Lyle McDonaldSo as my (maybe) return to the festering tragedy that is the fitness industry, I want to look at a recent paper examining the issue of training volume and hypertrophy. One that I can be 99% sure everybody (especially Brad) will ignore since it doesn't fit their bias.
Buckner, S et al. The dose-response relationship between resistance training volume and muscle hypertrophy: There are still doubts. J Trainology (2023) 12:29-36.
Enjoy. Or don't. I don't really care one way or the other. You know I'm right.
Training Volume and Hypertrophy: There Are Still Some DoubtsLyle McDonald2024-01-11 | So as my (maybe) return to the festering tragedy that is the fitness industry, I want to look at a recent paper examining the issue of training volume and hypertrophy. One that I can be 99% sure everybody (especially Brad) will ignore since it doesn't fit their bias.
Buckner, S et al. The dose-response relationship between resistance training volume and muscle hypertrophy: There are still doubts. J Trainology (2023) 12:29-36.
Enjoy. Or don't. I don't really care one way or the other. You know I'm right.
youtu.be/axTbawEgYzQThe Hilarious Hypocrisy of Renaissance Periodization and Mike IsraetelLyle McDonald2025-09-04 | #shorts #renaissaneperiodization #mikeisraetelPepperidge Farm Remembers #1: Brad Schoenfelds Volume RecommendationsLyle McDonald2025-05-28 | #shortsIts Time to Educate Goob (the TRUTH About Carb Counts on Calorie Labels)Lyle McDonald2025-03-11 | As the title suggests, this video is ostensibly about the topic of how carbohydrates are properly counted on food labels. But it's so much more. Without spoiling it, I'll only say it includes, drama, facts and humor. It's just shy of 11 minutes and trust me it's worth every second.
Link to review on resistant starch pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10987757Betcha Didnt Know: Women Lose MORE Weight on GLP-1 Drugs Than MenLyle McDonald2025-03-07 | #shorts #GLP1 #ozempic #wegovy #mounjaro #zepboundGLP-1 Receptor Resistance and Triple Semaglutide DosingLyle McDonald2025-02-14 | #shorts #glp1 #ozempic #wegovy #mounjaro #zepboundAnnouncing My New Book: The GLP-1 SolutionLyle McDonald2025-02-05 | After a full year of research and writing, I am happy to announce my newest book
The GLP-1 Solution: A Complete Program to Maximize Your Weight and Fat Loss Results
If you've read my work you know that complete means complete. I spend the first 8 chapters at the science of the GLP-1s. How they were developed, side effect profiles, how they actually work, weight loss variability and so much more.
So much more.
The remaining 18 chapters are completely applied where I'll show you how to set up an optimal diet and exercise program to get the most of your GLP-1s. Setting calories, deficit, protein intakes, everything else, supplements are all discussed. Exercise along with plateaus and long-term maintenance wrap things up.
And in a chapter only I could write, I address the use of GLP-1s by lean individuals including athletes which includes physique sports.
Whether you're using a GLP-1 and want better results, considering using a GLP-1 and want to know the facts, are a coach or trainer who will be working with people on them or just want to be able to win Internet arguments, The GLP-1 Solution will answer every question you have and a few you didn't even think to ask.
Solomon Nelson Podcast youtube.com/watch?v=t7T6Dii-90QThings REAL Scientists Dont Do But Little Milo Wolf DoesLyle McDonald2025-01-07 | I'm not sure what's worse, that Milo seriously does this or that 1000 people heart reacted to it.
#shorts #milowolfInternet Fitness BS #5 (Sort of): Solomon Nelson and I Discuss Mike Israetel for Over 2 HoursLyle McDonald2024-11-23 | Today's IFBS entry is a points to a video by my good buddy Solomon Nelson. A dude as crazy obsessive as I was in my youth who has carefully collated Mike Israetel's utter BS for the past 6 years with my responses to them. Including all of his 'rebuttals' to my issues with what he was claiming was failure/0RIR.
Solomon and I chatted for roughly 6.5 hours and he edited this monster together. Basically he'd bring up some bit of Mike's BS and let me tear it to pieces.
The full topic list is in the video but includes: * Addressing Mike's BS responses to the failure thing * General commentary on Mike's BS advice * My comments on How I Would Have Coached Mike (Except for the fact that he's uncoachable) so that he wouldn't have failed so epically as a bodybuilder. No tan indeed.
