- The hosts of the podcast Mind Pump answer live callers' questions after a 60-minute intro portion discussing various topics.
- The episode is sponsored by Seed, a probiotic brand, and Dynasty, an online living trust service.
- Mind Pump will be at the Olympia event in Florida on November 3rd and 4th.
- There is a sale on Maps Bands and the Hardgainer Bundle on mapsfitnessproducts.com.
- The hosts discuss the importance of doing exercises that you avoid or are not good at, as they can lead to significant gains.
- They share personal experiences of avoiding certain exercises and eventually seeing progress when they started incorporating them into their workouts.
- Seeking novelty and challenging oneself with new exercises is especially important for experienced lifters.
- The hosts explain that strength and performance are skills that can be developed through practice and that the body needs time to adapt to new movements.

- CNS adaptation leads to muscle growth
- Muscle fibers undergo damage during contraction, leading to muscle building
- Changing exercises too frequently hinders muscle adaptation and growth
- Practice a new exercise long enough to get good at it before changing
- Incorporating novel variations of core exercises can lead to gains
- Soreness after changing exercises indicates a different muscle building signal
- Front squats and incline bench presses can help close the strength gap with back squats and flat bench presses
- Alexander Carolyn, a retired Greco-Roman wrestler, displayed incredible raw strength by placing 8th in the European World's Strongest Man competition without training specifically for it

- The speaker discusses their past experiences and plans to attend fitness conventions like Olympia and Arnold.
- They mention their excitement to be part of the Transcend group and organize a meet and greet at the booth.
- The speaker recalls attending fitness expos in the past and mentions the various activities and events at Olympia and Arnold.
- They joke about wearing tank tops and wife beaters at the convention.
- The conversation shifts to discussing a video of Sasquatch and their childhood beliefs in mythical creatures.
- The speaker then transitions to talking about Seed, a probiotic company, and their unique capsule-in-capsule delivery technology.
- They mention the benefits of this technology in delivering live bacteria to the gut.
- The conversation briefly touches on Dynasty, a company they partnered with, and a commercial idea.

- The speaker discusses the benefits of using Dynasty, an online platform for creating trusts.
- They share a personal story about a relative who passed away without a will, leading to a complicated legal process.
- The speaker highlights the financial and time costs associated with probate and hiring lawyers.
- They emphasize that Dynasty offers a free and easy way to create a trust, saving money and simplifying the process.
- The speaker also mentions the potential benefits of adding muscle, contrary to a study that claims it has minimal impact on metabolism.
- They argue that behavioral and psychological changes, as well as overall health improvements, are often overlooked in studies.
- The speaker criticizes trainers who rely solely on studies and ignore the complexity of human behavior and individual experiences.
- They stress the importance of experienced coaches who understand the multifaceted nature of fitness and can help clients achieve long-term success.

- The speaker discusses the complexity of being a coach or trainer and how it involves more than just exercise and nutrition.
- They use analogies such as merging clouds and flipping coins to illustrate that not everything can be easily explained or controlled.
- The importance of understanding data and studies is acknowledged, but it is also emphasized that individual clients may not respond the same way as the data suggests.
- The speaker also mentions a fun fact about the mask used in the movie Halloween being based on William Shatner's face.

- The speaker discusses how parents often underestimate the impact of certain movies on their children.
- They talk about the different levels of trauma that can be caused by sex, violence, and gore in movies.
- The speaker shares personal experiences of being traumatized by movies as a child and how it affected them.
- They also discuss the potential negative effects of introducing certain types of media to children too early.
- The conversation shifts to discussing how social media fame does not necessarily equate to financial success.
- They mention a shout-out to a strongman competitor who uses their training program.
- The speaker then talks about the benefits of grass-fed meat and mentions a company called ButcherBox.
- The caller discusses his concerns about the risks of lifting heavier weights in his hypertrophy program.

