Muscle for Life

Muscle hypertrophy is a confusing subject. Hell, it’s a confusing word. How do you even say it? (Hi-PUR-trophy). And what does it mean, exactly? (It’s the technical term for muscle growth.) Some people say that the best way to stimulate muscle hypertrophy is to use different rep ranges to develop different kinds of muscle fibers. Some say that there are different kinds of muscle hypertrophy—"myofibrillar" and "sarcoplasmic"—and if you aren't emphasizing both in your training then you're leaving gains on the table. If you want bigger muscles, you're told, you want to maximize sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and you do that by training with light weights and high reps, supersets, and so forth. And if you want stronger muscles, you want to maximize myofibrillar hypertrophy, and you do that by training with heavy weights and low reps. Then, others say that muscle hypertrophy is almost entirely genetic. They say your DNA determines whether you can build a lot of muscle or not, and how you train isn't going to make much

What is it about six pack abs? Why are so many people so enamored of a rippling stomach? Why is it the epitome of being fit and sexy? Well, I’ll leave those questions to the “fitlosophers” of the world, and instead, answer this one for you: How long does it take to get six pack abs? And I mean a real six pack, not some hazy lines that are halfway visible in perfect, “half natty” lighting. You know: lean, tight, and defined core muscles, and maybe… just maybe… some vascularity too, gods willing. Well, you’re going to know by the end of this podcast. So, if you’ve been cutting for months now and are frustrated with your lack of results, or if you’re just getting started and want to know when you’ll finally see abs in the mirror, then you’re in the right place. Let’s get to it. 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.muscleforlife.com/signup/

According to a 2016 article in the New York Times, only 40 authors had sold more than 1 million books on the Kindle store in the previous 5 years. Another survey by Digital Book World found that the vast majority of self-published authors made $1 to $999 per year—with most authors on the lower end of that range. These numbers are a stark reminder of how grateful I should be to have achieved the level of success that I have as a self-published author. Specifically, I’ve sold about 1.3 million books in the last 6 years, and last year was my best yet, with over 300,000 books sold. This is why I get a lot of questions from aspiring writers about publishing, writing, and the business of selling books. Sometimes people are looking for help writing a book of their own and other times they’re just curious about how the sausage is made. I haven’t spoken much about the ins and outs of publishing here on my podcast, so I thought it might be worth sharing an interview I did on another podcast called The Food for Fitness

I've tried a lot of supplements in my 13 years in the gym. Protein supplements, pre-workout supplements, fat loss supplements, and, of course, muscle building supplements. You see, I used to think that supplementation is far more important than it really is. I naively bought into the myth that supplement companies were on the cutting edge of science. That they were in the business of selling legitimate products that delivered tangible benefits. Well, I've since pulled the wool from my eyes. And here's what I've learned: The vast majority of workout supplements--and especially those that claim to aid in muscle growth--do absolutely nothing. Scientifically speaking, they're just overpriced placebos. That said, not all supplements--including muscle building products--are worthless. There are natural substances that are scientifically proven to help you build muscle, lose fat, and stay healthy...if they're used properly. They aren't game changers in the ways that proper diet and training are, but they're result a

Chances are you’re not a politician, sociopath, or psychopath (*cough* often interchangeable *cough*), so you’re probably not much interested in the arts of obtaining, wielding, and preserving power. Your primary focus is probably producing a better life for yourself and your loved ones and allowing others to do the same. Thus, you might think this book isn’t for you. And you’d be wrong. Your liberal (in the classical meaning, mind you) attitude is a good thing—the type of impulse that promotes peace, security, and prosperity—but it’s naive to assume everyone else operates the same way. Some people who can’t survive on their own merits are parasites. Others believe they know best and seek to impose their ideas on everyone else. Others still are dominated by antisocial urges that command them to “do unto others before they do unto you.” Such bad actors are many and often specialize in self-aggrandizement, so you’ll often find them in high places in organizations, commerce, government, and society in general. T

Bodybuilding is a strange sport that requires a special type of masochism. If you want to make it in the big leagues, you not only need great genetics but you also have to micromanage your nutrition, beat the shit out of your body with absurd amounts of training, and do enough drugs to make Jordan Belfort blush. It also makes for a rather isolated and lonely life spent mostly in the gym grinding away to add that next pound of muscle, and even when you make it to the professional level, it doesn’t pay all that well. And so I’ve often wondered why people choose to become bodybuilders and what it’s really like to dedicate your life to the sport. Well, a couple months ago, I was invited to attend a podcasting event put on by my buddies at Mind Pump and interview the ex-pro bodybuilder Ben Pakulski. In case you’re not familiar with Ben, he was an Olympia-level competitor who used to step on stage at 280 pounds and walk around in the low 300s during the offseason, and in this interview, I got to ask him about what

