Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Once a month we answer Barbell Medicine Plus subscribers’ questions on the Direct Line. This is a free look at June’s episode. We start with GLP-1 drugs and muscle: why DEXA overstates the loss, what resistance training actually does, and whether creatine is worth taking. Then whether bulking and cutting does anything the scale can’t already tell you, how to get real benefit from one training hour a week, and what happens to your muscle, strength, tendons, and bone when you take time off, including why muscle memory brings it back faster than you built it.
What we cover:
• GLP-1s and muscle: the DEXA problem, resistance training, and creatine
• Bulking vs cutting vs just maintaining, and a health-first way to choose
• Training on one hour a week: the least that still moves the needle
• How fast you lose muscle when you stop, and why it comes back fast
The full two-hour episode and every back episode are on Barbell Medicine Plus, which can bundled with Premium. Resources and full references below.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro + GLP-1 and the DEXA muscle-loss myth
3:00 Do GLP-1s spare or waste muscle?
8:03 Does creatine help on a GLP-1?
10:45 Does bulking and cutting do anything?
13:18 Health first: when to lose fat before gaining
22:30 Training on one hour a week
36:22 How fast you lose muscle when you stop
43:19 Muscle memory: why it comes back
48:25 The full episode on Plus
Resources
Barbell Medicine coaching and templates: barbellmedicine.com
barbellmedicine.com/shop/subscriptions/plus-podcast-subscription
barbellmedicine.com/shop/subscriptions/barbell-medicine-premium
Signal book pre-order: barbellmedicine.com/shop/learning/signal
barbellmedicine.com/blog/glp-1-muscle-loss
barbellmedicine.com/blog/creatine-on-ozempic-does-it-prevent-muscle-loss
barbellmedicine.com/blog/novice-intermediate-advanced-strength-training
Lundgren JR, et al. Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined (S-LITE). N Engl J Med 2021;384:1719-1730. nejm.org · NEJMoa2028198
T-REX trial: tirzepatide with or without resistance training (Univ. of Western Australia). Preliminary. ANZCTR ACTRN12623001236684
Creatine + GLP-1 pilot (Univ. of Saskatchewan). Ongoing, results expected 2027. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07625202
Momma H, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities and lower risk/mortality in major non-communicable diseases. Br J Sports Med 2022. PubMed 35228201
Wall BT, et al. 2014. Immobilization and disuse muscle atrophy (quadriceps −3.5% at 5 days, −8% at 14 days). PubMed 24168489
Gaffney CJ, et al. 2021. Grip strength loss with short-term arm immobilization. PMC8107283
Farthing JP, et al. 2009. Cross-education and preservation of the immobilized limb. PubMed 19150859
Marusic U, et al. 2021. Bed rest: strength loss outpaces size loss. PMC8325614
Yoshihara, et al. 2023. Sepsis-associated muscle wasting (−26% in a week). PMC10003568
Warren GL, et al. 2017. Strength loss and recovery after muscle injury (meta-analysis). PMC5214801
Hortobágyi T, et al. 1993. Short-term detraining in strength athletes. PubMed 8371654
Gavanda S, et al. 2020. Training cessation in previously untrained adolescents. PMC7241623
Lovell DI, et al. 2010. Detraining strength loss in older adults. PubMed 20140683
Mujika I, Padilla S. 2001. Physiology of detraining (review). PubMed 11474330
Smith K, et al. 2003. Two years of training, then detraining, in older adults. PubMed 12955872
Staron RS, et al. 1991. Detraining and muscle cross-sectional area in women. PubMed 1827108
Ivey FM, et al. 2000. Detraining across age and sex. PubMed 10795719
Taaffe DR, et al. 2009. Training and detraining in older adults. PMC2756799
Grgic J, et al. 2022. Muscle size loss with detraining (meta-analysis). PubMed 36360927
Bosquet L, et al. 2013. Detraining effects on strength and power. PubMed 23347054
Bruusgaard JC, et al. 2010. Myonuclei acquired by overload persist after detraining (muscle memory). PMC2930527
Weakley J, et al. 2017. Day-to-day variation in strength performance. PubMed 28277425
McGuigan MR, et al. 2004. Strength performance variability. PubMed 15320651
Andreoli A, et al. 2009. DEXA precision and assumptions. PMC9263164
Once a month we answer Barbell Medicine Plus subscribers’ questions on the Direct Line. This is a free look at June’s episode. We start with GLP-1 drugs and muscle: why DEXA overstates the loss, what resistance training actually does, and whether creatine is worth taking. Then whether bulking and cutting does anything the scale can’t already tell you, how to get real benefit from one training hour a week, and what happens to your muscle, strength, tendons, and bone when you take time off, including why muscle memory brings it back faster than you built it.
