Stronger with Time

Dr Tony Boutagy

Join exercise scientist Dr Tony Boutagy as he interviews 11 leading experts in fitness and women's health. With 30+ years of experience and 70,000+ training programs written, Tony bridges rigorous science with practical application. This podcast explores evidence-based approaches to strength training, metabolism, and nutrition—particularly for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Discover what research actually suggests about fitness, beyond trends and oversimplification, through conversations that acknowledge real-world complexities and individual differences.

  1. APR 27

    The Science of Muscle Growth - and What It Means in Practice, with Professor Michael Roberts

    Every programme rests on some idea of what drives muscle growth. This episode looks at where the molecular and applied research supports that thinking - and where it does not. Professor Michael Roberts is a professor at Auburn University and one of the world's leading researchers on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with a laboratory spanning cell culture, rodent models, and applied human research. In this episode, you will learn: What is happening inside a muscle cell when it grows Why mechanical tension appears to be central to hypertrophy What the evidence shows about testosterone and the androgen receptor in muscle Why women with much lower testosterone than men can still make similar relative gains with resistance training Where the evidence lands on rep ranges and weekly set volume Why drop sets are unlikely to add much once sufficient tension and volume are already in place What sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is, and when it may occur Why recent research suggests muscle fibres may grow by adding more myofibrils, not just by making existing ones bigger Key insight: Consistent mechanical tension, applied through a moderate rep range and sufficient weekly volume, appears to be a central driver of hypertrophy. The more complex the technique, the less likely it is to add much on top of that foundation. Resources & Links Dr. Tony Boutagy - https://tonyboutagy.com Follow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/ Professor Michael Roberts - https://education.auburn.edu/directory/profile.php?id=mdr0024Molecular and Applied Sciences Laboratory - https://education.auburn.edu/kinesiology/research/molecular-applied-sciences/index.phpRoberts Lab eLife paper on myofibril adaptations - https://elifesciences.org/articles/92674

    55 min

  2. APR 20

    What Still Works for Building Muscle (After 50 Years of Research) – with Professor William Kraemer

    After more than five decades of resistance training research, Professor William Kraemer returns to Stronger With Time to deliver a masterclass in what drives muscle growth, what the training protocols actually need to look like, and what has remained constant across every decade of evidence. Professor Kraemer has published over 600 peer reviewed papers and 15 books on resistance training, held professorships at four major universities, and been ranked the number one sports scientist in his field. His career spans both deep laboratory science and applied coaching with elite athletes across dozens of sports. In this episode, you will learn: Why the size principle remains the governing factor for muscle hypertrophy, and why fibres that are not recruited cannot grow How the anabolic hormonal response to resistance training actually works, and why testosterone does not act until it hits a receptor Why excessive cortisol from poorly designed training may inhibit the very anabolic processes it was meant to stimulate Why the eight to ten rep range at shorter rest periods of two to three minutes creates the most significant physiological stressor Why 4×10 at moderate loads is often a bigger recovery demand than 3×3–5 heavy, and what that means for your week Why normative exercises form the foundation of any complete programme, and why angle variation is a necessary strategy for complete motor unit coverage What the evidence suggests for women navigating the menopause transition, and why the distinction between muscle function and muscle mass may be less meaningful than it appears Key insight: After 50 years and over 600 papers, Professor Kraemer keeps returning to the same ground: load the muscle, recruit the fibres, manage the recovery. Everything else is context. Resources & Links Dr. Tony Boutagy → https://tonyboutagy.comFollow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/tonyboutagy/Professor William J. Kraemer Google Scholar → https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=-HjoaV8AAAAJ

    1h 16m

  3. APR 13

    Dementia Prevention, Brain Training, and What Actually Works - with Dr. Tommy Wood

    The same principles that drive physical adaptation also drive brain health. The difference is that, for the brain, the key buckets are stimulus, supply, and support. And the training that coaches and fitness enthusiasts are already doing may be among the most evidence-based interventions available for protecting cognitive function across a lifetime. Dr. Tommy Wood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington, a medical doctor trained at Oxford, author of THE STIMULATED MIND, and has worked as a performance consultant to Olympians and world champions. His research focuses on brain health across the lifespan, from neonatal brain injury through to long-term dementia prevention. In this episode, you will learn: Why dementia risk begins in midlife, and what the research shows about modifiable risk factors How the 3S model - stimulus, supply, and support - helps make sense of brain health What the evidence actually supports when it comes to omega-3s, B vitamins, vitamin D, and other supplements Why resistance training, high intensity interval training, and coordination-based exercise may benefit different aspects of brain function What the evidence shows about menopausal hormone therapy and cognitive function What current research suggests about alcohol, statins, lithium, melatonin, and cognitive health Key insight - The brain responds to training the same way the body does. Use it, fuel it, and support its ability to adapt. Coaches and fitness enthusiasts already prioritising their physical health may be doing more for their cognitive future than they realise. Resources & Links - Dr. Tommy Wood - https://www.drtommywood.com/ Dr. Tommy Wood on Instagram - @drtommywood THE STIMULATED MIND - https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind Food for the Brain (free cognitive function test) - https://foodforthebrain.org/the-cognitive-function-test/ Better Brain Fitness podcast - https://www.betterbrain.fitness/ Dr. Tony Boutagy - https://tonyboutagy.com/ Follow on Instagram - @tonyboutagy

