Smart Strength Training Podcast

Andy Vincent
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  • Fitness
  • Updated Biweekly

The world of fitness can seem confusing. There are so many opinions and so much conflicting information. How do you know what's right for you? Welcome to the Smart Strength Training Podcast. A series that tries to cut through the noise to give you a no B/S approach to training, nutrition, mindset and practical tips to help you on your way to staying consistent and seeing results.

  1. May 20

    Fasted vs Fed Training For Women: What the Science Actually Says

    In this episode, I tackle the ongoing debate around fed versus fasted training for women, cutting through the noise to look at what the research actually says. The idea that fasted training is superior for fat loss has been around for years, based on the logic that lower blood glucose and insulin levels force the body to burn stored fat as fuel. But as I explain, fat oxidation in a single session is irrelevant when fat loss is a process that unfolds over weeks and months. Studies from 2013, 2014, and a 2025 systematic review all point to the same conclusion. There is no meaningful difference in fat loss or muscle hypertrophy outcomes between women who train fed and those who train fasted. The real question is not which state is scientifically superior, it is which one allows you to perform at your best. Some women feel better training on an empty stomach, while others need fuel to hit their numbers. My advice is simple. Track your performance, not the mechanisms. If you are hitting your lifts, progressing your runs, and feeling strong through your sessions, your current approach is working. If you are running out of steam halfway through, it is worth experimenting with your fueling. The only metric that matters is whether your strategy is helping you get better over time. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction: why fed vs fasted training is a debated topic and how we got here 02:32 – The science behind fasted training and fat oxidation. why it sounds good but falls short 04:53 – What the research actually says on fat loss outcomes in women 06:00 – Should women worry about training fasted when building muscle 09:34 – Why personal experience matters. finding what works for your body and your schedule 13:00 – The only metric that actually matters. training performance as your guide If you want a coaching approach that is built around what actually works for your body and your goals, head to andyvincentpt.com to find out more about working with me.

    18 min

  2. May 6

    How Functional Does Your Training Need To Be?

    In this episode, I tackle one of fitness's most overused buzzwords: functional training. I break down why labelling exercises as "functional" or "non-functional" is an oversimplification that can lead you away from exercises that work. Using research-backed examples, including a landmark study where frail nursing home residents improved their ability to stand simply by using the leg extension machine, I make the case that getting stronger as a general quality carries over to everyday life, regardless of which exercise you use to get there. The real question is never whether an exercise is functional, but functional for what, and for whom. From the hack squat versus the barbell back squat, to the chest press machine versus a push-up, the best exercise choice always depends on the individual's goal, experience level, and specific needs. Functional training is not a property of an exercise. It is a relationship between the exercise, the goal, and the individual. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and why functional training is still a hot topic 02:23 - Research evidence showing non-functional exercises improve real-life movement 04:38 - Push-up vs chest press machine. Which is actually better? 06:53 - Barbell back squat vs hack squat. More functional doesn't always mean better 09:17 - How getting stronger as a general quality carries over to everyday life 16:18 - How to structure your training and closing thoughts As a coach who works exclusively with women, if you're interested in working with me online, head to andyvincentpt.com to find out more.

    18 min

  3. Apr 22

    Progressive Overload: What The Latest Research Tells Us

    Summary: Progressive overload sits at the heart of any good training programme, but it is also one of the most misunderstood concepts in fitness. In this episode I cut through the noise, revisit the fundamentals, and bring in some newer research to sharpen how you think about progression overall. From rep bands and proximity to failure, to lengthened muscle positions and connective tissue adaptation, I give you a more complete and practical picture of what it actually means to progress your training over time. 00:11 - Introduction and why progressive overload is being revisited 02:27 - The difference between true progressive overload and programming strategies 04:41 - Lengthened muscle positions and why they matter for building muscle 09:25 - Proximity to failure and how to use rep bands for sustainable progression 16:21 - Set volume as a programming strategy, not a weekly progression tool 21:04 - Neural adaptations, connective tissue lag, and why deloads make sense If you are ready to stop guessing and start training with a clear, evidence-based plan behind you, I work exclusively with women online and would love to help. Head to andyvincentpt.com to find out more.

