Muscle Expert Podcast | Ben Pakulski Interviews | How to Build Muscle & Dominate Life

We have a new home!  Please subscribe to Muscle Intelligence on your favorite platform for new episodes, updates and more. This channel will soon stop posting new episodes.   Joining us today is Dr. Mario Novo, of The BFR Pros. In this episode Ben and Mario dive into all things BFR, aka ‘blood flow restriction’. They take a deep look into what is going on when someone restricts their blow flow, the negative responses from BFR training, is this novel stimulus for the average person & MORE. He opens up about The BFR Pros and the ground breaking research they are doing. Find out why their mission is to provide the highest level of education and tools for Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training!

This channel is being retired.  To keep up with all new episodes please subscribe to Muscle Intelligence on your favorite podcast platform.   Welcome to the ALL NEW Muscle Intelligence Podcast!  To kick things off we are brining you behind the vail of the Muscle Intelligence lifestyle to give you insight on how Ben and his team #DemandExcellence in their daily life.  Follow along with the practices we use to live our greatest life in our greatest body.

Thank you all so much for another amazing year at the Muscle Expert Podcast!  Today we are recapping some of our favorite moments from this year and this show. This will be the last episode of the Muscle Expert Podcast but fear not!  We are coming back to you next week with the all new Muscle Intelligence Podcast! There we will be covering the same great topics with some amazing guests and a slightly different format.   If you are in Australia or the surrounding area, don’t miss out on the amazing opportunity of our MI40 Muscle Camps coming to you!  Ben and Dr. Jordan Shallow will be conducting 3 day courses in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne!  Head to MuscleCamps.com for more information. Jordan Shallow- Changing Stimulus vs Skill Acquisition, Combining Science and Experience when experimenting in the gym Ralph Esposito- 3 Hacks for testosterone- Sleep, Meditation, avoiding plastics Rick Hanson- Overcoming the negativity bias Layne Norton- Finding a nutrition rhythm for your body to be most metabolically flexible. Dan Pardi- The effects of sleep on body composition. Greg Roskopf- How the nervous system governs stability/contraction.  Greg’s MAT concept of tightening loose muscles rather than loosening tight ones. Zach Bush- The effects of glyphosate on the gut micro biome.

Joining us today is Dr. Michael Ruscio, author of his new book Healthy Gut, Healthy You. In this episode Ben and Tom dive into all things gut health. They talk in depth on how he diagnoses gut issues in his patients, lifestyle factors that contribute to GI distress & dietary approaches one should start with. He goes into detail on what leaky gut syndrome is and 3 things everyone should know about the microbiome. Find out why you should aim for a broad diet and listen to your body. Timestamps How does he first go about diagnosing potential gut issues for new patients coming to his practice? [1:05] What lifestyle factors contribute to GI distress and inflammation? [3:27] What dietary approaches does he recommend people start with? [7:50] Depending on someone’s symptoms, does he recommend a different intervention secondary to changing the diet? [11:36] How do you distinguish between leaky gut vs. microbiome dysbiosis? Should we be testing ourselves? [18:12] What is leaky gut and the causes of it? [24:03] If under a mass amount of stress, does the type of foods you eat matter? [30:39] What 3 things should EVERYONE know about the microbiome? [34:02] The differences between candida symptoms/protocol and a microbiome protocol. [38:45] [41:00] What is his favorite example of antimicrobial supplements? [43:37] Do we have an ideal scenario for what a healthy microbiome looks like? [44:33] What strategies can people with histamine levels implement to heal their gut? [47:52] What supplements are beneficial to one’s gut health? [50:41] How much is glyphosate playing a role in our microbiome health? [51:35] Are there daily strategies to mitigate your gut dysbiosis? [53:30] What supplements can alleviate high anxiety? [55:50] Do fermented foods add any value to one’s diet? [58:51] Featured Guest Dr. Michael Ruscio (@drruscio) • Instagram Website Book Related Links/Products Mentioned Controversies and Recent Developments of the Low-FODMAP Diet Starting the Low FODMAP Diet GA-map technology principle Diet and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Gut microbiota role in irritable bowel syndrome: New therapeutic strategies Can probiotics help treat depression and anxiety? Probiotic use linked to improved symptoms of depression Herbal Therapy Is Equivalent to Rifaximin for the Treatment of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Shinrin-Yoku Forest Medicine Your Gut Bacteria Doesn't Like Junk Food—Even If You Do - Blue Zones Kids Who Grew Up on Farms Have Fewer Allergies: Study Low-Histamine Diet & Histamine Intolerance Guide Allergies? Probiotic combination may curb your symptoms, new study finds People Mentioned Robb Wolf (@dasrobbwolf) • Instagram  

Joining us today is Tom Stubbs, CEO of Chronomics. In this episode Ben and Tom dive into all things epigenetics. They take a deep dive into the metabolic pathways associated with DNA methylation, predispositions to epigenetics & MORE. He opens up about Chronomics and the ground breaking research they are doing. Find out why their mission is to improve human health to make the unseen actionable! Exclusive Offer!!! Visit https://www.chronomics.com/r/ben75 for 20% off your Chronomics Package!  

Welcome back Dr. Jordan Shallow!  The Muscle Doc joins us again for a great conversation on how to build your greatest body through pillars of strength, hypertrophy and stability.  Jordan teaches us how to manipulate those pillars to achieve the goals of bodybuilding or hypertrophy. We also discuss Ben and Jordan’s upcoming muscle camps in Australia, training to optimize the autonomic nervous system to get the most out of every set and the accessory work that powerlifters should be doing to prevent injury and lift as heavy as possible.   If you are interested in joining Dr. Shallow and Ben in Australia visit MuscleCamps.com for more details.  If you are not in Australia be sure to keep an eye on both Ben and Jordan’s social media accounts for more dates across the globe.   This podcast is brought to you by Bioptimizers.  We use Masszymes everyday to optimize protein digestion and absorption. Check out the demo video at masszymes.com for the full demonstration of the power of these enzymes and use code MuscleBen18 for 15 percent off at checkout.