- The person speaking is 38 years old, 5'8" tall, weighs 83kg, and has 17-15% body fat.
- They have gained 7kg of muscle in the past year and want to continue making progress without risking injuries.
- They mention that after a certain point, it becomes difficult to keep getting stronger and that breakdowns in technique can make exercises more dangerous.
- The speaker suggests different ways to challenge and progress the body, such as increasing weight, focusing on ranges of motion, slowing down form, and doing exercises that are not usually practiced.
- They recommend trying a program like MAPS Performance or MAPS Old Time Strength, which include exercises that the person may not be familiar with and focus on mobility and multi-planar movements.
- The speaker also emphasizes the importance of longevity and restoring and recovering the body.
- They mention that adding more weight may not be necessary at this stage and that improving control, stability, mobility, and learning new skills in the weight room can lead to strength gains.
- They suggest trying MAPS Performance first and then transitioning to MAPS Old Time Strength.
- The person playing rugby is currently in the offseason and will start playing again in January.
- The speaker concludes by explaining that adding weight to lifts may not have the same performance impact for someone with 18 years of lifting experience compared to a beginner.

- The podcast Mind Pump answers live caller questions after discussing various topics.
- The episode is sponsored by Seed and Dynasty.
- Mind Pump will be at the Olympia event in Florida on November 3rd and 4th.
- There is a sale on Maps Bands and the Hardgainer Bundle on mapsfitnessproducts.com.
- The hosts discuss the importance of doing exercises you avoid or are not good at for gains.
- Seeking novelty and challenging oneself with new exercises is important for experienced lifters.
- The hosts explain that strength and performance are skills that can be developed through practice.
- Changing exercises too frequently hinders muscle adaptation and growth.
- Incorporating novel variations of core exercises can lead to gains.
- Front squats and incline bench presses can help close the strength gap with back squats and flat bench presses.
- The speaker discusses their past experiences and plans to attend fitness conventions.
- They mention their excitement to be part of the Transcend group and organize a meet and greet at the booth.
- The speaker discusses Seed's unique capsule-in-capsule delivery technology for probiotics.
- They mention the benefits of Dynasty, an online platform for creating trusts.
- They highlight the financial and time costs associated with probate and hiring lawyers.
- The speaker emphasizes the importance of experienced coaches who understand the multifaceted nature of fitness.
- They discuss the complexity of being a coach or trainer and how it involves more than just exercise and nutrition.
- The speaker mentions a fun fact about the mask used in the movie Halloween.
- They discuss the impact of movies on children and the potential negative effects of introducing certain types of media too early.
- Social media fame does not necessarily equate to financial success.
- The speaker talks about the benefits of grass-fed meat and mentions ButcherBox.
- The caller expresses concerns about the risks of lifting heavier weights and wants to continue making progress without risking injuries.
- The speaker suggests different ways to challenge and progress the body, such as increasing weight and focusing on ranges of motion.
- They recommend trying programs like MAPS Performance or MAPS Old Time Strength.
- The speaker emphasizes the importance of longevity and restoring and recovering the body.
- The person playing rugby will start playing again in January.
- Adding weight to lifts may not have the same performance impact for someone with 18 years of lifting experience compared to a beginner.

- The speaker suggests focusing on movement issues and mobility rather than getting stronger at lifts that have been done for 18 years.
- They recommend trying a different program to challenge the body in new ways.
- The caller asks about building muscle over the age of 50 without adding significant calories to the diet.
- The speaker explains that a calorie surplus is necessary for muscle building, but it doesn't have to be a huge increase.
- They suggest switching to another MAPS program and recommend Symmetry to address imbalances.
- The speaker states that building muscle after the age of 50 is possible but may be more challenging depending on previous training and health factors.
- They advise getting blood work done to optimize hormone levels and address any food intolerances.

- The speaker discusses the factors that contribute to muscle growth, including genetics, training stimulus, stress, recovery, and hormone signals.
- They emphasize that muscle growth is a complex interplay of these factors and not a simple formula.
- The speaker encourages the listener to assess their stress levels, hormone levels, training intensity, and nutrition to optimize muscle growth.
- They suggest increasing calorie intake and incorporating supplements like creatine to support muscle gains.
- The speaker also mentions a client with uneven muscle development due to nerve damage and discusses the importance of assessing technique and mobility before attempting heavy loads in a deep squat.
- They encourage the listener to focus on good control, stability, and mobility in order to squat deeply with heavy loads.

