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Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
Latest episode

2953 episodes

  • Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

    2944: Low Reps vs. High Reps — Which Actually Builds More Muscle? (The Answer Surprised Us)

    12/09/2026 | 2h
    MAPS Abs and Butt: https://mapsabsandbutt.com
    Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. Includes Butt Building Diet Guide, Women's Supplement Guide, at-home dumbbell version and a free second program at checkout (Muscle Mommy or Muscle Mommy 15).
     
    In this episode the guys break down the low reps vs. high reps debate — covering why both build muscle equally when intensity is matched, why low reps build maximal strength better and high reps build strength endurance, why low reps are easier to recover from, and why doing both in phases produces the best long term results. They also get into Sal starting SS-31 peptide and why he is noticing similar energy and clarity benefits to MOTS-C, Adam microdosing GLP-1 for psoriasis and inflammation and the emerging studies on autoimmune and addiction applications, a new pill that reduces sleep apnea breathing events by 44% by targeting neuromuscular dysfunction, the history and bizarre fashion resurgence of the merkin, a study showing HEPA air filters improved executive function by 12% in 30 days, otter attacks being more serious than anyone expected, Adam's daughter calling her bikini top a boob mask, Manukora as part of the anti-viral immunity stack, a nationwide homeschool study showing 25-29 percentile point improvements across all subjects, and pickleball hitting 479% growth. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.
     
    Mind Pump Fitness Coaching: https://mindpumpfitnesscoaching.com
    1.9 NASM CEUs
     
    SPONSORS
     
    Vita Bella / MP Hormones: https://mphormones.com
    Book a complimentary 10-minute consultation to find out if Vita Bella is right for you. SS-31 peptide and MOTS-C now available. BPC-157 back in stock. GLP-1 microdosing for inflammation and autoimmune conditions discussed on air.
    Or use code MINDPUMP365 to start your annual membership and receive a free blood panel and gift.
     
    Manukora Manuka Honey: https://manukora.com/MINDPUMP
    Code: MINDPUMP for up to 31% off plus $25 in free gifts with the Starter Kit. Discussed on air as part of the anti-viral immunity stack alongside NAD, glutathione, zinc, elderberry and thymus alpha.
     
    Hiya (kids' multivitamin): https://hiyahealth.com/MINDPUMP
    50% off first order. Zero sugar, non-GMO, vegan, allergy-free. The only kids multivitamin the guys recommend.
     
    LINKS
     
    Submit a live caller question: https://mplivecaller.com
    Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
    Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
    Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
     
    SPOTIFY TIMESTAMPS
     
    0:00 - Intro
    2:29 - Low reps vs. high reps — why both build muscle and what makes them actually different
    8:08 - Low reps build maximal strength and are easier to recover from — the mechanism explained
    9:26 - High reps build strength endurance and are better for lagging body parts
    10:42 - Why you should do both in phases rather than mixing them every workout
    19:28 - SS-31 peptide — Sal starts it and compares it to MOTS-C for mitochondrial energy
    22:01 - Adam's GLP-1 microdose experiment for psoriasis — inflammation down, no weight loss
    28:52 - New pill reduces sleep apnea breathing events by 44% — neuromuscular dysfunction explained
    31:22 - The merkin — its bizarre history and high fashion resurgence
    34:46 - HEPA air filter study — 12% improvement in executive function in 30 days
    38:12 - Otters are more dangerous than you think — the Lake Tahoe attack
    40:00 - Adam's daughter calls her bikini top a boob mask
    46:40 - Manukora as part of the anti-viral immunity stack
    52:20 - Homeschool study — 25-29 percentile points higher across all subjects
    1:01:38 - Caller: Mark (Wisconsin) — wants to compete in strongman, needs a new fitness goal
    1:12:15 - Caller: Leah and Audrey (Wisconsin) — mother and daughter, wrestling athlete, off-season programming
    1:31:54 - Caller: Liz (Utah) — aqua fitness instructor for seniors, also dealing with her own joint pain in perimenopause
    1:48:29 - Caller: Justin (Florida) — Marine Corps vet, PTSD, bicep tendon rupture, gets 2 months free concierge coaching
  • Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