It’s hard to go anywhere nowadays without hearing about the benefits of cannabidiol (can-ab-id-EYE-all), aka CBD (and often CBD oil). It’s all over the Internet, celebrities are endorsing it left and right, and it’s made its way into everything from lattes to sports drinks to sex lube (seriously). Sales of CBD are already thought to be north of $350 million per year, and some analysts are predicting that number will surpass $1 billion by 2020. Proponents say this is fantastic. While CBD is a drug that comes from the same plant as marijuana, it doesn’t get you high, doesn’t have to be inhaled (no lung damage), and it’s kinda-sorta legal (more on that in a moment). Purported benefits include alleviating anxiety, addiction, and epilepsy, accelerating post-workout recovery, curing chronic pain and even cancer, and helping with many other psychological and physiological conditions and ailments. Some people even go so far as to say that CBD has healing properties that’ll help you live a generally healthier and happ

This episode is part of a weekly 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: Every Monday morning, 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 every Monday morning for the latest and greatest installment. 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.muscleforlife.com/signup/

As the founder and CEO of a successful supplement company, Legion Athletics, I get asked quite a few questions about the business and industry. Sometimes people are looking for help starting a supplement business of their own and other times they’re just curious what goes on behind the scenes. I don't talk much about the ins and outs of Legion here on my podcast, so I thought it might be worth sharing an interview I did on another podcast called Muscle, Mindset, & Meal Prep. In it, I give an in-depth look beneath the hood of both my company and the supplement space in general and discuss the good, bad, and ugly. The host Simon and I talk about the genesis, growth, and goals of Legion Athletics, how to be an informed consumer in the corrupt, treacherous, and deceitful world of supplements, where I hope the industry will go in the future (and how I plan to help make this happen), and more. 6:08 - How do you feel the fitness industry is doing with delivering high quality products and delivering a honest mess

According to an ever-growing number of popular doctors, researchers, and influencers and “gurus,” autophagy is the next big health breakthrough. By making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle, they say, you can harness the power of this mysterious physiological phenomenon and . . . “Cleanse” your body of harmful toxins Slow or even reverse aging Protect against various types of disease, including cancer, dementia, and heart disease Feel more revitalized and rejuvenated In many cases, the arguments sound pretty convincing. Buzzwords, whiteboards, and diagrams abound. In fact, if the strategies shared (usually fasting or low-carb dieting or a combination of both) only worked half as well as many “experts” claim, the long-term results could still be life-changing. And so it’s no surprise that autophagy is one of the hottest “health hacks” around right now. It really shouldn’t be, however, and you’ll learn why in this podcast. By the end, you’re going to understand . . . What autophagy is How it works How

In this episode I interview Steve, who’s a 37 year old father of two young kids who read my book Bigger Leaner Stronger and used the program to completely transform his physique. We talk about how he found his way to me and my work, including what he had tried previously, how things changed after he started implementing the advice in my books, articles, and podcasts. As with everything, nothing ever goes exactly as planned, and learning to adjust and adapt to conditions is an important part of the fitness game, which is something Steve experienced firsthand. He ran into a number of roadblocks along the way that most of us can relate to, including issues with workout and meal scheduling, hunger and cravings, dietary temptations, and more, and in our chat, Steve shares what has helped him navigate these barriers skillfully and prevent them from getting in his way. So, if you like hearing motivational stories about how people have changed their bodies and lives, and if you want to pick up a few tips that may hel

"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 and MFL HQ. So here’s a quick hosedown of what me and my jolly band of pirates and bums have been up to lately. Enjoy! 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.muscleforlife.com/signup/

You’ve just stepped into the gym. Should you hit the weights or do your cardio first? Some people say that you should start with cardio because it’s a great whole-body warmup, and it’s easier and more enjoyable before an intense lifting session than after. Others say you should do your weightlifting first because you need all the energy you can muster for it if you want to gain muscle and strength as quickly as possible. Others still say it doesn’t really matter either way so you should do whatever works best for you. Who’s right? Well, here’s the short answer: If you want to maximize muscle and strength gains, you should do your weightlifting before your cardio. And in this podcast, you’re going to learn exactly why. We’re going to discuss how cardio generally affects strength and muscle gain, the pros and cons of doing cardio before or after weightlifting, when to do your cardio workouts to get all of the benefits of cardio with none of the downsides, and more. Let’s get started. Want to get my best advice

