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Best Squat Depth for Muscle Growth: Here’s How to Add Greater Size to Your Legs

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Admit it at one time, you judged someone else’s squat depth. Are you on the “ass-to-grass, or it doesn’t count” side, or are you a “parallel is good” member? But somewhere in the middle are everyone else, wondering how low they need to squat to build muscle. Why does it matter? Because squat depth changes the game. Go shallower, and you can use more load. Go deeper and recruit more muscle, especially the glutes and adductors. But depth doesn’t mean a thing if you lose position, dump tension, or force your body into a range it can’t handle. Here, I’m cutting through the squat-depth dogma to focus on what matters for muscle growth . Here I’ll break down, with some help from Greg Nuckols, powerlifting coach, researcher, and writer, what different depths do, what the research says about quads vs. glutes, and common mistakes, such as forcing a range you don’t own. First up, why squat depth matters for muscle. Why Squat Depth Matters for Muscles No matter your squat depth, these are ...
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Erin Stern’s Inner Thigh Workout: 3 Best Exercises to Build Strong, Sculpted Legs Without Machines

Building impressive legs is more than just crushing your quads and raising those calf muscles. To sculpt some seriously impressive pins, you’ll also need to dial into the details in order to create legendary legs. Fortunately, bodybuilders like two-time Olympia Figure champion, Erin Stern know that photoshoot-worthy legs are the result of quality workouts that are completed away from the flashbulbs. Here’s how to replicate her reps. Short on time? This is the type of session that will get you in shape for the summer and can be done at the gym or at home. “Three exercises for inner thighs that don’t require using the adductor machine,” touted Stern as she demonstrated a convenient workout for her almost 400K Instagram followers. View this post on Instagram Erin Stern’s Top 3 Inner Thigh Exercises for Muscle Growth Deep Sumo Squats Stern suggests that any variation on the deep sumo squat is a great way to tax the inner thighs. If just starting...
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Are Wesley Vissers’ Legs Bigger Than Arnold Schwarzenegger? Bodybuilding Experts Weigh In

On Episode 282 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by his regular team of Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier, and the gang got to grips with Wesley Visser’s recent leg gains. Just how would his pins place, against Arnold Schwarzenegger? Vissers, who has the nickname, “The Dutch Oak,” bears more than a passing resemblance to the original “Austrian Oak,” Arnold Schwarzenegger , and in a recent Instagram post, revealed his recent leg gains, leading The Menace Podcast to questions whether or not his lower extremities could compare with the seven-time Mr Olympia. “Do you think Wesley’s legs are smaller than Arnold’s?” asked host Dennis James. In response, both Chris Cormier and Milos Sarcev answered that Wesley’s legs were smaller than Arnold’s. “No,” responded The Menace. “Wesley’s legs are bigger than Arnold’s legs.” View this post on Instagram How Big Were Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Legs? Multiple sources cite The Running Man star as ha...
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Life Time Has Created a Fitness and Recovery Paradise

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Don’t you dare call it a gym. Walk into a Life Time for the first time and it might take a few minutes to fully process the world you just entered. The equipment is impressive, but the workout isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. You notice the space, the scale, and the way it feels more like somewhere you’d never want to leave. Within minutes, it becomes clear why first-time visitors struggle to find an appropriate comparison. Life Time is in a league of its own. “I feel like I’m at a spa resort, and I didn’t even have to leave town.” That’s the kind of reaction Natalie Bushaw –Vice President of Public Relations and Corporate Communications for Life Time – says she hears constantly, especially when new locations open. It’s not just about the design—it’s about the way the environment shifts expectations the moment someone walks in. “You walk in and everything from the wall coverings to the desks,” she says. “to the eucalyptus in the steam rooms, you feel like you are in a res...
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Have You Heard of Astaxanthin? You Will Soon

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Regardless of the fitness discipline you’re committed to, one universal truth remains: Your output is only as good as your input. To maximize the potential that you demand from your body when it’s time to perform, the purity of your nutrition isn’t just a preference, it’s a critical biological necessity. A potent carotenoid antioxidant that has been receiving a lot of buzz in recent years is astaxanthin (pronounced as-tuh-ZAN-thin). If it’s new to you, you’re not alone, but you might want to pay attention because it will soon be a force multiplier that aligns your cellular recovery with your physical ambitions. AstaReal, which is a part of Fuji Chemical Industries, is the company considered by many to be the global authority behind astaxanthin. As Scientific Communications Specialist Susan Hamrahi , ND explains, the brand’s roots are as deep as the science itself. “We have a manufacturing facility just outside of Stockholm, Sweden, and that is where the original research started.” ...
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IFBB Pro Petar Klančir’s Dumbbell Row Variation to Build a Bigger Back

