Muscle for Life

Many people have had rough childhoods thanks to stuff like oppressive parents, grinding poverty, and mental and physical roadblocks, but few have experienced what Chris Duffin has. First, he grew up in the wilderness. Not metaphorically, but literally. As a child, Chris and his family were vagabonds who wandered the California countryside, essentially living off the land. As you can imagine, this didn’t exactly put Chris on the fast track to success, academic or otherwise, yet today, he’s an MBA with a successful career as a corporate executive as well as a top-tier powerlifter who has deadlifted 1,000 pounds . . . for reps. Chris also has also created a popular coaching and education brand called Kabuki Strength as well as innovative strength training equipment including the Transformer Bar, Duffalo Bar, Kadillac Bar, and Trap Bar HD. And as if all that weren’t enough, Chris recently released a book called The Eagle and the Dragon, and in this interview, we’re going to talk about all the aforementioned, incl

If there’s one supplement that has truly passed the test of time, it’s creatine monohydrate. It has been the subject of hundreds of scientific studies, and the evidence is clear: - It helps you gain muscle and strength faster. - It improves anaerobic endurance. - It enhances muscle recovery. And moreover, it does it all naturally and safely. When it comes to improving your body composition and workout performance, creatine monohydrate is basically all pros and no cons. And in this podcast, we’re going to talk about why. By the end, you’re going to know what creatine monohydrate is, how it works, how effective it is, how to take it for best results, and more. Let’s get to it. 2:45 - What is creatine monohydrate? 6:20 - How does creatine monohydrate benefit muscle growth? 8:49 - How does creatine monohydrate benefit strength gain? 10:27 - How does creatine monohydrate benefit power? 12:14 - How does creatine monohydrate benefit muscle recovery? 13:04 - How does creatine monohydrate benefit endurance? 14:24 - Ho

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: 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/

If you’ve been in the fitness game for any amount of time, you know that consistency is the key. It takes months of work to see any major changes in the mirror, and it takes years to see how fit you can really get. This is why developing good habits is a major element of long-term fitness success. Motivation comes and goes, and often without rhyme or reason, but habits can endure. You're far more likely to stick to your diet and training plans when they're as ingrained into your everyday routine as taking a shower or going to work rather than something that may or may not happen depending on how you feel day to day. Developing good habits is only half the battle, though. You then have to protect them against the vicissitudes of life. That’s why it pays to have “elastic habits” as opposed to rigid ones—habits that can “flex” according to your ever-changing circumstances as opposed to shatter. That’s the premise of Stephen Guise’s new book, Elastic Habits, and what today’s discussion is all about. I’ve had Step

Optimists say that with enough hard work, patience, and the right nutrition, you can get as big and strong as you want. That there really is no hard ceiling on your potential for whole-body strength and muscularity. To support this rosy outlook, these people often point to top-level bodybuilders and elite college athletes who claim to have never used steroids. I’ve written and spoken about this extensively already, but I wanted to get Lyle McDonald’s take on the limits of natural versus enhanced muscle gain, and particularly how they relate to the fat-free mass index (FFMI). In case you’re not familiar with Lyle, he has been one of the foremost evidence-based fitness researchers and writers for a couple decades now and someone whose work I’ve always liked. He pulls no punches, brooks no bullshit, and makes no apologies when he feels he has the evidence on his side. In this interview, Lyle and I chat about the difference between natural and enhanced muscle gain, what FFMI is and whether 25 is a true natural cu

I want to do some posts specifically for women, starting with a question I get asked often: how do you get rid of cellulite naturally and safely? Ironically, cellulite was once respected as an attractive symbol of wealth. It meant you could eat rich foods and didn’t have to physically labor. Well, these days almost all women have cellulite to one degree or another, and it’s generally considered a blight–a sign of a lazy, unhealthy lifestyle. Millions of women spend tens of millions of dollars per year on all kind of cellulite treatments looking for a cure, and aren’t any better for it. Is there anything you can do, really? Fortunately, there is. It seems like a good time to dive into the subject and help you sort the BS from the truth, and work out what you can do to get smoother, sexier legs, hips, and butts. --- 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 n