- The speaker compares their squat performance in different phases of their training and discusses their aim to challenge their mobility and squat lower with heavy weights.
- The speaker is advised that comparing a parallel squat to a squat below parallel is not the same exercise and that the weight cannot be compared.
- It is explained that even though there may be less weight on the bar for a deeper squat, it is still considered heavy due to the increased range of motion and tension on the body.
- The speaker is given advice to gradually increase the range of motion with the same weight to go heavier technically.
- The importance of maintaining consistent form throughout different phases of training is emphasized.
- The speaker is advised to incorporate hip thrusts into their routine to strengthen the glutes and improve squat performance.
- The conversation shifts to discussing the benefits of squatting on the balls of the feet for athletes and the importance of sport-specific training.
- A caller discusses their fitness journey and asks for advice on nutrition and changes in body composition.
- The caller is advised to stop weighing themselves and focus on their progress in terms of strength gains and overall well-being.
- The caller is encouraged to continue their current approach and adjust their nutrition based on their goals.

- The speaker addresses a person who has gained 3 pounds on the scale but is experiencing significant strength gains from strength training.
- The speaker mentions that relying solely on the scale as a metric is not accurate and can play mind games.
- The speaker explains that the person's clothes may feel tighter because of muscle development and body fat sitting lower on the body.
- The speaker emphasizes that comments from others, including the person's husband, indicate positive changes in their physique.
- The speaker advises the person to focus on non-scale related factors such as energy, libido, and overall well-being.
- The speaker suggests getting consistent body fat percentage testing to have an objective measure of progress.
- The speaker encourages the person to continue their current calorie intake and gradually increase it to have flexibility and sustainability.
- The speaker recommends adjusting workout programs to balance volume and suggests trying the Performance or Symmetry program after completing Aesthetic.
- The speaker highlights the importance of trusting the process and not solely relying on the scale for progress.

- The speaker suggests that if someone increases their calorie intake and exercises, they may actually lose body fat and build muscle.
- They mention that a 3-pound weight loss is insignificant and can easily be lost in a day.
- The speaker advises cutting back on calories and sodium to quickly lose any temporary weight gain.
- They promote their free guides and discounted RGB Super Bundle for fitness and body transformation.
- The speaker asks for support by leaving a 5-star rating and review on iTunes and recommending Mind Pump to others.

- The speaker advises focusing on movement issues and mobility instead of just getting stronger at lifts that have been done for a long time.
- They recommend trying a different program to challenge the body in new ways.
- Building muscle over the age of 50 requires a calorie surplus, but it doesn't have to be a significant increase.
- Switching to another MAPS program, like Symmetry, can help address imbalances.
- Building muscle after 50 may be more challenging depending on previous training and health factors.
- Optimizing hormone levels and addressing food intolerances through blood work can help with muscle building.
- Muscle growth is influenced by genetics, training stimulus, stress, recovery, and hormone signals.
- Assessing stress levels, hormone levels, training intensity, and nutrition can optimize muscle growth.
- Increasing calorie intake and using supplements like creatine can support muscle gains.
- Technique, mobility, and stability are important for squatting with heavy weights.
- Gradually increasing range of motion with the same weight can help go heavier technically.
- Maintaining consistent form throughout training is crucial.
- Incorporating hip thrusts can strengthen glutes and improve squat performance.
- Squatting on the balls of the feet can benefit athletes in sport-specific training.
- Focusing on progress in terms of strength gains and overall well-being is more important than weight on the scale.
- Non-scale related factors like energy, libido, and overall well-being should be considered.
- Consistent body fat percentage testing can provide an objective measure of progress.
- Gradually increasing calorie intake and adjusting workout programs can promote flexibility and sustainability.
- Trusting the process and not solely relying on the scale is emphasized.
- Increasing calorie intake and exercising can lead to fat loss and muscle gain.
- Temporary weight gain can be quickly lost by cutting back on calories and sodium.
- The speaker promotes their free guides and discounted RGB Super Bundle for fitness and body transformation.
- They ask for support by leaving a 5-star rating and review on iTunes and recommending Mind Pump to others.

