These are the companies setting new standards in performance, recovery, longevity, and overall well-being, earning a place on our Editor’s Choice list.

1. ALLSWIFIT – Slip-On Stability Sneakers

Not every workout calls for an ultra-soft running shoe. Designed for strength training and gym workouts, ALLSWIFIT’s latest trainer pairs dual-density cushioning with built-in stability for more controlled movement. The supportive platform helps absorb impact without compromising balance, while targeted arch support, a breathable upper, and reliable traction provide lasting comfort through squats, lunges, cardio, and everything in between.

Shop now: amazon.com

2. Cellev8 – Prime Recovery Gummies

Recovery doesn’t stop when you leave the gym. 

It’s what you do between workouts that helps you come back stronger. Cellev8 Prime Recovery Gummies make it easier to prioritize recovery with a convenient, great-tasting formula designed to support muscle health, energy, and overall performance. 

Made with science-backed ingredients including EXTRAMEL Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), tart cherry, resveratrol, pomegranate, and D-ribose, these NSF Certified for Sport® gummies help combat everyday stress on the body while fitting seamlessly into your routine. For athletes and active lifestyles, it’s a simple way to make recovery a daily habit.

Shop now: Cellev8.com

3. ViVi Youth – Calcium Supplement for Women

Women’s health needs to evolve, and maintaining strong bones is a key part of long-term wellness. 

ViVi Youth Calcium Supplement for Women is designed to support daily bone health with a science-focused formula that helps women prioritize their nutritional needs. Featuring calcium alongside key nutrients like vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 to support absorption and utilization, this supplement offers a convenient way to help fill nutritional gaps. Whether you’re focused on fitness, longevity, or aging well, ViVi Youth makes supporting your foundation, your bones, simple and accessible.

Shop Now: Viviyouth.com

4. Beonixe – Energy Honey Bundle

When your training demands more, your fuel should keep up. 

Beonixe Energy Honey Bundle delivers a simple, natural approach to performance nutrition with raw honey, electrolytes, and clean energy ingredients designed to help athletes stay fueled without the crash. Combining fast-digesting carbohydrates with sodium, potassium, and magnesium to support hydration, Beonixe is built for workouts, competition, and long days on the move. With no artificial ingredients and a convenient squeeze-and-go format, this performance fuel brings nature’s original energy source straight into your training routine

Shop now: Beonixe.com

5. Bombas – Men’s Running Ankle Socks

The right gear can make all the difference, and that includes what’s on your feet. 

Bombas Men’s Running Ankle Socks are designed for runners, lifters, and anyone who spends their day in motion, combining lightweight comfort with performance-focused features. Built with sweat-wicking materials, targeted cushioning in the heel and toe, arch support, breathable ventilation, and a seamless toe design, these socks help keep feet comfortable from warm-up to cooldown. With a secure fit that stays in place through every stride, Bombas delivers the everyday performance upgrade your training routine deserves.

Shop now: Bombas.com

6. WMP Eyewear –  Caddie Polarized

Whether you’re chasing a lower score or spending a day outdoors, the right pair of sunglasses can elevate both your performance and your style.

 WMP Eyewear Caddie Polarized Sunglasses combine classic design with performance-driven features, offering polarized lenses to reduce glare, 100% UVA/UVB protection, and a secure fit with non-slip nose pads. Built with a lightweight acetate and TR90 frame, Caddie delivers all-day comfort from the first tee to the clubhouse. With its timeless round silhouette and ClearVue anti-reflective, smudge-resistant lens technology, this is eyewear designed for life on and off the course.

Shop Now: Wmpeyewear.com

7. Sol de Janeiro x Bala Bangles

Your workout gear should be as bold as your goals.

The limited-edition Sol de Janeiro x Bala Bangles bring a vibrant twist to strength training, blending fashion, function, and fun into one eye-catching fitness accessory. Designed with Bala’s signature wearable weights and Sol de Janeiro’s unmistakable colorful aesthetic, these bangles add resistance to everyday movements while making a bright statement in the gym, on the mat, or wherever your workout takes you. Lightweight, comfortable, and easy to style, they prove that fitness equipment doesn’t have to be basic; it can be an expression of your personality and performance mindset.

Shop now: Soldejaneiro.com

8. Evolv –  Grow for Him

Men’s wellness is about more than performance; it’s also about confidence. 

Evolv Grow for Him takes a science-driven approach to hair health with its proprietary EV2 Peptide platform, a biomimetic formula designed to support healthier, fuller-looking hair from within. 

Combining copper peptide-inspired technology with ingredients like marine collagen, saw palmetto, and essential nutrients, this daily oral supplement is designed to support hair density, strength, and scalp health. For men looking for a modern approach to hair care, Evolv offers a new category of wellness built around biology, innovation, and long-term confidence.

Shop now: Evolvlife.com

9. Laird – Superfood Protein Matcha

Your morning matcha just got a performance upgrade. 

Laird Superfood Protein Matcha combines the smooth, earthy flavor of real matcha with 10 grams of milk-based protein, 70mg of caffeine, and functional ingredients designed to support energy, focus, hydration, and recovery. 

Featuring Lion’s Mane mushroom for cognitive support, coconut water powder and sea salt for electrolytes, this instant iced matcha latte mix is built for busy mornings, pre-workout fuel, or an afternoon reset. With no added sugar, gums, fillers, or seed oils, it’s a simple way to add functional nutrition to your daily routine.

Shop Now: Lairdsuperfood.com

10. Barrière – Burn Notice UV Stickers

Protecting your skin doesn’t have to mean constantly checking the clock.

Barrière Burn Notice UV Sensitive Stickers make sunscreen reapplication easier by providing a visual reminder when your skin has been exposed to increased UV levels. 

The clear stickers reveal hidden artwork as UV exposure builds, signaling when it’s time to reapply sunscreen. Waterproof, hypoallergenic, vegan, and third-party tested, these lightweight patches are designed for active lifestyles from beach days and outdoor workouts to long hours in the sun. A simple yet innovative addition to any wellness routine, Burn Notice helps you stay protected while enjoying the outdoors. 

Shop now: Mybarriere.com

That’s why a group like D12 is revered and respected in and out of the business. Ever since they released their debut album Devil’s Night in 2001, the group has been a regular and successful presence in the hip-hop scene.

There have been various incarnations of the group, but the current version is a duo that includes Swifty McVay and Kuniva. As one of the founders of the Dirty Dozen, Kuniva acknowledged that what had unfolded was beyond anything he thought was possible.

“From what I imagined as a teenager to now and to see it come into fruition, I never imagined it would be this big,” he said. “I never thought I’d be doing it at this high level. And it’s just been a heck of a ride.”

D12 may be best known for their run with Eminem that included the massive hit “My Band,” in the mid 2000’s, but they have remained connected to the industry and has a very loyal fanbase in 2026. Kuniva confirmed that making health a priority has been one reason why he can enjoy the success he has today.

“I’m always trying to perfect my craft and just help my overall health in general.”

The Change That He Didn’t Know He Needed

Kuniva admits that he didn’t always think about things like working out or eating healthy. Despite being admonished by his wife from time to time, he ate a variety of food that may not have served him well.

“Steak was one of my things. Steak, chicken, a lot of fatty foods, cheesy foods, things like that,” he recalled. “So, it wasn’t healthy at all.”

That changed after a friend convinced him to try a vegan diet. Like many people that are new to the lifestyle, Kuniva thought being vegan and vegetarian was the same thing. He has since learned that vegetarians avoid meat, while vegans avoid all animal-derived ingredients and products altogether. Nowadays, he has been telling other people about the difference and mentioned that the well-being of animals was on the forefront of his mind when it came to making the full commitment.

“I just wanted to make a conscious decision to be better as a person and just to put something healthier into my lifestyle and just play my part in looking out for animals, you know, in that sense. So that was part of my decision right there.”

Kuniva noticed changes immediately in how he felt, looked, and even an increase in energy. There was another benefit he didn’t expect but was very happy with.

“I’ve noticed I have a lot more breath control. I’m not as winded as I used to be. I guess it could be from, you know, the fatty foods or whatever the case may be, but since I made the switch, I have a lot more wind on stage.”

Maintaining the Lifestyle on the Road

One issue that Kuniva faces when touring or traveling in general is finding vegan food or having it prepared for him. Having a restricted nutrition plan means food must be carefully chosen. Unfortunately, not everyone in the music industry got the memo about the difference between vegetarian and vegan.

“My management when they’re out there with us, they’re not very vegan knowledgeable with a lot of things. So I have to tell them certain things that I need,” Kuniva explained. “And sometimes they just can’t find the proper things, but they still find good things for us to eat, for me to eat.”

Any athlete or entertainer that travels abroad will confirm that extra care is needed when it comes to food because of how it is prepared or packaged. That makes finding vegan friendly food even tougher, but Kuniva has managed.

“I have to rely on a lot of sides sometimes, and it can become challenging at times but for the most part we make it happen.”

Kuniva revealed that he is a notorious snacker, but he and his wife have found ways to work around that as well. As a matter of fact, there were so many options he liked that he had to make himself back off snacking so often.

“There are vegan chips and, you know, vegan nuts and all that kind of stuff, and I like the vegan jerky.”

D12 Forever

Kuniva’s energy that comes from his new diet is also satisfying his hunger to thrive behind the mic. D12’s latest album, D12 Forever Vol. 1, is out now, and Kuniva is as proud of this one as he is of all the history-making music they have released in their two-decade-plus long career. One track on the new album is Nightmare Walking, which features rap icons Xzibit and Ice T.

“I’m excited for them to hear the music. And we’ve been working on this project for like, you know, a year, a little over a year, and it’s just been fun as far as creating and just getting back in the studio, feeling that fire that I had before.”

This release is already being met with positive reviews, which could be a sign of things to come. To validate the duo’s intentions,  Kuniva concluded, “I would say buckle up because it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”

Learn more about D12 here and follow them on Instagram and YouTube.

The adaptive HYROX champion, Paralympic hopeful, and viral social media sensation isn’t chasing inspiration. She’s chasing faster times, bigger goals, and a future where athletes with limb differences don’t have to wonder if they belong.

Born with a limb difference affecting her right arm, the Florida athlete wasn’t raised hearing what she couldn’t do. Instead, she grew up playing baseball, soccer, riding horses, competing in rodeos, and eventually earning a degree in exercise science. Independence wasn’t something she discovered through sport; it was instilled from childhood by parents who treated every new challenge as another opportunity to figure things out.

“My dad very much believed in me and never told me no,” Thomas says. “If I wanted to do gymnastics, I was in gymnastics. If I wanted to play baseball, I played baseball. He never let anyone tell me I couldn’t do something, and that changed the entire trajectory of my life.”

That mindset has become the foundation for everything she does today.

Whether she’s adapting strength exercises for one arm, chasing a qualifying time for the HYROX World Championships, or preparing for a U.S. Paralympic sitting volleyball training camp, Thomas approaches every obstacle with the same question: How can I make this work?

Ironically, the rest of the world didn’t discover that mindset through sport.

Millions first met Thomas after an unexpectedly hilarious traffic stop went viral, where she jokingly told a police officer she was giving him “the hand of God.” Overnight, her Instagram following jumped from roughly 60 people to more than half a million.

But while the internet arrived for the punchline, it stayed for something far more meaningful. Through training videos, adaptive workout demonstrations, and an unapologetically authentic look at competitive fitness, Thomas has become one of adaptive athletics’ fastest-rising voices.

“I’m just a regular girl,” she says with a laugh.

Spend five minutes talking with her, though, and it’s obvious she’s anything but.

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Inside Katie Thomas’ HYROX Journey

Athletics have always been part of Katie Thomas’ identity. Long before she became known as an adaptive athlete, she was simply someone who loved to compete.

Growing up, she played soccer and other youth sports, always gravitating toward activities that challenged her physically. As an adult, that competitive drive never disappeared. She continued playing recreational soccer, completed sprint triathlons, earned a degree in exercise science, and even obtained a personal training certification. Fitness wasn’t just a hobby, it was a constant thread throughout her life.

Like many athletes searching for their next challenge, Thomas eventually found herself exploring CrossFit. While she appreciated the community and intensity, she never felt completely connected to the sport’s heavy emphasis on Olympic lifting.

When HYROX emerged, however, it immediately felt different.

Unlike competitions centered around highly technical lifts, HYROX blends endurance running with functional fitness stations, including sled pushes, sled pulls, rowing, SkiErg intervals, lunges, and carries. The format rewarded work capacity, grit, and athletic versatility, all qualities Thomas had spent years developing.

More importantly, it felt accessible.

“I looked at it and thought, ‘Wait, I can do all of these things,'” Thomas says. “Yes, I race in the adaptive division, but a lot of the adaptations are pretty minimal. It made me feel really competitive.”

That confidence translated almost immediately into results.

Competing in her first HYROX event in Miami, Thomas captured first place in the adaptive upper-limb division. Crossing the finish line as a champion was rewarding, but she admits she wasn’t entirely sure what the victory meant in the broader landscape of the sport.

Like many high achievers, she had a first reaction that wasn’t celebration; it was evaluation.

“I won, and it was obviously an amazing feeling,” she says. “But then I started thinking, ‘Okay, how big of an accomplishment is this really?'”

The answer surprised her.

After reviewing the rankings, Thomas learned she was sitting second in the United States and 16th in the world within her division.