    2943: Your Bulk Is Not Working! Here Are the 5 Signs You Are Doing It Wrong

    11/09/2026 | 1h 27 mins.
    MAPS Abs and Butt: ⁠ https://mapsabsandbutt.com⁠
    Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. Includes Butt Building Diet Guide, Women's Supplement Guide, at-home dumbbell version and a free second program at checkout (Muscle Mommy or Muscle Mommy 15).
    In this episode the guys break down the signs that your bulk or reverse diet is not working — losing weight on the scale, still feeling hungry, strength not going up, energy not improving, and sleep not getting better. They cover why strength is the single best metric to track during a bulk, why under eating during a supposed surplus leads to binge cycles on garbage food, and why women especially resist the scale going up even when building muscle is the goal. They also get into why old gym machines from the 90s with their heavier stacks were built for bodybuilders and how modern machines are designed for ease and safety, Paleo Valley bone broth protein in coffee that Sal's uncle has been doing for months without knowing it was a protein supplement, a new dating app exclusively for people who were never vaccinated for Covid, TBPN and how AI companies are buying podcasts to control public narrative — plus the William Hearst and cannabis prohibition parallel showing this is a 200-year-old game, pheromone maxing and the viral trend of guys skipping showers before dates, Arthur Brooks on the happiness data showing kids reduce daily enjoyment but dramatically increase meaning, and Vuori now making pickleball paddles as pickleball hit 479% growth and 24 million players in 5 years. Then they answer questions from Instagram.
    SPONSORS
    Paleo Valley (bone broth protein): ⁠ https://paleovalley.com/mindpump⁠
    15% off automatically applied at checkout. 

     
    Vuori: ⁠ https://vuoriclothing.com/mindpump⁠
    20% off first order, no code needed. 



    Dose for Your Liver: ⁠ https://dosedaily.co/MINDPUMP35⁠
    Code: MINDPUMP35 for 35% off first month subscription. 
     
    LINKS
    Mind Pump Store: ⁠ https://mindpumpstore.com⁠
    Maps Fitness Products: ⁠ https://mapsfitnessproducts.com⁠
    Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
     
    0:00 - Intro
    1:13 - Signs your bulk is not working — and why most people are making the same mistakes
    3:39 - Sign 1: You lost weight — if the scale goes down you are nowhere near eating enough
    10:09 - Sign 2: You are hungry — on a proper bulk you should never feel hungry
    13:00 - Sign 3: Strength has not gone up — the most objective metric during a bulk
    15:12 - Sign 4: Energy is not better — proper surplus should have you moving more subconsciously
    21:36 - Sign 5: Sleep is not better — and the libido clue nobody talks about
    22:56 - Old gym machines had heavier stacks and were built for bodybuilders — a completely different design
    25:00 - Paleo Valley bone broth protein in coffee — Sal's uncle has been doing it for months
    26:40 - The new dating app exclusively for unvaccinated people — it is real
    30:31 - TBPN sale and AI companies buying podcasts to control public narrative
    38:02 - William Hearst, cannabis prohibition and 200 years of media narrative control
    44:04 - Pheromone maxing — skipping showers before dates and the ovulation science behind it
    47:24 - Arthur Brooks on happiness data — kids lower daily enjoyment but dramatically increase meaning
    57:36 - Vuori now makes pickleball paddles — 479% growth and 24 million players in 5 years
    1:06:21 - Q&A: Best way to build leg strength without a squat rack
    1:08:43 - Q&A: Getting tighter after starting to lift — is this normal or a stretching problem?
    1:12:08 - Q&A: Is winging it in the gym okay if you are consistent and progressing?
    1:18:18 - Q&A: What would each of the guys be doing if Mind Pump never happened?
  • Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

