Barbell Shrugged

Barbell Shrugged

Talking training and interviews w/ CrossFit Games athletes!

  • 1 hour 48 minutes
    Physiology Friday: Metabolic Flexibility and Micronutrients w/ Dr. Mike T Nelson

    Dr. Mike T. Nelson has spent 18 years of his life learning how the human body works, specifically focusing on how to properly condition it to burn fat and become stronger, more flexible, and healthier. He’s has a PhD in Exercise Physiology, a BA in Natural Science, and an MS in Biomechanics. He’s an adjunct professor and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine.

    Dr. Nelson has been called in to share his techniques with top government agencies. The techniques he’s developed, and the results he gets for his clients have been featured in international magazines, in scientific publications, and on websites across the globe.

    In this episode, we talk about heart rate variability, metabolic flexibility, mastering micronutrients, holistic approaches to vitamins and minerals, supplementation needs for health and performance, and more.

    Enjoy!

    7 February 2025, 8:30 am
  • 54 minutes 53 seconds
    [Health Anxiety] Addressing the Underlying Fears of Injury and Aging w/ Emily Hightower, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #784

    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 bodies and minds.

    Emily developed SH/FT’s Skill of Stress course and teaches the N=1 Exposure Experience and Mentorship program with Brian MacKenzie. Her experiential teaching approach enables clients to understand and direct their stress response to drive optimal performance under pressure while promoting long-term balance.

    Before joining SH/FT, Emily founded Intrinsic, where she helped combat veterans, athletes, and clients recovering from substance abuse resolve past traumas and gain clarity using a science-based approach and tools such as breath, exposure, somatic yoga, archery, and integrative nutrition.

    Earlier in her career, Emily’s practice was based in a neurology clinic, where she integrated her approach with cutting-edge neuroscience and research. Her clients include the United States Special Operations Command Adaptive Care Unit and other Veterans services in the US and Abroad. She also served as the Education Director for the Headwaters Institute, facilitating river education seminars on 28 watersheds in the US and Chile.

    Emily is a Master Yoga Teacher with 16,000+ hours of teaching experience specializing in Pranayama Breathing. She lives with her husband, Brian Hightower, and their son and loves to ski, run rivers, and bow hunt.

    Work With Us: Arétē by RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    Emily Hightower on Instagram

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    5 February 2025, 8:30 am
  • 45 minutes 24 seconds
    Physiology Friday: [L-Carnitine] Protocols to Improve Heart Health, Performance, and Turn Fat into Energy w/ Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Dan Garner

    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 ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body's main energy currency.

    Here are some key aspects and functions of L-Carnitine:

    1. Energy production: L-Carnitine facilitates the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria, enabling their breakdown and subsequent conversion into ATP. This process is essential for maintaining energy levels throughout the body.

    2. Fat metabolism: By aiding in the utilization of fatty acids as an energy source, L-Carnitine contributes to fat metabolism and can potentially support weight management and fat loss efforts.

    3. Exercise performance: L-Carnitine has been studied for its potential benefits in enhancing exercise performance. It may help improve endurance, reduce muscle damage, and enhance recovery by optimizing energy utilization during physical activity.

    4. Heart health: L-Carnitine plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular health. It assists in the transport of fatty acids to the heart muscle, providing a valuable energy source. L-Carnitine supplementation has been studied for its potential benefits in various cardiac conditions, including heart failure and angina.

    5. Brain function: L-Carnitine is involved in maintaining healthy brain function. It can cross the blood-brain barrier and acts as a neuroprotective agent, potentially supporting cognitive health and neurological well-being.

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Dan Garner on Instagram

    31 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 51 minutes 50 seconds
    How Your Cardiovascular System Improves Metabolic Health w/ Dr. Nathan Jenkins, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #783

    Dr. Nathan Jenkins is the new labs analyst for RAPID Health Optimization. He was previously a tenured professor of exercise science, and has worked for many years as a nutrition coach with over 1000 clients to date.

    Dr. Jenkins blends evidence-based practices and real-world experience, with academic expertise in lifestyle modification for chronic disease prevention, and a passion for helping clients optimize body composition and develop sustainable health habits for longevity.

    Work With Us: Arétē by RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    Dr. Nathan Jenkins on Instagram

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

     

    29 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 44 minutes 28 seconds
    Physiology Friday: [Oura Ring] Science Based Solutions to Improving Sleep with Dr. Mike Nelson

    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 performance. In this article, we will delve into the goal of the Ōura Ring, explore its functionalities, and uncover how it can help you track and improve your sleep, recovery, and performance.

