The Absolute Strength Podcast

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Dealing With Joint Pain, Benefits of Low Volume Training, Emotional Eating, and Dad Life [Q&A] 0

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Jun 27, 2023

In this episode, I answer questions from listeners. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Questions on the show:

Hey Kyle, what do you recommend for joint pain? My elbows have been feeling achy after upper body workouts lately.
How could a low-volume, high-intensity block help with hypertrophy?
Do you have any advice for a new dad on handling training and sleeping with a newborn?
How to approach nutrition on vacation when bulking? I’m worried I won’t be able to hit my calorie goal.
What are some practical tips for individuals who struggle with emotional or stress-related eating and want to develop healthier eating habits?
I have a question – can you provide some advice regarding when to wear a belt when squatting or deadlifting? I generally try to not wear a belt because I don’t want to rely on it too much and I want to work on bracing. However, I can obviously use more weight when I use a belt which likely has it’s own benefits.
How do you balance being a father, husband, coach/business owner, and a high-level lifter?

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How to Reach Autopilot With Your Fitness 0

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Jun 23, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss how to reach your fitness goals without constantly stressing about it. It's cliche for people to say fitness needs to be a lifestyle, but what does that even mean? More importantly, how does one work toward achieving it? Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

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Shoulders and Arms 101: The Complete Training Blueprint 0

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Jun 16, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss shoulder and arms training to round out our muscle-building series. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

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Leg Training 101: The Key to Building Big Legs 0

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Jun 9, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss how to build big legs. We cover the best exercises for quads, hamstrings, and calves and how to program them for an optimal workout. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Back Training 101: Unlock Your Back's Potential for Muscle Growth 0

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Jun 2, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss the nuances of back training. We review the best exercises, tips, and techniques to take your back training to the next level. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Chest Training 101: Building a Strong and Impressive Chest 0

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May 26, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I dive deep into chest training. We discuss the best exercises, optimal frequency, volume, intensity, etc. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

Will Ahmed - Founder and CEO at Whoop 0

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May 24, 2023

In this episode, I sit down with Will Ahmed, the founder and CEO at Whoop. During the show, we discuss how to use data tracking to improve your performance in fitness and life. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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https://www.whoop.com/

@willahmed

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Why You Need to Have a Challenge 0

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May 19, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss a wide range of topics. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Advice For Your First Powerlifting Meet 0

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May 12, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss how to start competing in powerlifting and give advice for your first meet.

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A List of Supplements That Actually Work 0

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May 5, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I dive deep into our history with supplements. Looking back, many of the ingredients we recommend today have been around for a long time. In addition to talking about our history with supplements, we also provide a list of products that actually work. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Everything You Need in Your Gym Bag 0

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Apr 28, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss what you should pack in your gym bag. We go over everything from headphones to knee sleeves, wrist wraps, belts, etc., and give our recommendations.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

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Connect with Kyle:

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

High Reps vs. Low Reps [Q&A] 0

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Apr 21, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I answer questions from listeners. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Hire Kyle as your coach: http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/services/

Questions on the show:

You may have gone over this before, but I was wondering what your views (and Derek’s!) are on adding weight vs. adding extra reps to progress in an exercise and kind of how to gauge which tactic to go for.
Is one leg day enough for leg growth if you are doing 2 sprint sessions, two 50-minute plyometric and agility workouts, and a long-distance run in the same week. Because doing all that and 2 leg days feels too much, and I would suffer in explosiveness, agility, and running speed. Thanks!
When creating programs for clients, what are some things you think about when selecting which exercises to include?
Any tips for hard gainers and those resistant to weight gain? Whenever I increase calories my NEAT, steps, and training volume all increase but my bodyweight stays consistent.
I am trying to determine how flexible I can be with my training. I can only lift on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but I’m getting very bored of legs push pull and sometimes Thursdays get dicey, and I miss that day. Would it be harmful to do 3 full-body days in a row?
Hey Kyle, I loved the deload episode. One question I have is since you are doing less training, should you reduce calories or change your diet at all during a deload?
Do you have any recommendations on how to handle unsolicited advice at the gym?
When looking to increase muscle size, should you focus on lifting 55-65% of 1RM for more reps, or 75-90% of 1RM with less reps with possibly more sets? Or, would both methods give similar results?

