Want to Learn a New Skill Faster? Research Says Time Your Cardio Right.

Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. We do things a bit differently here, starting with transparency.

1. All APC emails are researched and written by the editors in chief (see bottom of the email), with additions from Arnold (noted with “Arnold’s Corner”).

2. Does AI play a role? Yes, in two places. The summaries at the end are AI-generated based on the human-written content, and we use an AI tool to review our interpretations of research to ensure scientific accuracy.

3. We have partnerships (all clearly noted), but the bar is set high (example: no non-certified supplements or those without evidence in human trials). If we won’t buy the product, we won’t recommend it to you. If there’s no evidence it works, there’s no place for it here.

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• She was stuck, and then everything changed.

• The anti-influencer health journey

• Your brain on a multivitamin

• How to learn and retain skills faster

• When does muscle growth stop?

From Hope To Belief 
30 Pounds Later

Last week, we asked you if you needed more stories to inspire you to believe what is possible with your own body. One woman, in her 50s, mentioned feeling stuck and needing to see someone like her make a change. Enter Peggy. 

It doesn’t matter your age or experience; once you see what she has accomplished, it’s hard not to be inspired and to believe in the limitless potential that lives in all of us. 

Tell us about yourself:

Good morning, Village. I’m Peggy, a 53-year-old woman who joined the Pump Club in April 2023. I was 30 pounds overweight, doing the bodyweight program starting from scratch with ZERO weight. Through progression and dedication, rep after rep, last week I did a heavy and high-volume deadlift session with my powerlifting team and moved 6,240 pounds in one hour. Then I completed my gain muscle foundation and moved an additional 9,400 pounds. 

From lifting 0 pounds around 650 days ago, to smashing through 15,640 pounds on a regular Monday, losing 30 pounds, and having dreamlike adventures of a lifetime here with all of you, it has been more than I can sometimes believe. 

How long did you hope things would get better before they did? 

My journey before joining the Pump Club. It was a place where I didn’t want to go on. I didn’t begin the journey with hope. Joining the Pump Club was a lifeline. When I began doing the workouts, each day, gaining muscle, and strength, repeatedly being exposed to positive messages from our incredible Village — simple things, like - you can do it, and keep going — this is where things began to change. Those words meant everything. Those words changed everything. I could finally hear them. They got through, and I believed them. Following the program and ticking those boxes, hitting those targets, gave me a blueprint of how to get to where I wanted to go each day. You are where the hope came in. 

What actually made things get better?

The Village made things better. All of you. Putting in the work day after day alongside all of you. Your kindness above all made things achievable — you are what made it possible for me to build my foundation of strength. You are the bedrock. From those first wobbly lunges, you all were there.

Daniel and Adam, I don’t know if you remember, but one day I asked you to create a video on how to load a bar — and you did! You made this possible. A huge moment for me came in February 2024, after I lost weight on the FUBAR challenge with Derek Sandford. That’s when I started to see some definition in my abs — a whole 9 months of grinding away after starting my program. That hint of definition, THAT gave me tremendous hope. What could happen in another year’s time if I just kept putting in the work? 

What was your plan? 

I had been listening to Arnold’s podcasts, and reading his newsletters for several months before joining the Pump Club. So by the time I jumped in, I hit the ground running. My vision was sparked by Arnold’s blueprint. I have a picture on my phone of Linda Hamilton in Dark Fate and I thought, “It’s going to take me years, if ever, to look like Linda and knock out chinups like her.” I pictured as clearly as I could a year from day one how I would feel after a year of working out, or how I would feel looking back on a year of not working out. Both visions were my fuel. My plan was to trust the process of the Pump Club, and know that if I stuck to the program relentlessly that I would be closer to achieving my goal. I’m no Linda Hamilton, but I do think she would be proud. My plan now is to just keep going, just keep showing up, day after day, forever - to keep leaning in, and saying YES. 

How did I show up on days when you didn’t feel like it? 

