Podcasts by 50% Facts with Silent Mike

50% Facts with Silent Mike

Life’s too short to be half right! Veteran podcasters Mike "Silent Mike" Farr and Jim McDonald try to answer a single question. Any question is fair game, but most involve health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, culture…even sex. They examine common misconceptions and then try to get to the correct answer -- often with the help of subject matter experts. They walk away with a better sense of the facts…and so do you.

Business inquiries: Jim@thejimmcd.com

Further podcasts by Jim McDonald and Mike Farr

Podcast on the topic Fitness

All episodes

50% Facts with Silent Mike
Weirdest food combinations we love? | One Good Question from 2022-04-15T13:00:48

This Friday’s question from our Discord. Steve Waffleirongym asks:

What is a really weird meal or meal combination you guys absolutely love?

Garlic in ice cream? Peanut butter on a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Pro Bodybuilding: Is the juice worth the squeeze? from 2022-04-14T02:12:58

The past few years have seen the untimely deaths of several pro bodybuilders. Are the rewards of any extreme “sport” worth the sacrifices, and indulgences, that competitors put themselves throug...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do cookie cutter programs get a bad rap? | One Good Question from 2022-04-08T13:00:54

This Friday’s question from our Discord. Eddydrizzle asks:

Is there really an issue with “cookie-cutter” programming? For example, your programming methodology is...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Looking back – Episode 200 from 2022-04-06T13:21:12

We reflect some on the history of this show and chat about the nearly 400 combined podcast episodes we’ve done together.

In addition to a few other topics, we get into the value of coachi...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Who needs sticking point training? | One Good Question from 2022-04-01T15:03:11

Another great Friday question from our Discord. Lucas Franco asks:

How important/ over-hyped is "weak-point" training and do people/coaches over-obsess and misdiagnose them wh...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Louie’s Legacy? | Will’s toxicity? from 2022-03-30T23:02:39

As with (pretty much) any story, the Chris Rock/Will Smith incident has more than one side. But does any of it matter beyond being an ugly incident in a crappy telecast of the Oscars? Does anyon...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
If you could time travel, where would you go? | One Good Question from 2022-03-25T13:16:43

We got what was really a cluster of fun (and related) questions from Keith Honeycutt on our Discord: (See link below to join.)

  • Will time travel ever be possible?
  • Would you ...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Will the Thor vs Eddie fight help the popularity of strongman? from 2022-03-24T00:26:53

We’re not strongman competitors or boxers for that matter, but we do pay attention to what moves the needle on awareness of strength sports in the general population.

On March 19, 2022, H...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do we believe in “Fake it ‘til you make it?” | One Good Question from 2022-03-18T13:00:43

Another good question from our Discord. (See link below to join.) User “DrillPressed” asked if it was better to be confident and wrong or hesitant and right? And how do those states apply...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do your pre-lift rituals work or do they just make you look stupid? from 2022-03-16T13:00:38

Is there any science behind all the little things we habitually do before a big lift, a tough training session, a meet, or any other kind of performance? Do they help keep us calm, make us more ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why do (some) pro athletes pick gimmicky strength and conditioning coaches? | One Good Question from 2022-03-11T08:01:30

Why do some pro athletes end up doing silly exercises with coaches whose qualifications seem mostly revolve around their social media following? Is it clout-seeking? Is it boredom with more conv...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty – First impressions | Plus will we ever go back to the Arnold? from 2022-03-09T08:01:32

The “Showtime” era of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s probably saved professional basketball and created the NBA as we know it today. The sport was quickly falling out of the mainstream of A...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How does your personality affect your training style…and can you change it? from 2022-03-04T18:43:38

Piggybacking on our previous episode where we took a 300 question personality assessment, we reflect on how different personality traits may influence how people train (and live their lives). Is it...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why does your personality suck (or not suck)? from 2022-03-02T14:10:56

So last year we took a test to see if either of us is a sociopath. We came out OK on that one, so we thought we’d give a full, 300 question personality assessment a go. No, not the Myers-Briggs....

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you get your kids into lifting? | One Good Question mini-episode from 2022-02-25T23:36:07

We asked you for suggestions for a single question you’d like to hear us cover in one shorter episode. @arrogantfool asked us on Instagram, “How, as a dad who lifts, should we approach getting our ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why does everybody love the bench press? from 2022-02-24T00:24:31

Specifically, why does the general public get so excited about the bench press record? We kick around this question in light of the recent 804 lb. training press by Danial Zamani. We talk about ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Bulk, cut, or nah? | Topic Thunder mini-episode from 2022-02-18T14:07:07

Are big bulks or big cuts worth it? Will you get what you want out of them or do they (almost) always go bad.

And if you’re on a bulk, how many glizzies can you eat in 48 hours?

We...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Modest calorie restriction for longer “health span” and a droid that carries your lunch from 2022-02-16T23:18:27

A grab bag of topics, including conversation about a new study linking moderate, “short term” calorie restriction and its impact on life span and “health span.” We also take a look at a motorize...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Our biggest fitness mistakes? | Topic Thunder mini-episode from 2022-02-11T20:24:22

Maybe the biggest fitness mistake is not committing to being fit, but what were the biggest mistakes we made once we made that commitment? Where did we waste our time/money/both? Listen and see ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Can we treat adaptive athletes as athletes first? | Guest Sam Schaefer from 2022-02-09T14:01:22

Sam Schaefer is an adaptive and inclusive trainer, a fairly recent below-the-knee amputee – but and first and foremost, he’s an athlete. He shares the story of how he pushed himself forward thro...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Which sport is the most athletic? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2022-02-04T19:10:16

Standing at the crossroads of the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, a few weeks from the NBA All-star game, and a likely delayed MLB season, this seemed like a good time to debate which sport is ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Which “underground” sports will actually work on TV/streaming/etc.? from 2022-02-02T20:07:48

This discussion started with a basic question: If Olympic weightlifting is really leaving the Olympics, will a mass audience ever be able to watch it again, and will it even survive? This brough...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Pain, Fame, and Anthony Bourdain | Our Review of Roadrunner from 2022-01-29T03:07:46

Roadrunner -- A Film About Anthony Bourdain, was released in July of 2021. It documents the rapid rise of a middle-aged chef, turned writer, turned TV host who took us along as he sampled foods ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Which sports (if any) should allow TRT? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2022-01-27T05:37:32

Due to some production scheduling stuff, we’re flipping the script this week and dropping a Topic Thunder episode on a Wednesday and a regular episode on a Friday. Is nothing sacred?

And ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
After the Fear? Our first after-show from 2022-01-21T14:15:46

After our conversation with Garrett Fear in the previous episode, we kicked around some additional ideas about the viability of powerlifting as entertainment for “gen pop” audiences. We also tal...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Garrett Fear: Can powerlifting ever grab a mainstream audience? from 2022-01-20T05:02:38

Can the next generation of powerlifters (and powerlifting promoters) finally bring the audiences (and sponsor money) the sport has dreamed of? Garrett Fear thinks so, and he gives us some insigh...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is bodybuilding a sport? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2022-01-15T04:28:40

If a sport requires a physical performance that is measured against other competitors, can bodybuilding really be a sport? Or is the actual sport in the preparation? Or is it more like a pageant...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why does CrossFit get so much hate? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2022-01-13T03:46:43

Full-length Wednesday episodes return next week!

 

As powerlifters, we've observed the impact that CrossFit has had on general fitness, weightlifting, powerlifting, etc. On balance...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
If you could delete one thing from the fitness world, what would it be? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2022-01-07T14:00

Which one thing do you think we’d be better off without? Is it a social media posturing? A training method? A useless supplement? Or is it just the ways that “fitness” is sold to us?

Dean...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What’s the best pre-workout? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2022-01-05T14:00:50

While the main show is on a holiday break, please enjoy this episode of our show, Topic Thunder. 

