Andy Galpin vs Rangan Chatterjee

Andy Galpin

• Strength: the 3–5 rule – 3–5 exercises, 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, 3–5 minutes' rest, 3–5 days a week, every rep done with full intentStrong evidence
• Muscle growth: at least 10 hard sets per muscle group a week, each within 1–2 reps of failure; 15–20 sets for more experienced liftersStrong evidence
• Add load gradually for strength, roughly 3–5% a week, and keep the same main exercises for about 6–12 weeks before changing themSome evidence
• Moderate, conversational-pace cardio of about 150–200 minutes a week for general healthStrong evidence
• Warm up for about 5–7 minutes, up to 10 if you are stiff or olderPersonal habit
• Run a simple fitness test battery about once a year (for example grip strength, jumps, push-ups and an estimate of VO2 max) and retest weak areas more oftenSome evidence

Rangan Chatterjee

• Walk at least 10,000 steps a daySome evidence
• Strength training twice a weekStrong evidence
• Short daily glute exercises (e.g. hip extensions), a couple of minutesPersonal habit
• Five-minute home workout: five moves back to back, 20 s on / 40 s off for beginners or 40 s on / 20 s off for advanced, five roundsSome evidence
• Swap any move that is too hard, painful or unsafeNote

Andy Galpin

• Total daily protein matters more than exact timing around workoutsSome evidence
• Daily fluid baseline of about 30 ml per kg of body weightPersonal habit
• During training: drink about 2 ml per kg of body weight every 15–20 minutes; afterwards replace about 125% of the weight lostSome evidence
• For long or very hard sessions, start at about 60 g of carbohydrate per hourStrong evidence

Rangan Chatterjee

• Eat within a 12-hour window (for example 8am to 8pm), leaving about 12 hours a day without foodSome evidence
• Five portions of different vegetables every dayStrong evidence
• Around eight glasses of water a dayPersonal habit
• Eat at least one meal a day at a table, with no phone or device nearbyPersonal habit
• No fixed protein target in the sources we checkedNote

Andy Galpin

• Creatine monohydrate 3–5 g a day; larger people may need moreStrong evidence
• Creatine takes about 3–4 weeks to saturate muscle at normal doses; a loading phase is optionalNote
• Caffeine about 1–3 mg per kg roughly 30 minutes before exercise; performance tends to drop above about 5 mg per kgStrong evidence

Rangan Chatterjee

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Andy Galpin

• After training, lie down for 3–10 minutes with eyes covered and breathe slowly through the nose (for example box breathing) to switch into recovery modeSome evidence
• Cold-water immersion can ease soreness but may blunt muscle growth, so keep it away from strength sessions if muscle is the goalSome evidence
• Hot baths for next-morning stiffnessPersonal habit
• Pair one physical recovery tool (compression, light movement, a swim) with one breathing practice rather than chasing every gadgetPersonal habit
• Watch three markers – performance, physiology (resting heart rate, HRV) and how you feel; five or more days of decline is a sign to back offSome evidence

Rangan Chatterjee

• A tech-free wind-down before bed, ideally about 90 minutesSome evidence
• Set a cut-off for work email in the evening (e.g. 8–8:30pm)Personal habit
• Avoid emotionally charged topics, such as money worries, late in the eveningPersonal habit
• Get daylight or time in nature in the morning, even five minutes, to help set the body clockSome evidence

Andy Galpin

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Rangan Chatterjee

• A daily stillness practice, starting with two minutes of meditationSome evidence
• 3-4-5 breathing: in for 3, hold for 4, out for 5, for about five minutesSome evidence
• One full screen-free day a weekPersonal habit
• Before bed, write down three things that went well and whySome evidence
• Five minutes a day enjoying natureSome evidence