November 26, 2025 • 14 mins
We map the nine training adaptations, the law of progressive overload, and the exact levers that drive strength, size, and endurance. Clear protocols, simple hydration math, and smart use of breathing, heat, and cold turn guesswork into growth.
• defining nine adaptations and why fat loss is a byproduct
• progressive overload as the non‑negotiable driver
• six variables that control outcomes in training
• using RPE and reps in reserve for intensity
• strength protocol: >85% load, long rests, smart supersets
• hypertrophy: near‑failure effort and weekly volume targets
• intent: fast intent for strength, mind‑muscle for size
• three‑to‑five template for simple strength programming
• endurance: low‑eccentric starts, zone two, VO2 max dosing
• muscular endurance for posture and injury prevention
• recovery checks: grip strength, tap test, CO2 tolerance
• downregulation breathing to switch off adrenaline
• hydration and sodium guidelines with practical math
• cold timing to avoid blunted growth, sauna benefits
• choosing adaptation versus optimization across seasons
This podcast is created by Ai for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or health advice. Please talk to your healthcare team for medical advice.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
All right, welcome to the deep dive.
Today we are.
Uh we're taking on a massivemission, really.
We're aiming to cut straightthrough all the noise in
exercise science.
The goal is to give you a clear,expert-backed protocol to
maximize your fitness gains nomatter what you're chasing.
SPEAKER_00 (00:18):
Aaron Powell Yeah.
And to do that, we've basicallydistilled a masterclass of
material, drawing a lot from thework of Dr.
Andy Galpin.
What's so great about hisapproach is the sheer depth of
it.
I mean, it goes from genetics,muscle biopsies all the way down
to the super practical stuff.
SPEAKER_01 (00:33):
Trevor Burrus, Jr.: Like, should I do three sets of
five or five sets of twenty?
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Aaron Powell Exactly.
We're translating that hardcorelab science into something you
can actually use.
SPEAKER_01 (00:40):
Aaron Powell So the scope today is pretty ambitious.
We're going to hit the ninefundamental categories of
fitness, then we'll establishthe universal variables, the
levers you can actually pull toget the results you want, and
then we'll get into detailedprotocols for strength, size,
endurance, recovery.
Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_00 (00:55):
And even the really confusing stuff like hydration
and uh temperature management.
Trevor Burrus, Jr.
So where do we start?
Let's lay the foundation first,the blueprint.
We have to define the ninespecific adaptations you can get
from training.
And a key point here, fat lossisn't one of them.
SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
Aaron Powell Oh, that's interesting.
So fat loss is a byproduct.
SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
It's a byproduct of doing enough work.
It's not the core adaptationitself.
So the nine are first, skilljust getting better at a
movement, then speed, power,which is basically strength
times speed.
Then you have pure strength,hypertrophy, which is muscle
size, muscular endurance,anaerobic power.
That's like 30 seconds to twominutes of all-out effort.
(01:36):
Then VO2 max for efforts fromthree to twelve minutes, and
finally long duration endurance.
So anything over 30 minutes.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
And every workout you do is basically targeting
one or more of those nine?
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
Consciously or not, yes.
Okay.
That's what your body isadapting to.
SPEAKER_01 (01:49):
Okay, that's a brilliant framework.
So if we want to adapt toactually get better at any of
those nine, what's the universallaw that makes that happen?
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
The law is is really simple, but it gets ignored
constantly.
Adaptation only happens as abyproduct of stress.
That's it.
If you do the same workoutforever, your body just gets
used to it.
You maintain, you don't improve.
SPEAKER_01 (02:08):
The stimulus is gone.
SPEAKER_00 (02:10):
Exactly.
So the core mechanism, the thingyou have to implement is
progressive overload.
You have to find a way toincrease the demand, add weight,
add reps, go more often, make itharder.
SPEAKER_01 (02:20):
Progressive overload is the engine.
So now the tools.
If I need to increase demand,what are the specific levers I
can pull to make sure I'mgetting stronger and not just,
you know, building endurance?
SPEAKER_00 (02:31):
Okay, so there are six main modifiable variables.
These are your controls.
First is choice, the actualexercise you pick.
Squat versus a light press, forexample.
Second, intensity.
That's usually your percentageof a one rep max, or for cardio,
a percentage of your max heartrate.
Third is volume total reps, sosets times reps.
Fourth, rest intervals, how longyou wait between sets.
(02:52):
Fifth is progression, which ishow you plan to increase the
demand over time.
And number six is frequency, howoften you train.
SPEAKER_01 (02:59):
Let's pause on intensity.
I mean, most people have neverdone a true one rep max.