    26 min

  4. Apr 8

    Is There A Limit To How Often You Can Workout Each Week?

    In this episode, I tackle one of the most common questions I get asked on social media. is there a limit to how often you can train each week, and is it possible to be doing too much? The honest answer is that it depends, because there is no textbook number that works for everyone. Instead, I walk you through all the variables that influence how much training your body can actually recover from, including session frequency, duration, and intensity, but also nutrition, sleep, stress, and even how active your day-to-day life is outside of the gym. I also share why jumping straight into a high volume training schedule is one of the most common mistakes people make, and why doing less, done consistently, is often the smarter long-term strategy. If you have ever found yourself feeling exhausted, picking up niggling injuries, or dreading your workouts, this episode will help you understand why, and what to do about it. Chapters: 00:00. Introduction. Is there a limit to how often you can train each week? 02:37 . Training variables. How frequency, duration, and intensity all play a role in how much you can recover from. 05:02 . Nutrition and fuelling. Why your caloric intake, carbohydrate levels, and protein all affect your training capacity. 06:30 . Sleep. Why duration, quality, and consistency of sleep matters more than most people realise. 07:22 . Stress and mental load. How work pressure, life events, and overstimulation eat into your recovery pool. 08:45 . Day-to-day activity. Why being on your feet all day counts, even if it doesn't feel like exercise. 09:41 . The smart takeaway. Why doing less, building a solid base, and adding gradually is almost always the better strategy. If this episode resonated with you and you are wondering whether your current training schedule is actually working for you or against you, that is exactly the kind of thing I help my clients figure out. As a coach who works exclusively with women, I build programmes that are designed around your real life. Training that fits your schedule, supports your recovery, and actually gets you results long term. If that sounds like what you have been looking for, head to the link below to find out more about working with me: www.andyvincentpt.com

    10 min

  5. Mar 25

    What Should You Do At The End Of A Diet Phase? Build Muscle, Stabilise Your Weight or Recomp?

    Summary In this episode, I break down the three main options you have at the end of a diet phase: moving into energy maintenance, going into an intentional muscle building phase, or attempting a body recomposition. Most people never think past the diet itself, and even fewer finish a diet phase feeling fully satisfied with their results. That is completely normal, but it does make having a clear plan for what comes next even more important. I walk through the practical realities of each option, including why maintenance is harder than it sounds, why intentional muscle building is something most women have never actually tried, and why recomp can be effective but is often more complicated to execute and measure than people expect. I also explain why moving from a deficit to any higher energy intake will cause some initial weight gain, and why understanding that process matters before you make your next move. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction. Why most people never think about what comes after a diet phase, and why that is a problem. 02:00 - The danger of hyper-focusing on a specific end weight, and why a time-bound diet phase is often a smarter approach. 04:00 - Energy maintenance explained. Why it is the default goal for most people and what it actually looks like day to day. 06:00 - The initial weight gain after a deficit. Why it happens, what drives it, and why it is not something to panic about. 08:30 - How to monitor body weight during a maintenance phase, including setting a dynamic range and tracking frequency. 10:30 - Intentional muscle building. Why most women have never actually done it, and what eating and training for that goal really requires. 15:30 - Body recomposition. Why it is possible, why it is harder than it sounds in practice, and who it is actually suited to. 20:00 - Nutrition during a recomp phase. Why levelling out your energy intake across the week matters more than it does during a straight fat loss phase. 22:30 - Wrapping up. How to decide which option is right for you based on where you are physically and mentally at the end of a diet. If you want help figuring out the right next step for your own training and nutrition, I work exclusively with women through structured online coaching programs built around long-term, sustainable results. Head to my website to find out more and apply to work with me: andyvincentpt.com

