Lyle McDonald is a revelation in the world of natural bodybuilding. He effortlessly knocks down sacred cows and provides insights that can help you progress as an advanced natural bodybuilder. He regularly shares these on his YouTube channel.

BOOKS

Lyle McDonald is an American author and coach best known for his work in the fields of sports nutrition, fat loss, muscle growth, and body composition (body recomposition). He has written several books, including The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook (an aggressive, high-protein approach to rapid fat loss, a modified form of Protein-Sparing Modified Fast), The Protein Book (on protein requirements for athletes), and A Guide to Flexible Dieting (on calories, macronutrients, and flexibility within a diet).

MCDONALD VS. ISRAETEL AND SCHOENFELD

McDonald does not hesitate to question the advice of renowned bodybuilding coaches, including Mike Israetel. Israetel has gained popularity with his guidelines for sets per muscle group per week (often 10 to 20+ sets) and the concept of Maximum Recoverable Volume. McDonald has been criticizing this for years, stating that many of these recommendations are too high, impractical, or inconsistent, and pointing out that too much volume often amounts to ‘junk volume’. This escalated around 2018 following a major meta-analysis and studies by hypertrophy expert Brad Schoenfeld et al. on high training volumes (in which groups performed up to 45 sets per muscle group per week). All of this led to high-profile discussions.

You don’t have to be pro-McDonald or pro-Israetel. Both gentlemen rely on scientific research but clash over its interpretation. It is up to you to draw the right conclusions.

VIDEOS

The fact is that McDonald’s videos are rich in detailed knowledge and can help you further in your fitness journey. This is especially true if you are fairly advanced and hit plateaus in achieving your desired body composition.

Below is a small selection of McDonald’s most interesting videos.