From general strength training to bodybuilding, from powerlifting to calisthenics and weight loss, here are our 15 best strength training programs for beginners to help you reach your fitness goals. They are all handcrafted by real trainers for real people and real results. All these programs with the exception of the last on the list … Read more
Can you slow your aging by eating a low-protein diet? Is protein really more satiating than fat and carbs? And does an upper level of safe protein intake exist? In this episode, we discuss the evidence behind eight common protein claims, aided by a new article published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, … Read more
You can lose 10 pounds in a few weeks. But if 5 of those pounds are muscle, you’re not doing anyone any favors. What you really want is to lose 10 pounds of fat and keep your muscle. That’s what we’re all about. The Right Pace for Losing Fat and Keeping Muscle If you do … Read more
Giant sets sound like something made up by a bodybuilder who had too much pre-workout and not enough time: four or more exercises back-to-back with as little rest as possible between exercises. They aren’t automatically superior to good old straight sets, but they pack much more work into the same timeframe. They are also not … Read more
Myo-reps are a strength-training method to get more high-quality, muscle-building work in less time, developed and made popular by Norwegian strength coach Børge Fagerli. Instead of doing several normal sets with long rests, you do one hard “activation set,” rest for a bit, then do several more tiny mini-sets with the same weight. Myo-reps give … Read more
If you’re training with weights close to your max versus weights that you can lift 30, 40, 50, or even 60 times, what difference does it make? In today’s episode, we’re looking at a study that examined exactly this. And even though we were a bit underwhelmed by the study design, it led to a … Read more
Strength training periodization is how you organize your training so you can keep making gains without getting stuck at plateaus. It’s something every lifter, including beginners, can benefit from, not just elite powerlifters and Olympic athletes. Periodization helps you train hard and recover so you can peak at the right time. In this article, I’ll … Read more
Love it or hate it, the Smith machine combines free-weight-style lifting with the stability of a machine, and you can do exercises for your entire body on it. Fixed paths can lead to serious gains. Let’s look at 15 of the best exercises you can do on this contraption. What Is the Smith Machine? A … Read more
How do you get big arms? In this episode, we go over the exercises, the programs, and the muscles important for developing your biceps and triceps into big guns. To help guide us, we asked for your questions on the topic of arm training – and you guys and gals delivered once again! In total, we … Read more
If you want a stronger, wider, and more aesthetic-looking back, can you go wrong with either the lat pulldown or the pull-up? The answer is no. Both are excellent. But they are not the same. The lat pulldown is more adjustable, beginner-friendly, and easier to control. The pull-up is more demanding, more athletic, and often … Read more