Anyhow, here's Solomon's full video. Share it far and wide. Especially make sure Mike sees it over and over and over and over. I'm sure his blood pressure is totally normally given his massive PED abuse. This can't possibly be bad for him. Hahahahahahahaha.
There's a direct link at the end of the video and you can find it through the link below.
youtube.com/watch?v=n1eLqbQPCz0Basic Training Principles: Overload Part 2Lyle McDonald2024-10-24 | Only a week late I want to continue looking at the concept of overload in progression. Because I talk too much, I only addressed two distinct physiological adaptations
* Long duration aerobic adaptations * Anaerobic/FTI adaptations
For both I look briefly at what they represent before first defining what constitutes an overload for each. Then I look at how each can be progressed over time as adaptations occur.
Yeah, this won't be done in 2 parts. Lol
In Part 3 I'll look at two different types of interval training along with sprint training assuming I can not babble as much
***
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
First I wanna look at logical fallacies and how the supposed scientists in the fitness industry use them when the science says they are wrong (i.e. when I'm criticizing them and making little Milo Wolf cry).
Well one of their favorites is the combo ad hominem/appeal to authority of "You don't even do science."
They've used it again me, they've used it again others.
Well, watch til the end and you'll see that they'll have to find a new one for me now.
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life:
store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldIFB3: Little Milo Lengthened Partials Wolf the INSECURE PHD (Piled Higher and Deeper)Lyle McDonald2024-10-14 | So a final repeat for Internet Fitness Bullsh*t, originally put in one of the excessively long specificity videos.
This one is about Little Milo "The ONLY Two Words I know are Lengthend Partials" Wolf.
Who, in a fit of babydom ranked me as a D "influencer" along with all of the other people who hurt his widdle feewings. Someone call me the waambulance.
Anyhow, a little of the history of Little Milo and myself so you can see the real reason he did it.
ENJOY. Or don't. I don't care.
#milowolf #wolfoach #lengthenddpartials
***
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
youtu.be/380EcLHwnFQBasic Training Principles: Overload Part 1 (of 2 I promise)Lyle McDonald2024-10-10 | Moving onto to the second basic training principle, I want to talk about overload and progressive overload.
In the first part (of 2 parts, I promise) I'll discuss
* Defining overload and progressive overload * The importance of time frames * A more physiological definition of overload * Progressive overload definitions * What constitutes progressive overload
In Part 2 I'll look at how these concepts apply to different types of adaptations and sports. Including of course hypertrophy and the weight room.
***
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life:
store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldIFB #2: Brad Schoenfelds VOLUME VASCILLATIONSLyle McDonald2024-10-07 | Although I ran this episode of Internet Fitness Bulls*it previously, it was hidden in one of the longer basic exercise principles so only about 12 people saw it.
As well, it's topical as hell given the new paper on volume that JUST CAME OUT that everybody on IG is jumping on like a drowning man on a life preserver.
So here's another look at one of the indutry's greatest flip floppers, Brad Schoenfeld on the topic of training volume.
***
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life:
store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldBasic Training Principles: Specificity Part 6Lyle McDonald2024-10-03 | And freaking FINALLY I wrap up the segment on specificity by addressing specificity of training as it does (or frequently does not) apply to hypertrophy training.
Topics discussed include: * Specificity of training stimulus * Myofibrillar vs. Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy * The importance of training the TARGET muscle * Muscles vs. Muscle Group * A bunch of other random stuff
Next time, I'll either dig into the overflowing Q&As or move into a discussion of Overload/Progressive overload.
#hypertrophy #training #bodybuilding #physiqueIFB #1: Mike Israetels BAR SPEED BULLSH*TLyle McDonald2024-09-30 | A bunch of years ago I did a long series of videos on muscular failure (now 0RIR), what it was, what it represents and, importantly what happens to bar speed as you approach it. I called out Mike Israetel who was, at the time, putting out nonsensically wrong videos about what 0RIR was.
He responded as you'd expect a evidence based fitness professional to, by which I mean like a petulant 5 year old. It was the standard set of personal attacks, character defamation and, what Mike's best at: 5 years of verbiage dancing around my facts.
What he never did was a single hard set to prove me wrong. Because he knows I wasn't.
And well, a couple of weeks ago, someone sent me a clip of Mike being interviewed by some hot shot podcast guy. See what he has to say about the topic NOW.
