239 ‒ The science of strength, muscle, and training for longevity | Andy Galpin, Ph.D. (PART I)
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February 1, 2026
Headlines
In this episode, we discuss:
0:00:08 – Andy’s path to expertise in exercise
0:07:09 – Contrasting strength, power, and force production and how they inform us about training for longevity
0:16:03 – Muscle energetics: Fuels that provide energy to muscles, and the importance of protein
0:29:34 – The structure and microanatomy of muscle, muscle fibers, and more
0:41:40 – Energy demands of skeletal muscle compared to other tissues in the body
0:51:37 – How a muscle contraction works and why it requires ATP
0:57:18 – Muscle fibers: modulation between fiber types with movement and changes in fibers with training and aging
1:07:56 – Andy’s study of twins demonstrating the difference in muscle fibers between a trained and untrained individual
1:18:36 – Microanatomy of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers
1:31:15 – Factors that determine one’s makeup of muscle fibers and how adaptable they are with training
1:40:49 – Hypertrophy and what happens at the cellular level when a muscle grows
1:49:59 – How athletes quickly cut water weight and the rehydration process
2:01:48 – Different types of athletes
2:04:21 – Training advice for a hypothetical client who’s untrained and wants to add muscle and functional strength for longevity
2:09:10 – Changes in muscle and muscular function that occur with aging
2:15:51 – Training plan for the hypothetical client
2:30:51 – What drives muscle hypertrophy?
2:38:27 – How to properly incorporate isometric exercises into a workout
2:46:38 – Additional training tips: movement patterns, how to finish a workout, and more
2:50:13 – Ways to incorporate high heart rate exercise into a workout plan
I just wanna thank Peter for working so hard to make this content accessible to the audience, between defining terms, spelling out acronyms that the host takes for granted and bringing him back to the main question.
Such a great listen… been through it 3 times… thank you!
My biggest weight cut was 8.5 kilos in a maximum time spent in the sauna 2hrs 20 mins
💖💖💖
The fire analogy to explain fuel systems is what I needed to hear in school. probably the best analogy ever
Thanks
Carry stuff, chop wood and walk with a moderately heavy ruck sack and ignore interwebs waffle.
Expert that has no muscles
Does anyone hate Andy Galpin?
Will the food and drug industry break down if we study sprinters? Are they the healthiest people on the planet?
Thanks! 🙂
Lots of good technical stuff at the beginning, but the video really pops at about 2:04 h:m when they start to talk about advice. Wonderful, useful video.
Thank you Andy and Peter from a 65 year old woman in Edmonton Ab who will be applying your beginner training plan for the next year. My N of 1 year thanks to your generous council.❤🎉
As a 69 yr old male, that's always been active, I have come to the conclusion that maintaining fast twitch fibers is the key to a better quality of life.
Cross fit = bad form
That's fascinating. As a fitness trainer, an MSc Neuroscience student and a Longevity scientist I truly thank you guys for this amount of great info for the public 🙂
Two dudes with zero muscle talking about muscle growth. So they purposely don’t grow muscle even though they are experts? Very curious.
bodybuilder might have less strength at the same size than powerlifters, but I predict probably more strength endurance, as they train in higher repetition ranges and generally with more volume.
#0. forget Netflix, watch these.
#1. I love the way these podcasts are set up. Both experts, in depth conversation, but with all the info for anybody.
#2. I just bought some whey protein… which I never would have thought (eating bio meat and all), but tracking and estimating protein made me realize that I can otherwise never get there and am always way off…
Two of the most intelligent and genuine mind people in health and science on YouTube! ❤❤❤
Great content ! Great Shirt, Ayrton Senna
Laine is an incompetent ass. Truly stupid.