“It was one of those moments where I thought, ‘Okay, yeah. This is real,'” she says. “It wasn’t just that I had a good race. It showed me that I could actually compete at a high level.”

Rather than viewing the result as validation, Thomas treated it as motivation.

She left Miami energized by the possibilities but equally focused on the opportunities for improvement. Having experienced the unique demands of a HYROX race firsthand, she now had a clearer understanding of where she could make significant gains.

Running quickly rose to the top of that list.

HYROX is often described as a fitness race, but at its core, success is heavily influenced by endurance. The faster athletes can cover the eight one-kilometer runs between workout stations, the more competitive they become overall.

For Thomas, the math is straightforward.

“If I can improve my running, I can shave four to six minutes off my time,” she says.

At the elite level of competition, that’s the difference between being good and being world-class.

With additional races already on her schedule and aspirations of qualifying for the HYROX World Championships, Thomas has shifted her focus toward building a stronger aerobic engine while continuing to refine the functional movements that define the sport.

The victory in Miami may have put her on the map, but in her mind, it was only the beginning.

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Training Smarter, Not Harder

For Thomas, training isn’t about overcoming her limb difference; it’s about understanding how her body works and finding the most effective way to maximize performance.

That process starts with science.

An exercise science graduate and former ACE-certified personal trainer, Thomas approaches every workout with an analytical mindset. Rather than forcing her body to perform movements exactly as they’re traditionally taught, she asks a different question: What is this exercise supposed to accomplish?

“If something like a snatch or a clean and jerk comes up, I know that’s just not my movement,” she explains. “Instead of trying to force it, I’ll figure out another exercise that’s targeting those same muscle groups or developing that same explosive movement.”

That philosophy has transformed her workouts into a constant process of experimentation. Some days she’s replacing barbell movements with dumbbells. Other days, she’s discovering new resistance band variations that allow her to mimic kettlebell swings or isolate muscles that are otherwise difficult to activate.

“It’s this constant game of figuring out, ‘How am I going to target this muscle? What’s another way to build the same strength?'” Thomas says. “Because of how my arm rotates, I might activate completely different muscles than someone else doing the exact same exercise. So I’m always trying to solve that puzzle.”

Every new solution eventually makes its way onto her social media channels.

Thomas doesn’t simply post workouts to showcase what she can do. She hopes they’ll become a resource for the next adaptive athlete searching for answers.

“I think of it as creating shortcuts,” she says. “If I figure something out that works, why wouldn’t I share it? Maybe someone else won’t have to spend months trying to solve the same problem.”

Preparing for HYROX has only amplified that process. Along with refining race-specific movements like sled pushes, sled pulls, rowing, lunges, and SkiErg intervals, Thomas has placed a heavy emphasis on improving her aerobic threshold. She wants to delay the point where fatigue takes over, allowing her to maintain faster paces deeper into races.

“Running is really the biggest opportunity for me,” she says. “If I can improve my running, I can easily shave four, five, maybe even six minutes off my race time.”

Recently, another athletic opportunity has added an entirely new dimension to her training.

After receiving an invitation to attend a U.S. Paralympic sitting volleyball national team training camp, Thomas suddenly found herself prioritizing flexibility – something she freely admits had never been high on her list.

“If you’ve never watched sitting volleyball, go sit on the floor and try to move the way they move,” she says with a laugh. “It looks easy on TV, but it’s absolutely wild. I’ve realized really quickly that I need to become a lot more flexible.”

Representation Starts at the Gym

When asked what gym owners can do to make their facilities more welcoming for adaptive athletes, Thomas doesn’t talk about equipment upgrades or expensive renovations.

She talks about visibility.

“Have an adaptive athlete working out in your gym,” she says without hesitation.

To Thomas, representation creates comfort long before someone picks up a dumbbell.

Seeing another adaptive athlete confidently moving through a workout immediately tells newcomers they belong. It removes uncertainty, breaks down intimidation, and changes expectations before a single conversation even happens.

“You can add equipment or make other changes,” she says, “but visibility is going to be the biggest thing.”

That belief comes from personal experience.

Growing up, Thomas rarely saw anyone with a limb difference featured in sports commercials, athletic apparel campaigns, or fitness magazines. She admired brands like Nike and Adidas, but never saw someone who reflected her own experience.

“You don’t realize how much representation matters until you’re older,” she says. “Kids want to see themselves. They want to know they belong. If seeing me makes someone feel more comfortable walking into a gym or signing up for a race, then that’s everything.”

From Viral Moment to Lasting Impact

Thomas understands that millions of people discovered her because of one unforgettable traffic stop.

She also knows that viral fame is fleeting.

What lasts, she believes, is what you choose to do with the attention afterward.

Originally, she created her Instagram account simply to document her HYROX training and hopefully attract sponsorship opportunities. After her now-famous “Hand to God” interaction with a police officer exploded online, that mission evolved almost overnight.

Her audience suddenly wasn’t just watching workouts. They were finding hope.

Some of the most meaningful messages come from parents of children born with limb differences, many of whom tell Thomas that seeing her train has completely changed the way they think about their child’s future.

One message still stands above the rest.

A mother reached out after her 1-year-old daughter, who has Down syndrome, underwent an arm amputation.

“She told me she’d been crying and worrying about what her daughter’s life was going to look like,” Thomas recalls. “Then she said that after seeing my videos, she realized her daughter was going to be able to do whatever she wanted to do, and nobody was going to be able to tell her no.”

Those conversations have become far more valuable than follower counts or viral videos.

“If this lasts five minutes, 10 minutes, or five years, the good that’s come from it makes every bit of it worth it,” she says. “We’re changing awareness. We’re changing visibility. We’re helping people realize they’re going to be okay.”

That perspective has also inspired Thomas to support organizations that serve children with limb differences and other physical disabilities, using her growing platform to raise awareness and funding whenever possible.

Competing for More Than a Finish Time

Thomas admits there was a time when race-day encouragement felt complicated.

Whenever spectators noticed she had one arm, the cheers often became louder.

As a younger athlete, she wasn’t sure whether people were celebrating her performance or simply acknowledging her disability.

“I used to struggle with that,” she says. “You wonder, ‘Would they be cheering if I had two arms?'”

Over time, her perspective changed.

Now, when she hears those same cheers, she thinks about the athlete who may be racing their first event. She thinks about the child standing behind the barricades watching someone who looks like them compete without hesitation.

“For every one of me, there’s somebody else who might really need to hear that encouragement,” she says. “So I don’t want people to stop.”

That doesn’t mean competition has become any less serious.

Thomas is still chasing personal records. She still analyzes heart-rate data after difficult training sessions. She still replays races in her mind, identifying transitions she can improve and mistakes she won’t repeat.

Even her winning HYROX debut wasn’t perfect.

During the sled push, the carpet beneath her lane bunched up, making one of her strongest events unexpectedly more difficult.

“I looked at my husband and honestly thought, ‘I don’t know if I can do this,'” she says. “Then I realized the carpet was wrinkling underneath the sled. It wasn’t the race I expected, but that’s competition. You learn from it, adjust, and come back better next time.”

That’s become Thomas’ defining characteristic-not resilience for resilience’s sake, but an unwavering commitment to finding the next solution.

For Katie Thomas, adaptation has never been about accepting limitations.

The Finish Line Keeps Moving

Thomas has no interest in being remembered as the woman behind a viral traffic stop. The internet may have introduced her through the now-famous “Hand to God” moment, but she hopes people stay for something much more meaningful.

“My goal has never been to chase likes or go viral again,” she says. “Understanding what comes with that kind of attention, it’s a double-edged sword. I’m here for the five people, the 10 people, the hundred people who need to see what I’m doing. That’s what matters to me.”

On the competition side, her ambitions are only getting bigger.

After winning her first HYROX race, Thomas has already mapped out the next chapter: improve her running, sharpen every race transition, and qualify for the HYROX World Championships through an elite performance. “I feel really confident,” she says. “The goal for this race season is to qualify for HYROX Worlds. I truly believe you’re going to see me there.”

That confidence isn’t rooted in arrogance. It’s built on years of solving problems, adapting movements, and refusing to let setbacks become excuses.

Whether she’s modifying a lift, learning a new sport, or stepping onto a competition floor, Thomas approaches each challenge the same way: learn from it, make adjustments, and come back stronger.

More importantly, she hopes every race, workout video, and social media post makes the path a little easier for the next adaptive athlete.

“I grew up without seeing people who looked like me,” she says. “Now, if a kid with a limb difference can see me and think, ‘I’m going to be okay. I can do that too,’ then everything that’s happened has been worth it.”

For Thomas, that’s the real finish line.

Not a medal. Not a podium. Not another viral moment.

It’s creating a future where adaptive athletes no longer have to prove they belong, because the next generation will simply grow up knowing they do. Simply another form of training.

You Can’t Flex Fat: The True Purpose of Strength Training

If you want to call it toning, sculpting, tightening, contouring, whatever, ultimately, you’re asking your body to build and repair muscle tissue.

Whether or not you actually get to see the result of tightening, toning, sculpting, whatever, is a matter of how much body fat you have covering the muscle. Ever hear the expression, “You can’t flex fat?” Well, you can’t. Only muscle flexes. How much of that muscle’s definition you get to see when it flexes is directly related to how thick of a layer of body fat you have covering the muscle.

So, before you begin down this road, for whatever reason, you must agree that the reason you’re going to the gym is to improve your fitness and wellbeing by, in some way, overcoming gravity repetitively, progressively and consistently, and then allowing yourself to recover from the stimulus. So, in other words, you’re there to build muscle. Period. End of story.

Now, once you’ve cleared that hurdle you have to accept the fact that while you may want a 20-inch arm, Mother Nature does not. Anything beyond lifting a fork to your mouth is, to her, a waste of metabolically active tissue and she doesn’t want you to have it. So, you have to convince her that the 12-inch arm she gave you is insufficient for the continuous gravitational stress you’re applying to it. Maintain that stress and progressively increase it and the muscle will grow because you’re forcing Mother Nature to adapt. But let off that stress for any length of time and Mother Nature starts taking back what you built.

If you have any doubt, stick a 20-inch arm in a cast for eight weeks. You think you’re pulling a 20-inch arm back out? Psst… I have news for you.

The point is simple. You either use it or lose it. Weight training that supports any kind of visible, measurable result is a long-term, near-daily commitment. If there is anywhere in life where you can expect the greatest delayed gratification, it is in trying to make and maintain notable positive changes in your physique and fitness.

And that brings us to the two things nobody thinks about before they start.

First: This is forever

The biggest mistake beginners make is assuming fitness is a temporary assignment. Lose twenty pounds, get beach ready, add a little muscle, tighten up for summer, then somehow maintain it all by occasionally looking at a dumbbell from across the room. It doesn’t work that way. The body only keeps what it believes it needs to survive. Stop training, stop creating demand, and the body immediately begins dismantling the expensive tissue you worked so hard to build. This is not a six-week project. It is a lifestyle contract you are signing with yourself, and the fine print says for life.

Second: Nutrition matters more than you think

You can stimulate muscle growth all day long, but if the raw materials to repair and rebuild tissue are not available, nothing happens. You are literally damaging muscle fibers in the gym and expecting your body to repair them bigger and stronger afterward. That process requires protein, calories, hydration, micronutrients and recovery. The gym is simply the trigger. The actual progress happens outside the gym, usually in your kitchen and in your bed while you sleep. Ignore that fact and you’ll spend years wondering why your body never changes despite all your hard work.

So before you begin, understand what you’re really signing up for.

Fitness is a Lifelong Commitment?

You are entering into a long-term agreement with biology itself. You are going to repeatedly stress your body in ways it does not particularly enjoy, force it to adapt against its own energy-conserving instincts, feed it what it needs to recover, and then do it all over again tomorrow.

And the day after that.

And the day after that.

The iron doesn’t care what your goals are. It doesn’t care about your excuses. It simply responds to consistency over time.

Before you begin, make sure you understand that.

Because once you start…

There is no finish line.

The cable fly is primarily a chest builder, hammering the pecs as you drive the handles together. If you perform the movement as a mid-cable fly, the pulleys are set at chest height and work the pectoralis in both the upper and lower regions. But what happens when the angle of the cable’s trajectory is tweaked?

What Is the Difference Between Incline and Decline Cable Flyes?

The Decline Fly

“A decline fly is when the cable is at the highest position, and you’re pulling to the lowest position,” explains the canny coach. “When you do that, you’re gonna be targeting that lower chest, just like you would if you were declining bench.”

So, decline fly = pectoralis major (lower)

The Incline Fly

“Incline fly or a low-to-high is going to target the upper chest,” explains Bailey of the opposing angle, taking us onwards and upwards. “So, just like we switch benches, we do flat bench, we incline bench, and we do decline bench, you do the same thing with cable flyes.”

So, incline fly = pectoralis major (upper)

Got? Good.

But why not just perform the mid fly? “It’s going to target different areas of your chest,” repeats Bailey, for those of an inquisitive nature. Indeed, a mid-fly can exhaust the entire pec area, but if you need to bring up a particular aspect of the chest, such as build the upper pecs for that top shelf appearance, or add mass to the lower pecs to improve definition, knowing how to properly target specific pec areas by acing your angles is the key to success.

To follow Dana Linn Bailet’s daily tips on Instagram, click here. 