If you can’t recover from your workouts properly, you’re going to have a hard time. You won’t be able to lift as much weight, progress on your lifts and get stronger as quickly, and you won’t enjoy your workouts, reducing the likelihood that you’ll stick to your routine over the long term. Muscle recovery supplements can get you back in the gym faster and allow you to train harder, speeding up your progress. And in this podcast, we're going to cover the 3 best ones you should be taking.  Let's get to it. --- Mentioned on The Show: Shop Legion Supplements Here --- 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 a veteran gymgoer, you probably know what it’s like to feel fatigued. You’re drained, achy, and lethargic. The weights feel oppressively heavy. You’d rather go home and take a nap than train. Look around online for an answer as to what causes this, and one of the first explanations you’ll likely find is something called central nervous system (CNS) fatigue, aka “neural fatigue.” The reason you feel so down, the goo-roo will explain, is your nervous system has become overtaxed and needs a break, not unlike a barrel of a gun that has overheated from intensive firing and needs to cool off. To resolve the problem, the solution offered is always some form of more rest and less stress, like taking a few days off or deloading or the like, and to avoid such issues in the future, suggestions usually include training less frequently or intensely, taking special supplements, and sleeping or eating more. In fact, some fitness folks claim that minimizing CNS fatigue is a vitally important (and often overlooked)

“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

Almost every day, I’m asked about the hugely popular ketogenic diet. I’ve written about it some time ago and more recently had Dr. Eric Helms here on the podcast to talk about it in the context of lean bulking, but as keto has become THE next “it diet” and science is always moving forward, I figured it’s high time to address it again. That’s why I invited Dr. Brad Dieter on the podcast to discuss all things keto including its advantages and disadvantages for weight loss and general health, how to get (and stay) in ketosis, what ketones are and if you should supplement with them, and more. In case you’re not familiar with Brad, he’s trained exercise physiologist, molecular biologist, and biostatistician with Master’s and Doctorate degrees, as well as the COO of Macros, Inc and a member of the Legion Athletics Scientific Advisory Board. Needless to say, Brad’s an accomplished chap with the experience and scientific chops to tackle a complicated subject like the ketogenic diet. So, if you want to know what the k

Gluten-free is still going strong these days. According to Google Trends, it’s just about as popular now as it was at its peak six years ago, and gluten-free foods still pack the shelves of grocery stores, coffee shops, bakeries, and the like. In other words, gluten-free dieting is no longer just a buzzword among bloggers, paleo fanatics, and health gurus. It’s become a bonafide mainstream diet fad. Despite this, gluten is still a hotly debated and polarizing little protein. Some claim it’s literally poison and should be avoided at all costs and others say the only people that need to limit their gluten intake are people with celiac disease. To help clear up this confusion surrounding gluten and present a fair, balanced take on the current weight of the evidence, I invited Danny Lennon to join me on the podcast.  It’s been a number of years since I last had him on the show, but he’s been a member of the Legion Scientific Advisory Board since its inception and also has a master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences

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: Should I eat back the calories burned from exercise? Should I eat more on the days I workout? How quickly can I lose fat without losing muscle? How can I eat less without being hungry while cutting? 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: How Many Calories You Should Eat (with a Calculator) The Complete Guide to Safely and Healthily Losing Weight Fast 8 Ways to Improve Hunger Control and Weight Loss Mentioned on The Show:  Click here to shop Legion’s Black Friday s

How often do you hear sympathies these days for the “downtrodden, exploited, and underpaid” common folk, along with harsh, condemning words for those people with any measure of financial success? Well, it’s very true that there are criminals operating in the largest corporations, the highest levels of Wall Street, and our government that make the robber barons of the past look like noble saviors, and I hope to see them put in prison one day, where they belong. Crony capitalism is a travesty of free market capitalism and is to blame for much of the inequity we see in today's society. That said, that condemnation doesn't apply to the average rich person, who is simply a small business owner that worked his or her ass off to build a team of people that sell and deliver valuable products and services that others need and want. Only a small fraction of the "1%" are the problem. Many of the "downtrodden" avoid this reality and instead try to place the responsibility of their failures at the feet of the generalized

In this episode, I interview Fred, who used my work to help radically transform his life and literally save his life. Fred originally got in touch through one of my Live Q&As on Instagram, and after hearing his story, I decided he’d make a great guest. Why? Before finding my work, Fred was 415 pounds, and dying. That sounds dramatic, but the truth is he had a heart attack, his kidneys were failing, and his doctors suggested he say his goodbyes to friends and loved ones. This was enough to make Fred take stock of his situation and decide to make a change. He started going to the gym. And he lost some weight. Then he found my site, which helped him lose over 200 pounds. Now Fred is a fitness coach himself, paying it forward and inspiring others, showing through example that anyone can improve their health, fitness, and longevity, no matter how bad their situation may seem. In this interview, Fred and I discuss his story, how he ended up in the hospital, how he started getting healthier, how he refused to ma