Joining us today is Harpreet Rai, CEO of the Oura Ring. In this episode Ben and Harpreet dive into how he got involved with Oura as well as what makes it different from other sleep trackers out there. They take a deep dive into HRV and analyze Ben’s numbers on the air. He shares the future of the company and the concept of Own the Night. Find out why Harpreet not only wants to give you a good night’s sleep, but the best quality of life! This episode is brought to you by MCTco. Use Code BenBOGO for buy one get one free organic MCT oil and powder only on MCTco.com.   How did he get involved with Oura? [4:28] What is it about a ring that makes it so advantageous over a watch? [9:57] How do we turn a pulse into deep sleep? [12:42] What happens to your body during deep sleep? [16:50] Validating the implications/importance of the ring and HRV: Analyzing Ben’s sleep numbers [23:40] Why did they change the design of the ring? [36:50] Addressing the demand and fulfillment requests not being made. [38:00] What is the future for the Oura Ring and the app? [39:25] Has he seen any high variability/technical issues with the ring? [58:26] What are they doing to get into more homes and grow the business? [1:02:22] The concept of Own the Night. [1:05:10] Featured Guest Oura Ring: the most accurate sleep and activity tracker  **Coupon code “BPAK” for $50 off** Related Links/Products Mentioned Muscle Expert Podcast #50 – The Ultimate Tool For Accurately Quantifying Your Sleep, HRV, Caloric Expenditure and More with Petteri Lahtela Cooper test - Wikipedia Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams – Book by Matthew Walker PhD The Science Behind Oura | Oura Ring Muscle Expert Podcast #158- The Ultimate Sleep Masterclass with Dan Pardi Gyroscope - Wikipedia Oura Ring Receives the Red Dot Award 2018 | Oura Ring The Sleep of the Ring Comparison of the ŌURA Sleep Tracker Against Polysomnography. The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype--and the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take Your Meds, and More – Book by Michael Breus Date With Destiny - Discover What Motivates You - Tony Robbins Muscle Expert Podcast #156- The MI40 Six Pillars for a Lean and Muscular Body The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists - Book by Neil Strauss People Mentioned Petteri Lahtela (@plahtela) | Twitter Matt Walker (@sleepdiplomat) | Twitter Dan Pardi (@humanos.me) | Instagram Neil Strauss (@neilstrauss) · Twitter Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) · Twitter

Dr. Rob Wildman joins us to dive deep on protein consumption for trained individuals.  We discuss the limitations of current RDA values, how protein synthesis works, and what is optimal vs recommended.  Dr. Wildman gives us his optimal timing around workouts, best protein sources and much more! A huge thanks to Joovv for sponsoring this week's giveaway and podcast!  Visit Joovv.com/bpak to get a little extra gift with the purchase of a Joovv product! For resources and links from this episode visit Benpakulski.com/Podcasts/Wildman Requirements vs. Recommendations: How Much Nutrients do you need to Build Muscle, Optimize Health and Longevity? [3:00] Gains vs. Maintains: How Much Extra Protein is needed to Maintain your Muscle Mass? [5:15] How Much Can the Average Person Assimilate Per Serving of Protein? [7:09] The Science Behind the Optimization/Absorption of Protein. [10:00] What is the Recommend US Guidelines for Protein Compared to What he Recommends? [13:40] What are Things that Directly Influence our Daily Protein Requirement? [16:29] How does Frequency of Training affect Muscle Protein Synthesis? [19:50] The Research and Science behind how Muscle Protein Synthesis Works. [22:19] What does Research say about Slow Acting Proteins? [25:00] The Idea of Achieving a Certain Amount of Amino Acids in the Blood. [26:36] Would the Average Person Benefit from More Protein in their Diet? [29:24] Are there any Negative Effects to Too Much Protein? [33:00] For People with Kidney Dysfunction, When does Too Much Protein Become an Issue? [38:27] The Implications of High Dietary Meat Intake in Depleting Body’s Glycine. [39:22] The Bottom Line on Collagen. [41:21] The Differences Between Whey and Isolate Protein & Which One Should You Be Using. [43:14] Can we Nourish the Muscle with Protein while we Sleep? [46:24] Is it Necessary for us to Re-Sensitize Ourselves to Protein? [50:07] The Rally Cry of the Amino Acids. The Benefits and Importance of Leucine. [52:12] What is Exciting Things are Going on with Dymatize? [55:02] Why Would one take BCAA’s over Hydrolyzed Whey Isolate? [56:55] How Long as Dymatize been a Business? [58:03]

Joining us today is the founder of Joovv Light, Scott Nelson.  Scott brings us all of the latest research on red light and near-infrared light therapy and the benefits that it brings.  We dive into the fascinating topic of deuterium and how it’s accumulation may lead to increased risk of cancer and other chronic illness.  We also discuss how research is showing benefits ranging from increased collegian production, increased stem cell growth, benefits for exercise, and positive impact on mitochondria and micro biome.  Sun light may be the greatest health hack that has been found and similar light therapies are a close second.  Listen all the way through to hear how proper light exposure can improve everything from your workouts to your sleep.   ***GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!*** The guys at Joovv have been so gracious as to giveaway a Joovv Solo to one lucky listener who subscribes and reviews this podcast as well as shares on social media!!! Visit Instagram @bpakfitness for more details on how you can win this $1995 system from Joovv!!!   This podcast is brought to you by Foursigmatic Mushrooms!  Lionsmane mushrooms are one of our favorite supplements for increasing brain cognition and nerve growth factor.  It is one of the core supplements that the entire Muscle Intelligence Team takes daily.  We partnered with Foursigmatic to share the love with at 15% discount on all of your mushroom needs.  Just use code Muscle at checkout to claim your discount!

Previous guest, Dan Pardi, returns to illuminate even more when it comes to sleep.  Ben and Dan dive right in with discussion of his research of treating sleep disorders with GBH.  They also discuss more natural ways to hack sleep including proper light exposure and timing, melatonin and CBD supplementation and more.  Lastly we wrap up with talk of the effects that lack of sleep can have on brain function.  If you struggle with getting enough sleep this is definitely a must listen.   This podcast is brought to you by Foursigmatic.  If you struggle with sleep we recommend supplementing with reishi mushrooms right before bed to improve sleep.  Use code Muscle for 15% off your order!   If you would like to join Dan in HumanOS.me use the code MuscleIntelligence to get your first month of Pro for $1!

Dr. Evan Demarco joins us today to discuss the latest CBD research!  These days you will hear a ton of out there claims about CBD for just about every ailment out there.  That is why we brought on one of the country’s top CBD formulators to breakdown what we can and what we can’t expect when taking CBD supplements.  Dr. Demarco presents us with some of the latest research on CBD and cortisol, the benefits of taking CBD with Omega 3s and breaks down the legality of buying CBD in the US.   This podcast is brought to you by Foursigmatic Mushrooms!  Today is the last day of Foursigmatic Black Friday Sales!!! Use code Muscle and get up to 50% off mushroom, blends, elixers, coffee and more!  Take advantage of this sale on foursigmatic.com/muscle

As you all know, this podcast has evolved beyond focusing on just muscle building.  Today we tie together everything Ben has learned in the last two years into the MI40 Six Pillars.  Living a great life in a body you love goes far beyond just your time in the gym and your time in the gym is greatly influenced by what you are doing out of it. So today we discuss what you need to be doing to achieve optimal health and fitness.   Congrats to our ATP Labs Giveaway winner Aaron Olszewski!!! We are giving away some fantastic prizes every time a new episode drops!  To enter make sure you have subscribed to and reviewed The Muscle Expert Podcast on your favorite platform.  Then follow our Instagram giveaway posts each week to enter!

Welcome back Dr. Zach Bush!  Our last episode with Dr. Bush was one of our highest dowloaded ever so we decided to bring him back on to talk about how to limit our exposure and the effects of glyphosate.  Dr. Bush is researching the effects that Monsanto’s chemical has on our cellular health and communication network.    This episode is brought to you by our friends at Foursigmatic.  We use Lion’s Mane mushrooms daily at the MI40 Gym to aide in neurogenesis.  Get 15% off all of your mushroom needs on foursigmatic.com when you use the code Muscle on checkout.

