The Jeff Nippard Podcast

This is the only guy that I fully trust about fitness. The reason? Because no matter what influencers and pros say, this man shows the truth by logically and scientifically breaking down a controversial matter such as sumo vs. conventional. I always go to his channel to seek out what is true about bodybuilding. Yes, influencers such as Alex train how they feel like training even if it’s not optimal and so do I. But knowing what is optimal or what is true is more important to me than just telling people that what works for me is optimal. Thank you Jeff, your a King.

I watched the following episodes from The Jeff Nippard Podcast: Volume vs Intensity, Hard Training & Progressions (ft. Dr. Eric Helms) Failure, Fatigue & Truly HARD Training feat. John Meadows TRAINING VOLUME & HYPERTROPHY: How Much Do You Need? ft. Dr. Mike Israetel I found Jeff Nippard probably a couple to a few years ago when I first started researching how to optimize my lifting sessions. I grew to like Jeff because he shares similar goals with me (balancing getting stronger with looking better), he uses a scientific approach to training, and he produces well-structured and quality content. I was drawn to this series of his podcasts because I recently started messing with the intensity-volume spectrum in my own training. Most of my experience has consisted of sets at RPE (rate of perceived exertion) 9-10, because I didn’t feel like I was working hard enough if I did any less. I found myself mindlessly pushing 8+ sets of squats/bench with 0 reps in reserve for 3+ hours and didn’t think anything else could be more efficient. The combination of my draining workouts and the fact that Jeff Nippard deemed it necessary to create a 5-episode series on the matter inclined me to give it a listen. Some questions I had before I started listening were: Can I get similar gains with a lower RPE? Would training with a lower RPE 4 times per week be more effective than training 1-2 high RPE sessions? How much volume is enough? How much RPE is enough? Should the same RPE be used for strength training and hypertrophy? The various perspectives that this series offered has developed my understanding of the topic enough that I am confident to change up my routine. It was too difficult to decide a favorite of the podcasts I listened to because they all contributed to answering my questions. Dr. Eric Meadows bettered my understanding of the intensity-volume trade-off, Dr. Mike Israetel gave me a grasp of the pros and cons of training to failure, and John Meadows emphasized the importance of beyond-failure sets. The knowledge I’ve accumulated from this podcast is in line with what I have experienced since I’ve started the Smolov program for squat and the Smolov Jr. Program for bench. Some sets feel like cake, but my strength and size gains have been tremendous. This idea of intensity vs volume is something worth checking out for all levels of lifters, as the answers vary based on experience and lifting goals. While my issue was being too intense, a lot of lifters, like Jeff mentioned, aren’t training hard enough. This topic is definitely worth checking out if you’re interested in bettering your understanding of training.

I am far too novice at fitness to be listening to this podcast. Though I’ve been working out consistently for a few years now, I still feel like a beginner. However, the way Jeff interviews fitness scientists about studies and meta-analyses appeals to the nerd in me and makes me feel like I, too, can become a bodybuilder. Real scientists know there are very few concrete answers to these questions, and as such, you don’t leave many episodes satisfied with a solid conclusion. However, you are more informed and can choose how to use that information in your own fitness journey.

This is one of my go-to podcasts. I love the intellectuality of the podcaster, the guests, and the patience and ease in which Jeff takes to explain some of the more scientific content.