muscle

What Are Bodybuilding Peptides? The term “peptide” refers to any molecule that consists of between 2 and 50 amino acids chemically linked by peptide bonds. Peptides exist naturally in the body and animal- and plant-based protein sources such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, milk, soy, oats, pulses...

What Are Casein and Whey Protein Powder? Cow’s milk contains two types of protein: casein and whey (80% casein and 20% whey). Supplement manufacturers extract both of these proteins and process them into powder which they sell as protein supplements. Both are popular among weightlifters...

1. How Does Creatine Work? Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the most basic unit of cellular energy. When cells use ATP, they split it into smaller molecules, and when they’re finished, they “reassemble” the fragments back into ATP for reuse. The more ATP your cells can store and the faster your...

What Is Creatine? Creatine is a natural compound comprising the amino acids L-arginine, glycine, and methionine. Your body produces creatine naturally, but it can also absorb and store creatine from foods like meat, eggs, and fish. Creatine accelerates the process that produces adenosine...

What Is Intra-Workout? An “intra-workout” is a dietary supplement consumed during a workout. Unlike pre-workout supplements that ready the body for training or post-workouts that aid recovery, intra-workouts focus on boosting exercise performance during a workout. Ingredients in intra-workout...

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...

Focus on the following: Practice: The best way to get stronger at an exercise is to practice that exercise—you improve your squat strength by squatting, your overhead press by overhead pressing, and so forth. Thus, if you currently bench just once weekly and want to improve, try benching more...

Although getting a pump feels good and can be gratifying in the short term, research shows you don’t need to get a pump to build muscle. What’s more, focusing exclusively on the kind of training that’s most effective for getting a pump—high-reps, light weights, short rest periods, and so...

HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING A PUMP FOR BUILDING MUSCLE? How Important Is Getting a Pump for Building Muscle? Written by Michael Matthews and Scientifically Reviewed by Dr. Brian Grant FACT CHECKED EVIDENCE BASED Key Takeaways The muscle “pump” refers to the temporary increase in muscle size that...

Yes and no. While scientists are still unraveling the complex systems responsible for muscle growth, it’s clear pump training is effective for building muscle. That doesn’t mean it’s optimal for building muscle, though. You can build muscle effectively without ever getting a pump, as...

Key Takeaways The muscle “pump” refers to the temporary increase in muscle size that occurs when you lift weights, especially when you use higher reps and shorter rest periods. Pump training should never be your primary focus if you want to gain muscle as fast as possible, but it can help you...

by Greg Nuckols What does it take to reach your strength potential? And what do the steps to do so look like? I couldn’t find a complete, accessible overview anywhere, so I decided to make it myself. This article will be the anchor for the website. It’s a comprehensive framework, meant to get...

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...

When it comes to my training, I trust him implicitly. I’ve been following his work since 2011 and have been a fan ever since, and we teamed up this past year to prepare me for my first powerlifting meet in May and then my bikini show in October. After I competed at the OCB West Coast Florida...

"Why am I not getting stronger?" Probably because you're breaking the rules. Follow these eight rules and save yourself years of frustration and weakness. 1. Train Consistently Consistency is the name of the game, and the lifter who trains week in and week out will experience steady gains in...

By Bret Contreras Eat, Lift, and Condition to Lose Fat and Maintain Muscle By Marc Lewis and Travis Pollen With summer just around the corner, fat loss and concurrent muscle preservation is on just about everyone’s mind. The trouble is, there’s a whole lot of gimmicky — not to mention...

BY BRET CONTRERAS, PHD, CSCS Yoga and Pilates are excellent forms of exercise that have numerous health benefits. I encourage you to give each a try to see if you enjoy the training. This article does not attack Yoga and Pilates methodology, it attacks the marketing tactics used by some of...

BY BRET CONTRERAS, PHD, CSCS Ever since I started consuming fitness information over two decades ago, there’s been a myth that won’t ever seem to die. The myth states that lifting light weights for high reps will tone the muscles, whereas lifting heavy weights for lower reps will bulk the...

Bret_ContrerasElite Coach Flex Your Brain Bodybuilders have been referring to the mind-muscle connection for a long time, and they’ll typically recommend that new lifters spend time flexing their muscles independently and learning how to activate the muscles properly against resistance. On the...

Perhaps the most annoying aspect of being a fitness professional is having to inform people over and over that spot reduction is a myth. When did this misconception originate? Interestingly, a journal article published by Checkly in 1895 proposed that the dissipation of fat is local and...