In this episode of Quah (Q & A), Sal, Adam & Justin coach four Pump Heads via Zoom. Email live@mindpumpmedia.com if you want to be considered to ask your question on the show.
   Mind Pump Fit Tip: The MAGIC you are looking for is in the work you are AVOIDING. (2:02)
   The raw strength of Aleksandr Karelin aka The Russian Bear. (17:12)
   Mind Pump is heading back to Olympia! (19:41)
   Sasquatch is back! (23:25)
   Why Seed works differently than other probiotics. (27:03)
   A case study concerning Dynasty. (29:30)
   How a pound of muscle is NOT always a pound of muscle. (33:09)
   Fun Facts with Justin: The origins of Michael Myer’s ‘Halloween’ mask. (46:05)
   The misconception around social media fame and good business. (56:08)
   Shout out to Christopher Maznaritz. (57:45)
   #ListenerLive question #1 - How can I continue making progress without risking injuries? (59:21)
   #ListenerLive question #2 - What can someone over 50 realistically expect regarding muscle growth? (1:11:50)
   #ListenerLive question #3 - Can you squat ass to grass with heavy loads? (1:24:22)
   #ListenerLive question #4 - How far can I continue pushing calories and not feel like I’m putting on weight? (1:36:24)
   Related Links/Products Mentioned
   Ask a question to Mind Pump, live! Email: live@mindpumpmedia.com
   Visit Seed for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Promo code MINDPUMP at checkout for 30% off your first month’s supply of Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic**
   Create a Living Trust for free – in minutes! Dynasty Trusts | GetDynasty
   October Promotion: MAPS Bands | The Skinny Guy ‘hardgainer’ Bundle 50% off! **Code OCTOBER50 at checkout**
    The Other Best Muscle Building Exercises of All Time – Mind Pump Blog
   Aleksandr Karelin - Wikipedia
   TRANSCEND your goals! Telehealth Provider • Physician Directed GET YOUR PERSONALIZED TREATMENT PLAN!  Hormone Replacement Therapy, Cognitive Function, Sleep & Fatigue, Athletic Performance and MORE. Their online process and medical experts make it simple to find out what’s right for you.
    Colorado’s Recent Sasquatch Sighting Is Probably a Prank—Right?
    Mind Pump #2187: Why Building Muscle Is More Important Than Losing Fat With Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
    Scientists Prove Coin Tosses Are Not 50-50, Reveal How To Win The Flip More Often
    William Shatner reveals the history behind Michael Myers' mask urban legend
   @scandanavian.astartes Instagram Post
    Mind Pump #2145: Forgotten Muscle & Strength Building Secrets
   Visit Butcher Box for this month’s exclusive Mind Pump offer!
   Special Promotion: For Mind Pump listeners only, Equi.Life is offering $120 off their Food Sensitivity Test. Click here for the special deal.
   Mind Pump Hormones Facebook Private Forum
    Mind Pump #1897: Why Phasing Your Workouts Is So Important & How To Properly Switch It Up
    Mind Pump #1535: Should You Squat Below Parallel?
   Mind Pump #2135: Barbell Squat Masterclass
   Mind Pump #2105: How To Become A Muscle Mommy
   Mind Pump Podcast – YouTube
   Mind Pump Free Resources
   People Mentioned
   Paul Chek (@paul.chek) Instagram
   Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (@drgabriellelyon) Instagram
   Christopher Maznaritz (scandanavian.astartes) Instagram
   Max Lugavere (@maxlugavere) Instagram
   Dr. Stephen Cabral (@stephencabral) Instagram

If you want to pump your body and expand your mind, there's only 1 place to go.

With your hosts, Sal DiStefano, Adam Schafer, and Justin Andrews.

You just found the most downloaded fitness, health, and Entertainment Podcast.

In today's episode, we answered live callers questions, but this was after an intro portion today.

This is where we talk about current events, fitness, science, our family life, and much more.

By the way, you can check the show notes for timestamps if you want to skip around to your favorite parts.

Also, want to be on an episode like this 1?

Email us your question live at mindpumpmedia.com.

Now this episode is brought to you by some sponsors.

This is the world's best probiotic, hands down.

If you want the benefits of probiotics, go with Seed.

Use the code mind pump, get 30% off your first month's order of their daily symbiotic.

This episode is also brought to you by Dynasty.

