Dips on rings significantly increase stabilizer muscle activation. If you include a training phase with ring dips and then switch back to parallel-bar dips, don’t be surprised if your strength gets a noticeable boost. That said, ring dips are highly advanced and not for everyone. Beginners should master ring push-ups before attempting dips to build…
Looking to bring up your rear delts? Here are two effective exercises that target the back of the shoulders—one focuses on the contracted position, while the other emphasizes the stretched position: Try incorporating these into your next training program to round out your shoulder development. For more great rear delt movements, check out Lateral Thinking…
If your goal is to lose body fat and gain muscle, here’s a great weight training strategy. It involves sequencing your exercises in a specific way to maximize the training effect. Let’s take a quick look at the typical loading parameters for body composition training: The order of exercises matters. Pair a lower-body exercise with…
Here’s a great triceps exercise I’m currently using: the high-pulley overhead triceps extension. It’s performed bent-over in a lunge position using a rope. As you extend the elbows, flare the hands outward and pause briefly in the contracted position. On the return, make sure your forearms make contact with your biceps to achieve a full…
The walking dumbbell lunge is a great exercise to do during a body composition phase, but as the weights go up, your grip will fatigue before your legs do. One way around it is to use a heavy weighted vest with lighter dumbbells. For more training tips and workarounds, check out 5 Exercise Problems and…
Many personal trainers recommend foam rolling the entire body before a workout. That’s not only unnecessary—it can actually be counterproductive. Instead, adjust muscle tone accordingly: find tight tissue and release it, and vice versa.👉 For more on this approach, check out Foam Rolling and Pain. Generally, rolling just two key areas is enough for most…
Today was the final day of a triple split routine I’ve been following for the past month. 👉 Take advantage of the COVID-19 shutdown. It was a taper workout focusing on the chest, back, and shoulders. I’ll walk you through what I did—but pay special attention to the warm-up. The workout was structured around three…
One aspect of a meal you can’t appreciate in a photo is taste—and today’s salad was crazy good! Every bite was unique and bursting with flavor. The fresh, rainbow-colored ingredients were packed with macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants), and fiber.👉 Check out the full breakdown here. Some “meatheads” claim…
Believe it or not, many lifters get injured not during a set, but while getting in and out of position—either before the exercise starts or after it ends! The lying dumbbell press is a classic example. It can be tricky, especially when you’re handling heavy weights. Unless you have two strong, experienced spotters to hand…
Do you know what the most common injury in the gym is? It’s a weight dropping on your foot. Don’t let it happen! Here’s the right way to load and unload a bar when squatting or bench pressing: There’s a risk involved with any weight training exercise, and deadlifts are no exception. You might get…