The X-Frame Protocols: Bicep Basics

By Monte Spicer Muscle growth requires muscle stimulation. I know I’ve been saying this for every body part we’ve covered so far, but it works the same way with every muscle. Your workouts, and the exercises you choose, have to stimulate growth by stimulating your muscle fibers and stimulating a … [Read more...]

The Mellow Metcon: Conditioning For Strength Blocks

By Scott Paltos Strength is king. Conditioning counts, too, though. For many of you, it counts a little too much. If you’re a good coach, or an athlete who knows what you’re doing, you’re always going to include some level of conditioning—whether it’s aerobic or anaerobic—in your programs. … [Read more...]

How To Be Awesome: The Pendlay Row

By Jesse Burdick “THE 10 BEST EXERCISES YOU’RE NOT DOING!” Fitness magazines publish this bullshit piece all the time—accompanied by a similar cover-line to get your attention while you’re walking through the airport—and I always take issue with it, because the people writing the pieces generally … [Read more...]

The X-Frame Protocols: Ice Cube Abs

By Monte Spicer When your ab training goes wrong, or you’re not getting any results, it’s not because you’re doing the wrong exercises. It’s not about volume, intensity, or rest periods, either. The reason your abs aren’t coming in the way they should—other than your shitty diet, of course—has … [Read more...]

The Power of Power

By Scott Paltos Want the secret to everything? I know you’re looking for it, at least for your fitness, because that’s why you’re on the fucking internet today in the first place. I’m also sorry to disappoint you, because the answers you’re so desperate to find have nothing to do with any of the … [Read more...]

The X-Frame Protocols: Shoulders

By Monte Spicer To find out more about Monte Spicer’s X-Frame series, read the introductory article here. To build your X-Frame physique, we have to take advantage of angles. When you train any body part, the goal is to hit it from every conceivable angle. Doing things this way accomplishes two … [Read more...]

How to Train: Female Edition

By Jim Laird Women hire trainers far more often than men do. It’s a proven fact. Women are more likely to ask for help, and they’re more likely to trust that what they’re being told about fitness is the truth. Trouble is, most of the information available for women, both online and otherwise, is … [Read more...]

Shockwave: Nothing More, Nothing Less

In anticipation of the upcoming release of the next Shockwave Protocols programming system, here’s a newly edited re-release of the original introductory Shockwave article (Shockwave 1.0) from two years ago. We’re a few versions in at this point, with the biggest one to come, but this blast from the … [Read more...]

The X-Frame Protocols: An Introduction to Excellence

By Monte Spicer Clear your mind. Now, picture the letter X—an X with the caps lock on, and not the lowercase version. Look at the structure of the X. Examine its design. It’s wide on top, narrow in the middle, and wide again at the bottom. … [Read more...]

Anabolic Cardio

When you want to reach ridiculously low levels of body fat, what’s the first thing conventional wisdom tells you to do? More cardio. The idea, then, is to put in hours and hours of work on treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes, right? That, conventional wisdom says, is how you’ll get the fat off. … [Read more...]