Your Next Meet

When Should You Compete Again? Timing Meets, Momentum, and Realistic Goals in Strength & Physique Sports In this Iron Radio episode, hosts Coach Phil Stevens, Dr. Mike T. Nelson, and Dr. Lonnie Lowery discuss how athletes decide what to do next after a meet or show and when to compete again. Phil explains how competition frequency often shifts from many meets per year early on to fewer events as lifters get stronger, older, and need more time to recover and make meaningful progress, sometimes using smaller meets as non-max “training day” run-throughs for clients. Mike describes prioritizing goals to avoid competitions that distract from main objectives, and notes the added challenges in physique sports where frequent shows can create a stressful 6–12 week “gray area” and lead to issues like water retention and inflammation, especially for natural athletes. They emphasize realistic expectations, honest coaching, and the value of outside perspective for planning and psychology. 00:00 Welcome and Hosts 01:18 When to Compete Again 02:07 Phil on Meet Frequency 03:51 Clients and Progress Planning 06:13 Warmup Meets Strategy 07:49 Powerlifting vs Physique Peaks 08:50 Mike on Priorities and Goals 10:51 Physique Sports Gray Zone 16:40 Iron Radio Feed Update 17:52 Mike Nelson Newsletter 18:30 New Supplement Book 19:39 Levrone Transformation Talk 20:16 Setting Realistic PR Goals 21:26 Getting Athletes To Eat 24:03 Dreams Versus Reality 24:33 Choosing Your Strengths 27:50 Managing Warrior Mode 30:41 Why Coaches Matter 32:35 Wrap Up And Disclaimer Donate to the show via PayPal HERE.You can also join Dr Mike's Insider Newsletter for more info on how to add muscle, improve your performance and body comp - all without destroying your health, go to www.ironradiodrmike.com Thank you!Phil, Jerrell, Mike T, and Lonnie