What we cover:
• GLP-1s and muscle: the DEXA problem, resistance training, and creatine
• Bulking vs cutting vs just maintaining, and a health-first way to choose
• Training on one hour a week: the least that still moves the needle
• How fast you lose muscle when you stop, and why it comes back fast
The full two-hour episode and every back episode are on Barbell Medicine Plus, which can bundled with Premium. Resources and full references below.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro + GLP-1 and the DEXA muscle-loss myth
3:00 Do GLP-1s spare or waste muscle?
8:03 Does creatine help on a GLP-1?
10:45 Does bulking and cutting do anything?
13:18 Health first: when to lose fat before gaining
22:30 Training on one hour a week
36:22 How fast you lose muscle when you stop
43:19 Muscle memory: why it comes back
48:25 The full episode on Plus
Resources
Barbell Medicine coaching and templates: barbellmedicine.com
barbellmedicine.com/shop/subscriptions/plus-podcast-subscription
barbellmedicine.com/shop/subscriptions/barbell-medicine-premium
Signal book pre-order: barbellmedicine.com/shop/learning/signal
barbellmedicine.com/blog/glp-1-muscle-loss
barbellmedicine.com/blog/creatine-on-ozempic-does-it-prevent-muscle-loss
barbellmedicine.com/blog/novice-intermediate-advanced-strength-training
Lundgren JR, et al. Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined (S-LITE). N Engl J Med 2021;384:1719-1730. nejm.org · NEJMoa2028198
T-REX trial: tirzepatide with or without resistance training (Univ. of Western Australia). Preliminary. ANZCTR ACTRN12623001236684
Creatine + GLP-1 pilot (Univ. of Saskatchewan). Ongoing, results expected 2027. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07625202
Momma H, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities and lower risk/mortality in major non-communicable diseases. Br J Sports Med 2022. PubMed 35228201
Wall BT, et al. 2014. Immobilization and disuse muscle atrophy (quadriceps −3.5% at 5 days, −8% at 14 days). PubMed 24168489
Gaffney CJ, et al. 2021. Grip strength loss with short-term arm immobilization. PMC8107283
Farthing JP, et al. 2009. Cross-education and preservation of the immobilized limb. PubMed 19150859
Marusic U, et al. 2021. Bed rest: strength loss outpaces size loss. PMC8325614
Yoshihara, et al. 2023. Sepsis-associated muscle wasting (−26% in a week). PMC10003568
Warren GL, et al. 2017. Strength loss and recovery after muscle injury (meta-analysis). PMC5214801
Hortobágyi T, et al. 1993. Short-term detraining in strength athletes. PubMed 8371654
Gavanda S, et al. 2020. Training cessation in previously untrained adolescents. PMC7241623
Lovell DI, et al. 2010. Detraining strength loss in older adults. PubMed 20140683
Mujika I, Padilla S. 2001. Physiology of detraining (review). PubMed 11474330
Smith K, et al. 2003. Two years of training, then detraining, in older adults. PubMed 12955872
Staron RS, et al. 1991. Detraining and muscle cross-sectional area in women. PubMed 1827108
Ivey FM, et al. 2000. Detraining across age and sex. PubMed 10795719
Taaffe DR, et al. 2009. Training and detraining in older adults. PMC2756799
Grgic J, et al. 2022. Muscle size loss with detraining (meta-analysis). PubMed 36360927
Bosquet L, et al. 2013. Detraining effects on strength and power. PubMed 23347054
Bruusgaard JC, et al. 2010. Myonuclei acquired by overload persist after detraining (muscle memory). PMC2930527
Weakley J, et al. 2017. Day-to-day variation in strength performance. PubMed 28277425
McGuigan MR, et al. 2004. Strength performance variability. PubMed 15320651
Andreoli A, et al. 2009. DEXA precision and assumptions. PMC9263164
