How to gain muscle | Andrew Huberman and Lex Fridman

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GUEST BIO:
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist at Stanford.

PODCAST INFO:

SOCIAL:

[Medicine]

Lex Fridman will begin his transition to Flex Bigman.

[huzefahamid]

My notes:

1. Avoid cold immersion (ice baths and being in uncomfortably cold water up to the neck) within the 4 hours after a training session designed to evoke an adaptation (endurance, hypertrophy or strength.

The inflammation you experience from a hard workout is the stimulus by which you’ll adapt, and cold-water immersion reduces inflammation and can short-circuit some of that. After 4 hours, you’re probably okay, but it’s better to do cold-water immersion on a different day or before training sessions.

That said, for people who are only interested in performance and are doing many workouts and trying to recover but not trying to grow muscle or get stronger or build endurance, e.g., skill development, or you’re an athlete in season, it makes sense to do cold water immersion.

Cold showers after training do not short-circuit the training effect to the same extent as immersion in cold water. Cold showers, even though they can provide adrenaline for the mental effects, will not have the same metabolic effect or other positive effects that cold water immersion has been shown to have. (That’s unfortunate because most people can access cold showers but not cold water or ice dunk.)


2. Heat can be applied immediately after training, and it’s probably beneficial because it dilates the vascular system and proliferates the muscles and ligaments with more nutrients.

3. The 3-by-5 concept for strength training: pick 3 to 5 compound (multi-joint movement) exercises for 3-5 repetitions per set, rest for 3-5 minutes, and do that 3-5 times weekly. People training primarily for strength can do these low-rep type regiments frequently because most of the adaptation is neural, and you’re not pushing to failure in most cases, so you don’t get that sore. The motor neurons are getting the muscle fibers to contract more intensely or efficiently, leading to these strength gains. That’s why powerlifters can train 4-5 days or week or even daily.

4. For hypertrophy, the rep range can be broad: anywhere from 6 to 30 reps. You should do ten sets per muscle group weekly (maybe even more). So, high volume. And you should go to failure to stimulate growth. The broad rep range works for hypertrophy because there are three ways to stimulate hypertrophy: 1. Microdamage to the tissue. 2. Tension-based changes in the molecular gene programs of cells lead to protein synthesis. 3. Metabolic effects of high-rep work of super-fusion of the muscle with blood. (We know this exists because people are doing blood-restricted training where they cuff off the muscle and use a light weight.)

5. Andrew goes to the gym on alternate days, not consecutive days. In between, he does cardio: 30–45-minute jog in Zone 2.

6. To build endurance while building strength and maintaining or building muscle size, do two things:
a. take one day a week and do max heart rate work for 90 seconds (maybe twice with rest in between). Andrew does a 90-second sprint.
b. Plus, run a mile and walk or rest for the time it took you to do the mile run, run another mile as fast as you can, and then rest again. Do that 1-3 times once per week.

7. So, as an all-around fitness program:
a. Work out with weights for about an hour every other day. It’s okay to take two days off occasionally.
b. Go to 6-15 reps. Push to failure on some of those, but not all, because some are designed to build more strength, and some are designed for hypertrophy.
c. On off days, jog for 30-45 minutes.
d. Do some all-out sprints twice a week (maybe at the end of the jog). Rest & repeat.

This adds to decent strength protocols, hypertrophy, and cardiovascular training that establishes the A-base.

You won’t get exceptionally good at anything, e.g., you won’t become a marathoner this way or optimize powerlifting or hypertrophy. But most people want some strength, some endurance, some muscle, and they want the capacity to sprint down a hallway when necessary—functional stuff.

[FacePullTiToX]

Somewhat general but overall good advice. I can 100% relate to some of the broad guidelines he suggested:
1) Lift progressively heavier weights consistenly over many years
2) pick your battle wisely when it comes to reaching failure (compound vs accessory lifts)
3) develop a good base of cardio for overall health, weight management and recovery capabilities
4) and expose your body to bouts of all-out effort (sprinting) every now and then
If more people did this, countries around the world would save trillions of dollars in 'health' care spending. Not to mention the boost in mental health that would happen as a consequence of implementing these principles

[jpswaddle]

Eat right,
Sleep right,
Train right,
Stay consistent,
Trust in the process.
Consistency is the hardest of any goal.

[roberts]

“Tension based changes on the molecular level.”

This guy.

[goprimate]

Love listening to Hubermans podcasts in the car, such a reliable and easily digested source of information!

[karlpk]

The low rep compound movement exercises (squat, deadlift, press, bench) are the heart of the Starting Strength method designed by Mark Rippetoe. I am 70, and have been doing SS for 6 years now and can squat 250, deadlift 325, press, overhead press 125, all with the barbell. Bench is weak, 180. Do two exercises on lift day, lift every third day more or less. In between, row 45 minutes at Zone 2. Based on this, I will add the 90 second twice HIIT approach.

[RatherCrunchyMuffin]

What I would love these two to explore is the benefits of a self induced penile vascular stimulus to locking in post exercise gains. Additionally a pre work out penile stimulus facilitating oxygen rich blood flow to the groin and ligaments. I often do a pre and post exercise self induced penile vascular stimulation, with the exercise itself consisting entirely of self induced penile stimulation. I do three to eight sets a day depending on when mom is grocery shopping 💪

[ashish_sunny]

I always wanted to know if I could ice bath right after a workout session. Always glad to see Hubberman at Lex's

[Marshallsimo]

Lift weights, be consistent, don't skip workouts, repeat for several years, not exactly rocket science.

[TimeWatch]

You eat the heart of a warrior. Nothing less nothing more.

[digantasarma]

Muscles develop at rest. Not during workout. A workout with appropriate intensity will stimulate growth. But, muscles are built only afterwards with good nutrition, rest and sleep.

[sweetXXXenloe]

Y’all ready? Lift things, eat things, gain muscle. Science

[lionheart]

Keep it simple. Lift, Eat, sleep/recover and repeat.

[nicwalshy]

You absolutely do not “need” to push to “failure and sometimes beyond” for hypertrophy and the research overwhelmingly supports this. You should probably do it sometimes and very sparingly due to the fatigue cost of doing so

[jopiedope]

I think the last part of this section was so crucial. Train for utility. I like to throw my kids around in the pool. Now that my kids are (11, 7) and getting heavier, I need to train more squads and military presses for that kind of stuff. In play soccer so I don’t want to get too big (I’m already 220) so I’m doing lighter weights more reps. But also when you’re older and have grandkids, for instance, you can train specifically for that. This whole notion that you actually set goals that fits lifestyle is something that only occurred to me a few years ago.

[jordanc]

-Two cameras
-Black clothes on black background
-no graphic animation or zooms

Take note kids, Lex still gets the views!
(Quality valuable information)

[daledale]

Consistency is by far the most important ingredient

[kobe]

Thank you for adding that info about the cuffs. Very responsible on your part.

[outlawvoodoo]

Huberman and Dr. Mike Isreatel should do a sit down