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 don’t matter at all—they absolutely do. It’s simply the case that working to increase them serves as a proxy for building muscle—but...

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 least high-level intermediates. Very few would self-select the "beginner" box. As a result, basic training or nutrition programs would...

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 and sustainability are the keys to long-term success, and getting into a consistent winning streak can help make that happen. But if the diet views even ONE...

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, without the pressure of a looming goal, there's an undercurrent of fear and complacency. A worry of sliding back toward the person they are trying not...

Meet Brody, a young social media guru and party enthusiast. He's jacked, charismatic, and has a style that sets the party on 🔥. But would you turn to Brody for advice on getting someone over 40 into shape, especially with a challenging career and growing family? Probably not. Why? Because the 'skin in the game' is crucial. It separates relevant wisdom from mere trivia. It's about living and...

PSA: The ideal or healthy amount of alcohol in your diet is ZERO. Zilch. Zip. Nada. Not one glass of wine a day for the resveratrol or a drink after work to take the edge off. The much-celebrated health benefits were all a ruse—a classic case of "when marketing meets wishful thinking." The results from multiple randomized trials keep rolling in and they’re unequivocal: ANY amount of alcohol—even...

Last year a client set a goal to be photo-lean in relatively short order. Things didn't go well. Now, I never say "I told you so," but in this instance, I wanted to. Because back when she told me her goal, she also mentioned an upcoming vacation to Italy while "sticking to the plan." My first words were, "That's gonna be tough." Sadly, I was right. The gym situation near her sucked, and the food...