Built : The Complete Guide to Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, Strength Development, Hypertrophy, Athletic Performance, and Sport-Specific Training

Take a deep, science-based dive into how the human body actually works during training. Built Exercise Physiology Training breaks down the physiology of muscle growth, energy systems, fatigue, biomechanics, and exercise execution in a way that connects directly to real-world training results.

What You’ll Learn Inside:

• Science-Based Training Principles: Learn how muscle growth, strength development, fatigue, and progress actually work through simple explanations of hypertrophy, recovery, and adaptation.

• Complete Program Design Strategies: Build effective training programs using volume, intensity, frequency, exercise selection, progressive overload, periodization, and autoregulation tailored to your goals and recovery.

• Exercise Physiology Made Practical: Understand muscle function, fiber types, energy systems, and how every rep creates a growth stimulus you can apply directly in the gym.

• Bodybuilding, Strength, and Athletic Performance: Train for hypertrophy, strength, powerlifting, conditioning, sport performance, and physique development across multiple training goals.

• Recovery, Injury Prevention, and Longevity: Learn how to manage fatigue, avoid injuries, improve movement quality, and build a body that performs consistently long-term.

• Coaching and Real-World Application: Apply exercise science with practical coaching tools, troubleshooting methods, program adjustments, and real athlete case examples.

Topics Covered:

• Full-body training science and exercise physiology
• Muscle anatomy and function (upper and lower body)
• Energy systems, fatigue, and recovery
• Muscle growth and strength development principles
• Exercise biomechanics and movement mechanics
• Exercise selection and execution fundamentals
• Complete exercise library and training methods
• Program design, splits, and periodization
• Fatigue management and autoregulation
• Bodybuilding, strength, and athletic performance training
• Sport-specific and tactical athlete development
• Injury prevention and recovery strategies
• Nutrition, supplementation, and recovery basics
• Coaching, troubleshooting, and program adjustments
• Training psychology and performance mindset
• Real-world application and case studies

Perfect For:

• Lifters who want to understand the science behind training
• Bodybuilders and physique athletes
• Coaches and personal trainers
• Strength athletes and performance-focused lifters
• Anyone who wants to stop guessing and start training intelligently

