Muscle confusion is based on the idea that muscle growth is best achieved by “keeping your muscles guessing” and constantly switching things up. Some workout routines recommend varying your exercises on a weekly basis, while others tell you to change things every day. By continually mixing things up, your body is forced to respond. The […]
Over 50? Here’s Why I Don’t Recommend the 5×5 Workout
If you’re over the age of 50, and want to build muscle and get stronger, there are better weight training programs out there than the typical 5×5 workout. To be clear, there’s nothing inherently wrong with doing five sets of five reps at the age of 50 or beyond. Nor is there a single “best” […]
Bro Split Routines: How Often Should You Work Out to Build Muscle?
How often should you work out if you want to build muscle? Are bro split routines, where you hit each muscle group just once a week, the way to go? Or will you see better results working each muscle 2-3 times a week? Let’s find out… What is a Bro Split? The term “bro split” […]
The Upper/Lower Split for Hypertrophy: 3, 4, 5 & 6-Day Workouts
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. Summary Slowing down each rep won’t automatically your muscles grow […]
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 […]