How do you stay motivated to hit the gym even on a bad day? For me, consistency is key. I’ve established a rule: no skipping workouts due to a bad mood. This underscores the importance of a structured training program. When you freestyle your workouts, skipping a session becomes much more tempting. However, when you trust your ability to stick to a plan, skipping becomes less likely. A bad day isn’t a valid excuse to neglect your fitness. Early in my training, I pressured myself to perform at my peak, regardless of how I felt. Over time, I learned that fluctuating progress is normal. You’ll have good days and bad days. On a bad day, accept it, follow your program, and complete the workout. Don’t dwell on subpar lifts; you’ll rebound. Interestingly, my worst pre-workout moods often translate into my best training sessions. Conversely, feeling hyped doesn’t guarantee a great workout. Pre-workout feelings aren’t reliable predictors of performance. Remember this, trust your program, and stay consistent for long-term success.
What’s the ideal muscle mass for optimal health, and is there a point where excessive muscle becomes detrimental? This is a fascinating question. I believe most health benefits from exercise stem from resistance training and increased strength, not solely from muscle mass gains. This is my personal view, not scientifically backed, but I believe benefits like improved bone density, joint and ligament health, strength gains, and reduced age-related strength/muscle loss primarily come from getting stronger. Lifting weights also offers peripheral benefits like improved insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health. Numerous positive health effects arise from resistance training, and I doubt naturally building excessive muscle becomes detrimental. Negative effects typically arise from steroid abuse, where excessive muscle mass strains the heart, leading to potential heart problems. Naturally achieving such muscle mass is improbable. As a rule of thumb, more natural muscle is likely better, unless accompanied by a high body fat percentage. Many confuse a fit appearance with guaranteed health. While generally true that fitter individuals are healthier than the average sedentary person, I know many aesthetically muscular people who aren’t healthy due to excessive leanness. For men, dropping below 8-10% body fat can lead to health complications like low testosterone and psychological issues like body dysmorphia. For women, the risks are even higher with potential amenorrhea, reduced bone density, and increased osteoporosis risk. Leanness doesn’t equate to health. Another potential issue with high muscle mass is overtraining, leading to injuries. I see this in individuals obsessed with maximizing muscle growth. However, with moderation, weight training and building muscle are generally positive for health, and I don’t believe there’s a tipping point into negativity without steroid use or obsessive exercising.
How do rest times change based on training variations? I’ve addressed rest times before in a fundamentals video, but I’ll recap since many missed it. The key is understanding how rest fits into muscle growth fundamentals. Volume matters; there’s a dose-response relationship between volume and hypertrophy. More volume (up to a point) equals more growth. Progressive overload is also crucial, consistently increasing the stressor on your body (weight, sets, improved form). Finally, there’s an intensity threshold, an RPE of around 7 or 8. Volume and progressive overload are useless without training hard. So, how do rest periods fit in? Too short, and you won’t recover sufficiently to handle the same weight, diminishing volume. Too long, and your workouts drag, reducing energy and intensity. The sweet spot is 1-2 minutes between sets of 6-15 reps (the bulk of hypertrophy work). For pure strength training (under 6 reps), rest longer (3-4 minutes, even 5 for heavy sets). For high-rep work, avoid resting under 1 minute; research favors longer rest periods for hypertrophy.
Is the advice “cardio kills gains” an excuse to avoid cardio, impacting cardiovascular health? What’s the optimal amount of cardio for health in a bodybuilding routine, even if it slightly affects gains? These are excellent, slightly controversial questions. I’ll share my opinion and the American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommendations. The AHA recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity five days a week (150 minutes total) or 25 minutes of vigorous activity three days a week. These are general guidelines for a sedentary population and don’t consider individual scenarios. Alan Aragon’s 2010 article on resistance training and cardio-metabolic outcomes highlighted that cardio needs depend on lifestyle factors. Someone with a physically demanding job (e.g., agriculture) might have a high NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), burning over 2,000 calories daily from activity alone. Desk jobs might burn only 200-300 calories from fidgeting, requiring more formal cardio. Similarly, high-volume, high-rep resistance training provides significant cardio-metabolic benefits, reducing the need for separate cardio. The ideal cardio amount depends on individual factors. Personally, I walk for about half an hour 2-3 times a week, benefiting my lower back and overall fitness, allowing me to handle more volume. I also play basketball 1-2 times a week. Regarding cardio’s impact on gains, there’s a documented interference effect between endurance and muscle growth pathways. However, in practice, it depends on factors like frequency, duration, and mode. More frequent cardio increases interference. Longer duration increases interference. High-impact activities like running interfere more than cycling or swimming. Keep cardio to an effective minimum, choose lower-impact modes, and limit duration.
How does flexibility influence physique? Are there studies on stretching’s impact on muscle appearance, even if it alters origin/insertion points? Does increased mobility facilitate muscle gain through a greater range of motion? I’m unaware of studies linking flexibility and muscle growth, but years ago, FST-7 training involved pumping muscles and stretching between sets. The theory was stretching the fascia would allow more nutrients and blood into the muscle, promoting growth. This is largely bro-science. The main benefit of flexibility/mobility is enabling a full range of motion in bodybuilding exercises. Mobility needs are sport-specific, and bodybuilding doesn’t have high requirements. If you can squat to depth, perform bent-over barbell rows, and assume a sumo deadlift stance, you have sufficient mobility for full range of motion, optimizing hypertrophy. Address specific mobility limitations with targeted drills. For example, if your sumo deadlift stance is limited, work on adductor flexibility, foam roll hamstrings and inner thighs. Without specific limitations, excessive static stretching and mobility drills aren’t necessary if you can perform key movements through a full range of motion effectively.
Where do you envision yourself in five years, career and family-wise? I’ve been asked this frequently, and I have no definitive answer. Five years ago, I couldn’t have predicted my current situation, making future predictions equally challenging. I’d like to branch out beyond fitness, exploring interests like psychology, philosophy, anatomy/physiology, mainstream technology, and more. I could see myself creating a channel or podcast on mainstream science or general culture, but I’m unsure. I recently finished my PhD, so currently, our plan is to travel, focus on our careers, and see where things lead. I’m excited for the next five years.
Do drop sets work, and what’s the importance of micronutrients for gains? I’ll address drop sets here; the micronutrient question requires a longer answer for another Q&A. Dr. Brad Schoenfeld’s 2017 systematic review (linked below) found underwhelming evidence for drop sets. The main benefit seems to be efficiency, cramming volume into a short timeframe. There’s a mechanistic argument: taking a set to failure with six reps may not fully activate all slow-twitch motor units. Dropping the weight theoretically activates a broader spectrum of motor units, potentially leading to more growth. This hasn’t been fully explored in research. For advanced athletes, drop sets can be a useful intensity technique, especially in hypertrophy/metabolic stress-focused training blocks (training to failure). I use them on exercises like leg extensions, bicep preacher curls, and lateral raises – smaller muscles that can handle the strain. Use drop sets conservatively; they can hinder recovery and impede volume accumulation on heavier exercises if done too early in the workout. Use discretion, but they can be a valuable advanced tool. I’m working on a follow-up to my Technique Tuesday series, covering advanced training techniques like drop sets, supersets, rest-pause, heavy negatives, etc. Each technique will have a dedicated video explaining its practical application. I’m excited about this; many dismiss these techniques as bro-science, but they are valuable tools when used appropriately.
