Source
We recommend using this distillation as a supplemental resource to the source material.
Full Notes
Powerlifting Overview and Training
- Powerlifting: a sport consisting of three lifts — squat, bench press, and deadlift
- Competitors get three attempts for each lift
- Highest total wins between the three lifts
- Medals awarded for individual lifts and overall performance
- Training for powerlifting
- Timing and mental focus are crucial during competition
- Managing arousal levels between lifts is important
- Visualization, breath work, and heart rate management can help improve performance
- Reframing anxiety as excitement can be beneficial
- Injuries and powerlifting
- Injuries can occur during training and competition
- Injuries during competition may be less frequent due to heightened focus and reduced fatigue
- Peaking for powerlifting competitions
- Competitors can peak for around two high-level meets per year
Powerlifting and Strength Training
- Competitors can peak for around two high-level meets per year
- Strength training is essential for overall health and longevity
- Associated with reduced risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and smoking
- Increases cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle mass
- Progressive overload is the core principle of strength training
- Involves increasing weight, repetitions, or sets over time
- Applies to people of all ages and fitness levels
- RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) is a measure of exercise intensity
- Scale of 1–10, with 10 being maximum effort
- Training at RPE 7–8 provides most hypertrophy and strength benefits
- Important to push oneself in the gym to accurately gauge RPE
Training Principles for Strength
- Focus on progressive overload
- Weight on the bar, repetitions, and sets
- Adapt training as one becomes more advanced
- Balance stimulus and fatigue
- Train at lower RPEs (5–6) to maximize stimulus and minimize fatigue
- Higher RPEs (8–9) can lead to compromised form and increased risk of injury
- Understand and utilize RPE system
- Train within a few reps of failure for optimal hypertrophy and strength benefits
- Accurately gauge RPE by pushing oneself in the gym and experiencing true failure
RPE and Strength Training
- Beginners and intermediates tend to underestimate their Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) by about five
- Advanced lifters have more accurate RPE estimations
- Experience of going hard and close to failure helps improve RPE estimation
- Staying a few reps shy of failure and accumulating volume is less fatiguing
Strength Training for Non-Competitors
- No need to go below four reps in training for non-competitors
- Can get strong doing sets of 10–15 reps
- Strength is a specific skill, so practicing one rep max can improve strength without adding much lean body mass
- Variety in exercises and periodization can improve adherence and enjoyment
Compound Movements and Exercise Variety
- Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusters are important for overall strength and functionality
- Variety in exercises can target different muscle areas and prevent boredom
- Compound lifts may not require going as close to failure as isolation exercises for the same benefits
- Progressing from simpler exercises to more complex ones (e.g., kettlebell squats to barbell squats) can help beginners build strength and confidence
Strength Training for Longevity and Quality of Life
- Exercises that mimic daily activities (e.g., squatting, hinging) can improve quality of life and prevent falls in older adults
- Strength training can improve bone density and reduce the risk of fractures
- Improving strength and balance can help prevent falls and their associated complications (e.g., broken hips, infections, pneumonia)
Resistance Training and Aging - Resistance training helps maintain muscle mass and bone density
- Creates a need for the body to lay down tissue
- Important for preventing injuries and maintaining strength as we age
Strength Differences Between Men and Women
- Women can gain the same amount of lean mass as a percentage of their starting lean mass as men
- Women may be able to tolerate higher training volumes than men
- Differences in strength and lean mass may be due to differences in testosterone levels and satellite cell numbers
Testosterone and Muscle Growth
- Testosterone increases satellite cell numbers, which increases potential for muscle growth
- Myonuclear domain theory: muscle fibers can only grow as big as they have myonuclei
- Testosterone exposure during puberty increases myonuclei number, leading to greater potential for lean mass in men
Muscle Memory and Testosterone
- Muscle memory allows for faster regaining of muscle after a period of inactivity
- Testosterone may contribute to muscle memory by increasing myonuclei numbers
- Long-term benefits of testosterone exposure may persist even after stopping exogenous testosterone use
Transgender Athletes and Testosterone
- Argument against transgender athletes competing in their identified gender’s sports due to the long-term benefits of testosterone exposure
- Extra myonuclei from testosterone exposure may provide an unfair advantage
Testosterone and Aging
- Unclear if testosterone exposure later in life has the same impact on myonuclei numbers and muscle growth
- Exogenous testosterone use may still increase myonuclei numbers and muscle growth potential in adults
- Drug use in bodybuilding has increased, but lean mass gains may be reaching a limit due to the risks associated with excessive drug use
Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports - Natural bodybuilding and powerlifting have drug testing methods
- Polygraph testing: not very accurate, but deters some from cheating
