Don Saladino: [00:00:00] It’s simply fascinating to me now. Everybody’s received this intelligent manner of twisting issues and justifying it. Do I believe it’s in Hollywood so much? Sure. Do I believe you’re going to see it in Hollywood extra now? Sure. As a result of loads of these hormones are going to turn into so simply obtainable to loads of these actors. And I believe it actually comes right down to, , who’s prepared to take that dive or not.
Don Saladino: And I’m actually not working with folks one-on-one anymore, but when I used to be, I assume it could get to a degree the place I’d be coaching individuals who most likely wouldn’t even inform me about it as a result of they’d most likely simply preserve it from me. And, , pay attention, I don’t assume anybody in Hollywood—that is going to be type of a kick to loads of them—however I don’t assume anybody in Hollywood appears so wonderful that I’d say a human being can’t try this.
Mike Matthews: Hey, and welcome to a brand new episode of Muscle for Life. I’m your host, Mike Matthews. Thanks for becoming a member of me in the present day to listen to from Don Saladino on [00:01:00] how one can make diet and train work for very busy individuals who have very demanding and, in some circumstances, uncommon lives.
Mike Matthews: For instance, Hollywood stars, whom Don has labored extensively with, but additionally individuals who have restricted time for diet and train for different causes, like CEOs, folks engaged on Wall Road, and others. And as Don has over 25 years of expertise and has greater than 40,000 one-on-one teaching classes underneath his belt, he has rightfully earned a repute because the go-to coach for Hollywood stars, skilled athletes, and busy professionals.
Mike Matthews: On this episode, he’s going to speak about how he approaches diet and coaching with these folks. He’s additionally going to speak about [00:02:00] movie star transformations and the way what you see on the display isn’t all the time actuality. He discusses the function of lighting, and sure, he additionally talks about steroids. He shares his opinion on the function that steroids play in at the very least among the extra spectacular movie star transformations that we’ve seen over time.
Mike Matthews: Don talks about how he designs versatile and sustainable health and diet plans for his purchasers, and extra. We’ll get going with in the present day’s episode shortly, however first, I have to let you know in regards to the fish oil complement that I take each day. It’s known as Triton, and it’s from my sports activities diet firm, Legion.
Mike Matthews: Now, why do I take Triton each day? Properly, there are two causes. The primary is that fish oil is without doubt one of the greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, that are important for lowering the danger of varied varieties of illnesses, sustaining wholesome ranges of irritation, supporting psychological well being and cognitive operate, and extra.
Mike Matthews: The second purpose is that, whereas it’s potential to get sufficient omega-3 fatty acids out of your food plan alone, it may be troublesome to do for those who don’t repeatedly eat sufficient of sure meals like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and fatty fish. That is why analysis reveals that the typical individual’s food plan offers simply one-tenth of the quantity of omega-3s wanted to protect well being and stop illness.
Mike Matthews: Now, even for those who do eat sufficient of the suitable meals to get sufficient omega-3s in your food plan to take care of your well being, it’s just about not possible to eat sufficient to take pleasure in among the advantages that require a few grams per day—like lowering irritation ranges and muscle soreness after train. And people two causes are why I believe fish oil is without doubt one of the few dietary supplements that mainly everybody ought to contemplate [00:04:00] taking, no matter their circumstances or targets.
Mike Matthews: And that’s the reason Legion sells a fish oil complement. Once more, it’s known as Triton. And it’s not simply any fish oil complement, after all, as a result of at Legion, we don’t ever accept “adequate.” It’s a one hundred pc re-esterified triglyceride fish oil created from deep-water Peruvian anchovies and sardines caught by fisheries accredited by Mates of the Sea.
Mike Matthews: Now, that’s a mouthful, and it appears like loads of advertising and marketing puffery, however it’s not. First, re-esterified triglyceride fish oil is the gold commonplace of the totally different varieties available on the market as a result of it’s chemically just like the pure kind—the triglyceride kind—however due to the way it’s created, it’s extra bioavailable.
Mike Matthews: It’s extra proof against oxidation, accommodates considerably extra EPA and DHA (the precise omega-3 fatty acids we need to get from fish oil), and [00:05:00] has considerably fewer contaminants.
Mike Matthews: Now, second, concerning the fish that the oil comes from: small, cold-water, non-predatory fish like anchovies and sardines are superb as a result of they are often harvested ethically and sustainably, and so they comprise the bottom quantities of environmental toxins.
Mike Matthews: Third, Buddy of the Sea is a company that audits fisheries yearly to make sure they meet the best requirements of moral, environmental, and sustainable aquaculture.
Mike Matthews: And that’s not all that makes Triton particular. It additionally accommodates no synthetic meals dyes, fillers, or different pointless junk. Each bottle is analyzed for purity and efficiency in a state-of-the-art, ISO 17025-accredited lab.
Mike Matthews: Triton is made within the USA with globally sourced substances in NSF-certified and FDA-inspected services that adhere to present good manufacturing follow requirements. And all of [00:06:00] that’s the reason Legion has bought over 150,000 bottles of Triton to over 50,000 prospects, who’ve left over 1,000 five-star evaluations on Legion’s web site and Amazon.
Mike Matthews: And also you’ve achieved loads of that all through your profession. You’ve labored with loads of celebrities who must reside that manner. You’ve additionally labored with many busy businesspeople and others. These folks have distinctive and legit challenges, and it’s not the identical as giving easy, cookie-cutter recommendation to, let’s say, a 25-year-old child who has actually nothing however time.
Mike Matthews: They’ll simply sit within the health club for 4 hours a day. These are two very totally different folks. And you possibly can say, nicely, yeah, I imply, the elemental rules apply the identical. However the way you truly apply them efficiently modifications, proper?
Don Saladino: Yeah, 100%. And also you introduced up the movie star angle.
Don Saladino: I believe what most individuals don’t perceive is that they assume most of those Hollywood folks have personal cooks and trainers with them on a regular basis, and that all the pieces is simply simple. I’ve truly labored—I’ve skilled over 40,000 one-hour classes in my life. That’s how a lot teaching I’ve achieved since 1999.
Don Saladino: I used to be coaching just about 40 to 60 one-hour classes every week. I’m identified for it. I’m often called the man who was getting up at 3 a.m. to open my membership at 3:45. I’ve achieved extra teaching than—there are only a few individuals who’ve achieved extra teaching than I’ve.
Don Saladino: I’ve labored with every kind of individuals—from Wall Road executives to accommodate mothers, to skilled athletes, to Hollywood stars.
Don Saladino: And I believe what’s fascinating about celebrities is that their lives are all the time solely altering. For instance, the Wall Road individual wakes up each morning and they’re the identical individual. I get up each morning as Don Saladino. I’m in my dwelling in Lengthy Island. I’ve my two children, my three canine, and my spouse.
Don Saladino: I’ve my enterprise. I journey, however there’s a monotony to my schedule. It’s grounded.
Don Saladino: With loads of these celebrities, they must turn into totally different characters. They must turn into totally different folks for durations of time.
Don Saladino: A few of them can’t all the time bounce out and in of character. Some are extra what they name methodology actors, the place they keep within the function for a few months or no matter it’s. They’re continuously attempting to include an accent, or they’re doing this in a unique time zone.
Don Saladino: They must study new abilities for the function. , I don’t find out about you, however I didn’t develop up sword preventing. Numerous my actors who’re within the Marvel motion pictures immediately must do all these stunts they weren’t accustomed to doing.
Don Saladino: Being away from their household and dealing in these totally different environments the place the schedule is consistently altering will be powerful. One night time, they may be working in a single day, and the subsequent day, they’re on a day shift.
Don Saladino: Um, I don’t find out about you, however my schedule’s not like that. Positive, I alter time zones. Sure, I’ll be [00:11:00] in 4 or 5 totally different nations within the subsequent few months. No downside. That’s simple for me. However whenever you take somebody away from their household and put them in an unfamiliar atmosphere with a brand new crowd of individuals—
Don Saladino: Below the stress of figuring out that in the event that they get sick, they’ll’t take a time without work—it’s a totally totally different degree. I used to be pondering the opposite day about once I was with Ryan Reynolds on Deadpool. He received strolling pneumonia at one level. He’s not going to name in and say, “Hey, I’m not coming in.” That’s simply not the way it works.
Don Saladino: This isn’t like somebody working at Goldman Sachs who says, “Oh, I’ve a chilly. I’ll earn a living from home in the present day.” It doesn’t work that manner in Hollywood. If something, I discover that working with people in Hollywood is commonly tougher than working with skilled athletes.
