Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

People can be quite creative in the ways they stifle their own progress and hold themselves back from getting what they want. From self-sabotage to negative thinking, these roadblocks (which most people don’t even know exist) are what really prevent people from reaching fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. It’s not a lack of desire or smarts. In his new book, Do It , David Nurse d...

The number one most requested product of my sports nutrition company, Legion, is something I refuse to sell. That product is BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids), and it’s one of the most popular supplements in the body composition space. Many people claim that BCAA supplements are essential for muscle growth, improve immunity, and even help with fat loss. In this podcast, I’ll explain why BCAAs are...

How can you reduce water retention? Are seed oils as bad as “they” say? What am I doing to heal my biceps tendinitis? How important is the mind-muscle connection? Should you eat white or whole wheat carbs while bulking? All of that and more in this Q&A podcast. Over on Instagram , I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy h...

Metabolism can be a nebulous topic. Most people know that their metabolism is intertwined with their health, but people’s metabolisms aren’t just “fast” or “slow.” They’re adaptive systems that depend on a multitude of variables, including environment, nutrition, genetics, stress, training, past experience, and more. To help make sense of it all and offer practical ways to apply our understanding,...

In this podcast, I’ll give you 10 simple, yet powerful insights that will help you maximize your gym time, prevent injury, and improve your performance. These training tips cover everything from myths about behind-the-neck pulldowns to exploring my favorite underrated exercises. They'll quickly equip you with valuable knowledge to level up your fitness game and optimize your workouts. Tune in and...

In this installment of the Best of Muscle For Life, you’ll hear hand-picked clips from three popular MFL episodes: an interview with Dr. WIlliam Li on how food can help fight disease, a monologue on whether you should take testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and a motivational episode for when you’re having an awful workout.  Some people—my favorite people—listen to most or even all of my podc...

Diet breaks have become more popular in the evidence-based community over the past few years. The strategy is purported not just to improve your results during a cut, but actually make dieting easier. But is the science so clear-cut? In this interview, Menno Henselmans and I discuss the scientific literature on diet breaks, including a new study in which he was involved.  Menno has been on my podc...

Weight loss supplements are a controversial topic. A lot of evidence-based people claim that all fat loss supplements are bunk. And while I agree the vast majority of weight loss supplements out there are useless, an objective review of the scientific literature does turn up certain ingredients that can help you lose fat faster. The problem with most products that contain those ingredients is mark...

Can you be both underweight and skinny fat? How do you fix it? If you’ve just had a baby, can you still workout? Should you make up missed workouts on rest days? Is it ok for your back to bend during deadlifts? Are Nordic curls worth doing? All of that and more in this Q&A podcast. Over on Instagram , I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast li...

Losing weight can be a challenging and frustrating experience for many people. While the fundamentals aren’t complicated, they require a significant amount of time, effort, and discipline. However, there are several lifestyle "hacks" that can help make the process of fat loss easier and more sustainable. These are small, simple changes that you can make to your daily routine that can have a big im...

Life can be compared to an IQ test. It’s a series of difficult problems that you need to solve with limited time, resources, and information.  Winning in life requires avoiding catastrophic moves that forfeit all your previous hard work.  That’s why books like The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking are worth reading. It provides profound ideas that, if embraced, can significantly improve your decisi...

Can ice baths and massages boost your recovery? If you’re not building muscle, do you need to change your routine or just work harder at your current program? Can lifting actually make you smarter? I’m discussing the latest scientific studies on these questions. Listen now to dive into the science! This podcast is another installment in my Research Review series of episodes, where I give you conci...

There’s more to strength training than building bigger biceps or a bigger booty. While many people start their fitness journey with the goal of improving their physique, the benefits of resistance training go far beyond looks. From improving bone density to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, strength training can help you lead a healthier, longer, and more fulfilling life. To talk about the no...

There are various ways to loosely track your body composition changes over time, like taking progress pictures or measuring your waist.  But if you want to be a little more rigorous or just have more data on how your body fat levels ae changing, you can use skinfold calipers. While no body fat measurement method is foolproof, calipers can give you a fairly accurate reading if you know what you’re...

How should you deal with workout slumps? Is reverse pyramid training better than standard pyramid training? Should you do cardio while bulking? Are ashwagandha and tongkat ali supplements worth taking? All of that and more in this Q&A podcast. Over on Instagram , I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy hearing these quest...

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the topic of flexibility and a lot of conflicting advice.  Is stretching necessary? Should you be working on mobility during your workouts? Some people say strength training itself provides all the flexibility you need, and any additional stretching should be at your discretion.  Others suggest that skipping foam rollers, massage guns, and band-work is not on...

If you start noticing these things, you know you’re on the right track. For example, you know you’re getting good at this fitness stuff when the disappointment of skipping a workout stings more than the struggle to motivate yourself to do one.  And when you notice that you're making far fewer excuses about how you eat and exercise than you used to.  Press play to hear this motivational episode on...

In this installment of the Best of Muscle For Life, you’ll hear hand-picked clips from three popular MFL episodes: an interview with Menno Henselmans on the science of self-control and willpower, a Says You episode on eating less than 1,200 calories per day, and a motivational episode on the power of habit.  Some people—my favorite people—listen to most or even all of my podcasts, but my wizbang a...

How does strength training differ from hypertrophy training? How much overlap is there?  In other words, will strength training get you bigger? Likewise, will hypertrophy training make you stronger? If you want to maximize strength gains, how should your training program look? Can you build a healthy, muscular physique with just strength training or do you also need accessory movements? And if you...

If you’re trying to lose weight, there’s nothing more frustrating than stepping on the scale and seeing the same number for days or weeks on end. It's a feeling almost everyone can relate to.  Many people hit a weight loss plateau at some point in their journey. And the good news is that there are simple solutions to help you break through. In this podcast, you’ll learn common reasons why weight l...

Is a glass of wine every day harmful if you account for the calories? What books have had a lasting impact on me? What are my favorite front delt exercises? Is watching porn unhealthy? Can you use machines instead of free weights? Is it ok to cut for 5 months? What happens after you reach your genetic potential? All of that and more in this Q&A podcast. Over on Instagram , I’ve started doing w...

In this podcast, I interview Liz, who nearly gave up on reaching her fitness goals, but joined my one-on-one coaching program and lost 38 pounds while getting stronger than ever. And in her own words, it was “easier” than any other program she tried. That’s saying something because before finding my work, Liz struggled with body image from a young age. She spent decades (and thousands of dollars)...

Long-term relationships are a lot like a garden. If you fail to water it (or, consciously do the “right things”), it can wither. The good news is there are easy ways to improve your relationship by adding or changing just a few key behaviors. If you want a practical, evidence-based book that aims to improve communication, conflict management, trust, and intimacy for couples seeking to strengthen t...

Is erythritol bad for you? A new study has been making waves, claiming that this commonly used natural, zero-calorie sweetener could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. However, as with many health-related headlines, the media has been quick to jump on the sensationalist bandwagon. So, should we be worried about erythritol? Or is this just another case of misleading information for the s...

One weird trick to improve your gut health, reduce bloating, and improve digestion? Listen to this podcast interview. That’s the trick. That’s because in it, I interview Marianna Moore, who offers practical tips on how to really influence your gut health. Hint: it’s not greens powders or supplements. The truth is gut health is a lot more complicated than many people (especially on social media) wo...