Unfiltered Strength

n Episode 9 of the Unfiltered Strength Podcast, we tackle a question that affects almost everyone trying to improve their health, fitness, performance, or life:Can too much information actually hold you back?We discuss the importance of course correction, setting realistic expectations, and why constantly searching for the "perfect" answer often prevents people from taking meaningful action. In a world filled with endless opinions, conflicting advice, and an overwhelming amount of data, progress often comes down to mastering the basics and adjusting along the way.If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with your results, this conversation is for you.

Nate Brandhorst joins the Unfiltered Strength Podcast to discuss the lessons he learned after years of chasing bigger totals and transitioning into bodybuilding and improved health.In this episode, Nate breaks down why bigger isn't always stronger, how excessive supplementation can become a problem, the importance of gut health, restoring hunger signals, managing body composition for performance, and why quality muscle matters more than simply gaining weight.We also dive into sleep, recovery, pre-lift anxiety, athletic longevity, and the habits that separate good athletes from great ones. Whether you're a beginner lifter or competing at the highest level, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can apply immediately.Topics Covered:• Powerlifting vs. bodybuilding• Building muscle that actually improves performance• Gut health and digestion• Recovering hunger signals• Sleep and recovery• Pre-lift anxiety• Supplement mistakes• Athletic longevity• Strength and health optimizationSubscribe for more conversations on strength sports, nutrition, performance, and the mindset required to become your strongest self.

Too many powerlifters and strongman athletes become obsessed with max-effort lifts, heavy singles, and testing strength while neglecting the one thing that drives long-term progress: building muscle.In this episode of The Unfiltered Strength Podcast, Connie and Zach break down the relationship between hypertrophy and strength, why accessory work matters, and how skipping volume work can leave serious gains on the table. We discuss common mistakes strength athletes make, the fear of gaining size, and why muscle mass is one of the biggest predictors of future strength potential.Whether you're a powerlifter, strongman competitor, or someone looking to get stronger, this episode will help you understand why building muscle isn't a distraction from strength training, it's a critical part of it.In this episode we cover:Why hypertrophy is the foundation of strengthThe problem with constantly chasing PRs and heavy singlesHow accessory work improves performanceCommon training mistakes that stall progressPowerlifting and strongman programming considerationsBuilding muscle without losing athleticismHow to break through strength plateausIf you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Leave a Rating. Your support helps us continue bringing strength-focused content to the community.

This week we sit down with David Till, entrepreneur, owner of The Blue Collar Company, professional arm wrestler, and strength athlete.We dive into: Building multiple businesses from the ground up The discipline required to succeed in business and strength sports. Developing a mindset that refuses to accept “no”⚒️ Blue collar work ethic and what it really takes to win. Arm wrestling, deadlifting, and pushing past limitsThis episode is all about resilience, grit, and building a life through hard work and relentless discipline.

Nobody talks about this enough. The gym isn’t just about looking strong.It’s about: Not being in pain at 40 Having confidence that actually sticks Building a mindset that doesn’t fold under pressureStrength sports change you. Period.We break it all down in Ep. 5 of The Unfiltered Strength Podcast.Episode 5 of The Unfiltered Strength Podcast dives into how strength sports go far beyond the platform.We break down how training today directly impacts your long-term health, movement quality, and overall resilience,both physically and mentally.This episode covers:Why movement now prevents pain laterThe connection between strength and confidenceHow strength sports build mental toughness that carries into everyday lifeWhy training is one of the most valuable long-term investments you can makeIf you want to build a body that lasts,and a mindset that doesn’t break, this episode is for you.

Is your ego the thing holding you back from your next level? In Episode 4 of the Unfiltered Strength Podcast, we break down how ego can quietly limit growth,whether you’re a coach stuck in your methods, an athlete chasing numbers, or just someone trying to get better in the gym. We dive into how rigid thinking, fear of being wrong, and attachment to identity can cap your progress, and what it actually takes to move past it. If you’re serious about improving, this is a conversation you need to hear.

