Two 30‑Minute Sessions Weekly Deliver Real Strength Gains
Less than one-quarter of the population performs resistance training on a regular basis. Time is considered the primary barrier to participation. It shouldn't be. An emerging body of evidence shows that as little as two 30-minute resistance training sessions per week can produce meaningful improvements in strength, muscle hypertrophy, functional capacity, and various health-related outcomes. Several years ago we published a paper titled, "No Time to Lift? Designing Time-Efficient Training Programs for Strength and Hypertrophy" (PMID: 34125411) that detailed time-saving strategies for workouts. Here are some of the highlights: 1. Training efficiency can be enhanced by emphasizing bilateral, multijoint exercises performed through a full range of motion. 2. Incorporating techniques such as supersets, drop sets, and rest-pause training can reduce session duration by about half compared to traditional approaches, while still maintaining overall volume load. 3. When using moderate to higher repetition ranges, specific warm-ups may be largely unnecessary, and cool-downs are not essential. 4. Resistance training performed through a full range of motion can improve flexibility, minimizing the need for dedicated stretching unless further gains in range of motion are required for daily activities. https://t.co/EjnlUfuYGE Bottom line: Just lift 💪 #noexcuses
New Workout Overview Adds Effort, HR Zones, Recovery
Workout overviews feature update 🚨 - Perceived effort - HR zone distribution - Suggested recovery time
Power Lunch: Heavy Narrow‑Stance RDLs, 5×10
Lunch time lift. Narrow stance RDL with heaviest DBs I could find 5 x 10 https://t.co/c1eRbHIxuf
Creatine Boosts Muscle only with Resistance Training
Does creatine work if you don’t train? 🧐 This new meta-analysis compiled data from 39 trials to establish the effects of creatine supplementation with / without resistance training on… 🏋️♂️ Strength ⚡️ Performance 💪 Lean mass Here is what they found ⬇️ When resistance training, creatine...
Acumobility Ball Targets Quadratus Lumborum for Better Performance
I posted five years ago about how to use the Acumobility ball for upper extremity health and performance, so it seems long overdue for me to share one of the ways we’re using it a bit further down the...
MisterEasyyy Primes Nutrition, Cuts Weight for April 2 Fight
April 2nd locked in for @mistereasyyy fighting on @ufcbjj Nutrition has been dialled in properly to maximise his performance during training Whilst also getting his weight down at the same time Setting himself up for a smooth weight cut on...
Athletes Need Multiple Protein Meals, Not OMAD
OMAD is not a smart strategy for athletes chasing muscle growth, strength gains, recovery, and peak performance. While OMAD can work well for fat loss in some scenarios (and a few studies show it doesn’t completely tank performance in short-term trials),...
Stay in Performance Mode, Reject Traditional Periodization
Never drift from a state of performance. The argument against periodization. From a podcast episode posting on Wednesday, 3/18
Optimizing Health with HIIT, VO2max, Zone 2, and Fatmax
Thank you @drgabriellelyon for the opportunity to sit down and discuss HIIT, VO2max, Zone 2, Fatmax, and applications for health. https://t.co/p6VplkCgVS
Full-Day Fuel Plan Powers 7 PM Student‑Athlete Game
Fueling a 7 pm game for student athletes 6:30-7 am Breakfast: -Milk + H20 -Apple + almond butter -Egg avocado English muffin 9:00 am 2nd breakfast -Greek yogurt parfait or fruit protein smoothie -H20 -Jerky 11 am Lunch: -Milk -Mixed berries -Cheese stick -Grilled chicken wrap 1:30-2 pm 2nd lunch: -Turkey sandwich...
Watch Dr. McCubbin's Sodium in Sport Webinar Anytime
If you were unable to attend the recent webinar with Dr Alan McCubbin on Sodium in Sport, the recording is now available. The session includes supporting learning materials and can be accessed at any time with lifetime access. https://t.co/bjjTXlakSU https://t.co/07fqZzmJig
Fuel Carbs to Prevent Late‑game Injuries
> 25% of all injuries occur in the last 15-20 min of a game when fatigue sets in. Carbs fuel muscle and brain. Carbohydrate intake can greatly impair or improve an athlete's performance. Inadequate carb intake = ❌Tired legs and brain ❌Muscle cramping and...
Beyond the Scale: Prioritize Proportion, Performance, and Life
there's a point where your goal weight becomes less and less important and size and proportion starts to matter more. we dont need to focus too much on arbitrary numbers there will always be areas to improve upon. strength, endurance,...
Light Lifting Keeps High‑Mileage Runners Injury‑Free
This a certain irony in the “hybrid athlete” and “running vs lifting space where a lot the “lift heavy” folks 🏋️do get injured quite often it seems. I’m over here running 100-miles a week and “lifting light and a little”...
