Muscle Expert Podcast | Ben Pakulski Interviews | How to Build Muscle & Dominate Life

It is part two of Ben’s conversation with the guys at the Mind Pump Podcast — who believe that the secrets to success are humility, “growth mindedness,” and integrity. Sal says, after years of ego-driven decisions, he has learned that you “don't debate to win, you debate to learn.” Learn why you need to check the ego at the door and “get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Life is a lot more than weight-room, as far as these men are concerned. In the midst of his many business ventures — Ben is still able to maintain a “great relationship” with his spouse, and makes time for weekly morning dance parties with his children. Hear how Ben has transformed his world view, in the attempt to lead a more fulfilling and intention-driven life. Time Stamps 1:00 - When to abandon an idea & when to run with one. Ben tells the mind pump team that “if it’s good then you gotta do it.” What it takes to start a business, and give it all that you have. 4:00 - Balancing your life, how Ben maintains success in his many business ventures and keeps a great relationship with his family. 9:40 - “I know that I am wise because I know nothing.” Getting comfortable with being open, and checking your ego at the door. How Paul Check opened one host’s eyes to what “prayer” actually does for the human body. 17:50 - Your ego can run you, or you can run it. Hear how Ben has taken a step back to examine his ‘Why,’ personally and professionally. 22:50- Are you masking your “dread” with poor nutrition and mindlessness? Your physiological and psychological relationship with your body are equally vital to your success. Learn why all decisions should be made based on integrity. 29:30 - Hear Mind Pump host, Sal, talk about the moment he started to examine everything in his life. 36:25 - “My kids saved my life.” Hear how the once ego-driven professional body builder was unable to “find the anger” in the gym, after having — not one — but two children. 45:53 - What makes Ben uncomfortable? How time has transformed this fitness professional’s introspective goals. 53:00 - Teaching your kids to embrace the challenge. How “using your words” — is the key to a successful life, and how the guys integrate this ideology in their own parenting styles. At the end of the day, everything you do should “be done with love.”

Becoming the best in the world has it’s consequences.   Brandon Lilly is a retired world class powerlifter and a major reason for the raw movement in the sport.  He is the creator of the cube method and currently trains many world class lifters.  Hear how the journey out of powerlifting has been one of Brandon’s biggest challenges and greatest triumphs.  From surgeries to depression Lilly has dealt with it all and has great life lessons to share in this conversational episode between two legends. 2:40- How collapsing on stage changed the trajectory of Brandon’s life. 6:30- The decent. How coming down the mountain can be just as hard as ascending it. 9:35- His new drug. How social media gave Brandon a high even when he was at his low. 12:00 The Champion Mindset. Laser focus and drive is what is necessary to be a champion but what does it do to those around you. 15:40- How a childhood incident made Brandon give two middle fingers to the world and why it took him years to change that mentality. 17:05- How Brandon got into powerlifting and his advice to aspiring powerlifters. 21:05- Stop and smell the roses; the journey is what makes the destination. 23:55- Living without labels. The discussion turns to how labeling yourself can put you in a self-fulfilling box. 29:30- Escape vs. enlightenment- Brandon’s experimentation with drugs and how changing his end goal changed everything. 32:00- The Hero’s Dose- How Brandon used a high dose of mushrooms for self-discovery and to overcome depression. 34:20- Brandon’s transition from geared powerlifting to raw and how it changed the sport. 41:40- The ego can cause you to do crazy things. Including turning your mentor into your nemesis. 45:10-Ben and Brandon discuss how to use your haters for personal growth. 48:10- Why gratitude is so important and completely changes your perspective. 50:30- What Brandon is doing now that he has retired from powerlifting and his extreme practices to rehab his knees. 57:00- Wrap Up. Ben and Brandon talk life lessons and must hear take aways.

