Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

Building muscle can seem like a confusing process.Some people say you need to use high reps in your workouts, others say you should just focus on getting strong.Some say you need to eat a high-protein diet, others say it doesn’t matter.Some say you need to eat a meal immediately before and/or after your workout, others say you just have to eat enough calories throughout the day.How are you supposed to know who’s right?Well, one way to sift through this muddle of facts, opinions, and pap is to zero in on exactly what you’re going for.And if your goal is to build muscle, then you need to understand that all of these strategies are really aimed at one thing: muscle protein synthesis.What’s that, you wonder?Well, that’s what you’re going to learn in this podcast.You’re going to learn what muscle protein synthesis is, why it’s so important for building muscle, the six best ways to increase muscle protein synthesis, and how to avoid the things that decrease muscle protein synthesis.Let’s get started.3:41 - What is muscle protein synthesis?10:31 - How do calories impair muscle protein synthesis?14:43 - Why is protein so important to muscle protein synthesis?23:06 - Which supplements help with muscle protein synthesis?28:13 - How does sleep affect muscle protein synthesis?---Mentioned on The Show:Shop Legion Supplements Here:https://legionathletics.com/shop/---Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/

It’s time for another contentious topic, my friends.No, not volume, frequency, or intensity. Today, we’re talking about workout splits. Specifically, full-body training.Full-body and higher-frequency training has become more popular lately. And if you’ve followed my work over the years, you know I haven’t been a big proponent of full-body workouts. In fact, in previous editions of Bigger Leaner Stronger, the workouts had typical “bro-split” names (even though the workouts themselves were more like a Push Pull Legs split with added accessory days).So, it’s not too surprising that I frequently get asked for my thoughts on full-body training versus body part splits and the “best workout split” in general.Well, full-body workouts can definitely work well in certain situations—like when you’re a beginner or when you can only train one or two times per week. But for this episode, I decided to bring in a big proponent of and expert on full-body training, Menno Henselmans.Menno has been arepeatguest on my podcast, but in case you’re not familiar with him, he's a bodybuilding coach, writer, and published scientist who’s also on theScientific Advisory Board of my sports nutrition company, Legion Athletics.In this episode, we chat about …Why you should use a full-body split if you training infrequentlyThe primary benefits of full-body training (optimizing volume and work capacity)How to properly program "supersets" without hurting performance (and actually improve it)How to program an effective full-body routineSaving time in the gym, inter-set rest time, and exercise order considerationsPeriodization and why you shouldn't change exercises too frequentlySituations when full-body routine wouldn’t be the best choiceAnd more …So, if you want to learn all about full-body training and whether you should give it a shot, listen to this episode.8:03 - What qualifies as a full body workout versus something else?17:32 - Does full body workouts give you more high quality volume?19:02 - What is a superset? How would you implement supersets without impairing your performance on the exercises?28:05 - How do you like to program your full body workouts?31:04 - Is that your exercise or is there another component to it as well?32:08 - How do you like to order your exercises?35:45 - How do you like to periodize this type of training?40:30 - Do you do your heavier workouts earlier in the week after a rest period?41:39 - As far as volume, what are you shooting for?---Mentioned on The Show:Menno Henselman’s Website: https://mennohenselmans.com/
Menno Henselman’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menno.henselmans/Books by Mike Matthews: http://legionathletics.com/products/booksBeyond Bigger Leaner Stronger: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/beyond-bigger-leaner-stronger/---Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here:www.legionathletics.com/signup/

