Whey protein powders are a popular supplement among athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts due to their ability to support muscle growth, recovery, and overall health. However, a practice known as "amino spiking" or "protein spiking"...

Want to know how to become a powerlifter? Believe me, there’s no "Powerlifting for Dummies" book at your local Wal-Mart. Being a powerlifter is a strange blend of mysticism, drive, strength, and a little bit of crazy. To be one, you’ve got to...

As the new year begins to populate with updated meet schedules, filled with ladder-style events that require higher qualifying totals, the need to find a coach to provide a game plan grows. Unfortunately, so does the number of unqualified...

The global totality and granular nuance of his life’s strength and power journey made Ernie Frantz worthy of being one of the legendary faces on powerlifting’s Mount Rushmore. One shining example was being powerful enough to win a World...

When progress lags, most people will do more of something—sometimes more of everything. I've been in this game for almost four decades, and I can't tell you how many times articles or videos explain how people need to do MORE to progress. More...

I am spoiled as I have trained in a lot of well-equipped gyms over the last forty of my fifty-three years. I know what I want out of a gym, and I have developed pet peeves that drive me nuts. Some might think my pet peeves are trivial, but I...

My journey has seen many changes since starting to lift weights around 12 years old, spanning as one of the strongest powerlifters of all time to now training in my 50s. These changes included everything from programming to my mentality towards...

Some athletes shock you. One day they are performing extremely well, absolutely crushing their training sessions, and you are sure they will peak come competition time. But then something goes wrong. Either they fail or just do not have a good...

Most American men will die from heart disease. I’m trying very hard not to be one of them. As such, I research heart-healthy strategies that go beyond exercise and diet. I’m talking about chemical solutions: supplements that destroy plaques...

You are reading this, which makes it safe to assume you have been dean to the iron. All of us start for varied reasons, and we will learn more from starting, both about the Iron Game and much more about ourselves. How I came to lifting is...

I would have used the term "masters competitor," but I hate that term. It just sounds old. It IS old, but I don't like to remind myself that I'm old. Most guys over 50 don't want to, either. In my mind, it might as well be called "geriatric...

When most of us think of the hormones in the body that are responsible for building muscle, usually testosterone, growth hormone (via IGF-1) and insulin come to mind. These are the “big three,” so to speak. By no coincidence, these are the same...

Recomping is a buzzword like "main-gaining," both thrown around a lot within the fitness industry. Recomping can signify pursuits that might not align with reality, but can still be a goal worth chasing. However, there is a big misconception...

Bodybuilding and powerlifting are complimentary. You're selling yourself short if you’re not studying and learning from both disciplines. Now, in the case of extra workouts, we’re not really sharing between disciplines — we’re combining them...

I walked into a weight room for the very first time in July 1999. It was the beginning of football two-a-days, and I was about to begin my freshman year of high school. At 135 pounds, I looked and felt out of place. I remember watching a senior...

Creatine is a substance that naturally occurs in muscle cells, helping to produce energy during high-intensity exercise or heavy lifting. Chemically, it's a combination of three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. The body synthesizes...

This complete guide explores everything you need to know about ashwagandha. Learn how supplementing with this herb can help you reach your fitness goals. What is...

Anabolic steroids helped Scott Abel develop an impossibly big and ripped physique, but then some bad, bad things happened. Here’s his story.

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Anabolic Steroids: A...

The Key to Long-Term Progression For most of us, long-term improvements in strength will depend on two distinct factors: muscle mass and neurological factors. One without the...

Plus How Natural Bodybuilders Should Train Nothing wrecks natural lifters faster than training like steroid users. Here are the scientific reasons why, plus how...