Dr. Stephanie Seneff is an expert in many areas, the MIT staff researcher’s focus has been on interfacing human communication with technology.  Her background also includes a degree in biophysics which is where her focus has circled to more recently.  Dr. Seneff has been studying how glyphosate molecules interact with amino acids, in particular, glycine.  Dr. Seneff believes that glyphosate molecules are attaching to glycine receptors and causing many major health complications including infertility, autism, and DNA damage.  Today we kick off our discussion on Monsanto’s popular pesticide and wether it is responsible for our declining health as a human race.

Dr. Michael Greger is a researcher, best selling author and a vegan!  Today we hear the other side of the nutrition argument, that of a longevity perspective.  According to Dr. Greger’s research, a plant based diet is by far the best diet to follow if you want to live the longest, healthiest life possible.  Let us know on social media what you think. This episode is brought to you by Organifi Juice.  As we discuss in this episode, getting all of your micro and phytonutrient requirements can be difficult.  That is why we use Organifi Juices to fill in the gap.  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20% off your order on Organifi.com.

Gretchen Rubin, the New York Times best selling author of the Happiness Project, The Four Types, and Happier at Home, joins us today to teach us about personality types and how they can effect habit formation. We dive into how to recognize the personality types of others and how this skill can help build management skills in business and how they can be used in the fitness industry to motivate your clients.   This episode is brought to you by Foursigmatic Mushrooms.  Use code Muscle for 15% off your mushroom needs.

One of Ben’s top mentors, Eric Seifert, joins us today to talk training!  Eric is a master of exercise execution, injury prevention and one of the top M.A.T. practitioners in the world.  Today Ben and Eric sit down and discuss some of the most common mistakes people make in the gym as well as how to fit exercises to your body. Eric shares the wisdom that he brings to countless professional athletes and clients to help you train pain free.   This episode is brought to you by Organifi!  It can be difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals into your diet that are required and supplements don’t always absorb the way we want them too.  That’s where Organifi Green Juice comes in.  It contains all of your daily veggie needs in an easy to absorb form.  Use code MuscleIntelligence to get 20% off your order on Organifi.com

We sat down with Dan Garner last weekend at the S.W.I.S conference to talk health optimization from a performance standpoint.  Often we find that the largest hinderance to improvement particularly in trained athletes is underlying health conditions.  In this episode Dan walks us through his though process when analyzing anyone from your average Joe to world class athletes.  We discuss food sensitivities, gut health, digestion, underlying pathogens and of course finding your optimal ranges.   A huge part of optimizing your health is making sure your body is fueled with all of the micro and phytonutrients that it needs.  That is why we have partnered with Organifi to give you 20% off everything in the Organifi store.  Just use the code MuscleIntelligence.

Joining us today is Dr. Greg Potter of Human.OS.  Dr. Potter’s PHD focused on researching the influences and mechanisms of the circadian rhythm.  Today we go way beyond the sleep-wake cycle into meal timing, how light can positively and adversely effect your sleep, and how each of your systems operate on their own cycle that is linked to your brain’s master cycle.  If you want to live your greatest life in your greatest body this is an episode you can’t miss.   This episode is brought to you by Organifi.  Organifi Gold Juice is a great tasting night time drink that will help you relax and get a great night of sleep.  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20% off of all your Organifi needs.

Dr. Nicole Avena has dedicated her career to understanding the obesity epidemic and the neuroscience behind it.  In this episode we dive into the mechanisms that contribute to food addiction and how to develop positive habits around food.  We also discuss in depth nutrition for children and how the early years of a child’s life are the most influential when it comes to developing good nutrition habits.   This episode is brought to you by Bioptimizers.  Use code MuscleBen18 for 15 percent off your MassZymes order!

Today we have Ben’s best friend, Andy O’Brien, the strength and conditioning coach for the Pittsburg Penguins!  Ben and Andy dive deep into optimizing performance no matter what your athletic endeavor is.  We discuss the role of the CNS in athletic performance and how to determine your optimal state for performance.  We also dive into exercise and drill selection to train for speed, power and movement, the correlation between strength and performance and how to optimize recovery when there are variables that are out of your control. This episode is brought to you by Organifi. Use code MuscleIntelligence to get 20% off of your Organifi.com order.   For timestamps and resources please visit BenPakulski.com/podcasts

Ben recently sat down with Bedros to discuss his new book, Man Up.  In this bonus edition of the Muscle Expert Podcast we dive into Bedros’ greatest tips for leadership and clear communication and decision making.   As a special bonus for you all we are giving away signed copies of Man Up!  All you have to do is leave a review for the Muscle Expert Podcast on iTunes.  We will announce the winner on 10/18’s edition of the Muscle Expert Podcast.   We have a brand new partner and offer for you guys!  MCTco is offering buy one get one on their MCT Powder and Organic MCT Oil!  Simply use the code BenBOGO on MCTco.com.

Cory Schlesinger, the sports performance coach for Stanford Basketball, joins us to discuss the strength, conditioning and life skills that he trains into college athletes.  Cory is one of the most forward thinking strength coaches in college sports, today he teaches us the importance of working from the ground up.  Working with outliers has forced him to evaluate mobility, movement and strength before diving into skill acquisition.  Listen in to learn more about becoming great by building basics before skill. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi.  Getting all of your necessary nutrients isn’t always easy or convenient.  That is why we have partnered with Organifi to bring you discounts on their amazing juice products.  Organifi greens, reds, and gold juice are all great tasting nutrient dense ways to give your body that extra boost of nutrients that it needs to be in optimal shape.  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20% off on Organifi.com!  Happy juicing!

This is a very different episode of the Muscle Expert Podcast!  Today we have Dr. Anthony Jay on to tell us about his latest research at the Mayo Clinic and to decipher Ben’s DNA. This conversational episode starts with a discussion on the incredible results Dr. Jay is seeing from infrared light therapy with the Joov light. From there we dive right into Ben’s DNA markers and how he is programmed for detoxification, performance and more.  We highly recommend heading to BenPakulski.com/Podcasts/JayDNA to download Ben’s results in order to follow along with the conversation.   This episode is brought to you by Organifi Juices!  Ensure that you are getting in your daily requirements of all of your micro and phytonutrients with Organifi Greens Juice.  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20% off of your organifi.com order!

