If you go to a training forum and write that you are 6′ and 160lbs, you will be advised to eat more to avoid evaporation from the planet and get to the magic 200-220 pounds. Cool, except that it‘s not nearly that easy. Most people have extremely delusional ideas how much one could weigh without […]
LOOKING UP and/or FORWARD According to the mainstream manual, looking forward and slightly up is the classic way to squat. This technique is designed specifically for the high bar squat and is based on the belief that the body follows the eyes. You go where you look and since we want to go up during […]
Broscience and bodybuilding love each other. One of the reasons for this strong union is the fact that many muscle warriors rely on anabolic steroids to build their muscles. Once the mass is acquired, they start to make up theories which the noobs buy without blinking. In other words, the drugs catalyze broscience. Today, I […]
Isolation exercises attract massive hate from the “functional” crowd, but in most cases, single joint movements are simply misunderstood. What are the benefits of isolation exercises? The value of isolation exercises is contained in the term – “isolation“. The main goal of single joint movements is to work on a specific muscle directly. This is […]
Your height and bone structure determine your weight class. By default, a tall man cannot compete as a lightweight, whereas somebody who is 5’5″ will fit there perfectly. In order for a tall guy to do well in barbell sports, he has to compete in a higher weight class. The only lift which allows skinny […]
The so-called “noob gains” represent the 5-10lbs of muscle gained during the first 6-12 months of serious training. Those will be easiest and fastest gains that you will acquire as a lifter. Past that point, the progress will slow down tremendously. Noob gains differ from person to person. If you are really skinny, I mean […]
What makes a good squatter? The length of your torso and femurs has a significant impact on your squatting style. The best squatters are lifters with short femurs and long torsos. The illustration below makes a comparison between squatters with short (left) and long (right) femurs. Remember: The bar always forms a straight line through […]
I just finished reading the newest article on StartingStrength.com written by none other than the trainer of champion powerlifters Marty Gallagher. I like that man. What he writes always intrigues me, albeit not exactly in a positive way. I understand what he is saying, but I also see many noobs getting caught in a path […]
For many years, I have been trying to find the secret to bigger muscles. In this post, I will share my observations on the most common roads to hypertrophy. Strength = Muscle size? Many gurus (e.g., Mark Rippetoe, Lyle McDonald, Pavel Tsatsouline) have been saying for years that more weight on the bar equals bigger muscles […]
Many indicate the late 1890s as the beginning of bodybuilding since this was the time when Eugen Sandow started his muscle flexing shows. I am not going to focus on that era exclusively, but a small historical flashback is necessary to understand the modern state of the industry. Eugen Sandow, born Friedrich Wilhelm Müller, was a […]
Bodybuilding does not enjoy a large number of people telling the truth. As a result, propaganda and agendas reign supreme. The business model of the muscle industry has not changed. The sector sells supplements and hollowness to the naïve teens while using roided freaks as promoters. Hence it is hard to trust the masters when it comes […]
Fear of losing muscle is common for bodybuilders, fitness models, and recreational lifters. Many muscle constructors believe that a few hours without protein in the system can initiate catabolic processes a.k.a. muscle loss. Similar thoughts often result in incredible anxiety. Consequently, some lifters start walking around with funny plastic protein bottles and pre-cooked meals carefully […]