- Water drug testing: athletes can be tested at any time once they qualify for international competition
- Cheating is less rampant in sports with less financial gain
- More cheating in sports with millions of dollars at stake
Injury Management in Powerlifting
- Importance of knowing when to push and when to back off
- Avoid making pain worse by pushing too hard
- Don’t completely stop lifting, as detraining can lead to re-injury
- Modify workouts to avoid pain triggers
- Use alternative exercises to maintain strength and movement patterns
Training Approaches in Powerlifting
- Heavy singles workouts: once or twice a week, depending on how the athlete feels
- Experiment: training without knowing the weight on the bar
- Eliminates psychological pressure and comparison to previous lifts
- Example: Bryce Lewis trained with weights covered by trash bags, loaded by his girlfriend
Nutrition in Powerlifting
- Not discussed in the podcast transcript provided, but nutrition plays a crucial role in powerlifting
- Adequate protein intake for muscle recovery and growth
- Sufficient calories to support energy demands and strength gains
- Balanced diet with carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals for overall health and performance
Powerlifting vs. Bodybuilding
- Powerlifting: pain is compressed into the gym
- Bodybuilding: most pain is out of the gym
Nutrition and Weight Management for Powerlifting
- Stay close to target weight class
- Modify sodium and fiber intake to lose water weight
- 2‑hour weigh-in before competition
- Keep creatine intake consistent (5 grams daily)
Creatine in Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
- High energy phosphate donor (phosphocreatine)
- Increases lean body mass and strength
- Cognitive benefits
- Safe and effective supplement
- 5 grams daily is sufficient for most people
- Pulls water into muscle tissue, which may be anabolic
- More hydrated cell may function better (clearing metabolic waste, recruiting fuel)
Markers for Kidney Function
- Serum creatinine is not a reliable marker for renal function
- Cystatin C is a better indicator of kidney function
- Elevated liver enzymes or creatinine do not necessarily indicate damage to tissues
Creatine Supplementation and Exercise - Creatine is a popular supplement for athletes and bodybuilders
- Some concerns about kidney health and hair loss, but data is not compelling
- Benefits of creatine supplementation:
- Increases lean mass, strength, and performance
- Can be beneficial on both lifting and non-lifting days
- May be more effective when taken after a workout
- No need to cycle on and off creatine
- Intramuscular levels of creatine do not fall when supplementing consistently
- Balancing mass and acceleration in exercise
- Heavy weights move slower, but still require force
- Lighter weights can be moved more quickly, but still require force
- Training should focus on applying the same force regardless of weight
- Hypertrophy may be less dependent on force, more on sufficiently hard sets
- Little difference between slow lifting and fast lifting when taken to failure
Fast Eccentrics vs Slow Eccentrics in Exercise
- Study found better outcomes with fast eccentrics compared to slow eccentrics
- Relates to muscle mass
- Fast eccentric exercises can produce more hypertrophy
- Slow movements still have benefits, especially for people with pain or discomfort with heavy weights
- Can make exercise more difficult by slowing down the movement
Super Slow Protocols in Exercise
- Some people only do 30-minute workouts once a week with super slow protocols
- Can still grow muscle this way
- Going to failure is difficult and may not be achievable consistently
- Super slow protocols may not provide as much strength or functionality as traditional strength training
- Exercise should be focused on improving life and functionality, not just lifting
Finding the Right Exercise Approach
- Paralysis by analysis can prevent people from taking action
- It’s important to find an exercise approach that works for the individual and their goals
- Even if an approach isn’t optimal, it’s still better than doing nothing
- Encourage people to find activities they enjoy and focus on making progress rather than perfection
Predictors of Longevity and Fitness Industry - High VO2 max and high strength are the two biggest predictors of longevity
- Biggest improvement in mortality comes from moving from the bottom 20% to the next 20% in fitness and strength
- Fitness industry often focuses on unrealistic body standards for health
Identifying Fitness Experts
- Look for people who speak with nuance and are comfortable with uncertainty
- Credentials can be helpful but are not foolproof
- Experts should be willing to admit when they don’t know something
- Avoid those who use superlatives and focus on tips, tricks, and hacks
Social Media and Information Silos
- Social media algorithms can create information silos, limiting exposure to differing opinions
- Generations are becoming less used to encountering different opinions and beliefs
- Clickbait and attention-grabbing tactics are often used to gain visibility on social media
Business Owner on Social Media - Balancing attention-grabbing content with nuance and context
- Different personalities on Twitter, Instagram, and real life
Twitter Personality
- Initially unhinged, evolved to be more calculated and humorous
- Uses humor and citations to debunk misinformation
- Open to conversations and different perspectives
Low Carb Diets
- Not anti-low carb, believes in choosing what works best for the individual
- People tend to become tribal and defensive about their chosen diets
Nutrition vs. Exercise
- Nutrition is more “culty” than exercise
