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How to Do Romanian Deadlifts Correctly: 7 Setup Steps for Maximum Glute and Hamstring Growth

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Many lifters share a common bad habit. Rushing the setup. It’s understandable because who doesn’t want to get to the good stuff sooner? But skipping the setup can be the difference between a successful set and a sucky one. A classic example is the Romanian deadlift. The RDL isn’t just bending over with a barbell and hoping the glutes and hamstrings grow. If your feet aren’t rooted, your lats and core aren’t engaged, or the bar drifts away from your quads, your lower back might be the only muscle getting a pump. That’s why your RDL starts before gripping the barbell. The following pre-lift checklist will dial in your rack height, stance, grip, knee position, lat tension, and brace so you’re dialed in from the start. At first, these steps will take time, but with enough repetition, they’ll become automatic—and your glutes and hamstrings will thank you for it. Maridav/Adobe Stock What Are the 7 Steps for a Perfect Romanian Deadlift Setup? Before you get to the gripping and ripping ...
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Samson Dauda Wins 2026 Europa Pro Men’s Open, Makes Olympia Statement

Samson Dauda is back on top after returning to competitive bodybuilding for the first time in a year and winning the Open division of the 2026 Europa Pro Show on September 14. And, with less than two-weeks removed Mr. Olympia final itself, “The Nigerian Lion” has made a statement that he hopes will lead to a second Mr. Olympia title. British Nigerian competitor, Samson Dauda won his first Mr. Olympia trophy in 2024 , but came in too lean last year, shrinking down to a disappointing  fourth place. Andrew Jacked, Hadi Choopan, and winner Derek Lunsford were all judged to have had greater physiques on the night, leaving Dauda to return to the drawing board back in Great Britain. While it was initially believed that Dauda head to the Offenbach am Main venue, just outside of Frankfurt, for a guest posing slot, the big man decided to put his money where his mouth was instead, before travelling to Sin City. What Does Dauda’s Europa Victory Mean for the 2026 Mr. Olympia? Before the result, ...
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2026 UAL Olympia Armwrestling Championships: Rules, Weight Classes, and Matchups Live in Las Vegas

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Armwrestling has seen a resurgence in popularity over the course of the 2020’s, and the Ultimate Armwrestling League (UAL) is considered by many to be the premiere organization for the sport. One of the UAL’s signature events is their annual Olympia event, which will be a big part of the 2026 World Fitness Expo in the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 25th and 26th. Armwrestling is one of those events that make people at the Olympia stop and watch. The struggle of two athletes in a matchup of will and strength captivates the audience throughout the entire weekend, and the UAL has proclaimed that more of the same will be presented in 2026. The UAL shared on Instagram, “The Olympia Ultimate Armwrestling Championships will feature Veteran, Amateur, and Celebrity competitors showcasing multiple divisions and disciplines.” Pro Tips How to Become an Arm Wrestling Champion Follow these tips to be the...
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Bobby Bones Has Little Time for the Gym—So He Built One at Home

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Once Bobby Bones drops the mic on his nationally syndicated show each morning, he can head home, pick up a paddle, and play a few games on his backyard pickleball court. The court is just one corner of Bones’ personal performance center—what he calls a necessary luxury made possible by his long, time-consuming road to success. The setup exists because of the work Bones has put in over the past three decades. He has built The Bobby Bones Show into iHeartMedia’s country-music flagship, a nationally syndicated morning juggernaut now broadcasting on more than 200 stations across the U.S. and Canada and reaching nearly 10 million monthly listeners. As his brand continues to expand under a development deal with Netflix, his reach has also pushed into sports, where he co-hosts the weekly NFL podcast Lots to Say with former quarterback Matt Cassel. The more he’s in front of a camera, Bones says, the more his appearance starts to matter. “It’s never really about a number. I just like to...
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Paul George Is Hoping His New Approach to Training Will Lead to an Injury-Free Season

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Paul George is entering his 17th season in the NBA. Given that experience, he knows the difference between being able to work hard and knowing when hard work is actually beneficial. As a young player, the equation seems simple. More reps. More time in the gym. More drill work. Push through any nagging ailments and believe your body will figure out the rest. George is no stranger to that mentality. He’s lived it. Now, as he begins a new chapter in Boston, his approach is different. His competitive expectations still remain the same: play deep into the postseason and help win a championship. What has changed is his thinking on how he can best get there. “At 25, I probably would have judged the day by, ‘How much can I get done today?’” George said. “Now, I look at it as, ‘How do I stack good days together?’” That distinction becomes increasingly important after over 30,000 regular season minutes played, significant injuries, surgeries, rehabs, and recovery. Taking care of his body ...
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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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