Archive for the ‘Bodybuilding’ Category

The Top 5 Best Back Exercises

Thursday, November 14th, 2024
muscular man who used the best back exercises to build a strong back

Nothing feels more impressive than being able to bang out 30 pull-ups in a row or finishing a set of 10 with 90 lbs hanging from a belt. Nothing looks more impressive than being able to hit a front or rear lat spread with confidence like a cobra. Furthermore, how many women do you know who can finish a set of 10 pull-ups? The best back exercises can help you break through your back training plateaus.

Trust me, due to a lack of knowledge about back training, there aren’t many who have accomplished the above. The reality is that we can attain all of these things with intense back training using free weights to perform this list of the best back exercises. Here’s how.

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The Top 5 Best Forearm Exercises

Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
the best forearm exercises

Every serious lifter would love to have massive Popeye-level forearms. Forearm size adds to an already good physique, and forearm strength increases all of your pulling lifts and then some. The problem that most people have is that they aren’t sure how to attack their forearms – they lack the knowledge of the best forearm exercises for muscle growth. Either that or they are not as consistent as they need to be with their forearm training.

For strength, we need to train our forearms with heavy loads such as deadlifts, farmer carries, and heavy barbell shrugs. For size, we need to train with consistency and volume, leveraging the occasional isolation exercises like hammer curls and wrist curls.

Forearms should be trained just as often as any other muscle. It shouldn’t just be something you work on every couple of months whenever you are bored. Take your forearm training seriously, and you will be on the right path to adding some size and strength to them.

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5 Tips for Bodybuilding With Lower Back Pain

Sunday, October 6th, 2024
athletic women avoiding lower back pain by lifting weights

Bodybuilding is a great way to sculpt and tone muscles, but the strain that it places on the body is sometimes too much to bear. Injuries are not uncommon among bodybuilders, and lower back pain is one of the most common problems experienced by lifters everywhere.

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, you don’t have to stop your workout routine. However, you should remember these tips that will help you manage your back pain and heal quickly. Warming up, stretching properly, and maintaining strict form will go a long way, but try these tips when all else fails.

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The Top 10 Best Abdominal Exercises Part 3

Friday, October 4th, 2024
female athletes with ripped abs from using the best abdominal exercises

Here is our conclusion to the best abdominal exercises series. If you haven’t already, you can read the Top 10 Best Abs Exercises Part 1. Then don’t forget to hit the Top 10 Best Abs Exercises Part 2.

Here is our list of the second 5 of our favorite 10 ab exercises that you can use to get 6-pack abs. Perform these exercises on a regular basis, mix them up, use different speeds, tempos, angles, and positions to get a full workout. Always try to mix it up from workout to workout.

That is quite enough out of me for now. Go ahead and read about the 5 exercises and then figure out how to work them into your routine.

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The Top 10 Best Abdominal Exercises Part 2

Wednesday, July 17th, 2024
Two guys with ripped abs who use the best abdominal exercises we discuss below.

Here is the long-awaited follow-up to the Top 10 Best Ab Exercises Part 1 and the precursor to the Top 10 Best Abs Exercises Part 3. Let’s take a look at 5 of our favorite 10 best abdominal exercises, that you can use to get 6-pack abs look. Do these exercises regularly, mix them up, and use different speeds, tempos, angles, and positions to get a full workout. Always try to progress from workout to workout.

Here are 3 ways you can gauge progress with abdominal exercises:

  1. Try to complete more reps in a given period. For example, do as many fold-ups as possible in 60 seconds. Try to break your personal record (PR) for each workout.
  2. Try to complete more total reps each time you perform the exercise. For example, in week one do 3 sets of 10, week 2 do 3 sets of 12, week 3 do 4 sets of 10, week 4 do 3 sets of 15, etc…
  3. If it applies, try to add weight to the exercise by holding a plate or dumbbell on your chest or behind your head, or use a weighted vest. You can also add weight to your legs with ankle weights. Try to use more weight, or complete more reps with the same weight, each time.

