What is hybrid training? 

Well, that's exactly what you will learn about in this podcast interview with Dr. Alyssa Olenick. 

At its core, hybrid training (also known as concurrent training in the scientific literature) is a fusion of strength and cardiovascular training. 

Many people feel these types of training are at odds, but in this episode, you’re going to learn how hybrid training is not only possible, but can be complimenting, helping you excel in both strength and endurance.

In case you’re not familiar with Alyssa, she’s an Exercise Physiologist, sports nutritionist, weight lifter, and ultra runner. And with her strong academic background, she’s dedicated herself to both the practical and theoretical sides of fitness, helping thousands of clients crush both their lifting goals and their race finish lines. 

Her unique perspective combines the rigors of scientific research with practical, hands-on coaching experience.

In chat, Alyssa and I discuss . . .

- The concept of hybrid training, blending strength and endurance training, and why heavy lifting isn’t enough and doesn’t “count” as cardio

- Misconceptions surrounding the interference effect, debunking the “cardio kills gains” myth and exploring how evidence-based research supports the integration of cardio into strength training routines for enhanced results

- Differentiating the benefits of strength training and cardiovascular exercise, explaining why both are essential for a balanced, effective training regimen

- The correlation between cardiovascular health and quality of life, and how a developed aerobic system can amplify strength training and overall physical performance

- How to turn cardio “exercise” into a training system with progression

- Practical advice on combining cardiovascular and resistance training for optimal results, including tips on protein intake, carb periodization, and effective fatigue management

- Personal experiences and insights into maintaining muscle and losing fat through cardio, while balancing the intensity of strength training

- And more . . .

If you're intrigued by the idea of becoming both stronger and fitter simultaneously, or if you're simply looking for an innovative approach to mix up your current fitness program, then this podcast is for you. 

Listen in to explore the world of hybrid training with Alyssa Olenick!

Timestamps:

(0:00) - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe!

(3:16) - What are your thoughts on hybrid training? Is endurance training not

effective for muscle growth compared to strength training?

(16:55) - Do you get enough cardio from just strength training alone?

(35:42) - Try Pulse today! Go to https://buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

(37:53) - Can cardio help improve my strength training?

(32:30) - How much cardio does it take to see a dip in performance with strength training?

(44:01) - Is it okay to do cardio before or after your strength training workout?

(52:38) - Is an hour maybe two hours enough per week to get all the benefits from

cardio?

(1:21:37) - Where can people find you and your work?

Alyssa’s website: https://doclyssfitness.com/

Alyssa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doclyssfitness/

Alyssa’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW4CCAMyceAtaGVKhpUqcfQ

The Messy Middle Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-messy-middle-podcast/id1528851577

The allure of testosterone booster supplements is obvious. 

They’re a perennially popular topic because the promises are highly enticing, from giving you a surge of energy, to enhancing muscle growth, speeding up fat loss, and even aiding in quicker recovery post-workout.

People also claim these supplements improve your sleep, uplift your mood, and even boost your sex drive. The purported benefits are so vast, these products often seem like a bargain, leading many to believe that even if they delivered just half of what's promised, it would still be worth the investment.

So, I thought it was high time to record an updated episode on the current state of testosterone boosters. 

In this episode, we're going to explore some of the most popular supplements currently available in the market that are reputed to increase testosterone levels. 

Tune in because we'll discuss creatine, D-Aspartic Acid, ashwagandha, tongkat ali, zinc, boron, and more.

Timestamps:

(1:30) - What is a testosterone booster? How does it differ from testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)?

(3:29) - What are some specific supplements that boost testosterone?

(7:01) - What is D-Aspartic acid?

(11:45) - What is ashwagandha?

(15:15) - Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://buylegion.com/ and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

(18:21) - What is fenugreek?

(23:06) What is tribulus terrestris?

(24:20) - What is tongkat ali?

(26:25) - Can zinc improve testosterone levels?

(28:24) - What is boron?

Mentioned on the Show:

In this installment of the Best of Muscle For Life, you’ll hear hand-picked clips from three popular MFL episodes: an interview with Nick, who used my coaching program to lose 19 pounds and 11% body fat in 90 days, a monologue on whether the benefits of deadlifting outweigh its risks, and a book club episode on Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose. 

