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Should You Take a Rest Day or Push Through? The Truth About Training When You’re Fatigued

August 19, 2026

Today is squat day. But there’s a problem. You tossed and turned all night. Your legs feel heavy, and every stair to the 3rd-floor gym already feels like a workout. The program says squats, and you’re disciplined, dammit. So, stop complaining and get to work. But should you? That brings us to the myth we’ve all encountered probably once a week in our fitness journeys: A scheduled workout must happen as scheduled, regardless of fatigue. Strength coach and multiple-time world-record powerlifter Matt Wenning has spent decades competing and coaching, and his experience has taught him something many stubborn lifters learn the hard way: “More is not always better,” he says. “Better is better.” Strength coach Gareth Sapstead takes a similar approach through autoregulation: “My opinion is that autoregulation works better than automatically scheduling a rest day every X number of weeks.” But both coaches agree that feeling tired doesn’t mean you need a rest day. It’s about learning to ...

How To Lose Body Fat Without Losing Muscle

August 19, 2026

Losing weight is relatively simple: consistently consume fewer calories than your body expends. Losing primarily body fat while preserving hard-earned muscle, however, requires a more strategic approach. When calories are restricted, the body does not automatically select only stored fat to meet its energy needs. Depending on how you diet and train, some of the weight you lose may come from muscle tissue. The goal, therefore, is not simply to make the number on the scale decrease. It is to create an environment that encourages the body to use stored fat while giving it compelling reasons, and the nutritional resources, to retain muscle. The most important tools for accomplishing this are a well-designed resistance-training program, sufficient protein, a moderate calorie deficit, properly managed cardiovascular exercise, and consistent daily movement. Continue Training for Muscle Growth One of the biggest mistakes people make during a fat-loss phase is changing from a structured hyper...

Is Regan Grimes Putting Social Media Before Bodybuilding? The Menace Podcast Breaks Down Atlanta Pro

August 18, 2026

On Episode 298 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier, and the panel took a deep dive into the results of the recent Atlanta Pro Olympia qualifier, where James Holingshead punched his ticket to Las Vegas, knocking Regan Grimes into runner-up status. During the show, the gang agreed that Regan Grimes had a lot of work do if he wants to complete with the best of the best, noting that he may be putting his social media content ahead of competitive bodybuilding. “Let’s give credit where credit is due,” said Milos Sarcev of the 2026 Atlanta Pro result.“This is the best James (Hollinghead) has ever looked, in his history,” he added. Dennis James and Chris Cormier disagreed however, feeling that the big Brit was more detailed during his previous appearance on stage, in China. Still, all three did agree that Hollinghead had the best package in Atlanta. “I thought his legs helped him win,” suggested Cormier. “That’s what stood out to me the most,...

Cade Cunningham Shares His Training Plan for Making This His Healthiest NBA Season Yet

August 18, 2026

Recovery is looking a little differently for Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham this off-season. After overcoming a collapsed lung in the 2025-2026 season, Cunningham is excited to be experimenting with his body a little differently so he’s able to perform at his best for the upcoming NBA season. “ Electrolytes is something I’m excited about ,” the 24-year-old tells Muscle & Fitness exclusively while discussing his sports performance campaign with Thorne. “Having that in the water, being able to go with that. I’ve been trying all these different electrolyte drinks.” While adding a little flavor and minerals to his water has helped on the court, he’s also been focusing on his body’s healing during rest, too. “Electrolytes is the number one thing I’m looking to add more of, but the magnesium is probably my most used out of everything,” Cunningham adds. “The magnesium help my sleep a lot, especially during the season to wind down after games and get sleep. It’s toug...

