by Mike Arnold

Everything tends to move in phases. This is true of training, diet, drug use, and even the smaller, less recognized aspects of the bodybuilding experience. Although some of the younger guys won’t remember this, it was only about 15 years ago that the use of aromatase inhibitors was heavily frowned upon when attempting to build muscle mass. We were taught that estrogen was an integral component of the muscle building process and therefore, if a little was good, more must be better. Despite a complete lack of scientific evidence in support of this claim, many bodybuilders chose to forego estrogen management almost entirely, even when employing large dosages of highly aromatizable compounds. Although Nolvadex was the usual go-to treatment for dealing with gynecomastia, as a S.E.R.M it was entirely ineffective at lowering estrogen levels. This allowed systematic estrogen to continue wreaking havoc on one’s health and appearance; both internal and external.

by Cade Thomas

Many books have been written and many debates have been held over how to keep a healthy relationship with your partner or significant other. A list of things that men need in order to be happy compared against a list of things women need, sometimes contradicting each other and leaving everyone more confused than ever.

by Mike Arnold

Over the last several years, I have considered myself privileged to have witnessed the evolution of the BB’ing community as it continues to advance and grow. In many ways, this progression has been a positive experience, leading to an increase in knowledge in the areas of training, nutrition, and supplementation. As BB’rs, it is in our nature to take advantage of these advancements, doing everything we can to help create our own idea of the perfect physique. For many, the desire for physical improvement is all-consuming, with lifters of all ages sacrificing the normal pleasures of life in the pursuit of their goals. To the uninitiated, our passion for the sport is often viewed as obsession, but to us, it is just another day in the gym.

by Mike Arnold

Anyone who has even the slightest bit of insight into the supplement industry is well aware of the popularity of traditional nervous system stimulants among not only bodybuilders, but the entire fitness community. Typically included as part of a comprehensive fat-loss or pre-workout product, stimulants are used by millions of people on a daily basis for a multitude of reasons. Even coffee (i.e. caffeine), which is the most widely used drug in the world, is included among this group. The benefits of these drugs are well-documented and numerous, including increased energy, improved mental and physical performance, accelerated fat loss, heighted mood, and about a dozen others.

by Cade Thomas

We all have our own story as to how we found ourselves addicted to lifting weights. Whether you were always mesmerized by action heros and wanted to look like the stars you saw filling up the screen with muscle (back in the day, of course, as today any real musculature is considered “too much”) or perhaps you simply thought it would help you attract the opposite sex. Some people find themselves grossly out of shape and through the process of losing weight and trying to become a healthier person in general they slowly start to find themselves gravitating towards the muscle building efforts and then it takes over.

by Cade Thomas

The gym can be an intimidating place for newcomers. Let’s face it; A lot of people have the desire to build some muscle and improve their physique long before they muster up the balls to actually join a gym. Men in particular have a hard time admitting they don’t know how to do something that is considered “manly” – it’s evident when you see a guy playing trainer for his girlfriend in the gym and he clearly has no idea what the hell he is doing but figured since he is a man he was born with the knowledge of how to lift weights.

by Cade Thomas

We are always told that high level Bodybuilding is not about who has the most strengths, but who has the least weaknesses. While this might remain true to a degree in that any glaring lack of a body part will most definitely hinder your ability to place well at the highest ends of the sport, there is an amount of dissonance between what we have seen and what we are told. Fact is most Olympia winners and top 3 finishers over the years have had a set of ridiculous body parts that stand out in comparison to their physiques (it should be noted that they also had very few weak points). My point being; having glaring weaknesses is not okay, BUT neglecting a strong body part in preference to try to bring your lagging features up might not be the smartest route if you are looking to turn heads.

by Cade Thomas

Building significant amounts of muscle is a selfish endeavor no matter how you slice it, and there are certain sacrifices that must be made on a social and financial level if progress is something you value. Genetics are always a factor that can either afford you a certain leeway to live a little or shackle you to a micro managed existence, and most of us fall somewhere nearing the second one.