconception and tabutopic (18:40) Fear of losing muscle (21:17) When is Pascal going back to training? (25:13) Maintenance calories after a...

We're back with another Coaching Corner Podcast. This time we're joined by coach Jess talking about the entire prep, experiences, takeaways and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:41) Post-show period. (07:41) Binging post-show (12:25) Having a coach through hard times of dieting (17:19) WNBF worlds and competing as a bikini athlete (25:01) Biggest takeaways from prep (27:13) The hard days ar...

We're back with another episode talking about the recovery diet, individual differences when recovering from a diet, offseason focus and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Is the recovery diet already part of a gaining phase? (03:21) Individual differences to the recovery diet (07:46) Distributing focus (12:39) Seeing your physique getting softer (17:07) How pro bodybuilders train (25:07) Update on Pa...

We're back with another episode. Steve is back from WNBF worlds and his Vegas trip, talking us through his experience, ups and downs, thoughts and reflections, and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:35) How to deal with jetlag and adjusting to a different timezone (04:39) Eating and traveling (13:12) Show day/Polygraph (18:28) Team UK (24:27) Vice Amateur World Champion | An Honest Reflectio...

Steve is still in Vegas at the WNBF Worlds, that's why I'm here with coach Harry talking about how to learn to relax and calm down. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:50) Offline & Online PT at the same time (14:05) Can every PT have flexible working hours? Owning your own gym? (24:33) Maintenance isn't maintenance (30:08) Periodisation in bodybuilding (34:41) Learn to relax and calm down. Perception e...

We're back with another Coaching Corner. This time I'm joined by our physio Mike Challis and coach Ryan Solomon. We're talking about how to educate yourself as a coach. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:05) "I don't have time" and what to do in a situation like this (04:23) The power of structure (12:16) Psychological burden of coaching (19:41) Dunning kruger effect (23:53) How to educate yourself as...

We're back with another episode. Steve is about to go to WNBF worlds and we mostly talk about him preparing for worlds. Furthermore, we talk about how Bodybuilding is perceived by others and gaining too much weight in the offseason. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:04) Post-show period (04:42) Reverse Dieting, fullness & leanness (23:30) Rapid Backload vs Linear Load (32:21) Stress in a gaining phase...

We're back with another episode. This time the WNBF UK just finished and Pascal did his first show ever. Steve was also competing at the same show. In this episode, we reflect upon competing for the first time and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:41) Competing for the first time (14:01) Feeling like a competitive bodybuilder (20:08) What to look like as a first-time competitor (27:12) Meet...

We're back with another episode. By the time you're listening to this we've already competed. This time we're talking about the days leading into the WNBF UK, assessing poses/weak points, pushing for a show, weird scale weight behaviour and a glorification for the post-show meals. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro and end of the competitive season and Pascal's first show (04:45) Reflecting upon the short...

We're back with another episode and Steve has just finished his show at the 2021 Ukdfba finals. This time we're touching on many things such as a super low intake of dietary fats, what does a day of eating 1300-1500calories look like and gaining confidence due to dieting. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:57) Caffeine intake and abusing things (06:48) Steve's current push (12:10) What does a day of ea...

We're back with another episode getting closer to the end of prep. Talking about when you do you know you're spilled or full and much more. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 05:13 Prep cold, pumps and taking proper pictures 13:51 Potassium, Sodium and water intake 18:45 How do you spill and how do you know you're spilled? 22:31 Biofeedback on when you're full 24:59 Show talk and you never know who turns up...

We're coming close to the end of the prep season. We're talking about prep and that you have more fat to lose than you think. Much more of course as well ;) Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:01) Push for the last part of Steve's prep and when to make a calorie adjustment (09:45) Fibre intake and digestion (16:02) You have more fat to lose than you think (20:43) Strong vs. weak bodyparts (30:41) You ar...

We're back with another episode talking about negative effects of dieting and everything that comes with it. Hope you enjoy the episode! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:18) Steve's current prep situation (09:22) Emotional changes and behaviour (16:18) Socialising during a diet (22:56) Negative effects of dieting (27:28) Peeing lots (29:56) Food habits (32:01) Highly tasty foods while dieting? (33:38...

