Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Ben House, a nutritional scientist who has spent nearly two decades working with elite athletes and professional sports teams. We take a detailed look at testosterone, what your lab results can and cannot tell you, and why a higher number does not automatically mean better health or more muscle. Ben explains total and free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and how testing methods, sleep, hydration, meals, and the timing of your blood draw can affect the result. We examine research on testosterone and muscle growth, why population averages can obscure individual differences, and how metabolic health complicates the story of testosterone and aging. We also discuss obesity, low energy availability, dietary fat, carbohydrates, micronutrients, and recovering after a calorie deficit. Ben shares his approach to investigating low testosterone, the importance of informed consent before testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and the distinction between restoring normal levels and using higher doses for performance or physique goals. We finish with lessons from professional sports on managing training loads, fueling, sleep, and recovery. This episode is for anyone who wants to better understand hormone testing, support long-term performance, and make more informed decisions about testosterone.

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/galpin

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Ben House: Testosterone, Health & Performance

(00:03:51) Personal Baselines & Normal Testosterone Ranges

(00:12:00) Total vs. Free Testosterone: SHBG & Albumin

(00:17:49) Accurate Hormone Testing: Methods, Timing & Measurement Error

(00:23:36) Daily Testosterone Fluctuations & Why Repeat Tests Matter

(00:29:33) High SHBG: Interpreting Lab Ranges in Context

(00:32:08) TRT: Informed Consent & Finding the Cause of Low Testosterone

(00:35:04) TRT Monitoring: Hematocrit, Lipids, Estradiol & Heart Health

(00:43:38) Natural Testosterone Production, Testicular Atrophy & Stopping TRT

(00:48:11) The Brain–Testicle Hormone Axis & Training with Low Testosterone

(00:55:16) Calorie Deficits, Body Recomposition & Testosterone

(01:00:44) Does Higher Testosterone Predict More Muscle Growth?

(01:15:03) Obesity, Leptin & Low Testosterone

(01:22:45) Is Testosterone Declining Across Generations?

(01:29:52) Testosterone & Aging: The Role of Metabolic Health

(01:39:44) Low Testosterone Symptoms & Looking Beyond Fatigue

(01:44:54) Supplements, Weight Loss, Refeeding & Sleep

(01:53:14) Micronutrients, Metabolic Health & GLP-1 Medications

(01:57:45) Training Stress, Underfueling & Overlooked Medical Causes

(02:03:33) Getting Too Lean: Energy Availability & Hormone Recovery

(02:10:19) Dieting Too Hard? Symptoms, Tradeoffs & Individual Responses

(02:15:19) Refeeding: Dietary Fat, Carbohydrates & Changes in Scale Weight

(02:21:22) Professional Athletes: Training Loads, Fueling & Recovery

(02:28:38) Better Recovery: Trust, Sleep & Low-Intensity Movement

(02:34:27) TRT vs. Higher-Dose Use: What Cardiovascular Research Actually Shows

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, my guest is Dr. John Rusin, a physical therapist and strength coach who bridges rehabilitation and human performance. We discuss his approach to persistent back, shoulder, and knee pain and how to build a body that can handle demanding training for the long term. John walks through his six-phase warm-up, a 10–12-minute sequence that combines foam rolling, stretching, corrective exercises, activation, movement practice, and explosive drills. He explains why breathing matters during soft tissue work, how mobility differs from flexibility, and why feeling tight doesn't necessarily mean you just need more stretching. We cover simple movement breaks for desk workers, detailed cues for hip and shoulder stability, face-pull technique, bracing, lifting belts, and how to adapt exercise form to your body and goals. We also discuss progressing back to heavier training, maintaining strength, muscle, and power as you age, and using loaded carries to build and assess full-body capacity. This episode is for anyone who wants to move more comfortably, train consistently, and keep getting stronger.

