#427 Steve Hall – Muscle Building - The Ideal Rest Break and Calorie Surplus

#427 Steve Hall – Muscle Building - The Ideal Rest Break and Calorie Surplus

Author: Andrew Coates December 22, 2025 Duration: 53:51

Steve Hall is a WNBF Natural Pro Bodybuilder and one of the most trusted evidence-based voices in muscle building. As the host of the Revive Stronger podcast and a long-time practitioner, Steve brings rare clarity and nuance to topics that are often oversimplified online.

In this episode, Steve joins Andrew to break down what actually matters for hypertrophy when it comes to rest periods, fatigue, technique, and calorie surplus - without dogma, fear-mongering, or rigid rules.

Steve shares insight on:
• Whether there is an ideal approach to rest breaks between sets
• How much calorie surplus is actually needed to build muscle effectively
• Why autoregulation is a powerful strategy for managing rest periods
• Whether shorter rest breaks hurt progress when time is limited
• Practical tactics to make shorter workouts more effective
• How fatigue influences strength and hypertrophy outcomes
• Why Steve has become less rigid about “perfect technique”
• How relaxing strict range-of-motion rules improved his own training progress
• When technique matters most vs. when it becomes counterproductive
• The nuance required to apply evidence in real-world training
• And much more

IG: @revivestronger


CHAPTERS


00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:16 Guest Introduction - Steve Hall
00:58 The Evolution of Fitness Podcasts
01:51 Muscle Building Insights - Rest Length Between Sets
08:46 Strength vs. Hypertrophy Training
17:41 The Role of Fatigue in Training
24:11 Training Hard vs. Perfect Technique
26:59 Advanced Techniques for Muscle Failure
28:54 The Importance of Technique Over Form
30:24 Reevaluating Range of Motion
33:50 Sponsor Break - Train Heroic
45:47 Nutrition for Muscle Growth
46:24 The Role of Caloric Surplus in Muscle Building
52:33 Final Thoughts and Resources


SUPPORT THE SHOW


If this episode helped you, you can help me by:
• Subscribing and checking out more episodes
• Sharing it on your social media (tag me - I’ll respond)
• Sending it to a friend who’s trying to build muscle without burning out


FOLLOW ANDREW COATES


Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness
https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com


PARTNERS AND RESOURCES


RP Strength App (use code COATESRP)
https://www.rpstrength.com/coates

Just Bite Me Meals (use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off)
https://justbitememeals.com/

MacrosFirst - FREE PREMIUM TRIAL
Download MacrosFirst and during setup you’ll be asked “How did you hear about us?”
Type in: ANDREW

KNKG Bags (15% off)
https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676

Versa Gripps (discount link)
https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates

TRAINHEROIC - FREE 90-DAY TRIAL (2 steps)

  1. Go to https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree

  2. Reply to the email you receive (or email trials@trainheroic.com) and let them know I sent you


Andrew Coates hosts Lift Free And Diet Hard, a conversation grounded in the belief that strength and wellness are built on more than just routines. This podcast moves beyond quick fixes to examine the principles and personal stories that shape a sustainable, intentional life. You’ll hear from a variety of inspiring guests who share not only their expertise but also the real-world challenges and triumphs they’ve faced. The discussions naturally weave together the science of fitness with the practicalities of daily choices, offering a nuanced look at what it means to truly care for your physical and mental health. Each episode is designed to provide actionable insights you can use to navigate your own path, fostering resilience and confidence whether you're in the gym or the kitchen. By focusing on informed decision-making over dogma, the Lift Free And Diet Hard podcast becomes a resource for anyone looking to cut through the noise of wellness culture. Andrew facilitates these explorations with a focus on empowerment, ensuring every conversation adds a layer of understanding to the complex journey of building a strong, healthy life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates
Podcast Episodes
#392 Dr. Katie Dabrowski - The Pathway Out of Pain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:16
Katie Dabrowski is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Strength Coach who merges her education in behavioural psychology and neuroscience with strength training to help people get out of pain, recover from injury, and get s…
#390 Stu Phillips - How Much Protein Do We Really Need? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:36
Dr. Stu Phillips is a professor at McMaster University and one of the most prominent and respected researchers in resistance training and nutrition especially relating to muscle and aging.Stu joins me to share:-What is a…
#389 Dave Tate - Elite Strength, Coaching, and Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:06
Dave Tate is an icon of the strength, powerlifting, and coaching world. The founder of EliteFTS and prolific writer and author, Dave is an institution in the industry.Dave guests to talk about:-What he’s training for now…
#388 Charlie Weingroff - Physical Therapy, Pain, Emotion, and MRIs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:57
Charlie Weingroff is a legendary Physical Therapist and Strength Coach who joins me to share his thoughts on:-Issues with high volume physical therapy business models-Helping people who have been told by a doctor not to…
#386 Dr. Matthew Nagra - Debunking Myths About Plant Based Nutrition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:45
Dr Matthew Nagra is a Naturopathic Doctor and Plant Based Nutrition Educator.Matthew guests to share his experience on:-Dealing with fraudulent AI based marketing, including his own experience having his voice and image…