More than two million athletes are expected to compete during the 2026/27 season, up from 1.5 million the year before. HYROX will span 107 race weekends across six continents, with select events expanding into long-form residencies lasting up to 10 days to keep pace with demand. New host cities are also joining the schedule, including San Diego; Portland; Bari, Italy; and Nagoya, Japan.

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For athletes, that expansion creates more opportunities to race and more room to think beyond a single event. With major competitions spread throughout the first half of 2027 and the World Championships set for Hong Kong in June, competitors can start planning their season months in advance.

Here’s what HYROX announced for 2027, where the series is expanding, and how to start preparing now while keeping your performance steady across a longer race season.

HYROX 2027 Schedule: Key Dates, New Cities, and Major Events

HYROX is entering the 2026/27 season with another major scale-up. After welcoming more than 1.5 million athletes during the 2025/26 season, the fitness racing series expects participation to surpass two million as it continues to expand into new cities and larger event formats.

The biggest numbers from the announcement include:

• More than two million athletes: HYROX expects participation to rise from 1.5 million during the 2025/26 season.
• 107 race weekends: Events will take place across six continents during the 2026/27 season.
• Events lasting up to 10 days: Select major markets will move beyond the traditional one- or two-day race weekend to accommodate growing demand.
• Four new host cities: San Diego, Portland, Bari, and Nagoya, will join the HYROX calendar.
• A June championship finale: The HYROX World Championships will take place in Hong Kong from June 10-13, 2027.
• More opportunities for younger athletes: HYROX Youngstars competitions will appear at select events, including expanded North American dates in Houston and Atlanta.

For competitors, the expanded calendar offers more flexibility in choosing when and where they race. It also gives athletes who plan to compete more than once a chance to map out a full season well before the first start line.

New U.S. HYROX Race Locations Announced for 2027

For U.S. athletes, the newly announced portion of the 2027 calendar adds more options in the first half of the year, including two new host cities: San Diego and Portland.

The currently announced U.S. events include:

• Chicago: February 11 to 15, 2027
• Phoenix: February 11 to 15, 2027
• Las Vegas: March 12 to 14, 2027
• Miami Beach: March 26 to 28, 2027
• Houston: April 1 to 4, 2027
• Atlanta: April 23 to 25, 2027
• San Diego: May 13 to 16, 2027
• Portland: May 21 to 23, 2027
• New York: Date to be announced.

The spread gives athletes several months to plan a race schedule, whether the goal is to compete once or to line up for multiple events. Ticket sales are expected to begin by region at the end of July, and HYROX has also said that additional events may be announced later in the 2026/27 season.

How to Start Training for HYROX 2027 Right Now

A 2027 race date gives athletes something valuable: time. HYROX performance depends on how well you can sustain running pace, manage repeated high-output efforts, and keep moving efficiently as fatigue accumulates. Those qualities will respond best to steady development over months.

Early preparation should focus on building the physical foundation that supports harder, more race-specific work later in the training cycle. For most athletes, that means improving aerobic capacity, running durability, strength, and movement efficiency while gradually increasing the amount of work they can recover from each week.

Build the Engine First

Aerobic fitness plays a major role in how well you maintain pace over 8 kilometers of running and recover between stations. Improving that base can help you control your effort, clear fatigue more effectively between harder bouts, and avoid turning the back half of the race into a survival test.

Early training can emphasize:

• Easy aerobic work: Build weekly training volume at intensities you can consistently recover from.
• Threshold development: Improve your ability to sustain a demanding pace without accumulating fatigue too quickly.
• Running consistency: Gradually increase your running exposure so your muscles, tendons, and joints can tolerate the repeated impact of HYROX training and racing.

Keep Building Strength

HYROX rewards athletes who can produce force efficiently even after several kilometers of running. Strength development supports sled work, carries, lunges, and wall balls while helping preserve movement quality as fatigue climbs.

A well-rounded strength base should prioritize:

• Lower-body strength: Squats, hinges, split squats, and other foundational patterns that build force production through the hips and legs.
• Upper-body pulling and pushing strength: Useful for maintaining efficiency during sled pulls, SkiErg, rowing, and other upper-body demands.
• Trunk strength: Helps transfer force and maintain posture during loaded carries, lunges, and high-repetition stations.

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Improve Efficiency Before Chasing Fatigue

The more economical you are at each station, the less energy you waste over the course of the race. This is a good time to improve technique and become comfortable with the movements without turning every session into a full race simulation.

That could mean working on:

• Sled push and pull mechanics.
• Sustainable pacing on the SkiErg and rower.
• Smooth burpee broad jump rhythm.
• Efficient walking lunge mechanics.
• Consistent wall-ball technique under moderate fatigue.

Gradually Increase Your Training Capacity

One of the biggest advantages of starting early is the ability to build workload progressively. HYROX preparation eventually asks athletes to balance running, strength training, higher-intensity conditioning, and station-specific work in the same week.

Building that workload gradually gives your body time to adapt and makes it easier to handle more demanding sessions as race day approaches. By the time your training becomes more specific, you want enough aerobic fitness, strength, and durability to actually benefit from the harder work.

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Get More Specific as Race Day Gets Closer

As race day approaches, training should begin to more closely reflect the actual demands of HYROX. The foundation you built earlier gives you more room to layer in compromised running, station transitions, race pacing, and higher-density work without letting fatigue take over the entire week.

The closer you get to competition, the more valuable specificity becomes. Your body needs repeated exposure to the rhythm of running hard, completing a station efficiently, and settling back into pace while already carrying fatigue.

Add More Compromised Running

HYROX rarely gives you the luxury of starting each kilometer fresh. Running after sled pushes, burpees, lunges, and other demanding stations changes your mechanics and your perception of pace.

Race-specific sessions can gradually include:

• Running immediately after strength or conditioning stations.
• Shorter intervals performed with limited recovery.
• Repeated run-to-station transitions.
• Controlled efforts that teach you to settle back into pace after hard work.

The goal is to improve how quickly you regain rhythm once fatigue is already present.

Practice Race Pace and Effort Control

Pacing mistakes can show up early and get expensive later in the race. Athletes who go out too aggressively often pay for it once the combination of running volume and station fatigue begins to add up.

Closer to race day, training should give you a clearer sense of:

• What sustainable race pace feels like.
• How hard can you push each station without compromising the next run?
• Where you can afford to put in more effort.
• Which stations require more conservative pacing?

These sessions can help turn race strategy into something you have actually practiced under fatigue.

Use Full Simulations Sparingly

Full or near-full HYROX simulations can be useful, especially as a confidence check and pacing rehearsal. They also incur high recovery costs.

A full simulation can help you assess:

• Race pacing.
• Station efficiency.
• Transition speed.
• Fueling and hydration strategy.
• How your body responds late in the event.

You only need enough exposure to learn from the session and make adjustments. Most of your progress will still come from the individual pieces of your training week working together.

Taper the Stress Before Race Day

The final stretch should leave you feeling sharp and ready to compete. Training volume can begin to come down while keeping enough intensity and race-specific work in place to maintain fitness.

A good race-week approach usually includes:

• Lower overall training volume.
• Short bouts of faster running.
• Brief exposure to key stations.
• Extra attention to sleep and recovery.
• Enough movement to stay loose without carrying unnecessary fatigue into race day.

At that point, the work is largely done. The focus shifts toward arriving healthy, rested, and confident in the fitness you have already built.

How to Build a Full HYROX Season Plan and Avoid Burnout

For athletes planning to race more than once, the challenge shifts once the season begins. You still need enough training to maintain the qualities that drive performance while giving your body time to recover from each race and prepare for the next.

The length of time between events should guide how aggressive you are with training. A three-week turnaround calls for a much different approach than a two- or three-month gap.

Pick Your Priority Races

Not every race needs to carry the same performance expectations. Choosing one or two priority events gives your season structure and makes it easier to manage training stress across several months.

You can use other races as opportunities to:

• Test pacing strategies.
• Gain experience with transitions and station execution.
• Evaluate how your current training is carrying over.
• Build confidence competing in a race environment.

Your biggest events can then receive the most focused preparation, recovery, and tapering.

Recover Before You Start Building Again

HYROX places a significant demand on the entire body. Eight kilometers of running combined with high-volume functional work can leave behind muscular soreness, connective tissue stress, and overall fatigue that may last longer than your motivation to start training again.

The first few days after a race should focus on recovery and restoring normal movement. Easy aerobic work, mobility, and lighter strength sessions can help you gradually return to your regular training rhythm.

Pay attention to:

• Lingering soreness or joint discomfort.
• Changes in running mechanics.
• Unusually high fatigue during easy sessions.
• Sleep quality and general readiness to train.

Once those markers begin returning to normal, training volume and intensity can start building again.

Maintain the Qualities You Already Built

During the season, your training does not always need to chase new fitness. Maintaining strength, aerobic capacity, and race-specific efficiency can be enough to keep performance high between events.

That could include:

• Strength work: Keep some heavier loading in the program to maintain force production while controlling total volume.
• Aerobic training: Continue enough easy and moderate-intensity work to support endurance and recovery.
• Faster running: Use targeted intervals or threshold work to maintain speed and pace control.
• Station practice: Include enough exposure to key movements to keep technique and efficiency sharp.

The closer your races are together, the more important it becomes to prioritize quality training sessions and manage unnecessary fatigue.

Let the Time Between Races Guide Your Approach

A longer break gives you room to rebuild training volume and address weaknesses. A shorter turnaround requires a tighter focus on recovery, maintenance, and staying sharp.

When you have several months between races:

• Build another progressive training block.
• Target specific weaknesses from your previous event.
• Increase training volume gradually.
• Include a short race-specific phase before your next competition.

When you only have a few weeks:

• Prioritize recovery immediately after the race.
• Maintain fitness with lower-volume, high-quality sessions.
• Limit hard sessions that create excessive soreness.
• Keep race-specific work familiar and controlled.
• Reduce training stress again as the next event approaches.

The expanded 2027 HYROX calendar gives athletes more opportunities to compete than ever. Planning those races with the same intent you bring to your training can help you stay healthy, maintain your fitness, and give your best performances enough room to stand out.

The LA Galaxy winger has ascended into becoming one of Major League Soccer’s most explosive attacking players, helping lead the club to the 2024 MLS Cup championship while establishing himself as a key contributor for both club and country. In his first season with the Galaxy, Paintsil recorded 15 goals and 11 assists across all competitions, including four goals during the club’s championship playoff run. He even scored in the Cup Final, helping secure the Galaxy’s record sixth title. 

Today, with the team returning to action Friday against crosstown rivals LAFC, performance is a daily focus. Through his longtime partnership with Herbalife, Paintsil has built habits around hydration, recovery, nutrition, and sleep that help him maintain the speed and explosiveness that are calling cards of his game. 

It’s a long road away from his upbringing where those factors weren’t even a thought. 

“There was nothing about nutrition,” Paintsil says. “There was nothing like, ‘You need to eat this. You need to take this supplement.’ You can even eat heavy and just go and play [soccer]. People do care, but they don’t really care too much about what you put in the body.”

That perspective has stayed with him throughout a career that has taken him from Ghana to Europe and eventually the MLS. It has also become one of the driving forces behind the JP Football Club, an initiative designed to give young athletes access to resources and education he never had himself. 

The Nutrition Habits That Fuel LA Galaxy Star Joseph Paintsil

Paintsil’s introduction to sports nutrition didn’t happen until he moved abroad. While playing in Hungary, he was introduced to Herbalife products through someone who encouraged him to give them a try. At the time, he had heard the name before, but structured nutrition wasn’t something that had been part of his development as a young player. 

“So when I didn’t know Herbalife, I was using Herbalife,” Paintsil says with a laugh.

What started as curiosity eventually became part of his everyday routine. As his understanding of performance evolved, so did his appreciation for the role nutrition plays in recovery, hydration, and maintaining energy through a demanding season. 

“We are also sponsored by Herbalife for more than 10 years in our club,” Paintsil says. “So it has really helped me in terms of how I need to eat, what I need to put in my body…”

Looking back, that’s one of the biggest differences between the player he was growing up in Ghana and the player who now competes at the highest level in North America.

“We learned about nutrition in school, but we never put it to work,” he says.

Protecting His Greatest Weapon

The modern game demands more from attacking players more than ever before. Wingers are tasked with sprinting repeatedly, defending, creating scoring opportunities, and maintaining that level of intensity for 90 minutes. 

Paintsil has built a career around one physical trait in particular

“My speed is the weapon that I really have,” he says. 

That speed helped make him one of MLS’s most dangerous attacking threats for the Galaxy. Since arriving in Los Angeles, he has produced 44 goal contributions across all competitions while becoming a central piece of one of the league’s most dynamic offenses. 

With that, his training philosophy looks different from many athletes. 

“I don’t want to lift too much weight,” he explains. “The more I put on weight, the more I also limit my speed system.”

Instead, Paintsil focuses on balance. Strength training remains important, but maintaining mobility, speed, and explosiveness takes priority. Core training has become one of the foundations of that approach. 

Recovery receives the same level of attention. He follows a structured evening routine that includes a set dinner schedule, recovery supplementation, and consistent sleep habits. 

“My last hour for me to eat is around 9:30,” he says. “And then for my sleep schedule. It’s always around 11:30.” 

Building Something Bigger Than Soccer

While Paintsil continues to chase trophies and championships, some of his most meaningful work now happens away from the field. 

The JP Football Club was created to provide opportunities for young players in Ghana who lack access to education, training resources, and nutritional support. 