I’m pretty sure both gentleman could have provided the essential information presented here in much less time than nearly three hours. I wonder if they even consider being more efficient in their presentations. 🤷
Too much talk for nothing
Dr.salib
Professor of physiology
I appreciate the general focus of these podcasts, but I have a critique as well. If you spend years of your life obsessively pursuing a longer, healthier life with hours and hours of weekly effort, you are effectively trading one set of years for the other. Yes, you will be stronger and may, stress may live a few years more, but yes, you will also be missing out on a lot of life as well. I'm in Paris and I can tell you the cafes are full of people smoking, drinking, eating whatever they want, and enjoying life with their friends. They will outlive us all with a higher quality of life. There's no French paradox, just a lot of walking, talking, happy people.
I started strength training a month ago and I have not had an out of range blood sugar reading since. I have type 2 diabetes
Brilliant. Long but not a wasted minute
This is pure gold. Thank you a lot .you both are servers of humanity.Be blessed and keep the good work.👍
The benefits of gaining muscle – as opposed to just getting stronger – is over emphasised by Glapin, Attia, Huberman etc. because the people that watch their podcasts, and probably they themselves, Discuss.
(There's a correlation between muscle mass and longevity, but I suspect that this is an average over the whole population and it would not apply between well trained/fit individuals (eg. jacked guys probably don't live longer than calisthenics guys or olympic weight lifters – but all probably have better longevity).
I would like to say thank you for these podcast with all of your interesting health topics. I just came across it this year and I listen to them as I drive back-and-forth to work. I would like to know the opinion of both of you related to taking amino acid tablets to help increase protein intake. I’m in my 50s and perimenopausal. I do eat healthy and work out. I find it hard to get the amount of protein I need due to the fact that I’m pescatarian and I’m a busy cardiac nurse. Our time at work to eat is very brief. So besides drinking protein shakes, do you find it helpful to take amino acid supplements?
Let’s go verge! Great video 👊🏼 you got my subscribe
On Isometrics, as a Calisthenics athlete I can say there are also other advantages:
Pros:
-Safety
-Time under tension: much easier to maintain and reach true failure.
-Challenge specific ROM: a) otherwise undertrained or b) sticking points.
-Specificity: strength gains comes very fast with proper training.
-Simplicity, which transfer in easier technique and more effective training.
-Learning: Most of isometrics are also starting or ending point of a lift. (for example: hanging for a pull up, or Rings support with Dips). This translates in a better visualization of the lift, since you have a really well understanding of where to start and how to finish.
-Variety of stimulus compared to standard training. This also helps to "take a break" during the week.
Cons:
-Not Hypertrofic as compounds movements
-Not always functional as compounds movements
-Not time effective as compounds movements
-Specificity: No transfer on other angles/lift
-Not always easy to measure or increase load.
BEGINNER TRAINING EXAMPLE:
In Calisthenics, most skills are isometries. Since are so specific, if it make sense to train them only if you have the specific skill as a goal. Otherwise there are always better alternatives (compound movements). Anyway, is always good to insert some isometrics for variety.
Exercises:
Legs A: Horse stance
Legs B: Single-leg Reverse plank (belly to the ceiling)
PULL A: Hanging (+L-sit)
PULL B: Tuck Front Lever
PUSH A: Handstand
PUSH B: Ring Support (+L-Sit)
hey Andy, if you know so much about muscle hypertrophy why aren't you jacked
Bring on Part Deux!
This guy absolutely loves to hear himself speak.
2:33:33
Dr. Galbin knowledge is mind blowing both in width and depth. On top of this, he has gathered a more than decade’s long DAILY with ELITE ATHLETES. The two thinks compounded are a unique snowball effect of first hand marginal knowledge applied while at the same time a pragmatic approach on how to granulate it for a specific one o one needs. The huge humus of that is a genuine humility, curiosity, clarity of thinking, execution, ground experience, passion, and inspiration. When he is speaking like in this podcast i am fascinated by his contagious passion and his ability to be clear, speak easy, and for the “folks”. Thanks Dr. Galbin. I think that this has been some of the most informative and interesting 2h’s ever. Thanks Dr. Attia for hosting Dr. Galbin, one of the best podcast.
You two are genius !
Great ab workout 🥵