Fitness Focus
ARE MICROPLASTICS IN YOUR FOOD?
by Dezi Abeyta, RD | Nutrition Writer | SMRTFT By now, you've probably heard the word: microplastics (MP). It sounds like clickbait, and it feels like one of those internet health trends meant to distract. But here's the uncomfortable truth:...
WHY YOU NEED TO BUILD YOUR GRIP STRENGTH!
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS Yes, you may want big biceps, or a 300-pound bench press, or the ability to do pullups with ease. But if you want to live for decades upon decades, then you want something else too: Grip...
Hydration Isn't Just Water: Why Sweat Needs Real Fuel
by Dezi Abeyta, RD During the summer, one of the first things to go is hydration. And when you’re under-recovered, you’re training is destined to be a struggle. Here’s the thing: Too many treat thirst like a reaction. You feel...
Build Your Summer Body with Back-Chest Supersets
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS As the summer approaches, you know you want muscle. But you also don’t want to spend all your time in the gym. And that’s when the back-chest superset can help the most. Truth is, the back-chest...
Why Fiber Is Key to Your Performance Diet
by Dezi Abeyta, RD | SMRTFT Nutrition Writer When it comes to protein, we know all about it. We've tracked it and blended it into shakes, pancakes, pastas, and now, even water. But there’s still a giant opportunity in the...
Why Back Exercises Are the Key to Getting in Summer Shape
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, C.S.C.S. When most guys think of getting in summer shape, they think of arm exercises and chest moves and abs. But the real key to building your summer body is actually training your back. By targeting your...
THE SMART GUY’S GUIDE TO ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS
by Dezi Abeyta, RD, Performance Dietitian Let's talk facts, not fear-mongering: food science is one of the greatest tools modern fitness has. And while the term “ultra-processed food” has become a dirty word in wellness circles, these highly processed foods...
Four Plank Variations To Build Six-Pack Abs
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS The basic plank gets a bad rap in training circles. It’s viewed as a beginner move, and it’s often a move that’s butchered in certain gyms, with plenty of workout newcomers either lifting their butts sky...
BY DEZI ABEYTA If you’re aiming to lean down, yes, you’ll need to track your calories, and stay in a calorie deficit. But no, that doesn’t require painstaking perfection and a food scale for every meal. Instead, all it takes...
The Leg Workout That’ll Build Your Abs
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS If you want to build strong six-pack abs, it’s about more than training your abs. The path to a aesthetic core has long started with training your legs. Honestly, this is what I wish I’d known...
How to Get Into a Calorie Deficit in 3 Steps
BY DEZI ABEYTA, RD Whether you're trying to lose body fat, lean out for aesthetics, or improve your metabolic health, one principle almost always applies: you must be in a calorie deficit. But that doesn't mean starving your body, and...
Try These Calorie-burning Moves
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS The quest to burn calories is endless. And your workouts play only a small role in that calorie-burning process. Truth is, you’ll get your best calorie-burn on a daily basis from increasing your total step count...
The Safe Protein Powder Buying Guide
BY DEZI ABEYTA, RN In the quest to build muscle and strength, you almost always want a good protein powder. But the supplement industry just isn’t as tightly regulated as you might think. A recent Clean Label Project report, reminded...
THE ULTIMATE CALORIE-BURNING WORKOUT
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, C.S.C.S. If you’re doing a workout purely to burn calories, you’re doing it wrong. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or you’re midway through a summer cut, your workouts should focus on building muscle and strength, not...
BY DEZI ABEYTA, RN Few supplements are as touted these days as branched-chain amino acids. Better known as BCAAs, they’re hyped as a key to muscle growth all across Instagram. But are they that useful? Here’s the reality: If you’re...
THREE LIGHTWEIGHT EXERCISES FOR LONGEVITY
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, C.S.C.S. I say it all the time: You need to push your limits and train heavy. And earlier in February, we reviewed several exercises worth pushing to their heaviest. But that doesn’t mean that lightweight moves have...
Muscle Growth 101: What Really Moves the Needle
BY DEZI ABEYTA You know by now that protein is crucial for effective muscle recovery and growth. And yes, research has shown that, on some level, it’s as simple as hitting the number (1 gram per pound of goal body...
THREE EXERCISES YOU NEED TO MAX OUT!
BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, C.S.C.S. You can do every major exercise. But how many of these moves can you . . . dominate? If you’re truly chasing strength and muscle gains, this is a question worth asking. Because everything they’ve told...