Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
  • 4.8 (12K)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Daily

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

  1. 10h ago

    2966: Harder Is Not Better — The Fitness Advice That Is Destroying Your Progress

    My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it.   In this episode the guys break down the worst fitness lies that are quietly holding people back — harder is not always better and sometimes kills your progress, more is not better when the stress bucket is already full, walking absolutely counts and dramatically improves longevity at 8 to 10,000 steps a day, soreness does not mean your workout was effective and the opposite is often true, and cardio is for endurance not fat loss which always comes from diet. Justin is out sick so this is Sal and Adam only. They also cover how both of them are in a calorie deficit and using Kion essential amino acids to preserve muscle, Adam's hilarious medium underwear situation that sent him into a mild panic, where they think their body fat currently is and why they are both delaying the DEXA test on purpose, and Sal trying the Victory Super Patch before recording and noticing subjective performance improvements that rival creatine and caffeine in D1 athlete studies. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.   T-Shirt Winners: Apple Podcasts: Quezzy813 Facebook: Maple Cochrane Send name, shirt size and shipping address to: itunes@mindpumpmedia.com   SPONSORS   My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program.   Kion (essential amino acids): https://getkion.com/mindpump 20% off automatically applied at checkout, no code needed.   Super Patch (Victory patch): https://mindpump.superpatch.com No code needed, use URL for $30 off.   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 2:59 - Worst fitness lies that are holding you back — Justin is out, this is Sal and Adam only 5:05 - Lie 1: Harder is better — why this is the most destructive belief in fitness 13:23 - Lie 2: More is better — why activity and workouts are not the same thing 19:53 - Lie 3: Walking doesn't count — why Sal went from dismissing it to prescribing it first 25:18 - Lie 4: Soreness means your workout was effective — why the opposite is often true 28:41 - Lie 5: Cardio is for fat loss — why cardio is for endurance and diet is for fat loss 32:36 - Kion essential amino acids during a deficit — how Sal and Adam are both holding muscle 34:21 - Adam's medium underwear situation and the mild panic it caused 38:17 - Where their body fat is right now and why they are both delaying the DEXA test on purpose 54:15 - Victory Super Patch — why Sal tried it before recording and what he noticed 59:07 - Caller: Ann (Massachusetts) — 65-year-old yoga instructor, 37% body fat on DEXA, chronically underfed, gets coaching referral and reverse diet strategy 1:15:44 - Caller: Aaron (Tennessee) — elite ultimate frisbee player, hamstring tear, shoulder labrum surgery, gets MAPS Performance and sport nutrition advice 1:42:51 - Caller: Christina (Missouri) — returning caller, 51 years old, osteoporosis, hitting PRs, gets told to burn the scan and keep pushing calories 1:57:38 - Caller: Kaitlyn (New York) — returning caller, fully healed from cannabinoid hyperemesis, 30 days residential mental health treatment, gets advice on eating through stress and building routine

  2. 2d ago

    2965: Should You Work Out Every Day? | Why 7 Days a Week Is Hurting Your Results

    My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it.   In this episode the guys break down why working out seven days a week is counterproductive for almost everyone. They cover the critical difference between a workout (aiming for a specific adaptation like strength, stamina or mobility) and activity (simply moving), why workouts are a physical stress on the body with a limited capacity, why recovery and adaptation are two different things and most people only get the former, why the perfect dose beats the max tolerable dose every time, and why intensity is the most important lever to adjust before cutting volume or frequency. They also cover how all other life stressors — sleep, work, relationships, diet — draw from the same stress budget as your training, why full body three days a week controls all three variables so effectively, and why Adam found it difficult to skip a workout even when his readiness score was low after several high-activity days in a row.   SPONSORS Rho Nutrition (liposomal supplements): https://www.rhonutrition.com/discount/MINDPUMP Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off everything.   LINKS Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Instagram: @mindpumpmedia   0:00 - Intro 3:02 - Why working out seven days a week is counterproductive for almost everyone 4:12 - The difference between a workout and activity — why this distinction changes everything 7:08 - Workouts are a stress on the body — and you have a limited capacity for stress 10:46 - Recovery vs. adaptation — why most people only get one without the other 13:00 - Why people plateau doing the same workout four days a week with no results 14:27 - Perfect dose vs. max tolerable dose — why more is not better 16:38 - Why you are better off doing slightly too little than slightly too much 19:33 - Intensity, duration and frequency — the three levers and which one matters most 21:29 - Why full body three days a week controls all three variables so effectively 23:10 - Strength, stamina and mobility — the three adaptations your workouts should chase

