What is High Intensity Interval Training and Should You Do It?
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Sprint Interval Training (SIT) are often promoted as a superior way to do cardio, with greater improvements in fitness, …
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Sprint Interval Training (SIT) are often promoted as a superior way to do cardio, with greater improvements in fitness, …
The hack squat has become a popular exercise for isolating the quads. It is credited to George Hackenschmidt, also known as the father of the …
Chin-ups are a variation of the pull-up exercise. Similar to the pull-up, it’s done hanging from a bar and pulling your sternum towards the bar. …
Learn how strength training focuses on improving force production, while bodybuilding aims to increase muscle size.
Discover the differences and similarities between Olympic lifting and powerlifting. Learn about each sport’s unique training methods
Explore effective alternatives to the bench press to enhance muscle strength and size. Learn how to programme these exercises for results
Learn the differences and similarities between strength and hypertrophy training. Get expert tips and find recommended programs for you
Learn about wrist wraps, their benefits, and how to choose and use them for better stability and grip strength in lifting.
Explore the benefits and effectiveness of knee sleeves for gym-goers and athletes, understand their impact on performance
Explore the benefits of being an intermediate powerlifter, including rapid strength gains within the first year of competition.
Learn about delayed onset muscle soreness, potential injuries, and rhabdomyolysis, and find tips to prevent or alleviate these symptoms.
Unlock muscle growth with our ultimate chest and back workout guide! Discover the top exercises for an effective body part split.
Discover arm and shoulder workouts with our guide to agonist-agonist pairing. Learn top exercises, benefits, and tips for muscle growth
Discover top exercises like Pendlay rows, overhead presses, and pull-ups, plus tips for perfect form and optimal results
If you are experiencing pain at a joint that started over time, typically is worse with more activity, and did not have a particular event …
“You can get stronger and gain muscle by lifting light weights” seems like a clickbait-y type of claim, but would you be surprised to learn …
Pull-ups and chin-ups are effective exercises for training back, arms, shoulders and core muscles. This description gives alternatives
Whether your goal is to increase muscle size, strength, or you’re training for general health and well-being, training the upper body is a must. The …
Lifters commonly experience routine aches and pains in the context of their training, often affecting the low back, knees, hips, and shoulders. These are common …
Discover the importance of leg days in your workout routine with our guide to effective leg exercises and training strategies.
Creatine is one of the most widely consumed dietary supplements globally, accounting for an estimated $520 million dollars-a-year market by 2024. [1] On top of …
Unlock the secrets to strong, impressive shoulders with our guide to effective shoulder exercises, discover the top workouts.
Discover how to effectively target and strengthen your trapezius muscles for a bigger, stronger back. Explore a combination of trap exercises
Looking to build bigger and stronger thighs? Discover our top quad exercises, including back squats, leg presses, and more.
Many people think that the squat is an exercise for athletes or serious lifters only, but this couldn’t be further from the truth, as the …
Elevate your upper body pressing game with these research-backed cable workouts, perfect for sculpting stronger and more defined triceps.
Achieve the physique you desire through focused training and hard work. Start your journey to a stronger, more muscular you today.
Anyone who has experienced severe low back pain or ‘sciatica’ has a story to tell, and it’s usually not a pleasant one. Being unable to …
What is Sciatica? Sciatica is a general term used to describe back pain that travels down the leg. While it doesn’t have an official definition, …
Discover our top eight glute and hamstring exercises in this comprehensive guide. Optimize your training with insights into anatomy
Embark on your powerlifting journey with the right training program. Whether you’re a true beginner or have been lifting for six months
Discover the strength-building potential of dumbbell training for sculpted pecs. Whether you’re a beginner or focusing on strength,
Uncover tips for maximizing results, effective pull-day regimen. safety precautions, and guidance on nutrition and progress tracking.
Maximize chest muscle growth, elevate your fitness routine with these effective exercises, tailored for overall strength and muscle growth.
Our article guides you through push day essentials, alternative exercises, and tips for effective training
Enhance speed and power with our top plyometric exercises! Discover effective workouts for improved performance.
Our best rear delt workouts will help you enhance your shoulder training. Boost your size and strength right now.
Optimise your upper body workout with effective chest and biceps exercises; discover how this enhances muscle training and overall gains.
Explore the synergy between chest and shoulder workouts with our top exercises. From bench presses to overhead lifts
Unlock targeted chest training insights with our six top exercises. Explore muscle engagement debates while optimizing your workout routine.”
Discover effective kettlebell exercises for building size and strength in the chest area. Get professional advice on your chest workouts.