***
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
#training #bodybuilding #mikeisraetel #barspeed #repetitionsinreserveBasic Training Principles: Specificity Part 5Lyle McDonald2024-09-26 | Continuing from Specificity Part 4 where I discussed specificity in the weight room, I am finally powering through to finish this nonsense by looking at the role of weight room specificity for:
#training #specificity #powerlifting #weightlifting #olympicliftingBasic Training Principles: Specificity Part 4Lyle McDonald2024-09-18 | Continuing what seems like the endless first segment of basic training principles on specificity, I move to the weight room. Where somehow there is just endlessly more complexity that in most other activities.
In this, which I swear is the next to last part I look at
*Specificity of contraction type
* Specificity of lifting speed
* Biomechanical specificity
* Exercise Selection Specificity
* Some other random examples of specificity
* Specificity of adaptations
And I WILL wrap this crap up next week. With another short episode of stupid internet fitness drama bs.
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
#training #specificityBasic Training Principles: Specificity Part 3Lyle McDonald2024-09-11 | Continuing with the never ending discussion of specificity (hey, I'm thorough), we move to part 3 where I start with this week's bit of fitness industry drama before looking at what the logical end of specificity would be. That is, what specificity taken to its extreme would represent. Along with why almost nobody actually trains in the way that would be suggested.
This leads into a discussion of what are called biomotor capacities and the concept of training at the fringes. Which represents how most sports in the modern era train for performance. To drive the point home I discuss how this applies to team sports, combat sports, sprint sports, endurance sports and the pure NON weight room strength and power sports.
This all leads up into Part 4 next week where I'll examine the truly complicated topic of specificity in the weight room.
**** Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldBasic Training Principles: Specificity Part 2Lyle McDonald2024-09-04 | In Specifiity Part 1 I introduced the overall concept in terms of both specificity and SAID. This can be simplified as
Specificity: You should train in terms of the adaptation you want to achieve SAID: The adaptation you get is specific to the training that you do
In that video I probably gave the idea that, logically, only specific training is useful and now I want to expand on that.
In Part 2 I will look at the following topics: * Specificity is not absolute * Physiological overlap in adaptations * Central vs. peripheral adaptations * Transfer of training * Specificity as a continuum
And I'll finish up this nonsense in Part 3 so I can move onto the next training principle.
Oh yeah, no fitness drama in this video. That's next time too. #hypertrophy #trainingprinciples #training
*****
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldThe Fitness Industry is a JOKELyle McDonald2024-09-02 | #shortsBasic Training Principles: Specificity Part 1Lyle McDonald2024-08-28 | So getting into the first basic training principle, I want to start looking at the topic of specificity and SAID (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands) which, simply says:
You get better at what you do You should pick what you do based on what you want to get better at
This is introductory stuff, looking at both specificity/SAID in more detail as well as the concept that there are macro, mid and micro adaptations that can occur in response to training. It's really just a lot of background for the next video or two which will get into more details and specifics.
Oh yeah, the video also addresses Mr #lengthenedpartials Little #milowolfs severe butthurt over me, a video where he put me as a D in one of those stupid ranking things.
His reason will make you laugh and laugh and laugh since it's so utterly asinine especially for a so-called academic.
So this video starts out with my ranking him and giving him a D.
For DEEZ NUTS.
****** Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldA Guide to Fundamental Training Principles: IntroductionLyle McDonald2024-08-21 | Since, over the past few years I've noticed that the supposed 'fitness industry experts' have forgotten what amounts to kindergarten level knowledge, I guess I have to be the one to re-edjumacate them. Along with the people who don't pretend to be experts but should know this stuff, too so they can see through the "expert's" total bullsh*t.
So this video will start a series examining the basic principles of training. This is just an introduction to them with brief and superficial commentary.
In the forthcoming videos I'll look at each in varying degrees of detail. Since it would take too long to examine all sports and all contexts, I'll tend to give some general examples and then focus on weight room stuff such as powerlifting, Olympic lifting and especially hypertrophy.
In this series I'll examine the primary training principles which are: Specificity/SAID Overload/Progressive Overload Individuality Reversibility
And what are at best secondary principles, not training principles at all: Variety Periodization Adaptation vs. Accommodation The FITT Principle Supercompensation
Sumi's Book Becoming a Mentally Tough Motherf*cker is HERE Available in both Kindle and Hardcopy, you can get it at Amazon. Buy it, BUY IT NOW!
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldSustainableUnsustainableTraining 7 34 37 PMLyle McDonald2024-08-14 | In an attempt to finally finally wrap up whatever 'series' I've put together on training, volume, frequency, the stupidity of the fitness industry and injuries, I want to finish by giving four real world example of training that I did during my competitive career.
Two of them were totally unsustainable, but were used for a specific purpose. Two of them were eminently sustainable.
I'll address the context of each along with the details.
And then I swear I will ramble about something else. Maybe.
Reference cited: Hickson RC et al. Linear increases in aerobic power induced by a strenuous program of endurance exercise. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol (1977) 42: 372-6
#trainingThe Longest Q&A Ever About Long-Term Hypertrophy and People Extrapolating from Limited DataLyle McDonald2024-08-07 | So this is a stupid long Q&A with a stupider long answer. The gist of the question being "Is it safe to extrapolate from short-term studies in terms of the 'supposed growth advantage' of higher volumes to the longer term? Won't you still reach your genetic potential using more moderate volumes?"
Not only will I explain why the answer to this question is yes, I'll argue why using these moronic high volumes are more likely to SLOW your progress to your goals.
The rest of the answer won't shock you. But it may bore you to f'ing tears.
Preorder Sumi's Book at amazon.com. DO IT NOW!! https://a.co/d/0mKGBXT
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldLyles Simplified Three Category Approach to Weight Training (why does the thumbnail say four?)Lyle McDonald2024-07-31 | So if you ask most people, they will tell you that weight room (and other sports exercises) can be divided into four types. But me? That's just too many to keep track of. Mainly I can't ever keep the middle two separate from one another in my mind so I just combine 'em. Most importantly is my third category of exercises, a term that I think only I use. But one that needs to be a thing.
Preorder Sumi's Book at amazon.com. DO IT NOW!!!! https://a.co/d/0mKGBXT
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldThe Difference in Coached and Uncoached Training in Terms of Well, Stuff (STUFF!)Lyle McDonald2024-07-24 | Since I still can't make the Q&A work, I continue the injury thread by addressing a throwaway statement I made about the difference between coached and uncoached training. As usual, I blather far too long with too many exmaples to get to the point. But hey, that's really part of my charm, right?
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldA (Not So) Brief Tour of Different Sports and Injuries to Hammer Home My Point About InjuriesLyle McDonald2024-07-17 | Continuing on from the last video on high frequency bodybuilding training, I continue to beat a dead horse by looking at the types of injuries that occur in endurance, team and other sports just to make the point. Mainly because I couldn't make the Q&A I wanted to do work the way I wanted to. So here's my brain dump on this.
Yeah, it wasn't the tan. Zero definition, zero striations, a chubby little blockhead.
Even if it were the tan how does someone with OVER A DECADE OF COMPETITION EXPERIENCE f*ck that up? Stupidity? Gross incompetence? Just another pathetic excuse by a pathetic excuse maker.Q&A: Does high frequency training cause people to get injured? (THE ANSWER, NOT SHOCKING).Lyle McDonald2024-07-10 | So time for a Q&A, this one coming from my buddy Solomon Nelson (subscribe to his channel NOW).
He asks: You’ve written that high frequency training has a history of getting folks injured. Is this because (a) high frequency is inherently more injurious—perhaps for some physiological reason—or (b) because the way most people implement high frequency is dumb? And if (a), then what’s the reason?
And the short answer is well: it's kind of both. Or rather the combination of both.
And the long answer is my typical overlong explanation where I look at the issue of frequency and intensity interactions, focusing primarily on hypertrophy but also looking at powerlifting, Olympic lifting with even a couple of endurance sports examples to answer the question and why I said what I said (which is what I said).
The answer will probably not shock you. Not unless you're pretty easily shocked.
Only one reference this time Zourdos MC et al. Efficcy of daily one-repetition maximum training in well-trained powerlifters: a case series. Nutricion Hositalaria (2015)
#hypertrophy #highfrequencytraining #powerlifting #olympiclifting #weightliftingCan Muscle Hyperplasia or Fiber Type Shifts Occur and Can We Control It? THE ANSWER MIGHT SHOCK YOULyle McDonald2024-07-03 | Hyperplasia Hypertrophy
Finally moving to something new, I want to discuss two related topics that tend to come up frequently enough that they are worth addressing.
Those are the issues of skeletal muscle hyperplasia, the actual production of new muscle fibers, along with the issue of the conversion of one fiber type into another.
The first topic is back in the conversation due to a recent study that just came out and I decided to cover the second one since my videos are always too short (ha ha) and because my recommendation regarding the topic is identical.
