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Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Build Strength, Muscle Size & Endurance | Huberman Lab Podcast #65

Andrew Huberman・202 minutes read

The Huberman Lab Podcast, hosted by Andrew Huberman and guest Dr. Andy Galpin, provides science-based tools for fitness, discussing principles of exercise adaptations, training methods, hydration, nutrition, and supplementation. Dr. Galpin offers expert advice on building fitness, emphasizing the importance of exercise selection, volume, intensity, rest intervals, and proper execution for strength, hypertrophy, endurance, and overall athletic development.

Insights

  • Dr. Galpin provides expert insights on fitness, covering endurance, strength, hypertrophy, flexibility, hydration, nutrition, and supplementation, emphasizing clear communication on training methods for various exercise goals.
  • Dr. Galpin links training recommendations to necessary physiological changes in the nervous system, muscle fibers, and genetics, highlighting the importance of understanding exercise adaptations.
  • The podcast features Dr. Galpin as a trusted source of exercise information, offering zero-cost content on social media backed by peer-reviewed studies and practical experience with diverse research subjects.
  • Andrew Huberman announces live events focusing on mental and physical health tools, separate from the podcast, providing unique information for attendees.
  • Sponsored by Athletic Greens, Thesis, and Inside Tracker, the podcast promotes an all-in-one vitamin drink, personalized nootropics, and personalized nutrition analysis for lifestyle changes based on individual health goals.
  • Differentiation of physiological systems is crucial for understanding muscle fatigue and the ability to sustain work, emphasizing the importance of progressive overload for improvement in any exercise category.
  • Proper execution of exercises is vital, focusing on correct movement patterns, muscle activation, and recovery strategies, with an emphasis on training frequency and exercise selection for optimal results.
  • Hydration, recovery methods, and supplements like sodium bicarbonate and beta alanine play essential roles in optimizing exercise performance, fatigue reduction, and overall health, offering practical tools for individuals seeking to improve their fitness levels.

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Recent questions

  • What are the key principles of exercise adaptations discussed in the Huberman Lab Podcast?

    The Huberman Lab Podcast delves into various principles of exercise adaptations, emphasizing the importance of understanding concepts like skill improvement, speed, power, strength, hypertrophy, and different forms of endurance. Dr. Galpin, a kinesiology professor, provides insights into the physiological changes necessary for exercise adaptations, linking specific training recommendations to the nervous system, muscle fibers, and genetics. The podcast highlights the significance of progressive overload for improvement in any category, achieved through variables like adding weights, repetitions, frequency, or complexity to movements. Differentiation of physiological systems, anaerobic power, VO2 max, and long-duration endurance are also discussed, along with the importance of exercise choice, intensity, volume, rest intervals, and progression for effective training methods and adaptations.

  • How can one optimize hydration for exercise performance according to the Galpin Equation?

    The Galpin Equation emphasizes the importance of optimal hydration for health and functionality, providing straightforward solutions that work for most individuals most of the time. It suggests guidelines for daily water intake, recommending consuming half your body weight in ounces and additional fluid to replace losses during exercise. Post-workout hydration is crucial, with a recommendation to drink 125-150% of the weight lost in fluid to maintain hydration levels. The podcast also discusses the impact of diet quality on hydration, highlighting the importance of whole foods over processed options. Monitoring sodium intake based on individual sweat levels is crucial, with low and high sodium sweaters needing different electrolyte supplements. The Galpin Equation offers practical advice on maintaining hydration levels for optimal exercise performance and overall well-being.

  • What are the benefits and considerations of ice immersion and heat exposure post-workout?

    The Huberman Lab Podcast explores the effects of ice immersion and heat exposure post-workout on recovery and performance. Ice immersion is cautioned against immediately after strength or hypertrophy training due to potential negative impacts on muscle growth, but it can enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and endurance adaptations. Heat exposure, on the other hand, can increase growth hormone, vasodilation, and sweating ability, aiding in blood flow, nutrient delivery, and waste removal. Sauna or hot baths post-training may augment hypertrophy, but they are not recommended as a replacement for regular exercise. The podcast discusses the importance of proper hydration after heat exposure to replenish lost fluids and highlights the benefits and considerations of both ice immersion and heat exposure for recovery and overall health.

