No matter how minor, an injury always feels like a major set-back. Even the most benign of ailments can bring significant mental turmoil. Doubt enters our mind in the form of: "I allowed this to ... Continue Reading
Belly Fat Increases Your Risk of Death
We've always heard that being overweight or obese is dangerous for our health. After all, the excess body fat clogs up our blood vessels, increases the risk of high blood pressure, slows down organ ... Continue Reading
Getting a Big, Powerful Backside
Developing your backside may not be very high on your priority list. It’s commonly thought of as a woman’s issue, but whether you’re training for strength, function, or aesthetics, nothing could be further ... Continue Reading
Making a Magic Pill to Build Muscle and Fight Obesity
Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a way to just take a pill to get fit, lose weight, or pack on pounds of muscle? A lot of us would probably take advantage of it—between our busy work and home lives, ... Continue Reading
What the Haters Should Learn From CrossFit
(Source: Bev Childress) CrossFit is no longer a fad or a trend, or even a style of training that will pass in due time. It’s firmly established itself as a major player in the fitness space. Not ... Continue Reading
Diet Products Will Make You Fat
Walk down any supermarket aisle and you'll find at least a few foods with the word diet emblazoned in bold letters across the label. They tend to be lower in fat, sugar, or calories, all the things we ... Continue Reading
Injury and the Rites of Passage
In today’s show, Coach Shane Trotter sits down with another Breaking Muscle regular, Justin Lind. They delve into his affection for the kettlebell, his training mindset, his motivation for getting into ... Continue Reading
Get Your Shoulders Under Control
If you close your eyes and imagine your entire right arm, from your fingertips all the way up, where does your image of your arm stop? Does it include your collarbone or your breastbone? What about the ... Continue Reading
The Economic Impact of a Little Exercise: Billions and Billions of Dollars
Do you have any idea how much is spent on medical and healthcare costs in the U.S. every year? In 2016, the nation's health care expenses rose as high as $10,000 per person, with more than $3.35 trillion ... Continue Reading
Leaderboards Done Right: Adversity and Growth
The CrossFit Open is behind us, and Regionals are drawing to a close. For thousands, this spring was their first experience with competition in CrossFit, and it is through the veterans of the Open that ... Continue Reading
How Strong Is Strong Enough?
How strong do you need to be? I don’t mean to rain on anybody’s parade, but it’s a worthwhile question to consider. How strong is strong enough? Unless strength is your sport, there are myriad other ... Continue Reading
Fasting Isn’t the Dieting Secret Weapon You Think
Intermittent fasting has become one of the most popular diets for those trying to lose weight. The belief is that restricting eating to 4-8 hours per day can lead to improved calorie burning, better ... Continue Reading
Cities That Regulate Trans Fats Could Be Saving Lives
For decades, it was believed that saturated fat (the fat found in animal products) was the villain of the food world. It was blamed for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic disorders, high ... Continue Reading
Should You Let Your Kids Go Full Contact in Football?
Should your son play tackle football, and if so, when? Football requires a level of discipline and a team mindset matched by few other sports or recreational activities. It offers an organized path of ... Continue Reading
Get Back At It: 3 Ways to Reduce Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness is often the biggest factor limiting your performance. It’s hard to get out of bed, every step hurts, and the stairs are your worst nightmare. Some people claim to like muscle soreness, ... Continue Reading
What About Designer Diets Based On Genetics?
Why is it that some people prefer salty snacks to sweet treats, or they can't get enough spicy or sour foods? Some people love a nice, dark, bitter coffee, while others have to have coffee rich and sweet. ... Continue Reading
Sherpas, Hypoxia, and Saving the ICU Patient
Hypoxia is a relative drop in tissue oxygen levels. It is a common feature of many human diseases, including heart failure, lung diseases, anemia, and many cancers, and can compromise normal cellular ... Continue Reading
Junk Food Is Slowly Killing You
Sounds dramatic, but it's a lot truer than you'd think. Junk food is doing your body harm on so many levels. It's flooding your liver, kidneys, and bloodstream with chemicals you have no way of processing. ... Continue Reading
Don’t Eat Less, Eat Smarter
Have you ever strolled through the supermarket aisles and filled your shopping carts with food that looked good, but ended up being less healthy once you read the nutritional label? Have ... Continue Reading
Relax or You’ll Give Yourself a Hernia
Inguinal hernia, sports hernia, sportsman’s hernia, or groin disruption. It goes by many names, but this condition is on the rise. The United States has seen an increase in prevalence of hernias ... Continue Reading
Please, Parents, Give Positive Nutrition Exposure to Your Kids
If you’re reading this article, there’s no doubt you are of a special frame of mind that makes you far more receptive to the idea of better nutrition for a better quality of life. Believe it or not, the ... Continue Reading
Vacations Are Truly Magical
Vacations are a truly magical thing. They give you a chance to step out of your routine, get away from your busy life, and enjoy something new. Even if you take a staycation in your home/city, it's still ... Continue Reading
A Conceptual Blueprint for Training in Your 40s and Beyond
Photography by Bev Childress Remember those days where you could train hard, go out and party all night, get next to no sleep, eat a heap of junk food, and then crush your workout in the gym the next ... Continue Reading
Beetroot Juice: Improve Your Brain and Your Workout
Beets are an amazing food. Not only are they packed with dietary fiber, but they're loaded with potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Their dark color and ... Continue Reading
