Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast

Jon Heck

My name is Jon Heck, and I am a strength and conditioning coach and nutritionist. I am a former strength coach from Division-1 college football and the NFL. I now run my coaching business Hammer and Chisel Performance full time, working with all walks of life on nutrition and training. With a background in powerlifting, bodybuilding, strongman, football and coaching in different fields, I will be bringing on a wide variety of guest from all of these realms of the world of performance and the fitness industry to talk all things coaching, nutrition, training, business, and more.

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38 episodes
Avg 1 hr 5 min
English

Episodes 38

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Thursday · 1 hr 28 min
Q&A Answered! TRT, Supps, Diet, Bloodwork, Longevity, Etc
You sent in your questions and Paul Romzek and I answered them at length! Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:15 Can you maintain fertility while on TRT? 7:21 Do enhanced lifters need more micronutrients? 11:40 Is NoSalt a good way to increase potassium intake? 13:59 Should you continue an anabolic cycle when sick? 15:42 How do you build bigger shoulders without heavy overhead pressing? 17:17 Are weekly refeeds beneficial during a fat loss diet? 22:51 Why do high-carb meals cause hypoglycemia after dieting? 25:49 Should you hire a coach when starting TRT? 30:00 Can a calorie surplus become maintenance during a bulk? 33:39 Is TRT appropriate with hemochromatosis and low free testosterone? 40:35 Is glutamine supplementation worthwhile without digestive issues? 42:35 Are deloads necessary, and how should you implement them? 49:03 How would you build a coaching business from zero in 90 days? 58:37 What is the optimal fiber supplementation protocol? 1:01:33 How much training volume is considered junk volume? 1:03:53 How does extreme height and body mass change training and nutrition? 1:09:34 How does low estradiol affect IGF-1 levels? 1:11:46 Should you lower elevated estrogen if you have no symptoms? 1:16:19 Can a fat loss diet extend beyond 20 weeks? 1:18:36 Should you increase calories if you feel fatigued on rest days? 1:21:30 Is long-term GLP-1 use a good strategy? 1:26:25 Outro
Tuesday · 1 hr 25 min
Ep. 106 | Q Willey: The Truth About Rehab, Injury Prevention and Pain
Q Willey, known on social media as "Coach Q Physio", is a physical therapist, strength and conditioning coach, and elite athlete with experience working alongside professional and collegiate athletes. With a background in high-level athletic performance, including training for Team USA Bobsled, Q brings a unique perspective that bridges the gap between rehabilitation and strength training.In this episode of the Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast, we dive into the shortcomings of traditional rehabilitation, the misconceptions surrounding injury prevention, and why many athletes are chronically underprepared for the demands of their sport. We challenge conventional approaches to mobility, corrective exercises, and pain management while discussing the importance of heavy strength training, building resilient tissues, and understanding the difference between pain and actual injury.
October 23 · 26 min
How to maximize muscle gain over time
Stop viewing food as a weight gain resource for building muscle. Start leveraging it as a signal and a resource to compliment training. Slowly over time train your body to handle more food as you build more muscle...turn your body into a food processing machine. I cover this whole topic and provide a clear actionable example of how to execute this.
October 21 · 1 hr 7 min
Bonus Ep | Elite Powerlifter Tyler Williamson: Beef with Joe Sullivan
Yesterday I dropped an episode with elite powerlifter Joe Sullivan who has been in a beef with fellow competitor Tyler Williamson. In this episode, Tyler comes on to respond. Tyler is one of the strongest squatters in the world and will be competing against Joe head to head in a few months on the platform.
October 20 · 1 hr 9 min
Ep. 105 | Joe Sullivan: Death, Squats, and Powerlifting Beefs
In this episode of the Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast, I sit down with the legendary world record holding powerlifter and coach Joe Sullivan to discuss his return to the platform, the turning point moments that forever changed his life, and his ongoing beef against fellow competitor Tyler Williamson who he will competing against head to head in his upcoming powerlifting meet.