It's risky, it's hard.
So if 85% of one RM is the magicnumber for strength, how do you
figure that out without thetest?
SPEAKER_00 (03:11):
Great question.
And no, you shouldn't test your1 RM unless you're very
experienced.
The best way for most of us isRPE rate of perceived exertion.
It's about how many reps youhave left in the tank.
If you're lifting a weight andyou absolutely could not do a
sixth rep.
SPEAKER_01 (03:26):
So zero reps in reserve.
SPEAKER_00 (03:27):
Zero reps in reserve, you're almost certainly
hitting that 85% or higherintensity needed for pure
strength.
The number of reps tells you theintensity.
SPEAKER_01 (03:36):
That makes it way more accessible.
Okay, so you said somethingreally key.
The exercise choice itselfdoesn't determine the outcome.
Can you expand on that?
Because everyone thinks benchpress equals strength.
Period.
SPEAKER_00 (03:46):
And that's the big misconception.
Let's take that bench press.
If you do it with low intensity,high volume, short rest, say
five sets of 20 with only 30seconds of rest.
SPEAKER_01 (03:55):
That's gonna be cardio.
SPEAKER_00 (03:56):
The primary adaptation will be muscular
endurance, not strength.
The movement is just thevehicle, the application, the
sets, reps, speed, rest.
That's what dictates the result.
SPEAKER_01 (04:07):
That is such a powerful concept.
Okay, before we get into theprotocols, what's the general
rule for technique?
Is it always full range ofmotion?
SPEAKER_00 (04:15):
The default absolutely should be training
through your full anatomicalrange of motion.
And you do that whilemaintaining good posture, a
neutral spine, and stablejoints.
It's generally safer and betterfor both strength and size.
If you're shortening the range,you need a very specific reason
for it.
SPEAKER_01 (04:33):
Perfect.
Let's get into the specificsthen, the two big ones, strength
and hypertrophy, muscle size.
SPEAKER_00 (04:38):
Right.
And they're often lumpedtogether, but they're driven by
very different variables.
SPEAKER_01 (04:42):
Let's start with strength.
Why is intensity king?
SPEAKER_00 (04:45):
Strength is about generating maximal force.
To do that, you have to recruityour biggest, most powerful
muscle fibers, the highthreshold motor units.
SPEAKER_01 (04:53):
That's Henneman's size principle, right?
SPEAKER_00 (04:55):
Exactly.
Your body recruits muscle fibersfrom smallest to largest.
To get the big ones to fire, youneed the heaviest absolute load.
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
And that's where the high intensity comes in.
So what's the protocol?
SPEAKER_00 (05:06):
For strength, you're aiming for over 85% of your 1
RM.
So that means you're doing fivereps per set or fewer.
And your rest intervals arenon-negotiable here.
You need two to four minutesbetween sets to maintain that
intensity.
SPEAKER_01 (05:21):
Two to four minutes is a long time.
People get impatient.
SPEAKER_00 (05:24):
They do, which is why you can superset unrelated
muscles.
While your back rests fromdeadlifts, you can do some bicep
curls or abs.
It saves time withoutcompromising the mainlift.
As for frequency, you couldtrain for strength daily, but
for most people, two to threetimes per week per muscle group
is very effective.
SPEAKER_01 (05:42):
Okay, so that's strength.
Now hypertrophy or size?
SPEAKER_00 (05:45):
Totally different driver.
For size, it's primarily aboutvolume, as long as you're
training close to muscularfailure.
SPEAKER_01 (05:51):
Okay, this is where it gets fun.
I hear people argue all thetime.
Is it eight reps, twelve reps?
What's the magic number forsize?
SPEAKER_00 (05:57):
The science is now pretty clear that the rep range
is incredibly wide.
As long as you're hitting thatnear failure point, anything
from five reps up to 30 reps perset is equally effective for
building muscle.
SPEAKER_01 (06:08):
Wow, so that gives you a lot of flexibility.
SPEAKER_00 (06:10):
A ton.
The critical part is taking theset to within one to three reps
of absolute failure.
The other key is your volumetarget.
For serious growth, you'reaiming for about 15 to 20 hard
sets per muscle group per week.
10 is a good minimum.
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
And how often should you hit each muscle?
SPEAKER_00 (06:29):
The recovery window for actual tissue growth is
about 48 to 72 hours.
So trading the same muscles twodays in a row is generally a bad
idea.
You'll blunt the growth signal.
SPEAKER_01 (06:39):
You called hypertrophy programming idiot
proof.
Can you break down why the wholemetabolic stress mechanical
tension idea?
