Bit of a mixed bag for you today, with three unrelated topics.
First, we look into why athletes on anabolic–androgenic steroids so often experience tendon injuries. As far as we can remember, a possible explanation has been that the tendons can’t keep up with the fast gains of muscle mass and strength from AAS use, but new evidence indicates that there’s more going on here!
Second, there’s growing evidence that isometric training at long muscle lengths can build equal amounts of muscle as traditional full-range-of-motion training. We have a new study on isometric training in resistance-trained subjects that’s kind of cool, and we break it down for you.
Finally, we got a question about lifting belts on our subreddit. What do they contribute, and is it worth buying one?
Timestamps:
- 05:00 – Use of anabolic steroids and increased risk of tendon injuries
- 16:10 – Isometrics done at long muscle lengths build muscle better than full ROM?
- 26:15 – What’s the point of lifting belts, and when should you use one?
(If you want to listen to the older episode we mention, about testosterone replacement treatment, it’s episode 77.)
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This is episode 84 of the podcast. Check out the five previous episodes below:
- Episode 83: Rest Time Might Be Overrated if Volume Is Matched
- Episode 82: To Keep Getting Stronger You Probably Need to Train More
- Episode 81: How to Train the Bench Press for Big, Explosive Pecs
- Episode 80: Ultra-Processed vs Unprocessed Foods – Looking past the Macros
- Episode 79: How Do You Reduce Muscle Soreness? New Q&A!
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