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Steve DeNovi, MBA, 10+ years coaching
LATEST POSTS
Should I Take Creatine on Rest Days?
“Should I take creatine on rest days?” is a common question from people who are new to supplements. Even if you’ve been taking creatine for years, you still may not know whether or not you should take creatine on days off from the gym. So, should you take creatine on off days? Yes, you should
Can You Drink Protein Shakes Without Working Out?
Protein shakes are a staple in the diets of people who work out frequently. But if you don’t work out, or you’re curious about how you should eat on a rest day, you may wonder if drinking protein without working out is safe. So, can you drink protein shakes without working out? You can drink
10 Best Ab Rollout Alternatives (With Pictures)
Out of all the core exercises, the ab rollout is one of the most effective and highly used in developing core strength. However, the ab rollout alone may not be optimal enough in developing core strength. Fortunately, there are ample core exercises to program in addition to it or in its place. The 10 best
15 Best Compound Back Exercises (As Rated By Powerlifters)
Training to build muscle mass and strength in the back area is an important part of a powerlifter’s program. Most powerlifters will use various compound back exercises, which are multi-joint exercises that activate numerous muscles at the same time. Here are the 15 best compound back exercises as rated by powerlifters: Chest Supported Row Braced
Are Sauna Suits Good For Losing Fat? What The Science Says
The sauna suit is one of those pieces of fitness equipment where its efficacy in achieving various health and fitness benefits is hotly debated. One big claim many users often make is that it is effective for improving weight loss and fat burning. So are sauna suits good for losing fat? Sauna suits may be
7 Sauna Suit Benefits & Are They Worth It?
Sauna suits are becoming more and more popular in the fitness industry. They were popularized by athletes who train for boxing and are often used to enhance sweating, but there are various preconceptions by the vast majority of sauna suit users. But do sauna suits offer any benefits? The main benefits of sauna suits are
15 Best Chest Isolation Exercises (With Demos)
Typically, the chest acts in conjunction with the shoulders and triceps, making it tricky to target with compound exercises like the bench press, and often requires isolation to get complete chest development. Fortunately, there are bench press variations and many other exercises to implement into your programming that isolate and primarily focus on the chest.
10 Best Russian Twist Alternatives (That Work Better)
The Russian twist is a very popular exercise for training the abdominal and oblique muscle groups. Most beginners will likely do Russian twists in their core workouts. However, this can get boring and cause lower back discomfort over time. So what are the best alternatives to the Russian twist exercise? The 10 best Russian twist
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
8 Best Landmine Core Exercises (How-To & Pictures)
The landmine is great for training different muscle groups with common exercises like the T-bar row and landmine press. However, the landmine is an underrated tool for training your core in the gym. So here are the 8 best landmine core exercises you can do: Landmine Wood Chop Tall Kneeling Landmine Wood Chop Half-Kneeling Landmine
Can You Do Squats Without a Squat Rack? (9 Options)
A squat rack is essential if you do any kind of heavy lifting. But it’s an expensive piece of equipment and takes up a lot of room, making it inaccessible for some people. Fortunately, there are many squat variations you can do to build your legs without a squat rack: Front squats Goblet squats Hack
Do Squats and Deadlifts Thicken Your Waist?
Here we go – does squatting and deadlifting give you a thicker waist? You may have heard it from someone in the gym, you may have seen it advertised by a company selling lifting belts or waist trainers to bodybuilders, you may have read it somewhere. So let’s answer the question once and for all
10 Best Side Crunch Alternatives (With Pictures)
The side crunch is a popular oblique exercise in the weight room. But to me, there are much better exercises for targeting the obliques. The 10 best side crunch alternatives are: Side plank Russian twist Banded wood chop Lying heel touch Landmine oblique twist Yoga ball stir the pot Plank pull-through Dead bug Mountain climber
15 Best Stiff-Leg Deadlift Alternatives (With Pictures)
The stiff-leg deadlift is a fantastic hip hinge exercise that emphasizes the hamstrings. But it’s not the only way to do that! Maybe you’ve been training stiff-leg deadlifts for a while and need variety. Or perhaps you need different equipment when you don’t have your usual resources. Here’s a complete list of the best stiff
11 Best Bumper Plate Storage Ideas (Trees, Racks, & DIY)
Properly storing bumper plates is one of the best ways to ensure they last for as long as possible. If you’re building or reorganizing your gym, you may wonder which storage solution is best for you. How do you properly store bumper plates? You can store bumper plates on a vertical plate storage tree, a
12 Best Pike Push-Up Alternatives (With Pictures)
The pike push-up is a unique exercise that is effective for strengthening the upper body. However, it is extremely unconventional, and you may want other options for building upper body strength. Additionally, the pike push-up can be limited as far as progression and added intensity go, in which case I’d recommend more advanced exercises that
Does Powerlifting Make You Bulky?
Powerlifting is a great sport that can increase strength and muscle mass and make you healthier. But many people (especially women) avoid it because they’re afraid of getting bulky. Does powerlifting make you bulky? Powerlifting alone does not make you bulky. However, you will gain muscle from powerlifting, and you can gain weight in the
18 Best Upper Body Pull Exercises (Plus, Sample Workout)
The upper back is one of the most fundamental groups of muscles that deserve a huge focus in any lifter or sports athlete and even in non-athletic populations. Luckily, there is a wide selection of upper back strengthening exercises to choose from. The best 18 upper body pull exercises are: Barbell row T-bar row Pendlay
IFAST Fitness Bumper Plates: Tested After 50+ Workouts
Next to a barbell and a squat rack, weight plates are essential pieces of equipment for a home gym. While there are many different types of weight plates available, I prefer bumper plates for my garage gym. I’ve been using the IFAST Fitness Olympic bumper weight plates for several months to test how they hold
14 Quad Dominant Exercises (Plus, Sample Workout)
Being in front of the body, the quads are the most prominent muscles of the leg. When strengthened, they can directly increase the aesthetics of the lower body while having tremendous carry-over to general performance and daily activities. Furthermore, there are plenty of ways to modify existing exercises or implement specific movements to place an