Articles

Arnold Press: Muscles Worked & Benefits

If you want to build muscle in your shoulders, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re talking about one of the best shoulder exercises there is: The Arnold Press.

The Arnold press is a great exercise that was named after and made popular by the most iconic bodybuilder ever. If you didn’t already guess who it is, it's Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Back in his bodybuilding days, Arnold was determined to be the best. He did what he needed to do in order to get the upper hand on his opponents. One way he did this was by inventing his own exercise that nobody else knew.

It also happened to be one of the most effective exercises to [...]

What is a Cutting Diet?

Looking to completely transform your body?

Well, you aren’t alone. Pretty much everyone nowadays is, and it’s not a bad thing. Being lean is a sign of good health, and is a common goal amongst mostly everyone.

That’s one reason why cutting diets are so popular.

But, what exactly is a cutting diet? Also, how can a cutting [...]

How to Properly Perform Box Squats

Variety in your workout routine can always be a good thing. Plus, it can be nice to switch things up and get out of the same old routine.

No matter what your goal is, changing up your training routine every 1-2 months can be beneficial to keep you progressing.

On top of that, doing the same exercises over and over again can get pretty boring. Let’s use your leg workouts as an example.

For the most part, most leg days include exercises like squats, lunges, and even deadlifts. However, there are many more exercises [...]

BCAAs vs Creatine: Which is Better?

When it comes to sports supplements, two that you'll often hear about are BCAAs and creatine. There's plenty of research on them, and they can both help you reach your goals.

It’s no wonder why so many people are looking into them. Both BCAAs and creatine can be helpful for building muscle, improving performance, and more.

But what makes each one worthwhile, and which is better? That’s exactly what we’ll talk about today.

The truth is ... the answer may be quite [...]

Front Dumbbell Raises: Sculpt Your Shoulders

I don’t know a single person who doesn’t want sculpted, well-defined shoulders. After all, it is a very appealing look.

As you probably already know, there are a lot of exercises that can help build your shoulder muscles.

However, one of my personal favorites is front dumbbell raises. They target your front deltoids and can be great for shaping your shoulders.

It's also a popular exercise amongst most weightlifters and even [...]

Can You Take Pre-Workout on an Empty Stomach?

As humans, we're always looking for a new or better way to gain a slight edge and improve. When it comes to making sure you get the best workout, it’s no different.

In fact, pre-workouts were invented in 1982 for this reason: to take our workout performance to the next level. While it depends on which one you take, pre-workouts can help quite a bit!

Now, pre-workouts today are much more effective than they once were. Even so, to take it to the next level, people have found ways to make them feel the effects faster and stronger.

By this I mean many people have opted-in to taking their pre-workout on an empty stomach. This leaves many people wondering [...]

Landmine Squats: Everything You Need to Know

Doing the same old barbell back squats over and over again can get boring. Plus, if follow the same workout routine week after week and become stagnant … so can your progress!

If this is you, I have a solution for you. If you just want to switch things up on your leg days, I have a solution for you too. What’s the solution you ask? Landmine squats!

Not only will landmine squats challenge your strength, but they will also train your coordination and stability.

Landmine squats are a great exercise for anyone looking to build [...]

The Hex Press: What is It and How To Do It

At some point, every one of us feels the need to switch up our workout routine. If you’re anything like me, I tend to get bored of the same workouts pretty quickly.

I actually change up my program every 1-2 months just to keep myself engaged.

This is especially true when it comes to my chest workouts. Do you feel the same way?

When it comes to chest exercises … we all know the typical bench press, dips, chest presses, and flys. Outside of that though, it [...]

The Benefits of Shoulder Shrugs

Whether you are looking to build big traps or fix your posture, shrugs can help! I know for me (someone who sits at a desk all day) … shrugs are an essential part of my routine.

They’re also a super easy exercise that virtually anyone can do. It’s great for those who work desk jobs or spend a good portion of their day hunched over like me. Nowadays, there aren’t many of us who don’t!

However, this poor posture can lead to muscle imbalances in your upper body which could lead to upper-crossed syndrome. This is when the muscles of your shoulders are pulled forward in an unnatural way.

There are a lot of different corrective exercises you can do to avoid [...]

Squat Alternatives For Your Lower Body

Everyone knows if you want big legs, squats are going to help. It’s a heavy and difficult exercise that targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes very well. You’ll even get your back, core, and several other muscles engaged as well.

Squats are also a very functional exercise. Most of us sit down and stand up every single day. Heck, some of us even have to squat down to pick things up off the ground often as well.

Squatting can help with your daily movement as a whole while helping you build plenty of muscle in your lower body.

However, squats aren’t for everyone out there. For some people, loading up a bunch of weight on their back may not be the best idea. I know it [...]