Some people—my favorite people—listen to most or even all of my podcasts, but my wizbang analytics tell me that while many listeners tune in on a regular basis, they don’t catch every installment of Muscle for Life and thus miss out on insights that could help them do at least a little better inside and outside the gym.

That’s why I do “best of” episodes that contain a few of the most practical and compelling ideas, tips, and moments from the more popular episodes I’ve published over the years. This way, you can learn interesting insights that you might have otherwise missed and find new episodes of the show to listen to.

So, in this installment of The Best of Muscle for Life, you’ll be hearing hand-picked morsels from three episodes:

How Legion Coaching Helped Nick Lose 19 Pounds & 11% Body Fat In Just 90 Days

(Originally published 7/11/2018)

Is Deadlifting Worth The Risk?

(Originally published 10/25/2021)

Book Club: Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose

(Originally published 8/11/2017)

And we’ll be starting with number one, How Legion Coaching Helped Nick Lose 19 Pounds and 11% Body Fat in Just 90 Days.

(0:00) - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe!

(3:44) - How Legion Coaching Helped Nick Lose 19 Pounds & 11% Body Fat In Just 90 Days

(13:57) - My free quiz to answer all your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz

(14:38) - Is Deadlifting Worth The Risk?

(28:57) - Book Club: Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose

Take this free quiz to get science-based answers to all of your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz

Most diets, especially fad diets, are about restriction and what you can’t eat. 

Of course, losing weight requires being in a calorie deficit, but what if there were specific foods you could eat more of that actually boost fat loss?

That’s the idea behind Dr. William Li’s new anti-diet book, Eat to Beat Your Diet, which explores the relationship between body fat and metabolism, and why the food choices we make matter.

In this episode, you’ll learn how specific foods can help burn excess body fat, why body fat plays a crucial role in our health and how it influences our hormones, the importance of micronutrients, the benefits of various vegetables, the impact of dietary choices on overall health, and a lot more. 

In case you’re not familiar with Dr. Li, he’s an internationally renowned physician, scientist, and author of the New York Times bestseller Eat to Beat Disease, which I interviewed him about previously on the podcast.

He’s also the president and medical director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that works to promote medical innovation and breakthrough technology to disrupt disease and improve world health. 

In our metabolic masterclass, Dr. Li and I discuss . . .

- The crucial relationship between metabolism and overall health and the role our body fat plays in it

- Challenging conventional wisdom about "fast" or "slow" metabolism

- The role of specific foods in burning excess body fat

- The importance of hormones, muscle gain, and the four phases of metabolism in our lifespan

- Groundbreaking and surprising studies on human metabolism and their practical implications

- The significance of food choices and micronutrients, and their impact on metabolism

- And more . . .

So, if you want to gain a better understanding of your metabolism and why your food choices matter, as well as specific foods you can eat more of to enhance your metabolic health, you’re going to enjoy this interview with Dr. Li!

Timestamps:

(0:00) - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe!

(1:30) - Why did you write this book?

(2:43) - How do you define dieting?

(4:18) What are some discoveries you made while researching more into metabolism?

(12:49) - Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip

(14:27) - What do you mean that calories are not all the same?

(18:38) - How do the calories in broccoli and mushrooms fight off unhealthy body fat?

(39:56) - Can muscle gain impact metabolism?

(42:08) - By staying active and eating enough protein do my nutritional choices even matter?

(51:51) - What are your thoughts on supplementation? And how can someone benefit from supplements?

(01:00:06) - Where can people find you and your work?

Mentioned on the Show:
Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: ⁠https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip

⁠⁠Dr. Li’s Website⁠: ⁠https://drwilliamli.com/⁠

Dr. Li’s Eat to Beat Your Diet: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Beat-Your-Diet-Activate/dp/1538753901/?tag=mflweb-20

Some people say they “don’t have time” to exercise, but watch an hour of Netflix every night. 

Or they buy produce and watch it slowly wither in their fridge. 

Or spend time looking for that game-changing supplement while only getting 5 hours of sleep per night. 

Listen to this episode to find the motivation to start, develop habits, and ultimately win at your fitness journey.

(0:54) - My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

Mentioned on the Show:

My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

How do you go on vacation and enjoy yourself without losing progress or gaining body fat? How often should you adjust your calories while bulking or cutting? 

