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10 Best Face Pull Variations for Shoulder Health, Posture & Upper Back Strength

The standard face pull variation is excellent for shoulder health, better posture, and improved presses and pulls . However, your shoulders, traps, and upper back muscles run at different angles, but if you train only them at one angle, you’re leaving potential gains behind. Some lifters rely on one or two variations, thereby possibly neglecting certain upper back muscles. You don’t have to do that. These 10 face-pull variations attack your upper back from multiple angles , reinforce scapular control, and build shoulder stability that carries over to everything in and out of the gym. Train them well, and everything gets stronger. Here we’ll explore 10 face-pull variations that will have your rear delts and upper back saying thank you. But first, I’ll explain why I chose these variations. Why You Need Multiple Face Pull Variations The variations below are “the same but different.” They keep you engaged, help avoid overuse-related niggles, and let you tailor the exercise to your nee...
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Wesley Vissers Explains the Motivation Behind His Pixelated Social Media Posts

On Episode 274 of The Menace Podcast, Wesley Vissers was the special guest alongside host Dennis James and regular panelists Milos Sarcev and Jose Raymond. During the show, the Dutch bodybuilder explained the strategy behind those pixelated photos he’s been sharing online, Wesley Vissers won the 2024 Arnold Classic Physique title but dropped to fifth place last year in a show dominated by runner-up Logan Franklin and overall winner Mike Sommerfeld . While Vissers was disappointed by this fall from grace, he picked himself up and put his game face straight back on. Now, many experts are predicting a better showing for “The Dutch Oak” in 2026. “If I brought the package, last year, that I have right now, I think it would not have been a top two between Logan and Mike,” shared Vissers on TMP. “I have to be honest; I’m looking my absolute best right now.” Still, figuring out the package that Vissers will bring to Columbus, OH, has been a point of interest as of late, because the Dutchma...
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The Rise of Alternative Beverages: Why the Fitness Industry Is Fueling the Sober-Curious Movement

For decades, nightlife heavily defined social culture in the United States. Friday nights were for both happy hour and after-hours. Saturdays were for recovering then rallying for Round 2. Sundays, then, were left for either guilt or redemption. Now? Saturday mornings are for PRs, long runs, cold plunges and coffee meetups. The ritual has shifted from the nightlife party scene to the daytime longevity practices. Across the country, especially in fitness-forward cities like West Palm Beach, the rise of alternative beverages, THC seltzers, adaptogenic drinks, nootropic blends, and low- or no-alcohol options signals more than a category trend. It signals a cultural pivot from how people celebrate life. From Escapism to Optimization Last Rep founder Jason Ashton has seen the rise of wellness in social settings. “We’re seeing a noticeable rise in fitness-based events…and it’s no longer limited to daytime activities,” he says. “ Run clubs and social clubs are gaining momentum weeknights...
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Cristian Roldan’s MLS Training Blueprint for Elite Soccer Performance

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There’s a moment before kickoff when everything gets quiet for Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan. The Lumen Field crowd is boisterous and the stadium feels like it’s shaking. Inside, however, it’s calm. Roldan knows by then whether he’s ready—not because of adrenaline, nor emotion. But because of the days leading up to this moment For most fans, a match is 90 minutes. For Roldan, it’s days of preparation layered carefully on top of each other— heart rate targets hit in training , hydration dialed in, sleep schedule protected, lower-body lifts executed with intent. But the time he steps onto the pitch, the work is already done. “It really takes the entire week to kind of build you up,” Roldan says. “That’s where a lot of people that aren’t involved in the sport don’t realize.” As the Major League Soccer season is now in full swing, and the calendar leans toward a World Cup summer , Roldan isn’t chasing a new formula. He’s refining the one that’s kept him durable, explosiv...
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New Study Links Hard Training to Better Gut Health, Digestion, Recovery & Performance

Intense workouts could add more than muscle to the list of physical benefits brought about by getting your sweat on. A new study shows that hard training can also positively affect the balance of your gut bacteria, leading to better digestive systems, and greater potential as far as making a PR. The latest science certainly adds new meaning to the term “gut check!” Regular exercise is already encouraged for lean mass gains and mental health benefits, but these new findings, resulting from a study by Edith Cowan University in Australia suggest that the intensity of our training could promise even more, influencing the configuration of our gut microbiome. “Based on previous research, it appears that athletes have a different gut microbiota when compared with the general population,” explains Ph.D. candidate Bronwen Charlesson , who served as lead on the paper. “This includes greater total short chain fatty acid concentrations, alpha diversity, and an increased abundance of some bacteri...
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America’s Strongest Firefighter Zachary Mills is Ready for the World Stage

