muscles

The strength of the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings form the foundation of lower body movement. These muscles as a unit allow you to run, jump, hinge, and squat like a rockstar. There are plenty of great exercises, like the reverse hyperextension, that train these important muscles but...

Let’s face it, having a thick neck can be quite imposing. Besides giving you that intimidating middle linebacker look, it’s an indication of the dedication and hard work in the gym. Those massive traps make someone look like the Incredible Hulk without turning green. But a massive yoke isn’t...

A round butt can be one of the most attractive body parts of the female body. Especially since her wider hips, the more acute angle at which her thigh bones attach to the pelvis, create that particular way of walking that singer Tennessee Ernie Ford referred to as having “quite a hitch in her...

I get this question a lot: Is there a difference between abs and core training? And the quick answer is yes! A better answer, however, would be, Yes, but … Technically, the abdominals are part of the larger “core” group of muscles. Most folks consider the abs to be the small muscles in the...

Any strength training program should apply six basic laws of training to ensure adaptation and keep people who embark on training free from Injury. Especially the young and inexperienced trainers who decide to train without proper instruction from qualified training instructors or specific...

I think it’s safe to say that for those of us who are working to build better bodies through bodybuilding and or fitness, out of all the muscle groups we work so hard to develop, the muscles of the arms seem to be the most universally admired. Whenever a bodybuilder is asked in public to make a...

I think it’s safe to say that for those of us who are working to build better bodies through bodybuilding and or fitness, out of all the muscle groups we work so hard to develop, the muscles of the arms seem to be the most universally admired. Whenever a bodybuilder is asked in public to make a...

In 2006, ophysical therapist John Pallof showed Eric Cressey and Tony Gentilcore the belly press (now the Pallof Press) when they were both getting Cressey Performance off the ground. And just like that, the Pallof press as you know it was born. The Pallof press, no matter the variation, trains...

s mentioned in a previous article regarding the quads, the legs provide the core stability and lifting power for the human body. If you want to do any form of lifting outside of a seated, supine or prone position then you’ve got to have legs that can support the weight. While you’re arms may be...

One of the greatest issues facing athletes and weightlifters is the ability to stay healthy while lifting weights and training at a high level. The most common setback I see in the gym is a shoulder injury. If you have played sports at any level or lifted weights for any length of time, you’ve...

Over the course of these various posts you’ve read a number of pieces that discuss how various muscle groups work in tandem with other muscles groups in the body. They complement one another, work together, and support one another through daily activities. The forearm muscles are a prime example...

One of the greatest issues facing athletes and weightlifters is the ability to stay healthy while lifting weights and training at a high level. The most common setback I see in the gym is a shoulder injury. If you have played sports at any level or lifted weights for any length of time, you’ve...

We have all heard of it, and yet the amount of people who don’t stretch after their warm up is astounding. Most weight trainers think that is not ‘macho’ to be seen in front of their mates stretching and miss it out all together this is a big mistake because Stretching is a fundamental way to...

Oh, do I have your attention now? Sorry to disappoint, but I do not have another great supplement or magic pill that will help you to increase your strength right away. Instead, I want to focus on the 30-40% of output all of us are wasting because we are simply not activating all fibers when...

Contrary to what many entry level personal training weekend certification textbooks say, exercises themselves aren’t the things that should be scrutinized and contraindicated. The people who do them should be. Different skeletal builds or training needs can deem an exercise dangerous depending...

Most lifters know the importance upper-back strength plays when it comes to the “Big 3” lifts — bench press, squat, and deadlift — and for keeping the shoulders healthy. But those who just train chest and biceps don’t fully grasp the importance of the upper back until their shoulders hurt. It’s...

The question up for discussion today is "do creatine and alcohol mix?". I'm going to talk about the effects alcohol has on building muscle and what happens if you drink alcohol while using creatine. There have been no official studies into the effects of creatine and alcohol in the past. We have...

How many times have you heard you can’t work the same muscles 2 days in a row? You’ll over train they say. You’ll have central nervous system (CNS) fatigue. Now, have you ever experienced overtraining or CNS fatigue? Yea, me either. How hard are you actually working in the gym? You might be...

Ashley Black Muscles can bring an unmatched presence in the room that speaks volumes. And when it comes to the biological makeup of muscles, it can be challenging to learn, from understanding the intricacies of the layers to figuring out how to best build muscle. But no matter how impressive...

Aside from whey protein, creatine is probably the most-used muscle building supplement in gyms all over the world. Yet, creatine is surrounded by myths and rumors spread by people in gyms, magazines and on the internet who really do not understand what creatine is and how it works. It’s these...