You can make a living trust online with Dynasty for free, literally for free.

We're gonna be at the Olympia in On November 4th in Florida.

That's booth number 1301 Between the hours of 10 a.m.

That's on Friday the 3rd Friday the 3rd and sorry and on September excuse me and on November 4th, that's a Saturday, from 12 to 4.

So we're actually going to be there on the 3rd and the 4th, checking things out, shaking hands, kissing babies, you know, the whole deal.

Maps Bands, half off, and the Hardgainer Bundle, half off.

You can find both of them if you, by going to mapsfitnessproducts.com and using the code October50 for that discount.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you're avoiding.

Often the exercises that you don't do or you avoid are the ones that are gonna give you the most gains.

Look, if you've been working out for a while, especially if you've been working out for a while, especially if you've been working out for a while and you remember those newbie gains that you got when you first started working out, you can tap into those by doing exercises you're not good at.

So stop avoiding them, pick them up, practice them.

Do you guys remember when you pieced this together?

Do you remember what exercise it was that you had been avoiding or muscle group or what?

It took me like a few months of just deliberate attention to finally get decent at them again.

But like that was 1, I was always mad because it was like the presidential physical fitness.

And that was like 1 of the standard ones I always like didn't do well.

I did well on everything else except for that.

Did you get the presidential fitness award?

Yeah, everybody was able to do the sit and reach and here I am crushing pull-ups and I can run and everything.

And then I'm like, I could barely get to the line.

Yeah, I did terrible at the sit and reach too.

Did you get the national or presidential?

But I remember that, or I don't remember what category I felt like cuz I remember

Yeah Yeah, that's actually good question.

But I do remember the sit-and-reach not being great that I crushed pull-ups I remember being really good.

what is the sit-ups push-ups push-ups pull-ups for girls?

Now keep in mind, I weighed like 25 pounds.

I ran over 550 something Wow Yeah, 05:52 or 05:56.

Yeah, so, you know the first time I figured this out I actually remember Specifically, it's so weird.

It just popped in my head when you said this.

I worked out in the backyard when I was a kid and my dad had a basic weight set.

So it was a bench and it was 1 of those Olympic bench sets.

So this is 1 of my, so I had, the first weights I used were the cement ones, but my dad had the iron ones in the backyard and I wasn't allowed to use them until I was like 14 and a half or whatever.

It was the 1 with the leg extension, you know, part attachment.

And I went out there and for arms, I did all the exercises, but for arms it was always barbell curls, dumbbell curls, barbell curls, dumbbell curls, okay?

And there was this preacher curl attachment that I had to take the leg extension attachment off and then slide the preacher curl on top of it.

And I just didn't do it, because I didn't know how, and I just avoided it or whatever.

So for, I don't know, 6 months or so, it was dumbbell curls, barbell curls, back and forth.

And then I remember I was reading an article about Larry Scott, the first Mr.

Olympia, and he was all about the preacher curl.

He talked about how that made his arm so big.

So I'm like, I think I can, I have that in the backyard?

So I looked around, it was all dusty, put it in there, took out the leg, then it took me forever to figure out, put it in, did preacher, and I sucked so bad because the preacher curls the tension is at the bottom because of the angle, right?

So with the barbell curl, it's like pretty easy from the bottom up to mid-range But the preacher girl all the way down I had to go way light and I couldn't do and I hated it But Because Larry Scott had these amazing arms, I stuck with it, and I'll never forget, within weeks, I saw my arms progress so fast.

And I started to piece together, like, huh, I wonder if it's because I sucked so bad at it that I'm getting this progress.

And so, from then on, it was just like, you know, this kind of dysfunctional relationship where I would realize it by doing something and then I still wouldn't do it because nobody wants to suck it at an exercise.

No, I, especially a young, insecure teenage boy.

I mean, I feel like so many lifts I experienced this with, especially all the big ones.

Finally got decent at bench press, saw huge gains.

That's rare, by the way, a young man avoiding bench.

Yeah, because my form was so terrible and I was so weak.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't even put the 40 fives on.

And all my buddies in high school and stuff could do that.

