Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

There’s no doubt that March 2020 upended hundreds of millions of lives. Here in the US (and a slew of other places around the world), lockdowns began with the aim to flatten the curve. In turn, this self-imposed (and government ordained) isolation has led to innumerable changes in our lives. Changes to what we do and how we work, changes to our relationships and how we interact with people (who had the foresight to buy Zoom stonk??), and changes to our mental health. It’s even changed how we eat and train thanks to closed gyms and unfettered access to our kitchen pantries and cookie jars. The good news is while most of us didn’t want any of this to happen, we didn’t have to let it derail our good habits. There are ways to workout effectively at home, you can still follow a meal plan and not binge on comfort food, and it’s possible to stay sane and productive without leaving your home for more than a daily walk. In fact, me knows a guy named Chase Chewning, who’s especially good at transforming tragedy into triumph, adapting and thriving in the face of whatever life throws at him. In case you’re not familiar with Chase, he’s a coach, podcaster (who I recently joined on his podcast, Ever Forward Radio), media consultant, and entrepreneur who I’ve had as a guest before to talk about the lesson that hardship taught him on building physical and emotional strength to find his passion and build a career in the fitness industry. In our discussion, Chase and I chat about . . . The realizations and changes he made as a result of quarantine The emotional training that resulted from it Re-building habits from scratch and re-building accountability systems Work/life balance with working from home Tweaks he made to his food choices and diet due to reduced activity levels and changes to training Re-affirming your "why" for training and how this affects intentionality in all areas of your life Accepting reality and adapting And more . . . So if you want to hear about how you can make the most of any situation and create your own silver linings, you want to listen to this episode! 10:49 - What are some changes you made during quarantine? 19:10 - How are you working back to your regular workout routine while quarantine is slowly going away? 29:24 - How has your diet been since quarantine? Mentioned on The Show: Chase Chewning’s Podcast (Ever Forward Radio) https://chasechewning.com/podcasts Chase Chewning’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chase_chewning/ Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/mike Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

This episode is a bit of an anomaly. It’s about applying scientific thinking to our lives and being willing to revise our ideas, beliefs, and actions, and learning one of the most important meta-skills: the ability to change our minds and be willing to admit we were wrong. I think that our ability to accomplish our goals and intentions in any area of our life depends in a very large part on this ability. People who aren’t good at changing their minds, who are very stubborn, very defensive, and who refuse to say sorry, rarely make it. Life runs roughshod over those people and I don't know anyone like that who is successful or doing well in life. I don't just mean financially, either. Sure, that's one component of success, but there are other things that matter like physical and mental health, and the quality of relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. On the flip side, some of the most successful people I know share quite a few traits, and one that’s always stood out is that they don't have a problem saying that they were wrong. They don't have a problem changing their mind when presented with good enough information. In fact, they actively seek out that information. They read books, listen to podcasts, interviews, and lectures. They don't just seek out information that confirms the things that they think are correct, either. They’re willing to hear counterpoints and they’re willing to entertain other ideas. That is, they're willing to go through that process of approaching the ultimate truth, but they also understand that it’s impossible to achieve absolute certainty of most things that matter in life. They’re just too complex, and there are too many shadings of truth. These people don't fall into the mental trap of thinking they have everything worked out, though. They continue evolving their understanding of the world and their interactions with it. So, that's a little foretaste of today's episode. If I’ve piqued your interest, I think you're going to like the rest of it, so take a listen and let me know what you think! Mentioned on The Show: Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/mike Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

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 three questions: If I'm fat will I gain muscle slower when I lean bulk? What’s the best way to eat and train during Ramadan? Have you ever gotten tendonitis/tendonosis from working out and if so how did you recover? 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: 3:47 - If I’m fat will I gain muscle slower when I lean bulk? 24:39 - What’s the best way to eat and train during Ramadan? 32:13 - Have you every gotten tendonitis or tendinosis from working out, and if so, how did you recover? Mentioned on The Show: Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