SPEAKER_00 (06:46):
It's idiot proof in the sense that if you just push
hard near failure and get enoughvolume in, you'll trigger the
three main drivers for growth.
Mechanical tension is just aheavy weight on the bar.
Metabolic stress is that burn,the lactic acid buildup.
It's a powerful signal.
And muscular damage is thesoreness you feel.
A little soreness, like a threeout of ten, is probably a good
sign.
SPEAKER_01 (07:05):
But what about a nine out of ten soreness?
That feels like a victory.
SPEAKER_00 (07:09):
It feels like one, but it's often
counterproductive.
If you're so sore you can'ttrain that muscle again for five
or six days, your total monthlyvolume plummets.
SPEAKER_01 (07:18):
So you're trading one good workout for half a week
of recovery.
SPEAKER_00 (07:22):
Precisely.
You want just enough stimulus,not so much that you can't train
again soon.
SPEAKER_01 (07:26):
What about the mental side?
The mind muscle connection.
SPEAKER_00 (07:29):
This is a perfect example of how intent changes
everything.
For strength and power, youshould be focused on the intent
to move fast, even if the bar ismoving slowly.
That intent recruits the mostpowerful fibers.
For hypertrophy, however,focusing on feeling the target
muscle contract, that mindmuscle connection, can genuinely
lead to more growth in thatspecific muscle.
SPEAKER_01 (07:49):
Okay, that's a lot.
Is there a simple template forstrength?
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
The three to five concept is probably the easiest.
It's super portable.
Pick three to five exercises, dothree to five reps for three to
five sets, rest three to fiveminutes, and do it three to five
times a week.
The only thing that changes theoutcome is intensity.
Over 85% for strengths, 40 to70% for power, where you focus
on speed.
SPEAKER_01 (08:11):
Brilliant.
Okay, let's pivot to endurance,which a lot of people see as the
enemy of strength and size.
SPEAKER_00 (08:18):
The first thing to talk about with endurance,
especially for new people, iseccentric landing.
SPEAKER_01 (08:23):
The breaking phase.
SPEAKER_00 (08:25):
Exactly.
Like when your foot hits theground running.
High eccentric load causes a lotof muscle damage and soreness.
So if you're new to it,especially running, start with
low eccentric activities.
Cycling, swimming, rowing, evensled pushing.
SPEAKER_01 (08:39):
Build the engine without wrecking the chassis.
SPEAKER_00 (08:41):
Perfect way to put it.
Build your cardiovascularfitness first, then introduce
the high impact stuff.
SPEAKER_01 (08:46):
Let's tackle the big fear, the interference effect.
Is doing cardio gonna kill mygains?
SPEAKER_00 (08:52):
For the most part, it's overblown.
Yeah.
Especially if you're smart aboutit.
Low to moderate cardio,specifically what we call zone
two training, where you canstill hold a conversation, has
almost no interserance withstrength or hypertrophy.
SPEAKER_01 (09:04):
And why is that?
SPEAKER_00 (09:05):
It uses different energy pathways.
Zone two is primarily aerobic,which doesn't really mess with
the signals your body needs forstrength adaptations.
Just make sure you're eatingenough calories.
SPEAKER_01 (09:15):
So for general health, what's the
recommendation?
SPEAKER_00 (09:17):
Daily movement.
And for a good cardiovascularchallenge, try to do it at a
pace where you can breathe onlythrough your nose.
Go as hard as you can withouthaving to open your mouth to
gasp for air.
That's a great proxy for zonetwo.
SPEAKER_01 (09:29):
And for that really maximal lung busting VO2 max
workout.
SPEAKER_00 (09:34):
That's a big stressor, so maybe only once a
week or even every other week.
The protocol is simple (09:38):
a good warm-up, then four to eight
rounds of 30 seconds to twominutes of absolute maximal
effort.
Breathing is completely maxedout.
SPEAKER_01 (09:47):
Let's quickly touch on muscular endurance.
You mentioned it's key forinjury prevention.
SPEAKER_00 (09:51):
It's so critical, especially for your postural
muscles like your spinalerectors or your calves.
SPEAKER_01 (09:57):
I feel like that's when I get hurt.
Not during the lift, but whenI'm tired and moving weights
around.
SPEAKER_00 (10:01):
Exactly.
It's because those small, slowtwitch postural muscles get
fatigue.
They're designed to be on allthe time.
When they tire out, your formgets sloppy under load.
So training them with thingslike planks, wall sits, and
weighted carries keeps yourwhole system stable and
protected.
SPEAKER_01 (10:17):
How do we know if we're recovered enough for a big
session?
Can we measure it?
SPEAKER_00 (10:21):
We can try.
