If you asked the average casual exerciser, someone who doesn’t lift for a living, or have unlimited free time, but has a tough job or kids or a busy schedule, the vast majority would tell you the holidays are like a mine field of temptations, distractions and obstacles blocking their path to a lean and healthy body.

“Squat in a Smith machine? Are you crazy? You might as well jump off a two story building and land on your kneecaps on the concrete below.”  A trainer wrote that on a popular and “respected” bodybuilding site some years ago. And that’s the kind of nonsense about the so called dangers of machine training that’s been circulated in the fitness world ever since. Personally, I love the Smith machine, have used it for over 30 years and have never seen anything but benefits as far as bodybuilding goes.

You don’t need any weird contraptions or fancy infomercial machines to transform your body at home. There are only four must-have pieces of equipment you need in a home gym, and if you invest in them, and use them right, there is no limit to the amount of muscle and strength you can build without even leaving your own house…

How long you workout is not always the most important factor. How intensely you work out, how efficiently you use your gym time, and how you progress from one workout to the next is more important. A 45 minute workout could actually give you more results than a 75 or 90 minute workout, if the shorter workout is done with more concentration, more effort, higher intensity and more diligent progressive overload from week to week.

You may have heard of supersets before, but did you know there are at least a half a dozen different types, and one of them is the ultimate way to build more muscle in less time?  This one weight training system is scientifically proven to build muscle and strength, it works for everyone, it’s engaging (fun, even when it’s hard), and it gets you finished with your workouts up to 50% faster… In today’s post I’ll explain 8 tips on using this killer technique and show you 33 different supersets to build or sculpt every muscle in your body…

I’ve read a lot of books on changing behavior and building habits and James Clear’s Atomic Habits is one of my new favorites…  Read this review at Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/2yIpvxn

Diet popularity comes and goes in cycles. The ketogenic diet – aka “keto” – has re surged in popularity to a high point I have not seen seen in 25 years. Keto and other types of low carb high fat (LCHF) diets are being talked about everywhere on social media, on blogs and in mainstream media to the point where it’s hard to ignore. Actually, I’d rather ignore it (especially the zealotry), but all year long, I’ve been getting earnest questions from readers on a weekly basis, so I felt it was finally time to answer them…

What’s the best way to figure out how much protein, carbohydrate and fat to eat (your macronutrients (aka “macros”)?  Well, you can use the classic percentage method (40-30-20, 40-40-20, 50-30-20, etc), and yes – it still works. But knowing which percentage to choose for your goals and circumstances (without a coach) is easier said than done. Having a simpler method for setting your macros is helpful because crunching these nutrition numbers is one of the first steps in meal planning where many people get confused and frustrated. Now there’s a new method – and it’s ultra-simple, it puts nutritional priorities first and it’s customized just for you

Supersets are an outstanding weight training technique for building more muscle in less time. At least a dozen scientific studies have confirmed that superset workouts dramatically increase training efficiency (making it ideal for busy people). If it’s done correctly, it can build the same amount of muscle, or possibly more, while you spend half the time in the gym.  The problem is many people are doing it incorrectly, or they’re utterly confused about the right way to superset…

QUESTION: Tom, do you think that the intensity of your workout is”THE THING” that gives you results or is it more about being consistent with your workouts? The reason I ask is because I’m following your Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle nutrition program and I also use a high-intensity workout program called the Insanity series. I like these workouts, but I’m having a hard time pushing myself that hard every day and I’m finding now that I’m starting to dread doing them. I have been doing these workouts only 2-3 times per week instead of the 5 times per week that is recommended in the program. This workout brings me to my knees. I’ve started questioning myself and wondering if it’s even worth the torture. – Paul