Strength Is a Skill: Sensory Training, the Nervous System & Neuroplasticity with Dr. Jordan Shallow — #407

Dr. Jordan Shallow, D.C., known as “The Muscle Doc,” is a chiropractor, strength and conditioning coach, and former competitive powerlifter. He is the founder of Pre-Script®, an education company that teaches coaches applied biomechanics and resistance training. Is getting stronger really about muscle, or about how well your nervous system learns the lift? Dr. Jordan Shallow, “The Muscle Doc,” explains why strength and size follow skill, how your senses shape movement, and how simple sensory inputs may change the way you train. Expect to learn when internal versus external cues make sense for strength and hypertrophy, how an intermediate lifter can use practice volume and frequency, why great lifters treat the empty bar like the heavy one, how touch, vibration, skin stretch and pressure may influence movement, and how neuroplasticity, lucid dreaming and film study connect to learning skills — and much more. Connect with Jordan: Website: themuscledoc.com Pre-Script: pre-script.com Instagram: @the_muscle_doc Pre-Script on Instagram: @pre_script Episodes you'll enjoy next: #401 — Psychedelics, Neuroplasticity and the Military-to-Spiritual Journey with Rick Alexander: A former Special Operations combat medic explains how a psychedelic experience reshaped his worldview, and what it taught him about neuroplasticity. #311 — Maximizing Athletic Performance with Neurology: Insights from Dr. Dylan Seeley: Dr. Dylan Seeley on how applying neurology can improve athletic performance. Episode Timestamps: 03:47 Internal vs. external cues for strength and hypertrophy 06:24 Longevity culture and why skill comes before loading 09:58 Intermediate bench press case study: practice volume and frequency 17:34 Ed Coan, intent and moving the empty bar like the heavy bar 23:30 Sensory-motor savants: Tiger Woods, Nick Kyrgios and Brian Shaw 27:29 How trainable is the sensory system? 29:35 Foam rollers, kinesio tape and cupping through a neurological lens 32:10 Perception, the electromagnetic spectrum and the limits of our senses 36:23 Mechanoreceptors and vibration 41:05 Light touch, vibration, skin stretch and deep pressure 47:14 Fast feedback: testing and iterating with the nervous system 51:38 Neuroplasticity, psychedelics and learning skills faster 1:02:45 Reality Switch Technology, tropanes and perception 1:05:08 Dreams, hypnagogic hallucinations and altered perception 1:12:26 Lucid dreaming and practicing the deadlift without the load 1:23:19 Film study, muscle memory and watching good reps 1:26:37 Where to find Dr. Jordan Shallow Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter