Every year, many professional bodybuilders take an extended leave from training. They do this for a few reasons. The rigors of training and dieting to peak for a competition can take a toll both mentally and physically, so it’s beneficial to rest before going on the hunt again. A layoff gives the body time to…
During high-intensity training phases, a lower training volume means less energy expended. It’s important to adjust your calorie intake accordingly—otherwise, you risk storing excess calories as body fat. One way to manage this is by reducing carbohydrate intake, particularly post-workout. In fact, if body composition is a concern, you can skip post-workout carbs entirely and…
Here are two common questions in the strength world: You’ll find experts on both sides of the debate, but the truth is that any stimulus works for a period of time until you adapt. However, there’s a way to combine these methods within a single workout for a powerful response. Here’s how to do it……
Performing bent-knee deadlifts from a deficit with a wide grip forces you to pull from a deeper starting position, increasing knee flexion and overall range of motion (ROM). Stand on a 4-inch box, step, or three stacked weight plates, and take a wide grip—often called a snatch grip. To determine the correct width, raise your…
A popular bodybuilding technique is the 21-rep system, or simply “21s.” To give you a glimpse of how it works, here’s an excerpt from Robert Kennedy’s book Reps!: This is a method which was popular on the West Coast bodybuilding scene in the fifties and sixties. Let’s use the barbell curl as an example. Begin…
I’ve taken an undulatory loading model and combined it with a conjugate approach to create a 4-month plan that targets maximum strength, power, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance. If you’re interested in the science behind this system, check out my article Periodization for Athletes. The setup is simple: you’ll follow a split routine where the upper…
My new book, Mass Explosion: Blast Through Your Training Plateaus!, is now available! Mass Explosion is a comprehensive guide to the art and science of building muscle. Packed with the latest research and proven training strategies, this book shows you how to achieve drug-like gains—naturally! Why Most Lifters Plateau (And How to Break Through) Anyone…
If you’ve been in the muscle-building game for a while, you know you can’t stick with the same routine forever. No matter how well it works initially, progress will eventually stall—and when that happens, change is necessary. The problem is, you can’t just pick a random program from your favorite training website. Random routines lead…
In general, there are two ways to bring up lagging body parts: give them greater priority or give them more work. Let’s take a look at both. Greater Priority The exercises you do first in your workouts receive the greatest training effect. Most people begin their workouts with their bigger and stronger body parts. Try…
One question I get frequently is “How many sets does it take to build muscle?” If you are a personal trainer, strength coach or bodybuilder, you know that the answer depends on your goals. How many sets to build muscle is based on whether you want to increase muscle size, power or muscular endurance. The…