Stay ConnectedOVER 25,000,000 DOWNLOADS AND COUNTING!
If you want to know how to build muscle, lose fat, and be healthier, happier, and wiser…faster than you ever thought possible…then this podcast is for you. Hosted by the bestselling author and entrepreneur, Mike Matthews, each episode gives you simple, science-based know-how and inspiration that will help you build your best body and life ever.
Find out more at www.legionathletics.com
Copyright: © Mike Matthews
In this podcast I interview James Krieger from Weightology.net.
James is a published scientist, author, and speaker, and someone whose work has really helped me better understand the fundamentals of losing fat, building muscle, and staying healthy. He has a knack for breaking down complex ideas and systems into easily digested morsels, which is what I strive to do in my work as well.
So, in this interview, I pick James’s brain on the hot issue of eating grains. We’re hearing more and more that grains make us fatter, sicker, and dumber, but how true are these claims? Is wheat slowly killing us? Should we avoid gluten? Are some grains safer or better to eat than others? What about GMO crops? Should we worry about them?
Well, James answers all of these questions and more, so if you’ve been wondering or worrying about your grain intake, then you definitely should listen to what he has to say. So, with that, let’s get to the interview...
5:57 - What is the state of grains and should we be worried about them?
10:18 - Is wheat bad? Has it changed over time due to genetic modification?
12:52 - Should we be worried about aflatoxin and methanol?
21:02 - What type of grains are best to choose from?
22:06 - Why do you pay attention to fiber intake?
24:06 - How about brown rice versus white rice?
28:09 - What other grain sources do you like to eat?
29:16 - What if you don't do well with grains?
31:57 - Are there concerns with studies being misrepresented?
41:51 - What's the deal with GMOs?
46:54 - Where can people find you and your projects/work?
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
In this podcast I interview Menno Hennselmans, from BayesianBodybuilding.com, and we talk about how genetics affects your muscle and strength gains and aesthetics. I thought Menno would be the perfect person to talk to about this because he’s one of the leaders of the evidence-based fitness movement, and one of a handful of people in this space whose work I regularly follow and recommend.
So, if you’ve been wondering about how your genetics influence things like the rate at which you can gain muscle and strength, how big and strong you can ultimately get, how your muscles look as they develop, and more, then you’re going to like this interview. Here it is.
4:33 - How much do genetics affect speed of muscle growth & what are realistic expectations?
15:40 - What is the potential for muscle hypertrophy & size?
26:00 - What is the timeframe to reach your genetic potential?
28:50 - How do we predict the ceiling of our fat free mass?
38:20 - Is FFMI a hard and fast rule for the limits of a natural lifter?
52:10 - How much do genetics affect how your muscles look?
54:10 - How can you increase your bicep peak?
54:50 - Can genetics affect certain muscle groups responsiveness to training?
1:00:40 - What are muscle bellies and insertions, and how do genetics influence their look?
1:07:00 - Where can people find your work?
ARTICLES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/muscle-specific-hypertrophy-biceps-back-and-lower-body/
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/muscle-specific-hypertrophy-chest-triceps-and-shoulders/
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/3-reasons-calves-arent-growing/
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
This is an interview with professional bodybuilder and coach Alberto Nunez from Team 3DMJ on how to spot and fix muscle imbalances.
I thought Alberto would be the perfect guy to talk to about this because he not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk. He’s an accomplished bodybuilder with an absolutely insane physique, and he and his team have also helped hundreds of other bodybuilders build their best physiques ever and make a career for themselves.
I’m also excited to put this interview up because it’s a question I get all the time from both guys and girls, so I’m sure there are quite a few of you out there that could use some help in this regard as well. As you’ll see, the whole topic of muscle imbalances is pretty simple and straightforward when explained correctly. You just have to understand a handful of technical points and guidelines, and you’ll know exactly what you have to do to balance out your physique, left to right, and front to back.
Oh and I do have to warn you about one thing: my audio is shit. Unfortunately my good microphone decided to stop playing nice with the program I use to record Skype interviews, and my only backup was my webcam’s terrible mic. Fortunately, I try not to talk much, so you shouldn’t get too annoyed by it. And it won’t happen again, as I have a couple of good backups now.
6:37 - How do you define a weak point?
