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Malik Bernoussi Triolet has been a competitive powerlifter for just over four years. In that time, the 18-year-old French athlete has had his moments, but perhaps never one that put him “on the map.” That may no longer be an issue.
During the 2022 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Sub-Junior and Junior Championships, Triolet broke three raw Sub-Junior IPF World Records in the back squat, bench press, and total in the 93-kilogram weight class. He also captured a competition personal record (PR) on his best deadlift.
These respective stats were enough to vault Triolet to first place in his class. The contest featuring other young competitors like Triolet took place in Istanbul, Turkey, from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4, 2022. Here’s a rundown of Triolet’s top stats from his performance:
2022 IPF World Classic Sub-Junior Championships | Malik Bernoussi Triolet (93KG)
Squat — 282 kilograms (621.7 pounds) | Sub-Junior IPF World Record
Bench Press — 200.5 kilograms (442 pounds) | Sub-Junior IPF World Record
Total — 775 kilograms (1,708.6 pounds) | Sub-Junior IPF World Record
Because Triolet’s new bench press record surpassed his previous mark, the French athlete is now the first 93-kilogram Sub-Junior IPF athlete to press at least 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds). Triolet’s past best bench press was a 193-kilogram (425.5-pound) mark from the 2021 European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) European Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Meanwhile, Triolet’s squat record exceeded Jaime Santillana Izquierdo’s previous world record by 8.5 kilograms (18.7 pounds). As for the staggering total, Triolet eclipsed Jack Hopkins, who logged a 752.5-kilogram (1,659-pound) total at the 2021 EPF European Classic Championships.
Here’s an overview of some of the more notable results from Triolet’s career, who has only ever competed raw:
Malik Bernoussi Triolet (Sub-Juniors) | Notable Career Results
2018 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Premier Pas FA PL LAURAF (66KG) — First place/First career victory
2019 FFForce Challenge d’Hiver FA PL LAURAF (74KG) — First place
2020 FFForce Test Match Eleiko (83KG) — Fourth place
2021 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships (93KG) — Second place
2022 IPF World Classic Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships (93KG) — First place
According to Open Powerlifting, Triolet has competed in 12 sanctioned contests since October 2018. He has four victories to his name. Triolet has finished off the podium on only three occasions and can now boast of his first career victory in a major international competition.
At the time of this writing, Triolet hasn’t made any formal indications toward an upcoming strength competition. That said, at 18 years old and already the owner of a world title, the sky is the limit for one of French powerlifting’s next stars.
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Mention the triceps kickback in certain lifting circles and you might generate some side eye looks of disappointment or even a bit of mocking laughter. This short-sighted response comes from the exercise’s unfortunate and unfair reputation of being ineffective, or being performed only by people with “less-than-serious” goals.
The dumbbell kickback was once a staple of bodybuilding’s Golden Era from the 1950s to the ’70s. However, its popularity in ’80s mainstream fitness classes diluted its muscle-building connection and it began to be performed with extremely light weights for extremely high repetitions. “To tone up without building bulk” was the popular, if misguided, logic.
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Regardless of the misinformation, the triceps kickback is a very effective tool to target the biggest arm muscle — the triceps. The triceps are also a key muscle for performance through many upper body exercises. So forget what you might’ve heard about the exercise and learn the real reasons why you should include this exercise in your training regimen.
The basic single-arm dumbbell triceps kickback is an isolation (single-joint) exercise that focuses solely on triceps development. It’s a great way to emphasize peak contraction of the muscle.
Step 1 — Set Up in the Starting Position
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Stand in front of something sturdy, like a rack or a bench. Hold one dumbbell and get into a wide stance. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at the hips while keeping a neutral spine. Aim to have your torso almost parallel to the floor. Place your free hand on the rack or bench for maximum balance and stability.
Pull your working arm up so your elbow is near your ribs and pinned close to your body. Let your forearm hang perpendicular to the floor with your palm facing in toward your body. Don’t look up or forward. Keep your head in line with your spine and your chin slightly tucked in.
Form tip: Flaring your elbow away from your body will only encourage cheating to move more weight and potentially strain your elbow joint. Keep your upper arm glued to your side. This is not an exercise to move super-heavy weight. Keep the load relatively light to ensure impeccable form.
Step 2 — Reach a Peak Contraction
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Brace your core and exhale while flexing your triceps until your arm is completely straight. Squeeze at the top for a second to feel a maximum peak contraction. Your lower arm should be the only thing moving. This is an isolation exercise, so focus on only working the triceps.
Your hand, and the dumbbell, should pivot around your elbow. Treat your elbow like a hinge. No other part of your body should move.
Form tip: Be sure to reach full extension with each rep. In the top position, your entire arm should be nearly parallel to the ground. Because gravity offers minimal resistance against the weight in the bottom part of the movement, it’s essential to use a full range of motion and emphasize the contraction.
Step 3 — Return to the Stretched Position
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Slowly come back to the starting position while inhaling. Again, only your forearm should move. Pause very briefly in the bottom position to avoid quickly swinging the weight down and up.
Sure, momentum might allow you to move more weight, but you will diminish the range of motion and the time under tension — both crucial for muscle mass. Swinging the weight will also put more stress on the elbow joint. More joint strain with less muscle-building is not a great bargain.
Form tip: Start each set with your weaker or non-dominant side so you have more energy and more focus. Perform all repetitions and then match the same number of repetitions with your stronger arm, even if one side is capable of more reps. This will help to balance common strength or development discrepancies between left and right arms.
Triceps Kickback Mistakes to Avoid
This exercise can be prone to bad execution because it requires light weights, so a lifter can sometimes lose focus. Learn about the most common errors and how to avoid them.
Swinging the Weight
Let’s be real for a second: cheating a few reps at the end of a session won’t smite you instantly. It can sometimes even be beneficial, for experienced lifters using it as a deliberate intensity-boosting technique. But for the vast majority of people, you should avoid cheating and swinging the weight with kickbacks or nearly any exercise.
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If you swing and cheat, you will only actually work your triceps through a very short portion of the range of motion, and the exercise will provide a limited triceps-building stimulus. Moreover, this will result in more stress to the elbow joint and you don’t want to develop tendonitis — that’s the best way to keep having small arms.
Avoid it: Make sure you control the eccentric (lowering the weight), and even pause for a dead-stop at the bottom briefly. If you focus on only moving your forearm, you basically cannot cheat. If your elbow moves, you’ve started doing a dumbbell row, not a triceps kickback.
Not Locking Out Your Arm
If you don’t completely extend your arms and squeeze your triceps in a hard lockout, you lose most of the benefits of this exercise because of the resistance curve. At the start of the lift, there is almost no resistance at all because the dumbbell isn’t directly moving against gravity. The hardest part of the exercise is in the shortened range when the muscle is contracted.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
If you don’t lockout, which can happen if you try using too much weight, then you don’t really work your triceps’ most challenging part of the range of motion. That ends up making the exercise easier and less efficient for muscle growth.
Avoid it: Make sure you use a proper weight that allows you to fully lockout your arm. If you can’t pause at the top for a second, the weight is too much.
Benefits of the Triceps Kickback
Even though the exercise is often overlooked and disrespected, the triceps kickback has unique benefits for your triceps training and will help you get bigger, stronger arms.
Muscle Growth
This exercise is focused on directly training the triceps, specifically for hypertrophy (muscle growth). Indeed, this exercise thrives with lighter weight and a longer time under tension, which is a great way to build muscle and create an aesthetic physique. (1)
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Moreover, as an isolation exercise, it is the perfect fit for developing a mind-muscle connection and accumulating triceps-specific volume without taxing other muscle groups, which are both beneficial for muscle growth. (2)(3)
Pressing Strength
Triceps strength, and the pushing pattern in general, are involved in many sports like volleyball, American football, combat sports, etc. And let’s not forget strength sports like powerlifting.
Sure, the triceps kickback won’t create pure neurological strength like training the heavy bench press or overhead press, but building larger triceps muscles can eventually improve strength. (4) So if you’re interested in performance, fit this into your accessory training.
Training the Shortened Range
Many triceps exercises such as skull crushers emphasize the lengthened range of motion and stress the stretched position. The triceps kickback, on the other hand, focuses on the shortened or contracted portion. Because of its resistance curve, the exercise is relatively easy in the stretched position and much more challenging in the peak contraction.
This can provide a novel stimulus, help develop a stronger mind-muscle connection, and unlock new gains, because training variety can be better for motivation and hypertrophy in itself. (5)
Easy on the Elbows
The triceps kickback can be invaluable for experienced lifters with cranky joints. Because the upper arm is in a higher position than the forearm, and joint isn’t being strained through the entire range of motion, the elbow can move more freely without significant stress.
If you have nagging pain in your elbows, shoulders, or wrists, or if you’re prone to tendonitis, make the kickback appear regularly in your training plan.
Muscles Worked by the Triceps Kickback
The aim of the exercise is to train your triceps, but some postural muscle will be recruited as well to hold the position.
Triceps Brachii
This is the biggest arm muscle and the main target of the kickback. It is made of three heads. Two of them (the medial and the lateral head) go from the elbow to the humerus (upper arm bone). These are responsible for extending the arm.
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The long head also extends the arm, but because it is attached to the scapula, it also extends the shoulder and raises the arm. Because the upper arm is positioned alongside the torso, the triceps kickback emphasizes the lateral and medial heads.
Back
The whole back — upper back, lats, and lower back — work to maintain a parallel body position and stabilize the working arm during the kickback. The back’s involvement should be limited to the muscles working statically to hold your body’s position without movement.
However, if the kickback is performed improperly, the back muscles (specifically the upper back and lats) may become more significantly recruited, drawing muscular stress away from the triceps.
Who Should Do the Triceps Kickback
The goal of the kickback is to add meat onto your triceps. So if you’re looking for bigger, stronger arms — like plenty of people in the gym — you can include this lift in your training regimen.
Beginners
Some people advise that beginners to avoid single-joint exercises and focus primarily on the big basics (multi-joint compound lifts like presses). This is generally sound advice, but isolation work can also have benefits for newer lifters.
By improving the mind-muscle connection with specific muscles, they can feel that muscle work more effectively, which leads to better growth and body awareness. Exercises like the triceps kickback also help to directly train muscles which may be under-worked when compound exercises are overemphasized.
Physique Enthusiasts
Whether your goal is to look better or to compete in a physique show, the triceps kickback is a perfect fit. Performing this exercise allows you to increase triceps volume without fatiguing other muscle groups, leading to focused muscle growth.
This is very valuable, for instance, if you lack overall arm development, or if you need to create a balanced and symmetrical physique by correcting muscular imbalances.
Strength Athletes
If you’re an athlete that requires pressing strength such as a powerlifter, strongman/strongwoman, or CrossFit athlete, then triceps training is essential. Including the triceps kickback can be surprisingly effective for strength athletes.
The relatively light weight and high muscular tension allows them to increase triceps training volume without aggravating their elbows, which are usually already beaten up by heavy lifting.
How to Program the Triceps Kickback
The kickback is a single-joint exercise and as such, it is not ideal for moving heavy weights because additional muscles will be excessively recruited. The kickback is most effective using moderate to light weight to stimulate muscle growth and zero-in on working the triceps.
Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetitions
The time-tested bodybuilding scheme of three to four sets of 10 to 12 repetitions will be your kickback bread and butter. This is a very efficient way of increasing volume leading to muscle growth.
Light Weight, High Reps
This exercise can really shine with higher reps because of its resistance curve, cumulative time under tension, and its low impact on the joints. Performing two to four sets of 15 to 20 repetitions can serve as an amazing finisher to really scorch your triceps. It can also be a great way to start your arm workout by really warming-up your elbow joints.
Triceps Kickback Variations
The single-arm dumbbell kickback is a great exercise in itself, but you can tweak it to better suit your goals or provide a different feeling. Here are the main kickback variations.
Cable Triceps Kickback
Instead of using dumbbells, use a cable. Instead of attaching a handle, grab the cable by the “ball” at the end, just above the cable clip. This allows you to keep a neutral hand position without straining your wrists.
The exercise may not seem like much because of the relatively lighter weight, but the cable provides constant tension through the lift, even more than using a dumbbell. This stimulates the triceps throughout the entire range of motion, which will increase the time under tension and lead to improved muscle growth.
Pronated Kickback
This subtle variation was popularized by bodybuilding coach John Meadows. Using a pronated (palms-down) grip will emphasize the medial head of the triceps. Using two dumbbells at once also changes the total-body stability requirement.
