In this episode of The Aethix Approach, I’m excited to welcome a guest who is a prime example of bridging the gap between strength and aesthetics on a plant based diet: Charlie Ziegler!
We’ll dive into Charlie’s impressive athletic background and his journey into powerlifting, why he ultimately stepped away from the sport to pursue hypertrophy-focused training and whether he’d ever consider stepping onto a bodybuilding stage. But it doesn’t stop there—Charlie shares his insights into training with his high intensity approach, our thoughts on science-based lifting, trends in fitness culture and different styles of training. 🚀
Of course, we’ll explore Charlie’s vegan journey—why he made the switch, his approach to eating to optimize body composition, what it’s like following a plant-based diet in his home state of Wisconsin, and his practical advice for anyone looking to optimize their nutrition, macros, and protein sources. 🌎
Whether you’re curious about training philosophies like high-intensity, low-volume approaches, or wondering about topics like natural limits, TRT, and maingaining method vs bulking and cutting, Charlie brings a no-nonsense, educated and experienced approach to hypertrophy and strength training.
And as always, we’ll cap it off with Charlie’s goals for the future, plus where you can connect with him for more inspiration and expertise. This episode is packed with tips, strategies, and real talk for anyone looking to live healthier and lift smarter. Without further ado, let’s jump in to it with Charlie Ziegler! 🎧
TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Episode preview with Charlie 00:30 - Intro to Podcast 01:00 - Intro to Charlie Ziegler and this episode 4:30 - Charlie's athletic background 8:00 - Lifting weights is not hardcore 9:15 - Charlie's powerlifting background 14:15 - Why Charlie stopped powerlifting 17:30 - Would Charlie compete in bodybuilding? 20:00 - Why did Charlie go vegan? 25:00 - What's it like being vegan in Wisconsin? 27:30 - Tips for going vegan and protein sources 31:30 - What's Charlie's approach to his diet, nutrition, macros, etc 36:30 - Science-based lifting - pros and cons 40:30 - Charlie's training methodology 44:00 - UK based lifters, high intensity low volume training 46:45 - Natural limits, genetic peak, age-related decline, pushing the limits 49:00 - TRT 52:00 - Maingain vs bulk/cut 57:15 - Future goals? 57:30 - Genetics and metabolism, how NEET reduces as you get very lean 01:03:00 - Where can people connect with Charlie? 01:04:15 - Episode outro
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