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8

PART ONE Groundwork

1. Why Most of What You’ve Been Told Is Wrong………………………………… 14

2. A Short History of Lifting………………………………………………………………….. 17

3. Genetics, Individual Response, and Realistic Expectations………………….. 19

PART TWO The Machine

4. How Muscle Actually Works……………………………………………………………… 23

5. A Tour of the Body, Muscle by Muscle………………………………………………. 26

6. Energy, Fatigue, and What “Tired” Really Means……………………………….. 31

7. The Mechanics of Every Rep……………………………………………………………… 34

8. Hormones and Training……………………………………………………………………… 38

9. Muscle Fiber Types and Individual Differences………………………………….. 41

PART THREE Growth and Strength

10. How Muscle Grows…………………………………………………………………………. 45

11. The Real Drivers of Growth…………………………………………………………….. 51

12. The Science of Volume……………………………………………………………………. 59

13. How Strength Is Built………………………………………………………………………. 66

PART FOUR How to Train

14. The Levers You Pull………………………………………………………………………… 70

15. Advanced Techniques and When They’re Worth It…………………………… 73

16. Warming Up, Mobility, and Movement Prep…………………………………….. 78

17. Executing the Big Lifts…………………………………………………………………….. 81

18. The Science of Exercise Selection…………………………………………………….. 86

19. The Complete Exercise Library………………………………………………………… 90

20. Core and Abdominal Training………………………………………………………….. 94

21. Conditioning and Cardio Done Right………………………………………………… 96

22. Training Around Injuries……………………………………………………………….. 100

PART FIVE Structuring It

23. Choosing a Split…………………………………………………………………………….. 104

24. The Split Encyclopedia………………………………………………………………….. 107

25. Periodization: Organizing Training Over Time……………………………….. 110

26. Designing Your Own Program……………………………………………………….. 115

27. Autoregulation and Tracking Progress……………………………………………. 120

28. Programs You Can Run Tomorrow………………………………………………… 124

29. Training With Minimal Equipment, at Home, and on the Road………… 129

PART SIX Building a Physique

30. The Bodybuilding Process……………………………………………………………… 145

31. The Improvement Season……………………………………………………………….. 151

32. The Science of Fat Loss…………………………………………………………………. 157

33. Training Intent and the Mind-Muscle Connection……………………………. 165

34. Proportion, Symmetry, and the Aesthetic Eye…………………………………. 168

35. The Men’s Divisions……………………………………………………………………… 171

36. The Women’s Divisions…………………………………………………………………. 177

37. The Science of Glute Development………………………………………………… 182

38. Building the Chest…………………………………………………………………………. 191

39. Building the Back………………………………………………………………………….. 194

40. Building the Shoulders…………………………………………………………………… 197

41. Building the Arms…………………………………………………………………………. 200

42. Building the Legs…………………………………………………………………………… 204

43. Building the Calves……………………………………………………………………….. 208

44. Bringing Up a Weak Point……………………………………………………………… 211

45. Training Through a Prep: Early, Mid, and Late……………………………….. 213

46. Contest Prep: Peaking, Peak Week, and the Stage…………………………… 223

47. Training Through a Contest Prep……………………………………………………. 229

48. Building and Adjusting the Prep Split…………………………………………….. 233

49. Posing and Presentation…………………………………………………………………. 237

PART SEVEN Strength and Hardcore Sports

50. Powerlifting…………………………………………………………………………………… 240

51. Powerlifting Programs and Methods……………………………………………….. 246

52. Powerbuilding……………………………………………………………………………….. 259

53. Olympic Weightlifting…………………………………………………………………… 265

54. Strongman…………………………………………………………………………………….. 270

55. CrossFit………………………………………………………………………………………… 275

56. Hyrox and Hybrid Racing………………………………………………………………. 279

PART EIGHT The Athlete

57. The Athletic Foundation………………………………………………………………… 286

58. Training Across the Competitive Season…………………………………………. 290

59. Speed Development……………………………………………………………………….. 294

60. Agility and Change of Direction…………………………………………………….. 297

61. Power Development………………………………………………………………………. 299

62. Plyometrics……………………………………………………………………………………. 302

63. Rotational Performance………………………………………………………………….. 305

64. Return to Sport After Injury……………………………………………………………. 307

PART NINE Sport by Sport

65. American Football…………………………………………………………………………. 311

66. Basketball……………………………………………………………………………………… 316

67. Soccer…………………………………………………………………………………………… 321

68. Baseball and Softball……………………………………………………………………… 325

69. Ice Hockey……………………………………………………………………………………. 329

70. Rugby…………………………………………………………………………………………… 333

71. Volleyball……………………………………………………………………………………… 337

72. Sprinting and Jumping…………………………………………………………………… 340

73. Distance Running………………………………………………………………………….. 343

74. Swimming…………………………………………………………………………………….. 346

75. Tennis…………………………………………………………………………………………… 349

76. Golf………………………………………………………………………………………………. 352

77. Cycling…………………………………………………………………………………………. 355

78. Boxing………………………………………………………………………………………….. 358

79. Mixed Martial Arts………………………………………………………………………… 362

80. Wrestling………………………………………………………………………………………. 366

81. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu………………………………………………………………………….. 370

82. Lacrosse………………………………………………………………………………………… 373

83. Track and Field Throws…………………………………………………………………. 376

84. Rowing…………………………………………………………………………………………. 379

85. Triathlon……………………………………………………………………………………….. 382

86. Pickleball………………………………………………………………………………………. 385

87. Cricket………………………………………………………………………………………….. 387

88. Rock Climbing and Bouldering………………………………………………………. 390

89. Calisthenics and Bodyweight Training……………………………………………. 392

90. Martial Arts: Striking and Traditional…………………………………………….. 395

91. Skiing and Snowboarding………………………………………………………………. 397

92. Gymnastics……………………………………………………………………………………. 399

93. Obstacle Course Racing…………………………………………………………………. 401

94. Racquet Sports: Squash, Badminton, and Table Tennis……………………. 403

95. Surfing and Paddle Sports………………………………………………………………. 405

96. Hiking, Rucking, and Mountaineering…………………………………………….. 407

PART TEN The Tactical Athlete

97. The Tactical Foundation………………………………………………………………… 411

98. Military Enlistment and Basic Training…………………………………………… 415

99. Special Operations Selection………………………………………………………….. 418

100. Police Academy…………………………………………………………………………… 421

101. SWAT and Tactical Units…………………………………………………………….. 424

102. Firefighting………………………………………………………………………………….. 427

PART ELEVEN The Rest of the Picture

103. The Female Athlete……………………………………………………………………… 432

104. Training Through Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Menopause……………. 435

105. Youth and Adolescent Training……………………………………………………. 437

106. Training Through the Decades……………………………………………………… 441

107. Supplements: What Works and What’s a Waste…………………………….. 443

108. Natural vs Enhanced: What Actually Changes………………………………. 446

109. Recovery…………………………………………………………………………………….. 448

110. The Science of Recovery Monitoring……………………………………………. 451

111. Overtraining, Overreaching, and Burnout……………………………………… 454

112. Injury, Pain, and Bulletproofing the Body…………………………………….. 457

113. The Mind…………………………………………………………………………………….. 459

114. Body Image, Disordered Eating, and Mental Health in Physique Sport……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 461

115. The Psychology of Elite Performance…………………………………………… 463

PART TWELVE Coaching

116. Athlete Assessment……………………………………………………………………… 466

117. Identifying Weak Links……………………………………………………………….. 468

118. Communication……………………………………………………………………………. 470

119. Program Adjustments…………………………………………………………………… 472

120. Troubleshooting Plateaus……………………………………………………………… 474

121. Coaching Different Personalities…………………………………………………… 476

122. Coaching Men and Women………………………………………………………….. 478

123. Coaching Beginners and Advanced Athletes…………………………………. 480

124. Remote Coaching………………………………………………………………………… 482

PART THIRTEEN Putting It Together

125. The Science of Individualization…………………………………………………… 484

126. Why Training Does Not Transfer: The Specificity Principle………….. 487

127. Myths and Truths…………………………………………………………………………. 491

128. Case Studies: The Thinking in Action…………………………………………… 495

129. The Future of Training…………………………………………………………………. 496

130. A Final Word………………………………………………………………………………. 497

PART FOURTEEN Bonus

131. My Favorite Workout Plans………………………………………………………….. 499

Selected Bibliography and Further Reading………………………………………….. 512