How do people decide that they need a boost just to get through a workout? Are some too m...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Are New Year’s resolutions a cop out? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-12-31T14:00:01

Does it matter when you decide to set goals and make changes in your life? Should you keep your goals private until you’ve made some progress? Does stating your goals out loud more or less likel...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Who’s on your Fitness Mt. Rushmore? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-12-29T14:20:46

While the main show is on a holiday break, please enjoy this episode of Topic Thunder.

Which four people have contributed the most to the current state of the fitness industry? Or what yo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Best lifting shoes? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-12-24T14:30:13

When did it become a thing to have specialized shoes for everything? Are flat shoes better than heeled shoes or vice versa? If you’re thinking about putting your Christmas money into lifting sho...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What did we learn from running our first meet? from 2021-12-23T02:35:24

We partnered with Caffeine & Kilos to hold an unsanctioned deadlift meet at our gym. What did we find out that we didn’t know before? We’ve participated in running meets in the past, but this wa...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What was your first definition of “fitness?” | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-12-17T22:35:22

We throw our minds back to our first ideas of what “fitness” meant when we were first exposed to it as kids. Was it gadgets like the Thighmaster? Was it Richard Simmons? Was it bodybuilding maga...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
King Richard | BioPic Review and Reaction from 2021-12-16T02:17:27

We’re taking our first jump into scripted film territory.

 

Will Smith stars as the father, and sometimes coach of, Venus and Serena Williams in this 2021 “definitely-not-a-documen...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Should steroids be legal in sports? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-12-11T04:00:13

MLB’s Hall of Fame recently voted on a slate of potential inductees from baseball’s “steroid era.” The game benefited from the performance of these players. Specifically, they helped bring enthu...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Top Fitness Trends for 2022? from 2021-12-09T19:38:48

We take our year-end traditional look at what websites and bloggers project to be the top fitness trends for next year. Hybrid workouts, new wearables, outdoor workouts, and bringing (say it wit...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is movement really the medicine? | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-12-04T03:13:16

We recently (episode #155) accidentally posted the opening of an episode about chiropractors, stretching, and foam rolling with the body of an episode about fitness gimmick devices. Honest mista...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you keep your head together while you’re getting your gainz back? | December Q&A from 2021-12-02T00:10:02

After some period of time away from the gym, how do you deal with the mental impact of being WAY off your PRs? Are meal replacements worth or it or a good idea? What have we learned that we didn...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Shaming: Fit, Fat, and all the other kinds | Topic Thunder Mini-episode from 2021-11-26T14:00:57

Does shaming actually motivate anyone? Why shame someone else anyway? And they really just shaming themselves? We talk through our thoughts.

Dean Saddoris of Caffeine & Kilos joined us in...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
The Commissioner of Power | Documentary Review and Reaction from 2021-11-24T14:12:12

It’s fitting that Rogue Fitness would decide to underwrite an expansive documentary on the life of Terry Todd -- a name known to many in the strength world for decades. As a lifter and coach, he...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What do we hate to see in the gym? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-11-19T14:27:44

Is curling in the squat rack a huge break of gym etiquette or just a practical solution? Is loading the leg press up with every plate in the gym, five linebackers, and 7 cheerleaders a good move...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Home gyms (revisited) | The North Pull | w/Caffeine&Kilos from 2021-11-17T14:24:03

In a bit of a mashup between a regular 50% Facts and one our shorter Topic Thunder episodes, we sat down with our friends from Caffeine & Kilos to take another swing the advantages and disadvant...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What’s a good protein source and why does everyone think it’s peanut butter? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-11-12T14:03:28

Everybody loves peanut butter, or do they? Many people love it so much that they think it’s a great protein source, but it’s not relative to its calorie count. We talk about the allure of nut bu...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
The Tillman Story: Documentary review from 2021-11-11T00:39:10

The Tillman Story: Documentary review

Pat Tillman, who walked away from NFL millions to join the Army and was later killed, is a legendary heroic figure. What was the real story of his death by ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Should you be trying to get dates at the gym? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-11-06T05:54:58

We discuss the rights and wrongs of trying to get dates, or even talk to strangers, at the gym. Can you do it without throwing up red flags? Are there times that it’s ok, and times it’s really n...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Two physical therapists who powerlift explain why sometimes moving “wrong” is actually right from 2021-11-03T12:14:14

We’re lucky to have not one, but two physical therapy docs as members of our gym. We sat down with Emily Snee and Dominic Violi to discuss what it really takes to get back in the game, and the s...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Foam rollers, mobility, etc.: What interventions actually helped us? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-10-29T13:11:08

We discuss which strategies for dealing with the aches and pains of both lifting and life have worked for us. We’ve seen both scams and actual relief.

We’re joined on the panel by Dean Saddoris ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you escape from a scary religious cult? | The Way Down docu-series parts 2 and 3 from 2021-10-28T03:34:01

In this episode, we discuss the final chapters of The Way Down. These episodes cover the impact on the lives and families of the cult surrounding the Remnant Fellowship and diet guru Gwen Shambl...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Should stringers be banned? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-10-22T13:21:47

We take a lighthearted look at the world’s most minimal gym wear.

Are stringer tanks a fashion statement or just a way to get around the rules that make you wear a shirt in the gym? Shoul...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What happens when a diet guru launches a scary religious cult? | The Way Down docu-series Part 1 from 2021-10-21T03:42:57

The author of the bestselling diet book The Weigh Down, Gwen Shamblin, appeared on national TV talk shows and sold her weight loss philosophy to people across America. Especially churchgoers. By 19...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What happens when a diet guru launches a scary religious cult? | The Way Down docu-series Part 1 from 2021-10-21T03:42:57

The author of the bestselling diet book The Weigh Down, Gwen Shamblin, appeared on national TV talk shows and sold her weight loss philosophy to people across America. Especially churchgoers. By 19...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What sucks (and doesn’t suck) about home gyms? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-10-15T11:26:17

In this mini-episode, we share are thoughts and experiences with lifting in home gyms versus commercial gyms. 

The pandemic forced a lot of people into home gym situations. Some people ha...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Ba-dee-ya, Myers Briggs, and canceling Gruden? from 2021-10-14T02:32:28

To what extent is “canceling” someone in 2021 just a way to take someone off the board? Does intent matter? And can people really be educated/rehabilitated? We take a look at the recent scandal ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Who you gonna let yuck your organic yum? | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-10-08T14:41:16

Welcome to another short Friday episode of the show we’re now calling “Topic Thunder with the Gossip Boyz” (subject to change).

In this episode, we discuss not so much whether organic foo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
More things people say without knowing what they mean w/ Dan Storniuolo from 2021-10-06T23:53:44

Dipping back into a kind of causal series we’ve been doing about common words are phrases that we use all the time, but we may not entirely understand:

Do you really want someone to “brea...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Does giving up “self love” equal “self improvement?” | The “no fap” trend | Topic Thunder (Mini-episode) from 2021-10-01T13:11:02

Welcome to another short Friday episode of the panel discussion segment we’re now calling “Topic Thunder with the Gossip Boyz” (subject to change).

In this episode, we take on the “No Fap...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you make your first meet a success? w/ Sebastian Brambila from 2021-09-30T01:51:34

Hey, powerlifting-specific content! We asked one of our gym members who had just competed in his first meet, the USAPL California State Championships, to talk about the experience. We also share...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Who are you really training to impress? | "Topic Thunder" Mini-episode from 2021-09-24T07:09:45

We wanted to share a side project that we’re working on. It’s a panel show that mostly relies on opinions – some outrageous, some insightful, and some just well…funny. All packed into roughly te...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Who are you really training to impress? | "Topic Thunder" Mini-episode from 2021-09-24T07:09:45

We wanted to share a side project that we’re working on. It’s a panel show that mostly relies on opinions – some outrageous, some insightful, and some just well…funny. All packed into roughly te...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Documentaries about star athletes we didn’t know were trans (Part 2) from 2021-09-22T17:24:44

We spend a couple of episodes talking about a couple of high profile (in their sports) transgender athletes through the lens of documentaries about their lives: “Transformer” about the life of p...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Documentaries about star athletes who were secretly transgender (Part 1) from 2021-09-16T04:42:07

We spend a couple of episodes talking about a couple of high profile (in their sports) transgender athletes through the lens of documentaries about their lives: “Transformer” about the life of p...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do we need heroes? from 2021-09-10T06:35:17

Humans seek heroes. They probably always have, but is this a good thing?

And who qualifies as a hero? Can you be considered a hero just because of your job title? Does performing a heroic...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Anxiety self-help, carb cycling, conjugate versus progressive overload questions. | September Q&A from 2021-09-04T00:36:25

Discussion about the book, "The Power of Now" and other approaches that help people with anxiety live in the moment. Viewer questions include our funniest gym moments, whether carb cycling is wo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is sharing explicit content (of yourself) on social media going too far to make a buck ? from 2021-08-26T07:25:21

This is a conversation about the limits and challenges of monetizing a presence on social platforms. Last week the OnlyFans platform announced an end to explicit content. This week that decision...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“Untold: Malice in the Palace” Documentary Review – How did the Pacers-Pistons brawl really start? from 2021-08-19T01:01:21

The 2021 Netflix documentary “Untold: Malice in the Palace” unpacks some overlooked elements of a riot that broke out during an Indiana Pacers/Detroit Pistons in November 2004. The careers of Pa...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“Athlete A” Documentary Review – How did medals become more important than children? from 2021-08-13T13:38:27

The 2020 Netflix documentary “Athlete A” details the scandal that nearly destroyed USA gymnastics. Team doctor Larry Nassar sexually violated young women gymnasts for decades before a shocking n...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What are algorithms and why do they rule our lives? from 2021-08-11T13:35:28

After a brief, unplanned break last week, we’re back to follow up on another of the words/phrases that people say all the time but not everyone understands.

Nearly all the social media an...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What makes a sociopath a sociopath? Are you one? from 2021-07-29T00:20:39

Since we like to tackle one health- or mental health-related issue every month -- and since we’ve developed an interest in words and phrases people use but don’t necessarily understand – we deci...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“I am Bolt” Review | Olympics Kickoff with a look at one of the fastest humans ever, Usain Bolt from 2021-07-22T03:48:50

With the postponed 2020 Olympics finally opening in Tokyo, we decided to take a look at the 2016 documentary about eight-time Olympic Gold medal Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt.

The film of...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Are we divided by a common language? Words and phrases not everybody understands from 2021-07-14T05:56:42

We asked the question, “People say (word or phrase) all the time, but I don’t know what it means. From training terms like “spread the floor” to slang like “no cap” to old school sayings like “g...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Fairness in athletic competition: Is anyone owed a level playing field? from 2021-07-08T00:32:03

Head to 3sb.co for our once-a-year blowout sale!

Episode notes:

As the time nears for the pandemic-postponed Olympic Games to commence in Japan, we dive into the issue of the rules...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
WeWork Documentary: Why do we want to fall for hucksters? | Review and Reaction with Dean Saddoris of Caffeine and Kilos from 2021-06-28T13:00

Head to 3sb.co for our once-a-year blowout sale!

The 2021 documentary, WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn, presents what seems like an age-old st...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is Seaspiracy really about pollution or nutrition? | Review and Reaction with Dean Saddoris of Caffeine and Kilos from 2021-06-23T13:00

The 2021 Netflix documentary, Seaspiracy, is a bit of a Trojan horse. It’s (so very) earnestly concerned with the many disconnected threats to life in Earth’s oceans, but it ends up in a far dif...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Does being “disciplined” in the gym automatically carry over to anything else? | June Q&A from 2021-06-17T04:11:42

Mike brings a “hot take Tuesday” issue to the table. Is how you do one thing really how you do everything?

Other questions include whether we’re getting any World’s Strongest Man visitors...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Does fit/fat shaming accomplish anything? w/Kelly Lenahan from 2021-06-09T13:00

We all see instances of what many people categorize as “fat shaming” both in conversation and on social media. What’s the real intent of these comments? Is it meant to hurt or help? Do people ev...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“Super Size Me” – How did this junk food movie fool anyone? | Review and reaction from 2021-06-03T07:00:34

The 2004 Morgan Spurlock documentary, “Super Size Me” posited that fast food – and a sedentary lifestyle – caused America’s growing obesity epidemic. Spurlock spent 30 days eating food from McDo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Mental health awareness month special episode w/Lisa Lampanelli, Nick Scopoletti, and Beau McDowell of the Losers with a Dream podcast from 2021-05-27T06:34:19

Nick Scopoletti returns to the show -- this time with fellow standup Beau McDowell, and their life coach, retired comic Lisa Lampanelli. Their podcast “Losers with a Dream” features conversation...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How much of success is just showing up? | May Q&A from 2021-05-19T13:00

We shifted the schedule around a little in anticipation of some special guests for next week’s show. This week, we address some comments and questions from social media.

Is there a partic...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Icarus: Steroid documentary or spy thriller? | Reaction&Review w/Dean Saddoris of Caffeine and Kilos from 2021-05-12T13:00

This month’s media review and react episode is centered on the documentary “Icarus.” Dean Saddoris joins us to discuss this Oscar-winning 2017 documentary. This episode definitely contains spoil...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is this the golden age of MMA? w/Urijah Faber from 2021-05-06T07:39:14

A special edition episode.

UFC Hall of Famer, and fellow Sacramento gym owner, Urijah Faber joins us. We talk about how sports fit into the hierarchy of human needs, the growth of combat ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Sponsorships: Are they worth it for smaller brands? Are they fair to athletes? | April Q&A from 2021-04-28T13:00

April’s Q and A episode kicks off with an unplanned behind-the-scenes discussion where we explore the question of sponsored athletes/ambassadors. What do brands like ours really expect to get fr...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do influencers create culture or just reflect it? Are there any original creative ideas left? w/Bart Kwan of Barbell Brigade from 2021-04-21T22:19:49

Bart Kwan is a man with a HUGE platform, so his thoughts on creativity, culture, and social media influence are well…influential. In our second episode with Bart, we broke down these issues, as ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Does Power Unlimited hold up? w/Tommy and Tanner of Massenomics from 2021-04-14T10:00

Inside the Massenomics gym in Western Northeast South Dakota, an ever-vigilant DVD player spins a copy of the circa 2007 documentary “Power Unlimited” around the clock. Who better to have on dec...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do you have what it takes to lift and work at home forever? w/Bart Kwan of Barbell Brigade from 2021-04-07T13:00

(This is the first of two episodes with Bart. The second will appear in a few weeks).

The experience of running multiple businesses over zoom calls, and trying to stay in shape w...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“The Last Blockbuster” | A preview of the death of retail? w/Dean Saddoris of Caffeine and Kilos from 2021-04-01T02:55:49

The fifth show of any month could literally be about anything. This time it’s a documentary review with our buddy Dean Saddoris. Think of it as meathead movie nerds looking for lessons for our o...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What do ya wanna know? | March Q and A from 2021-03-25T06:26:15

Time for our monthly swing at your questions.

