Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

These fitness “white pills” are an antidote to dark days. They’re finding a bright spot, a break in the clouds, a spiritual salve to like, love, and rub all over ourselves. For example, you couldn't gain more than a pound or two of fat in an entire day of relentless feasting and imbibing, so don't fret over the occasional "cheat meal" gone awry. Even your worst won't visibly disturb your body composition, so just shrug it off and jog on. Timestamps: 0:00 -  Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! 4:41 - My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ Mentioned on the Show: My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

Are electrolyte and hydration supplements worth taking? Can they boost your performance, and prevent dehydration and muscle cramps, or are they a ripoff? The good news is electrolyte drinks, pills, and powders are well studied, and I’m going to dive into what the science says. Proponents and companies peddling these supplements claim you lose large amounts of electrolytes (like sodium, potassium, and magnesium) when you sweat, and your performance, mood, and overall health will quickly wane if you don’t replenish these vital minerals. Do you really need to refresh your electrolyte levels, though, or can you get everything you need from food? And when it comes to hydration, are there any benefits to drinking special, salty water? Listen to this podcast to find out! Timestamps: 0:00 - My free quiz to answer all your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz 2:40 - What are electrolytes/hydration supplements? 4:24 - Why do people take these supplements? 7:31 - Do electrolytes affect performance? 9:21 - What is the salty sweater claim? 15:58 - Can electrolytes cure or prevent muscle cramps? 20:28 - Do electrolytes help keep you hydrated? 24:02 Are electrolytes dangerous? 25:08 - What is the final take on electrolytes? Mentioned on the Show: Take this free quiz to get science-based answers to all of your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz

Are you bored of the same exercises, day after day in the gym? Kyle Hunt and I discuss often-overlooked and underrated exercises you can try next time you train to add some spice to your program while getting bigger and stronger. In this episode, repeat podcast guest Kyle Hunt and I talk about underrated exercises. It’s fairly common to bust myths and talk about overrated exercises you see many people doing in the gym, but we’re taking the opposite approach here. These are exercises that have value, but which a lot of people overlook or judge more harshly than they should. Whether you just don’t know about these movements, don’t do them because you heard they’re dangerous or ineffective, or if you’ve simply forgotten about them just because they’re not “popular” on social media, these exercises can benefit your programming and train your muscles in new ways. Specifically, Kyle and I chat about . . . Chest-supported rows and how they can help when you don’t have heavy dumbbells The value of handstand pushups and one-arm pressing The importance of “intensity discipline” and AMRAP sets Tips for safety bar squats, pistol squats, and good mornings Loaded carries (and how to program them) Trap-bar deadlifts and nordic hamstring curls Different types of pullovers (and what muscles they train and why you’d add them) And more . . . In case you’re not familiar with Kyle, he’s a competitive powerlifter, coach, author, and owner of Hunt Fitness, who’s worked with hundreds of powerlifters and bodybuilders alike. He’s also the host of The Absolute Strength Podcast, which I’ve been a guest on a number of times. So, if you want some new ideas on exercises you can incorporate to add some variety to your training while still training effectively (and hitting your muscles in different ways), you’re going to enjoy this podcast! Timestamps: 0:00 - Go to buylegion.com to save up to 30% on everything in our store this week only! Save big during our Spring Site Wide Sale! 5:56 - What are some underrated exercises? 7:41 - What is incline prone dumbbell rowing? 15:06 - What are your thoughts on intensity discipline? 17:45 - Handstand pushups 23:40 - What are your thoughts on the seated one arm overhead press? 24:49 - What are your thoughts on unilateral exercises? 27:20 - Safety bar squats 39:40 - Chinups for biceps 42:08 - Suitcase carries, farmers walks, and loaded carries 45:11 - How do loaded carries affect GPP (general physical preparedness)? How does GPP improve your performance? 49:28 - Good mornings 51:48 - Pistol squats 53:49 - How to program pistol squats 54:02 - Trap bar deadlifts 59:38 - Pendulum squats 1:01:29 - What are your thoughts on nordic hamstring curls? 1:04:37 - Pullovers 1:06:49 - What are your thoughts on dumbbell pullovers? 1:08:23 - Where can people find you and your work? Mentioned on the Show: Our first big sale of the year is taking place at www.buylegion.com. Save up to 30% on everything in our store! Save big before we run out of stock! 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/