“JP Football is something that I just really opened just to give access,” Paintsil says. “Some of the players who don’t have the accessibility of even schooling, accessibility of even having that kind of taste of nutrition.”

The mission is a personal one because he lived the reality himself. He understands what it’s like to pursue a dream without access to the resources many athletes take for granted. That’s why introducing young players to concepts like hydration, recovery, and nutrition is just as important to him as teaching the game itself.

The foundation recently completed its first competitive season in Ghana’s second division, finishing 10th in its debut campaign. For Paintsil, the standings are secondary to the lessons the players are learning. 

“It’s not just only about futbol,” he says. “It’s also about what you take in.”

Creating Opportunities He Never Had

Ask Paintsil what he’s most proud of, and the answer has little to do with goals, assists, or championships. 

“The most proud thing that I have done is having these kids, giving them the opportunity,” he says. “The most proud thing is that I have put smiles on their faces.”

This says a lot for a player who has won league titles, represented Ghana internationally, and scored on one of the biggest stages in North American soccer.

For Paintsil, success isn’t measured only by what he accomplishes on the field anymore. It’s also measured by what he leaves behind. 

Growing up, he never had access to the performance education that now shapes his career. Through the JP Football Foundation, he’s making sure the next generation doesn’t have to learn those lessons as late as he did. 

And if the smiles on those young players’ faces are any indication, that impact may end up lasting for longer than any trophy ever could. 

Joseph Paintsil’s Speed and Conditioning Training Plan

Warm-Up (10 Minutes)

• Light Jog – 3 minutes
• High Knees – 30 seconds
• Butt Kicks – 30 seconds
• Walking Lunges – 10 per leg
• Leg Swings – 15 each side
• Lateral Shuffles – 2 x 20 yards

Speed & Acceleration Circuit: Complete 3 Rounds

Sprint Starts

• 5 x 20-yard sprints
• Walk back recovery

Lateral Shuffle to Sprint

• Shuffle 10 yards
• Explode into 20-yard sprint
• 4 reps each side

Single-Leg Bounds

• 10 per leg

Rest 90 seconds between rounds.

Conditioning Block: Repeat 5 times

• 30-second sprint
• 90-second jog

This simulates the repeated high-intensity bursts required from attacking players throughout a match.

Core Circuit: 3 Rounds

• Plank Hold – 60 seconds
• Side Plank – 30 seconds each side
• Dead Bugs – 15 reps
• Russian Twists – 20 reps
• Mountain Climbers – 30 seconds

This aligns with Paintsil’s emphasis on core strength as a foundation for maintaining speed and endurance.

Recovery Finisher

• Walking Cooldown – 5 minutes
• Hip Flexor Stretch – 60 seconds each side
• Hamstring Stretch – 60 seconds each side
• Quad Stretch – 60 seconds each side
• Foam Rolling – 5 minutes

Joseph Paintsil’s Match-Day Nutrition Strategy

Breakfast

• Oatmeal
• Banana
• Milk
• Bread
• Herbalife CR7 Drive (Acai Berry) Protein shake

Pre-Match Lunch

• Rice
• Salmon or chicken
• Banana
• Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal Shake

Recovery Priorities

• Hydration
• Protein intake
• Consistent sleep schedule
• Herbalife24 Rebuild Strength

Follow Joseph on Instagram: @joe_paintsil

Specifically, Vissers, who has been praised for packing some size on to his legs in recent months, leans into the hack squat machine to slave away on his sissies. “Not only does it stretch the quads all the way to the top, it also stretches the hips and ankles at the same time,” explained the big man.

What is the Sissy Squat?

The sissy squat differs from the regular squat in that the back does not remain vertically parallel. Instead, the lifter will move onto their toes as the weight descends, allowing the back to become more horizontal. Then, as the weight is returned, the feet become flat and the back returns to an upright position. “More range of motion, more stretch = more muscle development,” qualified Vissers in a recent Instagram demonstration. “Try these before any normal squat or leg press movements and you’ll be surprised.”

Combining the humble hack squat with the sissy hack squat makes sense because the hack squat will blast the entire quad muscle, while the sissy will target the front of the thigh. In a previous post, Vissers even detailed his approach.

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Wesley Visser’s Sissy Squat / Hack Squat Superset

“This might be the best superset you can do, for your quads,” offered Vissers as he shared his upper leg building strategy in a previous post. “Try it if you dare.”

Installing himself on the hack squat machine, Vissers explained that since the sissy squat is one of the most difficult variations, he prefers to stick with it to failure. But once you’ve done that, don’t be tempted to think you’re done, says the Dutch Oak. “It’s a superset as we go to the regular hack squat, which is obviously a lot stronger and easier to do,” he adds. “So, you can actually do a lot more reps with the regular hack squat, after your quads are already ‘toast’ from the sissy hack squat. Making this an incredible, safe, and effective superset to do. Give it a shot yourself.”

To follow Wesley Vissers on Instagram, click here. 

Attendees that are smart enough to score passes to the Olympia World Fitness Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Sept. 25-26 will get access to more than a supplement brand trade show, they will get to bear witness to history and see world-class athletes in several sports and fitness disciplines showcase their greatness. Below is just a sample of what fans can expect on the last week of September.

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Armwrestling at the 2026 Olympia: What Fans Can Expect

Armwrestling matches have been known to stop spectators in their tracks. There’s something about the struggle between two competitors that keeps fans engaged throughout the entire weekend, and there will be more of that to in 2026. 

The Ultimate Armwrestling League (UAL) is a premier organization dedicated to showcase this classic sport in its most raw and powerful form. Details of their 2026 event have not been revealed just yet, but you can be sure it will be worth the watch. 

Armlifting World Championships Return to Olympia Weekend

The 2025 Armlifting World Championships captivated the audience on the Olympia Expo Stage, and promoter Riccardo Magni expects around 100 international athletes to gather in Las Vegas for the 2026 edition. 

Athletes test their grip by lifting the heaviest weights possible with a variety of challenging handles that test pure grip power. Like powerlifting, there are multiple events and lifters get three tries to complete successful lifts with max weight. Qualifying is still taking place but will conclude in early August. You can see more about this sport and its events on their website. 

MAS Wrestling World Championships Bring Siberian Strength to Las Vegas

Strength icon Odd Haugen has been a pioneer when it comes to this sport and how it is presented in the United States. MAS Wrestling, which has origins in Siberia, calls for two athletes to sit opposite each other with straight legs and their feet against a center support board. They then take hold of a stick and pull against each other, similar to a tug of war. The athlete that can pull the stick out of their opponent’s hands or the opponent themselves across the center is the winner. 

The Olympia World Fitness Expo hosts the annual MAS Wrestling Olympia World Championships, hosted by Haugen. Men and women will compete in round robin tournaments to crown winners in various weight classes. Those winners will then compete again in separate events for the glory of winning the men’s and women’s World Absolute Championship belts. 

Olympic Weightlifting Takes Center Stage at the 2026 Olympia Expo

No strength sports festival would be complete without Olympic Lifting, which is why American Barbell Talon Cup will be hosting a USA Weightlifting sanctioned event to Las Vegas this September. 

The intensity and standards of excellence that come with performing the Snatch and Clean & Jerk under USAW rules and officiation will be combined with the prestige that only the Olympia can offer. Details on their specific plans for the Las Vegas Convention Center are expected to be announced in the near future. 

Powerlifting Events and Bench Wars at the 2026 Olympia

The Olympia is known for bodybuilding, but there has also been a longtime connection to powerlifting. Just like those that have earned their places on the bodybuilding stages, numerous lifters are preparing to step on an international elite platform at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

The International Powerlifting League and Powerlifting USA will both hold full meets during Olympia Weekend. The World Powerlifting Organization (WPO) will also host the 2026 Bench Wars meet, which will feature equipped athletes pushing the bar both literally and figuratively when it comes to extreme weights. Inzer will also showcase strict curl competitions to see who has the strongest biceps. 

Strongman Competition Returns to the Olympia Performance Weekend

The 2026 Strongman competition returns to the Olympia Performance Weekend, Sept. 25 and 26, and fans can expect to see rare and raw power being inflicted on a variety of weights and implements across multiple disciplines. Events typically include classic strongman staples like the yoke carry, atlas stones, and log press, alongside rotating implements that keep both competitors and spectators guessing.

The Strongman event is open to qualified competitors and free to watch on the Expo floor. Fans that stop to watch tend to stick around for most of the competition and leave inspired to push their own boundaries the next time they train. 

Sumo Wrestling at the Olympia: Openweight Battles and Global Talent

“Sumo Dan” Kalbfleisch has won many sumo wrestling competitions throughout his own career, but he is best known today as the host of the Sumo Dan Olympia event. Every year on Friday of the World Fitness Expo, Kalbfleisch hosts a training day to introduce people interested in the sport and gives them a chance to participate.  

Saturday at the Olympia is for the Sumo Dan tournament, which includes men and women from around the globe who gather in Las Vegas to face off for Olympia glory. There are weight classes and an “Openweight” event where athletes in different weight categories can go head-to-head.  

You can see all these events and more at the 2026 Olympia World Fitness Expo in Las Vegas by pre-ordering expo passes at www.mrolympia.com . VIP entry begins at 8 AM Pacific time on both Friday and Saturday. General entry will begin at 9 AM. Follow @mrolympiallc on Instagram to stay updated on what will happen in Las Vegas.

“This is one of the awesome exercises to grow your quads,” explained Duah, while posting an IG reel for his legions of followers. The popular fitness influencer, who can also be found on YouTube and TikTok, showed that effective squats can come in all different shapes and sizes.

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What Is the Somersault Squat?

This exercise, also known as the “Joe Daniels Squat,” in honor of the man who first popularized it, has grown with the rise of home training, because it doesn’t require a bar or squat rack.  In essence, it’s a more advanced iteration of the goblet squat, so it is recommended to get the mechanics for that move nailed first.

The somersault squat requires elevated heels, and once the dumbbell or kettlebell is lowered, the toes should be pointed outward. The goal here is to concentrate on knee flexion while bringing down the weight in a controlled manner between the legs. Then, as the weight travels towards the knees, the hips swings forward, returning as the weight goes skyward. This trajectory allows for a deep squat, taxing the quads as the legs attempt to remain stable while carrying the load.

Kwame Duah: How to Perform the Somersault Squat Correctly

“Grab two plates and elevate your heels to improve ankle mobility and stability,” begins Duah. “Hold a dumbbell between your legs with a neutral grip,” and then “lower down by bending through the knees and let them travel forward for that deep range of motion. Drive through the heels to power back up.”

With Duah’s detailed demonstration catching fire on social media, would-be somersault squatters were quick to find out more. “How often should one train their quads each week,” asked one enthusiastic follower. “It really depends on how well you recover and whether you can fit it into your current training plan,” responded the Australian bodybuilder. “But I’d recommend training quads at least twice per week. You can also make your second leg day, which is typically more posterior chain focused, a bit more quad dominant by prioritising quad exercises or adding some extra quad volume.”

The somersault squat requires a pre-existing level of flexibility, so those with knee injuries or joint pain should give them a miss. For everyone else, the trick is to master the vertical rise and fall of the goblet squat, before adding further complexity with the somersault squat. Still, if you are ready for a more advanced challenge, and ready to crush those squads, be sure to give the somersault squat a respectful try.

To follow Kwame Duah on Instagram, click here. 

This Croatian colossus understands that over-enthusiasm and under-estimating a particular exercise can lead to lethargic muscle gains, so he makes sure to adopt the proper technique when executing  lat pulldowns. And, in a recent Instagram demonstration, the big man illustrated exactly how you can follow his reps.

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What Is the Lat Pulldown and Which Muscles Does It Work?

Either on a specifically designed machine, or by utilizing the cable station, lat pulldowns target the latissimus dorsi muscle. This is the largest muscle in the upper body, and is located in the mid and lower back, providing a winged appearance when developed through resistance training.

The lat pulldown increases muscle size and strength, and is popular because the act of pulling down the bar or handles from up high, and down towards the midsection, is relatively easy to understand. But don’t be fooled into thinking that you are working out efficiently, until you’ve fixed the following common mistakes.

Petar Klancir Has 3 Ways to Fix Your Lat Pulldowns

Mistake #1: Swinging Your Body to Move the Weight

While the act of grabbing the weight from the heavens could encourage the act of swinging, doing so will miss the point of this exercise. “Stop swinging your body to move the weight,” advises Klancir. “Keep your torso stable and pull the bar to your upper chest.”

Why this fix works: Keeping the upper body still will make sure that the lats are targeted, rather than recruiting additional muscles through stabilizing the swing.

Mistake #2: Starting With Your Shoulder Blades Retracted

“Don’t start with your shoulder blades squeezed back,” says Klancir. “Reach up, protract your scapulae (shoulder blades) and keep it as you pull,” he explains.

Why this fix works: In order to elongate the lats, the muscles need to be stretched, so starting out with squeezed shoulder blades would have the opposite effect. Protracting your shoulder blades, especially at the top of the pull, will promote a deep stretch instead, promoting muscle growth.

Mistake #3: Letting Your Elbows Flare Out

While the elbows need to bend in order to bring the bar down, the actual positioning of the mid-arm is crucial to great form on the lat pulldown. “Don’t flare your elbows out,” coaches Klancir. “Lock them in and drive them down towards your hips.”

