Dr. Milo Wolf

In this recent review paper by Havers et al and across 122 studies, small muscle gains (~2-3%) were associated with ~4% lower fat and modest reductions in HbA1c and fasting glucose. Most human data come from resistance training, while cleaner causal evidence appeared in animal and drug models.

Overall, building muscle seems beneficial for body composition and blood sugar, though more research is needed to fully understand the "why!" That said, the takeaway of "just lift" still stands, given the multitude of health benefits even very low doses of lifting can offer

20 hours ago | [YT] | 111

Dr. Milo Wolf

I've been picking up some more basketball for cardio and fun recently.

Combining hypertrophy training and other sports/hobbies is definitely feasible - it just takes the right program.

If you want a clear, personalised plan built around your structure, schedule, and goals, book a free coaching call below and let’s improve your training! calendly.com/milowolf/30min

5 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 120

Dr. Milo Wolf

We're in the process of conducting a meta-analysis of 50 or so studies on the stretch: stay tuned. In the meantime: all studies comparing lengthened partials to a full range of motion have found that partials lead to Similar or greater growth than a full range, whether beginners or trained lifters.

1 week ago | [YT] | 148

Dr. Milo Wolf

If you’ve been struggling with a training, nutrition, or recovery puzzle you just can’t quite crack, I’m here to help.

I offer 1:1 consultations where we can dive deep into your specific questions, troubleshoot what’s holding you back, and map out clear next steps tailored to you.

You can book a session using the link below 👇

wolfcoaching.com/coaching/p/expert-consultation

1 week ago | [YT] | 140

Dr. Milo Wolf

Q&A Video Upcoming

Drop all your questions in the comments below, and I'll answer as many of them as possible in an upcoming video!

Thank you guys 🙏

1 week ago | [YT] | 47

Dr. Milo Wolf

The first study to explore the effects of long muscle length isometric versus full range of motion isotonic training on regional quadriceps hypertrophy is now officially published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

Key findings:

➡️Both conditions resulted in small increases in quadriceps femoris muscle thickness in a 6-week intervention. Based on between-condition point estimates, there was no clear evidence for a meaningful difference in hypertrophy between isometric and isotonic training for the summed anterior or lateral thigh regions.

➡️While results suggest minor regional differences in hypertrophic response, the overall uncertainty in the majority of the between-condition estimates as reflected by HDIs overlapping zero at all sites, requires caution when drawing practical inferences on the topic.

➡️One finding worth highlighting is the proximal site of the anterior thigh, which showed the greatest directional shift in favor of the isometric condition (0.11 cm [-0.24,
0.02]), with 82% of the posterior distribution exceedin the region of practical equivalence, suggesting a practically relevant effect may be possible, albeit uncertain, based on the current data.

➡️Although some have argued that isometric training is inferior to traditional RT, our data do not support such claims.

➡️From a practical perspective, performing isometrics may be a viable option for individuals with joint limitations or injuries that prevent them from performing full ROM.

➡️When reading and interpreting the findings, we advise caution as this is far from a closed case and note that this study was intended as a proof-of-principle. We hope future studies will use and build upon our methods to provide even more nuanced answers to the questions at hand.

All the R code used for analyses and supplementary materials can be found on the project OSF link within the paper.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 113

Dr. Milo Wolf

Our new meta-analysis on tempo for hypertrophy, spearheaded by the one and only Alysson Enes, was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

The main advantage of this meta-analysis is that it isolated the effects of eccentric vs. concentric repetition tempo on muscle hypertrophy, unlike prior reviews that lumped total rep duration together.

Here's what we found:
1) Minimal overall effect of tempo on hypertrophy: Both faster (~1s) and slower (~3.5s) repetition tempos produced similar muscle growth, with only trivial
differences favoring faster tempos (pooled SMD = 0.09;
95%Crl: -0.04 to 0.22).
2) Eccentric vs. concentric tempos: Subgroup analyses showed trivial-to-small effects regardless of whether eccentric or concentric tempos were manipulated, suggesting neither phase has a consistent tempo-related advantage for hypertrophy.
3) Body region and training to failure: No significant tempo-related differences were observed between upper- and lower-body muscle groups.
4) No clear superiority of "very slow" training: Extremely slow tempos (≥4s) did not confer additional hypertrophic benefits and may not be necessary unless dictated by clinical or contextual factors.

Overall, a wide range of repetition tempos (~0.25-4.5 seconds) can effectively stimulate hypertrophy, allowing flexibility in training prescription based on individual needs, goals, or constraints.

Another amazing team effort by the Applied Muscle Development Lab!

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 223

Dr. Milo Wolf

This post is more for those who aren't already into lifting but want to improve their health, fitness and gain some muscle.

It's yet another reminder that even a little bit of intentional lifting, just 5-10 minutes, still counts. Sure, it may not tick every health and fitness box, but it's far better than doing nothing.

If you're struggling to get into lifting, remember: even a few hard sets a week can make a real difference. The same goes for walking. Going from 2,000 to 5,000 steps is still a meaningful win for your health.

Just do your best to do something and remind yourself that it counts!

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 180

Dr. Milo Wolf

Steven’s transformation from off season to getting shredded and competing in men's physique is a great example of what happens when training and nutrition are tailored properly while utilizing science.

If you want a clear, personalised plan built around your structure, schedule, and goals, book a free coaching call below and let’s build your physique properly:

calendly.com/milowolf/30min

1 month ago | [YT] | 82

Dr. Milo Wolf

Bring the bros back!

1 month ago | [YT] | 152