Imagine for a moment that we’ve just received a message from an alien race in a galaxy far, far away.“Hey, Earthlings,” it reads. “Want to hang out?”Despite Elon Musk’s protests, our response would probably be something along the lines of “We’re in a weird place right now . . . can you call back later?”While the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be behind us, and most countries have begun reopening, many restrictions remain in place around the world. Social distancing, mask wearing, occupancy limitations, and border closures are all in effect, and now the question on everyone’s mind is, When can we open up completely?After all, the original goal of the lockdowns, social distancing, and so forth was to “flatten the curve”—to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by an onslaught of COVID-19 patients—but that threat never seemed to materialize.For example, in New York City, one of the hardest hit areas in the U.S., hospitals reached about 85% capacity, and intensive care units hit about 90% capacity during the worst phase of the pandemic. High, yes, but not overflowing.In Virginia, 75% of ventilators and nearly 6,000 hospital beds were unused or empty back in April, and that number is likely much lower now. Instead of increasing demand for doctors, the pandemic resulted in thousands of healthcare workers being laid off due to a reduction in non-COVID-19-related visits.What’s more, the CDC reports that people exhibiting flu- or COVID-19-like symptoms only made up about 7% of total hospitalizations in the U.S. in March, and now it’s under 2%.In other words, the curve was flattened.However, now the target seems to have changed from “flattening the curve” to “finding a cure,” which, while laudable, is a goal that could take years to bear fruit.Thus, our current predicament has divided society into two camps.On the one hand, many people want to begin strategically reopening certain places, based on the available evidence and careful cost-benefit analyses of what that would mean for the population.On the other hand, there are those that think any further reopenings would be reckless, and until we find a cure, concoct a vaccine, or have all but eradicated COVID-19, we need to get used to “the new normal.”While only time will tell who’s right in the main, a recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Oslo offers some guidance on what would happen if countries were to open one kind of business—gyms.Before we look at what they discovered, let’s quickly examine a more fundamental question that relates to reopenings on the whole.If you want to learn about gym reopening, listen to this episode!Time Stamps:15:38 - Has the cure become worse than the disease?22:07 - Will reopening gyms increase the risk of catching or spreading the virus?30:56 - Is the gym safe?---Mentioned on the show:Books by Mike Matthews:legionathletics.com/products/books/---Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here:www.legionathletics.com/signup/

This episode is part of a weekly series that I have dubbed “Motivation Monday.” (Yes, I know, very creative of me. What can I say, I’m a genius…)Seriously though, the idea here is simple:Every Monday morning, I’m going to post a short and punchy episode that I hope gets you fired up to tackle the workouts, work, and everything else that you have planned for the week ahead.As we all know, it’s one thing to know what you want to do, but it’s something else altogether to actually make yourself do it, and I hope that this series gives you a jolt of inspiration, energy, and encouragement to get at it.So, if you like what you hear, then make sure to check back every Monday morning for the latest and greatest installment.---Mentioned on The Show:Books by Mike Matthews:https://legionathletics.com/products/books/---Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!ClickHERE:https://legionathletics.com/signup/

Pity our poor thyroid. This small gland is blamed for countless weight loss frustrations and is a consistent scapegoat for people who encounter fat loss plateaus. And that’s understandable. The thyroid affects metabolism and hypothyroidism (suppressed thyroid function) can slow the basal metabolic rate and reduce fat loss if you don’t adjust your diet or get treated.  I hear from many people who have thyroid issues asking for advice on how to lose weight, how to adjust their diets, and how to improve their overall health. This isn’t a subject I’ve touched on directly, so I decided to bring on a true thyroid expert, Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, to elucidate this little gland’s function and how it relates to fitness and health. In this interview, Dr. Nadolsky discusses …   - What is the thyroid, what does it do, and what are hypo- and hyperthyroidism? - How big of an effect can impaired thyroid function have on metabolism? - T3, T4, and TSH hormones - Goitrogenic foods and whether they should be avoided - The role of iodine, stress, and carbs in thyroid function - Signs you may have a thyroid issue - Hypothyroidism misdiagnosis - And more …   In case you’re not familiar with Dr. Nadolsky, he’s a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician, author of “The Fat Loss Prescription,” and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. He’s also a member of Legion Athletics’ Scientific Advisory Board and a certified “meme-ologist” on instagram. :)   So, if you want to learn about all things thyroid, listen to this episode! 12:36 - What are your thoughts on how the US approached the lockdown versus what Sweden did? Do you think we should have made adjustments? 16:00 - What function does the thyroid have? How does the thyroid affect weight loss? 17:42 - What are the hormones involved in thyroid regulation? 19:05 - How much of an impact can the thyroid have on basal metabolic rate?  24:03 - Does hyperthyroidism mirror the effects of hypothyroidism or is there a significant difference?  26:57 - What are some signs of a thyroid issue? 29:08 - Are there natural remedies that can help with hyperthyroidism? 37:19 - How does iodine play into thyroid function? 49:22 - How long will it take to start seeing thyroid effects from dieting? 52:36 - Does stress cause thyroid problems? 1:01:55 - Where can people find you and your work? --- Mentioned on The Show: Dr. Spencer Nadolsky's Website: http://drspencer.com/ RP Health: https://rphealth.com/ Dr. Spencer Nadolsky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnadolsky/ Dr. Spencer Nadolsky's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiYVuCJsA1GZyGgIZJqV64w Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathletics.com/coaching/ Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click HERE: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/

