Chasing Clarity: Health & Fitness Podcast

Training volume has become one of the most misunderstood and oversimplified topics in fitness.

Over the last few years, there’s been a strong push toward low-volume training. It’s often framed as more efficient, more recoverable and even superior for long-term muscle growth.

And while that idea sounds appealing, especially if you’re short on time, the science tells a more nuanced story. In this episode, I’m joined once again by Dr. Eric Helms to break down where the training volume research actually stands as we move into 2026.

WE COVER:
• THE LATEST TRAINING VOLUME RESEARCH, INCLUDING THE 2025 PELLAND META-REGRESSION
• WHY THE LOW VOLUME VS HIGH VOLUME DEBATE IS A FALSE DICHOTOMY
• WHAT THE HYPERTROPHY LITERATURE ACTUALLY SHOWS ABOUT DOSE-RESPONSE & DIMINISHING RETURNS

This conversation isn’t about doing the most volume possible or the least volume possible.

It’s about understanding what the evidence supports, how training volume actually drives adaptation over time and how to apply it intelligently based on your goals, training age, and recovery capacity.

If your goal is long-term muscle growth, better performance, and sustainable progress, this episode will give you clarity.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

Email: [email protected]

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

My Reading Recommendations:
THE MUSCLE & STRENGTH PYRAMIDS
https://getdpd.com/cart/hoplink/25469?referrer=1l54og96lf1ccw

In this solo episode, I’m sharing 13 of the most important lessons I’ve learned after over a decade of coaching clients across all walks of life from IFBB pros to lifestyle clients, corporate execs, entrepreneurs, and fitness professionals.

These lessons weren’t pulled from textbooks. They were earned through experience. Through the wins, the failures, the hard conversations, and the real-life transformations.

Whether you’re a coach, an athlete, or someone serious about personal growth, this episode will give you the clarity, perspective, and systems to level up your results and longevity in this game.

INSIDE THIS EPISODE, I COVER:

1. LEAD CLIENTS FROM THE FRONT

2. THINK COACH, TALK CLIENT

3. NO ONE CARES HOW MUCH YOU KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE

4. CONSISTENCY CREATES TRANSFORMATION

5. SEE POTENTIAL IN CLIENTS THEY CAN’T YET SEE THEMSELVES

6. COACHING IS AN ART AS MUCH AS A SCIENCE

7. A HEALTHY BODY IS A RESPONSIVE BODY

8. HABITS & SYSTEMS BEAT WILLPOWER & MOTIVATION

9. HONESTY & HARD CONVERSATIONS DRIVE BREAKTHROUGHS

10. COACHING IS A CRAFT THAT MUST BE REFINED

11. THE MORE YOU LEARN, THE MORE YOU CAN SERVE

12. INVEST IN YOURSELF TO EARN CLIENT INVESTMENT

13. YOU CAN’T WANT THE RESULTS MORE THAN YOUR CLIENTS DO

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to create long-term results, this episode is for you.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

Email: [email protected]

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

My Reading Recommendations:
THE MUSCLE & STRENGTH PYRAMIDS
https://getdpd.com/cart/hoplink/25469?referrer=1l54og96lf1ccw

Muscle hypertrophy is one of the most researched topics in exercise science. And yet, it’s still one of the most misunderstood.In this episode, I’m joined by exercise scientist and researcher Derrick Van Every, author of the 2025 review Load-Induced Human Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: Mechanisms, Myths, and Misconceptions, to separate what actually drives muscle growth from what simply shows up alongside hard training.Together, we break down the human evidence, challenge long-standing myths, and clarify how lifters and coaches should actually approach hypertrophy-focused training.In this episode, we cover:MECHANICAL TENSION AS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF HYPERTROPHYWHAT ROLE IF ANY DOES METABOLIC STRESS PLAY IN MUSCLE GROWTHDOES THE PUMP CONTRIBUTE TO MUSCLE GROWTH?DO ACUTE CHANGES IN HORMONES FROM TRAINING INFLUENCE HYPERTROPHY OUTCOMESHOW SHOULD WE APPROACH TRAINING TO MAXIMIZE MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY?If you want a clear, evidence-based understanding of how muscle is actually built and how to structure your training around the variables that matter most, this conversation will bring clarity.WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiryEmail: [email protected]
Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

Most people think of metabolic health as just managing blood sugar or burning fat efficiently but the ability to adapt to stress, perform under pressure, and recover from it all… that’s the true definition of a resilient body.