If you have an injured arm, should you still do exercises with the non-injured arm? Is beet juice a good pre-workout? What’s a good grip for bench press? How do I get motivated for cardio? All that and more in this 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 - Go to buylegion.com to save up to 30% on everything in our store this week only! Save big during our Spring Site Wide Sale! 3:36 - My shoulder is in a sling for 2 months, is it worth it to do single arm curls, shoulder raises, etc. with my good arm? 4:03 -  You hit 4 sets of 10 on a secondary exercise. Next time, should you go for 11-12 or move up in weight? 5:55 - Are straps needed when you get to a heavy weight on conventional deadlifts? 7:56 - What’s a good grip for the barbell bench press? 8:52 - I feel better with a low carb diet mentally, can I still grow? 9:14 - What’s your next move professionally? 12:40 - Can beet juice (powder) be a good pre workout? 13:20 - Cardio sucks, how do I get motivated to do a cardio session? 14:32 - What are your thoughts on teledildonics? 15:11 - At what age should your kid start lifting? What should they start off with if they show an interest in lifting? Mentioned on the Show: Our first big sale of the year is taking place at www.buylegion.com. Save up to 30% on everything in our store! Save big before we run out of stock!

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: How Jake Gained 20 Pounds of Muscle on My Bigger Leaner Stronger Program (Originally published 3/25/2019) Why Your Hip Flexors Are So Tight (and What to Do About It) (Originally published 3/20/2019) Motivation Monday: Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog? (Originally published 5/14/2018) And we’ll be starting with number one, how Jake gained 20 pounds of muscle on my Bigger Leaner Stronger program. Timestamps: 0:00 - My free quiz to answer all your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz 2:38 - How Jake Gained 20 Pounds of Muscle on My Bigger Leaner Stronger Program 11:05 - Why Your Hip Flexors Are So Tight (and What to Do About It) 17:39 - Motivation Monday: Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog? Mentioned on the Show: Take this free quiz to get science-based answers to all of your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz

In this podcast, I interview Jay, who read Bigger Leaner Stronger and used what he learned in my books and podcasts to turn his life around both physically and mentally. Not only has Jay lost over 50 pounds so far while getting stronger every week, but his mental health has radically improved. Jay is the perfect example of how getting in shape and taking control of your health can dramatically boost your mood and mindset. Before finding my work, Jay battled post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression, and even tried to take his own life. Luckily, he failed, and started to take baby steps towards improving his physical health, which dramatically affected his mental health. As Jay puts it in the interview, he doesn’t know if he’d be here if it wasn’t for using what he learned in Bigger Leaner Stronger to start nourishing his body with nutritious food and getting active with resistance training and cardio. Since then, Jay decided to sign up for my VIP coaching program and in this interview, Jay and I chat about his story, and the obstacles he’s navigated along the way, including how he eased into fitness with walks and bodyweight movements, how he overcame gym intimidation, how he stopped coping with alcohol, why he decided to sign up for coaching, how fitness has affected his mental state, and a lot more. So if you’re looking for a jolt of inspiration and like motivational stories, definitely listen to this episode. Timestamps: 0:00 - Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://buylegion.com/vip 7:32 - Where were you with your fitness before you found Legion and where are you now? 50:02 - How was your experience going through the program twice? 57:37 - How has your mental health improved? 1:09:37 - How do you differentiate if your body is warming up, rusty, or sore? 1:24:14 - Is there anything you would like to add? Mentioned on the show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://buylegion.com/vip Bigger Leaner Stronger: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/bigger-leaner-stronger/ The Shredded Chef: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/the-shredded-chef/ Muscle For Life: https://legionathletics.com/muscle-for-life-book/

Fitness isn't everything, but everything is harder if you aren't fit. And some days, the “fitness” work is internal, not external. Listen to learn why. Timestamps: 0:00 -  Please leave a review where you listen to podcasts and subscribe to the show! 1:21 - New Whey+ flavor Honey Cereal is out now! Try Whey+ risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/whey and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! Mentioned on the Show: New Whey+ flavor Honey Cereal is out now! Try Whey+ risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/whey and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