In this episode, Blake Taylor, owner of North Idaho Athletic Club in Moscow, Idaho, shares his journey from discovering strongman to evolving as both an athlete and a business owner. He opens up about what it’s really like to run a gym, the challenges and rewards that come with it, and why he believes it was his true calling. Blake dives into how they’ve successfully implemented group-based strongman training proving that even a traditionally individual sport can thrive in a team environment. At the core of it all, this conversation highlights the power of community, and how building something bigger than yourself can be the most rewarding part of the journey.

In Episode 2 of Unfiltered Strength, we dive into a topic that doesn’t get talked about enough, the real cost of getting into strength sports.From the outside, lifting might seem simple: show up, train hard, and get stronger. But once you step into the world of powerlifting, strongman, or competitive strength training, the financial side becomes very real and it adds up quickly.In this episode, we break down what it actually costs to go from a beginner just getting started to an athlete competing at higher levels.We cover:The cost of gym memberships and how training environments can impact progressCoaching fees and whether they’re worth the investmentCompetition entry fees and federation costsThe reality of travel expenses for meets and eventsEssential equipment (belts, shoes, sleeves, suits, and more) and how costs scale as you progressThe role of supplementation and how much athletes typically spendWe also talk about how these costs evolve as you move from local competitions to more competitive and elite levels, and what athletes should realistically expect if they want to take the sport seriously.

Welcome to the very first episode of Unfiltered Strength Podcast with Zach Price and Connie Nightingale.In this episode, we break down who we are, how we got started in strength sports, and what led us into the worlds of powerlifting and strongman. We dive into our personal journeys, the challenges we’ve faced, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.We also talk about how strength sports have evolved over time from training approaches to the culture surrounding competition and give you a real, unfiltered look at what this space actually looks like behind the scenes.Whether you’re an athlete, a competitor, or just getting started, this episode is all about laying the foundation, sharing our perspectives, and setting the tone for what’s to come.

Dr. Dwayne N. Jackson is a dad, athlete, health specialist, medical educator, scientist, and entrepreneur. He has over 12 years of university education in exercise/human physiology, medicine, and nutritional biochemistry. Dr. Jackson holds a PhD in neurovascular physiology and has been educated at some of the top academic institutions in North America including University of Ottawa, the University of Western Ontario, and Yale University School of Medicine. He can be found at: https://drdwaynejackson.com/about/

Today we have one of my absolute favorites on the show, Victoria Felkar. We dive down the hormone rabbit hole. Are you being sold a lie on social media? How many of the fitness influencer are enhanced? Is it a game of telephone where the information is lost along its journey through social media? We talk about performance enhancement, Females and PED's, Hormone replacement therapy, birth control and much more. This is one of my favorite guests to have on the show and she knocks it out of the park as usual. Victoria Felkar is a doctoral candidate conducting interdisciplinary research on women’s health, reproductive function, and pharmaceutical steroid hormones. With a unique background in both the hard sciences and humanities, her work offers a novel and critical perspective into the use of drugs for health and performance purposes within the female athlete population. Victoria’s research has achieved international awards and accolades within both academia and industry. Beyond academia, Victoria is an internationally respected educator and consultant within the fitness, bodybuilding and strength sector. Her unique multidisciplinary background has provided the perfect platform for pioneering work in athlete-centered coaching methods, integrated health-performance methods, and female athlete health. For the past 15 years, she has worked with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including top-level athletes and competitors, special populations, health professionals and strength coaches, and has lectured at events worldwide.Victoria’s professional experience and research are synergistic, providing her with the opportunity to continue to bridge the gap between academia and the industry. Her passion is building and sharing knowledge. Here's the podcast mentioned in the show with Scott & Dr. Scott: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1YF9Uv2x9s&list=PLhB9QHZc60aj2tzC48MmeY03ULd6NUpzi&index=3 SWIS Videos: https://www.swis.ca/ https://www.victoriafelkar.com/ Instagram @victoriafelkar

