The Muscle Intelligence Podcast empowers men with the skills, habits, beliefs and processes to lead from the front. After spending more than 25 years in the health and fitness industry, Ben has done the research, coached, worked with or spoken to the best in class, and distilled it down into actionable items for you to take away and implement.
If you're an executive, entrepreneur or high-performer who wants to work smarter, not lose his edge as he ages, or just get the advice of someone who has been in the trenches for the last 25 years, this podcast is for you.
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A very outdated, but still somewhat stereotypical, view of "eating to build muscle" is to load up on peanut butter, chicken, and eggs, and to eat as frequently as possible - often past the point of fullness. My tried-and-true muscle-building diet tactics offer a framing that incorporates health and longevity - first to improve digestion and clear inflammation, and then to teach your body to use stored energy (i.e. excess body fat). Finally, I build an individualized plan based on YOUR unique met...
A common framing around successful fitness is simply to "work hard." I get dozens of men who come to me, frustrated because they're putting in a TON of effort, and not getting the results merited by it... A successful training program does include hard work, but also lays a strong foundation for sustained, replicable performance. Today's solocast will provide you with a framework that you can easily individualize to your body - to build muscle or lose fat, to avoid injury, and ultimately to maxi...
People often frame preparedness for exercise around warming up in the gym. While warm-ups are important, the concept of readiness goes much deeper: What are all the systems of my body that need to be properly prepared, to make my training the most effective it can possibly be? A fully optimized pre-workout protocol needs to consider everything from nutrient delivery into cells, to adequate ranges of motion at ALL involved joints, to balancing levels of excitatory & inhibitory neurotransmitte...
For every 100 clients who tell me that the #1 thing holding them back is their nutrition... only 10 are actually correct. The other 90 are held up by habits and coping strategies that manifest in their day-to-day food choices, and their lack of ability to properly digest the food they take in. For these 90% of individuals, it's more about HOW they eat, and the common state of their body, that holds them back. You can have the BEST nutrition plan out there, but results will be minimal if you're c...
Today's podcast is the third in our Six-Pillar Series, and offers a detailed look into training from both ends of the spectrum: physique optimization AND longevity. After reviewing the past year's most impactful interviews, I picked a handful that offer incredible training insight and easily implementable frameworks, to help you perform at your peak and sustain it for life. You'll hear from: Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, on key drivers of hypertrophy, as well as the full scoop on muscular soreness. Click...
Today's interview covers an incredibly valuable and time-sensitive topic: managing mental health WITHOUT the use of addictive pharmaceuticals. Dr. Justin Feinstein joins me on the podcast today, to discuss how our fear responses work, effective tools to modulate self-defeating nervous system patterns, and why it matters when seeking optimal performance. Dr. Feinstein, an expert in the neuroscience of fear, is trailblazing a new solution for the treatment of anxiety. He has over 50 peer-reviewed ...
Today's episode offers a unique insight into best practices to sharpen your focus, learning capacity, and overall intelligence... I often view intelligence in terms of that of a muscle - trainable, but also subject to atrophy if underused. If you seek to not only maintain, but improve on, your mental capacities as you age, this interview is a must-listen. Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman joins me on the Muscle Intelligence Podcast today, for an episode that will push your limits of your own perceived bra...
Interested in the 90-Day Body Transformation Program that I spoke about in this episode? Doors are OPEN until Saturday, October 22, 2022. Head to https://muscleintelligence.com/lean There is a lot of conversation in the health, fitness, and personal development spaces about men today being "soft," "weak" or "less masculine" than our forefathers... On today's solocast, I share my views on this topic to bring a new perspective and shed light on a potential solution. The fact of the matter is, the ...
Today's interview is with a guest who found that the secret to lasting body transformation is often most discernible in how we relate to our mind and emotions - rather than just within the confines of training & nutritional programming. Drew Manning joins me to discuss his biggest takeaways from "Fit2Fat2Fit" - his journey to gain and then lose 60+ lbs TWICE as motivation to better understand and empathize with his clientele. On the episode, he discusses his own revelations about transformat...
