The Revive Stronger Podcast 490: The Pump to Powerlifting, What Matters for Hypertrophy? - Derrick Van Every
Oct 18, 2025
Derrick Van Every, a PhD candidate and accomplished natural bodybuilder and powerlifter, shares his insights on hypertrophy and muscle growth. He discusses the critical role of mentorship in science and the importance of clear communication. Derrick explains why the 'pump' isn't a reliable predictor of muscle gain and debunks myths about hormones and growth. He reflects on his journey transitioning from powerlifting to bodybuilding, the challenges of competition, and the sacrifices necessary for success in both academia and athletics.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Science Requires Humility And Updating
- Scientists must remain open-minded and update beliefs when evidence changes.
- Derrick learned this from mentors like Brad Schoenfeld who changed views after new data.
The Pump Isn't Proven To Drive Growth
- The muscle 'pump' and cell swelling lack direct human evidence as causative for hypertrophy.
- Derrick's review finds the pump plausible but currently unsupported for predicting growth.
Metabolites Lack Clear Causation Evidence
- Acute rises in lactate and metabolites lack clear causal evidence for independent contribution to hypertrophy in humans.
- Designing definitive human trials is challenging, so current strength of evidence is low.