Every week on the podcast, Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler answer listeners’ questions and ask industry experts about anything and everything related to training, nutrition, science, and life in general.
On these database pages, we’ve compiled all of the questions answered on the podcast so you can quickly jump around and find the content you’re most interested in.
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Overview
Click any of the links below to jump to all questions and answers on that topic.
Q&A Database: Training
- Programming and Exercise Selection
- General Training Questions
- Coaching
- Belts, Shoes, and Lifting Gear
- Sex Differences
- Concurrent Training and Cardio
- Muscle Physiology
Nutrition and Body Composition
- Contest or Meet Preparation
- Cutting
- Bulking
- Fasting
- Metabolic Adaptation
- Protein
- Keto
- General Nutrition Questions
- General Body Composition Questions
Supplements and Steroids
Pain, Recovery, and Injury Prevention
Misc: Education, Interpreting Research, Building a Business, and Cooking Tips
All Questions
Click any of the questions below to jump to the answer for that question.
Training
Programming and Exercise Selection
- Is there any reason to believe that changing exercises circumvents the diminishing returns observed with completing several sets of the same exercise?
- Are machines better or worse than free weights for hypertrophy?
- We know that bone mineral density improves with weight training. Is there any reason to believe that purposefully improving bone mass could be a way to improve muscle mass and strength? Is it even possible to prioritize bone mass accretion in this manner?
- Do you think most bodybuilders would benefit from adopting certain aspects of powerlifting training? (With Ben Pollack)
- Do you think most powerlifters would benefit from adopting certain aspects of bodybuilding training? (With Ben Pollack)
- As someone who has a foot in both communities, what are things that bodybuilders don’t understand about powerlifting? What are things that powerlifters don’t understand about bodybuilders? (With Ben Pollack)
- How do you generally set up a powerbuilding program? How does it change as short-term focus shifts from one sport to the other? (With Ben Pollack)
- How do you ease into a high volume, hypertrophy-focused mesocycle after a powerlifting meet without losing your strength gains?
- How do you tweak a lifting program to break through plateaus and ensure continued progress?
- What’s your take on accommodating resistance for absolute strength?
- What are the technique requirements in powerlifting versus strongman?
- How do you balance general strength training versus event training in strongman?
- Most powerlifters and bodybuilders think in terms of sets and reps. How do you program for events like carries and holds in strongman?
- In a good powerlifting program, how much time or volume should be spent on hypertrophy work, and how should this change based on training experience and in-season versus off-season training?
- I want to look jacked. How do I know if I am strong enough to be messing with bodybuilding-style training and accessory work? Should I just be focused on getting stronger until my main lifts are more competitive?
- How do Greg and Eric approach deloads? What do deloads look like? How often do we do them? Why do we do them?
- Do either of you have any recommendations for someone preparing for their first powerlifting meet?
- I have two powerlifting meets, separated four weeks apart. How do I train to be peaked for both of them?
- What are the best exercises for increasing quadriceps size and strength to help with squatting?
- Which training approach is preferable for strength: daily undulating periodization (DUP) within blocks, or high-frequency Norwegian-style training?
- What do the data say about training frequency for strength development?
- What exercise would you use for mechanical tension/overload for the chest when not doing the bench press?
- Do weighted thrusts help squats much?
- In terms of hypertrophy, how do routines with sets of 20-30 repetitions differ in comparison to a similar volume of sets in the 8-12 rep range?
- Do you have to squat to reach your ultimate deadlift potential?
- What exercises would you base a routine around for non-powerlifters?
- Do you still believe that planks increase hip mobility?
- What is the best resource for someone looking for corrective exercises for their particular faulty movement pattern?
- What is the best way to calculate volume for hypertrophy training?
- How important are warm-ups, and what constitutes an effective warm-up? What are some common misconceptions about warm-ups?
- Is it beneficial to include incline chest exercises in your program?
