Muscle for Life

“How many sets should I do?” “When should I add more volume and how?” These are questions I get all the time, and especially lately. That’s because some recent studies have shown that basically, the more you do in the gym, the more you grow. Some studies suggest that doing as many as 40 sets per muscle group per week results in more growth than doing 20 sets. Is that really true though? And if so, how many sets should you be doing every week for optimal growth? Should we just do as many sets as possible? And on the opposite side of the coin, is there a minimum amount of volume we can get away with? To help answer these questions, I invited James Krieger back onto the podcast. Not only is he a published scientist and researcher, but he’s an accomplished writer who’s published a humongous treatise on training volume on his blog Weightology. His work is a legitimate “bible” on training volume that’s examined just about every study you’d be able to find on this hot topic. In this episode, James enlightens us on …

“Can you recommend a book for…?” “What are you reading right now?” “What are your favorite books?” I get asked those types of questions a lot and, as an avid reader and all-around bibliophile, I’m always happy to oblige. I also like to encourage people to read as much as possible because knowledge benefits you much like compound interest. The more you learn, the more you know; the more you know, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more opportunities you have to succeed. On the flip side, I also believe there’s little hope for people who aren’t perpetual learners. Life is overwhelmingly complex and chaotic, and it slowly suffocates and devours the lazy and ignorant. So, if you’re a bookworm on the lookout for good reads, or if you’d like to get into the habit of reading, this book club for you. The idea here is simple: Every month, I’ll share a book that I’ve particularly liked, why I liked it, and several of my key takeaways from it. I’ll also keep things short and sweet so you can quickly decide wh

In this episode, I interview Chris, who used my work to help turn his life around and even escape depression. When he first started working out, he didn’t know what he was doing with his training or diet. But thanks to newbie gains, he made progress anyway and learned to enjoy lifting weights. Along the way, though, things started to turn sour outside the gym. Financial troubles mounted, his relationship began to unravel, and Chris stopped going to the gym. He gained more and more weight as stress and depression began to take their toll, and then things came to a head: Chris and his wife separated. That was the moment he decided to get back in shape. It was around this time his brother (who lost over 200 pounds following Bigger Leaner Stronger!) introduced him to my work. Chris started following the Bigger Leaner Stronger program inside and outside the gym and, well, it helped him completely transform his life. He lost a boatload of fat, getting down to 15% body fat, added a ton of strength to his big lifts,

Well, here we are, quarantined because of this VIRAL BOOGALOO blitzing around the world like it’s 1941, ravaging the defenseless lungs of tens of thousands of men, women, and children. Gyms are shuttered, Charmin Ultra Soft is now worth its weight in gold ammo, and protein bars have become a prized delicacy. The worst part for us fitness folk? HOME. WORKOUTS. Because for most of us, that means instead of our divine daily communion with the iron, we have to putz around with boring bodyweight exercises and bands. Guess what, though? Home workouts don’t have to be an unproductive slog. Although you can’t fully replicate the effectiveness of compound weightlifting, you can still gain (or at least maintain) muscle and strength with a well-designed home workout routine consisting of bodyweight exercises. And if you have some bands or dumbbells, that’s even better. So, if you want to learn how to work out at home when you can’t go to the gym, keep reading. You’ll learn the best bodyweight, band, and dumbbell exercis

The argument over whether or not men and women should train differently is an old one. Years ago, “experts” said women should train with light weights and high reps to “tone” and “sculpt” their bodies, whereas men should train with heavy weights and low reps to pack on muscle. In the past few years, the pendulum has swung in the other direction, with many people claiming women and men should follow the exact same training programs. And others say that while men and women should follow most of the same training principles, they should still follow slightly different programs for optimal results. Who’s right? Well, I tend to fall into the latter camp (the principles of training remain the same, but how they’re applied differs for men and women), but I also wanted to pick the brain of author, coach, and podcaster, Mark Rippetoe. In this episode, Mark edumacates us on ... - How and why women differ from men in terms of strength performance - What neuromuscular efficiency is and why it matters when designing a str

