Episode 65: Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Build Strength, Muscle Size & Endurance

Breathing properly during & after exercise is critical for telling your body you’re safe:

(1) maintain a breath-hold during the lowering/eccentric most dangerous part of the movement & exhale on the concentric portion

(2) try physiologic sigh for 2-5 minutes post-workout and/or between strenuous bouts (double inhale through the nose followed by long exhale through mouth) Box method - 5 each side inhale/exhale

• Workouts can be done fasted or fed – personal preference
• If you start your exercise with poor hydration, it’s really difficult (almost impossible) to catch up
• Fluid content in food is actually very high if you are eating a non-processed, high-quality diet
• Identify whether you’re a high-sodium or low-sodium sweater to determine sodium needs. General hydration rule: 500mg sodium intake pre- and post-exercise. If you’re a high-sodium sweater you might want to increase

(1)choose exercises that will take you through the full range of motion

(2) choose exercises you feel stable and comfortable with

(3) priority is to maintain good form

(4) balance between movement areas

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General exercise breathing protocol: maintain a breath-hold during the lowering/eccentric most dangerous part of the movement & exhale on the concentric portion - 312.

Breathing strategy for reps: you don’t have to reset breathing and focus on it every rep as that can be energy consuming – if hitting 3-8 reps, every third breathe reset and go

Progressive Overload: Adaptation is a natural response to stress; therefore, you must challenge your system.

Monitoring and Recording:

Begin with a weight that allows you to perform 8-12 reps with proper form in all four sets. Only after comfortably completing all four sets should you consider increasing the weight.

If training for hypertrophy: err on the side of greater recovery – towards 3 days for the same muscle group – because you want to allow protein synthesis to occur (takes 48-72 hrs)

Getting into an ice bath immediately after a hypertrophy session negates the benefits so much, you might as well not do the session – it’s about 10% attenuation

Sauna (or hot bath) increases blood flow and augments strength & hypertrophy – but now you need to seriously consider proper hydration