Like that just drove me crazy that I had to go put the quarters on there, which they seem tiny, tiny, tiny when you're used to the 45 plates.

didn't have the CrossFit weights back then.

I remember never squatting, always leg pressing and leg stretching.

And then I remember squatting, and then I remember never deadlifting, and then deadlifting.

Like, I remember never barbell overhead press, and then I did that.

Like, there were so many moments in my lifting career I had to learn that lesson of like oh man there's some huge value in seeking novelty and training especially as you as you get more advanced like when you're so new you can almost do anything lifting wise.

And the, and it's so long as you're got a good diet put together and you, you trained well, exercise selection and programming is, is less important.

It's always important, but it's less important than when you get into lifting for a long time and you've put 2 years plus under your belt of consistency, now this gets really important that you, you know, learning that man seeking out these movements that I suck at and that is novel to the body, man, there's massive gains there, even though you, but you have to just go through the, the mental struggle of, I'm going to suck at this.

I'm going to have to be light in the weight and, and be shitty for a month or 2 at it, but boy, that's where the gains.

The last time I did that was as an adult.

I, I love, you know, I was barbell squatting at a young age.

It's a, you know, exercise I was pretty good at.

And then there was the video, and so I was an adult.

So it was after we knew, we met Paul Cech.

And there was a video of him doing walking lunges.

I don't know what it was, like 250 pounds or something like that.

And I remember Kyle Kingsbury told us also, he's like, oh my God, I tried to work out with him.

He did walking lunges with a tremendous amount of weight.

It just, I could squat 350 pounds, but you put more than 120 pounds on my back with walking lunges and I just didn't have the stability.

So I practiced and practiced and practiced them for a while and I got to the point where I could go up to 185, but I went from 120 something to 185 in like 5 weeks.

No way I'd be able to add 50 pounds or 60 pounds.

No, not as an adult who's been training for so long.

So that's really what you're tapping into.

And you might wonder, people might think, well, why does this happen?

Well, 1 is strength and performance is as much of a skill as it is your muscles ability to contract.

So the reason why my legs were strong with a squat, 1 of the reasons I could squat a lot, but I couldn't lunge a lot was my muscles knew how to organize themselves very well with the squat.

As soon as I went into a split stance, it was like learning a new dance move.

I just, you know, your, your body can't figure it out.

So there's a lot of CNS adaptation, which by the way, CNS adaptation leads to muscle growth.

So if you're getting lots of CNS adaptation, you're like, oh my God, I added 50 pounds to a lift.

Oh, it's just because I'm better at the lift.

That is going to lead to more muscle growth.

And then the second reason is when you look at, and this is a, you know, this is largely the accepted theory with muscle fiber contraction.

When you look at the muscle fibers, the filaments as they pass by each other, I, you know, I was, I was watching an animation of muscle fibers and it looks like the best example I could give is somebody pulling a tug of war rope.

Like they're, where they're reaching over the rope over and over again.

That's kind of what muscle fibers do when they contract.

And when they are put under tension, it's like your grip getting broken a little bit at certain points.

That damage is part of the muscle building process.

That damage is going to be different depending on the angle, the tension point.

So if there's a lot of tension point in the mid-range versus at the lengthened range versus the contracted range, or isometric versus concentric or eccentric, it's slightly different, and that slight difference elicits a new signal, It's a new muscle building signal.

This is literally the intermediate and advanced hack I would say this has to be the number 1 hack with intermediate and advanced lifters

to add to that the the mistake So I piece that together and then the next mistake I make is now I'm changing things up all the time.

So the next level to this tip or the next bit of the fully understanding it is that you still...

But when you change the exercise or you go after something, you've got to stick with it long enough to get those.

Yeah, to get good at it, otherwise, if you're just constantly changing up all the time, then you're not giving the body enough time to really adapt and get good, and then build that extra muscle.

And so, there's the key there, because that was the next mistake I made, which was like every workout.

I figured this out, but then you went too far.

This was like a flex of mine, which, oh, I've never repeated, I've been lifting for 10 plus years, I've never repeated the same workout.

There's tremendous value in following a routine long enough to maximize the growth and gains from it and then transitioning out of that.

This is why strength training can be, I feel for somebody really trying to figure this out because it can sound so contradictory.