Because your forearm is slightly rotated, this variation will also address forearm and wrist health. You can even perform a type of superset, beginning with reps of pronated kickbacks and then immediately transitioning to standard neutral-grip kickbacks.
Two-Arm Dumbbell Kickback
This variation is pretty straight-forward: Perform the standard triceps kickback with both arms at the same time. This will slightly decrease the weight you can lift because the muscle focus is “divided” between both arms.
This variation also requires more work from your core, back, and legs to stabilize yourself because you don’t have a free hand to brace on an outside support.
Triceps Kickback Alternatives
If you’re still not convinced to incorporate kickbacks, here are some alternatives that will share similar benefits to spice up your training. Variety will challenge the muscles differently, promoting new muscle growth.
Triceps Pushdown
If you’ve got access to a cable station, you can perform this fundamental exercise. The triceps pushdown, sometimes called a pressdown, emphasizes the peak contraction and isn’t very stressful on the elbow joints.
Use an attachment that allows you to extend your arms completely — a rope handle is often most effective. As with the kickback, be sure to keep your arms close to your body and only move your hands and forearms without swinging your elbows.
Decline Dumbbell Skull Crusher
The standard flat bench skull crusher is an effective exercise, but using a decline bench gives it a twist to focus more on the medial and lateral heads of the triceps. The arm angle doesn’t provide as much stretch or long head stimulation, but can offer more tension in the top position.
Using a pair of dumbbells allows your arms to move freely and reduce strain on your wrist and elbow joints, compared to performing the exercise the a barbell or EZ-curl bar.
Overhead Dumbbell Extension
If you want to emphasize the long head of the triceps, this variation is for you. Performing triceps extension with your arms extended above your shoulders will focus more on the lengthened range and will significantly recruit the long head because it’s involved in raising the arm.
Because this movement emphasizes the stretched position, be sure your elbows and shoulders are thoroughly warmed up. It’s not an ideal first-exercise in your triceps workout, but it can be a key player in building larger arms.
FAQs
Do I have to train my arms directly?
It depends on a few variable. If you’re a short-limbed lifter, your arms will probably be significantly stimulated with compound exercises like the bench press, overhead press, rows, and pulldowns. But if you’re dealing with long arms, you should train them directly because your leverage on big lifts is different and the biceps and triceps are often under-stimulated in those movements.
Ultimately, if you’re interested in having bigger arms, it’s a good idea to include at least some direct training, especially if you’re a more advanced lifter. If you’re a competitive athlete, you should skip direct arm training in-season and keep that energy for your sport-specific training. Accumulating too much training volume can cause burnouts, stagnation, or even regression.
I can’t stop my elbow from flaring. Why is that?
The first culprit could be weight. If the dumbbell is too heavy, flaring your elbow out will recruit extra muscles (in your back and shoulders) to help lift the load, but it’s at the potential detriment of your joints and it will reduce triceps activation.
If you’re certain that you can control the weight, it could be a matter of mobility. If your upper back or shoulder mobility is compromised, it will result in protruded, forward-pointing shoulders that prevent you from keeping your elbows close to you. You should include a mobility routine in your workouts with exercises like band pull-aparts and wall slides.
Let’s Get Pumping
The triceps kickback’s bad reputation is unfair and unfounded. Don’t let any misinformed knee-jerk reactions or cliches steer you away from this classic arm-builder. It’s a versatile movement that lets you hit your tris with light weight, high tension, and minimal joint strain. It’s definitely time to remind today’s gyms that kickbacks are for serious lifters.
References
Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.
Calatayud J, Vinstrup J, Jakobsen MD, Sundstrup E, Brandt M, Jay K, Colado JC, Andersen LL. Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Mar;116(3):527-33. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7. Epub 2015 Dec 23. PMID: 26700744.
Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, Grgic J, Delcastillo K, Belliard R, Alto A. Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):94-103. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764. PMID: 30153194; PMCID: PMC6303131.
Reggiani C, Schiaffino S. Muscle hypertrophy and muscle strength: dependent or independent variables? A provocative review. Eur J Transl Myol. 2020 Sep 9;30(3):9311. doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2020.9311. PMID: 33117512; PMCID: PMC7582410.
Baz-Valle E, Schoenfeld BJ, Torres-Unda J, Santos-Concejero J, Balsalobre-Fernández C. The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PLoS One. 2019 Dec 27;14(12):e0226989. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226989. PMID: 31881066; PMCID: PMC6934277.
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IFBB Pro League bodybuilder and 2022 Texas Pro champion Andrew Jacked was once a training partner of multi-strength-sport athlete Larry Wheels. The duo reunited recently to train shoulders and biceps together, and Jacked shared a video of the session on Aug. 30, 2022 on his YouTube channel. The video can be seen below.
The location of the video wasn’t shared in the video, but a recent Instagram post that Jacked shared about the workout tagged Binous Gym in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In the beginning of the YouTube video, Wheels joked that he could remember being bigger than Jacked when they previously trained together in 2019 and 2020.
Jacked began the session with cable lateral raises, taking his arms up into a “Y” formation. The extra range of motion targets the rear delts as well as the side delts.
Rear Lateral Raise on Incline Bench/Single-Dumbbell Two-Arm Front Raise
Wheels and Jacked then moved on to a superset performed on an incline bench. They started with rear lateral raises with dumbbells followed by a front raise with one dumbbell held in both hands. Portions of the workout weren’t shown on camera.
The weight of the dumbbells that they used for the first exercise wasn’t shown, but they were lifting a 30-kilogram (66-pound) weight for the second movement. Both men raised the back pad of the adjustable bench for the front raises in order to achieve a greater range of motion.
Seated Machine Press/Cable Upright Row
They performed another superset pairing that included machine presses and cable upright rows. Jacked briefly spoke to the camera and explained that he called this session ‘a maintenance workout.’
“I don’t want to push anything to the max at this point,” he said. “We’re just keeping everything the same.”
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The final shoulder exercise was a standing lateral raise with 20-kilogram (44-pound) dumbbells. Only one set from each man was shown on the video.
Standing Cable Curl
After six total shoulder exercises, Jacked and Wheels shifted to biceps, starting with cable curls using individual handles on two pulleys. They stepped forward so each arm would be behind their torso at the beginning of the movement. This worked the biceps from a different angle and added a stretch at the bottom of the movement.
