Muscle Intelligence

Looking for a step-by-step process to lose fat, and make it sustainable? Wondering what the biggest mistakes and misconceptions are in fat loss?

In this solocast, I reveal that the process is simpler than we think... That all fat loss is, is a 2-step process with 4 influential factors... That it doesn't have to take hours a day, and it's all about what you're setting yourself up for.

Stop telling yourself you can't. You are not your story. You are your daily habits, your skills, your beliefs, and your process.

This solocast is derived from my most recent webinar. If you're inspired, dedicated, and ready to achieve big goals, I have just a few open spots left in my coaching program.

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Today's episode is sponsored by BiOptimizers MagBreakthrough! BiOptimizers makes my favorite, high-quality potent magnesium supplement with all 7 forms of magnesium. Use code MUSCLE at magbreakthrough.com/muscleintelligence to get 10% off BiOptimizers MagBreakthrough. For a limited time, BiOptimizers is also giving away free bottles of their best-selling products P3OM and Masszymes with select purchases only while supplies last, so hurry and order now!

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Today's podcast is also sponsored by Fresh Pressed Olive Oil. You guys know that the purest, freshest extra virgin olive oil is on my list of the top 10 most nutritious foods on the planet... And Fresh Pressed is my go-to for the absolute highest quality, most delicious source. Fresh Pressed sources their olive oil from the top 2% of artisanal family farms around the world; each batch is lab-tested to ensure purity and freshness. Go to getfresh35.com to get a full-sized bottle for just $1, and you'll love it as much as I do!

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Want updates from Ben on his upcoming Webinars, Masterclasses, and coaching programs? Head over to muscleintelligence.com/subscribe for early admission to Ben's programs, exclusive sponsor deals, and Ben's latest insights into fitness, nutrition, and optimum performance.

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www.muscleintelligence.com - The world’s leading resource on intelligent muscle building. We have taught and certified hundreds of coaches all over the world in our methods that emphasize a holistic approach to physical and mental optimization through a harmonious blend of modern science and ancient wisdom...check out www.muscleintelligence.com

JOIN THE FREE COMMUNITY and become part of the Muscle Intelligence Movement as we support a shift in the HEALTH & CONSCIOUSNESS of humanity. The Muscle Intelligence Community empowers men and women with the knowledge, skillset and inspiration to thrive by applying the 6 Pillars of a Lean, Healthy and Muscular Body.

Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/muscleintelligence

If you are looking for bodybuilding guidance, videos, workouts, the proper training split to build muscle, see how IFBB PRO Ben Pakulski builds big muscle through the best online program here https://www.muscleintelligence.com - For Students Of IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski. Where the Smartest People Come To Build Muscle FAST - www.muscleintelligence.com/bodypart

Don't miss any of Ben Pakulski's workout or training tips by subscribing to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BenPakIFBB

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Make sure to HIT SUBSCRIBE before you go, and leave Ben a comment or question for a future episode.

Welcome to the ALL NEW Muscle Intelligence Podcast! To kick things off we are brining you behind the vail of the Muscle Intelligence lifestyle to give you insight on how Ben and his team #DemandExcellence in their daily life. Follow along with the practices we use to live our greatest life in our greatest body.

Gear up for another episode of Q&A in which Ben and Ashleigh respond to a host of questions asked in their Facebook community. Before diving into the questions, they remind listeners about the importance of getting enough sunlight and spending time outdoors and explain why challenging times like these can be mined for invaluable life lessons on which to build a more secure future. Ben explains why stability is the foundational prerequisite for building muscle and strength, why having the correct form is non-negotiable in exercise, and even if you think you’ve reached your muscle-building capacity, you’ve likely only reached about 20%. As far as the business side goes, Ben gives an update on the postponed muscle camps, he gets listeners excited about the new Muscle Intelligence blog page and the content that will be posted there, and outlines what he aims to do with the exclusive mentorship programs he’s working on.

Returning to the science, your hosts answer questions related to regulating and tracking blood glucose levels, approaching core exercise after a C-section, the possible benefits of CBD, the value of the cyclical ketogenic diet, and the best exercises for improving aerobic health and HRV. Do not forget to visit our great show sponsors, BLUblox, for the best in blue-blocking eyewear. Get 15% off my favorite blue light-blocking and eye-strain reducing glasses from BLUBlox at https://blublox.com/muscleintelligence using the code MUSCLE.

Timestamps

• Hear how spending time outdoors and getting exercise energize you for the day. [1:21]
• Recognizing the reality that we either move toward pleasure or away from pain. [2:15]
• Learning from difficult situations and why the current disillusionment can be good. [4:03]
• The foundational prerequisite to building muscle and strength at any age. [8:05]
• Why the correct form is so important in exercising effectively and injury-free. [11:50]
• Learn about the at-home workouts and nutrition plan Ben has available. [16:24]
• Why it is unlikely to reach your natural potential as far as muscle building goes. [17:52]
• The value of improving your heart rate variability in building muscle naturally. [21:24]
• Understanding that exercise is futile without the required internal response. [22:09]
• Thoughts on box breathing and using your diaphragm while walking. [23:41]
• An update on Ben’s muscle camps and how his mentorships are structured. [26:42]
• Learn about the new Muscle Intelligence blog page and the content we put up. [32:21]
• Advice for working your core muscles after C-sections and/or myomectomy. [34:38]
• Guidelines for where blood glucose levels should be and how to decrease it. [39:21]
• Ben’s thoughts on CBD: purification processes, quality, benefits, and more. [43:08]
• The value of a cyclical ketogenic diet and the role of genetics, activity, and stress. [47:07]
• Should you have carbs before or after workouts while on the keto diet? [51:23]
• Why lowering body fat and building muscle should be synonymous. [55:00]
• The best exercises to improve aerobic health and HRV. [58:51]