********* Some of the cited references. I've included links to free full text when possible (for most of the older papers it's not)
The most recent paper suggesting hyperplasia occurs. Maeo S et al. Long-term resistance trained human muscles have more fibers, more myofibrils and tighter myofilament packing than untrained. Med Sci Sports Exerc (2024) Jun 19. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003495. Online ahead of print. https://shorturl.at/dkr51
One of the earliest studies suggesting muscle hyperplasia. IN CATS! Gonyea W et al. Skeletal muscle fiber splitting induced by weight-lifting exercise in cats. Acta Physiol Scand (1977) 99:105-109. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/139079
MacDougall's work on elite bodybuilders suggesting a greater number of muscle fibers. MacDougall JD et al. Muscle fiber number in biceps brachii in bodybuilders and control subjects. J Apple Physiol (1984) 57: 1399-1403. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6520032
The paper showing hyperplasia in anabolic using powerlifters Kadi F et al. Effects of anabolic steroids on the muscle cells of strength-trained athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc (1999) 31: 1528-1534 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10589853
The paper showing incredible muscle hypertrophy along with hyperplasia in quail Antonio J and WJ Gonyea. Progressive stretch overload of skeletal muscle results in hypertrophy before hyperplasia J Appl Physiol (1985) (1993) 75: 1263-1271 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8226539
Dr. Galpin's study of elite weightlifters and fiber type Serrano N et al. Extraordinary fast-twitch fiber abundance in elite weightlifters. PLoS One (2019) 14: e0207975 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6436686
The case study of two twins after 30 yeras of either endurance or no training Bathgate KE et al. Muscle Health and performance in monozygotic twins with 30 year of discordant exercise habits. Eur J Apple Physiol (2018) 118: 2097-2110 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30006671
A good review including the history of muscle fiber typing for the nerds Blemker SS et al. Fiber-type traps: revisiting common misconceptions about skeletal muscle fiber types with application to motor control, biomechanics, physiology and biology. J Appl Physiol(1985) (2024) 136:109-121. https://shorturl.at/VOq0Z
youtu.be/gpn90jmUFnMA Bunch of Final Topics on Repetition and Percentage Relationships (THE END WILL SHOCK YOU?!? NO.)Lyle McDonald2024-06-26 | So finally wrapping up this series on repetition/percentage relationships. This is a catch-all video, some of which needed the previous videos as background. So it's a mish-mosh of topics.
First I'll address another toy for microloading plate loaded machines before looking at a semi-speculative idea about adding weight versus repetitions again.
Next up is a little more detail on my throwaway statement about percentage based training programs from one of the previous videos.
Finally I'll look at how to use the 1 rep = ~ 2-3% weight on the bar to not only adjust load (huh, huh load) from workout to workout but also during workouts.
I also do Zoom consultations now if you want me to tell you how to live your life: store.bodyrecomposition.com/shop/consulting-lyle-mcdonaldHow to Progress Smaller Exercises When the Weight Jumps are Too Damn BigLyle McDonald2024-06-19 | So as a followup to the followup video on progressions in the weight room, I wnat to go into detail about how to progress smaller muscle movements where the weight increments available tend to represent a massive percentage of what's being lifted.
I'll outline three different approaches to the problem.
#training #hypertrophy #hashtagsarestupidHow to Use Single, Double and Triple Progression: Application and Multiple SetsLyle McDonald2024-06-13 | So following up from last week's video on the three primary weight room progressions, I wanted to go a bit more into where I would tend to use one versus another along with, more importantly, how to know when to adjust the weight across multiple sets.
Semi-following up on the Q&A I did about adding reps vs. adding weight as a method of progressive overload, I wanted to give an overview of the three primary types of progression in the weight room. These are single, double and triple progression, each of which has their own specific parameters along with how they can or should be used.
Note: I do not read nor answer comments or questions on videos (nor do I delete them). Can't be asked. If you have a question for me send it to: questions@bodyrecomposition.com I'll probably ignore it but you might get lucky.
store.bodyrecomposition.com bodyrecomposition.com IG: @mcdonaldlyle (I think)Q&A: Can Adding Repetitions Be the Equivalent of Adding Weight to the Bar for HypertrophyLyle McDonald2024-05-23 | Finally back to the Q&A where's today's question is (shortened from the original): Can adding repetitions be the as good, worse or the same as adding weight to the bar in terms of hypertrophy (the actual question being about progressing chinups) but as always I went off the rails with my answer.
