Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

Whether you have lagging or weak muscle groups, or just want to focus your efforts and grow certain body parts faster than others, specialization routines can help you. These specialization training blocks involve prioritizing specific muscle groups to get them to grow faster while maintaining your size and strength in other muscle groups. In this episode, Steve Hall offers tips and guidance everyone can use if they’re interested in trying a specialization routine. In our discussion, Steve and I discuss . . . What specialization routines are and when it's appropriate to try a specialization routine Examples of how specialization routine might look Whether you can prioritize more than one muscle group at once How exercise selection and rep ranges play a role in specialization routines Duration of specialization training blocks And more . . . In case you’re not familiar with Steve, he’s a competitive natural bodybuilder and the founder of Revive Stronger, where he uses his decade-plus of experience in the gym to coach his clients. He’s also a fellow podcaster, hosting the Revive Stronger Podcast, on which he shares evidence-based bodybuilding content. So, if you've ever wondered about whether you should try a specialization routine or how you’d program your own to grow certain muscle groups faster, you’re going to enjoy this podcast! --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 7:20 - What are specialization routines? 10:15 - Why can’t you just grow all your muscles together? 15:30 - Can a decade of specialization training get you to your best physique ever? 20:41 - When do you suggest starting specialization training? 24:20 - Why can’t I maximize the growth of every muscle? 29:33 - How much upper body training can I do without the wheels falling off? 32:06 - What are examples of a specialization routine? 38:00 - Can I specialize a pair of muscle groups when training? 55:14 - What should my rep ranges look like with specialization training? 1:05:42 - What are your thoughts on duration? 1:11:40 - Where can we find you and your work? --- Mentioned on the show: Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! Steve’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revivestronger Steve’s Website: https://revivestronger.com/

These are my key takeaways and notes from Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages. “Can you recommend a book for…?” “What are you reading right now?” “What are your favorite books?” I get asked those types of questions a lot and, as an avid reader and all-around bibliophile, I’m always happy to oblige. I also like to encourage people to read as much as possible because knowledge benefits you much like compound interest. The more you learn, the more you know; the more you know, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more opportunities you have to succeed. On the flip side, I also believe there’s little hope for people who aren’t perpetual learners. Life is overwhelmingly complex and chaotic, and it slowly suffocates and devours the lazy and ignorant. So, if you’re a bookworm on the lookout for good reads, or if you’d like to get into the habit of reading, this book club is for you. The idea here is simple: Every month, I’ll share a book that I’ve particularly liked, why I liked it, and several of my key takeaways from it. I’ll also keep things short and sweet so you can quickly decide whether the book is likely to be up your alley or not. Alright, let’s get to the takeaways. --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! 4:28 - Triumph Male & Female are 25% off this week only! Go to buylegion.com/triumph and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% on anything else you order or get double reward points! --- Mentioned on the Show: Triumph Male & Female are 25% off this week only! Go to buylegion.com/triumph and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% on anything else you order or get double reward points!

In this installment of the Best of Muscle For Life, you’ll hear hand-picked clips from three popular MFL episodes: an interview with Dr. Susan Kleiner on “power eating” and sports nutrition, a monologue on how fast you can “safely” lose body fat, and a motivational piece explaining why I took cold showers every day for a year. Some people—my favorite people—listen to most or even all of my podcasts, but my wizbang analytics tell me that while many listeners tune in on a regular basis, they don’t catch every installment of Muscle for Life and thus miss out on insights that could help them do at least a little better inside and outside the gym. That’s why I do “best of” episodes that contain a few of the most practical and compelling ideas, tips, and moments from the more popular episodes I’ve published over the years. This way, you can learn interesting insights that you might have otherwise missed and find new episodes of the show to listen to. So, in this installment of The Best of Muscle for Life, you’ll be hearing hand-picked morsels from three episodes: Dr. Susan Kleiner on “Power Eating” for Optimal Athletic Performance (Originally published 7/15/2020) How Fast Can You "Safely" Lose Fat (Before Losing Muscle)? (Originally published 9/18/2020) Motivation Monday: I Took A Cold Shower (Almost) Every Day for a Year. Here’s What Happened. (Originally published 3/12/2018) And we’ll be starting with number one, Susan Kleiner on “Power Eating” for Optimal Athletic Performance. Timestamps: 0:00 - My free quiz to answer all your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz 4:31 - Dr. Susan Kleiner on “Power Eating” for Optimal Athletic Performance 20:09 - How Fast Can You "Safely" Lose Fat (Before Losing Muscle)? 31:31 - Motivation Monday: I Took A Cold Shower (Almost) Every Day for a Year. Here’s What Happened. Mentioned on the Show: Take this free quiz to get science-based answers to all of your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz

Are all body fat scales equally inaccurate? Are some accurate enough to actually be useful when tracking our body composition? That’s what Dr. Grant Tinsley wanted to test in the latest study out of his lab, and he’s discussing the surprising results in this interview.Many fitness enthusiasts want to track their body fat levels and body composition to keep tabs on their progress and ensure their training and diet are on the right track. So it’s no surprise that many have been tempted to buy relatively inexpensive body fat scales and home devices that claim they can assess your body composition just by stepping on a scale or holding special electrodes. I’ve never recommended these devices due to their inaccuracy, but are some bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) devicesgood enough to actually help people keep track of their body composition?That’s exactly what Dr. Grant Tinsley wanted to find out and what he and his team put to the test in their latest study. Grant and his colleagues bought some of the most popular BIA devices off of Amazon and compared their results with current gold-standard methods and expensive devices to determine how useful these tools really are.So, how accurate are BIA body fat scales, why do some work better than others, can they actually be useful for tracking your body composition, and how can you get consistent and accurate readings with them? You’re going to find out in this podcast.In case you’re not familiar withGrant, he’s an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University, the Director of the Energy Balance & Body Composition Laboratory, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN). He has over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts, with his major research interests being sports nutrition strategies, body composition assessment techniques, and intermittent fasting in active populations.So, he’s the perfect guest to talk all about body composition measurement and discuss his new research on BIA devices. Press play to listen to our discussion!---Timestamps:0:00 - Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!4:30 - What is body composition and how accurately do home devices assess that?21:09 - Do you recommend these devices?30:17 - Did you come across any useful devices doing your experiments?35:04 - What are other methods to accurately calculate body composition at home?46:23 - What is three dimensional optimal imaging?47:37 - What are your thoughts on the expensive machines found at gyms?51:01 - What is the accuracy of the army body fat equation?56:31 - What are some controlled factors we can practice for consistent readings?59:08 - Where can we find you and your work?---Mentioned on the show:Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!Grant’s Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/grant_tinsley_phdGrant’s Website:www.granttinsley.comPre-registered study:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05026697

Do women actually prefer dad bods? Is it ok to bend your back on deadlifts? What’s the best way to lose visceral fat? Do electrical muscle stimulators work? Can a high-protein diet lower your testosterone? Who do I idolize? When can kids start lifting? All that and more in this Q&A podcast. This podcast is a Q&A, but it’s a bit different from the kind you’ll typically find here on Muscle For Life. In my usual Q&A episodes, I take a question from email or Instagram and then fully answer it in an episode of the podcast every week. However, over on Instagram, I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy hearing these questions and my short answers. So, instead of talking about one thing in an episode, I’m going to cover a variety of questions. And keep in mind some of these questions are just for fun. :) So if you want to ask me questions in my Instagram stories, follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness), and if I answer your question there, it might just make it onto an episode of the podcast! If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. Timestamps: 0:00 - Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 4:13 - Do women prefer ”dad bods”? 6:06 - Do you have any advice for 24 year olds that want to achieve greatness in their lives? 6:48 - Who do you look up to? 7:25 - Is it okay to bend your back a little when doing deadlifts? 9:09 - Do you use any recreational drugs? 10:12 - What is a good age for a kid to start weight training? 11:28 - What is the best way to lose visceral fat? 12:29 - Should I train a muscle group once or twice a week? 15:44 - Is it true that a high protein diet lowers your testosterone? 17:34 - How do I know if I’m not a beginner anymore? 18:29 - Are electrical muscle stimulators worth it? 18:44 - Are steroids for pussies? Mentioned on the Show: Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

Remote voluntary contraction sounds like technical mumbo jumbo, but is actually a pretty simple concept to understand and very practical. You'll immediately be able to use this whenever your next workout is to perform better in the gym. What's more, you’ll be able to use remote voluntary contraction regardless of your programming and you won't have to make any programming changes. You can keep doing the exercises that you always do and train exactly the way that you are training, but by including this remote voluntary contraction technique in your training, you’re going to be stronger. So what is remote voluntary contraction, how does it work, how effective is it, and how can you use it in your training? You’re going to find out in this podcast. --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip 3:20 - What is remote voluntary contraction? 7:37 - Why does remote voluntary contraction work? 9:52 - How big of a difference will this make? 11:46 - How do I implement remote voluntary contraction into my training? --- Mentioned on the Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip

Does hyperventilating between sets help you get more reps? Does using exercise variations help you gain muscle and strength faster? Can low-carb dieting actually reduce your testosterone levels? Are expensive forms of creatine actually effective? Answers from the latest research on these topics is in this podcast. This podcast is another installment in my Research Roundup series of episodes, where I give you concise and practical takeaways from studies that I think are interesting and that can help us gain muscle and strength faster, lose fat faster, perform better athletically, feel better, live longer, or get and stay healthier. There is a ton of scientific research that gets published every year, and even if you narrow your focus to fitness research, it would still take several lifetimes to unravel the hairball of studies on nutrition, training, supplementation, and related fields. That's why my team and I put a lot of time into reviewing, dissecting, and describing scientific studies in articles, podcasts, and books. Oh and if you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness). And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. --- Timestamps 0:00 - Which of my books is right for you? Take my quiz and find out: www.muscleforlife.show/bookquiz 2:40 - Does exercise variation cause more muscle growth? 8:44 - Can hyperventilating between sets boost performance? 12:20 - What is the most cost effective form of creatine? 15:44 - Does a low carb, high protein diet affect testosterone levels in healthy men? --- Mentioned on the Show: Find the Perfect Mike Matthews Book and Program for You in Just 60 Seconds: http://www.muscleforlife.show/bookquiz

