Ep.2 - Resistance Training 101: building muscle for long-term health, with Eric Helms

For many of us, January starts with a new membership to the gym. Whether it’s your first time, or a glorious come back, chances are you’re thinking about a new routine. So where’s the best place to start? And maybe more importantly, what are we actually doing it for? What is resistance training, and why does it matter to be healthy?

In this episode of The Method, Greg and Charlie sit down with natural bodybuilder and Strength and Conditioning researcher Eric Helms, to demystify resistance training: what counts, what doesn’t, and what benefits building strength holds beyond building muscle or looking “toned”. 

We start with the science, exploring why muscle growth, strength, and power are foundational to a long-term quality of life. Eric breaks down why resistance training isn’t just for athletes or bodybuilders, and why women in particular should feel confident picking up weights.

From there, we move into the practice. With Eric, Greg and Charlie dive into routine advise you can adopt right now. We cover:

• “Training splits” or how to fit effective workouts into a tight schedule (16:28)
• How to achieve progress over time (20:11)
• Why resistance training can enhance endurance (23:36)
• The role played by hormonal cycles in training routines (25:41)

Spoiler alert: you don’t need huge volumes or perfect programming to start seeing results, especially in the beginning.

Finally, in the experience section, we talk about how to train when we don’t have a solid sleep routine, how yoga or mobility work can fit into resistance training, and how to interpret pain during sessions. Eric helps us figure out what can help us reach our goals. 

If you’re trying to train smarter, check out this conversation that will show you the ropes to make resistance training a part of your life. 

Links:

• Eric Helms - Research
• Eric Helms - Instagram
• Greg Potter - Website
• Greg Potter - Instagram
• Thriva - Website
  
  

If you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, you can email us a voice note, or simply write in with your question at themethod@thriva.co

About Thriva:

Thriva is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions. 

To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/.