  • How can individuals optimize their breathing techniques for exercise performance and recovery?

    The Huberman Lab Podcast delves into the significance of breathing techniques for exercise performance and recovery. Different breathing strategies are employed based on the need to combat low oxygen or high CO2 levels, with nasal breathing and a double exhale length relative to inhale recommended for calming breaths. Various techniques like box breathing or triangle breathing can be utilized for relaxation, with a brief down regulation period post-workout significantly improving recovery and energy levels. The podcast emphasizes the importance of proper breathing between sets and after workouts for efficient recovery and nervous system regulation. Athletes engage in specific breathing routines tailored to their sport, crucial for performance enhancement and overall well-being.

  • What are the key considerations for balancing endurance and strength training to optimize gains?

    The Huberman Lab Podcast discusses the key considerations for balancing endurance and strength training to optimize gains. The interference effect, studied by Hickman in 1980, showed that combining endurance and strength training could compromise muscle growth and strength development. Concurrent training, combining hypertrophy, strength, and endurance, resulted in lower strength gains compared to hypertrophy alone. However, endurance athletes can benefit from adding strength training to their regimen without compromising endurance gains. The podcast highlights the importance of balancing different types of endurance training, including muscular endurance exercises, to contribute to overall fitness. It also provides insights into the interference effect, mechanisms like mTOR and AMPK, and the significance of long-duration endurance training for health and performance improvements.

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Summary

00:00

"Fitness Masterclass: Science-Based Tools for Health"

  • The Huberman Lab Podcast discusses science and science-based tools for everyday life, hosted by Andrew Huberman, a neurobiology and ophthalmology professor at Stanford School of Medicine, with guest Dr. Andy Galpin, a kinesiology professor at California State University.
  • Dr. Galpin provides a masterclass on building fitness, covering endurance, strength, hypertrophy (muscle growth), flexibility, hydration for exercise, nutrition, and supplementation.
  • Dr. Galpin's expertise spans various levels of exercise science, offering clear communication on sets, repetitions, and training methods for strength, muscle growth, endurance, and cardiovascular function.
  • He links specific training recommendations to the necessary physiological changes in the nervous system, muscle fibers, and genetics for exercise adaptations.
  • Dr. Galpin is a trusted source for exercise information, providing zero-cost content on Instagram and Twitter, backed by peer-reviewed studies and practical experience with diverse research subjects.
  • Andrew Huberman announces live events in Seattle and Portland in May, focusing on mental and physical health tools, separate from the podcast but offering unique information.
  • The podcast is sponsored by Athletic Greens, offering an all-in-one vitamin mineral probiotic drink, and Thesis, providing personalized nootropics for specific brain functions.
  • Inside Tracker, a personalized nutrition platform analyzing blood and DNA data, offers clear directives for lifestyle changes based on individual health goals.
  • Dr. Galpin shares principles of exercise adaptations, including skill improvement, speed, power (a combination of speed and strength), strength, hypertrophy (muscle growth), and various forms of endurance.
  • The discussion delves into the importance of understanding these concepts for personal and athletic development, emphasizing the distinction between different types of training methods and adaptations.

11:55

Enhancing Physiological Systems Through Progressive Overload

  • Differentiation of physiological systems: local muscle fatigue to overall physiological system's ability to produce and sustain work.
  • Anaerobic power: Ability to produce work for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
  • VO2 max: Ability to sustain work for 3 to 12 minutes.
  • Long duration endurance: Ability to sustain work for 30+ minutes without breaks.
  • Importance of progressive overload for improvement in any category.
  • Ways to achieve progressive overload: adding weights, repetitions, frequency, or complexity to movements.
  • Modifiable variables in workout: exercise choice, intensity, volume, rest intervals, progression.
  • Exercise choice: crucial for success, not the sole determinant of adaptation.
  • Intensity: based on percentage of one rep max or maximum heart rate.
  • Volume: determined by the number of reps and sets performed.