Some of the topics:

  • Who are our favorite Lord of the Rings characters?
  • Which powerlifting bars do we have in our gym? Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What do you need to know when starting a gym (or any business)? from 2021-03-18T06:46:42

This started out as a question asked on Mike’s Instagram: What did we learn in starting a gym? It quickly evolved into a larger discussion of the challenges associated with starting any business...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Did “Pumping Iron” create the fitness industry? | Reaction&Review w/Dean Saddoris of Caffeine and Kilos from 2021-03-11T02:01:27

In 1977, moviegoers were presented with images of sweaty, oily, and extremely muscular men wearing as little clothing as possible. Many cultural observers believed this was the dawn of what is n...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What do regular gym guys think of powerlifting? w/Fat Dan&his brothers from the Bridge to Bridge Podcast from 2021-03-03T17:51:28

We brought in two of our buddy Dan Stornaiuolo’s hilarious and engaging brothers, Dom and Mike, to give an outsider’s perspective on powerlifting accomplishments – particularly their “little” br...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do parents (or any busy people) fit fitness into family life? | Monthly Q&A from 2021-02-24T23:19:07

We’re setting a new pattern of episodes for the next few months. The final episode of each month will be a Q & A about…whatever you (our audience) want to talk about: previous episodes during th...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What would a perfect powerlifting federation look like? w/Marcus “Filipino Thunder” Sannadan from 2021-02-18T08:24:36

Our long-time friend and teammate Marcus Sanadan joins us. We review some old lifting footage from not long after we all met and from his recent meet. Then we take Jonnie Candito’s recent video ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“Fake Famous” | What did Instagram do for (and to) fitness? from 2021-02-11T06:17:56

The HBO documentary “Fake Famous” examines some of the ways that Instagram can be manipulated to create “influencers” with large followings (50-60% of which might just be bots) that advertisers ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What do new studies say about training for powerlifting vs bodybuilding? (and other discussions) w/ Eric Helms&Omar Isuf from 2021-02-05T18:33:54

Full transparency, the main question is discussed in the last 15 minutes of the show. In part 1, we talk about what we’ve been up to during our production break for the holidays and plans for so...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Top fitness trends for 2021? from 2020-12-23T22:41:47

Our second annual take-a-random-trends-list-and-unpack-it episode.

Do trends lists offer any real insight or is it all too obvious? Has the current situation made it basically impossible ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do you have goals or do you have plans? from 2020-12-12T07:39:30

The end of the year has us all thinking about changes we want to make:

  • Are there a right way and a wrong way to make New Year’s resolutions?
  • Are you really...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How did strongman get so popular? w/Alan Thrall and Joey Szatmary from 2020-12-05T08:08:55

Strongman is having a moment. More people are watching strongman related content. More people are involved in strongman training now, even if they don’t plan to compete. The bottom line is proba...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Sports have changed due to the pandemic. Which changes will last? from 2020-11-20T21:05:51

Twenty-twenty has brought some major changes to the ways we do…well, almost everything.

A recent article at TheAthletic.com highlighted some of these changes and speculated on which of th...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How is training athletes different than training Gen Pop? w/Joseph and Nolan Grinstain of Hyperthrive Athletics from 2020-11-12T02:12:23

We invited some successful local trainers/business hours to talk about their approach to training and how they built their business model.

Joseph and Nolan Grinstain are two of the three ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
When and how should kids start powerlifting? from 2020-11-05T04:29:28

We took on a topic that was posted to the video version of last week’s episode by viewer Mateus Daniel:

The topic I'm most interested at the moment is how kids should begin to learn p...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What kinds of powerlifting content do YOU want to see? from 2020-10-31T04:44:25

We turned the tables and asked you a question this week.

  • Was the dropoff in views for fitness and powerlifting videos on YouTube caused by the pandemic and people not being able to ...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why do people think powerlifters have to be fat? Q to the A from 2020-10-21T23:41:16

Time for a Q and A episode:

  • The question was “how do I back off powerlifting gradually and get in better shape?” Our answer is why do people feel like they have to decide between be...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How does a concept become a brand identity? w/Oliver Munby from 2020-10-15T01:49:41

Our London-based designer, Oliver Munby, joins us to talk about translating the conceptual idea of a brand into the real world. He helped create the overall branding for our new gym a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What have we learned so far? (PLUS A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT) from 2020-10-07T20:00

Rather than surveying what we’ve learned doing this show so far, our 100th episode is a look back at the last few months of our experience of trying to open a gym…during a pandemic.

Here ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Bonus episode for Suicide Prevention Month w/John Romaniello from 2020-10-01T02:34:10

While we’re still on a break from producing new episodes, we wanted to reinforce our message that while having discussions about mental health can be difficult, they shouldn’t be avoided. Th...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Can injuries be prevented? w/Dr. Ramsey Nijem (Encore) from 2020-09-23T20:00

Injuries can be huge setbacks for competitive athletes. Everyone has a certain window of time in which they can play their best. Time out of competition is time lost that can’t be recovered. For...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Clutch Performances&Flow States: Are heroes born or taught? w/Dr. Matt Johnson (Encore) from 2020-09-16T20:12:31

We're working on our studio, so this week's episode is an encore. 

Dr. Matt Johnson, a Certified Sport Psychology Consultant (and former Notre Dame quarterback), joins us to discuss a fun...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you stay on the path to your goals? w/ Chris Long of Tailored Sacramento from 2020-09-09T19:00

We’re inspired by a lot of people in different situations. This week’s guest is someone we’ve talked about on the show quite a few times. His growing success – and the focus and attitude he brin...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Should you back off or double down? w/ Danny Lehr&Dean Saddoris of Caffeine and Kilos from 2020-09-03T02:50:16

We took this episode to catch up with our long-time friends – and owners of the lifestyle brand Caffeine and Kilos -- Danny Lehr & Dean Saddoris. This show was recorded in our new, still-under-r...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What makes a quack a quack? w/ Layne Norton&Holly Baxter from 2020-08-26T22:21:22

Layne Norton & Holly Baxter join us for a discussion about who to listen to in the fitness and nutrition space. Specifically, we talk about the list that was published to Twitter by Kevin Bass o...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is Sports-specific Training a Gimmick? w/Jacob Ross (Encore) from 2020-08-19T18:38:56

We're taking a break this week, so we're bringing back one of our favorite early episodes with one of our favorite guests. We'll be back with a fresh episode next week. 

Original Episode ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you find people with similar goals? w/ The 3SB Crew from 2020-08-12T21:43:33

A Q and A episode that was broadcast live to Twitch. The big question in this episode is our discussion of the question “How do you find people with similar goals” and the related question “How ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you know when to make a big change? w/Hani Jazayrli of The Strength Athlete from 2020-08-05T21:45:18

Hani Jazayrli is an engineer by education, but he found that coaching was more of a passion for him so he decided to follow it. Eventually, he added real estate sales into the mix as a way to ke...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What is good company? w/The 3SB Crew from 2020-07-29T20:25:34

The motto of our new gym is “Good Company.” Mike, Jim, Connor, and Kyle talk about what the phrase means to each of us. We kick things off with an update on what we’ve accomplished and what we’v...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What’s up with Canada? w/Omar Isuf and the 3SB Crew from 2020-07-22T22:21:47

We decided it had been way too long since we talked to our good Canadian friend and YouTuber, Omar Isuf.

What’s he up to and how is Toronto weathering the pandemic? This episode is ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What are we giving up because we avoid difficult conversations? w/Derek McCormick from 2020-07-15T18:00

Who really likes having difficult conversations? Does anyone actually like talking about subjects like death? But if we can’t talk about the hard things, how do we learn to move on?

...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is it ok to tell jokes about a pandemic? w/Nick Scopoletti of the Mangina Dialogues podcast from 2020-07-08T20:00

Our friend Nick Scopoletti trains clients at an Equinox in Connecticut, but a couple years ago he got talked into trying standup comedy…and he hasn’t looked back. Nick was the subject of some ve...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Can you have shameless sex? w/Amy Baldwin and April Lampert of the Shameless Sex podcast from 2020-07-01T19:38:37

Here’s the thing: Adult people have sex. At least, a lot of us do. Why aren’t we better at it, or at least better about talking about it? We asked Amy and April of the Shameless Sex podcast to h...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you know if you’re cut out to be an entrepreneur? And other questions w/ The 3SB Team from 2020-06-24T22:01:45

Our guests had to reschedule for next week, so we jumped on the mics with the 3SB Crew for a Q and A.

Probably the biggest question was about how we came to have an entrepreneurial spirit...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What if we made a big announcement? w/ The 3SB Team from 2020-06-17T11:00

For quite a while, we’ve been kicking around an idea. An awesome, but kinda scary idea.

