Best Stimulating Reps Podcasts (2025)

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Ep 365 | Bitcoin and Dive Bars: The Pillars of Civilization | Guest: Thomas Pacchia 51:55

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2d ago51:55

51:55

One of the most precious things COVID lockdowns took from us was the ability to gather, to socialize, and of course to drink together. Matt Kibbe sits down for a beer with Thomas Pacchia, the founder and CEO of PubKey, a Bitcoin-friendly establishment with locations in New York and Washington, D.C. Pacchia explains the importance of Bitcoin, not as…

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031 How steroids and TRT increase injury risk (and how modifying your training might help) 1:16:31

4d ago1:16:31

1:16:31

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down Mike Mentzer’s “most productive” routine and use it as a turning point to discuss how training trends shifted across the Golden Era. From there, the conversation shifts to how anabolic steroid use increases tendon and ligament rupture risk and whether the rise of higher-rep tr…

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Ep 364 | The Epstein Files Are Dropping This Week | Guest: Rep. Thomas Massie 40:05

10d ago40:05

40:05

You better not shout, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why: The Epstein files are coming to town! Following the near-unanimous passage of Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie's discharge petition, the Trump Justice Department has until midnight on December 19 to finally make the Epstein files public. Will the administratio…

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030 Everyone's wrong about muscle activation + how to compare hypertrophy programs (WNS) 1:36:11

12d ago1:36:11

1:36:11

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris shift from the Silver Era into the early anabolic era by analysing a Golden Era training plan from Ken Waller. Using Waller’s 1975 routine as a case study, they explore how bodybuilding training changed as anabolic use became more common. The discussion then transitions into a deep dive …

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Ep 363 | The FBI’s Pipe-Bomber Narrative Makes No Sense | Guest: Rep. Thomas Massie 53:34

15d ago53:34

53:34

With the arrest of a suspect for placing the January 6 pipe bombs, the FBI would like to consider the case closed. But Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) says not so fast! Matt Kibbe sits down with his favorite congressman to discuss the myriad unanswered questions about why law enforcement officers were able to find the bombs so quickly, why they stopped …

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029 Elevated MPS ≠ muscle growth 1:18:44

18d ago1:18:44

1:18:44

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris revisit the Silver Era through one of the most iconic Silver Era bodybuilders, John Grimek, and his bulking plan. They then discuss what muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB) really mean, dismantling the idea that “elevated MPS = muscle growth”. Key topics inc…

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028 How does dieting affect hypertrophy? 1:27:43

26d ago1:27:43

1:27:43

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris go back to 1945 and break down Clancy Ross’ pre-contest “definition” routine to show how Silver Era lifters tried to get lean using their gym programming. From there they pivot into dieting and how caloric restriction, stress, glycogen, and glucocorticoids actually affect muscle protein …

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Ep 362 | Trump Should Rein In, Not Expand, Executive Power | Guest: John Vecchione 54:51

29d ago54:51

54:51

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case to decide whether the Trump administration has the power to impose tariffs on a whim, without the approval of Congress. Trump wants this power as a negotiating tool, but he fails to consider the fact that future administrations will be able not only to overturn his orders but to impose far more onerous …

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027 Are 4 reps optimal?! New study: stimulating reps vs volume load 1:12:37

1M ago1:12:37

1:12:37

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past & Present, Jake and Chris use a 1967 Bill Pearl program to jump from the silver era into the early steroid era, showing how training volume exploded once anabolics entered the picture. They contrast Bill Pearl’s high-volume, six-day split and contrast it with his earlier natural-era programming, before diving in…

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Ep 361 | The Media Is Dishonest About Guns | Guest: John Lott 1:03:02

1M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

The right to keep and bear arms is one of the most sacred and unique features of the American system of government, allowing citizens to defend themselves not only against criminals, but against potential tyranny as well. Yet in spite of this fact, the corporate press is determined to misrepresent the statistics on gun violence in order to push for…

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026 How does insufficient sleep affect hypertrophy / atrophy? 1:19:57