Learn the techniques for cable chest press, fly variations, and crossovers, maximizing your workout potential with detailed tips and benefits.
Elevate your chest workout with ten effective exercises targeting the lower pecs. From decline dumbbell bench presses to cable crossovers.
Discover the best exercises targeting different parts of the chest to enhance muscle hypertrophy effectively
Explore powerful chest exercises without equipment, like push-up variations. Studies confirm muscle-building benefits rival gym workouts
Discover effective exercises targeting chest and triceps simultaneously, including bench press & bar dips. Learn about the benefits and tips
Discover the science and benefits of Olympic weightlifting, plus find the best and unique programs for your goals.
Discover the optimal number of chest exercises per workout to achieve your fitness goals – whether it’s muscle growth or strength building.
Discover the best hypertrophy programs tailored to your needs and goals. Achieve maximum muscle mass with personalized training strategies.”
Discover the best chest exercises tailored to your fitness goals and preferences, for muscle size, strength, or overall well-being
Get the best of both worlds with powerbuilding programs that combine strength and muscle gains for a more efficient fitness routine.
Discover the benefits of strength training & find the perfect workout program for your fitness goals. Improve your health & boost well-being
Rowing is one of the many conditioning tools that can be used to meet the current physical activity guidelines. While it’s not necessary that you …
As a physical therapist, I have found that the meniscus is often blamed for people experiencing knee pain. Many people are aware that a meniscus …
The use of lifting belts dates back at least to the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Long before that, it is said that Milo …
Diabetes is among the most common conditions encountered by patients and doctors today, affecting nearly 1 in 11 people worldwide. Unfortunately, it remains poorly understood …
What approaches come to mind when thinking about rehabilitation after an injury? Many people imagine visiting an outpatient physical therapy clinic and receiving various treatment …
Pain in the hips and low back are common reasons people visit doctors and physical therapists. These professionals are often tasked with identifying a cause …
In part one we discussed how to interpret blood tests of kidney function in the context of exercise. Today in part two we will discuss …
Headaches are a common, painful, and oftentimes disabling symptom that can pop-up during exercise or at rest. Exercise may be useful for not only reducing migraine frequency in many, but also for improving nearly every aspect of general health in the population. Individuals who frequently experience the onset of headache during exercise should work with their physician to make sure there isn’t an underlying medical cause.
You rolled your ankle, whether it be in a pick-up basketball game, stepping awkwardly off the platform, or performing your best interpretive dance of Kenny …
Debate around how deep you should squat is one example of a range of motion (ROM) controversy. Range of motion (ROM) can be defined as …
Cuando la gente comienza su aventura en el gimnasio, empieza a aprender muchos de los principios básicos de la programación Términos como “adaptación”, “recuperación” y …
[This article is also available in Spanish / Este artículo también está disponible en español] When starting their training journey, people begin to learn many …
Spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis are two intimidating words that are often described as representing a “broken back”. These aren’t words anyone wants to hear when experiencing …
So you’re experiencing pain in your heel. It’s especially painful when you take your first few steps out of bed in the morning and limits …
Do you wake up feeling unrested in the morning? Have you experienced morning headaches, or been told that you snore at night? Do you feel …
Blood pressure is a key indicator of your health. This is why it is checked at every visit with a healthcare professional. Understanding this measurement …
In our introduction to cholesterol article, we discussed the basics of cholesterol and blood test interpretation. We also covered the major factors that influence blood …
Note: This was a 2-part series (Part 1 & 2) that we merged together. The concluding article (Part 3) can be found here: Cholesterol: Myths …
A doctor has just diagnosed you or a family member with osteoporosis. What does this mean, and what should you do about it? In this …
Collagen is a protein found in many tissues in animals and humans, ultimately making up about 30% of the entire body’s protein content. Di Lullo …
Obesity is a chronic disease resulting from genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors resulting in increased adipose (fat) tissue that increases the risk of disease such …
The efficacy of placebo in enhancing performance is as well established as it is multifactorial. Geers 2014 This presents a paradox of a placebo being …
Cancer is among the leading causes of disease and death in the U.S. and contributes to a substantial burden of disease in the world [CDC, …
The United States population has become profoundly physically inactive in recent years. This has contributed to an increase in health problems such as heart disease …
The word protein is derived from the Greek proteios meaning “primary” or “taking first place.” This is appropriate, as proteins are found everywhere in the …
The increase in women’s involvement in sports has increased interest in the influences of women’s unique physiology on athletic performance. The effect of the menstrual …
Today we’ll be wrapping up our hip pain series with the familiar topic of osteoarthritis, and summarize some practical take-home points at the end (see …
In our last article we discussed how to manage muscle injuries of the hamstrings, groin (adductors), hip flexors, and quadriceps. Today we’ll move on to …
In the first two installments of this article series we discussed the science of hip pain and management strategies. In this article, we’ll discuss the …
In the first article of this series we provided an introduction to the hip, discussing anatomy as well as ideas about “normal” versus “abnormal” findings …
Pain in the front, side, or back of the hip are common complaints within the lifting community. A combination of factors are typically involved when …
Low back pain is commonly attributed to a ‘weak core’ or a lack of ‘core stability’, and this leads to lots of advice about ‘activating …
In the late 17th century physician-philosopher John Locke published An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which suggested that the mind was a blank slate at birth …
The ability to engage in physical activity is an integral component of the maintenance of health and independence with age. This capacity is typically developed …
While resistance training for the calf muscles is typically the butt of jokes in bodybuilding gym culture, there are some legitimate benefits to increasing the …
Lifters occasionally ask us whether it is “okay” to include snatches or cleans in a training program that is otherwise focused on building strength in …
Blood pressure is a key vital sign that describes the force the blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels. Blood pressure readings are …
Performance in specific sports requires specific adaptations, while developing overall physical literacy and athletic power is predicated on a broad range of traits. If an …
Barbell Medicine values the development of a well-rounded athlete and healthy individual, so while we have a clear focus on strength training, we aim to …
Interest in cannabidiol – better known as CBD – has recently exploded in America, with an estimated 1 in 7 adults currently using a CBD-based …
Belief that you can perform a task is an essential component to beginning the process of mastery. There are a host of both internal and …
In this segment of the How-To Do GPP series, we tackle direct arm training, or “arm work”. In the context of GPP, we train the …
Last week’s article made a strong case for embracing variability in movement for active individuals, particularly when learning a new movement. Still, much has been …
Our attempts to understand and explain complex systems commonly involve reductionist analysis, whereby a system is broken down into its component parts for easier understanding. …
There are a variety of knee surgeries that may be recommended for an individual. These range from “minimally invasive” (also known as arthroscopic) surgeries, such …
It is late afternoon on a Monday and you’ve just arrived at the gym for Day 1 of this week’s training after a tough day …
The process of strength training is not a linear one where every workout allows us to realize a new level of performance, although improvement early …
Exercise selection is an important programming variable for both performance and health outcomes. From a performance standpoint, the type(s) of exercises selected play a major …
Have you ever been told you have “arthritis” in one of your joints? Do you know anyone who said they have “bad knees” or who …
We frequently receive questions from lifters who see their doctors and get a variety of screening tests done, including bloodwork. Interpreting lab data accurately can …
Introduction If it has been some time since you last exercised, whether due to COVID-related restrictions or other circumstances, there is one important point to …
Hopefully after our journey through Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV of this series it is clear that youth benefit from a …
In 2019 we published our Beginner Prescription, a free workout program with supporting materials designed to answer the question, “Where do I start with exercise …
People are bombarded with conflicting and confusing information from multiple sources on health related topics. This makes it hard to recognize who to trust, what …
In part four of the Resistance Training for Youth series, we’ll discuss the role of different training elements (or modalities) in athletic development. We recommend …
So you’ve been training, but have started experiencing pain. This is an extremely common experience that we get asked about on a daily basis. Essentially, …
Meat is an important dietary component for much of the world, whereas the prevalence of veganism or vegetarianism varies widely in different countries. For example, …
Part III will focus on the specific effects of resistance training on youth athletes. As mentioned in the previous parts of this series, resistance training …
If early sports specialization is not advantageous in most scenarios, and with an epidemic of inactivity among our youth, we need to find a more …
This series will analyze current evidence for training the general youth populations as well as for those who already consider themselves athletes. We will give …
The benefits of resistance training for reducing injury risk in endurance athletes was covered in Part 1 of this series. In Part 2, we examined …
The role of gender in sports dates to the 1890’s and the birth of the modern Olympic movement. When asked about the inclusion of women …
For an introduction to this program, please check out The Barbell Medicine Podcast: Episode #58: Programming For Beginners (and other musings on training) You can sign …
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, have ever missed a meal, or have even just driven by your favorite bakery…chances are you’ve experienced hunger. …
Crepitus is the menacingly-named phenomenon of noises produced by a joint during movement. It is common to hear snaps, crackles, and pops when flexing or …
It is important to note that the assumptions discussed in the last article are not arbitrary to the biomedical model, but legitimized through common sense …
In the second part of this article series we discussed the utility, limitations, and misconceptions related to the prospective cohort design for nutrition science. As …
In the first article in this series we discussed the history of nutrition science and traced its evolution alongside the biomedical model. We also introduced …
To anyone versed in biomedicine, the so-called “hierarchy of evidence” is well-established and unquestioned. The randomized ,double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) is considered the gold standard trial …
This article was originally published in September of 2014 as the first of four blog posts addressing The Principle of Specificity. Since then, the coaches at Barbell …
Take home points: I wrote an article titled Aches & Pains wherein I contrasted the traditional biomedical approach to pain with the modern biopsychosocial approach, …
If you’ve been paying attention to our latest podcasts, articles, Q/A’s, and other content then you’ve likely heard us discuss the importance of waist circumference …
I will spare you my lengthy back pain origin story and set the scene in 3 bullet points: It’s not a fun trip; I don’t …
Introduction Regular followers are likely familiar with our interest in a “biopsychosocial” approach to both training and injury, particularly the modifiable psychological factors that can …
Note: We published this protocol in the Barbell Medicine newsletter in March of 2018, but have since added some additional context, explanation, and recommendations for …
Prologue Alexis Irwin has been a client of mine for some time now. Together, we’ve successfully added hundreds of pounds to her lifts in total …
Yes. Your metabolism changes when you lose weight. Some of these changes are good, e.g. decreased fasting blood sugar, improved cholesterol measures, decreased storage of …
It has been said that using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is useless for strength and conditioning, which has caused quite a stir between the …
A 2014 paper by Draganich & Erdal studied the effect of sleep on cognitive functioning in 164 undergraduate students – with an interesting twist. Participants …
In late February, 2018 of this year, after a series of back and forth emails, I informed Rip et al that I was resigning from …
A little over one year ago I reached out to Austin Baraki in desperate need of coaching. Thankfully, he didn’t hesitate to accept the task …
“How do I increase my press?”- The Internet Fresh on the heels of the 2017 USSF Fall Classic, a strengthlifting meet that contests the press instead …
If you’re reading this, please raise your hand if you’ve heard the phrase “Americans eat too much salt” or, alternatively, that we should “cut back …
This is a transcription of the podcast, which is available on iTunes, SoundCloud, or YouTube. But first, a brief comment on this topic. This is …
We are very excited about our upcoming Barbell Medicine Seminar (Next one in Tempe, AZ in March 2018). For those who still aren’t quite sure what …
Dr. Feigenbaum: Hey, welcome back to the Barbell Medicine Podcast. I’m Dr. Feigenbaum, I’m joined here with Dr. Baraki. This is another Q&A episode, and …
Week number 2 is here and guess what….more dumbbells! Great! Let’s get into it: The Workout: Duration: 12 minutes Like last week, this has …
Updated 12.5.2024 The grip in the deadlift is an important piece to performing the deadlift. Not only do you need a strong grip to hold …
17.1 (<<<PDF available here) A brief introduction and then we can get right into this. I’m Jordan. I’m a lifter, a doctor, and I help people …
By Jordan Feigenbaum Now let’s introduce the concept of R.P.E., which stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion. The RPE scale was originally developed in the …
By Jordan Feigenbaum Hey there, readers! A different kind of post today and luckily for those of you who are still recovering from reading about …
By Jordan Feigenbaum So this is about a week two weeks late, but I thought I would catalogue my thoughts about how my foray into …
By Austin Baraki, MD, SSC, ft. Leah Lutz “You refuse to settle for mediocrity in those around you, and you relentlessly push people to be …
By Leah Lutz Hardly a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me about my new hobby, my new life, and my new confidence. My …
Tom Campitelli and I are going to visit Australia this January to hold a series of extended Starting Strength Camps. While camps normally cover one …
By Austin Baraki, MD, SSC This past week I was alerted to a new article in the journal Physical Therapy by Falvey et al. titled …
By Jordan Feigenbaum If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you probably have a vested interest in things pertaining to training, nutrition, and a …
“Just keep putting in the work. You’ll be fine. You’re strong. You’ve got this. Focus, Jordan.” This was just some of my internal dialogue on …
By Jordan Feigenbaum This post was inspired by a recent Facebook post of another coach, Jacob Tsypkin, owner of TZ Strength when he mentioned the idea …
This past Winter Tom Campitelli and I once again toured through Europe. While in London, we visited CrossFit Perpetua where I did a nutrition seminar …
About two weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending my first CrossFit Games, held every summer since 2007 in sunny southern California. Let me just …
By Jordan Feigenbaum, Emily Sanchez, Brandon Schabacker, and Movicque King Updated 3/30/2016 Readers, I’m posting part of a quality improvement project I’ve been working on …
By Austin Baraki Sorry for the delay, folks! I’ve been busy graduating from medical school :). We’ve made it to the fourth, final, and most …
By Austin Baraki Recall from our prior articles that a decline in skeletal muscle mass is just one criterion for sarcopenia; in addition, there must …
By Jordan Feigenbaum The Texas Method may be one of the most popular intermediate training programs in existence. Developed by happenstance in Texas (duh) and …
By Austin Baraki In our first article we defined sarcopenia as a loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. We discussed how disuse, poor nutrition, …
This article begins a multi-part series discussing the growing problem of sarcopenia in our aging population. We will discuss our current understanding of sarcopenia, ways …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, Starting Strength Staff, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach After explaining these same issues over and over again literally hundreds of times …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS Anatomy and Physiology, Starting Strength Staff, HFS, CSCS, USAW Club Coach In part three of this series, we’re going to discuss …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS Anatomy and Physiology, Starting Strength Staff, HFS, CSCS, USAW Club Coach In part two of this series, we’re going to discus …
By Austin Baraki Introduction Today we’ll be discussing a paper published in the Journal of Sports Sciences in April of this year (see here) …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, Starting Strength Staff, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach In response to this gem of an article. I answered this on the …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, Starting Strength Staff, USAW CC, HFS In general, I am not a fan of rules, dogma, or rigid guidelines. That …
Hey everyone, you can access my power point presentation from the FIM lecture today. I will be making a YouTube video with the slideshow + …
Recently got this question on my forum and thought I’d post it here for all to see. Question: I’m interested in your opinion on the …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach, Starting Strength Staff Quick question for you-my friend goes to Gold’s and one of the trainers …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MD, MS, Starting Strength Staff 1) Not reading the book Seriously, most people who are doing “Starting Strength Novice Progression” have never …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, Starting Strength Staff, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC In case you missed part one of this three part series, click here. In …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC, Starting Strength Staff One of the most common questions I get with regards to nutrition and/or training …
Hey everyone!! Thanks for all the support and for checking up on me. It was a fun day at the Arnold and although things didn’t …
Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC, Starting Strength Staff When it comes to dialing in the training there are numerous valid approaches that will …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC, Starting Strength Staff You can read parts one, 1.5, two , three, and four, before checking this …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC, Starting Strength Staff This study, The Effect of a Plant-Based Low-Carbohydrate (“Eco-Atkins”) Diet on Body Weight and …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC, Starting Strength Coach i. Bench Press- up to 1RM ii. WOD: 15-12-9 of 225lb bench press, strict …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, Starting Strength Coach, CSCS, HFS, USAW CC Yea, it’s that time again Resolution Time! People will be thinking about, discussing, and …
This past week I competed at the USAPL NE Regionals in Philadelphia, PA and had, by far, my worst performance at a meet ever. The …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach, Starting Strength Coach Ahhh, deload weeks…..the week(s) that EVERYONE hates (including me). In this installment I’m …
The idea is to give the athlete the best preparation for CrossFit competitions, which will start in late February. You may notice the trend of …
Just a little pre-weekend update before I head down to Atlanta to hang out with the Starting Strength crew and help out at Rip’s seminar …
By Jordan Feigenbaum Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you’ve undoubtedly seen or heard of the CrossFit Games. An …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach Weight class sports, by definition, offer advantages to those who are at the top of their …
While cruising Twitter this morning I saw this: The title of this blog post, Finding Your Fire, represents the single most important component in your …
I’ll be chronicling my participation in the USAPL Raw Nationals (181 class) on this post and will update it throughout the weekend. You can watch …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, Starting Strength Staff, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach Updated 01/26/2015: Finally, I have updated what has been the most viewed blog …
By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach DFM Director of Strength and Conditioning This article is all about force and it’s relationship to …
This is part two of the multi-part Hunger Games series. Check out part one here. Ghrelin, as mentioned before is made by cells in the …
Hunger Games: Part One By Jordan Feigenbaum MS, CSCS, HFS, USAW Club Coach In this multi-part series I hope to start unraveling the science behind …
Hey everyone! Thanks for checking out the blog once again. Today’s post is about my powerlifting meet (USAPL MO State Raw Meet) and a little …
I’m gonna be frank, I love (and hate) food. I love all the tastes, culinary novelties, and the satiety provided by an epic meal. At …
I had an excellent squat session today. Getting ready for a meet in March and switched to 3’s. Hit 200kg x 3 x 3 with …
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