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Jared Watson of Dirty Heads Credits Fitness for Pulling Him Out of a Dark Place

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Since 2001, Dirty Heads have been entertaining and inspiring fans with their unique blend of hip-hop, reggae, and rock that exemplifies their southern California roots. With a quarter-century of experience traveling the globe, one may think that they would be holding on and trying to extend the clock on their careers. However, as each year passes, they have only gotten bigger and better. Original member and vocalist Jared “Dirty J” Watson said that he tends to have second thoughts about many things in his life, but the success and potential for Dirty Heads was not one of them. “Every time I thought about music, every time I thought about our band, there was just this confidence, this feeling in my gut that it was like, ‘This is the path. This is what you’re supposed to do.’ I just knew we were going to make it.” That journey hasn’t come without a lot of grinding and struggles. Watson looked back on the many miles in the road crammed in a van with 10 other people, playing shows with ...
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2026 Armlifting USA World Championship Set For Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas

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The 2026 Armlifting USA World Championships, led by President and promoter Riccardo Magni, will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada as part of the 2026 Olympia World Fitness Expo on the weekend of September 25th and 26th. Armlifting is a grip sport that functions as a hybrid of powerlifting and strongman. Like powerlifting, there are three lifts and three attempts per athlete to achieve the heaviest weight possible while seeking approval from referees. The implements that are used to test that grip can be different from one event to the next, similar to strongman competitions. Each implement offers its own unique challenge, but the objective is to lift the weight and stand tall without losing grip before receiving the down command. Chalk can be used but no other accessories are allowed. The events for the 2026 world championship contest are as follows. 60mm Axle (2 3/8″) for max Staniewicz (SSE) Anvil for max 2″x5″ Saxon Bar DL Medley Ebony Perez ...
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Should You Take a Rest Day or Push Through? The Truth About Training When You’re Fatigued

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Today is squat day. But there’s a problem. You tossed and turned all night. Your legs feel heavy, and every stair to the 3rd-floor gym already feels like a workout. The program says squats, and you’re disciplined, dammit. So, stop complaining and get to work. But should you? That brings us to the myth we’ve all encountered probably once a week in our fitness journeys: A scheduled workout must happen as scheduled, regardless of fatigue. Strength coach and multiple-time world-record powerlifter Matt Wenning has spent decades competing and coaching, and his experience has taught him something many stubborn lifters learn the hard way: “More is not always better,” he says. “Better is better.” Strength coach Gareth Sapstead takes a similar approach through autoregulation: “My opinion is that autoregulation works better than automatically scheduling a rest day every X number of weeks.” But both coaches agree that feeling tired doesn’t mean you need a rest day. It’s about learning to ...
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How To Lose Body Fat Without Losing Muscle

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Losing weight is relatively simple: consistently consume fewer calories than your body expends. Losing primarily body fat while preserving hard-earned muscle, however, requires a more strategic approach. When calories are restricted, the body does not automatically select only stored fat to meet its energy needs. Depending on how you diet and train, some of the weight you lose may come from muscle tissue. The goal, therefore, is not simply to make the number on the scale decrease. It is to create an environment that encourages the body to use stored fat while giving it compelling reasons, and the nutritional resources, to retain muscle. The most important tools for accomplishing this are a well-designed resistance-training program, sufficient protein, a moderate calorie deficit, properly managed cardiovascular exercise, and consistent daily movement. Continue Training for Muscle Growth One of the biggest mistakes people make during a fat-loss phase is changing from a structured hyper...
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Is Regan Grimes Putting Social Media Before Bodybuilding? The Menace Podcast Breaks Down Atlanta Pro

On Episode 298 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier, and the panel took a deep dive into the results of the recent Atlanta Pro Olympia qualifier, where James Holingshead punched his ticket to Las Vegas, knocking Regan Grimes into runner-up status. During the show, the gang agreed that Regan Grimes had a lot of work do if he wants to complete with the best of the best, noting that he may be putting his social media content ahead of competitive bodybuilding. “Let’s give credit where credit is due,” said Milos Sarcev of the 2026 Atlanta Pro result.“This is the best James (Hollinghead) has ever looked, in his history,” he added. Dennis James and Chris Cormier disagreed however, feeling that the big Brit was more detailed during his previous appearance on stage, in China. Still, all three did agree that Hollinghead had the best package in Atlanta. “I thought his legs helped him win,” suggested Cormier. “That’s what stood out to me the most,...
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 Cade Cunningham Shares His Training Plan for Making This His Healthiest NBA Season Yet

