Fitness Focus
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS As the summer gets closer, the 23 hours when you’re not holding a dumbbell become pivotal in your quest to build a summer body – especially when it comes to diet. That’s because, to effectively...
Avoid These Habits for More Muscle
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS In one venerable study on unilateral strength training, 585 people trained on the exact same 12-week workout program. Some subjects saw major muscle size increases (as much as 59%), while others lost 2% of their muscle...
The Three Best Arm-Building Exercises, According to Science
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS Just like that, sleeveless season is here. Year-round, there’s little downside to bigger, stronger arms (and they help your longevity, too), but now they’re more on our minds. The result: Many of us head to...
Why Dumbbell Shape Matters During Tough Workouts
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS The first thing you need to build muscle is heavy, challenging weight. Next up: The shape of the weight. I realize this every time I use a clunky set of adjustable dumbbells. These days, many...
Two Easy Tips for Muscle-Building Intensity
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS Building muscle has never only been about the reps. Yes, almost every workout includes reps and sets. But according to one 2024 meta-anlysis, the fastest path to changing your body requires more: You need to be...
The Training Changeup Your Workout Really Needs
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS It’s the end of March, and 2026 is now a full 25 percent in the books. You’re mentally tired, and your muscles ache just a bit more, and maybe it’s just a bit harder to lift...
Three Dumbbell Plank Variations That Actually Carve Your Core
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS I have a rule for my clients: Once they can hold a 60-second plank, we move on.The plank is a great starter core exercise, but we’re ready to upgrade. Here’s the thing: Your...
How Prefatigue Sets Push Your Muscles To The Limit
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS I tell you all the time: Lifting heavy is the best, most reliable way to build muscle and strength. But done too frequently, it can wear down your body and batter your joints. And some...
THE *REAL* REASON WE STRUGGLE WITH WORKOUT CONSISTENCY
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS To see success on the path to muscle and strength, we need consistently challenging workouts. Our muscles and cells grow and adapt best when they receive a constant flow of nutrients and healing factors. The eternal...
This Training Technique Lets You Build More Muscle in Less Time
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS Not all reps are created equal.The reps your muscles crave are what’s called “effective reps”. When you do just about any set of any exercise, the weight will move relatively quickly over the first few reps....
Faster Weight Changes = More Muscle. Here’s the Science
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS The best way to build muscle on a time crunch is the dropset. But most home dropsets fail because of clunky weight changes. And that’s why SMRTFT’s dumbbells have long been my home workout cheat code. ...
The Best Dumbbell Exercises For Your Glutes
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS From the top athletes in the Winter Olympics to bodybuilders to fitness influencers, the fittest bodies have one thing in common: They always have strong, powerful glutes. Building your backside is about more than...
3 Mental Tips For Surviving Cardio Workouts
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS You know by now that you need to do at least some cardio. And you also know that, very often, that cardio can feel . . . wildly boring. But there are fixes for that...
FOUR UNDERRATED EXERCISES FOR TOTAL-BODY MUSCLE
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS You’ve done goblet squats and deadlifts and rows before. And yes you need these moves to build muscle. But what happens when you get . . . bored with them? Sure, you could battle...
This Adjustable Dumbbell Trait Is The Secret to Arm Gains
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS Weight range is the first number you think of when purchasing adjustable dumbbells. But if your goal is big arms, check another stat: Plate circumference. Here’s the deal: If you’re working to build your...
The 20-minute Heavy Weights Challenge
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS I get this question all the time, especially in January. Someone will tell me they’re just starting out in the gym, and ask if they should get 50-pound adjustable dumbbells. Since they’re beginners, they say,...
The Secret To Crushing Your New Year’s Resolution
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSC You spent the final days of 2025 building the perfect New Year’s resolution. Now comes the hard part: Sticking to it. And the key to your 2026 fitness goal is crushing January, and forming the...
HERBIE: I FOLLOW ONE RULE—I DO IT ANYWAY
Over the past year, Herbie lost over 140 pounds training at home-his result came from consistency, not motivation. Most people don't fail because they lack motivation. They fail because they overthink the start. The turning point wasn't a program. It...