How can you maintain your physique without counting macros or calories? Is it better to get 6 hours of sleep or get 5 hours of sleep to fit in a workout? Is one full-body workout per week enough to maintain muscle?

All of that and more in this Q&A podcast.

Over on Instagram, I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy hearing these questions and my short answers. So, instead of talking about one thing in an episode, I’m going to cover a variety of questions. And keep in mind some of these questions are just for fun. :)

So if you want to ask me questions in my Instagram stories, follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness), and if I answer your question there, it might just make it onto an episode of the podcast!

If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email ([email protected]) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better.

Timestamps:

(0:00) - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe!

(1:55) - Counting macros leads me back to disordered eating. How can I maintain my physique?

(8:02) - Taking a week off for vacation will I lose or hinder progress?

(10:45) - How come non-contributing taxpayers are allowed to vote?

(11:39) - 50% off all protein powders! www.buylegion.com

(13:50) - Would you suggest 6+ hours of sleep or 5 hours of sleep and a morning

workout?

(15:55) - Do you advise the usage of creatine for all weight levels and fitness goals?

(16:56) - How do I keep myself accountable?

(18:10) - How often do you update your calories when you’re cutting or bulking?

(19:12) - Will Legion ever get new apparel?

(19:46) - Is one full-body workout per week enough to maintain muscle?

(21:32) - Once we have to swap meat for bugs what would be your bug of choice?

(21:56) - Why does one of my thighs look smaller than the other?

(22:28) - Can’t sleep during a calorie deficit?

(24:42) - How to stop being afraid of asking for help?

(24:58) - Thoughts on these uneducated popular fitspos making their own line of

supplements?

(30:54) - Why didn’t you call the sequel to Bigger Leaner Stronger to Biggerer Leanerer Strongerer?

(31:25) - What is the current book you are reading?

Mentioned on the Show:

Get 50% off all protein powders during my BOGO sale! Go to buylegion.com and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% on any non-sale items or get double reward points!

Will changing up your workouts result in better muscle gains? 

Or is it better to keep your training program static and consistent, so you’re doing the same lifts and exercises week after week, month after month? 

In other words, does introducing novelty improve hypertrophy or does consistency trump all else? 

Many people are on the hunt for the “best,” most-scientifically-optimized program and as a result, constantly change their training regimen for the next best thing. This is called program hopping, and it’s generally something you want to avoid.

On the one hand, tweaking training variables can be a great way to keep things fresh and interesting so you enjoy your workouts. On the other hand, too much variability can make it hard to ensure you’re making progress.

In this podcast, I chat with scientist and friend Dr. Bill Campbell about changing up your training program. 

Specifically, we cover a recent study that looked at resistance training variables and how tweaking them affects rate of muscle gain compared to keeping workouts static.

And then we dive into practical advice for implementing both consistency and variability in your training.

In case you’re not familiar with Dr. Campbell, he’s a repeat guest on the podcast, and a professor of Exercise Science and the Director of the Performance & Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida, who’s also published more than 150 scientific papers. He also has a research review in which he examines scientific papers and breaks them down into simple, actionable takeaways. 

So, if you want to learn whether changing up your workouts will enhance or worsen your progress, what the latest science says on the matter, and how to do it correctly, listen to this episode! 

Timestamps:

(2:46) - When should I change my program, what should I change, and why?

(16:11) - Check out my new Sucrosomial Magnesium! https://buylegion.com/mag

(17:41) - What was this study about in your research review?

(41:18) - What's your advice on making changes to your program and its variability?

(48:52) - Are there some exercises that you shouldn't change in your program?

(50:09) - Are there any other considerations when changing your program?

(58:44) - Where can people find you and your work?

Mentioned on the Show:

My new Sucrosomial Magnesium essential mineral supplements is here! Check it out: https://buylegion.com/mag. Grab a bottle here and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points: https://buylegion.com/mag

Bill Campbell’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billcampbellphd/

Bill’s website: https://www.billcampbellphd.com/

You can find countless ways to track your health, especially if you buy any of the latest gizmos and gadgets in the fitness wearables space. 

But most health markers aren’t worth keeping an eye on. 

