lifting

Personal trainers frequently hear women express a desire to “tone up” while at the same time having fear of getting “bulky” or looking “manly.” The common misconception is that lifting heavy weights for women will make their muscles big and beefy, and instead, they often opt for light weights...

Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, better known as Andrew Jacked, is well and truly in the mix as a top contender for the title of 2024 Mr Olympia when he competes on bodybuilding’s most hallowed stage in Las Vegas this October, but before he can allow himself to dream of those lofty heights, the Nigerian...

Becoming a mother requires lots of lifting, and I’m not talking about dumbbells. From carrying your children, groceries, car seats, strollers, and a baby bump when pregnant, being a mom calls for a strong body. In past years, expectant mothers have been given the instructions to take a load off...

The number of articles online reassuring women that upping their dumbbell weight will not morph their feminine physique into a She-Hulk speaks volumes. Although over the years more women have gravitated to the weightroom, the misconceptions surrounding women and weights continues to make its...

You go through your workouts day after day training with intensity, focus, and drive. And yet, muscle growth eludes you. What’s going on? Have you reached your genetic potential? Are you burnt-out? Or are you just doing it wrong? It may be time to admit your current program to the operating...

At first you'll love this tip, then you might hate this tip. Let me explain. Most of us want more grip strength. It becomes frustrating when a dumbbell starts to slip during rows, or we fail to hit a deadlift PR (personal record) because our grip gave out. And we're not supposed to use straps...

How Do You Build Muscle? If we’re talking about building muscle and not truly focusing in on our lifting performances, then we’re talking hypertrophy in its purest form. We can’t increase the amount of specific muscle fibers that we possess, but we can increase the size of our existing fibers...

It's easy to get caught up in status as a lifter. And I'm not just talking about "how much ya bench" conversations, either. It's often a question of how long we've been lifting. Do these sound familiar? "You're a beginner? Just get your reps in." "I'd be careful doing that. It's only for...

It’s probably the most widely-shared piece of advice you hear in the gym – “lift big to get big.” Conventional thinking says that lifting light is good only for two reasons: You are rehabbing an injury It’s a means to an end – lifting heavy. But truth of the matter is, lifting lighter...

Taking time off from the gym is something no ever wants to do, but sometimes, it’s inevitable. Whether it’s due to an injury, an extended vacation, or something like the global pandemic we’re going through, there are times when making it to the gym just won’t be an option. Unfortunately...

Ronnie Coleman / YouTube If you're a regular Muscle & Fitness reader, we don't need to tell you that Ronnie Coleman is a legend. But perhaps more legendary than the eight-time Mr. Olympia himself are his gym catchphrases. From "Light weight, baby!" and "Ain't nothin' but a peanut!" to the...

Henry Cavill is no stranger to lifting heavy, but that's not the only key to his comic book physique. Yesterday, Cavill—known for playing the Man of Steel— took to Instagram to show us a quick throwback to when he was in Budapest training for his starring role as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's The...

@smilestaylor / Instagram / The Loyal Brand When avid photographer Miles Taylor stopped in to the NEVERsate Gym in Westminster, MD, to get some action shots, he didn't realize that his life would change. He already knew one of the trainers, Nicolai Myers, since grade school, and by the end of...

Ted Lindberg has been lifting for 75 years, since he was just 12 years old. He remembers how back in the early days gyms didn’t even have benches, and gym-goers had to lie on the floor or on homemade, wood planks to lift. After retiring from working construction, Lindberg began hitting the gym...