Joining us today is Dr. Stephen Cabral, author of the Rain Barrel Effect and the host of the Cabral Concept Podcast. Dr. Cabral brings us a different thought process when it comes to protein, what is the minimum effective dose for health and longevity?  Dr. Cabral came to naturopathic medicine after a childhood autoimmune condition showed him that an integrative approach to treating disease was the best place to start.  In this show we discuss macro balancing for longevity, the effects your DNA has on what you should be eating as well as the concepts that he covers in the Rain Barrel Effect, how to reduce toxic burden on the body.   This episode is brought to you by Organifi.  Organifi Juice is one of the best tasting ways to ensure that you are getting and absorbing all of the micro and phytonutrients that your body needs to be in optimal health.  Use code MuscleIntelligence on organifi.com for 20 percent off of your order. For timestamps and other resources from this episode please visit BenPakulski.com/Podcasts 

Joining us today is Judith Pennington from the Institute of the Awakened Mind.  Judith has spent her life researching what is physically happening as your brain enters different states of consciousness.  In this episode we dive deeper than just what the dominant frequency of your brain is and discuss the patterns of frequencies you see as someone is in a creative flow state, heightened consciousness and much more.  Listen through to the end to hear how you can train yourself to recall those brain states at will!   This episode is brought to you by Organifi.  Organifi juices allow you to intake all of the micronutrients you need for much less than you would spend on wholefoods.  Use code MuscleIntelligence on Organifi.com to get 20% off your entire order!   Please visit BenPakulski.com/podcasts for show notes and additional resources from this show.  

Dorian Yates’ is a man who needs no introduction. He is a 6 time Mr. Olympia and one of the greatest physiques of all time.  Today we steered away from the usual career topics and dove deep into Dorian’s life after bodybuilding.  We talk briefly about why he decided it was time to retire and then we dive deep into the spiritual journey that Dorian has had since his bodybuilding days were over.  Be sure to check out Dorian’s retreat in Costa Rica once this episode is over. This episode is brought to you by Organifi.  Save money and time while still getting all of the micronutrients that you need with Organifi Greens juice.  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20 percent off your order at Organifi.com. Timestamps 3:30- Life after bodybuilding. How Dorian handled the end of his career and beyond. 21:15- Why Dorian dove into spirituality after retirement. 27:00- Coming down off of the mountain of an extraordinary career.  Dorian’s journey through spirituality and depression after his bodybuilding career. 30:45- Why Ben and Dorian have put such an importance on meditation. 33:30- Yogi bodybuilders. The stress and mobility benefits of yoga that Ben and Dorian see for bodybuilders. 40:00- Dorian’s meditation practices and the benefits he sees. 44:30- Dorian’s first ayahuasca experience. 56:00- Dorian’s greatest takeaways on his relationships, lifestyle and outlook on life from his ayahuasca experiences. 1:01:00- Dorian’s experience with other psychedelics. 1:06:00- How to come down from plant teachers. 

Joining us today is one of Ben’s mentors and one of the leading minds behind intelligent exercise execution, Tom Purvis.  Tom is the founder of Resistance Training Specialist and PersonalTraining.com.  Ben and Tom have a marathon podcast on a huge variety of training related topics.  We dive deep on the training methods that have shown success for both Ben and Tom, the role DNA plays in the size and shape of your muscles, the physics of a rep and much more!   There is often a disconnect between muscle building and health particularly if you are trying to put on as much muscle as possible.  Organifi juices are a great way to supplement important nutrients in a dose that is very difficult to get strictly from whole foods.  Organifi is hooking you up with 20% off your order if you use the code MuscleIntelligence at checkout! Enjoy!   For timestamps and additional resources please visit BenPakulski.com/Podcasts

Dr. Chad Waterbury joins us today to talk training!  Dr. Waterbury shares his advanced knowledge of exercise physiology and the nervous system.  He and Ben discuss building a workout, execution mastery, and the role of training on your nervous system. We also dive deep on motor unit recruitment, optimizing recovery, and and the balancing act that is avoiding overtraining. This episode is brought to you by Bioptimizers MassZymes.  As you all know it doesn’t matter what you eat, it matters what you absorb.  Bioptimizers MassZymes will help you break down protein and absorb more of it!  Use code MuscleBen18 on MassZymes.com for 15% off your order! Time Stamps   6:00- You need to set off the stimulus for growth, but you don’t want to overwhelm it.  Dr. Waterbury’s approach to high frequency training. 9:30- Advancing past a primer phase of training.  How to progress your workouts once you have mastered the basics.  14:50- The importance of mastery in exercise execution.  Why you need to master the “rules” before you can break them.  19:45- Sets, reps, volume and load.  How to manipulate the variables of exercise.  32:30- Matching antagonist exercises.  Dr. Waterbury’s thought process for exercise selection. 36:00- Is soreness synonymous with exercise or a sign of overtraining? 39:40- The neurophysiology of training.  Dr. Waterbury’s unique insight into exercise physiology that he gained from Parkinson’s research. 47:00- Maximizing motor-unit recruitment through tempo.  Dr. Waterbury’s paradigm challenging thoughts on the nervous system’s role in training.  53:00- Tempo vs load for motor-unit recruitment. 55:00- The “nutrition program” of recovery.  Why you need to implement mindfulness and gratitude to improve your nervous system’s recovery. 1:05:15- Adapting for endurance and staying out of the lactic system.  The reasons that you should avoid overtraining and excessive metabolic acidosis.  

One of the thought leaders of our time, Kute Blackson, joins us today to share his story.  At a young age Kute found himself thrust into a familial role that he didn't see for himself.  Today Kute is an international speaker on self-love and living your purpose.  Listen in to hear Kute's amazing insight on how to face the hard truths and find your purpose to live an amazing life. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi!  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20% Organifi juice and supplements. For timestamps and resources from this episode visit BenPakulski.com/podcasts/Kute.

Greg Roskopf the founder of Muscle Activation Techniques joins us today to discuss the role the neuro-musclular system plays in preventing injuries and performance.  MAT is focused on hacking the nervous system to address muscular imbalances and relieve muscle pain.  Ben and Greg discuss the benefits Ben has seen from MAT as well as the biological function behind it.  Lastly we discuss the next phase of Greg’s understanding of the nervous system that he has gained since a terrible accident left him rehabbing both brain and body.   This episode is brought to you by Organifi.  Organifi whole food juices are perfect to supplement the micronutrients that it is often difficult to get enough of through diet alone.  A regimen of Green, Red, and Gold juice through the day will help you truly live your greatest life in your greatest body.  Use code MuscleIntelligence for 20% off everything in the Organifi store!   Visit BenPakulski.com/podcasts/MAT for more information on Greg and for episode timestamps.

Dr. Gerald Pollack is one of the pioneers in the research of the fourth phase of water, a structuring of water that lands between liquid and solid. This fourth phase of water lives inside our cells and helps to keep our bodies negatively charged.  Ben and Dr. Pollack dive deep into what structured water is, why it is necessary for health and how to maintain high levels of structured water as we age.  Lastly, we wrap up with the future of Dr. Pollack’s research of structured water including the possibility of holding data in water molecules! This episode is brought to you by Organifi.  Because we are huge fans of the whole nutrients that Organifi juices provide we have partnered with them to bring a special offer to the Muscle Expert listeners.  Use code Muscle Intelligence for 20% off all products in the Organifi store.  Make sure to act quickly because this offer won’t be around forever! If you would like more information on the benefits of structured water and how to bring more of it into your life, check out episode 69 with Hans Eng and Rowena Gates on the NanoVi structured water technology. Please visit BenPakulski.com/podcasts/pollack for resources and timestamps from this episode.