Let’s skip any additional small talk here and get on with the exercises.

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The Arnold Schwarzenegger Protein Shake

Wednesday, July 10th, 2024
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger was a tank. He instinctively knew how to eat and how to train. His philosophy on whole food meals and snacks is accepted today as the best way to construct a weight gain diet, a fat loss diet, or even a regular healthy diet for a non-athlete. The famous Arnold Schwarzenegger protein shake will be sure to put muscle on anyone’s back.

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The Top 10 Best Abdominal Exercises Part 1

Thursday, July 4th, 2024
ripped abs bodybuilder uses the best abdominal exercises to train his core

With the prevalence of six-pack abs in the media by everyone from Hugh Jackman and Matthew McConaughey, to Janet Jackson and Beyonce Knowles, society as of late treasures that elusive flat-defined stomach look, and they must know the secrets of the best abdominal exercises, right? We can thank high resolution for our cultural transition from portly praise to abdominal admiration.

Best Abdominal Exercises

After all, before Hollywood got huge in the 1900s, as a culture we appreciated a little meat on our bones because it represented comfort, success, and good health. Now that we get to feast our eyes daily on tough-guy actors, beautiful actresses, rock stars, and supermodels, we’ve come full circle into the Washboard Era.

Quick Links:
10 Best Ab Exercises Part 1
10 Best Abdominal Exercises Part 2
10 Best Abs Exercises Part 3

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How to do Dips

Monday, June 10th, 2024
bodybuilders show how to do dips with plates added

Dips are listed in a Swole post as one of the top 5 best triceps exercises. They can be useful for both chest and triceps training but to make them work for us we have to learn the ins and outs of how to do dips and how to do them properly to work with our personal goals.

Based on the principle that exercises in which you move your body through space are better than the exercises that keep you in a stationary position, dips are better than push ups. It is also easier for you to add weight to your dips than it is to add weight to a push-up.

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Top 6 Ab Training Mistakes

Friday, June 7th, 2024
this ripped couple avoided ab training mistakes

Want thick, dense abs that stand out like a washboard? Want a ripped midsection with veins and shredded striations? No? How about this: Want to look good naked? If you answered yes to any of those, you’ll want to be sure you’re not making any common ab training mistakes.

You will never achieve any of the above goals or personal goals if you train your abs once a week with three sets of crunches for 100 reps, or if you eat like a horse. Avoid these 6 common abdominal training mistakes and your abs will dial in. Whether you are a bodybuilder, an athlete, or a novice, chances are you are making several of these ab training mistakes in your training right now. Take heed!

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The Top 5 Best Grip Training Exercises

Thursday, May 9th, 2024
grip

Grip training: it has to be the most ignored type of training in gyms all over the World. Seriously, how often will you see someone working on their grip in the gym? Almost never, right? No one really seems to care. How much you bench press is all that really matters anyway – which is sarcasm if you didn’t catch the drift. That can all change for you if you start using this list of best grip training exercises along with the additional tips to make the most of incorporating them into your workout.

While grip training does not really have much of an impact on how much you can lift, it still can be important. A lot of people use straps as an excuse not to work on their grip. I mean you can deadlift 600 lbs with straps, so why would you work on your grip? Well, if you are ever planning on entering some type of powerlifting competition, then you will not be allowed to use them.

How to Develop a Strong Grip

The only way to make sure you get a more effective grip is to just work on your forearms with grip training. This can be done with any type of forearm exercise really. When you are doing deadlifts, you should try to never progress without straps.

It may be a pain in the ass not being able to bust past a plateau because your grip keeps giving out, but that is why you have to keep working on it! Don’t be that guy who can deadlift 500 lbs with straps but can only deadlift 3 plates without them.

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7 Healthy Tips To Avoid Dehydration For Bodybuilders

Wednesday, March 6th, 2024
drink water to Avoid Dehydration

We all want to look healthy and feel healthy. We all want strong muscles and bones. Looking healthy does wonders for our self-confidence and overall peace of mind. Some people turn to bodybuilding as a way of looking and feeling healthier. They are committed to setting goals and achieving them. It gives them something in their lives to feel good about. They enjoy building strong muscles and encouraging others who feel the same way.

One important aspect of bodybuilding that sometimes gets overlooked, is maintaining a proper healthy lifestyle.

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How to Perform Dumbbell Flyes – Boost Your Training with the Best Chest Exercise

Wednesday, July 26th, 2023
man performs Dumbbell Flyes

The dumbbell fly is a cornerstone exercise in strength training and bodybuilding, yet its significance often goes unrecognized. Dumbbell flyes play an instrumental role in developing chest muscles, increasing strength, improving posture, and enhancing overall wellness. Our comprehensive guide will delve into the intricacies of the dumbbell fly, shedding light on its profound impact.

We will provide a guide for performing the dumbbell fly and recognizing muscle activation during the exercise. We’ll also explore using this exercise to increase strength or build muscle.  Also, look for our tips on incorporating drop sets into your routine to elevate your dumbbell chest fly sessions to new heights.

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Who Will Win Mr. Olympia 2022? 

Friday, December 16th, 2022
Mr. Olympia 2022 contestants

Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of buzz around the Mr. Olympia 2022 competition slated to hold this weekend in Las Vegas. Industry greats have conducted analyses and reviews, and made their opinions after looking at the competitors’ physiques. 

Generally, the main event in Mr. Olympia is the Men’s Open Bodybuilding. In men’s bodybuilding, there is also the Classic Physique Division, the Men’s Open Division, and the 212 Olympia. These different divisions have their various requirements for qualifying and participating. 

The Classic Physique Division is different from the open division. While Christian Bumstead has won the “Olympia” three years in a row, he doesn’t compete in the Men’s Open division. Instead, he competes in Classic Physique. Open-building competitors usually weigh as heavy as 300 pounds today and are much bigger and wider than competitors in other divisions. 

We have compiled a list of predictions from popular people in the bodybuilding industry, and have created our own predictions based on this. Here’s our list of who we think will be the top six at the Mr. Olympia 2022 this weekend. 

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The Top 5 Best Calf Exercises

Monday, December 5th, 2022
Arnold used the best calf exercises

When you think of calves, you picture the part of your leg that everyone else can see when you’re wearing shorts. Sure, you can have a huge upper body and quads, but if you have the calves of a 10-year-old boy, then people may often chuckle. To get past walking around with cringe-worthy chicken legs, you better employ a few of these best calf exercises as soon as possible to kickstart your calf growth.

Women prefer to have slim, shapely calves, and these exercises can help the females to accomplish their goals too. Ladies, don’t be afraid of training your calves just like men do… strong calves will even help you to walk better in high heels.

Of course, calf development is highly dependent upon your genetics. You can have very strong lifts, but the insertion points of the calf muscles are all that matters. Judges in bodybuilding competitions often do not put a lot of weight on the calves as a judging factor, but they do matter and are always good to have. And let me tell you, for those guys who think calves aren’t important on the beach, the women DO look, and, yes, they DO judge you for it!

Never fear though, if you do not have aesthetically pleasing, low insertion points, you can still bring your calves up quite a bit.

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What Is “The Pump” At The Gym 

Monday, November 21st, 2022
how to get a pump in the gym courtesy of Arnold "The Oak"

How to Get Pumped Up at the Gym

Muscle ‘pump‘ is a commonly used term amongst bodybuilders, and it means pumping up your muscles by doing vigorous exercises. This increase in muscle size is temporary and can be achieved quickly by using lighter weights and higher reps, and by resting only briefly between sets. You see beginner athletes wondering, “what is the pump?” and “how do I get the pump?” – well it’s not that difficult, believe it or not. Getting pumped is much easier than setting a new PR, that’s for sure.