    The Goal of the Ōura Ring

    The Ōura Ring is designed with a clear objective in mind: to empower individuals to take charge of their well-being and unleash their full potential. By combining cutting-edge technology and scientific principles, the ring provides personalized data and insights, enabling users to make informed decisions and optimize their sleep, recovery, and performance.

    Understanding the Ōura Ring

    At first glance, the Ōura Ring may appear to be a sleek and stylish piece of jewelry. However, beneath its elegant exterior lies a multitude of sensors and advanced technology. The ring is equipped with infrared LEDs, a 3D accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a temperature sensor, all working together to collect an array of data.

    The ring's sensors track various physiological signals, including heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), body temperature, and movement. By analyzing these data points, the Ōura Ring provides comprehensive insights into sleep, recovery, and activity levels.

    Tracking and Improving Sleep

    One of the standout features of the Ōura Ring is its ability to monitor and analyze your sleep patterns. By measuring key metrics such as sleep duration, sleep stages (including deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep), and sleep latency, the ring provides valuable insights into your sleep quality. These insights help you understand how well you are sleeping and identify areas for improvement.

    Armed with this information, you can take proactive steps to optimize your sleep. The Ōura Ring offers personalized suggestions and recommendations, such as adjusting your bedtime routine, creating a sleep-friendly environment, or practicing relaxation techniques. By making informed changes based on the ring's insights, you can enhance the quality and duration of your sleep, waking up refreshed and rejuvenated.

    Enhancing Recovery

    Recovery plays a vital role in our overall well-being and performance. The Ōura Ring recognizes this and provides a comprehensive view of your recovery by analyzing metrics such as HRV, resting heart rate, and body temperature. HRV, in particular, is a key indicator of your body's readiness to perform at its best.

    With the Ōura Ring, you can monitor your recovery trends over time and identify factors that may positively or negatively affect your recovery. Armed with this knowledge, you can make informed decisions regarding your training intensity, rest days, and stress management strategies. By prioritizing recovery and utilizing the insights from the ring, you can optimize your performance and minimize the risk of burnout or overtraining.

    Optimizing Performance

    The Ōura Ring goes beyond sleep and recovery, offering features that help you optimize your performance in various aspects of life. The ring tracks your daily activity, providing data on steps taken, calories burned, and active time. This information allows you to set and monitor your fitness goals, ensuring you stay on track and make progress.

    Moreover, the ring's comprehensive analysis of your sleep, recovery, and activity enables you to identify patterns and correlations between these factors and your overall performance. By leveraging this knowledge, you can fine-tune your routines, optimize your training schedules, and make lifestyle

     

    Connect with our guests:

    Dr. Michael T. Nelson on Instagram

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    Dan Garner on Instagram

    24 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 51 minutes 34 seconds
    Science Backed Supplements for High Performance w/ Coach Flavia Pereira, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #782

    Flavia is a passionate CISSN nutrition coach, full-time Exercise & Sport Science faculty member, and beach volleyball strength & nutrition coach.

    She has been teaching and coaching for the past 18 years. She graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in Kinesiology - Exercise Science and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Health & Human Performance.

    Flavia is part of the Rapid Health Optimization team as a nutritionist and a research team for the International Society of Sports Nutrition, participating in different projects related to ergogenic supplements.

    Flavia has been involved in athletics as a volleyball athlete, coach, and fitness enthusiast. She attended the University of Arkansas and Georgia Southern University on a volleyball scholarship for her B.S. and received her M.S. as a graduate assistant at FAU. Outside of work, Flavia is a mom to

    Leo (9 years old), and Maya (a 6-year-old golden retriever), and some of her hobbies are playing beach volleyball, working out, traveling, walking Maya, and being a soccer mom.

    Work With Us: Arétē by RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    Coach Flavia Pereira on Instagram

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    22 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 47 minutes 51 seconds
    Physiology Friday: [Blood Work] High Performance Blood Chemistry

    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 performance.

    In this episode you will learn:

    • What's the mindset/philosophy of looking at bloodwork for performance if it's classically a health screen?

    • Generally speaking, energy is what every performer needs regardless of their pursuit. How can one look at bloodwork to improve their energy levels?

    • Electrolytes come on every panel, can these be used to look at hydration and performance?

