In this episode, my guest is Pavel Tsatsouline, a world-renowned strength and conditioning coach, former military special forces training instructor, author, and founder of StrongFirst—an online school focused on “low-tech, high-concept” training to build strength for men and women of all fitness levels.

We discuss the most effective and efficient ways to build strength, endurance, and flexibility. We cover bodyweight-only, free-weight, and machine-based protocols and describe training splits and lesser-known but highly effective ways to train, especially for people with limited time.

We also discuss local versus systemic nervous system and muscle recovery, how to complete training sessions with increased energy, why training to “failure” is not advised, optimal rest-between-sets protocols to improve performance, and how to vary effort levels across each week and month to ensure regular progress. This episode brings you highly practical, science-supported, and real-world-tested training methods to build strength, endurance, and flexibility from one of the world’s top experts.

Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/YC80Wvt

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Timestamps00:00:00 Pavel Tsatsouline00:02:29 Fitness, Strength, Model Athlete00:07:19 Tool: Essential Training Movements00:13:46 Sponsors: Eight Sleep & Levels00:16:29 Dips, Pull-Ups, Farmer Carry, Tools: Kettle Bell Mile, Grip Strength & Longevity00:29:57 Concentric vs Eccentric Only Movements, Isometric, Tool: Pause Reps00:38:38 Sponsor: AG100:39:53 “Greasing the Groove”, Cramming Analogy, Strength is a Skill00:48:27 Tool: Greasing the Groove Protocol00:54:12 Tool: Movement & Motivation; Nervous System01:00:00 Frequency & Recovery, Heterochronicity, Soviet vs American Training01:10:25 Soviet vs American Strength Schools, Periodization, Recovery01:20:00 Sponsors: LMNT & Joovv01:22:45 Bell Squat, Non-Spine Compressing Leg Work, Tool: Zercher Squat01:27:15 Machines, Beginners vs Advanced?01:28:41 Shorter Cycles? Linear & Wave Progression, Step Loading, Variable Overload01:32:04 Strength & Endurance, Bodybuilding, “Bro Split”01:40:28 Endurance, Cost of Adaptation, Heart Adaptations01:46:38 Rest Periods, Interval Training, Tool: German Interval Training 01:51:34 Tool: Cardiovascular Training, Glycolytic Power Repeats; Muscle Growth01:57:31 Sponsor: Maui Nui01:59:00 Rest Period Activities, Tool: Protecting Back02:04:33 Endurance Training, Anti-Glycolytic Revolution, Specialized vs Variety 02:11:30 Not Seeking the “Pump”, Repeated Sprint Ability, Tool: Anti-Glycolytic Endurance Training02:19:06 Seek Soreness or Pump?, Hypertrophy02:23:05 Tool: Planning Strength & Endurance Training, Individualization02:32:27 Training Quality, Practiced Skill02:35:39 Non-Athletes, Strength & Endurance, Training Duration02:40:20 Post-Exercise Fatigue, Tools: Fragmentation, Feedback, Volume02:48:01 Pre-Workout Stimulants02:53:51 Performance & Arousal, Breathing, Disinhibition, Emotion03:03:42 Train to Failure?, Recovery03:08:40 Flexibility, Range of Motion Training, Kettle Bell, Tool: Wall Squat03:14:57 Training for Flexibility; Training as a Practice03:17:46 Older Adults & Strength Training, Consistency Over Intensity03:25:08 Body-Weight vs Barbell vs Kettlebell Training03:34:06 Kettlebell Training, Swings, Power & Endurance03:41:55 Training Choices, Tool: Simple, Consistent Program03:47:38 Kids & Training, General vs Specialization?03:51:21 Core Work, Abdominals, Tools: Tension & Attention; ‘Pressurize’ Abs04:03:34 Breathing, Force, Strength04:05:02 Directing Gaze While Weightlifting04:12:37 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter