exercises

You could spend the rest of your lifting days doing just the basics over and over again, but don't expect your physique or your strength to make much progress. Training at the intermediate level requires making a conscious decision to increase your efforts in the gym. It also means changing the...

Fat-grip (aka fat-bar) training has become extremely popular in recent years. It is mentioned regularly by pro bodybuilders and strength coaches as a "secret" for building strength and muscle, and building up your upper body's weak links. The only problem, until recently, was that few gyms stock...

If you’ve ever experienced hand or wrist injuries, you know firsthand how annoyingly painful they can be. Not only do you have to take time off of training, but sometimes the road to recovery takes more time than you think. And while your lifting routine puts forth many benefits, it’s doing few...

When it comes to gaining muscle, there are many contributing factors. Let's look at what you're doing that could potentially be holding you back in the gym. 1. You're Not Overtraining, You're Under-Recovering Consider what weight training does to your body. By lifting weights, you are tearing...

Variety may be the spice of life, but too much variety can ruin your fitness success. Whether it’s due to boredom or simply not knowing any better, switching up your workout routine too often may be what’s holding you back from reaching your goals. Here’s what you need to know about how long...

This is an all too common story for people with no experience or knowledge on how to build muscle and gain weight. In most cases, after trying to gain weight for several months the person will quit. That’s a pity, because the only thing stopping the person from progressing is knowledge. In this...

When I first started hitting the gym, the very first thing I’d do is hit arms. What a better way to start a workout than with an arm pump, right? From there, it was whatever workout I found in a muscle magazine or online that day. There wasn’t a rhyme or reason to it and it didn’t matter... I...

So what’s the most effective workout if you only have 30 minutes to train? I love this question for several reasons: One, because it implies that the person is ready to commit to exercising every day — and consistency is the most important factor in creating change in how we look, feel, and...

One of the more popular muscle groups to train is the chest. If you’re like most lifters, chest day falls on Monday (aka International Chest Day). Having a great pec workout can generate momentum to carry you through the rest of your training week. The right exercises and training principles can...

Are you ready for the 1,000-Rep Leg Workout? That’s not a typo. There wasn’t an extra zero added on accident. This is a leg workout consisting of 1,000 (one thousand) total reps. Why? Because when you’re serving in the United States Military, sometimes you have to do a little extra in the gym...

Variety may be the spice of life, but too much variety can ruin your fitness success. Whether it’s due to boredom or simply not knowing any better, switching up your workout routine too often may be what’s holding you back from reaching your goals. Here’s what you need to know about how long...

Whether you’re looking to lose a lot or a little weight, exercise is an important component of any weight-loss plan. But not all workouts are created equal when the goal is shedding pounds. Ahead, trainers rank their favorite research-backed workouts for weight loss. But before we dive in...

I chose this question because so many folks have a hard time finding ways to train the big pulling muscles at home or while traveling. Rather than neglect this crucial aspect of training, let’s dive in and identify a few ways to pull, no matter where you are! Yes, it’s easier to find ways to...

The best workout is the one you haven’t tried before. That means incorporating new exercises into your daily workout routine with a focus on improvement. An unfamiliar workout will challenge your muscles in new directions or combinations. If flexibility and cardio endurance are problematic...

The oblique muscles are one of the most overlooked and difficult muscle groups to grow. You know what it takes to get a solid six pack; the diets, the exercises, and the workout programs. Having a low enough body fat to even see your ab muscles is the first way to show them off. That’s where a...

Your usual abs exercises routine was working great—until it wasn’t. Abs, like any other muscles, need progressive resistance to become stronger and more ripped. Think about it: you wouldn’t keep benching 135 lbs. to grow your pecs if you’re capable of lifting double that. It’s not going to get...

Whether your goal in the gym is to improve athletic performance, increase strength, or just look better, a nice set of big, strong quads is a must. The quad plays a big role in running, jumping, and everyday life. On top of this, the quads are one of the first things people see as you’re...

“The best” is a remarkably fluid concept. Debates rage in all corners of art and popular culture. What constitutes the best movie in a given year? Or TV show, or song? So when someone tells you they’re going to give you a list of the “very best” bicep exercises, we understand your skepticism...

The beauty of fitness programs is that very few are identical. Depending on a person’s goals, you’ll find basically everyone at your gym has different exercises, rep counts, set numbers, and strategies that they do day-in, day-out. Some will even have completely different gym methodologies—there...

When we’re on a gym hiatus we need to take care of our upper body. Training posterior muscles such as our back, scapular muscles, and deltoids is crucial for maintaining good posture and avoiding the “hunched shoulders” effect. If our posture becomes rounded from inactivity, it will force our...