Dr. Bryan Walsh, a former trainer, bodybuilder and expert on detoxification. Dr. Walsh goes deep into the science of detoxification including the four phases of detox, best practices to optimize your bodies natural way of eliminating toxins and the nutrition behind detoxification. Dr. Walsh is the author of the Fat Is Not Your Fault and Metabolic Fitness plans and shares some great, practical tips on detoxing for muscle gain, fat loss and more. Listen to the very end to hear Dr. Walsh’s best resources to educate yourself on health and wellness. Congratulations to our ATP Prize Pack winner iTunes user Slagermeister. Please email [email protected] to claim your prize! Time Stamps: 3:10- The reason Dr. Walsh started his career in healthcare and what keeps him motivated in his research. 4:55- Phase zero and phase 3 of detoxification. How Dr. Walsh came across these phases and it changed his career trajectory. 9:12- Everyone is toxic! How do we limit our exposure and detoxify from that toxicity. 11:34- Do we know that the toxins in our body are effecting our biochemistry and is it dose dependent? 14:56- Things to avoid. The different types of endocrine toxins. 18:57- What are the phases of detoxification? 23:40- Reasons to support the phases of detox. 25:06- Why Phase Zero is so important. 27:09- What to do if you find out that you are toxic. 31:27- Should you detox if you are trying to lose fat and gain muscle. What you need to know if you are. 36:12- How to ensure that your body is optimized for detoxification. 43:14- How to detox estrogens? Is it possible to use a detox program for hormones? 43:58- Where to find Dr. Walsh’s detox programs Metabolic Fitness and Fat Is Not Your Fault. 47:11- Dr. Walsh’s best resources for detox information.

Jailhouse Strong World Record Powerlifting Coach and Author Josh Bryant joins us today to school us on what it takes to be the best in the world. A prolific writer and master of the process, Josh shares some great behind the scenes coaching tips that has helped his clients break world records. He also gives us a master class on the mindset that it takes to be the best in the world! Time Stamps: 1:35- Jailhouse Strong- the origin story How Josh started his found freedom and his brand in high school. 3:10- Josh’s not so secret training strategy- how he trains isometrics to recruit motor neurons and break world records. 8:25- Get strong! Josh gives some tips on how he drives up his clients weights. 14:10- “Paying for past sins”- an injury prevention guide. The key advice, stop training with your balls and start training with your brain. Set your goals with a purpose. 18:20- How Josh ended up in strength training and found his career at age 16. 20:45- Why world records keep getting broken. How the surge in popularity and switch to raw has brought out the best in the sport. 24:00- Nutrition and powerlifting. Building your physique to maximize your potential. And ketogenic dieting as a powerlifting. 27:00- Hacking your body to increase your output. 30:05- The mental game, what mindset does it take to lift crazy heavy and become the best in the world. 37:45- Josh’s strategy for breaking out of your plateau. Looking at variables to drive up your gains. 41:30- Enhanced. How have drugs, particularly peptides, changed powerlifting. 48:10- Where is the sport of powerlifting going? How the internet and increased popularity is good for the sport. 49:20- Mistakes not to make. Josh’s advice for people who are just getting into powerlifting. 50:30- The man, the myth, the author. A brief rundown on some of Josh’s books.

Katy Bowman founder of Nutritious Movement and author of Move Your DNA, Movement Matters, and more brings her extensive knowledge of movement to the podcast today. Katy tells us how she has rearranged and remodeled her house to incorporate more movement into her daily life. She also gives a ton of very practical advice on exercise, why feet strength is important and how convenience is the enemy of exercise. Make sure to listen all the way through because this episode is full of golden nuggets for both seasoned athletes and people trying to get out of their sedentary lifestyle. 2:30- Katy’s beginnings. How she evolved from exercise kinesiology to becoming an expert in natural movement. 4:45- Katy’s recommendations for integrating movement into your busy schedule. 7:30- The Movement Diet, translating movement into a beneficial regimen. 8:12- Kick off your shoes. Why you need to strengthen your feet. 11:18- How Katy has remodeled her house to exercise her feet. 14:50- Recommended exercises to avoid hip and lower back pain and how to avoid those problems. 18:15- How to know if you are losing mobility. 20:30- Movement vitamins- how to “supplement” your exercise routine to make sure you are maintaining mobility. 25:55- How to incorporate movement into your daily routine. 30:15- Is movement enough? What are the benefits of movement vs intentional muscle contraction? 33:00- Reconnecting to our nature- Katy’s study of an evolutionarily supported life. A journey into cellular movement. 37:15- Katy’s unique perspective to incorporate more muscles into your training. 39:00- How to incorporate a furniture free lifestyle. 41:15- Move for your food- how processing your own food forces movement and increases joint mobility. 45:47- How to change your house around to encourage movement. How convenience is the enemy of exercise.