- How is the concept of functional overreaching applicable in a hypertrophy training block and how often would you advise to use this technique? How would you best reap the benefits of supercompensation following a successful overreaching period?
- What is the most pragmatic and valid way to objectively measure fatigue?
- Is there any benefit of adding electromyostimulation (EMS) to your training for strength or hypertrophy? If so, how should it be used?
- How do I prevent my traps from getting too big?
- Can we train to intentionally change the fiber type of a muscle?
- Which exercises are overrated? Which exercises are underrated?
- For the folks with anterior pelvic tilt, what are some tips for maintaining a neutral pelvis while squatting and deadlifting?
- Greg has previously talked about turning a good hypertrophy program into a good strength program by adding some singles. Practically speaking, how do you implement this strategy?
- Does volume or intensity drive strength gains?
- Is ‘junk volume’ a real thing?
- Is there any carry over or need to develop strength in the 1-5 rep range in order for that strength to be carried over into the 8-12 rep range for hypertrophy promotion?
- When in a caloric deficit, should you reduce training volume, or training intensity?
- How should you train for explosive activities, such as parkour?
- Should you change the way you train as you approach the age of 40 (and beyond)? How and why do performance and recovery change as we age?
- What does the research say about blood flow restriction training?
- What are some different strategies for peaking for a bodybuilding competition?
- How hard is it to transition from raw to equipped powerlifting? How long does it take to learn to use the equipment effectively and refine your technique?
- Which muscle groups are really targeted by the back squat?
- What are a lot of bodybuilders getting wrong these days? (Discussion: Ideal training frequency for bodybuilding)
- Is bodybuilding unhealthy? Should it be encouraged?
- What is the evidence for “effective reps”?
- What lifts do you use for training vs. competition?
- What is the best approach for increasing strength endurance (that is, increasing maximum reps for a given exercise)?
- What is the relationship between training frequency and recoverable volume? Spreading work across more sessions seems as if it would allow more to be done, but is a minimum volume per session necessary to get sufficient stimulus?
- What are the best ways to improve speed using resistance training?
- How important is it for trainees to experiment with different training styles to see what methods may work best for them? How would you recommend organizing an experimental period of training to see if for example you respond better to speed or power training and what should be measured/benchmarked against?
- What things have contributed most to your success in powerlifting/bodybuilding?
- What glaring weaknesses would a typical powerlifter or bodybuilder have if they wanted to transition to strongman?
General Training Questions
- What is physical culture? (With Ben Pollack)
- Why pursue physical culture as an academic pursuit? Why is it important? (With Ben Pollack)
- What are the roots of physical culture in the West? What are some major physical culture traditions elsewhere that people may not be aware of? (With Ben Pollack)
- How have opinions on strength training changed over time? How has media portrayal of strength training changed over time? (With Ben Pollack)
- “The Other Eric” (Helms) doesn’t appear to lift his chin all the way to the bar when doing pull-ups. For strength and hypertrophy goals, is it important to do so?
- How does chronological age affect potential training status? Do you limit your potential by starting to lift later in life?
- What’s the best and most accurate way to track daily energy expenditure? Are Fitbits the best option?
- I’ve been lifting for many years, but I’m still far from my “genetic potential,” according to an online calculator. Am I advanced or intermediate?
- What are the chronic effects of resistance training on hormone levels?
- Do connective tissues display a delayed response to resistance training? If so, what does Greg know about it?
- When we do resistance exercise, how long does it take for hypertrophy to manifest?
- Do you know how intra-abdominal pressure is measured?
- I’ve read that having a lower body fat percentage is more conducive to building muscle/strength. Is there truth to this, or is the change in body function/hormones negligible between high and low body fat percentage?
- How possible is it that eccentric overload causes preferential hypertrophy of titin, meaning that people who only perform conventional training get a percentage of the available gains? What study designs/tools (blood markers, biopsies) would you use to test? If true, what kind of difference do you feel it would amount to?
- At what point do you see diminished returns when it comes to the health benefits of getting stronger?
