All Episodes
The Drop Set with Darin Starr: Bodybuilding for the Masses — 289 episodes
302 – How to Manage Peak Week When You Have a Weight Cap
300 – 9 Lessons Learned from 300 Episodes
299 – 6 Habits That Separate Good Physiques From Great Ones (It’s Not Genetics)
298 – How to Actually Start Bodybuilding (Not the Influencer Version)
297 – The “Oh Shit” Moment + Why You Keep Abandoning Your Goals
295 – Reverse Dieting + Stop Calling Everything Enhanced
294 – Stage Presence + Why Your Cut Stopped Working
293 – Answering Your Questions!
292 – Bodybuilding on a Budget + The Weight Cap Women’s Physique Needs
291 – Prep Training vs. Growth Training + Is Your Coach Actually Coaching You?
290 – Build a Real Program + The Bill Nobody Sees Coming
279 – Macro Exchanges, Fit Model Revisited
278 – Why Fit Model Is The Wrong Move
277 – Understanding Genetic Potential
276 – IFBB Pro Lori Conley
275 – IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Julia Whitesel
274 – IFBB Bikini Pro Monique Chilcutt
273 – IFBB Wellness Pro Teresa Myers
272 – Amateur vs. Professional Bodybuilding
271 – How To Make Bodybuilding Mainstream
270 – IFBB WPD Pro Alyssa Coppolino
269 – Building The Perfect Home Gym
268 – The Ultimate Guide to Travel Dieting
267 – Debunking the Myth of Carb Cycling
266 – Sketchy and Sus Coaches – Finding a Good One
265 – Keeping Muscle on a Deficit
264 – Fitness & Bodybuilding Myths – The Truth
263 – Does Food Quality Matter?
262 – Post-Show Rebound Myths Exposed
261 – The Bodybuilder and the Mathematician
260 – Smooth Sailing Into Show Day?
259 – Salvaging a Broken Prep
258 – Body Dysmorphia: Causes and Solutions
257 – How I Manage My Cravings and Binge Eating
256 – Why Recomping Doesn’t Work
255 – Macro Trackers: The Best and the Worst
254 – Steroid Risks: The Full Truth
253 – Should I Bulk or Cut?
252 – Am I Stage Ready?
251 – Supplements: Worth It or Waste It?
250 – Busting Through Growth Plateaus
249 – How to Dominate Your Next Prep
248 – The Path to Going Pro
247 – Why the Arnold Classic Sucks
246 – The Final Word on Meal Plans vs. Macro Plans
245 – Five Things I Wish I Knew as a New Bodybuilder
244 – Being “Ready” For a Show, Supplement Sh!tlist
243 – Prep is Underway! Best Kitchen Tools for Bodybuilders
242 – Figure Olympian and Posing Guru Autumn Cleveland
241 – The Growth Season Manifesto
240 – Semaglutide – WTF Are We Doing With This?
239 – Make Every Day Count
238 – Optimal vs. Practical
237 – Confessions of an Online Coach
Fixing the Show Day Experience with Live Streaming
235 – New IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Hannah Hussein
234 – IFBB Pro Women’s Bodybuilder Sherry Priami
233 – NPC Bodybuilder and Coach Paige Sandgren
232 – Former WPD Olympian Dani Reardon
231 – NPC Bodybuilder and Life Coach Wendy Levra
230 – IFBB Women’s Physique Pro Kristyn Lia
229 – IFBB Figure Pro Paige Sabedra
228 – Knox Classic Recap, Lessons Learned from Bodybuilding
227 – The Mental Side of Bodybuilding, Becoming an Online Coach
226 – Time Management, Macro Calc Starting Points, Bloodwork 101
225 – 2022/2023 TV Recap w/Denia Kirk
224 – Natural Bodybuilding, Sugar and Blood Glucose
223 – The Ultimate Grab Bag Bonanza
222 – Transitioning From a Meal Plan to Macros
221 – Imperfection Mindset, Coaching Questions
220 – Hip Hingeing, Off-Season Softness, Lack of Scale Movement
219 – What IS Natural Bodybuilding?
