So, you want to know, “Why Are Biceps Called Guns?” It seems like just about every other body part is simply referred to as an abbreviation of the actual word. The trapezius muscle is referred to as traps, triceps are tris, quadriceps are quads, hamstrings are hammies, etc. Okay, admittedly the legs are often called wheels, but I guess this is because the legs take you from A to B. However, when it comes to calling the biceps guns it is somewhat a mystery. So, allow me to explain the possible reasons why biceps are called guns. Why Are Biceps Called Guns? In truth, there is no exact answer as ..read more

The main reason that leg extensions burn so bad is because they are a single-joint exercise, so you are solely focused on working the quads alone. Furthermore, you will typically keep constant tension, do reps at a slower pace, and are more likely to perform drop sets with leg extensions. The intensity of exercise can deplete the muscles of oxygen and lead to lactate build up. Leg Extensions Are a Single-Joint Exercise The first thing to consider is that leg extensions are a single-joint exercise. Basically, they are solely focused on working the quads, and the quads alone. Now, I don’t k ..read more

Is there anything more frustrating than losing weight, but actually feeling fatter. Believe it or not, this is a lot more common than you would think. Here’s why you’re feeling (or actually are) fatter, even though you’ve dropped a few pounds. One of the main reasons you feel fatter after losing weight is due to water retention. So, in effect, you are losing weight, but simply retaining water, which may cause swelling. With that being said, it can also be the case that you have lost water weight, but are yet to actually lose any fat. Furthermore, excessive dieting and excessive cardio can lead ..read more

You’re not the only one wondering, “Why Do You Need to Be in a Calorie Surplus to Build Muscle?” It’s almost a given that if you want to build muscle that you’ll need to eat at a calorie surplus. With that being said, it’s actually quite difficult to find evidence to support this claim. Plus, you may even have seen with your own eyes people who appear to pack on muscle without consuming additional calories. Confused? Allow me to explain what you need to know about eating in a calorie surplus and building muscle. Why Do You Need to Be in a Calorie Surplus to Build Muscle? You don’t actually nee ..read more

Rows and Pull Ups are more than enough to train the upper back muscles. Pull ups are considered one of the best exercises for lat development. Whereas rows are ideal for strengthening the lats, traps, and rhomboids. Back Workouts From the Golden Era of Bodybuilding I’m a massive fan of the Golden Era of Bodybuilding. I still find myself mesmerized by reading old stories, or viewing black and white photos of these old-time bodybuilders. Most of these guys had some of the most impressive physiques you are ever likely to see. This was an age where there wasn’t such a thing as performance-enh ..read more

The most common reason for feeling push ups in your shoulders is having your hands too far forward. Your hands should be in line with your nipples. Other issues include, allowing your elbows to flare out, not retracting your shoulder blades, if your hands rotate inwards, or if your hips are either too high or too low throughout the movement. Your Hands Are Too Far Forward Without doubt, the most common reason for feeling push ups in your shoulders is placing your hands too far forward. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have seen someone performing push ups and their hands are in line w ..read more

You’d think losing weight would be all about positives. However, weight loss can impact people differently, and one such after effect is sore and painful ribs. This is actually a fairly common occurrence. Here’s why it happens and what you can do about it. There are various reasons why your ribs hurt when losing weight. Firstly, you may have strained your intercostal muscles through exercise. These muscles are connected to the ribs and will expand and contract every time you breathe. However, the intercostal muscles are made to work harder during physical activity, especially exercises that ei ..read more

If you can’t feel your abs when you plank this is down to incorrect form. The most common issue is that you’re not engaging your glutes. If you squeeze your glutes during planks this will ensure that your hips don’t sag, which will help to target the abs better. Engage Your Glutes When You Plank Planks are often viewed as solely an ab exercise, but in truth it’s far more than that. In fact, I would go as far to say that planks are a full-body exercise. As you suspend yourself above the ground you will typically engage a vast array of muscles. Most specifically the core, but you will also ..read more

In case you’re curious if there’s a particular ratio of pull ups to chin ups you should strive for, I have the information you need. I will hazard a guess that you find chin ups easier to perform than pull ups. However, perhaps you’re slightly concerned by how much of a difference in reps there is between the two. In fact, you may even be worried that this disparity is potentially pointing to a muscle imbalance or weakness. So, allow me to explain what you need to know about pull up to chin up ratios. Pull Up to Chin Up Ratio There is no specific pull up to chin up ratio. In fact, the differen ..read more

A lack of variation is one of the most common reasons that pull ups are so hard to progress. As an example, if you typically perform 3 sets of 8 reps at the start of every back day workout you may find that you have plateaued. Furthermore, you may have a weak link that is holding you back, e.g. weak lats, biceps, grip or core. You Always Train Pull Ups in the Same Way The main reason you’re not progressing with pull ups is because you train them the same way, all the time. The body typically adapts to the stress we place upon it through exercise fairly quickly. And this is often why you m ..read more