October 15 · 36 min
Supplements that work
PERFORMANCE & MUSCLE BUILDING 1. Creatine Monohydrate 2. Caffeine / Caffeine Anhydrous 3. Citrulline Malate 4. Beta-Alanine 5. Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium) 6. Potassium Citrate 7. Magnesium Glycinate 8. Coconut Water 9. Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD) 10. Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) 11. Dietary Nitrates (Beetroot Extract, Beetroot Juice, Pomegranate Juice) 12. Alpha-GPC 13. Rhodiola Rosea COGNITION & NOOTROPICS 14. Caffeine 15. Nicotine 16. L-Theanine 17. Creatine Monohydrate 18. Alpha-GPC 19. Lion's Mane Mushroom FAT LOSS 20. Yohimbine HCl 21. Caffeine 22. Nicotine 23. Ephedrine (Bronkaid) 24. Green Tea Extract (EGCG) 25. Berberine SLEEP 26. Ashwagandha 27. Melatonin 28. Magnesium Glycinate 29. Kiwi Fruit 30. Taurine 31. Cannabis / Marijuana 32. Phenibut GENERAL HEALTH 33. High-EPA Fish Oil 34. Citrus Bergamot 35. Policosanol 36. PHGG Fiber (Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum / Sunfiber) 37. Pycnogenol (French Maritime Pine Bark Extract) 38. Vitamin D3 39. Vitamin C 40. Glutathione 41. TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid) 42. Zinc Picolinate 43. Methylated Vitamin B12 44. Curcumin
October 13 · 1 hr 30 min
Ep. 104 | Dom Kuza: Muscle vs. Longevity, Health and Performance
Dom Kuza is a fitness coach and former bodybuilder who has transitioned from pursuing maximum muscle mass to embracing a more balanced approach to strength, endurance, and long-term health.After reaching approximately 220 pounds during his bodybuilding years, Dom shifted his priorities toward longevity, metabolic health, and hybrid athletic performance, eventually reducing his bodyweight to around 155 pounds.His experiences with bodybuilding, fatherhood, and endurance training have shaped his perspective on what it truly means to be healthy, fit, and capable for the long haul.
October 8 · 25 min
Phasic Diet Periodization: How to Maximize Your Physique and Strength
This is one of the single biggest nutrition concepts that I preach on. Maximizing body composition improvement over time to create the biggest physique transformation possible and maximize your ceiling. Want to get as jacked as possible? Give yourself the best opportunity to be as strong as possible? This is the way.
October 6 · 1 hr 6 min
Ep. 103| Bryce Johnson, The Hidden Battles of Elite Athletes
Bryce Johnson is an American professional strongman.He has established himself among the top competitors in the sport. Johnson won North America’s Strongest Man in both 2025 and 2026, competed at World’s Strongest Man in 2025 and 2026, placed 5th at the 2025 Rogue Invitational and Strongest Man on Earth, and finished 6th at the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic. He also pulled 1,000 lb (453.5 kg) at the 2026 World Deadlift Championships What happens behind the scenes when your identity, livelihood, and goals revolve around performing at the highest level?In this episode we talk about the side of elite athletics that fans rarely see. We discuss mental health in high-level sport, the pressure that comes with competition, the sacrifices required to become one of the best in the world, and the challenges athletes can face away from the spotlight.Bryce also shares perspective from his journey through football and into professional strongman, and we talk about the strange contradiction of being expected to embody strength and toughness while still dealing with the same struggles, doubts, and difficult periods as everyone else.