Some of the greatest obstacles posed by any challenging pursuit are the ones that exist in our own minds. This is a concern at the center of High-Performance Psychologist Dr. Bhrett McCabe’s work and today he joins us on the show to share his perspectives on the subject. Dr. McCabe works with both professional and amateur athletes, focusing on mental strength and keys to success, and together with him, we take a deep dive into what it takes to perform optimally and some common challenges that stand in the way. Dr. McCabe weighs in on the idea that different people are motivated by different things, sketching out five personality types and a variety of psychological games that athletes have played with themselves to help themselves perform better. He talks about the need to commit fully and get out of our comfort zones if we wish to grow, and how he approaches training his clients and students to elicit this from them, which requires that they trust him first. We cover some interesting terrain around beating common mental stumbling blocks like negative thinking, impatience and using sub-par performance as a buffer against the fear of failing. Dr. McCain talks about internal versus external motivators, the minimum amount of struggle needed for a task not to become boring, the role of reflection in perception, and the importance of social dynamics in the performance of teams. Other big takeaways are Dr. McCabe’s thoughts on beating addiction, the five things we have to do each day to perform at our best, and the content to be found in our guest’s amazing coach training program called the Catalyst School.

Thank you to our awesome show sponsor, makers of Ben’s favorite grass-fed collagen and powdered MCT: BUBS, a company making just a few extremely high-quality products and giving back a whopping 10% of their sales to charity. Ben uses their powdered collagen and MCT in his coffee every morning. Use the code MUSCLE for a full 20% off your purchase HERE.

Timestamps

• Introducing our guest, Dr. Bhrett McCabe, and his work on performance psychology. [0:16]
• The value of a gratitude practice focusing on things we usually perceive as negative. [3:30]
• How Dr. McCabe discovered the power of mind while playing major league baseball. [5:59]
• Mental difficulties like negative thinking and impatience, and how to treat them. [9:57]
• Dealing with the stress of uncertainty by seeing it as an opportunity to grow. [14:23]
• Five daily categories of tasks that everybody should do to perform optimally. [16:15]
• Why Dr. McCabe’s approach to consulting amateur or pro clients is similar. [20:53]
• Achieving goals and growing through a fully committed rather than an ‘if-then’ attitude. [23:11]
• Our tendency to use our habit of not committing fully as a scapegoat if we fail. [25:15]
• A story outlining Dr. McCabe’s approach to getting students to perform optimally. [27:00]
• Getting past external things that validate us internally to true internal validation. [30:38]
• The minimum amount of struggle necessary for a challenge to remain interesting. [33:00]
• How Dr. McCabe earns the trust of his clients by using a non-judgmental approach. [35:39]
• Five types of people categorized by the types of things that drive them to succeed. [43:45]
• How to manufacture the emotion or state that drives you to perform at your best. [47:00]
• Identifying and optimizing what makes you special in order to win. [49:36]
• ‘Fear the proud’: true buy-in and what makes UA’s football team the best. [52:42]
• Getting past addictions and how the risk is highest when we think there’s no risk. [55:01]
• The interplay between the psychological, neurological, and immunological. [59:07]
• How detrimental stress is; book recommendations from Dr. McCabe on this topic. [1:00:39]
• The Catalyst School and how it helps coaches be better at what they do. [1:02:18]
• Dr. McCabe’s workouts; exercise is about internal as much as external rewards. [1:05:54]

Dr. Kelly Starrett joins me on today’s episode to share his expertise about the prerequisites of movement and training, and a systems approach to improving your ranges of motion and ultimately your performance.

Dr. Kelly Starrett – also known as the Supple Leopard - is a coach, physical therapist, two-time New York Times & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, speaker, and co-founder of The Ready State, the world's most comprehensive collection of guided movement, mechanics, and mobility instructional videos.

To find out more about Kelly, please visit: Website: The Ready State Instagram: @thereadystate YouTube Kelly’s 10min Morning Routine: https://members.thereadystate.com/blogs/10-minute-morning-mobility-routine/ Kelly’s books: https://members.thereadystate.com/product-category/books/

Time Stamps:

[0:55] – Introducing guest Kelly Starrett [2:26] – Real Mushrooms [5:50] – Kelly’s approach to mobility in bodybuilding [8:35] – Bio-motor-output [9:15] – Bookmarks around function [10:30] – Mobility and movement control [11:20] – Pain is a request from your body [12:00] – Normative ranges of motion [12:45] – How to program for mobility progress [14:35] – Determining the starting point [18:15] – Identifying patterns [19:20] – Assessment framework [24:10] – Your range of motion changes daily [26:40] – Working on density [29:30] – Flexibility, mobility, stretching? [32:00] – Language is key: You’re not in rehab, you’re training. [33:35] – Creating shapes [35:35] – Comprehensive models [36:19] – Breathing and the spine [39:40] – Lower back pain [41:10] – Kelly’s morning practice [43:13] – Foot function [49:55] – Eye tracking [53:10] – Kelly’s non-negotiables [55:25] – What are you training for? [56:50] – Kelly’s new book [1:00:07] – Find Kelly here

Mentioned: Slack Block - https://www.slackbow.com

Today’s Sponsor: Thank you to our sponsor Real Mushrooms for supporting our podcast and for bringing you the best quality organic mushroom extracts on the market. Real Mushrooms emphasizes the REAL, because many so-called “mushroom” products on the market don’t contain 100% mushrooms. To learn more, please visit Real Mushrooms. Code BEN at checkout gets you 30% off your first purchase, and code MUSCLE 20% off for returning customers.