1M ago1:19:57

1:19:57

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past & Present, Jake and Chris dive into a Bill Pearl full-body routine, using it as a bridge between the pre-steroid silver era and the early anabolic era. From there, they shift into part two of their sleep series, unpacking how sleep loss influences muscle atrophy and recovery in natural lifters. Key topics includ…

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Ep 360 | Milei Has a Free-Market Mandate in Argentina | Guest: Agustin Etchebarne 53:01

1M ago53:01

53:01

When Javier Milei was first elected president of Argentina in 2023, no one was really sure whether his populist, free-market policies would work to fix the nation's struggling economy. Two years later, he has made tremendous strides, as reflected in Argentina's 2025 legislative elections, in which Milei's party received a clear mandate from the mas…

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025 How does insufficient sleep affect training? 55:51

2M ago55:51

55:51

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down Bob Hoffman’s basic athletic program through a modern physiology lens and unpack how insufficient sleep impacts training performance. Key topics include: Bob Hoffman’s silver era full-body athlete hypertrophy program Sleep deprivation vs restriction vs cumulative sleep debt H…

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Ep 359 | The UK's Speech Laws Are Absolutely Mental | Guest: Reem Ibrahim 1:01:06

2M ago1:01:06

1:01:06

Freedom of speech may be under assault in America, but that's nothing compared with what's going on in the United Kingdom, where police are arresting 33 people every day for social media posts. Matt Kibbe sits down with Reem Ibrahim, head of media for the Institute of Economic Affairs, to discuss how Britain has become so authoritarian, the differe…

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024 Training, hypertrophy, and recovery for older people 1:04:26

2M ago1:04:26

1:04:26

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss Silver-Era author Peary Rader’s “training as you get older” guidelines and dive into how to construct a modern, physiology-led template for older lifters. Key topics include: Why recovery, not “low stimulus sensitivity” likely limits muscle growth in older lifters Intra-session …

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Ep 358 | Military Intervention in Venezuela Would Be a Huge Mistake | Guest: Brandan Buck 47:13

2M ago47:13

47:13

After calling out the neocons like Jeb Bush and John McCain and building his campaign on promises of peace and putting America first, President Trump is now flirting with the idea of intervening in Venezuela to take out Nicolás Maduro, using the specter of drug cartels as a pretense. Matt Kibbe is joined by Cato Institute fellow Brandan Buck to exp…

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Ep 357 | Mike Johnson Is Holding the Government Hostage over the Epstein Files | Guest: Rep. Thomas Massie 56:43

2M ago56:43

56:43

In the second half of his marathon conversation with Rep. Thomas Massie (R), Matt Kibbe asks the Kentucky congressman about his discharge petition to release the Epstein files. It turns out that one of the main reasons why the government remains shut down — and why Speaker Johnson (R-La.) is preventing the House of Representatives from convening — …

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023 Fatigue accumulation and what to do about it. 1:06:03

2M ago1:06:03

1:06:03

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris unpack a Silver-Era routine passed from 1950 Mr America John Farbotnik to Gene Mozee at a time where high volume plans were taking over bodybuilding. From there they go deep into accumulating fatigue, how excitation–contraction coupling failure, muscle damage, and supraspinal CNS fati…

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Ep 356 | Where’s the Beef: In Argentina or America? | Guest: Rep. Thomas Massie 57:43

2M ago57:43

57:43

In this special two-part episode of “Kibbe on Liberty,” Matt Kibbe sits down for a marathon conversation with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) to discuss President Trump’s plans to import Argentinian beef, both as a way to lower prices for American consumers and to help out Argentinian President Javier Milei. This is a little puzzling given Trump’s histo…

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Ep 355 l Trump’s Mean Tweets Are Making Thomas Massie a Hero | Guest: Daniel McAdams 38:15

2M ago38:15

38:15

Of all the online fights Donald Trump picks, one of the most perplexing is his repeated attacks on Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. Known for his commitment to the U.S. Constitution and his unfailing habit of putting America first, Massie should be exactly the kind of person Trump wants in Congress, but the fact that he won’t bend the knee t…

