THE ULTIMATE HIP-HOP/RAP WORKOUT PLAYLIST

Motivation is the key to keeping you primed to keep pushing heavy weight in the gym. And what better motivator is there than music? We asked the experts—our dedicated Muscle & Fitness fans—what workout songs makes their heart rate rise and gets them pumped to hit new PRs, and you answered. If you prefer hip-hop beats to get your muscles primed for a full-on assault, here are  rap songs

10 Reasons You Must Pick Up the December Issue of Men’s Health

What do air, water, and this magazine have in common? You need them all! Here’s just some of the vital information packed into this month’s issue

PHOTOGRAPH BY TURE LILLEGRAVEN

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1. You’ll Learn Secrets from the World’s Fittest Men!

Men’s Health selected dozens of the world’s toughest men (and women)—guys like CrossFit Games winner Ben Smith, Ninja Warrior champ Isaac Caldiero, All-Pro tight end

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TRAIN YOUR ARMS?

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Question: How do I make my arms really grow? 

Answer: It took me a long time to learn how to train arms for the best gains. I used to be in the camp that said you don’t need curls and pushdowns — compound movements are enough. (Big mistake.) Then I thought the answer was progressive overload, adding weight to your lifts every week. But that led to elbow pain. After much trial and error with many clients, I’ve settled on the following methods, which build the bi’s and tri’s safely and swiftly.

GET A PUMP: The arms respond well to volume, so train them in the 8- to 15-rep range, and sometimes with as many as 20 reps. When you go heavy on an exercise like curls, you just start cheating, and that takes tension off the target muscles.

KEEP IT SIMPLE: EZ-bar curls, curls, and varieties of dumbbell curls are all you need for biceps. For your triceps, think big movements like dips, close-grip bench presses, and pushups most of the time, finishing them off with cable extensions and skull crushers.

TRAIN THEM ON LEG DAY: Because the biceps are small muscles, they respond better to frequency than punishing loads. Train them two to three times a week. Increased training frequency really adds up.

QUICK TIP

Whatever curl variety you choose, pick a moderate weight you could do 15 reps with

10 Ways Peanuts Benefit Your Diet

Peanuts are wholesome energy that offer an array of vitamins and minerals, in addition to protein. Here are our top 10 reasons to keep a canister of peanuts on your desk… in your car… in your cabinet… in your gym bag…

1. A Great Protein Option: Peanuts deliver 7g of protein per 1 oz serving – try to find another

The Secret to a Gigantic Deadlift

Three sticking points where you can miss on your deadlift, and how to fix them

This is Part 2 of a three part series on how to increase your strength in the "big three": the barbell squat, the deadlift, and the barbell bench press. In this story, you'll

INCLINE CABLE FLYE FOR A STRONGER CHEST

Beef up your chest with this single-joint constant tension movement.

We know. The cable crossover station is crowded! Then, when it does open up, you have precious little time before people start asking to work in. That probably explains why you’re always doing the same exercises over and over—

4 METHODS YOU HAVEN'T TRIED TO GET STRONGER

It’s pretty simple right? For size, go for high volume; for strength, go with low-reps and heavy weights; for cutting, go with high-reps and lower rest.

DOWN AND DIRTY WITH THE CLEAN FOR MORE MUSCLE AND POWER

People tend to think that the Clean is a lift meant only for power athletes or competing weightlifters. I’m here to say that the Clean can and should be a part of every lifter’s weight training program. Whether you are going

Melt Away Fat with The Metabolic Supercharge

Crank up your calorie burn and shed stubborn pounds with this full-body fat fryer

You have to give those last 5 to 10 pounds hanging around your middle credit: They have real staying power. Like a cold, Madonna, and hipsters, they just won’t go away.

But now you can kick those

MUSCLE & FITNESS COVER STAR VINCE MCMAHON IS IN SUPER SHAPE!

The superstars of WWE aren’t the only ones in the company with muscles upon muscles—management is too. Or at least that’s the case with chairman Vince McMahon, who, nearing 70, is in such great shape he made the cover of Muscle & Fitness in the magazine’s March edition.