On this episode of THE CHASING CLARITY HEALTH & FITNESS PODCAST, I’m joined once again by Dr. Mike T. Nelson to break down metabolic flexibility, physiologic flexibility, and how building adaptability across multiple systems of the body creates a healthier, more responsive physique.

HERE IS WHAT WE COVER
️ WHAT METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY ACTUALLY MEANS & WHY IT’S CRITICAL FOR PERFORMANCE, RECOVERY & BODY COMP️
HOW TO IMPROVE FUEL ADAPTABILITY THROUGH NUTRITION, TRAINING, MOVEMENT, ETC.
WHAT PHYSIOLOGIC FLEXIBILITY IS
THE 4 SYSTEMS OF PHYSIOLOGIC FLEXIBILITY THAT DETERMINE STRESS RESILIENCE 
• TEMPERATURE REGULATION 
• OXYGEN & CO₂ TOLERANCE 
• FUEL USAGE 
• ACID-BASE BALANCE️
HOW TO USE COLD, HEAT, BREATHWORK, HIIT & NUTRITION TO BUILD A BODY THAT’S HARDER TO DERAIL

If this episode gives you a new lens on health & performance, share it with a friend, post it on your stories, and tag us with your biggest takeaway.

A HEALTHY BODY IS A RESPONSIVE BODY.
A FLEXIBLE BODY IS A RESILIENT BODY.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

Email: [email protected]

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching, Consultation & Mentorship Services: https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry

Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com

Most women don’t struggle with fat loss because they’re doing something wrong. They struggle because they’ve been taught to judge progress using the wrong measurement. The scale reflects body weight, not body composition, and when you don’t understand what drives fluctuations, it’s easy to panic, overcorrect, and sabotage results.

On this episode of THE CHASING CLARITY HEALTH & FITNESS PODCAST, we continue the conversation from Part 1 by breaking down why scale weight behaves differently in women, how the menstrual cycle influences day to day changes, and how to track progress accurately without letting a single number dictate your mindset or effort.

If you’ve ever felt like you were doing everything right but the scale jumped up a few pounds overnight, this episode will bring clarity. Progress is never linear, and weight is only one small piece of a much larger picture.

HERE IS WHAT WE COVER

️HOW THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE IMPACTS SCALE FLUCTUATIONS️

WHY WOMEN SEE BIGGER DAY TO DAY SHIFTS COMPARED TO MEN️

HOW TO USE DAILY WEIGH INS AND 7 DAY AVERAGES TO TRACK TRENDS️

WHY WEEKLY WEIGH INS CAN MISLEAD YOU️

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAT LOSS AND WATER WEIGHT️

HOW TO DESENSITIZE YOURSELF TO SCALE ANXIETY️

HOW TO TRACK PROGRESS BEYOND THE SCALE WITH PHOTOS, CLOTHING, PERFORMANCE AND BIOFEEDBACK️

WHY TRUE TRANSFORMATION REQUIRES MULTIPLE DATA POINTS

If you want to stop letting the scale control your emotions, your decisions, or your belief in yourself, this episode will teach you how to interpret the data correctly and stay consistent without second guessing every fluctuation.

IF THIS EPISODE HELPED YOU, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND WHO NEEDS IT.

If you’re ready for coaching that respects female physiology and builds results that last, apply for 1:1 coaching through the link in the show notes.

WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Follow Brandon on IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/⁠

For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: ⁠https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Brandon’s Website: ⁠https://www.brandondacruzfit.com⁠