Joining us today is Dr. David Carpenter, one of the worlds leading researchers on environmental pollution and an environmental advocate.  Dr. Carpenter warns of the dangers of EMF pollution and upcoming 5G towers.  From there we dive into more traditional environmental pollution and how to minimize your exposure to toxins such as PCBs which have contaminated most foods and are highly present in animal fats.  Listen through to the end to hear David’s take on how to best minimize your exposure and live a long and healthy life.  Please reach out to Ben on social media if you would like to join the Muscle Intelligence movement to reduce pollution and live your greatest life! This episode is presented by Organifi.  We highly recommend Organifi juices to supplement micronutrients such as polyphenols.  Use code MuscleIntelligence to get 20 percent off your Organifi order!  Visit BenPakulski.com/podcasts/carpenter for timestamps and resources.

Daniel Debaun is a former telecommunications engineer who has shifted his focus to eliminating exposure to electromagnetic radiation caused by modern technology such as cellphones and wifi.  Daniel invented a product called Defendershield to help his family as well as others avoid dangerous EMFs.  On this episode, Daniel walks Ben through the mechanisms that cause EMF and the best practices to mitigate health concerns.  Tune in for some great take-home advice to protect your self and your family from excess radiation exposure.   This episode is brought to you by Organifi Juices.  Use Code MuscleIntelligence for 20% off your Organifi.com order!

Darin Olien is a man of many hats, some would call him a biohacker or maybe a healthy living enthusiast, but most call him a super food hunter.  Darin has traveled the world in search of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet.  Today on the Muscle Expert Podcast we talk to Darin about what the daily habits and nutrition look like for a man obsessed with the healthiest foods on the planet.  We also discuss his most recent finding, Baruka nuts, a favorite here at the Muscle Expert Podcast.  Tune in to learn about this amazing new superfood that Darin is harvesting from the wild of Brazil. Time Stamps 1:45- How Darin found superfood hunting after injury prevented him from perusing sport. 5:45- Superlife- the life goal of Darin Olien, helping people live a high functioning, optimal, healthy life. 9:00- The foundations for living a super life, whole food, sleep, and hydration. 13:30- How Darin “hacks” his water. 3 stage filter and a vortator to structure his water. 17:15- The complexity of nature.  How Dr. Gerald Pollack’s research could lead to us using water to store information. 20:50- Diving into the idea that drinking charged water can help with nutrient absorption. 22:45- The importance of hydration to living a healthy life. 31:00- Darin’s daily habits including, biohacking, breath work, superfoods and consciousness practices. 35:30- The unique, functional workouts that Darin incorporates daily. 41:45- Nutrition- What the “Superfood Hunter” eats on the daily. 45:15- Darin’s philosophy on food and why he lives vegan. 53:20- What are baruka nuts and how did Darin find them? 58:45- The last wild nut? The labor intensive process that is required to produce baruka nuts and how Darin is helping the environment and local economy through sustainably harvesting these wild nuts.

Drew Canole, the founder of FitLife TV and Organifi joins us today to discuss his new book, You Be You, training under a shaman, and of course why he created Organifi.  In this brief yet deep episode, Ben and Drew dive into how to detoxify your life, overcome your limiting beliefs and own your awesome!  We also talk about Drew’s amazing juice products from Organifi and how they formulated each one to naturally support detox, energy and even sleep.  You can use code MuscleIntelligence on organifi.com to get 20 percent off of your order with our new sponsor. 1:00- You Be You, Drew’s new book on detoxing your life, crushing your limitations and owning your awesome. 5:30- Where Drew came from and how he started crushing it. 9:45- In order for there to be a next you must complete something first.  How to follow through on what you say you are going to do. 17:00- Why Drew decided to start a superfood company. 21:45- Drew’s daily work with a shaman. 25:15- Giving away your seniority.  Why we give away our humanity more and more as we go through life. 28:30- Drew’s advice for living your greatest life.  Start with optimizing your physical body, then move to your spiritual body. 30:00- How Drew feeds his spiritual body with a daily meditation practice. 35:00- Beyond greens, Organifi red and gold juice and what they are formulated for.

Breathing is the most reflexive movement in the body, but it doesn’t have to be.  Our guest today, Patrick McKeown, is an expert in Buteyko breathing and the founder of the Oxygen Advantage.  Patrick teaches us the benefits of nasal breathing and some great practices for changing from a mouth breather to a diaphragm breather.  Some highlights from the episode include how raising your CO2 levels will help to further oxygenate your body and using nightly mouth taping to get rid of sleep apnea, snoring, and insomnia. This episode is brought to you by Bioptimizers.  We know that breathing can help you get into a parasympathetic state which is optimal for digestion, but if you are consuming high levels of protein that may not be enough.  That is where Bioptimizers comes in.  Bioptimizers Masszymes help to break down proteins and allows you to absorb more of the protein that you consume, an essential for muscle gain.  Use code MuscleBen18 on masszymes.com to get 15% off of your order. Time Stamps 4:00- Why proper breathing technique matters so much. 8:30- How your breathing technique affects your perceived output. 9:30- What is mouth taping and how can it help you. 12:00- Practices that will help your body fully oxygenate. 19:00- What are the potential benefits from proper breathing techniques? 26:30- Best practices for mouth taping during your sleep. 32:00- How to teach your kids how to breathe with their diaphragm. 36:15- Sleep apnea and nasal breathing. 41:00- Nasal breathing and the parasympathetic nervous system. 44:00- How breathing experts are using higher levels of CO2 to help reset breathing patterns. 46:00- How you can start to change your breathing patterns. 50:00- Mindful breathing and attention span.  Why you (or your kids) need daily breathing practices to keep attention up and anxiety down.

Elle Russ is a woman of many hats. A creative writer, comedian and actor, Elle found herself in the middle of a health crisis while trying to maintain the ideal “actress body”.  The root of that cause was a thyroid issue that took Elle over 10 years and 50 doctors to get under control.  Elle has since become an expert in natural ways to keep your thyroid in check.  Today on the Muscle Expert Podcast she shares her story as well as her wealth of knowledge on keeping your thyroid healthy.  If you or a loved one suspect that you have issues with thyroid regulation, make sure to pick up Elle’s book The Paleo Thyroid Solution. Time Stamps 2:00- Elle Russ’ story.  Her beginnings as an actress and how the demands of maintaining a look led her to find out that she had issues with her thyroid. 9:00- The contributors to Elle’s thyroid issues, selenium, over-training, and carbohydrate. 11:00-  The glucose myth.  Why Elle refutes the need for carbohydrates for thyroid health. 13:30- How do you know if you may have low thyroid? 23:30- The mechanics of thyroid hormones and how to determine what intervention you should make. 38:30- How to potentially avoid going on medications for life by thyroid function through diet and nutrient optimization. 41:30- Where to start with hormone intervention. 43:30- In range vs optimal.  Should you be ok with your hormone levels just being within an accepted range? 50:00- The opposite side of the coin.  Potential complications from too much thyroid hormone. 52:45- The micronutrients you need to pay attention to for thyroid health.