I still have moments when I don’t feel like it. In the beginning, before our accountability groups, I rewarded myself with reading articles and schmoozing with the Village if I completed a workout. I wouldn’t sit down with all of you until my workout was done. You all were and are my reward for getting my workout in. Getting some of those workouts done at home in the beginning felt impossible. I’d have to think - I can do anything for 15 minutes. Look at how quickly 15 minutes go by on the clock! I’d put on Arnold’s podcasts, then I’d start with the thought of completing one warmup exercise, and that’s all it took to just keep going. Now I have training partners in the app and at the gym. They are there at the gym or on their bikes on the street waiting for me. There’s no way I’m letting those partners down. 

What’s the hardest part about change? 

For me, change hurts. Growth hurts. It’s painful. It’s scary. Just like those last few reps, it hurts! Now, when I’m facing a moment of growth and change, inside and outside of the gym — I accept the discomfort — I take it as a cue that I’ve reached the point of launch. I’ve reached the line where if I just stay with it and push through to continue past the pain, the fear, the uncertainty, that this is where the magic, where the possibility can begin. My coach, Tofer Stewart, told me, we are like fruit trees: the branches that we break bear the most fruit the following season. I don’t know what your line looks like, or what your cue is, but I hope for you that when you feel it, you take it as a signal to push through and to keep going. This is where things get extraordinary. 

Did you notice that what you learned with this success translated to anything else in your life? 

My success with strength training has permeated every aspect of my life. One of the most profound and unexpected changes has been that my mind — my being — believes that it is as strong as my body. I do more, attempt more, go more places, walk my city, play hard, ride our trains, take planes, get out there, with minimal fear or anxiety because I believe my nervous system finally feels STRONG. There’s something about pulling through a lift where your whole nervous system says NO/STOP/TURN OFF, and you keep pulling ANYWAY. I think we are wired pretty primitively, so the mind can’t separate mental and physical strength. Where the body goes, the mind will follow. I also think every single day of Jen Widerstrom. How she took me aside and showed me how to take up space in my movements, and expand my physical form. The song “Blackbird” by the Beatles, that’s the sound of what Coach Jen did for me. 

Daniel and Adam, you did that for my spirit. Adam, I’ll never forget the day that you said I was strong. Arnold, Nic, Noah, Lynn, and Village — you all have forever changed me, and I am forever grateful. 

The Positive Corner Of The Internet
We Want To Tell Your Real Story, Not an Influencer’s Fake One

Has the Pump Club app and fitness changed your life? Are you overcoming everyday hurdles to prioritize your health? Share your story with us. 

We’re working on a special project based on real people making incredible accomplishments, because we think real people can inspire others better than any influencer. Reply to this email and tell us more about you. 

Together With Momentous 
Your Brain on a Multivitamin

We're usually the first to call out supplements that overpromise. But when research keeps pointing in the same direction, the evidence deserves attention, too.

Daily multivitamin use was linked to approximately 2-3 years less cognitive aging in older adults.

Scientists analyzed three studies involving nearly 5,000 adults aged 60 and older, following them for 2 to 3 years. The research was specifically designed to measure brain health, memory, and cognitive function as part of a larger cardiovascular prevention trial.

Multivitamins didn't appear to help executive function. But memory told a different story—participants taking a daily multivitamin retained memory significantly better than those on a placebo, equivalent to reversing a few years of cognitive aging.

Researchers believe multivitamins help by correcting micronutrient deficiencies that become more common with age. The likely players include B vitamins (especially B12), vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium, all of which support brain cell maintenance, reduce inflammation, and protect against oxidative stress. Notably, the benefits were strongest among people with cardiovascular disease, who tend to have lower baseline micronutrient levels. The researchers are clear that the exact mechanism isn't fully understood—there's no single "magic bullet" nutrient. It's probably the combination of working together to fill nutritional gaps.

And here's the real reason we're sharing this: the findings have been replicated. New studies get all the fanfare, but repeated results build actual confidence. This isn't one lucky finding—it's a pattern.

If you’re going to take a multivitamin, quality matters more than the label.

Momentous Multivitamin is built for exactly what this research suggests: filling real nutritional gaps without megadoses, gimmicks, or fairy dust. The formula uses bioavailable forms of key nutrients (such as B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium), modeled on how they occur in nutrient-dense foods rather than in lab extremes.

That matters because the benefit in these studies didn’t come from one “miracle” nutrient. It came from consistently getting enough of the basics. Momentous makes one we trust because it’s designed to support long-term health, not short-term hype. Save 35% off your first subscription order or 14% off any non-subscription purchase with the code “PUMPCLUB.”

If you’re over 60 — or helping a parent or friend protect their brain as they age — a daily multivitamin is one of the simplest, lowest-risk habits you can stack in your favor.

Prefer food over pills? About five to six total servings of colorful fruits and vegetables daily can give your brain similar nutritional support.

Heath 
How To Use Exercise To Speed The Learning Process

You've probably heard that exercise is good for your brain. But when you're trying to learn something new — a golf swing, a piano piece, a new workout technique — does it matter when you break a sweat?

A 15-30 minute cardio session either before or within a few hours after practicing a new skill can help you learn it faster. 

Researchers analyzed 22 studies to figure out how exercise timing affects learning. They found that cardio performed before practicing a new skill improved early memory consolidation, while exercise after learning enhanced sleep-dependent consolidation with similar benefits. Both effects held up after 7 days and boosted retention by up to 30 percent. 

Here's the nuance that matters: exercise didn't help people learn faster during practice. The magic happened afterward, when the brain was solidifying what it had just experienced. Higher-intensity exercise produced stronger effects than moderate-intensity exercise, and the optimal timing window was within four hours of learning.

Exercise triggers a cascade of brain-friendly chemicals. It releases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which strengthens neural connections. It also increases dopamine and noradrenaline, chemicals that help "tag" new memories for storage. Essentially, cardio creates a more receptive environment for your brain to lock in what you just practiced.

Next time you're working on a new skill, pair it with cardio. You can warm up with 15-20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous effort before practice, or do your skill work first and follow it with a bike ride, run, or brisk walk within a few hours. Either approach works.

Longevity
When Does Muscle Growth Stop?

At some point, most people assume there's an age where lifting weights stops working. A point of no return where muscles just won't respond anymore. That assumption is wrong.

Even adults over 85 can build muscle and gain strength at virtually the same rate as people 20 years younger.

Scientists compared two groups of healthy older adults, those aged 65-75 and those over 85. Both followed the same 12-week strength-training program, working out three times per week with whole-body workouts.

Using CT scans and body composition tests, researchers measured muscle growth, strength gains, and physical performance at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

Both age groups experienced nearly identical improvements. The 65 to 75-year-olds increased quadriceps muscle size by 10 percent; the 85+ group gained 11 percent. Leg strength jumped 38 percent in the younger group and 46 percent in the older group. Both improved whole-body lean mass by 2 percent and performed significantly better on physical function tests.

The researchers believe muscle tissue remains responsive because the key mechanisms—protein synthesis, muscle fiber recruitment, and neural adaptations—continue to function throughout aging. 

Your muscle fibers retain their ability to grow when challenged with progressive resistance, even as you age.

If you're new to strength training, start with bodyweight exercises such as chair squats, wall push-ups, and bodyweight rows. Progress gradually by adding resistance bands or light weights as you get stronger. The study participants trained three times per week, but even one or two sessions provide benefits. (If you need programs, we take care of all the work in the Pump Club app.)

Focus on major muscle groups, including your legs, upper body, and core. Expect to notice strength improvements within 6 weeks, with continued gains beyond. Father Time might be undefeated, but your muscles will still respond no matter how many candles were on your last birthday cake.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell