The Protein Corner

In only 12 weeks of Legion coaching, Natalie lost 12 pounds of fat, shed 2 inches off her waist, and added 40 pounds to her squat , 60 pounds to her deadlift , and 110 pounds to her leg press . She had previously followed the Thinner Leaner Stronger program and seen good results. However, as she became more experienced with weightlifting, she began struggling with plateaus . A few months of Legion coaching turned that around and dramatically improved her physique. Here are her results: Natalie’s Journey Natalie began following Thinner Leaner Stronger in her late 20s and initially progressed well. In her first year, she gained significant strength and lost almost 10 pounds of fat. However, as she entered her 30s, life began to change, and maintaining focus on fitness became tougher. Nevertheless, she was keen to avoid bad eating and fitness habits. “I don’t want the body of an “older woman,” she said. “I want to keep looking fire!” By that point, Natalie was well-vers...

The “ice hack diet” is a diet trend rapidly gaining popularity on social media.  Its marketing often features people holding glasses of ice, implying it’s a “shortcut” for losing belly fat that involves consuming frozen water. This is a smokescreen. In truth, the ice hack diet revolves around a product called Alpilean , a weight loss supplement containing a blend of ingredients from the Himalayan Alps. Alpilean’s creators claim their product is so potent that the weight loss industry has suppressed it, fearing that people will forgo all other diet products once they understand its power. In this article, you’ll learn whether these claims are legitimate. We’ll also answer key questions like what is the ice hack diet, does the ice hack diet work, what are its side effects, what are the best alternatives to ice hack diet, and more.  Table of Contents What Is the Ice Hack Diet (aka Alpine Ice Diet)? Does the Ice Hack Diet Work? The Dangers and Potential Side Effect...

Fitness isn’t everything, but everything is harder if you aren’t fit.  Some days, fitness isn’t training, though. It’s resting and relaxing and rejuvenating. Some days the work is internal and not external. Don’t let this make you feel ashamed or frustrated. A healthy and sustainable regimen isn’t a merry-go-round. It’s a seesaw. So, when you’re feeling out of sorts because of poor sleep , nutrition , or some other reason best known to Lord Cthulhu, sometimes it’s better to do a different (easier) workout or take the day off rather than gut it out.  Similarly, sometimes you should say no to the ice cream and feel proud, and sometimes you should say yes and feel satisfied. There are no universal dietary rights or wrongs, only circumstances and compatibilities. Your judgment counts. Reject diet and exercise dogmas, too. Fitness advice should be viewed in the same way as suggestions about where to buy groceries or what type of shoes to wear. Even the best pointers have a he...

You may have heard that exercising boosts testosterone. But how much truth is there in this claim? Does working out increase testosterone ? And does the type of exercise you do matter? For example, does working out legs increase testosterone more than training arms? Or is weightlifting more effective than cardio? And does working out increase testosterone in females , too? Learn evidence-based answers to all these questions and more in this article.   Table of Contents What Is Testosterone? Why Is Testosterone Important? Does Working Out Increase Testosterone in Males? Strength Training High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Endurance Training Does Working Out Increase Testosterone in Females? Do Post-Exercise Testosterone Spikes Boost Muscle Growth? What Is Testosterone? Testosterone is a hormone predominantly produced in the testicles for men and in smaller amounts in the ovaries for women. As the primary androgen (male sex hormone), men natural...

The cable crossover is a chest exercise involving a cable crossover machine . It’s a staple in bodybuilding chest workouts because it lets you train your chest even when your shoulders and triceps are tired from pressing. Unlike most chest exercises, it also allows you to train your pecs through a full range of motion, which is vital for maximizing growth.  In this article, you’ll learn how to perform the cable crossover with proper form, why it’s beneficial, which muscles it works, common mistakes people make while performing cable crossovers , the best cable crossover alternatives , and more.  Table of Contents How to Do the Cable Crossover 1. Set up 2. Fly 3. Retract Cable Crossover: Benefits 1. It effectively trains your pecs. 2. It trains your pecs through a full range of motion. 3. It allows you to train your pecs when your shoulders and triceps are tired. Cable Crossover: Muscles Worked Common Cable Crossover Mistakes 1. Pressing the weight. 2. ...

Lengthened partials , also known as “long-length partials,” are a training technique quickly gaining acclaim in the fitness space.  They involve only training a muscle while it’s stretched, skipping the part of each rep where the muscle fully contracts. Advocates of lengthened partials suggest this approach can enhance muscle growth by up to 10%, a figure they claim research supports. Is this true? And if so, how should you include them in your program? Get evidence-based answers to these questions and more in this article. What Are Lengthened Partials? Lengthened partials, or “long-length partials,” are a training technique where you intentionally shorten an exercise’s range of motion (ROM), performing only the portion of each rep where your muscles are most stretched. For instance, in a standing dumbbell curl with full ROM, you lift the weight from your thigh to your shoulder by bending your elbow. However, you can divide this ROM into two sections: the “top portion” ...