Don Saladino: Positive, skilled athletes get injured, however so do actors. They’re breaking legs, breaking wrists, attempting to do their very own stunts in sure scenes, getting damage, breaking noses in battle scenes, doing issues most people doesn’t see. And so they’re not skilled for this, proper?
Don Saladino: Tom Brady was skilled to be a quarterback.
Mike Matthews: There’s additionally an [00:12:00] incentive for the proprietor of Tom Brady’s staff to maintain him within the sport for as a few years as potential.
Don Saladino: Yeah, I imply, actors come and go, too. So there’s all the time that strain. Abruptly, some critics evaluations their efficiency. In sports activities, it feels simpler to measure success as a result of it’s clear. If the New York Mets win a sport 5-0 and go on a successful streak, they’re doing nicely. They make the playoffs, or they make the World Collection. There’s the proof.
Don Saladino: However with a Hollywood actor, you’ll be able to have somebody with an amazing repute who goes in and delivers an exceptional efficiency, however there may be a nasty director.
Don Saladino: Or there may be dangerous modifying. Abruptly, a film that was alleged to be severe comes out wanting tacky, or it’s simply not what they anticipated. This occurs on a regular basis. Somebody’s profession can get smashed within the blink of a watch.
Don Saladino: All it takes is one interview or somebody catching you in a nasty temper, and immediately you’re a horrible [00:13:00] individual.
Don Saladino: There’s this strain in Hollywood that I’ve seen. And pay attention, I’ve no purpose to be saying this—I’m utterly impartial as a result of I work with everybody, or I’ve labored with everybody. So I believe there’s a respect I’ve for lots of those actors and what they must do.
Don Saladino: And, pay attention, loads of them don’t train. Once they must prepare for a film, they’ll come to me and say, “Properly, they’re telling me I’ve to get stronger and construct muscle.” I’ll ask, “What does that actually appear like? What do you imply?”
Don Saladino: They’ll say, “Properly, they mentioned I’ve to placed on 10 kilos.” I’ll reply, “Do you must truly placed on 10 kilos, or do you simply must get stronger and seem to have placed on 10 kilos?”
Don Saladino: As a result of these are very various things in my e-book. Or they’ll look very totally different in my e-book. Let’s go on Google, pull up some footage, and determine the physique you’re attempting to create.
Don Saladino: Over my 25-plus years of working with these folks, it’s been fascinating what number of totally different initiatives I’ve needed to analyze. Generally, it’s so simple as saying, “Nope. You’re high quality, you’ve received two months.” [00:14:00] You’re precisely the place they need you to be. Let’s simply keep wholesome, keep resilient, and preserve your power excessive. Let’s not push you to the purpose the place you go into capturing this function feeling like rubbish or utterly exhausted.
Don Saladino: Let’s be sure to preserve excessive power ranges. We don’t must overdo it, proper? It’s all the time a novel puzzle relying on what you’re serving to to create.
Mike Matthews: Once you’re working with celebrities, Wall Road guys, or anybody with difficult schedules, they’re typically restricted in how a lot time they’ll dedicate to coaching.
Mike Matthews: Additionally they don’t essentially have quick access to excellent diet. Virtually talking, for those who get right down to the tactical degree, how do you make that work for these folks? Once you’re creating their coaching and diet plans, what are among the stuff you’re contemplating? How do you lay it out for somebody who lives that type of life?
Don Saladino: Yeah, I imply, you’re speaking about creating, proper? You’ve received to get artistic. It doesn’t all the time imply coming in together with your “A-plan.” Actually, I don’t even know what my “A-plan” is as a result of what I do for myself each day is simply the life-style I reside 12 months a yr.
Don Saladino: Many of the actors or folks I’ve labored with don’t method it the best way I do. So, I believe it’s about assembly them the place they’re—understanding their general well being, power ranges, and staple items like sleep high quality, digestion, and stress.
Don Saladino: As a coach, you’re type of like a chef. When a chef is getting ready a dish, they’ll attempt various things, style as they go, and modify to make it work. Teaching is comparable. In case you’re a superb coach, you have a look at the person, their way of life, coaching historical past, and the time they’ve obtainable.
Don Saladino: Then you definitely contemplate their character. Are they somebody who follows guidelines simply, or are they somebody who struggles with construction? You’re taking all of that into consideration, after which you determine one of the best method for that individual.
Don Saladino: If I took my private plan and handed it to each one that needed to get ripped or in form, I don’t assume I’d be very profitable. Most individuals would have a look at it and say, “Yeah, no.”
Mike Matthews: They don’t want a coach for that—they might simply purchase a PDF on-line.
Don Saladino: Precisely. And who is aware of if that even works? The actual magic comes from understanding the individual and tailoring the method to their wants.
Don Saladino: Yeah. And who is aware of if that even works? I believe the magic actually comes right down to understanding: what are you attempting to create? For instance, when I’ve to prepare for a Muscle & Health cowl—which I’ve been on thrice since 2018—I don’t get loads of time to arrange. 4, perhaps 5 weeks tops.
Don Saladino: Throughout these 4 to 5 weeks, there’s no variability. Actually, there aren’t any cheat meals, not a sip of alcohol—not that I actually drink anyway. But it surely’s strict macros, coaching, and focus.
Don Saladino: Generally, once I work with folks, relying on their character, I’ll say, “Alright, we’re not far off. Hold that cheat meal you want each Saturday night time.” They’ll reply, “However, however, however…” And I’ll say, “No, significantly. We’ll have a look at you about 4 to 6 weeks out, and if we have to tighten issues up, we are going to. Proper now, the manufacturing firm says you’re proper the place you must be. Let’s give attention to maintaining your sanity.”
Don Saladino: Until you’re getting ready for one thing excessive—like {a magazine} cowl—you don’t have to go all-in on a regular basis. Let’s help you achieve success. It’s like these New Yr’s resolutions everyone seems to be diving into proper now.
Don Saladino: They need to go all in with out giving themselves any reduction. And, statistically, in a couple of weeks, loads of them gained’t be capable of sustain. So, yeah, this course of is so individualized. It’s so private.
Don Saladino: I promote applications on-line. I host challenges on my web site. However the purpose I do challenges is that I can coach a big group of individuals, discuss to them, and say, “We have to modify X, Y, and Z.” I assist them tweak their diet. It’s very hardly ever a one-size-fits-all resolution.
Mike Matthews: Are you able to [00:18:00] give some examples? I imply, it doesn’t must be celebrities, however perhaps just some totally different examples of approaches you are taking with folks—on each the coaching and diet sides. Like, “Right here’s a sort of individual I work with, and right here’s how we are inclined to method their plan,” versus one other sort of individual.
Don Saladino: Proper. I’ll have to make use of names as a result of most individuals gained’t know Joe Schmo from down on Bowery, proper? So, Ryan Reynolds is a superb instance.
Don Saladino: He’s type of a robotic. We’ve been coaching collectively for 16 years. When it’s time for him to get in form, we assess him, have a look at how his physique is feeling, and determine what we are able to assign to him that may assist him achieve success.
Don Saladino: The purpose is for him to take pleasure in coaching and really feel good when he leaves. It’s about asking, “What are we attempting to create? Do we have to simply tighten up? Do we have to develop his physique extra? Does he have to get larger, smaller, or leaner? What precisely are we attempting to realize?”
Don Saladino: With somebody like Ryan, it’s simple as a result of he’s disciplined and devoted. We simply put him on cruise management, and he runs with it.
Don Saladino: However, I’ve labored with folks the place the problem is the other. Generally, I’ve to say, “Oh my God, we truly have to placed on physique fats.”
Don Saladino: For instance, somebody would possibly come to me and say, “The function I’m coaching for requires me to look much less ripped.” I’ll inform them, “You’re manner too lean proper now. This isn’t plausible in any respect.” They’ll reply, “I do know. This isn’t the physique of somebody from the Twenties.” And I’ll agree, “Precisely. This doesn’t make sense.”
Don Saladino: So, the query turns into, how can we do that whereas maintaining you wholesome? How can we do that whereas nonetheless permitting you to coach and transfer the best way you like to? So, let’s preserve coaching, however how can we make changes so we’re not simply consuming McDonald’s each day and destroying your well being? I nonetheless need us to get fiber and nutrient-dense meals, however we’ll have to offset energy in sure methods.
Don Saladino: That’s adequate—drive issues up. And, what? Positive, you need slightly ice cream each night time? I’ve received no downside with that. Go to an natural ice cream retailer to keep away from the chemical compounds. The extra fats and pure sugar will help you get slightly softer and retain extra water.