12:14 - How do you pinpoint a weak point and what do you do about it?
18:19 - How do you progress on isolation movements?
20:29 - What is rep quality?
23:09 - How does training change based on goals?
29:29 - How does an intermediate program look?
35:41 - What are some good isolation exercises for stubborn body parts?
40:25 - What exercises do you use for guys in specialization cycles?
44:04 - What do you use for extra lat development?
45:54 - Do you vary your grip for back exercises?
55:07 - Where can people find your work?
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
In this podcast I interview Jeff Alberts, who’s an accomplished natural bodybuilder with nearly three decades of experience competing, and 2 pro card wins, 16 class titles, 26 top 3 finishes, and first place in the 2014 IFPA Pro International.
As you’d expect from someone with so much bodybuilding experience, Jeff’s also an accomplished coach. He’s worked with hundreds of athletes over the last 5 years, and started the 3DMJ brand, which has now expanded to include four other coaches, including Andrea and Eric, who I also recently interviewed.
In this podcast, Jeff and I talk about the major lessons that he has learned about what changes as you get older, and what you can and can’t do in terms of gaining muscle and losing fat.
I get asked about this type of thing all the time because many guys and gals think that if you’re over a certain age and not already in great shape--40s is usually the cut-off--you’re basically screwed. They think that you won’t be able to build any muscle to speak of, that you’ll probably get hurt trying, and that your metabolism is going to grind to a halt and you’re going to be fat forever.
Well, they’re wrong. Physiologically speaking, things don’t change nearly as much as people think, and while you can’t get away with as much shenanigans in your 40s as you can in your 20s, you absolutely can train hard and build your best body ever.
And that’s what Jeff breaks down in the interview. We touch on many things, ranging from how to know when you’re under-recovered and how to recover faster, how exercise selection changes as you get older, how to periodize your training, how to deload, and a lot more.
This is a good interview to listen to regardless of your age, too, because if you’re like me, your goal is first and foremost longevity. We want to be doing this for the rest of our lives, and that mainly boils down to preventing injury and burnout, and that’s what this discussion is all about, really. Here it is...
10:49 - How do you train smarter for longevity?
12:19 - How do you know you're under-recovering?
17:34 - What changes as you get older?
20:28 - What helps you recover faster?
28:53 - How does exercise selection change throughout training?
34:31 - What about exercise form?
42:04 - How does muscle density develop in training?
46:00 - How do you periodize your training?
48:24 - What does a deload look like for you?
52:44 - Where can people find your work?
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
In this episode, I have Sohee Lee back on the podcast to talk about some of the key habits and mindsets of people that succeed in achieving their fitness and goals versus those that don’t.
In case you’re not familiar with Sohee, she’s a writer, coach, and bikini competitor, and, like me, she works hard to spread the good word about the actual science of proper diet, nutrition, and exercise.
In this interview, I wanted her to talk about something she has really dived into in her own research and writing, and that’s the mental side of fitness. I’ve written and spoken a fair amount about it myself, but I think it’s generally undeserved and underappreciated. I’d actually like to put together an entire book on the subject, but I also want to do like 8 million other things, so, uh, we’ll see how it plays out.
Anyway, my point is we tend to get so focused on the physical things--calories, macros, training variables, supplementation, etc.--and forget that none of it really matters if we can’t stick to the plan and enjoy the ride. That’s why I’m all about first and foremost creating a sustainable lifestyle and then looking at what can be done in the kitchen and gym to build the type of body that we really want. So, I hope you enjoy the interview. Here it is.
9:50 - Why is behavior change so difficult?
16:30 - What sets people who do well with diet and training apart?
30:23 - How do you deal with slipping up on your diet or training?
39:38 - How do successful people make a lifestyle change?
42:10 - What is ego depletion and is it real?
47:23 - Where can people find Sohee Fit and what are you working on now?
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
Andrea is a figure competitor, powerlifter, and natural bodybuilding coach working with the 3D Muscle Journey team, who I’ve been interviewing one after another because, well, they’re great.
When I reached out to Andrea, she proposed that we talk about something I myself have been wanting to comment on: the state of the online coaching space. With Instagram, Snapchat, and fitness getting more and more popular, everyone and their brother is a coach these days, and unfortunately, many of these people have no idea what they’re doing, and many others are outright frauds.
