In the world of fitness, a strong core is undeniably the foundation of everything we do. Whether you’re participating in sports, lifting weights, or going about daily activities, a well-developed core enhances stability, balance, and overall strength. For those inspired by the powerlifter physique, understanding how to effectively train your abdominal muscles …
Intro to Fitness Nutrition | Food as Fuel | Calories and Food Labels | Protein | Carbohydrates | Fats | How to Eat to Lose Weight | How to Eat to Gain Weight | Exercise and Nutrition | Supplements Where does your journey to greater health and optimal performance begin? It’s not by kicking …
The new go-to ingredient in pre-workouts and performance supplements is something you’ve been eating—or maybe just pushing to the side of your plate and hoping your mom didn’t notice—for a long time. Nitrates, such as are found in beets, spinach, and other green and red vegetables, have been associated with cardiovascular and endurance benefits …
Once upon a time, when I was smaller than I am now but looking to get as big as possible, I lived off of tuna and potatoes almost exclusively for a period of years. That, plus a scoop of protein powder in my morning cereal, was my muscle-building master plan. Did it work? Sure, …
If you’ve hopped on the plant-based diet bandwagon and given up meat, dairy, and eggs, you’re probably feeling like you’ve finally got the healthy-eating thing figured out. Unfortunately, as good as you may feel while following a vegetarian or vegan diet, you won’t get enough of certain critical vitamins and minerals from eating plants …
Summer is normally shredding season, but if you’re stuck at home, maybe it’s time to flip the script and pursue your muscle-building goals. If you want to start putting on some serious size, the name of the game is hypertrophy, and the best way to stimulate it is by doing resistance exercises, which may …
The back is a large group of muscles, and there are many ways to make it grow bigger and stronger. What makes the back even more complex is that you can’t see the back muscles working while you’re lifting. For the most part, you must go by feel. If you’re struggling to make back …
In the gym, like elsewhere in life, being a tall and wide guy has advantages. But it also has…let’s not call them “disadvantages,” but rather, times “the norm” for smaller guys just won’t work for you. When that happens, you can either try to make your body bend to someone else’s rules—not recommended—or modify …
For regular lifters—and a whole lot of other people these days—protein is probably the most prioritized macronutrient. Gym rats were decades ahead of the curve on protein, and the reason why was never a secret: Protein forms essential components of muscle, as Dwayne Jackson, Ph.D., explains in the article “What Does Protein Actually Do …
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 … [Read More...]