It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, life was business as usual. Now, we’re just a few weeks into the COVID-19 lockdown, and it’s looking like this will be the “new normal” for at least another few months. And us fitness folks are having a time of it. For one thing, you have to work out from home, and if that weren’t bad enough, some grocery stores are running out of stock on meat, vegetables, fruit, and other healthy staples. So you’re probably wondering, how the heck are you supposed to eat healthy through this mess? Should you cut, bulk, or maintain? And how are you supposed to avoid overeating? You’ve probably seen news stories about people binge eating junk food to mollify their frayed nerves, and others grazing throughout the day to mitigate their boredom, leading some people to call weight gained during the lockdown the “quarantine 15” or “COVID-15.” Well, the good news is that if you know what you’re doing, eating healthy during the quarantine is bat . . . er . . . duck soup. In this podcas

This episode is part of a monthly series that I have dubbed “Motivation Monday.” (Yes, I know, very creative of me. What can I say, I’m a genius…) Seriously though, the idea here is simple: One Monday every month, I’m going to post a short and punchy episode that I hope gets you fired up to tackle the workouts, work, and everything else that you have planned for the week ahead. As we all know, it’s one thing to know what you want to do, but it’s something else altogether to actually make yourself do it, and I hope that this series gives you a jolt of inspiration, energy, and encouragement to get at it. So, if you like what you hear, then make sure to check back for the latest and greatest installment.   --- Mentioned on The Show: Legion Supplements: legionathletics.com/shop/ ---   Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click here: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/

I’ve written and recorded a lot of evidence-based content over the years on just about everything you can imagine related to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy. I’ve also worked with thousands of men and women of all ages and circumstances and helped them get into the best shape of their lives. That doesn’t mean you should blindly swallow everything I say, though, because let’s face it—nobody is always right about everything. And especially in fields like diet and exercise, which are constantly evolving thanks to the efforts of honest and hardworking researchers and thought leaders. This is why I’m always happy to hear from people who disagree with me, especially when they have good arguments and evidence to back up their assertions. Sometimes I can’t get on board with their positions, but sometimes I end up learning something, and either way, I always appreciate the discussion. That gave me the idea for this series of podcast episodes: publicly addressing things people disagree with me on and s

“When’s your next book coming out?” “What kind of supplements are you going to release next?” “What would you name your boat if you had one?” I’m asked questions like these all the time and so I thought I’d start doing monthly updates about what’s new and exciting here at Legion HQ. So here’s a quick hosedown of what me and my jolly band of pirates and bums have been up to lately. Enjoy! --- Mentioned on The Show: Legion Rebrand: https://legionathletics.com/new-and-exciting-march-2020/ Legion Health Boosters: https://legionathletics.com/products/supplements/ Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ --- Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click here: www.legionathletics.com/signup/

If you’re like most people, you’ve been paying attention to what’s happening with coronavirus. Over 300,000 people have taken ill as of this writing and, depending on who you ask, the death rate ranges from 0.3 to 1 to 3% (one of the latest studies pins this number right in the middle at 1.4%). This makes it slightly more deadly than the flu, and significantly more deadly for those who are over 60 years old. While it’s easy to blow the situation out of proportion (and the media firestorm isn’t helping), it’s still wise to do everything you can to shore up your immune system in times like these. You’re probably already taking preventative measures like washing your hands, avoiding large crowds, and so forth, but you’re still exposed to thousands of different germs every day (and possibly, COVID-19). That’s not to mention the thousands of other seasonal diseases that sweep around the world every year like a swarm of locusts. And if one of these germs manages to sneak past your guard, it’s up to your immune syst