23:29

Optimal Movement Patterns for Effective Workouts

  • Correct movement pattern is crucial, not intensity or rep ranges.
  • Focus on moving correctly and allowing time for tissue tolerance development.
  • Soreness is not an indicator of a good workout, even for professional athletes.
  • Stress is necessary for adaptation, so leaving the gym feeling like you did something is important.
  • Soreness level should ideally be around a three on a scale of one to ten.
  • It's okay to train a sore muscle, as soreness doesn't mean the muscle isn't ready for training.
  • Training frequency is vital for adaptations, with more frequency generally being better.
  • Exercise selection should prioritize full range of motion and avoiding injury.
  • Balance between movement areas like upper body press, upper body pull, lower body hinge, and lower body press is essential.
  • Intensity is crucial for strength development, activating slow twitch muscle fibers first.

34:25

Maximize muscle strength with specific training

  • To activate higher threshold neurons, demand the muscle to produce more force, specifically challenging the muscle to develop strength.
  • Aging-related muscle issues stem from losing fast twitch fibers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining these fibers.
  • Untrained individuals respond similarly to various exercises, showing improvements in muscle strength and size regardless of the type of exercise.
  • Specificity in strength training is crucial, following the SAID principle for specific adaptation to imposed demand.
  • True strength training requires high loads, typically above 85% of one rep max, with low repetition ranges of five or less.
  • Personal fitness levels determine the total sets needed per exercise, with around three sets per exercise being sufficient.
  • Warm-up gradually to reach 85% intensity, avoiding sudden high loads without proper preparation.
  • Rest intervals of 2-4 minutes between sets are essential to maintain intensity and prevent fatigue.
  • Super setting exercises can save time in workouts, but for maximal strength gains, avoid super setting for professional athletes.
  • Training frequency is vital, with recovery determining how often a muscle can be trained, focusing on recovery for hypertrophy goals.

46:06

"Optimizing Strength and Hypertrophy Training Methods"

  • Protein synthesis for building new tissue takes 48 to 72 hours to occur.
  • True strength training does not induce much damage, leading to minimal soreness.
  • Hypertrophy and strength have different primary drivers, with intensity being key for strength.
  • Frequency can be high for strength training, allowing training the same muscle daily.
  • Early adaptations to strength training focus on the nervous system, with sustained hypertrophy taking around four weeks.
  • Muscle contraction involves a signal, muscular contraction, and connective tissue interactions.
  • Changes in muscle size do not guarantee increased strength, as other factors like biomechanics play a role.
  • Recovery time of 72 hours is optimal for hypertrophy training to allow for protein synthesis.
  • Frequency is important for hypertrophy training, with around 10 working sets per muscle group per week being the minimum threshold.
  • Total volume is crucial for hypertrophy, with well-trained individuals needing 15 to 20 working sets per muscle group per week.

58:04

"Muscle Recovery, Training, and Hypertrophy Essentials"

  • Exhausting a muscle leads to soreness, requiring recovery time.
  • Optimal recovery time after intense muscle work is six days.
  • Working out without a partner can hinder correct execution.
  • Stimulants like coffee are acceptable, but not recommended for workouts.
  • Strength training repetition ranges are typically five or less, with varying frequencies.
  • For hypertrophy, effective repetition ranges are between five to 30 reps per set.
  • Strength athletes often train twice a day for optimal results.
  • Hypertrophy training is simpler than strength training but requires taking muscles to failure.
  • Three main drivers of muscle hypertrophy are metabolic stress, mechanical tension, and muscular damage.
  • Proper execution of exercises involves feeling the targeted muscle contract, experiencing a pump, and feeling soreness the next day.