If you’ve heard any of my Book Club episodes of the podcast, you know I’m an avid reader and all-around bibliophile. I 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. Life is overwhelmingly complex and chaotic, and it slowly suffocates and devours the lazy and ignorant. That’s why we have to be perpetual learners. That’s also why I get excited when someone writes a good fitness book. I want to get more good information out there into the eyes, ears, and brains of more people, and even though I have my own fitness books, I love to see good information get out there no matter who it’s from. In this case, my friend and fellow fitness professional, Sal Di Stefano of Mind Pump Media, has written such a book. It’s called The Resistance Training Revolution, and Sal joins me on this podcast to talk all about it. Sal has been on the podcast several times before and for good reason. We enjoy our forays into history, politics, culture, and economics, but on the fitness side of things, Sal has spent the better part of two decades in the trenches helping normal, everyday people get into great shape. And so he wrote a book to help normal, average people get fit and stay fit for the long-term. In other words, he’s not preaching quick fixes and hacks and the book isn’t written for hardcore bodybuilders. It’s just cold, hard truths and practical know-how to help normal people get healthier, build some muscle in the process, feel better, and improve their lives. In the podcast, we chat about . . . Why he wrote the book and who can benefit from it Why focusing on burning calories from cardio isn't the best approach to weight loss Developing discipline and how not fall off the wagon with a fitness regimen A basic training routine anyone can do And more . . . So if you want to hear about how Sal wants to change the fitness paradigm and promote resistance training to the masses, and how you can educate your own friends and family on the benefits of lifting weights, listen to this podcast! 10:51 - What is the title of the book and why did you decide to write it? 14:43 - What was thought to be the best form of exercise to burn the most amount of calories? 34:14 - What does a resistance revolution exercise look like? Mentioned on The Show: The Resistance Training Revolution: https://theresistancetrainingrevolution.com/ Sal Di Stefano’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindpumpsal/ Mind Pump Media: https://www.mindpumpmedia.com/ Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

When’s the last time you rocked, rolled, or did a set of head nods? These sound like things you might do at a heavy metal concert (RIP shows and in-person events), but I’m referring to simple exercises and movements you may want to incorporate into your routine. According to my guest on this podcast, Tim Anderson, these movements act as a sort of “reset” that you can use to improve movement quality, reduce pain, improve your sleep, and even lift more weight in the gym. I’ll let Tim get into the nitty-gritty details, but the basic idea is that as we age and spend years of our lives sitting and sedentary, we forget how to move properly. Tim’s “resets” are ways we can restore the original strength and movement patterns we learned when we first started to walk as babies. And I appreciate his unique take on mobility and movement. In case you’re not familiar with Tim, he’s the co-founder of Original Strength where he’s made a career out of helping people young and old improve movement patterns and quality, get strong and healthy, and live better. He’s also an accomplished author, having written several books on the subject. In our discussion, we talk about . . . How to breathe properly The benefits of re-learning movements like crawling, rocking, and head nodding Common movement dysfunctions like forward head posture and gait issues Simple “resets” you can do anywhere How much time you should spend resetting and how often And more . . . So if you want to learn about how these easy movements can help improve your life and how to get started with them, listen to this podcast! Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 5:15 - How do you address human movement and what makes your techniques different from others? 6:24 - What are some of these fundamental movement patterns? 7:47 - What are the benefits of relearning these basic movements? 10:13 - Are there benefits to doing these movements for people that don’t have any problems? 12:28 - What are some common movement dysfunctions that you see? 17:20 - What are some of the other movement patterns? 18:15 - What common dysfunctional habits can crawling help with? 24:25 - What do you mean by rolling? 25:29 - How much time do people need to spend working on these basic movements? 26:32 - Where should people start? 34:05 - Do you have recommendations on any basic movements to use between sets of heavy lifting? 37:33 - Where can people find you and your work? Mentioned on The Show: Tim Anderson’s Website: https://originalstrength.net/ Original Strength Institute: https://osi-online.com/ Original Strength YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/OriginalstrengthNet Original Strength Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/original_strength/ Tim Anderson’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim_sonofander/ Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

Concurrent training is the technical term for including both cardio and strength training in your workout routine. Generally, the goal is to get better at both types of training simultaneously. That is, you’re trying to gain muscle and strength by lifting weights and improve your endurance by going faster and/or further in your cardio workouts. If you’ve spent any time in the fitness space, though, you know that many people claim this is a fool’s errand. These people argue that you can’t effectively adapt to both cardio and strength training at the same time. Instead of improving at both—getting bigger, stronger, and fitter—you just end up being mediocre across the board. In other words, they claim concurrent training turns you into a jack of all trades and a master of none. While there’s a kernel of truth to this idea, scientific research shows it’s more wrong than right. In fact, a growing body of evidence suggests that if you want to get bigger, stronger, leaner, and fitter, combining cardio and strength training is actually better than just lifting weights. To get these benefits, though, you have to implement concurrent training correctly. Do it wrong, and you’ll banjax your ability to gain strength and muscle and increase your risk of injury. Do it right, though, and you can enjoy the benefits of cardio and strength training scot-free. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 12:11 - What is the wrong way to concurrently train? 16:09 - What is the right way to concurrently train? 32:06 - How do you avoid recovery problems when concurrently training? Mentioned on The Show: Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ Should You Do Cardio If You Lift Weights Podcast: https://legionathletics.com/cardio-weightlifting-podcast/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

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 three questions: Lying or seated ham curls? Thoughts on weight loss medications? How useful are isometric exercises? 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: 4:59 - Which is more effective for the hamstrings, the lying or seated hamstring curl? 10:17 - What are your thoughts on weight loss medications and using them with a high fat cheat meal as a supplement to reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs? 17:49 - How useful or effective are isometric exercises? Mentioned on The Show: Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/mike Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

