The Macro Lounge Podcast

Ever wondered what's actually going through a judge's head while you're on stage? Chris pulls back the curtain on 25+ years of judging experience, breaking down muscularity, conditioning, symmetry, balance and presentation, and why the written criteria is way vaguer (and more open to interpretation) than most competitors realize. They compare how IFBB/NPC, ICN and OCB each rank these d...

In this episode, we explore the art and psychology of physique photography with Peter Morris , a photographer with over 30 years of experience behind the camera. Peter shares what three decades of shooting bodybuilders, competitors and everyday people has taught him about confidence, body image and the stories people carry into a shoot. We get into: the "handbrake" effect, and why so many people h...

From supplement stacks 14 tablets deep to posing coaches charging a fortune for fancy hair flicks that judges aren't even scoring - the bikini bodybuilding industry has a lot of ways to take your money. This week, Chris and Rach pull back the curtain on where the money actually flows in this sport, and more importantly, how to figure out what's worth spending yours on. They break down the...

"The criteria hasn't changed" Sound familiar? Chris and Rachel are calling it out - because if it truly hasn't changed, how do you explain Fit Model existing? Or an Olympia champion from six years ago who probably couldn't place today? This week they're pulling apart the evolution of bodybuilding criteria across categories and federations - from the original Miss Olympia...

FOMO might be the most underrated physique killer in the sport. In this week's episode, Chris and Rachel get into the real reason so many athletes stall out year after year - and it's not their training program. From prep envy to watching your competitor walk away with a pro card, to skipping your sister's wedding for a regional show, FOMO shows up in more ways than most people admit....

It's a show recap episode - and what a show it was! Chris and Rachel are back from the ICN Great Lakes Classic in Taupo, breaking down every category from Women's Bodybuilding to Bikini, with honest takes on placings, posing, and the athletes who stood out (and a few who were in the wrong category entirely). They cover the men's divisions, a stacked Figure lineup, the return of Runway...

What happens when you cross the federation lines in New Zealand bodybuilding? This week, Chris and Rachel sit down with someone who's been in the sport for over three decades, competed across IFBB, NABBA, and INBA, traveled to the Natural Olympia, and then decided to build something completely different. Brenda McDonell is the co-founder and President of ICN New Zealand. She and her husband An...

Competition Season Wrap Up - NZ Shows, New York Pro & Fit Model Firsts | Episode 16 Season 2 The 2026 competition season is officially underway and we have A LOT to talk about. This week Chris and Rach break down the biggest shows from a massive weekend in bodybuilding. The NZIFBB South Island Open, the WFF Victory New Zealand show in Auckland, and two New Zealand athletes competing at the New...

Glam Under Pressure | Episode 15 Season 2 Most competitors don't think about hair and makeup until they're a week out and suddenly panicking. This week, Chris and Rachel sit down with Aleksandra Horton - official makeup artist for ICN New Zealand and NPC fit model competitor - to break down everything you need to know about show day glam. From skin prep to the biggest backstage disasters, Aleksand...

Are you a good athlete? Or are you... kind of being a dick? (this seems to be the theme this season!) In this episode, Chris and Rach break down what it actually means to be coachable and why your results are built in the choices you make when your coach ISN'T watching. They cover: Why reading your plan properly matters more than you think (yes, including page two) The difference between negot...

Don't Be A Dick Part 2: Relationships in Prep | Episode 13 Season 2 Prep doesn't just change your body. It changes your mood, your patience, your availability and how easy you are to live with. This week Chris and Rachel dive into the side of contest prep nobody talks about enough: what it does to your relationships. From partners absorbing the emotional fallout to friendships shrinking, f...

Let's be real. PEDs are one of the most talked about, most misunderstood, and most misrepresented topics in bodybuilding. So we decided to go there. In this episode, Chris and Rachel break down what performance-enhancing drugs actually are (spoiler: caffeine counts), the real health risks nobody wants to talk about, the difference between tested and untested federations, and why "just a l...

Dropping a sweet chilli bottle on your foot is one way to get out of Bulgarians. Not recommended. (We're talking to you Rachel) But it does make for a very relevant episode. This week on The Macro Lounge, Chris and Rachel get into what actually happens when injuries and illness hit during prep - and more importantly, why pushing through is almost always the wrong call. They break down the phys...

