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How Many Reps to Build Muscle? The Real Hypertrophy Rule Most Lifters Get Wrong

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How Many Reps? That people still ask this question confounds me as much today as it did when it was first asked of me by one of my very first training clients, way back in the day. Back then, one of the biggest hurdles the newfangled personal trainers—who, at the dawn of the fitness boom, were mostly broke bodybuilders—encountered when we all started training the “normal people” who all of a sudden started flocking to the gym—was taking for granted that they knew what was, to us, very basic stuff. Because it was so “normal” to us, it never dawned on any of us that, going in, these actual normal people didn’t know what foods are carbohydrates, proteins, or fats, or what a set was or a rep, let alone how to do them and how many. In a sense, it was like teaching people how to run who you just assumed weren’t in a wheelchair. So, in this example, I had just explained and demonstrated how to do a particular exercise to my new client. Once she got into position and was ready to begin her s...
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Who Will Win the 2026 Arnold UK? Expert Predictions Revealed

On Episode 278 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis “The Menace” James was joined by regular panelists Chris Cormier and Milos Sarcev, and the gang made their predictions ahead of the 2026 Arnold UK. Despite their differing views, the crew all agreed on who would be the most successful bodybuilder in Birmingham. There’s a lot of anticipation around the event this year, with Arnold U.S. winner Andrew Jacked, Martin Fitzwater, Brandon Curry, and other top Open competitors making the journey to Birmingham, England. Andrew Jacked is coming off the biggest pay day in bodybuilding history, earning $750,000 in Columbus, OH , and is hoping to pick up the $250,000 prize in the UK to make a cool million by acing both Arnold’s. Other stars, like Martin Fitzwater, are hoping to regain some momentum after a difficult year so far. During the latest episode of The Menace Podcast, the team got together to make their final predictions. Here are their picks for the top six. The Official 2026 UK Arnold ...
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Alan Ritchson Fight Update: No Charges Filed After Bodycam Footage Shows Self-Defense

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Police have concluded that there will be no legal action taken in the aftermath of a chaotic brawl that saw Hollywood star Alan Ritchson embroiled in a violent altercation with his neighbor, Ronnie Taylor, after bodycam footage appears to suggest an element of self-defence. News Alan Ritchson's Neighbor Speaks Out After Fig... The “other guy” has explained what went down from his point of view. Read article What Happened in the Alan Ritchson Fight? The incident occurred on March 22, 2026, when initial footage of the incident showed Taylor on the ground, while Ritchson delivered repeated uppercuts. In a statement following the event, the neighbor admitted to pushing the star first, but had said that Ritchson’s repeated speeding and revving was giving him cause to worry about the safety of other residents. What Did the Bodycam Footage Reveal? New bodycam footage, from Ritchson’s point of view, shows that right before the altercation, the “War Machine” actor was only doi...
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New Research Shows Cannabis Compounds May Boost Liver and Heart Health

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Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) are the non-psychoactive compounds found in cannabis that have been associated with lowering anxiety and the potential for pain relief, but new research suggests that CBD and CBG may have another important use—cleaning up and combatting fatty liver, the most widely suffered liver condition. What Is Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD)? Fatty liver, known medically as Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) , is the most common chronic liver disorder in the world, affecting around a third of adults.  When the liver accumulates too much fat, often due to poor lifestyle choices like overeating or drinking too much alcohol, the liver can become scarred and eventually enters the stage of cirrhosis, preventing the liver from functioning correctly. The liver has phenomenal regenerative powers, so the prognosis of fatty liver can often be reversed by alleviating stress and inflammation, by making healthier choices around nutrition...
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5 Best Deadlift Alternatives for Muscle Growth & Less Stress on Your Back

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You step up to the bar, lock in your deadlift setup, and let it rip from the floor. But something doesn’t feel right. Your grip loosens, and your lower back says, “No, thank you.” You could grind through it, but heavy deadlifts don’t leave much margin for error . Some days, your body has second thoughts, such as low-back flare-ups or grip giving out before your glutes and hamstrings even fire. At times, limited mobility makes every rep feel like a chiropractic gamble. But there are other ways to hinge without grinding through pain or frustration. These are five deadlift alternatives, each chosen to fix a specific issue that makes the barbell deadlift a no-go. Whether you’re chasing strength, hypertrophy, or pain-free progress, one of these exercises will fit your body better, without ditching what makes deadlifting great. Let’s break down the most common deadlift problems and the five better moves that solve them. Srdjan/Adobe Stock Why Deadlifts Hurt: Common Problems Lifters F...
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Dr. Tommy Wood Shares His Science-Backed Strategy to Prevent Cognitive Decline After 40