IFBB Pro, endurance athlete, and transformation coach, Petar Klančir may have a phenomenal physique, but this bodybuilder is all about trying new variations. To that end, the big man took to Instagram recently and demonstrated a dumbbell row variation that targets the entire back but requires some serious control. Here’s how to try it for yourself. “If you want a stronger back, do this exercise,” encouraged Klančir, using his direct approach to sharing the details. While the traditional bentover dumbbell row targets the latissimus dorsi (side of back), rhomboids (upper back), and trapezius (neck and shoulder) muscles, using a bench to assist with the movement can negate some of the stability work. For a more taxing approach, Klančir’s variation offers no such support, but still requires a unilateral execution. View this post on Instagram How to Do Petar Klančir’s Dumbbell Row Variation (Step-by-Step Guide) “Take two dumbbells,” explained the ...
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Joe DeFranco Shares a Brutal Grip Test That Builds Real Strength in Under a Minute

Trusted strength and conditioning coach, Joe DeFranco loves to put his clients to the test. As the owner of DeFranco’s Gym , he’s challenged athletes from the NFL, UFC, and WWE to bring out the best in themselves, and in a recent Instagram post, he shared an intense challenge that will work on your upper body strength and provide great grip gains. If you are looking for a functional exercise that will work on your posture, prevent injury, and build some solid back strength, all while building a grip of steel, this one’s for you. View this post on Instagram How to Do the Upper Back & Grip Challenge (Step-by-Step) Lie under a smith machine barbell and place a bench level with your feet Balance a yoga block, vertically, on your chest With your heels on the bench, pull up until the block touches the bar Hold this position by pulling the bar towards the yoga block Time yourself until you lose contact between the bar and the yoga block “Yo...
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Hulk Hogan’s 10 Greatest Matches Ranked: Relive His Most Legendary WWE Moments

When it comes to associating a sport with an iconic athlete, Hulk Hogan and pro wrestling go together like Michael Jordan and basketball, Muhummad Ali and boxing, Tom Brady and football, or Arnold Schwarzenegger and bodybuilding. So, news that Netflix is set to air a new docuseries , telling the story of how Terry Bollea went from humble beginnings to become the superhero-like Hulk Hogan, has come as welcome news for wrestling fans. Not least because the project will feature the Hulkster’s final interview before his untimely death in the summer of 2025 . So, as we prepare to revisit Hulk Hogan’s incredible life and career, M&F names his top ten greatest matches, brother! Quick side note on how we compiled this list: Of course, top 10 rankings are often subjective, so we’ve taken a range of factors into consideration, accounting for critics scores, fan reaction, and the overall impact that each match has had on the pro wrestling business. 10. ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan vs. Goldberg (...
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How MotoGP Star Jorge Martín Trains His Body and Mind for 200 MPH Racing

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From the outside, MotoGP looks like pure speed. Bikes ripping past 200 mph, riders leaning into angles that don’t feel survivable, everything happening faster than the eye can process. It’s easy to assume that’s the job–just hold on, go faster than everyone else, and figure it out as you go. But when you talk to Jorge Martín, the illusion falls apart pretty quickly. “Controlling a bike is not that difficult,” Martín says. “Maybe handling the pressure is one of the toughest.” Ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain, the pressure Martin faces won’t be visible on race day. Not in the highlights, not in the slow-motion replays. The real work isn’t just managing speed—it’s managing everything that comes with it. The pressure of other rides, the unpredictability of conditions, the constant stream of decisions that have to be made in real time while your heart rate is pushing its limit. “The mental side is even more difficult,” he explains. “To manage the pressure, the...
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How Premium Fitness Clubs Are Redefining Muscle, Recovery & Health

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You already train hard. But the gym you’re training at was probably built for heavy lifts, maybe some functional space, and mostly for getting as many people through the door as possible. Fine for short-term goals, but not designed for what you should be after in the long term. Premium fitness facilities are changing that calculus, along with data showing increased consumer demand. A 2025 survey found that 60% of Americans cite longevity and healthy aging as one of their top fitness motivator. And while muscle is a big part of that healthy aging equation, an integrative recovery protocol is not one to take lightly for optimal health outcomes. “Building and maintaining lean muscle mass is one of the most significant things a person can do for long-term health, with downstream effects on bone density, injury prevention, metabolic function, and quality of life well into older age,” Brian Mazza, VP at Life Time , told Muscle & Fitness, adding that “people are starting to understand...
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