The Breaking Muscle Podcast

Simultaneously gaining muscle and losing fat is the holy grail for most gym-goers. It’s known in the fitness industry as body recomposition. Body recomposition is a polarizing topic among experts. Some say it’s impossible for experienced lifters. Others will tell you it’s the best way to reach your goals.  In this episode, I explain that recomposition is possible, but it is extremely difficult, and most people who try will fail.  I explain the five circumstances where recomposition is the best approach for you. Outside of these circumstances, you can do it, but your margin for error is smaller. If you don’t get everything just right, you will almost certainly fail in recomping. Listen to the episode to determine how the three factors decide if recomposition is an intelligent goal for you. Once we’ve established that you are a good candidate for recomposition, I outline the top 10 training and nutrition strategies you must use to maximize your chances of success. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please DM me on Instagram @tommaccormick.

Sleep is fascinating. We all know it is good for us, and most of us would like to get more, yet, according to research, 43.2% of adults are sleep deprived. That’s almost half the population wandering around like caffeine-addicted zombies with brain fog because of poor sleep.  This sleep deprivation is not normal or healthy!  Reduced sleep duration has been linked to seven of the fifteen leading causes of death in the U.S.  Poor sleep will: Disrupt hormonal function Weaken your immune system Impair brain function Slow your metabolism Increase appetite and cravings Reduce coordination Essentially, sleep deprivation will hinder every health, performance, coordination, hormonal, and recovery marker. This translates to you being unhappy, weaker, fatter, slower, and carrying less muscle mass. In this episode, I cover what the research on sleep shows and provide you with strategies to improve your sleep. Sleep is your body’s most powerful recovery tool. It’s time you started treating it with the respect it deserves. Listen to the show now to find out how. You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet).

It’s common knowledge that we lose muscle mass and strength as we age. This is known as sarcopenia. As someone approaching their 40th birthday, I’m interested to know what the research shows about this syndrome. So, I dug into the research to see what, if anything, could be done to reverse or at least slow down the physical decline we go through as we age. What I discovered was fascinating, and I share all of it in this episode. I’ll explain: Why do we lose muscle and strength as we age? That this rate of decay in physical capacity is not inevitable. How you can keep gaining strength and muscle mass up to your 60s. There is a large amount of research on this subject, and it was eye-opening to dive deep and learn that we are all largely in control of how much muscle and strength we have as we age.  If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick. You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet). Or look for Breaking Muscle's channel and podcasts on the following services: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM, PodBean.

In this episode, I’m delighted to join Tony Gentilcore to discuss how he charted his path within the fitness industry and has built a thriving business using coaching, writing, and educating. Tony was one of the co-founders of Cressey Sports Performance (CSP). Since leaving CSP in 2016, he has been training people at his own studio, CORE, located in Boston, MA.  During our conversation, Tony explained: Owning your own gym is not the gold standard for success in the fitness industry. There are other career paths you can follow to have a fulfilling and financially rewarding fitness career. How he developed his education workshops and has taken them online during the pandemic. He suffers from imposter syndrome occasionally despite having presented worldwide, training countless elite athletes, and being featured in numerous publications. And why he rarely gives a single workshop I had a ton of fun on this interview and have no doubt you’ll find tremendous value in Tony’s insight and experience. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick. You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet). Or look for Breaking Muscle's channel and podcasts on the following services: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM, PodBean.

A mini-cut is a vital tool in your muscle-building toolbox. Sadly, it is often misunderstood or used recklessly. Used strategically, mini-cuts are one of the best ways to help you build the bigger, leaner body you want. A properly executed mini-cut is like robbing the fat bank. You get in, get what you want, and get out before suffering any of the negative consequences of chronic dieting. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know about mini-cuts. I cover the following topics: What a mini-cut is and what it is not. Why you won’t lose muscle while mini-cutting. The benefits of mini-cuts How fast you should lose weight on a mini-cut How to establish your calorie needs Macro targets The best food choices Why nutrient timing can help How to determine the length of your mini-cut Training during a mini-cut Cardio or cardi-no When to use a mini-cut If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick.  You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet).

