Dynamic Dialogue with Danny Matranga - 110 - Q+A: Training Volume, Smith Machine for Gains, Reevaluating Goals + More

Episode Date: July 21, 2021

In this episode, Danny answers listeners questions.---Thanks For Listening!---RESOURCES/COACHING: I am all about education and that is not limited to this podcast! Feel free to grab a FREE guide (Nutrition, Training, Macros, Etc!) HERE! Interested in Working With Coach Danny and His One-On-One Coaching Team? Click HERE! Want To Have YOUR Question Answered On an Upcoming Episode of DYNAMIC DIALOGUE? You Can Submit It HERE!Want to Support The Podcast AND Get in Better Shape? Grab a Program HERE!----SOCIAL LINKS: Sign up for the trainer mentorship HEREFollow Coach Danny on INSTAGRAMFollow Coach Danny on TwitterFollow Coach Danny on FacebookGet More In-Depth Articles Written By Yours’ Truly HERE!Support the Show.

Hey everybody, welcome into another episode of the Dynamic Dialogue Podcast. As always, I'm your host, Danny Matrenga, and in today's episode, I'll be answering some of your questions, particularly those related to things like fitness, nutrition, and getting in better shape. Before we get too into the weeds though, I wanted to give you guys a little update on what I've been working on. Firstly, I'm about to launch my new coaching company, Core Coaching Method. This is the kind of culmination of 10 years of coaching clients in person and online, as well as spending a lot of time as an educator in our space.

I got started in a big box gym 10 years ago and worked my way through college making money on the side as a personal trainer. Within a couple months, that became a full-time job and within just a year, I had moved into management and one of my primary roles was finding trainers and helping them develop and build their own businesses inside of that setting. I've had the opportunity to make some amazing connections and build some fabulous relationships with amazing trainers, those of whom I've had a pretty big impression on how they look at the world of training because, of course, I helped find them and develop them. So our philosophies are really similar, and these are people who I can trust.

And I'm in a position that I think is absolutely amazing, where I have more people applying every week for online coaching than I can reasonably work with. And even with intake calls and trying to figure out who's going to be the best fit, the number of people who need my help and who are drawn to the way I approach fitness, whether that's on social media, on my blogs, on YouTube, whatever, the number of people who are asking me for help is greater than I can actually help in a way that I'm happy with. And what I mean by that is a lot of coaches will have 50 to 100 online clients, and it won't be very personalized. There won't be a lot of communication. And that's not my style. Like I said, 10 years ago, I got started

working with clients one-on-one, face-to-face, and I still do that today because I really enjoy it. And so I wanted to create a coaching company that allowed me to blend everything that I've learned about coaching clients in person and everything I've learned over the years of coaching clients online and really create a service and a product that's quite a bit different, something that feels very personal, something that allows you to feel really connected with your coach, feel like you have the elements of in-person coaching and communication with the kind of cost effectiveness and practicality of online coaching. And I know the sweet spot for me with clients is between 20 to 25. And right now I'm pretty tapped out.

And so core coaching method is coming along at a fantastic time. And I'll be bringing on coaches who I'm really, really excited to introduce you guys to. Many of them will be coming on the podcast as guests. And core is going to be more than just a coaching company. I'm going to have online coaching offerings available for everyone, regardless of your fitness level. If you are somebody who wants to compete at the highest level of bodybuilding or powerlifting, we'll have offerings for you. If you're looking to just get back in shape after maybe taking two years off because of the pandemic, we will be able to meet you where you're at. Regardless of your gym setting, whether you work out at an incredible facility or you work out from home with just a little bit of equipment,

we will have online coaching offerings fit to help you reach the levels of fitness that you want to achieve, the goals you've always had are within reach. Additionally, CORE is also going to offer direct-to that to you. And all of the clients who work with us at Core will get actual insights and programming considerations tailored to them. And if there are injuries, we will work with Kratos to make sure that we make good programming selections for you. One of the cool things about this is every client at Core is going to have their program reviewed by not just myself and the other coaches, but also our sports performance team at Kratos. So this is going to be really, really cool stuff for you guys. That's going to be super unique. And I think it's really going to hopefully provide a product that stands above the rest in the online coaching space. But if you're not a huge online coaching person and you need that direct face-to-face, but you're not ready to go back to the gym,

