The Proof with Simon Hill
Exercise, nutrition and recovery for women | Alyssa Olenick (Part 2)
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- For effective muscle growth like glutes, prioritize high caloric intake, emphasizing proximity to failure during workouts.
- Tailoring workouts for women involves quality over quantity, focusing on high-quality sets and individual response adjustments.
- Emphasize 2 to 4 high-quality sets per session, spreading volume through the week and balancing challenging workouts with recovery.
- Judge workout effectiveness based on factors like focus, rep speed, and rest needs, prioritizing rest, nutrition, and overall well-being.
- Consider lifestyle stressors, monitoring recovery indicators like HRV, and listening to body signals for optimized training efficiency.
Deep dives
The Importance of Energy Intake for Building Muscle
To effectively grow muscles like the glutes, a significant amount of calories is required, emphasizing the crucial role of caloric intake in muscle development. This highlights the misconception that perfect rep and set ranges are key, while proximity to failure and mechanical tension are of utmost importance, encouraging individuals to push themselves close to the limit during workouts.
Gender Differences in Response to Resistance Training
Gender differences in physiology inform varying training approaches, emphasizing the similarity in response to training interventions between males and females. While males may have more power and speed due to glycolytic nature, females with potential muscle endurance advantages should focus on quality over quantity in resistance training, steering clear of excessive volume and emphasizing high-quality sets.
Effective Exercise Programming for Muscle Growth
Quality over quantity remains crucial in exercise programs, with a focus on 2 to 4 high-quality sets per exercise session. Spreading muscle group volume across the week, maintaining consistency, and adjusting volume based on individual response are key for effective muscle growth. A balance between challenging workouts and adequate recovery is vital for progress.
Assessing Workout Effectiveness and Recovery
Judge workout effectiveness not solely based on soreness, but on factors like focus during exercises, slowing of reps towards the end of sets, and the need for longer rest periods between sets. While some soreness is normal, extreme soreness indicates potential overtraining or under-recovery. Prioritize rest, nutrition, hydration, and overall well-being to gauge readiness for training sessions.
Training Approach and Factors to Consider for Workout Optimization
It is essential to consider various factors, such as lifestyle stressors, sleep, nutrition, and stress management when designing a training approach. Optimizing workout efficiency involves monitoring trends in recovery indicators like HRV instead of solely relying on fitness tracker scores. The recommendation is to listen to your body's signals during workouts, allowing for adjustments based on performance and feelings rather than solely on perceived effort.
Impact of Cold Water Immersion on Recovery and Muscle Growth
Cold water immersion may aid in reducing muscle soreness and promoting recovery. However, its impact on muscle growth and inflammatory processes raises concerns about potential trade-offs. It is suggested to strategically integrate cold water immersion, considering its timing relative to exercise and its potential effects on muscle adaptation. While it may benefit aerobic training adaptations, vigilance is required to not compromise resistance training outcomes.
Navigating Menopause Health Challenges and the Importance of Resistance Training
During menopause, women experience shifts in body composition, particularly in abdominal fat storage, influenced by hormonal changes. Factors like decreased sensitivity to protein and reduced muscle anabolism can lead to weight gain and muscle loss. Resistance training, plyometrics, and high-intensity interval training play crucial roles in preserving muscle strength, optimizing bone mineral density, and enhancing metabolic health throughout menopause and beyond. Strategic exercise selection and dietary considerations help navigate the complexities of aging-related health challenges.
Optimizing Training for Females
Females may benefit more from a shift in their training distribution, potentially involving more zone two training particularly when the weekly volume increases. While high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is valuable, it is essential to not solely focus on it. Integrating zone two training alongside HIIT sessions can optimize adaptations. Recommendations vary based on training experience, highlighting the importance of balancing high intensity with moderate zone two efforts.
Effective High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
A detailed overview of structured HIIT protocols was provided, emphasizing true high-intensity efforts like sprint interval training and traditional HIIT sessions, varying from short all-out bursts to longer bouts. The podcast highlighted the significance of adapting these protocols to individual fitness levels and goals, addressing factors like rest periods, duration, and gradual progression to ensure sustainable and effective training outcomes.
Episode #306. How can women build muscle, commit to an exercise program, and manage menopause weight gain? Dr Alyssa Olenick returns today to finish our conversation on exercise and recovery for women, answering these questions and many more.
You’ll learn how women should be training differently from men, including what you should implement and avoid. We discuss how to grow your booty, how to tell if you’ve trained hard enough, and how to train regularly. Dr Olenick also covers whether cold water immersion is safe and beneficial, what to do about weight gain during menopause, and what you should be supplementing with.
Specifically, we discuss:
- Intro (00:00)
- Understanding Sex Differences in Training: Tailoring Workouts for Women (01:59)
- Mastering RPE for Effective Workouts: A Beginner's Guide (13:16)
- The Ideal Weekly Routine for Booty Gains: Quality Over Quantity (23:34)
- How do you know if the workout program is effective? (29:07)
- Navigating Soreness and Recovery in Strength Training (39:02)
- Cold water emmerson and reducing muscle soreness (49:03)
- Navigating the Menopause Conundrum: Understanding Weight Gain and Body Changes (56:21)
- How Resistance Training Transforms Women's Health During Menopause (1:08:00)
- Zone 2 Training vs. High-Intensity Workouts: What's Best for Women? (1:17:50)
- HIIT Explained: Maximizing Benefits with True High-Intensity Interval Training (1:27:02)
- Demystifying Supplements: What Really Works for Fitness and Recovery (1:35:25)
- Breaking Myths: The Truth About Women, Hormones, and Strength (1:41:02)
- Outro (1:44:13)
Connect with Dr Alyssa Olenick on Instagram and YouTube, and learn more on her website. You can also listen to The Messy Middle Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Make sure to listen to her first episode on The Proof here.
Sponsors:
If you want to improve your health, you need to measure where you’re currently at. InsideTracker analyses up to 48 blood biomarkers including ApoB, LDL, HDL, A1C, and more before giving you advice to optimise your health. Get a 20% discount on your first order at insidetracker.com/simon.
Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet’s best-converting check out–up to 36% better compared to other leading e-commerce platforms. To boost your conversion rate, and grow your business, sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/proof.
Eimele Essential 8 is a comprehensive multivitamin that is scientifically formulated to complement your plant-rich diet, increase and sustain your energy, support the immune system, as well as heart and brain health. Head to Eimele.com and use code SIMON at checkout for 10% off your first order.
Consider 38TERA's DMN-01 prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout.
Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon.
Want to support the show?
The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also show your support by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and/or sharing your favourite episodes with your friends and family.
Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)
Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill
Author of The Proof is in the Plants
Watch the episodes on YouTube or listen on Apple/Spotify
Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide
Download my complimentary Two-Week Meal Plan and high protein Plant Performance recipe book
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