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/galpin

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) John Rusin: Bridging Physical Therapy & Performance

(00:07:26) Chronic Pain vs. Acute Injury

(00:17:20) Desk Work, Movement Breaks & Better Posture

(00:23:46) The 10-Minute Warm-Up: Six Phases for Better Training

(00:29:46) Foam Rolling: Technique, Breathing & What Actually Changes

(00:40:49) Tight or Weak? Mobility, Flexibility & Muscle Control

(00:53:17) Back Pain: Surgery, Rehabilitation & Conservative Care

(00:57:11) How to Stretch with Control & Stability

(01:11:25) Corrective Exercises & Activation: Bird Dogs to Hip Thrusts

(01:21:56) Better Face Pulls: Grip, Angles & Technique

(01:29:16) Movement Practice: Turning Better Technique into Habit

(01:39:32) Preparing for Heavy Lifting: Power & Explosive Movement

(01:43:03) Full-Body Bracing & When to Use a Lifting Belt

(01:46:08) What Good Form Means: Your Body, Load & Experience

(01:56:12) Deadlift Grip, Jefferson Curls & Training Spinal Flexion

(02:01:26) Training for Longevity & Knowing When to Progress

(02:07:41) Building Strength, Muscle & Power Together

(02:12:30) Loaded Carries: Benchmarks, Technique & Programming

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, my guest is Dan Garner, a renowned human performance coach behind UFC champions, Olympic medalists, and CEOs. We discuss how he bridges the gap between sports science and real-world coaching. Dan explains constraint theory — finding the single bottleneck holding someone back — and walks through the blood markers he uses to find it, including why a 20% testosterone swing can be pure noise, why vitamin D has no usable reference change value, and why the omega-3 index is the most honest marker he tracks. We cover his three-step approach to fat loss, diet breaks, low energy availability, hypertrophy clusters, deload strategy, and an evidence-first framework for evaluating peptides. This episode is for anyone who wants to measure what they're doing and adjust it intelligently rather than guessing.

Show notes: https://www.performpodcast.com/episodes/dan-garner-how-to-reach-your-fitness-goals

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/galpin

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) White House UFC & Ronda Rousey's Return

(00:06:14) Dan Garner's Coaching Career & Health as a Performance Constraint

(00:11:19) Build a Better Schedule: Daily Review, Preparation & Consistency

(00:23:22) Results vs. Activity: Measurement, Progression & Deep Work

(00:35:29) Evidence-Based Coaching: Science, Context & Critical Thinking

(00:41:32) Prescribe, Measure & Adjust: Adherence Before Physiology

(00:47:15) Real-Life Constraints, Goal Alignment & Extreme Balance

(00:56:36) Protein, Fiber, Sunlight & Constraint Theory

(01:00:03) Biomarker Noise: Testosterone, Vitamin D & Omega-3

(01:09:42) Testosterone: Optimal Ranges, Performance & Low Levels

(01:15:31) Low Energy Availability, Diet Breaks & Metabolic Health

(01:21:09) Fat-Loss Blueprint: Calories, Macros & Nutrient Timing

(01:27:27) Diet Readiness: Symptoms, Blood Work & Removing Constraints

(01:31:30) Testosterone Testing: Meaningful Change, Free T & Lab Variability

(01:36:31) Omega-3 Index: Targets, Dosing & Measuring Your Response

(01:45:46) Vitamin D: Targets, Dosing & Misleading Results

(01:54:41) Building a Better Physique: Timing, Meal Frequency & Adherence

(02:03:26) Combining Cardio & Lifting; Training Splits for Aesthetics

(02:08:35) Flexible Programming, Recovery Days & Smarter Deloads

(02:14:39) Lagging Muscles, Calf Training & Hypertrophy Clusters

(02:24:20) Training to Failure & the "One Bad Rep" Rule

(02:27:31) Sleep Supplements, Pre-Workouts & Recovery Strategies

(02:40:50) Peptides: Evidence, Risk, Monitoring & SS-31

(02:51:33) MOTS-c: Mitochondria, AMPK & Response Variability

(02:56:20) Retatrutide: Triple-Agonist Therapy, Benefits & Unknown Risks

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I answer your questions on nutrition, hydration, and recovery in our second audience Q&A. I start with what I call the 90%: the principles nearly every effective nutrition plan shares, from food quality and caloric balance to fiber targets, vegetable volume, color variety, and liquid calories. I then cover the four elements of fueling around training, glucose, amino acid availability, hydration, and GI distress, including the Galpin Equation for fluid intake during exercise. I walk through the three-step process I use to coach nutrition, which begins by adding nutrients rather than restricting them, and I explain when body recomposition is possible, what the protein data actually support, and why strength training is a bigger signal for muscle growth than protein. I close with what separates high performers from everyone else: energy management. This episode is for anyone who wants the fundamentals before the fine-tuning.