- How do your genes, and even just knowing about your genes, affect your performance and physiology?
- Which makes a bigger difference: your actual genes, or your perception of your genetic predisposition? Is direct-to-consumer genetic testing a good idea for determining your athletic potential?
- How variable are responses to resistance training (strength, hypertrophy)?
- How do you find a strongman gym? How can you train for strongman if there’s not a strongman gym nearby? How do you find competitions in your area?
Coaching
- How do you help clients that struggle with motivation, emotional decision-making, or taking responsibility for their decisions?
- Can you improve your lifting technique by overexaggerating cues?
- What are some mistakes that coaches make when working with beginners?
Belts, Shoes, and Lifting Gear
- Hot Off The Press (Research Roundup) – Greg’s knee sleeve hypothesis.
- What are the benefits of using weightlifting shoes (with an elevated heel) for squat and leg press?
- Which is better: 10mm or 13mm belt?
- For an advanced lifter, is beltless training useless?
Sex Differences
- Most research uses men as a sample population. Do you think that the findings apply to women in equal measure?
- How do birth control and menstrual cycle hormones affect periodization? Should I program with that in mind?
- Do men and women experience the same performance effects from caffeine?
- What is the gap between male research and female research in exercise science?
- What are some unique challenges or social pressures that women experience in strength sports?
- What are some steps that people can take to help shift attitudes and help women feel more comfortable in strength sports and other fitness communities?
- What did Greg uncover doing his master’s research on sex differences in fatigue and recovery?
Concurrent Training and Cardio
Muscle Physiology
- Is it possible to speculate that the diminished return from ‘training too hard’ can partly be explained by the magnitude of muscle protein breakdown exceeding the maximum magnitude of muscle protein synthesis that your body can stimulate in a single training session?
- How do you feel about recent opinion papers suggesting that the change in muscle size over a training career is virtually unrelated to changes in strength? (With Ben Pollack)
- Research Roundup – Phototherapy
- Research Roundup – Muscle Glycogen Replenishment
- Why are satellite cells and myonuclei important for muscle physiology?
- Why do so many studies measure satellite cells instead of myonuclei?
- What is muscle memory?
- To what degree is satellite cell activation predictive of the accumulation of myonuclei? What are the mechanisms that contribute to myonuclear accretion? Are there important physiological roles of satellite cells that do not become activated?
- Why do muscles eventually stop growing?
- What are the implications of the recent news about histone lactylation linking metabolism and gene regulation?
- What are the effects of phototherapy on exercise performance and recovery from exercise?
Nutrition and Body Composition
Contest or Meet Preparation
- What’s the best way to cut weight for powerlifting, in terms of performance?
- What are some different strategies for making weight for strength sports?
- How do you decide when to bump up or down a weight class?
- Is there a big focus on nutrition among higher-level strongman competitors? Are there any specific diets that are currently popular or trending?
- What is Eric Helms’ approach to prepping for bodybuilding competitions?
- When you get late into a weight loss phase, do you cut down training volume or intensity?
- Is Eric Helms doing anything to proactively address reductions in non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) during contest prep?
Cutting
- Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and weight loss/weight regain (With James Krieger)
- Research Roundup – Weight loss success is highly, highly individual
- There has been a lot of discussion about bulking on recent shows. I would be interested in hearing about practical recommendations regarding the frequency of bulking and cutting. How often is common? Is there a ceiling where it’s no longer effective, or even harmful, over a given time period?
- What is your opinion on mini cuts during an extended gaining phase? How long a mini cut should be, how aggressive should the caloric deficit be, and what should be training like?
- What are the repercussions of rapid fat loss? How can you achieve rapid fat loss while minimizing the repercussions as much as possible?
- If you’re trying to lose fat but maintain performance, what is the “optimal” rate of weight loss?
- What should you do after a weight loss goal is achieved?
Bulking
- Do “hardgainers” benefit from exceeding one gram of protein per pound of body weight? Do you see much in the literature about “hardgainers” who are female?