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How to Use Deloads to Make Better Progress 0

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Apr 14, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss everything you need to know about deloads. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

The Best Training Splits for Building Muscle and Strength 0

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Apr 7, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I discuss the best training splits for building muscle and strength. We talk about the pros and cons of full body, upper/lower, push-pull-legs, hybrid, and different powerlifting setups. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Connect with Kyle:

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

Overrated or Underrated Fitness Topics Part 2 (Creatine, Deadlifts, Motivation, etc.) 0

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Mar 31, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I return with part two of overrated or underrated. We discuss creatine, whey protein, stretching, fiber, deadlifts for hypertrophy, motivation, getting shredded, and more.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

Overrated or Underrated Fitness Topics Part 1 0

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Mar 24, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I play a game of overrated or underrated with popular fitness topics. Today's episode is part one. Next week we will return with part two. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

Training Intensity, Hunger, and the Best Time to Do Cardio 0

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Mar 17, 2023

In this episode, Derek and I answer questions from listeners.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Hire Kyle as your coach: http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/services/

Questions on the show:

Q1: Back in the day, bodybuilders in the magazines used to promote using intensity techniques like drop sets, forced reps, super sets, etc., as the key to making progress. But people don’t talk about them as much anymore. Are there benefits to using them or not?

Q2: I find I am always hungry, which leads to snacking between meals. Do you have any tips to help prevent me from feeling like I’m starving all the time lol?

Q3: I have been in a training rut for a while and can’t seem to progressive overload my training anymore. Should I increase volume or intensity?

Q4: I’m a powerlifter but want to improve my chest size. What exercises, in addition to bench press, should I include in my program?

Q5: When do you recommend doing cardio for fat loss?

Connect with Kyle:

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

Minimalist Training, AI in Fitness, and Is Erythritol Safe 0

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Mar 7, 2023

In episode 375 of the Absolute Strength podcast, I talk about Jon Jones's return to the UFC, Arnold Classic memories, and answer questions from listeners.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Questions on the show:

Q1: Thoughts on the 10,000-calorie challenge? Is it worth trying once?

Q2: What is the correlation between veins and body fat? For example, I don't have well-defined abs, but my stomach veins (and veins all over my body) are visible. Does vascularity always equate to low body fat?

Q3: I'm sure you saw the new erythritol study that just came out. What are your thoughts on it, and will it change your consumption?

Q4: How do you think A.I will change the fitness industry?

Q5: In the last episode, you talked about taking a step back in your training when life gets busy. As a powerlifter, how little can you do and still make progress?

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Connect with Kyle:

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The Role Stress Plays in Our Training 0

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Feb 27, 2023

In episode 374 of the Absolute Strength Podcast, I discuss stress's role in our training. Stress is a topic I talk about with clients quite a bit. It's a personal topic, so it has better context in a one-on-one situation. But, collectively, I think stress's role in our training needs more attention. When creating programs, manipulating the training variables like volume, frequency, intensity, etc., is pretty straightforward in a vacuum. But life is rarely that clean. However, people tend to program like it is. Unfortunately, we are not all living in a Bulgarian Olympic lifting facility from the 1980s. When a bunch of outside stress gets stacked on each other, it will impact your training. I also answer questions on daily activity impacting performance, muscle imbalances stemming from an injury, and glute training for powerlifting. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Questions on the show:

Q1: I work an active job, so I usually take 14-20 thousand steps per day. What kind of effect does that have on muscle gain and strength? Is there a point where doing too many steps will hinder my progress?

Q2: I tore my ACL and meniscus a few years back. I no longer have knee pain, but my right hamstring is still much weaker and cramps up easily. I'm worried RDLs and good mornings will just get taken over by my stronger leg. Do you have any advice?

Q3: I don't hear you talk about glute training much. Do you train your glutes? If so, what exercises do you think carry over the most for powerlifting?

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Connect with Kyle:

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Bodybuilding For Beginners on Amazon:

Realistic Expectations for Muscle Growth, Sweating During Cardio, and the Key to Back Training 0

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Feb 17, 2023

We are back! In episode 373 of the Absolute Strength Podcast, Derek and I answer questions from listeners.

I appreciate everyone reaching out and wondering when the next episode was coming. I've had a crazy beginning to 2023, but I'm excited to get back to recording shows. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Questions on the show:

Q1: What are realistic expectations for a natural who has been lifting for five years? Have I already maxed out my progress?

Q2: Are there any benefits to sweating more during cardio? I see people wearing pants and sweatshirts while doing cardio at the gym, but it doesn't make sense to me.

Q3: How do you recommend balancing training hard to make progress while avoiding injury and burnout? Every time I get on a roll, something comes up.

Q4: What does your back training look like? Every time you post a pullup video, your back looks jacked!

Q5: My flexibility is terrible, but I hate stretching. Is there anything else I can do to improve my flexibility?

Q 6: Importance of rest days. Necessary or nah?

Q 7: I play basketball every Monday with some of my old college buddies and train powerlifting three days a week full body. I need help planning around basketball without affecting my training. How would you plan around something like that?

Q 8: What are your thoughts on carb cycling to lose weight while minimizing muscle/strength loss?

Hire Kyle as your coach: http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/services/

Connect with Kyle:

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Connect with Derek

Instagram: @DerekCharlebois