Show notes: https://www.performpodcast.com/episodes/fundamentals-of-nutrition-hydration-performance-fueling

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/galpin

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Core Tenets of Nutrition

(00:00:09) Audience Q&A, 5 Question Categories

(00:03:57) The 90%; Food Quality & Whole Foods

(00:07:12) Caloric Balance, Under- vs Over-Fueling

(00:08:53) Protein Priority; Carbohydrate & Fat Balance

(00:10:46) Fiber, Soluble vs Insoluble; Daily Target

(00:12:10) Tool: Half Your Plate Vegetables; Color Variety

(00:14:35) Raw vs Cooked, Antioxidants vs Minerals

(00:17:00) Liquid Calories, Hidden & Intentional Use

(00:19:48) Sustainability, Meal Frequency & Timing

(00:21:13) Food Safety, Allergies & Environmental Pollutants

(00:23:15) Refueling & Hydration, 4 Elements; Carbs During Training

(00:26:13) Muscle as a Carbon Sink; Glucose Storage

(00:29:27) Amino Acids; Does Protein Timing Matter?

(00:30:54) Hydration, Tool: Half Body Weight in Ounces

(00:32:14) Tool: Galpin Equation; Electrolytes

(00:33:28) Tool: Post-Workout Rehydration, 125% Rule

(00:35:18) GI Distress, Carbs Per Hour; Training Your Gut

(00:39:17) Coaching Nutrition, Tool: Add Before Subtracting

(00:40:04) Reframing "Bad" Foods; Crowding Out

(00:44:19) Tool: 3 Steps, Deficiencies, Amounts, Fine-Tuning

(00:45:49) Body Recomposition, Muscle Gain in a Deficit

(00:47:49) Body Fat Thresholds; 5-10% Surplus or Deficit

(00:48:50) 3,500 Calories Per Pound of Fat, Small Deficits

(00:50:39) Energetics of Muscle vs Fat, High Investment

(00:52:49) Protein for Muscle Gain, 1.6 vs 2.2 g/kg

(00:54:07) Is vs Ought; Protein in a Caloric Deficit

(00:58:08) Strength Training as the Biggest Signal; 30-Gram Myth

(01:01:27) What Separates High Performers?

(01:02:37) Energy Management, Calories, Recovery & Emotion

(01:04:50) Energy in Sport, Veterans & Strategy

(01:05:45) Tool: Run Your Own Energy Inventory

(01:07:31) Recap & Closing

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I answer your questions in the first-ever open Q&A on Perform, working through the five themes that came up most. I start with how I think about training for longevity—why being well-rounded and resilient matters more than chasing any single marker like grip strength or VO2 max. From there, I break down the basics of training for muscle, strength, and fat loss, including the simple rules I use for each: the 72-hour rule for hypertrophy, the 3-to-5 rule for strength, and the 5-4-3-2-1 rule for fat loss. I then walk through my exact process for program design, what "functional" training really means, and where AI is actually useful—and where it falls short—for your health and performance. This one is for anyone who wants a clear, practical foundation for building their own training.