Join Ben and Doug Miller as they discuss Doug’s career, how he became the top natural body builder in the world and his new ventures. Doug discusses his unique training regimen that made him the monster that he is as well as recovery and stress. 2:00- The history of Core Nutraceuticals. How Doug used his platform to launch a multi-million dollar brand. 3:55- Doug and competitive sports. How competition in high school and college drove Doug to bodybuilding. 7:10- Doug’s philosophy on time off and why he competes less frequently. 8:20- How Doug got so HUGE naturally. 12:35- Did genetics play a role in Doug’s career. As a natural bodybuilder how much did nature play vs nurture. 14:15- Doug’s strategy for balance and training weak body parts. 15:50- Which is worse? Missing a meal or stressing about it? How Doug deals with stress, sleep, and family. 18:20- How Doug trains high volume. 21:45- The head game. How Doug stays focused on being the best at everything he does. 24:45- Recovering as a natural bodybuilder. The different approach Doug has to take by being natural. 27:30- The keys to Doug’s training success. 28:50- Doug’s Diet 38:45- Contest Prep- How Doug’s mental fortitude got him through losing weight pre contest. 40:30- Hindsight is 20/20- Mistakes Doug learned from and you can too! 43:20- Doug’s supplement regimen.

Dr. Andrew Hill is a world-renowned Neurotherapist. In this episode Dr. Hill explains the theory behind the Peak Brain Institute, the process and benefits of neuro-feedback training. Listen all the way through to learn how the Peak Brain Institute can help you speed up your brain, heal various brain conditions and how Alpha-Theta training can unleash your relaxed and creative side. 1:40 Welcome to the Muscle Expert Podcast Dr. Andrew Hill, owner and creator of Peak Brain LA, a gym for your brain. His goal: become the Equinox of neurofeedback “personal training.” 4:15 How Peak Brain uses neurofeedback with their clients. 6:30 Dr. Hill believes that Alpha Training isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Learn why you should shift your focus to SMR training. 8:33 What is SMR training, and how it can help you achieve your ideal brain frequency ration to help eliminate seizures, ADHD, anxiety and more. 12:10 While alpha-waves have gained the most notoriety, more alpha could mean a less focused mind. 13:34 SMR and Fitness: how Peak Brain is using a “personal training” approach to eliminate problems, measurable ADHD symptoms through SMR training— regardless of your genetic predisposition. Peak Brain helps clients achieve better self control, and more vigilance. 16:45 The Silver bullet for Migraines: blood flow dynamic training. Using infrared HEGs to increase your brains metabolic response. 19:28 Getting into a hypnogogic state. How Alpha:Theta training can help you be more creative, relaxed and even wipe away cravings. 22:45 The Process at Peak Brain LA. How these unique coaches train your unique brain toward optimum functionality. 25:00 Dr. Hill’s discusses the average duration and strategy of neurofeedback programming. 28:21 Neurofeedback, exercise and meditation are a dream trifecta. Neurofeedback acting as a trainer, and meditation fine tuning your technique — “voluntary response.” Helping you learn how to “handle life in speed bumps.” 32:52 Dropping the arousal states. Training Alpha:Theta and the Parasympathetic nervous system build access to your emotions allowing you to ask where you are, where you want to be, and how you can get there. 36:00 Programs, Training, How it works at Peak Brain. 40:00 Striving for Peak Performance can lead to an excess of theta. Resulting in poor inhibition, impulsive or reactive behavior. By training your neurofeedback, “things get crisper.” 45:05 Training “Memory” — a memory issue is actually a resource issue. 46:00 Nutrition & Brain Health. Why your brain thrives on a near - keto diet. 49:00 Neurogenesis: Are you going to use the cells you’re making? How neurofeedback, and your diet can help. 51:16 Learning, growth and neuro-plasticity. Waking up with a fresh state ready to learn with “effortful cognition.” How sleep reinforces your neuro-plasticity. 54:14 Motor Evoke Potentials are the key to lifting depression 58:30 The future of Brain Training & PeakBrain LA. 1:03:20 Peak Brain is eliminating emotional trauma, anxieties, ADHD, sleep etc. in a few months. Dr. Hill plans on using Peak Brain’s cutting edge science to fight the “Big-Pharma” by making it ubiquitous. 1:04:10 Dr. Hill’s literature recommendations.

