Muscle for Life

As you can imagine, I’ve heard many January resolutions over the years. “This is my year. I’m finally going to lose 20 pounds.” “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. I’m going to get fit again!” “I’m going to set an example for my friends, family, spouse, kids, etc.” And I’ve seen many people, when armed with the right know-how and an extra helping of piss and vinegar, do exactly as they intended. I’ve also seen many unsuccessful attempts at personal transformation inside and outside of the gym, and while a sheer lack of discipline and stick-to-it-iveness is often partly to blame, many times the problems begin right at square one: how they go about setting goals. And then, to add insult to injury, they often botch the next crucial step, and that’s creating a system that will produce their desired results. If you can do those two things well--set goals and build systems--there’s no telling what you might be able to achieve inside and outside of the gym. That’s the topic of today’s discussion with Donata

One of the main reasons many guys get into working out is to be more attractive to women. And for good reason—it works. Men have known for thousands of years that women generally prefer men who are muscular, lean, and strong to those who are soft, fat, and weak, and modern research has vindicated this fact. This isn’t surprising, of course. Having a fit, healthy, athletic body is a good indicator of many desirable traits, such as discipline, determination, patience, perseverance, and self-respect. So if you’re a guy and looking to improve your chances of finding a partner, getting in better shape should be near the top of the list. Of course, that raises the question: What kind of body do women find most attractive? Let’s get started. --- Mentioned on The Show: 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: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/

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 questions: 1. Why haven’t you sold out yet? 2. What is your current take on intermittent fasting? 3. Does isometric exercise work? 4. How much does time under tension contribute to muscle growth? 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. 2:32 - Why haven’t you sold out yet? 14:26 - What is your current take on intermittent fasting? 19:51 - Does isometric exercise work? 23:27 - How much does time under tension contribute to muscle growth? --- Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathletics.com/co

There are many different ways to program your training, many different exercises to choose from, and many ways to do them. Some methods and choices are better than others. Periodization, for example, helps keep the gears of gains greased as you move into the intermediate phase of your weightlifting journey and beyond. Supersets, on the other hand, are like supplements—a sometimes helpful but nonessential tool. And then there are many training techniques that have no place in most people’s routines, like forced reps, negatives, and cheat reps. What about paused reps? Worthwhile or worthless or somewhere in between? Well, the short answer is when used properly, paused reps can help you gain muscle and strength faster, but not for the reasons people often say. And in this podcast, you’re going to learn why, as well as how to effectively incorporate paused reps into your workout routine. Let’s get to it. Time Stamps: 2:54 - What are paused reps? 4:52 - Why do people do paused reps? 5:14 - Can paused reps improve

Fasting is becoming more and more popular. You have intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting, 24-hour fasting, the 5:2 diet, and endless other variations. And most of these methods don’t seem all that difficult or complex. Instead of evenly spacing your meals throughout the day, you eat all of your calories in a shorter period of time (usually 4 to 10 hours) and you don’t eat the rest of the time. According to some, though, there’s a better mousetrap out there—water fasting. As you can guess, water fasting involves abstaining from all forms of food or drink except water, and you keep this up for anywhere from a day to several weeks. You don’t have to look far to find stories of people who swear water fasting offers all kinds of benefits, including: - Effortless weight loss - More energy - Improved complexion - Slowed aging - Better health - And more . . . Sounds good so far. To many people, the most appealing part of water fasting is it’s so simple. You never have to wonder what you can or can’t eat durin

You may not recognize Ethan Suplee’s name, but you’ve almost certainly seen his face. He’s appeared in quite a few blockbuster movies and hit T.V. shows such as Mallrats, Without a Paddle, American History X, Cold Mountain, Remember the Titans, My Name Is Earl, Chasing Amy, and many more. During much of this time, Ethan was big, tipping the scales at nearly 530 pounds at his heaviest. As he jokes in our interview, he basically had the “fat guy who can act” niche cornered in Hollywood. While this was helpful to his career and bank account, it wasn’t doing his body any favors. And so, about a decade ago, Ethan realized his life was likely to come to a painful and humiliating end if he didn’t make a major change. He got a wild hair and through crash dieting, keto, martial arts, and cycling, he managed to get all the way down to 220 pounds. As impressive as that was, Ethan still wasn’t happy. He didn’t have much muscle mass and he felt small, weak, and uncomfortable in his own skin. So back up his weight went, al

Want to know what protein sparing modified fasting is, why people do it, and whether or not you should try it? Keep listening. You probably know trying to lose weight too fast is a mistake. You’re going to run into the hurdles of extreme hunger, lethargy, irritability, and the metabolic hobgoblins attendant to all crash diets. Plus, you’re walking a tightrope where one misstep could lead to a binge that wipes out your progress. That said, there are advantages to losing fat as fast as possible. You see results faster in the mirror, you don’t have to diet for as long, and you can get back to building muscle and getting stronger sooner. If you want to lose fat as fast as possible, though, you need to do it the right way. The worst thing you can do is follow some half-baked diet like water fasting, the military diet, or a detox diet, which are just forms of reckless calorie restriction in disguise. Instead, you should follow an evidence-based, structured, effective crash diet that helps you lose fat as fast as po

