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The 2026 fitness calendar is already underway, and fans are already marking dates for the big events. There is the Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas for bodybuilding fans, and strongman supporters always look forward to the World’s Strongest Man. If you pay attention to powerlifting, then Aug. 7-8 should be reserved as well because that is when the Henrico Sports and Events Center in Richmond, VA will host the 2026 American Pro meet. This event, sanctioned by Powerlifting United, has only been around for a few years, but it already has the reputation for being an event where history will be made and world records will fall. “The American Pro represents the highest level of competitive powerlifting and one of the premier stages in the world for the sport,” said PLU President Ana Perez. “It brings together many of the strongest men and women on the planet.” The fans and powerlifting community in Richmond is just as excited about serving as the host city, according to Dennis Bickmeier, Exec...

Every January, motivation runs high—and by February, many people feel stuck, overwhelmed, or burned out. The problem usually isn’t effort; it’s strategy. Sustainable fitness isn’t about extreme cleanses or punishing workouts. It’s about mastering a few high-impact habits that compound over time. If your goal this year is to get leaner, stronger, and healthier—and actually maintain it—this guide focuses on five evidence-based pillars: daily movement, resistance training, protein intake, produce consumption, hydration, and accurate nutrition tracking. Together, these habits create a realistic, science-backed roadmap to success. Start With Steps: The Most Underrated Fat-Loss Tool Before worrying about perfect workouts, start with something far simpler: how much you move each day. Daily step count is a powerful marker of overall activity and energy expenditure. Research consistently shows that higher daily movement is associated with improved cardiovascular health, better body composit...

Sebastian Oreb, better known as “The Australian Strength Coach” to his more than half a million followers on Instagram, knows the importance of lifting heavy while staying injury free. And, as the mentor of Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson , the results speak for themselves. So, when Oreb took to social media in order to correct the common flaw of over-arching during squats, it was clear that he had our backs… literally. Finding the perfect form during traditional back squats can be especially difficult. There are a number of factors to consider, such as foot placement and keeping the barbell stable while resting on the shoulders, but one area that is often confused is how much the back should be arched. Oreb shared that the reason for excessive arching is often caused by the lifter trying to avoid a rounded upper back and shoulders. The problem here is that arching too much creates an extended spine, whereas squats require flexion and range of motion. “So, a lot of people, to avoid going in...

Sam Sulek has grinded alone for almost eight years, to grow both his YouTube channel and his physique, ahead of a highly anticipated IFBB Pro debut at the 2026 Arnold Classic, but despite his bulging bank balance, the 23-year-old has no intention of hiring a professional coach. Here’s why. Sulek’s motivations for being the master of his own destiny were laid bare during a Jan. 13, 2026, Q&A, when the star revealed that his current status as one of the world’s most popular bodybuilders is a “best case scenario” result, thanks to his blood, sweat, and tears. Sulek says that creating inspiring content never feels like work however, because he gets to do what he loves. “It’s probably making me a little bit spoiled,” he admitted. But who can blame him? Sulek’s charting of his own course is what led him to an IFBB Pro card during his first competitive year in 2025.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by BTSTV (@beyondthestagetv_...

Two-time Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry loves to maximize his muscle by getting the most out of any machine, and in a recent Instagram post, “The Prodigy” shared the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ as relates to building a barrel chest with pullovers. Here’s what you need to know. The pullover machine is a staple exercise used by many bodybuilders, and legends like Dorian Yates have praised its ability to build the back and shoulders, but the pullover is also perfect for building the pecs, if you know how. “Do you do pullovers for chest?” asked Curry in a recent Instagram post for his 1.2 million Instagram followers. “Well maybe after this video you’ll give it a shot.” View this post on Instagram Why Brandon Curry Uses the Pullover Machine for Chest “Now, I like to use a pullover machine to target the chest because I don’t want to fool with dumbbells,” joked the jacked bodybuilder, noting that machines allow an individual to train heavy without the same risk of...

Adventurer Richard Parks is back on dry land after guiding one of his favorite actors across the ice fields of Antarctica, but what did the former rugby player learn about himself and the globally famous movie star? Parks shares all with M&F. As part of National Geographic’s new series, Pole to Pole with Will Smith, Richard Parks takes the Academy Award-winning actor through Antarctica. It was a significant trip for the former Wales Rugby Union team player who found himself lost when forced to retire as a result of shoulder damage in 2009. To fill a competitive void, he took up climbing and soon set new records. In 2011, Parks completed the 737 Challenge, climbing the highest mountain on seven continents, an achievement that saw him stand on both North and South poles, and what’s considered the “third pole,” the summit of Mount Everest. He completed the task in a record 6 months, 11 days, 7 hours, and 53 minutes.   The following year, Parks became the first Welshman and fast...

You don’t need to be in the middle of a New Year’s resolution to feel an urge to destabilize your diet. With many people turning to extremes in order to make a physical change, the effects can result in an on again, off again approach to sound nutrition. So, how do you avoid the yo-yo effect when you’re trying to eat less while burning more calories? Fortunately, Australian bodybuilder and coach Anna McManamey Cashion has three simple tips for staying on track. View this post on Instagram How Protein Intake Supports Fat Loss and Heart Health Losing excess bodyweight is all about burning more calories than you eat, but that doesn’t mean you need to consume less food when you live a more active lifestyle. “If your goal this year is to build muscle and burn body fat, number one: don’t cut your calories,” shares the coach. Instead, Anna tells her clients to increase their protein intake while eating at their maintenance calorie allotment each day. ...

When aspiring bodybuilders think of ways to build bigger quads, they often skip straight to obvious exercises like the leg press or squat variations but a recent Instagram post by IFBB Pro and 2025 EVLS Prague Pro winner Martin Fitzwater has shed light on his approach to making massive quad gains. “Wanna know a secret?” teased the man they call “The Martian,” in a post for his 328K IG followers. “Adductors aren’t just for girls, if you want big legs, you’re gonna have to swallow the ego and the not so fun exercise.” Giving your adductors some love is important. These are the muscles on the inner thigh that help bring your legs together. For clarity, adduction is the leg-closing movement, while abduction is the opposing motion. One of the easiest ways to perform this exercise is to use the seated adductor machine, where you’ll squeeze your thighs and bring two opposing pads together, then slowly return them to the open position, before repeating. View this post on Insta...

By now, enough has been written about Bill Dobbins’ passing to firmly establish that our community has lost a legend . And we did. I’ve had a few different kinds of relationships with Bill over the decades, some contentious. That can happen when women have any influence at all on any particular situation. At the time, I was in the girls’ corner, which can sometimes—ultimately, as it did in this case—prove unfortunate. Over the years, things cooled, and one night in Columbus, at the Arnold, long after said females were out of the picture, Bill came up to me and said, “You know, you and I should really start talking to each other.” That was fine with me, so we did. And I’ll be forever grateful Bill stuck out the olive branch. As Greg Valentino would say, Bill was a good guy. Bill Dobbins During the ’90s, while male bodybuilders were setting the world on fire, producing icons that still, to this very day, have not been eclipsed, female bodybuilders were setting their own course—and B...