    2942: You Cannot Shrink Yourself Into a Better Body

    10/09/2026 | 37 mins.
    Maps Abs and Butt
    40% off, a free Muscle Mommy or Muscle Mommy 15 program, a build your butt diet guide, and a supplement guide. Find everything at htpps://mapsabsandbutt.com with code Launch.
    You cannot shrink yourself into a better body. You have to build it first, then reveal it. That's the whole thesis of this Mind Pump Show episode, and the guys spend every minute proving it with real client stories, hard science, and the kind of blunt coaching most trainers are too scared to deliver.
    The Guys break down exactly why starting with a cut is the most common, most damaging mistake people make, whether they want a rounder butt, visible abs, or just a leaner physique overall. From the client who tried to bulk on 50 calories above maintenance, to the trainer competition where everyone cut so aggressively they lost muscle instead of fat, to the New England Journal of Medicine data showing a 10% bodyweight loss tanks your metabolism by hundreds of calories a day: the case for building first is airtight.
    Sponsors:
    Seed — seed.com/mindpump (code: 25MINDPUMP)
    1:07 Opening thesis: build first, then reveal
    2:19 Why bulking is so hard to sell, especially to women
    2:46 Client story: the 50-calorie surplus that went nowhere
    4:47 Personal bulk disasters: dirty bulking and zero muscle gained
    8:13 The cut-too-hard trap: body fat percentage going UP
    10:35 The real mechanism of muscle loss on aggressive cuts
    11:32 Build before you cut: the correct order explained
    13:30 Busting the bulky myth: what strength training actually does to a woman's body
    24:29 The science case for building first: two key studies
    28:00 Best exercises for glutes and abs: progressive overload over the burn
    30:09 What the program structure actually looks like
    35:59 MAPS Abs and Butt launch details and challenge
  • Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

    2941: Are Artificial Sweeteners Bad for You | The Real Problem Nobody Talks About

    09/09/2026 | 2h
    MAPS Abs and Butt: https://mapsabsandbutt.com
    Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. Includes Butt Building Diet Guide, Women's Supplement Guide, at-home dumbbell version and a free second program at checkout (Muscle Mommy or Muscle Mommy 15).
     
    In this episode the guys break down the real dangers of artificial sweeteners — why they are unlikely to be physically dangerous despite all the scaremongering, why they simply do not work for weight loss in real life outside of controlled settings, how they change your perception of palatability so that water and whole foods start to taste bland, and why the novelty effect of pairing them with meals causes people to eat more overall. They also cover the LMNT pre-workout pump hack Sal has been using, making 1,000 pounds of tomatoes into Sunday sauce with the whole family, the GTA 6 trailer and the $1-2 billion production budget behind it, the serious and underreported sexual and psychological side effects of finasteride for hair loss, Ketone IQ stacked with morning caffeine as the guys' favorite energy combo before recording, the rock climbing store in Seoul South Korea you have to climb seven stories just to get inside, night club culture and what everyone is like after a few drinks, and Sal chipping a tooth and finding an emergency dentist on a Friday afternoon. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.
     
    SPONSORS
    LMNT (electrolytes): https://drinklmnt.com/MindPump
    Free sample pack with any purchase, no code needed. 1,000mg sodium per serving. Mix with your pre-workout for a dramatically better pump — Sal discusses the hack on air.
     
    Ketone IQ: https://ketone.com/MINDPUMP
    30% off subscription orders plus a free gift with your second shipment. Take mid-day after your caffeine window for sustained mental sharpness.
     
    Joymode (sexual performance booster): https://tryjoymode.com/mindpump
    Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off first order. Natural, science-backed formula — L-Citrulline, Arginine, Yohimbine and Vitamin C. Mix with water 45 minutes to 4 hours before.
     
    LINKS
    Submit a live caller question: https://mplivecaller.com
    Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
    Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
    Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
     