This week we have Kurtis Frank also known as SilverHydra on twitter. A lead researcher on supplements. Ben and Kurtis take a deep dive on nootropics, influencing your neurotransmitters, and what a safe and effective brain-boost stack looks like. 1:35- Dispelling the myths of nootropics. 5:45- Dopamine, acetylcholine the benefits and drawbacks. 8:30- The vitamin effect. Using nootropics that your body will use only as needed. 10:15- Neurotransmitters, the 10:2 ratio and emotion. 12:20- Kurtis’ insights on nootropics influencing the dopamine pathways. 13:45- How to influence acetylcholine and the resurgence of Alpha GPC. 16:10- Kurtis’ favorite nootropic. 17:50- Can methylated B vitamins influence your cognitive performance? 20:25- Caffeine as an enhancement aide and it’s insurmountable tolerance. 22:45- Nootropic side effects. Giving your body down time in between doses. 25:05- The Racetam family and the start of nootropics. How they work, legality and side effects. 29:00- Pulling it together. What a safe and effective brain-boost stack looks like.

Chill out to make gains. Rebalancing your sympathetic and parasympathetic responses is key for muscle gains, recovery and stress response. Ben and Dr. Dwayne Jackson discuss the fight or flight response of training, how brain chemistry effects your gains, stimulants and the effect they have on your training and much more. 3:15- Training to stress. Manipulating sympathetic and parasympathetic responses to get the most out of your training. 5:30- Introduction to the SNS and PNS systems. 7:20- What is stress? How does your nervous system respond when stress is presented. 10:40- Symptoms of parasympathetic withdrawal. 12:00- Your body’s reactions from increased cortisol. 15:00- Working hard doesn’t work. How continuing to push your limits can have adverse affects on your catabolic and anabolic responses. 17:07- #Killingit- Stimulants, the point of diminishing returns and the SNS response. 22:00- How your body balances your nervous systems responses to regulate blood pressure. 27:05- Anabolic steroids and sympathetic drive. How sympathetic nerves fire. 29:45- Benefits of increased amplitude of sympathetic drive. 31:20- Neuro-Peptide Y levels in PTSD patients. 32:45- Parasympathetic excercises. 34:35- Order of operations of perception and PNS. 37:37- Aging drives sympathetic activity. The health consequences of sympathetic response. 39:15- Neuro-Peptide Y- the key to the SNS. 44:15- How Neuro-Peptide Y is released. 46:10- How to apply sympathetic response to your training. 52:40- Chill out to grow. How lowering your training can increase your results. 55:10- Blood-flow restriction and SNS. 56:45- Ben and Dr. Jackson’s thoughts on how American body builders get so huge. 58:15- HIIT training from a neurological perspective.

Lean into your evolution. Mike Mutzel goes in on how looking at our past is key to being healthy in the present. Ben and Mike discuss how getting outside, eating whole foods, and a seasonal diet can hack your evolution. Congrats to iTunes listener BagsJens! You have won our December/January contest from ATP Labs! 2:30- Daily rituals to improve your life. 4:15- How daily sunlight is necessary for your body to function properly and how to supplement for sun when you can’t get outside. 10:47- Changing your physiology and psychology, getting back to nature to supplement your body. How whole foods can provide the quality of nutrients that optimize your health. 13:50- Get outside! Diversifying your diet, environment and growing your own food is key to a healthy gut. 17:00- Seasonality and your diet. Eating locally and seasonally can optimize your nutrition. 22:30- Inflammation, the micro biome, and catabolism. 25:05- The Belly Fat Effect, food comas and metabolic endotoxemia. The effects of excessive carb-loading on inflammation. 28:50- Health and the body builder diet. Balancing a mass diet with whole foods. 35:35- Chew your food! How to improve your digestive rate. 40:00- Keto diet factors- biology, seasonality, and the micro biome affect your success. 46:00- Ketosis goals, fat adaptation, metabolic flexibility and weight loss. 48:50- Cortisol adrenal fatigue, and ketogenic dieting. 51:30- How Mike adapts keto pre and post workout. 54:10- Is chasing ketone levels appropriate? What does a healthy ketogenic diet look like? 59:50- Eating raw fresh foods is key, sprout your greens and eat fresh to fight inflammation, allergies and more. 1:02:05- The Belly Fat Effect. Mike’s book on nutrition, fat loss and all of its factors. 1:06:30- Understanding fat cell health. What does it mean? What does it look like? And how can you influence it? 1:08:00- Mike’s advice on what you can do NOW that will have the greatest impact on their health and performance.