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There is a quiet realization baked into each of our lives. It says that sometime after 40, your edge dulls, focus slips, and recall lags. You trade in being “dangerous for becoming “experienced.” Your conversations revolve around what you used to do, and less of what you are doing now and will be doing in the future. Many people accept this fate. They accept the brain fog, shorter attention span, and creeping distractions that occupy a solid chunk of each day. In other words, there are lots of us who accept the idea that decline is just part of life. Dr. Tommy Wood, author of The Stimulated Mind, which comes out March 24, calls it what it is: behavioral conditioning. Wood’s career spans hospital wards, research labs, high-performance motorsports paddocks, and executive coaching rooms. He’s seen the aging brain, the injured brain, the elite brain under pressure – and the common thread isn’t inevitability. It’s stimulus. “Cognitive decline isn’t inevitable if you continue to chall...
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Hugh Jackman’s Viral Pull-Up Challenge Is Harder Than It Looks

Hugh Jackman may have hung up his Wolverine claws, at least for now, but the inspirational Aussie is still showing his super-powers in the gym, as evidenced by a recent successful quest: completing the Invisible Pullup Challenge. Sharing the feat via his Instagram reels, Jackman’s 30 million-plus IG followers got to see the muscular movie star, now 57, taking on a seriously tough body-weight challenge that was set by his personal trainer , Beth Lewis. Jackman revealed that the task had been “super tough,” but the X-Men icon still rose to the occasion, weathering the taxing time under tension to impress his fans. View this post on Instagram How to Do the Invisible Pull-Up (Step-by-Step Guide) Try this challenge for yourself: Start in a dead hang position and then use one leg to make an invisible step by raising and bending the knee. As you complete the step, straighten the leg, and use your arms to pull the body upwards, giving the illusion ...
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Simeon Panda Shoulder Workout: 4 Exercises to Build Bigger Delts, Strength & Upper Body Power

With his super wide and well-rounded shoulders, it’s no wonder that Simeon Panda is one of the world’s biggest fitness influencers , and fortunately this model and bodybuilding judge is all about passing on his well-earned wisdom. Recently, the social media star, who has more than 17 million followers across his various platforms took to Instagram to share a simple but effective plan for pumping up the shoulders. “Crazy volume,” touted Panda when discussing the results of this four-move shoulder session. “Get the biggest shoulder pump with this routine.” Are you ready? Great! Let’s press on! View this post on Instagram Simeon Panda’s 4-Move Shoulder Workout for Massive Delts Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press — 6 sets of 6-10 reps Standing Dumbbell Press — 6 sets of 6-10 reps Dumbbell Lateral Raise — 6 sets of 8-10 reps Reverse Pec Dec — 6 sets of 8-10 reps Simeon Panda’s Pro Tips to Maximize Shoulder Growth and Prevent Injury Star...
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Megan Ewoldsen’s Science-Backed Muscle-Building Tips For Faster Gains

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Bikini Masters competitor Megan Ewoldsen proves that it’s possible to be a busy mom and still win bodybuilding trophies, but the inspirational fitness influencer has recently taken to Instagram to share six tips that she wished she’d known sooner, as relates to getting the most from her time in the gym. Fortunately, the bodybuilder has shared those hard-earned lessons, so that you can make gains with your own physique. Ewoldsen regularly sets fitness-based challenges for her 335,000+ IG followers , and says that going from beginner to advanced lifting is all about doing the basic training, “but with better awareness.” The beauty, who most recently won the Masters 35+ Bikini category in the 2025 NPC Worldwide Caribbean Grand Prix Bahamas and came second in the 2025 NPC Masters USA wrote, “That’s the funny thing about lifting. The longer you do it, the more you realize the fundamentals aren’t something you ‘graduate’ from. They’re something you keep getting better at.” Here’s how to g...
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Jay Cutler’s Leg Press Workout: How the former Mr. Olympia Built Massive Quads

Jay Cutler became known as “The Quad Stomper” because his legs were a driving force behind four phenomenal Mr. Olympia victories . And, for those who aspire to build their own crushing quads, Cutler says that the leg press was a key to his success. Here’s how to master this exercise. Taking to Instagram, Cutler, demonstrated the details for his 5.8 million Instagram followers. “On the Olympia stage, I had some of the best legs,” he said, proudly. “Detail, size, shape, and one of the exercises I performed most of the time was the leg press.” Of course, most fledgling bodybuilders know that the leg press is a staple for stunning legs, but what people often get wrong is form and foot placement. View this post on Instagram How Jay Cutler’s Leg Press Technique Built Bodybuilding’s Best Quads “To build the frontal quads, you want to have a lower foot placement on the platform,” he explained of acing the angles. The Olympia icon noted that the feet sh...
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