Consistency is key.
There are some simple objectivethings you can track, like your
grip strengths, or a finger taptest, just see how fast you can
tap.
If those numbers drop, yourcentral nervous system is likely
fatigued.
There's also a fascinating onecalled the CO2 tolerance test.
It's basically how long you canexhale for.
SPEAKER_01 (10:42):
And what does that tell you?
SPEAKER_00 (10:43):
It's a proxy for how well your body is handling
stress.
A shorter exhale time can meanyour system is in a stressed
state.
SPEAKER_01 (10:50):
Speaking of stress, let's talk about down
regulation, the post-workoutbreathing.
SPEAKER_00 (10:54):
This is maybe one of the most important and
overlooked things you can do.
Exercise cranks up adrenaline.
You need to actively signal toyour body that the threat is
over.
SPEAKER_01 (11:03):
So how do we do it?
SPEAKER_00 (11:04):
It's so simple.
Just three to five minutes ofexhale-focused breathing.
The goal is to make your exhaletwice as long as your inhale.
So maybe four seconds in, eightseconds out.
This directly stimulates yourcalming parasympathetic nervous
system and speeds up systemicrecovery.
It's a game changer.
SPEAKER_01 (11:21):
All right, let's get into the practicals of fueling.
Hydration, the galpin equation.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
Okay, two parts.
First, your daily baseline.
You take your body weight inpounds, divide it by two, and
that's how many ounces of fluidyou should drink a day.
SPEAKER_01 (11:34):
So a 200-pound person needs 100 ounces of
fluid.
Does coffee count?
SPEAKER_00 (11:39):
Yes, coffee and tea count towards that total, unless
you're taking in extreme amountsof caffeine from pills or
something.
Then there's hydration.
During exercise, the formula isyour body weight in pounds
divided by 30.
That's how many ounces youshould drink every 15 to 20
minutes of intense work.
SPEAKER_01 (11:55):
What about electrolytes?
Salt specifically.
SPEAKER_00 (11:58):
For sodium, a good starting point is about 500
milligrams before your workoutand 500 after.
But if you're a really saltysweater, you know, you get that
white crust on your hat.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
I know exactly what you mean.
SPEAKER_00 (12:09):
Then you probably need to bump that up to 750
milligrams or even more.
Just be mindful if you have anyissues with blood pressure.
SPEAKER_01 (12:15):
Okay, last big topic
Ice bats and saunas.
Let's start with cold.
SPEAKER_00 (12:20):
Cold water immersion is a massive systemic stressor.
So you have to be careful withit.
If your main goal is buildingmuscle hypertrophy, you must
avoid it right after yourworkout.
SPEAKER_01 (12:31):
Why is that?
SPEAKER_00 (12:32):
It actually blunts the gene signaling cascade for
muscle growth.
It's detrimental.
You have to wait at least fourhours after lifting before you
get in cold water.
SPEAKER_01 (12:40):
So when is the best time to do it?
SPEAKER_00 (12:42):
It's much better before workout or on an off day,
maybe first thing in themorning.
The initial shock actually leadsto a net relaxing effect and
better recovery metrics hourslater.
SPEAKER_01 (12:53):
And what about heat?
Does a sauna have the same risk?
SPEAKER_00 (12:56):
No, heat is generally complementary.
It's actually beneficial evenright after workout.
There's even so evidence itmight help with growth, maybe by
increasing blood flow.
SPEAKER_01 (13:04):
The only risk is dehydration, I assume.
SPEAKER_00 (13:06):
Massive risk.
You could lose an incredibleamount of fluid like three
pounds in 20 minutes and a hotsauna.
So you have to be absolutelyrelentless about rehydrating
afterwards using that equation.
So to kind of bring this alltogether, there's a final
philosophical point to considerin your training.
You need to ask yourself (13:22):
are you training for adaptation or
for optimization?
SPEAKER_01 (13:28):
That's a great way to frame it.
What's the difference?
SPEAKER_00 (13:30):
You train for adaptation when you're trying to
maximize your gains in youroff-season.
You're willing to push into thatnine out of ten soreness for a
big stimulus.
You train for optimization whenperformance is what matters
most, when you're in season orlife is just really stressful.
SPEAKER_01 (13:45):
So you back off a little to focus on consistency
and recovery.
SPEAKER_00 (13:48):
Exactly.
You prioritize being ready forthe next day, not creating the
absolute biggest stimuluspossible.
SPEAKER_01 (13:54):
So, what does all this mean for you, the person
listening?
The knowledge is all here now.
The goal isn't to do everythingtomorrow, it's to find the one
or two things you've beenneglecting.