Interested in the 90-Day Body Transformation Program that I spoke about in this episode? Doors are OPEN until Sunday, October 16, 2022. Head to https://muscleintelligence.com/lean The secret formula to achieve a peak state of physical fitness is often what's advertised by coaches, trainers, and biohackers alike... But what most fitness and health professionals skip over is the process of SUSTAINING it. If I gave you a process to optimize your health, transform your body, and maintain it for life...
I receive countless questions from podcast listeners and Muscle Intelligence Community members who remain convinced that their genetics are responsible for the challenges they experience with building muscle - that they "can't" grow their delts, chest, or hamstrings because their body just "isn't built for it." Good news: you are NOT your genetics. Although your body type can often determine which exercises are the biggest levers for you to pull for hypertrophy, ANYone has the ability to build E...
One of my favorite masterclasses from this year was also one of our best attended. Fat Loss and Body Transformation are such important topics to get right, especially because what worked at 30 won't always work at 40. There are so many misconceptions about how to get and sustain a lean body that I wanted to share and address with you. It's not hard, it's that we're not taught the evolution of training or nutrition as we age. Today's solocast breaks down 32 of my tried-and-tested (and scientifica...
Today's solocast is on a topic that I have studied, tested, and perfected for over 20 years: Training for Hypertrophy. I've compiled 10 of the most effective (and often under-utilized) practices that are guaranteed to help you build the MOST muscle possible, and sustain it for life. You'll Learn: How to Know When it's Time to Increase the Weight You're Lifting. The GREATEST Opportunity for Progress for Every Body Part. How to Get the Most Out of As Few Exercises as Possible. Why Most People Trai...
My focus in recent years has shifted away from my myopic pursuit of building crazy amounts of muscle and towards physical optimization and performance. All my research and experimentation is accompanied by a deeper understanding of how to maintain optimal wellness with age. In this solocast, I share the tried-and-true practices that have not only provided great success for myself and my clientele, but that are also scientifically backed by research. In this episode, you'll learn: The ONE Fat to ...
Today's podcast is the second in our Six-Pillar Series - a deep dive into Nutrition. After reviewing the past year's most impactful podcasts and webinars, I picked a handful that offer incredible nutritional insight and actionable tips to help you fuel your performance. You'll hear from: • Mark Sisson, on the "fourth macronutrient" and the real scoop on grains, inflammation, and the gut microbiome. Listen to the full interview with Mark here . • Dr. Ted Naiman, on his brilliant "Protein:Energy" ...
Today's solocast contains a couple of my favorite recent clips from our members-only coaching calls. I felt that these clips were too valuable for our broader community to miss out on, and impactful enough that they're worth listening to multiple times. I've made it a part of my life's mission to empower men to step into their greatness - to get OUTSIDE of the often narrow confines of life they're conditioned to, and to tap into their fullest potential. Most people never come close to what they ...
Listen to the FULL episode with Dr. Peter Litchfield: muscleintelligence.com/259 Get the FREE High Impact Episode Guide: muscleintelligence.com/learn Breathing correctly is VITAL to your health... but it's also a concept often overlooked in the world of fitness, health, and nutrition. However, no body transformation program, or path to life optimization, is complete without it. Without proper breathing practices or techniques, you are setting yourself up for failure. Dr. Peter Litchfield joins m...
Breathing correctly is VITAL to your health... but it's also a concept often overlooked in the world of fitness, health, and nutrition. However, no body transformation program, or path to life optimization, is complete without it. Without proper breathing practices or techniques, you are setting yourself up for failure. Dr. Peter Litchfield joins me on the podcast today for a truly transformative conversation about breathing mechanics for high performance, the balance of respiratory chemistry, a...
"I'm not working hard enough," or "my nutrition is poor" are often the most common reasons I hear men over 35 cite to explain poor results around building muscle. I recorded this solocast because, even though one or both of the above statements may be true, after decades of experience I can tell you that it's almost always something else - and it's probably not what you'd expect... The reason you're not building muscle is more likely to be that you're NOT fit enough in the first place, to actual...
Listen to the FULL episode with Matt Beaudreau, Judith Pennington, Bedros Keuilian, Peter Crone, and Ben Pakulski: muscleintelligence.com/257 Get the FREE High Impact Episode Guide: muscleintelligence.com/learn Actionable Resources for Physical Optimization and Personal Mastery Upgrading your physique and accessing your unique path to peak performance are about SO much more than the conventional constraints of "fitness" and "health." In fact, I view mindset as being paramount to both a Lean, Hea...