There’s a lot of confusion and debate about how muscle fiber types relate to muscle growth. Some people say only fast-twitch muscle tissue can get big and strong and some of us naturally have more or less of it and can’t change that regardless of what we do in the gym. Others say both fast- and slow-twitch muscle can grow bigger and stronger and the makeup of our muscles is malleable, but we shouldn’t take any special measures in our training to try to emphasize one muscle type over the other. And others still say “muscle-specific hypertrophy” training—using different rep ranges with different muscle groups based on their dominant fiber type—is the optimal approach to training, and especially as an intermediate or advanced weightlifter. Who’s right? Well, I wasn’t even sure myself, that’s why I invited Dr. Andy Galpin on the show to explain. In case you’re not familiar with Andy, he has a PhD in Human Bioenergetics, teaches various university-level courses on sports nutrition and exercise physiology, and head

Every year, a couple health and wellness books go great guns, saturating the airwaves and selling millions of copies. You know, books like How Not to Die, Grain Brain, and Why We Get Fat. The talk of the town is currently Dr. Steven Gundry’s The Plant Paradox, which claims the conventional advice of eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is flawed and in many cases even harmful. In other words, according to Dr. Gundry, many of the foods you’ve been told were good for you contain substances that spark “chemical warfare” in your body and insidiously undermine your health over time. Gluten, dairy, and sugar—the usual suspects—are fingered, but so is another component of many fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains that many people haven’t heard of: lectins. These little “splinters of protein,” as Dr. Gundry calls them, purportedly wreak havoc in the body, causing weight gain, “leaky gut,” cancer, and heart, brain, and autoimmune disease, as well as a slew of nuisances like acne, gas, morning stiffnes

Confucius once said that life is simple but we insist on making it complicated. Come again? What’s simple about the myriad demands, dilemmas, and dealings of everyday life that push and pull on our body, mind, and soul? What’s simple about love, success, health, wisdom, satisfaction, spirituality, and the rest of the brass rings we all strive for? Many times, life appears overwhelmingly complex, like trying to build an airplane while in flight, or even bitterly abusive, like licking a car battery. And understandably so. In this age of liberty and abundance where we’re free to be and do whatever we want, we must choose tasks and responsibilities from a dizzying number of possibilities. And then, as efforts evaporate, wins elude, and penalties encroach, we realize we’re not spinning an elegant web but cobbling up a clumsy knot. And so we sputter, skid, and spiral as our self-confidence leaks from a thousand wounds. Many people try to escape this existential strike zone by heaving more lumpy stones into the rock

The pendulum of workout programming is always a swingin’. Some people say frequency is the ticket. You know, you have to squat every day if you want big legs, and if you’re squatting once a week, you’ll always have pinions. Others claim absurd amounts of volume is the key. If you’re not doing 20 to 40 sets per muscle group per week, you’re basically an unlifting slug. And others still beat the drum for intensity over everything. Not big enough yet? Lift heavier, you trousered ape. The bottom line is it’s an extreme world out there and many people have extreme opinions. Today’s guest Mark Rippetoe is one of those people, but he also has over 40 years of experience with strength training and coaching and is the creator of the iconic weightlifting program Starting Strength. In this episode, Mark and I talk workout programming, including the needs of beginners versus advanced lifters, how to know you’re no longer a novice trainee, how age affects volume needs and recovery, and more. Buckle up! 11:13 - What is the

Plant-based diets are more popular than ever, and for good reason. Research shows that people who eat an abundance of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains tend to live longer and stay healthier than those who eat little. You probably know this and, understandably, are considering a major overhaul to your diet, but aren’t wholly sold on the idea of cutting out animal products entirely. How are you supposed to get enough protein? Will you be able to cover all of your nutritional bases with plants alone? Will you actually enjoy your meal plans? Well, the short answer to each of those questions is “yes,” but it’s not necessarily easy because certain animal foods make it much easier to improve your body composition and stay healthy. That’s why more and more people are turning to “modified” vegetarian diets like the pescatarian diet, which is simply a vegetarian diet that includes seafood. Some pescatarians also eat eggs and dairy, as well, which is technically known as “lacto-ovo-pescatarianism.” As