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022 How intra-workout carbohydrates reduce supraspinal CNS fatigue 58:14

2M ago58:14

58:14

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris unpack Steve Reeves’ 1947 pre-competition full-body routine, then dive into why the Silver-Era were such advocates of orange juice + honey during training. We assess the building research on carbohydrate mouth-rinsing, what this tells us about supraspinal CNS fatigue, and how the perf…

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Ep 354 | The Banking System Is Being Weaponized | Guest: Jorge Jraissati 46:31

2M ago46:31

46:31

Cancel culture may be on the wane, but more insidious than social media mobs is the government’s ability to cut controversial figures off from their finances through the process of de-banking. Matt Kibbe sits down with Jorge Jraissati, president of Economic Inclusion Group, to talk about this little-understood means of censorship that is a growing …

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021 Why Counting “Half Sets” for Secondary Muscles Doesn't Make Sense 1:07:30

2M ago1:07:30

1:07:30

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris break down Dick DuBois’ 1954 full-body routine (and we finally have some pull-ups!). They then tackle the “half-set” myth, why counting half sets for secondary muscles make any sense and how to adjust multi joint exercises to bias growth in a particular muscle. Key topics include: • D…

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Ep 353 | Privacy Still Matters More Than You Realize | Guest: Naomi Brockwell 45:00

3M ago45:00

45:00

In an era when most Americans have put so much of their lives online, it’s easy to be complacent about online privacy. We’ve been told that as long as we have nothing to hide, we have nothing to fear. But in fact, an increasingly powerful surveillance state is a major threat to individual liberty and to the country as a whole. Matt Kibbe sits down …

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020 How to program a muscle specialisation phase 1:21:08

3M ago1:21:08

1:21:08

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris use Peary Rader’s leg routine to outline a practical, physiology-led blueprint for muscle specialisation. Key topics include: Peary Rader’s pre-steroid era leg routine (and the changes we would make today) A framework for designing a muscle specialisation phase for any muscle When to …

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Ep 352 | Is It Rational to Be Pessimistic? | Guest: Matt Ridley 38:15

3M ago38:15

38:15

Author Matt Ridley is well known for his book "The Rational Optimist," which argued that the world is consistently getting better year after year. In the 15 years since that book was published, however, world events have convinced many people that the opposite is actually true. Matt Kibbe sits down with Ridley to discuss his next book project, in w…

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019 Cluster Sets – How they work and how to use them 1:21:18

3M ago1:21:18

1:21:18

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris start by discussing one of the most widely used methods of the Silver Era; the 20 rep squat. They then dive into the physiology of cluster sets: what they are, how they differ from rest-pause and drop sets, and how cluster sets can be programmed to offer benefits over traditional stra…

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Ep 351 | How Do We Make America Love Again? | Guest: Warren Farrell 1:08:59

3M ago1:08:59

1:08:59

In a divided America where various groups, including men and women, are increasingly at each other’s throats, is there a way to set aside hatred and judgment in order to love one another? Matt Kibbe sits down with author and educator Warren Farrell to talk about his new book, “Role Mate to Soul Mate,” which seeks to help couples communicate better …

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018 Pauses, Stretching, and Partials 1:24:22

3M ago1:24:22

1:24:22

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris unpack Reg Park’s calf-specialisation phase before discussing the physiology of pauses: when they work, when they don’t, and how they compare to partial reps. Key topics include: • Reg Park’s 1952 calf-specialisation program • Straight-leg vs bent-leg calf work and how they bias gastr…

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Ep 350 | Disrupting the Higher Ed Cartel | Guest: Pano Kanelos 42:29

3M ago42:29

42:29

At the Universidad de la Libertad in Mexico City, Matt Kibbe sat down with Pano Kanelos, chancellor of the University of Austin, to talk about how higher education has gone wrong and what can be done to fix it. In the wake of the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk on a college campus, the fact that universities have become increasingly hostile to open…