Don Saladino: However meals high quality is all the time my precedence. I wish to preserve it as excessive as potential.
Mike Matthews: Sorry to interject, however this can be a query I’ve gotten so much over time, normally from guys however generally from ladies as nicely. They battle to achieve weight whereas consuming principally nutritious meals. They don’t need to drink a gallon of milk a day or eat quick meals.
Mike Matthews: Are there sure go-to meals you suggest for getting energy in a nutritious manner?
Don Saladino: Completely. First, gaining weight is extremely easy, however folks are inclined to overcomplicate it. When somebody enters a bulking section, they typically assume it’s a free go to eat no matter they need.
Don Saladino: Now, monitoring diet is usually a enormous assist, however it’s not for everybody. Monitoring removes the guesswork. In case you’re logging your meals and I see that you simply’ve eaten 3,200 energy in the present day, damaged down into protein, carbs, and fat, I can regulate that.
Don Saladino: For somebody who eats intuitively, it’s more durable. They may say, “I eat wholesome—rooster, broccoli, candy potatoes, avocado, eggs, fruits, and berries.” However I don’t know in the event that they’re consuming 1,500 energy or 3,000 energy. That’s a totally totally different story.
Don Saladino: For me, it’s simply math. Let’s say somebody’s purpose is 200 grams of protein, 200 grams of carbs, and 100 grams of fats. That provides as much as 2,500 energy:
- 200 grams of protein = 800 energy (4 energy per gram)
- 200 grams of carbs = 800 energy (4 energy per gram)
- 100 grams of fats = 900 energy (9 energy per gram)
Don Saladino: If somebody is consuming 2,500 energy a day and so they eat 1,000 energy of their first meal, they may really feel so full for the subsequent 5 hours that they don’t eat once more. That window to get extra energy in shrinks, making it more durable to hit their purpose.
Don Saladino: Now, 2,500 energy is manageable in my e-book. But when somebody involves me needing 4,000 energy, that will get so much trickier.
Mike Matthews: That’s true, and it may be even harder for somebody smaller. Take, for instance, a petite girl who weighs 100 kilos.
Don Saladino: I truly had a girl in my problem neighborhood who began with me consuming 1,400 energy a day. Over a couple of yr, perhaps a yr and a half, we labored her as much as 3,200 energy. She was extremely energetic, and through that point, she misplaced over 30 kilos.
Don Saladino: We couldn’t put her in any additional deficit, so we rebuilt her metabolism. We improved her power ranges, received her transferring extra, elevated her protein consumption, and certain added muscle. All these good issues got here collectively.
Don Saladino: Proper. So, we couldn’t put her in any extra of a deficit. Over time, we constructed her metabolism, improved her power ranges, received her transferring extra, saved her protein consumption excessive, most likely added some muscle, and all these good issues occurred.
Don Saladino: However let’s return to these macros. For anybody listening, take into consideration this: 200 grams of protein, 200 grams of carbs, and 100 grams of fats. To me, that’s simple arithmetic.
Don Saladino: Now, what number of occasions a day do you need to eat? In case you’re consuming 5 occasions a day, [00:24:00] for 200 grams of protein, what number of grams per meal is that? Forty. Forty grams per meal occasions 5 equals 200 grams. For carbs, it’s additionally 40 grams per meal. For fats, with 100 grams divided by 5 meals, that’s 20 grams per meal.
Don Saladino: So, for those who’re consuming 5 occasions a day and have 40 grams of protein, 40 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of fats per meal, you’ll hit your 2,500 energy: 200 grams of protein, 200 grams of carbs, and 100 grams of fats. Basic math. And for those who’re off by a couple of grams, do I care? No.
Don Saladino: Now, if somebody needs to eat 4 occasions a day, the mathematics modifications. The protein would go to 50 grams per meal, the carbs to 50 grams, and the fats to 25 grams per meal. It’s simply math.
Don Saladino: The error folks make when attempting to achieve or drop extra pounds is approaching it like, “Oh, I’m gaining weight, so I’ll simply eat so much.” A younger child wakes up at 8 or 9 within the morning and thinks, “I’ll eat 5 entire eggs with bacon, a ribeye steak, and butter.”
Don Saladino: Subsequent factor , they’ve consumed so many energy in a single meal that they’re full for the subsequent 5 or 6 hours and may’t eat once more. They’ve eradicated all these alternatives to devour extra diet all through the day.
Don Saladino: For me, consuming isn’t nearly macronutrients. It’s in regards to the diet you’re getting—micronutrients. For instance, white rice is a superb carbohydrate, but when that’s all you’re consuming, it lacks dietary worth. There’s no fiber, no nutritional vitamins, no minerals.
Don Saladino: So, whereas I’d eat white rice, I additionally embody different carb sources all through the day, like candy potatoes, berries, oats, and extra. I have to preserve my carbs excessive, and I ensure they arrive from quite a lot of sources.
Don Saladino: For anybody listening who’s attempting to achieve or drop extra pounds, monitoring will be very useful. It’s not obligatory for everybody, however it eliminates a lot guesswork.
Don Saladino: For instance, if somebody’s consuming solely 15 grams of fiber a day, I’ll inform them, “That’s simply not sufficient. You’ll want to be nearer to 25 grams.” Over a couple of weeks, they’ll say, “Oh my God, I really feel fuller, I’m not craving junk at night time, and I’m beginning to drop extra pounds.”
Don Saladino: Humorous how that works, proper? Once you enhance your diet, good issues occur.
Mike Matthews: And so far as particular person meals, are there sure ones you wish to at the very least check out with purchasers?
Mike Matthews: And that would apply to reducing weight or gaining weight. For instance, when reducing weight, the extra nutritious, fiber-containing meals you’ll be able to eat, the higher—they preserve you full. A tip I received from Menno Henselmans that I’ve handed alongside is about zucchini soup.
Mike Matthews: He talked about in an interview that zucchini soup will be very filling. You possibly can eat loads of it, and for some purpose, zucchini particularly appears to work nicely for satiety. Not that there’s something magical about zucchini, however that was simply one thing he identified.
Don Saladino: That’s fascinating—actually fascinating. I don’t know Menno personally, however I’ve heard his identify, and I do know he’s extremely revered and good.
Don Saladino: Soup, for me, is hard. It’s more durable to trace and keep on high of all the pieces you’re placing in your physique. Zucchini is nice; it’s type of a “free” meals—you’ll be able to eat loads of it with out worrying an excessive amount of.
Don Saladino: However that doesn’t imply somebody can stroll right into a restaurant, see zucchini soup on the menu, and order it with out contemplating what’s in it. You don’t know if it’s loaded with sugar, salt, or cream. Positive, it’d style nice, however you must watch out.
Don Saladino: If somebody is attempting to get leaner, there are particular meals I lean towards. For instance, if I’m going right into a calorie deficit, I’d skip issues like jasmine rice and focus extra on candy potatoes.
Don Saladino: On the flip facet, if I’m in a bulking section, I’d embody extra calorie-dense choices. For instance, a fibrous sprouted bagel will be nice for pumping up carbs. Brown rice is a bit more durable to devour in giant portions, however white rice is far simpler to eat whenever you want extra carbohydrates.
Don Saladino: Candy potatoes, for instance, aren’t very calorie-dense. Eight ounces of candy potato would possibly provide you with round 50 grams of carbs. Examine that to the same quantity of white rice, and also you’re getting considerably extra carbohydrates.
Don Saladino: For bulking, I even have a couple of secret weapons. Dates, as an example, are wonderful—excessive in fiber and pure sugar. 5 dates provide you with round 100 grams of carbohydrates, and so they’re extremely simple to eat. Round exercises, incorporating meals like dates could make hitting your macros a lot simpler.
Don Saladino: Once I’m bulking, there’s extra flexibility with a lot of these meals. However when it’s time to get “cowl prepared,” issues tighten up. For instance, I’m about 215 kilos now, however once I’m on a canopy shoot, I’ll normally be round 207. That’s not an enormous distinction, however by tightening up the varieties of meals I devour, I can create a degree of “dryness” in my physique with out having to dehydrate.
Don Saladino: For my final 4 shoots—three with Muscle & Health and one with Males’s Well being—I didn’t dehydrate in any respect. I went in with a glance that’s attainable and sustainable.
Don Saladino: I’ve been a drug-free athlete my total life—not that it makes me higher or worse than anybody else. It’s simply my alternative. I’ve been doing common blood work for most likely 30 years. I began going to Dr.Gary Wadler, who was concerned within the congressional hearings for the entire steroid scandal in baseball—that’s how way back I began doing blood work. I used to be going to him at 16 or 17 years outdated, sitting and speaking about my blood work, lengthy earlier than folks have been even discussing it.
