Articles

by Monica Mollica

Consumption of red meat has been associated with fat gain (and weight gain) because of its high fat / calorie content. Even though the old idea that “a high fat intake causes body fat gain” has been completely debunked in medical research [1-9], red meat still is a food that’s on the forbidden or avoid list in most diet plans. And for some reason, women tend to be especially afraid of eating meat…

by Monica Mollica

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is most known for being a pro-hormone which in the body gets converted to testosterone and estrogen. It is a long held view that DHEA exerts all its effects via conversion to testosterone and estrogen. However, recent studies show that DHEA also has several interesting non-hormonal actions…

by Josh Hodnik

New dietary supplement ingredients are being churned out at such a fast rate, it has become almost impossible to keep up with them all. When a new ingredient is released, they are often backed by a clinical study of some sort. More times than not, a supplement will be marketed and sold after a promising study is published, but when it is used in real world (bodybuilding and sports) applications, they fail. Many of the studies performed on new dietary ingredients are funded by a supplement company looking to push a new product. Many of the journals these studies are published in have connections with particular supplement companies, giving these journals zero credibility.

by Louis Uridel

“The Entitled Athlete vs the Deserving Athlete”
“We live in an age of instant knowledge. And there’s almost a sense of entitlement to that.” – J.J. Abrams

When I think of this quote, I think of the age of instant gratification we currently live in. This is further magnified with such social networking gems as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumbler, Tout, Klout, YouTube, so on and so forth. I think of the trend (should I say “trending”?) of athletes assuming that being sponsored is something that they are entitled to, or at the very least, something they should have as quickly as they can update a status or get #Instagratification.

by Chris Marzarella

I usually don’t follow articles about arm workouts because I think that most of the articles written neglect other parts of the body, and usually, they write for one or two specialization days during your training week without any thought as to how long, how much or when to move on. As a trainer, I usually incorporate arm work into the workouts for both online and in-person clients. That is unless they want specific work done and I will write a protocol that has that in mind. The easiest example to illustrate is a bodybuilder, physique or figure competitor that needs to bring up symmetry to score higher, or, on the other end of the spectrum, just a girl or guy who wants to look good in short sleeves while on vacation.

by Cade Thomas

When it comes to high level athletics or physical art of most kinds, there is a general appreciation for the pursuit and an understanding that although it may be strange or bizarre to the person witnessing it, there is a high degree of difficulty involved in excelling at it. Not everyone wants to master the pommel horse, but someone growing up practicing an olympic sport is going to be met with very little criticism no matter how weird it might be when analyzed objectively.

by Josh Hodnik

The understanding of how nutrition affects health and bodily function has progressed significantly over the past few decades. We now have access to in depth information that didn’t exist until recently, that explains how certain macronutrients are utilized in the human body and how these nutrients can have an impact on athletic performance, building muscle mass, and shredding unwanted body fat. Bodybuilding and fitness magazines that line newsstands are filled with advertisements and articles that explain the importance of a certain supplement or nutrient, Many of the facts laid out in these ads and articles are often based on information from research studies.

by Anders JP Eskilsson

The mental health effects of training and competing is a subject rarely discussed in the bodybuilding or fitness society. This is something I think we should talk more about because it’s an important subject to take more seriously. A healthy identity or self esteem is essential for any person to function properly in society and through the journeys of life. Our identities are formed based upon experiences, getting to know your strengths and weaknesses, acknowledging your achievements, being loved, having sexual relationships and many other important key factors which makes us what we are.

by Cade Thomas

My chest kinda sucks. If I kept doing what I did for my first few years training, it would have continued to REALLY suck instead of just kinda sucking like it does now. As I picked up on different ways to engage my lats during back exercises and tweaked my form my back began to suck less to the point where it no longer sucks. Ditto for my delts. Some parts that sucked became strong points to the point where I could easily “phone in” a few workouts or even skip them entirely and they would either stay exactly the same or deflate a bit only to spring back to peak form after a few sets.

by Mike Arnold

There is no sport in the world in which the subject of genetics is given as much time and attention as it is in bodybuilding. Although genetic ability is equally important in many athletic endeavors, it is rarely regarded as the be-all, end-all of competitive success, with factors such as mental disposition and strength of will generally considered the more important of the two. From a young age, most athletes have been instilled with a sense of personal responsibility for their own success. Whether they showcase their talents in the arena, out on the field, or in the ring, they are taught that hard work and dedication are paramount to the achievement of their goals.