    1h 14m

  4. APR 6

    Why Your Brain Stops You Before Your Muscles Do - with Professor Alan St. Clair Gibson

    Fatigue in the weights room is one of the least studied areas in exercise science. The research models we draw on were built almost entirely on endurance athletes - and what governs performance during heavy lifting may be a different question altogether. Professor Alan St. Clair Gibson is a medical doctor and one of the world's leading authorities on fatigue in sport and exercise, and a key architect of the Central Governor Model of fatigue that is now widely accepted and taught in exercise science. In this episode, you will learn: Why fatigue is classified as a complex emotion, not a purely physical event How the brain reduces motor unit recruitment as a protective mechanism before the muscles have actually failed Why pain and fear may be larger regulators than fatigue itself during heavy lifting How the I voice and the me voice compete during exercise - and what shapes each one What the Integrative Governor Model adds to the Central Governor What a 1962 study reveals about the reserve the brain withholds under normal conditions Key insight The brain reduces motor unit recruitment before the muscles are genuinely exhausted. Understanding what sets that threshold - and what can shift it - is one of the more consequential and least explored questions in strength and conditioning. Resources & Links: Professor Alan St. Clair Gibson - https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/a.gibson The Integrative Governor Model (2018) - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28478704/ Dr. Tony Boutagy - https://tonyboutagy.com/ Follow on Instagram - @tonyboutagy Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yydg6y3dA8OiA8hyHcJON

    56 min

  5. MAR 30

    The New ACSM Resistance Training Guidelines: What Matters for Strength, Muscle and Power with Dr. Brad Currier

    The new ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training is the first major update to these guidelines since 2009. That matters not just because more research now exists, but because this update uses an overview-of-reviews methodology built on 137 systematic reviews and meta-analyses covering just over 30,000 participants. The result is a more reproducible, evidence-based summary of what appears to matter most for generally healthy adults looking to get stronger, build muscle, and improve function. Dr. Brad Currier is the lead author on the position stand and joins me to explain how it was built, what it suggests about the variables that seem to matter most, and why some of the factors the fitness industry argues about most intensely may carry less weight than people think. You’ll learn Why a position stand sits differently in the evidence hierarchy than a single trial, review, or meta-analysis Why the 2026 update is meaningfully different from the 2009 version in both method and intended population How the author team pre-defined populations, outcomes, and study types before a single paper was included Why the shift from no resistance training to some resistance training may still be the biggest message for the general public What appears to matter most for different outcomes: load for strength, volume for hypertrophy, and speed for power Why power training may deserve more attention in the context of healthy aging What the evidence suggests about rep ranges for muscle growth, and why the old continuum model may be too narrow What did not appear to significantly change outcomes for general-population goals, including machines versus free weights and periodisation Why the findings may feel more liberating than prescriptive for coaches working with everyday clients Brad’s practical framework for someone beginning resistance training for the first time Key insight This position stand is not a blueprint for “optimal” training in every context. It is a synthesis of what the evidence suggests for the vast majority of generally healthy adults, many of whom are still doing no resistance training at all. That context matters when applying the findings. Resources & links • ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training (2026) - https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2026/04000/american_college_of_sports_medicine_position.21.aspx• Timeline Nutrition - https://www.timeline.com• Visit - tonyboutagy.com• Follow on Instagram - @tonyboutagy• Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yydg6y3dA8OiA8hyHcJON• Master evidence-based program design - tonyboutagy.com/advanced-program-mastery-course-page

    49 min

  6. MAR 23

    Creatine, High Protein Diets & the Supplements Worth Taking - with Professor Jose Antonio

