One of my most popular articles to date is about calf training: The Answer for Massive Calves It’s been widely discussed in forums, and I still receive questions about this method—especially about tempo: “Is it really necessary to go that slow when training calves?” Yes, it absolutely is. Here’s why. Why Slow Reps Matter for…
Staying up to date with scientific research can provide valuable insights for health and fitness professionals. If you’re a personal trainer, here are some recent findings that can help you stay ahead of the pack: 1. Recruit Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers for Rehab and Performance Lovering performed muscle biopsies of the rotator cuff and found the…
We know that the supraspinatus plays a greater role in the first 15–30 degrees of a lateral raise, while medial deltoid activity peaks between 90–120 degrees. So, how can we use this information to our advantage? If you want to place more stress on the supraspinatus fibers—such as during rehab from a rotator cuff repair—overload…
I have hundreds of old muscle magazines tucked away in storage, but the one that started it all for me was the December 1985 issue of MuscleMag International, featuring Scott Wilson on the cover. I must have read that magazine every day for weeks. One of the standout pieces in that issue was an excerpt…
Most people “wear their shoulders too low,” according to Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, author of Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes. At an Ontario Kinesiology Society seminar in 2004, Sahrmann pointed out that shoulder depression causes more problems than elevation—one of the most common being neck pain. Simply raising the shoulder girdle can improve cervical…
If your goal is to lose weight fast and look like an actress, I have news for you—dramatic results don’t happen overnight! A serious transformation takes serious time and effort. You can’t undo 30 years of poor habits in 30 days—it just won’t happen. One of the biggest obstacles in weight loss is the inability…
Many strength athletes are creatures of habit. They do the same thing day in and day out. They get big, they get strong, and sometimes they get bored! A great way to cure boredom is to set a challenge. Forget about adding more weight to the bar. Do something different. In fact, forget the bar…
On January 19, 2015, I posted the first blog entry of the year, and here we are today—12 months and 225 posts later. Our readership has grown considerably over the past year. The number of newsletter subscribers and social media followers has increased steadily as well. On LinkedIn, for instance, we started the year with…
As we wrap up another year, let’s take a look back at some of the most popular and insightful articles we published in 2015. These ten articles covered everything from injury rehabilitation to Olympic lifting, flexibility training, and advanced strength techniques. If you missed any of them, now’s the perfect time to catch up! The…
Wouldn’t it be nice to pop a can of spinach and gain instant strength like Popeye? While that may be a fantasy, there are ways to enhance your strength immediately. After years of researching strength training and learning from top experts, I’ve identified six unique methods to increase pushing and pulling strength instantly—no spinach required!…