The Judd Lienhard Podcast

To be considered for my upcoming event at my gym in Austin, TX, DM me "ATX" on Instagram!
In this Q&A episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, Judd answers a wide range of listener questions covering testosterone, TRT, supplements, strength training, and overall performance.
He starts by breaking down one of the biggest misconceptions in fitness and health today: testosterone levels. Judd explains why your numbers alone don’t determine how you feel, perform, or whether you actually need TRT. He dives into how lifestyle factors like sleep, stress, and overall health play a much bigger role than most people think.
The conversation also covers the different stages of hormone optimization—from natural approaches, to compounds like enclomiphene and HCG, all the way to testosterone replacement therapy. Judd shares his honest thoughts on when these options might make sense, and the long-term considerations that come with them.
On the supplement side, he walks through his personal daily stack, including what he takes for performance, recovery, and general health. He also touches on what actually matters versus what’s often overhyped in the supplement industry.
Training is another major focus of this episode. Judd outlines what an effective 3-day workout routine should look like for building strength and size, why total body training is often the best approach, and how to stay consistent long term.
Additional topics include:
What to drink during workouts for better performance
Using BPC-157 for recovery
Getting back into training after time off (including post-pregnancy)
The reality of running a steroid cycle vs staying on TRT
Whether squats and deadlifts are necessary for building strength
This episode is a mix of practical advice, real-world experience, and honest perspective—without the fluff.
This episode is brought to you by LMNT.
Optimal hydration doesn’t just mean more fluids, it means getting the right electrolyte balance. Make your purchase through my link to receive a free LMNT Sample Pack featuring the most popular flavors: drinklmnt.com/judd
The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.
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In this episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, Judd breaks down the fundamentals of hypertrophy training and explains what actually works when it comes to building bigger muscles.
Muscle growth is often overcomplicated in the fitness industry, but Judd explains why the most effective hypertrophy principles are actually very simple. Drawing from over 15 years of experience as a strength and performance coach, Judd walks through the key variables that drive muscle growth.
In this episode you'll learn:
• The most effective rep range for hypertrophy
 • Why full range of motion matters for muscle growth
 • How training tempo impacts hypertrophy
 • How many sets per week build the most muscle
 • How close to failure you should train
 • The best training splits for muscle growth
 • The best exercises for each major muscle group
Judd also discusses why many people struggle to build muscle despite training regularly, and how consistency, intensity, and nutrition play a major role in long-term progress.
If your goal is building muscle, gaining size, and improving hypertrophy training, this episode will give you a practical framework you can apply immediately.
This episode is brought to you by LMNT.
Optimal hydration doesn’t just mean more fluids, it means getting the right electrolyte balance. Make your purchase through my link to receive a free LMNT Sample Pack featuring the most popular flavors: drinklmnt.com/judd
The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.
Enjoyed this conversation? Consider sharing it with a friend. Subscribe, Rate, & Review to help us bring you more epic conversations. ⭐️🎧🔥

To be considered for my upcoming events I'm hosting at my gym in Austin, TX, DM me "ATX" on Instagram!
In this Q&A episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, Judd answers listener-submitted questions covering strength training, injury prevention, longevity, and practical performance advice.
The episode opens with a discussion on dead hangs vs farmer’s carries as potential indicators of strength and longevity. While both exercises challenge grip strength, Judd explains why loaded carries may provide broader benefits by developing grip endurance, core stability, and gait mechanics at the same time. These types of movements better mimic real-world physical demands and contribute to long-term physical resilience.
Judd also dives into one of the most common issues lifters deal with: shoulder pain and impingement. He explains why the shoulder joint is uniquely vulnerable due to its need for both mobility and stability, and why simply balancing pushing and pulling exercises may not be enough to keep shoulders healthy. He outlines the importance of strengthening external rotation muscles, improving scapular movement, and incorporating exercises that build long-term joint stability.
Another major topic in this episode is biceps tendonitis and shoulder irritation during training. Judd shares practical ways to keep training while recovering, including adjusting pressing grip width, using variable resistance like bands or chains, reducing range of motion temporarily, and incorporating movements like landmine presses and push-up variations to reduce stress on the shoulder joint.
The conversation also covers the ongoing debate around minimalist training shoes vs cushioned running shoes. Judd explains why footwear alone doesn’t determine foot strength and why walking mechanics and gait patterns play a much larger role in long-term joint health.
Later in the episode, Judd explains how he would structure strength training while preparing for an ultramarathon, focusing on maintaining strength with minimal fatigue by using low volume, high intensity lifting.
Additional topics include:
Music choices for heavy lifting days
Judd’s experience with Ranger School and military selection
Massage therapy vs chiropractic treatment for recovery
How to get started with the MASS Method training app
Judd’s top five recommended books on psychology, leadership, and society
If you enjoy practical conversations about strength, performance, resilience, and training for life, this episode delivers insights you can immediately apply to your training.
📚 Books Referenced by Judd: 
1. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — Yuval Noah Harari
https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095
2. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion — Jonathan Haidt
https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777
3. The Prince — Niccolò Machiavelli
https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Niccolo-Machiavelli/dp/1530915684
4. The 48 Laws of Power — Robert Greene