  3. 4d ago

    2964: Why You're Still Fat Even Though You Work Out (The Honest Answer)

    My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it.   In this episode the guys break down why you are still carrying body fat even though you work out consistently — eating out regularly adds 1,200 to 1,400 hidden calories per meal, processed foods are engineered to make you eat 600 more calories before feeling satisfied, not prioritizing protein leaves you naturally hungrier all day, eating while distracted adds 10 to 15% more calories per meal, and drinking alcohol reduces inhibitions and disrupts sleep. They also cover a Kings College London study linking cannabis use to higher rates of both committing and experiencing violence and why the guys think the methodology is flawed, how Joymode stacked with sauna is Sal's pre-podcast energy hack, Katrina accidentally giving Adam the best compliment of the year while trying to insult him during an argument, data showing teenage LGBT identification spiked from 10% in 2015 to 25% in 2021 and has since dropped back to 15% and what that suggests about social influence, and the behind-the-scenes story of how Napoleon Dynamite was shot at a real Idaho high school on a $400,000 budget with real students. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.   Mind Pump Fitness Coaching: https://mindpumpfitnesscoaching.com 1.9 NASM CEUs   T-Shirt Winners: None listed this episode.   SPONSORS   Joymode (sexual performance booster): https://tryjoymode.com/mindpump Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off first order.   LMNT (electrolytes): https://drinklmnt.com/MindPump Free sample pack with any purchase, no code needed.   Butcher Box: https://butcherbox.com/mindpump No code needed. Free ribeyes, NY strip steaks or filet mignons in every order for a year plus $20 off first box.   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 2:31 - Why you're still fat even though you work out 9:17 - Reason 1: You eat out — the average restaurant meal is 1,200 to 1,400 hidden calories 12:55 - Reason 2: You eat processed foods — engineered to make you eat 600 more calories 16:09 - Reason 3: You don't prioritize protein — why this changes everything naturally 18:29 - Reason 4: You eat while distracted — 10 to 15% more calories every meal 21:09 - Reason 5: You drink alcohol — 200 calories and wrecked sleep 25:21 - Cannabis and violence study — why the guys think the methodology is flawed 35:40 - Joymode stacked with sauna — Sal's pre-podcast energy hack explained 37:46 - Katrina accidentally gives Adam the best compliment of the year while trying to insult him 40:30 - Teenage LGBT identification data — 10% in 2015, spiked to 25%, back to 15% now 44:46 - Napoleon Dynamite shot at a real Idaho high school on a $400K budget with real students 1:01:00 - Caller: Rachel (England) — 60-day update, strength up, definition showing, husband noticed 1:05:00 - Caller: Haley (Michigan) — pro basketball player, torn ACL both meniscus, gut issues, gets psyllium husk and sodium protocol 1:26:34 - Caller: David (Massachusetts) — 505 pounds down to 264, plateau, gets MAPS Symmetry and body dysmorphia reality check 1:43:21 - Caller: Heather (Minnesota) — ultramarathon runner peeing blood at mile 38 for the third time, gets MAPS 15 Symmetry and a coaching career suggestion

  4. 5d ago

    2963: Online Coach Red Flags | Most Online Coaches Are Using AI to Reply to You and Not Telling You