    Creatine has been studied for decades. The dosing evidence is settled, the mechanism is understood, and the safety profile in healthy people is clear. Yet advice on whether to take it, how much, and what form still varies widely in practice. In this episode, Professor Jose Antonio works through where the confusion comes from - and what the research actually shows. Professor Antonio is the co-founder and CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, a professor at Nova Southeastern University, and the author of over 300 peer-reviewed papers on sports nutrition and supplementation. You'll learn: Why the evidence doesn't support the kidney damage claim for healthy people - and what studies at 3.5g/kg found How to evaluate the mTOR longevity argument Why elevated liver enzymes in trained individuals often reflect adaptation, not pathology How creatine works - and what the water weight argument misses Why creatine monohydrate remains the evidence-supported form Whether higher creatine doses for cognitive function are worth it Why there is no compelling reason to cycle creatine on and off Which supplements the evidence supports for healthy aging When HMB and essential amino acids are worth considering How to assess whether a pre-workout is properly dosed Key insight: The argument against high protein intake - whether on kidney or longevity grounds - consistently runs into the same problem: the people consuming the most protein tend to be those exercising the most and carrying the most muscle mass. Separating protein from those variables in clinical endpoints is not straightforward, and Professor Antonio argues the trade-offs involved are not what the critics assume. 🌐 Visit → tonyboutagy.com 📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagy 📣 Get the evidence-based framework for fat loss: tonyboutagy.com/fat-loss-fundamentals-course-page Topics: creatine, sports nutrition, protein intake, kidney function, mTOR, longevity, sports supplements, Jose Antonio, ISSN, healthy aging, omega-3, vitamin D, HMB, glucosamine, pre-workout

    1h 4m

  7. MAR 16

    Periodisation & Hypertrophy: Structuring Training Phases for Muscle: Practical Takeaways from Professor Greg Haff

    🎓 Master advanced program design: https://tonyboutagy.com/advanced-program-mastery-course-page📲 Follow on Instagram → @tonyboutagy Periodisation is often dismissed as too complex, too theoretical, or irrelevant to hypertrophy training. In this episode, I revisit my conversation with Professor Greg Haff - one of the world's leading authorities on periodisation and strength development - and work through what these concepts actually mean for how training should be structured over time. You'll learn: What periodisation actually is - and why conflating it with programming generates most of the confusion in the debate The three periodisation models (parallel, sequential, and emphasis) and when each one is applicable Why phase potentiation matters, and how building strength first can increase the quality and volume of subsequent hypertrophy work How different loading ranges accumulate fatigue differently - and why this shapes program design beyond just exercise selection What the current research on periodisation and hypertrophy actually shows, and where its limitations genuinely lie How long to stay on a program - and why the honest answer depends on training age, lifestyle, and individual context What cluster sets are, how they differ from traditional set structures, and how I use them with clients 🎧 Original Greg Haff episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1DQ2ZMYb3IuaqYJWTuajGh?si=094ba7a125314f91 ⚠️  Educational purposes only. Not individualized training or medical advice.

    55 min

  8. MAR 9

    How to Build a Long-Term Training Plan for Muscle, Strength and Longevity — Professor Greg Haff

    🌐 Visit → tonyboutagy.com 📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagy Most people who train seriously have heard the word periodization. Far fewer understand what it actually is, or how to use it to get more out of every year of training. In this episode, one of the world's leading authorities on the subject explains exactly that. Professor Greg Haff completed his doctoral work under Professor Mike Stone and has spent decades coaching Olympic athletes, military personnel, and elite strength and power competitors, while publishing over 270 scientific papers on training adaptation. In this episode, Professor Haff explains: What periodization actually is and why confusing it with programming is one of the most common mistakes coaches make. Periodization is an organisational strategy. Programming tactics sit inside it. The three periodization models — parallel, sequential, and emphasis — and how goal and context determine which one applies. Most recreational trainees benefit from an emphasis model that varies the density of each training component across the week. Why changing the training stimulus every four to five weeks prevents accommodation and what the historical and modern research consistently shows about why this window matters for large muscle group exercises. How to sequence strength and hypertrophy phases to get more from both and why building work capacity first creates the foundation to lift heavier loads when you return to hypertrophy training. Why volume load, not set count, is the primary driver of muscle growth and how cluster sets allow higher loads, greater time under tension, and more total work than conventional set structures. How psycho-emotional stress compounds training stress and why periodization is fundamentally a fatigue management process that has to account for everything happening in a person's life, not just what happens in the gym. Key insight: The best coaches in the world have always used some form of periodization model. Most of them are not on social media. Structure, variation, and fatigue management remain the variables that separate long-term progress from stagnation. Topics: periodization, program design, hypertrophy, strength training, phase potentiation, cluster sets, training volume, fatigue management, periodized nutrition, long-term athlete development, resistance training, ageing and exercise

    58 min
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4.5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Join exercise scientist Dr Tony Boutagy as he interviews 11 leading experts in fitness and women's health. With 30+ years of experience and 70,000+ training programs written, Tony bridges rigorous science with practical application. This podcast explores evidence-based approaches to strength training, metabolism, and nutrition—particularly for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Discover what research actually suggests about fitness, beyond trends and oversimplification, through conversations that acknowledge real-world complexities and individual differences.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Tony Boutagy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr Tony Boutagy
  • Show Website
    Stronger with Time

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