Tommy is a seasoned powerlifter, that is moving impressive weights with only one arm. He talks about his story, and the highs and lows of getting back into the gym after a catastrophic injury. It’s a great reminder to persevere even when everything changes and the future is uncertain. Tommy can be found on instagram at 1_armed_hercules

Stan Efferding is an IFBB Professional bodybuilder and World Record Holding Powerlifter. He is one of only 10 men in the world to ever total over 2,300 pounds raw in competition. Stan holds the title as the Worlds Strongest Bodybuilder. Stan studied Exercise Science at the University of Oregon and has been training high school, Collegiate, and Professional athletes for over 25 years.Stan conducts seminars all over the country for various sports and nutrition and training techniques. He has appeared in many magazines and writes for Muscular Development, Flex Magazine and Power Magazine.Stan is also a successful Entrepreneur having built three different start-up businesses into multi-million dollar companies. www.StanEfferding.com

Dr. Kristin Lander, DC, CISSN is a chiropractic physician and certified sports nutritionist.  She teaches athletes and people who strength train how to properly fuel themselves to get more out of their training sessions, recover harder, and get stronger faster through utilizing performance-based nutrition and recovery tactics.   Kristin has worked at the intersection of health care, fitness, and sports for 22 years.  In 2015 she founded Fiercely Fueled Nutrition, an online nutrition coaching company and has now coached dozens of athletes who have gone on to win national and world titles as well as set world records in their respective strength sport.   An athlete herself, Kristin has competed internationally in both Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting. She can be found on instagram under Fiercely Fueled Nutrition and under drkristinlander and at www.Fiercelyfueled.com  For a free pre and post training meal guide she has put together a download for the listeners @ https://guide.fiercelyfueled.com/fffm

Today I have a wonderful guest on the pod. 11 time IPF World Champ. Current bench world record holder (320.7), High School teacher (25 yrs).  Mother of two boys. Married 27 years.  HS Powerlifting coach.  Representative for No Kid Hungry.  Jennifer Thompson. She is here to talk today about being a female involved in strength sports, and why mom guilt is not an influence on her trining, and how her athletic goals have helped her family.  She can be found at 132poundsofpower.com The TG Training App  Instagram at jenthompson132 or her podcast, The Strength Academy 

​Andy Triana is a world renown private consultant with expertise in cognitive and skill-centric domains. After finishing school and competing at the world level in Strongman, Andy’s desire to help led him to forming The Performance Vibe whose intent was to coach high performing clientele and spread awareness about modern day sports performance. A few years later Andy’s desire to help was only magnified after noticing a massive gap in public knowledge about the relationship between cognition and behavior. Go Super Brain is Andy’s most recent project whose aim is to empower individuals to take control and form a healthy relationship with the “stuff” between our ears. Check him out on Instagram @gosuperbrain

Today I have on the show Victoria Felkar. As an interdisciplinary researcher and instructor, she works across the fields of kinesiology, medicine, critical studies and the humanities. She studies health, hormones, and the body, and is currently pursuing a doctorate. Her research explores women's health and female hormone manipulation within sport and medicine. For the past decade, she has also been a practitioner, consultant, author, and educator within the world of strength and fitness. Over the years, she has worked with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including top-level athletes, special populations, health professionals, and strength coaches, and lectured at events worldwide. Her specialties include athlete-centered coaching methods, functional health and performance enhancement education. Today I have the opportunity to talk with Victoria about Hormonal Birth Control, Performance Enhancing Drugs and hormones and I cant be more thrilled to have her on the show today. Victoria can be found online at www.VictoriaFelkar.com and also wanted to include a link to the menstrual cycle diaries that can be found here: Menstrual Cycle Diary — VICTORIA FELKAR Menstrual Cycle Diary — VICTORIA FELKAR As always I can be found on Instagram @conniebegonnie and would love to hear your feedback thoughts and opinions. Enjoy the show!