Muscle Expert Podcast | Ben Pakulski Interviews | How to Build Muscle & Dominate Life

Don Saladino, owner of Drive 495 Club in NYC and the go to personal trainer for super heroes joins us today to talk about his recent Muscle & Fitness cover, what it takes to build a super hero physique and how to become a great coach. Ben and Don discuss flexibility in coaching, all the skills a trainer needs to learn post certification and running successful training businesses. This episode was made possible by Thrive Market. Visit ThriveMarket.com/MuscleExpert to receive 25% off of your first order and a free shipping for a month! 3:20- Don’s beginnings in personal training, gym ownership and training pro golfers. 5:50- Bridging the gap between being a good trainer and a good coach. 8:20- How to build a cover-worthy body. The process and dedication Don put in to get ready to be on the cover of Muscle and Fitness. 12:20- The steps Don takes help actors build super hero physiques. 14:15- Why successful trainers need to help their clients develop a sustainable lifestyle rather than a perfect one. 19:40- Don’s favorite needle movers to jumpstart his prep including kettlebell work, ice hockey and HIIT. 24:50- Why Don uses the minimal effective dose to change his clients habits. 31:50- Living in the fitness space in the day of social media. Becoming a good role model in fitness. 34:18- Ways to use reflection to regroup and stay out of the “darkness”

We got to meet up with one of the leading stem cell doctors while at Paleo FX last month. Dr. Kristin Comella of the US Stem Cell clinic sat down with us to give us a rapid fire discussion on one of the newest, most misunderstood practices in modern medicine. Dr. Comella dispels the myths and gives us some great insight on the recovery, anti-aging and healing potentials of stem cell procedures. This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. Visit ThriveMarket.com/MuscleExpert for 25% off your first order and one month of free shipping. This episode is also brought to you by ATP Labs. Use code Ben10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 1:30- Stem Cells have become a bit of a buzz word recently in the medical community. How long has the research actually been around? 2:30- How do stem cells work? 4:00- Does the amount and type of fat someone has affect their stem cell storage and production? 5:00- Since everyone has stem cells, why do we need to have them harvested and transplanted? 5:30- What are the ways that we can increase natural stem cell production either for a healthier life or to prepare for a procedure? 6:20- The stem cell discoveries that most excite Dr. Comella. 7:45- How often are you able to receive stem cell procedures? 8:45- Turning back the clock with stem cells. The anti-aging benefits of a stem cell procedure. 10:00- Stem cells for health and performance. How stem cells help with vascular supply and recovery. 10:35- What are the current known risks of stem cell procedures? 11:45- The evolution of stem cell extraction. The new king on the block, adipose stem cells and how they differ from amniotic and bone marrow cells. 13:05- Smart cells. How stem cells are able to choose wherever your body needs them. 14:20- Spinal stem cell injections and their benefits for neurological healing. 15:25- How stem cells are changing the field of medicine. 16:25- How you can support stem cell research. 17:10- The cost benefit analysis of stem cell procedures. 20:25- Health and stem cell procedures. How a healthy lifestyle and exercise affect the benefits of stem cell procedures.

Mike Desanti wears many hats, he is a health coach, gratitude and consciousness specialist and even an author of children's books. Mike and Ben have a great discussion on elevating your consciousness, the rituals Mike has used for his rights of passage, how he lives a life of gratitude and understanding, and much more. Make sure to listen to the end to hear about Mike's men's retreat and how he has used his platform as an author of children's books to teach impactful life lessons to their parents as well. This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. For 25% off of your first order and free shipping go to ThriveMarket.com/MuscleExpert and sign up for a free account. *Restrictions Apply

Dr. Jimmy Bagley is a researcher for the Muscle Phys Lab in San Fransisco as well as an Assistant Professor at San Fransisco State University. Dr. Bagley is one of the top researchers looking into muscle fiber types. He and Ben discuss how to optimize your fiber types for the sport you are pursuing, adapting muscle fibers and how to best stimulate MTOR and AMPK. 4:20- The ability to change your muscle fiber type composition and how a set of twins wound up with completely different fiber types later in life. 8:30- Should you actively train for a fiber type or just train normally and allow your fibers to adapt. 9:40- What are the differences between muscle fiber types. 11:15- How do your muscle fiber types effect your recommended diet and caloric expenditure at rest? 14:30- How stem cells, training and steroids effect hyperplasia. 17:15- How long does it take for your fiber types to shift? 19:15- What is the mechanism for fiber type change? 20:45-What is the optimal rep range for changing your muscle to fast twitch? 24:00- Dr. Bagley shares research on the optimal way to train both endurance and for hypertrophy. 27:30- What Dr. Bagley is currently working on at San Fransisco State. 29:45- The difference between MTOR and AMPK responses. 33:30- Listen to your body. Why you should use “feel” to find a MTOR and AMPK balance. 36:00- The influence of ketogenic dieting on AMPK and MTOR. 38:30- Best practices to stimulate MTOR. 40:00- What research is fascinating Dr. Bagley. 43:15- Dr. Bagley’s current research. 44:30- What is the limiting factor in muscle research right now? 49:30- What is needed at the Muscle Phys Lab for them to continue their research?

