Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

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 a few of the more common or interesting contentions to address here on the podcast. And in this episode, I’ll be tackling the following . . . 4:30 - Even if something works on average for a population it doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. 18:29 - You can’t get big legs squatting just once a week. 29:40 - Most people can’t gain 50/50 on a lean bulk. That may work for a beginner but not an intermediate. 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/

I’ve always said if you can change your body, you can change your life. Working out and getting in shape makes us better at everything. So it’s no surprise that many people who start paying attention to their diet and training also start to evaluate other areas of their life. One of those areas is a place where we spend a lot of our waking hours: work. Countless people these days live as zombies--just punching in their time cards as a necessary evil and living for the weekend. And many young people are faced with the daunting task of deciding what they want to do with their life right after they blow out the candles after 18 revolutions around the sun. How do you get out of the rat race? How do you find your dream job? “Follow your passion” is a popular trope, but it’s not necessarily the best advice. Some people get the itch to become an entrepreneur and for good reason. There are many perks to owning your own business, but it’s not for everyone. It’s easy to focus on the pluses without realizing how much work is really involved. Spend enough time on YouTube and you’re sure to see enough clever ads and (misleading) videos to be convinced that everyone except you is actually a millionaire. Simply implement the magic formula and you’ll not only become your own boss, but never work again. ;) As someone who has taken the entrepreneurial plunge and built several successful businesses, I get asked for career advice. While I’m happy to help as much as I can, I wanted to get a true career expert on the show. In this episode, I chat with Ashley Stahl, who just released her book, You Turn: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, and Design Your Dream Career. Ashley is a former national security professional that worked at the Pentagon who practiced what she preaches, shifting to author, entrepreneur, and career coach, who helps people become unstuck in their professional lives. In our chat, we discuss . . . The 10 core skillsets and how these relate to your talents and career path The true causes of unhappiness at a job What to do if you’re considering a big career leap Why finding your dream job isn’t all about “doing what you love” And more . . . So if you’re unhappy with your job, feeling stuck in your career, or just not sure what to do with your life, this podcast might be the kick in the pants you need. Whether you’re looking to make a career shift to the fitness industry, or just want some advice on escaping a job you loathe, this podcast is for you! 9:28 - What would be your next move if you don’t like the job you have now? 13:12 - How would these steps work for someone who thinks they don’t have any talents? 19:11 - What are the 10 skill sets? 40:00 - What are the two reasons why you might not like what you do? 44:48 - What would you say to someone who is stuck in the loop of “should I make the leap?” 56:52 - What does “find out who you are” mean to you? Mentioned on The Show: Ashley Stahl’s Podcast (You Turn Podcast): https://ashleystahl.com/podcast-page/ Ashley Stahl’s Book:  https://ashleystahl.com/you-turn/ Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

If you’ve spent any time in a gym in the past decade, you’re probably familiar with the benefits of a good pre-workout supplement. You know, things like increased strength, endurance, and power, and heightened energy, mood, and focus. You’re probably also familiar with their downsides—energy crashes, disrupted sleep, jitters, nausea, indigestion, and more. Even if you haven’t encountered these problems, you’ve probably noticed that your pre-workout supplement has become less effective over time as your body becomes desensitized to caffeine. All of these issues have given rise to the topic of this podcast: stim-free pre-workout supplements. While the idea of taking a stimulant-free pre-workout might seem ridiculous at first blush (aren’t stimulants the whole point?), there are a few reasons you should consider doing so: They will boost your workout performance, although not quite as much as pre-workouts containing stimulants. They’ll help you avoid many of the negative effects of regular pre-workouts. They’ll help you maximize the benefits of regular pre-workouts when cycled properly (keep listening to learn how). So, if you want to learn more about the benefits of pre-workout supplements, how to choose the best one for you, and how to use them to maximize your performance in the gym, this podcast is for you. Let’s start at square one: what the heck is a pre-workout supplement? 4:42 - What is a pre-workout supplement and why is it so popular? 7:27 - What are the 6 ingredients that make a high-quality pre-workout supplement? 11:53 - What are the benefits of a stem-free pre-workout supplement? Mentioned on The Show: Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ Legion Pulse: https://legionathletics.com/products/supplements/pulse-pre-workout/ 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: What are some good foods for fueling before cardio? Any advice for bettering my relationship with food? How useful are knee and elbow sleeves and wraps? 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. 4:26 - What are some good foods for fueling before cardio? 15:54 - Any advice for bettering my relationship with food? 26:21 - How useful are knee and elbow sleeves and wraps? Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://buylegion.com/vip Whey+ & Plant+ https://legionathletics.com/products/protein/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