    25 min

  6. Mar 4

    How to Choose the Right Training Split

    Summary: Most people look for the “best” split, but training splits are simply a way to organise training so you can apply progressive overload, recover properly, and remain consistent. This episode explains how frequency, weekly volume, recovery capacity, and training experience influence the best structure for your training. We discuss common options such as full body, upper lower, push pull legs, and body part splits, and why none of them are inherently superior. You will learn how to distribute training volume across the week, how fatigue accumulates within sessions, and why recovery, lifestyle, and adherence often matter more than the split itself. The episode also covers how goals such as hypertrophy, strength development, general health, and fat loss can influence programme structure, along with practical examples for beginners, busy professionals, and more advanced lifters. Chapters: 00:00 Why Most People Ask the Wrong Question About Training Splits - Why the “best split” debate misses the point and what training splits are actually for. 01:05 Training Frequency and What the Research Says - Why training a muscle twice per week often outperforms once per week when volume is equal. 06:40 Recovery Capacity and Lifestyle Factors - How sleep, stress, work demands, and training history influence how much training you can handle. 11:10 Experience Level: Beginner vs Intermediate vs Advanced - How training age and proximity to failure affect how programs should be structured. 14:35 Matching Training Splits to Your Goals - Hypertrophy, general fitness, powerlifting, and how goals influence split selection. 22:25 Common Myths About Training Splits - More training days, full body workouts, and bro splits explained. For information about working with me online, check out my website: andyvincentpt.com

    29 min

  7. Feb 18

    What Actually Causes Strength And Physique Plateaus?

    Summary: In this episode, I explore what actually causes strength and physique plateaus, separating true stagnation from the normal slowing of progress that comes with biological adaptation. I explain that strength gains rely on slow processes such as hypertrophy, neural efficiency, and improved coordination, so expecting linear progression indefinitely is unrealistic. I highlight key contributors to plateaus, including poor technique, excessive fatigue, suboptimal weekly structure, and inconsistent skill practice on compound lifts. I unpack the debate around increasing versus decreasing training volume, explaining that both higher volume and lower volume with higher effort can be effective, depending on the individual, provided effort quality is maintained. Chapters: 00:11 – Introduction to strength and physique plateaus and the volume debate 02:30 – Why a slowing rate of progress is not a true plateau 07:15 – Technique breakdown as a hidden limiter of strength progression 10:00 – Increasing training frequency to improve skill and break lift-specific plateaus 13:50 – The high volume vs low volume debate explained 20:55 – Practical takeaways and how to apply structured trial and error If you would like help structuing and progressing your training, check out my website: andyvincentpt.com

    23 min

  8. Feb 4

    What You Need To Know About Cycle Syncing

    Summary: In this episode of the Smart Strength Training podcast, I take a deep dive into cycle syncing, the idea that women should pre plan their training intensity around different phases of the menstrual cycle. While the concept has been heavily popularised across the fitness industry, media outlets, and social platforms, and it sounds appealing on the surface. There are some assumptions made for it to work that don't hold true in real life or to the research. I explain the hormonal rationale often used to justify cycle syncing and highlight the practical challenges of applying it in the real world, including cycle variability, symptom unpredictability, and the added complexity it places on already busy lives. Chapters : 00:15 – What cycle syncing is and why it has become so popular in women’s training 02:40 – Clarifying what cycle syncing actually means versus day to day training adjustments based on symptoms 03:46 – The hormonal argument behind cycle syncing and why it sounds convincing on paper 06:03 – Practical limitations of cycle syncing, cycle variability, tracking, and real-life constraints 07:22 – What the research actually shows on strength, muscle protein synthesis, and performance across the cycle 11:51 – Why autoregulation beats cycle syncing and how to adjust training without sacrificing consistency For information about how you can work with me online, check out my website: andyvincentpt.com

    15 min
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The world of fitness can seem confusing. There are so many opinions and so much conflicting information. How do you know what's right for you? Welcome to the Smart Strength Training Podcast. A series that tries to cut through the noise to give you a no B/S approach to training, nutrition, mindset and practical tips to help you on your way to staying consistent and seeing results.

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