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Muscle Expert Podcast, Ben dives into all the biggest takeaways from the best guests in the world. Ben recaps the 20 most important things that he has learned through our first 100 episodes.

Entrepreneur Troy McClain joins us on the Muscle Expert Podcast to discuss tradition, personal ownership and the success mindset. After one morning spent with Troy we knew that we had to have him on the show. His insight into what it takes to be successful in business as well as life is unique and extremely insightful. Tune in for a great discussion on fading traditions, how to raise a generation of kids with respect and self-ownership, and how to pick a circle that will drive you, inspire you and allow you to give back. 4:00- The Laws of Reciprocity. Why you should pass good deeds around. 6:00- The necessity of a right of passage. How western culture has suffered from lacking tradition. 7:30- Following the Bushido Code. Earning your place rather than expecting it. 9:45- How can we create the tradition of becoming a man for our kids? 12:45- What makes a man? 15:45- Who do you listen to? How to choose the right mentor. 18:00- How social media has changed the lens that we view our heroes through. 22:45- How to create your reality. 27:00- Troy’s must reads.

Welcome to the Muscle Expert Podcast Dr. Ted Achacoso and welcome back Roland Pankewich! On today’s episode we go deep on gut health and the microbiome. We discuss how to combat leaky gut syndrome, the nutrition requirements to have a healthy microbiome, the negative effects of glyphosate on our world, and how a rest and digest period is necessary for a healthy microbiome. 3:45- The cross talk between the gut micro biome and mitochondria during exercise. How your microbiome grows. 9:15- Leaky gut syndrome and how lipopolysaccharides effect it. 12:30- How eating a ketogenic diet can have negative effects if you have leaky gut syndrome. 15:30- Why it’s important to have a balanced microbiome. 17:45- How to reverse leaky gut and food sensitivity symptoms. 20:30- Dr. Ted’s micronutrient optimized diet. 22:40- Why our environment is terrible for us. 24:30- The skin micro biome 28:40- Organic food, glyphosate and microbiome support 36:30- The effects of a sympathetic state on the gut. 43:45- How to optimize your gut. 46:15- Is it possible in this day and age to have a healthy gut microbiome? 52:45- Dr. Ted’s biohacking and life tips.

Welcome to the Muscle Expert Podcast Ryan Glatt! Ryan is formerly with the Peak Brain Institute and currently is a programmer for SmartFit writing protocols for improving cognitive performance while working out. Ryan and Ben discuss ways to take control of your brain health to improve cognition through motor learning, exercise and daily mindfulness. Time Stamps: 3:00 Why Ryan got into corrective exercise and neurology. 7:15- Ryan’s approach to mental and physical health. 10:55- How we can influence cognitive function through training and nutrition. 13:45- What constitutes brain health? 16:45- How much of your brain health can you influence? 20:00- What are the benefits that you can see from training for brain health? 21:30- The best ways to influence your brain health according to Ryan. 25:00- How protein influences the building of neuro pathways. 28:10- Is it better to become an expert in one area or to learn many different skills for general brain health? 31:50- What are the long term benefits of continued motor learning? 33:00 -The neurochemical effects of training. 36:10- Adjusting your training based on your neurochemical balance. 37:10- Nutrition for brain health. 38:50- What environmental factors influence your brain health? 41:45- Rapid Fire! How to cope with anxiety and lack of sleep.