October 1 · 1 hr 45 min
Nutrition and Training Q&A with Dr. Emily Dow
You asked, we answered! I am joined by Dr. Emily Dow for a joint Q&A answered segment. Some great discussion points here on all things training and nutrition. Time stamps below 0:00 Intro 3:53 How to track/weigh your food while seeming normal in front of your kids during a family dinner 6:44 Does age change how carbohydrates should be allocated? 8:17 Should the same calorie-per-kilogram metabolism multipliers be used for women? 11:45 How do you eat for performance without gaining unwanted body fat? 13:39 What is the optimal fat intake? 16:32 How do you calculate energy availability for athletes? 18:18 Refeed days: planned or reactive? 22:14 How should nutrition differ for endurance vs. strength training? 25:18 How do you approach nutrition for an athlete trying to reduce body weight in-season? 27:07 For improving VO2 max, how much HIIT vs. endurance work is ideal? 28:28 How do you translate macros into a meal plan? 31:46 Why do carbohydrates get so much hate, and how would you explain to a middle schooler that carbs aren't bad? 35:11 Advice for a woman dealing with perpetual bloating 37:19 What are your most affordable nutrition hacks? 39:28 If you could go back, would you change your formal education to nutrition-based? 40:26 How should caloric targets change on days with long efforts or large energy expenditure? 41:32 What's one thing you would change Dr. Emily's mind about? 43:47 As a beginner runner over 200 lb, what should the main focus be? 45:45 How would you space out meals for someone working night shift? 47:43 What are your favorite carbohydrate fuels during extended exercise? 49:07 Do nicotine benefits outweigh the risks? 51:30 How do you lose weight while training for an ultramarathon without sacrificing performance? 53:16 Is it okay to use cereal during a cut if it fits your macros and calories? 55:08 What strength training methods work best for endurance athletes? 56:57 When cutting or gaining, does meal timing or frequency change? 58:15 Do you track your macros year-round? 1:01:49 What should nutrition look like before and after a race? 1:03:39 How do you carb cycle in a gain phase? 1:04:41 What nutrition strategies support bone fracture healing? 1:05:34 How do you adjust carbohydrate intake when coming off an injury? 1:05:59 How accurate are micronutrient values in tracking apps and nutrition labels? 1:08:07 Do liquid carbohydrate mixes, gels, and chews differ in absorption or usefulness? 1:09:04 What's one traditional strength & conditioning or sports nutrition idea that needs more context? 1:10:52 How much creatine should females and males take? 1:13:32 What are your favorite zero-effort meals when you don't feel like eating? 1:15:45 How do you balance academic/professional burnout with training? 1:16:47 Any advice on staying on a diet while having a girlfriend? 1:18:53 If cannabis raises heart rate during training, can that be used to improve the workout? 1:20:34 When should you swap from rice to potatoes or other carb sources during a fat-loss phase? 1:21:36 What is the relationship between serotonin and the gut? 1:23:44 How essential is having a menstrual cycle to a woman's performance, and how do you support it nutritionally? 1:24:50 Should all beginners start with full-body workouts? 1:26:28 Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, and why? 1:27:21 What area would you like more education or knowledge in? 1:30:06 Is a maintenance phase beneficial during November/December and the holiday season? 1:32:46 Is there value in periodically getting DEXA and VO2 max testing? 1:35:23 How do you break into the performance space, and how much do degrees/certifications matter? 1:41:10 What is interesting about the relationship between the gut microbiome and exercise? 1:42:49 Outro
September 29 · 1 hr 32 min
Ep. 102: Mike White | Gut Health & Fitness Industry BS
Mike White PhD(c) is the founder and co-owner of Grey Matter Training. He is a highly intelligent and experienced strength and conditioning, fitness, longevity and nutrition coach who brings a practical, evidence-informed perspective to health, performance, and the coaching industry. He serves as an educator through his platform to coaches all over the world. His work focuses on cutting through misinformation, challenging ineffective protocols, and helping people identify strategies that actually produce results. With a strong interest in gut health, nutrition, and professional development, Mike offers a perspective on the intersection of scientific research, real-world coaching experience, and building a successful career in fitness.
September 24 · 30 min
Making permanent body compositon changes with a long term approach.