    My Maps Program: https://mymapsprogram.com $297 for a fully customized MAPS program. Answer 20 questions, get a program built for your specific goals and equipment, plus a 1-on-1 call with a trainer to review it. In this episode the guys break down the red flags to watch for when hiring an online fitness coach. They cover why 100+ clients per coach is a massive red flag, why you need to ask specifically how AI is being used (most coaching software now auto-responds to clients with AI without disclosing it), how often you will actually be in contact with a real human, and what the right answer is when you ask a coach what matters most to them about their clients. They also cover Sal running MAPS Anabolic three days a week in a deficit and feeling stronger than ever, Adam's Oura Ring hitting its highest readiness score in weeks after three days completely unplugged on a road trip, the Paleo Valley organ complex breakdown (liver, heart and kidney in capsule form), the story of Maximilian Kolbe who voluntarily took a stranger's place in a Nazi starvation block, the public speaker vs. communicator distinction and why Sal sweats through his shirts before every speaking engagement, the Andre Iguodala sleep study showing a 34% drop in points scored and measurably higher fouling rate on poor sleep, how music BPM affects driving focus and speed, why modern society has destroyed patience and why podcasts are the only media format that bucked the fast content trend. Then they answer questions from Instagram. Mind Pump Jobs — Apply to be a trainer: https://mindpumpjobs.com SPONSORS Paleo Valley (organ complex): https://paleovalley.com/mindpump 15% off automatically applied at checkout. Freeze-dried grass-fed beef liver, heart and kidney in capsule form — vitamin A, B12, CoQ10, choline, iron and more in whole food bioavailable form. Joovv (red light therapy): https://joovv.com/mindpump Code: MINDPUMP for $50 off first purchase. Sal notices the difference on Jessica after just two sessions — skin looks noticeably younger. Uses same wavelengths and intensity as the studies. Seed Daily Synbiotic: https://seed.com/mindpump Code: 25MINDPUMP for 25% off your first month. LINKS Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Instagram: @mindpumpmedia 0:00 - Intro 2:36 - Online coach red flags — the industry has exploded and bad coaches are dangerous 7:41 - Red flag 1: How many clients do you service? 10:35 - Red flag 2: How are you using AI — most apps auto-respond without telling you 16:08 - Red flags 3, 4 and 5: Contact frequency, trainer priorities and authenticity 20:52 - Sal getting stronger in a deficit on MAPS Anabolic three days a week 23:48 - Adam's Oura Ring highest readiness score in weeks after three days unplugged 26:23 - The cortisol stack that fixed waking up at 3am — ashwagandha and phosphatidylserine 29:59 - Paleo Valley organ complex and the Maximilian Kolbe story 35:22 - Public speaker vs. communicator and the Andre Iguodala sleep study 46:14 - Why modern society destroyed patience and why podcasts bucked the fast content trend 59:13 - Q&A: Scoliosis training, sodium tracking, menstrual cycle recovery and home gym equipment

  5. 6d ago

    2962: The Best Kind Of Workout Programming For You Specifically !

    Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

  6. Oct 7

    2961: 5 Things Research Gets Wrong About Building Muscle

    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 five common hypertrophy study findings that do not hold up in the real world — why 15-20 sets per body part per week works in 8-12 week studies but burns out real people within months, why light weight and heavy weight producing the same results ignores how fatigue affects the big compound lifts, why training close to failure being essential misses how powerlifters and Olympic lifters build world-class physiques without it, why frequency not mattering is a study artifact that disappears when you control for real world volume, and why periodization making no difference only holds up because studies are too short. They also cover Sal's conversation with a kid from church whose gains jumped 20 pounds across his big lifts in one month after switching from a 5-day split to full body three days a week, the value of antagonist supersets for saving time and adding variety, the Stallone interview where he revealed bulimia and obsessive body image struggles during Rocky 3, Adam using Kion aminos during his current cut and how they are helping him preserve muscle on lower calories, the Wendy's screamo song ad that Adam thinks is brilliant marketing, Justin's viral Instagram moment ordering a well-done steak by accident, the airport buddy ugly pants trend, the sex recession data showing churchgoing married couples in their 50s and 60s reporting the best and most frequent sex, and Canada's assisted suicide statistics showing over 15,300 deaths last year representing 1 in 20 Canadian deaths. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com.   Apply to be a Mind Pump trainer: https://mindpumpjobs.com   T-Shirt Winners: Apple Podcasts: The Life Changer Facebook: Jay Jacob Whittaker Send name, shirt size and shipping address to: itunes@mindpumpmedia.com   SPONSORS   Kion (essential amino acids): https://getkion.com/mindpump 20% off automatically applied at checkout, no code needed.   Dose for Your Liver: https://dosedaily.co/MINDPUMP35 Code: MINDPUMP for 35% off first month subscription.   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 2:12 - Hypertrophy study findings that do not hold up in the real world 6:26 - Myth 1: 15-20 sets per body part is best — why it burns real people out in months 10:14 - Myth 2: Light and heavy weight build the same muscle — what the fatigue data misses 12:08 - Myth 3: You must train close to failure — what powerlifters prove without doing it 15:53 - Myth 4: More frequency does not help — why controlling volume in studies is impossible in real life 18:12 - Myth 5: Periodization makes no difference — why studies are simply too short to show it 20:01 - Antagonist supersets — why Sal says this is the best way to get more done in less time 23:38 - Stallone's interview — bulimia, Rocky 3 and the dark side of the action hero physique 28:52 - Adam using Kion aminos during his cut and the muscle-sparing effect during low calorie phases 33:33 - The Wendy's screamo ad — why Adam thinks it is one of the best pieces of fast food marketing ever 35:08 - Justin's viral well-done steak moment and the internet rage that followed 40:12 - The airport buddy ugly pants trend and what the guys would pick for each other 41:34 - Sex recession data — churchgoing married couples in their 50s and 60s report the best and most frequent sex 47:38 - Canada assisted suicide statistics — 15,300 deaths last year, 1 in 20 Canadian deaths 54:42 - Caller: Cole (South Carolina) — medical student, thyroid removed, gets MAPS 15 for the long haul 1:00:21 - Caller: Ellen (Indiana) — 32-year-old, two kids, still nursing, back from infertility history, stays the course 1:10:41 - Caller: Michel (Maryland) — OCP personality, wants to be a personal trainer, Sal talks faith and letting go 1:26:51 - Caller: Beth (Georgia) — returning NFL exec, body fat too low at 17%, needs to eat more and gain body fat

  7. Oct 5

    2960: How Three Personal Trainers Built the Most Downloaded Fitness Podcast in History — The Origin Story

    MAPS Sale:⁠ https://mapsfitnessproducts.com⁠Code: SCARY40 for 40% off everything sitewide for 3 days only. Also: MAPS Abs and Butt at⁠ https://mapsabsandbutt.com⁠ — Code: LAUNCH for 40% off. In this episode the guys sit down and tell the full origin story of how they each got into fitness and the personal training industry. Sal shares starting at 13 with plastic sand-filled dumbbells, spotting his dad benching 300 pounds, getting his first job at 24 Hour Fitness at 18 with zero certification, and selling $6,000 of personal training on his first day without knowing what it cost. Adam shares falling into fitness accidentally, the moment money sold him on making it a career, his early knack for communicating ideas rather than science, and becoming a fitness manager at 18. Justin shares moving to the Midwest alone knowing nobody, reinventing himself completely, the reinvention that started it all, and his first cold call becoming his wife. Doug shares the Rocky 3 physique inspiring his training in his 30s and the plateau that followed. The guys also cover their biggest regrets — Sal not listening to the bodybuilder who told him exactly how to train at 16, Adam's early steroid experimentation and the crash that followed, and Justin's lack of mobility training during college football costing him his speed. The episode closes with each of them reflecting on why they still love this industry after 30-plus years and why they genuinely cannot wait for Mondays. Apply to be a Mind Pump trainer:⁠ https://mindpumpjobs.com⁠ SPONSORS Legion (supplements):⁠ https://buylegion.com/mindpump⁠ Code: MINDPUMP — new customers buy one get one 50% off, returning customers get 20% cash back. LINKS Mind Pump Store:⁠ https://mindpumpstore.com⁠ Maps Fitness Products:⁠ https://mapsfitnessproducts.com⁠ Instagram: @mindpumpmedia 0:00 - Intro 2:09 - How the guys got into fitness — telling the full origin story 3:16 - Sal's origin — plastic dumbbells at 13, spotting his dad at 300 pounds 4:37 - Adam's origin — falling into fitness at 24 Hour Fitness across from his grandmother's house 12:42 - Justin's origin — the chip on his shoulder, football and moving to the Midwest alone 16:38 - Doug's origin — Rocky 3 and the plateau that followed every program 18:43 - Biggest regrets — Sal ignores the bodybuilder who told him exactly how to train 21:30 - Justin gains 30 pounds for football in one summer and loses his speed 23:38 - Adam's early steroid use and the hormonal crash that followed in his early 30s 28:47 - Day one stories — selling training without knowing what it cost, firing an employee at 18 42:30 - How Justin shattered Adam's idea of what a great trainer needed to look like 49:48 - The best management advice Adam ever received and the team he is most proud of 1:12:00 - Why they still love this industry after 30 years and why they cannot wait for Mondays