Cable Rope Hammer Curl
The final movement of the session was another cable exercise, but with a different attachment — using the rope handle and performing a hammer curl to target the brachialis and forearms. The weight they used couldn’t be seen. They maintained a consistent speed throughout their sets without pausing too much at the top or the bottom.
Jacked won the Texas Pro on Aug. 13, 2022, and he earned a qualification for the Mr. Olympia contest, which will take place Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV. Before he competes in the Olympia, he plans to take part in the 2022 Arnold Classic UK contest. That show will be held on the weekend of Sept. 23-25, 2022 in Birmingham, England.
The stereotype of a typical college student’s diet is pretty grim. Ramen and fast food. Keggers and 2 a.m. pizza. All-nighters fueled by Red Bull and Cool Ranch Doritos®. Mostly tragic dining hall food.
As with most stereotypes, this isn’t an accurate characterization. Oh, there’s plenty of pizza and energy drinks, but college isn’t really the health wasteland it’s made out to be. Many students eat normal meals at normal hours more often than not. They make at least some attempt to choose healthy fare. Dining halls try to present a variety of nutritious options—by conventional standards, not Primal ones, of course, but they do try.
This is to say, it’s entirely possible to eat healthy in college. Granted, we might want to adjust our standards for what “healthy” looks like in this context (occasional all-nighters are better than frequent all-nighters). And even then, it’s not always easy. Kids who live on campus are limited to what they can prepare in cramped dorm rooms and forage from campus dining services. Time is often at a premium. Grocery bills add up, and getting to the grocery store isn’t always easy. Many students simply aren’t prepared for the responsibility of procuring and preparing their own food.
The purpose of today’s post is to share some tips for how to eat healthy in college dining halls or on a budget. Use these ideas as inspiration, but know that you, dear student, don’t have to follow them to a tee to be healthy. We’re not trying to turn you into social pariahs who are unable to enjoy the occasional late-night drive-thru run with friends or movie night with piles of candy and popcorn.
You have youth on your side, so you can probably get away with more excursions than we older folks. Still, good nutrition is vitally important. Your body and brain are still developing, and the rigors of college mean you’re frequently low on sleep and high on stress. Nutrient-dense, satisfying food is one of the ways you can support yourself and, to some degree, offset (or at least not add to) the stressors you can’t control.
How to Make Healthier Food Choices in College
1. Get to know your surroundings.
Finding the best food options at the best prices means shopping around.
Explore the dining hall options. Even if you plan to eat mostly on campus using a meal plan, large universities often have multiple dining halls and minimarts for students. You might discover that the dining hall across campus has far superior breakfast options, but you prefer to stick closer to your dorm for dinner.
Check out the local grocery stores, delis, and markets. See which ones have the best prices. Sign up for club cards and coupon apps. If you’re not thrilled by the offerings, consider ordering periodically from places like Thrive Market or Amazon. Perhaps your roommate or other students on your floor will want to go in on orders together.
Scope out restaurants within walking or biking distance.
Look for farmer’s markets on or near campus. This is one of the best ways to get fresh fruits and vegetables at good prices.
2. Stock your dorm room.
Create a mini-kitchen in your dorm room with a few essential tools to prepare quick meals and snacks. This could include:
Mini-fridge with freezer
Small blender, like a Magic Bullet or Ninja Personal Blender
Microwave
One-cup coffee maker
Basic cooking implements (cutting board, knife)
Plate, bowl, utensils
This simple, compact set-up lets you make all sorts of meals that require little or no cooking—salads, smoothies, soup, protein oatmeal, and more. Many dorms also have shared kitchen spaces. Look to see what kind of appliances and tools they provide and whether there is a refrigerator/freezer you can use.
Keep a selection of groceries on hand that you can turn into a quick breakfast on the go (smoothie bowl, microwave egg bites) or to snack on between classes (trail mix, apple with peanut butter and a cheese stick). Here’s a basic shopping list to get you started:
I still think about the fabulous salad bar in my university’s dining hall where a chef would assemble a killer big-ass salad per student’s exact specifications. The dining hall also had good hot food options, fresh fruit, and, of course, pizza, french fries, giant dispensers of sugary cereal, and Chik Fil-A.
There are always options. Pick the ones that serve you best… most of the time, anyway.
4. Build meals around protein and produce.
When it’s time to eat, think protein and produce first. Try to get a decent serving of protein and at least one vegetable or fruit at every meal. This rule of thumb will help you put together meals that have the nutrients you need.
5. Make time for proper meals.
College life gets hectic, but try to minimize the number of meals you eat while running from one class to the next. Don’t skip breakfast, only to end up famished and grabbing something out of the vending machine at 11 a.m. Eat dinner before sitting down to cram for tomorrow’s exam. Eating in a relaxed, unharried state improves digestion, and keeping regular-ish meal times helps your circadian rhythm.
Speaking of your circadian rhythm, eating too late—and certainly eating in the middle of the night—really messes with your internal clock. The occasional late-night meal probably isn’t a big deal, but it really shouldn’t become an every weekend thing.
6. Eat fish once in a while.
It’s easy to get by on hamburgers, lunchmeat, and chicken fingers, but you need fish for those essential omega-3s. It doesn’t have to be fresh fish. Canned fish—tuna, sardines, salmon, cod livers—are fantastic and easy to keep in your dorm room.
7. Make simple swaps.
Don’t overcomplicate it. Ask for a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. Get grilled chicken fingers instead of fried. Get a side salad instead of tater tots. Opt for a burrito bowl instead of the plate of nachos. Not every time necessarily, but look for obvious chances to make a healthier choice, and take them.
8. Watch the alcohol intake. Coffee too.
This one needs no explanation. Consider the budgetary benefits, as well.
9. Control what you can; don’t worry about the rest.
Eating in the dining halls means ceding some control over ingredients and options. You’re probably not going to be able to avoid seed oils, for example. While not ideal, this isn’t something to stress about. Use avocado oil, olive oil, and butter or ghee when cooking for yourself. Big props if you don’t mind schlepping a bottle of avocado oil salad dressing to the dining hall. But as long as you’re doing the best you can with what’s available, this is a “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good” situation.
The goal isn’t to be a perfect Primal eater, and we definitely don’t want food to be a source of anxiety and misery. What you eat plays a huge role in how you feel, though. Therefore, it behooves you to pay attention to how you’re nourishing your body and to make self-supporting choices more often than not. Instead of thinking about what you “can’t” or “shouldn’t” eat, seek out foods that will help you feel physically well, mentally sharp, and energetic.