Don Saladino: Once I began coaching, was I studying so much? Probably not, however type of. Because the years went on and this grew to become extra of an accepted follow, and other people began understanding what optimization was, that’s when folks started exploring the chances.
Don Saladino: However why would I take one thing if I wasn’t poor in a sure space? If my blood work is in a extremely good place—which I credit score to the final 30 years of the best way I reside—why would I add one thing to it? I’ll be 48 in April, and my blood work has all the time been strong.
Don Saladino: Positive, might I get larger? Might I get stronger? Most likely. However I don’t know the long-term ramifications of taking these issues. I don’t know the way it could have an effect on my getting old course of or how my physique would possibly reply sooner or later.
Don Saladino: Perhaps for some folks, we’re seeing advantages. Take a look at Stallone—he’s nearly 80 years outdated, nonetheless working, nonetheless doing loopy stuff. Applause to him. However there are others who aren’t as lucky or don’t have the identical sources.
Don Saladino: I’ll have gone slightly off-topic there, however the level is, there’s so much to consider.
Don Saladino: I want extra folks took possession of this. In case you’re taking one thing, overtly admit it. Today, we’re listening to bodybuilders and others on the web speak about it extra overtly, and I believe that’s a superb factor. It needs to be disclosed. In case you’ve taken one thing, simply admit it.
Don Saladino: That honesty and openness are necessary, particularly for the youthful children who’re watching.
Mike Matthews: And don’t name it TRT if it’s a steroid dose. In case you’re working your testosterone at 5,000 ng/dL, let’s be sincere—that’s not TRT.
Don Saladino: Precisely. My testosterone has improved considerably over the past three years. My complete testosterone—this isn’t free—went from about 680 to 930. And persons are like, “Oh, you’re on one thing.” No, I’m not.
Don Saladino: And even when I used to be, it could be larger than that. Let’s be actual—it wouldn’t even be well worth the injection if that’s all it was.
Don Saladino: Folks simply don’t know what they’re speaking about. They ask, “How’d you try this?” Properly, I ended commuting three hours a day into town. I ended waking up at 3 a.m. and began waking up at 5:50 a.m.
Don Saladino: You assume that may have one thing to do with it? It’s not simply in regards to the chilly plunges or the sauna. Positive, I do these issues, however take into consideration what I simply mentioned—I improved my sleep by two hours.
Mike Matthews: So bedtime stayed the identical; you’re simply getting extra sleep now.
Don Saladino: Precisely. I’m getting extra sleep.
Don Saladino: I’ve all the time been somebody who doesn’t go to mattress previous 9. Again then, I’d go to mattress at 9 and get up between three and 4 a.m. Now, I’m waking up at 5:50. You don’t assume that additional sleep makes a distinction?
Don Saladino: Plus, eliminating the stress of proudly owning gyms in New York Metropolis has been enormous for my high quality of life. I ran gyms within the metropolis for 15 years. My overhead was $2 million a yr simply to interrupt even, and I had two areas plus a digital firm.
Don Saladino: Once you remove all of that stress, your high quality of life improves, and also you simply turn into happier. It’s a unique section of my life, and yeah, issues are going to enhance. They don’t all the time must worsen as you age. However I do assume there must be much more schooling on the market on the subject of these items.
Mike Matthews: We’ll get again to in the present day’s episode shortly, however first, I need to let you know about my bestselling health e-book for males who need to achieve as much as 35 kilos of lean muscle, lose as a lot fats or extra, and do it in simply 3 to five hours of coaching per week—with out giving up scrumptious meals or doing grueling exercises.
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Mike Matthews: Positive, there are good causes to do cardio, however it’s not a should for fats loss.
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Mike Matthews: Whereas we’re on the subject, let’s speak about Hollywood. It’s all the time a supply of controversy. Lots of people are fast accountable steroids every time somebody appears actually good for a film. “Oh, yeah, they’re most likely on one thing.” In lots of circumstances, most likely not, and in some circumstances, perhaps. What are your ideas? Not asking you to call anybody, after all, however you’ve seen loads of this behind the scenes.
Don Saladino: Completely, I can speak about this. I’d say there’s most likely just one different coach I do know who has labored with extra folks in Hollywood than I’ve, and that’s Gunner Peterson. Gunner’s a superb pal of mine, and we joke about it. I say, “Gunner, it’s solely since you’re older than me!”
Don Saladino: He’s 60 and appears like he’s 40—one of many nicest guys. He’s certainly one of my favorites.
Don Saladino: Pay attention, I don’t assume anybody in Hollywood appears so wonderful that I’d say a human being can’t obtain that naturally.
Mike Matthews: Some would argue it’s in regards to the time. They’d say, “Alright, however they solely have two months to achieve all that muscle.”
Don Saladino: Truthful level, completely honest. However let me provide you with an instance. I labored with Hugh Jackman 18 years in the past, when he transitioned from The Boy from Oz to Wolverine in Australia.
Don Saladino: I’m not working with him now—he has an amazing coach in Texas—however again then, I knew precisely what he was consuming, the dietary supplements he was taking, and the way we have been coaching.
Don Saladino: He was an intense man, however let’s be sincere—he’s an actor. You convey him right into a hardcore health club like Bev Francis’s Powerhouse Fitness center, and I might present you 200 guys twice as large and twice as robust as he was. However as a result of it’s Hollywood, with the lights, the cameras, and the massive display, folks assume it’s unattainable.
Don Saladino: Not too long ago, there was this man—Alan Ritchson, I believe, the man from Jack Reacher. He was doing an interview and mentioned one thing like, “I skilled so exhausting, I depleted all my testosterone in eight months.” That was his justification for taking exogenous testosterone.
Mike Matthews: Proper, and that was his excuse for utilizing it.
Don Saladino: Precisely! I rolled my eyes at that. Simply be sincere—say you needed to be huge, so that you took it. Considered one of my closest pals, a big-time powerlifter, had children come as much as him and ask, “How’d you get so large?” He straight-up advised them, “Medicine.”
Don Saladino: I misplaced it—it was so humorous. However then we advised the children, “Don’t do medicine. It’s not wholesome.” And my pal agreed. He’s like, “Yeah, it’s not wholesome, however if you wish to elevate ungodly quantities of weight and be a world-record holder, there are particular stuff you’ll have to do.”
Don Saladino: It’s apparent whenever you have a look at the world’s strongest males. Their measurement and power don’t occur naturally—it’s simply actuality. However in Hollywood, I want extra folks took possession.
Don Saladino: I’ve had pure actors come to me, annoyed, saying, “So-and-so confirmed up smaller than me, and two months later, he’s twice my measurement!” I inform them, “Keep in your lane. You don’t have to appear like that on your function. Keep in mind, there’s a price to doing enterprise. That’s the choice you’ve made.”
Don Saladino: I can’t rely how a lot enterprise I’ve misplaced as a result of I don’t take care of that stuff. Main athletes and Hollywood stars have come to me with questions on medicine, and I inform them, “I’m not the man for that.”
Mike Matthews: Proper, since you’ve determined to not get into that world.
Don Saladino: Precisely. I’ve made a aware alternative. Why would I educate myself on one thing I’m not going to make use of? I all the time inform them, “In case you’re contemplating it, go converse to a professional doctor, not a coach, regardless of how good they assume they’re.”
Don Saladino: Work with a medical skilled who can monitor your bloodwork, assess your well being, and information you correctly. 9 out of ten occasions, they’d stroll out and by no means come again.
Don Saladino: It was a call I made—not as a result of I believe I’m higher than anybody, however as a result of I needed to give attention to one thing else. I put my power into understanding how one can manipulate physique composition, enhance efficiency, and improve aesthetics. That’s what I’m obsessed with, and I believe that’s why I’ve constructed the repute I’ve in Hollywood.
Mike Matthews: Do you assume there’s a common notion on the market that steroids are accountable for lots of Hollywood transformations?
Would you say that you simply agree or disagree with that assertion primarily based in your expertise?
Don Saladino: I believe it’s on the market so much. I believe it’s, I believe it’s most likely on the market much more now or some sort of… Once I say manipulation, [00:45:00] I imply, yeah, like, oh, nicely, your testosterone’s at 300. It’s slightly low. I buried my greatest pal in 2010.
