Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

Almost everyone knows someone who is unfit and lives an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, chances are good that someone you care about or even a family member fits this description, whether they’re overweight, obese, a heavy drinker, smoker, or completely sedentary. So, it’s not too surprising that I’m often asked by people who have started their fitness journeys and seen the benefits of getting healthier, “how can I convince my friend/dad/wife/cousin to lose weight, start working out, or get fit?” Of course, we all want our loved ones to live long, healthy lives. But avoiding disease, dysfunction, and an early death aren’t enough. We want to see our closest friends and family thrive and live out the best version of themselves. And this is what I’m talking about on this podcast with Danny Matranga. We discuss the first step to helping someone else get fit, habit stacking, the importance of not giving “blanket” fitness advice, why you should be positive rather than critical, and a lot more. In case you’re not familiar with Danny, he’s a coach and owner of Core Coaching Method, an educator, and the host of his own podcast called Dynamic Dialogue. Danny knows all about not only helping people get fit, but making that process enjoyable, which is why he’s a great guest to talk about the best ways to encourage others to adopt healthier habits. So, if you’ve ever wanted to “convince” someone you care about to start working out, start dieting, lose weight, go to the gym with you, or just exercise enough to not be sedentary, you don’t want to miss this podcast! Timestamps: 0:00 - Pre-order my new fitness book now for a chance to win over $12,000 in splendid swag: https://www.muscleforlifebook.com/ 8:04 - How do you "convince" someone to start working out, diet, or live a healthier lifestyle? 9:16 - How many people are obese? 11:52 - What are the government recommendations for how much to move? 17:12 - What's the first step of encouraging someone to get started? 20:26 - What is habit stacking? 24:02 - Why you should be positive and encouraging rather than criticizing. 27:09 - Why you can't give the same advice to everyone. 35:44 - How has social media affected expectations of how much work it takes to get fit and healthier? 43:07 - What about people who aren't ready to make any changes yet? 48:09 - What about people with physical limitations or accessibility issues? 48:56 - Is a TRX useful? 1:01:28 - The formula for "convincing" others to get fit. 1:05:24 - Where can people find you and your work? Mentioned on the Show: Danny Matranga’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danny.matranga/ Dynamic Dialogue Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/911641 My New Book Muscle For Life: https://muscleforlifebook.com/

In this podcast, I’m going to give an in-depth answer to a question I’ve been getting asked more and more frequently over the last 6 months: what’s my take on testosterone replacement therapy? When should you use TRT? Why would you start TRT? Is it safe? What are the benefits and what are the risks? One of the reasons I’ve been getting asked about TRT more often is that it’s getting more popular. So in this podcast, I’m going to talk about what TRT is, when is it clearly indicated, when is it less appropriate, and what you should consider if you’re thinking about starting (or have just started) TRT. If you’ve ever wondered what TRT is or whether you should consider starting it, you don’t want to miss this podcast! Timestamps: 4:46 - What is TRT? 5:31 - When is TRT given to men? 7:41 - Why do people take TRT? 9:11 - What effect does TRT have on testosterone levels and what are the benefits of TRT? 12:51 - What are the risks of TRT? 19:02 - What's my recommendation regarding TRT? 24:53 - How do you increase testosterone naturally? Mentioned on the Show: My New Book Muscle For Life: https://muscleforlifebook.com/

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 3:40 - Are explosive reps better for glute growth than normal or slower tempos? 6:23 - What is the most effective sales communication that resonates with me? 7:34 - Do you think there will be an economic collapse? 8:39 - How to naturally boost your testosterone 9:33 - Would you ever use a sun bed? 10:03 - Getting started seems hard 10:50 - Are you getting easier or cheaper distribution to the UK any time soon? 11:34 - How do you get rid of love handles? 12:39 - Does foam rolling help recovery? 13:45 - When shit hits the fan in the US, where are you going? 14:06 - Does masturbating stunt gains? 14:55 - Best mobility exercises 15:37 - Have you always had the same political views as now? 16:39 - Is fasting or keto beneficial for longevity? 18:31 - What exercises should be avoided with disc herniation? 19:12 - Have you ever shit yourself while squatting? 19:35 - How many 6 year olds could you beat in a fight? 20:40 - Do stomach vacuums flatten your belly? 20:59 - Is a Fitbit a good method of estimating your total daily energy expenditure? Mentioned on the Show: Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