218 – Optimizing Dynamic Warmups w/Rehab Components
217 – Olympia Outside the Box, Resolutions
216 – 2022 Olympia Weekend Recap
215 – Why Bodybuilding Needs Saving
214 – Bullshit Bonanza: Nationals, Liver King, Photo Editing
212 – Pre-Workout Deep Dive, Creatine Value, Active Rest
211 – Exposing Sexual Exploitation in Bodybuilding
210 – “Medical Update”, Exercise Modalities
209 – Vacation Update and Bouncing Back, Problematic Exercises
208 – NPC WPD/WBB Competitor Wendy Levra
207 – Find Your ‘Why’, Food Regrets, Holiday Planning
206 – Stress Hygiene, Maintaining Leanness, Injury Management
205 – Cardio Timing, Likes & Dislikes, Bodybuilding Psychology
204 – Plant-Based Diets, Beyond Progressive Overload
203 – Flipped Interview! Darin on the Hot Seat
202 – Coachability, Helping Others, Leveling Up Your Training
201 – Garbage Coaches Revisited, Gear for Guys
200 – Place Fixing Scandal, Dead Bodybuilders
199 – Progressive Overload Revisited, Resurgence in Bodybuilding?
198 – Gear 101, Women & PED’s
197 – NPC Nationals Recap, Grab Bag Q&A
196 – Spotting Technique, Should we Blow Up the NPC?
195 – Post-Show Rebound and Breaking Down Thanksgiving
194 – Breaking Down the Lee Haney Games
193 – Volumizing Meals, Caloric Floor, Prep Partners
The Drop Set – Episode 192: Prep Update, Social Media Anxiety, Way More
The Drop Set – Episode 191: IFBB Pro Janeen Lankowski
The Drop Set – Episode 190: NQ NPC Classic Physique Competitor Brian Barber
The Drop Set – Episode 189: Darin Goes Solo! Prep Update and More
The Drop Set – Episode 188: Made2Macro President & CEO Alexis Urso
The Drop Set – Episode 187: IFBB Pro Kelly Lynn Nauyokas Returns!
The Drop Set – Episode 186: IFBB Figure Pro Paige Sabedra
The Drop Set – Episode 185: IFBB Pro Theresa Ivancik
The Drop Set – Episode 184: Extreme Protocols w/IFBB Pro Stephanie Marie
The Drop Set – Episode 183: Darin’s Prep Update, Peak Week Abuse
The Drop Set – Episode 182: NPC MPD Competitor Jacob Koch
The Drop Set – Episode 181: Post-Pandemic Vacations, Posing for Progress pics
The Drop Set – Episode 180: IFBB Pro Kelly Lynn Nauyokas
The Drop Set – Episode 179: Muscle Growth Rates, Body Dysmorphia, Show Expectations
The Drop Set – Episode 178: Q&A Grab Bag
The Drop Set – Episode 177: Macros From the Ground Up
The Drop Set – Episode 176: Leveling Up Your Game, Fixing Bodybuilding
The Drop Set – Episode 175: NPC Show Changes, Protein Needs, Stim-Free Pre’s, Glycogen Depletion
The Drop Set – Episode 174: TRT Primer, Pregnancy Macros, Mock Show Prep
The Drop Set – Episode 173: I’m back! Show Update, Home Gym Update, Album Update!
The Drop Set – Episode 172: Pandemic Shows, Size vs. Conditioning, Pre-workout Supps, Story Time!
The Drop Set – Episode 171: SARMs Revisited, Crossovers, Metabolic Floor
The Drop Set – Episode 170: Quarantine Stories, Off-Season Cardio, Darin’s Quest for Better Squats
The Drop Set – Episode 169: Gyms and Masks, Quarantine Stories, Plie Squats
The Drop Set – Episode 168 – Intermittent Fasting, Waist Trainers, Randomness
The Drop Set – Episode 167: SPECIAL UPDATE – Should You go Back to the Gym?
The Drop Set – Episode 166: Shifting Towards Growth, HIIT/MISS/NEAT, Tempo Again!
The Drop Set – Episode 165: Home Gyms, Ad/Abduction, Fiber Timing and Details
The Drop Set – Episode 164: Working with Volatile Schedules, Adaptability
The Drop Set – Episode 163: Dealing with Adversity, Range of Motion, Deload Weeks, Working from Home!
The Drop Set – Episode 162 – Coronavirus Update, Drop Sets vs. Rest/Pause, Muscle Maturity, Off-Season Acceptance
The Drop Set – Episode 161: COVID-19 & Bodybuilding, Tempo, PCT vs. Bridge, Doing Multiple Shows
The Drop Set – Episode 160: Caloric Shortfalls, Emotional Manipulators, BFR Training
The Drop Set – Episode 159: Chicken Recipes, Long/Short Muscles, Puppy Update!
The Drop Set – Episode 158: Mass Gainers, Party-Related Decisions, Tasty Salmon!