Why this fix works: Driving the elbows downward will avoid the temptation to push them out to the side, and this should be avoided since doing so can shift the load higher up, towards the shoulders, rather than on the lats.

“Fix these three mistakes and your lat pulldowns will feel completely different,” advises the big man. And, with humungous lats like Klancir’s, who wouldn’t lean into his advice?

To follow Petar Klancir on Instagram, click here. 

Majonmuscle is readying for the 212-division final at the 2026 Olympia in Las Vegas, after qualifying at the IFBB EVLS Prague Pro, so there’s not a moment to waste.

What is Yinka Majolagbe’s Morning Routine?

Yinka Majolagbe starts his day with electrolytes and a multivitamin, followed by a fasted cardio session on the StairMaster. He also performs ab work, calf raises, posing practice, and progress check-ins before eating a high-protein breakfast consisting of rice pudding, whey protein, eggs, and raspberries.

Electrolytes

The first thing that Majolagbe consumes in the mornings is not protein, but rather a dose of electrolytes and a multi-vitamin. “That is just to hydrate myself and get all my vitamins in,” explains Majonmuscle, who wants to start the day right and avoid cramping.

Fasted Cardio Workout

There’s no grunting through heavy barbells to be heard during Majolagbe’s morning routine, as he makes a stop at his local gym for the purpose of making a fasted cardio session. “I usually walk to the gym,” adds the 212 competitor who is representing the U.K., eager to get as many steps in as he can.

Majolagbe’s fasted cardio session includes 30 minutes on the StairMaster. “Maybe even 40 depending on what Nathan says,” explains the Olympia contender, noting that he always follows his coach Nathan Smart’s advice.  

While in the gym, the bodybuilder also makes use of the space with some ab work, and even some calf raises to further stimulate the muscle’s that were taxed on the StairMaster.

Raspberries after reps

Majonmuscle makes a short stop on his walk home from the gym to pick up some raspberries to snack on after his reps. “They’re one of my favorites,” he says of the super-efficient fruit that boasts a wealth of nutrients such as vitamins C, K, and E, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and even fiber for digestion.

Posing & Progress Evaluation

Arriving back at home, the Vegas-bound bodybuilder gets in front of the camera to practice his posing. Majonmuscle also sends images to his coach to that together, they can set the standard for the days ahead. “If it’s a Friday, I would send a check-in to Nathan, and he will let me know what to do for the week (ahead),” explains  Majolagbe.

What Does Yinka Majolagbe Eat for Breakfast?

With his morning workout and posing already ticked off, Majonmuscle refuels with a breakfast containing 150 grams of rice pudding mix. He then adds 30 grams of whey protein and had 3 eggs on the side, to create a clean meal that packs a substantial amount of carbs, proteins, and healthy fats. The big man then adds a sweet flavoring to his rice pudding such as carrot cake. “Absolutely delicious guys,” he confirms of the concoction. Majonmuscle throws his remaining raspberries  into the rice pudding bowl and proceeds to demolish his breakfast. “And that is the routine guys,” concludes  Majolagbe.  

Fasted cardio is preferred by many bodybuilders because it is a great way to kickstart fat loss without burning energy that has already been consumed in the mornings. But Majolagbe’s routine also shows that winning trophies on the bodybuilding stage takes more than an intense approach to pumping iron, with hydration and nutrients also being essential to the muscle building mix.

The proof will be in the (rice) pudding when Majonmuscle has a chance to put his routine to the test on the 212 Olympia stage in Las Vegas on Sept. 24 to 27, 2026. For more information on bodybuilding’s most prestigious event, click here.

To follow Yinka Majolagbe on Instagram, click here.

“Agility, mobility, bounce and core—these are the traits that we lose with age,” said the inspirational fitness figure. “The solution? Add in exercises that ensure you’ll continue to move with speed, flow, and control.”

Here’s how to put a spring in your own step:

Erin Stern’s Free-Weight-Free Longevity Workout

• Cable High Knees
• Pogo Box Jumps
• Depth Jumps
• T-Spine Rotations
• Cat-Cow Stretch
• Vacuums

Workout Breakdown

Free weights undoubtedly have a place in longevity training, as the combination of resistance, coordination, and stabilization required to manage a dumbbell or a barbell will build muscle and help prevent injury, but for those who are just starting out with their longevity training, or need a break from the weights, this session is an ideal full body workout to add to your mobility mix.

Using the cable station and a cuff for her foot, Stern got started with high knees, for “hip flexor health and strength,” explained the athlete who topped the Olympia in both 2010 and 2012. Next up were Pogo jumps, and you can choose your own height here, by utilizing a box or for less depth, an aerobic stepper. “Pogo box jumps, for fast twitch muscle/bone density,” shared Stern, making carefully controlled leaps with a focus on getting both feet to touch the box at the same time.

Conversely, depth jumps are ideal “for improved reaction time/bone density,” explained Stern. Indeed, understanding how to land under pressure is a great way to prepare our mind-to-muscle connection for avoiding future falls. For her next move, the Olympia icon grabbed a mat and completes T-spine rotations, “for upper back and mobility.” She stayed on all fours for the cat-cow stretch, a gentle yoga pose that is a great physical therapy exercise, activating the arms and legs, and releasing tension to improve lower back mobility. To finish, the fit female executed vacuums “for core control, strength, and smaller waist.” Because who said that getting older means giving up on our appearance?

If you are ready to try this session and add some bounce back into your own lifestyle, concentrate on your breath work and slow things down. Then, as you become more confident with crushing your gym goals, add these exercises as a warmup before a free weight session.

To follow Erin Stern on Instagram, click here.

Why Current Protein Recommendations May Be Outdated

While the current recommended protein intake is suggested to be around 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight, per day, this number was devised for the minimum maintenance dose for those with a sedentary lifestyle, explains a recent report published in Frontiers, noting that the goal of those old guidelines had been to prevent protein deficiency in less active people, without taking into account the requirements of those who are more active. This matters, because we are all told to keep moving as we age, so a failure to balance our protein requirements leads to a nitrogen imbalance, reduced recovery, and less strength to progress through our sessions.

“Public health advice often focuses on the minimum people need to avoid problems,” said Dr. Macdonald, who worked on the recent research from the University of Cambridge, England. “But many people want to know what they should do to remain strong, independent, and mentally sharp throughout life.”      

How Much Protein Should Active Adults Eat Daily?

This latest work reviewed previous studies to suggest that physically active people, older adults, and pregnant women could benefit significantly by packing on the protein, but it did not specifically prescribe a new daily dosage. Instead, the data showed that increasing our protein intake can supercharge fat loss due to an associated feeling of fullness, and the thermogenic effect from protein digestion. But there is evidence already out there, that can point us in the right direction for protein greatness.

Why Protein Needs Increase With Age

“High-intensity exercise and high-protein diets are often associated with bodybuilders and superficial aesthetic goals,” added Dr. MacDonald. “However, high-intensity exercise and high-protein diets also empower the general population to extend their lifespan and health span. Therefore, it is less about having ‘abs’ and a ‘beach body’ and more about being able to lift up, play with, and even remember your grandchildren, thanks to a strong and resilient body and mind. When we see a stereotypical image of a hunched-over slow, fragile person with ill health, in their later years, it seems like an inevitable consequence of “Father Time,” however, I propose that in most cases, it is evidence of a non-evidence-based lifestyle.”  

New Dietary Guidelines Suggest Higher Protein Targets

In terms of the latest evidence, the 2025 to 2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) was released earlier this year and suggests 0.54 to 0.73 grams per pound of bodyweight per day as the new benchmark. That’s more than twice the amount of protein suggested by the previous guidance.

Whey to go!?

The recent work, published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, investigated the effects of palmitic and oleic acid, and found that these fats behave very differently inside the body. “Palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid widely found in foods, is associated with impaired insulin sensitivity, whereas oleic acid, abundant in olive oil, may have a protective effect against these metabolic disorders,” explained Professor Manuel Vázquez-Carrera, who was part of the study’s groundbreaking team.

What Is Palmitic Acid and Why Are Researchers Concerned?

In fact, the experts even went to far as to theorize that the type of fat that we eat is more important than the overall amount. That’s because palmitic acid, a common saturated fat found in meat, dairy, and plant oils, is thought to be triggering metabolic disease. “At the molecular level, palmitic acid promotes the accumulation of potentially toxic bioactive lipids, fosters low-grade chronic inflammation, and contributes to the dysfunction of cellular organelles,” explained the project’s first author, Xavier Palomer.

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Why Oleic Acid Could Support Better Metabolic Health

While palmitic acid may be inherent in many foods, the total amount consumed is often increased by its use in cooking oils. Oleic acid, a naturally occurring monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, found primarily in olive oil, could be a better option, however. This is because oleic acid has a more favorable metabolic profile and promotes the storage of lipids with minimal disruption of physiological processes, helping to preserve proper insulin signaling in key tissues such as the liver, muscle and adipose tissue.

The study suggests that oleic acid may even counteract many of the negative effects caused by palmitic acid, which could explain why diets that are rich in monounsaturated fats, such as the Mediterranean diet, are consistently associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

Swinging a golf club, throwing a baseball, or lifting a suitcase into the trunk of your car all require your body to produce and control rotation. These movements require your hips, core, and shoulders to work as a unit.

Straight line movements don’t help.

That’s where diagonal movements shine, as in the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop. The half-kneeling position removes momentum, challenges your core to generate force while keeping your hips and lower back stable.

If your goal is to build a core that shows and goes, it’s time for the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop.

Here, I’ll cover

• What it is
• How to do it.
• How to know you’re doing it right
• Muscles trained
• Common mistakes with fixes
• Benefits
• Programming suggestions

Let’s dive in.

What Is the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop?

It’s a half-kneeling, high-to-low diagonal movement that trains your core to generate, transfer, and control rotational force while maintaining a neutral spine. The half-kneeling position eliminates compensations because you can’t rely on momentum or body English. Rotation comes from your hips and thoracic spine, not your lumbar spine.

How to Perform the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop Correctly

1. Attach a handle or rope attachment to the cable machine at its highest setting.
2. Kneel with the outside knee and the inside foot on the floor.
3. Hold the handle with both hands and extend your arms toward the cable, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
4. Keep your torso tall, glutes squeezed, and core braced.
5. Start by rotating through your upper back and shoulders, and pull diagonally across your body toward the outside of your back hip.
6. Pause for a beat and slowly return to the starting position.

Which Muscles Should Activate While Performing the Half Kneeling Cable Chop

Here’s how you’ll know and feel that you’re doing the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop correctly.

You’re Doing It Right If

• You start the rotation with your torso.
• Your knee down-side glute stays engaged.
• Your chest rotates while your pelvis remains stable.

What It Should Feel Like

• You feel your obliques working during both the chop and the return.
• You feel no discomfort in your lower back.

Visual Checkpoints

• Your torso stays tall.
• The cable travels in a diagonal path.
• Your hips remain stable and level.

Form Red Flags 

• You’re pulling mostly with your arms.
• Your lower back twists.
• Your pelvis rotates or tilts.
• You lean forward or sideways to finish the movement.
• The eccentric phase is uncontrolled.

More on this in the common mistakes section.

What Muscles Does the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop Work?

Here’s how each targeted muscle contributes to the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop.

Obliques: Producing and controlling diagonal rotation.

The primary movers are the internal and external obliques. They rotate your torso and then eccentrically work on the return to the starting position. They also help transfer force between your lower and upper body.

Transverse Abdominis: Stabilizing the spine.

The TA contracts to increase intra-abdominal pressure and create stiffness around the lower back.

Rectus Abdominis: Keeping ribs over hips.

The RA plays a vital supporting role by preventing excessive low back extension and rib flare.

Glutes: Provide a stable base.

The glute of the down knee works hard to prevent unnecessary movement during rotation. The glute of the front leg helps maintain balance.

Lats: Assisting the pull.

The lats contribute to the pull and allow the force generated by your torso to transfer to your arms.

Shoulders and Upper Back: Producing rotation through the thoracic spine while maintaining shoulder stability.

The shoulders don’t create movement but follow the rotation generated by the thoracic spine. As your upper back rotates, the upper back muscles and rotator cuff stabilize the shoulders, allowing the handle to move along its diagonal path.

Common Half-Kneeling Cable Chop Mistakes and Fixes

The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop is all about quality movement. Lifters often misjudge the weight and then lose position trying to generate the necessary force. Don’t do that. Here are four other mistakes to look out for.

Twisting Through the Lower Back

A big mistake is forcing rotation through the lumbar spine instead of allowing it to come from the hips and the thoracic spine. Over time, this places unnecessary stress on the lower back.

Fix: Think about your chest rotating while your rib cage stays stacked over your hips. These cues help the movement originate in your upper back and shoulders.

Losing the Half-Kneeling Position

If your hips rock or tilt and your front knee caves inward, you’ve lost the stable foundation that makes this exercise effective.

Fix: Begin by lightening the load. If that doesn’t work, squeeze the glute of your down knee and create tension through your front foot.

Only Pulling With the Arms

It’s easy to let your arms take over, but they are only an extension of your torso. The movement should come from your trunk, not your biceps and triceps.

Fix: Imagine your arms as hooks. Initiate the chop by turning your chest and upper back, letting your hands follow your torso rather than lead it.

Rushing the Return

When you focus only on the chopping and let the cable pull you back to the start, you’re missing half the benefit of the exercise.