- What is your opinion on mass gainers?
- There has been a lot of discussion about bulking on recent shows. I would be interested in hearing about practical recommendations regarding the frequency of bulking and cutting. How often is common? Is there a ceiling where it’s no longer effective, or even harmful, over a given time period?
- When bulking, what are the pros and cons of utilizing a rapid rate of weight gain?
- When bulking, should you continuously re-calculate your maintenance calorie requirements as you go?
Fasting
- Are there any merits to this study (https://tinyurl.com/y2mzemnw)? Are its conclusions accurate?
- Are there benefits of fasted cardio for performance?
- Is fasting more effective than normal calorie restriction when it comes to retaining muscle mass whilst losing body fat?
- What is the history of intermittent fasting in the fitness industry?
- What has the research taught us about intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding?
- What are the potential mechanisms by which time-restricted feeding could be superior?
- Is it ever beneficial to lift weights in a fasted state?
- I train very early in the morning and drink a protein shake prior to training. Anything else you recommend to do or eat before working out in a fasted state?
Metabolic Adaptation
- How long does it take to metabolically recover from long-duration diets?
- What are the best strategies to reverse the effects of metabolic adaptation from a fat loss phase, while minimizing fat gain?
- In regards to re-feeds and/or diet breaks, from what I understand at least 2 consecutive days of re-feeding is needed to have any impact on the metabolic adaptations of a prolonged calorie deficit (3 days is probably better). That being said, how much of an effect does it really have, and is the cost to benefit ratio really worth it?
- Is starvation mode a real thing?
Protein
- Are there any downsides associated with high protein diets? Is the “one gram per pound of body weight” rule good?
- Research Roundup – Castro et al: Comparative Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Concentrated, Hydrolyzed, and Isolated Whey Protein Supplementation on Body Composition of Physical Activity Practitioners
- Is there any benefit to a “personalized” protein supplement blend, or is it just an excuse to increase the price?
- Considering the result of this 2014 study, would you see similar long-term results from eating a normal amount of a whole protein source, or a smaller protein dose that is supplemented with extra leucine?
- What does the research say about protein and overfeeding?
- Research suggests there is a refractory period for muscle protein synthesis following protein ingestion. Will eating a snack with protein between meals disrupt protein synthesis?
Keto
- How do you define a ketogenic diet?
- What are the potential benefits of adopting a ketogenic diet?
- For a ketogenic diet, how low do carbs need to be? Does it vary from person to person?
- Does high protein intake kick you out of ketosis?
- How do you know if you’re in ketosis or not?
- Do you really need to have high fat intake, or is carb restriction sufficient?
- How good or bad is the adherence rate in keto diet studies?
- What are the potential drawbacks of a ketogenic diet? What micronutrients might be missing?
- Do ketogenic diets have negative effects on cholesterol/blood lipids or hair loss?
- Is it possible to predict who will respond relatively well (or poorly) to a ketogenic diet?
- What are the effects of keto on fat loss, muscle gain, and muscle retention?
- What are the effects of keto on physical performance?
- Is keto potentially helpful for any conditions other than certain types of epilepsy?
- Are there any applications for ketone supplements?
- Who is keto good for?
General Nutrition Questions
- Insulin hypothesis: Definition and shortcomings (With James Krieger)
- Hot Off The Press (Research Roundup) – High fructose diets
- More and more studies show that a plant based diet is healthier than one that includes meat and other animal products. How does this relate to gains and weight loss?
- What are the evidence-based recommendations for red meat and processed meat consumption?
- What is your take on intuitive eating? Does our body have a built in mechanism which will increase hunger when our body registers the necessity for muscle growth?
- Is keto the best diet for weight loss?
- What are the effects of alcohol consumption on body composition?
- Can you eat fruit during a contest prep (or weight loss) diet?
- Is there any benefit to manipulating dietary fat distribution throughout the week (in essence, “fat cycling”)?
