strength

If you want to build a back so thick it looks like you could wrestle a grizzly bear (or at least haul in every grocery bag in one trip), your pull-day workouts need to go beyond the basics. Sure, lat pulldowns and barbell rows are solid, but repeating the same old pull day exercises will only...

You don’t need expensive tools or a lab to assess your fitness—just innovative, science-backed tests. Whether you’re looking to boost your strength, endurance, or mobility, these DIY fitness tests will give you clear benchmarks and help set you on the right path to your fitness goals. As a...

A solid push day workout isn’t just about tossing weights around—it means training with purpose. Whether your goal is raw strength, muscle growth, explosive power, or functional stability, your workout’s structure makes all the difference. Instead of a generic routine, these four push-day...

Life gets busy, and finding time for fitness can feel like an impossible task. But staying active doesn’t have to mean long, grueling workouts. In fact, short, efficient training sessions can be a game-changer for those with packed schedules. Whether you’re looking to build, maintain, or improve...

If there’s one muscle that demands attention, it’s the biceps. The feeling of your arms getting bigger with every curl is a rite of passage, and no exercise delivers a biceps pump like barbell biceps curls. Why? You can load up to your biceps content, sparking serious gains. But don’t stop at...

As winter fades, it’s time to unveil the hard work beneath those layers. Warmer weather presents the perfect opportunity to spring clean your workout routine and get leaner and more defined. This 4-Day Core Workout Routine aims to spring clean your winter routine and bring those abs out of...

Spring is here, and that means more carpool runs, snack duty, and packed schedules. Moms do it all—transportation, laundry, school events—often putting their own fitness on the back burner. But what if you could reclaim your athleticism while keeping up with your busy life? That’s exactly the...

There are two types of strength: absolute strength, the total weight a lifter can lift, and relative strength, the weight a lifter lifts relative to their body weight. Two lifters may lift the same weight, but the lighter lifter will have better relative strength. A neglected way to improve both...

Core and shoulder stability exercises are often overlooked in favor of sexier exercises like the overhead press, but neglecting them can lead to weaknesses that affect strength and movement quality. Enter the kettlebell windmill—an exercise that challenges core strength, hip mobility, and...

Quentin Lake recently explained to M&F that focusing on his lower body allowed him to come back from injury in order to become an LA Rams Captain. But in his quest to become the total package of speed and strength, this player puts just as much effort into his upper body workouts too. Here’s an...

Imagine these scenarios: You’re all pumped for leg day and make a beeline to the squat racks, but they are all taken. Or you woke up all geared for deadlifts, but your lower back has different ideas. As a lifter, it’s always handy to have a Plan B when things don’t go as planned. An excellent...

Time. It’s the one thing we all wish we had more of, right? Carving out an hour for the gym is tough between work, family, and life throwing its usual curveballs. But here’s the good news: you don’t always need one-hour workouts to get results. A focused 15-minute workout will help build...

If you’ve ever wondered how to combine endurance racing with strength training in one epic fitness challenge, HYROX is the answer. This global fitness race is gaining momentum as the ultimate test of stamina and strength, blending running with functional exercises like sled pushes, rowing, and...

The Romanian deadlift, or RDL for short, is the king of the jungle for building lower back, glute, and hamstring strength and size. It’s an excellent regression of the traditional deadlift and a fantastic accessory exercise for improving deadlift performance. But when taking one foot off the...

If there is one exercise most lifters love to hate, it’s got to be the split squat. As we are stronger in lifting with a bilateral stance than unilateral, performing the split squat usually requires a heavy reduction in weight. No matter what weight you’re using, split squats can help unlock...

Some exercises seem too simple to work, and squat jumps are one of those movements. All you do is lower into a bodyweight squat and explode, your feet leaving the ground and then sticking the landing. Nothing to it, right? However, just because it is not complex doesn’t mean it is not effective...

Strength can be measured in different ways. We all know about the physical strength that can be measured by what you can pick up and put down. Then there’s the mental strength that comes with being able to carry on and succeed when faced with serious situations. United States Air Force Staff...

Stuck in a workout rut? You’re not alone. The rhythm of a routine can feel comforting, but it’s also a fast track to stagnation. To change your workout routine isn’t just about keeping things fresh; it’s the key to unlocking consistent progress and maximizing results. Whether you’re chasing...

Many exercises train the back and core, and when you are lucky, an exercise comes along that trains both. Enter the renegade row, a combination of a Front plank with a single-arm dumbbell row. But it’s not for the faint of heart, and here’s why Your core strength limits you because you row...

There are many cool and highly effective strength exercises and it’s impossible to do them all. Between all the variations of deadlifts, presses, rows, squats, and carries, you should never run out of ways to challenge yourself in the gym. But here’s the thing—progress isn’t always about...