Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
bySal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
HealthFitness
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...
Episodes(40 episodes)
2889: 7 Muscle Building Exercises You Have Never Done (But Should Start Immediately)
In this episode the guys break down the seven best muscle building exercises you have probably never done — the bent press, circus press, Zottman curls, weighted windmills, heavy overhead carries, heavy trap bar farm walks, and tibialis raises. They also get into AI being used to expose congressional stock trading corruption (56% of congressional stock purchases are on companies directly impacted by bills they later voted on), the whey protein shortage and a new manufacturing technique that makes it taste even better, the history of sketchy old school supplements like Hot Stuff and what was actually in them, old school pr...
Published: Jun 27, 2026Duration: 1h 52m 13s
2888: The 6 Best Lifts for Athletic Fitness (That Actually Transfer to Real Life)
In this episode the guys break down the six best lifts for athletic fitness — the movements that translate directly to real world performance, sport and everyday life. They cover lunges and sled work, the standing overhead press, trap bar deadlift, one arm rows with rotation and pull ups, hanging leg raises done correctly, and band and cable chops for rotational power. They also reminisce about their worst business failures — Sal's second studio location that cost him 75K to break the lease, Adam's mobile car detailing hustle, Justin's app build, and Doug's story of losing his entire Japan savings to a fr...
Published: Jun 26, 2026Duration: 1h 11m 3s
2887: Why Nobody Has the Abs They Want (And It's Not Body Fat)
In this episode the guys break down how not to train your abs, covering the five biggest mistakes that keep people from ever seeing results from their core training. They cover why high reps are the wrong approach, how most people are using their hip flexors instead of their abs without realizing it, why short range of motion leaves gains on the table, why rest periods matter just as much for abs as any other muscle, and why avoiding obliques is one of the worst ideas in fitness. Sal shares how switching to resistance training for his abs within 60...
Published: Jun 25, 2026Duration: 24m 33s
2886: The 5 Steps to Becoming the Fittest You've Ever Been (For Life This Time)
In this episode the guys break down the five steps to becoming the fittest you've ever been for life — not just for a season. They cover why fitness should improve your life rather than become your life, the importance of building strength for longevity, moving well and being able to play, and what realistic aesthetics look like for someone who actually has a life. Sal opens up about his own ongoing struggle with making fitness an idol, Adam talks about genuinely letting go of the all-or-nothing mentality, and Justin reflects on the identity shift from performance-based athlete to training fo...
Published: Jun 24, 2026Duration: 1h 49m 34s
2885: How to Get Six-Pack Abs in 4–6 Weeks: Track Calories, Eat High Protein, and Strength Train Your Core
Get The No BS 6-Pack Formula: https://www.nobs6pack.com?htrafficsource=libsyn-organic&hcategory=MPSHOW&el=2885 This Episode discusses why visible six-pack abs are rare and emphasizes that abs are muscles that must be built while getting leaner through improved body composition, not just weight loss. It outlines a three-part approach: (1) track everything you eat and drink for seven days without changing habits to establish a true calorie baseline, then monitor waist or body-fat trends; (2) create a modest calorie deficit of about 500 calories, eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of target body weight, avoid heavily processed...
Published: Jun 22, 2026Duration: 24m 22s
2884: These 5 Exercises Are Almost Never Done Right (And It's Hurting Your Progress)
In this episode the guys break down five popular exercises that are almost always done wrong and sending people backward — jump boxes, hip abduction machines, circuits, renegade rows, and ultra high rep training. They also get into the science behind why ketone IQ works (mitochondrial efficiency, BDNF, and clean ATP production with no stimulants), Sal taking his wife to see the horror movie Obsession and deeply regretting it, the SpaceX IPO and the 4,000 new millionaires it will create overnight, 24 Hour Fitness removing basketball courts to add more weight room space, Jacob Collier and the guys' appreciation for elite musical ta...
Published: Jun 20, 2026Duration: 1h 49m 1s
2883: The 5 Most Popular Workout Styles Ranked (Pros, Cons and Who Should Do Each)
In this episode the guys break down the pros and cons of the five most popular workout styles right now, Pilates, yoga, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and hybrid training; covering what each one is actually good at, what it's not, and who should be doing each one. They also get into why meal prepping is one of the most underrated fat loss strategies, how Coca Cola literally had cocaine and caffeine in the original formula, the first ever online pizza order, and the guy who spent 10,000 Bitcoin on two Papa John's pizzas in 2010. Then they answer questions from Instagram on rest...
