Ep 309 - Finding the Volume “Sweet Spot” During Plateaus

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Jan 12, 2025

Discover the intricacies of muscle gain and recovery as experts discuss how nutrition plays a crucial role in performance. Gain insights on identifying training plateaus and the impact of optimal volume on progress. Delve into the reality of body weight regulation, including innovative theories like gravitosat. Learn about the psychological factors influencing recovery and the best strategies to navigate setbacks in bodybuilding. The conversation offers a balanced perspective on effective training and dietary practices, essential for serious fitness enthusiasts.

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ANECDOTE

Overreaching for Growth

Eric Helms recalls his intense year and a half teaching, training, and studying simultaneously.
He found this period incredibly productive for learning and applying knowledge in different contexts.

ADVICE

Training with a Pinched Nerve

Focus on what you can do when injured, rather than what you cannot.
Explore alternative exercises, BFR, stretching, or electrostimulation.

ANECDOTE

Trexler's Neck Injury

Trexler shares his 7-year journey with a neck injury, where most symptoms resolved spontaneously except for painful spasms.
Surgery to remove the affected muscle ultimately fixed the issue.

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In this episode of Iron Culture, Eric Helms and Trex discuss a variety of evidence-based fitness topics. In this conversation, Dr. Trexler and Dr. Helms delve into the complexities of muscle gain, recovery, and the role of nutrition in performance. They discuss the nuances of identifying plateaus in training, the impact of training volume, the importance of food quality, and how psychological factors can influence recovery and performance. The dialogue emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to training volume and exercise selection, as well as the impact of nutrition on overall health and performance in bodybuilding. They also discuss modern theories and practical applications surrounding body weight regulation and the neurophysiological factors influencing obesity. They explore the gravitosat theory, discuss the implications of muscle gain on body weight regulation, and examine the concept of upper and lower intervention points. Additionally, they touch on powerlifting training strategies and the significance of volume in strength training.

Time stamps:

0:00 Music

5:08 Introduction to the new year and another episode (and learning through teaching)

14:48 Q&A 1: Navigating injuries and recovery with training

23:42 Q&A 2: Plateaus with low volumes and difficulties recovering from increasing volume

31:08 Trexler on the importance of exercise selection and prescribing set volumes for clients

45:31 Q&A 3 The role of food quality in performance and hypertrophy

1:00:07 Q&A 4 Bodyweight regulation and intervention points with muscle gain

1:04:14 Exploring the Gravitostat Theory

1:10:50 Lower intervention points: muscle and fat gain

Speakman 2011 Set points, settling points and some alternative models: theoretical options to understand how genes and environments combine to regulate body adiposity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22065844/

1:16:12 Neurophysiology and bodyweight regulation

1:24:01 Practical Applications of Body Weight Theories

1:29:35 Powerlifting Insights and Training Strategies

Andoulakis-Korakakis 2021 The Minimum Effective Training Dose Required for 1RM Strength in Powerlifters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34527944/

Pelland 2024 The Resistance Training Dose-Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Eﬀects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gain https://sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/460

1:33:31 Closing out another episode of Iron Culture presented by MASS

https://massresearchreview.com/

MASS Office Hours: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2Hpu55tCKbaklI9h4Z5-2kJYf5T3ren