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Recovery is looking a little differently for Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham this off-season.  After overcoming a collapsed lung in the 2025-2026 season, Cunningham is excited to be experimenting with his body a little differently so he’s able to perform at his best for the upcoming NBA season. “ Electrolytes is something I’m excited about ,” the 24-year-old tells Muscle & Fitness exclusively while discussing his sports performance campaign with Thorne. “Having that in the water, being able to go with that. I’ve been trying all these different electrolyte drinks.”  While adding a little flavor and minerals to his water has helped on the court, he’s also been focusing on his body’s healing during rest, too. “Electrolytes is the number one thing I’m looking to add more of, but the magnesium is probably my most used out of everything,” Cunningham adds. “The magnesium help my sleep a lot,   especially during the season to wind down after games and get sleep. It’s toug...
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Phil Heath and Kai Greene Reunite on 2026 Olympia Prep Show: Elite Mindsets & Rivalry Lessons

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With only six weeks to go before the best bodybuilders in the business take to the biggest stage of them all in Las Vegas, “The Olympia Prep Show,” part one, provided an essential insight into what it takes to strive for the coveted Sandow trophy. In the show, distributed as a live stream via Instagram, host Frank Sepe was joined by seven-time Mr. Olympia winner Phil Heath and three-time Arnold Classic winner, Kai Greene, and while these two warriors were once fierce rivals on the stage , the legendary duo have no beef with each other these days. In fact, they were only too happy to talk about the competitive mindset required to become a master of muscle. Before part one of the Olympia Prep Show got underway, host Frank Sepe explained that his DM’s were exploding with flex fans wanting to know if Phil Heath and Kai Greene could co-exist during the popular live stream. “People are like, are they gonna fight?” explained Sepe of the tone of his DMs. “Why would we?” asked Heath, “I mean,...
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M&F Writer Shares his 2026 American Pro Experience

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When you are standing backstage at a prestigious powerlifting meet like Powerlifting United’s American Pro meet in the Henrico Sports and Events Center, smelling the sting of ammonia and hearing the low-frequency thud of loaded barbells hitting rubber flooring, you begin to understand a fundamental truth about strength sports: months of preparation ultimately come down to your ability to execute when all eyes are on you. On August 7 and 8, the author of this article went from covering one of the biggest powerlifting events of the year to becoming part of it. Day 1 required the singlet. Day 2 called for the media credentials. The event recap can be found here , but this is the story from the other side of the platform. The purpose of this was to know, with absolute certainty, that Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Arena” warning didn’t apply. Being the man who was actually in the arena struggling and whose face was actually marred by dust, sweat, and blood instead of the cold c...
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How Much Protein Do You ACTUALLY Need to Build Muscle?

Perhaps the most debated, not to mention maligned, topic in the fitness world is how much protein we need. And if you’ve done any investigating at all into the topic, you will no doubt have bumped into this calculation: 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. (If you’re a bodybuilder, that means at least two.) Like so much of bodybuilding folklore, the recommendation has been repeated so many times that it’s become accepted as fact. The problem is, nobody ever asks, “How do we know?” Specifically, no one knows. Is the ‘1 Gram of Protein Per Pound’ Rule Science or Myth? The original one gram per pound rule wasn’t born from a landmark scientific study. It evolved from decades of bodybuilding experience, trial and error, magazine articles, coaches’ recommendations, and a healthy dose of “more must be better” broscience. It’s basically just a simple rule of thumb, not a biological law. Total Body Weight vs. Lean Mass: Why Most Lifters Overeat Protein The problem most peop...
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No Time to Train? How 15-Minute Micro Workouts Build Muscle and Strength

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Some days, a full workout fits. Other days, you look at the clock, realize you’ve got 15 minutes, and start talking yourself into skipping the whole thing. Micro workouts give you a way to make that window count. A focused 10- to 20-minute session can provide enough training stimulus to move the needle when time is tight. You might train a major lift, push one muscle group hard, or knock out a conditioning session without filling the time with random exercises. Keeping the session narrow also makes it easier to stay consistent during a crowded week. Give the workout one clear goal, then use the available time to accumulate enough quality work to support it. The workouts ahead follow that approach across strength, hypertrophy, and HIIT, with two options for each. They’re built for days when your schedule is packed, and you still want to get something worthwhile done. What Is a Micro Workout and Does It Actually Work? A micro workout is a short, focused training session that usually...
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