Don Saladino: He was my head coach and, um, he didn’t have a household. We needed to declare rights to his physique. Um, in any other case it goes to one thing known as Potter’s Discipline in New York. So they really needed to maintain his physique for 2 weeks. I needed to go right down to metropolis corridor. I needed to declare his physique. I, they lastly gave me rights to his physique.
Don Saladino: I needed to determine him two weeks after he died, which is without doubt one of the hardest issues I’ve ever needed to do. And I needed to bury him. And once we did this, I had an post-mortem achieved as a result of I needed to know—he’s 43. Proper. So 2000, , 2010, that’s 14, 15 years in the past for me. I’m—shit—I’m 33. Ten years older than me, roughly.
Don Saladino: And, um, , his T ranges have been north of 3000. And I simply noticed… I simply noticed this horrible, , downward spiral he went on, and this can piss lots of people off as a result of the folks taking it don’t assume they’re all, nicely, you didn’t have [00:46:00] anybody monitoring it. Bullshit. He did have folks monitoring it.
Don Saladino: He knew what he was doing. He simply, it received to a degree the place he grew to become hooked on this sense that he simply saved taking increasingly more and extra and he couldn’t get off of it. Then when he received off it, he felt worse. So he took extra. And guess what? That’s what a drug addict does. Proper. So even with one thing like testosterone, which most individuals say, nicely, it’s not, it’s cute.
Don Saladino: It’s not a, it’s not a steroid. It’s not. Yeah, however it may be abused and it may be abused. I’m sorry.
Mike Matthews: I imply, it, it, it factually is a steroid hormone as nicely. Like, uh, in accordance with the dictionary, I imply, I don’t know.
Don Saladino: In accordance with the dictionary. Sure. However like, I imply, lots of people will begin categorizing issues now in another way.
Don Saladino: Like, nicely, it’s not Tren and it’s not a Dianabol. However after all that these are coping mechanisms. Precisely. Precisely. And I’m glad you, I’m glad you gave that type of side-eye look there as a result of, um, generally if I’ve a dialog with somebody, they’re like, they’ll come at you, assault you. Simply the opposite day, I heard somebody [00:47:00] on the web saying, nicely, is it, is it creatine a managed substance now?
Don Saladino: Isn’t that such as you assume they have been attempting to place creatine on the extent of taking a hormone? And I’m like, what are you speaking about? Like creatine’s in meat. How is that the identical?
Mike Matthews: Yeah, I don’t need to eat like 4 steaks a day. So I take a gram of creatine monohydrate or take a, I take slightly scooper of creatine monohydrate.
Don Saladino: Yeah. So it’s simply, it’s fascinating to me now. Everybody’s received this intelligent manner of twisting issues and, and justifying it. Do I believe it’s in Hollywood so much? Sure. Do I believe you’re going to see it in Hollywood extra now? Sure, as a result of loads of these hormones are going to turn into so simply obtainable. To loads of these actors, and I believe it actually comes right down to, , who’s prepared to take that dive or not.
Don Saladino: And, uh, it’s going—I imply, I’m actually not working with folks one-on-one anymore, but when I used to be, I assume it could get to a degree the place I might be coaching folks, most likely wouldn’t even find out about it as a result of they might most likely simply preserve it from me. And, , they might have another man for that and, , that’s it. [00:48:00]
Don Saladino: Yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s—that’s this. These are the issues which are occurring now, however to reply your query, I believe it’s seen much more than we predict.
Mike Matthews: Attention-grabbing. And for folks listening, uh, questioning why that’s, it’s just because these medicine work actually, very well. So it’s been proven in analysis, for instance, that, uh, merely taking steroids—I’m pondering of 1 research particularly—can produce extra.
Mike Matthews: And this was simply testosterone. And it wasn’t essentially a—it was tremendous physiological, however it wasn’t essentially the massive bodybuilder dose. So simply taking testosterone can produce extra muscle development in an untrained particular person, uh, over the course of, I need to say the research was 10 to 12 weeks, than coaching and consuming nicely.
Mike Matthews: So simply take into consideration that.
Don Saladino: Yeah. Okay. In order that, that may assist that, that may assist loads of these actors out, however—
Mike Matthews: No, I’m not endorsing it. I imply, such as you, uh, I’m going to remain drug-free so long as I can. If my testosterone, if I’m 75 years outdated and it’s 200 NGDL, I’ve achieved all the pieces I can. My high quality of life sucks.
Mike Matthews: My dick doesn’t work, et cetera, et cetera. Yeah, I’m, I’m, I’m getting on [00:49:00] TRT.
Don Saladino: I all the time marvel, I all the time marvel by, by, by then, proper? Like, let’s say somebody—I believe somebody requested me this lately, such as you’re 80. And, , immediately issues have developed a lot. I imply, that’s 32, 33 years from now, proper? It’s, , take into consideration what we’re going to have entry to.
Don Saladino: Take into consideration 32, 33 years in the past to 32, 33 years from now. It’s like, who is aware of what we’ve entry to by then, however like, are you taking it? And I’m like, I don’t know. It’s like, I don’t know if that by then I’m like, fuck it. I’m simply, , I’ve gone this lengthy already and I’m simply going to show my head and trip it out.
Mike Matthews: I imply, theoretically although, proper, in case your high quality of life—as a result of as you most likely know, there are true scientific signs the place you possibly can completely make a superb argument that as a person dwelling with clinically low testosterone is unhealthy. And so for those who’ve achieved all the pieces you’ll be able to to convey that up naturally, and that’s it—it’s simply—
Mike Matthews: , your physique is outdated and worn out, and it’s [00:50:00] dwelling like that or exogenous. You most likely might make only a easy internet advantages argument for the exogenous.
Don Saladino: Completely, completely, completely, um, one hundred pc. An amazing buddy of mine that, um, was blown up in Afghanistan. He had like over 30 surgical procedures. Nostril was blown off his head. Jaw bolts went via his face. Arm was blown off, reattached, and it received to the purpose the place he lastly received on one thing, and he received throughout an unimaginable hurdle, and he’s dwelling an unimaginable life. His physique composition is in a superb place. His power degree is excessive, and he’s glad. And I’m like, “Oh my God, go, go, go.”
Don Saladino: Um, I’ve had purchasers in right here that I’ve labored with. I’ve had folks I’ve labored with which are 872 kilos. I’ve had a man who began with me right here—a pal—who was 5 and 1 / 4, and he truly by no means needed to take something. He’s so scared about even taking like Manjaro or a type of, um, , a type of peptides.
Don Saladino: Yeah, a type of GLP-1s. So, um, , I believe, once more, it’s to every his personal. I believe sure persons are actually nervous in regards to the long-term results, however like I mentioned, [00:51:00] God, 30 years from now, we’re going to know so much.
Mike Matthews: Completely. You talked about earlier—coming again to Hollywood—I don’t need to belabor it, however it’s simply one thing you talked about that I made a psychological notice to come back again to. It’s how large of a distinction lighting and digital camera could make.
Mike Matthews: And I believe the explanation I need to convey it up is only for folks listening, to be sure that in the event that they’re going to match themselves to issues, they at the very least perceive what they’re seeing and what they’re evaluating themselves to.
Don Saladino: It’s unbelievable what they’ll do with lighting and digital camera angles.
Don Saladino: And, oh my God, it’s unimaginable. And it’s not to remove the form that loads of these actors must get into—they work exhausting—and so they, um, and once more, keep in mind, this isn’t their craft. This isn’t like, they’re not a bodybuilder, , they’re not an expert athlete that’s been doing this most of their life.
Don Saladino: And they also know loads of occasions they arrive in right here, they must study these abilities, , to have the ability to get one of these form, proper? You [00:52:00] flip to Sebastian Stan, and he’s received to resistance prepare for Avengers, and so they’re like, “However no, Seb, you’ve received to do three hours of sword battle coaching a day.”And he’s like, what, like, what are you speaking about? These are issues folks don’t take into consideration. That’s stress, and that’s exercise, and that is going to tire them out. Take into consideration all this that’s on their plate now. So yeah, it’s, um, it truly is my, um, my respect for them over, , the final 20—I’ve been within the enterprise over 25 years.
Don Saladino: I believe I took my first one-on-one about 20 years in the past. Um, it’s extraordinary what they must do in such little time.
Mike Matthews: And by way of what you see on the display, only for, for individuals who don’t know, what’s that distinction between, okay, you’re there in individual whereas they’re capturing and never to remove from something that they’ve achieved.
Mike Matthews: As you mentioned, they’ve labored exhausting. They’ve gotten into nice form, however then you definitely see the ultimate manufacturing on TV, and what, what’s that Delta, so to talk, by way of what you’re seeing, the place you’re like, dude, that man appears 15 [00:53:00] kilos larger than, what I imply?
