Can you get the same results from your strength training while making each set feel easier? In today's episode, we discuss a new study comparing traditional sets taken to failure with cluster sets, where the same number of reps is divided into smaller sets with shorter rest periods.

The researchers followed competitive handball players for seven weeks, measuring muscle growth, strength, lifting velocity, and athletic performance. We review the results, the potential advantages of cluster sets, and what the findings mean for how you might organize your own training.

We also answer two listener questions about using cluster sets to improve your pull-ups and choosing which advanced training methods to incorporate into your routine, like myo-reps, rest-pause sets, and drop sets.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Opening banter
• 03:00 - Study review: Cluster sets vs. traditional sets
• 22:00 - Listener question 1: Can cluster sets help me reach 15 pull-ups?
• 30:30 - Listener question 2: How do I choose between different kinds of advanced techniques, like myo-reps, rest-pause sets, and drop sets?

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Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Are you actually getting stronger and building muscle, or are you just going through the motions? In today's episode, we discuss how to tell whether your training is producing results, and what to do when progress stalls.

We look at why your strength can fluctuate from workout to workout, how to track muscle growth using more than just the weights you're lifting, and why you shouldn't draw conclusions from a few disappointing training sessions. Plus, how to troubleshoot a plateau, when to change your training approach, and why progress isn't always as straightforward as you'd like.

We also answer listener questions about when to switch programs, how to deal with life's interruptions, and if smaller weight increments could keep beginner gains going indefinitely.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - How to tell if your training is working

• 32:15 - Program of the week: Deadlift Builder

• 37:30 - Listener question 1: How long should you follow a program before switching?

• 41:00 - Listener question 2: Life keeps interrupting my training. Is it OK not to make progress all the time?
• 45:30 - Listener question 3: Could smaller than normal weight increments keep beginner progression going indefinitely?

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Which is better for your health: lifting weights or doing cardio? In today's episode, we discuss a new meta-analysis comparing the effects of strength training and aerobic exercise on a range of health markers, including blood sugar, blood pressure, body composition, and cardiovascular fitness.

We dig into the results, discuss what other research tells us about exercise and longevity, and explore how to balance strength training and cardio for better health, both now and as you get older.

Lastly, we answer a handful of listener questions about lifting vs. cardio.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Opening banter
• 04:30 - New features in the StrengthLog app: Social, AI assistants, and a Strava connection
• 12:00 - Study review: Lifting vs. cardio for better health
• 23:15 - Program of the week: Beginner Hybrid Athlete Program
• 26:30 - Listener question 1: Lifting or cardio to live past 100?
• 29:00 - Listener question 2: How much muscle is enough for health? Is too much muscle bad for your health?
• 35:00 - Listener question 3: Should you lean into your strengths or weaknesses when it comes to choosing between lifting and cardio?
• 39:30 - Listener question 4: What's the optimal daily cardio routine alongside strength training?
• 43:30 - Listener question 5: Does having an active job change your cardio needs?
• 48:00 - Listener question 6: How do you maintain your leg and ass muscles when running more?

***

Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button!

You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam.

Become a part of our Reddit community here.

***

This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden.

To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life.

If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.