Most people diet and lose a ton of weight...only to have it all come right back. In this episode I dive into my perspective on applying a long term, slow approach to nutrition and taking multiple diet phases over the course of a year and beyond to create a new set point for your body, thus creating long term permanent changes to your body composition.
September 22 · 1 hr 15 min
Ep. 101 | Judd Lienhard: 12 Steps to Getting Lean
Judd Lienhard is a former U.S. Army Ranger, collegiate football player, and strength and performance coach with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. A former All-Conference linebacker at Truman State University, Judd served three deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded two Bronze Stars. He is the founder of MASS Method, a training system emphasizing Movement, Athleticism, Strength, and Speed. Through his coaching, podcast, and Always Be An Athlete philosophy, Judd promotes building strength, maintaining athleticism, and improving long-term health and performance.In this episode we dive into some major misunderstandings around fat loss, misunderstanding around the "calories in, calories out" principle, and some actionable steps for how to effectively improve body composition.
September 17 · 24 min
Why Diet Transition Phases are Crucial
Stop cutting right after you bulk and stop bulking right after you cut! In this week's nutrition rant I talk about why transitional maintenance diet phases are critical.
September 15 · 1 hr 5 min
Ep. 100 | Garrett Walker: Toxic Body Positivty and the Decline of Masculinity
Garrett Walker, better known as Runvus Coaching, is a fitness coach and content creator known for his direct, no-BS approach to training, nutrition, discipline, and self-improvement. His content frequently challenges popular narratives in the fitness and wellness space and calling out bad actors in dishonesty in the industry.In this episode, we discuss the body-positivity movement and where acceptance can cross the line into normalizing unhealthy behaviors and the importance of personal responsibility and accountability.We also dive into what Garrett sees as a decline in traditional masculinity among men, the value of strength, discipline, resilience, and doing difficult things, and how modern culture may be shaping men's attitudes toward responsibility and self-improvement.
September 10 · 31 min
Eat more to lose fat. Start by building your metabolism.
Many people want to ultimately get leaner and lose body fat...but they are not consuming enough food to support an effective calorie deficit. Here is the approach I take instead, and how to evaluate whether or not this is the route for you to take.
September 8 · 1 hr 1 min
Ep. 99: Brian Kula | Speed Training 101
Brian Kula is a veteran speed and performance coach and the founder of Kula Sports Performance. With roughly three decades of experience developing athletes from the youth level through the professional ranks, Kula has coached National Champions, All-Americans, Gatorade Players of the Year, Olympians, and professional athletes. He is especially well known for his longtime work with NFL star Christian McCaffrey and has also worked with athletes including Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown. Kula's background spans track & field, football, strength and conditioning, and speed development, and he was himself an All-American decathlete at the University of Northern Colorado.Brian gives us a Speed Training 101 look at how he structures an athlete's offseason. We cover acceleration, max-velocity sprinting, mechanics, force production, strength and power development in the weight room, recovery, and how all of these pieces fit together within a complete training week. Kula's approach emphasizes high-quality sprint exposures alongside strength and power work while managing fatigue so athletes can actually perform at high outputs.