Joining the Muscle Expert Podcast is Chris Dufey, fitness celebrity, serial entrepreneur and fitness business coach. We connected with Chris at the Fitness Business Summit for a great conversation on balance, family, taking a leap of faith and finding clarity in purpose. Ben and Chris share some great insights on why work/life balance doesn’t exist, how to start a successful online business, creating a mindset of success, and Chris’ tips for living your greatest life. 3:30- How to become focused so you can be great at everything. 5:30- Setting expectations so you can go all in on one thing at a time. 7:45- Taking time for yourself to find clarity in vision. 10:15- Taking time to celebrate accomplishments. 13:00 Celebrating the process. Did you win or lose your day? 13:45- Fame vs. Monetization. Which is better 1000 “fans” or 10 clients? 16:30- Where to start your online business. How to stop competing and start “doing you”. 21:15- The struggle to maintain a successful mindset. Taking a leap of faith to move forward. 25:00- Why Chris left his successful personal training business to move to the online space. 27:30- Creating your reality before it exists. Setting your mind up for where you want to be. 29:00- Reinventing yourself. Creating the person you want to be. Being the person that you need to be in order to surround yourself with those you want to be around. 31:00- Chris’ morning routine that he uses to create his reality. 33:45- Why courage is greater than confidence. Putting yourself in positions to earn your confidence. 36:00- Fixing the internal. The placebo effect of your attitude. 38:30- Chris’ tips to living your greatest life. 40:00- How to get the most out of your day by living mindfully.

Dr. Loretta Breuning is an expert on the mammal brain and the reasons why our brain chemistry responds to different stimulus. She has written multiple books including I Mammal, Habits of a Happy Brain, and the Science of Positivity. Dr. Breuning and Ben go deep on how our neurochemicals influence our actions and how we can take control over them. Listen now to learn how to take control over your evolution. 3:30- Our animal brain. The reasons why our neurotransmitters act the way they do. 6:40- The evolutionary reason for cortisol. How our cortisol response has evolved in our world of safety. 8:30- How to start rewiring your neurons. Is physical action or mental state more important to remap your brain? 14:20- Change your life in 45 days with 3x daily mindful minutes. 17:15- Taking control of your mammal brain. How herd mentality is still alive and well in our brains. 25:00- Personal reality and how to pay attention to it. 27:30- Addiction and personal responsibility. Dr. Breuning’s take on ending addiction with personal responsibility and retraining the brain. 29:45- Why we see social support as a matter of life and death. How we have evolved to exploit weakness in others. 33:00- Ways that you can wire your kids brains for success later in life. The positive power of discipline. 36:15- The neurochemical response of smiling and laughter.

We have a LIVE edition of the Muscle Expert Podcast coming your way today. Bedros Keuilian graced us with his presence at Muscle Intelligence headquarters to bring us a great insight on what he does best, growing businesses at an incredible rate and living life at an incredibly high level. Bedros shows us the meaning of what it is to live a “fighter jet life”, gives us insight on what a great morning routine looks like and answers some great questions from our Facebook Live. 3:15- Why Bedros loves the MI40 style of training for entrepreneurs. 5:15- The biggest area for most entrepreneurs to improve, finding a specialty. 8:45- How to coalesce your thoughts and maintain a focused mindset. 11:00- Bedros’ steps to growing a business. 13:40- Feeding the ego vs feeding the family. How Bedros puts his focus on the tangibles rather than what drives the ego. 21:30- Fighter jet mentality- how to live life laser focused and win the day. 23:25- There’s always another summit. Living with a “More” mindset. 30:00- The importance of self sufficiency. Why you need to learn to find answers yourself before asking for advice. 31:00- How to create an empire. 34:15- Man Up. Bedros tells us about his new book that is coming out in September. 36:30- The importance of communication in leadership. 37:45- Question and answers from our Facebook Live.

93- Dr Jose Antonio- A Look Into the Latest Research with the President of the ISSN Dr. Jose Antonio is the President of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Today he joins us to discuss the latest research going on with ISSN scientists as well as what he is working on. Dr. Antonio has conducted numerous studies on the effect of high protein diets in athletes. Tune it to hear all about them as well as his experience in the VERY controversial topic of peanut butter overfeeding. Time Stamps: 4:00- How social media is effecting how the world receives research. 6:00- The effects of poorly designed studies on the industry and how funding, time and other resources effect the outcome of a study. 11:30- What new research is exciting to Dr. Antonio? 12:45- What Dr. Antonio’s research is saying about high protein diets. 19:30- Would a high protein diet be healthy in a sedentary population? 21:15- The best ways to implement a high protein diet to stimulate mTor. 24:30- The Main Event- PEANUT BUTTER OVER FEEDING!!!! 27:45- If it fits your macros… What does the research say? 29:30- What’s new from the ISSN’s research? 33:25- The research behind the link between lean mass and basal metabolic rate. 35:00- HIIT vs steady state cardio and the role of cardio in building muscle. 38:30- The biggest mistakes that people are making when it comes to sports nutrition. 40:00- Info on the ISSN Conference in Clearwater, Florida.

