Biological and psychological drivers of relapse

Episode Summary

This is a preview of our subscriber-only Ask Us Anything episode, where Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum and Dr. Austin Baraki tackle the most persistent problems in training and nutrition. Hear the science behind managing pain in the gym—determining the threshold for acceptable discomfort versus a true programming error. They also analyze why short-term study findings often fail in the real world, cover the science of pre-exhaust training, and give practical advice on the psychology of managing dietary cravings when transitioning to a healthier diet.

Takeaways

• Pain Threshold: Learn the 3/10 rule for pain in training: low-level, self-limiting discomfort is common, but anything more should be addressed.
• Programming Fix: Recurrent pain (e.g., every 5-6 weeks) is often a programming issue caused by a lack of training tolerance, not a technique fault. The solution is modifying the total load, not just changing your form.
• Training Philosophy: Stop "pushing" harder every session. The best way to progress is to wait for fitness to show up (the lift feels easier) before increasing the load.
• Pre-Exhaust Science: Find out why techniques like leg extensions before squats are suboptimal for both strength and hypertrophy because they compromise the necessary total training load.
• Cravings Are Transient: The intense difficulty experienced when switching from ultra-processed, hyper-palatable foods to home-cooked meals is normal (hedonic adaptation) and transient. Understanding that this discomfort will fade is key to long-term adherence.

⏱️ Preview Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction & Plus Subscriber Offer
• 00:40 How Often Should I Feel Pain in Training? (Pain Threshold & Training Tolerance)
• 09:31 The Science of Pre-Exhaust Training (Why it compromises total load)
• 16:54 Managing Dietary Cravings When Switching Habits (Hedonic Adaptation)
• 27:49 Conclusion: Barbell Medicine Plus Offer

🔓 Unlock the Full Episode & Exclusive Benefits

The topics above are only a fraction of what's covered in the full Ask Us Anything episode, which also includes:

• How to structure high-intensity conditioning intervals and why heart rate is often a poor metric.
• The science behind Powerlifting peaking and tapering for non-elite athletes.
• The latest, large-scale meta-analysis on Vitamin D and respiratory infections and why the real-world benefit is highly modest.
• A full discussion on the discrepancy between short-term studies and real-world results in diet and exercise.

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Resources

Pain

It is normal and acceptable for lifters to experience low-level, self-limiting discomfort during training. The threshold for acceptable pain is generally considered to be less than 3/10 on the pain scale, provided the discomfort is not sharp, does not cause fear, and is gone within 24 to 48 hours.

The real warning sign is recurrent pain—when the same tweak flares up every 5 to 6 weeks. This is typically not a technique fault but a programming issue—the lifter is demanding more from their body than their current training tolerance allows. The solution is usually to reduce the overall training load, modify the volume/intensity, and rebuild capacity gradually.

• www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/training-with-pain-a-practical-approach
• www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/the-barbell-medicine-guide-to-tendinopathy 
• Shrier, I. (2004). Does stretching help prevent injuries? Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: {10.1097/00042752-200405000-00002} (Review discussing prior injury as a key risk factor).
• Gabbett, T. J. (2016). The training—injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training smarter and harder? British Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: {10.1136/bjsports-2016-096319} (Discusses role of prior injury and training load).
• Siewe et al. (2014). Injuries in powerlifting: how common are they and what are their causes? Sports Medicine - Open. DOI: {10.1186/s40798-014-0016-x} (Epidemiology and common injury sites in powerlifting).
• Calhoon, N. L., & Fry, A. C. (1999). Injury rates and profiles of elite competitive weightlifters. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. DOI: {10.1519/00124278-199902000-00010} (Injury rates in weightlifting).
• Raske, Å., & Norlin, R. (2002). Injury incidence and prevalence among elite weight and powerlifters. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. DOI: {10.1034/j.1600-0838.2002.01188.x} (Injury sites in powerlifting).
• Nijs et al. (2014). Treatment of central sensitization in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: new insights and practical implications. Physical Therapy. DOI: {10.2522/ptj.20130360} (Discusses non-mechanical factors like stress on pain).

Pre-Exhaustion

The technique of pre-exhastion training (e.g., leg extensions before squats) is generally suboptimal for both strength and hypertrophy.

Compromised Load: Pre-fatiguing the muscle compromises the ability to perform the subsequent compound lift with high intensity and high volume, thereby reducing the total training load. This directly hurts both muscle growth (less mechanical tension) and strength (less high-fidelity force production).

Limited Use Case: This technique is primarily useful in rehab (as a load-limiting or desensitization tool) or for highly specific muscular endurance challenges (e.g., preparing for certain high-rep CrossFit workouts).

• https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-exercise-when-you-have-no-time/ (training load preservation)
• Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2018). Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. European Journal of Sport Science. DOI:10.1080/17461391.2018.1500632 (Discusses mind-muscle connection effectiveness).
• Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3(Reviews mechanical tension as the primary driver).
• Fisher, J. P., et al. (2013). The effects of pre-exhaustion, exercise order, and rest intervals in resistance training. Journal of Applied Sports Science Reports. DOI: 10.1016/j.jassr.2013.06.002 (Discusses pre-exhaustion's impact on load).
• Gentil, P., et al. (2007). Effect of exercise order on upper-body strength and muscle thickness in untrained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. DOI: 10.1519/R-20415.1 (Found pre-exhaustion did not enhance hypertrophy over traditional training).

Cravings

Switching from ultra-processed, hyper-palatable foods (e.g., pizza, fast food) to a whole-food, home-cooked diet involves temporary challenges due to hedonic adaptation (the brain is adapting away from high food reward).

The difficulty of managing cravings is complex. Switching is often easier when the body is in an energy surplus (biologically supported).

The tension and cravings intensify when the lifter moves into a calorie deficit, activating biological defense mechanisms (hormonal signaling increases hunger). Recognizing that the acute cravings are transient is crucial for maintaining self-efficacy and adherence, as it reinforces the belief that the new, healthier habit will eventually become easier.

• https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-eat-a-healthy-diet/ 
• https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-train-while-losing-weight/ 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYeh1xTnlxU&themeRefresh=1 
• https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/does-your-metabolism-change-with-weight-loss/ 
•  Rosenbaum, M., & Leibel, R. L. (2010). Adaptive thermogenesis in humans. International Journal of Obesity. DOI: {10.1038/ijo.2010.184}
• Considine, R. V. (2012). Leptin and the regulation of body weight. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. DOI: {10.1172/JCI65051}
• Sumithran, P., et al. (2011). Long-term persistence of hormonal adaptations to weight loss. New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: {10.1056/NEJMoa1005813}
• Finlayson, G., et al. (2011). The role of palatability in appetite regulation. Journal of Physiology and Behavior. DOI: {10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.08.016}
•  Lally, P., et al. (2010). How are habits formed: modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology. DOI: {10.1002/ejsp.674}
• Baumeister, R. F., et al. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. DOI: {10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252}
• Spiegel, K., et al. (2004). Brief sleep restriction alters the neuroendocrine profile of ghrelin and leptin. Annals of Internal Medicine. DOI: {10.7326/0003-4811-141-11-200412070-00008}

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