The Drop Set – Episode 157: Idiot Celebrity Trainers, Chest Activation, ‘Abnormalities’
The Drop Set – Episode 156: Post-Holiday Catch Up
The Drop Set – Episode 155: A Little Philosophy, Post-Workout Nutrition, Cardio Struggles
The Drop Set – Episode 154: Lifting Belts, Peloton Ad, Travel Recap!
The Drop Set – Episode 153: Thanksgiving Eating, Macro Subs, Being a Better Coach
The Drop Set – Episode 152: Friday Focus Check, Dealing with Imbalances
The Drop Set – Episode 151: Incorporating METCON’s, Signs of a Gym Asshole
The Drop Set – Episode 150: Integrity (Rant), Deloading, Favorite Exercises
The Drop Set – Episode 149: Lifting Shoes, Recovery for Growth, Being Competitive
The Drop Set – Episode 148: Peak Week, Calorie Cycling, PCOS, Family Balance
The Drop Set – Episode 147: Lightning Round Q&A
The Drop Set – Episode 146: PT Business Struggles, Macro Compensations, MPD Cop-Out?
The Drop Set – Episode 145: Post-show Blues, Golden Ratios, Finding the Right Deficit
The Drop Set – Episode 144: Exercise Substitutions, Growth Season Intake, Supplements
The Drop Set – Episode 143: Frelance Training, Obliques, Breathing, Realistic Expectations
The Drop Set – Episode 142: Olympia Recap, Off-Season Transition, Reasons vs. Excuses
The Drop Set – Episode 141: Effective Reps, Are You Ready to Compete?
The Drop Set – Episode 140: IF Revisited, Vertical Diet
The Drop Set – Episode 139: Sugar Alcohols, The Math of Fiber
The Drop Set – Episode 138: Macro Tracking Exceptions, Alcohol Revisited
The Drop Set – Episode 137: Saunas for Recovery, Soreness, TV Hate Watching
The Drop Set – Episode 136: Plant-Based Proteins, Smith Machine Mechanics
The Drop Set – Episode 135: Top Things I Wish I Would Have Known Earlier
The Drop Set – Episode 134: Intermittent Fasting, Unsolicited Advice, Meal Replacement Options
The Drop Set – Episode 133: Conditioning, Squat Mechanics, Cardio Timing
The Drop Set – Episode 132: Perfectionism, Average Macro Planning, Progressive Overload AGAIN
The Drop Set – Episode 131: Shawn Rhoden Drama, Wellness Division, Progressive Overload
The Drop Set – Episode 130: Body Types & Aesthetics, Dysmorphia Revisited, Travel
The Drop Set – Episode 129 – Genetic Advantages, Muscle Growth Expectations, Progress Photo Troubles
The Drop Set – Episode 128: Listener Voicemail Grab Bag!
The Drop Set – Episode 127: Gear Talk, Measurement Oddities, Vacation Recap w/Special Guest!
The Drop Set – Episode 126: Hiatus Coming Up! Showering, Eating Out on Prep
The Drop Set, Episode 125: Macro Shifts, Overtraining, Sodium, New Competitive Organization
The Drop Set – Episode 124: Waist Trainers, The Path to Pro Cards, Women and Test-Boosters
The Drop Set, Episode 123: Competitor Privacy, Prepped Meal Calculations
The Drop Set – Episode 122: Hangriness, Bulk vs. Cut, Natty Verified
The Drop Set – Episode 121: Stupid Peak Week Tricks, Wellness Division and Demotivational Coaches Revisited (part 2)
The Drop Set, Episode 120: Contest Logistics, Peaking, Tempo Tips, More!
The Drop Set – Episode 119: Dieting Phases, Last Minute Prep Changes, Wellness Revisited
The Drop Set – Episode 118: The NPC’s “Wellness” Division, De-motivational Coaches
The Drop Set – Episode 117: Workout Logging AGAIN, Transformation Challenges
The Drop Set – Episode 116: Carb Volume, ECA Stacks, Peri-Workout Specifics and Timing
The Drop Set – Episode 115: Protein Powder Types, At-Home Cardio, more!
The Drop Set – Episode 114: Fat Burners, Prep Snags
The Drop Set – Episode 113: BSL & Redcon1 Indictment, Dirty Bulking, Full Day of Eating
The Drop Set – Episode 112: Arnold Classic Non-Update, Q&A!
The Drop Set – Episode 111: Quick Update!
