Of all the training programs I’ve used over the years, the upper/lower split is one of my favorites. It’s simple. It’s flexible. And it can be used by just about anyone to achieve many different goals – building muscle, getting stronger, or even just retaining muscle while you drop fat. What is an Upper/Lower Split? […]
Why I Don’t Do Metabolic Resistance Training
Some say that metabolic resistance training, or metabolic training for short, is one of the best ways to build muscle, torch fat and improve your overall fitness… all at the same time. Your metabolism will be spiked, fat will be incinerated and metabolic forces that work day and night to change your body will be […]
The Time Under Tension Myth: Why Slow Reps Don’t Mean Big Gains
Time under tension, or TUT for short, refers to the amount of time your muscles are working during a set. By taking longer to lift and lower the weight, you make your sets last longer. This in turn is supposed to speed up muscle growth. Google around, and you’ll come across headlines like: How to […]
Eat Big to Get Big? Why You Can’t Eat to Grow
When it comes to diet and exercise, I have made a great many mistakes over the years. Perhaps the biggest was spending far too much of my late teens and early twenties carrying around too much fat. My main goal was to gain as much muscle as humanly possible. And I believed (wrongly as it […]
What It Really Means to Get Lean, Ripped or Shredded
When someone asks how to get shredded, it usually means they want to drop some fat, so that you can see the shape and outline of their muscles. Truth is, there’s more than one level of leanness. Most people can get cut without too much of problem. But not everyone can get shredded. Even just […]
Does the Deadlift Work Your Abs? What the Science Says
Some say that squats and deadlifts render all direct abdominal work completely redundant, as both exercises provide all the stimulation your abs will ever need. That’s the theory, anyway. But the research tells a different story. Deadlifts do work many of the core muscles. But it’s mainly the ones in your back, especially the spinal […]
Hypertrophy vs Strength Training: What’s the Difference?
If you want to know the difference between hypertrophy training and strength training, what they have in common and where they differ, then give me a few minutes and I’ll explain more about it in this article. What prompted me to write this was an email I got the other day. It said: “I’m really […]
Do Squats Work Your Abs? Will They Make Your Glutes Bigger? 8 Questions About Squats, Answered
Every day, millions of people ask Google some of life’s most pressing questions, big and small. And I’ve taken it upon myself to provide you with the answers. Today, I tackle some of the most popular questions on the subject of squats, what muscles they do (and don’t) work, and whether they’ll make your glutes […]
The Myth About Squats, Testosterone and Muscle Growth
You’ve probably come across the claim that certain exercises, most notably squats and deadlifts, increase your testosterone levels, which in turn will lead to a faster rate of muscle growth. Google around, and you’ll see headlines like: Exercises That Increase Testosterone Levels The Best Exercises to Increase Testosterone 7 Best Exercises to Naturally Increase Testosterone […]
The Metabolic Confusion Diet: Why You Can’t Outsmart Your Metabolism
On another journey into the darkest recesses of the Internet, I came across something called the metabolic confusion diet. It’s an eating plan that claims to confuse your metabolism and keep it running faster than normal. This in turn will lead to more calories being burned and more fat being lost. What is metabolic confusion […]