Brains and Gains with Dr. David Maconi

Josh, co-founder of Data Driven Strength and PhD candidate in applied coaching science, and Zach, researcher/coach with doctoral work in exercise science, discuss self-experimentation and why single-person tests can mislead. They explore baseline versus response differences, challenge the idea of stable "volume responders," and debate diminishing returns, specialization phases, and how energy flux and lifestyle shape real-world outcomes.

0:00- Intro 0:30- Bryan’s journey testing glucose levels  8:30- My home OGTT test and more on glucose  11:50- Aaron’s glucose monitoring journey 14:30- Bryan’s bro split  17:30- Specialization routine 20:00- Aaron’s volume 23:00- Supplements 26:45- TRT for increasing dopamine baseline 43:30- Using PEDs early in your training career  52:30- Hyper-responders to PEDs 

Dr. Jason Tanoory, a dentist and competitive powerlifter/bodybuilder who balances career and family while training hard. He discusses aging in strength sports, training adjustments for longevity, building a massive home gym for consistency, strict sleep routines and journaling, and experimenting carefully with peptides and metabolic tools.

Abel Csabai, fitness content creator and coach known for evidence-informed training and dieting takes on plastic surgery norms, why people moralize appearance changes, and how dopamine reshapes pleasure and motivation. He then explores rapid AI impacts on fitness and medicine, who might be AI-proof, and practical coach-client AI dynamics. The conversation closes with Abel’s current high-frequency training and dieting update.

               0:00- Intro               1:00- Revive Stronger podcast               3:20- Solomon Nelson videos / Mike Israetel controversy               12:00- Being influenced by others’ training                14:30- What led Steve to shifting away from RP style training?               31:30- Steve’s volume               44:00- Steve’s progress               48:00- Proper way to warm up               53:30- Advice for a 16 year old to progress               58:00- Given metabolic research, what’s the highest you’d push step count to?               1:01:15- MUI Goku vs Ultra Ego Vegeta               1:03:20- Neuromechanical matching and muscle leverages               1:09:30- Theory that you have to hit each region of the muscle or it atrophies within 4 days               1:10:50- Why Steve uses a limited ROM               1:14:00- Fake natties in competition               1:17:30- Thoughts on a 4 day upper/lower/push/pull split

              0:00- Intro              1:00- AI in education              4:00- Eric’s latest bodybuilding show               12:00- Objective measurements              14:00- Does young training influence specific development later in life?              26:00- Strategy for upcoming shows              30:00- Problems during prep              43:00- Tracking during prep              55:00- Specific changes for the next two shows              1:08:00- Training changes from last off season to this off season and prep              1:23:30- Where did Eric’s progress really come from?                         1:28:00- Where to find Eric

               0:00- Intro               1:30- Alberto contest updates               14:30- How to do proper exercise selection for back training               17:30- How to accurately track cheats during a diet               29:45- Are knee sleeves helpful for bodybuilding?               31:45- What are the biggest changes you’ve made prepping as a father?               40:25- How to optimize training when limited to 2-3 days per week               47:00- When you’re tired during prep, would you add refeed days?               52:15- Best way to bring up lagging arms               1:04:30- Who are your go to sources of information

               0:00- Intro               0:30- Motivation               10:00- Getting shredded and maintaining a shredded state               12:00- Artificial sweeteners                           19:30- What is the best way to eliminate hip shift during squats?                22:30- Getting stronger but not bigger, what is the cause?               25:30- Growing home gym space, better than commercial gyms?               35:15- How big should one expect to be for a certain height               36:15- How many meals per day and how many times do you train per week?               45:30- Atlaspowershrugged trolling               46:00- Best lift named after someone               50:00- Can I reach an advanced physique without being obsessed with lifting?               55:50- Is there any benefit to bulking beyond 15% body fat?               1:00:40- If you lost all of your gains, what would you do to get jacked again?               1:04:45- Minimum number of sets per week to grow muscle?               1:06:45- Do you find wide grip pulldowns to be worth it for lats?               1:09:00- Nausea during training               1:10:30- When is the road to 19” arms?               1:16:45- How to program a good bodybuilding program if you have 3 days to train?               1:21:00- How do you program brachialis training in your program?

Mario Tomic, a fitness coach and content creator known for his evidence-based approach, dives into fascinating insights on high-dose creatine, revealing its potential boost in mental energy and gym performance. He discusses how to accurately gauge reaching 10% body fat using various methods, and when faced with weight loss plateaus, he shares critical strategies. Delving into genetics, Mario emphasizes their role in fat loss and muscle gain variability. He also highlights the importance of progressive overload to avoid injuries during training.

Geoffrey Verity Schofield, a seasoned lifter and coach, shares his profound insights on training techniques and philosophies. He tackles the complexities of beyond-failure training and how to mitigate injury risks. Geoff also discusses the importance of not getting too fixated on the logbook and offers strategies for advanced naturals to maintain leanness without sacrificing progress. Delving into disagreements with Lyle McDonald, he challenges common assumptions about muscle growth and underscores the significance of programming variations.