With the “quantified self” movement on the rise in recent years, fitness wearable manufacturers and marketers will attempt to sell you on the benefits of all the health metrics you can track.

The truth is many health markers simply don’t matter. And some of these health indicators can even be actively misleading, as in the case of recovery scores produced by different fitness wearables, usually based primarily on heart rate variability.

In this podcast, I share 5 health markers that will allow you to monitor your health and ensure you're in good shape. I believe these 5 metrics constitute the 20% of all the things you could track, which produce 80% of the benefits or give you at least 80% of the overall picture of your health.

So, listen to this episode to learn the 5 health metrics that are actually worth tracking.

Timestamps:

(2:43) - Blood pressure and its health metrics.

(6:56) - Body composition and why you should be measuring it.

(15:10) - How to measure your resting heart rate.

(16:39) - Check out my new Sucrosomial Magnesium! https://buylegion.com/mag

(19:59) - Blood sugar and how to measure it.

(25:30) - Why should you measure your cholesterol and triglyceride levels?

Mentioned on the Show:

My new Sucrosomial Magnesium essential mineral supplements is here! Check it out: https://buylegion.com/mag

Get our 100% natural Sucrosomial Magnesium supplement with a clinically effective dose of a scientifically proven form of magnesium that supports athletic performance, mood, sleep, and bone and cardiovascular health. Grab a bottle here and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points: https://buylegion.com/mag

Can drop sets help you gain muscle and strength? Is the sumo deadlift “cheating” compared to conventional deadlifts? Is willpower limited and how do your beliefs affect it?

I’m discussing the latest scientific studies on these questions. Listen now to dive into the research!

This podcast is another installment in my Research Review series of episodes, where I give you concise and practical takeaways from studies that I think are interesting and that can help us gain muscle and strength faster, lose fat faster, perform better athletically, feel better, live longer, or get and stay healthier. 

There is a ton of scientific research that gets published every year, and even if you narrow your focus to fitness research, it would still take several lifetimes to unravel the hairball of studies on nutrition, training, supplementation, and related fields. 

That's why my team and I put a lot of time into reviewing, dissecting, and describing scientific studies in articles, podcasts, and books. 

Oh and if you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email ([email protected]) or direct message me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness). And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better.

Timestamps:

(0:00) - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe!

(1:59) - Should you be doing drop sets?

(10:42) - Find the Perfect Strength Training Program for You: www.muscleforlife.show/trainingquiz

(11:28) - Is the sumo deadlift easier than the conventional deadlift?

(18:00) - What is the relationship between mindset and fatigue?

Mentioned on the Show:

People can be quite creative in the ways they stifle their own progress and hold themselves back from getting what they want.

From self-sabotage to negative thinking, these roadblocks (which most people don’t even know exist) are what really prevent people from reaching fulfillment in their personal and professional lives.

It’s not a lack of desire or smarts.

In his new book, Do It, David Nurse describes these mindset obstacles as Action Archetypes. To help unpack these challenges and provide actionable insights, I interview David in this podcast.

In case you’re not familiar with him, David is not only a former pro basketball player, life optimization coach, and a repeat guest on my podcast, but he’s a bestselling author, and acclaimed speaker, named by Real Leaders as a Top 50 keynote speaker (and he’s the youngest speaker in the list to boot).

In our discussion, David and I chat about everything from what Action Archetypes are and which ones he’s discovered, to dealing with internalized failure and building self-esteem.

So, if you're looking for insights into the secret reasons holding you back and effective strategies to overcome these obstacles and achieve your dreams, listen to this interview!

Timestamps:

(01:48) - What is the title of the book and why did you write this book?

(5:36) - What are some of the main action archetypes you’ve come across?

(11:45) - What’s another archetype? Why do people internalize failure?

(32:12) - Midroll Ad

(34:22) - How smart do we need to be in order to achieve the goals we need to

achieve?

(52:26) - What are your thoughts on building a healthy self-esteem?

(60:40) - Where can people find you and your work?

Sam’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammillerscience/

Sam’s website: http://www.sammillerscience.com/

Sam’s Book: www.metabolismmadesimple.com

David’s Book Do It: The Life-Changing Power of Taking Action - https://www.amazon.com/Do-Life-Changing-Power-Taking-Action/dp/1119853702/?tag=mflweb-20