How often should you train each muscle group for optimal growth?

Strength coach Jake Doleschal breaks down why training muscles 2-3x per week with moderate volume beats once-weekly high-volume approaches - and how it aligns with modern science.

You'll learn:

• Why twice weekly training outperforms once weekly with high volume

• How muscle growth peaks in 48 hours but atrophy starts by day 5

• Why 3-4 sets per week maintains muscle but doesn't build it

• How to structure AAA vs. ABA workout splits

• The enhanced lifter problem: copying 40-set workouts leads to overtraining

• CNS fatigue and practical recovery strategies

• Exercise selection: start with muscle regions, not set counts

• Practical guidelines: 8-16 exercises per session

• Why rep ranges (5-15) don't significantly impact hypertrophy

• What pre-steroid era bodybuilders got right about sustainable training

  
  

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This is a special round table episode where three experts come together to discuss what most podcasts keep siloed: how to integrate strength training, endurance work, and nutrition into one cohesive program.

You'll learn:

• Why training frequency (2-3x/week) matters more than total volume for most people

• The non-linear dose response: first sets give the most stimulus

• How to balance high and low intensity without constant fatigue

• Why males and females respond similarly to the same training programs

• When to train fasted vs fed (and why gut health matters)

• Protein targets: 1.7-2.5g/kg body weight for muscle gain or fat loss

• Zone two vs HIIT: when to use each and how to balance them

• 30/30 intervals: why short work/rest periods optimize adaptations

• The parallels between interval training and cluster sets in the gym

• How to structure your week for strength + endurance without interference

• What changes for athletes over 55-60 years old

  
  

Key insight: Context always matters more than rigid rules. Training adaptation equals molecular signaling plus autonomic balance.

 📲 Follow me on Instagram → @tonyboutagy

📲 Follow me on Instagram → @tonyboutagy

This is a summary episode of Stronger With Time, where I look back at eight powerful conversations and share the key insights I took away as both a coach and lifelong student of exercise science.

You'll learn:

• Why vitamin D testing matters and how to use sensible sun exposure (Prof. Michael Holick)

• How to gradually increase fiber intake without digestive distress (Dr. Joanna McMillan)

• Why resistance training programs don't need to be different for men and women (Prof. William Kraemer)

• Where to find reliable menopause information beyond social media (Dr. Jen Gunter)

• When to get a DEXA scan and how resistance training builds bone site-specifically (Dr. Jared Merkin)

• Which wearables actually track sleep well and why recovery strategies matter (Prof. Shona Halson)

• How short interval training compares to steady-state for glucose control (Prof. Jonathan Little)

• Why most cardio and strength advice for women is missing critical nuance (Dr. Alyssa Olenick)

  
  

Whether you're coaching women, training through menopause, or simply want clarity in a noisy fitness landscape - this episode gives you the science-backed highlights from eight world-class experts.

What if most of the "female-specific" training advice you're hearing is missing the bigger picture?

Dr. Alyssa Olenick breaks down the science of what actually works for women - from cardio programming to strength training protocols - and why the fear-based messaging around hormones, cortisol, and zone training is doing more harm than good.

You'll learn:

• How to spot BS fitness advice (hint: absolutes and fear-mongering are red flags)

• Why cardio isn't "destroying your hormones" - and what poor programming actually looks like

• The truth about zone training: when it matters and when you can ignore it

• How to balance HIIT, steady-state, and recovery across your week

• Why the "cortisol from cardio" fear is overblown (and what actually raises cortisol)

• What makes a good resistance training program (spoiler: it's not just 5x5 heavy lifting)

• The menopause training narrative: why 8-12 reps still work

• How to train with intention instead of just "going hard" every session

• Why fitness status matters more than sex differences in training response

What if small, precise changes in food, walking, and training could restore glucose control?

Prof. Jonathan Little shares practical, evidence-based strategies from his lab on how carb restriction, exercise intensity, and ketones affect metabolic health.