Just because someone looks good themselves doesn’t mean they can help others get there, and just because they post impressive before and after shots of “clients” doesn’t mean those shots weren’t just swiped from the Internet.
And I say all this based on firsthand experience, because I hear every week from people working with one coach or another that hate their diets and workout programs and are frustrated with their lack of results.
Well, in this interview, Andrea and I talk about the state of online coaching and what some of the big problems are, as well as what people should look for when considering hiring a coach, some tips for new and aspiring coaches to get a jump start and then establish a reputation as being credible and competent, and more.
So if you’re looking for a coach or are considering hiring one, or if you are a coach or want to become one, then I think you’re going to really find this helpful. And if none of that applies to you, well, you still might find it interesting. Here it is...
6:21 - Is the rise of online coaching a good thing?
10:17 - What are the problems with online coaching?
16:52 - How do you help people get through problems outside of fitness that interfere with their progress?
19:01 - What are the red flags when looking at online coaches?
27:19 - How do you become a coach and do it right?
28:25 - How do you get educated?
31:26 - Do you have to look the part?
36:21 - Do you need credentials?
40:08 - How do you stay credible as the space grows?
46:38 - Where can people find more about you and what you're doing?
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
In this podcast I interview the one and only...the inimitable Lyle McDonald. Lyle is a health and fitness researcher and writer, and I have to say, one of my favorite authors in the space. He’s the first person that I found in my journey whose work really resonated with me, so it’s pretty cool to sit down and chat fitness with him.
What I like most about his work is not just that he really knows his stuff and deals with subjects very holistically, he also does a fantastic job breaking down dense, complex subjects in terms that anyone can understand.
In this interview, we talk about a subject that has consumed much of Lyle’s life for the last year and half or so, and that’s female fat loss. Specifically, he breaks down how things differ between men and women in the realm of losing fat, and especially when we’re talking about getting really lean.
As Lyle points out, the fundamentals like energy and macronutrient balance are what they are, but the strategies that work beautifully for men wanting to get shredded won’t necessarily work as well for women.
In fact, you can count on them being far less effective, and Lyle dives into why, and what you women can do to squeeze the absolute most fat loss out of your diet and training. I hope you like the interview!
7:20 - How are women different from men?
25:34 - What are your top tips for better results in losing weight?
35:04 - Tips on the exercise component of weight loss.
40:58 - What is a refeed and does it help?
46:51 - Do flexible dieting and "If It Fits Your Macros" help?
1:22:49 - Where can people find you and your 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: https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/
In this episode I interview Eric Helms, who’s one of the premier natural bodybuilding coaches in the game. He’s a member of the 3DMJ coaching team and is himself a professional natural bodybuilder and strength athlete, as well as an author and credentialed scientist with several peer-reviewed publications under his belt. I reference his work quite frequently in my writing, actually, so it was a real pleasure to get the chance to interview him.
And as you’ve gathered from the title, this interview is on how to prep for a natural bodybuilding show, and Eric covers everything ranging from caloric intake and macro breakdowns to weightlifting and cardio strategies, supplementation, and much more.
So if you’re getting ready to prep for a show or are considering doing one, you definitely need to listen to the interview. It can save you from all kinds of trials and tribulations.
And even if you’re like me and have no intention of competing but are just working on building your best body ever, you’re going to get a lot of out this interview too, because the principles Eric talks about apply to everyone looking to lose fat and not muscle--not just competitive bodybuilders.
So, I hope I’ve sufficiently whetted your appetite. Let’s get to the interview...
5:16 - Eric's background on contest prep and personal experience.
6:52 - What are the biggest contest prep mistakes and myths?
14:51 - Do you need to manipulate water, salt, and potassium?
17:42 - How do you contest prep correctly?
22:18 - What kind of cardio should someone do?
31:28 - Tips on how to recover faster.
35:43 - Tips to maximize your nutrition.
43:09 - What nutrition should someone have on a refeed?
45:33 - How do you determine someone's maintenance?
53:03 - How do you go about reducing calories?
55:48 - Do you increase exercise throughout the prep?
59:09 - Is there any supplementation you recommend?
1:03:08 - What does peak week look like?
1:08:16 - Where can we find more of your stuff?