Kyle Hunt and Mike Matthews talk shop about business and marketing, what it’s like writing books, how they decide what books to read and why, how they efficiently get the most out of those books and put the information they learn to use, and more. This podcast is a low-key discussion with my buddy Kyle Hunt where we share a “behind the scenes” look at the process of writing, revising, publishing, and marketing books, how we pick and choose books to read, how we take notes and learn from those books, and more. Specifically, we chat about . . . The “sausage process” of writing books and what it’s like working with editors How we revise and update books to take them from “minimum viable product” to masterwork How we decide what books to read (and how we take notes) Publishing books and marketing them The “magic” of finding the right timing for a business or idea And more . . . In case you’re not familiar with Kyle, he’s a repeat podcast guest and author of several books, including Bodybuilding For Beginners and Strength Training For Beginners. He’s also a competitive powerlifter, coach, owner of Hunt Fitness, and podcaster, who’s the host of The Absolute Strength Podcast, which I’ve been a guest on a number of times. So, if you’re at all curious about what it takes to write a book, what the research and editing process looks like, or just want to hear two authors chat about business, marketing, and writing, I think you’ll enjoy this podcast! Press play and let me know what you think! --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Fortify risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/fortify and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 5:25 - With so many projects you want to do, how do you choose the next one? 9:31 - How do you know when a product is done? 11:02 - How do you choose books to read? 13:16 - Do you like ebooks or physical books and why? 27:20 - Do you read one book at a time? 32:06 - Where can people find you and your work? 32:31 - Are you working on a new book? 36:21 - How important is timing when it comes to business? --- Mentioned on the show: Try Fortify risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/fortify and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! Kyle Hunt’s Absolute Strength Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-absolute-strength-podcast/id1146086687 Kyle Hunt’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntfitness/

What’s my go-to evening snack? Should you try “fat freezing?” How do you fix butt wink? How long will it take to get down to 10% body fat? How much does muscle boost your TDEE? All that and more in this Q&A podcast. This podcast is a Q&A, but it’s a bit different from the kind you’ll typically find here on Muscle For Life. In my usual Q&A episodes, I take a question from email or Instagram and then fully answer it in an episode of the podcast every week. However, over on Instagram, I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy hearing these questions and my short answers. So, instead of talking about one thing in an episode, I’m going to cover a variety of questions. And keep in mind some of these questions are just for fun. :) So if you want to ask me questions in my Instagram stories, follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness), and if I answer your question there, it might just make it onto an episode of the podcast! If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points 5:05 - Should I avoid cheat meals while cutting? 6:09 - Should you subtract calories that your body doesn’t process? 7:03 - How long should it take me to go from 15% body fat to 10%? 8:11 - Do you need to take beta-alanine everyday for it to be effective? 8:38 - Are you a whore? 8:56 - What is your go to late night snack? 9:32 - How many hours do you workout a week? 10:37 - What are your thoughts on butt wink while squatting? 11:15 Do you recommend giving children multivitamins? Which ones do you recommend? 12:04 - What are your thoughts on fat freezing? 12:40 - How long do I need to sit outside of Legion headquarters and honk until I got free Pulse? 12:58 - Should I drink a gallon of water everyday? 13:24 - Which is better, a fabric or leather living belt? 13:56 - Are cold showers after training good or bad? How long should they be? 14:51 - Do you have tips for a successful blog? 18:27 - What is the best leg session? 19:03 - How much of an effect does muscle have on total daily expenditure? 20:18 - Which of your books are you most proud of? 21:51 - Should I use lean body mass or scale weight when trying to workout marcos? --- Mentioned on the Show: Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

Many people are afraid of losing muscle, especially when they can't train. The good news is it takes a lot longer to lose muscle when you stop training than many people think. And the even better news is if you do lose actual muscle tissue, there’s something called muscle memory.  In this podcast, I’m going to describe what this phenomenon is, how it works physiologically, and how you can take advantage of it. Can we actually use muscle memory to “hack” muscle building by purposely de-training? You’re going to find out in this podcast. --- Timestamps 0:00 - Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip 4:01 - What is muscle memory? 5:45 - How does muscle memory work? 12:44 - Can we use muscle memory to hack muscle building and grow faster? --- Mentioned on the Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip