Strength training Q&A with Judd Lienhard.
In this episode, Judd breaks down common misconceptions around training intensity, deloads, creatine, peptides, gender-specific programming, and why inmates build muscle despite poor nutrition. Direct answers, with real exercise science and practical takeaways.

What Judd covers:
• How inmates get strong with limited food quality
• When deload weeks matter—and when they don’t
• Whether any exercises should be gender-specific
• Creatine: benefits, safety, myths, and proper dosing
• An overview of peptides like BPC-157, TB-500, and MOTS-C
• Judd’s recommended reading list

Key ideas:
• The training stimulus drives adaptation more than perfect nutrition.
• General strength and power work transfers better than most people think.
• Deloads are only effective when you’ve actually been pushing hard.
• Women do not need separate training systems—the fundamentals apply to everyone.
• Creatine is one of the safest, most researched supplements available, and peptides may support recovery depending on individual context.

Judd's Top Fitness Book Recommendations:
- Triphasic Training by Cal Deitz
- Supertraining by Mel Siff & Yuri Verkhoshansky
- Charlie Francis Training System by Charlie Francis
- Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett
- Breathing for Warriors by Dr. Belisa Vranich & Brian Sabin
- The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss

General (Non-Fitness) Books Judd Loves:
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
- The Rebel by Albert Camus
- Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief by James McPherson
- Rick Atkinson’s WWII Trilogy:
   1. An Army at Dawn
   2. The Day of Battle
   3. The Guns at Last Light
- Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War by Rick Atkinson
- Ian Toll’s Pacific War Trilogy:
   1. Pacific Crucible
   2. The Conquering Tide
   3. Twilight of the Gods

Some of the product links above are affiliate links, which means Judd may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no additional cost to you.

About the Judd Lienhard Podcast:
The show focuses on strength, discipline, and athletic development for real life. Judd breaks down training, mindset, and performance through both long-form episodes and rapid-fire Q&A minis.

This episode is brought to you by LMNT.

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The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.

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