by Mike Arnold

To those of us who have been part of the bodybuilding community for the last few decades, it doesn’t seem like that long ago when hardcore gyms were a dime a dozen. In those days, training facilities that catered to the competitive bodybuilder were the norm, rather than the exception. This mind-set was reflected in the gym membership itself, in which most of the people who trained there either looked like bodybuilders or aspired to, while the remaining members were comprised primarily of powerlifters and other serious athletes. By and large, gyms both existed for and were run by bodybuilders.

by Matt Weik

Fats for years have been touted as a main contributor as to why people are overweight/obese. Without fully understanding the differences in fat everyone was told to stay clear of fats and eat as little as possible. Even the food pyramid was leading people down a path of eating meals high in carbohydrates and lower in protein/fats. Labels were calling out in large letters “low-fat” and “fat free” thinking these options were better than the “fat laden” counterpart. As more research is conducted, we are finding out that not all fats are created equal. Fats are comprised of a chain of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms. What differentiates them is the length and shape of the carbon chain and the number of hydrogen atoms.

by Josh Hodnik

Looking back, its easy to see that the steroid culture has changed in many ways. My first personal interaction with anabolic steroids was in a gym in the mid 90’s. This particular gym was a small, locally owned place that catered mostly to hardcore bodybuilders and power lifters. Unlike most corporate gyms today, the music was played too loud, and you were an outcast if you didn’t deadlift and squat. After workouts, members would gather around the front desk, which also served the purpose of a smoothie bar. The stools around the bar were often filled with bodybuilders that were drinking high calorie weight gainer shakes, which were common at the time. The topic of discussion was usually anabolic steroids. During this time, information about steroids couldn’t be found on the Internet. People learned about these drugs through the few books available, a few bodybuilding magazines, and word of mouth.

by Matt Weik

I’m an extremely honest person, which sometimes can be a bad thing. I prefer to be around people who are honest and open about things, and who don’t try to lie their way through bypassing an answer. I also need to say, I absolutely love the sport of bodybuilding and what it represents, but I’m having a difficult time biting my lip on things that many bodybuilders say in interviews and on social media. The sport of bodybuilding is all about building your body, not building a foundation built upon lies.

by Josh Hodnick

We’ve all been guilty of slipping into auto pilot at the gym. You know those training sessions where your mind is so preoccupied with so many other things that you have no idea whether you just completed your third or fourth set of squats. The mental slumps can last a few days or a few years. You can probably recall that you were focused, mentally energized, and mindful of everything you did in the gym when you were making progress. Also, you will notice that time the time periods where you are mentally disengaged at the gym, progress slows or stops completely. This is no coincidence.

by Josh Hodnik

Anabolic steroids could possibly be the most misunderstood class of drugs prescribed today. Steroids are believed by many to be some sort of magical potion that will turn ordinary men into muscle bound monsters with super human strength.

by Matt Weik

Anyone who has had a meniscal tear requiring surgery knows they never want to go through that again!!! And now they might not have to. Researchers are saying that supervised exercise therapy might be as effective as having surgery for middle aged individuals. This might be a relief to many of you as the occurrence of a meniscal tear has become more and more common. In fact, statistics show that on average around two million people across the globe go under the knife to fix knee problems every year with many individuals finding little benefit.

by Matt Weik

Sure, the trainer at your local gym might look jacked, but he very well might not know jack. It’s unfortunate these days that many trainers found in gyms and health clubs simply aren’t educated to do their job properly. They are people who enjoy working out, got a quick certification (some don’t even do that), and are now asking you to open up your wallet for training sessions. Everyone works to make money, but some people do it in a sleazy way.

by Matt Weik

We’ve all had those moments at work that make us wonder how we have any hair left! The stresses that can be formed throughout your normal 9-5 can be enough to drive anyone mad—not to mention the anxiety and fatigue that seems to come along with it. A recent study, however, seems to have found a way to put your mind at ease when it comes specifically to work-related stress by utilizing two ingredients that we are all quite familiar with.

by Matt Weik

No one has really thrown out any talk about the Olympia just yet, so I figured I’d start the party a little early and give my predictions. There’s a lot that went on at the 2016 Olympia which should excite many coming into the 2017 Olympia prep. Phil is obviously going to be back to defend his title, but are there any bodybuilders out there who are able to dethrone him? Let’s first lay out my top five predictions and then get into some dialogue about each.