September 3 · 1 hr 3 min
Monthly Q&A Answered: All things diet and training
0:00 Intro 1:22 How do you integrate eating out into your macros? 2:30 Nutrition strategies for appetite when using Adderall or Vyvanse 4:32 Do macro and calorie recommendations differ for women? 5:07 My experience with retatrutide: benefits & side effects 6:45 Optimal body fat percentage for performance & aesthetics 7:59 Can you flex your pecs? 8:23 How to structure a surplus for a 50kg female 9:42 How to combine Olympic lifting with hypertrophy training 10:21 Optimal daily creatine dose for muscle & cognitive benefits 11:21 How should training change when going from growing to cutting? 13:00 How to progress your strict press from 130 to 200 lbs 14:03 How would you diet natural vs. enhanced lifters differently? 15:12 Fast or slow weight cut for a strength competition? 16:21 How many steps should you get while dieting? 17:19 Favorite carb sources during a gaining phase 18:33 Grass-fed, organic vs. conventional meat: is it worth it? 19:13 Genetic limitations for natural muscle gain 20:17 How to carb cycle during maintenance 20:55 How much pre- and intra-workout carbs 21:35 How much fluid should you drink daily? 21:58 Does knee bend make an RDL not an RDL? 23:19 How long should transitions between diet phases be? 23:52 Best post-workout meal one hour before bed 24:23 Do high-volume meals before bed affect digestion and sleep? 25:06 Thoughts on nutrition & strength coaches without degrees 26:20 How much fat should be in a post-workout meal? 26:37 What body fat percentage should you start a growth phase at? 27:04 My end goals for physique and training 28:03 “skinny fat” beginner lifters 28:47 Why are your biceps so sexy? 28:57 Should you make body composition changes in-season? 29:51 My go-to cheat meal 31:04 How much fluid is too much during a workout? 31:36 TSA with supplement powders 32:01 Why almond butter over peanut butter? 32:43 My pumpkin pancake recipe 33:15 How to increase carbs during a reverse diet 33:35 weight loss stall 34:36 Best ways to learn strength & conditioning and nutrition 35:32 Do natural testosterone boosters actually work? 36:26 Will I offer discounts on coaching? 36:50 How to foster a lifelong love of physical activity in your kids 38:17 How to transition from bulking to cutting and vice versa 38:49 Do I love Donald Trump? 40:03 How to structure A/B or A/B/C weeks for squats & deadlifts 41:14 How to get your first pull-up 41:55 Meal timing & frequency for bodybuilding and performance 42:45 Downsides of starting a calorie surplus while peaking for competition 43:24 Should you log meat cooked or raw? 43:38 What nutrition concept should every strength coach understand? 44:14 Nutrition tips for very early morning training 45:02 How I start a new nutrition coaching client 45:49 How to structure pre- and post-workout nutrition 47:01 How to transition from a cut into a gaining phase 47:16 How much muscle can you gain after 5+ years of lifting? 47:55 How much cardio should you do during a gaining phase? 48:58 Ideal weekly rate of weight gain during a building phase 49:16 How to approach a recomp if you’re “skinny fat” 50:19 Am I natural? 50:57 How to calculate daily electrolyte needs 51:43 Do you like hugs from the right person? 52:05 Does my enhancement protocol change when bulking vs. cutting? 52:38 Do I have siblings? 52:54 Meal plans vs. “If It Fits Your Macros” 53:47 Best training split if you can only train 4 consecutive days 54:32 Should baseball players prioritize physique or performance? 55:05 How many of your daily carbs should be around your workout? 55:24 total carbs or net carbs? 55:39 How to improve squat, bench & deadlift while running 56:20 How long should a building phase last after fat loss? 56:47 body fat set point? 57:45 How my nutrition & training philosophy has changed over 5 years 59:18 How many sets per week are ideal for strength and size? 1:00:40 Best barbell-only exercises for quad hypertrophy 1:01:24 How should carb cycling change if you’re also running? 1:01:58 Carnivore diet
September 1 · 1 hr 39 min
Ep. 98: Maximus McCall, Unorthodox Diets and Supplements
Maximus McCall is an Australian nutrition and strength coach. He works with some of the most elite strongman competitors, powerlifters and fighters in the world. Max is highly intelligent and utilizes some unorthodox strategies for dieting, as well as some unique protocols for managing mental issues like addiction and depression. We dive into several of those interesting unique diet and supplementation protocols in this episode and there are some incredibly interesting takeaways from this conversation.
August 27 · 21 min
Why SLEEP May Be Overrated...
In this week's rant, I go delve into a different topic than nutrition and training and talk about SLEEP. And I have an alternative perspective to offer here.

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