In this episode, I interview Nicole, who read Thinner Leaner Stronger and used what she learned to lose over 100 pounds while gaining significant amounts of muscle. After having her third child, Nicole was over 260 pounds and embarrassed by letting herself get to that point. She got fed up and decided to make a change, but she wasn’t sure what to do to get fit. Like many women, she was intimidated by weightlifters in the gym and ended up spending her time in the cardio section. It didn’t help that she was taught by misguided trainers that she needed to “tone” and lifting weights would make her bulky. She was also following heavily-restricted fad diets, which lead to a lot of binge eating. She eventually lost some weight, but she still wasn’t happy with her physique. She was skinny fat. Luckily, a google search on building muscle helped her find my book Thinner Leaner Stronger, and after implementing what she learned about macros and strength training, she’s now 156 pounds, wearing size 4 jeans, and has visible abs. What’s more, her awesome transformation has inspired her husband to join a gym, and he’s also lost 100 pounds! In this interview, Nicole and I chat about her story and the important lessons she’s learned along the way, including how what she was doing before finding TLS, how macros transformed her eating and ability to stick to her diet, how she overcame gym intimidation, how she’s inspired her kids to eat healthier, what she’s working toward now, and more. So if you’re looking for a jolt of inspiration and like motivational stories, I highly recommend you listen to this episode. 5:23 - Where were you before you met me and my work and where are you now? 12:04 - Before you met me, what was working for you and what wasn’t working for you? 17:01 - How did it make you feel knowing you lost the weight you wanted but you still weren’t satisfied with how you looked? 18:04 - How did you find me? 23:43 - How was the gym intimidation factor? 26:14 - When did you start to feel more comfortable? 29:07 - Since you’ve gained some muscle how has that changed your physique? 35:56 - Where do you want to go next? What are you working towards? 41:49 - How has what you’re doing rubbed off on your kids? Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://buylegion.com/vip Thinner Leaner Stronger: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/thinner-leaner-stronger/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

There’s no question that Navy SEALs are veritable ripsnorters. They’ve had a reputation as free-wheeling bruisers since the 1960s, but their recent missions in the Middle East and increased media coverage have propelled them to near mythical status. (There’s even a genre of romance novels about SEALs now). As they’ve gained popularity, journalists, screenwriters, bloggers, YouTubers, and even government officials have been quick to capitalize on the public’s interest in their exploits. For example, a quick google search for “navy seal training” comes up with the following: “How Navy Seals Do the Impossible” “17 gripping images show what it really takes to be a Navy SEAL” “Can You Complete a Navy SEALs Workout Routine?” You’ll also find countless YouTube videos of people attempting Navy SEAL training (or at least what they think is Navy SEAL training). And it makes you wonder . . . what is Navy SEAL training really like? Do I have what it takes to do it? Will it help me get in shape? That’s what you’ll learn in this podcast. I should say right off the bat that I’m not a Navy SEAL, and everything in this podcast is gleaned from books by and about Navy SEALs and a few conversations with SEALs and other members of the US military. So, take it with a big grain of (sea) salt. That said, by the end you’ll have a good understanding of what Navy SEAL training is like (at least the physical components) and whether this kind of training will help you get in shape. 7:01 - What does Navy SEAL training look like? 14:28 - Should I train like a Navy SEAL? Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: buylegion.com/vip --- Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: 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: What do you think about neck training? What are your thoughts on trainer certification? How useful are unilateral 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. Recommended reading for this episode: https://legionathletics.com/fitness-guru/ https://legionathletics.com/muscle-imbalances/ Timestamps: 3:49 - What do you think about neck training? 11:42 - What are your thoughts on trainer certifications? Are they necessary or are they a waste of time? 17:07 - How useful are unilateral 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: Mark Rippetoe on the Right (and Wrong) Ways to Deadlift How Long Does It Take to Get Six-Pack Abs? Motivation Monday: The #1 Unspoken Rule of Success And we’ll be starting with number one, Mark Rippetoe on the Right (and Wrong) Ways to Deadlift. Timestamps: 5:05 - Mark Rippetoe on the Right (and Wrong) Ways to Deadlift 11:33 - How Long Does It Take to Get Six-Pack Abs? 18:31 - Motivation Monday: The #1 Unspoken Rule of Success Mentioned on The Show: legionathletics.com/mark-rippetoe-deadlift/ legionathletics.com/how-long-six-pack-podcast/ https://legionathletics.com/motivation-monday-success-rule/ 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/

It’s time for your regularly scheduled departure from the usual diet and training escapades. That’s right, my fellow chin-scratchers, it’s time to don your thinking caps because this episode is part of my non-fitnessy series with Pat Flynn in which we discuss philosophical topics. What makes this episode particularly special, though, is we’re joined by Dr. Jim Madden in my first roundtable format podcast. Like Pat, Jim is also into lifting heavy things (especially kettlebells), but he’s also trained in philosophy. Jim has a PhD from Purdue, and is a professor of philosophy at Benedictine College, prolific lecturer, and author, including his book, Mind, Matter, and Nature: A Thomistic Proposal for the Philosophy of Mind. And as a refresher, Pat Flynn is a fellow podcaster and author with a deep understanding of philosophy and religion. While I’m not an expert in philosophy, I do have an abiding interest in the area--particularly in ideas I can use to improve my life and that I can share with other people to make their lives better. Plus, I’ve gotten great feedback on these philosophical tangent podcasts and always enjoy my conversations with Pat. In this episode, Jim, Pat, and I are talking all about consciousness and the philosophy of mind. Specifically, we discuss . . . Materialism and metaphysics Ethics and moral considerations (and how harm exists beyond the physical) Their thoughts on reincarnation, near-death experiences, and what the science says about them Rational commitment versus delusion (and what that means for faith, marriage, etc.) The utility of ignoring emotion and how feelings can directly affect perception Recommended resources for people interested more in the philosophy of mind And more . . . If any of that wets your whistle, listen to this episode and let me know what you think! 5:42 - Why does consciousness matter? 12:57 - What are we and what does it mean to have a mind? 28:26 - What are your thoughts on reincarnation? --- 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/

Learn about the benefits of rucking for cardio. Rucking burns calories, boosts cardiovascular fitness, and is easy to recover from. Find out how to do it right, what shoes to wear, and how to make it more comfortable. Discover the historical background of rucking and its importance in modern military training. Get tips on starting rucking, including gradual progression and choosing a proper rucksack and weights. The hosts also discuss upcoming topics and request listener feedback.