Muscle for Life

In this podcast, I have a conversation with my friend David Nurse all about realizing your potential, achieving more than you thought was possible, and creating breakthroughs. This is something David knows about because he recently released a book called “Breakthrough,” which provides an actionable blueprint to increase your innovation and creativity on demand. David took what he learned about the habits and routines of the most successful NBA players and coaches to develop a framework for creating more breakthroughs in your life. In case you’re not familiar with David, not only is he a former pro basketball player life optimization coach, and a repeat guest on my podcast, but he’s a bestselling author, and acclaimed speaker, recently named by Real Leaders as a Top 50 keynote speaker (and he’s the youngest speaker int he list to boot). In this interview, we discuss . . . What breakthroughs are and the framework you can use to have them more frequently The value of competition Developing self-confidence

This episode is part of a 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: 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 for the latest and greatest installment. Timestamps: 0:00 - Try our new and improved protein bar! Go to https://buylegion.com/bar and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 3:30 - Please leave a review and subscribe to the podcast! Mentioned on the Show: Try our new and improved protein bar! Go to https://buylegion.com/bar and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get d

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 ([email protected]) 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 - T

If you listen to this podcast, you probably have some idea what macronutrients are, as well as micronutrients, like vitamin C or B12. What you may not know is plant foods contain even smaller organic compounds called phytonutrients. What are phytonutrients and why do they matter? Can you still thrive without eating them? What are the benefits of including more of them in your diet and which ones should you focus on? In this podcast interview, Dr. Dan Gubler answers those questions and a lot more. He gives a primer on phytonutrients, explains why you should care about them, and gives practical tips for incorporating more of the most important ones into your diet. If you’re not familiar with Dan, he’s a phytonutrient chemist and researcher whose work has been recognized with the DSA Visionary Award, the Schering-Plough Science and Innovation Award, the American Cancer Society Fellowship, the Eli Lilly Fellowship, and the Best Educator Award from Brigham Young University–Hawaii. He’s also the co-founder and Chie

This episode is part of a 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: 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 for the latest and greatest installment. Timestamps: 0:00 - Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points 2:50 - Please leave a review and subscribe to the podcast! Mentioned on the Show: Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

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 ([email protected]) 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 - T

If you’ve ever wondered if you're making the most of your workouts, this podcast is for you. That’s because I’m chatting with Chris Barakat all about training quality versus quantity. There’s been a lot of discussion in the fitness space over the past few years about the relationship between volume and muscle growth. The more volume you do, the better your results, many people claim. Is that completely true, though? Are all sets and reps created equal? Or are there ways to maximize your results without adding more sets to your workout? Those are questions Chris Barakat is answering in this podcast. We discuss . . . The concept of volume quality and why more isn’t always better Rep effectiveness versus “junk” volume Specific signs your reps are high-quality How to “feel” your chest during the bench press And more . . . If you’re not familiar with Chris, he’s a published scientist, educator, coach, and natural bodybuilder, and he’s a repeat guest on the podcast for good reason. His years of developing

This episode is about the speed of your metabolism. Many people have reached out to me over the years who were struggling to lose weight and who thought this was due to a “slow” metabolism. Often the solutions offered involve taking special pills, following very restrictive diets, and pushing through punishing workouts. And when those strategies don’t work, these same people start believing it’s impossible to lose weight or keep it off. Others have complained to me that their metabolisms are so “fast” that they can’t gain weight effectively—the so-called hard-gainer. In this podcast, we’re going to talk about both of those scenarios. The good news is while some people do tend to burn more calories than others, no one’s metabolism is so “slow” or “fast” that they can’t improve their body composition or maintain the body they really want. So, listen to this episode to learn why! Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Phoenix risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/phoenix and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double rewa

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: Eric Helms on Supersets, Dropsets, Forced Reps, and More! (Originally published 7/5/2019) The Top 5 Proven Ways to Build Muscle Faster (Originally published 1/11/2018) Motivation Monday: The Great “Work-Life Balance” Dilemma (Originally published 4/2/2018) And we’ll be starting

If you’ve paid any attention to what’s trending in the fitness space these days, you may have come across organ meats. Eating liver, kidneys, and heart seems to be on the uptrend in general, and is all the rage in certain corners of the internet. Claims about organ meats can vary wildly. Some people say organ meats are reservoirs of toxins and shouldn’t be consumed at all, while others claim you can not only survive by eating only organ meats, but actually enhance your health. Yes, if you hate veggies, you can make up for it by eating enough of the right organ meats, proponents claim. If you’re like me, you probably don’t eat any organ meats, and opt for more appetizing fare like chicken breast or steak. So what’s the real story here? Should we be incorporating organ meats into our diet? What value do they provide, how much of a difference can they make, and can we get those nutrients from more “normal” foods instead? To chat about this subject, I invited Chris Kresser back onto the podcast. In case you aren’

In this episode, I’m talking about calf training and answering a question I often get about calf genetics. How much can genetics get in the way of calf development? This matters to me because I’ve always had small calves, and it’s a trait I seem to have inherited from my dad. Does that mean that no amount of calf raises will save my spindly lower legs, though? More and more research is coming out that calls the calf genetics theory into question. Tune in the learn more! Timestamps: 0:00 - Order my new fitness book Muscle For Life here: https://www.muscleforlifebook.com/ 5:52 - Can you train your calves? 11:22 - What is the proper rep range and volume to optimize calf development? 14:25 - How do you find your best rep range? 16:43 - How do you grow your calves faster? Mentioned on the Show: Order my new fitness book Muscle For Life here: https://www.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 ([email protected]) 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 - P

