If there’s ever a time not to draw in your navel, it’s during exercise. In fact, this practice should be abandoned altogether unless used for specific rehabilitation purposes. “Sucking in your gut” shifts emphasis away from the working muscles in most gym movements and can actually lead to injury. Yes, keeping the core tight is…
If you want to build a serious set of abdominals, make sure to include these foundational exercises—and their variations—into your routine: squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and standing overhead presses. These multi-joint movements demand strong abdominal engagement to stabilize the core, especially under heavy loads. It’s not uncommon to hear people complain of abdominal soreness a day…
Can 10 sets of 3 build as much muscle as 3 sets of 10? The short answer is yes—but the type of hypertrophy you experience differs. In strength training, time under tension (TUT) reflects the total duration of a set and is calculated by multiplying the number of reps by the tempo or speed of…
If you’ve been in the muscle-building game for a while, you know that you can’t stay on one routine forever. No matter how well a program works initially, eventually, gains will plateau. When that happens, a change is necessary. However, selecting a random routine from your favorite training website won’t cut it—random workouts lead to…
The famous adage “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!” applies to strength training as it does to just about any other endeavor. Arriving at the gym with no plan will lead to haphazard results. Tudor Bompa, considered by many as the father of periodization, puts it this way: “In training, nothing happens…
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among the elderly (1). In fact, elderly patients are three times more likely to die following a ground-level fall compared to young adults (2). This is often due to weak bones. The common misconception is that seniors fall and then break their bones, but the sad reality…
The ability to perform a proper chin-up—grabbing an overhead bar and pulling yourself up until your chin clears it—is a struggle for many. Some see it as impossible, but with the right training approach, reaching 20 chin-ups is an attainable goal. Here’s how to do it. The Key Factors for Chin-Up Success 1. Body Weight…
“Chin up… Chest out… Look straight ahead… Brace the abdominals… Grip the bar tight… Push the ground away through all four corners of your feet… Drive the hips forward as you clear your knees… Stand tall… Control the lowering… Gently touch the ground, pause, and go again…” “Oh yeah, don’t forget to breathe!” Strength training…
Q: In your article The Russian Approach to Size and Strength T-Nation Archive, you mention “decrease the load by 5% each set” in one section, but in others, no percentage is specified. When it’s left blank, does that mean the weight stays the same? A: It depends on the sequencing method used.
With the right approach, bodybuilding can be one of the best things you do for your body, mind, and spirit. In an inspiring TED Talk, Charles Eugster explains why rebuilding your body as you age isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential. Here are some key takeaways from his talk: Not only does Eugster look phenomenal…