Don Saladino: What number of occasions have we gotten in mirrors in a dressing room?
Don Saladino: And we’re like, Oh my God, I don’t appear like that. Proper? Like that is, that is it. Or it’s like, Oh my God, like that is one of the best mirror or immediately. , I’m like, Oh my God, I look horrible. Like there’s, there’s lighting. I can elevate these shades up proper now and bleach these lights out. If I take my shirt off, I’m not going to look anyplace as outlined.
Don Saladino: And if I drop the shades, dip the lighting, get some lighting coming in at a unique angle, do a few pushups, get a pump. Like I’m going to look so much totally different. I’m going to, I can do a earlier than and after and trick everybody and say, that is 12 weeks later, they’re going to be like, what? Like, that is—so take into consideration what Hollywood can do.
Don Saladino: I can try this in a couple of minutes.
Mike Matthews: I, I did that after, so I—it simply jogs my memory the place I—I didn’t do a canopy. Uh, it was simply getting lean for some advertising and marketing and stuff, and, and so I, I used to be taking a nap exterior. So it was within the solar, totally, , in order that’s simply daylight, bla, in Florida. Coming down on me, any individual took an image of me laying down, and so I’m [00:54:00] so I’m sleeping.
Mike Matthews: So no muscle rigidity, proper? After which just some days later, it was the photograph shoot, and I used to be most likely round 6 or 7%. So fairly lean and I’ve, I’ve a little bit of measurement, proper? So fairly vascular or no matter. And folks had a tough time believing that these have been just some days aside due to how shockingly totally different it appeared.
Don Saladino: God, you’ll be able to manipulate a lot. I imply, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s fascinating, however it’s nonetheless—I by no means needed to remove from the work that’s being put in. I imply, on the finish of the day, even once I go to, uh, I’ve been to most likely 15 to twenty Mr. Olympia competitions. I need to be very clear right here. Simply because somebody’s on a performance-enhancing substance doesn’t imply they’re going to appear like that, proper? Or it doesn’t imply they’re going to have the ability to carry out like somebody within the NFL. Like, it takes a particular athlete, a particular particular person to have the ability to create, develop the talent units that these folks have developed, whether or not it’s standing on stage and posing or whether or not it’s, , being within the NFL, totally different talent units.
Don Saladino: However man, the quantity of labor, the quantity of effort, the self-discipline that, um, [00:55:00] I believe loads of these folks must put in to get there, particularly with bodybuilders. I’m fascinated with, I’ll simply go, and also you’ll go to the Olympia, and also you’ll have a look at, , the basic physique. Now, it’s most likely one of many greatest classes.
Don Saladino: So that you’ll have a look at 100 guys within the again competing. , what are they taking? High 5? It’s like, Oh my God. And I can assure most individuals are going to have the ability to go have a look at the winner, Chris Bumstead this yr. So, , the man who completed twentieth or twenty fifth, and in the event that they have a look at him facet by facet and so they don’t know what they’re taking a look at, they’re going to be like, Uh, uh, who gained?
Don Saladino: Like, it’s, it’s, however the quantity, even when somebody finishes twentieth, it’s like the quantity of self-discipline, the quantity of effort, and the quantity of labor—for me, that’s what I respect probably the most.
Mike Matthews: Completely. You talked about that with a few of these covers that you simply did lately, you didn’t hassle reducing water, and I needed to come back again to that as a result of that is also simply the subject of how one can look a sure manner is one thing that has simply come up over time the place, so sometimes, the best way I’ve obtained it’s folks [00:56:00] asking about—normally it’s round some form of occasion, proper?So perhaps it’s a marriage or it’s a man who needs to look notably good on the seaside for some purpose or no matter. Uh, and, and that results in then, are there any methods apart from, so there’s one faculty, which is simply, you simply received to get actually lean, neglect about all the pieces else, simply preserve dropping fats.
Mike Matthews: And that’s one method. After which there’s one other method of getting lean plus different issues like reducing water, lowering carbs, or lowering then growing. What are your ideas on this stuff? And I’m certain you’ve achieved loads of this stuff. So that you’re talking firsthand as nicely.
Don Saladino: Yeah, I believe it relies on the place to begin, proper?
Don Saladino: I believe somebody like me, who’s going to stroll round actually lean all yr lengthy, and I by no means go in any huge bulking phases. I imply, I’m like 6 foot 1. I most likely, in a yr, will weigh anyplace between like 207 to as a lot as perhaps 219. And that’s—I don’t even assume that’s a real 219 to 220. That’s most likely after a nasty weekend, retaining some water.
Don Saladino: So I don’t assume so. That appears like that’s an enormous fluctuation, however it actually isn’t. I imply, [00:57:00] I can get up one morning and be 5 kilos lighter. It’s simply, , and that.
Mike Matthews: Yeah. Or, or heavier. You possibly can simply eat a bunch of carbs and a bunch of salt and weigh 5 extra kilos.
Don Saladino: Properly, 100%. So I, I believe once I manipulated for a few photograph shoots years in the past, like 2013, 2014, and I did like water manipulation, carb manipulation, I simply keep in mind how shitty I felt these few occasions I did it. It was a real contest prep, and I made it via. I used to be disciplined, went to the shoot date, and felt like I appeared nice.
Don Saladino: That, compared to me doing what I discuss with as extra of a more healthy minimize—um, I didn’t get that a lot leaner. I used to be nearly like, I’ll present you footage and also you’re like, wow, that’s comparable. Like, that’s the one to chop water for, and that is the one that you simply didn’t. And I used to be like, yeah. I simply discovered as a result of all yr lengthy, I’m consuming like the next degree of energy and my macros, I’m by no means actually going low carb, I’m by no means going low [00:58:00] fats, however I’m consuming a high-quality food plan that’s excessive fiber, nutrient-dense, .
Don Saladino: I’m turning round, getting, if I’m getting 500–600 grams of carbs in a day with 250 to 275 grams of protein, say 130 grams of fats, when my physique’s used to processing that and working via that, the second I’ve to arrange for a canopy, if I drop that 500 to 300, preserve the protein across the similar and drop the fat from, say, 130 to 90, that’s an enormous deficit, however my energy are nonetheless fairly excessive.
Don Saladino: So, what I discovered with my physique is that, , I’d lose 5, 6, 7 kilos in every week. After which after that, for the subsequent 3, 4 weeks, I’d lose like a pound, a pound and a half. However each day I’m waking up and I’m like, Oh my God, I’ve received a brand new vein coming down from my neck to my chest, and my arms are extra vascular. Then out of nowhere, like every week or two in, I’m beginning to see veins come via my abdominals.
Don Saladino: It’s simply from the truth that I believe I’m [00:59:00] used to processing a excessive quantity of energy. After which immediately, once I go right into a deficit, that is like most individuals’s surpluses. So my metabolism’s used to being fairly environment friendly. So I believe that’s one thing that’s labored actually, very well for me.
Don Saladino: Additionally, one other factor—I don’t change coaching within the sense of why folks get within the mindset like, oh, I received to sweat, I received to begin doing circuit work, or like. I’m like, no, no, under no circumstances. I’m truly like, I take actually extra of a power-building method in most of my coaching. Like, I adore it all year long.
Don Saladino: More often than not. And I’m not saying I don’t work on work capability or I don’t change coaching up. However more often than not, like, bench, squat, deadlift. Pull-off overhead urgent. These are lifts I need to be sure that are fairly robust, after which all the pieces else I can get the unilateral work, et cetera. However these, these, , that large three—bench, squat, deadlift.
Don Saladino: Yeah, I’m focusing extra on energy and power there, and that is permitting me to remain considerably dense. After which I really feel like all the pieces else I’m going into is extra like [01:00:00] a hypertrophy method. So once I’m, , every week or two out from a canopy, I’m pulling 500 off the ground. Like, I’m squatting a heavy weight, like I’m hitting fives and threes, and I’m doing this stuff that I really feel like permit my muscle to remain exhausting and dense. The place I’m somebody that all the pieces goes to excessive repetitions.
Don Saladino: Properly, for every week or two, I’m going to really feel sore. I’m going to get some nasty pumps. I’m going to really feel nice. However then after that, I’m going to begin feeling like I’m getting slightly bit weaker and I’m truly going to really feel like my physique begins getting flat. In order that’s an method that, , I’ve taken for some time. Sustaining that muscle power and that density for me is one thing that I believe has allowed me to have fairly good physique composition all year long.
Don Saladino: So once I resolve to begin prepping for one thing, or I get a name to prep for one thing, it’s not like, , Oh, aren’t you working round? And it’s like, all proper, nicely, yeah, like. By doing extra cardio. Positive. I’m doing extra steady-state cardio. Properly, why aren’t you doing high-intensity coaching? Properly, it’d be slightly too taxing for the quantity I’ve to coach to arrange for this, proper?
Don Saladino: Regular-state cardio. The straightforward factor about it, as , is we might simply do loads of it. Proper. And, um, [01:01:00] precisely. But it surely’s like folks need to like type of shit on it a bunch and be like, nicely, , research present that top, excessive, excessive depth. Sure. There’s a spot for that. There’s a spot for this. So I simply assume folks have to be well-rounded.
Don Saladino: And I—once more, that teaching factor of recognizing what the person wants, I believe, is what makes a superb coach a superb coach.
Mike Matthews: Oh, truly, can I, can I, can I ask—so that you talked about sauna and chilly plunge, are you able to discuss slightly bit about these issues and perhaps every other of those different interventions that—I imply, a few of them are, so purple mild is type of fashionable proper now.
Mike Matthews: And I’m not saying it’s a nasty factor. I’m simply saying that.
Don Saladino: I like purple lights. I’ve a purple mild mattress being delivered to me in like two or three weeks. Um, so yeah, I’ve received a revived purple mild mattress coming to me. So I’m actually as a result of I’ve dedicated to a purple mild masks, and I’ve a stand-up lamp downstairs.
Don Saladino: However, um, I simply need to get slightly bit extra educated on it as a result of it’s slightly bit extra, uh, these bulbs are gonna be much more [01:02:00] stronger, and getting on a constant routine the place I’m truly laying down and my entire physique can get, uh, uncovered to purple mild, back and front. Um, it’s fascinating. Plunging I exploit, I truly really feel nice from plunging.Don Saladino: I, I’ll use it both generally once I get up. Very first thing I’ll apply it to days off. Uh, I really feel nice doing it. I exploit, uh, it’s known as a Renew. Uh, it’s been my favourite plunge and I’ve, uh, I’ve, uh, an infrared sauna that I’ve exterior after which I’ve one which’s inside.
Mike Matthews: And you favor the infrared over a conventional?
Don Saladino: I’ve all the time, I’ve all the time favored it. I don’t, I don’t like going into these actually scorching 180, 190 diploma saunas. The place you simply really feel such as you’re going to die. Like I like being within the sauna at 140, , anyplace from 130 to 150 levels. I’ll do emails. I’ll be sitting there sweating like a pig, having a dialog with my coaching buddy.
Don Saladino: We’ll spend 20, half-hour there. We’ll bounce on the plunge on an off day for 3 [01:03:00] minutes and also you simply really feel nice. So I really feel like that’s enhanced my restoration a bit. I don’t assume that there’s any profit if it’s ever, as a result of now you’re listening to, nicely, it’s like, I’ve by no means, I’ve been, I’ve been chilly plunging for 25 years.
Don Saladino: I don’t know if I’ve ever, , I’ve chilly plunged after exercises. I’ve had a chilly on days off. I actually don’t chilly plunge after exercises. I could also be doing it on off days, however I’ve by no means had, I’ve by no means seen a draw back to it. So, um, after which on high of that, what else do I exploit? I’ll use it. I actually like this new unit known as, uh, Firefly, which is these. I don’t need to describe it as Normatecs, however they’re nearly like these little sticky bands.
Don Saladino: That offers you off impulses that assist scale back circulation all through the physique. So you possibly can throw them in your knees, it’s received a plus-minus button. It’s received a 30-hour lifespan. They’re tremendous cheap. I’ll give them to Pete. Like my next-door neighbor’s received cerebral palsy. He’s in a [01:04:00] wheelchair.
Don Saladino: So we’ll get him a pair, proper? Um, a buddy of mine, who’s had some knee surgical procedures that, um, , he’s all the time in search of extra circulation. He’s sporting them. My uncle nearly had his leg amputated due to most cancers and certainly one of his legs isn’t working nicely anymore. We’ll throw that on him. And he’s already seen drastic enchancment in how his physique’s feeling and really bringing some motion again into his toes.
Don Saladino: So I believe there are some actually nice issues on the market. I simply, once more, it’s the, for somebody like my uncle or Christian, who’s my neighbor subsequent door, that’s fairly extreme, proper? Like these issues that we’re speaking about, the way it’s serving to them out, fairly extreme. Somebody like myself, I believe it’s like throwing a cherry on high of the whipped cream, which is on the ice cream. Like that is,
Mike Matthews: It’s most likely in the identical class of dietary supplements. Like they’re supplemental by definition.
Don Saladino: Thanks. Completely mentioned. That’s precisely what I simply mentioned. Folks begin placing a lot worth into this stuff and so they’re like, do one thing exhausting each day. And I’m like, nicely, it’s probably not exhausting.
Don Saladino: I used to be doing this stuff actually exhausting. I believe doing what’s exhausting, [01:05:00] I believe exhausting is like waking up whenever you’re drained and persevering with to do your routine that you simply don’t need to do.
Mike Matthews: It wasn’t, it wasn’t exhausting when, when, uh, we have been 20. Sleep? What was sleep? It didn’t even matter, however it’s totally different now, at the very least for me, like 5 hours does
Don Saladino: Not feeling the identical anymore.
Don Saladino: It doesn’t. However yeah, I believe if folks need to take note of doing the exhausting issues, be constant together with your diet, get to mattress on time each night time, try to, , remove or restrict alcohol, get excessive protein. Like these, these will not be attractive issues, however they’re positively going to pay the most important dividends.
Mike Matthews: Have you ever appeared into the beginner machine? N E U?
Don Saladino: Oh yeah. I’ve heard of this.
Mike Matthews: Um,
Don Saladino: I don’t
Mike Matthews: Describe it to me once more. I really feel like I’ve used it.
Mike Matthews: So it’s a DC, so it’s a direct present STEM. It’s fairly costly. I don’t know a lot about
Don Saladino: It. Oh, is it, it’s shockwave remedy?
Mike Matthews: Uh, that’s potential that it may be used. Yeah, that may be categorized that manner. Nonetheless, I do know, so I’ve been on it. I don’t have one. I’ve been on it earlier than. And so [01:06:00] it’s direct present STEM and it’s a high-end direct present STEM with rehab settings. After which additionally with, like, coaching hypertrophy settings the place you’ll be able to, you’ll be able to, uh, closely stimulate goal muscle teams, uh, and obtain most contraction.
Mike Matthews: It’s, it’s intense. And I’ve seen some bodybuilders now catching on to this. It appears fascinating. I haven’t, I haven’t messed round with it a lot as a result of I don’t have one. I simply had entry to at least one via any individual I do know.
Don Saladino: There’s a bodybuilder at, uh, Max Charles. That’s who it’s. Max Charles. Um, he’s a four-time Olympian.
Don Saladino: Um, he trains at Beth Francis Powerhouse Fitness center. And this man for the final, no joke, it needs to be seven, eight years, has been strolling across the health club, pushing a cart with this machine. Actually, like he brings, he actually has a man he’s hooked as much as these, like, electrodes and he’s pushing in a machine. He’s received one other, [01:07:00] one other man following him, I believe, to love to help with him. And, uh, it’s, it’s fascinating.
Don Saladino: So sure, I, I’ve seen this, I simply,
Mike Matthews: All proper. Final query for beer wandering dietary supplements. Do you are taking any dietary supplements?
Don Saladino: I do. Creatine monohydrate. I imply, I’ve been taking that for most likely near 30 years now. Um, I take magnesium. I take that earlier than mattress. I take fish oils. Um, I additionally take vitamin D.
Don Saladino: Generally I’ll take amino acids if my protein may be low that day or if I’m weight-reduction plan. I take an amazing sleep bundle proper now, um, from a brand new firm that’s about to launch known as Spoken. Um, they gave me entry to it. I adore it as a result of it’s received magnesium, it’s received L-theanine, it’s received inositol, it’s received glycine, all the nice sleep, uh, sleep aids, um, L-glutamine, and , I’ll take a protein complement and I gotta take a protein powder.
Don Saladino: But it surely’s been a lot, it’s so humorous, all of the, all of the [01:08:00] literature proper now that persons are placing on the market like, is protein powder good at making you fats? And I’m identical to, Oh my God, is {that a}, I truly haven’t seen that.
Mike Matthews: That’s—yeah, truly Dr. Gabrielle Lyon simply needed to tackle it as a result of folks have been like, protein, I heard protein powders make you fats.