We're back with another episode talking about conditioning, transformation pictures and client number, prep and the question of are refeeds worth it. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:09) Steve's current conditioning (10:03) Refeeds and their setup (15:24) Connotation of refeeds & are refeeds worth it? (22:36) Changes to the prep and incorporating caffeine more (29:43) Enjoyment of prep and gratitude...

We're back with another Coaching Corner. This time I'm joined by our coach Harry Smith and coach Ryan Solomon. We're talking about if socialising and making progress is still possible Timestamps: (00:00 Intro (11:29 Is socialising while making progress possible? (20:54) How to explain that socialising can possibly be detrimental to the goals (25:14) What if people feel peer pressure to behave a ce...

We're back with another episode and we're happy to announce that Steve has for the first time won a bodybuilding show. We're going to talk about what it feels like winning a bodybuilding show, posing, gratitude, progress and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:03) Thoughts and recap of Steve's first time winning a bodybuilding show what it feels like winning a bodybuilding show (09:11) Doing...

We're back with another episode. Steve is about to do his second show and we're talking about peak week eating, diet break, irritability during a diet and digestive issues in a cutting phase Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:10) Irritable during a diet (09:35) Digestive issues in a cutting phase (15:18) Peak week approach and eating behaviour (29:16) Comparing yourself to your past self (35:26) Follow...

We're back with another Coaching Corner. This time I'm joined by our physio Mike Challis and coach Jess Terrier. We're talking about educating yourself & your clients. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 08:11 Relationship with food and gaining experience 11:44 Purpose of physique pictures in a gaining phase 19:02 Maturing with how to eat 22:24 How to communicate of what to do 28:31 Educating yourself & your...

Another episode, another week. This week we're talking about Steve's first show & how muscular & lean do you need to be for a bodybuilding show Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:59) Recap of Steve's first show this season (16:40) Competitive spirit (20:52) Level of conditioning (26:00) Refeeds (30:37) What has changed that sleep isn't negatively impacted (33:48) Personal analysis: Strength/Weakness (4...

This time we're going to talk about Steve's current prep what Bodybuilding as a lifestyle really means, what love for the sport is and much more! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:53) Steve's current prep (05:41) Surprise comp this last weekend (09:55) True warm-up show (16:02) Maturing over years (18:01) What Bodybuilding as a lifestyle really means (29:05) Why dieting becomes easier over time (34:59...

We're back with another episode. This time we're finally answering questions such as how to get a great mind-muscle connection, simplistic questions to gauge your progress, powerlifters and bigger chest and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:35) Lower rep range and worse mind-muscle connection (14:26) Asking yourself simplistic questions for the best progress (18:25) Powerlifter and wanting...

We're back with another episode talking about why you are stressing out too much about training & nutrition, mentality during prep, survivorship bias and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:53) Feeling good in a prep (05:22) Mentality during dieting (09:48) Survivorship bias (17:35) Stressing too much about training and nutrition (24:07) The journey brings happiness (26:45) Is suffering neces...

We're back with another episode talking about one of the latest posts by Team3dmj and the question if a competitor can be ready too early or not. Team3Dmj's post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRj_dhrg7oa/ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (08:37) Post from Team3dmj, unsolicited feedback (13:09) Self-righteous behaviour (21:01) Can you be ready too early? (25:22) It isn't easy to nail the timing of a prep (...

We are back with another Coaching Corner. This time I am joined by Coach Harry and Coach Ryan to talk about pre-workouts and how low you can go with calories. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (08:52) Prep talk (24:14) Alternatives to macro tracking (33:17) How low can you go with calories (43:09) Do anyone take pre-workouts (51:32) What is your favourite Dragonball Z saga Thanks, please comment, like and...

We're back with another episode talking about fighting hunger may not be the solution. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (04:13) Is football coming home? (11:00) Steve's prep update (12:29) Adding variables during a cutting phase (16:40) How to adjust the programme when fatigue is high (19:31) Reduce calf/ab work during prep? (24:12) Is the evidence-based community guilty of not focusing enough on recover...