Dr. Brad Schoenfeld: Resistance Training for Time Efficiency, Body Composition & Maximum Hypertrophy

Resistance Training and Its Benefits

• Resistance training is indispensable for overall health 
  • Offers many benefits of cardiovascular exercise
  • Goes beyond aerobic training in terms of muscle strength, bone density, and posture
• Resistance training has profound effects on staving off osteoporosis and building bones 
  • Particularly important for women due to higher risk of osteoporosis
  • Starting resistance training early in life builds a ” bone bank ” for later years
• Resistance training can improve muscle strength and hypertrophy in older individuals 
  • Never too late to start, but starting earlier is better for maintaining muscle mass

Resistance Training and Bone Density

• Resistance training strengthens bones by pulling on them through muscle movement 
  • Weight-​​bearing exercises are particularly beneficial for bone development
  • Multi-​​joint movements (e.g., squats, rows, presses) are recommended for maximizing bone development

Resistance Training for Different Age Groups

• Starting resistance training early in life is beneficial for building muscle and bone reserves 
  • Helps maintain muscle mass and bone density as one ages
• Even older individuals can see improvements in muscle strength and hypertrophy with resistance training 
  • However, starting earlier in life makes it easier to maintain muscle mass and bone density
• Resistance training is safe and beneficial for children as well
  

Resistance Training for Children

Body Recomposition with Resistance Training

• Resistance training improves lean mass (mostly muscle mass) and helps with fat mass reduction
• Exercise alone is not the best way to lose body fat; reducing calorie intake is more effective
• Combining resistance training with an energy deficit through nutrition is essential for weight loss
• Resistance training prevents muscle loss during weight loss and can lead to body recomposition (gaining muscle while losing fat)
• Cannot maximize muscle mass while losing fat; need to be at maintenance or in a small surplus

Protein Intake and Lean Mass Preservation

• Sufficient protein intake is necessary to preserve lean mass during weight loss
• Protein requirements increase when in a caloric deficit
• General recommendation for resistance-​​trained individuals: 1.6–1.8 grams/​​kg per day (double the RDA for sedentary individuals)
• Upper confidence interval: 2.2 grams/​​kg per day (safe for most people, especially bodybuilders)
• No strong evidence of negative effects on kidney function or bone density from higher protein intake
• In a caloric deficit, it’s important to stay in the upper range of protein intake (around 2 grams/​​kg per day) 

Protein Intake for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

• Protein intake should be based on lean weight, not total body weight
• Calculate protein needs at a relatively lean weight (12–15% body fat for men, 20% for women)
• Protein is difficult to store as body fat, so it’s better to consume more protein at the expense of carbs and fat for weight loss
• Older individuals may need more protein due to anabolic resistance 
  • Leucine threshold may be higher for older individuals
  • Protein supplementation can help meet daily requirements

Time Restricted Eating and Muscle Gain

• Time restricted eating can be conducive to muscle gain if protein intake is sufficient 
  • Spacing out protein intake throughout the day may be more beneficial for muscle growth
  • A 10-​​hour eating window is more anabolism-friendly
• For bodybuilders, it’s recommended to consume protein across the day as much as possible 
  • Eating is anabolic, not eating is catabolic
• Studies on time restricted feeding show little difference in muscle gain if protein intake is sufficient 

Muscle Hypertrophy and Training Load

• Traditional belief: heavy lifting necessary for muscle growth
• Current research shows muscle growth across a wide range of loading spectrums (up to 30–40 repetitions)
• No significant difference in whole muscle hypertrophy between 30% 1RM (30 reps) and 80% 1RM (8 reps)
• Findings consistent across various populations (trained, untrained, older, younger, men, women)
• Benefits of lighter loads:
• Flexibility and options in resistance training
• Training through injuries
• Suitable for older individuals with joint-​​related issues
• Caveat: lighter loads must be taken with a high degree of effort to challenge muscles
• Heavy lifting innately challenges muscles
• Lighter loads require more repetitions to challenge muscles
• Muscle adaptation to strength training is a survival mechanism