Read more to learn about what the pump in the gym is all about ?

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The Top 5 Best Triceps Exercises

Saturday, November 12th, 2022
Arnold uses the best triceps exercises.

We frequently end up having to answer questions about which exercises are the top 5 best triceps exercises of all time. Literally, the two most common questions you will hear from male weightlifters are:

  1. How can I get bigger arms?
  2. How can I bench press more weight?

Normally I would scoff at such questions, except that the answer is a lesson that most young weightlifters need to learn. Because your triceps comprise two-thirds of your arm, the answer to the first question is: train your triceps.

Because your triceps are often the weakest link in the chain of muscles that facilitates bench press, the answer to the second question is: train your triceps.

This brings me to the point of this whole post: how best to train your triceps.

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What is YK11? The Ultimate Guide – Dosage, Benefits, & More

Monday, November 7th, 2022
Deadlift heavy with the YK11 Ultimate Guide

What is Yk11? This is a question that many people are asking, and for a good reason. Yk11 is a new supplement that has recently gained much popularity. It is said to have some fantastic benefits, including muscle mass gains, improved strength, fat loss, and reduced fat levels.

However, as with any new supplement, there are some questions about whether or not it is safe and effective. Therefore, this article will discuss what are Yk11’s benefits and whether it is safe to use.

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The Top 5 Best Glute Exercises

Thursday, September 8th, 2022
this girl uses the best glute exercises

Whether you are a guy or a girl, it is always an asset to have nice, strong glutes. The main exercise that will help you develop your glutes the most is obviously the squat. Look at those who have the highest squat numbers. ‘Nuff said. However, there are a number of additional exercises such as these 5 best glute exercises and a few honorable mentions, that can get your booty into fighting shape.

How to Get Big, Strong Glutes

As mentioned above, barbell squats are the king of glute exercises. They are without a doubt the single best exercise you can use to develop your glutes. I would even go as far as saying that you would not even need to do another single exercise for them; squats are really that good! However, there are always some other exercises that would be good to experiment with such as this list of best glute exercises.

Before going on to mention the top exercises, let’s take a look at some of the more important details about the glutes.

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The Top 5 Best Chest Exercises

Tuesday, July 26th, 2022
Lou Ferrigno used the best chest exercises


Bench presses and curls are two of the first exercises that are learned by new weight lifters. For men, the chest or “pecs” (short for pectorals) are second only to the biceps as the top show muscles in teenagers and young adults. This list of 5 of the best chest exercise will go a long way in building that initial base.

For women, the chest is even more important. Keeping well-built pecs can be useful in maintaining a solid, perky appearance of the breasts.

Serious fitness enthusiasts and athletes know that the pecs are involved in one of the main powerlifting exercises, the bench press. The bench press is one of three exercises, including squats and deadlifts, in a standard big 3 powerlifting competition. For this reason, it is always important for powerlifters to increase their chest strength.

Therefore it seems to me that everyone has a reason to train their chest, including men, women, athletes, bodybuilders, powerlifters, strongmen… everyone; and here are the top 5 best chest exercises you should use.

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Body Builder Diet: 7 Secrets to a Successful Bodybuilding Diet

Monday, April 25th, 2022
Benefits of Bodybuilding

If you think that lighting heavy weights on its own is enough to build muscle and maintain progress, you couldn’t be more wrong! A successful body builder diet is crucial, some would say 75% responsible, for gaining/maintaining muscle while also losing fat.

Building muscle is hard, and maintaining your progress is even harder.

It’s not enough to just go to the gym a few times a week. You also need to make sure you have the right body builder diet if you want to see results.

But don’t worry. Keep reading because this article will teach you everything you need to know about bodybuilding nutrition so that you can finally achieve the physique you’ve always wanted.

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