The word "sponsorship" gets thrown around constantly in the bodybuilding and fitness world, but most athletes have no idea what it actually means, what it costs, or what it demands in return. In this episode, Chris and Rachel pull back the curtain on how sponsorship in the NZ and Australian fitness space really works, and why most people approach it completely wrong. They break down: The...

Coffee's optional. Cardio wisdom isn't. This week Chris and Rach are breaking down one of the most common myths in bodybuilding and fitness - that doing MORE means getting BETTER results. Spoiler: it doesn't. They're getting into why recovery is just as important as training, why your first prep should be your hardest, and what it actually means to train with intent. Plus Rach drop...

Chris and Rachel go deep on the Arnold Classic bikini, wellness, and fit model divisions - who deserved the win, who missed their peak, and what the lineup tells us about where these divisions are heading into Olympia season. Plus, Sharns are back! Helen Ruth Bailey Strong left her car in a multi-storey and then drove it into a wall two days out from show day (yes, there's video evidence). And...

He bumped into Arnold at 13. Walked into a seminar he had no business being at. Got given two free tickets to the Mr. Olympia. And the rest? Well, 160 competitions, three military branches, a police career, and one of the world's largest natural bodybuilding federations later, here we are. This week Chris and Rachel sit down with Sean "Sully" Sullivan, founder and co-owner of the OCB...

This week Chris and Rachel are joined by Maria Reym , who shares her journey through competitive bodybuilding and the transition that comes after stepping away from the stage. Maria talks about the mindset shifts that happen over time, how priorities change, and the moment many athletes begin to ask themselves whether it’s time to stop competing. We also discuss her move into coaching and judging...

Do genetics actually matter in bodybuilding? In this episode, we have an honest conversation about genetic potential, structure, muscle insertions, fat distribution, and why some physiques look more suited to certain divisions. We cover: • What good genetics really means • Bikini structure and proportions • Muscle insertions and stage shape • Genetics vs work ethic • Choosing the right division •...

Everyone wants to improve. Not everyone wants to hear the truth. In this episode, we talk about feedback in bodybuilding and competition prep - how to receive it, who to listen to, and how not to let ego derail your progress. We cover: • Coach to athlete communication • Handling critique during prep • Why asking too many people for opinions backfires • Emotional maturity in competing • Feedback vs...

The off season is not a break. It’s where your next prep is decided. In this episode, Chris and Rachel unpack what the growth season really means for bikini, wellness, and bodybuilding competitors. We cover: • Why prep starts the minute you walk off stage • Reverse dieting and restoring health post show • How much weight gain is actually appropriate • Why staying too lean hurts progress • Building...

Posing is not the fun extra you worry about at the end of prep. It is the skill that decides placings. In this episode of The Macro Lounge, Chris and Rachel break down posing from the athlete’s point of view, what actually matters on stage, what judges are really looking at, and why so many competitors sabotage themselves by overcomplicating it or leaving it too late. They cover why mandatories co...

Season 2 of The Macro Lounge Podcast is officially live! In this first episode of Season 2, Chris and Rachel are back behind the mics after a busy off-season and break down everything currently happening in the bodybuilding world, from Fit Model shake-ups to Olympia qualification changes and what they really mean for athletes. In this episode we discuss: • Season 2 direction and how the podcast is...

Season One of the Macro Lounge is officially wrapped, and what a ride it has been. Twenty six episodes, countless sparkles, a few near cancellations, and a community that grew faster than Chris adds carbs in a reverse. In this final episode of the season, Chris and Rachel look back on the highs, the lessons, the chaos, and the moments that shaped 2025. From insane prep stories and athlete breakthr...

From PNBA World Champion to IFBB Pro League judge to founder of the Australian Posing School, Becc Gwilliam has shaped the posing game across Australia and beyond. In Episode 25, she joins Chris and Rachel for a deep dive into bodybuilding, posing, judging and how APS became the global standard for stage presentation. Becc shares how she went from investigative journalist to international posing c...