This podcast is all about sperm. That’s because I’m talking with Khaled Kteily about male fertility. The reason I thought this would make a good topic is it’s an aspect of health I haven’t really touched on before and male fertility isn’t something many people talk about. And what better person to speak about male fertility than the CEO of Legacy, a Harvard-backed company that offers at-home sperm testing, cryostorage (freezing your little swimmers for future use), and educational resources to help men understand and protect their fertility. In this episode, Khaled and I chat about how fertility is changing (and possible reasons why male fertility is on the decline), why it matters, what you can do to improve your fertility, how family planning is changing, what conception might look like in the future, and more. And even if you’ve already had kids (like me) or don’t plan on having kids, this podcast is worth a listen because you probably know someone who is trying to have kids or wants to have kids in the future. Not only is your fertility an important biomarker for overall health, but considering how common fertility problems are these days, it could be affecting someone you care about. So, if you want to learn all about male fertility and whether you should consider testing and freezing your sperm, definitely check out this podcast! Timestamps: 12:46 - How and why are thoughts about fertility changing? 16:17 - How is fertility measured? 17:49 - What factors are causing a decrease in male fertility? 22:45 - Do cell phones and radiation affect our sperm? 26:05 - How can people reduce exposure to harmful chemicals? 27:50 - What can you do to make your body more resilient to negative effects? 30:14 - What role does meat eating play in fertility? 31:38 - Family planning 38:21 - Does using younger eggs and sperm reduce the chances of things going wrong? 41:35 - What's the ideal age to test and freeze your sperm? 42:26 - Are there risks associated with IVF? 43:53 - Why do you think IVF will be preferred? 52:27 - Where can people find you online? 53:33 - Should you test your sperm even if you're not going to freeze your sperm? Mentioned on the Show: Legacy: https://givelegacy.com/ Legacy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/givelegacyinc Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

I’ve churned through over 150,000 emails, social media comments and messages, and blog comments in the last 6 years. And that means I’ve fielded a ton of questions. As you can imagine, some questions pop up more often than others, and I thought it might be helpful to take a little time every month to choose a few and record and share my answers. So, in this round, I answer the following question: Does turkesterone safely and effectively boost muscle growth? If you have a question you’d like me to answer, leave a comment below or if you want a faster response, send an email to mike@muscleforlife.com. Timestamps 3:31 - What is turkesterone? 5:26 - What do companies selling turkesterone claim? 7:16 - What does human research say about ecdysteroids? 11:10 - How might these ecdysteroids work in the body? 12:41 - Are ecdysterone supplement labels accurate? 14:26 - What's my position on turkesterone? Mentioned on the Show: BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com

I’ve written and recorded a lot of evidence-based content over the years on just about everything you can imagine related to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy. I’ve also worked with thousands of men and women of all ages and circumstances and helped them get into the best shape of their lives. That doesn’t mean you should blindly swallow everything I say, though, because let’s face it—nobody is always right about everything. And especially in fields like diet and exercise, which are constantly evolving thanks to the efforts of honest and hardworking researchers and thought leaders. This is why I’m always happy to hear from people who disagree with me, especially when they have good arguments and evidence to back up their assertions. Sometimes I can’t get on board with their positions, but sometimes I end up learning something, and either way, I always appreciate the discussion. That gave me the idea for this series of podcast episodes: publicly addressing things people disagree with me on and sharing my perspective. Think of it like a spicier version of a Q&A. So, here’s what I’m doing: Every couple of weeks, I’m asking my Instagram followers what they disagree with me on, and then picking the more common or interesting contentions to address here on the podcast. And in this episode, I’ll be tackling the following . . . Sugar is addictive in the same way that hard drugs like cocaine and heroin are. Timestamps: 5:11 - What do people mean when they say they're "addicted" to sugar? 6:48 - What is the argument for sugar addiction? 8:11 - What do scientific studies say about sugar addiction? 12:57 - Do rats show signs of withdrawal from sugar? 14:25 - Does sugar cause a similar neurochemical dopamine response to drugs? 15:33 - What does human research say about sugar addiction? Mentioned on the Show: BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/mike

In this podcast, I chat with scientist and friend Dr. Bill Campbell about a new study on rapid fat loss that came out of his lab. In case you’re not familiar with Dr. Campbell, he’s a professor of Exercise Science and the Director of the Performance & Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida, who’s also published more than 150 scientific papers. In other words, Dr. Campbell is busy conducting studies that test questions many of us have with answers we all want to know. His latest study on rapid fat loss is a prime example. While most of us want to strip away fat as quickly as possible, we also don’t want to lose our hard-earned muscle in the process. So the question is, how aggressive should we be during a cutting phase to maximize our fat loss benefits and minimize any negative consequences of being in a deficit. And that’s exactly what Dr. Campbell’s latest study looked at and the results actually changed his mind about rapid fat loss. In this episode, Dr. Campbell describes the study, the results, practical tips you can implement to lose fat as quickly as possible, and what future studies on this topic might look like. So, if you want to learn about the latest research on losing fat fast without shriveling into an atrophied raisin of your former self, don’t miss this episode! Press play and let me know what you think. Timestamps: 15:28 - Why did the study you conducted change your mind about rapid fat loss? 16:21 - How big of a deficit can you go into and for how long? 17:30 - What do you consider to be an aggressive deficit? 24:15 - What were the results of the study? 29:52 - What were the effects on RMR? 32:32 - How does this compare to protein-sparing modified fasts? What is a practical use for this rapid fat loss? 40:44 - What is the constrained energy model? 47:44 - What did training look like in your study? 49:10 - How was compliance among participants? 50:17 - How did people feel on the diet? 57:47 - Where would you implement this rapid fat loss in a cutting phase? At the beginning of a fat loss phase? Near the end? 1:02:02 - Where can people find you and your work? Mentioned on the Show: Bill Campbell’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billcampbellphd/ Building Your Ultimate Body: https://cleanhealth.edu.au/shop/bill-campbell-building-your-ultimate-body/ BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/