    0:00 - Intro
    2:47 - The real dangers of artificial sweeteners — why they fail in real life
    10:02 - How artificial sweeteners change your palatability and make whole foods taste bland
    15:32 - Why the novelty effect makes you eat more when pairing them with meals
    22:01 - The LMNT pre-workout pump hack — mixing electrolytes with your pre-workout
    26:31 - Pickleball injury stories and the 47-year-old playing junior college football
    29:34 - Making 1,000 pounds of tomatoes into Sunday sauce with the family
    34:44 - GTA 6 trailer — $1-2 billion budget and why it looks like a movie
    38:50 - Finasteride for hair loss — the serious sexual and psychological side effects nobody warns you about
    47:01 - Ketone IQ stacked with morning caffeine — the guys' favorite recording day combo
    47:58 - The rock climbing store in Seoul you have to climb seven stories just to enter
    55:08 - Night club culture — what everyone is like after a few drinks
    1:04:49 - Caller: Julie (Illinois) — osteopenia, vegan, reverse diet to 3,000 calories, plateau on Maps Esthetic, switching to Maps 15
    1:30:36 - Caller: Dave (Georgia) — lost 100 pounds since 2019, wants to improve VO2 max and body composition
    1:42:23 - Caller: Elissa (Michigan) — 90-day check-in, strength up across all three lifts including a month in Italy with no training
    1:47:09 - Caller: Amber (Michigan) — cleaning business owner, beach volleyball 3-4 days a week, drastically overtraining, needs to cut volume way down
  • Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

    2940: The Real Reason Your Butt Won't Grow (It Is Not Your Genetics)

    07/09/2026 | 32 mins.
    MAPS Abs and Butt: https://mapsabsandbutt.com
    Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. Includes Butt Building Diet Guide, Women's Supplement Guide, at-home dumbbell version, and a free second program at checkout (Muscle Mommy or Muscle Mommy 15).
     
    In this episode the guys break down the real reason most women never build the butt they want — and it has nothing to do with effort or genetics. They cover why you cannot shrink your way to a bigger butt, why high rep burn workouts and kickbacks produce almost no results, why the exercises that feel the best in your glutes are often the worst for building them, how much protein you actually need (and why it feels like force-feeding at first), why building muscle first makes getting lean dramatically easier, and why strength in the squat, hip thrust and deadlift is the only metric that actually tells you it's working. Sal shares the story of a client who went from 1900 to 2900 calories, built significant muscle, and then leaned out effortlessly without going nearly as low as before.
     
    MAPS Abs and Butt: https://mapsabsandbutt.com
    Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. Nine-week program focused on abs and glutes. Includes free second program (Muscle Mommy or Muscle Mommy 15), Butt Building Diet Guide and Women's Supplement Guide.
     
    SPONSORS
     
    Super Patch: https://mindpump.superpatch.com
    No code needed, use URL for $30 off. Freedom (pain), Liberty (mobility), REM (sleep), Victory (athletic performance) and Focus (concentration) patches. Backed by over a dozen peer-reviewed studies.
     
    LINKS
     
    Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com
    Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com
    Instagram: @mindpumpmedia
     
    0:00 - Intro
    2:26 - The real reason your butt won't grow — and it has nothing to do with effort
    4:27 - Why toning is not real and why you have to stop being afraid of building
    7:35 - Why the exercises that feel the best in your glutes are often the worst for building them
    10:00 - Five sets of heavy barbell squats beats 90 minutes of burn class — every time
    11:14 - The diet truth: you cannot build a bigger butt while staying in a deficit
    13:03 - How much protein you actually need — and why it feels like force feeding at first
    17:36 - Why your body needs a reason to build muscle and what that reason has to be
    20:45 - The best butt building exercises and why programming matters as much as the exercises
    25:08 - Strength is the most important metric — if you are getting stronger your butt is growing
    26:06 - Build first then reveal — why getting lean first is completely backwards
    28:47 - Give yourself nine weeks minimum and what to expect in the mirror
More Fitness podcasts
About Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
MindPump exposes the RAW TRUTH about health, fitness, nutrition and more... Hosts Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer & Justin Andrews pull back the curtain on the mythology, snake oil and pseudo-science that pervades the fitness industry and present science-backed solutions that result in increased muscular development and performance while simultaneously emphasizing health. No fitness institution or fitness "truth" is safe from their quick wit and over 40 years of combined experience in the fitness industry. Produced by Doug Egge. Find Mind Pump and the Mind Pump hosts on Instragram @mindpumpmedia, @mindpumpsal, @mindpumpadam, @mindpumpjustin & @mindpumpdoug and at mindpumppodcast.com. Get expertly programmed Mind Pump training protocols at mapsfitnessproducts.com
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