Phil Heath and Kai Greene Reunite on 2026 Olympia Prep Show: Elite Mindsets & Rivalry Lessons

August 17, 2026

With only six weeks to go before the best bodybuilders in the business take to the biggest stage of them all in Las Vegas, “The Olympia Prep Show,” part one, provided an essential insight into what it takes to strive for the coveted Sandow trophy. In the show, distributed as a live stream via Instagram, host Frank Sepe was joined by seven-time Mr. Olympia winner Phil Heath and three-time Arnold Classic winner, Kai Greene, and while these two warriors were once fierce rivals on the stage , the legendary duo have no beef with each other these days. In fact, they were only too happy to talk about the competitive mindset required to become a master of muscle. Before part one of the Olympia Prep Show got underway, host Frank Sepe explained that his DM’s were exploding with flex fans wanting to know if Phil Heath and Kai Greene could co-exist during the popular live stream. “People are like, are they gonna fight?” explained Sepe of the tone of his DMs. “Why would we?” asked Heath, “I mean,...

M&F Writer Shares his 2026 American Pro Experience

August 17, 2026

When you are standing backstage at a prestigious powerlifting meet like Powerlifting United’s American Pro meet in the Henrico Sports and Events Center, smelling the sting of ammonia and hearing the low-frequency thud of loaded barbells hitting rubber flooring, you begin to understand a fundamental truth about strength sports: months of preparation ultimately come down to your ability to execute when all eyes are on you. On August 7 and 8, the author of this article went from covering one of the biggest powerlifting events of the year to becoming part of it. Day 1 required the singlet. Day 2 called for the media credentials. The event recap can be found here , but this is the story from the other side of the platform. The purpose of this was to know, with absolute certainty, that Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Arena” warning didn’t apply. Being the man who was actually in the arena struggling and whose face was actually marred by dust, sweat, and blood instead of the cold c...

How Much Protein Do You ACTUALLY Need to Build Muscle?

August 14, 2026

Perhaps the most debated, not to mention maligned, topic in the fitness world is how much protein we need. And if you’ve done any investigating at all into the topic, you will no doubt have bumped into this calculation: 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. (If you’re a bodybuilder, that means at least two.) Like so much of bodybuilding folklore, the recommendation has been repeated so many times that it’s become accepted as fact. The problem is, nobody ever asks, “How do we know?” Specifically, no one knows. Is the ‘1 Gram of Protein Per Pound’ Rule Science or Myth? The original one gram per pound rule wasn’t born from a landmark scientific study. It evolved from decades of bodybuilding experience, trial and error, magazine articles, coaches’ recommendations, and a healthy dose of “more must be better” broscience. It’s basically just a simple rule of thumb, not a biological law. Total Body Weight vs. Lean Mass: Why Most Lifters Overeat Protein The problem most peop...

No Time to Train? How 15-Minute Micro Workouts Build Muscle and Strength

August 14, 2026

Some days, a full workout fits. Other days, you look at the clock, realize you’ve got 15 minutes, and start talking yourself into skipping the whole thing. Micro workouts give you a way to make that window count. A focused 10- to 20-minute session can provide enough training stimulus to move the needle when time is tight. You might train a major lift, push one muscle group hard, or knock out a conditioning session without filling the time with random exercises. Keeping the session narrow also makes it easier to stay consistent during a crowded week. Give the workout one clear goal, then use the available time to accumulate enough quality work to support it. The workouts ahead follow that approach across strength, hypertrophy, and HIIT, with two options for each. They’re built for days when your schedule is packed, and you still want to get something worthwhile done. What Is a Micro Workout and Does It Actually Work? A micro workout is a short, focused training session that usually...

Bent-Over Rows Bother Your Lower Back? 5 Back-Building Moves That Still Do The Trick

August 13, 2026

The barbell bent-over row is the row with the most bang for the buck because it trains the lats, upper back, rear delts, biceps, grip, and the lower back. For building a thicker, stronger back, nothing beats it. But there is one little thing… Holding the hinge position in the bent-over row requires lower-back muscular endurance. For some, the lower back waves the white flag long before the lats do, and it becomes less of a back builder and more of a test of lower-back endurance. Lower back fatigue doesn’t make the bent-over row a bad exercise, nor does it mean something is wrong. But if the lower back becomes the weakest link, it ends your set early, limits the load, and gains go bye-bye. If that’s a problem, here comes the solution. The solution may be better form, reduced loading, or adjusting where you place rows in your workout. Before ditching it, let’s figure out why your lower back is tapping out first—and what you can do about it. If it is still an issue, the 5 back-build...