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 3:46 - Do you train abs in BBLS? 6:06 - What do you think about pyramid sets? 7:09 - Are you living your best life? 7:41 - Tips for making healthy food while dealing with budget/inflation issues. 8:55 - Tips for genetically challenged biceps? 10:45 - Best exercise for chest without having a bench? 11:09 - Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J? 11:29 - Should diet breaks be times to coincide with deloads? 12:33 - How much cardio should be done in a deficit? 13:00 - Should I avoid sex before working out? 13:23 - Does it make sense and is it safe to take creatine all year long? 13:42 - Are higher reps better for growing smaller muscle groups? 15:51 - How are Legion supplements tested for purity? 16:30 - How to handle sweaty crotch in gym? 16:54 - What would you tell Sal Di Stefano about his 15k in book sales 17:26 - Do you still believe those not getting vaccinated are bringing us closer to the abyss? Mentioned on the Show: BLACK FRIDAY SALE!  Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com

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 3:38 - Is decline bench press needed to build chest muscles? 4:46 - SARMS or steroids? Which is best? 4:58 - What're your tips for feeling the mind-muscle connection? 5:55 - Are good mornings worth programming in for legs? 6:36 - Is Mark Rippetoe a nice guy? 6:54 - If you're 50+ pounds overweight, how much protein should you eat? 7:34 - Should you weigh food raw or cooked for macro tracking? 7:46 - What is the release date for Smaller, Weaker, Sicker for Australians still under lockdown? 8:29 - How long do I need to wait after taking creatine to have caffeine or coffee? 8:51 - In Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger should you change rep range and set count while cutting? 9:17 - Prowler versus HIIT? 9:29 - Advice for people losing their jobs due to mandates? 10:11 - Advice for teens interested in business? 11:51 - Is Ashwagandha effective for relieving stress? 12:11 - How many years will it take a thin guy a body like yours? 12:44 - Do women really have to learn how to deadlift and bench press to see results from weight lifting? Mentioned on the Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://buylegion.com/vip

In this podcast, Kyle Hunt and I discuss powerlifting. While I’ve written a bit about powerlifting in the past and done some powerlifting-style training myself, I wanted to get a true expert in the field onto the podcast to chat about it in a bit more detail. 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 couple of times, and he’s appeared on Muscle For Life twice before to discuss powerbuilding and bodybuilding for beginners. Even if you don’t aspire to be the world’s strongest lifter and have no intention of competing at a meet, powerlifting still has something to offer. At the very least, a powerlifting training block can help add some spice to your training life and keep things interesting. In this interview, Kyle Hunt addresses common misconceptions about powerlifting, technique tweaks, what a powerlifting routine might look like, equipment recommendations, why you should consider participating in a powerlifting meet, meet strategies, and a lot more. So, if you’re at all interested in trying powerlifting or just want to know more about what it is, this is a podcast you don’t want to miss! Timestamps: 8:07 - Who should do powerlifting? 15:00 - Why you shouldn't always be grinding out your sets. 17:27 - What are some common misconceptions about powerlifting 24:00 - How much of a difference does technique improvement make? Should you increase frequency? 29:41 - Why are heavy singles beneficial? 33:58 - What role does confidence play in your strength and performance? 35:56 - Attempt selection strategy. 37:15 - Should you go for the heaviest lift on your third attempt? 40:31 - How can someone get started with powerlifting? 43:12 - Why should you consider doing a powerlifting meet? 45:22 - Weight class discussion. 49:12 - Should you do cardio during a powerlifting program? 57:06 - What's a good program to get started with powerlifting? 59:41 - How do you assess one powerlifting program versus another? 1:04:40 - What type of weightlifting belt do you recommend? 1:06:10 - What shoes do you recommend? 1:15:53 - Where can people find you and your work? Mentioned on the Show: Kyle’s Absolute Strength podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-absolute-strength-podcast/id1146086687 Kyle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntfitness/ Kyle’s book Bodybuilding For Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Bodybuilding-Beginners-12-Week-Program-Muscle/dp/1641523611/?tag=mflweb-20 Beginner’s Guide to Weight Lifting: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082MSZ2XM/?tag=mflweb-20 Strength Training For Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BW24GQ8/?tag=mflweb-20 Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://buylegion.com/vip