Fat was practically falling off your body just a few weeks ago, and now you're wondering if your scale is broken because no matter what you do, your weight won't budge. What gives? Why did your routine suddenly stop working, and what can you do to push through this weight loss plateau? Listen to this podcast to find out. 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/

Aside from the basic military diet meal plan and eating schedule (which we’ll go over in a moment), there’s no official military diet and the recommendations and rules vary based on who you ask. Furthermore, there’s no fitness guru claiming credit for the military diet. There’s no diet book promoting its eating principles. There’s no official website on the diet and the main argument thrown around in its favor is the rumor that Khloe Kardashian used it to lose weight . . . at some point . . . maybe. Despite this dubious track record, it’s still wildly popular, as evidenced by the 150,000 people who search for it every month online. Some of the appeal is understandable, too. Like many weight loss diets it has an attractive schtick: You only have to follow the military diet meal plan 3 days per week. You can still enjoy some normal foods while following the diet. You don’t have to follow the diet forever to lose weight. You can lose “up to 10 pounds per week.” You don’t have to exercise. What are the downside

Take this supplement and you’ll be able to train harder. Train harder and you’ll gain more muscle and strength. Gain more muscle and strength and you’ll get the body you want faster. The pitch sounds alluring … and familiar … right? It’s how pre-workout supplements (among others) are sold, of course. And these days, many of the most popular pre-workout supplements contain beta-alanine and spotlight it as a key component. According to their product labels, beta-alanine increases strength, power, and endurance during strength training, sprinting, and most sports. On the other hand, the skeptics claim that while beta-alanine may help with sports that involve a lot of sprinting, like soccer, football, and basketball, it won’t help you perform better in your strength workouts. Plus, they warn that there aren’t enough studies to prove that beta-alanine is safe. Who’s right? The short answer is that beta alanine can help you squeeze out a few more sets and reps in your workouts and it will almost certainly help you

There has been a lot of grumbling about genetically modified foods over the last decade or so, and many of the claims are alarming enough to scare your pucker shut. These foods are POISONOUS, some people say, and increase your risk of all kinds of disease and dysfunction. At some point, they prophesy, we'll look back on GMOs like we do fluoroscopes, lobotomies, and DDT. Hogwash, the other camp proclaims—GMOs are well studied and perfectly safe, and we should stop tilting at windmills and embrace this wonderful product of modern food science. Who's right? Well, that's what this podcast is all about. In it, Kurtis Frank and I break it all down, starting with what GMOs are and how they’re created, the difference between some GMO foods that are probably not a reason for concern and others that may be, why genetically modified plant and animal foods are different, and more. And in case you’re not familiar with Kurtis, he’s the co-founder and former lead researcher and writer of Examine.com, as well as the Director

News flash: us Westerners aren’t exactly paragons of health and wellness. While it’s easy to blame our bloated body fat percentages and sedentary living on many different external factors, the reality is that much of what’s ailing us collectively has stemmed from the compounding effects of bad habits that began in childhood. And these trends aren’t getting any better. Kids these days are less active, less interested in physical activity and sports, and spend more time in front of T.V.s, computers, tablets, and phones than ever before. Their dietary habits aren’t any better, either, with less than 10% of teenagers meeting the minimum number of daily servings of fruits or vegetables. Many parents think this calls for extreme measures like micromanaging their broodlings’ every calorie and extracurricular minute in an attempt to save their kids from the pitfalls of modern living. This too often backfires and can lead to alarmingly unhealthy behaviors as the children get older and eventually leave the nest. And so

In the early 1960s, a scientist named Ancel Keys was puzzling over a question: Why were rich, middle-aged businessmen in Minnesota more likely to die of heart disease than poor villagers in Italy? Up to this point, most scientists considered heart disease to be part and parcel of the aging process—a result of your decaying DNA rather than your diet or exercise habits. But then there were these remote villages in Southern Italy that had the highest rates of centenarians in the world and some of the lowest rates of heart disease, despite being populated with people genetically similar to American men. Data like this convinced Keys that heart disease might be preventable, and was bolstered by other findings. For instance, Keys discovered that in food-starved regions of post-war Europe, cardiovascular disease dropped along with the food supply, implying a connection between the two seemingly unrelated circumstances. As the evidence mounted, Keys became more convinced that diet was a key factor in the risk of hear