How to Build Muscle & Strength at Any Age The Real Science of Resistance Training – with Professor
Tony Boutagy, PhD
13,688 views
🎓 Register now for the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au
📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagy
🎧 Listen on all platforms → https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yydg6y...
In this episode, I sit down with Professor Tommy Lundberg - one of the world’s leading experts in muscle physiology and the science of aging.
Tommy’s research has changed how we understand muscle loss, gender differences, and the impact of strength training across the lifespan.
We break down the real evidence behind building and maintaining muscle, why most “menopause muscle myths” fall apart under data, and what actually works for strength, power, and longevity.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – How Tommy’s resistance training textbook bridges science and coaching
03:00 – The real life cycle of muscle: when strength, power, and muscle mass peak and decline
08:00 – Why power drops faster than muscle mass as we age
12:00 – Menopause, gender, and muscle: what the data actually shows
16:00 – Are special programs needed for women after 50?
19:00 – Strength vs. power vs. muscle mass: practical training variables that matter
22:00 – Task failure vs. “reps in reserve”: how hard do you really need to train?
25:00 – Weekly frequency: how much resistance training is optimal for most people?
27:00 – How much training volume do you really need for muscle vs. strength?
30:00 – Anti-inflammatories, medications & muscle growth: what’s supported by research?
34:00 – Recovery tools: cold water, antioxidants, and what helps or hinders gains
36:00 – The science of concurrent training: can you build muscle and endurance together?
39:00 – The “interference effect” - myth or reality?
41:00 – Should you separate aerobic and strength sessions (and who actually needs to)?
44:00 – Does fitness (VO2 max) predict your ability to recover between sets?
47:00 – Gender differences in recoverability and muscle endurance
48:00 – Tommy’s current research and where to learn more
Guest Bio:
Professor Tommy Lundberg is a leading muscle physiologist, author, and researcher at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. His work on concurrent training, gender differences, muscle adaptation, and real-world training outcomes has changed how we think about exercise at every age. He is the author of the acclaimed The Physiology of Resistance Training and an active voice in global sports science.
Resources & Links:
• Professor Tommy Lundberg’s Research Profile (PubMed) → https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term...
• The Physiology of Resistance Training (Book) → https://www.amazon.com/Physiology-Res...
• The Effects of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training on Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis → https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35476...
• Follow Tommy on Instagram & X → @tlexercise
17 Comments
My rowing improved significantly when I started monitoring and increasing my resistance training via compound exercises and I did not see improvements in strength when I was rowing an hour per day.
How to Build Muscle & Strength at Any Age The Real Science of Resistance Training – with Professor
Tony Boutagy, PhD
13,688 views
🎓 Register now for the 9-Week Science of Thriving Course → https://scienceofthriving.com.au
📲 Follow us on Instagram → @tonyboutagy
🎧 Listen on all platforms → https://open.spotify.com/show/5Yydg6y...
In this episode, I sit down with Professor Tommy Lundberg - one of the world’s leading experts in muscle physiology and the science of aging.
Tommy’s research has changed how we understand muscle loss, gender differences, and the impact of strength training across the lifespan.
We break down the real evidence behind building and maintaining muscle, why most “menopause muscle myths” fall apart under data, and what actually works for strength, power, and longevity.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – How Tommy’s resistance training textbook bridges science and coaching
03:00 – The real life cycle of muscle: when strength, power, and muscle mass peak and decline
08:00 – Why power drops faster than muscle mass as we age
12:00 – Menopause, gender, and muscle: what the data actually shows
16:00 – Are special programs needed for women after 50?
19:00 – Strength vs. power vs. muscle mass: practical training variables that matter
22:00 – Task failure vs. “reps in reserve”: how hard do you really need to train?
25:00 – Weekly frequency: how much resistance training is optimal for most people?
27:00 – How much training volume do you really need for muscle vs. strength?
30:00 – Anti-inflammatories, medications & muscle growth: what’s supported by research?
34:00 – Recovery tools: cold water, antioxidants, and what helps or hinders gains
36:00 – The science of concurrent training: can you build muscle and endurance together?
39:00 – The “interference effect” - myth or reality?
41:00 – Should you separate aerobic and strength sessions (and who actually needs to)?
44:00 – Does fitness (VO2 max) predict your ability to recover between sets?
47:00 – Gender differences in recoverability and muscle endurance
48:00 – Tommy’s current research and where to learn more
Guest Bio:
Professor Tommy Lundberg is a leading muscle physiologist, author, and researcher at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. His work on concurrent training, gender differences, muscle adaptation, and real-world training outcomes has changed how we think about exercise at every age. He is the author of the acclaimed The Physiology of Resistance Training and an active voice in global sports science.
Resources & Links:
• Professor Tommy Lundberg’s Research Profile (PubMed) → https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term...
• The Physiology of Resistance Training (Book) → https://www.amazon.com/Physiology-Res...
• The Effects of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training on Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis → https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35476...
• Follow Tommy on Instagram & X → @tlexercise