Are barefoot shoes worth it? My best tips for meal planning and prepping. What would I do as ruler of the world? What’s the one book to rule them all? All that and more in this 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 - My free quiz to answer all your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz 2:01 - Why do I see women eating as much or more than me? 4:31 - Why don’t you mention anything about your thoughts on stretching in your books? 5:39 - If you were the absolute ruler of Earth, what changes would you make? 6:10 - What do you think about a 90% carnivore diet? 6:46 - Do you know of a place where one could live free from covid tyranny? 7:22 - Why are people still getting tested for Covid-19? 7:35 - Do barefoot shoes make a difference? 8:55 - What is your favorite book besides your own books? What would be your obsession if it wasn’t working out? 10:35 - Do you have any tips on being consistent with your meal plan and meal prepping? 14:27 - How should I respond to my boyfriend that keeps telling me to tone with lighter weights? 14:45 -  How is Legion Protein powder so good? Mentioned on the Show: Take this free quiz to get science-based answers to all of your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz

Are we all drowning in dopamine without even realizing it? What are the effects of being bombarded with dopamine in the reward pathways of our brain, and more importantly, what can we do about it? My guest, Dr. Anna Lembke, a Stanford professor and expert in the neuroscience of addiction, is on today’s episode to talk all that, including “dopamine detoxing.” Not only is Anna a psychiatrist and clinician who helps patients overcome addiction of all types, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at Stanford, but she’s also a best-selling author. Her latest book Dopamine Nation is a New York Times best-seller, chock-full of the science behind dopamine and impulsive overconsumption, as well as practical tips to reset our brains with a “dopamine detox.” And just in case you think the topic of addiction doesn’t apply to you, when’s the last time you tried to put down your smart phone for 24 hours (or longer)? In our discussion, addiction applies to more than just classic substances like alcohol and opioids. Anna and I discuss various behaviors we can develop “nefarious” relationships with, including watching Netflix and porn, playing video games, overindulging in junk food, and more. Specifically, we talk about . . . What dopamine is and its role in movement, pleasure, and addiction Dopamine fasting (and how it's not avoiding all pleasure, as commonly espoused) The debate of what "true" addiction is (think heroin vs. Netflix) and how addiction is treated Pornography addiction and practical ways to overcome it How to maintain balance and still experience pleasure without things getting out of control Mini-detoxes and how to use self-binding strategies to succeed in restraint Why doing challenging (or even painful) things can actually enhance dopamine production And more . . . So, if any of that piques your interest, or if you just want to know whether you should do a “dopamine detox,” and how to do one properly, listen to this podcast! Timestamps: 0:00 - Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 6:51 - What is a dopamine detox? 13:49 - What are you thoughts on addiction? 19:18 - What do those interventions look like? 24:08 - What are some strategies to stop an addiction? 31:20 - Are there any substances that you think are more addictive than others? 35:01 - What should someone do if they believe they are falling into addiction? 37:44 - Is there value in committing to dopamine detoxes? 39:41 - What are healthy sources of dopamine? 45:52 - Is there value in setting time for relaxation and boredom? Mentioned on the Show: Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! Dopamine Nation: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672X/?tag=mflweb-20

Why is it that some people seem to eat whatever they want without putting on any body fat? Almost all of us know that person that just doesn’t put on body fat no matter how much they eat. And if you search the internet for 10,000 calorie challenges or #cheatday, you’ll see plenty of very fit folks eating huge amounts of food, without any body fat to show for it. What gives? While it seems like these people have some innate ability to eat without consequence, their bodies follow the same physiological rules as everyone else's. The real explanation boils down to their eating and exercise habits, including the ones you don’t see. In this podcast, I’ll answer why some people seem to be able to eat as much as they want without getting fatter. Press play and let me know what you think! Timestamps: 0:00 -  Try Whey+ risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/whey and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 4:20 - How can people eat whatever they want without gaining weight? 10:49 - Burning calories through digesting food 13:52 - Storing macronutrients as fat 20:07 - Moving more when you eat more 21:48 - Calorie absorption Mentioned on the Show: Try Whey+ risk-free today! Go to www.buylegion.com/whey and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!