Maybe it's just implementingthat three to five minutes of
downregulation breathing afterworkout, or actually calculating
your hydration needs.
A simple change can give youhuge results.
And here's the final thingperformance is so often held
(14:16):
back by a hidden stressor,something you don't even see.
So your challenge is to findyour personal performance
anchor.
Is it poor hydration killingyour stamina?
Is a lack of muscular endurancemaking your heavy lifts feel
unstable?
Find that one single overlookedanchor.
Use the protocols we've talkedabout to fix it and just watch
what happens.
All right, welcome to the deep dive.
Today we are.
Uh we're taking on a massivemission, really.
We're aiming to cut straightthrough all the noise in
exercise science.
The goal is to give you a clear,expert-backed protocol to
maximize your fitness gains nomatter what you're chasing.
SPEAKER_00 (00:18):
Aaron Powell Yeah.
And to do that, we've basicallydistilled a masterclass of
material, drawing a lot from thework of Dr.
Andy Galpin.
What's so great about hisapproach is the sheer depth of
it.
I mean, it goes from genetics,muscle biopsies all the way down
to the super practical stuff.
SPEAKER_01 (00:33):
Trevor Burrus, Jr.: Like, should I do three sets of
five or five sets of twenty?
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Aaron Powell Exactly.
We're translating that hardcorelab science into something you
can actually use.
SPEAKER_01 (00:40):
Aaron Powell So the scope today is pretty ambitious.
We're going to hit the ninefundamental categories of
fitness, then we'll establishthe universal variables, the
levers you can actually pull toget the results you want, and
then we'll get into detailedprotocols for strength, size,
endurance, recovery.
Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_00 (00:55):
And even the really confusing stuff like hydration
and uh temperature management.
Trevor Burrus, Jr.
So where do we start?
Let's lay the foundation first,the blueprint.
We have to define the ninespecific adaptations you can get
from training.
And a key point here, fat lossisn't one of them.
SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
Aaron Powell Oh, that's interesting.
So fat loss is a byproduct.
SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
It's a byproduct of doing enough work.
It's not the core adaptationitself.
So the nine are first, skilljust getting better at a
movement, then speed, power,which is basically strength
times speed.
Then you have pure strength,hypertrophy, which is muscle
size, muscular endurance,anaerobic power.
That's like 30 seconds to twominutes of all-out effort.
(01:36):
Then VO2 max for efforts fromthree to twelve minutes, and
finally long duration endurance.
So anything over 30 minutes.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
And every workout you do is basically targeting
one or more of those nine?
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
Consciously or not, yes.
Okay.
That's what your body isadapting to.
SPEAKER_01 (01:49):
Okay, that's a brilliant framework.
So if we want to adapt toactually get better at any of
those nine, what's the universallaw that makes that happen?
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
The law is is really simple, but it gets ignored
constantly.
Adaptation only happens as abyproduct of stress.
That's it.
If you do the same workoutforever, your body just gets
used to it.
You maintain, you don't improve.
SPEAKER_01 (02:08):
The stimulus is gone.
SPEAKER_00 (02:10):
Exactly.
So the core mechanism, the thingyou have to implement is
progressive overload.
You have to find a way toincrease the demand, add weight,
add reps, go more often, make itharder.
SPEAKER_01 (02:20):
Progressive overload is the engine.
So now the tools.
If I need to increase demand,what are the specific levers I
can pull to make sure I'mgetting stronger and not just,
you know, building endurance?
SPEAKER_00 (02:31):
Okay, so there are six main modifiable variables.
These are your controls.
First is choice, the actualexercise you pick.
Squat versus a light press, forexample.
Second, intensity.
That's usually your percentageof a one rep max, or for cardio,
a percentage of your max heartrate.
Third is volume total reps, sosets times reps.
Fourth, rest intervals, how longyou wait between sets.
(02:52):
Fifth is progression, which ishow you plan to increase the
demand over time.
And number six is frequency, howoften you train.
SPEAKER_01 (02:59):
Let's pause on intensity.
I mean, most people have neverdone a true one rep max.
It's risky, it's hard.
So if 85% of one RM is the magicnumber for strength, how do you
figure that out without thetest?
SPEAKER_00 (03:11):
Great question.
And no, you shouldn't test your1 RM unless you're very
experienced.
The best way for most of us isRPE rate of perceived exertion.
It's about how many reps youhave left in the tank.
If you're lifting a weight andyou absolutely could not do a
sixth rep.
SPEAKER_01 (03:26):
So zero reps in reserve.
SPEAKER_00 (03:27):
Zero reps in reserve, you're almost certainly
hitting that 85% or higherintensity needed for pure
strength.
The number of reps tells you theintensity.
SPEAKER_01 (03:36):
That makes it way more accessible.
Okay, so you said somethingreally key.
The exercise choice itselfdoesn't determine the outcome.
Can you expand on that?
Because everyone thinks benchpress equals strength.
Period.
SPEAKER_00 (03:46):
And that's the big misconception.
Let's take that bench press.
If you do it with low intensity,high volume, short rest, say
five sets of 20 with only 30seconds of rest.
SPEAKER_01 (03:55):
That's gonna be cardio.
SPEAKER_00 (03:56):
The primary adaptation will be muscular
endurance, not strength.
The movement is just thevehicle, the application, the
sets, reps, speed, rest.
That's what dictates the result.
SPEAKER_01 (04:07):
That is such a powerful concept.
Okay, before we get into theprotocols, what's the general
rule for technique?
Is it always full range ofmotion?
SPEAKER_00 (04:15):
The default absolutely should be training
through your full anatomicalrange of motion.
And you do that whilemaintaining good posture, a
neutral spine, and stablejoints.
It's generally safer and betterfor both strength and size.
If you're shortening the range,you need a very specific reason
for it.
SPEAKER_01 (04:33):
Perfect.
Let's get into the specificsthen, the two big ones, strength
and hypertrophy, muscle size.
SPEAKER_00 (04:38):
Right.
And they're often lumpedtogether, but they're driven by
very different variables.
SPEAKER_01 (04:42):
Let's start with strength.
Why is intensity king?
SPEAKER_00 (04:45):
Strength is about generating maximal force.
To do that, you have to recruityour biggest, most powerful
muscle fibers, the highthreshold motor units.
SPEAKER_01 (04:53):
That's Henneman's size principle, right?
SPEAKER_00 (04:55):
Exactly.
Your body recruits muscle fibersfrom smallest to largest.
To get the big ones to fire, youneed the heaviest absolute load.
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
And that's where the high intensity comes in.
So what's the protocol?
SPEAKER_00 (05:06):
For strength, you're aiming for over 85% of your 1
RM.
So that means you're doing fivereps per set or fewer.
And your rest intervals arenon-negotiable here.
You need two to four minutesbetween sets to maintain that
intensity.
SPEAKER_01 (05:21):
Two to four minutes is a long time.
People get impatient.
SPEAKER_00 (05:24):
They do, which is why you can superset unrelated
muscles.
While your back rests fromdeadlifts, you can do some bicep
curls or abs.
It saves time withoutcompromising the mainlift.
As for frequency, you couldtrain for strength daily, but
for most people, two to threetimes per week per muscle group
is very effective.
SPEAKER_01 (05:42):
Okay, so that's strength.
Now hypertrophy or size?
SPEAKER_00 (05:45):
Totally different driver.
For size, it's primarily aboutvolume, as long as you're
training close to muscularfailure.
SPEAKER_01 (05:51):
Okay, this is where it gets fun.
I hear people argue all thetime.
Is it eight reps, twelve reps?
What's the magic number forsize?
SPEAKER_00 (05:57):
The science is now pretty clear that the rep range
is incredibly wide.
As long as you're hitting thatnear failure point, anything
from five reps up to 30 reps perset is equally effective for
building muscle.
SPEAKER_01 (06:08):
Wow, so that gives you a lot of flexibility.
SPEAKER_00 (06:10):
A ton.
The critical part is taking theset to within one to three reps
of absolute failure.
The other key is your volumetarget.
For serious growth, you'reaiming for about 15 to 20 hard
sets per muscle group per week.
10 is a good minimum.
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
And how often should you hit each muscle?
SPEAKER_00 (06:29):
The recovery window for actual tissue growth is
about 48 to 72 hours.
So trading the same muscles twodays in a row is generally a bad
idea.
You'll blunt the growth signal.
SPEAKER_01 (06:39):
You called hypertrophy programming idiot
proof.
Can you break down why the wholemetabolic stress mechanical
tension idea?
SPEAKER_00 (06:46):
It's idiot proof in the sense that if you just push
hard near failure and get enoughvolume in, you'll trigger the
three main drivers for growth.
Mechanical tension is just aheavy weight on the bar.
Metabolic stress is that burn,the lactic acid buildup.
It's a powerful signal.
And muscular damage is thesoreness you feel.
A little soreness, like a threeout of ten, is probably a good
sign.
SPEAKER_01 (07:05):
But what about a nine out of ten soreness?
That feels like a victory.
SPEAKER_00 (07:09):
It feels like one, but it's often
counterproductive.