there's also going to be Zoom or video interface coaching available for people who want to train at home with a trainer to directly oversee them. A lot of clients are training from home still. I realize that this might not be where you're at, but for people who are just new to things and getting started, having eyes on them can be really powerful. So Core also has offerings for one-to-one Zoom interface coaching where your coach will actually be able to watch you while you train, give you form adjustments, give you cues and considerations so that you can train to the

best of your ability. And I'm planning on that launching on Monday of next week. And I'm very, very excited to share that with you guys. So that's kind of been the big thing that I've been working on is bringing this to market as well as developing the new website, which is going to be loaded with blogs, free guides, free sample programs, as well as the programs that you guys have come to know and love here like Female Physique, Foundations, and Power Build. So a lot of cool stuff coming your way, but that's really been kind of the bulk of what I've been working on lately and I'm really, really excited to share it with you guys. of what I've been working on lately, and I'm really, really excited to share it with you guys. So without further ado, let's get into the questions. First one comes from at miles haws, and he asks, what is LMNT and why is it good for a lifter? So LMNT or elemental labs is our new

sponsor here on the podcast in a new brand partnership that I've inked for myself. LMNT is an electrolyte supplement. So it's sodium, potassium, and magnesium. And electrolytes are particularly important for helping you maintain hydration if you lose a lot of water due to sweat or fluid loss. And so these kinds of supplements are particularly beneficial for people who train outside. You got to remember, I train five days a week out of my garage in the hot California sun, so I lose a lot of fluid to sweat. So a supplemental electrolyte makes a lot of sense for me. Another thing that I do is I spend a lot of time in the sauna, up to two hours a week if I do four 30-minute sessions. And so that's a lot of fluid that I'm losing too. Not everybody salts their food heavily enough to replace the sodium lost in sweat. Many of us do.

But if you don't, a supplemental electrolyte like LMNT might be a fantastic addition. Also, I find, anecdotally, I get way better pumps, way better vascularity, when I have a little bit of LMNT in my water when training. That little extra bit of sodium helps me saturate that much better, become that much more hydrated more quickly. And I really, really enjoy the flavors. I also like that there's no added sugar and only 10 calories. And again, I know I just brought up the flavors,

but mango chili, citrus salt, grapefruit salt. Are you kidding me? These things are awesome, super refreshing, and I really, really enjoy it. So that's what LMNT is. And there will be more on that coming soon. I haven't gotten everything hammered away, but do be sure to pay close attention because lots of cool things coming between myself and Elemental Labs. So this question comes from, this is Nezi. And she asks, is the Smith machine hip thrust as effective

as the barbell hip thrust? I actually like this question a lot. And I do find is the Smith machine hip thrust as effective as the barbell hip thrust? I actually like this question a lot. And I do find that the Smith machine hip thrust is a really good movement. I think we poo-poo the Smith machine a lot in this space, the fitness space that is, because it's on a fixed path. And so it's very difficult to do things like squats and deadlifts on a Smith machine. And remember, a Smith machine is a fixed barbell. So when you're using it, you're probably doing barbell lifts. Some Smith machines are better than others. And a lot of it really depends on the actual angle that the bar

is going to follow or the angle of the track that the bar is on. Some are slightly angled, whether that be forward or backwards, making it somewhat difficult to do things like squats and deadlifts. Now, a Smith machine that's straight up and down isn't exactly that much better, but it is better for something like a hip thrust. See, what I like about the Smith machine hip thrust is the bar's on a fixed path and it's a little bit more stable. It's also very easy to load and unload weight when doing the Smith machine hip thrust as well. So that might allow you in the long run to train a little bit heavier with a little bit more ease. Now, I certainly don't like it for, like I've mentioned, squats or deadlifts. But as far as lower body barbell movements go, I think the Smith Machine hip thrust is fine.