Practical Strategies to Build Real Fitness Consistency
The fitness industry loves to preach about consistency. And for a good reason. Things only change with repeated reps. But you probably already know that. Here are a few ways I help clients actually implement this knowledge and improve their ability...
Creatine Supports Muscle, Bone, and Brain Health in Aging
Creatine supplementation and healthy ageing: https://t.co/NDGrsIncs2 This blog outlines the potential role of creatine for combating age-related changes in skeletal muscle and bone health, as well as cognitive function and memory. https://t.co/gVxO9C1mit
Beyond VO₂max: Rethinking Performance and Longevity
Working on a new article for my Substack. Those of us working with elite athletes have relied on our good old friend VO₂max for decades. It’s essential, but it’s not the full picture. Now that VO₂max has re-emerged in the world of longevity,...
Weekly Mileage Can Misrepresent Training; Avoid Overcompensation
Viewing mileage through a weekly lens doesn’t always tell the whole story. A simple example: You do a Saturday race midway through the training block. You take it easy for 3 days before, and 3 days after the race. This...
Believing You’re on Steroids Increases Strength Significantly
You should placebo yourself into thinking you’re on steroids. Athletes given a placebo they thought was Dianabol added ~8.5 kg to their bench, ~7 kg to their military press, and ~16 kg to their squat in 4 weeks compared to when...
Speed Work Beats Long Runs for Aging Athletes
“A lot of people tend to drift up in distance as they age, thinking, “well, if I can’t go faster, I’ll just go longer.” I believe dropping down is underrated and probably provides more bang for your buck as you...
Elastic Tissues Store and Release Energy Within the Body
Elastic tissues aren't isolated; they're part of a messy, damped, energy-leaking body. What they do is store a chunk of it temporarily as stretch, twist, or shear then dump it back out as recoil.
Teach Kids Movement, Not Just Conditioning, for Real Speed
Most youth athletes don’t need more conditioning… They need to learn how to move. We’ve got 8-year-olds doing ladders and suicides...who can’t balance, skip, or control their body. That’s the problem. Speed Demons program gives45 athletic activities and games you can use: 🏡 Backyard 🏋️ Gym 🏈...
Dirty Bulking Harms Metabolism; Choose Whole‑food Fueling
I require routine labs for my athletes every 6–12 months and the trend is clear: “Dirty bulking” is damaging metabolic health. I am seeing: • Elevated triglycerides • Increased cholesterol • Poor blood glucose control Mass without strategy ≠ performance. Course correct with: ✔️ Fiber-rich carbs ✔️ Lean protein ✔️...
Pro Footballers Burn ~3,200 Kcal Daily in Preseason
Pre-season energy expenditure of professional football players ⚽️🔥 This new study investigated energy expenditure of pro football players across a 14-day preseason period using doubly labelled water 🔍 Which encompassed a… 🥅 Training only week 🏆 Training + match week Here is what they...
Master CGM Data Interpretation – Early Bird Ends Soon
Learn how to interpret CGM data correctly during training. 24h left to use the early bird discount. Webinar 25 March | 16:00-18:00 CET https://t.co/eN6PetWMGW https://t.co/1HxlnKcV5K
Non‑local Fatigue Stems From Central Nervous System Fatigue
Non-local fatigue is closely associated with reductions in voluntary activation of the untrained limb, indicating that it is caused by central nervous system fatigue mechanisms. https://t.co/BSr0Cw5Qz6
Both Hinge and Scoop Moves Build Strong Glutes
Hinge and scoop methods are both incredible. You may like both or you may have a strong preference for one or the other. They both work the glutes very well.
Consistent Training Shows Small Efforts Yield Big Change
S&C is pretty rad, we are able to manipulate our physical capabilities if we challenge them consistently. Consistency in physical training reveals itself as a microcosm of the broader principle that incremental, persistent efforts lead to meaningful transformation in...
Omega‑3s Cut Strength Loss After Intense Exercise
Omega-3s improve recovery from exercise. A new study reveals a potential mechanism. Men who supplemented with 2.5 grams of EPA + DHA per day for 8 weeks lost less strength after muscle-damaging exercise vs. those taking a placebo. This was attributed in part...
Sub‑3 Marathon: Periodized High‑Mileage, Zone‑2 + Tempo Workouts
Here’s a general formula for a sub 3 marathon (or BQ): First have a specific training plan program (see our “BQ Marathon Plan at Higher Running 🏃🏻 🙌!). Periodized training, quality long runs (20-22 miles). Consistently higher mileage (often over...
Four to Five Near‑Failure Sets Capture Most Strength Gains
Indeed. Very parallel. 4-5 intense sets of resistance training per week close to failure bring ~all the strength gains of weight lifting. After that, you get bigger muscles but no strength gains.