- Does blending your food render it less nutritious?
- A recent paper came out stating that people who drink diet soda are more likely to have a stroke… is this actually true? Are there any legit concerns about artificial sweeteners?
- What effect does processed food have on total daily calorie intake?
- There was recently a debate between Gary Taubes and Stephan Guyenet. To use the prompt from this debate… What is the REAL cause of obesity?
- What are the theoretical reasons for favoring high meal frequency?
- What effects does sugar intake have on performance and composition?
- Does the relative split of daily dietary intake of carbs and fat really matter for hypertrophy, strength, and body composition?
General Body Composition Questions
- Body composition measurement: What are the most accurate methods? How bad is too bad for individual use? (With James Krieger)
- Is body mass index (BMI) still accurate for people who are much taller (or shorter) than average?
- What is a “set point” for body fat or body weight? Can we reset it?
- How can a person get their body fat percentage accurately estimated?
- Are body composition tests useful for the typical lifter? If so, how can people get their body composition tested in a reliable manner?
- What’s up with these new 3-D body composition scanners? What are some potential uses?
Supplements and Steroids
Caffeine
- Research Roundup – Is Coffee a Useful Source of Caffeine Preexercise?
- What is the interaction between caffeine and creatine, and gastrointestinal discomfort associated with creatine supplementation?
- How does habitual coffee consumption affect arterial stiffness?
- Is caffeine bad for heart health?
- What’s the highest daily caffeine dose that seems to be okay?
- What factors affect caffeine metabolism and the relationship between caffeine and health? (Genes, diet, hormones, etc.)
- What is the relationship between caffeine, theacrine, and sleep issues?
- Do men and women experience the same performance effects from caffeine?
Creatine
- Can you tell if you’re a creatine non-responder by whether or not you gain weight when you start taking it?
- What is the link between creatine and hair loss?
- What is the interaction between caffeine and creatine, and gastrointestinal discomfort associated with creatine supplementation?
- Are you ever concerned about a client having high creatinine levels?
HMB
- What does the research say about HMB supplementation?
- What does the research say about how HMB supplementation affects hypertrophy?
CBD
General Supplement Questions
- Which supplements don’t suck?
- Are essential amino acids (EAAs) more useful than branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)?
- If we say that metabolite accumulation may play a causative role in hypertrophy, shouldn’t that mean that supplements designed to enhance the pump actually increase hypertrophy?
- How do combinations of dietary supplements work when consumed together?
- How does betaine supplementation affect body composition and strength performance?
- How exactly are dietary supplements regulated by the government?
- What is the history of prohormones on the supplement market?
- What exactly counts as a “dietary supplement,” according to the law? How do new ingredients find their way onto the market?
- How can consumers make safe, informed decisions about which supplements to take?
- How does the government regulate dietary supplements?
- What are “current good manufacturing practices” for supplements?
- Do new supplement ingredients require “approval” from the government?
- What is the history of non-supplement ingredients being sold as supplements (pro-hormones, stimulants, etc.)?
- Are “designer stimulants” still prevalent on the supplement market?
- People often blame failed drug tests on tainted supplements. Are they being truthful, or is that just a convenient excuse?
- Do we need more laws to help regulate the supplement industry?
- What does the research say about ecdysterone supplementation?
- What are your thoughts on sodium intake for lifters, whether in absolute terms or relative to potassium intake?
Steroids
- I once heard Greg say that one reason he’s never taken anabolic steroids is their potential impact on cognition, but I’ve never seen anyone else reference that as a side effect. Could he elaborate?
- How strong do people get when they think they’re on steroids, but actually aren’t?
- What do Greg and Eric think about drug testing in sport?
- How do anabolic steroids affect myonuclei? Do myonuclear changes revert back to normal when people stop using steroids?
- How long should someone be banned from sport when they’re caught using steroids?
- Does an increase in DHT necessarily mean more rapid hair loss? And how does this relate to anabolic steroids and hair loss?
