Articles & Guides
Learn how to build muscle, burn fat and stay motivated.
Understanding Core Training: Maximizing Results With Minimal Risk
If you've spent any appreciable amount of time in a commercial gym, I'm sure you've seen plenty of guys hitting countless sit-ups and rope crunches. However, what if I told you that everything you knew about core training was wrong? What if I told you that you could actually be creating injuries for...
Understanding Drop Sets For Muscle Building
As I said in my rest pause article, of all the extended set techniques that are out there, drop sets have to be my favorite. Actually, when I use intensity techniques, I like to combine several of them, such as drops with static holds and burns but if I had to pick just one, it would be drops. Even...
The Ultimate Guide to Neural Adaptation Training (NAT)
Speed and power are displays of strength training that have developed from greater force production. However, this depends on your nervous systems ability to stimulate muscles. Like Charles Poliquin says, “The more strength you have, the faster and more powerful you can become from subsequent traini...
The Ultimate Guide To Building Massive Traps
A set of developed traps are one of the most coveted accomplishments in the world of intelligent weight training. It’s much more a badge of honor and indicator of a lifter who’s able bodied, strong, and seasoned with true development that lasts. Unfortunately, despite the ongoing craze for building...
The Ultimate Guide to Building Massive Shoulders
Big, round, capped deltoids and an awesome set of traps to boot are among the most coveted physique points for anyone in the strength training game. True, many times both muscle groups will grow as a by product of good training, but if you want them to be “next level” you’ll have to zero in and isol...
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Massive Chest
Most guys make the same old rookie mistakes when it comes to building an impressive, developed chest that’s also strong and functional. Truthfully, the chest is one of those groups that serves a bit more purpose for appearance than it does for performance. That doesn’t mean there’s no point in train...
Ultimate Abdominal Development: How To Really Gain A 6 Pack
It’s in every commercial or advertisement trying to convince you to buy their fitness related product. A set of well defined abs, for many who have it, they may not even be able to explain to others how to attain it. Like Peyton Manning said in one of his commercials “Unless you're under 25 or a pro...
Band Resisted Deadlifts: Build Explosive Power and Massive Quads
Key Ideas The trap bar is the ultimate work-around tool with lifters with shoddy backs from squats and deadlifts. Since the loading is centered with the body rather than in front, trap bar deadlifts have less shear spinal stress than conventional deadlifts. By adding bands, we take a...
Are There Benefits to Training to Failure?
For a few seconds, lets imagine this scenario: It's early in your workout. You’re at the gym in the middle of an intense set of bench press and you’re given two options: Stop one or two reps before failure and do an extra set with the same weight as before. Do as many reps as you can and ha...
Training Talk: Training Traps with Shoulders or Back?
Muscle & Strength is proud to bring you a new series of articles that will not only educate and inform the M&S community but provide you with the opportunity to take part. Instead of simply reading this and moving on, we want you to join the discussion and inspire fellow athletes and lifters. Our go...
Training Talk: Which Muscle Group is Most Important for Aesthetics?
Welcome to another edition of “Training Talk”. So far we’ve covered several different topics regarding how we train in the gym as well as various forms of exercises. This month we’re changing course and discussing a topic that’s a little different. Instead of talking about developing our physiques,...
Training Talk: Do You Really Need to Squat?
Oh, this one is going to be good. This is one of those topics that has no middle ground. You’re either all in or all out. It just got real here at M&S because the topic for Training Talk this month is about the squat. Now I know that you’re already tempted to just scroll to the bottom of the page an...
Training Talk: Deadlift on Leg Day or Back Day?
We’re back with another installment of Training Talk here on M&S! We really appreciate everyone in our community being so involved and engaging in discussion of all things iron. For those of you that are new to this, here’s how Training Talk works. We pick a topic every month with two opposing viewp...
Training Talk: What's the Best Variation of the Deadlift?
In a previous version of “Training Talk”, we covered the king of the lifts. I’m talking about the deadlift. We discussed whether it’s a lift best served on leg day or back day as well as whether or not you should use lifting straps. There were two things that we came away with after that edition wen...
Training Talk: Which Bench Variation Builds Your Chest Best?
“Training Talk” is back with a whole new topic and a new opportunity for you, the M&S community, to share your insights and wisdom to help inform and inspire the masses about another topic that is sure to spark conversation in gyms everywhere. This particular discussion will be even more intriguing...
Training Talk: Should Arms Have Their Own Training Day?
Last month, M&S debuted a new column called “Training Talk” where we ask you, our readers and fellow lifters of the iron to discuss with us a topic centered around something we all love to do, pick things up and put them down. Our first edition was on training the traps and you can check it out here...
Training Principle - Accumulation and Intensification
We all know what overtraining is and how it should be avoided at all costs, right? Overtraining can result in the loss of strength and muscle mass accompanied by increased risk of injury. Even more, it often includes emotional symptoms similar to depression and can really just wreak havoc on the bod...
Training and Exercise for Children and Teenagers - Part 4
Training and exercise for children and teenagers. This article is huge! So huge it has been split into a 4 part series. You can see the 4 parts below or click the continue link at the bottom of each part. Part 1: Introduction & body composition and development of tissue Part 2: Physiological...
Training Your Glutes For Aesthetics And Strength
We remember when all we cared about was having a big chest, massive arms, and a ripped mid-section. As we got older, we came to realize that why follow the other typical male standards of a complete physique. We said to ourselves “we love women that have a nice, firm, and shaped booty.” So we though...
Training and Exercise for Children and Teenagers - Part 1
Training and exercise for children and teenagers. This article is huge! So huge it has been split into a 4 part series. You can see the 4 parts below or click the continue link at the bottom of each part. Part 1: Introduction & body composition and development of tissue Part 2: Physiologica...
Training and Exercise for Children and Teenagers - Part 3
Training and exercise for children and teenagers. This article is huge! So huge it has been split into a 4 part series. You can see the 4 parts below or click the continue link at the bottom of each part. Part 1: Introduction & body composition and development of tissue Part 2: Physiologica...
Training and Exercise for Children and Teenagers - Part 2
Training and exercise for children and teenagers. This article is huge! So huge it has been split into a 4 part series. You can see the 4 parts below or click the continue link at the bottom of each part. Part 1: Introduction & body composition and development of tissue Part 2: Physiologica...
Jay Cutler Trains 2016 Contest Winner at Muscle & Strength HQ
Muscle & Strength recently held a contest which allowed thousands across the continental United States to enter for a chance to win a one-on-one training session with 4x Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. While many worthy contestants entered to win the once in a life time opportunity, only one came out victor...
Train Like An Athlete, Look Like A Bodybuilder
Summer is coming up pretty quickly and that coveted 'jacked and tan' look is the goal for pretty much every male under the sun. But what good is the show without the go? Sure, you’ve got a set of arms that could rival Arnold in his prime, but if you can’t keep up with a game of beach volleyball whil...