  8. Oct 3

    2959: The Secrets for Training in a Calorie Deficit (Most People Get This Completely Wrong)

    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 secrets for training in a calorie deficit — why bodyweight lifts are psychologically and physically the best choice when cutting, what it actually feels like to train depleted and why anticipating it helps you push through, why low reps beat high reps in a deficit because they preserve muscle with far less stress on the body, why nighttime hunger is normal and how to reframe it instead of fighting it, and the sodium hack that makes you feel dramatically better when eating whole foods and low carbs. They also cover Parachew and how paraxanthine gives you the clean energy of caffeine without the jitters, crash or sleep disruption, Adam training with his wife in the garage and her calling out that he flipped his plan from "lower volume" to "get shredded" without realizing it, how Adam's readiness score went from 47 to the high 70s after taking three days off and the three pounds of inflammation that dropped overnight, the Noah's Ark ground-penetrating radar findings and the pattern of biblical archaeology validating stories that scientists dismissed, the Founder School that charges $150,000 a year but refunds it all if you do not build a $1 million profitable business by graduation, the patron saint of comedians who said "turn me over, I'm done on this side" while being grilled alive, and Caldera Lab eye serum and the clinical study results. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com. Mind Pump Fitness Coaching: https://mindpumpfitnesscoaching.com 1.9 NASM CEUs SPONSORS Parachew (paraxanthine gummies): https://parachew.com/mindpump Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off first order. Caldera Lab (Eye Serum): https://calderalab.com/mindpump Code: MINDPUMP for 20% off. Seed Daily Synbiotic: https://seed.com/mindpump Code: 25MINDPUMP for 25% off your first month. 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 2:24 - Secrets for training in a calorie deficit 5:36 - Secret 1: Bodyweight lifts — pull ups and dips get better as you get lighter 8:25 - Secret 2: Anticipate the depleted training feel — it is supposed to feel different 11:55 - Secret 3: Low reps work better in a deficit — less volume, less stress, more muscle preserved 14:03 - Why you should dramatically cut volume when calories drop 16:45 - Secret 4: You will feel hungry at night — make friends with it 18:49 - Secret 5: The sodium hack — bump sodium when whole food calories drop 21:07 - Parachew — what paraxanthine is and why it beats caffeine for afternoon energy 27:51 - Adam's wife calls him out for flipping from lower volume to trying to get shredded 32:22 - Adam's readiness score went from 47 to the high 70s after three days off 38:39 - Noah's Ark ground-penetrating radar findings and the pattern of biblical archaeology 48:26 - Founder School — $150K per year, full refund if you do not build a $1 million business by graduation 57:57 - Caldera Lab eye serum and the clinical study results 1:01:25 - Caller: Kevin (Massachusetts) — 37-year-old former skateboarder, lifts for 22 months, strong genetics, gets MAPS Anabolic Advanced 1:17:11 - Caller: Jen (West Virginia) — former group fitness instructor, hitting PRs on Muscle Mommy 15, how hard to push at 49, gets full MAPS 15 library 1:24:37 - Caller: Katie (Texas) — returning caller, loves Old Time Strength and Performance, ready for MAPS Upper Lower and a calorie push 1:32:43 - Caller: Jessica (Massachusetts) — returning caller, eating disorder history, up to 1900 calories at 50/50 consistency, starts therapy, gets grace and direction

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Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
12,106 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2017+
  • Show Website
    Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

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