Scott Carney is an interesting guy doing fascinating things. I first had him on the podcast to discuss his New York Times Bestseller What Doesn’t Kill Us, which took an investigative look at “hacking” our bodies and using the environment to stimulate our biology. Specifically, Scott went on a journey with biohacking legend Wim Hof, using special breathing techniques to push the limits of strength and endurance, submerging himself in ice water and climbing a freezing mountain with only a pair of shorts. Scott decided to take what he learned from Wim even further in his newest book, The Wedge, where he explores controlling mind and body to hijack stress and experience life in a whole new way. In this podcast, we discuss . . . - How too much comfort can actually be unhealthy - Developing unstoppable grit - Using kettlebell tossing to enter a flow state - Creating new neural symbols to change your experience of sensations - And so much more . . . Let’s dig in! 4:47 - What is The Wedge and why did you write it? 7:

FRANDO! It’s-a-me, your Pandemic Pal, Corona Chum, and Quarantine . . . uhhhh . . . Quixote? And here we are, socially stranded, steadily sanitized, and slightly stir crazy thanks to The Rona, which isn’t merely “another flu,” as many not-doctors on (delete your) Instagram would have you believe. But hey, there are some white clouds in the sky, too. For instance . . . 1) Thanks to the cancellation of sports, many men have discovered they live with women and children who seem pretty nice. 2) We’ve discovered how someone eating bat soup in China can cause a worldwide shortage in toilet paper. 3) This may lead to an orgiastic baby boom, and in the 2030s, we’ll witness the rise of THE QUARANTEENS. Ha ha ha, and that’s not all sweet cheeks—open your mouth, so I can ladle some more rich, creamy good news into it. According to a March 19th message from Harvard Health Publishing . . . - Most people with COVID-19 recover. Estimates now suggest that 99% of people infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 will recove

For centuries, women were more or less excluded from organized athletics, relegated to more “feminine” tasks like being homemakers or taking care of children. A lot has changed. Women have their own leagues and divisions in all sports now, and while the WNBA might not ever be as popular as the NBA, for example, things are more equal now than they’ve ever been. But it’s been a gradual process that took many iconoclastic women to get to this point. To learn more about the culture of women’s strength and the history of women in sports, I invited journalist Haley Shapley on the podcast. In this episode, we discuss Haley’s new book Strong Like Her, which offers a deep dive into the world of women’s athleticism throughout history. We chat about . . . - How she got involved in women’s sports and why she wrote the book - How you’re in control of your body and can avoid getting bulky - The differences in how women and men are treated in sports - Unique challenges women face like being paid less and lack of sufficient

The issue of transgender women competing in women’s sports has become a hot button affair in recent years, mostly because many are blowing biological women out of the water, and in some cases, setting records that no biological woman will likely ever be able to break. Some people argue this isn’t a problem, because men who have transitioned to women and follow official competitive protocols don’t have any advantages over other women. Others argue that the significant physical advantages that men enjoy over women, such as more strength, speed, and power, can’t be eliminated by hormone therapy, and thus, biological men shouldn’t be able to compete against biological women. Who’s right? I invited Dr. Greg Brown onto the podcast to help explain what science has to say on the matter. He’s a professor of Exercise Science at the University of Nebraska Kearney who recently wrote an “expert declaration” on this very subject that examines all of the relevant research currently available. In this interview, Dr. Brown br

In this episode, we’ll digress from our regular programming on how to lose fat, gain muscle, and stay healthy, and enter the world of professional sports with David Nurse, who’s one of the premier shooting coaches in the NBA. David once had aspirations to play in the NBA himself, but eventually, he learned the painful truth that he simply wasn’t good enough to compete at the highest levels of the sport. This was a tough row to hoe for David, who had devoted most of his life to the sport. Basketball was more or less all he knew and loved, and if he couldn’t make it as a pro, what else was he supposed to do? Instead of quitting his passion, however, David redirected it, successfully pivoting to a career of helping other good athletes become great. And today, he works with some of the best players in the world to help them continue to hone not just their physical talents but their mental game, as well. So, if you’ve ever wondered what professional sports teams do when the cameras aren’t running to achieve such s