Dr. Layne Norton joins us at the MI40 Gym to share from his wealth of nutrition knowledge.  Dr. Norton and Ben jump right in discussing what its like to work on social media and Layne’s sometimes “abrasive” approach.  From there the conversation moves to metabolic flexibility, whether carb to fat ratio matters as much as some think it does, wether a high fat diet really helps you lose weight and of course If It Fits Your Macros.  Stay tuned until the end to hear how Dr. Norton’s thought process has evolved over the years and where he plans to head in the next five. This podcast is brought to you by the MI40 Nation.  If you haven’t been over to our members site you are missing out on the best information out there teaching you how to train for YOUR body.  Head over to MI40Nation.com or HypertrophyMastery.com to see what all the hype is about. Highlights Ben and Dr. Norton discuss his polarizing status in the fitness community. Dr. Norton talks about the evolution of his thought process. Is insulin sensitivity all its cracked up to be? After protein does your level of carbs vs fats really matter for changing your body comp?  

Leanne Vogel of Healthful Pursuit joins us today on the Muscle Expert Podcast to dive into the benefits of cyclical keto.  Leanne is the host of one of the highest rated nutrition podcasts on iTunes, author of The Keto Diet and Keto Beginnings and a world renown speaker on the topic of Keto.  She and Ben dive into her past struggles with eating disorders, how she went from vegan to the ketogenic diet, and cyclical keto as well as how she maintains her diet and routine while traveling the country in an RV.  Don’t miss a second of this crazy informative episode. This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market.  Thrive Market is your greatest resource for getting clean, organic groceries without breaking the bank or wasting time at the grocery store. Thrive even lets you shop by diet which today’s guest Leanne Vogel does all the time for her Keto Supplies!  Visit ThriveMarket.com/MuscleExpert for 25% off of your first order and free shipping! Time Stamps- 5:45- How Leanne went from vegan to the ketogenic diet and balanced her life. 9:30- The culture of diet.  Why it becomes difficult to see the signs that a diet may not work for you when you are in a community that subscribes to that diet. 11:45- How Leanne struggled with bulimia when she first started keto and why she cycles the diet. 15:45- Ketosis for ketosis’ sake.  Why what you eat matters more than staying in ketosis. 20:30- Keto for mental clarity.  Why Ben and Leanne try to always be in ketosis when they have to be on the top of their mental game. 22:30- Leanne’s advice to help people transition onto the ketogenic diet. 30:45- Optimizing health on keto as a woman. 36:15- Leanne’s struggle with eating disorders and body dysmorphia. 40:00- Reframing your relationship with food through a positive diet mindset. 43:20- Keto on the go.  How Leanne stays on her diet while traveling the country in an RV. 51:00- Leanne’s road routine and naked yoga. 55:45- Leanne’s book, where to find her and what’s new in the world of Healthful Pursuit.

A few years ago Cavin Balaster was involved in a serious accident which left him in a coma with less than a 10 percent chance of survival which would have been in a vegetative state.  Flash forward to today and Cavin is not only able to lead a normal life but has also written a book about the experience.  Join us as Cavin tells his story and gives great insight on how he was able to support brain healing through nutrition and supplemental changes.    This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic Mushrooms.  Lion’s Mane is the only proven supplement to improve neurogenesis, the growth of new neurons.  Use code Muscle at FourSigmatic.com for 15% off of your order!   Time Stamps   2:00- The accident that changed Cavin’s life forever and the life changing research that he did as a result.   4:45- Giving your brain its best shot.  Cavin shares advice on how to encourage brain health.   9:30- How “under the table” nutrients helped Cavin’s brain start to restore function.   14:15- The importance of gut health for brain health.   21:45- Supporting neuroplasticity with supplementation.   24:00- The mindset of change.  Why the belief of “I can” is the most important piece of the puzzle.   30:00- How Cavin’s life practices have changed since his accident.   38:30- Pain is not good or bad, it is there to let us know what’s going on.  Cavin’s long road to recovery.   42:30- How to Feed a Brain- Cavin tells us about the book he wrote on his recovery process.   45:00- How to live your greatest life with your healthiest brain, Cavin’s tips for living a great life.   50:00- Is a ketogenic diet necessary to promote brain health?

Ali Miller is a certified dietitian, the host of the Naturally Nourished Podcast, and author of the new book The Anti-Anxiety Diet.  Ben and Ali sit down to discuss how you can mitigate anxiety through diet without the short term “feel good” junk foods.  Ali gives us her 5 R’s protocol to heal your gut and reset your neurotransmitter function as well as her method for women to cycle in carbs on a keto style diet to support hormone cycles.  Make sure to pick up Ali’s new book The Anti-Anxiety Diet, available everywhere Tuesday August 7th.   This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic!  One of the highlights from this show was Ali’s use of cordyceps as an adaptogen to optimize executive function.  If you want to experiment with this as well check out Four Sigmatic’s line of cordycep products and use code Muscle for 15% off of your order!   Highlights   “Exercise it the most underused anti-depressant and food is the most over-utilized anti-anxiety cure.“   Remove inflammation, restore the micro biome, rebuild gut integrity, restore micronutrients, rebounding adrenals. -Ali’s protocol for removing anxiety though diet.   Using adaptogens such as cordyceps to support executive function.   Time Stamps   2:20- How the Ketogenic Diet helps support GABA and intern has anti-anxiety benefits.   6:00- Short-term lack of carbohydrates can cause low level anxiety but long term GABA support will help to reduce anxiety long term. “Exercise it the most underused anti-depressant and food is the most over-utilized anti-anxiety cure. “   8:05- The relationship between gut health and anxiety. The relationship between microbiome, micronutrients, food intolerance and anxiety.   11:45- Ali’s method for healing your gut. Remove inflammatory foods.   15:30- The effects of a healthy micro biome on serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.   23:45- Rebuilding the gut integrity with glutamine, collagen and glycine.   32:20- Ali’s nutritional and supplemental protocol for replenishing micronutrients.   38:45- Ali’s beliefs around lectins and phytic acid when it comes to gut health.   43:30- The relationship between cortisol, epinephrine and anxiety.   48:55- How can you figure out where you are adrenally though both subjective analysis and testing.   51:45- How to support executive function with cordyceps, ashwagandha, rrhodiola and more.   56:30- Carb cycling for women on a ketogenic diet.  How you can use carbs to support cycling hormones.