If you're so sore you can'ttrain that muscle again for five
or six days, your total monthlyvolume plummets.
SPEAKER_01 (07:18):
So you're trading one good workout for half a week
of recovery.
SPEAKER_00 (07:22):
Precisely.
You want just enough stimulus,not so much that you can't train
again soon.
SPEAKER_01 (07:26):
What about the mental side?
The mind muscle connection.
SPEAKER_00 (07:29):
This is a perfect example of how intent changes
everything.
For strength and power, youshould be focused on the intent
to move fast, even if the bar ismoving slowly.
That intent recruits the mostpowerful fibers.
For hypertrophy, however,focusing on feeling the target
muscle contract, that mindmuscle connection, can genuinely
lead to more growth in thatspecific muscle.
SPEAKER_01 (07:49):
Okay, that's a lot.
Is there a simple template forstrength?
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
The three to five concept is probably the easiest.
It's super portable.
Pick three to five exercises, dothree to five reps for three to
five sets, rest three to fiveminutes, and do it three to five
times a week.
The only thing that changes theoutcome is intensity.
Over 85% for strengths, 40 to70% for power, where you focus
on speed.
SPEAKER_01 (08:11):
Brilliant.
Okay, let's pivot to endurance,which a lot of people see as the
enemy of strength and size.
SPEAKER_00 (08:18):
The first thing to talk about with endurance,
especially for new people, iseccentric landing.
SPEAKER_01 (08:23):
The breaking phase.
SPEAKER_00 (08:25):
Exactly.
Like when your foot hits theground running.
High eccentric load causes a lotof muscle damage and soreness.
So if you're new to it,especially running, start with
low eccentric activities.
Cycling, swimming, rowing, evensled pushing.
SPEAKER_01 (08:39):
Build the engine without wrecking the chassis.
SPEAKER_00 (08:41):
Perfect way to put it.
Build your cardiovascularfitness first, then introduce
the high impact stuff.
SPEAKER_01 (08:46):
Let's tackle the big fear, the interference effect.
Is doing cardio gonna kill mygains?
SPEAKER_00 (08:52):
For the most part, it's overblown.
Yeah.
Especially if you're smart aboutit.
Low to moderate cardio,specifically what we call zone
two training, where you canstill hold a conversation, has
almost no interserance withstrength or hypertrophy.
SPEAKER_01 (09:04):
And why is that?
SPEAKER_00 (09:05):
It uses different energy pathways.
Zone two is primarily aerobic,which doesn't really mess with
the signals your body needs forstrength adaptations.
Just make sure you're eatingenough calories.
SPEAKER_01 (09:15):
So for general health, what's the
recommendation?
SPEAKER_00 (09:17):
Daily movement.
And for a good cardiovascularchallenge, try to do it at a
pace where you can breathe onlythrough your nose.
Go as hard as you can withouthaving to open your mouth to
gasp for air.
That's a great proxy for zonetwo.
SPEAKER_01 (09:29):
And for that really maximal lung busting VO2 max
workout.
SPEAKER_00 (09:34):
That's a big stressor, so maybe only once a
week or even every other week.
The protocol is simple (09:38):
a good warm-up, then four to eight
rounds of 30 seconds to twominutes of absolute maximal
effort.
Breathing is completely maxedout.
SPEAKER_01 (09:47):
Let's quickly touch on muscular endurance.
You mentioned it's key forinjury prevention.
SPEAKER_00 (09:51):
It's so critical, especially for your postural
muscles like your spinalerectors or your calves.
SPEAKER_01 (09:57):
I feel like that's when I get hurt.
Not during the lift, but whenI'm tired and moving weights
around.
SPEAKER_00 (10:01):
Exactly.
It's because those small, slowtwitch postural muscles get
fatigue.
They're designed to be on allthe time.
When they tire out, your formgets sloppy under load.
So training them with thingslike planks, wall sits, and
weighted carries keeps yourwhole system stable and
protected.
SPEAKER_01 (10:17):
How do we know if we're recovered enough for a big
session?
Can we measure it?
SPEAKER_00 (10:21):
We can try.
Consistency is key.
There are some simple objectivethings you can track, like your
grip strengths, or a finger taptest, just see how fast you can
tap.
If those numbers drop, yourcentral nervous system is likely
fatigued.
There's also a fascinating onecalled the CO2 tolerance test.
It's basically how long you canexhale for.
SPEAKER_01 (10:42):
And what does that tell you?
SPEAKER_00 (10:43):
It's a proxy for how well your body is handling
stress.
A shorter exhale time can meanyour system is in a stressed
state.