Paper Cited: Plotkin D et al. Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. Peer J (2022)
Store: store.bodyrecomposition.comMeasuring Hypertrophy: Cell Swelling Rides AgainLyle McDonald2024-05-08 | It's time to look at the issue of cell swelling after training again. A few weeks back I looked at a paper by Buckner et. al (link at the end of this video) bringing up the issue, as I have for years, that the apparently magic results of a certain lab may be skewed by the issue of cell swelling.
Other labs do it too because they all assume that cell swelling is gone after 48 hours or so.
Which is being based on ONE study of subjects doing THREE sets of bench press.
Because there's no guarantee that cell swelling is gone 48 hours after, say....15 f'ing sets of lower body as in Brad's volume study. Or 16 in the Brigatto study.
No good scientist would make such an extrapolation. But these aren't good scientists.
Well today I look at a paper that, while not looking at volume per se does turn up another nuance that may be coloring this. Read on to be SHOCKED.
Paper Dourado Marco et al. Different time course recovery of muscle edema within the quadriceps femoris and functional performance after single- vs multi-joint exercises. Biol Sport (2023) 40(3) 867-774
Note: I do not read nor answer comments or questions on videos (nor do I delete them). Can't be asked. If you have a question for me send it to: questions@bodyrecomposition.com I'll probably ignore it but you might get lucky.
In today's I look at the question of what makes muscle fibers (or muscles in general) stop growing? We know that there is a plateau in growth above which you can't get naturally? But what is it? And more importantly why does it happen?
Short answer: nobody knows why including me Long answer: I'll be happy to speculate.
#musclegrowth #hypertrophy #hashtags are stupidQ&A: Does Increasing Weight on the Bar Cause Growth or Does Growth Allow You to Add Weight?Lyle McDonald2024-02-16 | Q&A: You've said that adding weight to the bar is what stimulates muscle growth but others say that gaining muscle is what lets you add weight to the bar. Thoughts?
Note: I do not read nor answer comments or questions on videos (nor do I delete them). Can't be asked. If you have a question for me send it to: questions@bodyrecomposition.com I'll probably ignore it but you might get lucky.
In today's Q&A I look at the 'debate' (by which I mean a silly argument people made up years ago to try to make me be wrong) over whether adding weight to the bar (i.e. progressive tension overload) is what stimulates growth or gaining muscle is what ALLOWS you to add weight to the bar.
The answer may shock you (except it probably won't).
Following up last week's Q&A about powerlifters versus bodybuilders (and a review of Matt Gary's awesome book), I wanted to address the question of whether maximum strength cycles, by which I mean sets of 5 or less at 85%+ of 1 rep maximum can benefit bodybuilders.
Short answer: yes. For the long answer: watch the video.
Note: I do not read nor answer comments or questions on videos (nor do I delete them). Can't be asked. If you have a question for me send it to: questions@bodyrecomposition.com I'll probably ignore it but you might get lucky.
Note: I do not read nor answer comments or questions on videos (nor do I delete them). Can't be asked. If you have a question for me send it to: questions@bodyrecomposition.com I'll probably ignore it but you might get lucky.
Review: Rather than just relentessly dumping on the industry, I want to do a product review. Specifically I want to look at The Game Day Coaching manual by powerlifting coach Matt Gary. Game day coaching refers to the skill and art of handling lifters on the day of their powerlifting competition to put them in a place to succeed and reach their goals. And Matt is a master of it.
In this utterly thorough, leave no stone unturned, book, Matt details literally everything you could ever want to know about the topic. From psychology to attempt selection to warmups to scouting your competition to working with different types of athletes.
If it's important, it's in there. He provides endless case studies of exactly what he did with attempt selection in different situations as well which helps bring the ideas into real world focus.0
For anyone who handles powerlifters at a meet, whether experienced or new to the sport, I cannot too highly recommend this book. Even if you've already honed your craft it might give you a new idea or situation you haven't considered or experienced. For lifters who handle themselves, it might also help you optimize how you do things. For lifters who are handled it might have less overall use but you and your coach might look at it to see if it gives you new things to try.
tl;dr: Matt has done the sport of powerlifting an incredible service by writing this book, based on his decades of experience. People who know me know I don't like anything so if I say something good about something, that is meaningful.
The Game Day Coaching manual is available at Matt's Website for $65 and is worth every penny.
#powerlifting #mattgary #gamedaycoachingQ&A: Why Do Powerlifters Grow Better Than Bodybuilders?Lyle McDonald2024-02-06 | Q&A: Why do powerlifters grow better than bodybuilders?
