Muscle Intelligence

On this episode of Muscle Intelligence, we start by discussing Gabrielle Bryan’s response to The Game Changers and whether it’s possible to have an unbiased opinion, especially in the contentious vegan/carnivore argument. We then get into the topic of productivity, which turns into an insightful how-to about time efficiency. Ben lays out the strategies he uses to get so much done and makes some convincing guesses as to how working absurdly long hours became a value in modern society. However, the main topic of the show is Ben’s muscle camp that Ashleigh was a guest on. You’ll hear Ashleigh’s main takeaway from the experience, a lesson that while working out, we don’t actually practice the basic principles of good form we all think we learned years ago. Form is key! Knowing how to do an exercise properly makes it ten times harder, sometimes removing the necessity for weights at all. Hidden in this is a lesson to get over your ego and be mindful of your body. Stop thinking you have learned it all because you haven’t. The best exercises are simple and can become even more effective through variation. Finally, we share our lesson of the week with you, which is a reminder to count your blessings, because nobody ever got anywhere by complaining!   Timestamps Why vegan activists like James Cameron are really just trying to sell vegan products. [01:30] A consideration of whether unbiased opinions about diet are possible. [03:03] A new activity in the podcast where great comments get read out. [07:48] The role of reverse engineering and bracketing in Ben’s approach to productivity. [10:29] How to approach effective intellectual work without spending many hours on it. [14:54] Where the productivity fetish might have come from: corporations and government. [16:05] Ben’s tips on condensing time: meet your mentors rather than read their books. [17:00] The different mindfulness-related lessons Ashleigh learned at Ben’s muscle camp. [19:13] What most people don’t do: get past their egos and remember basic form in the gym. [21:27] How Ben applies the principle of getting past ego and mindfulness to his teaching. [24:03] Managing the balance between focus and working unconsciously. [26:47] Remembering that rather than moving weight, it is contracting muscle that’s important. [28:23] The way proper form can reduce the variety of exercises necessary in a workout. [30:04] Maximize effectiveness by varying the parameters within simple exercises. [31:15] The many kinds of stability and how to incorporate them for maximum gain. [34:15] What Ashley learned when she found out about how to do a proper hamstring curl. [36:47] How the lessons of good form in Ben’s camp were revolutionary for Ashley. [37:36] Why muscle and joint pain are not par for the course after a workout. [38:04] Ben’s hopes for a future where nutrition is geared to the body’s daily needs. [40:12] What makes Ben’s gym the best: active care. [43:12] This episode’s habit of the week: stop complaining, and practice gratitude. [44:01]

In this episode of the Muscle Intelligence Podcast, we are joined by sleep expert and co-founder of Chili Technology, Tara Youngblood! She is here to discuss everything sleep-related and how we can make the most of this all-important part of our lives. Tara gives us some great insight into the most important factors that influence our sleep and emphasizes the unique ways our bodies work in relation to rest and recovery. Our chronotype determines a lot of how our bodies prepare and enter into a sleep cycle and so there is no one-size-fits-all remedy for inferior sleep. Rather, we need to look at our indicators and respond accordingly to these to optimize sleep for better health. We discuss body fat, stress, diet, temperature, supplementation and more! For Tara, the exercise is to build awareness and knowledge of one's own profile and then build healthy practices and habits that promote better sleep with steady REM periods. This episode is brought to you by the best olive oil in the world! Fresh Pressed Olive is still offering bottles for $1 so go straight to getfresh35.com to order yours!   Timestamps Surprising correlations between body fat and temperature during sleep. [5:13] Minimizing stress for your sleep space and maximizing recovery. [6:14] Good sleep habits that can make traveling easier on your body. [10:30] Starting with your chronotype and timing your day accordingly. [11:15] The huge influence of temperature in preparing our bodies to sleep. [15:15] Influential factors on attaining more time in deep sleep. [19:13] Habits and hacks to implement before bedtime to boost your recovery. [21:28] The deterioration of deep sleep in older persons and reasons for this. [24:47] The relationship between diet, metabolism and circadian rhythms. [27:50] Tara's upcoming TEDtalk and the 'three buckets of sleep'. [29:34] Supplementation for sleep and unique approaches for type. [32:39] Journalling and tracking sleep for better awareness. [37:09]

On today’s Q&A episode, Ben and Ashleigh, cover a range of topics that listeners have asked about. Ben begins by setting out this week’s healthy habit, which entails getting rid of excess possessions. This will have a cascading effect and not only declutter your physical space, but also clear your mind and improve your productivity. They then move on to discussing Ben’s least favorite source of protein, pork, and the best way to incorporate it into your diet, should you choose to do so. After this, Ben and Ashleigh discuss DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness. If you know enough about training correctly, you should not push yourself to the point where you end up with DOMS. However, if you do suffer from DOMS, the only way to get over it is to endure it. Overtraining is not an effective way to build muscle and while it is important to know that you can put your foot on the gas, it is equally as important to show restraint when training. This is why it is necessary to always switch up the intensity of your week’s workouts. After the DOMS discussion, Ben and Ashleigh then talk about the importance of self-confidence in whatever path you choose to pursue and how building competence feeds into confidence. Being a lifelong learner and striving for more will always lead to great rewards. In the final part of the show, Ben shares his upcoming events and also provides a basic roadmap of how to get back into the gym after surgery. For all this and a whole lot more, join us today!   Timestamps This show’s weekly healthy habit challenge. [3:25] Ben and Ashleigh’s opinion on pork as a protein source. [7:49] An explanation of how the concentric and eccentric phases in training work. [11:43] If you overtrain, your body is allocating unnecessary resources to recovery. [12:54] Some ways to speed up recovery time if you do end up getting DOMS after training. [14:23] Stretching muscles is important because, after damage, they shorten every time. [15:52] Why it is mostly those in ‘the middle,’ and not beginners or pros, who should pay attention to DOMS. [17:16] You should not push your training limits constantly but it is important to do so occasionally. [18:45] What is takes to be a strong alpha female. [21:40] Most people do not possess internal self-confidence and seek external validation. [23:20] The dates and locations of Mi40’s upcoming Muscle Camps. [25:47] It is important to learn about aspects of performance optimization besides training. [27:30] Why Ben decided to partner with Milos Sarcev for some of the Muscle Camps. [29:46] A four-step progression that will help you get back in the gym safely after an injury. [33:28] If implementing post-surgery recovery protocols, it is best to have your surgeon inject products. [34:34]

Today we’re going to talk to the godfather of longevity, Aubrey de Grey, in the most ironic of settings – a pub in London. Over a beer, Aubrey explains why he believes that many of the typical health practices, such as drinking a lot of water, are myths and what he has discovered about slowing down the aging process. He reckons that in as little as 17 years, aging will no longer be a concern, and he supports this radical standpoint with some fascinating research. He talks about the idea that health is an integral part of longevity and that the seven pillars of aging need to be addressed simultaneously.

Today on our Q&A episode we are breaking down a whole lot of subjects for your listening pleasure and health benefit. We are discussing the new documentary that everyone is talking about called The Game Changers, which aspects of your health to address first, sleep cooling systems, training volume, some upcoming events for Ben and taking a break from social media.

Today we welcome breathing guru Brian Mackenzie onto the show. Brian has dedicated his life to breath practices and understanding the key role which they play in wellbeing. Maintaining the body’s pH through breathing impacts physical and mental performance, and it even improves our emotional responses to situations. Brian is here today to share more about these biochemical aspects of breathing.

On today’s show, Ben and Ashleigh sit down to talk Americanized holidays, schooling methods, and nutrition on the road before getting to the main topic: squats. Our hosts share their respective views around instilling values in children in spite of some of the more farcical and detrimental aspects of traditional holidays and schooling.

Today we speak with a master of brain optimization, Dr. Titus Chiu. He begins our discussion by explaining his systems approach to the brain, breaking down the three pillars of brain health. While the physical structure of the brain undoubtedly matters, the chemical environment in which the brain functions is equally as important.

Welcome back to the Muscle Intelligence Podcast. This is another Q&A session with the wonderful Ashleigh VanHouten from Paleo Magazine. Today on this #MondayMindset episode, we discuss the benefits of habit stacking: introducing a small weekly or daily habit, that will slowly and incrementally stack on your previous self and keep making you better and better.

What does it take to become the world’s strongest man? In today’s episode, you get to hear my recent interview in Iceland with Thor Bjornsson, aka The Mountain from the HBO, hit series Game of Thrones.