Fix: Own the eccentric. Slowly guide the handle back to the starting position. This trains your obliques and deep core muscles to decelerate rotation.

How the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop Improves Athletic Performance

The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop trains you to generate, transfer, and control force along a diagonal pattern while keeping a neutral spine.

Here are four other reasons to do it.

Builds Rotational Strength

When life and performance need you to rotate, it helps to do it right. The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop strengthens this movement pattern, helping your core generate and control rotation when it matters most.

Improves Force Transfer

Power starts from the ground up, but if your core can’t transfer that force efficiently, energy leaks, reducing performance and movement efficiency. The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop trains your hips, torso, and shoulders to work together as a unit, improving how you transfer force.

Improves Athletic Performance

Rotational and combat athletes rely on generating and controlling rotational force. The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop develops these qualities and reinforces proper sequencing from the hips through the thoracic spine and into the upper body.

Trains Mobility and Stability at the Same Time

The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop teaches your body where to move and where to remain still. As your thoracic spine rotates through a full range of motion (mobility), your lower back and pelvis remain stable (stability). This ability to separate movement from stability is essential for better movement.

Best Sets and Reps for the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop

Here are programming suggestions on where to put it and how much you should do to get the best out of this exercise.

Warm-Up: Use it to warm up your obliques, glutes, and deep core while preparing your thoracic spine for rotation.

Accessory Work: Perform it after your big lifts to reinforce rotational strength and improve force transfer.

Athletic Performance: An excellent addition for golfers, baseball and softball players, tennis players, hockey players, combat athletes, and anyone looking to improve rotational power.

Sets and Reps: 2- 3 sets of 8-12 reps, resting 1 minute between sides and sets.

How to Progress the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop

• Increase the resistance while maintaining good form.
• Add a 2–3 second pause at the finish position to reinforce stability.
• Progress to a standing cable chop once you’ve mastered the half-kneeling position.
• Perform the chop explosively while maintaining a slow, controlled return to develop both power and deceleration.

Why Athletes and Muscle Builders Should Use This Exercise

The Half-Kneeling Cable Chop teaches you to generate power from the right places, transfer that power efficiently through your torso, and keep your spine and hips stable. A strong core isn’t just one that can brace or resist movement, but one that knows when to move, where to move, and where to stay still. The Half Kneeling Cable Chop puts that to the test.

Now is the time to take that test and pass with honors.

What Is a Deload Week?

“Do you need a deload week?” Gohari asked his 25,000 Instagram followers in a recent thought-provoking post. The idea behind a deload is to give the body a break for around a week, in order to recover and reset your muscle building potential but choosing when to do so takes careful consideration.

How Often Should You Deload for Muscle Growth?

“A deload isn’t necessarily for everyone, but most people who train hard and progressively overload for long periods will benefit from one eventually,” explained Gohari. “For bodybuilders, I don’t like scheduled deloads every 4 to 6 weeks because a program says so. I’d rather deload when performance, recovery, or motivation starts trending down.”

Signs You Need a Deload Week

Gohari suggests that there are several signs to be mindful of, for when it might be a suitable time to start a deload phase. These signs include:

• Strength dropping across multiple workout
• Constantly sore joints and/or connective tissue
• Low levels of motivation
• Poor pumps and lacklustre mind-muscle connection
• Suboptimal sleep and recovery
• Feeling “beat up” despite eating and resting fully

The purpose of a deload, under these conditions, is to help reset the body after a period of severe mental and physical stress. But deloads can also be used to prepare the body ahead of heavy phases. “For example, before starting a growth phase,” explained Gohari of his strategic approach. “It can be beneficial to reduce fatigue and freshen up so you’re in the best possible position to take advantage of increased food, training performance, and PEDs.”

Gohari gave more detail on the use of deloads for prep. “Starting a growth phase in a recovered state often allows you to push harder and make better progress for the next 6 to 8 weeks before another deload is needed,” he explained.

How to Structure an Effective Deload Week

“Keep the same exercises. Cut the volume by around 30%,” advised the Australian, noting that reps should be “nowhere near failure” but the form should remain the same so that lifts don’t become more difficult. “Keep food the same, or increase it slightly, to maximize recovery,” he offered.

“A deload doesn’t always have to be a full week of lighter training, either,” explained Gohari. “Sometimes, taking 3 to 4 days completely off can achieve the same outcome. The goal is simply to reduce fatigue, recover, and get back to productive training as quickly as possible.”

How Deloading Improves Strength and Performance

For those feeling like they could lose valuable progress while reducing their workload, Gohari clarified why deload phases promote the opposite effect. “The goal isn’t to get fitter or stronger during the deload,” he confirmed. “The goal is to reduce fatigue while maintaining movement patterns, so you come back fresher, recover better, and perform at a higher level. For most bodybuilders, training with high intensity, a deload is usually needed every 9 to 16 weeks, not every 4 weeks. If you’re managing fatigue well, sleeping enough, and recovering properly, you may be able to push even longer before needing one.”

To follow Ethan Gohari on Instagram, click here. 

“All you need is a bench and a set of dumbbells,” explained the IFBB Pro and United States Air Force veteran, in an inspirational Instagram post. If you want to add some width to your upper body and help construct that much hallowed triangular look, then concentrating on the shoulders is the way to go, plus bigger shoulders create the illusion of a narrower waist. What’s not to love?

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Antwan Rarcus’ 30-Minute Shoulder Workout

•       Plate Front Raise: 4 Sets x 12 to 15 Reps
•       Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 4 Sets x 12 to 15 Reps
•       Dumbbell Incline Y-Raise: 4 Sets x 12 to 15 Reps

Workout Breakdown

Rarcus picks up a weight plate for his first exercise and gets to work with front raises. “Control the descent,” he advises, noting that the negative portion should not be waisted since it will also put stress on the shoulders. The front raise works the anterior (front), and lateral delts, and like with most shoulder exercises, the arms, back, and core will also come into play.

Second up is the dumbbell lateral raise. “Always lead with the elbows,” explains Rarcus. Be sure to add a small bend in the elbows, and using them to drive the movement will keep this exercise so shoulder dominant that the anterior, lateral, and posterior (rear) deltoids will all be taxed.

Rarcus reaches for the bench to undertake the third exercise, advising that you “stretch and reach,” as you lower the dumbbells to the ground before making these Y-Raises. This move will add muscle to the lower trapezius, helping to define the space between the shoulders at the back, in addition to the serratus anterior, which is the fan shaped muscle under the shoulder and to the side of the chest.

With your shoulder session achievable in just 3 moves and 30 minutes, Rarcus has no time for excuses. “Let’s cut the bulls**t,” he told his 262,000 Instagram followers. “You have time.”

Yes, Sir!

To follow Antwan Rarcus on Instagram, click here. 

New Study Examines Exercise Habits of 150,000 Adults

The latest findings, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, were based on data from almost 150,000 adults across three long term studies, and found that adults who averaged 90 to 120 minutes of weekly strength training, including resistance exercises such as pushups, squats, lunges, and weightlifting, had their risk of early death reduced by an average 13% from all causes. Significantly, those who undertook this amount of strength training had a 19% lower risk of heart disease, and a 27% lesser risk from neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s when compared with those who avoided such workouts.

Why Combining Cardio and Weights Delivers Bigger Health Benefits

When the team behind the study looked at the results of those who combined strength and aerobic training with exercises such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, and tennis, the risks to mortality dropped even more. Those who undertook strength and cardio within a duration of 90 to 120 minutes weekly, enjoyed a 45% lower risk of death than those who abstained from both disciplines altogether.

Interestingly, the benefits of strength training appeared to plateau after the 120 minutes per week mark, meaning that more isn’t always more when it comes to working out to stay healthy. This also means that more time can be devoted to cardio for those who might be overdoing it in the weight room. “Aerobic exercise is generally linked to improved hemodynamics, lipid profiles and cardiorespiratory fitness,” explained the public health study from Harvard. “Whereas resistance training may improve glucose metabolism, body composition and muscular strength.” Combining aerobic and resistance training also yields greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition, showed the data. “The lowest risk occurs with high levels of both.”

By all accounts, the “Worst Way” singer is in the midst of living his best life. The North American leg of his 2026 Cowboy As It Gets tour is in full swing, just months removed from a run of sold‑out shows in Australia. On the charts, his hot streak hasn’t cooled—“Change My Mind” hit No. 1 in June, he just dropped the video for his latest single “Think As I Drunk,” and Sept. 18 is already circled for the release of his next album, That’s Just Me.

And now the five-time ACM-Award winner’s reach has now expanded to the small screen, too, after wrapping his first major acting role on Taylor Sheridan’s Marshals. Add in a co‑hosting gig on ABC’s airing of CMA Fest and a fresh announcement as one of the coaches on the newest season of NBC’s The Voice, and Green’s calendar looks completely crammed.

While Green keeps racking up accolades at almost Swiftian levels, the former college quarterback–turned–multi‑platinum headliner has also managed to remain country music’s fitness gold standard. Stacking seven No. 1 songs and still flashing a year‑round six‑pack is far from accidental, for Green, it’s the result of a pretty simple and consistent pecking order of priorities he’s developed over the course of his still-blossoming career.

“I’d say fitness is a close second to what I put into writing songs,” the former Jacksonville State signal caller says. “When I wake up in the morning, there’s part of me that’s always thinking that I should be writing today. That’s always a constant feeling that I have. And I feel like getting in a workout of some sort—whether it’s first or second thing in the morning—is also something I’m thinking about trying to fit into my day somehow.”

Like anyone else with an overflowing schedule, there are bumps in the road when he tries to keep both pillars at peak levels—especially when part of the job means traveling cross‑country in a tour bus for a good portion of the year. There are athletic perks to the profession—it’s hard to say no to 18 holes at Sawgrass or taking BP with the Philadelphia Phillies. However with a full schedule comes certain stretches during the year when Green’s energy levels can sink deep into the red. He admits that sometimes it could be a struggle.

“I go through waves of extreme motivation where I’m like, ‘I’m out on the road, these next three weeks I’m going to get after it,’” he says. “And then there’ll be a little lull where my travel gets insane and I don’t get to get a workout in, and that might last for a couple of weeks, and then I gotta find a way to really get it.”

Green thinks he’s solved that issue. He’s replicated his massive home gym into a condensed traveling version that rolls with him cross‑country throughout his current tour. “Having a gym on site just makes it that much easier to go,” he says. “I feel like 90% of the battle for me is motivation. So if I’ve got something that’s here and it’s easy and convenient for me, I’m probably gonna work out.”

Efficiency and intensity are the goals of each workout, whether it’s his classic bro split or stadium runs when he can squeeze them in. And at 37, with a lifetime of physical wear and tear creeping in, Green has added more core work and stretching to his routine, much like his football‑playing days—and if there’s a problem, he still trusts himself to fix it.

“I’ve always kind of been the guy that, when something’s wrong with my body, I feel like I’m the one that can fix it,” he says.

Playing an Athlete Is Not an Act

If you’ve seen any of Riley Green’s appearances on The Pat McAfee Show, you know the 6’4″ former three‑sport high school athlete can still uncork a pretty tight deep ball. He’s also shown he’s got some heat left on his fastball and enough bounce to throw down a monster dunk on the basketball court.

Bottom line: Whenever there’s an opportunity to jump into something athletic, Green, like other former athletes turned artists, will gladly accept the challenge. Whether he’s beating out infield hits as a pinch hitter for the Savannah Bananas or launching souvenirs into the seats during big‑league batting practice, he keeps proving there’s still an athlete living inside the artist. 

“I haven’t grown out of that yet,” he admits. “I still like to go over there and hit balls in a major league stadium. That’s a cool thing they let me come do.”

So far, out of the six MLB ballparks Green has been invited to, he’s left three of them—Philadelphia, Toronto, and Cincinnati—with home runs. The bucket‑list goal, he says, is to swing in every stadium. “I’ve got 24 more to go,” he says.

As many fans know, hunting remains Green’s passion, but while turkey season is a few months out, he’ll sometimes sacrifice leg day for 18 holes. Whether it’s top‑level courses such as Sawgrass or off‑the‑beaten‑path tracks, golf still provides a solid workout. 

“I really like the ones where there’s just nobody there,” he says. “You can find a course in the middle of nowhere. They’re still pretty courses and challenging, but it’s just not real crowded.”

During the dog days, Green may even swap out legday for a solid round. “Now I’ll keep the clubs with me a bit, and it’s a little bit of a trade off, because if I go play 18 holes of golf in the summer heat, I tend to not be quite as motivated to work out,” he says. “So I’ll have to get up, work out in the morning, or swap it for golf, one of the two.”

When Old Injuries Attack, Green Created a Core Routine to Fight Back

You’d be hard‑pressed to spot any struggle in Riley Green’s rotational power when he’s swinging or throwing. But Green, who grew up firing passes in his Alabama backyard while wearing a Troy Aikman jersey, admits some of the old football damage still flares up—most notably the two shoulder separations from his playing days. “My right shoulder every once in a while will just kind of have a flare‑up and give me a little problem,” he says.

He’s also reminded every morning by fluid in his knees that sometimes needs draining. “It sounds like an old person when I get up—popping and cracking and all that,” he says. And post-football, he hasn’t forgotten the early grind of working hammer and nails in order to be able to play a six string at night. “When I did construction work, I was sore every day,” he adds. “There wasn’t a day that I woke up and something didn’t hurt on me, and that wasn’t injuries, that’s just, you know, from working.”

