[The Best] The New Science of Muscle Hypertrophy, and More

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Best Content of the Week

This week’s mix is heavy on science and application, but there’s nothing heavy about it.

Andy Galpin’s 80-minute video on the new science of muscle hypertrophy is engaging and accessible to any fitness pro, even if you didn’t study all this in college. Conor Harris’ Instagram post packs a lot of simple ways to help your clients achieve better squat depth into just four minutes.

Moving from science to art, Roger Lawson II reveals the only thing a bathroom scale can really tell us (spoiler alert: your weight), while two veteran fitness authors share thoughts about how to create better content for your audience, and why it takes time to master the craft of writing.

— Esther Avant

Best Article

How the Scale Ruins You — Roger Lawson II, Rog Law Fitness

Clients and trainers alike let the scale determine how they feel. Good weigh-in? “Come on, let’s go!” Bad weigh-in? “I hate my life, where’s the ice cream?” As Roger Lawson explains, “If you allow the scale to determine how to feel good about yourself, you better be ready to allow it to make you feel bad about yourself too.” Whatever you’re trying to get from the scale—aside from your weight in that moment—it can’t give you.

— Shane McLean

Best Video

New Science of Muscle Hypertrophy, Part 1: Physiology — Andy Galpin

If it’s been a while since you studied muscle physiology, you’ve probably missed a lot. Andy Galpin, a professor of exercise science at Cal State Fullerton, walks you through the most important new research, explaining not just what we know, but how we learned it and why it matters. He does an incredible job of simplifying and illustrating complex science in the first part of what will be a three-video series.

— Esther Avant

Best Social Media Post

A Simple Progression to Improve Your Squat Mechanics — Conor Harris, Instagram

Do you have a client who struggles to achieve squat depth without butt wink or excessive hip hinge? If so, you’ll want to watch this four-minute video from Conor Harris. His innovative correctives include split-stance variations, a Zercher option using a cable machine, and a kind of hybrid goblet squat holding the weights like you’re doing an Arnold press.

— Christina Abbey

Best Podcast

The Art and Science of Creating Great Content — Mike Matthews with guest Lou Schuler, Legion Athletics

Anyone interested in writing would do themselves a great service to listen to this conversation between two veteran authors. Lou Schuler takes us through his 27 years of fitness writing, from getting his articles unceremoniously ripped apart by Men’s Health editors to his current role as editorial director at the PTDC. Mike Matthews, who was recently profiled in this PTDC feature, also has a lot of lessons to share from his success as a fitness author, publisher, and entrepreneur.

— Mike Howard

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The Author

Esther Avant is a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, sports nutritionist, pre- and postnatal coach, mom, and military wife who coaches women online. As the owner of Esther Avant Wellness Coaching and founder of the Gone For Good weight-loss program, she specializes in helping women lose weight and keep it off without another diet or gym challenge. You can find her at her website, on Instagram, and on Facebook.