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 episode of The Best of Muscle for Life, you’ll be hearing hand-picked morsels from three episodes: Layne Norton on How to Avoid and Overcome Weightlifting Injuries (Originally published Jun 11, 2017) How to Change Your Body Weight Set Point (Originally published Sep 19, 2018) Motivation Monday: Advice I’d Give to My Younger Self (Originally published Apr 1, 2019) And we’ll be starting with number one, Layne Norton on How to Avoid and Overcome Weightlifting Injuries. 5:45 - Layne Norton on How to Avoid and Overcome Weightlifting Injuries 17:09 - How to Change Your Body Weight Set Point 27:50 - Motivation Monday: Advice I’d Give to My Younger Self --- Mentioned on The Show: https://legionathletics.com/layne-norton-injury-podcast/ (Published 6/11/17) https://legionathletics.com/body-weight-set-point-podcast/ (Published 9/19/18) https://legionathletics.com/motivation-monday-advice-to-younger-self/ (Published 4/1/19) Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathletics.com/coaching/ --- Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click here: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/

In this episode, I interview Jamie, who read Thinner Leaner Stronger and used my coaching program to bulk up from an underweight 93 pounds, to lean and muscular at 105 pounds. At 5”1’, Jamie has always been petite. Somewhere along the way, though, she got up to 125 pounds and 33% body fat, and decided to make a change. She wanted to lose some weight, so she did what most people do: a lot of cardio and restricted her food intake.Unfortunately, this lead to a lot of yo yo dieting, bingeing, and even anorexia, without much progress in the way of body composition. It also lead to low bone density, which spiraled into full-blown osteoporosis.Doctors told her she had to gain weight, and luckily, Jamie discovered strength training and found my books. This transformed her understanding of what it takes to gain muscle and eat well, which lit a fire under her to lift weights and improve her diet.Given her history, however, Jamie was terrified to gain weight. So, after buying herself a home gym, Jamie signed up for my coaching program to help assuage her fears of bulking and get on the right track.And in about 6 months of bulking, she gained 7 pounds of muscle. And after 10 months, a DEXA scan showed she improved her bone density by 5%, which is very impressive!In this interview, Jamie and I talk about her story and the important lessons she’s learned along the way, including how what she was doing before finding TLS, how misconceptions about “good” and “bad” foods lead to bingeing, how she overcame the fear of gaining weight, and more. So if you’re looking for a jolt of inspiration and like motivational stories, I highly recommend you listen to this episode.5:48 - How has quarantine been for you and your fitness journey?8:37 - How has your lean bulk been going?11:36 - Where were you before you found me and my work?26:36 - How did our personal training plan work for you?27:37 - How was training for you psychologically?28:55 - How did training impact your bone density?35:52 - How was the experience from maintaining to a deliberate surplus?46:21 - Where are your fitness goals from here?---Mentioned on The Show:Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching:legionathletics.com/coaching/Jamie's Online Yoga Studios:poweryogabuffalo.com/---Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!ClickHERE:www.legionathletics.com/signup/

Weightlifting may look easy compared to sports like golf, soccer, or gymnastics, but it’s far more technical than most people realize.  For example, properly performing a barbell back squat requires balance, coordination, and strength in a variety of muscle groups. Even the humdrum bench press and deadlift demand meticulous timing and muscular control. Your weightlifting technique also has a major impact on your long-term fitness results.  In a way, learning proper weightlifting technique is like mastering the fundamentals of personal finance.  “Invest” early by taking the time to hone good weightlifting technique, and that time and effort will pay dividends for the rest of your weightlifting journey.   So, what’s the best way to learn weightlifting technique?  Well, it’s not what most people do, which is aping others in the gym. The fact is that most people who lift weights don’t use good technique, and if you try to mimic what they’re doing, you’ll end up making the same mistakes.  Instead, a better approach is to use what are known as weightlifting cues to learn and improve your technique.  Essentially, a weightlifting cue is just a simple reminder that helps you focus on a particular aspect of your weightlifting technique. For example, the cue “spread the floor with your feet,” is a helpful cue for remembering to keep your knees from caving in while squatting (you’ll learn more about this cue in a moment).  Cues like this may seem obvious, trivial, or boring, but when used properly they can immediately boost your strength, fix seemingly intractable problems with your technique, and significantly reduce your risk of injury.  The bottom line is weightlifting cues are one of the “hacks” you can use to quickly master new exercises and maintain proper technique on ones you’ve already learned.  So, if you want to learn new exercises quickly, get stronger and reduce your risk of injury, keep listening.  Let’s start by taking a closer look at a weightlifting cue actually is. 6:36 - What is a weightlifting cue?  13:49 - What are effective cues for the bench press?  20:15 - What are effective cues for the squat? 28:02 - What are effective cues for the deadlift? --- Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathletics.com/coaching/ --- Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click here: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/