Now, at 37, it’s even the little things that set off big-time alarms. One example is sleeping on the wrong mattress has become an issue, especially after long stretches on the tour bus. “It took me a while to figure it out, but sleeping on a mattress that’s pretty soft would literally have me in the morning kind of walking a little slumped over, and it’d take me till about noon to really loosen up,” he says.

Those traces of lower‑back pain, he says, pushed him to revive a consistent ab routine—something he admits he’d neglected for most of his career. “I think I’ve always kind of skated by without doing a lot of core work, because I’ve always been fairly fit,” he adds.

Instead of investing in a trainer, Green put together his own quick and efficient ab workout that he leans on primarily on the road. He targets his lower abs in a 20‑minute core circuit built around hanging leg raises, weighted leg lifts, and flutter kicks, then finishes with bicycle crunches to take care of his obliques and upper abs. The results, he says, are already paying off.

“I can kind of do that in a little cycle and my abs are obliterated,” he says. “I think that’s something I’m trying to be a little more mindful of, just to kind of get rid of some of that back pain, to strengthen my core a little bit.”

His investment, however, remains the scaled-down version of the home gym he built following COVID. With his pace, time is tight—which is why a fully stocked traveling gym became non‑negotiable. Towed behind one of his buses, it’s outfitted with a Smith machine and all the tools he needs, and allows him to get the workout in as often as time allows. “I used to go try to go to a Planet Fitness every once in a while, that’s got pretty hard to do,” he says.

Once again, Green prioritizes the efficiency of quick and steady workouts as opposed to throwing on heavy weights and knocking out a 1RM. He relies on old workouts he put together himself.  “If I’m doing chest, I’m doing bench presses—flat bench, incline bench, and decline pushups—and I’m doing them all as quick as I can,” he says. “Then I’m going to another group of about three or four moves and mixing in flies with incline dumbbells and dips, and doing all three at the same time for three or four sets of eight to 10. It’s about 30 to 45 minutes and I’m kind of out.”

A new twist he’s been implementing more of this tour is an important throwback to his football roots: At 37, more stretching and real warmups have become more critical than ever. While the aesthetics are obvious, the former signal caller is now paying more attention to the finer details of training.

“When I was playing sports, we would spend 30 minutes getting loose and warming up before any kind of activity,” he says. “That’s kind of a crazy thing to think about, because we’re all so much older now than when we played.”

These days he’s making time to stretch before and after a workout, and sometimes before showtime, and Green says he’s feeling the difference. “Spending a little more time stretching before a workout and after is probably the biggest game changer for me.”

DIY Makes Room for Teamwork

In Green’s world, the connection between music and sports is simple: Put in the work and the results eventually show up. Just like with the workouts he designs for himself, he often takes a DIY approach to songwriting—and it’s paid off. 

With “Worst Way” and “Don’t Mind If I Do” topping the charts, Green became the first artist since Taylor Swift to land back‑to‑back solo‑written No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. It’s a rare songwriting feat, but for him it’s just the payoff for making writing a priority as often as possible. “

My mindset is, write as many songs as you can,” he says. “If you write 30 mediocre songs, you’re gonna write one good song for about every 30. And then sometimes some of those mediocre songs turn out to be better than you thought.”

That kind of consistency, he says, makes it easier to perform without a whole lot of pre-show jitters at this point in his career. “There’s not really much pressure playing a show anymore,” he admits. “I’ve done it so long now, it kind of comes pretty natural.” 

What does cause nerves is performing in front of the cameras. Acting wasn’t always on his radar, but watching other artists make the jump convinced him it was at least worth a shot. “I remember seeing Tim McGraw on 1883 and just thinking about how good he was,” Green says. “He wasn’t an actor his whole life. He was a touring artist like me. So the fact that he got that good at that craft kind of gave me a little hope that maybe it’s something I could do.”

The one time going it alone wasn’t an option was his role as ex–Navy SEAL Garrett Garvey in Marshals. Even for someone as self‑reliant as Green, not everything can be done solo—especially acting, in which he relied on actor and singer Luke Grimes to smoothen out a rough introduction to acting. 

“Acting probably made me more nervous than anything I’ve done in a while, just because it’s so new,” he says. “There’s so many people on a set that are there relying on me to do my job correctly before they can leave.” 

Adding acting as another layer to his already hectic schedule may be a challenge, but Green has consistently shown he’ll find a way to get the job done. And as long the trailer hauling his gym gear doesn’t run out of gas, it’s more than likely neither will he.

“As long as I’m working out fairly consistently, I’m going to be in decent shape,” he says. “I just gotta keep finding ways to do it with everything else going on.”

In hardcore dungeon gyms around the world, the biggest and baddest physiques on the planet were built doing basic compound movements: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, bent rows, pull-ups, overhead presses, curls, dips and a handful of other brutally effective exercises. The formula was simple: progressively challenge the body with heavier resistance and force it to adapt by building more muscle and more strength.

And all was right with the world.

Then somewhere along the way, the fitness industry discovered two things: personal trainers and soccer moms.

Now, before I get hate mail from trainers and suburban parents, hear me out. Once fitness became commercialized, trainers needed to separate themselves from every other trainer on the gym floor. Suddenly basic weight training wasn’t enough anymore. Everybody needed a “system,” a “method,” a “protocol,” or some revolutionary new way to make lifting weights look more complicated than simply lifting weights.

That’s when the circus started.

Bands. Balls. Pink dumbbells. Balance boards. Standing on one foot while twisting a kettlebell over your head and praying your chiropractor has an opening next Thursday.

And while some of this stuff certainly has its place, somewhere along the line we forgot the point: building muscle and strength has always responded best to progressively overloading basic movements safely and consistently over time.

So let’s simplify things.

DO go to the gym: The hardest part for most people is simply showing up. Don’t sit home saying you’ll start Monday. Monday turns into next Monday, and before you know it you’ve spent six months watching fitness videos while getting fatter.

DON’T walk into the gym blindly: Before you ever touch a weight, spend time learning proper exercise execution. Watch instructional videos, study movement patterns and familiarize yourself with basic exercises. Walking into a gym without knowing what you’re doing is like getting into the cockpit of an airplane because you watched Top Gun twice.

DO hire a trainer — temporarily: A good trainer can teach you how to move weight safely, establish proper mechanics and prevent injury. That said, you do not need to pay somebody indefinitely to stand there counting to ten while scrolling Instagram between sets.

DON’T train explosively: Contrary to popular belief, throwing weights around like you’re launching artillery shells is not a prerequisite for building muscle. Gradually applying force while maintaining control places tension directly where it belongs: the muscle. Spend thirty years violently jerking, bouncing and slamming heavy loads around and eventually your knees, shoulders and hips will send you the invoice.

DO control every rep: The weight should move because you moved it — not because momentum did half the work for you. Lift with control. Lower with control. No bouncing. No dropping. No pretending gravity is part of your training program.

DON’T chase your one-rep max your first week in the gym: Your ego has no business deciding how much weight goes on the bar. Build technique first. Strength comes later.

DO warm up properly: Get blood moving. Mobilize your joints. Prepare your body to work. A few minutes of preparation can save you months of rehab.

And finally…

DON’T overcomplicate this.

Fitness has become an industry built largely on convincing people that simple things need to be complicated. They don’t.

Building muscle has always been brutally simple: challenge the body, recover properly, repeat consistently. That formula built every great physique you’ve ever admired. Not pink dumbbells. Not balancing on a ball. And definitely not some 22-year-old trainer charging you a hundred bucks an hour to count your reps.

Pick up heavy thing.

Put heavy thing down.

Repeat.

That worked a hundred years ago.

It still works now.

Jordan Hutchinson punched his ticket to the 2026 Mr. Olympia final by topping the Open division at the IFBB Mr. Big Evolution Pro on July 6, closely followed by James Hollingshead in second place, and Sarcev’s former client Lorenzo Leeuwe in third. Since retiring, the former Mr. Yugoslavia and Mr. Universe has carved out a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable tutors on the competitive bodybuilding circuit. So, during the show, Dennis James wanted to find out who was top of the class. “If you had to choose one person, Milos, throughout your whole career … not only coaching but also helping, who was the most coachable guy you ever worked with?

 Milos Sarcev says Hidetada Yamagishi was His Best Student

“I gotta give it to Hide (Hidetada Yamagishi),” revealed Sarcev of his most suggestible student. The legendary bodybuilder, who was the first Japanese competitor to enter the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic events, has had a long and successful career spanning almost 20 years on stage. As recently as 2023, he won the Masters Olympia in the 212 category. “Never complained,” reflected The Mind on his dynamic with Yamagishi. “Executed everything, you know? Twice (a day), six days a week.”

Sarcev explained previously that he was impressed by Yamagishi’s potential after seeing him at the 2006 Ironman Pro and invited him to come and train with him shortly after the show. “Hide wasn’t planning to train,” said The Mind about that first meeting. “I took one of my Koloseum (gym) shirts, gave it to him and told him, let’s go. Straight into crazy leg training. Of course, with squats, super slow drop set hack squats and of course, a few giant sets!”

These bodybuilders went on to establish one of the industry’s most successful partnerships, which serves as an important reminder that Milos Sarcev could work the same magic for 2026 Mr. Olympia contender, Hadi Choopan, as their newly formed partnership blooms.

To see the full episode of The Menace Podcast on the Muscle & Fitness YouTube channel, where the crew also dissected the latest bodybuilding new, see below.

“I guess there is a lot of military in my family,” Gick said. Someone else he cited as inspiration to join was then roommate Joseph Shamy, who had his own career in the Air Force. He initially connected with Gick while they both attended Texas Tech University, both as members of the school’s Air Force ROTC.

Shamy currently serves as the JROTC Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas. Shamy recalled the first time he and Gick met.

“Tim and I connected at Texas Tech, and we were roommates, and he saw me training for ROTC, which ultimately led me into going into the Air Force.”

Both men went on to serve their respective careers. Gick’s time in service to date has included Officer Candidate School in 2007, through multiple tours in Afghanistan and the Republic of Georgia, to leadership roles in intelligence and reconnaissance. Aside from his direct service, he’s also volunteered for groups such as Toys for Tots. In 2022, he was working in San Francisco, CA with Toys for Tots packing gifts and filling orders when he noticed two things that he didn’t like; all the toys were made outside the United States, and they had no meaning behind them.

“I told myself, ‘I can make my own toy made here in the United States that provides a pathway to purpose and service.’”

What is Mission Match?

The result of that vision is “Mission Match!,” a military-themed game that both teaches kids about the military and encourages them to exercise. The ultimate goals are to promote activity, inspire teamwork, and show the benefits that can come with military service. The decks feature a variety of characters such as Muscle Monkey and Cosmo Cat that are inspired by the branches of service and include various exercises that the players are to perform such as leg raises, jumping jacks, pushups, and squats. Players are to match cards and perform the exercises if they pick up a pair of action cards. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

How Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Gick Brought His Idea to Life

Gick reached out to Shamy to help make this vision a reality. Shamy saw firsthand how bad a game like this was needed. At the time, the world at large was still affected by the COVID pandemic, and students weren’t able to be as active as kids in his generation were. There was also a lack of desire to serve in the military that both men felt needed to be addressed. Gick credited Shamy with the idea of adding a physical fitness component, and they both believed this game could potentially solve both of those issues.

“I saw that there was a deficiency in at least the kids that wanted to go into the military in their physical fitness. And when we were making the game, integrating fitness was something we wanted to do because it makes the game more different than just a normal card game.”

The game is designed for younger children, but as Shamy confirmed, it has even been a hit with his high school students.

“The reactions are positive,” he said. He even confirmed that one of his students has taken fitness more seriously and has seen a big change as a result.

“He actually lost about 40 pounds.”

Aside from the exercises, there are also cards that can be scanned that lead to pages for each branch of service to educate kids about that service. Gick explained that scanning these cards could lead to more interest in the various branches or at least the military as a whole.

“Based upon your age when you click through, like on the Marine Corps with Gunny Gus, it’ll take you to Young Marines or JROTC or the Marine Corps directly depending on how old you are. So that’s the idea of the game.”

The Mission Match Movement is Underway

“Not a Very Good Teacher” is one of six companies that Gick has founded, and Mission Match! is a part of that brand. Shamy is a part of the company as well, and their plan is to get the game in as many hands as possible while also inspiring Generation Alpha to be more active and consider service when they grow up.

One way that Gick is doing that is through the Pathfinder Games, which is described as “hands-on, real-world events where kids step out from behind screens and step into purpose.” One event was held at the Pentagon as part of Bring Your Child to Work Day, and Gick reported on the success of that event as well as others that have connected kids with service members. With more events scheduled in the future, the room for growth appears to be very significant.

“This provides that pathway to purpose so that they can meet these organizations they wouldn’t have otherwise. That’s the whole point of Pathfinder Games.”

Whether families discover it through the Pathfinder Games or through word of mouth, Shamy hopes that parents will see the benefit of having this unique game on their shelves and ready to play with their children because of how it can help them be better prepared when they grow up.

“It’s definitely about making sure that you’ve ingrained those lifestyle habits into your kids today because the decisions they make today definitely affect them tomorrow.”

To be a part of “Mission Match!” and support their efforts, join their Kickstarter. You can also learn more and pre-order by going to their website.

M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this Fit to Serve article.

But many lifters leave plenty of gains on the pull-up bar.