This episode of the podcast is a bit different. That's because in this podcast, I chat with Alex Banayan about his book The Third Door, the journey he went on in the process of writing it, and what he learned along the way. We’ll get into the details in the interview, but Alex went on a seven-year quest to interview some of the world’s brightest, most successful people in order to learn how they broke through in their respective fields. It all started with the common existential crisis of “what do I want to do with my life” and his research led him down a road filled with life-changing interviews with Bill Gates, Quincy Jones, Steve Wozniak, Lady Gaga, Warren Buffett, Maya Angelou, Steven Spielberg, Jane Goodall, Larry King, and more (and some wild stories). Now if you're wondering why I thought this was worthy of a podcast, many of my followers are entrepreneurs, people who want to succeed more in their careers, or people who want to improve themselves in general. So while this interview isn’t directly fitne

This podcast was inspired by a question from one of my followers on Instagram: “does the nutritional value of food change based on how it’s cooked?” For example, you may have heard that boiled or steamed vegetables leak nutrients out into the water. Or you may have heard that roasting food can actually boost nutrient absorption. So, do you need to consider cooking methods when meal prepping? How can you make food as nutritious as it can possibly be? Are there any other considerations in terms of how to cook your food? Listen to this podcast to find out! --- 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/ 4:46 - How does cooking affect food? 5:32 - Cooking with water 6:11 - What about grilling and broiling? 9:09 - Grilling tips 9:46 - Microwaving 11:24 - Baking and roasting 11:52 - Sauteing and stir frying 12:11 - Frying 14:04 - Key takeaways --- Mentioned on the Show: Pre-order my new fitness book now for a chance to wi

In this podcast, I’m sharing an excerpt from the audiobook version of my new book, Muscle For Life, which is releasing January 11th. Muscle For Life is currently on pre-order, and if you go to www.muscleforlifebook.com, you can learn about the big book launch bonanza that’s underway, where you can enter to win over $13,000 of awesome stuff. In this episode, I’m sharing chapter 10, which is all about strength training. You’ll learn why you should incorporate strength training into your fitness regimen and how to do it right. Let’s get to it! Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from MUSCLE FOR LIFE by Michael Matthews, read by Chris Henry Coffey with the author. Copyright © 2022 by Waterbury Publications, Inc. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Timestamps: 0:00 - Pre-order my new fitness book now for a chance to win over $13,000 in splendid swag: https://www.muscleforlifebook.com/ 3:01 - Chapter 10, The 5 Commandments of Successful Strength Training Mentioned on the Show: Pre-

In this podcast, I’m sharing an excerpt from the audiobook version of my new book, Muscle For Life, which is releasing January 11th. Muscle For Life is currently on pre-order, and if you go to www.muscleforlifebook.com, you can learn about the big book launch bonanza that’s underway, where you can enter to win over $13,000 of awesome stuff. In this episode, I’m sharing chapter 7, which is the ultimate beginner’s guide to flexible dieting. It teaches you how to determine how many calories to eat based on your goals, how to turn those calories into macros for improving your body composition, and how to make meal plans (without using a scale!). Let’s get to it! Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from MUSCLE FOR LIFE by Michael Matthews, read by Chris Henry Coffey with the author. Copyright © 2022 by Waterbury Publications, Inc. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Timestamps: 0:00 - Pre-order my new fitness book now for a chance to win over $13,000 in splendid swag: https://www.m

In this podcast, I’m sharing an excerpt from the audiobook version of my new book, Muscle For Life, which is releasing January 11th. Muscle For Life is currently on pre-order, and if you go to www.muscleforlifebook.com, you can learn about the big book launch bonanza that’s underway, where you can enter to win over $13,000 of awesome stuff. In this episode, I’m sharing chapter 5, which is all about mastering the “inner game” of fitness, and I’ll explain what I mean by that and then get into the details. You’ll learn how to hack your habits, willpower, and mindset so your fitness regimen feels like it’s on autopilot. Let’s get to it! Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from MUSCLE FOR LIFE by Michael Matthews, read by Chris Henry Coffey with the author. Copyright © 2022 by Waterbury Publications, Inc. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Timestamps: 0:00 - Pre-order my new fitness book now for a chance to win over $13,000 in splendid swag: https://www.muscleforlifebook.com/ 2:30

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 s

In this podcast, I chat with Menno Henselmans again in what’s meant as a part two to our last podcast on the science of self-control and willpower. This time, we’re specifically talking about willpower as it relates to diet. The episode is chock-full of practical tips for improving your diet adherence, which can help you lose fat faster and more easily. This is something Menno is an expert on because he recently released a book called The Science of Self-Control, which is an evidence-based look at willpower that references over 500 scientific papers and distills it all down to actionable tips you can implement now. Menno’s book is designed to help anyone boost their self-control so that they can better stick to a diet, work smarter (not harder), and simply put, be the best version of themselves. And this time, we’re focusing solely on the dietary part of the book. In this interview, Menno explains why dieting is inherently difficult, ways to make it easier, how macronutrient composition, meal timing, and cons

This podcast is about hormones and aging, and specifically, how much hormones affect body composition as you get older. In it, I’ll go through the most important hormones as they relate to body composition, how they change as we get older, and what we can do to maintain optimal hormone profiles relevant to our age. There’s no question that we can’t maintain as optimal a hormone profile at 45 as we can at 25, but as you’ll learn here, we can still maintain good enough hormones to gain muscle, lose fat, stay lean and fit, and feel great. The idea that our hormones crate as we get older and make it impossible to get and stay fit is very discouraging to many people. The good news is that’s mostly untrue. If we’re willing to do a few things consistently and do them well, we can keep our hormones in very healthy and effective ranges. Listen to this podcast to learn about hormones and how they affect body composition, especially as we age. Timestamps: 0:00 - Pre-order my new fitness book now for a chance to win ove