01:08:44

"Optimize Workouts with Mind-Muscle Connection"

  • Mondays consist of sets of 10 days, Wednesdays of sets of 20 days, and Fridays of sets of 30 days for a workout routine.
  • The three to five concept for strength involves choosing three to five exercises, doing three to five reps and sets, resting three to five minutes in between, and repeating three to five times a week.
  • Differentiate between strength and power by focusing on intensity, with strength requiring 85%+ of max weight and power needing lighter weights for speed.
  • The mind plays a crucial role in muscle contraction, with intent to move being more important than actual movement velocity for power development.
  • The mind-muscle connection is vital for hypertrophy, with studies showing that focusing on contracting muscles harder can lead to more growth.
  • Looking at and focusing on muscles during workouts can enhance muscle recruitment and potential for hypertrophy.
  • Inability to engage certain muscle groups can hinder progress, with specific techniques like squeezing shoulder blades together before pulling helping activate muscles like lats.
  • Proper execution of exercises is crucial for muscle development, with technique, rep range, and execution determining results.
  • To ensure back muscle activation during exercises like bent rows, focus on squeezing shoulder blades together before pulling the barbell to the belly button.
  • Coaching for improved movement quality starts with increasing awareness of specific muscle groups and providing tactical prompts for correct activation.

01:20:22

"Optimizing Belt Use for Core Strength"

  • Wearing a belt can increase abdominal strength if used correctly.
  • Cinching a belt tightly without engaging core muscles can lead to a loss of strength in the midsection.
  • Using a belt with slight tightness for sensory feedback can activate core muscles more effectively.
  • Proprioceptive feedback involves nerves and sensory inputs that control muscle contractions.
  • Providing proprioceptive feedback through tapping or visualization can enhance muscle activation.
  • Eccentric overload, like lowering weights under control, can target difficult-to-activate muscles effectively.
  • Eccentric movements can lead to more soreness but are beneficial for strength development.
  • Breathing and bracing during weight training can vary based on the exercise intensity.
  • A strategy of breath holding during the eccentric phase and exhaling during the concentric phase is effective.
  • Proper breathing between sets and after workouts is crucial for efficient recovery and nervous system regulation.

01:31:41

Optimal Breathing Techniques for Athletes

  • Athletes engage in specific breathing routines tailored to their sport, crucial for performance.
  • Different breathing strategies are employed based on the need to combat low oxygen or high CO2 levels.
  • Post-exercise, a down regulation strategy involving light and breath control is essential for optimal recovery.
  • Nasal breathing and a double exhale length relative to inhale are recommended for calming breaths.
  • Various breathing techniques like box breathing or triangle breathing can be utilized for relaxation.
  • A brief down regulation period post-workout significantly improves recovery and energy levels.
  • A 3-minute down regulation session, focusing on exhale emphasized breathing, can be highly beneficial.
  • Internal signals of safety through calming strategies are vital for overall well-being and performance.
  • Exercise choice in endurance training should prioritize activities with minimal eccentric landing to prevent muscle damage.
  • Endurance training frequency can be daily, even alongside strength and hypertrophy training, without compromising gains.

01:43:11

Balancing Cardio and Strength Training for Gains

  • Zone two cardio may not significantly impact hypertrophy for most individuals.
  • Doing 150 to 180 minutes of zone two cardio per week, split into three or four sessions, does not matter if done before or after strength training.
  • The interference effect, studied by Hickman in 1980, showed that combining endurance and strength training led to compromised muscle growth and strength development.
  • Concurrent training, combining hypertrophy, strength, and endurance, resulted in lower strength gains compared to hypertrophy.
  • Endurance athletes benefit from adding strength training to their regimen without compromising endurance gains.
  • The interference effect, while real, may be overemphasized and is influenced by factors like energy intake and exercise type.
  • Mechanisms like mTOR and AMPK explain how endurance training can inhibit muscle growth.
  • The interference effect is less significant unless high volume, eccentric-based movements are performed without controlled energy intake.
  • Long-duration endurance training is crucial for overall health, regardless of heart rate zones, and can be incorporated into daily activities like pacing or walking during phone calls.
  • To improve cardiovascular health and endurance, incorporating high-intensity sessions once a week to reach maximum heart rate is recommended.