    • You've talked a bunch about the immune system in past podcasts so I'm wondering what a basic blood panel can tell us about the current state of our immunity?

    • What general recommendations do you have in terms of preparation so when someone gets their blood draw they can ensure it's accurate?

    To learn more, please visit https://rapidhealthoptimization.com to see Dr. Andy Galpin and Dan Garner do a free lab, lifestyle, and performance analysis.

    Dan Garner on Instagram

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    17 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 43 minutes 55 seconds
    The Path to Optimizing Health and Performance w/ Dr. Baseer Kahn, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #781

    Born and raised in Canada, Dr. Baseer Khan received his MD from the University of Toronto where he was honored to have received the Sigmung Vaile Award for Top Surgeon in his graduating class and received several research awards during his training.

    He went on to complete subspecialty training in Glaucoma and Advanced Anterior Segment Surgery.

    As an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and international Ophthalmology consultant for multiple companies, Dr. Khan is actively involved in teaching and research and development on local, national and international platforms.

    Dr. Khan has published extensively in journals and books and is often sought as an expert in advanced and challenging cases. He has also developed and designed surgical instrumentation for new surgical techniques.

    Dr. Khan has dedicated a segment of his practice as well to humanitarian work, much of which has been in Vietnam. Dr. Khan is currently the Executive Lead Physician at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario and Director of the Clarity Eye Institute in Ontario.

     

    Work with RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    15 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 54 minutes 24 seconds
    Physiology Friday: [Chronotype] The One Thing More Important than Getting 8 Hours of Sleep w/ Dr. Chris Perry, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash

    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 Nutrition.

    Chris's current research focuses on sleep, movement analysis, and CO2 tolerance, particularly in tactical populations and collegiate athletes.

    His work aims to enhance performance, wellness, and longevity health outcomes, demonstrating his commitment to advancing the field of exercise and sports science.

    Beyond his academic pursuits, Chris is an executive performance coach, weight loss consultant, fitness entrepreneurship mentor, podcast host, and enjoys engaging in coffee culture and movie discussions.

    Work with RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    Work with Dr. Chris Perry

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    10 January 2025, 3:28 pm
  • 49 minutes 33 seconds
    Blood Flow Restriction Training w/Dr. Jeremy Loenneke, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #780

    Dr. Jeremy Loenneke received his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Oklahoma, where he was mentored by Dr. Michael Bemben. Dr. Loenneke previously received his Master’s degree in Nutrition and Exercise Science from Southeast Missouri State University, where he was mentored by Dr. Joe Pujol.

    Dr. Loenneke is a member of the American Physiological Society and the American College of Sports Medicine. He also serves on the editorial boards of many publications, including Sports Medicine, AGE, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and the Journal of Applied Physiology.

    Dr. Loenneke’s study focuses on the adaptations of skeletal muscles to exercise in the presence of blood flow limitations.

    His latest study has provided answers to numerous critical methodological and safety problems about the use of blood flow restriction.

    Loenneke is the director of the Laboratory of Applied Physiology Kevser Ermin and his research group focuses on skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise with and without blood flow restriction.

    He is a member of the American Physiological Society and a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

    Work with RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    Jeremy P Loenneke on Instagram

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    8 January 2025, 8:30 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Hustle, Loyalty, Respect w/ John Cena, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #779

    John Cena is an actor, rapper, and recently retired professional wrestler.

    In WWE, Cena has won 17 championships in total, including 10 World Titles.

    In addition, Cena has also won the WWE United States Championship three times, and is a four-time Tag Team Champion, having held the World Tag Team Championship twice, and the WWE Tag Team Championship twice. Cena also won the 2008 Royal Rumble match and is a two-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner (2009 and 2010).

    Outside of wrestling, Cena has released the rap album “You Can't See Me” which debuted at #15 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and starred in the feature films The Marine (2006), 12 Rounds (2009), and Legendary (2010). Cena has also made appearances on television shows including Manhunt, Deal or No Deal, MADtv, Saturday Night Live, Punk'd, and Psych. Cena was also a contestant on Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race, where he made it to the final round before being eliminated, placing third in the overall competition.

    Work with RAPID Health Optimization

    Links:

    If you can’t find John Cena on the internet it is because “You Can’t See Him”

    Anders Varner on Instagram

    Doug Larson on Instagram

    Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

    1 January 2025, 8:30 am
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