Some of our episodes lately have been centered around people we wanted to learn from and talk...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What if you’re not thinking big enough? w/ Michael Kory from 2020-06-11T03:48:51

Michael Kory had early success on YouTube at the intersection of healthy cooking and fitness. Eventually, he decided to open a gym, but like anyone starting a business he walked a fine mental li...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
We asked a friend to help us understand w/ Bryan Washington from 2020-06-06T01:46:45

Bryan Washington has been a friend of ours for years. He’s gym owner – in fact, he owns a couple of gyms here where we live in Sacramento. When we met him, he was a trainer inside the same gym b...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Programming note from 2020-06-03T11:00

Quick programming note: We’re lining up a very topical episode that should be up later this week.

Next week’s episode with Michael Kory will drop next Wednesday.

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How fast can you move when a judge says your gym can re-open? w/ Joe Sullivan from 2020-05-27T11:00

Joe Sullivan is a powerlifter and coach. Early this year, he became a partner at Pinnacle Performance in Columbus, Ohio…just in time for the pandemic to cause a wave of temporary gym closures. J...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you follow through on “GRAND” goals? w/ Chris Duffin from 2020-05-20T11:00

Chris Duffin is a Guinness World Record holding powerlifter, a gym owner, an engineer, an author, a gym equipment manufacturer…and the list goes on and on. You get the idea.

We’ve known C...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you keep members coming back (when gyms finally re-open)? | w/ Jay Ashman of Kansas City Barbell from 2020-05-13T11:00

Yet another format breaking episode. (We may be in this mode until the world settles down a bit.)

Jay Ashman is one of founders of Kansas City Barbell in Kansas City, MO. His gym is poise...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What’s the future of online coaching? w/ Matt Reynolds of Barbell Logic from 2020-05-06T11:00

Another format breaking episode.

Matt Reynolds is the founder and CEO of Barbell Logic Online Training. He’s a former gym owner, former pro strongman, and a former high school teacher. He...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you stay positive when the world turns negative? w/ Jeremy Scott from 2020-04-29T11:00

We’re living in extraordinary times (which is why you’ll notice that we’re still taking a break from our regular format). A world of great uncertainty, division, fear, and sadness. A few weeks a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What if globo gyms go bankrupt? | Q&A from 2020-04-22T11:00

On the spur of the moment, we decided to do a Q and A episode on Mike’s channel on the Twitch streaming platform and take some questions from viewers there. We don’t usually act as experts on th...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you choose the right equipment for your home gym? w/Brandon Campbell Diamond from 2020-04-15T11:00

Gyms are closed, and everyone is scrambling to build out their home gyms so they don’t lose all their gains. Even in the best of times, it can be hard to decide what equipment you really need an...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What can we say about the elephant in the room? from 2020-04-09T01:35:57

No expert this episode due to some availability issues on our side.

We talk about how we’re filing time during this lockdown and address an issue that a lot of people have asked us about ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
A slight delay and a recommendation from 2020-04-08T13:00

Today’s episode of 50% Facts is somewhat delayed but will appear later today.

In the meantime, check out this episode of the This is Actually Happening podcast from Whit Missildine entitl...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How can you rise in the face of adversity? w/ Dr. Reef Karim. from 2020-04-01T13:00

Challenging times right now. How retain your sense of self well enough to meet them head on? We turned to Dr. Reef Karim, a leading expert in human behavior, to help us understand how we as huma...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you avoid emotional eating…especially now? w/ Adrienne Ngai, RD from 2020-03-25T11:00

The world is packing a lot of fear and anxiety into every day right now. That can complicate anyone’s emotions (and diet). It's especially for those of us who tend to be emotional eaters.

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is bouncing dead in the age of COVID-19 or was it already dead? w/ “Fat Dan” Stornaiuolo from 2020-03-18T11:00

We invited our old friend and training partner, Fat Dan, into the studio to talk about his private security business, and the disruptions were all facing in the wake of the Coronavirus.

50% Facts with Silent Mike
Stuff that’s just out of reach… from 2020-03-11T11:00

While waiting around for a guest who we couldn’t quite reach on the phone, we talked ended up talking about some things that people strive for that are hard…or even impossible to reach.

50% Facts with Silent Mike
What if that nagging pain is really something serious? w/Jacob Ross from 2020-03-04T12:00

A few weeks ago, our good friend Jacob Ross was very sick but he didn’t know it. What he thought was a pinched nerve turned out to be a dangerous, and potentially lethal, accumulation of fluid a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Introducing Life's Little Mysteries from 2020-03-02T08:22:38

A special treat for 50% Facts listeners: We're helping introduce a new science podcast called, "Life's Little Mysteries." 

Life's Little Mysteries is the newest Audioboom original podcast...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you prep for your first Ragnar or Spartan Race? w/James Van Prooyen&Rich Nicholes of the Ragnar Life Podcast from 2020-02-26T12:00

We’re not runners, so we’re definitely not racers. We followed up last week’s episode on starting to run with a conversation about setting a goal to compete on one of a couple of popular types o...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you get started running (and why it might be a good idea)? w/James Van Prooyen&Rich Nicholes of the Ragnar Life Podcast from 2020-02-19T12:00

A lot of people grew up running for sports, but plenty of people stop just as soon as they can and never do it again. We ask runners James Van Prooyen & Rich Nicholes to tell us how to get start...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you build a strongman community so great that it ends up in a Super Bowl commercial? w/Kalle Beck of Starting Strongman from 2020-02-12T09:19:18

We finally connect with Kalle Beck, the man behind StartingStrongman.com. If you saw the Facebook commercial during the Super Bowl, the Oscars, etc., you’ve seen Kalle and some of the members of...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Are jacked celebrities on the sauce? What makes a good PL gym? Plus, many other questions w/Omar Isuf from 2020-02-05T07:59:16

Our good friend Omar Isuf is in town, so he joined us for a conversation in which we actually talk quite a bit about celebrity, fitness, and how Omar accomplished his recent transformation?

...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Which top fitness trends for 2020 are legit and which are total BS? | 100% Opinion from 2020-01-29T08:03:29

In a “just us” episode, we take a look at a couple articles claiming to track the top fitness trends for 2020 – notably one from Listen

50% Facts with Silent Mike
“How much do the labels ‘beginner, intermediate, or advanced’ matter to your programming?" w/Greg Nuckols from 2020-01-22T08:01

Some programs claim to have been written for beginning lifters. Others for intermediates, etc. How do you when you’re past the beginner stage, and how much does it really matter?

We asked...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“Should women train differently than men?” w/Greg Nuckols from 2020-01-15T03:05:26

Does women’s training really need an entirely different approach or just a couple tweaks?

We asked Greg Nuckols, someone who recently wrote an article on this topic, to break it down for ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
“Which research studies should you believe?” w/Greg Nuckols from 2020-01-08T08:55:30

New Year. New avalanche of fitness and nutrition-related studies to confuse the resolutionistas (and the rest of us). How are we supposed to decide which ones to believe?

We asked Greg Nu...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Our Star Wars Holiday Special…kinda: What did we think? from 2019-12-27T08:01

The next regular episode will drop on Jan 8, but we thought we’d have some fun and throw in this holiday bonus episode.

We both saw “The Rise of Skywalker” so we talked through our though...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What were our favorites of 2019? from 2019-12-25T06:43:51

We take a look back at all of this year’s happenings and episodes. We talk about our favorite episodes of the year, our favorite answers from experts, and the answers we got the MOST wrong.

...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Can Intuitive Eating change your relationship with food? w/Miguel Blacutt from 2019-12-18T07:16:54

We were frankly confused. What are people talking about when they refer to Intuitive Eating? Is it a weight loss strategy or something else?

We asked Miguel Blacutt to explain the role of...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do you really have to break down muscle to build muscle? w/Miguel Blacutt from 2019-12-11T08:19:26

We’ve always heard that muscle grows when you break it down through exercise, lifting weights, etc. In fact, we’ve always been told that it was the ONLY way, but is that really true?

