Weight Loss For Women: empowering health, strength and nourishment #372 - Why You’re Not Building Muscle After 40 And It’s Not Your Hormones, Part 1 with Paul Carter
Jan 28, 2026
Paul Carter, strength coach and hypertrophy specialist with a powerlifting and bodybuilding background, explains why muscle growth after 40 comes down to mechanical tension and progressive overload. He breaks down how true effort beats chasing burn, why getting stronger matters more than volume, and practical ways to train hard, recover smart, and avoid common stalls.
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Powerlifting Changed Kitty’s Body
- Kitty described how switching from HIIT and untracked lifting to powerlifting transformed her physique.
- Getting really strong and tracking lifts produced the body she wanted.
Mechanical Tension Is The Driver
- Mechanical tension is the primary and necessary training stimulus for muscle growth.
- You must reach near-failure where bar speed slows to recruit and load the largest, most growth-capable fibers.
Progressive Overload Trumps Burn
- Prioritize progressive overload: add reps or load over time to get stronger and grow muscle.
- Strength gains and hypertrophy track closely, so measure progress by getting stronger, not just feeling the burn.