Most people understand the primary drivers of hypertrophy: mechanical tension, load, and progression. What they miss are the secondary and tertiary factors that determine whether those drivers can be accessed consistently. In this episode, Ben sits down with Mike T. Nelson to unpack how aerobic fitness, recovery, conditioning, diet quality, and training simplicity quietly shape muscle growth. They break down why cardio doesn’t kill gains when programmed correctly, why quality beats novelty, and why recovery between sessions is a true hypertrophy variable. This conversation reframes hypertrophy as more than sets and reps, and shows how sustainable execution is where long-term progress is actually built. Find out more about Dr. Mike T Nelson: https://miketnelson.com/