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/galpin

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction: The First-Ever Perform Q&A

(00:02:48) Training for Longevity & Resilience

(00:05:52) Grip Strength & VO2 Max: Proxies vs. Real Targets

(00:12:51) Muscle vs. Strength vs. Fat Loss

(00:14:10) Building Muscle: Mechanical Tension & the 72-Hour Rule

(00:19:54) Progressive Overload

(00:22:39) Training Strength as a Skill

(00:26:45) The 3-to-5 Rule for Strength & Power

(00:30:10) Fat Loss & the 5-4-3-2-1 Rule

(00:36:48) Program Design: The Modifiable Variables

(00:38:07) Frequency, Exercise Choice & Order

(00:45:24) Intensity, Volume & Rest Intervals

(00:48:52) Predicting Problems in Your Program

(00:50:24) Functional Training & Movement Quality

(00:59:12) Stretching, Flexibility & Lengthened Partials

(01:03:26) AI in Health & Performance

(01:09:10) Recap & Closing Thoughts

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mike Roberts, Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Auburn University, and one of the most respected muscle physiologists, to explain how muscle actually grows. Mike shares that mechanical tension—not hormones, metabolic byproducts, or muscle damage—is the primary driver of hypertrophy. We cover why testosterone and androgen receptors don't necessarily predict muscle growth, what separates high responders from low responders, and how these “low responders” should train to best get results. We also work through training volume, load versus reps, lengthened partials, aging and anabolic resistance, and the interference effect between strength and endurance training. If you want to understand the real science of building muscle, this conversation is for you.

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/galpin

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

Trumed: https://truemed.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:03:15) How Muscle Grows

(00:17:39) What Drives Growth: Tension, Stress & Damage

(00:24:08) Responders vs. Non-Responders

(00:29:54) Hormones, Receptors & Genetics

(00:48:01) Cell Signaling, mTOR & Myostatin

(00:56:32) Can Some People Not Grow Muscle?

(01:01:34) Training Volume for Hypertrophy

(01:08:34) Loads, Reps & Stretch Under Load

(01:17:13) Range of Motion, Partials & Hyperplasia

(01:31:31) Injury, Unloading & Muscle Banking

(01:39:32) Muscle Memory: Detraining & Retraining

(01:47:42) Aging, Menopause & Anabolic Resistance

(02:01:21) Concurrent Training & the Interference Effect

(02:08:54) How to Combine Strength & Cardio

(02:24:03) Strength Training & Mitochondria

(02:25:21) Closing Thoughts

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I tackle muscle asymmetries and imbalances — when the differences between your two sides help you, when they hurt you, and what to actually do about them. I move past the popular "10% rule" and walk through my three I's framework: how to investigate asymmetries across morphology (muscle size and shape), quality (fat infiltration inside the muscle), and functionality (strength, power, and movement); how to interpret the data using context rather than blanket numbers; and how to intervene with a practical five-step correction program built around unilateral training and plyometrics. I cover testing tools from tape measures to MRI, the research on grip-strength asymmetry and aging, and why lower-body asymmetries warrant more attention than upper-body ones. This is for athletes, coaches, and anyone who moves and wants to reduce injury risk or perform at their best.

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/perform

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:02:30) The Three Types: Morphology, Quality, Function

(00:09:09) Laterality: Skill vs. Force Dominance

(00:13:21) Why Asymmetries Develop

(00:19:47) The Bilateral Force Deficit

(00:24:43) Investigate: How to Measure Asymmetries

(00:29:27) Morphology: Tape Measures to MRI

(00:30:41) Tissue Quality & Fat Infiltration

(00:36:21) Functionality: The Unlimited Field of Tests

(00:42:30) Interpret: When Do Asymmetries Matter?

(00:43:25) Muscle Size: Is the Asymmetry Even Real?

(00:51:02) Push vs. Pull & the Limb-Length Myth

(00:58:44) Movement Screens & the FMS

(01:01:30) Strength, Power & Injury Risk

(01:04:25) Grip Strength Asymmetry & Aging

(01:09:46) Symmetrical Sports & the Energy Leak

(01:15:53) Red, Yellow, Green: The Real Thresholds

(01:19:35) Intervene: Correcting Asymmetries

(01:20:46) Why Plyometrics Work Best

(01:23:50) The Five-Step Correction Program

(01:31:59) The Volume Game

(01:33:50) Resources & Final Takeaways

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple to examine what the science says about female-specific training and nutrition. We discuss why so little research has historically focused on women, what makes menstrual cycle research so difficult and expensive to run, and what her own dissertation found when she measured muscle protein synthesis across cycle phases. Dr. Colenso-Semple explains the real hormone fluctuations of the menstrual cycle, why testosterone matters far less for women's muscle than people assume, and why men and women gain strength and size at the same relative rate at any age, including through menopause. We also cover low energy availability, scientific literacy, and how to figure out what works for you. This episode is for anyone, coach or lifter, trying to separate evidence from misinformation in women's fitness.

