How are you prepping to go into 2026? My recommendation for health goals is to get a good macro tracking food app and a solid workout tracker. I use macrofactor to track my food and weight loss progress.
MacroFactor will set your macros based on your goals. You log your weight and food intake, and it will adjust during weekly check-ins based on your progress. The food-tracking library is extensive, and you can easily add your own recipes to track your macros.
My favorite workout app is Hevy. There are free and paid versions. I manually input my daily workouts and track right in the app. Hevy lets you export your data to Excel if spreadsheets are your thing.
While the exercise database is pretty extensive, you can also enter custom exercises based on your available equipment or bodyweight. These two apps can set you up for success going into the new year. Let me know in the comments if you try these apps and what you think. If you use something else, let us know!!
As we head into the new year, many folks set goals. I myself do the same thing. One technique I use is to make a long list of short-term and long-term goals to work on throughout the next 12 months. I break my list down into personal growth, fitness, and life. Often, we try to hit 3 concerts a year, and we already have one booked for 2026. My fitness goals this year are to log over 140 workouts. 2025 saw a few lulls in my workouts, and I’m determined to exceed them in 2026. I’d also like to work towards completing weighted pull-ups again. It’s been many years since I’ve been able to do this, so I felt it was right to add to my goal list.
I’d also like to post more here. I think this year I’m going to post check-in blogs to evaluate where I am on my goal list and how my progress is going. I’d love to hear from you all. Comment on this post with a goal you have set for 2026, and if you’d like some accountability, subscribe to this blog, and we can crush our goals together in 2026.
If you are just starting in the gym, you may be wondering what exercises to do and how to do them? The following is a great starting point for a back and bicep workout.
Begin with Romanian deadlifts which is a great compound movement. Be sure to keep a slight bend to the knees and stop the bar path at shin level before rising on each rep.
Starting weight should be heavy enough that you struggle on the last 2-3 reps. You can have someone spot you for these last reps or cheat a little bit to bring your muscles to fatigue.
Chest day is a staple in any well-rounded training program. Whether you’re in the gym working on your bench press PR or training at home with minimal equipment, there are plenty of ways to build a strong, well-defined chest. In this post, we’ll cover bench press tips for the gym and alternative exercises for those training at home.
Mastering the Bench Press
The bench press is a fundamental chest-building exercise that targets the pectorals, triceps, and shoulders. To get the most out of your bench session, follow these tips:
1. Set Up for Success
• Grip Width: A shoulder-width or slightly wider grip maximizes pec activation while reducing strain on the shoulders.
• Feet Placement: Keep your feet flat on the ground to create a stable base and generate leg drive.
• Scapular Retraction: Pull your shoulder blades back and down to protect your shoulders and improve pressing power.
2. Execute Proper Form
• Lower the Bar with Control: Bring the bar down to your mid-chest in a slow, controlled motion.
• Elbow Positioning: Keep elbows at 45 degrees to prevent excessive strain on the shoulders.
• Drive Through Your Feet: Use leg drive to generate more power on the press.
3. Use Progressive Overload
• Gradually increase weight or reps over time to stimulate muscle growth.
• Incorporate paused reps or tempo training (e.g., 3-second negatives) to challenge your muscles.
No Gym? No Problem! Chest Training at Home
If you don’t have access to a gym, you can still build an impressive chest with bodyweight and minimal equipment exercises.
1. Push-Ups (The Classic Chest Builder)
Push-ups are a versatile bodyweight alternative that can be modified for any fitness level:
• Standard Push-Ups: Works the entire chest.
• Wide-Grip Push-Ups: Targets the outer chest for a wider look.
• Diamond Push-Ups: Emphasizes the triceps and inner chest.
• Decline Push-Ups: Elevate your feet to hit the upper chest (similar to an incline bench press).
2. Dips (Using Chairs or Parallel Bars)
• Chest dips emphasize lower chest development and require a leaned-forward position to shift the focus from the triceps to the pecs.
• If you don’t have dip bars, use two sturdy chairs for a modified version.
3. Resistance Band Presses & Flys
• Use resistance bands to mimic bench pressing and fly movements.
• Anchor a band to a door, railing, or sturdy object and perform chest presses or flys for a deep stretch and contraction.
4. Floor Press with Dumbbells or Kettlebells
• If you have dumbbells or kettlebells, lie on the floor and perform floor presses to target the chest while protecting the shoulders.
The Proper Way to Deadlift: A Step-by-Step Guide for Strength and Safety
The deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for building total-body strength, particularly in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and lower back). However, poor form can lead to injury. In this guide, we’ll break down the proper deadlift technique and include AI-generated images to help you master the lift safely.
Why Deadlifts Matter
Deadlifts improve:
✅ Strength – Targets multiple muscle groups, making it a compound movement.
