Muscle is your bodies bank account. It is the currency of life. It is biological gold.
Quote: “I lift weights, and I lift weights for 1 reason, to be strong” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Deadlifts
Deadlift: Lifting a weight from the floor to hip level. We use this movement anytime we pick something up off the ground.
Everyone should know this movement. Everyone should be able to deadlift their body weight, full stop (ideally much more)
Max weight ever Deadlifted:
502.5kg (1107.8 lbs) – Krzysztof Wierzbicki (Polish – about 110kg), [deadlift record previously held by Hafbor Julius Bjornsson, aka GOT’s “The Mountain”
Max multiple of body weight:
5.05x body weight. Nabil Lahlou deadlifted 355kg (785lbs) at a body weight of 70.3kg (155lbs).
Weak Bros
Think about the gym bros. Dropping weights (lacks eccentric strength). Bouncing weights off the floor and their body. Lifting for very brief time periods through short ranges of motion. Skipping muscle groups they are not strong at. Put this person in a pilates class or ask them to move the weight slowly, and they will crump. Don’t be this guy!
- Target weaknesses (never skip leg day)
- Move through full range of motion both concentrically and eccentrically
- Slow down sometimes
- In many ways, I am a weak bro trying to muscle up haha
The body Is like a sculptors marble, you have to work it to create something magnificent. – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Movement defines youth.
Immobility defines old age
Fast and Slow Twitch Muscles
We have 2 main types of muscle fibers. Fast twitch and slow twitch. Fast twitch is more associated with speed and power. Tools of youth. Slow twitch muscle is associated with endurance.
Fast Twitch Muscles are converted to Slow Twitch as we age. This is why older people can maintain incredible endurance very late into life. Longevity too is an endurance game.
Risk of GLP1 agonists and muscle loss
- Weight loss game changers (mountjaro, Ozempic, etc.)
- Stop the gut and reduce cravings in the brain. This lead to a pharmacologically induced fast
- Strength training is essential on these drugs.
- Most people loose fat and muscle at a 1 to 1 ratio. Long term this is a bad trade. Muscle is GOLD
Stop focus on Weight Loss, Start Focusing on Muscle Gain and Health
- I recommend people stop thinking about losing weight and focus only on gaining muscle and being healthy
- Perform strength training and support muscle growth with healthy lean protein, microbiome health with nutrients and fiber from real whole foods, and nervous system growth with healthy fats. Your system will thrive
- Do this long term and you will win the game. Your body will look great. You will feel great. You will continue to be useful.
You should always be focused on what you want to achieve. The body always follows the mind. – Arnold Schwarzenegger
How Strength is Measured in Clinical Practice and Research
Grip Strength
- How much weight you can squeeze with your hands
- Easy, fast, no need for warmup, very low risk for injury, well studied
Quad Extension
- How much weight your foot can lift when straightening out your knee.
- Easy, fast, low risk of injury, has been studied
Posterior Chain
- How much you can deadlift. Think all the muscles on the back of your body
- Posterior chain strength is highly correlated with longevity.
- Hard, requires warmup, higher risk of injury, needs more study outside of fitness enthusiasts.
- I believe everyone should be capable of performing a deadlift, regardless of age.
No matter what your goal is, you can achieve it. – Arnold Schwarzenneger
How Muscle Mass is Measured
- Bio-electrical impedance
- Caliper (fat pinchers) and Anthropometric (arm circumference, etc.) measurements
- DEXA – GOLD STANDARD
- CT scan
- ultrasound
- MRI
- Whole Body Plethymography (BodyPod), body density using air displacement
- 24 hour creatinine excretion
- D3 Creatinine excretion (Deuterium isotope (D3) ingested) – later D3 creatinine and regular creatinine measured in urine
Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer. – Arnold Schwarzenegger
…..maybe not in line with the theme haha
Bodybuilding is not only a sport, it’s a lifestyle. – Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Life is bodybuilding and mindbuilding
***Competitions or not, we are all bodybuilders. But too many of us are bad ones***
Make muscle deposits as long as you can and fill up your bags. One day, you will be forced to make withdrawals and this will determine how long you can remain functional in old age. The cliff of old age is coming for all of us. Act accordingly.
Summary
- Muscle is biological gold. It gives us movement, keeps us metabolically healthy, and feeds the brain.
- Strength peaks in the late 20s and early 30s. After this, it declines 1-2% per year in most people
- Most people fall off a cliff in their mid-70s and start loosing muscle rapidly. During this time, adding on more muscle becomes nearly impossible
- Entering old age with adequate muscle and movement reserve are essential for maximizing longevity and remaining useful.
- Seek out different types of activities that activate diverse muscle groups through full ranges of motion and different amounts of time under tension.
You cant be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you can succeed. – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Next time we are going to talk about DEXA Scans.
Ill be back.Hasta la Vista, Baby – Arnold Schwarzenegger
References
- Cho MR, Lee S, Song SK. A Review of Sarcopenia Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Future Direction. J Korean Med Sci. 2022 May 9;37(18):e146. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e146. PMID: 35535373; PMCID: PMC9091430.
- CHATGTP for Deadlift Record Holders
- Wang YC, Bohannon RW, Li X, Sindhu B, Kapellusch J. Hand-Grip Strength: Normative Reference Values and Equations for Individuals 18 to 85 Years of Age Residing in the United States. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2018 Sep;48(9):685-693. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2018.7851. Epub 2018 May 23. PMID: 29792107.
- Wikipedia – Muscle, Sarcopenia
- Tataryn N, Simas V, Catterall T, Furness J, Keogh JWL. Posterior-Chain Resistance Training Compared to General Exercise and Walking Programmes for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med Open. 2021 Mar 8;7(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s40798-021-00306-w. PMID: 33683497; PMCID: PMC7940464.
- Roig M, O'Brien K, Kirk G, Murray R, McKinnon P, Shadgan B, Reid WD. The effects of eccentric versus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2009 Aug;43(8):556-68. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2008.051417. Epub 2008 Nov 3. PMID: 18981046.
- Tagliafico AS, Bignotti B, Torri L, Rossi F. Sarcopenia: how to measure, when and why. Radiol Med. 2022 Mar;127(3):228-237. doi: 10.1007/s11547-022-01450-3. Epub 2022 Jan 18. PMID: 35041137; PMCID: PMC8960583.
- My experience as a practicing Hospitalist across multiple states.
- Ruschel C, Haupenthal A, Jacomel GF, Fontana Hde B, Santos DP, Scoz RD, Roesler H. Validity and reliability of an instrumented leg-extension machine for measuring isometric muscle strength of the knee extensors. J Sport Rehabil. 2015 May 20;24(2):2013-0122. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2013-0122. PMID: 25310795.
Former deadlift world champion. The Mountain
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