Strength Training

There are a lot of different approaches and formats to strength training sessions. For example, you can perform drop sets, where you begin with a higher weight and fewer reps and then sequentially lower the weight or your subsequent sets while increasing the number of reps.  There is also circuit training, which involves rotating between a … Read more

One of the top benefits of resistance training, and certainly the reason that many people stay diligent in lifting weights, is to build muscle. Unfortunately, even with the best intentions and what feels like a hard effort, plenty of people find that they are lifting weights but not gaining muscle mass or can’t build muscle … Read more

Although any two people can have vastly different strength training routines, the leg press is one of the most universal exercises that most people have tried at least once. A leg press machine helps you execute an exercise that resembles a squat in terms of the movement pattern and muscles worked, though there are differences … Read more

Whether you call them “six-pack abs” or “washboard abs,” it’s pretty universal that a toned and svelte midsection is a highly sought-after fitness and physique goal. Like other strong, well-defined muscles, having chiseled abs is a matter of doing the right kind of ab workouts in your training and eating the right foods in the … Read more

Before you start working out consistently, the very notion of lifting weights even a couple of days a week every week can sound daunting and perhaps even untenable.  However, many people find that once they start hitting the gym and training consistently, they fall in love with working out and may even want to lift … Read more

In addition to having extremely cut muscles that bulge out every which way along the body, bodybuilders have another defining feature that pops on their bodies—their veins. For example, in much the same way that the shredded biceps and triceps pop up off the sculpted arms of a muscular bodybuilder, the vast network of interconnected … Read more

A common body insecurity is having skinny arms. There’s a lot of cultural pressure and emphasis on having muscular, sculpted arms, particularly for men (although many women also find that they want to get rid of stick arms or skinny arms!). The good news is that, like any area of the body, it is possible … Read more

Although there are other possible resistance training goals, the two primary goals or approaches to weight lifting are increasing hypertrophy and increasing strength. When comparing hypertrophy vs strength training, there is some overlap in the approach and the outcomes, but there are differences as well. The primary aim of strength training is increasing the strength … Read more

There are many excellent benefits of squats, which is why squats are a mainstay in the workout routine of athletes of almost every sport and ability level, as well as everyday “Joes” and “Janes” trying to get fit. For example, squats increase your heart rate and burn calories, improve your jumping ability, and can strengthen … Read more

There are many excellent physical and mental health benefits of lifting weights.  For example, weight lifting increases strength, builds lean body mass, increases bone density, burns calories, boosts metabolic rate, decreases blood pressure, reduces body fat, and can lower stress. But is lifting weights safe for kids? Can lifting weights stunt growth? In this article, … Read more

Push-ups are a classic bodyweight exercise that every kid learns in PE class or youth sports, and like many of the best exercises, push-ups remain a mainstay (or at least they should!) in the workout routines of adults as well. Although push-ups can be quite challenging for beginners, there are many benefits of doing push-ups … Read more

The pull-up bar is a nemesis to those who have yet to conquer this tough move and a trusty workout partner to those who have mastered it. However, no matter which camp you currently fall into, embracing pull-ups in your workouts provides many benefits, so it’s well worth the hard work and consistency it may … Read more

It’s always upsetting when we look at our reflection in the mirror and do not see the physical form of our body that we would like to see.  Some people look at their reflection and wish their skinny arms were more muscular and toned. Others want their quads or pecs to look bigger or more … Read more

After you spend a little time in the weight room at the gym, you quickly become aware of the fact that there are many different ways to structure your strength training workouts. You can adjust the number of reps and sets you do for each exercise, the amount of weight you lift per movement, and … Read more