Protein Intake and Muscle Growth

• Most important factor: total daily protein intake
• 1.6 grams/​​kg recommended for older individuals
• Studies on protein intake per meal are sterile and may not reflect real-​​life situations
• Whole meals provide time-​​delayed release of nutrients
• No need to stress over the minutiae of protein intake per meal
• Focus on total daily protein intake for the majority of gains
• Fine-​​tuning protein intake per meal may be relevant for competitive bodybuilders

Anabolic Window

• Body is highly anabolic for at least 24 hours after a workout
• Anabolic effects may trail off after 6–8 hours
• No need to slam protein shake immediately after training
• Focus on getting protein in as quickly as possible after a workout
• Timing may be more important for competitive bodybuilders
• Training within the eating window is beneficial
• Try to train within the earlier part of the eating window to optimize muscle mass 

Adaptation and Training

• Body adapts to challenges through survival mechanisms
• Challenging muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments beyond their present capacity leads to adaptations in strength, power, hypertrophy, muscle endurance, and bone density

Lifting Lighter vs. Heavier Weights

• Lifting lighter weights with more reps can still lead to muscle fatigue and adaptations
• Lifting heavier weights may help shift more towards type 2 muscle fibers
• Type 1 fibers: endurance-​​oriented, hard to fatigue, less force production
• Type 2 fibers: strength-​​oriented, fatigue easily, greater force production
• Aging affects type 2 fibers more, leading to sarcopenia (age-​​related muscle loss)
• Training hard with light or heavy weights targets both type 1 and type 2 fibers

Resistance, Strength, and Power Training

• Resistance training: catch-​​all term for exercise that moves against resistance (body weight, free weights, machines, cables)
• Strength training: often used synonymously with resistance training, but can also refer to powerlifting (heavy loads, slow movements)
• Power training: ability to produce force over time, moving weights quickly for maximal power generation
• Older individuals can benefit from incorporating power training into their exercise routines to improve functional capacity and prevent falls

Training to Failure

• Training to failure: inability to perform another repetition with proper form
• Not necessary to train to failure for every set
• High effort is important, but taking every set to failure may not be beneficial for hypertrophy and could be detrimental for strength
• Training to failure may be more relevant for individuals close to their genetic ceiling 

Bodybuilding and Training to Failure

• Shifted view from always training to failure to most sets within 2–3 reps of failure
• Concept of Repetitions in Reserve (RIR)
• Optimal adaptations occur between 1–3 RIR
• General population may not need to train to failure 
  • High-​​level athletes and bodybuilders may benefit from some failure training
  • More appropriate for single joint and machine-​​based exercises

Minimalist Training vs. High Volume Training

• Minimalist training can provide nice results for most people 
  • Around 4 sets per muscle per week
  • Can be done in 2–3 half-​​hour sessions per week
• To optimize hypertrophy, aim for 10–20 sets per muscle per week 
  • Requires more time and dedication

Time-​​Efficient Training Strategies

• Training with lighter loads extends workout time
• Focus on multi-​​joint exercises (e.g., presses, rows, squats, deadlifts, push-​​ups, chin-ups) 
  • More time-​​efficient than single-​​joint exercises
• Use advanced training methods like supersets, paired sets, and drop sets 
  • Allows for less rest between sets and exercises
  • May be just as effective for general population, but not for high-​​level athletes

Importance of Rest Between Sets

• Rest is necessary to recover strength and perform additional sets
• Allows for better performance and adaptations
• Rest times depend on individual goals and training intensity
  

Training, Recovery, and Hypertrophy

• Resting between sets and exercises is important for muscle growth and recovery
• Shorter rest intervals (30 seconds) can compromise hypertrophy
• Longer rest intervals (2–3 minutes) allow for better volume load and muscle growth
• Hormonal response (growth hormone, testosterone, IGF‑1) from short rest intervals may not be significant for muscle growth
• Recovery is important for maintaining energy and joint health for effective training 
  • Muscle protein synthesis occurs roughly within 48 hours after training
  • Training the same muscle daily may not be beneficial, but 48-​​hour rest periods can maximize muscle growth
• Differences between men and women in training and recovery are minimal 
  • Women may recover slightly faster between sets and sessions
• Older individuals may need to adjust training volume and frequency for optimal recovery 
  • Three days a week of training may be a good default for older individuals
  • Factors such as training history, joint health, nutrition, sleep, and stress can affect recovery needs
• Strategies to speed up recovery:
• Being recreationally active to promote blood flow and nutrient delivery
• Massage and foam rolling may help, but evidence is limited due to potential placebo effects
• Proper protein intake is essential for muscle recovery and growth
  