✅ Posture – Strengthens the core and lower back, reducing the risk of injury.
Since I last posted? A lot has happened since April 2023. The world seems to be returning to a more normal point, although there are plenty who disagree. In late 2022 I decided to go back to school to earn my PhD. Between school and working full time, I haven’t had much time for anything else these days. I did start a facebook group for those who have Veds who wants to take back their health. I also opened myself up to fitness clients and took on 2 this year. I’d like to get back into blogging and hoping this post creates the spark to do so. Let me know in the comments what you’d like to see/read. Want more diet info? Workout tips? General life guidance!! Let me know!
Like most muscle groups, the glutes need to be worked not only with compound movements like squats and deadlifts, but they should be isolated as well.
Are you trying to get that Kardashian ass the all natural way? Try adding these into your next leg day!
Glute Bridges or Hip Thrusts can be done from the floor or on a workout bench. They can be done with a dumbbell in your lap or a barbell with plates loaded on it depending on your strength. If you work out from home, start with the floor. Place a dumbbell on your lap as shown in the photo. Push your glutes up and send your hips towards the ceiling or sky. Tighten your glutes as you push upwards.
Start with 3 sets of 15-20 reps. Once you are able to graduate to a heavier weight, you can reduce the reps down to 6-12.
I have also included a video on how to perform the exercise with a barbell
Enjoy this post? Want more workout tips? let us know in the comments what you’d like to see in the future!
After a 3 year long hiatus we are bringing this blog back! We will be posting nutritional information, workout tips, and the occasional “controversial” post to spark discussion. Hang tight while we get this train back on track!
First I want to apologize for going so long between posts. I know not too many people read this but it seems my frozen turkey debacle was a big hit on thanksgiving. My find of putting the turkey in a cooler while it thaws was a gem and it worked perfectly. I wish I had saved my pictures of our Thanksgiving meal but I did hang on to the homemade apple pie we had!
Needless to say the pie did not last long. Eventually I hope to add it to the recipes section on here. I feel those are lacking in quantity and quality.
Now, on to leg workouts. Today I will post a handful of pictures that explain pretty well how to perform these exercises. As always, you should aim to do 3-4 sets with 8-12 reps. Going heavy on leg day is a good idea because they are such a large muscle group. They can be hard to build muscle in so by going heavy you are really creating work for your body.
Sumo Deadlifts
Sumo Deadlifts are great because they work the quads, hamstring, glutes and your back. Deadlifts in general are a compound exercise that should be in everyone’s arsenal.
Deadlifts
As you can see in the picture, deadlifts work more than just the legs. If you have never done deadlifts before, be sure to start light and watch some videos on proper form. This is one exercise where if performed incorrectly, you can really do some damage.
This image shows many other exercises that all should be incorporated into your workout. The front and back squat should be required. They really target the quads and will give nice development to them. Leg press is another great way to fatigue the quads. Again, if you’ve never done these, go light for the first few times. If you can complete 12 reps for 3-4 sets then it’s time to up the weight. Leg extensions and leg curls are a good superset to really fatigue the muscles as well. Try to do 15 reps if you do these towards the end of your workout. You can also pyramid any of these sets. Start light and go 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15. It’s guaranteed you’ll have trouble walking the next day!
One group people neglect is the calf muscle. If your gym has sitting or standing calf machine please add these in to your workout.
Another thing people don’t do is vary the angle of the calf muscle. Just keeping your feet pointed forward only targets the main muscle, the gastrocnemius. Pointing your toes inward and outward will develop the Soleus and Plantaris.
Please whatever you do, just don’t let this happen to you. Friends don’t let friends not lift legs:
Shoulders can be a tricky muscle group to workout. Defined shoulders can give the arm a great, rock hard defined look. Shoulders seem to get neglected by most people and they don’t realize that they are an important part of not only strength but physique as well. Add these exercises to your workout for a well rounded routine!
Front Press
It is best to do this exercise while seated due to the possibility of hyper extending your back if you try to do too much weight standing. For more support, use the smith machine and make sure you are close enough so that when you bring the bar down, it comes close to touching your chest.
Barbell Front Raises
These can be done with either a barbell, dumb bells or at the cable machine. They work all three parts of the shoulder. Start with a lower weight to assess how well you can perform the exercise before adding more weight. Aim for 8-10 reps for each of these exercises.
Alternating Dumbbell Press
If done simultaneously, these are called Arnold Press. Superset these with the standard military press for a burning workout!
Side Laying Lateral Raise
By doing this exercise you can isolate the shoulder by removing the urge to swing the weight on the way up.
Incorporate these lifts into your shoulder routine for some boulder shoulders to show off in 2014! Follow the image below for some sweet six pack advice as well! As always, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and for recipes and workout motivation, follow us on Pinterest
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