- Ubiquity of food and personal relationships with food contribute to tribalism
- People often seek validation for their beliefs about nutrition
Changing Opinions in Nutrition - People have strong beliefs about nutrition, making it difficult to change their minds
- Being wrong about something can be a learning opportunity and a chance to improve
Three Changed Opinions in Nutrition
LDL Cholesterol and Saturated Fat
Supplemental Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting and Bodybuilding
Flexible Dieting and Carnivore Diet
- Flexible dieting can be taken to extremes, such as trying to fit in as much junk food as possible
- Carnivore diet may provide benefits for some people, but it’s likely due to the elimination of problematic foods
- A better approach would be to slowly add back fruits and vegetables to identify specific sensitivities
Protein, Longevity, and Cancer Risk
- High animal protein intake has been associated with increased cancer risk, but this may be due to the types of meat consumed and lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet
- A study by Maximov (2020) showed that high meat intake coupled with high fruit and vegetable intake did not increase cancer risk compared to low meat intake with high fruit and vegetable intake
- This suggests that the issue may be more about what people are eating instead of the meat itself
Discussion on Fiber and Nutrition - Fiber intake recommendations
- 15 grams per 1,000 calories
- Real food sources preferred over processed bars
- Fiber sources
- Cauliflower, broccoli, beans, apples, berries, popcorn
- Processed bars not as effective as real food sources
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) and the Minnesota Coronary Experiment
- Study carried out in Minnesota
- Subjects fed every meal, average duration of 2.5 years
- Two groups: high saturated fat and low saturated fat
- Hypothesis: Lower saturated fat group should have fewer cardiovascular events
- Results
- No significant difference between the two groups
- Study went unpublished until 1980 due to unfavorable results
- Chris Ramsden’s findings
- Found unpublished data and republished studies in the BMJ
- Initial interpretation: Saturated fat not causing heart disease
- Later interpretation: Study wasn’t long enough to see a difference
- 30 mg/dL reduction in total cholesterol in low saturated fat group, likely mostly LDL cholesterol
Statin Trials and Cholesterol - PCSK9 trials in 2015 showed a benefit in 2.5–3 years
- Tested the most potent lipid-lowering drugs available
- Crushed LDL cholesterol levels
- Cholesterol modifications from diet can be small compared to pharmaceutical interventions
- Extreme diets can cut cholesterol in half but may cause harm
- Low carb community has high LDL cholesterol levels
Minnesota Coronary Study
- Study suggested polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) had worse outcomes
- Proposed mechanisms: increased inflammation due to oxidation of double bonds
- Hard outcome data in randomized control trials show no increase in inflammation when not increasing total calories
- Epidemiology shows PUFAs are more favorable than saturated fats (SFAs)
- Replacing SFAs with PUFAs can improve health outcomes
- Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) considered the best of the three fats
Seed Oils and Diet
- Seed oils have become a controversial topic
- Low carb/carnivore community often blames seed oils for health issues
- Seed oils have increased in consumption over the past century
- Energy toxicity is a continuous issue
- Extra energy from increased calorie consumption contributes to health problems
- Low fat craze may have underestimated fat consumption and overestimated low fat food consumption
Estimating Calorie Intake
- Estimating daily calorie intake can be difficult
- Food availability and waste data used to estimate consumption
- Personal estimations can be inaccurate
- Experience and repetition can help with estimating calorie intake
- Food logging can help with understanding the caloric content of various foods
Restriction in Dieting
- Food logging can help with understanding the caloric content of various foods
- To lose fat or control body weight, some form of restriction is necessary
- Options: track calories/macros, restrict time, restrict certain macronutrients, eat minimally processed foods
- No single form of restriction is better than another in terms of adherence across a population level
- Choose the form of restriction that feels the least restrictive for the individual
Flexible Dieting vs. Clean Eating
- Flexible dieting: tracking macros and treating it like a budget
- Clean eating: eating minimally processed foods, high fiber, avoiding “bad” foods
- Hard food rules can contribute to binge eating
- Binge eating: periods of intense food consumption followed by guilt, with or without compensatory mechanisms (exercise, deprivation)
Benefits of Tracking Food Intake
- Even if not using flexible dieting, tracking and weighing food for a week can be valuable
- Teaches portion control and nutrition
- Helps identify areas of improvement in diet
- People often underestimate their energy intake
- Tracking can provide a more accurate picture of consumption
Macro Tracking App
- Provides macros to eat based on dietary preference and goals
- Adjusts macros based on progress
- Offers a more personalized approach to dieting
Support the Podcast
Weekly Newsletter
- Weekly emails on the latest strategies and tactics for increasing your lifespan, healthspan, and well-being
- peterattiamd.com/newsletter
Peter Attia Membership
- peterattiamd.com/subscribe
- Member’s only Ask-Me-Anything Podcasts
- The Qualys, Members-Only podcasts
- Exclusive discount codes for products Attia believes in
Peter Attia Social Media