Actionable Resources for Physical Optimization and Personal Mastery Upgrading your physique and accessing your unique path to peak performance are about SO much more than the conventional constraints of "fitness" and "health." In fact, I view mindset as being paramount to both a Lean, Healthy, and Muscular body, as well as a life of greatness. I designed this new monthly series to give YOU the wisdom, tools, and inspiration to truly become the best version of yourself, and to spread the message ...
Listen to the FULL episode with Ben Pakulski: muscleintelligence.com/256 Get the FREE High Impact Episode Guide: muscleintelligence.com/learn Ever feel like you're training consistently and doing all the right things, but not getting the results that you've worked hard for? I see the term "overtraining" thrown around in the fitness community... People believe they're hurting their progress by training too much. Ironically, most people who THINK they are overtraining are actually experiencing a d...
Ever feel like you're training consistently and doing all the right things, but not getting the results that you've worked hard for? I see the term "overtraining" thrown around in the fitness community... People believe they're hurting their progress by training too much. Ironically, most people who THINK they are overtraining are actually experiencing a different issue. The good news is, while the problem can be complex, the solution is often incredibly simple. You just need to learn the steps....
Listen to the FULL episode with Dr. D'Agostino: muscleintelligence.com/255 Get the FREE High Impact Episode Guide: muscleintelligence.com/learn I'm constantly asked about nutrition, more specifically about the ketogenic diet, as a potential solution for fat loss, muscle growth and a host of various illness and ailments. That's why this interview is so timely. Dr. Dominic D'Agostino joins me on the podcast today. We cover all things keto, from longevity protocols to integrative cancer treatment, ...
Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, a leading expert in ketogenic research, joins Ben Pakulski to explore advanced metabolic strategies for optimizing health and combating disease. The discussion covers mitochondrial health, the Warburg effect in cancer, and various interventions like modified ketogenic diets, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and specific metabolic drugs. They also delve into personal health optimization, key biomarkers, lifestyle factors, and the ethical considerations of genetic research in extreme environments like space.
Listen to the FULL episode with Ido Portal: muscleintelligence.com/254 Get the FREE High Impact Episode Guide: muscleintelligence.com/learn Today's guest takes the lines and limitations of the commonly perceived notions of movement, awareness, and life... then expands, deconstructs, and weaves these concepts into the outer edges of human consciousness. Starting from an early age in Traditional Martial Arts, Ido Portal was obsessed with the physical. At age 15, he learned Afro-Brazilian Capoeira,...
Today's guest takes the lines and limitations of the commonly perceived notions of movement, awareness, and life... then expands, deconstructs, and weaves these concepts into the outer edges of human consciousness. Starting from an early age in Traditional Martial Arts, Ido Portal was obsessed with the physical. At age 15, he learned Afro-Brazilian Capoeira, a practice that sent him on a life-long journey to explore various modalities, and learn and study his deeper connection to Movement. His s...
If you're over 35, you've probably noticed that things inside and outside the gym don't always look and feel the same as they did in your 20s. That doesn't make it bad or wrong, it just means we need to be more intentional about the way we train to compensate for difference. On today's episode, I'm excited to feature a well-known fitness expert and someone I'm honored to call a friend. After operating brick & mortar gyms for 15 years, today's guest, Don Saladino, expanded to a global online ...
Just because most people and publications talk about the infamous training + nutrition formula doesn't make it correct. It's actually incomplete. You may have recently heard me talk about the key to performance being in the recovery. The better you're able to recover, the better you can perform. Today's guest offers you the EXACT plan to pave the way for maximum results. ( Here is the link to the FULL episode summary. ) Dr. Jay Wiles is a subject-matter expert on the connection between the human...
Mastery of the nervous system and cultivating a purpose-filled life are two cornerstones of what I believe to be a life well-lived. Today's guest, Dr. John Demartini, is a polymath and a world-renowned human behavior expert, with a mission to share wisdom that empowers you to master your life and destiny. Dr. Demartini's work is a brilliant convergence of mindset techniques, backed by physiological evidence. Today's episode offers important and life-changing tools that you can instantly incorpor...