Published: Jun 19, 2026Duration: 1h 11m 32s
2882: Hormones, Peptides & Body Transformation with Phil Vella CEO of Vita Bella Health
In this episode Phil Vella, founder of Vita Bella, returns to break down the wild west of the gray market peptide industry. He shares new data showing 70 percent of research peptides now fail purity and contamination testing, why so many random people are running peptide side hustles out of their garages, and the real risks of injection site infections and improperly dosed products. They cover why hormone optimization should always come before peptides, the most popular peptides Vita Bella prescribes, the science behind PDE5 inhibitors for both performance and longevity, and the regulatory battle between big pharma and compounding...
Published: Jun 18, 2026Duration: 1h 14m 51s
2881: The Right Way to Use a GLP Without Losing Muscle
In this episode the guys break down the most effective GLP strategy for fat loss and muscle gain, covering how to start lifting before beginning a GLP, why minimal effective dose matters, keeping training volume low while on it, using essential amino acids to preserve muscle, replacing old eating behaviors with new ones, and how to scale down successfully. They also get into a probiotic study showing a 40 percent reduction in anxiety among menopausal women, Sal's appearance on Dr. Seeds' peptide podcast, a debate about SpaceX's trillion dollar valuation and what it means for AI infrastructure, AI getting measurably "...
Published: Jun 17, 2026Duration: 2h 9m 19s
2880: The Program That Built Mind Pump: 10 Years & 100,000 Transformations
Ten years ago, before there was a podcast, before there were millions of downloads, there was a workout program built in a gym by a few trainers who were obsessed with one question: why does almost everyone train wrong? That program was MAPS Anabolic—and a decade and 100,000-plus customers later, it's still the one the guys point to when someone asks where to start. Right now MAPS Anabolic is 50% off at https://mapsanabolic.com with code ANABOLIC Watch the original Mind Pump Sales video here: https://mindpumpproducts.com/original-video <p...
Published: Jun 15, 2026Duration: 33m 33s
2879: How to Eat Carbs for Muscle Gains and Fat Loss (The Full Breakdown)
In this episode the guys break down how to eat carbs for muscle gains and fat loss — why they're not essential but are beneficial, how to figure out if you do better higher carb or lower fat, timing carbs around workouts, choosing easy-digesting sources, and why drinking carbs is almost always a mistake. They also get into a deep dive on PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra/Cialis) and the emerging data showing 30–40% reduction in all-cause cardiovascular mortality, potential neuroprotective and anti-cancer effects, and why Sal thinks they'll be recommended to most men over 40 within a decade. Plus: side bends as a high...
Published: Jun 13, 2026Duration: 1h 52m 8s
2878: Why You're Losing Muscle While Trying to Lose Fat (And How to Fix It)
In this episode the guys break down the muscle paradox! Why people are losing muscle while trying to lose fat, why this crisis is being amplified by GLP-1 use, and the three things that cause it: inadequate protein, poor resistance training programming, and a cardio focus. They also get into the testosterone U-shape curve and how more isn't always better for libido, Sal's upcoming talk at the World Peptide Congress in Arizona, Adam's sauna routine and how it kept him from getting the norovirus that took down his whole family, the shriek bird that impales its prey on thorns...
Published: Jun 12, 2026Duration: 1h 16m 57s
2877: The Best Workout Strategy If You Want to Lose Weight (Step by Step)
In this episode the guys break down the best workout strategy for people who want to lose weight and keep it off — and why most people are going about it completely backwards. They cover why strength training beats cardio for fat loss head to head, how to structure your training as a full body split or 1–2 lifts per day, why compound movements are the only ones that matter at this stage, hitting 8,000 steps through lifestyle rather than scheduled cardio, and simple diet steps that create a natural calorie deficit without counting calories. MAPS Summer Sale — https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Co...