- What percentage of strongman competitors do you think are drug-free? How’s the plan for drug-tested nationals coming along?
Pain, Recovery, and Injury Prevention
Pain and Injuries
- Research Roundup – Which specific modes of exercise training are most effective for treating low back pain?
- What is the biopsychosocial model, as it relates to pain?
- What is the relationship between joint morphology and pain/injury?
- How should we address or deal with pain?
- Is there such a thing as “good” and “bad” movements or technique?
- When you have pain during a certain exercise, how do you decide whether it’s worth rehabbing that movement vs. picking a different exercise?
- What’s your take on long-term effects of heavy lifting on spine and joint health?
- Any recommendations for lifters with spinal loading issues?
- It seems like there’s more injuries in strongman than other strength sports. Does that match your experience? What sorts of injuries are common? What prehab work or training modifications help make training safer?
Recovery
- If soreness isn’t a good indicator of gains, how do you know how hard to train?
- What effects can active release therapy, acupuncture, massages, stretching have on training?
- How does marijuana affect recovery from strength and hypertrophy training when it’s smoked, eaten, or vaped?
- Does pre-competition cryotherapy help for bodybuilding/physique athletes?
- How important is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)? I’ve been powerlifting for a little over 18 months and have never experienced any significant amount of soreness, but my program contains reasonably high training volume and frequency.
- What are the effects of phototherapy on exercise performance and recovery from exercise?
Sleep
- Why do we sleep?
- Does poor sleep impact performance or body composition?
- Are there people who simply need less sleep than others?
- What are chronotypes, and how do they matter in relation to sleep?
- Will naps help me recover from a lack of sleep?
- What is sleep debt and can it be repaid?
- How can we improve sleep to help training?
- I’ve been trying to get more sleep (at least 8-9 hours or more per night). However, I typically end up either waking up earlier or waking up more frequently throughout the night, resulting in poorer sleep than normal. Is this a sign that I shouldn’t be trying to force more sleep, and should return to my typical sleep habits?
Education, Interpreting Research, Building a Business, and Cooking Tips
Education and Building a Business
- Do either of you have any recommendations on how to seek out a quality academic reference, without being a complete jerk about it? How can someone with aspirations of becoming a researcher get their start in the research world?
- I was wondering if you guys could provide any advice for students looking to improve their writing skills for science-based fitness articles. Related to that, what would be a useful approach for getting published on well-known websites?
- In a recent podcast you suggested buying an exercise physiology textbook. Is an old edition of a textbook worth reading, or would there be too much outdated information?
- What are some of the best reading materials you’d recommend for a trainer that is just starting out?
- What are some of the biggest tips you would give someone who wants to get into an exercise science program at a university and excel academically?
- What would happen if Terry Tao started studying exercise science? What kind of progress would the field make?
- A few scientific fields have recently identified issues with replication, reproducibility, and transparency in research. How prevalent are these issues in exercise science?
- How did you (Greg) build a following in the fitness industry?
- What advice do Greg and Eric have for students pursuing a degree in exercise science?
- What are some big things that you’ve changed your mind about over the years?
- What what were the early days of evidence-based fitness like?
- As someone who went the standard business route after college and is getting minimal satisfaction from their current career, how possible is it to get proper certifications for nutrition and personal training to make a career out of something I am more passionate about?
Reading and Interpreting Research
- How much evidence and research would it take for you to implement new findings into your own practice? One study with a large effect size, or multiple replicated studies?
- How do you reconcile value for research, with the likelihood that there’s some degree of really bad research out there, and that many people can’t tell the difference between good and bad research?
- What is the state of research in exercise science and sports nutrition?
- Training studies are often quite short, and in relatively untrained people. Do the results from these short-term studies translate to long-term differences over a training career?
- What is response heterogeneity, and why is it important?
- What tips do Greg and Eric have for reading and interpreting research?
- Do you think that Bayesian Statistics will be used in future studies for analysis?