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LATEST POSTS
Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Conventional: Differences, Pros, Cons
Although there are many variations of the deadlift, the trap bar deadlift and conventional deadlift are two of the most common. I’ve been successfully using both deadlift variations for the last seven years, both in my training and with hundreds of clients. But before deciding whether you should do one over the other, you should
Top 11 Inner Chest Workouts for Size and Strength
The urge to build a bigger chest is the leading conversation of fellow gym-goers everywhere! In order to train the various fibers of the chest, including the inner chest, you need to incorporate a variety of movements from different positions and angles. Here are 11 exercises you could add to a comprehensive inner chest workout:
6 Best Personal Training Apps (Live Coaching, Nutrition Tracking, & More)
A personal trainer may feel like a luxury, especially for those with limited budgets or busy schedules. But with the rise in popularity of personal training apps, fitness has become more accessible than ever. The six best personal training apps are: Virtual personal training and fitness programming can make your life much easier by removing
9 Smith Machine Squat Variations (With Pictures)
The Smith machine greatly simplifies movements and allows for an abundance of squat variations. Specifically, bodybuilders can take advantage of the Smith machine’s simplification to target their glutes and legs. Powerlifters or general fitness enthusiasts might find themselves in a hotel where a Smith machine is their only option. Any type of athlete can maximize
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
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
12 Best Assisted Pull-Up Bands in 2023
For many gym-goers, an unassisted pull-up is a desirable yet seemingly elusive achievement. While you can strengthen your back muscles with lat pulldowns and bent-over rows, those movements are often not enough to help you get a pull-up. Using a band to help with pull-ups can get you closer to reaching your goals. But not
14 Best Barbells for Your Home Gym
Barbells are a staple piece of gym equipment because they’re versatile and functional. With a great barbell, you can perform various exercises to target your upper and lower body. But different types of barbells suit different workout styles, so how do you know which one is best for you? To help you decide, I compiled
5 Pendlay Row Benefits (Why You Should Be Doing Them)
Just because you’re good at regularly doing barbell rows doesn’t mean you can skip Pendlay rows if strength is a goal of your training program. While the Pendlay row may look like it’s interchangeable with a barbell row or other rowing variation, there are several benefits of the Pendlay row you should be taking advantage
Olympic Lifting vs Powerlifting for Fitness: Pros & Cons
Each style of lifting can have major benefits for people seeking fitness. Both involve intense whole-body training using multi-joint lifts. Olympic lifting (snatch and the clean and jerk) involves highly precise explosive movements lifting the weight from the floor to overhead. Powerlifting (squat, bench press, and deadlift) consists of slower movements done with high muscle intensity. Having
Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives
For the last two months, I’ve been using and testing the Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Barbell 2.0 in my personal workouts. My wife (also a competitive powerlifter) and a few powerlifting clients I train in my home gym have also tested it. Overall, the Barenaked Powerlifting Barbell 2.0 offers high quality at a budget
Power Guidance Battle Rope: Is This Top-Rated Battle Rope Worth It?
When I started getting bored with my usual workout routine, I decided to try battle rope training to switch things up. After researching various battle ropes available on the market, I chose the Power Guidance battle rope. Now that I’ve been training with it for several weeks, I’m here to tell you whether or not
11 Best Slam Balls: Build Power and Explosiveness
There’s something satisfying about raising a weighted ball over your head and slamming it into the ground. But beyond the stress-relieving benefits, ball slams are fantastic for increasing cardiovascular endurance and developing power and explosiveness. Choosing the right equipment is essential if you want to incorporate ball slams into your routine. There are many types
13 Best Weight Plates for Home Workouts
A barbell and plates are essential for a home gym, especially if you want to lift weights and get strong. Weight plates enable you to adjust the amount of weight you’re lifting so that you can continue to make progress and adapt your workouts to meet your fitness goals. The 13 best weight plates are:
Do Squats Make Your Butt Bigger? (Science-Backed)
There’s a reason why the squat is an exercise that has been around for thousands of years. When it comes to its benefits, it seems like there’s nothing they can’t do. But what about growing your glutes? Do squats make your butt bigger? Squats and other squat variation exercises have been proven to produce high
12 Best Lat Pulldown Bars for Your Home Gym
The lat pulldown bar is used to strengthen the upper back (latissimus dorsi) muscles. These metal bars attach to lat pulldown machines or cables and enable you to perform pulldowns using a wide grip or close grip to target the upper back differently. Lat pulldown bars are a great addition to your home gym and
11 Best Battle Ropes for Your Home Gym
Battle ropes, also called power ropes or workout ropes, are a great piece of gym equipment for total body cardio workouts. These 30- to 50-foot-long ropes can help you burn calories, improve your cardiovascular fitness, and build muscle. The 11 best battle ropes are: Battle ropes are a great addition to consider if you’re building
Push Press vs. Overhead Press: Differences, Pros, and Cons
To the untrained eye, the push press and overhead press may look like the same lift. Some even use the names interchangeably, thinking it’s the same lift, but it’s not. There are key differences in the execution and purpose of each lift and what they train. So what is the difference between the push press
Arm Blaster Workout: How To Get Bigger Arms
You may have seen or used an arm blaster in your gym – that over-the-shoulder bar that saddles the back of your arms in place for bicep curls and tricep pushdowns. But what does an arm blaster do? Is it a worthwhile tool for bicep and tricep work, and if so, how should you use
Flat vs. Incline vs. Decline Bench Press: Pros, Cons, and Differences
You’ll typically see three main bench press variations or maybe even already do yourself: the incline, flat, and decline bench press. But what are their differences? Do you need to do all three, or is one better than the others? How do you know the right variation to add to your training? The flat vs