Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
Buy one get one free, pick your combo: One of the most common questions the guys is also one of the simplest: what program should I run next? It matters more than most people think. Stack the wrong two programs back to back and you leave gains on the table. Stack the right two and you buy yourself six months of near zero plateaus, real strength PRs, and a body that keeps changing every week. In this episode, Sal, Adam, and Justin stop making you guess and lay out the definitive MAPS program pairings for every major goal. They cover advanced muscle gain, pure strength, fat loss...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In this episode the guys break down the five rules for building a lagging body part — train it longer, train it more often, train it first in the workout, take volume away from the rest of the body to fuel it, and eat in a calorie surplus. They also get into calf insertions and how high versus low insertions determine whether you're built for speed or strength , Adam microdosing GLP-1 for inflammation and knuckle swelling, Justin's KLOW and cognitive peptide stack from Vita Bella. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com. MAPS Upper Lower:...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In this episode the guys sit down with IFBB pro bodybuilder and science-driven performance coach Ben Pakulski for a wide-ranging conversation on peptides, performance, identity and the hard lessons of a 20-year bodybuilding career. Ben breaks down the peptide landscape — why he's optimistic about the science but deeply cautious about sourcing (90%+ of research peptides come from China with no quality guarantees), the most exciting peptides he's currently working with including SS-31 for mitochondrial repair, and myostatin inhibition and where the science actually stands. They also cover...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
MAPS Upper Lower: https://mapsupperlower.com Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. Four day split, male and female versions, workout videos and live coaching with Cole. Three days left on this offer. In this episode the guys break down five times when machines are actually better than free weights — isolating a muscle or movement pattern, when recovery is challenged from a sport or hard training block, adding extra volume without taxing the body, advanced intensity techniques like drop sets and forced negatives, and movement patterns that gravity-based free weights simply can't replicate. Sal shares how...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
MAPS Upper Lower — https://mapsupperlower.com (code: launch)Most people over 30 who try to lose fat end up in one of three traps: they lose the weight and gain it all back, they lose muscle along with the fat and end up softer and slower than before, or they hit a wall and feel like their body just refuses to cooperate. In this episode, Sal, Adam, and Justin lay out the six things the fitness industry consistently leaves out of the fat loss conversation, and why ignoring them is exactly what keeps you stuck. The biggest shift you need to make? Stop treating fat loss like a demolition...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In this episode the guys break down five ways to run for fitness — for distance, same distance for time, same time for more distance, sprinting, and running for fun. Sal shares that he ran his first mile this morning for the first time in years and how humbling it was. They also get into the story behind Sylvester Stallone writing Rocky in three days with $100 in his bank account after watching Chuck Wepner vs Muhammad Ali, Italian dialects and how Mussolini unified them, the cyclosporiasis parasite outbreak in US lettuce, the liver die-off effect and why people feel worse before they feel...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In this episode the guys break down exactly how to pick the right workout for your goals — covering why enjoyment matters more than most people realize, how to honestly assess whether you actually like what you're doing, the ROI of strength training versus other modalities, and why appropriateness for your actual life is the deciding factor. They also get into the origin of clowns (spoiler: ancient India and Egypt, not the circus), the CLOW peptide stack from Vita Bella and why Sal and Katrina are both using it for recovery and skin health, Sal's revelation that he quit jiu jitsu because his...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In this episode the guys break down exactly what a clean bulk is, how it differs from a dirty bulk, and why most people do it completely wrong. They cover why increasing training volume during a bulk actually makes sense (because you have the nutrients to recover), why 500 calories above maintenance is all you need, why staying active with daily steps dramatically improves muscle building, and why garbage food is what separates a clean bulk from a dirty one. Sal and Adam both share their own dirty bulk horror stories — competing against coworkers and friends, gaining more fat than muscle,...
info_outlineMind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In this episode the guys break down whether you should build or cut first — covering what each actually involves, why cutting first almost always fails long term, how building first boosts your metabolic rate by 700-800 calories a day, and why 95% of people who lose weight gain it all back. They also discuss Sal's prediction that probiotics will be the next major performance supplement, the ditto dating app taking over college campuses by using AI instead of swiping, the new short king shoe brand giving guys a few extra inches of height, 80s and 90s movie reviews that did not hold up,...
info_outlineIn this episode, Sal, Adam & Justin speak with John Meadows who reveals all about what it takes to be a top-level bodybuilder.
- Why John doesn’t have a colon. (4:30)
- Was there anything he did that contributed to his digestion issues? (10:35)
- How did he change his approach coming back? (12:10)
- Has going through this experience forced him to become more in tune with his body? (14:55)
- What are the BIGGEST mistakes he sees with people trying to build muscle? (16:38)
- Has he found there is a RIGHT dose of protein for his body? (24:40)
- What are the big missing pieces in bodybuilder’s regimens? (26:03)
- What kind of things does he cover in his workshops? (29:42)
- What made him start to compete at a young age? (30:50)
- When did he start to use anabolic steroids? Was he a hyper responder? (34:20)
- Does he believe people do not cycle out anymore? (43:19)
- What are the differences between taking anabolics vs growth hormones? (45:17)
- His take on training and why certain bodybuilder’s physiques look more ‘granite.’ (54:38)
- What does he think of the new culture of thought around isolation movements being the BEST movements for most muscle activation? (1:00:45)
- What is the ‘Mountain Dog Diet’ and does food quality matter? (1:04:10)
- Is the trend starting to reverse with coaching in bodybuilding? (1:09:20)
- What is site enhancement oil (SEO)? (1:10:15)
- How bodybuilding is a different level of drugs in sport. (1:15:54)
- What is the difference in training people that are natural vs. people on ‘gear’? (1:18:16)
- His theory behind metabolism in competitive sports. (1:21:52)
- What is his take on people not adapting their training routines? (1:26:30)
- How social media killed bodybuilding. What does the future of bodybuilding look like? (1:34:04)
- If he was to go back and whisper into 22-year-old John’s ear, what would he tell himself? (1:40:13)
Featured Guest/People Mentioned
- John Meadows (@mountaindog1) Instagram/Twitter
- Dr. Jordan Shallow D.C (@the_muscle_doc) Instagram
- Flex Wheeler | Official (@officialflexwheeler) Instagram
- Stan "Rhino" Efferding (@stanefferding) Instagram
- Jon Call (@jujimufu) Instagram
- Kai Greene (@kaigreene) Instagram
- Ronnie Coleman (@ronniecoleman8) Instagram
- Ben Pakulski ® (@bpakfitness) Instagram
- Coach Daniel Matranga CSCS (@dynamic.danny) Instagram
- Brad Schoenfeld, PhD (@bradschoenfeldphd) Instagram
Products Mentioned:
- December Promotion: Enroll in Any MAPS Program – 1 Year of Forum Access for FREE!
- Mind Pump Free Resources
- Mind Pump Episode 865: Stan Efferding: The World's Strongest Bodybuilder
- Anabolic reference guide - Book by Bill Phillips
- Mind Pump Episode 715: Mind Pump Goes Deep with Ben Pakulski
- Mind Pump Episode 548: Ben Pakulski
- Synthol - Wikipedia
- Oil Bags: Rise of the Idiots | T Nation
- Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and Development – Book by Brooks D Kubik