#335 ‒ The science of resistance training, building muscle, and anabolic steroid use in bodybuilding | Mike Israetel, Ph.D.

Resistance training is a critical component of fitness that supports health, longevity, and aesthetics. Developed and discussed at length by experts like Mike Israetel and Peter Attia, the principles of resistance training focus on optimizing workouts and tailoring programs to individual needs and goals.

Optimizing Resistance Training For Health, Longevity, and Aesthetics

When optimizing resistance training, several key factors improve the efficacy of a workout routine.

Efficient Compound Exercises for Large Muscle Groups

Israetel and Attia concur that the best way to train every major muscle group in each session is by focusing on compound movements. These exercises, including pull-ups, barbell squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses, engage multiple large muscle groups simultaneously, making them time efficient and beneficial for muscle mass development. These multi-joint movements, which work various muscles like the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, back, chest, shoulders, and arms, are particularly effective for busy individuals who may have limited time for training.

Israetel promotes exercises such as hack squats, leg presses, or barbell squats, which train all the lower body muscles sufficiently. He also mentions how compound exercises like stiff-legged deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts are crucial for the training of the spinal erector musculature, which is vital for aging healthily.

Progress Requires Gradual Intensity and Volume Increase

It's implied that progress in training involves not just consistent effort but also strategic increases in knowledge over time. For instance, one might realize their trainer's efficacy only as they learn more about resistance training themselves. Israetel advocates for starting with low weights and gradually increasing intensity to ensure safe and effective resistance training.

Workout Recovery Is Crucial to Avoid Overtraining

Recovery is integral to prevent overtraining. Israetel notes that the peripheral nervous system and local musculature require time to recover from an intense workout—sometimes several days before an individual can perform another vigorous session for the same muscle group. He stresses that each session contributes significantly to one's physiology, thus requiring a considerable recovery period to avoid cumulative fatigue. To counter this fatigue, Israetel recommends taking regular breaks from the gym and engaging in active but less intense activities.

Tailoring Training To Individual Goals and Ability

Each individual has unique training goals and physical abilities that dictate the specifics of their resistance training program.

Master Technique With Low Weights Before Increasing Intensity

For beginners, mastering the technique of compound movements is a priority before intensifying workouts. Israetel insists that no movement is inherently risky when unloaded and emp ...

The conversation with Mike Israetel and Peter Attia delves into the nuances of building muscle and strength, focusing on genetic factors, age, lifestyle, and training strategies that optimize muscle hypertrophy.

Factors That Influence Muscle Growth and Strength Gains

Genetics Play a Role in Muscle Development Potential

Mike Israetel does not shy away from discussing the crucial role of genetics in muscle development and physical appearance. He argues that genetics is the most critical factor, other than time spent exercising, in dictating how muscular and lean one can become. Israetel's experience as someone with elite genetics, highlighted by his naturally well-developed masseter muscles even before taking steroids, serves as a personal testament to the power of genetic predisposition in bodybuilding. Furthermore, Israetel advises against choosing trainers based solely on appearance since their condition is largely influenced by genetics. He even references individuals like his jujitsu coach, Mr. Will Starks, who can maintain a lean and muscular physique with minimal diet restrictions due to his genetic advantages.

Age and Lifestyle Factors Impact Muscle-Building Capacity

Israetel also discusses the profound impact of age on muscle-building, explaining that progress will drastically slow for someone in their 60s compared to a 20-year-old. He emphasizes managing expectations around age, noting that one cannot expect to look like younger gym-goers if they are significantly older. He draws attention to how systemic abilities to recover from workouts decline with age due to cellular and organ wear and tear. Further compounding this effect, Israetel points to lifestyle factors such as stress and sleep deprivation, which can hinder muscle gains. He contrasts the experiences of a 56-year-old corporate CTO with a younger bikini competitor to illustrate the difference in muscle-building capacities between stressed individuals and those with ample recovery time.

Strategies For Optimizing Muscle Hypertrophy

Exercise selection, technique, intensity, and volume all play roles in achieving muscle growth. Israetel emphasizes the importance of including isolation work for specific muscle areas and the necessity of deep stretches and high force positions during exercises for effective muscle stimulation.

Effective Training: 10-20 Sets per Muscle Group Weekly

Israetel contends that performing between 10 and 20 sets per muscle group on a weekly basis is recommended for optimal growth. He suggests starting at lower volumes for beginners and increasing the number of sets as one adapts to the training stimulus. Factors such as muscle soreness, fatigue, and strength progression should guide the volume of work sets. Additionally, the application of pulsatile training with ade ...

An exploration of anabolic steroids, discussing their profound impact on muscle growth and the substantial risks they pose to health, as shared through the personal experiences of Mike Israetel and Peter Attia.

Steroids and Their Impact on Muscle Growth

Anabolic steroids, which are derivatives of [restricted term], boost muscle gains significantly, surpassing natural limits. Mike Israetel and Peter Attia acknowledge the role of steroids in augmenting muscle mass and increasing body weight.

Steroid Use Boosts Muscle Gains Beyond Natural Limits

Mike Israetel, sharing his personal experience, notes that steroids have allowed him to achieve significantly higher muscle mass than what would have been possible naturally. He gained about 30 pounds of muscle over 13 years of using steroids, and he maintains that the advantage in muscularity obtained from steroids is likely permanent.

Steroids Affect Psychological Traits Like Aggression and Sex Drive

Israetel also addresses the spectrum of psychological experiences due to steroid use, varying from heightened aggression and libido to changes in communicative abilities. He cites increased aggression and sexual thoughts as common psychological traits influenced by increased [restricted term] levels. However, Israetel emphasizes the need to manage estrogen levels as [restricted term] tends to aromatize into estrogen, which has diverse impacts on psychological and physical health.

Health Risks and Considerations With Anabolic Steroid Use

Chronic steroid use is not without severe risks to cardiovascular, hormonal, and reproductive health. Israetel expresses concern about permanent damage to his body, including potential cardiovascular harm and effects on brain health.

Long-Term Use Harms Cardiovascular, Hormone, and Fertility Health

Israetel reveals the permanent impact of steroids on his body, acknowledging likely damage to his left ventricular wall and potentially his prostate. He understands the risks to fertility health and speaks about the harm caused by long-term anabolic steroid use.

Managing Estrogen Levels and Side Effects Mitigates Risks

To mitigate this, Israetel stresses the importance of managing side effects, particularly estrogen levels. He discusses a "safer-use model" involving the careful balancing of [restricted term] and estrogen levels through the use of exogenous drugs and the combination of different anabolic steroids to optimize health outcomes. In managing side effects, Israet ...