I've long argued that, as often as not, natural powerlifters gain muscle more effectively than natural bodybuilders. In this Q&A I examine the two primary reasons I think this is the case.
#powerlifting #bodybuilding #hypertrophy
store.bodyrecomposition.com bodyrecomposition.com questions for me to maybe read: questions@bodyrecomposition.com instagram: @mcdonaldlyleWho Are the Real Broscientists (THE ANSWER MAY SHOCK YOU!)Lyle McDonald2024-02-02 | Broscience (noun): a term coined in the 2000's to refer to the 7+ decades of accumulated anecdotal evidence in terms of training and diet. Originally used by "science" based fitness professionals as a derogatory term. Where broscience was nothing more than anecdotes to be ridiculed and ignored. But somewhere along the lines it changed.
In this video, I take a look at the history of the use of science in the sport. When it started, the early Internet, the rise of science based training and then the final devolution into the tragedy of an industry it has now become.
Who are the real bro scientists? The answer may shock you. Or it may not. I'm not your dad, I can't tell you how to feel.
In this Q&A I look again at the issue of metabolic damage (sort of) although the question is really about whether or not you should take a 2 week transition phase between dieting and gaining or vice versa.
I also briefly address a particularly bullshit*y comment to last week's video on the protein intake issue. Trust me I will NOT make this a common occurrence since it just reminds me that most 'criticisms' of my work is just this kind of crap. Vague passive aggressive strawmen arguments and little more. This industry is a tragedy filled with intellectually dishonest people who's sound like mewling babies b/c I was mean to them.
Which just happens to be a lead in to this coming Friday's long video about The Real Broscientists.
#transitionphases #hashtagsaredumbThere Is No Maximum Per Meal Protein Intake (Subtitle: Its Exhausting Being Right All the Time)Lyle McDonald2024-01-26 | Building off the previous Q&A about nighttime protein intake, I want to look at the issue of whether or not there is a per meal maximum protein intake. This is a weird video where basically I spend 30 minutes of introduction and history of the topic to look rather briefly at the following paper that came out at the end of 2023:
Trommelen J et al. The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans. Cell Rep Med (2023) 4(12): 101324
Said paper basically verifying everything I've been writing since 1998, including an article in 2019 (that little Jorn Trommelen got butthurt by) and a followup in 2020 was right all along. There is no maximum per meal protein intake, other tissues in the body need protein and, by extension, many of the ideas regarding maximum daily protein intakes are probably wrong too.
#protein #hypertrophy #dietaryprotein #musclegrowthQ&A Jan 23 2024: Is Consuming Protein at Night Good to Maximize Hypertrophy?Lyle McDonald2024-01-23 | So we'll see how long this lasts but figured I'd try a weekly Q&A since, in theory they will be a bit shorter since I won't be grinding through the details of research. Don't get me wrong, I'll still provide the references at the end. But I'll spare everyone the details.
This one addresses the idea of consuming some type of slow acting protein at bed to maintain nutrient levels during the nighttime to support muscle growth from training. It's also related to a longer piece I hope to have done later in the week.
Oh yeah, I'm too lazy to format this for both Youttube and Instagram so you get the talking head. All you kids watch this stuff on your phones anyhow.
Be aware that there is exactly 0% guarantee I will answer it. But you might get lucky if I'm in a good mood.
store.bodyrecomposition.com bodyrecomposition.comIts Time to Look at that Silly (Stupid) 52 Sets Per Week Volume Study from Last YearLyle McDonald2024-01-18 | Following up from the paper I looked at last week examining the supposed dose response relationship between training volume and hypertrpohy I thought I'd look at the newest entry into the nonsense with the 52 sets/week study from the end of last year that all of the fitpros jumped on like their lives depended on it.
As usual, they created the edgy memes without really going into the details of what the study did and found. But that's where I come in because someone has to actually present the data accurately. And it sure as hell won't be them.
So here ya' go, a detailed look at the paper titled: Enes A et al. Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is there a Dose-Response Effect? Med Sci Sports Exerc (2023) doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003317. Online ahead of print.
I don't have access to a free full text this time around. #trainingvolume #hypertrophy #milowolf #bradschoenfeld
bodyrecomposition.com store.bodyrecomposition.com instagram.com/mcdonaldlyle (mainly for dad jokes and dog videos)The Audacity. The Hypocrisy. Only Brad can be Trusted. For everyone else there are rules.Lyle McDonald2023-05-04 | So I'm still waiting for a single person to send me a video proving that the workout in Brad's volume paper can be done. Squat, leg press and leg extension 5X8-10RM (To failure) on a 90 second rest. The first person to prove me wrong, one video, no edits and I'll Paypal you $1k.
