Dr. Mike Israetel: Breaking Down The Science Behind Muscle Growth
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In this episode of the Align podcast, Dr. Mike Israetel talks to us about the science behind muscle growth, and the ways we can optimise our training methods. We dive into the debate between partial rep and full rep training, and which exercises are better for high-level athletes. We explore the importance of a high power-to-weight ratio in sports like jiu-jitsu and football. We also tackle the age-old question: What is the ideal rep range for muscle growth? We end the episode with the best way to train for someone who is “skinny-fat”.
Dr. Mike Israetel holds a PhD in Sport Physiology, and is currently the head science consultant for Renaissance Periodization.
Mike was formerly a professor of Exercise and Sport Science in the School of Public Health at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he taught several courses, including Nutrition for Public Health, Advanced Sports Nutrition and Exercise, and Nutrition and Behavior.
He has worked as a consultant on sports nutrition to the U.S. Olympic Training Site in Johnson City, TN, and has been an invited speaker at numerous scientific and performance/health conferences, including nutritional seminars at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY.
A co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, Mike has coached numerous athletes and busy professionals in both diet and weight training. Originally from Moscow, Russia, Mike is himself a competitive bodybuilder and professional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappler.
What we discussed in the episode:
[00:02:41] Conserving strength using partial ranges.
[00:05:52] Controversy over training high-level professional athletes.
[00:13:16] Maintaining strength and resiliency in athletes.
[00:22:59] How to train for hypertrophy.
[00:30:31] Hyperplasia vs hypertrophy: What’s the difference?
[00:37:37] Myostatin anomalies in animals: what are the effects of having too much muscle?
[00:44:07] How is strength tested?
[00:54:48] Sets, reps, and weight: How do each of these factors affect muscle growth?
[00:59:21] Controlled eccentric training methods.
[01:06:47] Optimal sets for maximum muscle growth.
[01:09:11] The importance of neural adaptations for new lifters.
[01:15:21] The importance of power-to-weight ratio in professional sports.
[01:20:13] Wrestling experience, and its advantages with Jiu Jitsu.
[01:25:26] How to train if you’re “skinny fat”.
Learn more about Dr. Mike Israetel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfQgsKhHjSyRLOp9mnffqVg
https://www.instagram.com/rpstrength
https://www.instagram.com/drmikeisraetel/
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