Running Economy Beats VO2max for Marathon Performance
Yes your raw Vo2max matters greatly for distance running performance. However it’s really better efficiency (or “Running Economy”) is what allows you to harness a higher % of your Vo2max for longer times (and therefore a faster running pace). Hence...
5 Steps to Boost Lactate Threshold Effectively
What's the best way to improve the lactate threshold? When's it best to push or pull it up? I give you my 5 steps to improving LT in my latest deep dive video. Link below:
Swiss Ball Jump Outperforms Squat Jump in Speed
I'd need to see it compared to band accelerated. As the exercise used "below the thigh" isn't how I have ever seen anyone do it in the weight room. https://t.co/iMgBsge8dD
More Isn't Always Better: Runners Need Rest
A big mistake runners make is thinking more is always better- filling their schedule with more runs, more workouts, more cross training. While more volume can be beneficial there’s also a fine line where less is sometimes better, especially if...
Injured Fighters Can’t Train Hard on Low Calories
So many fighters get injured a week or two out from their fight. We can’t train 100% with 75% of our normal calorie intake. The math isn’t mathing.
Injury ≠ Overtraining: Separate Mechanical and Metabolic Stress
A running injury doesn’t automatically mean the runner is “overtrained”. We need to separate mechanical and metabolic stress. A truly overtrained runner will see fatigue and a decline in performance b/c their entire body is overloaded physiologically. You can end...
Science Over Stories: Debunking Bodybuilding Myths
From Anecdote to Evidence: Dispelling Myths in Bodybuilding and Physique Sports ... : Strength & Conditioning Journal https://t.co/PsfDv8G23e
Eccentric, Not Isometric, Contractions Drive Sarcomere Growth
Since eccentric contractions produce passive mechanical tension, they stimulate sarcomerogenesis, which we observe as increases in muscle fascicle length in humans. Isometric contractions at short or moderate muscle lengths do not. https://t.co/7wVgBzjELC
Scout’s “Long, Lean, Projectable” Means Bulk Up
A friendly reminder to young players: if a scout refers to you as "long, lean, and projectable," it's not just so that you have good social media self-promotion material. Rather, it's just a nice way of saying you're skinny and...
Both Zone 2 and HIIT Essential for Peak Power
Many years of TrainingPeaks data from top cyclists I have worked with show a consistent pattern: ~40–60% of the best 5, 10 and 20 min power outputs were achieved during training in individually prescribed HIIT sessions ~40–60% occur during races. In simple...
Power Press: Underrated Tool for Explosive Strength
The power press is most likely to be one of the most underrated or underutilised exercises to increase power and kinetic sequencing. Allow a few sessions to learn the right technique and you will thank me further along the line...
Master This Exercise for Power and Strength Gains
Fantastic exercise to integrate given the correct technique. Use this if you’re looking to increase power and strength
NFL Combine Reveals Shoulder Mobility Tests and Home Fixes
At the NFL Combine, it’s not just about speed, power, and vertical jump. Shoulder mobility gets looked at too. In this video, we break down some of the lesser-known mobility tests used to assess shoulder range of motion, including overhead and behind-the-back...
Measure, Repeat, Transform: The Path to Change
What gets measured improves. What gets repeated transforms. Measurement gives you direction. Repetition rewires the brain Measurement creates clarity. Repetition creates change. You need to know well what to measure. Measured progress feeds enthusiasm. We are what we do.
Feel Good? Time to Test Yourself in a Race
If your body is telling you how good it feels, it’s a good time to test yourself with a race. What signs tell you you’re race ready?
Front Rack Lunges & Snatch Grip RDL: Underrated Man Makers
In a world of never ending variants… 1. Front Rack Reverse Lunges 2. Snatch Grip RDL/Deadlift Getting Slept on, dare I say it “man makers”.
Top Carb Picks for Endurance Running
Some of my go to nutrition for long runs to get my carbs in. #fuelthefinish #fuelthebody
ACSM Updates Resistance Training Guidelines After 17 Years
1/ Big update in exercise science: ACSM has revised its resistance training Position Stand for the first time since 2009. That is a 17-year gap, and a lot has changed. 🧵https://t.co/Vk3yQj3Rmp https://t.co/ImSPWsYTZz
Hydration, Fuel, Warm‑up: Key to Preventing Cramps
Athletes cramp for 3 common reasons: 1. Lack of hydration and minerals 2. Inadequate pre-competition fueling 3. Poor conditioning/training preparation and warm-up Low-carbohydrate diets also cause the kidneys to excrete more sodium and water, which can further increase cramping risk. My tips to prevent muscle...