Effects of Exercise on Muscle Development and Soreness

• Essential fatty acids, particularly omega-​​3s, may have beneficial effects on muscle development, especially for older individuals 
• Strategies to reduce soreness and improve recovery:
• Massage (if affordable or done by a significant other)
• Foam rolling
• Cold water immersion (but not too frequently, as it may negatively affect hypertrophy and strength)
• Heat therapy (generally does not have negative effects)
• Soreness is influenced by genetics and gender (women tend to experience less soreness than men)
• Soreness is generally due to a novel stimulus, primarily from the eccentric component of exercise
• Soreness is not necessary for muscle gains, but mild soreness may indicate that the body is being challenged beyond its current state
• To reduce soreness without negatively affecting hypertrophy:
• Avoid focusing solely on the concentric component of exercise
• Use warm water baths
• Engage in active recovery (e.g., walking, elliptical with arm crank)
• Stick to the same exercises (but this may limit optimization of muscle gains)

Concurrent Training: Aerobic Exercise and Strength Training

• The chronic interference hypothesis suggested that aerobic exercise would blunt the adaptations for resistance training, but recent evidence shows this is an oversimplification
• Meta-​​analytic data shows that within reasonable volumes of training, there is no significant blunting of the anabolic effect when combining aerobic and resistance training
• General recommendations for combining aerobic and resistance training:
• If possible, alternate days for aerobic and resistance training (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday for resistance; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday for aerobic)
• If not possible, do resistance training in the morning and aerobic exercise in the evening
• If both must be done in the same session, do resistance training first, followed by aerobic exercise
  

Resistance Training vs. Aerobic Training

• Resistance training should be done before aerobic training
• Aerobic training can compromise energy levels for strength training
• Amount of aerobic training can impact muscle development
• Long, slow distance training (e.g. marathon running) can negatively affect muscle growth
• Walking 10,000–12,000 steps a day or doing three high-​​intensity interval training sessions per week unlikely to have negative effects
• Important to be in tune with your body and take rest days when needed

Endurance Athletes and Resistance Training

• Endurance athletes should focus on low-​​volume, heavy-​​load training
• Reduces muscle mass development while maximizing strength development
• Important for activities like long-​​distance running where weight is an issue

Stretching and Muscle Development

• Stretching can be beneficial for flexibility, but only if needed for daily activities or specific sports
• Resistance training through a full range of motion can provide similar benefits to static stretching
• Long-​​duration, intense stretching has been shown to promote muscle growth
• Likely due to muscle tension, a mechanism of hypertrophy

Yoga and Muscle Development

• Yoga can lead to some muscle gains, but not optimal for muscle growth
• Not challenging enough for muscles to adapt over time
• Resistance training is irreplaceable for optimal muscle development

Blood Flow Restriction Training

• Involves using a cuff on the upper portion of the muscle being trained (arms or legs)
• Fatigues muscles more quickly than regular light-​​load training
• Can lead to muscle growth even with very light loads (20–30% one-​​rep max)
  

Blood Flow Restriction Training

• Promotes muscle development similar to traditional resistance training 
• Strength is similar to light load training
• Not as effective for hypertrophy as heavy load training
• Can improve strength even in well-​​trained subjects
• May be more comfortable than light load training due to shorter set times
• No evidence that it’s better than light load training
• Limitations: only specific to extremities, potential safety issues for people with blood pressure problems
• In research settings, blood pressure cuffs are used to monitor pressure
• People should be cautious when using blood flow restriction training and ensure proper technique

Brad Schoenfeld’s Personal Routine

• Four-​​day per week resistance training routine 
  • Two days on, one day off, two days on
  • Upper/​​lower split
  • Workouts last 45 minutes to an hour
• Aims for 12,000 steps per day for overall health
• Focuses on maintaining health and looking good, not bodybuilding
• Protein intake around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight
• Active on social media, sharing research and studies
• Author of two books: ” The Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy ” and “The Max Muscle Plan ”