Can’t Straighten Your Arms After A Workout?

If you can’t extend your arms after working out, you likely have delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The soreness, tightness, and swelling in your arms result from inflammation and can prevent you from stretching the elbow joint comfortably. DOMS will peak about 48 hours after a workout and progressively improve in the following days. If … Continue ReadingCan’t Straighten Your Arms After A Workout?

Ice Bath Recovery: Time To Put The Cold Tub on Ice?

Celebrities like Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Tim Ferriss have been praising the benefits of ice bath recovery, some of them for years. But, you might be wondering whether there are actually evidence-based benefits to the cold plunge or if this is just another financially-incentivized recommendation. So, does ice bath recovery work after lifting? No, … Continue ReadingIce Bath Recovery: Time To Put The Cold Tub on Ice?

How To Fix Back Pain While Deadlifting (A Physio Explains)

Hi, I’m Jim Wittstrom. I’m a physiotherapist that works with all types of high-level athletes, including National level powerlifters.     Are you having lower back pain after deadlifting? Here’s how to assess and fix it: Lower back soreness is common after deadlifting, but it could be serious if it persists for more than a week. Don’t … Continue ReadingHow To Fix Back Pain While Deadlifting (A Physio Explains)

Knee Pain When Squatting (What to Do & How to Prevent)

Knee pain can stall your squat progress, or even derail it altogether. A common question our readers ask is:  Why do my knees hurt when I squat? If your knees hurt when you squat, your form may be incorrect. Use a neutral spine, keep your knees behind your toes, and evenly distribute your weight between … Continue ReadingKnee Pain When Squatting (What to Do & How to Prevent)

Underdeveloped Shoulders: 4 Ways To Fix (That Actually Work)

Having well-defined shoulders can carry a physique far by building that tapered look while adding to one’s ability to excel in lifts such as the bench press, overhead press, and push press. That said, underdeveloped shoulders are extremely common. Four ways to fix them are: In this article, I will explain what the shoulder is … Continue ReadingUnderdeveloped Shoulders: 4 Ways To Fix (That Actually Work)

Underdeveloped Hamstrings: 4 Ways To Fix (That Actually Work)

Hamstrings are fundamental to a strong posterior chain and integral to a great squat or deadlift. They are also important for activities such as running and climbing stairs. Cultivating well-developed hamstrings can be somewhat difficult due to the thickness and structure of the muscle. For this reason, a more rigorous approach is always necessary to … Continue ReadingUnderdeveloped Hamstrings: 4 Ways To Fix (That Actually Work)

Traps Sore After Bench Press: Why This Happens + 4 Fixes

Trap soreness is normal after bench press, but excessive or persistent soreness over a long period may indicate some underlying issues you need to address. So why are your traps sore after bench press, and how do you fix it? Your traps may be sore after bench press because you have improper posture or create … Continue ReadingTraps Sore After Bench Press: Why This Happens + 4 Fixes

Does Overhead Press Hurt Your Back? Try These 6 Tips

Join the club if you’ve been getting lower back pain while performing overhead presses. This is an incredibly common (but not normal) issue that lifters face, so you’re certainly not alone. Thankfully, it can often be relatively straightforward to rectify, provided you have an otherwise non-complicated history of lower back discomfort. To avoid lower back … Continue ReadingDoes Overhead Press Hurt Your Back? Try These 6 Tips

Why Do Some Women Pee When Deadlifting? (And, Is It Normal?)

If you stay around lifting circles long enough, you’re bound to eventually confront or witness peeing while deadlifting, especially as a woman. So, why do some women pee when deadlifting? Peeing while deadlifting, also referred to as urinary stress incontinence, occurs when there is increased pressure build up in the abdomen, often due to high … Continue ReadingWhy Do Some Women Pee When Deadlifting? (And, Is It Normal?)

IT Band Pain While Squatting (Why It Happens & How To Fix)

Few things are more annoying to a lifter than being unable to perform squats due to pain. Knee pain, in particular, is notorious, with one such common pain being from the IT band.  If you’re dealing with IT band pain with your squats, you want to get it under control as quickly as possible so … Continue ReadingIT Band Pain While Squatting (Why It Happens & How To Fix)