Dr. Ralph Esposito is one of the leading physicians in the field of testosterone optimization. Dr. Esposito gives us one of our deepest dives to date on testosterone, the negative effects of t replacement, environmental factors that effect testosterone, and the link between estrogens, testosterone and prostate cancer. 3:45- What is low testosterone? Do your T numbers matter or is free testosterone more important? 6:30- The importance of free testosterone. 8:15- What is DHT? Does it deserve it’s bad reputation? 10:00- The limits of testosterone therapy. What are the alternatives to testosterone replacement therapy? 13:45- Clomid to boost testosterone. 17:15- How important are androgen receptors in regards to testosterone? Are functioning receptors the key to test absorption? 19:45- SARMS to open androgen receptors. 21:10- HCG and boosting testosterone production. 24:45- The correlation between the prostate, testosterone and prostate cancer. 31:00- How to monitor your prostate health. 32:30- Methods to reignite testosterone production after years of use. 36:00- The importance of sleep for testosterone production. Studies find that quality sleep can have the same effect as replacement therapy. 38:35- Strength training to increase T levels. 41:00- The link between the libido and testosterone levels. What are the other factors that effect libido besides testosterone? 45:00- “Stop looking at porn and start meditating”. How porn can effect libido and become a supplement for stress relief. 49:00- Environmental and nutritional supplements to optimize testosterone. The detriments of phytoestrogens to your testosterone. 54:45- The importance of eliminating xenoestrogen toxins. 58:00- The actionables. Dr. Esposito’s tips that you can use every day to optimize your testosterone.

Mike Matthews, host of the Muscle for Life Podcast as well as the author of Bigger, Leaner, Stronger, joins us today to chat with Ben about building a fitness business, how to maintain a killer figure and make the most of your time. Ben and Mike dive deep on the training, mentality and steps to become a fitness influencer. Time Stamps- 5:30- What to expect when you are getting absolutely shredded. 7:00- Calories in Calories out? How our overall health effects fat loss and the challenges of tracking macros. 11:50- Mike’s thoughts on muscle loss during extreme dieting. 16:00- Ben’s experience with fat gain while fasting. 20:15- Mike’s cut process. How he prepares for appearances and photoshoots when he has to look shredded. 26:00- Bigger, Leaner, Stronger- the story behind Mike’s book and how it came to fruition. 29:45- Bigger, Leaner, Stronger- the synopsis. 30:30- Why Mike is an advocate for compound lifting. Squats, deadlifts and benchpress. 35:00- How to train “the outliers” the people who don’t naturally fit a traditional exercise. 40:10- Mike’s advice for people who are trying to start a business and his marketing tips for new businesses. 48:45- Taking responsibility for you actions. The guys thoughts on self responsibility. 55:15- Content Marketing- Mike’s thought on the future of marketing. 59:20- MuscleforLife.com- What’s next for Mike’s online platform. 62:00- Mike’s book recommendations.

Alex Viada and Dr. Jordan Shallow are back for another great episode of the Muscle Expert Podcast. This time around they join Ben in discussing what it takes to be great. Being an elite athlete has it’s struggles and for these three it is no exception. This episode they talk about staying focused during the lulls of the process, the evolution of your training, what separates good from great and how Ben stays motivated now that he isn’t training for the Olympia. 2:10- Why Alex has decided to participate in a double Iron Man race. Pursuing an end result that looks impossible from the outside. 5:15- The Process. How to approach an impossible task. How to prepare for worst case scenario when pursuing a world class endeavor. 9:45- Earning the right to be world class. 12:35- The highlight reel vs the buildup. Why it takes discipline and dedication to achieve crazy feats not just what you see on Instagram. 15:00- How to know what’s next. When is it time to change your process? 17:00- Information is always good. Finding out what doesn’t work for you is just as important and finding out what does. 19:15- How to take inventory of your training and where you stand. 23:15- “If you love it let it kill you.” The mentality of becoming the best version of yourself. How being told that he “has great potential” is what drives Alex. 27:15- Pursuing your passion. Why so many people don’t strive to fulfill their potential. 31:30- How the guys found what drives them. 35:30- How to deal with the loss of what drives you. 36:45- Motivating your clients to do the not glamorous part of the process. 39:00- Dealing with your haters and using your failures. 42:30- The next step mentality. Dealing with what is out of your control. 43:30- What separates good from great. 44:50- The importance of failure. 47:00- Finding your motivation. Navigating the struggle to get motivated when you don’t have an end goal. 49:00- Excellence is a transferrable skill. How to move your drive from one skill to another. 50:00- Changing from a solo sport to group goals.