#335 ‒ The science of resistance training, building muscle, and anabolic steroid use in bodybuilding | Mike Israetel, Ph.D.

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Feb 10, 2025

Mike Israetel, a sports physiologist and competitive bodybuilder, shares insights on resistance training and muscle growth. He discusses the transition from powerlifting to bodybuilding and debunks myths around strength training. The conversation covers effective program structuring for all levels and explores the impact of anabolic steroids on performance and health. Mike also emphasizes the importance of recovery and the potential for AI to advance human performance and longevity, rounding out a thought-provoking discussion on fitness and training.

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ANECDOTE

Mike's Bodybuilding Origin

Mike Israetel's interest in bodybuilding started when he saw a Flex magazine featuring Ronnie Coleman.
This sparked his passion for aesthetics and sculpting his physique.

INSIGHT

Accidental Muscle Myth

Excessive muscle growth is rare without dedicated training and nutrition.
Time is the biggest trade-off, requiring 1-3 hours a week, less than many common activities.

INSIGHT

Resistance vs. Endurance Training

Unlike endurance training, resistance training needs high force and fatigue for benefits.
Submaximal efforts yield minimal results in resistance training, unlike zone two cardio.

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Mike Israetel is a sports physiologist, competitive bodybuilder, and co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, where he coaches athletes and professionals in diet and weight training. In this episode, Mike shares his journey from powerlifting to academia, breaking down the core principles of resistance training, including exercise selection, volume, intensity, and frequency. He debunks common misconceptions about strength training, explains how to structure an effective program for beginners and advanced lifters, and provides candid insights into his experience with anabolic steroids, discussing their effects on muscle growth, performance, and health risks. This conversation offers a deep dive into the science of building muscle, the realities of bodybuilding at the highest levels, and explores the potential of AI-driven breakthroughs to advance human performance and longevity.

We discuss:

Mike’s academic journey, and early experiences in powerlifting, personal training, and sports physiology [3:30];
Mike’s transition from powerlifting to bodybuilding, and his scientific and artistic approach to sculpting muscle and optimizing aesthetics [9:15];
The value of strength training, time efficiency, and how it differs from endurance training [14:45];
Neurological fatigue in strength training: balancing recovery and pushing the limits [26:15];
The relationship between training intensity and volume, why muscle growth is not linear, and how different approaches affect results [35:00];
Sustainable and effective approaches to maximizing muscle growth: training close to failure while minimizing fatigue [40:00];
An efficient and effective resistance training program for beginners with limited time [49:00];
Advice for finding a good trainer [1:06:30];
Troubleshooting training plateaus: optimizing exercise selection, intensity, and recovery for muscle growth [1:13:30];
The impact of genetics, age, and lifestyle on muscle growth [1:27:45];
The importance of nutrition, protein intake, and consistency in both training and diet for muscle growth [1:31:00];
The use of anabolic steroids to boost muscle growth: doses, drug combinations, and side effects [1:35:45];
Long-term impact of steroid use: muscle retention, genetics and individual variability, and impact after discontinuation [1:52:15];
Trade-offs of long-term usage of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone: health, performance, and Mike’s future plans [2:00:45];
The potential for AI-driven medical breakthroughs to reverse aging and disease [2:07:30];
The role of AI in accelerating drug development, advancing human longevity, and overcoming biological limitations [2:19:45];
The philosophical implications of simulated reality, the impact of robotics on human labor and economics, and the challenge of predicting the future [2:25:15];
Would having kids change Mike’s philosophy around anabolic steroid use? [2:32:15];
The role of GLP-1 agonists in bodybuilding and general weight management, and the moral and philosophical debates surrounding their use [2:35:45]; and
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