In this episode, I sat down with my friend and colleague, Tarek Shuhaibar, to discuss the importance of stress management on our overall health, gym performance, and physical appearance. Stress is a taboo subject, especially amongst men who want to be seen as the alpha. We had an open and frank discussion about this. Throughout the episode, we break down the negative impacts of this on overall health and why this could be the limiting factor to achieving the results you want. Tarek has built a career helping busy executives in London create lasting change in both body and mind. This sustainable route to physique transformation has required him to become highly skilled at coaching clients in the gym whilst also helping them manage the countless stresses and strains their hectic working lives create.   If you feel like you are often overwhelmed or struggling to fit your training and nutrition in around work, family, and social commitments, then this episode is a must-listen. It’s packed full of useful, actionable strategies you can implement to get the most out of your day. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick.

In this episode, I’m delighted to be joined by Jamie Lewis to discuss the history of strength training. Incredibly the origins go back a couple of thousand years, and much of what people were doing back then still holds now. So there undoubtedly are many lessons to be learned by doing your history homework. Jamie describes himself as a cultural history nerd wrapped in tattoo-covered muscle. He has a passion for history and holds a BA in History and East Asian Studies from the University of Arizona, an MBA from the Vienna University of Economics, and an iMBA from The University of South Carolina. This passion for history, combined with his love of lifting (in 2012, he set an all-time, all-federation WR powerlifting total of 1,620 for a 181 pounder, making him the go-to guy when it comes to investigating training history. During this fascinating interview, Jamie displays a near-encyclopedic knowledge of everything training-related from around 1,600 BC to the modern day.  So often, we can learn so much by looking back. This episode will undoubtedly provide you with jaw-dropping stories of how people used to train, the social, political, and economic pressures that drove physical culture at different stages of humanity, and why, with all the advantages we currently enjoy, it’s a crime so many humans are in such bad health. I had a ton of fun on this interview and have no doubt Jamie’s infectious personality will grab your attention and inspire you to demand more of yourself. If you’d like to know more about Jamie, look on his website or Instagram @plagueofstrength.

Our guest, Yunus Barisik, explains exactly what it takes to produce elite-level athletes for ice hockey in this episode. He particularly highlights the need for increased strength and outlines exactly how he structures his athlete's training throughout the year to optimize performance and keep them injury-free. Yunus has personally trained and designed strength, speed, and conditioning programs for 500+ athletes at all levels of competitive hockey, including: NHL draft picks from ten NHL teams Men's and women's national teams NCAA D1 The Finnish elite league Ten gold medal winners at four different U18 and U20 world championships since 2016 Yunus has written the book on Strength Training for Ice Hockey. I’m not joking; he literally has. You can get a free copy. You can contact Yunus on his website or Instagram @yunusbarisik.

Steve Keane is the co-founder of Kraft Coaching, a coaching service specializing in helping regular people develop incredible physiques. I’m a big fan of Steve’s work and think of him as part coach, part fitness philosopher. Steve’s coaching journey has seen him pivot from coaching competitive physique athletes to helping general population clients. In this episode, he explains why this change has increased his sense of fulfillment. He also describes the similarities and differences between training physique competitors and recreational lifters who want to look great. We cover the differences in: Training Diet Mindset We also delve into how his coaching practices have evolved and enable him to get the best from his clients.

In this episode, I explain what diet periodization is, why you need it to take your physique to the next level, and the three simple questions you need to answer to design the perfect diet for your goals. Your training and diet should reflect your goals. Your workouts and nutrition choices should work synergistically to help you reach those goals. It seems obvious, but many people fail to do it. But with just a bit of planning, you can avoid this common mistake. Synching your diet and training together isn’t complicated. By assessing your goals and what they require, you can set up a successful diet and know how to adjust it as you progress through different training phases. When it comes to body composition goals, there are three traditional phases of training: Mass Gain—Building Fat Loss—Cutting Maintenance—Solidification These phases matched up with the right eating plan should maximize your results. Build a diet plan that works synergistically with each phase of training.

