Muscle for Life

If you want to get into great shape and stay that way, this is the last exercise advice you’ll ever need. In this podcast, I’m giving you the ultimate strength training plan for men. You’re going to learn about volume and intensity, what drives muscle growth, progressive overload, and what you need to focus on to keep gaining muscle and strength. I also offer a “magic” formula you can use for your own training programming. This podcast is the final installments in which I’m sharing an excerpt from the audiobook version of the latest fourth edition of my bestselling book, Bigger Leaner Stronger. In case you’re not familiar with it, Bigger Leaner Stronger is a fitness book for men who want to gain muscle, lose fat, and get healthy faster than they ever thought possible. In this episode, I’m sharing chapter 12, which is all about creating the best strength training plan possible. And if you like what you hear in this selection, you’re sure to enjoy the rest of the audiobook. Let’s get to it! --- Timestamps: 0:

What advice would I give to my younger self? Well, I recently went through a previous episode of the podcast in which I answered this question and wanted to make some updates. So, without further ado, this is my updated advice to my younger self. Listen to this podcast and let me know what you think! What advice would you give your past self? --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! 3:31 - My free meal planning tool: buylegion.com/mealplan --- Mentioned on the Show: Want a free meal planning tool that figures out your calories, macros, and micros, and allows you to create custom meal plans for cutting, lean gaining, and maintaining in under 5 minutes? Go to https://buylegion.com/mealplan and download the tool for free!

There’s a weight loss drug revolution happening right now. Medicines containing semaglutide (like Ozempic and Wegovy) used to treat diabetes have recently gained FDA approval for obesity, and many people are turning to drugs to help them lose weight. Weight loss drugs aren’t new—previous medications like fen-phen turned out to be dangerous, and even taken off the market. However, these newer drugs appear much safer and even more effective. So, are these medications the solution to the obesity epidemic, an unfair “easy-out” for people who need to learn to eat less and move more, or just the latest attempt by Big Pharma to cash-in on a problem created by Big Food? To help discuss the matter, I invited friend and obesity specialist Dr. Spencer Nadolsky back onto the podcast. In case you’re not familiar with Spencer, 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 knows his stuff when it comes to hormones, fat l

Have you ever heard that some people just don’t have the genetics to get big and strong? Or that you need to change exercises frequently to make progress? Or that exercise is a bad way to lose fat? There are numerous exercise myths out there, and in this podcast, you’re going to learn about the worst offenders. In this podcast, I’m sharing an excerpt from the audiobook version of the latest fourth edition of my bestselling book, Bigger Leaner Stronger. In case you’re not familiar with it, Bigger Leaner Stronger is a fitness book for men who want to gain muscle, lose fat, and get healthy faster than they ever thought possible. In this episode, I’m sharing chapter 11, which is all about the biggest exercise myths and mistakes that derail many people’s progress. You’re going to learn about genetics, body recomposition, whether you need to do isolation exercises, and a lot more. And if you like what you hear in this selection, you’re sure to enjoy the rest of the audiobook. Let’s get to it! --- Timestamps: 0:00

Are home saunas worth it? Should you wear a glucose monitor? What are my thoughts on the Liver King scandal? Tips on reducing muscle soreness and beating a strength plateau. Why am I not more jacked? Do hip thrusts live up to the hype? All of that and more in this Q&A podcast. 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

Is calories in versus calories out “bad science”? Are all calories the same? Will dieting damage your metabolism? Do you have to eat big to get big? Does sugar make you fat and unhealthy? Does eating carbs at night cause weight gain? Answers to all those questions and more in this podcast. In this podcast, I’m sharing an excerpt from the audiobook version of the latest fourth edition of my bestselling book, Bigger Leaner Stronger. In case you’re not familiar with it, Bigger Leaner Stronger is a fitness book for men who want to gain muscle, lose fat, and get healthy faster than they ever thought possible. In this episode, I’m sharing chapter 7, which is all about the biggest diet myths and mistakes that derail many people’s progress. You’re going to learn about calories in and calories out, the myth that carbs and sugars make you fat and unhealthy, clean eating, and a lot more. And if you like what you hear in this selection, you’re sure to enjoy the rest of the audiobook. Let’s get to it! --- Timestamps: 0:

