Key Points: What are the main differences between the close-grip bench press and the regular (or wide grip) bench press? And which grip width should you use in your bench press training? In general, there is a small strength difference between these two lifts, and they also work your muscles slightly differently. How to Perform … Read more
How many reps should you do to build muscle vs. strength? The number of reps you do greatly influences your training results in terms of hypertrophy or strength gains. Here’s a summary of our recommendations: Number of Reps to Build Muscle: Number of Reps for Strength: Note that these numbers apply to sets taken to, … Read more
Key Points: *** The definition of a PR (Personal Record) is that you lift a weight you have never lifted before. Hitting a PR in the gym means that you’ve become stronger, or at least that you have never attempted that weight and rep number before. As gym lovers, we often like to measure how … Read more
Time to go for a new 1RM? Enter your target one-rep max in the field below, and we’ll calculate your warm-up weights. One-Rep Max Warm-Up Calculator General vs. Specific Warm-Up A good warm-up can make all the difference in your training and especially when you are going for a one-rep max or PR attempt. Warming … Read more
Key Points: A new study found that neither three nor five days of rest affected isometric squat strength. Isometric bench press strength was unaffected after three days but decreased by 2.4% after five days of rest. *** Preparing for a powerlifting competition often includes some form of taper or peaking. Generally, this peaking includes at … Read more
How do you get stronger in the bench press as an intermediate lifter? In this post, I’ll outline an intermediate bench press program and also explain how and why your training should be different from the beginner’s. Still a beginner? Check out our beginner bench press program. If you’ve left the beginner phase behind, read … Read more
Key Points: A new meta-analysis found that focusing externally (e.g., moving the bar) significantly increases muscular strength. In the long term, training with an external focus might lead to larger strength gains. For muscle growth, there is some evidence that an internal focus (e.g., contracting the muscle) might be superior. *** Where should you direct … Read more
Are you feeling hard-pressed to decide whether you should focus on building muscle or getting stronger? Are you past the beginner stage and stuck on a strength plateau that you cannot bust through? A daily undulating periodization (DUP) program for powerlifting might be just what you need. In this post, I’ll explain what DUP is, … Read more
Key Points: Twenty-five resistance trained men were randomly assigned to either a deadlift group or a squat group. Both groups trained three times per week for six weeks. The squat group increased their squat 1RM by 13.3% and their deadlift 1RM by 6.7%. The deadlift group increased their squat 1RM by 4.7% and their deadlift … Read more
Key points: A new study tested if the number of reps participants could complete at 80% of 1RM in the squat correlated with their muscle fiber type ratio. There was a small, inverse correlation (r=-0.38) between the number of reps participants could do and their percentage of fast-twitch fibers. The mean percentage of fast-twitch fibers … Read more