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017 Exercise Selection - How to pick the exercises needed to maximally develop a muscle 1:22:27

3M ago1:22:27

1:22:27

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris discuss Sig Klein’s extensive routine and use it as a springboard to tackle one of the biggest programming questions: how much exercise variety do you really need for maximal growth? Key topics include: How neuromechanical matching explains which motor units get recruited first Volunt…

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Ep 349 | Trump’s Tariffs Are Really About Executive Power | Guest: Phil Magness 1:08:08

4M ago1:08:08

1:08:08

Economists are united in pointing out that tariffs on foreign goods are really nothing more than a tax on American consumers, but what fewer people understand is that Trump’s policy on trade is not really about revenue or even about economic protectionism. Matt Kibbe is joined by Phil Magness, senior fellow at the Independent Institute, to explain …

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016 Training Splits - Why upper/lower, torso/limbs, push/pull, and other split routines face the same problem 1:14:16

4M ago1:14:16

1:14:16

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris revisit Joe Weider’s early 1940 full-body program before breaking down the central problem that all split routines face: supraspinal CNS fatigue. Key topics include: • How calcium-ion–related fatigue and inflammation create global CNS fatigue • Why back-to-back training days reduce re…

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Ep 348 | What Stoics Can Teach Libertarians | Guest: Ryan Holiday 27:08

4M ago27:08

27:08

Stoicism and libertarianism are two philosophical systems that at first glance may not seem to have much in common, but Matt Kibbe caught up with Ryan Holiday, host of the "Daily Stoic," to attempt to find some common ground. The philosophy created by ancient Romans like Marcus Aurelius not only teaches us how to cope with adversity but also the im…

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015 Training Frequency - Why 3x per week beats 2x even if MYOPS is still elevated 1:12:15

4M ago1:12:15

1:12:15

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris explore Sig Klein’s early A/B full body routine from the pre-steroid bodybuilding era before examining the claim that elevated myofibrillar protein synthesis blunts the effectiveness of subsequent workouts. Key topics include: Sig Klein’s beginner routine The difference between myofib…

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Ep 347 | It’s Time for a Libertarianism 2.0 | Guest: Bret Weinstein 46:03

4M ago46:03

46:03

As more people who traditionally identified with the progressive Left become disenchanted with woke authoritarianism, libertarianism is experiencing a bit of a renaissance, attracting such unlikely voices as RFK Jr. and Nicole Shanahan. Matt Kibbe caught up with evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein, host of “The DarkHorse Podcast,” to talk about h…

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014 Training Frequency - What the long-term studies actually show 1:14:41

4M ago1:14:41

1:14:41

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake and Chris explore the lesser-known silver-era bodybuilder Floyd Page’s 1952 full-body routine before unpacking the topic of training frequency, long-term training studies, and physiological models. Key topics include: Floyd Page’s 1952 “favourite routine” and its historical context The non-line…

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Ep 346 | Ron Paul's Legacy Can't Be Overstated | Guests: Tom Woods, Bobby Gray, Justin Amash, and Chip Roy 56:47

4M ago56:47

56:47

Some of the biggest names in the liberty movement recently gathered in Texas to celebrate the 90th birthday of Ron Paul, the former congressman and presidential candidate who has inspired so many to become interested in libertarianism. In this special episode of "Kibbe on Liberty," Matt Kibbe sits down with Tom Woods, TEXITcoin founder Bobby Gray, …

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013 Neuromechanical Matching: Everything you need to know (but few do) 1:29:45

4M ago1:29:45

1:29:45

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley unpack one of Peary Rader’s Silver Era “advanced beginner” routines, before a deep dive into the principle of Neuromechanical Matching. Key topics include: What Rader’s “advanced beginner” (intermediate) plan looked like A deep dive into the neuromechanical matchin…

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Ep 345 | Fathers Matter in Raising Healthy Children | Guest: Adam Coleman 39:44

4M ago39:44

39:44

From school shootings to childhood mental illness and overmedication, it’s clear that something is not right with young boys in America. Yet political correctness, anxiety about racism, and the exaltation of single mothers have prevented many from identifying and trying to correct the problem. Matt Kibbe sits down with Adam Coleman, author of “The …

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012 How to build muscle with isometric training 1:08:11

5M ago1:08:11

1:08:11

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley break down an isometric method from bodybuilding legend and first Mr Universe, John Grimek. They explore how maximal-effort isometrics can stimulate muscle growth and the key differences between overcoming and yielding isometrics. Key topics include: How isometrics…

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Ep 344 | Public Television Doesn’t Have to Be Commie Propaganda | Guest: Daniel Harmon 27:19

5M ago27:19

27:19

Public television in the United States has come under fire for its one-sided promotion of leftist ideology, resulting in the recent announcement that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will soon shut down due to funding cuts. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Matt Kibbe sits down with Daniel Harmon, executive producer of “Tuttle Twins,” a sh…

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011 Why the idea that a single exercise can train the whole muscle and “bias” a region is false 1:06:28

5M ago1:06:28

1:06:28

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley dive into a 1955 arm specialization routine from Peary Rader and use it as a launchpad to challenge one of the most common misconceptions in hypertrophy programming today. They explore whether exercises can “bias” specific muscle regions, and what the implications …

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Ep 343 | What Has Government Done to Our Food? | Guest: Andrew Gruel 38:55

5M ago38:55

38:55

At this year’s FreedomFest in Palm Springs, California, Matt Kibbe sat down with Chef Andrew Gruel to talk about food freedom and making America healthy again. Chef Gruel’s philosophy involves cooking simple dishes with quality ingredients to create great-tasting comfort food. However, this is made harder than it needs to be due to government regul…

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010 Warming up - what does it really achieve? 1:13:55

5M ago1:13:55

1:13:55

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley unpack the very first York Barbell course, discussing its warm-up approach and how it compares to other silver era routines. The second half of the episode zooms out to explore warm-ups more broadly, what they actually do (and don’t do), whether they affect hypertr…

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Ep 342 | Supporting Female Athletes Shouldn’t Be Controversial | Guest: Jennifer Sey 39:00

5M ago39:00

39:00

At this year’s FreedomFest in Palm Springs, California, founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics, Jennifer Sey, sits down with Matt Kibbe to defend the radical proposition that boys and girls are different and that men cannot become women simply by putting on a dress. As a former competitive gymnast, Sey has a particular interest in protecting women’s sp…

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009 Work capacity - what it is and how to improve it 42:51

5M ago42:51

42:51

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley break down a pre-steroid bulking routine from Alan Stephen, an underrated Silver Era bodybuilder who trained with a pretty unique method. They explore how this high volume, low rep program makes sense with the stimulating reps model, and use it as a springboard to …

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Ep 341 | Government Is Captured by the Pharma Lobby | Guest: Del Bigtree 1:00:11

5M ago1:00:11

1:00:11

Typically, Americans on the political Left worry about corporate power while those on the Right worry about government power. But the real danger is when corporations and government collude to dictate how you ought to live. We saw this during COVID, when experimental vaccines were pushed onto the American people, earning pharma companies big profit…

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008 Training Frequency - what to consider if you want to train every day 53:10

6M ago53:10

53:10

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley explore whether full body training can be done every day, and what that really looks like. Drawing inspiration from Bronze Era strongman George Hackenschmidt, they unpack creative strategies for making high frequency training work. Key Topics: How training every da…

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Ep 340 | She Fought for Her Son's Freedom and Won | Guest: Lyn Ulbricht 30:07

6M ago30:07

30:07

Many people receive unjust sentences in federal prisons, but few have the kind of mother who will devote more than a decade of constant activism to get them released. When Ross Ulbricht was given two life sentences for founding an encrypted marketplace called the Silk Road, his mother, Lyn, founded FreeRoss.org, bringing his case to the attention o…