How long does it take to lose muscle when you stop training? Will it take a few weeks before lockdown-induced muscle shrinkage starts to kick in? Or are you going to lose size faster than Superman losing his powers whenever a chunk of kryptonite shows up? To answer that question, researchers from Baylor University rounded […]
How to Build Muscle at Home With Little or No Equipment
If you want a simple but effective workout routine you can do at home with little or no equipment, one that will help you retain (maybe even gain) muscle mass, this page will show you what to do. Here’s the story. Unless you’ve recently arrived from a parallel universe (in which case I highly suggest […]
My Love Letter to the Leg Extension
There are many things about the modern world that I find puzzling. When, for example, did it become acceptable to attempt to strike up a conversation with someone when they’re in the middle of a set? Why is everyone now “reaching out” instead of simply contacting someone? Or using the term “journey” to describe anything […]
What’s the Optimal Training Volume for Muscle Growth?
Volume is the key driver of muscle growth. If you want to build muscle as fast as humanly possible, you need volume, and lots of it. Volume, volume, volume. As far as size gains are concerned, volume is the undisputed king. Or at least, that’s what some people will tell you. In fact, some folks […]
Why You Can Do Full-Body Workouts on Consecutive Days
Came a question about the wisdom of doing full-body workouts on consecutive days: “Out of curiosity, could you train your whole body back to back on Saturday and Sunday? Or should you avoid training the same muscle groups on consecutive days?” In days gone by, I would have told you to take at least a […]
Is Stretching Bad for Muscle Growth?
How does stretching before you lift weights, or between sets, affect muscle growth? Does it speed it up, slow it down, or have no effect at all? To answer that question, a team of Brazilian scientists set up a very simple experiment [1]. They rounded up a group of men, and got them to train […]
Does Fascial Stretching Make Your Muscles Bigger? What 7 Studies Say
Some say that certain types of stretching can play a critical role in making your muscles bigger, unlocking your body’s capacity to grow and unleashing monstrous muscle growth. One article I came across claims that stretching has the potential to increase muscle mass by a whopping 318% in just 28 days. It all sounds too […]
Metabolic Training: What It Is and Why I Don’t Do It
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 […]
Online Program Review
This is ideal if you want help with your diet and training program, but don’t need the whole thing built from scratch. I’ll look at what you’re doing in forensic detail, and show you how to adjust it so that no mistakes are being made.
Tabata Intervals for Weight Loss: Is a 4-Minute Workout Really Enough?
Not long ago, I got an e-mail from someone who wanted to use Tabata intervals for weight loss. “Does Tabata work for weight loss?” he wrote. “Everything I’ve read on the subject says you can lose fat with a 4-minute workout.” It’s an interesting question, and I’ve wondered the same thing many times. Because I’m […]