#387: 3 Ways to Build Muscle | The Role Hormones Play in Building Muscle & More

Want to build muscle and strength at any age? In this episode, I reveal the science-backed blueprint for hypertrophy (muscle growth). You’ll learn how muscles adapt to lifting weights on a microscopic level, the key role hormones play, and 3 mechanisms that drive gains. I’ll distill complex exercise science into simple, practical guidance you can apply to your workouts immediately.

Discover how to tailor your training intensity and volume based on your experience level, ideal rest times between sets, smart exercise selection, and the power of progressive overload over time. Whether you’re new to resistance training or a seasoned lifter, this deep dive will give you an edge.

Today you'll learn:

• The intricate components within muscle driving growth, down to actin and myosin
• How mechanical tension creates microtears that spur adaptation
• If “going to failure” and getting really sore is smart (or not)
• Why lifting weights pumps out muscle-building hormones
• How 10-12 challenging sets per muscle group each week is optimal
• Ideal rest times between sets for multi-joint vs isolation lifts
• The necessity of progressive overload for continual improvement
• Simple beginner vs advanced workout guidelines

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Quotable moments:

"Your body, the whole human organism is an adaptation machine, so when you apply a specific stressor on it, it wants to adapt so it can overcome and get really good at taking on that stress in the future." - Dr. Erik Korem

"As long as your hormone levels are within the normal range, it's not going to make as big of a difference as we may think." - Dr. Erik Korem

"I don't think it's wise to consistently be sore after training. It means that you're doing too much volume. Your body isn't able to adapt." - Dr. Erik Korem

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ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT PODCAST:

The BluePrint Podcast is for busy professionals and Household CEOs who care deeply about their families, career, and health. Host Dr. Erik Korem distills cutting edge-science, leadership, and life skills into simple tactics optimized for your busy lifestyle and goals.   Dr. Korem interviews scientists, coaches, elite athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and exceptional people to discuss science and practical skills you can implement to become the most healthy, resilient, and impactful version of yourself.

On a mission to equip people to pursue audacious goals, thrive in uncertainty, and live a healthy and fulfilled life, Dr. Erik Korem is a High-Performance pioneer. He introduced sports science and athlete-tracking technologies to collegiate and professional (NFL) football over a decade ago. He has worked with the National Football League, Power-5 NCAA programs, gold-medal Olympians, Nike, and the United States Department of Defense.

Erik is an expert in sleep and stress resilience. He is the Founder and CEO of AIM7, a health and fitness app that unlocks the power of wearables by providing you with daily personalized recommendations to enhance your mind, body, and recovery.

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