Many people out there who don’t know nearly as much as you probably don’t know about losing weight. For example, they don’t know what energy balance is, they do know that if they just starve themselves, if they eat very little and move around a lot, do a lot of cardio, they will lose weight. And of course, that’s true.  But often what happens is these people do that and then they don’t know what to do after and they end up gaining all the weight that they lost back or sometimes even more.  And that usually is either the beginning of or just another episode of a long saga of yoyo dieting, where their weight goes up to a point where they’re uncomfortable and they feel like they have to lose weight or revert back to their old ways that results in rapid weight gain. Research shows that most people out there who diet regain at least 50% of the weight they lose in the first year after losing it. The most powerful way to break this cycle to be able to lose weight is developing the right habits. In this episode, I’m gonna be talking about habits that will help you keep the weight that you lose off. Let’s get started! 5:09 - Habit 1: Stick to a meal plan  14:15 - Habit 2: Replace unhealthy fat with healthy fat  18:26 - Habit 3: Be more active  21:39 - Habit 4: Snack on fruits  28:20 - Habit 5: Know what you’re eating 35:30 - Habit 6: Portion control  38:29 - Habit 7: Don’t be sedentary  40:22 - Habit 8: Don’t drink your calories  43:15 - Habit 9: Mindful eating  44:50 - Habit 10: Eat 5 servings of vegetables a day --- Mentioned on The Show: Shop Legion Supplements HERE --- Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click HERE: www.legionathletics.com/signup/

For everyday gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts, nutrition is pretty simple. Control your calories, eat enough protein, get a nice mix of carbs and healthy fats from nutritious, whole foods, and you’re basically set if you just want to lose fat, build muscle, and get healthier.  This changes for high-level athletes, though.   When performance is your livelihood, nutritional optimization becomes paramount because dietary mistakes have bigger consequences. For instance, not properly fueling before a big event can mean the difference between winning and losing, and many athletes need to carefully manage their energy balance to ensure they’re not hindering their performance with a deficit or packing on unwanted fat with a surplus. While you and I probably don't need to micromanage our meal plans as thoroughly as athletes, we can certainly learn some useful tips and tricks for making our meal plans a little more effective for our goals.  In today’s interview, Dr. Susan Kleiner discusses how she has the professional athletes she works with eat to maximize their athletic performance, including . . .  Carbohydrate timing and fueling around training The problems with the keto diet Tracking calories and macros The importance of whole grains And more . . .   In case you’re not familiar with Dr. Kleiner, she has a PhD in Nutrition with decades of experience in the field, has consulted for various professional sports teams including the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Storm, and has written many books on sports nutrition for athletes, including her bestseller, The New Power Eating. So if you want actionable advice on tailoring your diet to improve your performance, listen to this episode!   Timestamps: 13:34 - What’s the difference between sports nutrition and everyday gym goers? 20:43 - Why don’t you just prescribe everyone a low carb diet and how do you manipulate carbs and fat? 28:54 - Why the emphasis on carbohydrate timing? 35:39 - Where have you seen the keto diet be beneficial? 43:52 - Is there an app you like to use for tracking? 49:34 - What are some nutrients that are in whole grains that aren’t in other foods? 58:49 - What are your thoughts on supplementation and whole grains? 1:16:41 - How do you approach managing the energy balance for your athletes? 1:26:13 - Where can people find you and your work? --- Mentioned on The Show:  Dr. Susan Kleiner’s Website: https://www.drskleiner.com/ Dr. Susan Kleiner’s Books: https://www.drskleiner.com/books/ Dr. Susan Kleiner’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powereat/ Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://legionathletics.com/shop/ --- Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click here: https://www.legionathletics.com/signup/