Let's take a trip back in time. How far? Back before the gym was cluttered with dudes with camera crews, and stick figure lifters who strain harder for a selfie than they do during a set of squats.Back then, before the message boards, before social media, and before everyone wanted 19 footnotes of rat studies to back up the validity of their routine, we did three things: We … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Why You Should Eliminate Rest Days
I'm a firm believer of whole-body training, and when it comes to better results, I believe it's important to train seven days a week.Now, there's no reason to worry about overtraining, because the human body is designed to work every day without rest. With the right full-body training program, you can safely work your entire body—every day—without injury. Below are three … [Read more...]
Muscle Gain Q&A: Crucial Questions About Packing On Size
Read most articles about gaining muscle, and you could be forgiven for assuming it's purely a male problem. With titles like "Get huge!" "Pack on the pounds!" or "Jack up your mass!" it's no wonder many women shy away.In reality, though, having plenty of lean muscle mass benefits everyone. Men may want oversized biceps and meaty pecs, but plenty of … [Read more...]
Battle Rope Leg Waves: The Ultimate In Lower-Body Power And Pump
The best-known lower-body movements in the gym both ramp up muscle activation, and inflict a fair amount (or a ton) of muscle damage. Squats, for example. Do them hard, and they'll build some serious stumps. They'll also make you sore as hell and limping for a few days. However, there's another class of movements that also bring serious muscle activation—and serious muscle … [Read more...]
5 Stretches Every Lifter Needs To Do
Let's be honest: Stretching isn't sexy, and most of us don't do it. We'd rather do the fun exercises that make us sweat or burn a ton of calories, and stretching doesn't do either.However, failing to keep your body flexible enough can actually set back your progress, cause unnecessary pain and tightness, and even lead to injuries. This is why working on full-body flexibility … [Read more...]