madman
Super Moderator
The American College of Sports Medicine just released its first update to the resistance training guidelines in 17 years. The senior author is here to break it all down.
Dr. Spencer and Dr. Karl sit down with Dr. Stuart Phillips, senior author of the new ACSM Position Stand on resistance training, to cut through the noise and get back to what the science actually says about lifting weights.137 systematic reviews. Over 30,000 participants. And the answer, more often than not, is simpler than the internet wants you to believe.
They cover everything from how many days a week you actually need to lift, whether rep ranges really matter for hypertrophy, why gardening is somehow listed as a strengthening activity in public health guidelines, and what power training has to do with not falling down when you get older.
If you have patients, clients, or friends who are confused about how to build a lifting program, this is the episode to send them.
What you'll learn:
* Why the ACSM updated its resistance training guidelines after 17 years
* How many days per week and sets per muscle group actually move the needle
* The real rep range for hypertrophy and why 8 to 12 is not the only answer
* Why you need to lift heavy if you want to get stronger, full stop
* What power training is and why it matters more as you age
* Eccentric training, blood flow restriction, and length partials explained simply
* Why periodization might not matter as much as people think for most people
* The biggest barrier to resistance training and how to lower it
Timestamps
0:00 – Intro and Meet Dr. Stuart Phillips, Senior Author of the ACSM Position Stand
1:09 – Why Update the Guidelines After 17 Years?
2:30 – Social Media Misinformation and Why Evidence Based Guidelines Matter Now
4:03 – How the Review Was Done, 137 Systematic Reviews and 30,000 Participants
6:00 – Lifting Weights Makes You Stronger, What Else Did We Learn?
7:28 – The 2009 Guidelines vs 2026, What Actually Changed
9:23 – Who Are These Guidelines Actually For?
10:04 – Gardening Is Listed as a Strengthening Activity and We Have Questions
11:02 – Pilates, Yoga and Body Weight, Where Do They Fit?
12:20 – The Top Takeaways, Starting With Rep Ranges
13:07 – If You Want to Get Stronger You Have to Lift Heavy, Full Stop
14:09 – Hypertrophy Happens Across a Much Wider Rep Range Than We Thought
15:08 – Lighter Weights Build Muscle But Do Not Build a Higher Max
16:18 – Lowering Barriers, How to Get People to Actually Start
18:05 – Equipment Matters Less Than You Think, Dumbbells, Bands, Machines All Work
19:29 – A Patient Focused Approach to Starting Resistance Training
20:36 – How Many Days Per Week Do You Actually Need to Lift?
22:24 – Full Body vs Split Training, What Works for Most People
24:00 – The Simplest Effective Workout You Can Do in 20 Minutes
26:32 – How Many Sets Per Muscle Group for Hypertrophy
28:42 – Circuit Training, Supersets and Rest Periods
29:56 – Periodization, Is It Actually Necessary for Most People?
32:30 – Volume, Sessions Per Week and When Diminishing Returns Set In
34:26 – Power Training, Why It Matters More as You Get Older
37:52 – Eccentric Training and Whether Negatives Are Worth It
43:28 – Time Under Tension, Does It Actually Matter?
44:28 – Blood Flow Restriction, Niche Tool or Useful Strategy?
47:50 – Final Thoughts and Where to Follow Dr. Stuart Phillips
ACSM Unveils Landmark 2026 Resistance Training Guidelines — First Update in 17 Years
Understand the key points of the ACSM Resistance Training Guidelines for effective muscle building and overall fitness improvement.
acsm.org
