When Leo began training with me in September 2024, our first goal was to improve body composition — lose fat, build a foundation. By May 2025, he was lean enough to start tackling chin-ups. The test? One honest attempt… and zero reps. That’s where the journey began. We kicked off with Phase 1: Eccentric Chin-Ups,…
Can’t Do a Chin-Up? Neither Could Leo… But That’s About to Change. Leo started training with me back in September. Our initial focus was body composition—shed fat, lay the foundation. Now that he’s lean enough, it’s time to build muscle, and few exercises rival the chin-up for upper-body strength and development. This morning, we tested…
Arthur Jones, a true visionary in the realm of strength training, left an unforgettable mark on the fitness industry with his groundbreaking Nautilus equipment. But beyond the hardware, he shared a wealth of wisdom that continues to influence the way we train today. In this post, we’ll explore four key lessons from Arthur Jones that…
Amanda and Heather show what hard work, consistency, and proper training can do. It was once a struggle for these ladies to do just one chin-up and dip, but no more! After a bout of eccentric training that ended a few weeks ago, Amanda was able to complete 4 chin-ups and Heather 7 dips. We’ve…
Here are two effective ways to perform negative-accentuated lying leg curls: Method #1 Method #2 In both methods, the key is to lower the weight slowly and under control for a count of 8 seconds, maintaining a smooth, uniform tempo from top to bottom. If you find yourself unable to control the descent and it…
If you’re going to do pull-ups, do them right! Instead of grinding out 3–4 sets of 10 “ugly” reps, flip the script: do 10 sets of 3–4 quality reps. You’ll get a better training response with far less risk of injury. If you struggle to complete even a few solid reps, focus on the eccentric…
The Sicilian Crunch put me on the map many moons ago—consider this its reverse. It’s a negative-accentuated glute-ham raise that emphasizes the knee flexion component of the movement. If your gym has this machine, give it a try: Expect your hamstrings to be sore for a few days.
The hanging-band method sounds like church bells and feels like a “new religion” for many people! So, what kind of results can you get with this method? Take a look at A 15-Year-Old Making Progress in the Gym, and then check out the video below to see how many weighted chin-ups that same 15-year-old—now 16—cranked…
Everyone trains their upper and lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves—but neck training often gets neglected. That’s a mistake! Remember: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and your posterior chain is no exception. Eccentric Method A strong neck is important, and one of the best ways to build it is through…
Try negative-accentuated lateral raises in your next shoulder workout. Raise the dumbbells with bent arms, then lower them slowly with your arms straight. This variation emphasizes the eccentric phase of the movement and puts your delts under serious tension. A few controlled reps can go a long way. To explore more negative-accentuated training methods, check…