“I’m still making gains,” McMahon tells M&F, revealing that he’s 240 pounds, five percent body fat, and capable of chest pressing 450 pounds. “Age really doesn't have anything to do with it.”

SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH WITH AN ACAI BOWL

You know you’re in the zone when it’s time for a cheat meal, but you just can’t bring yourself to eat any junk. This is a great place to be, but if you’re not careful, you could burn out and crash by eating enough crap in one weekend to scuttle months of hard work. This dessert will scratch the same itch as a cup of froyo – but it’s a nutritional powerhouse that eliminates a bunch of stuff you don’t need like processed sugar and dairy.

HARNESS THE POWER OF PURPLE

Acai (ah-SIGH’-ee) bowls are made of frozen fruit with the main ingredient being a South American berry that has a rich purple color and packs antioxidants and omega fatty acids that help facilitate your gym gains. And though they might not be on your regular grocery list, acai berries aren’t hard to find. The berry’s antioxidant content far surpasses that of most fruit, which makes it excellent at fighting free radicals to help keep your body functioning at its peak level. Acai berries are also a great source of essential fatty acids that help reduce inflammation and fatigue as well as improve mood and memory. It’s almost like they know exactly what you need if you’re on an intense training program. This fruit is also high in fiber, so it will make you feel full as it helps regulate your blood sugar levels – a must if you’re trying to lean out.

THE RECIPE

So now that you know the power of the little purple berry, let’s use it to make something delicious. Acai bowls are made up of an assortment of frozen fruits topped with granola and fresh fruit slices. In a blender, add coconut water, acai packet and all frozen fruit. Blend until desired consistency. It should be on the thick side. Pour mixture into a bowl, and top with fresh fruit and granola. At this point, taste and see if you want to a add a drizzle of honey on top. You can also add a drizzle of honey for a bit of extra sweetness. 

Ingredients

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• ​1 packet of frozen acai (can be found at grocery stores that specialize in whole and natural foods)
• 1/4 cup of coconut water (less or more depending on how thick you want your base)
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup granola (as much or as little as you like)
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries
• 4-5 strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1/4 cup blueberries​

Totals (1 serving): 522 calories, 8g fat, 83g carbs, 28g protein

Benefits of Body Chiseling, Jump Rope

This centuries-old modality can make you mobile, agile and shredded.

 

Next story 9 Best Bodyweight Moves For Colossal Arms

Thankfully, the long, slow jog days of the spandex clad ‘80s are over.
If you enjoy traditional endurance training for fun or stress relief—great! But realize that if building a no-nonsense physique is the objective, there are more efficient ways, like jumping rope.
For centuries prize fighters and other well-conditioned athletes have reaped the benefit of this heart-pumping, cardio blast.

Fat loss

Jumping rope can burn up to 1000 calories per hour, making it one of the most efficient fat-burning workouts available. Unlike other forms of interval training that are much more stressful on the Central Nervous System (CNS), muscles and connective tissues are also spared significant stress while jumping rope.

Sculpting

Adding to the synergy, jumping rope works muscles throughout the entire body and develops lean muscles in all major muscle groups.  Of course, jumping rope optimizes conditioning and maximizes athletic skills by combining agility, coordination, timing, and endurance at the same time helping you torch body fat.

Affordable

So why don’t more infomercials and famous fitness celebrities talk about jump ropes?
Drum roll… money! They don’t make money when you purchase a $5 jump rope.

Jump Rope Program

Start by jumping rope 30 seconds and resting one minute for six sets. Depending on ability, add 10 seconds per week or workout. Make it your goal to complete six sets of three minutes of jump rope, with a 30-second rest interval. When you're able to complete six sets of three minutes, body fat will have melted off and conditioning will be at a whole new level.

Final Thoughts

Jump ropes are inexpensive and portable; the only thing stopping you from getting lean, ripped and fit via jumping rope is you. So give this oldie but goodie a try to look, feel and perform better.