We a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do treatments like cupping and acupuncture actually help athletes? w/Dr. Teddy Willsey DPT from 2019-12-04T08:10:12

Ever since Michael Phelps won Olympic gold medals for swimming looking like his back had been attacked by a giant octopus, athletes have been having suction cups stuck to their bodies. Long befo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Physical Therapist vs Chiropractor: Which one should you pick? (Part 2) w/Dr. Teddy Willsey DPT from 2019-11-27T08:01

Way back in episode 15, we talked to Dr. Jordan Shallow – a chiropractor – about this question. This time we pose it to a physical therapist.

We asked Dr. Teddy Willsey DPT for his insigh...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Will stretching wipe out all your gains?” w/Dr. Teddy Willsey DPT from 2019-11-20T08:01

Stretching is one of those topics that seems to get a major revision every few years. What’s the current thinking?

We asked Dr. Teddy Willsey DPT for his insight. Dr. Willsey, is a co-fou...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Tweaked back: Are you injured or just sore…and how do you get back on track?” w/William Richards of Fitness4backpain.com from 2019-11-13T08:01

How many times have you felt twinge in your back while lifting – or even doing something that’s not strenuous at all – and thought, “What the hell did I just do to myself?” Since chronic back pa...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
We get an ally’s perspective on trans lifters who want to compete w/Maria Rodriguez of Fear Her Fight from 2019-11-08T07:20:20

We’re breaking format to offer this bonus conversation with a trans rights ally about the USAPL and its posture on transgender lifters. If you google “USAPL transgender policy” you’ll get pages ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What’s the real danger with documentaries like “The Game Changers?” w/Matt McLeod, RD of The More Than Fitness Podcast from 2019-11-06T08:27:25

It seems like one of these diet documentaries pops up on streaming platforms every couple of years. Why do people get so upset when they disagree with the basic premise of docs like these? Many ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you train if you have no goals? (And more of your questions) from 2019-10-30T06:34:03

We kick things off talking about the WPO on ESPN and USAPL Raw Nationals. Would some kind of automated system could improve refereeing/judging in sports…or would that take the fun out of it?

...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What is powerlifting’s (nearly) unbreakable record? w/Michael Fahey Director of Westside vs the World from 2019-10-23T07:01

A couple weeks ago, Eliud Kipchoge ran a sub-two-hour marathon. The first time a human has ever done that. That got us thinking…what is powerlifting’s nearly unbreakable record? Kipchoge had a n...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Once you find women to talk to...what do you say? w/Tripp Kramer of How to Talk to Girls from 2019-10-16T06:04:13

So you’ve found yourself in the company of women. What do you say to turn the opportunity into a date? More importantly, how do you avoid being a turnoff?

We asked Tripp Kramer to help us...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Where should you go to meet women? w/Tripp Kramer of "How to Talk to Girls" from 2019-10-09T07:01

Friends, dates, relationships…all pretty essential to most of us, right? But a lot of us suck at finding good places to meet potential partners.

We asked Tripp Kramer to help us help you ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Can injuries be prevented? w/Dr. Ramsey Nijem from 2019-10-02T05:55:54

Injuries can be huge setbacks for competitive athletes. Everyone has a certain window of time in which they can play their best. Time out of competition is time lost that can’t be recovered. For...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you manage workload for athletes (or powerlifters?) w/Dr. Ramsey Nijem from 2019-09-25T07:01

How do you balance the strength and conditioning work of an athlete with the practice, and actual performance, of their sport? Dr. Ramsey Nijem gives us insight from his doctoral thesis, as well...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you become a Pro-level Strength and Conditioning Coach? (Or the best coach you can be?) w/Dr. Ramsey Nijem from 2019-09-18T06:34:19

If you’re strength and conditioning coach, you probably want to work with athletes. If you can, you probably want to work with professional athletes. How do those opportunities come about? And w...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What if your significant other doesn’t share your fitness/lifting goals? | Ask us anything from 2019-09-11T05:55:55

We’re breaking format again! This time we’re doing an open AMA, or in this case Ask Us Anything. Normally we like to have an expert backstop our opinions…or correct us…but this time we’re flying...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you start a podcast (and should you)? from 2019-09-04T06:53:28

The medium of podcasting has grown enormously in the past few years. How do you get started? And is it really right for you?

Being veterans of the podcasting game, Jim and Mike field ques...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Does meal (and nutrient) timing make a difference? w/Dr. Mike Israetel from 2019-08-28T06:25:56

We’ve heard for years that WHEN you eat can make a huge difference. We’ve also heard that WHEN we eat carbs…or fat…or protein…can be critical to making the biggest gains, or losing the most weig...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How does your metabolism work and can you really break it? w/Dr. Mike Israetel from 2019-08-21T06:49:12

Your body turns food into energy, but how does that work? Can you use tricks and hacks to overcome your body’s natural tendency to be either fat or skinny?

Here are the additional angles ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Should guys avoid eating soy? w/Dr. Mike Israetel from 2019-08-14T06:15:52

Seems like society makes a lot of rules for guys. Should not eating soy be one of them? Soy contains phytoestrogens…chemical cousins to one of the human female sex hormones. Should we be worried...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How can you become a (fit) pro gamer? w/Michael “Flamesword” Chaves from 2019-08-07T07:04:44

Many people would love to be professional e-sports gamers. How do you get to that level? And how do you stay in good shape when you’re spending hours and hours a day playing games online?

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you do a weight cut and still be at your best for competition? w/Eric Helms&Omar Isuf from 2019-07-31T07:00

The existence of weight classes and coefficients drive many people to do last minute weight cuts, but many don’t make the best choices when making these cuts. If competition is about being your ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Should everybody be bodybuilders? w/Eric Helms&Omar Isuf from 2019-07-24T06:20:08

Once again, we take on this question with that help of guests Eric Helms and Omar Isuf. With the known injury rates of many sports…including or maybe especially strength sports…maybe we should a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Does your gut microbiome affect your fitness? w/Dr. Jimmy Bagley from 2019-07-17T07:00

Our digestive system has all kinds of stuff living in it that we can’t see with the naked eye – and even if we could, it would still be inside of us so... Anyway, does any of this stuff we’re ca...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you spot a gimmick (before you waste your money or your time on it)? w/Eric Helms&Omar Isuf from 2019-07-10T06:17:24

We take on this question with that help of previous guests Eric Helms and Omar Isuf, who joined us in studio.

Eric holds a BS in fitness and wellness, an MS in exercise science, a second ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why would anyone choose a carnivore diet? w/Jason Phillips from 2019-07-03T07:00

When weight-loss diets work, they work by creating a caloric deficit and not through any other magic. We’ve established that with our experts on the show already. We’ve also established that cut...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What does "self-help" even mean? [Bonus] from 2019-06-29T01:00:07

No guest for this quick bonus episode.

We sat down to brainstorm a little about our mission with this show in light of changes coming to the categories in Apple Podcasts. Our main categor...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
When does a keto diet actually make sense? w/Jason Phillips from 2019-06-26T07:00

Keto diets have been the new hotness for a while, but do they actually make sense for most people? Is it a better diet for athletes, couch potatoes…or both

Jason Phillips joined us to unp...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Are virtual reality games the future of fitness? w/Dr. Jimmy Bagley from 2019-06-19T07:00

VR games are probably never going to replace lifting weights, but could they make cardio more fun…and more likely to get done?

Dr. Jimmy Bagley is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology, a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do doctors decide if you’re “healthy?” w/Dr. Spencer Nadolsky from 2019-06-12T07:21:24

You often see a disclaimer on a diet article or commercial that goes something like, “Please see a doctor before starting any exercise program.” What are they supposed to be looking for? We ofte...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How can you open your own successful gym? w/Alan Thrall from 2019-06-05T07:00

This episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus. For a limited time only, they are offering our listeners an entire Month for FREE! Check out the Entrepreneur’s Tool Kit. It’s a great fit fo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What do you need for a really good home gym? w/Alan Thrall from 2019-05-29T07:00

This episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus. For a limited time only, they are offering our listeners an entire Month for FREE! Start your free month trial today using our special URL: Listen

50% Facts with Silent Mike
What does that Game of Thrones finale tell us about how we plot our own life stories? w/Westside vs the World director Michael Fahey from 2019-05-24T07:30

It’s a BONUS episode! And there are SPOILERS!