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

TrueMed: https://truemed.com/perform

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Lauren Colenso-Semple

(00:01:51) The Lit Review That Never Was

(00:07:01) Why Women Got Bad Training Advice

(00:11:23) Individualization & Where Sex Actually Ranks

(00:21:09) Estrogen, Rodent Models & the Anabolic Myth

(00:34:52) Hormones Across the Menstrual Cycle

(00:45:18) The Myth of the Textbook 28-Day Cycle

(00:51:41) Why Female Research Is So Hard

(00:57:55) Inside Lauren's Dissertation: Tracers & Biopsies

(01:06:10) Strength, Power & Hypertrophy: No Phase Effect

(01:14:13) The Real Role of Testosterone & Menopause

(01:23:36) Becoming a Better Consumer of Science

(01:50:10) Low Energy Availability & RED-S

(01:57:30) Advice for the Average Woman

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Sam Harris to discuss how attention, mindfulness, and clear thinking shape performance. We start by separating intelligence from wisdom, then look at how modern technology is rewiring our attentional capacity — including which tools enhance cognition and which compete with it. Sam walks through three approaches to working with the mind: training concentration, practicing mindfulness, and using cognitive reframing. We also get into how to receive criticism without ego, why institutions and the Scientific Process still matter in an era of independent media, and what AI means  for our future. This episode is for anyone who wants to think more clearly, feel less hijacked by their own thoughts, and build a more durable relationship to attention.

Show notes: https://performpodcast.com/episodes/sam-harris-how-to-think-clearly-in-age-of-distraction

Waking Up x Absolute Rest challenge: https://wakingup.com/andy

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/perform

David: https://davidprotein.com/perform

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction & Sam Harris

(00:02:30) Intelligence, Smartness & Wisdom

(00:16:13) Outsourcing Cognition: AI as Tool vs. Competitor

(00:21:19) The Death of Boredom & the Inner Voice

(00:30:07) Mindfulness & Three Paths to Mental Freedom

(00:42:20) Overcoming Resistance to Meditation

(01:01:25) Psychedelics vs. Meditation

(01:09:01) Emotion, Reason & Handling Criticism

(01:28:06) Process, Expertise & the Scientific Crisis

(01:50:44) Restoring Trust in Institutions

(02:02:29) Consciousness, AI & the Hard Problem

(02:16:18) Uploading, Teleportation & the Revenge of the Humanities

(02:25:14) Closing

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I cover "athlete's heart" — the paradox where the same cardiovascular adaptations that make endurance athletes exceptional can also mimic, and sometimes mask, real risk. I trace the history of what’s now known as exercise-induced cardiovascular remodeling (EICR), and walk through what's actually happening structurally, functionally, and electrically in a trained heart. I separate adaptive changes like left ventricular dilation and increased stroke volume from genuinely concerning issues such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, coronary calcification, and myocardial fibrosis. I also answer the question, "is too much exercise bad for the heart?" This episode is for endurance athletes, lifters, coaches, along with anyone who might have a family history of heart disease.

Show notes: https://www.performpodcast.com/episodes/athletes-heart-intense-exercise-heart-damage

Sponsors

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/perform

TrueMed: https://truemed.com/perform

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction & the Athlete's Heart Paradox

(00:07:11) History of Athlete's Heart

(00:09:24) Heart Anatomy & Physiology Primer

(00:28:03) What Goes Wrong: Heart Attacks & Arrhythmias

(00:32:54) Genetic Causes: WPW, LDS & Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

(00:39:59) Exercise-Induced Cardiovascular Remodeling (EICR)

(00:53:12) Endurance vs. Strength Training Adaptations

(01:08:00) When Exercise Goes Too Far: AFib, Calcification & Fibrosis

(01:27:06) Screening, Testing & Interventions

(01:37:37) Summary

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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