In today's episode, we debate ten strength and fitness-related topics that science can't settle for us! How important are deloads really? Does exercise order matter a lot or a little? And will compound lifts really give you the best bang for your buck?

See the timestamps below for all topics. And please tell us what you thought about this episode format, since it's a bit looser and less formal than usual!

Timestamps:

• 07:00 - Gym Debate no. 1: Machines vs free weights
• 10:45 - Gym Debate no. 2: High vs low frequency
• 16:45 - Gym Debate no. 3: Does perfect technique matter for hypertrophy and/or strength?
• 22:00 - Gym Debate no. 4: How close to failure should most people really train?
• 25:00 - Gym Debate no. 5: Are most people better off with fewer exercises?
• 29:45 - Gym Debate no. 6: Does exercise order matter more/less than we think?
• 33:45 - Gym Debate no. 7: Do compound lifts really give you 80% of the results?
• 38:45 - Gym Debate no. 8: Would most lifters grow more from adding volume or from trying harder?
• 42:00 - Gym Debate no. 9: Do deloads solve a problem that many lifters don't actually have?
• 46:15 - Gym Debate no. 10: Would most people get better results if they consumed less fitness content? And, has training research really been a net positive?

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

No matter if you're an active athlete or you just enjoy living an active life, injuries are something you want to stay clear of. But are injuries a given part of both training and life, or can you train in a way that greatly reduces your injury risk?

In today's episode, we discuss a new research review looking into how different types of training affect your injury risk.

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

How does fasting affect your workouts? Do you still have the same strength, power, and endurance as when you are well-fed and hydrated?

That's what a new study sought to investigate, which we're discussing today!

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Runners who strength train become muscle-bound and slow. Or, at least that is what many still seem to believe. But research into strength training for long-distance runners actually paints a very different picture.

In today's episode, we talk about why basically every runner with even an iota of ambition should add strength training to their training regimen – along with how to do it, and what you, as a runner, should prioritize in the gym.

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Another week, another summer mailbag! And we have six great questions for you today, including ones about deadlifts, injury rehab, and sleep quality. See the timestamps below.

Timestamps:

• 03:30 - Question 1: Why does everyone (meaning Philip) hate the deadlift?
• 12:15 - Question 2: Benefits and drawbacks of slower rep-tempos (e.g., 3-0-3).
• 20:45 - Question 3: I just completed a 6-week program that focused on arms, and I am very happy with the results. Now, I'm going to do a month of either your Mad Cow or 4-day push-pull program. When could I start following an arm program like yours again?
• 26:00 - Question 4: What about sleep? I know you talked about sleep in other episodes, but are there studies that help quantify its impact? Also, the number of hours of sleep is one thing, but what about sleep quality?
• 33:30 - Question 5: Injury rehab! I've just been told that resting my elbow tendinitis is the worst thing I can do. I'm healing my elbow with slow eccentric hammer curls. I was told about arthrogenic inhibition – my brachialis was "turned off," and the bicep was taking over. Any insight? The hammer curls seem to be working, but so did resting?!
• 40:30 - Question 6: Do you have an opinion or advice about workout/exercise snacks? Not the stuff you eat, but doing small workouts throughout the day instead of a single workout session. Also, what are your thoughts about the bro-split? Is there sufficient volume? Why does the volume have to be spread out throughout the week? Is it because of fatigue management?

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Summer mailbag time, and you guys and gals sent us a bunch of great questions once again! The first one deals with the hidden gap between fitness science and real life: If research shows that building muscle is easy, why isn't every person you see at the gym jacked?

We spent a good deal of time on that one before moving on to four more questions; see the timestamps below.

We'll be back next week with the second part of this mailbag, answering another handful of questions.

Timestamps:

• 04:00 - Question 1: It seems to me that many of the studies you discuss show that it's easier to gain muscle and strength than what is commonly believed. This clashes a bit with my real-life experience, where I see the same people (more or less) at the gym, seemingly not progressing much. Why this dichotomy?
• 19:15 - Question 2: I've started doing the incline bench press due to time constraints, as I believe it's a good exercise for both the shoulders and the chest. But will it instead mean that neither of them gets enough training? Is it better to choose either shoulder presses or regular bench presses instead?
• 24:45 - Question 3: You guys do an amazing job with StrengthLog, this podcast, and the community. Top quality in everything. What are the main challenges you face in keeping this up? Especially when there are f***ing annoying people like me?
• 30:00 - Question 4: What do you think are the most under-trained muscles or muscle groups, and why? Should programming best practices include coverage for these muscles, and can it be done without very specialized equipment?
• 39:30 - Question 5: I'd like to know your origin story! How did you meet? What made you decide to make your app/company?

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Getting your first pull-up or chin-up is a major milestone for most people who train. But how do you go about it effectively and quickly?

In today's episode, we present a plan that's been proven to work time and time again, no matter if you're a woman or a man, light or heavy. We break down the exercises that will take you towards your first pull-up, and explain why lat pulldowns and rows aren't as useful as a lot of people claim on the road to your first pull-up.

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Summer vacation is coming up, and we gym rats start wondering how little strength training we can get away with without losing muscle mass and strength.

And what if we skip training altogether?

In this episode, we cover everything you need to know about scaling back your training when traveling or spending time in a hammock. We also give you tips on practical programming when you don't have access to a fully equipped gym, including exercises targeting the larger muscle groups.

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.