In this episode, my guest is Pavel Tsatsouline, a world-renowned strength and conditioning coach, former military special forces training instructor, author, and founder of StrongFirst—an online school focused on “low-tech, high-concept” training to build strength for men and women of all fitness levels.
We discuss the most effective and efficient ways to build strength, endurance, and flexibility. We cover bodyweight-only, free-weight, and machine-based protocols and describe training splits and lesser-known but highly effective ways to train, especially for people with limited time.
We also discuss local versus systemic nervous system and muscle recovery, how to complete training sessions with increased energy, why training to “failure” is not advised, optimal rest-between-sets protocols to improve performance, and how to vary effort levels across each week and month to ensure regular progress. This episode brings you highly practical, science-supported, and real-world-tested training methods to build strength, endurance, and flexibility from one of the world’s top experts.
Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/YC80Wvt)
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Timestamps
00:00:00 Pavel Tsatsouline
00:02:29 Fitness, Strength, Model Athlete
00:07:19 Tool: Essential Training Movements
00:13:46 Sponsors: Eight Sleep & Levels
00:16:29 Dips, Pull-Ups, Farmer Carry, Tools: Kettle Bell Mile, Grip Strength & Longevity
00:29:57 Concentric vs Eccentric Only Movements, Isometric, Tool: Pause Reps
00:38:38 Sponsor: AG1
00:39:53 “Greasing the Groove”, Cramming Analogy, Strength is a Skill
00:48:27 Tool: Greasing the Groove Protocol
00:54:12 Tool: Movement & Motivation; Nervous System
01:00:00 Frequency & Recovery, Heterochronicity, Soviet vs American Training
01:10:25 Soviet vs American Strength Schools, Periodization, Recovery
01:20:00 Sponsors: LMNT & Joovv
01:22:45 Bell Squat, Non-Spine Compressing Leg Work, Tool: Zercher Squat
01:27:15 Machines, Beginners vs Advanced?
01:28:41 Shorter Cycles? Linear & Wave Progression, Step Loading, Variable Overload
01:32:04 Strength & Endurance, Bodybuilding, “Bro Split”
01:40:28 Endurance, Cost of Adaptation, Heart Adaptations
01:46:38 Rest Periods, Interval Training, Tool: German Interval Training
01:51:34 Tool: Cardiovascular Training, Glycolytic Power Repeats; Muscle Growth
01:57:31 Sponsor: Maui Nui
01:59:00 Rest Period Activities, Tool: Protecting Back
02:04:33 Endurance Training, Anti-Glycolytic Revolution, Specialized vs Variety
02:11:30 Not Seeking the “Pump”, Repeated Sprint Ability, Tool: Anti-Glycolytic Endurance Training
02:19:06 Seek Soreness or Pump?, Hypertrophy
02:23:05 Tool: Planning Strength & Endurance Training, Individualization
02:32:27 Training Quality, Practiced Skill
02:35:39 Non-Athletes, Strength & Endurance, Training Duration
02:40:20 Post-Exercise Fatigue, Tools: Fragmentation, Feedback, Volume
02:48:01 Pre-Workout Stimulants
02:53:51 Performance & Arousal, Breathing, Disinhibition, Emotion
03:03:42 Train to Failure?, Recovery
03:08:40 Flexibility, Range of Motion Training, Kettle Bell, Tool: Wall Squat
03:14:57 Training for Flexibility; Training as a Practice
03:17:46 Older Adults & Strength Training, Consistency Over Intensity
03:25:08 Body-Weight vs Barbell vs Kettlebell Training
03:34:06 Kettlebell Training, Swings, Power & Endurance
03:41:55 Training Choices, Tool: Simple, Consistent Program
03:47:38 Kids & Training, General vs Specialization?
03:51:21 Core Work, Abdominals, Tools: Tension & Attention; ‘Pressurize’ Abs
04:03:34 Breathing, Force, Strength
04:05:02 Directing Gaze While Weightlifting
04:12:37 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