Sometimes, the self-supportive choice will be to embrace the social experience of going to the all-you-can-eat buffet with your dorm buddies at 11 p.m. If you do that a few times a week, week in and week out, you’ll feel like hot garbage after a while. Remember the 80/20 principle: strive to make healthier choices most of the time, recognizing that college life is messy and fun and sometimes inherently unhealthy. Just like I’d never suggest that college students must get 8.5 hours of sleep every single night because it wouldn’t be realistic for myriad reasons, I’d never suggest that you must make healthy eating your top priority at every meal. College life isn’t set up for that.
You don’t have to embody the stereotype of an unhealthy college student, though, either. Seek out people who, like you, want to find a good balance between relishing your time at college and also taking care of themselves so they can truly get the most out of every part of the experience.
“Tiny nitpick: One doesn’t “flâneur,” flâneurs (or flâneuses, let’s not exclude people) flânent; you (pl.) flânez.
Putting the grammar-Nazi away… there is so much truth to your thoughts on creating – rather than passively consuming – experience. To me, it’s the difference between men like Sir Hillary and Norgay (truly intrepid souls) and all those tourists who pay to be all but carried up Everest.
That’s not to knock those who follow that set guide rope, it’s still a dangerous and no-doubt memorable time, and I’ve personally never stood on top of the world – it’s just not the same.
Too much planning can kill pristine joy. Adventure with security is a lie. Granted, reckless adventure can simply be stupidity (the first time I saw a hyena in the wild, I tried to pet it – I’m forever grateful that it ran away), but I’d rather live stupid than live boring.”
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Ab training is not only about aesthetics and making your abs look better. Yes, these workouts will check both of those boxes, but these specialized training plans can also help you understand that your abdominal muscles are highly functional, not just for show.
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Once you start training them effectively, you can end up looking better, moving better, and feeling better. These workouts may look simple, but don’t be fooled because simple does not mean easy. Get ready to build a midsection that will help you crush any workout and, if needed, anyone.
If you want to get stronger, training your abs is extremely underrated. You might be more focused on heavy squats and deadlifts. While these types of big movements do require abdominal engagement, you’re limited to the amount of direct exposure to properly train those muscles with progressive overload through longer ranges of motion. (1)
To really build serious core and total-body strength, expose your abdominal muscles to a variety of challenges and stimuli when both creating and resisting movement. During compound movements, that happens through the sagittal plane when you are resisting flexion and extension (abdominal bending and straightening) using isometric contractions to create tension.
The Core Strength Workout
This workout exposes your abdominal muscles to unique stresses that aren’t already addressed in your training program. It will challenge your abs to resist and redirect force, as well as overcome direct resistance in different directions. Perform this workout two to three times per week at the end of your other sessions.
Dumbbell Plank Pull-Through
How to Do it: Place one dumbbell on the ground and position yourself at arm’s length to the side. Begin with your hands, knees, and toes on the floor. Set shoulders directly over your wrists and your knees directly under your hips. Keep your arms straight and actively push your hands into the ground while reaching your shoulders down to engage your serratus anterior. With the hand farthest from the weight, reach across your body and then drag the dumbbell across the floor underneath you. Take three to four seconds to move the weight, which should allow you to feel your abdominal muscles working. Continue dragging the weight until your arm is fully extended. Don’t allow your body to tilt or rotate. Switch hands and return the weight to the starting position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 16 total reps, alternating sides each rep for 8 reps per side/per set.
Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.
Dumbbell Sit-Up
How to Do it: Lie on the ground and hold one dumbbell by the ends, horizontally, under your chin and resting on your chest. The key is to keep the weight touching your body, which will make the initial part of the sit-up much harder (in a beneficial way). It also ensures that your abdominals, not your hip flexors, are performing the movement. (2) Dig your heels into the floor and pull them back statically to engage your hamstrings. Curl your torso toward your knees. When you successfully get to the top, slowly lower yourself down back to the start position. Keep your head and shoulders away from the floor so you don’t fully relax in between each rep.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10
Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.
Dumbbell Side Bend
How to Do it: Stand up straight with one dumbbell in the suitcase position (in one hand, at hip-level as if carrying a suitcase). Without rotating or twisting, lean your upper body down towards the weight and feel a stretch along the other side of your body. Maintain a stable base and don’t shift your entire weight over to the side. Your individual range of motion will be different based on overall mobility and strength. When you’ve reached the maximum comfortable stretch, pull yourself back to an upright position using the stretch your obliques and core. Avoid “over-correcting” or leaning too far over to the opposite side. Perform all reps on one side before switching hands.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10 reps per side.
Rest time: No rest between sides. 60 seconds between sets.
Best Dumbbell Ab Workout for Muscle Gain
Many people think abs are closely associated with fat loss, and that’s a fair connection. However, the abdominal muscles are, in fact, muscles just like any other. They can be trained for growth which, just like your biceps, calves, or any other muscle group, can help them stand out and look even better.
How to Build More Muscular Abs
These three moves will make your abs look and feel like they have been carved out of rich mahogany. To really build muscle, challenge the abdominals with both more load and more volume than they’re used to. Perform this workout three to four times per week.
Dumbbell Double Crunch
How to Do it: Lie on the ground with your legs bent and your heels elevated on a bench, box, or stability ball. Hold a dumbbell from the sides with both hands and straighten your arms above your chest. Crunch your upper body while reaching the weight straight up towards the ceiling, not forward towards your feet. While you’re reaching up, simultaneously push your heels down into the bench and lift your hips up a few inches away from the floor. Hold the double-contracted position for a second and then slowly return yourself to the start position. This exercise gets nasty pretty quickly so get ready to embrace the burn.
Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-10
Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Leg Raise
How to Do it: Lie on a flat bench, with your body positioned towards one end, and place the dumbbell handle between your thighs. Hold the bench behind your head and extend your parallel with the floor. Bend your legs as you pull your knees towards you with control. Squeeze your legs tightly to control the weight. Focus on covering your stomach with your thighs instead of trying to bring your knees to your elbows.
Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-10
Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Dumbbell Side Bend
How to Do it: Stand up straight with one dumbbell in the suitcase position (in one hand, at hip-level as if carrying a suitcase). Without rotating or twisting, lean your upper body down towards the weight and feel a stretch along the other side of your body. Maintain a stable base and don’t shift your entire weight over to the side. Your individual range of motion will be different based on overall mobility and strength. When you’ve reached the maximum comfortable stretch, pull yourself back to an upright position using the stretch your obliques and core. Avoid “over-correcting” or leaning too far over to the opposite side. Perform all reps on one side before switching hands.
Sets and Reps: 4 x 10 per side.
Rest time: No rest between sides. 45 seconds rest before returning to the first exercise.
Best Dumbbell Ab Workout for Fat Loss
Unfortunately, there are no specific ab workouts or special ab exercises that will increase the rate of fat loss or weight loss. To improve body composition, you need to maintain or increase overall activity throughout the week while adjusting your nutrition, to support a calorie deficit.
The Program to Reveal Abs
Here’s a simple and effective ab routine to increase your weekly training load, increase calorie-burning, and maintain strength and muscle as you drop body fat. Perform this workout two to three times per week at the end of your other strength training sessions.
Dumbbell Renegade Row
How to Do it: Start in a plank position (top of push-up) with legs straight and your toes on the ground. Begin with both arms straight, with one hand on the ground and the other holding a dumbbell directly under your shoulder. Row the dumbbell towards your ribs while actively pressing the other arm into the ground. Resist any twisting at your hips or shoulders. Perform all reps with one side before switching arms.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8 reps per side.
Rest time: No rest between sides, no rest before moving to the next exercise.
Chest Press in a Hollow Hold
How to Do it: Lie on the ground in the “hollow rock” position — both legs extended and your heels and shoulders lifted off the ground. Raise your feet slightly higher than your hips, and press your lower back into the floor to engage your core and stabilize your body. Maintain this static position throughout the exercise. Hold one dumbbell at chest-level horizontally, grabbing it at each end. Perform a repetition by pressing the weight towards the ceiling. Reach as far as possible to really engage the serratus anterior and oblique muscles.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-10
Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Half-Kneeling Wood Chop
How to Do it: Start in a half-kneeling position, holding a dumbbell with both hands near the hip of your “down” leg. Bring the weight up towards the opposite shoulder while rotating at the waist and straightening your arms. Return to the starting position. Perform all reps on one side before switching legs.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 16 reps on each side.
Rest time: No rest between sides. 30 seconds rest between sets before returning to the first exercise.
The Ab Muscles
To some peoples’ surprise, “the abs” aren’t one single muscle. A group of several muscles —some visible on the surface and some deeper but just as important — work in coordination to control your torso position, provide stability, and offer postural support and strength.
Rectus Abdominus
This muscle gets the glory and is recognized as the main ab muscle. The rectus abdominus is divided into several “sections” depending on your unique genetic structure and tendon arrangement. This is why some people may “only” ever develop four-pack abs while others can be capable of building an eight-pack — it’s not about specific exercises or dieting, the end result is entirely genetic.
Credit: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock
The rectus abdominus controls torso flexion (bending your upper body) and it plays a role in resisting extension (bending backwards) and resisting lateral flexion (bending sideways).
Transverse Abdominus
The deep and powerful core muscle, your transverse abdominus is essential for serious core strength. It is heavily involved in creating intra-abdominal pressure, which stabilizes the lower back. The transverse abs are also significantly activated to resist flexion and extension, and helps to create a stable pillar throughout your upper body.
Internal and External Obliques
The obliques, found on either side of the abs, are most recognized for their rotational power and strength. Any movement which involves twisting at the hips, or which prevents the waist from rotating, will rely on well-developed oblique muscles. They are also responsible for lateral bending as well as resisting movement to the sides.
Ab and Core Warm-Up
Like any body part, a thorough warm-up is critical for optimal performance with a reduced chance of injury. When it comes to weighted ab exercises, one very efficient way to warm-up is to perform the exercises without weight before grabbing the dumbbells.
Especially since ab training is typically performed at the end of a training session, you shouldn’t need a general, total-body warm-up. Simply run through your intended exercises, without added weight, for several reps to prime the specific movement pattern and directly prepare the muscles and joints.
For example, you may prepare for the strength workout by holding a basic plank position, performing several sit-ups, and performing unweighted side bends before beginning the weight-bearing versions of the exercises.
Ab Training is Essential
Your abs play an important role in many different activities and exercises, yet including specific exercises to really challenge them is treated as less-than-important. The standard bodyweight-only ab training will only take your results so far. Just like any other muscle, the abs need be loaded and progressed overtime with either more reps, more weight or both. Make intense ab training a higher priority, and watch your performance and physique grow.
References
van den Tillaar, R., & Saeterbakken, A. H. (2018). Comparison of Core Muscle Activation between a Prone Bridge and 6-RM Back Squats. Journal of human kinetics, 62, 43–53. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0176
Workman, J. C., Docherty, D., Parfrey, K. C., & Behm, D. G. (2008). Influence of pelvis position on the activation of abdominal and hip flexor muscles. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 22(5), 1563–1569. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181739981
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On Saturday, August 28, 2022, powerlifter Chris Pugh set the all-time world record in the squat (Raw With Wraps) at 82.5 kilograms, lifting 366 kilograms (807 pounds). The new record took place during the 2022 Irish Pro Invitational meet at Southside Barbell in Limerick, Ireland.
The new record was Pugh’s second of his three attempts at that meet. He attempted 375 kilograms (826.7 pounds), but the attempt wasn’t successful. Overall, Pugh was one for three on the squat, and three for three on both the bench press (where he also set a one-kilogram personal record) and deadlift. He would leave with the overall championship belt and title from the meet as well. The summary of Pugh’s day is as follows.
Squat — 366 kilograms (807 pounds)
BenchPress — 206 kilograms (454 pounds)
Deadlift — 300 kilograms (661 pounds)
Total — 872 kilograms (1,922 pounds)
Aside from the all-time world record in wraps, Pugh also shared in the post that it was a personal best by 16 kilograms. His previous best mark was 358.5 kilograms (790.3 pounds), which he achieved at the 2022 GPC European Championships on June 29, 2022. The new personal and all-time world record replaces Maliek Derstine’s mark of 365 kilograms (804.7 pounds), which was set at the 2020 USPA Dirth South Powerlifting Championships.