Obviously, we wanted talk about the end of Game of Thrones. It’s not that we’re terribly upset about it, but wow there’s a lot of pissed off ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Do you really need that extra salt? w/Dr. Spencer Nadolsky from 2019-05-22T07:21:06

Seems like we’ve been hearing about the dangers of too much salt for decades because of its effect on blood pressure, but lately we’ve seen recommendations about adding salt to your diet for bet...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is deadlifting bad for your back? w/Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horshchig from 2019-05-08T06:30

Is deadlifting bad for your back? w/Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horshchig 

IF you heard this deadlift episode last week under the title “Why do people think squats are bad for your back?...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Why do people think squatting is bad for your knees? And is it? w/Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horshchig from 2019-05-01T07:00

Is it an old wives tale that squatting is bad for your knees? Or is there actually data behind it?

Here’s what we came up with:

  • Maybe there’s a body type that’s bad for squat...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is it too late to create a successful YouTube, podcast, or social media presence? w/Omar Isuf from 2019-04-26T13:49:26

So many people are focusing on building personal brands or becoming “influencers”--  often through social media, YouTube, podcasts, etc. – but has the time already passed? Will it still work if ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
100% Feelings? w/Omar Isuf from 2019-04-24T06:22:22

We had some fun with this episode by breaking format and having an extended conversation with our good friend, Omar Isuf. Omar is a successful YouTube content creator, a partner with Silen...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Where do discipline and motivation come from? w/Dr. Matt Johnson from 2019-04-17T06:30

Can people really just “suck it up” and stay disciplined and motivated? This question was prompted by a recent episode of the Joe Rogan experience.   

Some of our thoughts on...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you fix ticked off tendons? w/Squat University's Dr. Aaron Horshchig from 2019-04-10T06:18:28

Seems like a lot of lifters we know are always complaining about “tendonitis,” so we asked physical therapist (and founder of Squat University) Dr. Aaron Horschig the help us straighten out our ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
How do you bounce back mentally from injury? w/Dr. Johnson from 2019-04-03T04:34:19

For a lot of athletes, physical recovery from injury is only half the battle. How long does it take to learn to trust your body again? 

  • Does the mental aspect affect everyone or are...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Are some exercises useless or even potentially harmful? w/Dr. Jordan Shallow from 2019-03-27T07:33:01

Not all exercises are created equal. That much is certain. But are any of them at best a complete waste of time, and at worst, damaging?

Some of our questions were:

50% Facts with Silent Mike
Clutch Performances&Flow States: Are heroes born or taught? w/Dr. Matt Johnson from 2019-03-21T03:59:04

Dr. Matt Johnson, a Certified Sport Psychology Consultant (and former Notre Dame quarterback), joins us to discuss a fundamental question about performance under pressure. Our thoughts:

50% Facts with Silent Mike
Chiropractor vs. Physical Therapist: Which one should you pick? w/Dr. Jordan Shallow from 2019-03-13T21:41:51

We’re committed to having a physical therapist join us in the future, but THIS time we’re talking to a chiropractor. Our questions:

  • What’s different about their education?
  • ...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Heat&Cold Shock Proteins: Are Fire&Ice Nice to Your Body? w/Dr. Andy Galpin from 2019-03-07T03:15:12

We know that heat and cold shock proteins form in the body in reaction to changes in temperature, but what do they do and should we be trying hard to get them?

  • How much do you need ...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is Cracking&Popping Your Joints a Bad Thing? w/Dr. Jordan Shallow from 2019-02-27T23:55:45

We’ve all heard the old tale about cracking your knuckles and arthritis, but what about your neck, back and all the other parts of you that crack and pop?

  • Is there actually a connec...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Muscle Fiber Types: How Much Does Your Mix Matter&Can You Change It? w/Dr. Andy Galpin from 2019-02-20T23:55:29

We follow up the episode “Can You Teach Speed?” with a deeper dive into muscle fiber types that we touched on in that episode: 

  • What’s the difference between fast twitch and slow tw...

    Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Can You Teach Speed? w/Jacob Ross from 2019-02-14T06:14:37

Our good friend, Jacob Ross returns as our expert to answer this question. Can you teach speed? Specifically, speed for sports?

As we talked through the question, we of course came up wit...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is Intermittent fasting/time-restricted eating some kind of magic? w/ Dr. Andy Galpin from 2019-02-07T06:14:18

True to the premise of this show, we don’t do any specific prep before we talk about the question at hand. This time, it bit us in the ass a bit. We had seen the new paper on “intermittent dieti...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is Olive Oil the Best Oil? w/Mike’s Mom Maria from 2019-01-31T05:23:09

Mike’s mom, Maria Farr, is a certified olive oil judge and sensory panelist. With all the recent focus on fats in our diets, we decided to bring her on to help educate us – and you – on a partic...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Vertical Jump/Box Jump: Can you improve&should you try? w/Jacob Ross from 2019-01-24T06:30

Vertical jump has become a test of athleticism, but is it something you can train? Box jumps have come around again in popularity, but are they an important training tool...or just a cool trick?...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Blood Flow Restriction Training: Is it all it’s pumped up to be? w/Layne Norton, PhD from 2019-01-16T16:30

You can call it Blood Flow Restriction (BRF), occlusion, or Kaatsu, but the idea is all the same: Keep some extra blood in the muscles of your arm or leg and get a massive pump. But is this supe...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is Sports-specific Training a Gimmick? w/Jacob Ross from 2019-01-10T04:48:42

Can activities in the gym that are built around the requirements of a specific sport actually help athletes get better at that sport?

Our good friend, Jacob Ross --  an athletic performan...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Is All the Fake Sugar Hate Just Fake News? w/Layne Norton, PhD from 2019-01-03T04:00

We get started by talking about what’s becoming a pretty uncommon experience for a lot of people: Actually leaving your house to watch a movie.

Wrapping up a run of nutrition and diet-rel...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What is (Dietary) Fat and Why Does It Make Everything Delicious? with Eric Helms, PhD from 2018-12-26T23:08:35

Our fourth episode takes a look at the final macronutrient: fat.

We spend a few minutes discussing the documentary “Transformer” about Janae Marie Kroczaleski…and our small part in it. We...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What is the Glycemic Index (and should it make us eat some kinda way)? w/Layne Norton, PhD from 2018-12-20T07:41:22

In our third episode, we take a side step from carbs into the glycemic index – the potential impact of differing amounts of carbs in foods.

We kick things off with a quick discussion abou...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What Are Carbohydrates (and Why Is Everybody So Mad at Them)? w/Eric Helms from 2018-12-13T04:53:14

Our second episode is a look at a second macronutrient: carbohydrates.

After a quick discussion about the fact that we’re probably both HSP (Highly Sensitive People), we talk about some o...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
What is (Dietary) Protein Anyway? (with Eric Helms, PhD) from 2018-12-06T04:55:37

We’re kicking this new show off by asking seemingly basic questions about diet and nutrition. First up, “What is (dietary) protein anyway?"

After a quick catch up se...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
Introducing "50% Facts" | December 5, 2018 from 2018-11-29T02:40:02

Introducing 50% Facts!

A brand new show from Mike Farr and Jim McDonald
Premiering December 5, 2018

Most of us walk around knowing about HALF...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC250 | FINAL POWERCAST | Guest: Tyler Cartwright of Keto Gains from 2018-02-01T09:00

This is the final episode of the PowerCast, released on Feb 1, 2018. 

The new show in this feed is 50% Facts with Jim McDonald and Mike Farr.

Tyler Cartwright used to weigh over 50...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PCBONUS4 | Best of 2017 Encore | Stan Efferding: Small Changes, Big Impacts #180 from 2018-01-03T08:13:35

PowerCast episode originally released Jan 3, 2018.
Our informal poll on Instagram showed that Stan Efferding was YOUR favorite guest of 2017. Here's an encore of the most downloaded episode we ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PCBONUS3 | Best of 2017 Encore | Steve Austin Returns! | Ep #201 from 2017-12-29T05:00

Another great encore episode while were on holiday break!