“What are you up to?” “When are the new books coming out?” “When are we going to get a new flavor of Whey+?” I get asked these kinds of questions a lot. While I usually prefer to keep my nose to the grindstone and unveil the finished product when it’s ready, I also want to keep all of you apprised of the goings-on at Muscle for Life and Legion Athletics. I’ve been working on several long-term projects that most people won’t get a chance to see or hear about until they launch. So, I want to start giving you all a little glimpse behind the curtain as to what I’m doing, making, and working on before it’s finished. In this episode, you’re going to learn . . . When Legion’s protein bars are (finally) going to be available for sale. When my new books for men and women are going to be finished. The latest and greatest flavors of Whey+ that are coming out in the near future. Some MFL-approved heavy metal music produced by a MFL team member. An outstanding opportunity for you to work with me and the rest of the MFL t

This episode is part of a weekly 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: Every Monday morning, 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 every Monday morning for the latest and greatest installment. 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.muscleforlife.com/signup/

There's a reason why the majority of people that work out regularly don't have much to show for it, and why so few people ever build truly impressive physiques. And, contrary to popular belief, it's not (the lack of) steroids--many drug users are just as flabby and weak as the next guy. The reason why so few people are able to build muscular, strong, lean, healthy bodies is they are doing too many things wrong in and outside of the gym. Training and eating right isn't particularly complicated, but there are quite a few moving parts that need to be integrated and coordinated. It's not as simple as "train hard and eat big." There aren't a couple "secrets" to getting big, lean, and strong. There are a collection of principles that must be properly and consistently applied. In this podcast, we're going to talk about the training side of the equation. Specifically, the biggest weightlifting mistakes that I see people make, and why they keep you small, weak, and frustrated. Let's get to it. Want to get my best advi

If you’re like most women, you want a very specific type of body. You want to be lean but not too skinny (and most definitely not “skinny fat“). You want a toned upper body but don’t want to look like a “bulky” weightlifter. You want a flat, defined stomach. You want tight, shapely legs, and last but most definitely not least… You want that perfect, gravity-defying butt. Well, you–yes, lil’ ol’ you–can have all these things. Seriously. You don’t need top-shelf genetics or a lifetime of training to look like a million bucks. You have to know what you’re doing, though. Forget what the fitness magazines have told you–you don’t become a “goddess” through starving yourself and doing an unconscionable amount of cardio. Instead, you need to take a completely different approach. And believe it or not, a much healthier, more enjoyable, and sustainable one. In this podcast, you’re going to learn exactly what that approach is and how to build the body of your dreams. If that gets your attention, then you’ll want to list

In this interview, I talk with Luke who’s 28 years old and recently completed my 90-day transformation coaching service. He shares his personal fitness journey, including what he was up to before finding me and my work and how it was going, how things started to change after implementing some of the advice in my books and articles, and how he recently used my coaching service to really accelerate his progress and get into the best shape of his life. The bigger picture looks like this: When Luke first found Bigger Leaner Stronger about two years ago, he was about 20% body fat at about 185 pounds, and today, he’s about 10% at the same weight and about 280 pounds stronger on his key lifts. As far as natural recomps go, that's about as good as you can get. Luke’s transformation wasn't without struggles, of course. He ran into a number of roadblocks along the way that most of us can relate to, including issues with workout and meal scheduling, hunger and cravings, dietary temptations, and more. And in our chat, Lu

You don’t have to read much of the pain literature to discover that it’s a fairly mysterious thing. Some people experience regular and excruciating pain for no apparent reason while others experience very little pain despite having severe structural damage. And this is especially true of back pain, which is can be a truly baffling phenomenon that seems to follow no discernable patterns or rules as far as prognosis and treatment go. That sucks too because the fact is most everyone will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and sometimes it’ll resolve on its own and sometimes it won’t. When it doesn’t resolve, many people go see doctors and specialists and do x-rays and MRIs only to find their way back to square one, with no idea why their back hurts so much and what to do about it. Well, “what to do about it” is what Mark Rippetoe and I talk about in this episode. Whether you’ve been struggling with back pain for years, have only had it a few times in the past, or just want to do whatever you can

What if I told you that by eating nothing but meat and other animal products—no fruits, vegetables, or plant foods of any kind—you could . . . -Lose fat without counting calories -Bulletproof yourself against and even cure diabetes -Prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes -Increase your testosterone levels, build more muscle, and improve your athletic performance . . . BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! You may also be able to resolve digestive problems like bloating, gas, and constipation and overcome depression, fatigue, joint pain, and other maladies. Well, according to a growing number of self-styled health and diet gurus, that’s exactly what happens when you follow the “carnivore diet,” which involves eating only animal products (along with water and salt). If you poke around online and read people’s experiences with the carnivore diet, you’ll find some compelling success stories. Men and women of all ages and circumstances are saying that it has cured their arthritis, stomach bloating, headaches, insomnia, anxiety,