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Hypertrophy Cluster Sets: How Intra-Set Rests Maximize Muscle Growth & Bar Speed

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Compound lifts can add a lot of muscle-building volume to a program, but they also get expensive as fatigue builds. A set of squats or bench presses can start crisp and powerful, then slow down considerably once the reps pile up. Technique often starts changing right along with that drop in speed. Hypertrophy cluster sets give you another way to organize that work. Short rest periods inside the set let you chip away at a larger rep target while giving force production and bar speed a chance to recover between clusters. You still accumulate the volume needed to support muscle growth, but more of those reps can look like the ones you actually want to train. That makes clusters especially interesting on compound movements. Research has consistently shown that cluster-style set configurations can reduce velocity and power loss compared with traditional straight sets. At the same time, longer-term studies suggest they can produce similar hypertrophy when overall training is matched. The...
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Raul Flores Breaks Hafþór Björnsson’s Deadlift World Record with 1,226.5-Pound Pull

Mexican strongman Raul Flores recently set a decisive new deadlift world record, smashing the previous benchmark owned by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson by more than two pounds. Following the feat, the 26-year-old took to social media to share the heart-warming motivation that helped him become the master of the barbell. In an emotional Instagram post, following Flores’ history-making moment during the Sept. 5, 2026, Giants Live World Deadlift Championships in Birmingham, England, Flores wanted to pay tribute to man’s best friend, dedicating the deadlift to a much-missed pet. “Today I didn’t just fulfill a dream. I fulfilled a promise today,” explained Flores in his emotional post. “Years ago, when my puppy Tayzon left, I promised him that one day his name would be known all over the world … Today, on the Giants Live Strongman stage, while lifting the 511kg that officially made me the world’s strongest man in deadweight, I understood that I wasn’t just lifting a bar. I was lifting a promis...
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2026 Extreme Eating Championships Return to Olympia World Fitness Expo in Las Vegas

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The Olympia World Fitness Expo is known for introducing different sports and events to its fans and spectators. That reputation is why more groups and organizations are reaching out to the Olympia than ever before wanting to be a part of the action in the Las Vegas Convention Center. One such event that went viral in 2025 and is returning for the 2026 weekend on September 25th and 26th is the Extreme Eating Championships (EEC). Led by professional eater and IFBB Pro Bartley Weaver IV, last year’s event was deemed a big success. Not only thanks to the competitors and fans watching, but also because they raised over $1,000 for No Kid Hungry, a charity that works to end childhood hunger. “This is just the start,” they wrote in part on Instagram. Weaver and his team are true to their word and will host the 2026 Olympia Extreme Eating Championships as well. Extreme Eating Championships. Everything you Need to Know About the 2026 Extreme Eating Championships (EEC) This year’s EEC will f...
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2026 Mexico Supershow: Guadalajara Host Latin America’s Premier IFBB Pro Qualifier

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The Mexico Supershow returned to Guadalajara this July and once again delivered the kind of high-level bodybuilding weekend that has made it one of Latin America’s premier events. For years, the Supershow has been a major fixture in the region, drawing top amateur competitors, IFBB Professional League athletes, Olympia-caliber talent, fitness personalities, coaches, sponsors and fans from throughout Mexico and beyond. The 2026 edition, held July 18 and 19, continued that tradition with a deep competitive field, polished production and the energy that has become synonymous with the event. For athletes chasing professional status, Guadalajara remains one of the most important stages in Latin America. For fans, it offers the chance to see some of the region’s best talent in a setting that feels every bit like a major international bodybuilding weekend. That reputation has been earned over time. The Mexico Supershow has consistently attracted athletes who have gone on to win professio...
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How Bodybuilding Became a Blueprint for Global Diplomacy

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When the Olympia emcee announces the competitors taking the stage, he announces their home country, followed by their name. This small gesture is more than a formality, it serves as a reminder to everyone watching or involved with the show that the Olympia is not an ordinary competition, it’s an event that impacts, connects and inspires many nations throughout the world. Where else can you see athletes from rival nations stand side-by-side as they will on the Olympia stage? The Mr. Olympia (Men’s Open division) will feature competitors from 11 different nations, and the list grows when you add the other 11 professional divisions and the Amateur Olympia, all of which will take place during Olympia week in Las Vegas. The Olympia is more than a world championship event. As a celebration of community, sport, and spirit, it serves as an example of diplomacy, camaraderie, and peace that other industries and leaders should follow. That’s not hyperbole, either. As a matter of fact, Olympia h...
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Olympia Is Flexing Again as the Dragon’s Lair Takes Over Greene Street

