MASS Office Hours Episode 11 (The Science of Muscle Growth w/ Dr. Brad Schoenfeld)

Nov 24, 2023

Guest

Brad Schoenfeld

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INSIGHT

Metabolic Stress and Growth

Mechanical tension is the primary driver of muscle hypertrophy, but metabolic stress might also play a role.
Evidence for metabolic stress as a growth mechanism is weak and mostly indirect.

ANECDOTE

Research Challenged His Hypothesis

Brad Schoenfeld’s study surprised himself by showing no difference in hypertrophy using light or heavy loads in trained subjects.
This refuted his own hypothesis that heavier loads would promote greater hypertrophy.

ADVICE

Optimal Proximity to Failure

Train mostly with an RIR (reps in reserve) of 2-3 for hypertrophy.
Use occasional sets to failure selectively, especially in well-trained lifters, but avoid overdoing it due to recovery costs.

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In this very special episode of MASS Office Hours, Dr. Eric Trexler and Lauren Colenso-Semple are joined by a guest!

Dr. Brad Schoenfeld joins the show to deliver a masterclass on the science of muscle growth. Dr. Schoenfeld is a world-renowned muscle hypertrophy expert who has published countless research studies about muscle growth. In this episode, we discuss metabolic stress, rep ranges, “effective reps,” “hard sets,” training to failure, intensification techniques (supersets, dropsets, eccentric overload, etc.), exercise order, the importance of understanding scientific mechanisms, how to effectively apply research findings, and much more.

We made this episode extra special to kick off our huge Black Friday sale with a bang! Prices for all MASS subscriptions are the lowest they will ever be, and the sale extends from Nov 22 to Nov 29. Learn more at:

www.massresearchreview.com

The MASS crew goes live for Office Hours every Wednesday night at 7pm eastern time. Be sure to join us for a future episode! Our next episode will begin at 7pm on November 29. If you'd like to submit a question ahead of time, please use this link:

https://forms.gle/9Ah39mefs8cuVa9H7

Time stamps:

0:00 Introduction

7:33 How important is metabolic stress as a mechanism of hypertrophy?

14:22 What’s the best rep range for hypertrophy?

20:43 What are examples of Brad’s own research findings changing his mind?

24:15 Why did Brad start using scientific research to guide his training?

34:26 Checking in on the live chat

34:54 Brad’s thoughts on “effective reps” and “hard sets”

39:13 How close to failure should people train for hypertrophy?

42:22 Which “intensification techniques” are worthwhile?

47:37 How does training status impact our application of scientific findings?

52:40 What is Brad’s unrealistic “dream study,” ignoring practical constraints?

54:57 Is it really important to understand scientific mechanisms?

58:28 How much does exercise order impact hypertrophy?

1:00:30 Advice for getting into research