Dr. Mike Nelson is one of the world’s leading experts on metabolic flexibility and creator of the Flex Diet program.  Ben and Dr. Mike dive deep on what influences metabolic flexibility, the benefits of fat and carb adaptation and how to more quickly adapt to each.  Highlights include how macros can effect your heart rate variability, what you can deduce from your blood glucose levels, and Dr. Mike’s recommended diet for longevity.   Time Stamps   5:45- What causes your body to be less efficient at using fat for fuel?   11:20- What causes the keto flu and how can you mitigate it.   14:30- What scenarios would make it better to be fat vs carb adapted.   17:45- Will you still see a performance increase from carbs even if you aren’t training hard enough to enter your glycogen stores?   20:45- Is it possible to adapt to high training volume when you are in ketosis?   24:30- Intraset recovery when in ketosis.  Is it possible to go to failure multiple times per training session if you are fat fueled.   31:00- Dr. Mike’s tips for shortening the time it takes to become metabolically flexible.   34:15- Protein and the ketogenic diet.  Will high protein actually put you out of ketosis?   37:00- What goals does Dr. Mike recommend a ketogenic diet to achieve.   39:45- What are the implications of the ketogenic diet on your hormones and microbiome?   44:15- How macros affect HRV.   46:20- Demystifying blood glucose levels.  What can you deduce from your fasting glucose level.   49:50- What does Dr. Nelson think the ideal diet is for longevity?   54:45- What are the pros and cons of low blood sugar?   59:15- The training and nutrition variables to fat oxidation.   1:04:30- The effects of mitochondrial health on metabolic flexibility.   1:06:00- The supplemental influences on metabolic flexibility.

Joining us today is one of the top Crossfit Nutritionists Jason Phillips of IN3 Nutrition.  Ben and Jason discuss how he fell into nutrition through an eating disorder, cycling training and diet through pre, post, and competition season, and the struggles of keeping your kids on a healthy diet.  Top highlights include eating for performance vs for body comp, the psychology behind prescribing a diet, how your diet can effect your hormones and much more.   This episode is brought to you by ATP Labs.  Use code Ben10 to get 10% off your order and don’t forget to sign up for their newsletter for free shipping!

Joining us today is a woman who is leading the talk of avoiding foods that have high instances of intolerance.  JJ Virgin is the author of several NYT best sellers, has appeared on numerous TV shows as a nutrition expert and is a world renown public speaker on the topics of health and wellness.  Ben and JJ discuss how she is leading the conversation on avoiding the foods that most people can’t tolerate and her new conversation on being a “Warrior Mom”. Highlights include the importance of detoxing prior to fatloss, the seven foods JJ suggests avoiding and how to figure out what foods don’t work for you.   This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers MassZymes.  You’re not what you eat, you are what you absorb.  MassZymes supports gut bacteria and helps breakdown what you are putting into your body.  Use code MuscleBen18 or visit MassZymes.com/muscleintelligence for 15 percent off of your order.   Highlights   Fat is the vessel in which much of our toxins are stored.  JJ answers why it is imperative to detox before losing fat. - 9:00   JJ’s Favorite “Clean” Personal Care Brands - 17:30   Using a Journal to document how your body reacts to certain foods. - 26:30   The 7 day elimination diet challenge. - 33:00   What is your greatest life, hire a coach to help you achieve it, find your achievable goal body and do everything you can to work towards it, JJ’s tips to live your greatest life in your greatest body. - 39:10     Time Stamps   6:45- How JJ became inspired to shift her focus to leading a generation of Warrior Moms.   9:00- Why it is essential to reduce your toxic burden and detox before losing weight.   11:30- The sources and effects of our highly estrogenic environment.   19:30- Toxin-free personal care- JJ shares her favorite clean brands.   22:45- The Virgin Diet- How JJ came up with her best selling practical diet plan.   28:30- How to start paying better attention to the foods your body does and doesn’t like.   31:45- The foods that JJ recommends to avoid.   35:00- The free information JJ is giving out to challenge you to eat for a great life.   38:30-  How JJ fits fitness into her busy lifestyle.   41:10- JJ’s tips to live your greatest life in your greatest body.

We are taking a deep dive into nutrition for the next couple of weeks on the Muscle Expert Podcast!  To kick things off I am discussing my personal approach to nutrition as well as answering the questions that many of you submitted via social media.   Stay tuned for the next two weeks to hear what all of our nutrition guests have to contribute.

Joining us today is Dr. Beau Hightower, the Director of Sports Medicine for Jackson/Wink MMA.  Dr. Hightower is known for keeping Jackson/Wink’s fighters in amazing health, they haven’t had a preventable injury drop out in his 3 years there.  Ben and Beau dive into best practices to prevent injury, Dr. Hightower’s unique approach to treat injuries and how he deduces what modality he should use for individual ailments. This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic Mushrooms.  Use code Muscle to receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic order and through July 20th, 2018 you can receive an additional 10% off of the reduced prices for Four Sigmatic’s retiring blends. Highlights You should avoid stretching pre training.  Instead use light foam rolling of contributing muscles. Dynamic warmup with light weights before lifting heavy. The evolutionary reason why certain muscles seem to always be tight. How Dr. Hightower keeps his athletes healthy and ready to fight. Time Stamp 5:30- Mitigating overuse injuries- Assessing contractile ability through AROM is key, from there Dr. Hightower recommends soft tissue work on the muscles around the group you are training. 7:30- How to start overcoming (tendon) injuries.  Is stretching, myofascial release and foam rolling working? You should avoid stretching pre training.  Instead use light foam rolling of contributing muscles (shoulder example- long head of tricep, lat, chest) Dynamic warmup with light weights before lifting heavy.  17:00- Finding the right treatment to the right goal.  Foam rolling delays DOMS, temporary increased muscle elasticity, stretching will improve ROM but whether that is good or bad is goal dependent, myofascial release can help with tightness but will require extended recovery 20:50- Wired for flexion, the reason most people have tight flexor muscles. 23:30- How to balance the trade offs between increasing range of motion and maintaining the integrity of your joints. Why Dr. Hightower avoids soft tissue work with his athletes prior to competition. 30:00- Dr. Hightower’s technique for increasing hip mobility with a lacrosse ball. 33:15- Why you SHOULDN’t work on the muscles you are getting ready to work. 34:45- Why doctors should have a larger area of study to properly treat injuries. The plague of health practitioners who only view injuries through their profession’s lens. 36:30- How to find the right doc and why people are so opinionated these days. 42:15- Protocol vs unique treatment.  Why Dr. Hightower believes that we need deductive reasoning and trial and error in medicine, not just an algorithm. 43:30-  The thought process behind diagnosing an injury.  His approach to acute injury vs chronic. 47:00- The common injuries Beau sees in the UFC.  Only 3 injury pullouts in 3 years. Lots of neck injuries and shoulder injuries from .  Beau is great at keeping fighters healthy enough that they can often avoid surgery and continue to fight. 50:30- Are Beau’s patients doing strength and hypertrophy training?  He works with their strength and conditioning coaches to decrease their weaknesses and increase their strengths.  Mostly stability and explosive work such as olympic lifting.