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Las Vegas has never been short on places to see and be seen. This September, Dragon’s Lair Gym is bringing the Home of Champions to Palms Casino Resort for the 2026 Olympia Weekend , and this year, the experience is unlike anything the Lair has built before.  From September 23–26, the Dragon’s Lair Olympia Pop-Up Gym Presented by GNC will take over Greene St. and extend onto the adjoining Palms pool deck, transforming one of Vegas’ most distinctive venues into a fully functioning training destination. And calling it a “pop-up gym” almost doesn’t do it justice. Dragon Lair This is the Lair, Reimagined Greene St.’s urban-inspired interior will be completely transformed. Guests will weave through a series of rooms, each specially curated for the optimal lifting experience, before the Lair spills outside onto the Palms pool deck. Different spaces. Different energy. One continuous training environment built around the energy of Olympia Weekend and the culture of Dragon’s Lair. “Ev...
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The Chaos Suitcase Carry: Build Both Powerful Grip Strength and Core Stability

Pick up a couple of heavy dumbbells and go for a walk. Nice, simple, predictable, but not that easy. The Chaos Suitcase Carry changes the predictable part in a hurry. When you suspend a kettlebell or weight plate with a looped resistance band, every step makes the load bounce, sway, and tug, requiring the body to adjust on the fly. That instability recruits more of the body’s stabilizer muscles and challenges control, proprioception, and core strength. Let’s not forget why you do carries. Gripping a resistance band with a bouncing weight will test your grip strength like never before. If you’re ready for a challenge, adding some chaos could be exactly what you’re looking for. Here, I will dive into What the Chaos Suitcase Carry is How to do it How to know you’re doing it right Muscles trained Benefits Common form mistakes Programming suggestions Let’s get started. What Is the Chaos Suitcase Carry Exercise? The Chaos Suitcase Carry is a unilateral loaded carry in which ...
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40 Years of the East Coast Mecca: Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym Celebrates a Legacy

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After 40 years, countless champions and a generation of athletes who keep coming back, Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym has built a legacy that has helped shape modern bodybuilding. The Long Island gym recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gathering worthy of its reputation as the legendary East Coast Mecca, bringing together an iconic collection of Mr. Olympia and Ms. Olympia champions past and present, top professional competitors, bodybuilding leaders, along with athletes from other sports and longtime friends. The event turned into a massive reunion of bodybuilding history, fitting for an institution that has helped build some of the most massive physiques in the sport of bodybuilding. And as the iconic gym celebrated its first four decades, the get-together also set the stage for the next chapter: the upcoming release of IRON LEGACY: The Incredible Journey of Steve Weinberger , arriving in September, chronicling the creation of the East Coast Mecca from Day 1 to today. Be...
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The Winter Arc Guide: How to Prep in Fall to Build Maximum Muscle by Spring

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Your winter arc is your best shot at real size before spring. The concept lines up with how bulking season has always worked: train hard, eat enough to grow, and let the colder months do the heavy lifting on your physique. But most guys waste the first few weeks of their arc still figuring out the plan instead of executing it. That’s where fall comes in. Fall gives you the runway to get that plan right before volume starts climbing. Look back at what worked during your last gaining phase, figure out where you want the biggest jump, and set a few clear targets now. Maybe that’s bringing up a lagging muscle group, building a stronger base under a major lift, resetting from a nagging injury , or adding lean mass at a more controlled pace than your last go-around. If size is the priority, gradually build the volume your body can recover from and eat the right amount to match it, not just more food. If strength is part of the equation, your program needs room to push the lifts you care ab...
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Joe DeFranco’s 30-Minute Push-Pull Dumbbell Workout for Full-Body Strength

While many people are using the last of the sizzling summer heat as an excuse to stay on the sun lounger a little longer, the popular strength and conditioning coach, Joe DeFranco is creating his own heatwaves in the gym. DeFranco is the man behind the magazine cover worthy physiques of NFL, UFC, and WWE Superstars. And if you’ve got the stamina, he  can provide the key to your own success, but be sure to hydrate! “30 Minutes of PPL Hell!” exclaimed the motivated master of physical transformations, while sharing his punishing push-pull circuit for more than 220,000 followers on Instagram .  If you’re pressed for time and want to torch some calories via some quality resistance training , this one is for you. What Is Joe DeFranco’s 30-Minute ‘Push-Pull Hell’ Workout? One Arm Dumbbell Row — 6 reps per arm Dumbbell Goblet Squats — 6 reps Shoulder Touch Pushups — 6 reps per arm Repeat for 30 minutes, think positive, and trust in the process! View this post on Instag...
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