muscles

Do you want to avoid muscle strains and soreness or prevent any injuries in season? Check out these seven stretches every day to avoid back injuries, fatigue, soreness, and shin splints. Whether you are a female or male bodybuilder, it’s crucial to stretch it out before throwing heavyweight...

It’s no secret that you need to work out if you’re looking to get a lean body, lose weight or have an excellent physique. However, choosing the proper workout set can be daunting, making working out sometimes overwhelming. Also, the types of workout sets you may need to go through can seem...

If you want to add more plyometrics to your gym workout, let’s look at the ten best exercises to help you build explosive power, muscular strength, and speed. Plyometric workouts are a perfect way to improve your performance on the field or in the weight room. The best part is you can do...

MUSCLE RECOVERY Muscle recovery is a vital part of your body’s healing process. It’s the time between workouts when your muscles are most vulnerable, and the more time you give them to heal, the better. After all, if you don’t give your muscles enough time to recover from an intense...

This story has been told a few thousand times, but we’ll go again. In his bodybuilding heyday, Arnold Schwarzenegger was so embarrassed by the size of his calves that he cut off all his training pants at the knees (or maybe he just wore shorts) to shame himself into calf training. History tells...

Strong arms contribute to functional strength, making daily activities and workouts like weightlifting and pushing objects easier and more efficient. Also, it is just cool to have jacked arms! Strong arms and a well-developed upper body also contribute to better joint stability and reduce...

Are you looking for a different way to build muscle, increase strength, and achieve a sculpted physique while keeping your fitness routine in one place? Cable exercises are versatile and effective ways to transform your body using a cable machine. These dynamic workouts are good for building...

by Andreas Abelsson Your lower back takes center stage in almost everything you do. Think of it as the command center for power and movement. From running to jumping, lifting to twisting, a strong lower back helps you perform these actions safely and with as much power as possible. This article...

December 21, 2023 by Andreas Abelsson Hip abductor exercises target those often-neglected side glutes and hip muscles for well-rounded lower body strength and a visually appealing rear end. They are also like a free health insurance policy, helping keep common issues like knee pain, hip pain...

Back when I first started bodybuilding in the early 70s, there was much more mysticism surrounding the exact process that resulted in getting your body to grow big muscles than there is today. Working out in a gym, weightlifting, body consciousness, etc., are cemented into our society on all...

You may know that strength training is a great workout for your muscles and bones, but did you know it can also boost running performance? Whether you use free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or your body weight, resistance training creates strong, powerful muscles capable of...

What Is a Cable Pullover? The cable pullover (also called the “cable lat pullover” or “lat prayer”) is a lat isolation exercise performed using a cable machine. To perform the cable pullover, grip a handle attached to a high cable pulley, take a few steps backward until your arms are stretched...

Split Squat: Benefits 1. It trains your entire lower body. The split squat trains your entire lower body, including your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. It also mimics movements we make in everyday life (e.g., climbing stairs, stepping over objects, and running). Hence, the split squat...

What Is the Zercher Squat? The Zercher squat is a barbell exercise that primarily trains your lower body and back. To perform it, hold a barbell in the crooks of your elbows, and while keeping an upright torso, squat down until the bar touches your knees, then stand back up. It gets its name...

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 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, 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...

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...

We all want bigger muscles, and to build bigger muscles we need to get stronger – much stronger. Gaining strength through progressive overload ensures that we continue to place more tension on the muscles over time, forcing them to adapt by growing larger. Heavier weights equals greater tension...

Tiny tweaks in your wrist position when pumping iron can result in impressive muscular improvements. “It is often overlooked how a simple change in hand placement can make a difference in muscular results,” explains Natalie Wolfe, NASM, CPT. Without having to change an actual exercise, “Simply...