This episode is brought to you by LMNT.
Optimal hydration doesn’t just mean more fluids, it means getting the right electrolyte balance. Make your purchase through my link to receive a free LMNT Sample Pack featuring the most popular flavors: drinklmnt.com/judd
The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.
Enjoyed this conversation? Consider sharing it with a friend. Subscribe, Rate, & Review to help us bring you more epic conversations. ⭐️🎧🔥

In this episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, Judd breaks down more of the worst fitness advice still being taught in gyms today and explains why many common training rules are outdated, misunderstood, or applied without context.
Judd has seen countless training myths repeated by trainers, influencers, and gym culture in general. The problem isn’t always that these ideas are completely wrong, it’s that they’re often applied as rigid rules instead of tools.
In part two of this series, Judd tackles five more pieces of commonly repeated fitness advice that may actually be holding people back in their training.
Topics include the myth of always keeping your “chest up and back flat,” why lifters are often told to stay on their heels, the long-standing warning to never let your knees go past your toes, the debate around slow essentrics, and why many lifters misunderstand the purpose of lifting straps.
Judd explains how real strength training should focus on context, progression, and adaptability, rather than blindly following dogmatic cues. You’ll learn how athletes actually move, why tendon strength and joint resilience matter, and how different training strategies can be used to build strength, power, and durability over time.
If you’ve ever been confused by conflicting advice in the gym, this episode will help you understand why so many common lifting rules don’t tell the whole story.
This episode is brought to you by LMNT.
Optimal hydration doesn’t just mean more fluids, it means getting the right electrolyte balance. Make your purchase through my link to receive a free LMNT Sample Pack featuring the most popular flavors: drinklmnt.com/judd
The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.
Enjoyed this conversation? Consider sharing it with a friend. Subscribe, Rate, & Review to help us bring you more epic conversations. ⭐️🎧🔥

Why do so many people struggle to reach their fitness goals—even when they’re motivated and training consistently?
In this Q&A episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, Judd answers listener questions about training habits, recovery strategies, tendon health, nervous system fatigue, and how to build a sustainable approach to fitness. The conversation starts with one of the most important topics in fitness: why most people fail to reach their goals.
According to Judd, the real reason people fail isn’t usually the workout program—it’s the lack of foundational habits that support consistency. The gym is often the end result of systems and routines that happen outside the gym, including planning, recovery, adaptability, and lifestyle structure.
Judd also shares the mobility and active recovery tools he uses regularly, including rope flow training and rebounder work, and explains why low-impact movement can play a powerful role in keeping the body healthy between hard training sessions.
Other listener questions lead to discussions on bone density, inflammation and colon health, tendonitis recovery strategies, and how athletes can structure training around nervous system load rather than simply movement patterns.
You’ll also hear Judd explain the concept of undulating neural loading (UNL)—a training system that alternates high-intensity neural stress with lower-intensity days to allow proper nervous system recovery and maximize performance.
The episode wraps up with a conversation about recovery metrics like HRV, grip strength, sleep quality, and other signs that your nervous system might be fatigued.
If you want to train smarter, avoid injuries, and build a fitness routine that actually lasts, this episode is packed with practical insights.
00:00 Why people fail their fitness goals
 00:38 The real foundation of consistent training
 01:48 Mobility work and active recovery routines
 02:54 Strengthening bones through training and nutrition
 03:47 Colon health, inflammation, and diet
 05:41 Tendonitis recovery and Achilles injury prevention
 09:32 Understanding undulating neural loading (UNL)
 12:28 Training according to HRV
 13:21 How to evaluate recovery and readiness
 15:43 Signs of nervous system fatigue
 16:04 What it means to train your nervous system
 18:35 Listener question: Emily the chocolate lab
This episode is brought to you by LMNT.
Optimal hydration doesn’t just mean more fluids, it means getting the right electrolyte balance. Make your purchase through my link to receive a free LMNT Sample Pack featuring the most popular flavors: drinklmnt.com/judd
The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.
Enjoyed this conversation? Consider sharing it with a friend. Subscribe, Rate, & Review to help us bring you more epic conversations. ⭐️🎧🔥