In this episode, I’m delighted to welcome Rick Howard to the show. Rick is an expert in Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD). He wrote the paper on the subject by writing the NACA’s position stand in LTAD.  This interview was truly eye-opening, and Rick shattered many of the misconceptions people (myself included) have about LTAD.  Whether you are a parent, work with kids, coach adults, or want to develop and maintain your athleticism throughout your entire life then, this episode is packed with wisdom and principles you can apply.  You can find Rick on social media @rihoward41 and get access to the NACA LTAD SIG Facebook group here: FB/NSCA.YouthSIG

Mike Tromello is back on the show, and in this short, sharp, content-packed episode, he explains: What your redline is: How to train yourself to withstand staying near or on top of your redline state in a workout Why all athletes (even bodybuilders and powerlifters) need conditioning work The various heart rate zones you need to train to develop well-rounded conditioning.  The difference between VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold How to program conditioning work to complement your training goals, whether that be CrossFit, sports performance, gaining strength, or muscle mass If you’re uncertain what role conditioning plays in meeting your goals, or you’re confused about how to program it effectively, then this is a must-listen. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick. You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the most excellent hypertrophy experts on the planet). Or look for Breaking Muscle's channel and podcasts on the following services: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM, PodBean.

In this episode, I explain exactly how I think you should eat to build the most muscle possible. Most people train their asses off but build very little muscle. This result is because they are fighting only half the battle. While they focus all their energy on the training front, they get blindsided by the diet. I made this mistake myself, and my results improved dramatically when I fixed it. I’ll share how you can do the same and start to see far better results in this episode. I outline how quickly you can build muscle, determine the number of calories you need to gain lean muscle, and pinpoint the two nutritional factors that deliver 80% of your results. I also identify the hierarchy of needs when it comes to nutrition for muscle gain, and I take you step-by-step through each of these in order of importance: Total calories Macronutrients Nutrient timing Micronutrients Food composition Supplements Nutritional periodization By the end of this episode, you will have all the information you need to plan out your muscle-building diet plan. These are the exact nutritional principles I use in my diet and those of my clients. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick. You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the most excellent hypertrophy experts on the planet). Or look for Breaking Muscle's channel and podcasts on the following services: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM, PodBean.

Robert Linkul is the National Strength and Conditioning Associations (NSCA) 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year. Robert runs Be Stronger Fitness, a Strength and Conditioning facility that focuses on training an older clientele demographic. With their skill set and experience, Robert and his team are uniquely qualified to provide proper strength training for the older adult. They focus on developing nine critical components of fitness: Muscular Strength Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Coordination Flexibility Reaction Time Change in Body Composition Power Production Balance This episode was a ton of fun to record! We discuss the main similarities and differences to consider when training the older adult, such as defining an older adult, how to get a client buy-in, and tests you can use to assess your biological age and strength levels. If you have any questions or comments about the show, please email me at tom@breakingmuscle.com or drop me a DM on Instagram @tommaccormick. You can also find this podcast sitting on top of all my other Six Pack of Knowledge podcasts (curated discussions with the most excellent hypertrophy experts on the planet). Or look for Breaking Muscle's channel and podcasts on the following services: iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM, PodBean.

