Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
by Michael Matthews
30 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body:
“Muscles Grow Only if They’re Forced to”
“remind yourself that while you may not always be able to control where your mind wanders, you can always control how you respond, and remember the goal that’s at stake and why you committed to abstaining in the first place.”
“For me, life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer. — ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER”
“Catabolism Catabolism is the metabolic process by which more complex substances (such as proteins) are broken down into simpler ones (such as amino acids), together with the release of energy. This is also known as destructive metabolism. •••”
“The moral of this section is that we simply can’t trust our feelings to guide our actions. If we wander through life chasing “good feelings,” we’ll figure out plenty of ways to not feel bad about every “little” bout of procrastination, overeating, overspending, and what have you, and one day we’ll wonder why the hell we’re so fat, broke, lazy, and ignorant”
“Many people believe that if something comes from nature, it must be better than something synthetically made. Hence, the all-too-common (and meaningless) marketing claims of “all natural” that we find on all kinds of food products.”
“Quite frankly, most guys like to train like wussies. They don’t want to push themselves. They don’t want to exert too much effort. And of course, their bodies don’t change much. They come in each day an exact duplicate of the last. Eventually, they quit out of despair and frustration.”
“Most champions are built by punch-the-clock workouts rather than extraordinary efforts. — DAN JOHN”
“IS CARDIO BEST BEFORE OR AFTER LIFTING? NEITHER! Doing cardio right before or after lifting can seriously hinder muscle and strength gains. Why? Researchers from RMIT University worked with well–trained athletes in 2009 and found that “combining resistance exercise and cardio in the same session may disrupt genes for anabolism.” In laymen’s terms, they found that combining endurance and resistance training sends “mixed signals” to the muscles37. Cardio before the resistance training suppressed anabolic hormones such as IGF–1 and MGF, and cardio after resistance training increased muscle tissue breakdown. Several other studies, such as those conducted by Children’s National Medical Center38, the Waikato Institute of Technology39, and the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland)40 , came to same conclusions: training for both endurance and strength simultaneously impairs your gains on both fronts. Training purely for strength or purely for endurance in a workout is far superior. Cardio before weightlifting also saps your energy and makes it much harder to train heavy, which in turn inhibits your muscle growth. So, how do you do it right?”
“Eventually, you’ll likely need to modify this program or use another workout split altogether to reach your ultimate goals, (which is why I wrote a follow-up book to this one called Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger).”
“despite”
“I’m excited to get a little fitter every day.” This”
“The only way to lose at this game is to give up.”
“Fitness is one of those rare things you can’t buy, steal, or fake. Lying, cheating, or kvetching cuts no ice in this arena, and there are no privileges or points awarded for status or style.”
“tell me, I’ll forget; show me, I’ll remember; involve me, I’ll understand.”
“Connect with at least one person who’s on the same path as you and making progress. You don’t even have to physically take the trip together. Regular phone, email, or text check-ins can be enough to encourage each other’s success.”
“future self-continuity,” which is your ability to connect future consequences with present actions.”
“You use diet to control your body fat level and boost muscle growth, and you use training to gain and maintain strength and muscle. Many people get this mixed up.”
“disabuse”
“When we’re constantly awash in dopamine, it’s all too easy to feel like one big itch that always needs scratching. And when we consider our neurons, overtargeted and overstimulated by the incessant and inescapable calls for consumption, it’s no surprise that the average person is an overweight procrastinator hooked on junk food, entertainment, and social media.”
“Thus, as the Bigger Leaner Stronger program is intended for men who have yet to gain their first 20-to-30 pounds of muscle, it entails 9-to-12 hard sets per major muscle group per week—the appropriate amount of volume for that goal. Eventually, however, that’s not enough volume to keep progressing, which is why in the sequel to this book, Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger, intended for intermediate and advanced weightlifters, the volume increases to around 15 hard sets per major muscle group per week.”
“Cholesterol is not found in foods made from plants.”
“When the exact restaurant’s take on the dish isn’t listed, search for it on CalorieKing, look for “Average All Brands,” and, again, add 20 percent to the calories.”
“When cutting, eat about 75 percent of your average TDEE. For most men, this comes out to 10 to 12 calories per pound of body weight per day.”
“You use your lean bulking phases to add muscle and your cutting phases to strip away fat, and along the way, assess your physique to see how far you still have to go to look the way you want to look.”
“Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and bangs against the walls of the intestines, causing damage that must be repaired. Research shows this process stimulates cellular regeneration and helps maintain intestinal health and function.3 Good sources of insoluble fiber include whole-grain foods like brown rice, barley, and wheat bran; beans; certain vegetables like peas, green beans, and cauliflower; and the skins of some fruits like plums, grapes, kiwis, and tomatoes.”
“Research shows that soluble fiber is metabolized by bacteria in the colon, and can increase fecal output by stimulating the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria and fatty acids.1 Because of this, soluble fiber is an important source of fuel for the colon.2 Good sources of soluble fiber include beans; peas; oats; certain fruits like plums, bananas, and apples; and certain vegetables like broccoli, sweet potatoes, and carrots.”
“Progress can cut both ways because the satisfaction it produces can become complacency, a powerful catalyst for weakening willpower.”
“This paradox has been demonstrated in a number of studies. For example, research conducted by scientists at the University of Chicago found that when people were led to believe they were closing in on their weight loss goals, they were 32 percent more likely to choose a chocolate bar for a snack over an apple.39”
“Those with higher levels of willpower do better in school, earn more money, make better leaders, and are generally happier, healthier, and less stressed, have better social and romantic relationships, and tend to live longer.”
