Fitness
BDNF: How Exercise Unlocks the Brain’s Growth Hormone
Most people hit the gym to build muscle, lose fat, or simply feel healthier. But what if every rep, sprint, or set you complete was also training your brain? Beyond shaping your body, exercise is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen the mind; improving focus, memory, and long-term brain health. This brain-boosting effect comes from a molecule called...
HIIT vs Steady-State Cardio: Which Is Best for You?
Cardio isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether your goal is to burn fat, improve conditioning, or sharpen your mind, the way you train makes a difference. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and steady-state cardio are two distinct, but equally popular methods. Both are great ways to improve fitness and heart health, but they do so through very different physiological pathways. And those differences can...
The 15 Best Smith Machine Exercises for Full-Body Strength and Muscle Growth
There’s a lot of polarizing opinions on the Smith machine. Some swear by it for safety and control, while others dismiss it as a “cheat” version of barbell training. As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. The Smith machine can be incredibly effective when used the right way – whether you’re looking for an alternative to free barbell...
Why the Russian Twist Should Be Your Go-To Core Exercise
When most people think of core training, they picture sit-ups, crunches or planks. But there’s another move that outdoes almost all others when it comes to developing real-world strength and control, and hitting underworked parts of your core: the Russian twist. In this guide, we’ll break down what the Russian twist actually does, how to do it safely, what muscles...
The Best Eccentric Exercises to Maximize Muscle Growth
6 min read
Frog Pumps: The Glute Exercise You’re Probably Not Doing (But Should)
Stronger glutes don’t just improve the way you look. They support better posture, protect your lower back, and power nearly every athletic movement. While squats and lunges get most of the attention, there’s one underrated move that can quickly boost glute activation and control: frog pumps. In this article, we’ll break down what they are, why they work, and how...
Eccentric vs. Concentric Movements: How Each Phase Shapes Your Training
Every lift has two halves: the way up and the way down. The scientific terms for these two phases are the concentric (lifting) and eccentric (lowering) phases. Most people focus on just getting the weight up, but the truth is each phase stresses your muscles differently. And each drives unique adaptations. Understanding how concentric and eccentric movements work can change...
How to Build a Strong and Resilient Posterior Chain
The posterior chain is your body’s powerhouse. It’s where real strength comes from – not big arms, a sculpted chest or carved abs, but what’s behind you. It’s responsible for some of your most important daily movements: standing tall, picking up heavy things, sprinting after your kids, or just walking with good posture. If your posterior chain is weak or...
Training for Strength vs Power: How to Optimize for the Right Objective
Strength and power are often lumped together. But they’re not the same thing – and knowing the difference will make a big impact on your results. Strength is about how much weight you can move. Power is about how fast you can move it. One’s not necessarily better than the other. But depending on your goals, whether that’s lifting heavier,...
How Negative Reps Can Help You Break Through Strength Plateaus
If you’ve been lifting for a while, strength plateaus will be nothing new. Watching your progress stall is incredibly frustrating. But negative reps may be the solution to your struggles. Also known as eccentric training, negative reps are one of the most effective, underutilized tools in strength training. They’re simple in theory but brutally effective in practice. And when applied...
How to Strengthen Your Lower Back: A Guide to Core Stability and Resilience
There’s one area that many athletes and fitness enthusiasts overlook until it becomes a problem: the lower back. Your lower back plays a major role in almost everything you do. It supports your posture, helps you transfer power from your legs to your upper body, and stabilizes your spine when you lift, run, twist, or jump. If it’s weak or...
10 Safer, Easier or More Efficient Deadlift Alternatives
Are your resistance training workouts doomed to fail if you can’t (or don’t want to) deadlift? Not at all. While the deadlift is a cornerstone lift for strength and hypertrophy, it’s not essential for everyone, all the time. Whether you're nursing an injury, working around equipment limitations, or looking for something fresh, there are effective alternatives that replicate the benefits...
12 Ways to Achieve Progressive Overload
If you’ve been working out for a while, chances are you’ve heard the phrase progressive overload. It’s one of the most foundational principles in strength and hypertrophy training. But for some, the classic approach (progressively adding more weight each time you work out) may not work. The good news? There are many ways to progressively overload your muscles beyond just...