So somebody hears the novel argument And then they do what you just said.

And then here's somebody else who's like, no, no, no, practice these basic exercises, practice them off and get good at them.

And it's some really high performing athlete.

They both are and workout programming is a balance of all these different things.

And so I think you said it best just now, Adam, find something new and then practice it long enough to get good at it.

Practice and then practice something, practice something, practice something.

But there are exercises that have such a long range of benefits that you almost always should have them in at some, in 1 way, shape or form.

And those are the big lifts that we tend to talk about.

love the idea of, God, I remember another 1 I didn't name, Bulgarian split squats.

a part of why I avoided that 1 a long time.

I had to get like 20 pound dumbbells was the most.

But I mean, I was in a relatively short period of time.

I was holding 80 pound dumbbells in over the course of just a couple months.

Like, and this is 10 plus years into lifting, like, I'm that you're not getting I'm not getting that anywhere else.

And so, yeah, there's just there's a and then after doing that and then coming back to barbell back squats again.

So I love to take the core lifts that we always talk about, find a lift within those lifts that you don't.

For example, let's use overhead press, Z-press.

Go get really good to Z-press for say 3 months, then go back and do your bar

If you haven't done, you know, Bulgarian split squats dedicated for, you know, a 3 month block of getting really good at it.

Then come back to barbell back squats like interrupt those those core 4 or 5 lifts that we always talk about with these novel variations of them or similar to them, and then revisit that and see what you get.

Deficit deadlift, then back to deadlift, or like my favorite was front squats, to then back to the squats.

I know that's always 1 that it seems like an obvious exercise that people should like just keep on their radar and it just it tends to fall to the crash because it's hard.

It's very challenging and especially to like you know there's there's different positions now you can hold it So it's not so demanding on the wrists and you don't have to have the mobility for it But in terms of the overall value of it and what you're gonna get from that in terms of like your overall Strength and squatting it's it's phenomenal and you have to consider all this

Here's your tip here's your hint that you may have experienced what we're talking about.

If you've been working out for a while, you know exactly, you've probably experienced this, where you'll do a new exercise or a new rep range, or you do the same exercise in a different way, with a pause or change of tempo, and all of a sudden you get sore.

Not that soreness is the be all end all signal, but it is interesting that you're fit, you're consistent with your workouts, all you did was change the exercise and all of a sudden you're sore.

There's a hint that this is sending a different signal.

I love that you brought front squats up because I remember when, so you've heard me share before about my journey with the incline bench press.

I feel like front squats are the incline bench press of bench pressing, meaning that what ends up happening is So many lifters get good at bench pressing so good at bench pressing that they're incline press to their bench press There's such a large discrepancy

they don't want to do it And even if they do it they interrupt it for a little bit And then they're like oh back to bench because I can bench 315 but incline I can only do 185 at best.

And so they don't want to have to do that.

And so maybe they interrupted a little bit and then they go back.

They never have actually said, okay, I'm going to stay good at this incline bench and see how close to my regular bench I get.

And let me tell you, you can get damn near close, if not the same as, as strong on your incline as you can flat.

You get really good at a back squat, you know you're back squatting 400 pounds, but then you can't do more than 225 front squats, so you get this like, I don't wanna do this because I'm so weak.

But then I went on a kick, same thing with the front squat, of trying to catch my front squat up to my back squat.

I never caught all the way up, but I got close, and that was some of the best gains I've ever seen on my legs

Speaking of strength, so I've brought this person up before on the podcast, and I just learned something new about them.

They're just a, they're a fascinating athlete.

This athlete was a Greco-Roman wrestler from the Soviet Union, Alexander Kerrlin.

I've talked about him before, the Russian bear.

2189: How Much Muscle You Can Build Over the Age of 50, the Pros & Cons of Squatting Deep With a Heavy Load, the Risk of Perpetually Pursuing More Strength as an Advanced Lifter & More (Listener Live Coaching)

See all Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth transcripts on Applepodcasts

2189: How Much Muscle You Can Build Over the Age of 50, the Pros & Cons of Squatting Deep With a Heavy Load, the Risk of Perpetually Pursuing More Strength as an Advanced Lifter & More (Listener Live Coaching)