Progress is never linear

Progress is never linear

Newer clients often write to me somewhat dejected that their weights “haven’t gone up in a few weeks.” And while progression is certainly the name of the game, progress—especially in terms of the load on the bar—is NEVER linear. Now that’s not to say training loads...
Chasing mastery of fundamentals

Chasing mastery of fundamentals

Years ago, I worked for a bodybuilding/muscle magazine. One of my jobs was to spot content that would resonate with the core of their readership—largely men aged 18-30. I learned quickly that most of their readers felt they were “advanced” lifters, or at...
Dismantling Draconian diets

Dismantling Draconian diets

There’s nothing wrong with low-carb diets, although there’s nothing all that right with them, either. So if an initial 14 or 21-day very low-carb “induction” phase is used to hammer down core habits… sure, go for it. After all, compliance...
The essential maintenance phase

The essential maintenance phase

Nobody wants to maintain. Everyone has a goal, and it’s always to “get somewhere”—be leaner, get bigger, drop a dress size, hit a new PR. Maintenance is seen as downtime, even negative time—the dead zone between periods of progress. And for many,...