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Muhammad Ali once said, “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” Whether the event is a fight, game, or a strength contest, that truth still remains. Ali never set foot in Bobcat Fitness Center in Hinton, WV, but as you walk onto the floor in the weight room of this facility, the spirit of “The Greatest” definitely resides there. Just as the winter air could be felt outside that morning, the energy of the grind was felt throughout the space as Beckley, WV firefighter Zachary Mills was loading plate after plate onto a barbell for his opening exercise of the day. “Working up to 655 (pounds) today,” Mills said calmly. Mills may be a firefighter by trade, but he is also a strongman competitor, and both of his passions have collided thanks to his victory at the 2025 America’s Strongest Firefighter competition . Mills took the 220-pound class title and now has his eyes set on an even ...
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Ethan Gohari’s Chest Workout: 3 Proven Exercises to Build a Bigger, Stronger Chest

Ethan Gohari has been making waves as of late, with his exceptional progress in bodybuilding competitions, and has shared three go-to methods for adding more muscle to his chest. Here’s how you can try this plan out for yourself. Gohari is heading into the 2026 Arnold Classic with a ton of momentum. The Classic Physique competitor won two IFBB pro shows back-to-back last year , making him the first Australian bodybuilder to manage such a feat. This record was made on top of previous records that he’d already earned, such as being the first Australian ever to win an IFBB Classic show, and the first Australian to qualify for the Classic division in an Olympia final. Gohari is a great example who illustrates that hard work pays off, and in a recent Instagram post, shared his chest chiseling strategy. “Three exercises you should be doing for a bigger chest,” encouraged the Atlantic Coast Pro and Las Vegas Pro winner. View this post on Instagram Et...
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Makeup Artist is Turning Passions into Careers

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Experts at makeup are known as artists for good reason. It takes an incredible amount of skill to master it well enough to make it a business. While being a fitness or physique athlete requires a different form and level of commitment , those that grace a stage also see what they do as art because of how they develop their bodies and present it to the world. Bruna Dallo is impacting ambitious women in search of a path to a real career. “I love the transformation.” Dallo was born in Brazil but currently calls the U.S. her home. Her journey to helping others look better can be traced back to her mother, who operated a beauty salon in her home country. Once Dallo had a chance to start pursuing her own career, it was clear what she wanted to do when she grew up. Dallo recalled, “I started studying on it because I knew that I wanted to become a professional makeup artist.” View this post on Instagram The skill may be art, but Dallo clearly has a g...
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Barbell Bent-Over Row Form Checklist: Build a Bigger Back Without Lower Back Pain

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Lifters want to see gains sooner, but often blow past a vital part of the lift, the setup. It’s the time when you set yourself up for success, but some don’t take it seriously. It might be okay not to worry about your biceps curl setup, but it’s different for the barbell bent-over row. The barbell bent-over row isn’t complex. Hinge, pull the bar to your torso, and build a bigger back. But many lifters get the setup wrong. Instead, they end up jerking the bar, standing taller with each rep, and wondering why their lower back feels smoked. That means your setup matters just as much as your pull. Start the first rep with a loose hinge, a soft brace, or disengaged lats, and the lift falls apart in a hurry. This checklist breaks down the setup step by step to stop that from happening. It might feel deliberate at first, but repetition makes it automatic. When your setup is tight, your rows get stronger, cleaner, and far more effective. Step-by-Step Barbell Bent-Over Row Checklist There’...
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Arnold Classic Winner Mike Sommerfeld Shares His Formula for Serious Shoulders

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Mike Sommerfeld is preparing for a back-to-back win in the Arnold Classic Physique division in March, but instead of hitting the gym with uncontrolled intensity, this elite bodybuilder is focusing on his form to build massive shoulders . Recently, the man mountain took to Instagram to share what he considers to be the three biggest myths around building the shoulders with lateral raises and shared his truth with more than 785,000 Instagram followers. IFBB MIKE SOMMERFELD – OLYMPIA 2022 PHOTOSHOOT Read article Alongside his successful bodybuilding career as an IFBB Pro, the man they call the “Bad Ass” is also a coach, and fortunately, he’s all about sharing his hard-earned wisdom with those who wish to make their own gains. Focussing on the side delts, Sommerfeld explained that slow progress could be the result of sloppy form when executing the lateral raise : Myth: You need heavy weights to build big side delts Truth: Exercises such as the lateral raise, either using a mach...
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