SPEAKER_01 (10:50):
Speaking of stress, let's talk about down
regulation, the post-workoutbreathing.
SPEAKER_00 (10:54):
This is maybe one of the most important and
overlooked things you can do.
Exercise cranks up adrenaline.
You need to actively signal toyour body that the threat is
over.
SPEAKER_01 (11:03):
So how do we do it?
SPEAKER_00 (11:04):
It's so simple.
Just three to five minutes ofexhale-focused breathing.
The goal is to make your exhaletwice as long as your inhale.
So maybe four seconds in, eightseconds out.
This directly stimulates yourcalming parasympathetic nervous
system and speeds up systemicrecovery.
It's a game changer.
SPEAKER_01 (11:21):
All right, let's get into the practicals of fueling.
Hydration, the galpin equation.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
Okay, two parts.
First, your daily baseline.
You take your body weight inpounds, divide it by two, and
that's how many ounces of fluidyou should drink a day.
SPEAKER_01 (11:34):
So a 200-pound person needs 100 ounces of
fluid.
Does coffee count?
SPEAKER_00 (11:39):
Yes, coffee and tea count towards that total, unless
you're taking in extreme amountsof caffeine from pills or
something.
Then there's hydration.
During exercise, the formula isyour body weight in pounds
divided by 30.
That's how many ounces youshould drink every 15 to 20
minutes of intense work.
SPEAKER_01 (11:55):
What about electrolytes?
Salt specifically.
SPEAKER_00 (11:58):
For sodium, a good starting point is about 500
milligrams before your workoutand 500 after.
But if you're a really saltysweater, you know, you get that
white crust on your hat.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
I know exactly what you mean.
SPEAKER_00 (12:09):
Then you probably need to bump that up to 750
milligrams or even more.
Just be mindful if you have anyissues with blood pressure.
SPEAKER_01 (12:15):
Okay, last big topic
Ice bats and saunas.
Let's start with cold.
SPEAKER_00 (12:20):
Cold water immersion is a massive systemic stressor.
So you have to be careful withit.
If your main goal is buildingmuscle hypertrophy, you must
avoid it right after yourworkout.
SPEAKER_01 (12:31):
Why is that?
SPEAKER_00 (12:32):
It actually blunts the gene signaling cascade for
muscle growth.
It's detrimental.
You have to wait at least fourhours after lifting before you
get in cold water.
SPEAKER_01 (12:40):
So when is the best time to do it?
SPEAKER_00 (12:42):
It's much better before workout or on an off day,
maybe first thing in themorning.
The initial shock actually leadsto a net relaxing effect and
better recovery metrics hourslater.
SPEAKER_01 (12:53):
And what about heat?
Does a sauna have the same risk?
SPEAKER_00 (12:56):
No, heat is generally complementary.
It's actually beneficial evenright after workout.
There's even so evidence itmight help with growth, maybe by
increasing blood flow.
SPEAKER_01 (13:04):
The only risk is dehydration, I assume.
SPEAKER_00 (13:06):
Massive risk.
You could lose an incredibleamount of fluid like three
pounds in 20 minutes and a hotsauna.
So you have to be absolutelyrelentless about rehydrating
afterwards using that equation.
So to kind of bring this alltogether, there's a final
philosophical point to considerin your training.
You need to ask yourself (13:22):
are you training for adaptation or
for optimization?
SPEAKER_01 (13:28):
That's a great way to frame it.
What's the difference?
SPEAKER_00 (13:30):
You train for adaptation when you're trying to
maximize your gains in youroff-season.
You're willing to push into thatnine out of ten soreness for a
big stimulus.
You train for optimization whenperformance is what matters
most, when you're in season orlife is just really stressful.
SPEAKER_01 (13:45):
So you back off a little to focus on consistency
and recovery.
SPEAKER_00 (13:48):
Exactly.
You prioritize being ready forthe next day, not creating the
absolute biggest stimuluspossible.
SPEAKER_01 (13:54):
So, what does all this mean for you, the person
listening?
The knowledge is all here now.
The goal isn't to do everythingtomorrow, it's to find the one
or two things you've beenneglecting.
Maybe it's just implementingthat three to five minutes of
downregulation breathing afterworkout, or actually calculating
your hydration needs.
A simple change can give youhuge results.
And here's the final thingperformance is so often held
(14:16):
back by a hidden stressor,something you don't even see.
So your challenge is to findyour personal performance
anchor.
Is it poor hydration killingyour stamina?
Is a lack of muscular endurancemaking your heavy lifts feel
unstable?
Find that one single overlookedanchor.
Use the protocols we've talkedabout to fix it and just watch
what happens.
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