Is weight gain during menopause unavoidable? Most women gain weight during menopause, but does menopause actually cause fat gain? What changes occur in the body that make it easier to pack on the pounds during this hormonal shift? How can you prevent weight gain during menopause and how can you lose the belly fat gained while going through it? You’re going to learn all that and more in this podcast. Press play to listen to the science of menopause and weight gain. Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Phoenix today! Go to https://buylegion.com/phoenix and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 3:39 - What is the connection between menopause and weight gain? 5:08 - What factors do hormones play in weight gain? 13:26 - Does age cause weight gain? 27:37 - How can I lose fat that was gained while going through menopause? Mentioned on the Show: Try Phoenix today! Go to https://buylegion.com/phoenix and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

In this installment of the Best of Muscle For Life, you’ll hear hand-picked clips from three popular MFL episodes: an interview with Brad Schoenfeld on the science of time-efficient training, a monologue on the “best” workout split for gaining muscle, and a Motivation Monday episode on how the Stockdale Paradox can change your life. 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

It’s not news that the fitness industry is filled with misinformation. Whether it’s coming from supplement peddlers spewing pseudoscience or fake natties touting the benefits of living like a hunter-gatherer, the fitness space can be tough to navigate (and especially for newcomers). Who can you trust and who makes an effort to seem trustworthy, but is really just wanting to sell you something? That’s why my guest, Tony Coffey of Train Bloom, and I are discussing in this podcast interview. Tony is a coach, educator, public speaker, and a prominent voice in the evidence-based fitness space on social media, which is why we’re proud to have him as a Legion Athlete. It’s also why he’s the perfect guest to discuss fitness red flags as a lot of what’s wrong with the fitness industry is disseminated on social media. In this interview, Tony and I discuss . . . “Red flags” and “green flags” when it comes to fitness influencers The rise of social media, why it’s so easy to find misinformation, and the difficulty in f

Whether you're squatting the bar or a pile of plates, if you're in the gym, you deserve to be there. To take up space. To take up time. Anyone who tries to make you feel otherwise can choke on a rusty spoon. Listen to this podcast for a bit of motivational inspiration! --- Timestamps: 0:00 - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! 2:48 - Want 125 quick, easy, and delicious “fitness friendly” recipes? Get The Shredded Chef: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/the-shredded-chef/ --- Mentioned on the Show: Want 125 quick, easy, and delicious “fitness friendly” recipes? Get The Shredded Chef: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/the-shredded-chef/

What’s my favorite type of cardio? Should you take cold showers after your workouts? My advice for starting a business. When is Legion’s energy drink coming? How much sodium should you eat? Tips for reading on your phone. Is popcorn a healthy snack? All that and more in this Q&A podcast. 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 coul

Can you live longer by changing the way you eat? There are many claims out there about intermittent fasting and its impact on health and longevity. Some people say you can extend your lifespan just by rearranging the time window of when you eat every day. Is that true, though? What does science say about fasting in humans and its effects on how long you’ll live? Rather than examining this myself, I invited an intermittent fasting expert, Dr. Grant Tinsley, to explore the topic. Grant has been on the podcast before to discuss body fat measurement techniques, but as a scientist who’s been involved in many time-restricted feeding studies on athletes, he’s the perfect guest for this topic. Grant is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University, the Director of the Energy Balance & Body Composition Laboratory, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN). He has over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts, with his major research interests

Mushroom supplements are more popular than ever. For really the last couple of years more and more influential people have been claiming that these supplements offer a wide range of benefits including improving your cardiovascular, metabolic, and brain health, reducing your risk of disease and dysfunction, improving athletic performance, and much more. But not everyone is so gung-ho about them. Fungi skeptics claim that the benefits of these supplements are often oversold and are not scientifically proven. Instead, they're based more just on folk wisdom rather than hard evidence. So in this podcast, you’re going to hear evidence-based answers. We’re going to talk about who is right, or at least who is more right than wrong given the current weight of the total evidence available to us. And I’ll be covering several types of popular mushroom supplements, including reishi, turkey tail, shiitake, chaga, lion's mane, and cordyceps. So tune in! Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse

I’ve long recommended limiting your saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of your total daily calories. Some people disagree with this, though. In fact, a popular position these days is that saturated fat is a “superfood” and you can eat as much as you want if it’s from certain unprocessed foods. Is that true? What does science say? Does saturated fat cause cardiovascular disease? Is saturated fat from unprocessed food like meat and dairy “good” or “bad”? Find out in this podcast. 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 th

In this podcast, I interview Fernando, who read my book Bigger Leaner Stronger and joined my one-on-one coaching program to take his health into his own hands, lose over 55 pounds, and get leaner and stronger than ever before. The improvements to his physique are obvious, but more importantly, Fernando built a more resilient body that made him capable of not only playing with his kids, but taking up mountain biking and avoiding injury. And what he learned about nutrition not only fixed his relationship with food, but allows him to adjust his diet to his needs and get results on command. This is his story. Before finding my work, Fernando was over 230 pounds, sedentary, and so out of shape that he couldn’t play with his kids. That was the trigger that motivated him to finally make a change. He read my book Bigger Leaner Stronger and joined my coaching program, and over the next year, made dramatic improvements to his physique, health, and mindset. In this interview, Fernando and I chat about . . . How he fix

Some people will feed your fears and mock your missteps. Let them. Let them see you take a stand anyway and overcome the odds. Listen to this podcast for a bit of motivational inspiration! Timestamps: 0:00 - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! 2:48 - Find the Perfect Strength Training Program for You: www.muscleforlife.show/trainingquiz Mentioned on the Show: Find the Perfect Strength Training Program for You in Just 60 Seconds: http://www.muscleforlife.show/trainingquiz

Why are calves so hard to grow? Are cool downs necessary? Can Bulgarian split squats replace barbell squats? When will I do a live, in-person meet-and-greet? Why do some people find the carnivore diet so helpful? How can you maintain progress while on an international vacation? All that and more in this Q&A podcast. 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

Whether you realize it or not, you’re operating according to a worldview. Your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all influenced by how you make sense of the world, and so, that worldview determines your quality of life. If that concept sounds interesting, and if you enjoyed my previous philosophical conversations with my friend Pat Flynn, you’re going to enjoy this podcast. Pat is a repeat guest not only because I find our discussions entertaining, but I’ve gotten great feedback from listeners who like hearing about these deeper, philosophical topics we wade through. Plus, I believe examining these “big” questions can help us live a better life. Not only is Pat a fitness guru with an expertise in kettlebells, but he’s an author, philosopher, and host of multiple podcasters. Specifically, his Philosophy For the People podcast aims to breakdown difficult ideas and make them more accessible, so he’s the perfect guest to discuss these health-adjacent topics. In our discussion, we talk about . . . What a wor

Let’s talk about a controversial condition: adrenal fatigue. This term describes a syndrome that people supposedly suffer from in response to prolonged stress. Long-term stress puts undue strain on your adrenal glands, which can cause them to stop functioning correctly, causing lethargy and other negative effects on your health and body composition. This sounds like a plausible theory, but it’s highly controversial in the medical world, primarily because there is no explicit scientific evidence that adrenal fatigue exists. And so in this podcast, I’m going to look at the broader body of research on adrenal function and fatigue. Let's see what we can learn about this theory of adrenal fatigue and whether it’s worthy of further consideration. Timestamps: 0:00 - My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ 3:37 - What is adrenal fatigue? 6:05 - What are symptoms of adrenal fatigue? 8:03 - Is adrenal fatigue real? 14:19 - What are your final thoughts on adrenal fa

I hope you and yours are relishing many moments of joyous merriment, reveling in all of their pine-scented butter-lubed and tinsel-laden glory. In this podcast, I’m wishing you a merry Christmas and happy holidays, and laying out all of the wondrous gifts I’m planning to bring next year. So, press play to hear about new flavors of Pulse, Recharge, Whey+, and more, new tools on my blog, new podcasts, new books, and more! And also because this really cannot be said enough, thank you. Bless your cotton socks for your support this year. Oh and don't count calories today. Not on Christmas. Feast, drink, and hug your loved ones. Timestamps: 0:00 - A holiday message 4:16 - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! Mentioned on the Show: Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe!