The Protein Corner

Measuring food with scales, cups, and apps is essential when you’re new to dieting. But boy, does it get tedious fast.  Fortunately, once you’ve learned the basics of portion control, you can ditch the rigid tools for something simpler: the hand portion method. Using hand measurements for food is surprisingly effective— it’s accurate , consistent, and completely portable. Plus, it naturally scales to your size: people with larger hands typically consume larger portions, while those with smaller hands eat less. If you want to calculate serving sizes using your hand, this article will show you how. In this straightforward hand portion size guide, you’ll learn how to measure portion sizes using your hands, so you never have to rely on traditional measuring tools again. How to Estimate Serving Sizes by Hand 1. One Palm-Sized Portion of Protein   Your palm is ideal for measuring food by hand, especially when it comes to protein.  A portion of protein like chicken, ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube In this episode, I discuss strength loss during cutting, how to train with lower back injuries, the ideal body fat percentage for health, nutrition strategies, and lots more. As always, these questions come directly from my Instagram followers, who take advantage of my weekly Q&As in my stories. If you have a question you’re dying to have answered, make sure you follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness) and look out for the Q&A posts. Your question might just make it into a podcast episode! If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. Timestamps: (05:41) Communism opinion (07:26) Regression during a cut (10:46) Lower back injury (13:22) Body fat percentage (14:49) Strength training age limit (19:50) Daily meal plan (25:58) Front sq...

You may have heard that if you want a bigger butt or beefier hamstrings, you need to squat—and then squat some more. While there’s no doubt that squats are a great start, they aren’t enough to build balanced glute and hamstring mass. To make better overall progress, you also need hip-dominant exercises , specifically those that allow you to train your glutes, hamstrings , and surrounding hip muscles through large ranges of motion with heavy weights. Which hip-dominant exercises should you prioritize?  Based on my experience working with thousands of people, here are my top picks: Deadlift Romanian deadlift Deficit deadlift Hip thrust Single-Leg hip thrust Cable pull-through In this article, you’ll learn why these hip-focused exercises are so effective, how they transform your physique and boost performance, and how to fit them into your routine to maximize your gains. Key Takeaways A hip-dominant exercise is any lower body strength training exercise where mo...

Ever felt lost in a conversation about fitness, wondering what half the gym term s mean? You’re not alone. Gym lingo can feel like a secret code that makes training seem more intimidating and confusing than it needs to be. One good way to overcome this is to learn a few common workout words . Understanding gym lingo not only helps you confidently navigate fitness, but also enables you to train smarter, avoid rookie mistakes, and ultimately achieve better results. In this article, we’ll define 75 of the most common gym term s, so you can walk into the gym feeling informed, prepared, and focused on getting results. Table of Contents + Gym Lingo You Need to Know A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Gym Lingo You Need to Know Here’s our list of 75 must-know workout terms . A   Accessory Exercises An exercise that enhances your performance on a key exercise, such as the squat , deadlift, bench press, or overhead press.  Examp...

You may have heard that to build “boulder” shoulders, you have to focus on front, side, and rear dumbbell raises.  That’s nonsense. While those exercises have their benefits, the real key to building shoulder mass and strength is vertical push exercises. These exercises train all three heads of your delts while also developing several other major upper body muscle groups, including your chest, arms, and upper back. Which vertical press exercises work best? Here are my top six: Standing barbell overhead press Seated barbell overhead press Standing dumbbell overhead press Shoulder press Arnold press Machine shoulder press In this article, you’ll learn why these exercises are so effective, understand how to perform them for maximum growth, and discover more tips to take your shoulder training to the next level. Key Takeaways A vertical push exercise is a strength training movement where you press against resistance vertically (in an up-and-down direction). The best ve...