Adopt a longevity-oriented lifestyle (e.g., healthy eating, exercise, good sleep) to maximize your chances of benefiting from future advancements in age reversal and disease eradication technologies.
Allocate 1-3 hours per week for resistance training to gain health, longevity, and quality of life benefits, with 30 minutes twice a week being a high-return minimum.
Consistently consume approximately one gram of protein per pound of body weight daily, spread across three to four meals, to optimize muscle gains.
To support muscle growth, ensure your calorie intake is sufficient to gain about half a pound of body weight per week.
Maintain high consistency with your nutrition (sufficient protein and calories) daily, as inconsistency, especially with age and stress, significantly hinders muscle gain.
If your blood pressure is elevated, prioritize controlling it with medication, as modern drugs are highly effective with minimal side effects and significantly reduce health risks.
For resistance training, push very heavy loads or lighter loads very close to muscular failure to maximize benefits, as this is the primary modality for making you better.
Aim for one to two repetitions in reserve (RIR) on most working sets, as this provides optimal stimulus for growth without incurring disproportionately high fatigue and injury risk compared to training to absolute failure.
For twice-a-week training, spread sessions evenly (e.g., Monday/Thursday) and train every major muscle group in each session, as whole-body training is best for general health and aesthetic benefits.
Select compound, multi-joint exercises (e.g., pull-ups, squats, deadlifts) that engage large muscle masses and multiple muscles simultaneously for time-efficient and effective training.
Begin resistance training with low or body weight, focusing on basic competency and fine-tuning technique over perfection to minimize injury risk and build a foundation.
Gradually increase weight or repetitions each week after mastering technique, aiming for a physiologically challenging weight and rep combination over time.
Perform sets in the 10-30 repetition range to reduce injury risk, improve cardio-metabolic health, and achieve significant hypertrophy stimulus, especially for beginners.
Keep rest times between sets minimal (5-10 seconds for transitions) to condense workouts and maximize results for general health and aesthetics, especially when starting out.
To save time and gain cardiovascular benefits, pair exercises that train unrelated muscle groups (e.g., shoulder press with goblet squats), performing sets back-to-back with minimal rest.
Take a deload week every 6-8 weeks (one week off or very light training) to reduce cumulative fatigue, allow full recovery, and resensitize muscles to training stimulus.
At least once a year, take two full weeks of active rest (minimal or no gym activity) to completely reset systemic cumulative fatigue and allow for maximal recovery.
For intermediate lifters, ensure you are performing at least 10-20 hard working sets per muscle group per week to achieve optimal results.
If recovery is good and strength is stable, gradually increase the number of working sets per exercise from one or two up to three to six over time.
Continuously refine your exercise technique to ensure muscles are placed under high force at deep, stretched positions (long muscle lengths) for superior growth stimulus.
If you desire specific muscle growth (e.g., bigger arms), incorporate isolation exercises (e.g., curls, tricep extensions) regularly and with sufficient intensity into your training plan.
Periodically test your limits by training to muscular failure to accurately calibrate your perception of ‘reps in reserve’ and ensure you are pushing hard enough on other sets.
Implement objective progression by tracking weights and reps, aiming to slightly exceed previous performance each week, which inevitably leads to training close to failure and builds intuition.
Contextualize your muscle growth goals and expectations based on your age, genetics, training history, and current lifestyle (stress, sleep, recovery) to avoid frustration and set realistic targets.
When seeking a personal trainer, look for certifications like the Menno Henselmans PT course, as it indicates a high probability of competence and evidence-based practice.
Choose a trainer who integrates scientific literature and broad basic principles into their practice, rather than relying solely on personal experience or ‘feel’.
Select a personal trainer with whom you have good rapport and a positive connection, as this can significantly enhance adherence and motivation.
Do not choose a personal trainer based solely on their physique, as their appearance is largely influenced by genetics, diet, and long-term habits, not necessarily superior coaching ability.
Prefer trainers with an undergraduate degree in kinesiology or a related field, as this often indicates a stronger foundational understanding of exercise science.
Record your trainer’s advice and use advanced AI models (like GPT-4) to evaluate the soundness and evidence-base of their recommendations.
Be willing to switch trainers if you find their methods ineffective, not aligned with evidence, or if you don’t feel a strong connection after a few weeks or months.
If appropriate and safe, consider GLP-1 agonists to significantly reduce hunger and achieve lower body fat levels, understanding that they come with potential side effects and don’t eliminate all food focus.
Use GLP-1 agonists to reduce the mental effort required for diet management, freeing up willpower and cognitive bandwidth to focus on other important aspects of life like career or family.
Consider anabolic androgenic steroids for achieving supra-physiological muscle mass and extremely low body fat, but be aware of the wide range of psychological and physical side effects, including potential long-term health risks and the need for meticulous health monitoring.
(For those using anabolic steroids) Manage estrogen levels by adjusting the ratio of testosterone to non-aromatizing compounds rather than relying heavily on aromatase inhibitors, which are associated with significant neurotoxic and cardiovascular risks.
(For those using anabolic steroids) Rigorously monitor key health metrics like blood pressure and lipid values, and actively manage them to mitigate health risks, especially during high-dose cycles.
Before initiating anabolic steroid use, thoroughly consider your life goals, particularly regarding future fertility, as prolonged use can lead to irreversible spermatogenesis suppression and inability to father children.
Be aware that using anabolic steroids, even temporarily, can lead to a permanent increase in muscle mass beyond natural limits, providing a lasting advantage that must be considered in competitive contexts.
To deepen your knowledge of longevity science, consider subscribing to the podcast’s premium membership for exclusive content and benefits.