Gym Fix: Work Your Chest and Triceps With the Floor Plan

Try the best accessory chest exercise you're not already doing

 

Next story Benefits of Body Chiseling, Jump Rope

Are you rocking the same chest workout every time you walk in the gym? We bet you are. If you’re like the 98% of guys out there, you’re starting off with flat benching, moving on to the incline bench, then finishing things off with some dumbbell benches and flyes.
What happens when you stick to that template week after week and year after year?

3 REASONS YOUR WORKOUTS ARE FAILING

Not getting the results you want from your hard work at the gym? Here are a few primary culprits

In your endless hunt for the end-all solution to weight loss, muscle building, and fat burning, you are likely bombarded by hundreds of different methods claiming to be “The One” that will make all the

LOSE FAT WHILE KEEPING HARD EARNED MUSCLE

Follow this simple eating guide to shed more fat and hang onto the muscle you busted your ass to gain.

When it comes to losing fat to look good, people tend to go to extremes. All winter long you have tried to bulk up and pack on the muscle. While this is all good, you may end up with some unwanted body fat. So, you decide to either not eat much, eat too little, avoid certain foods like the plague, and end up miserable with less muscle than you had from

5 Ways to Bolster Your Plank for a Stronger Core

Make this core strengthening move more dynamic with these techniques.

 

If you've been to a fitness facility or a Yoga class you probably have a good idea of what a plank is. In fact, you may hate them because they are hard, and get pretty boring. If you are simply just trying to hold a plank position for an extended period of time, you're missing out on

Realistic Goal Setting

IFBB Bikini Pro Bianca Berry shares five tips for goal-setting success
By- Bianca Berry




I’ve never been huge on New Year’s resolutions, but I do see January 1st as a time to clean the slate. Each year I strive to be better than last

Zap 'Em Like Zott for Bigger Guns

Add this unique old-time strongman move to your arm training and blow up your forearms and biceps.
 

 

Arnold press, Haney shrugs, Kang squats - chances are if you have an exercise named after you, you’ve done something right. Additionally, the

17 Super Simple Tips to Lose Weight for LIFE

Something tells us you won’t miss those extra pounds.

This article was written by Diana Kelly and provided by our partners at Prevention.

Studies show that the simpler your diet, the easier it is to stick to over the long haul. Follow these steps

GO ON THE ATTACK FOR A THICK, WIDE BACK

DURATION20 MIN

 

EXERCISES5

 

EQUIPMENTYES

This back workout is unique because it combines high volume training with heavy strength training by utilizing a ladder protocol. Ladders are done by coordinating the repetitions you are performing with the amount of weight you're lifting. For example, when you are lifting a heavy weight, the repetitions are low. As you increase the repetitions for each progressive set, you will continue lowering the weight - all while minimizing the amount of rest you have between sets.

This is the perfect storm for building muscle - longer time under tension, greater mechanical tension, and massive metabolic disruption.

THE WORKOUT

EXERCISE 1A

T-BAR ROWYou'll need: Barbell, V-Handle AttachmentHow to

5sets

 

10reps

 

--rest

1A) and 1B) are supersets and performed back-to-back with no rest. Rest 90 seconds after 1B).

EXERCISE 1B

FACE PULL WITH EXTERNAL ROTATIONYou'll need: Adjustable Cable Machine, Rope AttachmentHow to

5sets

 

12-15reps

 

60 secrest

EXERCISE 2

LAT PULLDOWNYou'll need: Adjustable Cable Machine, Lat Pulldown BarHow to

1sets

 

--reps

 

--rest

Start with heaviest weight you can do for 2 reps. Perform the 2 reps and drop the weight 2 holes in the stack. Perform 4 reps. Drop the weight 2 holes and perform 6 reps, and so on until you hit a 20 rep set.

EXERCISE 3A

PRONE POSTERIOR FLYE

4sets

 

20reps

 

--rest

EXERCISE 3B

DUMBBELL SHRUGYou'll need: DumbbellsHow to

4sets

 

20reps

 

--rest