Don Saladino: Proper. We mentioned that I don’t, did you hear that? Like, supposedly he’s like suing Grant Cardone. This simply popped up the opposite day. I used to be laughing.
Mike Matthews: I, I, I noticed that, uh, I don’t know the way I got here throughout her. Anyone advised me, sure, I’ve heard that. I don’t know the small print. I assume he received kicked out after which they received mad at one another.
Mike Matthews: I don’t know. Truly, I don’t know the small print. I’m no fan of Brekka although, he’s, he’s a quack to finish all quackery, so. Uh, my, my opinion, caveat, no matter.
Mike Matthews: No, no, no, it’s high quality, I imply, he’s not, um. I’ve seen, I’ve simply seen him say a lot nonsense that what else am I alleged to, what else am I alleged to conclude?
Mike Matthews: If you wish to play physician, go turn into a physician. So, I don’t know.
Don Saladino: I believe loads of these guys get a bit fluffy.
Mike Matthews: Properly, it’s biohacking. That’s the [01:09:00] purple flag. Anybody who calls themselves a biohacker, purple flag.
Don Saladino: However who was it? Dave Asprey was speaking about, um, how, um, don’t eat, don’t eat oats. It, um, it, it’ll make you fats.
Don Saladino: Yeah. I, I, I scream ice cream is more healthy for you than oatmeal. And I’m like, that’s simply irresponsible. Like, how will you be that silly? And, um, the one man I received a kick out of lately although, trigger I talked out of this occasion known as pneumonia at West Palm, that man, Brian Johnson, the one attempting to reside to be like, no matter he’s like, what?
Mike Matthews: Sort of appears so—he appears type of like a lizard already or one thing or perhaps a vampire. He appears like a, like a, like a vampire.
Don Saladino: He appears flat out kooky. I completely get it, however he will get it too. And he’s like, pay attention, I’m a kook. You flat out mentioned it. And folks have been like, what I didn’t respect. Everybody lives the life that they need to reside, hopefully, proper?
Don Saladino: Like, in case you have the flexibility to reside the best way you need to reside, that’s, that to me is like true wealth. Yeah, and spend your cash. It’s your cash. Do no matter you [01:10:00] need. Precisely. However like, folks have been coming at him, like, the ladies in The View have been like, have a life. I’m like, type of pondering to myself, I felt dangerous for him.
Don Saladino: I’m like, that is the life he needs to reside. That is what he’s doing. He appears actually glad. And, uh, no matter. However he at the very least took possession over the truth that what he does is a bit bizarre and unusual. And loads of medical doctors have been approaching. They’re like, this isn’t going to be so, um, backed proof and this isn’t science and this.
Don Saladino: He’s identical to, pay attention, I simply need to see what I can do with the human physique. And for me, I’ve the cash, I’ve the sources. That is one thing that I take pleasure in doing and I’m going to make the most of it. When he type of put it that manner, I used to be like, how do you argue with that? Like…
Mike Matthews: Depart the man alone.
Don Saladino: Yeah.
Mike Matthews: I imply, from what I’ve seen from him, uh, it looks like—I don’t pay an excessive amount of consideration, however from what I’ve seen—a good quantity of it’s primarily based on current literature after which a good quantity of it’s speculative, however it’s not absurd.
Mike Matthews: It’s primarily based on mechanics that may be defined that at the very least align with how the human physique works. And sure, it’s speculative the place we don’t know if this actually does [01:11:00] one thing or not. And, uh, as long as such protocols are introduced that manner, I don’t assume there’s something unsuitable with that per se. And even for those who have been to say like, I truly don’t suggest that I’m doing it as a result of that is type of my factor.
Mike Matthews: I don’t suggest that everybody does it as a result of I don’t know, it could truly be dangerous for me. Some of these items we’ll see.
Don Saladino: Yeah, yeah, it’s a, it’s slightly, I imply, the entire business has turn into slightly a lot of the biohackers. Most of them to me ought to simply type of go away. And that sounds fairly horrible for me to say, however I don’t know.
Don Saladino: You’ve received actually clever medical doctors on the market. You’ve received people who find themselves like, , Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, uh, Dr. Dwayne Jackson, who’s type of extra of an unknown and he’s certainly one of Prescript’s medical doctors. And even like listening to Huberman the opposite day—I had dinner with him, like a brilliant good man, working on the Chilly Spring Labs proper over right here.
Don Saladino: Like, folks hate him as a result of he’s simply discovered a technique to turn into actually profitable. And he’s within the media slightly bit. The man’s tremendous good. So it’s like, these are the folks I’d fairly take heed to. These folks. Like, why am I, why am I going to go take heed to a biohacker who’s simply [01:12:00] type of, , strolling round with blue mild blockers all day?
Don Saladino: I simply, I believe—and the explanation why it sounds slightly abrasive, how I’m placing it, it’s simply, I believe they turn into a bit irresponsible. Their habits turns into irresponsible once they’re coming in with this one-size-fits-all method or once they’re turning round to folks, somebody within the Midwest proper now who’s been consuming Egg McMuffins each morning.
Don Saladino: And immediately they’re like, what? I received on the spot oats, Quaker on the spot oats, and it’s, um, it’s cinnamon taste and it’s received some fiber in it. And my physician’s telling me that is higher for me than the Egg McMuffin. What’s higher for you? Be sincere with what the fuck’s higher for you.
Don Saladino: However now you’re telling this one that’s attempting to make slightly little bit of an effort. You’re discouraging them by saying, nicely, you’re higher off consuming ice cream as a result of the oats are the worst factor so that you can eat. That’s irresponsible. Teaching is about discovering the extent an individual’s at. And what? Taking a minimalistic method generally to provide them slightly bit extra.
Don Saladino: You’re not all the time going to have the ability to flip round.
Mike Matthews: Simply that’s, that’s truly all that works with most individuals. You have got the exception, however with most individuals.
Don Saladino: Proper. Each now and again, there’s this diamond within the tough. There’s this kind An individual the place you’re like, right here, see you in three months, and so they come again, and so they’re like, look, and also you’re like, holy shit.
Don Saladino: Like, it was that simple. It’s not the truth, however these persons are getting irresponsible of their habits and the, and the knowledge they’re giving. It’s actually messing folks up, it’s actually complicated them, and it’s maintaining them away from with the ability to take the suitable steps. And, um, so, in order that’s, that’s my solely reservation with among the biohackers is once they.
Mike Matthews: It’s additionally unethical. Numerous the claims which are made are simply false. So we’re speaking about basically mendacity for a dwelling.
Don Saladino: It’s mendacity.
Mike Matthews: Right. Mendacity for a dwelling, like that’s mainly what I do. I lie for a dwelling.
Don Saladino: Mainly, it’s simply turning round saying, I’m going to say this to, uh, as might be, generate income. That’s it.
Mike Matthews: Yeah, generate income. Finally, it’s simply to generate income. Properly, uh, we’ve gone on one other nearly 20 minutes now. So, uh, once more, I respect the time. Why don’t we wrap up shortly, with the place folks can discover you, discover your work. If [01:14:00] there’s something particularly that you really want them to find out about.
Don Saladino: DonSaladino.com is my website, type of spells all the pieces on the market. Uh, host applications, challenges, do consulting. I’ve received a brand new podcast launching with the Gaines household, Joanna and Chip Gaines from Magnolia this yr. I’m writing a e-book. I simply signed a take care of Countryman Press. So I’ve rolled that out. Ryan Reynolds is writing the foreword.
Don Saladino: Received some nice initiatives this yr. I’m actually enthusiastic about it. If anybody has any questions, shoot me a DM. Mike, thanks for having me on. It was a pleasure. Hope to fulfill you in individual.
Mike Matthews: Completely. Thanks.
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Mike Matthews: Properly, I hope you favored this episode. I hope you discovered it useful. And for those who did, subscribe to the present as a result of it makes certain that you simply don’t miss new episodes.
Mike Matthews: And it additionally helps me as a result of it will increase the rankings of the present slightly bit, which after all then makes it slightly bit extra simply discovered by different individuals who might prefer it simply as a lot as you.
Mike Matthews: And for those who didn’t like one thing about this episode or in regards to the present normally, or in case you have concepts or solutions, or simply suggestions to share, shoot me an electronic mail at [email protected] and let me know what I can do higher or simply what your ideas are about perhaps what you’d wish to see me do sooner or later.
Mike Matthews: I learn all the pieces myself. I’m all the time in search of new concepts and constructive suggestions. So thanks once more for listening to this episode, and I hope to listen to from you quickly.