Instead, they rely on their arms instead of building the full-body tension needed for better reps.

Here’s what they’re missing: The first rep starts before your elbows bend, at the moment your hands grip the bar.

Better reps begin with a better setup.

The active hang, packed shoulders, a braced core, engaged glutes, and a body that’s working as one. Skip any of those details, and you’ll leak energy, lose strength, and make every rep harder.

The grips may differ, but the setup stays almost identical. This checklist highlights what both exercises require. Get the setup right, and you’ll be ready to build serious back and biceps strength.

Let’s dive in.

How to Set Up for Stronger Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups

Although it takes a moment to set up, many lifters skip it to get to the good stuff sooner. Don’t do that. Instead, follow this setup to get every ounce you can from back.

Step 1: Choose Your Grip

Before gripping, decide on your variation. Although the setup for pull-ups and chin-ups is similar, your grip changes how your shoulders, elbows, and muscles work.

Pull-Up: Use a pronated (overhand) grip with your hands about shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.

Chin-Up: Use a supinated (underhand) grip with hands shoulder-width apart.

Internal cue: Grip the bar with intent

External cue: Leave your fingerprints on the bar.

Coach’s Tip: Before starting and after gripping, squeeze the bar as hard as you can for two seconds. Doing so prepares your body for what’s next.

Step 2: Grip Width and Hand Position

Some assume a wider grip is always better. While a wider grip can increase the challenge and shift the emphasis to different muscles, it also reduces your range of motion and places your shoulders in a compromised position. A shoulder-width grip or slightly wider works well for most lifters.

• Position your hands approximately shoulder-width apart or just outside shoulder width.
• Wrap your thumbs around the bar. Using a full grip is a matter of personal preference; some lifters prefer a false grip. It’s not a dealbreaker.
• Place the bar deep in your palms.
• Rotate your hands so your knuckles point toward the ceiling. This helps maintain a neutral wrist position and allows you to generate more tension where you need it.

Internal cue: Crush the bar.

External cue: Knuckles to the ceiling.

Coach’s Tip: Knuckles to the ceiling feels awkward at first, but hang in there.

Step 3: Create Tension Through Your Hands

Because your hands are the only connection, the more tension you create there, the more stable you become. Rooting through your hands means applying deliberate tension, which helps create a stronger pull.

• Continue squeezing the bar hard with your knuckles facing the ceiling.
• Create outward tension by imagining you’re trying to pull the ends of the bar apart.
• Feel that tension travel from your hands into your forearms, lats, and upper back.

Internal cue: Own the bar.

External cue: Pull the bar apart.

Coach’s Tip: If you wish, you can perform the first three steps from an elevated surface before getting into an active hang.

Step 4: Active Hang

While a dead hang is an excellent position to begin each rep, it’s not the position you pull from. Instead, get into an active hang by putting your shoulder blades into your back pocket. This subtle movement—called scapular depression—preloads your lats and improves your shoulder position.

• Begin in a dead hang position
• Without bending your elbows, pull your shoulder blades down and back
• Think about moving your shoulders away from your ears
• You should feel your chest rise and your body become tighter

Internal cue: Pack the shoulders.

External cue: Pull your shoulders away from your ears.

Coach’s Tip: Practice scapular pull-ups—raising and lowering your body a few inches using only your shoulder blades. Once you get this down, your pull-ups and chin-ups will feel smoother.

Step 5: Core and Glute Tension

It’s time to eliminate the energy leaks by creating tension through your torso and lower body. Think of your body as a single rigid lever. The tighter that lever is, the better you can transfer force. Creating this full-body tension also minimizes swinging and allows your lats to generate more pulling power

• Take a deep 360-degree diaphragmatic breath
• Brace your core as if preparing to take a punch
• Squeeze your glutes to bring the hips into a neutral position
• Keep your ribs stacked over your hips

Internal cue: Brace hard. Squeeze the glutes.

External cue: Make your body a plank.

Coach’s Tip: If your legs start to swing as you pull, that’s usually a sign you lost your brace.

Step  6: Head and Neck Alignment

Your head position may seem like a minor detail, but it can affect your form. Looking too far up encourages rib flare and your lower back to arch. Looking down rounds your upper back and shortens your range of motion. The goal is simple: let your neck follow the rest of your spine.

• Focus your eyes on a point straight ahead or slightly above eye level.
• Avoid craning your neck to “reach” your chin over the bar.
• Let your chest—not your chin—lead the movement.

Internal cue: Long neck, neutral spine.

External cue: Keep your chin packed.

Coach’s Tip: There’s a tendency to lead with your chin and not your chest. Instead, keep your gaze steady and think about driving your elbows toward your ribs.

Step  7: The Green Light Checklist

Before the first rep, take a final pause and run through this checklist. It takes just a second, but it ensures every rep starts from a position of strength.

• Grip chosen: overhand or underhand.
• Hands positioned:  shoulder-width with knuckles pointing toward the ceiling
• Grip tight: creating tension through the hands
• Shoulders packed: active hang activated.
• Core braced: ribs stacked over hips
• Glutes engaged: body like a front plank
• Head neutral: eyes forward, chin packed

Once you’ve checked every box, you’re ready to pull.

Common Pull-Up Mistakes That Limit Strength Gains

Pull-ups and chin-ups are hard, and there’s a tendency to take shortcuts. Here are the shortcuts you shouldn’t take.

Initiating With Your Arms

If the first movement is bending your elbows instead of establishing your active hang, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Doing so shifts the workload from the lats’ big muscles to the biceps.

The Fix: Start every rep by establishing an active hang. Depress your shoulder blades first, then drive your elbows toward your ribs on the ascent.

Losing Full-Body Tension

Failing to brace your glutes and core before you pull causes your body to swing, your ribs to flare, and valuable energy to leak away from your back and biceps.

The Fix: Brace your core and squeeze your glutes before every rep. Think about making your body as stiff as an ironing board.

Reaching With Your Chin

Instead of pulling your chest toward the bar, you crane your neck to sneak your chin over it, placing unnecessary stress on the neck.

The Fix: Keep your neck neutral and let your chest rise as your elbows drive down. Your chin will clear the bar as a result of good form, not because you put it there.

Using Momentum Instead of Muscle

Swinging your legs or using body English to start each rep turns a strict rep into a different exercise.

The Fix: Establish your active hang, rebuild full-body tension, and begin each rep from a dead stop.

The Best Way to Build a Wider Back With Pull-Ups

The pull-up and chin-up are more than tests of upper-body strength—they’re tests of control. Lifters who create the most tension before the first rep even begins are the ones who build bigger wings.

Master the setup, and the lat spread will happen.

But there is one problem.

For some, lunges become less about building strength and more about avoiding a face-plant. Instead of feeling their quads and glutes, they’re losing their balance or cutting the set short because they’re frustrated.

However, for most exercise problems, there is a solution.

Balance is a skill that you can develop, and stability is a trainable quality. Sometimes, all it takes is cleaning up a few technique flaws. Other times, it’s best to temporarily swap lunges for exercises that build strength, coordination, and confidence.

Let’s look at the most common reasons lunges feel funky, how to fix them, and five single-leg exercises to help you build strong legs without the wobble.

Why Do Lunges Feel So Unstable?

Balance isn’t the only issue regarding lunges. If lunges feel shaky rather than stable, one or more of these issues may be to blame.

Weak Hip Stability

Strong hip stabilizers—particularly the gluteus medius—keep your pelvis level and your knee tracking properly. When these muscles are weak, your hips sway and your knee caves in. A weak gluteus maximus forces the quads and smaller stabilizers to compensate, which makes every rep feel harder than it should.

Poor Foot Stability

It all starts from the ground up.

When your foot rolls excessively inward or the weight shifts onto the toes, instability travels further up the chain. Without a stable base, it’s difficult to generate force or maintain proper alignment through the ankle, knee, and hip.

Poor Coordination

Lunges require strength and balance, but they also demand timing. Lowering under control, maintaining balance, and driving back up must all happen in sequence. If your coordination is lacking, the movement feels off, making it difficult to progress with heavier loads.

How to Improve Balance for Better Lunges

Where there are problems there should always be solutions. And for the issues previously mentioned, here are five ways to become steadier on your feet.

Improve Your Single-Leg Balance

If you can’t balance on one leg for 20 to 30 seconds, lunges will feel unstable.

Solution: Practice single-leg balance drills before your workout. Stand barefoot if possible, keep your knees soft, and keep your hips level. Once this becomes easy, add head turns, reaches, or light dumbbells to increase the challenge.

Strengthen Your Hip Stabilizers

Weak glute medius muscles allow the pelvis to sway and the knee to cave.

Solution: Perform lateral band walks, standing hip abductions, and side planks with hip clamshell in your warmup or accessory work.

Build a Stronger Foot

A foot unable to stay planted causes problems upstream.

Solution: Practice maintaining a tripod foot by keeping pressure through your big toe, little toe, and heel. Barefoot balance drills and slow calf raises help improve foot strength and stability.

Slow It Down

Moving too quickly often hides weaknesses in balance and coordination.

Solution: Perform bodyweight lunge variations, lower for three seconds, pause at the bottom, and rise slowly. A slower tempo improves body awareness and strengthens your hip stabilizers.

What to Look For In a Good Lunge Alternative

If lunges feel more like a balancing act than a strength exercise, even after the solutions above, here’s what to look for in an alternative.

Single-Leg Strength: Lunges train one leg at a time, exposing side-to-side strength differences that bilateral exercises often hide. An alternative should continue to do that.

Improved Stability: The best alternatives reduce balance demands without eliminating them. Reducing balance demands lets you focus on form rather than spending every rep trying to stay upright.

Glute and Quad Activation: Your glutes stabilize and extend the hips while your quads extend the knee. An alternative should do one or the other or both.

Carryover to Better Lunges: The best alternatives reinforce the movement patterns, stability, and strength that lunges need when you eventually return to them.

5 Best Lunge Alternatives for Stronger Legs

The following exercises serve a few purposes. Yes, they will improve single-leg strength and your balance through training in other planes of motion. Let’s get into it.

Controlled Step-Down

Solves: Poor balance

If you cannot control your eccentric contraction, it pays to spend more time there than less. The controlled step-down achieves this by stripping away the stepping forward or backward and focusing on what matters: owning your bodyweight on one leg.

Why it works:

• Improves single-leg balance and awareness
• Strengthens the quads and glutes
• Reinforces proper knee tracking

Form Tip: Lower with control until your heel touches the floor, then drive through the entire foot to return to the starting position.

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps per leg with a 3-second lowering

Mini Band Side Plank Clamshell

Solves: Weak hip stability

This hip and core exercise combines a side plank with a clamshell to strengthen the glute medius, the muscle responsible for keeping your pelvis level and your knee tracking properly. At the same time, it doesn’t look like a lunge, but stronger hip stabilizers can make an immediate Impact on the stability of your lunges.

Why it works:

• Builds glute medius strength and pelvic stability
• Improves knee alignment
• Strengthens frontal-plane stability

Form Tip: Keep your hips lifted throughout the set and rotate only from the top hip.

Sets & Reps: 2 sets of 10–15 reps per side

Front-Foot Elevated Split Squat

Solves: Foot stability

A stable foot is the foundation of every single-leg exercise. Elevating the front foot increases the range of motion and requires you to maintain better force through your entire foot from start to finish. This combination improves balance and builds strength in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

Why it works:

• Reinforces a strong tripod foot throughout the movement
• Improves lower-body stability and mobility simultaneously
• Builds single-leg strength with less balance demand than lunges

Form Tip: Keep your weight centered over your front foot, maintaining pressure through your big toe, little toe, and heel throughout each rep.

Sets & Reps: 3 sets of 12 reps per side

Cossack Squat

Solves: Poor coordination

Lunges require your body to coordinate movement through multiple joints and planes of motion. The Cossack squat develops that coordination by teaching you to shift your weight from side to side while maintaining control through your hips, knees, and ankles. It also improves hip mobility by strengthening and mobilizing the adductors.

Why it works:

• Improves coordination through multiple planes of motion
• Builds lateral strength and hip mobility
• Enhances weight transfer between legs

Form Tip: Push back into the working hip while keeping the opposite leg straight. Stay tall through your chest, take your time, and explore your usable range of motion.

Sets & Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side

B-Stance Goblet Squat

Solves: Improves balance, stability, and coordination required for good lunge form.

Think of the B-stance goblet squat as the bridge between bilateral squats and lunges. The staggered stance places most of the work on the front leg, while the rear foot provides enough support to keep you from wobbling. It develops the qualities lunges demand—single-leg strength, balance, hip control, and coordination.

Why it works:

• Develops unilateral strength without the full balance demands of lunges
• Reduces strength imbalances, which are a cause of balance issues.
• Serves as an ideal progression back to lunges

Form Tip: Feel most of your weight through your front leg and let the rear foot act only as a kickstand for balance.

Sets & Reps: 3 sets of 8–12 reps per side

How to Fix Wobbly Lunges Fast

Lunges are a great lower-body exercise, but only if you can stay upright and perform them with good form. If every rep feels like a balancing act, you’re spending more energy trying not to fall over than building stronger legs.

The solution isn’t to give up on lunges. It’s to develop the qualities that make them effective in the first place. That’s where the above five exercises shine. Because the goal isn’t to avoid lunges forever—it’s to return to them better than ever and ready to go.

Then you’ll enjoy the special soreness that only lunges provide.