I’ve recorded hundreds of episodes of Muscle for Life on a huge variety of things related to health, fitness, and lifestyle, ranging from the basics of diet and exercise like energy and macronutrient balance and progressive overload and training frequency and volume to fads like the ketogenic and carnivore diet and collagen protein to more unfamiliar territories like body weight set point and fasted cardio. Some episodes resonate with my crowd more than others, but all of them contain at least a few key takeaways that just about anyone can benefit from (that’s what I tell myself at least). And as cool as that is, it poses a problem for you, my dear listener: Ain’t nobody got time for that. Well okay, some people do make the time to 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 get a little better inside and outside the gym. People have also been saying they’d like me to do more shorter, multi-topic episodes, like my Q&As. And so I got an idea: how about a “best of” series of podcasts that contains a few of the most practical and compelling ideas, tips, and moments from my most popular episodes? This way, people who are new to the show can quickly determine if it’s for them or not, and those who enjoy what I’m doing but don’t have the time or inclination to listen to all of my stuff can still benefit from the discussions and find new episodes to listen to. So, in this installment of The Best of Muscle for Life, you’ll be hearing hand-picked morsels from three episodes: Kurtis Frank on the Best Pre-Workout Supplements (Originally published 4/10/2019) Research Review: What’s the Best Rep Range for Building Muscle? (Originally published 6/27/2018) Book Club: My Top 5 Takeaways from Good to Great by Jim Collins (Originally published 11/12/2018) And we’ll be starting with number one, Kurtis Frank on the Best Pre-Workout Supplements. Timestamps: 5:48 - Kurtis Frank on the Best Pre-Workout Supplements 13:25 - Research Review: What’s the Best Rep Range for Building Muscle? 26:05 - Book Club: My Top 5 Takeaways from Good to Great by Jim Collins Mentioned on The Show: Best Pre-Workout Supplements: https://legionathletics.com/best-pre-workout-supplements-podcast/ Best Rep Range: https://legionathletics.com/rep-range-podcast/ Good to Great: https://legionathletics.com/good-to-great-podcast/ Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/mike --- Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

At first blush, the phrase “body positivity” sounds like a wonderful thing. A movement that pushes health and being respectful of your body and proud of your physique can help people eat healthier, exercise, and avoid disease, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and more. Unfortunately, in many ways, extremists have co-opted the publicity, and turned “body positivity” into something that’s no longer fully correlated with health and can actually harm individuals and society as a whole. Some people say you can be perfect, beautiful, and healthy at any weight. No matter what the scale says, or how you feel, you should be proud of who you are. Others are diametrically opposed. They believe people who aren’t in shape should be mocked and ridiculed until they’re motivated enough to start dieting and hitting the gym. If you’ve read much of my work, you know that how much fat you carry around and how much muscle you have has real effects on your health. On the flipside of the coin, you probably intuitively know that shaming others isn’t too helpful if your goal is to motivate them to get healthier. Here’s the home truth: “body positivity” when taken too far, can rob people of a better life. But it’s not all bad. With a more moderate, nuanced approach, the movement can help motivate people to start taking steps towards getting healthier. And that’s exactly what I’m discussing in this podcast with Jordan Syatt. In case you’re not familiar with Jordan, he holds several powerlifting records, has a Bachelors of Science in Health & Behavior Science, and hosts a successful mini-podcast. He’s also a thriving strength and nutrition coach (with clients like Gary Vaynerchuk), and as such, has a firm grip on some of the finer, “softer” points of coaching people from all walks of life to adopt healthier lifestyles. In other words, he knows a thing or two about helping people navigate mental roadblocks to get motivated and go from completely sedentary and unfit to lean, athletic, and healthy. In this episode, we chat about . . . What the body positivity movement is the problem with extremist viewpoints What body shaming is and why it does more harm than good How you can damage someone's health by trying to protect their feelings Why "love yourself as you are" isn't helpful and limits the possibility of self-improvement Beauty standards and whether it's important to maintain them How obese models can be both harmful and helpful Where the movement should go in the future And more . . . So if you’re curious about the merits and downsides of the health at any size movement, listen to Jordan break it down. 8:11 - What is the concept of body positivity? 11:23 - When you say body shaming, what does that mean? 19:00 - What are your standards? 32:26 - Where would you like to see this movement go? Mentioned on The Show: Jordan Syatt’s Podcast: http://hyperurl.co/qfk6kz Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/mike Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

Building muscle as a vegan is often seen as tough, but it's definitely achievable. The discussion highlights the challenges vegans face in getting enough protein compared to omnivores. Key vegan protein sources like spelt, chickpeas, and quinoa are explored for their muscle-building potential. Unique protein options such as Sasha Inchi seeds and nutritional yeast are also introduced, along with convenient on-the-go choices. Plus, the episode debunks myths about nutrient loss with sun-dried tomatoes, proving plant-based diets can be rich in nutrients.