Joining us today on the Muscle Expert Podcast is Keto Cardiologist Dr. Nadir Ali.  Dr. Ali is challenging conventional wisdom when it comes to cholesterol.  Ben and Dr. Ali discuss how our understanding of cholesterol is misguided as it is simply a transporter for energy from fat.  Dr. Ali’s insight came from watching cholesterol rise in people who are fasted.  Listen in to hear about the good side of LDL, LCHF diet and more from Dr. Nadir Ali. Highlights LDL cholesterol as an energy transporter. Why a low carb, high fat diet is cardiologist recommended. Dr. Ali challenging conventional wisdom around LDL and cholesterol. The research that supports elevated cholesterol. 4:00-  How Dr. Ali came to believe keto was the optimal diet. 8:30- Dr. Ali’s thoughts on LDL and keto. 13:35- LDL as a fat transporter.  Why fasting will increase “bad cholesterol” in a good way. 19:50- The many functions of LDL. 21:00- The importance of CoQ10 for burning fuel. 25:30- Breaking the paradigm of cholesterol, is there actually good and bad forms? Dr. Ali gives us the studies that contrast popular opinion. 34:45- Fat intake and cholesterol levels.  Fat vs carb intake and heart disease. 36:30- Why do we still believe that cholesterol is bad despite the contradictory evidence? 39:00- The risks of challenging medical paradigms. 40:00- What happens when someone takes cholesterol reducing medications? 47:45- In Dr. Ali’s opinion is it ever wise to take cholesterol blockers? 50:00- Should you expect and be ok with High LDL when on a high fat diet? 56:00- Should you be concerned with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease? 58:30- Sex hormones and cholesterol.  The effects of hormone manipulation on cholestorol. 1:00:15- Problems with high triglycerides and fat burning.

We are programmed to focus more on the negative than the positive.  This allowed us to avoid danger and humans to prosper. In modern times our stresses are generally less about safety, so where does that leave us? Joining us today is Ben’s favorite author, Dr. Rick Hanson to discuss how we can train our neurochemistry to go against what nature intended. Dr. Hanson is the author of Buddha’s Brain and Resilient to name a couple.  Today he teaches us how focusing on positivity and gratitude can help us overcome our negativity bias, reduce cortisol and change our brain neurochemistry to live a positive stress-free life in modern times. Highlights Overcoming your natural negative bias to live a life of positivity and gratitude. Why compassion and empathy are the key to living a great life with great relationships. Gratitude, the key to an amazing life? Deficit vs abundance mindset how to change your neurochemistry. Time Stamps 4:30- Changing your negative default.  Why you are hardwired to focus on the negative and how you can overcome that bias. 10:30- Step one to letting go.  Take action on what you perceive is the negative in your life. Step 2- Don’t marinate in the negative.  Focusing on the negative will internalize the feeling. Step 3- Exercise gives you a healthy outlet to relieve stress and reduce cortisol.Step 4- Register and acknowledge positive moments with gratitude. 17:45- Spending time with positive emotions.  Only you can control your inner emotions. 22:15- Why do we avoid celebrating the good but always address the bad. 25:00- Using the internal sensation of breathing to access your parasympathetic CNS. 27:00- How tuning into your internal body can help you tune into others. 28:00- How deficit labeling shapes our reality and outcomes. 35:30- Compassion is key, why you can’t live a great life without intrapersonal courage. 43:45- Empowerment through action.  How you can find empowerment though changing your circumstances. 47:00 Changing your neurochemistry with gratitude. 49:30- Buddha’s Brain, the functions and  evolution of our brain. 54:00- How buddhism drew Dr. Hanson to psychology and personal development. 57:00-  Inclusion, why you need to stop compartmentalizing and open up to others. 1:01:50- Dr. Hanson’s advice to live your greatest life NOW! 1:05:30- Finding the positive when you are in a negative circumstance. 1:06:45- Ben’s favorite term “Equanimity” aka staying calm in difficult circumstances. 1:09:30- Rick’s 10 minute daily meditation and gratitude practice.

  Dr. Scott Sherr is one of the world’s leading doctors when it comes to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.  On this episode of the Muscle Expert Podcast Ben and Dr. Sherr dive into the benefits and limitations of hyperbaric treatments as well as the expected results.  Tune in to learn how you can upgrade your detox pathways, angiogenesis and neurogenesis, performance and epigenetic expression with oxygen and pressure therapy. This episode is brought to you by ATP Labs.  Use code Ben10 to get 10% off your supplement order and sign up for ATP's newsletter to get free shipping! Highlights- The benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy- new blood vessel growth, neurogenesis, detoxing, healing and more. Using hyperbaric therapy to treat acute conditions such as heart attacks, strokes and concussions. Upgrading your VO2 Max with HBOT How you can reverse your brain age through hyperbaric therapy. Changing genetic expression with hyperbaric therapy.   1:00- Dr. Sherr’s unique beginnings and how it lead to his hyperbaric specialty. 2:00- What hyperbaric therapy is and how it accelerates healing and other health benefits. 4:20- Using a hyperbaric protocol.  The increased benefits of multiple hyperbaric sessions. 5:50- Treating strokes, heart attacks, and brain injuries with hyperbaric therapy. 7:40- The types of hyperbaric chambers and how they differ.  Which ones should you look for when starting hyperbaric therapy? 9:00- The expected benefits of HBOT.  Neurogenesis, blood cell formation and 11:00- Increased VO2 max from HBOT. 12:30- How the hyperbaric treatments mimic the environment at the Dead Sea. 15:30- Detoxing your brain with HBOT. 18:00- Supporting neurogenesis through oxygen therapy. 20:15- The difference between hard and soft chambers. What added benefits can you possibly get by going deeper? 22:15- Your stem cells and hyperbaric therapy.  How stressing your body will increase stem cells and healing.  Can the oxidative stress be too much of a stressor? 25:45- Reversing your brain age through oxygen therapy. 27:15- Is deeper always better?  At what pressures do you see diminishing or negative returns? 31:15- The implications for bone growth from treatments. Why isn’t everyone doing hyperbaric therapy? Restrictions you should be aware of prior to treatment. 37:30- Who is the greatest candidate for HBOT?  Should it be your first choice of treatment? 41:45- Changing your epigenetics with hyperbarics.

Today Mastin Kipp,the creator of Functional Life Coaching(TM) and best selling author of Claim Your Power, joins us to discuss emotional resilience, trauma and forging your own destiny.  Mastin was named one of Oprah’s 100 super souls, has mentored under Tony Robbins and even had a successful career in the music industry.  In this episode he and Ben have an in depth conversation about how Mastin left the music industry and found a career in personal development.  They discuss traumas, coping techniques, and how to take control over your circumstances and succeed at your purpose.     4:00- The science behind finding your purpose and how it improves your health.   7:30- Finding your purpose.  How Mastin found his purpose in helping people find their purpose.   16:00- Primal threat, the reason “rock bottom” propels success.   18:15- Community and micro biome, two of the biggest movers of your mindset.   23:15- The mindset of success.  How truth, love, and positivity will accelerate your life and body gains.   27:00- The similarities between bodybuilding and emotional resilience.    31:30- Methods of coping.  How to find healthy way to cope.   35:00- Everbody has trauma.  How do we start addressing it on a personal level?   45:45- Finding emotional fitness.  How Kipp helps people stay on track once the have found emotional clarity.   48:30- How deep seeded traumas can unconsciously control your actions and success.   51:45- Mastin’s trauma and how it unconsciously shaped his career.