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.muscleforlife.com/signup/
In this podcast, I interview Lisa J., who followed my Thinner Leaner Stronger program for 9 months and lost just 3 pounds but completely upgraded her physique. Before finding TLS, Lisa had felt "skinny fat" for as long as she could remember, and now she has guys coming up to compliment her on her strength and ask for weightlifting advice. Hah! In the interview, we talk about Lisa's journey and what key lessons she learned along the way, what obstacles she had to overcome as a working mom and how she made it work, how she overcame a wrist injury, and more.
6:25 - How was your training and diet before BLS?
8:34 - What is your exercise and fitness history?
9:35 - How did you hear about Mike Matthews?
10:19 - What were your expectations for the program?
12:30 - What were your thoughts after a few weeks?
14:27 - What have the results been up until now?
19:03 - What obstacles did you run into on the program?
21:03 - How do you make time for your workouts?
23:06 - Were there any sticking points on the program?
25:20 - How did you mentally get over your injury?
27:30 - What has helped you stay motivated?
29:30 - What are your goals from 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: https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/
This episode of the podcast is a recording of my last live Q&A, and in it I answer questions on things like the limits of newbie gains, how to improve posture, teenage weightlifting and stunting growth, training for strength, hypertrophy, and endurance, and more. If you want to get in on the next live QA, go here: https://www.legionathletics.com/qa.
03:05 - Is there an age when newbie gains won't happen?
06:53 - How can I improve my posture?
10:34 - You say that newbies can gain muscle and lose at the same time, how does this work and why can't seasoned gym warriors do this as well?
11:57 - I'm 16 yrs old should i be lifting heavy or just focus on getting taller/growing? Will doing squats with 150lbs stunt growth for a 16 yr old?
14:22 - When doing a shoulder press should I keep my elbows pointing towards the front or is it okay be opening them up?
16:28 - When are you releasing your app?
17:35 - How do you get so much work done?
20:00 - How can I train for strength as well as hypertrophy, while doing cardio?
23:00 - Being a 16 yr old girl how much cardio/weight training do you recommend per week?
23:44 - My gym has no free barbell, just smith machine- why you don't recommend it for squatting & deadlifting?
24:58 - Is it possible to gain muscle and lose fat while on a vegetarian diet or is it a myth?
25:42 - What do you say to people who believe the benefits of fasted cardio are a myth?
28:36 - I'm down to 8% and vascular everywhere but with just a 4 pack, should I start bulking again and focus on ab training?
29:50 - Some people say dips are dangerous, what do you think about this?
30:51 - Do you drink any alcohol? If so what kind?
31:40 - Why don't you want to get bigger?
33:05 - How do we know your products ain't crap like you say others' are?
36:20 - What is your life philosophy?
39:40 - What are some tips for sticking with a diet?
40:25 - What are your thoughts about Logan Franklin and could it be possible that a physique like his is natural?
41:25 - Would you recommend high volume training following a cut?
41:45 - What is the next Legion product?
45:25 - Is a coach's course still something in the pipeline?
47:45 - Is there an application process to get on the Legion team?
47:43 - What's Mike's current stance on a weekly refeed for hormone levels?
51:46 - When training fasted I get dizzy nauseous and weak, what can do to avoid this?
52:20 - Any chance you might provide mobility for and core training, especially for golf players?
56:17 - Once a person has been obese and lost the fat, is it easier for that person to put that fat back on?
58:22 - When I do 4-6 rep range on calves, i easily lift max weight. Do you have any advice on how to increase weight but stay in the 4-6 range?
59:45 - If I want to do a general check on my hormones, bones, etc. what test do you recommend?
60:52 - Im having SI joint issues, any stretches you'd recommend to look up?
1:02:55 - Who is there with you? Do you have many partners that help you behind the scenes? When you started did you have help?
1:05:45 - Is there any difference between 4-6 reps or 6-8 reps?
1:07:10 - I'm about 10% body fat and still feel I have a bit of a belly when I sit down. Will this always be the case?
1:010:02 - Can you recommend any good books on starting your own business?
1:15:00 - I'm having trouble increasing my leg strength, what should I do?
1:16:20 - Do you get tired of people's compliments of your physique?
1:18:12 - How lo
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