At 29 years old, this is Pugh’s seventh year of competing in powerlifting, according to Open Powerlifting. This is the only all-time world record in the Raw With Wraps category that he holds as of this writing. He has also competed in single-ply and multi-ply meets.
His personal best squat in a single-ply squat suit is 340 kilograms (749.5 pounds), and he set that mark in April 2022 at the Nottingham Strong Qualifier event. His best multi-ply squat is actually less than that. On July 30, 2017, Pugh completed a lift of 307.5 kilograms (678 pounds) at the Salisbury Qualifier event.
Pugh is no stranger to other weight classes, having also competed in the 90 and 100-kilogram classes this year alone. As of this writing, Pugh hasn’t shared what his next meet will be or if he will compete in a different class should he do so.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On Saturday, August 28, 2022, powerlifter Chris Kugh set the all-time world record in the squat (Raw With Wraps) at 82.5 kilograms, lifting 366 kilograms (807 pounds). The new record took place during the 2022 Irish Pro Invitational meet at Southside Barbell in Limerick, Ireland.
The new record was Kugh’s second of his three attempts at that meet. He attempted 375 kilograms (826.7 pounds), but the attempt wasn’t successful. Overall, Kugh was one for three on the squat, and three for three on both the bench press (where he also set a one-kilogram personal record), and deadlift. He would leave with the overall championship belt and title from the meet as well. The summary of Kugh’s day is as follows.
Squat — 366 kilograms (807 pounds)
BenchPress — 206 kilograms (454 pounds)
Deadlift — 300 kilograms (661 pounds)
Total — 872 kilograms (1,922 pounds)
Aside from the all-time world record in wraps, Kugh also shared in the post that it was a personal best by 16 kilograms. His previous best mark was 358.5 kilograms (790.3 pounds), which he achieved at the 2022 GPC European Championships on June 29, 2022. The new personal and all-time world record replaces Maliek Derstine’s mark of 365 kilograms, which was set at the 2020 USPA Dirth South Powerlifting Championships.
At 29 years old, this is Kugh’s seventh year of competing in powerlifting, according to Open Powerlifting. This is the only all-time world record in the Raw With Wraps category that he holds as of this writing. He has also competed in single-ply and multi-ply meets.
His personal best squat in a single-ply squat suit is 340 kilograms (749.5 pounds), and he set that mark in April 2022 at the Nottingham Strong Qualifier event. His best multi-ply squat is actually less than that. On July 30, 2017, Pugh completed a lift of 307.5 kilograms (678 pounds) at the Salisbury Qualifier event.
Pugh is also no stranger to other weight classes, having also competed in the 90 and 100-kilogram classes this year alone. As of this writing, Pugh hasn’t shared what his next meet will be or if he will compete in a different class should he do so.
“It’s so much more than a physical transformation.”
Those are the words of one of my beautiful clients, and I realized they are a perfect description of my own journey as well.
I’m Elizabeth from Happy Healthy and Hot. I’m a 56-year-old double-certified health coach who helps women of all ages lose weight so they can love their bodies AND their lives. I’m passionate about showing them that it feels so good to feel so good and that it’s not just about the destination of better health, it’s about who you become on the journey.
Back in 2016, approaching my 50th birthday, I was featured as a success story here on MDA. I shared my health journey of finally clearing the cystic acne that had plagued me for decades, along with relieving severe anxiety and digestive issues. This was all a result of embracing the Primal lifestyle.
Recently I re-read that article and was moved to tears. In it, I mentioned three goals: to become certified as a Primal Health Coach, to start my coaching business, and write a book. I have accomplished all of that and so much more.
Earning my Primal Health Coach certification in 2017 took me so much deeper into the science and research that backs up this lifestyle, and gave me the tools, knowledge, and most importantly the confidence to finally start my coaching business, Happy Healthy and Hot. I offer a unique blend of mindset, nutrition and fitness, and have a knack for turning overwhelming health information into quick little tips that my clients can implement immediately and see results.
And then I wrote that book! The Happy Healthy and Hot Journal – 90 Days to Love Your Body and Your Life is the simple tool that I needed, my clients needed, and I knew other women needed to stay on track with mindset, nutrition and fitness every single day.
Something else I’m proud of is making it to the finals of the Maxim Cover Girl competition at the age of 53, competing with women in their twenties and thirties. The old Elizabeth never would have done this, but the new Elizabeth embraces challenges head on, takes inspired action, and says yes when it’s a full body yes.
A recent challenge that I’ve taken on is to give myself a gift that no one else can give me: a visible six pack for my 56th birthday. (Full disclosure: I’ve never had a six pack, even when I was hitting the gym hard in my early twenties.) Every time I take on a challenge like this it lights me up, and the confidence and satisfaction that come with reaching the goal carry over and propel me forward in other areas of my life.
And speaking of life, it gets in the way sometimes, just like it does for everyone. It’s during those times, when the sh*t is hitting the fan, that I see the true value of my health practices. The simple routines that I have in place for mindset, nutrition and fitness keep me on track no matter what is going on around me.
I am always tweaking my health and fitness routine, but ultimately it’s not that different from what I shared back in 2016. Every day starts with an early morning walk, which is so much more than exercise. It’s about getting out in nature and that valuable early morning light exposure. Next is my coffee, quiet journaling time, and a very efficient 20-minute workout that’s mostly bodyweight resistance. I walk at least 10,000 steps a day, and much more than that if I’m hiking or on the beach.
I teach my clients to “prioritize protein and produce” which is exactly what I do in my own life. It works anywhere, from a convenience store to a five-star restaurant. But my favorite place to eat is my own home, where I have complete control of the quality and preparation. There’s something very satisfying about preparing simple, delicious food with the best ingredients.
Now that nutrition comes so easily to me, I’m finding myself drawn to spending more time outdoors and reaping the benefits of natural light exposure and grounding. As I focus more on strength and endurance, my next challenge will be completing the Primal Fitness Coach Certification, to expand my knowledge and the service I provide to my clients.
The reason I keep challenging myself is simple: it feels so good to feel so good! Optimizing my health has created a positive ripple effect on every area of my life, and being able to share my journey and inspire others through social media is turning that ripple into a powerful wave.
In closing, health goals are about so much more than reaching a destination. It’s about who you become along the way. And the best way to get there is to take action with your vision in mind. This is what kept me going while I was working on my six pack. Every meal I prepared, every workout I competed, every affirmation that I spoke was done with a clear picture in my head of how amazing it was going to feel when I reached my goal. In the words of Neville Goddard, “The feeling is the secret.”
Back to the client that I quoted in the beginning: Laura has lost over 25 pounds by implementing my simple tips and tweaks. But even better, she has a newfound confidence and zest for life. Approaching her sixties she is feeling better than she has in years, truly loving her body AND her life. And that’s what this is all about.
This article was provided as part of our Success Stories series from Elizabeth, a long-time member of the Mark’s Daily Apple community. Elizabeth originally shared her story with us six years ago, and while we were impressed then, we’re blown away now. Congratulations, Elizabeth, and happy birthday! Your success is well deserved. We hope you find her story, and her positive attitude, as inspiring as we do. If you have your own success story and would like to share it, please reach out to us here.
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Can you squat every day? To smug middle school English teachers, the only answer is, “I don’t know. Can you?” We’re not looking for detention, so let’s rephrase rather than retort.
Should you squat every day? To literalists, this is still preposterous. You need to squat every day to sit at your desk or upon your porcelain throne. But to lifters and strength professionals who recognize we’re talking about squatting with weights in the gym, it’s a thought-provoking question.
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Like a proper squat, the best way to approach the question is to go deep. Here, you will find a history of “squat every day” protocols and an evidence-based evaluation of daily squatting for a variety of training goals. We will also consider the likelihood of harm, discuss the nuts and bolts of programming, and, inevitably, answer the question: Should you squat every day?
Broadly, daily squat protocols contain just that — squats every damn day. Past this commonality, different daily squat protocols contain variables. Some require the same type of squat be used (e.g. always barbell back squats). Others incorporate squat variations throughout the week (e.g. front squat, overhead squat, etc.).
Many of these programs are periodized, including planned variation of volume (daily sets and reps) and intensity (weight or percentage of maximum). In the most extreme plans, lifters may be asked to max-out every day with a single or multiple repetition sets.
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The defining feature of all daily squat protocols is ultra-high frequency squat training. Traditionally, a muscle group is trained and then given 48 hours (or longer) to recover. (1)
Brazen “squat daily” protocols provide only about 24-hours recovery between bouts. To the traditional strength coach or athlete, this may sound like blasphemy, but high-level athletes are successfully squatting daily and have been for decades. (2)
History of Squatting Every Day
In the age of commercialism, one might think the “big squat rack” industry developed the idea of daily squatting just to sell their wares. But the history of squatting every day runs deeper than pushing powder-coated steel and graphic T-shirts. It even predates social media hashtags like #squatober.
Like many draconian activities in the gym, the origin of modern daily squatting can be traced to Eastern European origins. Starting in the 1960s, Bulgarian coach Ivan Abadjiev successfully trained Olympic weightlifters using a high-volume system that included the competition lifts and squats every day. (3)
This so-called “Bulgarian method” was not without controversy, but it helped to produce gold medalists in Olympic weightlifting. And yes, one could assume the success of the Bulgarian method was largely pharmacological, but does high-frequency training provide an edge when training for certain attributes?
Daily Squatting for Strength
Daily squat programs may have originated in Olympic weightlifting, but they’ve now taken a foothold in powerlifting. Does high-frequency training make sense for the strength-focused lifter?
Research seem to find an advantage to higher frequency training among certain types of lifters, including young adults and intermediate and advanced trainees. The finding most notable for daily squatting was reported by a pair of meta-analyses — improved strength gain for multi-joint exercises when training at higher frequencies. (4)(5)
In both meta-analyses, this effect was tiered, with significant benefit for each additional training session per week up to four or greater. In other words: the more frequency, the better (to an extent).
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However, the findings were based on a limited number of available studies on frequencies at or above four training sessions per week, and studies that allowed more sets and reps for the higher frequency training groups were included in the analysis. (4)(5) More recent studies with intensity- and volume-matched protocols show no difference in strength outcomes. (6)(7)(8)(9)
But the take-home message stands: there does not appear to be any downside to high-frequency training when it comes to strength outcomes. And, if high-frequency training allows you to train harder or do more, there might be a benefit.
Daily Squatting for Hypertrophy
For building muscle, there is an argument for high-frequency training. Protein, as you probably know, is kind of a big deal for muscle growth.
A lifting session stimulates construction of new muscle by increasing rates of protein synthesis. But the increased protein synthesis rate is short-lived, peaking at about 24 hours post-training before rapidly declining. (11) Frequent training, therefore, may help to keep the muscle in a building, or “anabolic,” state by repeatedly stimulating muscle protein synthesis. (12)
Theory aside, a meta-analysis of training studies failed to show significant benefit of increased frequency when volume (total sets and reps) is kept constant. (13) Keep in mind, most of the “high-frequency training” studies in the meta-analysis were looking at three or four sessions per week for a given muscle group. Squatting every day will train the quads, glutes, and calves, well, every day.
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While research on ultra-high frequency training (five or more sessions per week) remains sparse, more studies are taking on ultra-high frequency training protocols and comparing muscle gains to lower frequency.
Don’t get too excited yet. The findings of recent, volume-matched studies are unlikely to change the conclusion provided by the previous meta-analysis —“No difference” in muscle growth between ultra-high-frequency training and low-frequency training when overall volume is the same. (6)(8)(9)(10)
Here’s where things get interesting. When total weekly training volumes were not equal, research has reported moderate benefits to three or more sessions per week. (13) This makes sense, as lifting volume is a driver of hypertrophy. (14)(15) This point is key when considering daily squatting because, if squatting every day helps you achieve more quality sets and reps, there’s a good chance it will help you to grow bigger muscles.
Daily Squatting for Power
Bulgarian Olympic weightlifters were early-adopters of ultra-high frequency training. They were training for a power- and technique-driven sport. Although direct research is lacking, squatting every day to develop lower body power appears anecdotally promising.
Power training is most effective when failed reps and general fatigue are avoided. (16) Therefore, power training programs tend to use sub-maximal loads with set, rep, and rest schemes designed to avoid failure.
Squatting every day may be an appealing option because it is likely that power-focused lifters will recover within 24 hours and be ready to perform again. (17) High-level Olympic lifters train as often as 18 times per week.
Distributing training across frequent, shorter sessions not only reduces overall fatigue, but it provides more opportunities to practice exercise technique and skill. