by Christian Duque

Weight-training is oftentimes about getting in shape, building muscle, and creating a great physique. Diet and supplements help along this process. Rest and hydration are also key. Now that we’ve stipulated all these points, we need to cut through the red tape and talk about the pecking order (pun intended). All muscle helps to create a physique, just like all instruments in a band, fuse together to create a sound. Muscles, like instruments in a band, have different degrees of popularity. For example, most people are obsessed with arms and pecs, you could say these are the lead guitarists and lead singers in a band. Some like delts and big backs for the V-taper look – these could easily be the drummers.
Read More »Who Cares About Legs?

by Christian Duque

America is facing a major battle, a war actually. Heart disease is always a crucial concern, the onset of adult diabetes is on the rise, and many have been left scratching their heads, looking aimlessly for what’s causing all the healthcare woes. The cold hard facts are written on the wall. Obesity is a major problem that’s getting worse and there are very few effective countermeasures in place. Why are people eating so much junk food? Why is it that what society dictates as suitable eating alternatives, leave so many people craving high fat, high carb, inexpensive and highly processed foods?
Read More »Salads, Health Foods, and Protein

by Matt Weik

If you’ve followed my work for any amount of time, you’d already know that most of my career was spent in the supplement industry. And to be totally honest with you, it’s been a love/hate relationship. Supplements themselves are just that – supplements. However, too many times I see individuals using supplements to replace just about everything and to aid them in reaching goals by taking the easy way out. Let me explain…
Read More »Do We Rely Too Heavily on Supplements?

by Matt Weik

Being in the fitness industry, we are always trying to either maintain or improve our physique. One area that is focused on heavily is our dental health. How many bodybuilders or fitness models do you see with stained teeth or dental health issues? Not many. Why is this important to you even if you aren’t actively in the industry? Because a smile is generally one of the first things we look at when engaging with another person. For that reason, it’s extremely important to maintain proper dental hygiene. But, did you know that your workouts could be destroying your dental health? It’s true, and the reasons why might surprise you.
Read More »Are Your Workouts Destroying Your Dental Health?

by Christian Duque

We all know that sports are expensive, from shoes to accessories to training and diet. When people think of expensive sports, golf and tennis immediately come to mind, but what about bodybuilding? For those of us in the fitness industry, particularly competitors and media, we know first-hand how much food bodybuilders eat, how many supplements they take, and how much great gyms can and cost. Physique-based sports require a lot of time and effort; these are very selfish disciplines, where athletes can expect to train daily, sometimes twice a day, and meals are calculated by the gram, based on macro and micro nutrients.
Read More »How do Bodybuilders Make Ends Meet

by Christian Duque

This article hits home on a variety of levels, because I’ve always been a huge supporter of Ralph Nader’s and the concept of consumer protection. When it comes to pretty much anything healthcare related, there are set protocols, enforced by law, monitored by agencies, and carefully scrutinized by professional boards. Whether it’s a routine check-up, a visit to a specialist, chiropractic or even licensed massage therapy, there are safeguards in place. When it comes to personal training, there really isn’t anything anywhere near as formal. Many gyms recommend that their trainers be certified, some even require it, but very few are well-versed enough to know which programs teach what.
Read More »Should You Only Hire Certified PT?

by Christian Duque

Fad Health Lingo should be its own language, at the very least it should be considered a dialect. Over the years, I’ve come across a pretty diverse assortment of health and exercise con people, many sound like a fortune cookie fortune, spliced with some medical terminology, and the really good ones include some citations to a poet, intellectual, or religious prophet. They like to meet for coffee and scamming at coffee shops and usually try to get the big tables before the Bible-thumpers take them. They prefer crowded, captive audiences and they like to hijack as much attention as possible. Words like metaphysical and holistic are their calling cards. Remember, anything that will make you feel better that lacks studies, scientific findings, or any empirical data to speak of, is usually just hot air.
Read More »Holistic and Spiritual Healing Therapies…

PHOTO CREDIT: GENERATION IRON

by Matt Weik

Some people might be looking at this article and be saying “too soon.” Others might be thinking the same exact thing(s) I am. But regardless, this year we witnessed history – only, not the history we were all expecting. At the 2018 Mr. Olympia contest, we were expecting to watch Phil Heath take home his eighth Sandow trophy, only to be stunned when Shawn Rhoden walked on stage and shocked the world. Can Shawn keep the train moving down the tracks or will Phil Heath come back in 2019 and show the competition that he’s chasing the record?
Read More »Can Phil Heath Take Back His Olympia Title in 2019?

by Christian Duque

First and foremost, I generally don’t care about the whole natty vs enhanced argument. I think what ever people do supplement-wise is their own business. I think it’s very impertinent to walk up to someone you don’t know and ask if they’re taking gear or not. Truthfully, performance enhancement drugs are in every sport, from bodybuilding to MMA to football and baseball. We can believe that this sort of thing is limited to physique and strength-based sports, but that would make us laughably naive. In most cases, it’s a cat and mouse game. Sport federations who implement testing, try their best to find those who are using banned substances. Some athletes try to beat the tests, use masking agents, and/or time when they take certain products, calculating when they’ll be out of the bloodstream/system. Is it unfair? Of course it is, but I don’t get into it.
Read More »Fake Natties Who Compete at Natural Shows

by Matt Weik

I’m taking a different approach to what the norm today is and I’d love for everyone to weigh in on my thoughts. Today, most consider a “bodybuilder” as a mass monster. Someone who competes on the competitive stage and has mounds of muscle on their frame. Many would say they are considered the guys who use steroids and other anabolics to put on large quantities of muscle.
Read More »What Does It Mean to Be a Bodybuilder?