You’ll learn:

• A research-tested 12-week very-low-carb model for type 2 diabetes remission (PMID 33653718)

• Why fasting insulin rises 5–10 years before glucose does (PMID 22644836)

• How a 10–15 min walk ≈ 30 min after meals flattens glucose spikes (PMID 35985050)• What LDL particle size reveals about cardiovascular risk (PMID 34159352)

• When metformin supports - not blunts - exercise benefits

• The science behind pre-sleep protein for morning glucose control

• Why HIIT and moderate training both improve insulin sensitivity

• The real impact of exogenous ketones as fuel and signal (PMID 27475046)

What really drives better sleep and recovery?

Prof. Shona Halson - one of the world’s most respected experts in the field - shares what decades of research actually supports, and what to ignore.

You’ll learn:

• Why 8 hours is a useful guideline, but consistency matters more

• How naps and “non-sleep deep rest” can help (and when they hurt)

• Which wearable data is reliable vs. misleading

• The role of hormones, perimenopause, and menstrual symptoms in sleep

• Why evening meals, alcohol, and caffeine disrupt rest more than we think

• How stress, low energy availability, and overtraining impair recovery

• The truth about compression, ice baths, and sauna use

• When protein timing and presleep nutrition really make a difference

How strong are your bones - and how do you know?

In this conversation with Dr. Jarrod Meerkin, we break down what DEXA scans really tell us, how bone density changes across the lifespan, and the role of exercise, genetics, and lifestyle in protecting against osteoporosis.

You’ll learn:

• When peak bone mass is reached and why it matters

• The differences between DEXA, QCT, PQCT, and ultrasound scans

• Why the lumbar spine and hip are the gold standards for assessment

• How genetics, hormones, and nutrition shape bone density

• The silent nature of bone loss and why scans matter before age 70

• What T-scores and Z-scores actually mean

• How resistance and impact training influence bone health

• Why calibration matters when comparing DEXA results

Why are women still bombarded with misinformation about their health? 

From “bioidentical” hormones to probiotics, celebrity-endorsed supplements, and viral myths, Dr. Jen Gunter helps us separate fact from fiction.

You’ll learn:

• Why misinformation spreads so easily in women’s health

• How mouse studies and anecdotes mislead the public

• The truth about vaginal health, probiotics, and lubricants

• What “bioidentical hormones” actually are - and aren’t

• How doctors determine hormone therapy dosing

• When hormone therapy helps, and when it doesn’t

• Why sleep, nutrition, and exercise still matter most

• How language in medicine (like “ovarian failure”) is evolving

What does the science really say about resistance training for women?

In this conversation with Professor William Kraemer, one of the most cited exercise scientists in history, you’ll hear the lessons from five decades of research on strength training, program design, and women’s responses to training.

You’ll learn:

• Why women can safely follow the same strength principles as men

• What the early large-scale female training studies actually showed

• How symptomatology (sleep, hot flushes, joint pain) shapes menopause training

• The fundamentals of sets, reps, loads, and rest for women

• How to use flexible non-linear periodisation in real life

• Why context, not theory, determines whether training advice works

Resources & Links:

• Kraemer WJ et al. — Evolution of resistance training in women: History and mechanisms for health and performance → https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2025.01.005

• Kraemer & Fleck — Designing Resistance Training Programs → https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Resistance-Training-Programs-4th/dp/0736081704

Most people think “gut health” means buying probiotics or avoiding certain foods. But what does the science actually say?

In this episode, Dr. Joanna McMillan breaks down the myths, the evidence, and the everyday practices that make the biggest difference.

You’ll learn:

• What normal gut function actually looks like (and when to worry)

• Why constipation is more serious than most realise

• How to interpret bloating, gas, and gut noises without overreacting

• The different types of fibre - and why resistant starch is so important

• Why both plant and animal foods matter for long-term health

• The facts about fermented foods, probiotics, and postbiotics

• Foods and additives that damage gut health

• How to approach FODMAPs and fibre intolerance safely

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