Peppermint Protein Cookies

Nothing screams Christmas or the holidays more than peppermint flavored everything! Or at least ... I like to think so.

I'm a huge peppermint gal, and because of that, I decided to put together a delicious, high-protein peppermint cookie recipe. That way, you and the rest of the family have a sweet treat for the holiday season that won't [...]

The Benefits of Lifting Heavy

Everybody is always looking for a hack. While I am a firm believer that these don’t really exist … weightlifting is about as close as you can get to a "hack" when it comes to your health and fitness goals.

After all, lifting heavy weights can do so much more for you than just building muscle.

With that being said, you may be wondering, ”What are the benefits of lifting heavy weights?” The answer is quite a few!

Let's take a deeper dive into these benefits and talk about [...]

Why Walking Matters

Walking is an excellent way for people to get out and breathe some fresh air. You just feel better (physically and mentally) if you get outside and go for a stroll.

In addition to that, being active and moving will find itself on the top 10 list of nearly everyone’s “To Do” to improve health. Consistent walking is well-established to increase health in addition to also burning a few calories while you are out and about.

A recent study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology that examined the impact of doing increasing amounts of walking on how your body [...]

Lateral Raises: Muscles Worked & Benefits

If you want bigger, stronger, or more defined shoulders, don't skip lateral raises!

Do them right and lateral raises can be crazy effective for muscle building. Do them enough and it may even transform your overall look!

What is cool about them is that there is more than one way to do them. There are plenty of modifications in order to make them easier, harder, or change the emphasis.

If you’re ready to learn more about lateral raises and put in the [...]

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

We all love a good stuffed potato. The problem is, the combination of sour cream, bacon, and cheese is certainly not great for reaching your health and fitness goals.

The good news is, you can still enjoy stuffed potatoes and see results. With this high-protein recipe, you'll be able to enjoy a delicious turkey-stuffed sweet potato any day of the week.

Each stuffed potato has 23 grams of protein and [...]

How to Find Your Macros For Cutting

So you want to lose body fat and get shredded? Me too. I think pretty much everyone does because having low body fat is a very attractive physical quality. On top of that, it’s also a sign of health and vitality.

Anyone who says they don’t care to be more attractive, personally, I think is lying.

We all want to look good, and we all want to feel good. Unless you’re at an unhealthy low level of body fat, losing body fat can and will help you do that.

Whether you want to step on stage at a bodybuilding show, or you [...]

How to Find Your Macros For Building Muscle

Building muscle is simple, but I wouldn’t call it easy. Trust me, I’ve been focused on building muscle for the majority of my life.

I spent years searching textbooks and the internet learning as much as I could store in my head. I'd ask my college professors questions and would experiment with my own training to see what worked.

It took me a while to understand how important it is to eat the right way. Believe it or not, it’s not only about how effective your workouts are. If you're looking to build muscle, you’ve come to the right place.

I’m going to teach you exactly what you need to know [...]

The Best Glute Exercises For Bigger Glutes

Training the glutes isn't just for those who are looking to turn heads in their favorite pair of pants. A well-rounded backside is a characteristic of a strong, functional human.

The glutes are responsible for keeping us upright and stabilizing the pelvis and lower leg. The glutes also play a major role in walking, running, jumping, and many other athletic movements.

Whether you’re trying to build that bubble butt, be the strongest in the gym, or simply move better … you gotta grow those glutes!

Let’s take a look at the anatomy of the glutes, a few of the best glute [...]

High-Protein Blueberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts. I'm sure a lot of you can say the same too.

But, when you have health and fitness goals ... Cheesecake doesn't come around often. Or at least, it shouldn't come around often!

That's why I knew I needed to make a high-protein recipe to keep my cheesecake cravings in check. The result was a recipe that I know you'll love too.

Give this high-protein blueberry cheesecake [...]

L-Citrulline vs Citrulline Malate: Which One Is Better?

When it comes to getting the best pre-workout, you need the best ingredients. If you’re looking to get the best pump, you should definitely look into getting one with citrulline in it.

I mean, it’s a great ingredient that works well when it comes to giving you the muscle pump you’re looking for!

However, there is more than one form of citrulline out there, and not every company uses the same form. So which citrulline is the best?

That’s what I’m here to help you [...]

Creatine HCL vs Monohydrate: The Best Choice

The supplement market has continued to grow over the last several years and for good reason. Health and fitness have become a priority in most people’s lives.

I will say, there are some supplements out there that claim to do it all without any real benefits to speak of. There are also others that have a bunch of evidence showcasing their effectiveness.

One of the latter supplements is creatine. Creatine is an extremely popular supplement, and it’s no surprise why. It has been shown time and time again to boost performance in those who use it regularly.

On top of that, there are quite a few different forms of creatine [...]