The Protein Corner

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube Just as life challenges us with limited time, resources, and information, excellence demands a strategy beyond innate talent and colossal effort.  That’s where Ron Friedman’s Decoding Greatness comes into play, offering a new approach: deciphering greatness through reverse engineering the triumphs of others.  This book isn’t just a collection of thought-provoking ideas; it’s a practical toolbox filled with applicable tactics for your life’s journey.  In this podcast, I’m sharing my top 10 insights from the book.  “Can you recommend a book for…?” “What are you reading right now?” “What are your favorite books?” I get asked those types of questions a lot and, as an avid reader and all-around bibliophile, I’m always happy to oblige. I also like to encourage people to read as much as possible because knowledge benefits you much like compound interest. The more you learn, the more you know; the...

The post How Matt Used Bigger Leaner Stronger to Lose 47 Pounds and 18% Body Fat appeared first on Legion Athletics . https://ift.tt/S1vNAGf May 28, 2023 at 06:00PM Legion Athletics

Some sage consumer advice: be discerning about where you buy supplements . In a recent study by scientists at Uniformed Services University, researchers analyzed 30 health supplements sold on Amazon. Their goal was to investigate whether the products contained the ingredients listed on their labels and in the stated doses. Out of the 30 products tested, the researchers found that 17 had inaccurate labels.  Thirteen claimed to contain molecules that didn’t show up at all. In some products, as many as six listed ingredients were missing, and in one product, only a trace amount of one of the main ingredients was present. Perhaps more troubling, nine of the supplements contained substances not listed on the label.  Fifteen used terms such as “research based,” “scientifically proven,” or “backed by science” on their packaging, yet none cited research to support their claims. Sixteen made claims such as “third party tested,” “lab tested verified,” and “quality guaranteed,” ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube Does protein before bed impact your sleep? How do you prevent muscle breakdown if you can only train fasted in the morning before breakfast? Will training 5 days per week give better results than 4 days per week? Are gluten allergies and intolerance real, or just another health fad? How long can someone use the program in Bigger Leaner Stronger and still make progress? 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 ont...

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube 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,...

If you liked Greene’s Mastery , Gladwell’s Outliers , or Duckworth’s Grit , you’ll like Friedman’s Decoding Greatness , which argues that while inborn talent and monumental effort can produce excellence, there’s another way to reach this brass ring that’s far more reliable, efficient, and effective. Specifically, the premise of Decoding Greatness is that we can learn a lot about how to achieve greatness by reverse engineering the great accomplishments of others to discover the key mindsets, strategies, and tactics they used to achieve such feats. And while many self-development books make similar promises—so much so that I almost skipped Decoding Greatness —I particularly enjoyed Friedman’s formulation for a few reasons: It’s fresh. Many books in the genre discuss how mindset, talent, perseverance, grit, practice, etc. generally relate to success and then encourage us to figure out how to apply them to our chosen endeavors, but this is often difficult to do. Friedman, on the...

The cable pullover is a lat exercise that’s surged in popularity recently. There are two reasons for this. First, it involves bringing your arms in an arc from overhead to your sides against resistance, which trains your back in a way that few other exercises can replicate. Second, unlike other back exercises, it trains your lats through their full range of motion and in a fully stretched position, which promotes muscle growth. In other words, the cable pullover is uniquely effective in training the lats and an ideal exercise for back development. In this article, you’ll learn what the cable pullover is, its benefits, which muscles it works, how to do it with proper form, the best cable pullover alternatives, and more. Table of Contents What Is a Cable Pullover? Cable Rope Pullover vs. Straight-Bar Cable Pullover Cable Pullover: Benefits Cable Pullover: Muscles Worked Cable Pullover: Form 1. Set up 2. Pullover 3. Extend The Best Cable Pullover Alternatives 1. Kneeling ...

The post How Elizabeth Used Thinner Leaner Stronger to Gain 20 Pounds of Lean Mass appeared first on Legion Athletics . https://ift.tt/0cDf6b3 May 21, 2023 at 06:00PM Legion Athletics

There are many theories about meal timing .  For example, you may have heard that eating breakfast soon after waking “kick-starts” your metabolism or that eating before bed increases fat gain. While most of these ideas are false, we know there’s some interplay between our sleep and eating patterns. Research shows there’s a link between nutrition and circadian biology. Circadian rhythms, which influence digestion, nutrient metabolism, appetite regulation, and hormone secretion, affect eating habits and vice versa. This is why scientists continue to study chrononutrition , which explores how changes in sleep influence diet and how changes in diet impact sleep. One area of particular interest in this field is the connection between eating behavior and “social jet lag.” Social jet lag refers to the lethargy you feel after the weekend when social events upset your usual sleep and wake times. It’s of interest to scientists because research shows it can significantly...

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube 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.  S ome 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 other...

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube 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...

The landmine press is an overhead pressing exercise involving a landmine press attachment . Unlike other overhead press variations, it allows you to press in an arc slightly in front of your body with your wrist in a neutral position. For many weightlifters, this is more comfortable than pressing with a barbell because it takes some stress off your shoulders.  This makes the landmine press an excellent overhead press variation for those training around an injury or with a history of shoulder issues.   In this article, you’ll learn what the landmine press is, why it’s beneficial, how to use proper landmine press form , the best landmine press alternatives , and more. Table of Contents What Is the Landmine Press? Landmine Press vs. Overhead Press Landmine Press: Benefits Landmine Press: Muscles Worked Landmine Press: Form 1. Set up 2. Press 3. Descend The Best Landmine Press Alternatives 1. Kneeling Landmine Press 2. Half-Kneeling Landmine Press 3. Lan...