01:54:31

Max Heart Rate: Key to Fitness Success

  • Max heart rate is not a reliable indicator of physical fitness; it varies greatly among individuals.
  • To determine your max heart rate, perform the hardest workout possible and note the highest heart rate achieved.
  • An alternative method is to subtract your age from 220 to estimate max heart rate.
  • Aim for a workout that pushes you to your limits, such as sprinting or intense interval training.
  • Getting to a true max heart rate may take longer than 30 seconds of intense exercise.
  • Achieving max heart rate is crucial for cardiovascular adaptations and overall fitness improvements.
  • Different individuals may reach physiological failure in various ways, affecting their training needs.
  • Incorporating high-intensity interval training once a week can complement other training routines.
  • Repeated bouts of near-max heart rate efforts, ideally 4 to 8, can enhance cardiovascular fitness.
  • Balancing different types of endurance training, including muscular endurance exercises like planks, can contribute to overall fitness.

02:05:02

Optimizing Work Output and Preventing Injuries

  • Breathing through your nose can increase work output and provide additional benefits.
  • Sustaining hard work for 8 to 12 minutes at 80% intensity with 2 minutes of rest in between is ideal.
  • Mile repeats, running a certain distance and resting the same amount, provide a good work-to-rest ratio.
  • Engaging in 2 to 6 minutes of hard work followed by rest, repeated as many times as possible, is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
  • Nasal breathing during intense work is preferred, but mouth breathing is acceptable if needed.
  • Muscular endurance is crucial for joint health and maintaining proper muscle function.
  • Different muscle fibers, fast twitch and slow twitch, serve different functions in the body.
  • Maintaining muscular endurance in slow twitch muscles prevents fatigue and joint instability during intense activities.
  • Injuries during weightlifting often occur due to poor positioning or excessive volume, intensity, or complexity.
  • Training just below the pain threshold improves tissue tolerance and desensitization, aiding in pain management and injury prevention.

02:17:10

Optimal Hydration: Importance and Guidelines

  • Hydration is crucial for health and functionality, with the Galpin Equation emphasizing the importance of finding straightforward solutions that work for most people most of the time.
  • Hormetic curves in physiology show that optimal hydration is essential, as under-hydration can lead to death while over-hydration can cause hyponatremia.
  • A guideline for daily water intake suggests consuming half your body weight in ounces, with additional fluid needed to replace losses during exercise.
  • After a workout, aim to drink 125-150% of the weight lost in fluid to maintain hydration levels, especially if not weighing yourself before and after.
  • Caffeine's diuretic effects depend on intake levels, with natural forms like coffee and tea being less concerning than synthetic forms like pills.
  • Diet quality impacts hydration, with whole foods providing more fluid content than processed, dehydrated options.
  • Sodium intake should be monitored based on individual sweat levels, with low and high sodium sweaters needing different electrolyte supplements.
  • Sweat testing can determine individual sodium levels, with professional and consumer-grade options available to assess sodium needs.
  • Athletes often require higher salt intake, but those with hypertension or obesity should be cautious with sodium consumption.
  • Increasing sodium intake can benefit many individuals, improving how they feel while staying within healthy hazard ratio levels.

02:28:27

Optimizing Hydration and Salt Intake for Performance

  • Salt intake is crucial, with recommended daily amounts varying based on individual needs.
  • Biosensors for real-time salt metrics are in development, offering a new way to monitor salt levels.
  • Monitoring salt levels through sweat bands during workouts can indicate individual salt output.
  • Fluid intake guidelines suggest half of body weight in ounces daily, with adjustments during exercise based on salt output.
  • Pre-workout hydration is essential, with specific guidelines for poorly hydrated individuals.
  • Consuming 500 milligrams of salt before and after workouts is a general rule, with variations based on individual needs.
  • During exercise, following the Galpin Equation for fluid intake every 15-20 minutes is recommended.
  • Proper hydration is crucial for performance, with the gut being trainable to handle fluid intake during exercise.
  • Recovery post-exercise is emphasized, especially for individuals with limited opportunities for hydration during activity.
  • Cold exposure, like ice baths, should be avoided immediately after strength or hypertrophy training to prevent potential negative impacts on muscle growth.