Josh Henkin is a CSCS and Master RKC with twenty years of experience. His innovative Dynamic Variable Resistance Training (DVRT™) has allowed him to present in more than 13 countries and publish in top outlets like Men's Health and the Wall Street Journal. In this episode, we discuss the DVRT system, why sandbags are such a versatile tool and the importance of training modalities that challenge stability and develop sound movement mechanics.  If you enjoyed this podcast and took value from it, please rate and review to help us spread the word to motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. For more podcasts like this, visit the Six Pack of Knowledge page. Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet. If you are interested in working with Tom or finding out more about him then follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

Joe Bennett, AKA the Hypertrophy Coach, is joining me. Joe has developed a thriving fitness business focused on his passion for muscle building and working with people he loves coaching.   During the show, Joe maps out his journey from young meathead to expert status. If you want to build a career around your passion, find your niche, work with people you like, and have time for family life, you need to listen to this episode. Joe doesn’t offer short-cuts or hacks, but his advice is full of genuine advice that could help you develop the business and lifestyle you want. Joe goes into tremendous detail on these key topics that will help you to level up your fitness business: Leveraging your passion Learning by doing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Social media strategies to gain buyers, not just followers If you enjoyed this podcast and took value from it, please rate and review to help us spread the word to motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. For more podcasts like this, visit the Six Pack of Knowledge page. Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet. If you are interested in working with Tom or finding out more about him then follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

Mike Tromello of Precision CrossFit was an accomplished athlete and is now a top class coach. He’s coached multiple CrossFit games, athletes, and medal-winning weightlifters. Mike explains the key principles that will help you build an elite CrossFit athlete's physique. He also pinpoints what separates his athletes from their competitors.  This episode is a must-listen if you want to look and perform at your best! If you enjoyed this podcast and took value from it, please rate and review to help us spread the word to motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. For more podcasts like this, visit the Six Pack of Knowledge page. Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet. If you are interested in working with Tom or finding out more about him then follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

Dan John is an athlete, coach, teacher, and writer. He’s been lifting weights and throwing discus for about 50 years and is still going strong in his 60s. He’s also the author of one of my favorite books - Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Lifting, Living, And Learning.  We pick Dan’s brain to help guide you to make smart decisions about your own training, whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned veteran.  We cover the key assessments you can run on yourself to determine which areas need work. He also outlines how you should train in the three main brackets of your lifting career: 16-35, 35-55, 55 plus. If you enjoyed this podcast and took value from it, please rate and review to help us spread the word to motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. For more podcasts like this, visit the Six Pack of Knowledge page. Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet. If you are interested in working with Tom or finding out more about him then follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

In today’s episode of the breaking muscle podcast, we are joined by Max Moldaschl. Max began his finance career, but found himself tired, stressed, overworked, and heading for burnout. Many of his friends and colleagues recommended he use CBD oil to try and manage his stress. Despite initially being skeptical of CBD oil, he took the plunge and began using it. His experience was so positive he began researching it extensively.  This eventually led him to co-found NaturalWorks. Their mission is to harness the hemp plant's vast untapped potential to create natural solutions to genuine challenges. In this episode, we discuss: What is CBD? How is it different from marijuana?  What are the potential health and fitness benefits?  How NaturalWorks is trying to remove CBD's stigma and build confidence and trust in their products. You can follow NaturalWorks @naturalworksofficial and get access to their CBD knowledge base.  If you enjoyed this podcast and took value from it, please rate and review to help us spread the word to motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. For more podcasts like this, visit the Six Pack of Knowledge page. Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet. If you are interested in working with Tom or finding out more about him then follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

The word legend is thrown around too often, but in this episode, we are genuinely joined by a legend of strength sports – Odd Haugen.  Odd was America’s Strongest Man in 1999, has broken multiple world records, competed, and won national titles in bodybuilding, weightlifting, and powerlifting, and helped organize and judge numerous events worldwide. He coached Martins Licis to the 2019 Worlds’ Strongest Man title. And if that wasn’t enough, at the age of 70, he’s stronger than you!  In this episode, we discuss the lessons he’s learned over 60 years of training. We discover the secrets to his amazing grip strength and lifting longevity. This is a fascinating insight into what it takes to get to the top and stay there. If you enjoyed this podcast and took value from it, please rate and review to help us spread the word to motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. For more podcasts like this, visit the Six Pack of Knowledge page. Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts on the planet. If you are interested in working with Tom or finding out more about him then follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.