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…
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…
Looking to spark new growth in your forearms? Try wrist curls behind your back. This variation emphasizes a strong contraction of the forearm flexors and encourages strict form by limiting momentum. Just grab a barbell behind your back and curl your wrists upward under control—simple but brutally effective. For even more forearm training variety, check…
When performing back barbell step-ups, it’s essential to find the proper step height before adding any significant load. Begin with an empty bar and a low step, then gradually raise the step height until you reach a position that works best for your mobility, balance, and strength. Once you’ve determined the ideal height, slowly increase…
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) offer a wide range of benefits, including muscle growth, fat loss, and anti-catabolic effects—but one of their most potent effects is the significant reduction in post-workout soreness. Taking BCAAs during your workout can help you feel better after your workout. But there are two key factors you need to pay attention…
Want broader shoulders that stand out? Here are some quick, effective tips to help you improve your delts and enhance your V-taper. Watch the video below for simple strategies you can apply right away. For a deeper dive, check out Lateral Thinking for Wide Shoulders.
Inducing body composition changes in a beginner is easy. Clean up their eating habits, get them exercising, and the body will start to change fairly quickly. Heck, a beginner just has to look at a barbell and they’ll start to grow some muscle! Things get a bit more challenging with advanced trainees, but with the…
Here’s a roundup of our most popular articles from 2016. If you missed any of these gems, now’s your chance to catch up! Should The Knees Pass The Toes When Squatting? Learn how full squats can improve function, protect against injuries, and build more muscle.https://theelitetrainer.com/should-the-knees-pass-the-toes-when-squatting/ Foam Rolling and Pain Usually in training we say, “If…
You won’t find a better exercise for building the lower body than the squat. However, that doesn’t mean squats should be the only tool in your toolbox! Recently, single-leg training has been championed as a suitable alternative to bilateral squatting, with split squat and lunge variations being the go-to choices for folks seeking a break…
Food can have a dramatic effect on testosterone. Soy, for example, can soak up testosterone like a sponge. It increases levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which binds to testosterone and renders it inactive. The isoflavones in soy also bind strongly to androgen receptors, blocking free testosterone and even inducing estrogen-like effects in the body….