The Drop Set – Episode 110: New Training Mentality, RDL Varations, a “Safe Zone” for Vacations
The Drop Set – Episode 109: Scamming Coaches, “Distributed” Products, Lunge Mechanics
The Drop Set – Episode 108: Shoes! Fasted Cardio, Good & Bad Gym Gear
The Drop Set – Episode 107: Personal Update from Darin
The Drop Set – Episode 106: Judge’s Feedback, Pumping Up!
The Drop Set – Episode 105: Bad Days, Playing Around with Tempo
The Drop Set – Episode 104: Protein Importance, Nutrient Timing, Show Checklists, Welcoming the Newcomers!
The Drop Set – Episode 103: NQ Shows vs. Non-NQ shows, Calculating TDEE and Working with Macro Tracking Apps
The Drop Set – Episode 102: Cheat Meals vs. Refeeds, I/W Supps, All About Creatine
The Drop Set – Episode 101: Eating Disorders, Protein Quality, Insulin & Blood Sugar, Trace Fats, lots more!
The Drop Set – Episode 100: 100 Episodes, Holy Crap!
The Drop Set – Episode 99: Off-Topic Friday!
The Drop Set – Episode 98 – Contest Prep and Being Your Own Coach, Part 2
The Drop Set – Episode 97: Being Your Own Coach, Part 1
The Drop Set – Episode 96: I’m Back! GOMAD, Positivity
The Drop Set – Episode 95 – Raffle Q&A Part 2!
The Drop Set – Episode 94 – Raffle Q&A Part 1!
The Drop Set – Episode 93 – Dealing with the Holidays
The Drop Set – Episode 92: Happy Thanksgiving! New Raffle, Q&A
The Drop Set – Episode 91: Shotgun Blast Episode!
The Drop Set – Episode 90: Prep in Review!
The Drop Set – Episode 89: Peak week time! And then? Upcoming goals
The Drop Set – Episode 88: Doctors and Nutrition, Troubleshooting Digestion
The Drop Set – Episode 87: Excuses
The Drop Set – Episode 86: 10 Ways to Screw Up Your Prep, Are Studies Worth Following?
The Drop Set – Episode 85: Updates Galore! Routine Building, Client Horror Stories
The Drop Set – Episode 84: Is MFP Premium Worth it? Convergence-Free Pressing, Plateau Busting Tips & Tricks
The Drop Set – Episode 83: 8 Ways You’re Screwing up Macros, SARM’s vs. AAS
The Drop Set – Episode 82: FROM THE ROAD! Travel/prep Update, Intensity Scaling
The Drop Set – Episode 81: Special Guest, IFBB Figure Pro and Posing Coach Kimberley Helm
The Drop Set – Episode 80: Epic Listener Q&A!
The Drop Set – Episode 79: Cheat Meal and Cheat HACKS!
The Drop Set – Episode 78: Darin Update, Awesome Q&A!
The Drop Set – Episode 77: OIympia 2018 Recap, Grab Bag (3 Mini Topics!)
The Drop Set – Episode 76: Life of a Prep Coach and What it Takes
The Drop Set – Episode 75 – How to Have a Perfect Prep
The Drop Set – Episode 74: Transgender Competitors
The Drop Set – Episode 73: Yesterday’s Q&A Continued!
The Drop Set – Episode 72: I’m all over the damn map today
The Drop Set – Episode 71: Protein Requirement, Darin’s Burning Ceremony
The Drop Set – Episode 70: Mini Q&A, WTF am I doing?!?!
The Drop Set – Episode 69: Gender Training Differences, Roast Darin!
The Drop Set – Episode 68: Bringing It
The Drop Set – Episode 67: Knox Classic Recap, Darin…has a Coach? How to get in to Online Coaching
The Drop Set – Episode 66: Making Macronutrient Substitutions
The Drop Set – Episode 65: Eating Out on Short Notice
The Drop Set – Episode 64: Heart Rate vs. Calories, Monitors & Trackers
The Drop Set – Episode 63: Shit Coaches
The Drop Set – Episode 62: Planning Ahead – How to Have an Effective Cut
The Drop Set – Episode 61: Longevity Killers
The Drop Set – Episode 60 (mini): Gym Routine Talk!
The Drop Set – Episode 59: MINI EPISODE – Comfort Zones (and why they suck)
The Drop Set – Episode 58: Building My New Diet LIVE, John Meadows Training Program Review
The Drop Set – Episode 57: Listener Q&A, Online Coach Search Struggles, What to Expect on Show Day?
The Drop Set – Episode 56: Talkin’ Suits w/Ravish Sands, “Physique Saved Bodybuilding” – WTF?
