The Best Diet and Strength Principles w/ Former NFL Coach Jon Heck

What really works for diet, strength, and staying lean for life. Former NFL strength coach Jon Heck joins Judd Lienhard to break down how to eat, train, and build muscle like an athlete.

In this conversation, Judd and Jon discuss what it takes to build strength, stay lean year-round, and train for life, not just a season. They go deep on the connection between nutrition, metabolism, and training intensity, plus how to master the fundamentals that elite athletes live by.

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🔥 In this episode:
Why most people fail at dieting (and how to fix it)
The real role of carbohydrates in muscle growth and recovery
How to become a carbohydrate-processing machine
The reverse diet strategy that keeps fat off after you get lean
How your metabolism adapts — and how to train it to handle more food
The biggest nutrition myths around protein and carbs
“Kill it, Pick it, Grow it” — the simplest rule for clean eating
How to eat for anabolism, performance, and longevity
The truth about insulin sensitivity and why movement matters more than calories
Training differences between college athletes and NFL pros
Jon’s favorite exercises for athletes — and why machines are making a comeback
How to build muscle and joint health without breaking down your body
How to train hard without losing mobility or wrecking your spine
Why most strength programs fail — and what elite coaches do differently
How to create structure and discipline in training and nutrition that lasts for years
What “be a robot outside the gym, be a machine in the gym” really means

💪 Key Takeaways
Movement is non-negotiable: even walking 10,000 steps daily can transform how your body uses food.
Carbs aren’t the enemy. They’re a weapon for muscle growth and recovery — if you train hard enough to earn them.
Reverse dieting matters: the way you exit a diet determines if you stay lean or rebound.
Protein isn’t everything: most people overdo it and underutilize carbs.
Kill it. Pick it. Grow it. If you can hunt it, pick it, or grow it, it belongs in your diet.
Machines and basics still work: hack squats, landmine presses, push presses, and unilateral work build durable athletes.
Consistency beats intensity: robotic discipline outside the gym and intensity inside the gym creates lasting change.

🧩 Who is Jon Heck?
Jon Heck is a former NFL strength & conditioning coach who’s worked with the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Division I football programs like UNC and Troy University.
He’s the founder of Hammer & Chisel Performance — where he coaches athletes and high performers to build muscle, improve nutrition, and become stronger, leaner, and more athletic through science-backed methods that actually work.

Follow Jon for more:
📱 Instagram:: @what_the_heck71
🎧 Podcast: Hammer & Chisel Performance

⚔️ Who is Judd Lienhard?
Judd Lienhard is a former Army Ranger, college linebacker, and elite strength & performance coach with over 15 years of experience training athletes and high performers. His mission: help people live by one standard — Always Be An Athlete.

Follow Judd for more:
📱 Instagram: @juddlienhard
🎧 Podcast: The Judd Lienhard Podcast new episodes every Tuesday at 5a CST
📺 YouTube: ‪@JuddLienhard‬

⚡ Try Judd’s Fitness App – 7-Day Free Trial
👉 https://www.juddlienhard.com/
Always Be An Athlete.