As of right now, I’ve produced over 500 episodes of Muscle for Life, totaling over 700 hours of content. I’ve talked about a huge variety of things related to health, fitness, and lifestyle, ranging from the basics of diet and exercise like energy and macronutrient balance and progressive overload and training frequency and volume to fads like the ketogenic and carnivore diet and collagen protein to more unfamiliar territories like body weight set point and fasted cardio. Some episodes resonate with my crowd more than others, but all of them contain at least a few key takeaways that just about anyone can benefit from (that’s what I tell myself at least). And as cool as that is, it poses a problem for you, my dear listener: Ain’t nobody got time for that. Well okay, some people do make the time to listen to most or even all of my podcasts, but my wizbang analytics tell me that while many listeners tune in on a regular basis, they don’t catch every installment of Muscle for Life and thus miss out on insights th

Weight loss advice has been muddled for decades now. For example, in the 90’s, we were told that all we had to do to get the body of our dreams is eat as little dietary fat as possible. That didn’t work. Now we’re being told we can eat a snootful of fat every day so long as we restrict our carbohydrate and sugar intake. That’s not working, either. Hormones…artificial sweeteners…chemicals and “toxins”…genetically modified foods…wheat and gluten…they’re all to blame for our collective fatness, according to one “guru” or another. And the weight loss solutions they offer? Restrictive dieting, of course, which, in many cases, means facing down a short list of what you can eat with everything else being strictly verboten. Ironically, and fortunately for you, they’re all missing the forest for the trees. You see, losing weight is much simpler than you’ve been led to believe, and in this podcast, we’re going to talk about a weight loss and maintenance strategy that not only makes sense and is supported by good scienc

Coronavirus. The only thing anybody is talking about right now as it continues to upend life as we knew it and highlight all the things we’ve been taking for granted, like eating at the local pizza joint, walking more than 100 steps per day, and oh, I don’t know, being able to leave the fucking house. And then there’s the fitness fallout, what with lifters everywhere yearning for their usual diet and training routines, driven to boredom and overeating by lame home workouts with soup cans and small children for resistance. If all that weren’t enough, there’s also the scumpot of scammers and losers clogging our Instagram feeds with posts about pills, powders, and potions that’ll purportedly ward off infection and disease. And so understandably, you have questions about stuff like what to do with your diet, how to best work out at home, and how to help your immune system, and that’s why I wanted to bring Dr. Layne Norton back on the podcast. Not only is he a pro bodybuilder, accomplished powerlifter, and publish

I’ve churned through over 150,000 emails, social media comments and messages, and blog comments in the last 6 years. And that means I’ve fielded a ton of questions. As you can imagine, some questions pop up more often than others, and I thought it might be helpful to take a little time every month to choose a few and record and share my answers. So, in this round, I answer the following three questions: - What do I think about the coronavirus? - What are the best home workouts for maintaining muscle and strength? - Is eating at night unhealthy and does it cause weight gain? If you have a question you’d like me to answer, leave a comment below or if you want a faster response, send an email to mike@muscleforlife.com. Recommended reading for this episode: - https://legionathletics.com/home-workout/ - https://legionathletics.com/how-to-prevent-mindless-eating/ Timestamps: 2:18 - What do I think about the coronavirus? 6:53 - What are the best home workouts for maintaining muscle and strength? 34:32 - Is eating at

Today’s episode is with the one and only Ben Greenfield, the bossman of biohacking and New York Times Bestselling author of several books, including his latest work, Boundless, which is a delicious buffet of techniques and tricks for optimizing your mind, body, and spirit. And with most of us huddled up in our homes with our families, only venturing out for necessities like groceries and toilet paper, what better subjects to talk about in this moment than immunity, longevity, and . . . sex! In this episode, Ben and I chat about . . . - How specific breathing techniques and nasal breathing can decrease stress and improve your sleep - Ways you can support your immune system - The benefits of cold exposure - How “sex salad” and oxytocin can enhance your drive and satisfaction - “Doomsday” prepping and using newly found pandemic time productively - And more . . . Enjoy! 9:40 - What forms of breath work do you discuss in your new book? 13:29 - How can you train yourself to breath through your nose when you sleep?