I think it's just as good as the barbell hip thrust. And if it allows you to create more meaningful tension, creating a better contraction of the glutes in the shortened position, I think it's a fine lift. And even though I'm not a huge proponent of the Smith machine, I think of all of the Smith machine variations, the Smith machine hip thrust might actually be my favorite. So the next question comes from Rachel Ware, and she asks another Smith machine question. Here we go. Can you make progress using just a Smith machine cables and dumbbells? No barbell. Absolutely. I really love cable weight training in general. I find that being able to have a consistent resistance profile, meaning you pretty much have the same weight at every portion of the contractile range, unlike free weights,

I find that cable training is really effective for particularly hypertrophy progress, right? Hypertrophy meaning muscle growth. One of the things I don't exactly love about this trio, right? Cables, hip dumbbells, and Smith machine is we only have a barbell on the Smith machine, which means, like I just said, we're probably going to be good to go for things like the hip thrust, but we only have a barbell on the Smith machine, which means, like I just said, we're probably going to be good to go for things like the hip thrust, but we might struggle a little bit with squats and deadlifts. So I might opt instead for things like dumbbell, Romanian deadlifts, as a way to train my hip hinging mechanic, as well as things like codlet squats or walking lunges

to hit my quads a little bit in place of things like barbell squats. So I think you could do a phenomenal job training with just dumbbells and cables. I think you want to be intelligent about selecting movements to replace the Romanian deadlift, the deadlift, the squat, a lot of your barbell movements with good dumbbell variations, but I absolutely think that it can be done. I think you'll have a pretty easy time creating hypertrophy, but it might be a little bit more difficult if your goal is maximal strength. I think that's fair. Hey guys, just wanted to take a quick second to say thanks so much for listening to the podcast. And if you're finding value, it would mean the world to me if you would share it on your social media. Simply screenshot whatever platform you're

listening to and share the episode to your Instagram story or share it to Facebook. But be sure to tag me so I can say thanks and we can chat it up about what you liked and how I can continue to improve. Thanks so much for supporting the podcast and enjoy the rest of the episode. Next question comes from Soph Schrader. She says, how to strengthen the forearms. I feel like my forearms limit me when I'm lifting. So this is a really good question and something that's worth talking about. When new lifters start training, the muscles of your grip, and I use grip here as a verb, are the muscles of your forearms, right? So if you take your hand right now and you make a fist and just make a fist, contract, make the biggest fist you can, look down at your elbow, make a fist, relax, make a fist and just make a fist contract to make the biggest fist you can look down at your elbow make a fist relax make a fist relax you'll notice

you notice contraction throughout the forearm all the way from your wrist up to your elbow now take that same hand and relax it and wiggle your fingers around as fast as you can and you'll notice that you probably see movement in that forearm as well and that's because the muscles of your grip or the muscles in your hands travel all the way up to your elbow in many cases. So those grip muscles occupy the lower compartment of the arm or the forearm. And when we're just starting weightlifting, we have to do a lot of gripping. And it stands to reason that the muscles of your lower body, your shoulders,

your lats, your pecs as well, are a little bit stronger maybe than what your small forearm compartment muscles can handle. So you might end up noticing that your grip fatigues really, really quickly early in your training career and it takes a while to build up grip strength or the grip strength required to not necessarily notice your grip constantly giving out. Like I noticed a lot of times with new lifters, their forearm pumps are so substantial. They're so intense. They have to put the weight down a lot. This is really, really common and it tends to go away the longer that you've been training. Now, if you've been training a while and you feel like the strength of your grip is limiting your progress on things

like deadlifts, pull-ups, or pull-downs, one of the things that you can do is actually work to strengthen your grip by doing what I would call more functional grip training or functional strength training for your grip, right? Rather than just saying, oh, I get all my grip training from doing pull-downs or pull-ups or deadlifts, you might try things like farmer carries or plate pinches or even get something like a sidewinder to actually develop the musculature of your forearms. Even just hanging from the bar is a really good way to do that. And so actively working to develop your grip strength is a really good way to go. Now, if you don't care about your grip strength and your primary goal is hypertrophy, getting some wrist straps or wrist wraps is a really, really effective way to do that.

So you can just get wrist wraps and straps and you can just go ahead and kind of bypass your grip weakness and cut straight to the point and make sure that your grip isn't a limiting factor for you training the other muscles. So as a lifter, you just kind of need to decide, okay, how is it, uh, what is it really that I'm trying to do here? Am I trying to develop muscles or am I trying to develop grip or would I like a mix of both? That's how you're going to determine what you want to do. Next question from Katie May Main. She asks, how many sets, range of sets, should be programmed per body part per week for hypertrophy? So my answer here is usually somewhere between 10 and 20.

Depending on the muscle group, depending on your training age, you might want to go more than 20. A lot of that also depends on frequency. But I find that between 10 to 20 sets per muscle group is more than sufficient for developing hypertrophy. Now, if you're a new trainer or trainee, I should say, I would almost always opt for a lower number. If you're a more advanced trainee, I might push higher into the 20s and maybe beyond. Each muscle group is unique. Some of us have muscle groups that respond better to

training than others. So if you, for example, have a really strong, powerful, well-developed chest and you're fine with where that's at, you might want to allocate some of the volume from your chest sets over to muscle groups that you more perhaps would desire to develop. So if that might be your back, you might say, oh, I was doing 15 sets of back and 15 sets of chest, but I'm going to borrow five sets from my chest volume and add it to my back volume because my chest just seems to develop a little easier. That's very reasonable and a totally fine way to go about this. I find it works really, really well to pay close attention to how each muscle responds to particular amounts of training and to just go from there.

And so if you land between 10 to 20, you'll have no problem adjusting as you go along. Next question comes from Manda Rose, and Manda asks, what is or when is a good point to recalibrate fitness goals? Every three, maybe six months. And I think it's fine to recalibrate your goals on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Pay close attention to where you're at and be very aware of what it is that your body is doing, how you're feeling about your goals. But I think a monthly basis is fine. So after the end of each month or each training block, you go, okay, how did that go? What do I want to focus on? When the clients that I work with online, I always ask them at the end of each training block, what did you like? What did you

not like? What would you like to see more of moving forward? I'm going to create the program regardless, but I like a little input because I find when clients tell me what they're inspired and motivated to work on, they tend to do better. If they can remain enthusiastic and excited about what they're doing in the gym, they tend to perform better in the gym. That's not rocket science. So keeping it very simple. Lastly, guys, as we wrap up this Q&A episode, I wanted to talk a little bit about something that's been happening on my Instagram. I wanted to talk a little bit about something that's been happening on my Instagram. Now, my Instagram is one of my primary vehicles for social media, and I want to make sure that it remains a space where people feel comfortable asking questions.

And there have been a few things that I've noticed that I'm not particularly cool with, and I felt like I should address them here. The first is there are a lot of men coming on my Instagram page and leaving really misogynistic comments about women. For example, I posted a post yesterday. It's one of my more popular posts where I really outlined the importance of introducing women to what I would call resistance training as a positive means to improve their body, their health and their wellbeing and not making it exclusively about aesthetics, not making it exclusively about, you know, being thin or skinny. And a guy comes along and he comments, women are inherently vain, blah, blah, blah. You can't help it. You can't change

it. Blah, blah, blah. That's not true. Another thing that came along was on the same post, a guy going, stop being so soft and cushy around these women. You know, you need to tell them how it is. You need to be real. You need to kick their ass. They don't respond well to this and that. And I was like, okay, uh, again, that is just blatantly bad coaching. A little bit of empathy goes a long way, but again, that is just blatantly bad coaching. A little bit of empathy goes a long way. But again, all of these things coming from men, and it's kind of driving me nuts. So if you're a follower of my social media

and you see comments like this, please feel free to flag them. Let these people know that these kinds of things aren't appropriate, nor are they warranted on my page. I can't catch them all. I've tried to shut down as many of them as I can. Um, but I feel like these are inappropriate and they don't belong on the internet. And I'm not saying that you guys need to be the caption police or the comment police, but if you, if I find them inappropriate and you find them inappropriate, you have my,

you certainly have, uh, my, I'll give you the green light to shut these people down because I feel like it's really inappropriate. And I feel like the misogynistic comments on my page, I'm not super thrilled about because my following is mostly women. And I don't want women to be exposed to, not that they're not exposed to already, but dumb asses on the internet making really rude comments. And if I don't have the opportunity to catch them, you have the green light to let these people know that those kinds of things are inappropriate. Another kind of comment that I got, and this is literally the inverse was on the post that I did about combination exercises from influencers. And I used the phrase, nobody or something like nobody ever made gains doing squat curl press to twerk. And one woman came on and left the comment,

you just hate women. Sounds like you hate women, just saying. And I felt like that was inappropriate and I felt like it was a very myopic view. I felt like it was somebody coming to my page and leaving a really, really emotionally charged response on a page that I think really promotes a lot of positive ideals and ideas to women. So I wanted to be sure that I touched base with my audience that I feel the most intimately connected with, and that's my podcast audience. And so if you guys feel like at any point I've kind of crossed that line, please feel free to send me an email. I'm always working on doing better and delivering information in the most, I guess you could say, reasonable way possible. I don't like to overly make appeals to sensitivity, and I'm certainly

not one to pull punches. But again, I have a responsibility as somebody who has a mostly female audience to deliver quality content that isn't misogynistic. And I've caught a lot of it, and it's off-putting to me. But when somebody lumps me in with that, again, even though I blatantly disagree with this person, I might have my own biases and I might miss some of my own blind spots. So feel free to send me an email at Danny at coach Danny Matringa dot com. And then the last one, and I actually I couldn't even give this one the time of day. I just it kind of shocked me was a woman who came on the same post that I just mentioned about the squat overhead press curl to twerk and she basically said that

These kinds of combination exercises only work for black people. They don't work for white people She was upset that I used no cap in my caption She said that I was appropriating that terminology from the black community and attributing it instead to the young community because I said the phrase, I think this is what the kids are saying these days. And so again, this kind of stuff, while I understand it exists on the internet, I feel like these are really silly things to leave behind and comments to leave behind. So moving forward, if you catch people leaving blatantly misogynistic comments or myopic comments or inappropriate comments or, you know, kind of baiting people into discussions about things that are really

sensitive and perhaps, in my opinion, at least in this most recent instance, completely kind of trying to bring things like race or politics into these posts, go ahead and engage and shut that stuff down. It's just, it's not the place for it. And I want to make sure that that page remains a place that's mostly educational, fun, can have a little bit of poking around without everybody being coming totally up in arms and combative. I don't want that kind of stuff on my page. I'm going to do my best to make sure that I'm not contributing to that kind of stuff on my page. Like I said, I'm sure I have

my blind spots. I'm sure there's things I'm not aware of. But in general, I want to make sure that I'm not contributing to that kind of stuff on my page. Like I said, I'm sure I have my blind spots. I'm sure there's things I'm not aware of. But in general, I want to make this page as accessible as possible for people across the fitness spectrum, regardless of race, color, creed, socioeconomic status, religious or political preference. I want people to be able to come to my page and learn. And a few things that are not going to allow that space to really flourish are people coming and leaving really shitty comments or people leaving myopic comments that don't really take the whole picture into account. So bear with me guys as we kind of, as this page grows and things continue to develop in that area, I'll have to continue to shut that stuff down, but you guys are more than welcome to

do that. So thanks again for all of your listenership. You are so appreciated. Multiple episodes coming your way this week. I'm going to be very busy recording. Pretty darn excited, actually. This is just kind of a drop in the bucket episode where we're answering a few questions and I try out some of my new audio equipment. Lots of cool things coming your way.

Do be sure to leave me a five-star rating and review on iTunes. And if you'd like to support the show, head on over to www.coachedannymatranga.com, buy a program, read an article, read a blog, share it, share this podcast. There's so many ways that you can help me out. I'd be grateful if you're willing to do it in any capacity. Thanks so much for listening and have a good one.