Published: Jun 11, 2026Duration: 30m 38s
2876: GLP-1, Wearables & Longevity Fads; The Fitness Traps Nobody Warns You About
In this episode the guys break down the four biggest fitness traps of 2026 — over-reliance on wearables and tech, the GLP-1 shortcut and muscle loss crisis, chasing longevity fads over basics, and aesthetics over everything. They also get into the alien.gov website reveal (spoiler: not what anyone expected), the black market GLP-1 side hustle spreading through social circles, a new study showing resistance training beats cardio for fat loss head to head, and Doug's 30-day Dose liver enzyme experiment update. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.com — Aidan from Kansas on lingering strength and nerve issues after mono...
Published: Jun 10, 2026Duration: 1h 40m 56s
2875: How to Look Your Best This Summer (With 30 Days or Less)
In this episode the guys break down exactly how to look your best this summer with 30 days or less. They debate personal strategies — carb and water manipulation, peak week bodybuilding tactics, creatine loading, blood flow restriction training for arms and calves, building your abs instead of just leaning out, training rear delts and upper back for the beach, tibialis training for better looking legs, and why switching to whole foods alone will make you look visibly different in 30 days. MAPS Summer Sale — https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Code: SUMMER40 — 40% off everything (programs, bundles, mods & guides) — June 1–14...
Published: Jun 8, 2026Duration: 26m 21s
2874: The Best Variations to Explode Your Squat, Deadlift and Bench Press
In this episode the guys break down the best squat, deadlift and bench press variations and accessories to explode your strength — box squats, belt squats, front squats, split stance squats, trap bar deadlifts, zercher squats, suitcase carries, reverse hypers, dips, incline press, and bands and chains. They also get into a study showing married young adults are significantly happier than their single peers, astaxanthin as an internal sunscreen supplement, the spike in strokes among people in their 20s and 30s, alpha-gal syndrome increasing 3000% in some states, and Justin's family trip to Yellowstone. Then they coach live callers submitted through mp...
Published: Jun 6, 2026Duration: 1h 42m 40s
2873: The Best Way to Train for Strength AND Endurance at the Same Time
In this episode the guys break down the three ways to program endurance and strength together — same workout, different days, or alternating weeks — covering the pros, cons and who each approach is actually best for. They also get into the viral heavy metals in protein powder scare (and why it's mostly prop 65 hysteria), the ugly new electric Ferrari that has all of Italy in mourning, GLP-1 concerns about motivation and libido (and why under-eating is the real culprit), Adam's son and Catrina's brutal norovirus battle, Justin taking his sons to the gym for the first time, and Sal's dad's lege...
Published: Jun 5, 2026Duration: 1h 50m 43s
2872: Why Going Off Your Diet Can Actually Help You Lose More Fat
In this episode the guys break down diet breaks — what they actually are, how they differ from just going off your diet, and why the science supports using them on any fat loss plan. They cover the five key benefits backed by studies: slowing metabolic adaptation, improving workout recovery and energy, preserving muscle, reducing mental fatigue, and why planning is everything. They also make the case for why most people shouldn't try to navigate diet breaks alone and how a coach changes the outcome entirely. 50% off Nutrition Coaching Call — https://mindpumpnutrition.com Code: POD50 SPONSORS S...
Published: Jun 4, 2026Duration: 24m 52s
2871: 6 Things That Are Destroying Your Muscle (Without You Knowing)
In this episode the guys break down the six fastest ways to lose muscle and get flabby — too much cardio, low protein, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, ignoring gut health, and alcohol. Sal shares how fixing a parasite he didn't know he had led to gaining 12 pounds of muscle doing the same exact things. They also get into the power of music and why kids instinctively dance, Lone Star ticks and Lyme disease conspiracy theories, colonoscopy talk, the progression of Paul Saladino's diet, and Adam's son comparing his biceps in the sauna. Then they coach live callers submitted through mplivecaller.co...
Published: Jun 3, 2026Duration: 1h 50m 24s
2870: 6 Signs You're Not Training Hard Enough (And How to Fix It)
In this episode the guys break down the six signs that you're not training hard enough — and why intensity is the most important factor for making progress in the gym. They cover what strenuous actually feels like, why using the same weight for years is a red flag, how to know if you left enough in the tank, and why some people are just wired to avoid hard effort. They also talk about the two groups most likely to undertrain — people coming back from injury and older adults getting started with strength training — and why both groups are capable of far...
Published: Jun 1, 2026Duration: 24m 0s