Original Episode Notes:

WWE legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin returns to the show while we’re on location in Los Angeles. ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PCBONUS2| Best of 2017 | Kelly Starrett & Matt Vincent #202 + Bonus Content from 2017-12-27T05:00

While we're on a holiday break, here's the most popularly downloaded episode of 2017...and in this case...ever! This time we've thrown in about 10 bonus minutes at the end from episode 6 of Matt's ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC249 | 2017 Round Up from 2017-12-22T06:48:37

PowerCast episode originally released Dec 19, 2017.

With over 60 guests, 69 original episodes (representing over 90 hours of audio content, AND 90 hours of video content), 2017 was a big y...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC248 | Paul Gomez - Raw and Authentic from 2017-12-20T07:04:36

PowerCast episode originally released Dec 19, 2017>

From the beach to the boardroom might sound like a cliché, but our guest has been there. Paul was a co-founder of the surf brand Hurley...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC247 | Stick to the Script! from 2017-12-15T06:58:37

PowerCast episode originally released Dec 14, 2017.

Some of the Sling Shot staff put together a list of topics for us, and we tackle them without any prep. Some of the topics, Bitcoin and...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC246 | JP Price: Building Toward Success and More 1,000 lb Squats from 2017-12-13T05:00

PowerCast episode originally released Dec 12, 2017.

JP Price, one of just a few men to have squatted over a grand, walked out and raw, joins us. We talk about his love of training, his jo...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC245 | Maybe Just Keep Your Hands To Yourself? from 2017-12-08T06:25:53

PowerCast episode originally released Dec 7, 2017.

We talk about the current sexual harassment scandals, and contemplate whether there are considerations what should be made in the gym en...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC244 | Phil Stevens of the Iron Radio Podcast from 2017-12-06T05:30

PowerCast episode originally released Dec 5, 2017.

Jim had a chance to sit down with one of our long-time friends, Phil Stevens, at the recent Reebok Record Breakers meet. Phil has been a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC243 | Brooke Ence – Acting with Superheroes, Overcoming Injuries, and Battling Imposter Syndrome from 2017-12-01T05:00

PowerCast episode originally released Nov 30, 2017.

Crossfit Games Athlete (2015) Brooke Ence joins us to talk about appearing in the Wonder Woman and Justice League films as an Amazon, ov...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC242 | Greener Grass Syndrome from 2017-11-29T05:00

PowerCast episode originally released Nov 28, 2017.

We talk about how often people changes workouts, diets, and even coaches because results are not coming as fast as they want. Is that a ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC241 | Stan Efferding - Part 2 | You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Get Started from 2017-11-22T05:00

PowerCast episode originally released Nov 21, 2017.

Stan shares his insight that you don’t have to have perfect conditions, a perfect organization, or perfect product before you get starte...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC240 | Even Good Coaching Decisions Can Turn Out Bad from 2017-11-17T07:03:36

PowerCast episode released Nov 16, 2017.

We talk about some recent coaching decisions that seemed reasonable (to us at the time), but didn’t turn out well for the lifters. How much second-...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC239 | Stan Efferding - My Hips, My Knees, My Elbows, and My Back | Rehab Yourself from 2017-11-15T06:09:57

PowerCast episode originally released Nov 14, 2017.

Stan stops in to celebrate his 50th birthday, and to share how he used his own experience, and research (including writings by Dr. Stuar...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC238 | Joel Jamieson - Part 2 : Coaching Mighty Mouse and More on HRV Assessment from 2017-11-10T07:17:59

PowerCast originally released Nov 9, 2017.

Joel talks about the programming he uses in working with UFC Flyweight Champ Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, other top level athletes, and jus...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC236 | Joel Jamieson - Part 1: Recovery Strategies and Heart Rate Variability from 2017-11-08T02:41:51

PowerCast episode originally released Nov 7, 2017.
Famed strength and conditioning coach to UFC Flyweight Champ Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson joins us. Joel’s training strategies have been ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC236 | The One with Lil' Smokey from 2017-11-03T04:38:29

Our own Steven “Lil’ Smokey” Granzella joins us for this episode. Steven is an integral part of Super Training Gym and works for Mark at HowMuchYaBench.net. Plus (and maybe most importantly) he’s t...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC235 | Heath Evans Returns to Talk NFL & Fitness from 2017-11-01T04:10:22

PowerCast episode originally released Oct 31, 2017.

Retired NFL fullback, and current analyst for the NFL Network, Heath Evans returns to the show. We talk the current state of the NFL, He...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC234 | Brian & Keri Shaw - Part 2 from 2017-10-27T04:03:36

Part 2 of our conversation with four-time World's Strongest Man, Brian Shaw and his wife, Keri features Brian's take on what happened in the 2017 World's Strongest Man. He also discusses his new st...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC233 | Brian & Keri Shaw - Part 1 from 2017-10-25T04:00

PowerCast episode originally released Oct 24, 2017.

Four-time World's Strongest Man, Brian Shaw joins us with his wife, Keri. They share how having a baby has changed their daily routine a...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC232 | A Fistful of Carbohydrates from 2017-10-20T05:27:40

PowerCast episode originally released Oct 17, 2017.

Mark talks about adding some carbs to his diet after having been in deep ketosis...with help from Stan Efferding. We tackle a number of ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC231 | Cailer Woolam – Doctor Deadlift | 927 lb All-Time Record from 2017-10-18T04:00

PowerCast episode originally released Oct 17, 2017.

When an unassuming, 20-something grocery clerk took the all-time world record for the deadlift in the 220 lb weight class at the August,...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC230 | Dr. Andy Galpin – Part 2 - More Muscle Science from 2017-10-13T05:55:31

PowerCast episode originally released Oct 12, 2017.

We continue our conversation with Dr. Andy Galpin. I

Dr. Andy Galpin holds a PhD. in Human Bioenergetics, and is a tenured Prof...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC229 | Dr. Andy Galpin - Part 1 - Muscle Science from 2017-10-11T08:13:56

Dr. Andy Galpin holds a PhD. in Human Bioenergetics, and is a tenured Professor in the Center for Sport Performance at CSU Fullerton.

His research examines how the body reacts to training ...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC228 | Things That Suck About Powerlifting Gyms | #228 from 2017-10-06T06:54:26

There's no perfect training environment, but there are some things that definitely suck about lifting in a gym that's set up primarily for powerlifting. (There are obviously good things, too.) What...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC227 | Hany Rambod – Coach of 7x Mr. Olympia Phil Heath from 2017-10-04T06:56:58

PowerCast episode originally released Oct 3, 2017.

Hany Rambod is the CEO of Evogen and creator of the FST-7 training system, and coach to Phil Heath and Jeremy Buendia, and many others. H...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC226 | Seeing Joe Rogan...and John Cena's Package from 2017-09-29T06:19:12

Recorded August 8, 2017. Mark and Jim reflect on seeing Joe Rogan perform in Sacramento, Mark discusses how big an exhibitionist John Cena was when he first met him, and their own shifting diet and...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC225 | Lewis Howes – Host of “School of Greatness” from 2017-09-27T06:00

PowerCast episode originally released Sep 26, 2017.
Lewis Howes is a NYT bestselling author.
Lewis shares with Mark how he went from having nowhere to sleep but his sister’s couch, to makin...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC224 | Lessons Learned - An Epic Conversation with Tom Pheill and Chris Bell from 2017-09-22T07:37:07

PowerCast episode originally released Sep 21, 2017.

Tom Pheill, probably the most interesting current member of Super Training Gym, joins us along with Chris Bell. Tom and Chris have known...

Listen
50% Facts with Silent Mike
PC223 | Stephanie Sanzo – Australia’s Fit Mum from 2017-09-20T06:00

PowerCast episode originally released Sep 19, 2017.

Our fun and funny conversation with Stephanie Sanzo, Australia’s Fit Mum (@stephfitmum). We talk about her journey into fitness, the dem...

Listen