02:39:41

"Effects of Ice and Heat on Recovery"

  • Ice immersion post-workout is not advisable due to interference with hypertrophy.
  • For strength development, ice immersion post-workout is less concerning.
  • Ice immersion can enhance mitochondrial biogenesis and endurance adaptations.
  • Ice immersion is more beneficial for recovery than for hypertrophy or strength.
  • Heat exposure can increase growth hormone, vasodilation, and sweating ability.
  • Sauna or hot baths immediately post-training may augment hypertrophy.
  • Heat exposure aids blood flow, nutrient delivery, and waste removal.
  • Heat exposure should not be a substitute for exercise but can be beneficial for general health.
  • Sauna workouts are not recommended as a replacement for regular exercise.
  • Hydration is crucial after heat exposure to replenish lost fluids.

02:50:32

Cold Water Immersion Benefits and Techniques

  • Taking HRV in the morning can show a significant drop after ice exposure, indicating a shift to a sympathetic state.
  • Continued monitoring of HRV post-ice exposure for up to two to three hours can lead to an improved HRV score compared to the initial reading.
  • Cold water immersion acts as a hormetic stressor, resulting in increased relaxation throughout the day, as observed consistently in athletes.
  • Immersion in 30-degree water for three minutes can reduce the need for caffeine intake.
  • Sitting still in cold water creates a thermal layer, but moving around breaks it, intensifying the cold exposure.
  • Immersion in 50-degree water with a whirlpool jet is more challenging than a 30-degree water bath.
  • Filling a bathtub with cool to cold water and moving limbs can replicate the benefits of ice exposure.
  • Studies have shown increased dopamine and epinephrine levels in cold water exposure, even at 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Recovery gauging methods include grip strength assessment and the carbon dioxide tolerance test, which are not fictional and have ongoing research.
  • Analyzing visible stressors, hidden stressors, and recovery capacity helps optimize stress intake and recovery for maximal adaptation and performance improvement.

03:01:39

"Sleep trackers, grip strength, and energy sources"

  • Many devices that claim to track sleep actually monitor heart rate and breathing, which are related to sleep depth but not the same.
  • Sleep trackers have raised awareness about the importance of good sleep.
  • Monitoring morning pulse rate upon waking can provide insights into stress levels.
  • Grip strength can be measured using a classic scale or a more technical device.
  • The carbon dioxide tolerance test involves four deep slow breaths, measuring exhale duration to gauge lung capacity.
  • Consistency is key when using the carbon dioxide tolerance test to assess recovery or post-training performance.
  • Sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, can enhance training output by regulating pH levels in the body.
  • Sodium bicarbonate helps maintain optimal pH levels for enzymatic function during muscle contraction.
  • Fat is primarily used aerobically for energy, while carbohydrates are stored locally in muscles for quick energy release.
  • Oxygen availability is crucial for efficient energy production from carbohydrates and fats during exercise.

03:13:00

"Delay Fatigue with Sodium Bicarbonate and Supplements"

  • Pyruvic acid can grab a hydrogen to become lactate, which is not the cause of fatigue but can prevent it.
  • Lactate system can be overwhelmed quickly, leading to increased acidity.
  • Sodium bicarbonate can be used to create a more alkaline state, delaying fatigue.
  • Start with a lower amount of sodium bicarbonate, like half a teaspoon, and gradually increase if needed.
  • Sodium bicarbonate solution should be consumed around 45 minutes before exercise.
  • Sodium bicarbonate can reduce perceived and real fatigue during exercise.
  • Sodium bicarbonate can be used repeatedly for longer duration training.
  • Beta alanine is another effective supplement that delays acid buildup in muscles.
  • Creatine monohydrate is highly effective across various health and performance domains.
  • Absolute rest is a cutting-edge project focusing on high-quality sleep by addressing psychological, physiological, and potential pathological issues.

03:24:01

"Optimizing Sleep: Simple Solutions and Supplements"

  • A simple pillow placed on the back led to an 85% reduction in sleep awakeness issues on the first night.
  • Testosterone tripled after three months by improving sleep through side sleeping.
  • Environmental factors, like temperature and humidity, play a significant role in sleep quality.
  • A device can conduct full environmental scans in bedrooms to optimize sleep conditions.
  • CO2 buildup around the face during sleep can lead to breathing issues and disrupt sleep.
  • AbsoluteRest.com offers a commercial device for optimizing sleep environments.
  • Thorne supplements are recommended for quality ingredients, with a 20% discount available at Thorne.com/u/huberman.
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