What the science says and how to apply it to your training — “Should I train with higher reps or lower reps to build muscle?” “I’ve heard higher reps will help you tone your muscles more.” “Isn’t it true that lower reps with heavier weight will make me bulky?” These are all common things I’ve heard or been asked as a coach and…

A simple strategy to get more movement into your day — The “information age” has brought plenty of positives. One of them is that you’re probably reading this email on your phone. A sentence that, if said to any human before the turn of the 21st century, would probably yield a response such as: “How the hell do you read mail…

The key ingredient of the supplement industry? — Sparknotes: The placebo effect has been shown to have small to large effects on improving sports performance. The largest effects come from more intense placebos, such as steroids, injections and even sham surgeries. When navigating new supplements and workout fads, knowing the role of the placebo can help you make more…

A science-backed analysis of how they stack up against omnivore and other diets — At a Glance A new study showed similar effects for bench press and leg press gains when folks ate a vegan or omnivorous diet. Other recent data has shown similar effects for strength and muscle growth with both diets as long as protein intake is high (around 1.6 …

This popular tool has some utility but also has a potential cost — Sparknotes: A new meta-analysis shows that cold water immersion post-exercise can help reduce immediate markers of subjective fatigue and recovery, such as rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS.) Most protocols were at water temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius or less and for 10–20 minutes. Long-term data show…

Add these into your program to get your hips stronger in diverse ways — I took a yoga class recently with my partner. It didn’t go as well as I had expected. I knew I wasn’t as flexible as I would like, but damn, if it wasn’t more humbling than anticipated. I can squat and deadlift upwards of 300 pounds when I’m training my…

A deep dive into an old trend and how it was misused for financial gain — Things can exist while also being essentially useless. This right here is a story about that intersection. In a larger sense, too much of the fitness industry, or my new favourite term, the wellness-industrial-complex, is built on that intersection. We, consumers, are always looking for that new edge that will…

Caveats apply, but this is good news for my fellow meatheads I hate stretching. This is likely because I’m not naturally that flexible and we sapiens tend to enjoy doing what we’re good at. Thankfully, some research has shown that static stretching isn’t mandatory to increase your range of motion. …

Do we need to track every morsel of our fitness journey? “Hey! Are you ready to train today?” “I don’t know, let me check my phone.” It feels as if we’ve entered the era of the fitness-tracker-technocracy. …