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Cutting carbs is generally considered to be the fastest and most effective way to drop weight. It is also thought to make you weak, sluggish, and crabby. We can’t help with the mood stuff, but new information shows that slashing your carb intake over a short period won’t cut into your strength...

If you like to train for strength—think big compound movements in the four- to six-rep rage—try capping off your manly sets with a lightweight finisher. Sports scientists at the University of Tsukuba put two sets of male athletes through four weeks of workouts in which the subjects trained with...

Many physique athletes stay away from cardio in fear that it will burn up their precious muscle. A new study, published in the journal PLoS One, followed two groups of trained male subjects. One group switched off between performing continuous cycling (varying between 30 and 60 minutes,) or...

Powerlifters and mass monsters should mix their post-workout whey protein with a hefty dose of fast-acting carbs, but a recent study seems to indicate that if you’re trying to get lean, you should leave the sugar out. Research published in the Journal Of The International Society Of Sports...

Ketogenic diets seem to be the new hot thing … again. A form of ultra low-carb dieting (usually fewer than 20 grams a day, or five percent of total calories), ketogenic diets are difficult to maintain, but one recent study shows when they might best be utilized. Information published in the...

There is more than one way to skin a fat cat. A recent study published in the Journal Of Sports Science And Medicine compared a low-carb weight-loss plan versus a traditional “clean eating” strategy. Over 12 weeks, one group ate only 30 gram of carbs a day for the first four weeks and then added...

Q: When putting together your scheme of exercises for a muscle group on a given day, what are some of the things you consider? A: Interesting question and one that should be asked or thought about more often. One thing I never do is head to the gym without a solid game plan in mind. In fact, I...

A quick flirtation with failure before your main sets can unlock some hidden potential for muscle growth. A brand new study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology examined a group of men who performed a set of leg extensions to failure with 20 percent of their one-rep maximum...

The Study The study aimed to pinpoint the perfect calorie surplus for maximizing muscle growth and minimizing fat gain. The researchers split 17 seasoned weightlifters into three groups: Group 1 (maintenance group) ate maintenance calories. Group 2 (small-surplus group) ate in a 5% calorie...

By Bret Contreras Robert A. Panariello MS, PT, ATC, CSCS Professional Physical Therapy Professional Athletic Performance Center New York, New York In recent years the gluteal muscle group has received much notoriety in the physical rehabilitation, fitness, and sports performance industries...

By Bret Contreras Every once in a while a study comes along and alters my understanding of biomechanics and sports science. Effects of weighted sled towing with heavy versus light load on sprint acceleration ability by Kawamori et al. was published ahead of print earlier this year in March...

By Bret Contreras I came across this study last week and chalked it up as “interesting.” All research is useful, but often you have to simply file it away in it’s place until more research is conducted. The study was published ahead of print in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research...

You know when you’ve been in a deficit for a while, and things start to feel a bit sucky? Hunger is high, you have the energy levels of a sloth on Xanax, you’re irritable, and you start to question whether this dieting stuff is even worth it. Well, friend, you’re in luck! I’m about to tell you...

A couple recent studies have shown that HMB – a legal supplement – works better than moderate-dose steroids. Is it the next wonder-supplement or just hype? I’ve been debating for a few days about whether I should write about this HMB controversy or not. I’m quick to call out ideas that are...

The most reliable way to make progress is to do more. It’s certainly not the ONLY way to make progress. Exercise selection plays a role, intensity plays a role, frequency plays a role, proper periodization plays a role. But the primary contributor – hands down – is training volume. It’s been...

Can you build muscle on a ketogenic diet? Yes. Is it the fastest way? Not for most people. In fact, there’s no compelling evidence to show that keto offers any muscle-building benefits that you don’t get with a higher-carb diet providing adequate amounts of protein and fat. If you’ve got some...

Food Sequencing for Metabolic Health Food, Fat Loss, and Credibility There are many different ways to think about food and fat loss. Unfortunately, the view that calories are all that matter dominates most discussions. Anyone who says calories don’t matter for fat loss is either ignorant of...

The next time you see someone using one of these training implements, do them a favor and shove them off. Here's why. TAGS TRAINING Despite what we've learned about the ridiculousness of most instability training for athletes, there isn't a training day that goes by when I don't see some yutz...

You may think you're training hard, but are you really selecting the right weight for the rep range you're working in? This study highlights the important differences in weight selection in people who train by themselves versus those who train under the supervision of a coach or personal...

THE LEG DAY DILEMMA It's leg day and you have a decision to make. You're really not feeling it today. You take a look at your workout plan and groan. What do you do? As a dedicated lifter, you're not going to miss a scheduled workout. So should you stick to the program you've been following and...