But no less than a week after that video, did someone send me the most hilarious example of what I was talking about. To whit, a paper with Brad Schoenfeld's name on it regarding the development of a tool to, get this, assess bias in exercise science.
Hahahahahahahaha. Ahahahahahahaha. I mean if anybody knows about bias it's Brad since he makes excuses for his everywhere.
Anyhow, here's a video with a couple points about the paper. How he can claim integrity with a straight face is beyond me. How the rest of this industry can let him get away with uncriticized is beyond me. Actually that's false. I know why they do it and hope they have good kneepads.
How you people are too dumb to see through it is even more beyond me. But you get what you deserve because of it. When you buy lies over facts, it's your own fault for wasting your training career now isn't it?
Let's not forget Mike Israetel's claim in our "debate" that these tools don't apply to exercise science. Just more lies.
Paper title and link: Schoenfeld B et al. SMART-LD: A tool for critically appraising risk of bias and reporting quality in longitidunal resistance training interventions. OSF Preprints (2023)
#bradschoenfeld #erichelms #mikeisraetel #jameskrieger #gregknuckolsOptimal Hypertrophy Training Volume 2023 Edition: Return of the BackpedalLyle McDonald2023-04-27 | Oh you, the fitness industry....So 5 years after Brad Schoenfeld published his paper that would "Blow current hypertrophy volumes out of the water" (it did not), it's time to look at optimal training volumes for hypertrophy again.
This was all stimulated by "Doctor" @drmikeisraetel doing his typical backpedal about volume, solving the problem he created in the first place.
Because, having defended MOAR VOLUME, more or less the entire (supposed) "evidence based fitness industry" has gradually walked it back to, surprise surprise, recommend what I was saying all along.
And have been saying for oh....about 20 years or so.
Guys, guys, seriously. Just save yourself some time when you do these videos and say "Yeah, Lyle was right." It's so much faster on top of saving everybody who listens to you give them terrible advice so much time. It would keep them from wasting 5 years of their training time for sure.
The fitness industry is a f****g joke.
#mikeisraetel #bradschoenfeld #erichelms #jameskrieger #mennohenselmans #gregknuckols #renaissanceperiodization #jeffnippardThe Nuances of Training to Failure: Part 4 (Lets Add Frequency to the Equation)Lyle McDonald2022-04-27 | So I've been literally overwhelmed by people sending me videos proving those absurd high volume workouts to failure can be done. Oh wait, no I haven't because you're all too mentally weak to even ATTEMPT to prove me wrong.
Which just implicitly means I'm right. Because of course I am: those workouts are IMPOSSIBLE and YOU KNOW IT.
Anyhow, Part 4 on the nuances of training to failure. Here I'll add the Frequency component and talk about weekly training patterns to show how this all fits together. This is easiest done by looking at real-world training programs that have been used over the decades
Finally to impress the guys at N1 I'll look at the specific times when failure might be beneficial, ideal or even required along with times when it should be abjectly avoided. Nuance and context folks. I get it even if you don't.
Still waiting for 'Doctor' Mike Israetel to correct his claim that I advocate training to failure for all people under all conditions. I'll be waiting as long for that as for videos proving me wrong.
Such big muscular insecure babies. Surrounded by people who refuse to hold them to any standard, much less the impossible standard I am held to. Ah well....so it goes.
#renaissanceperiodization #trainingtofailure #failure #n1trainingThe Nuances of Training to Failure: Part 3 (Another Question and The FIVT Equation)Lyle McDonald2022-04-20 | So at long last here is Part 3 talking about the nuances of training to failure. You'll get a brief review of Part 2 and then another big question: Are these comparisons even relevant? Finally I will start the longer discussion of the real nuances of when failure might be good, bad or indifferent.
Because apparently supposed fitness "professionals" need a big time refresher course on the FIT(V)T equation.
I'm still waiting for those videos of people doing either the Schoenfeld or Brigatto studies. I imagine I'll be waiting a long time because you all know that they cant' be done....and that I'm right.
Still waiting for Mike Israetel to publicly correct his "misrepresentation" about me advocating failure. I'll be waiting even longer since he'd NEVER admit he was wrong even though he clearly is. An industry filled with cowards.