302. Everything you know about strengthening is probably wrong, with Raphael Bender

This episode is a recording of a live lecture I gave on the Physiology of Strength Training for our Diploma students at Breathe Education.

If you want it to actually make sense — and go deep — I highly recommend downloading the PDF lecture notes and following along while you listen.

Download the notes here: https://breathe-edu-downloads.s3.amazonaws.com/Diploma%202024%20Physiology%20of%20strength%20training.pdf

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why strength ≠ hypertrophy
• The 5 actual mechanisms that make you stronger
• Why lifting to failure builds muscle — even with light weights
• Why muscle activation, soreness, and “feeling the burn” don’t matter
• What you really need to do to build strength (and what to ignore)

Whether you’re a Pilates instructor, personal trainer, or just a strength nerd — this one will probably blow your mind.

Connect with me on Instagram: @the_raphaelbender

Download a free course guide:

• Pilates Certification