When I first heard about heart rate variability (HRV), I was expecting it to be yet another lame “biohacking” gimmick. The pitch is by analyzing the rhythm of your heart beat with special software, you can gauge how stressed your body is and adjust accordingly. For instance, if you wake up and your HRV indicates your body is overstressed, you may want to save the heavy squat or deadlift workout for another day, or if your HRV has been off for several days in a row, it might be time to deload or take a diet break or get a little more sleep. Again, it sounds like very fake news, but lo and behold, there’s good evidence of its validity. This is why high-level athletes have been using it for years, and now that the technology has become cheaper, it’s becoming more popular among recreational athletes too. In this episode with HRV expert Dr. Mike Nelson, you’re going to get a crash course in HRV, including how to measure and track your HRV, what lifestyle factors affect it most, how to use it to regulate your train

If you’re serious about weightlifting, one of the worst things that can happen is getting stuck. Your workouts become robotic chores, you stop giving each exercise your all, and you begin to wonder if you’re simply at the end of your genetic rope for muscle and strength gain. This is particularly true of isolation exercises like the dumbbell side raise, barbell curl, calf raise, and the like. For one thing, you’re forced to lift what seem like relatively light weights compared to your heavy compound exercises. Every pound of progress is precious, and it can be maddening to show up to the gym every week and lift the same weight for months (or years) on end, with no idea how to pull yourself out of this rut. Moreover, you may find yourself plateaued on most of your isolation exercises despite making steady progress on your heavy compound exercises, which is even more puzzling. Why does this happen, and what can you do about it? Well, the short answer is there are several very simple explanations for why progres

In this episode, I interview Cheri, who read my book Thinner Leaner Stronger and used it to completely change her body and life. When she first started on her journey, Cheri was 187 pounds and well over 30% body fat. She tried everything to lose weight, including low- and high-volume training programs and even the HCG diet. After years of frustration, she read my book and got started with proper training and nutrition. And she started seeing results almost immediately. In the span of about a year, she not only dropped to 141 pounds and 12 sizes but also completely transformed her body composition. By adding muscle in all the right places, she learned firsthand why what you see in the mirror is far more important than on the scale. In fact, Cheri was so happy with her results that she’s gotten several other women to start the Thinner Leaner Stronger program and has even created a “Fit Over 50” Facebook group for like-minded women to join a community and hold each other accountable. In this interview, Cheri and

You don’t have to look far to see that extremism and alarmism sells. Turn on any cable news network at just about any time of the day, for instance, and it’s a daisy chain of drama and conflict—”breaking news” banners preceding humdrum bits of information and “countdown clocks” to minor events underscored by melodramatic music and striking sound effects. The same forces are at work in the health and fitness space as well, and especially in the realm of diet and nutrition. Everywhere you look there's another self-styled expert selling the superiority of one regimen or another, and plant-based dieting is a favorite of many. Its popularity is also bolstered by a number of successful documentaries produced over the last decade, including Forks Over Knives, What the Health, and the most recent, The Game Changers. I wrote and recorded a long, evidence-based review of What the Health a couple years ago, and as The Game Changers repeats many of the same talking points, I was disinclined to repeat the process. I kept

Let’s face it: a big reason most of us guys work out is to look great. You know, muscular, lean, proportional . . . “aesthetic” as the narcissists like to say. People are always looking for “hacks” and shortcuts to live a better life and looking good is a big one. When you look good, people instinctively like you more and treat you better, and this more or less always pay dividends no matter what you’re trying to do. How exactly do you build that type of physique, though? In this podcast, you’re going to learn . . . - The ancient formula that dictates the proportions of the “ideal” male body - How to compare your body to these standards to see what parts need the most work - How close you can expect to get to these numbers based on your genetics - And finally, how to eat and train to build the ideal male body. Let’s get started. 6:56 - What is the golden ratio? 14:56 - How can we use the golden ratio to create the ideal male body? --- Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathlet

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 four questions: 1. What is the best way to get ripped for a photoshoot or event? (2:32) 2. Is it harmful to eat below your basal metabolic rate? (8:09) 3. How can Bigger Leaner Stronger or Thinner Leaner Stronger be modified for intermediate and advanced weightlifters? (13:23) 4. Should I stop eating red meat? (21:46) 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: A Simple and Accurate BMR Calculator (and How to Use It) Is Red Meat Really as Bad For You as “They” Say? --- Mentioned on The Sho

“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: Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://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/

CoolSculpting… The name itself reminds me of the 70s, perhaps an artist scene. Rebel against the government by making radical statues (back when radical was less “feminist” and more “Sonic the Hedgehog on a skateboard”.) Fight against the institution like Greek statues fight against pornographic standards of penis sizes. Then I learned it was a fat loss technique popular with middle-aged mothers with too much money and instantly felt like I needed to apologize to sculptors everywhere for the comparison. Then I looked into it. Boy, does this shoe taste bad. Shouldn’t have stepped into the realm of judging things by their cover if it just made my foot go into my mouth. Can’t really blame me though. After browsing a ton of CoolSculpting reviews I felt like I was so far into mommy blog territory that I needed to bring spare nappies and a welcoming gift of scented candles and wine just to continue listening. It was only after I googled the scientific name, cryolipolysis, that I understood how such a cool process w