The Drop Set – Episode 55: Top Gym Mistakes, Peak Week Particulars
The Drop Set – Episode 54: NPC Figure Competitor Alex Bassett
The Drop Set – Episode 53: Neil Thanedar of Labdoor, How long should you prep?
The Drop Set – Episode 52: An OCB Primer with Promoter Shar LeGree
The Drop Set – Episode 51: “Bodybuilding Saved My Life” – my interview with Dean Kozora
The Drop Set – Episode 50: Bodybuilding Masterclass – Show Selection
The Drop Set – Episode 49: Overcoming Gym OCD, Making a Good BB’er
The Drop Set – Episode 48: Intermittent Fasting & Ketosis – A Practical Perspective
The Drop Set – Episode 47: Social Media Distortion, Peak Week, Stretch Reflex, and more!
The Drop Set – Episode 46: First guest! Free Weights vs. Machines, Clean Bulk vs. Dirty Bulk
The Drop Set – Episode 45: Lousy Spotters, Tracking Workout Variables, Proper Scale Usage and more!
The Drop Set – Episode 44: Get the Funk Out, A-A-A-A-A-Alcohol!
The Drop Set – Episode 43: Reverse Dieting Basics, Overthinking Things!
The Drop Set – Episode 42: Sickness Recovery, Bodybuilding & Life Balance, NPC Guideline Issues: pt. 2
The Drop Set – Episode 41: Occlusion/BFR Training, NPC Judging Creep
The Drop Set – Episode 40: DOMS, SARMs, 1RM’s (oh my!)
The Drop Set – Episode 39: “I’m competing! Now what?”, Rep Ranges for Growth
The Drop Set – Episode 38: Arthur Jones HIT, Genetics and Bodybuilding
The Drop Set – Episode 37 – Story time, Natural bodybuilders and untested shows
The Drop Set – Episode 36: Split Design 101, Bodybuilding Mistakes
The Drop Set – Episode 35: 2017 Review, R.E.A.L. Talk
The Drop Set – Episode 34: Macros Revisited!
The Drop Set – Episode 33: Contest Prep vs. Not Prep, Judging Issues & Transparency
The Drop Set – Episode 32: Protein Cost Breakdown, the Importance of Off-Season
The Drop Set – Episode 31: Drugs and Bodybuilding
The Drop Set – Episode 30: NPC Nationals Commentary, Coaching Philosophies
The Drop Set – Episode 29: PROTEIN, Gym Etiquette for Dummies
The Drop Set – Episode 28: Holiday Dieting, Workout Q&A
The Drop Set – Episode 27: $$$ and Bodybuilding, Gym Bag Adventures
The Drop Set – Episode 26: The Scale (revisited), Taking Better Progress Pics
The Drop Set – Episode 25: What to Worry About?
The Drop Set – Episode 24: Meal Timing, Macros 201, Bodybuilding Fads
The Drop Set – Episode 23: Motivation, Dealing with Guilt
The Drop Set – Episode 22: Timing it all, why we pose, back training 101
The Drop Set – Episode 21: Transitioning Between Phases
The Drop Set – Episode 20: TOO hardcore?!? Macro f#$%-ups!
The Drop Set – Episode 19: Cheat Meals, Sustainability in Bodybuilding
The Drop Set – Episode 18: Home Gyms, Workout Partners, and Body Fat Testing
The Drop Set – Episode 17: Strength vs. Size, Stress Management
The Drop Set – Episode 16: Chest Training Tips, Bodybuilding & Travel
The Drop Set – Episode 15: F’d up Posing, Fixing NPC Shows
The Drop Set – Episode 14: Welcome Back D! Weight Selection 101
The Drop Set – Episode 13: Range of Motion, Dealing with Long Breaks
The Drop Set – Episode 12: Glute Training, Logging Your Workouts
The Drop Set – Episode 11: Maintaining Prep Focus and Using the Scale Correctly
The Drop Set – Episode 10: Meal prep tips and tricks, Macros 102
The Drop Set – Episode 9: Assessing Progress, Supplements A-Z
The Drop Set – Episode 8: Hypertrophy 101
The Drop Set – Episode 7: Roles of a coach and reducing injury risk
The Drop Set – Episode 6: Offseason strategies & searching for a coach
The Drop Set – Episode 5: Gym Efficiency & Coping w/Holidays!
The Drop Set – Episode 4: Sleep, Lifting with tension
The Drop Set – Episode 3: Prep Do’s & Dont’s
The Drop Set – Episode 2: Macros 101
The Drop Set – Episode 1