The Protein Corner

Table of Contents + Instructions (Cable Lat Pulldown) Instructions (Plate-Loaded Machine Lat Pulldown) Expert Tips Mike's Take Lat Pulldown Alternatives 3 Lat Pulldown Workouts Lat Pulldown vs. Pull-Up: Which Is Better? Muscles Worked by the Lat Pulldown More Back Exercises Instructions (Cable Lat Pulldown) Adjust the thigh pad so that it locks your legs in place and prevents your butt from rising off the seat when pulling the bar down. Grab the bar with your palms facing away from you and a few inches wider than shoulder-width apart, and sit down, letting your body weight pull the bar down with you, and then wedge your legs underneath the thigh pad. Sit slightly behind the cable rather than directly under it, with your chest proud and a slight arch in your lower back. Relax your arms and shoulders, letting the weight pull your arms straight and your shoulders as high as possible (they should be almost touching your ears). Staring straight ahead, initiate the rep ...

Table of Contents + Instructions (Seated Machine Shrug-Back) Instructions (Seated Cable Shrug-Back) Instructions (Chest-Supported T-Bar Shrug-Back) Instructions (One-Arm Dumbbell Shrug-Back) Expert Tips Mike's Take Shrug-Back Alternatives 3 Shrug-Back Workouts More Trap Exercises Instructions (Seated Machine Shrug-Back) Adjust the seat height so the top of the chest pad is level with the top of your breastbone, and grip the handles with your arms straight. If the handles are adjustable, set them so they’re just out of reach when you extend your arms. Grab the handles and relax your arms and shoulders, letting the weight pull your arms straight and your shoulders as far forward as they’ll go. Staring straight ahead, retract your shoulder blades and pinch them together as close as you can, without bending your elbows. Pause briefly, then let the weight pull your shoulder blades forward and return to the starting position. Instructions (Seated Cable Shru...

A simple way to lose fat slowly and steadily: Eat as you normally do five days per week and then eat basically nothing but 150–200ish grams of protein ( or 1-1.2 g/lb if you want to be more precise ) and maybe a serving or two of fruit or vegetables two nonconsecutive days per week. Just make sure you don’t accidentally eat more than usual in the five regular-calorie days to compensate for the two low-calorie days. Technically, this approach is known as intermittent calorie restriction (ICR), and studies show that when the size of the weekly calorie deficit is matched, ICR can work just as well as a small daily deficit, or continuous calorie restriction (CCR), for losing weight. And in some people, ICR can work even better because they find it easier to heavily restrict their food intake two days per week rather than moderately restrict it seven days per week, resulting in a larger average weekly calorie deficit (and thus fat loss). Another variation of ICR with scientific ...

Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Mike's Take Barbell Shrug Alternatives 3 Barbell Shrug Workouts More Trap Exercises Instructions Set the safety bars or hooks in a squat rack to midthigh height and load the bar (or load a barbell on the floor and deadlift it into position). Grip the bar just outside your thighs with your palms facing you, stand up tall with your chest out, and lean forward slightly so your shoulders are over the bar. Let the bar pull your arms straight and shoulder blades down as far as they’ll go. Take a deep breath, brace your abs, and raise your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as they’ll go, keeping your arms straight. Pause briefly, then let the weight pull your shoulders down and return to the starting position. Expert Tips Don’t be afraid to experiment with a slightly wider grip. Some people find that placing their hands about 3–6 inches outside of their thighs allows them to engage their trap...

In 12 weeks of Legion’s body transformation coaching , Shawn lost 22 pounds, 15% body fat, and gained significant muscle and strength. At 52, Shawn’s goal was simple: get lean enough that he wasn’t afraid to take his shirt off at the beach. He’d been loosely following a carnivore diet , but between ice cream, candy, pizza, and the occasional round of drinks, he cheated on it often enough that it never really worked. The cost almost kept him from signing up, but what got him past it was simple: “I wanted to remove the excuses and finally make progress toward my goals,” he said. With the help of his Legion coach, Shawn traded the guesswork for a real plan, and finally saw the kind of progress he wanted to make. Here are his results: Shawn’s Journey He’d never followed a program like Bigger Leaner Stronger  before, and what he wanted from coaching came down to three things: accountability, consistency, and strategies that a...

Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Mike's Take One-Arm Dumbbell Row Alternatives 3 One-Arm Dumbbell Row Workouts Muscles Worked by the One-Arm Dumbbell Row More Back Exercises Instructions Hold a dumbbell in your right hand. Plant your left knee and arm firmly on a bench, your right foot on the floor a foot or two from the bench, and let your right arm (the one holding the dumbbell) hang straight down toward the floor. Let the weight pull your shoulder blade as far forward as it can go—it helps to rotate your torso slightly to get an even deeper stretch. Keeping your back straight and staring straight ahead, retract your right shoulder blade and pull it as far back as you can, without bending your elbow. Once your shoulder blade is as far back as possible, pull the dumbbell to your torso, keeping your elbow close to your sides. Once the dumbbell touches your torso, straighten your arm and let the weight pull your shoulder blade forward as far as it...