Progress photos aren't a requirement to lose fat. Sure, they help. But a great coach can get a good idea of what’s going on just by monitoring how well you nail the daily process, combined with a few basic measurements and feedback on how well your clothes are fitting. But if you do take photos—excluding someone VERY lean and/or preparing for a physique contest—MORE frequent is seldom better....

Barbells, plates, dumbbells, benches, etc. have been around for 100 years. Jack LaLanne, the first fitness influencer, invented the cable pulley machine in the 1950s. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if some yoked Soviet lumberjack beat him to it. There’s a reason these things have remained staples in the gym: They work. Many machines, gadgets, and doohickies have appeared since. And some did...

Changing your training program every 4 weeks is very popular. It's also one of the dumbest things you can do. Much of the “gains” you experience in the first few weeks of a new program are neural, i.e., your nervous system getting used to the workout and the exercises. It's not until after this break-in period that any increases in strength are more likely due to gains in muscle tissue. By...

At some point, everyone I've coached has had to deal with a "life curveball." People get sick. Accidents happen. Tragedy strikes. And overnight, five small, healthy meals a day becomes picking at hospital food in a crowded waiting room. These events await all of us. No one is exempt. And worrying about falling off your plan or "losing your gains" only adds more stress to a difficult situation....

For us mere mortals, building a lean and muscular physique takes years, if not decades. As such, it’s best to employ joint-friendly exercises as your training "cake" (do them regularly) with other effective yet potentially problematic moves serving as the "icing” (do them less frequently or at least with caution). Here are some GENERAL guidelines to clue you in. Of course, this is not an...

First, a pet peeve of mine, one you might’ve seen (many times) on social media: A dramatic before and after transformation doesn't show someone “overcame bad genetics.” If anything, it shows the opposite—good genetics—as in a genetically gifted response to resistance training. Because that’s how gene expression works. Now you can spot "genetic potential" as far as good bone structure for...

Meal plans don’t work. Really? So having a well-planned set of meals you routinely shop for, prepare, and eat every day is ineffective for reaching a body composition goal? Wow. Groundbreaking news! Especially for the THOUSANDS of physique athletes (professional and recreational) who have successfully followed meal plans since the invention of lined paper and a fridge magnet. But in all...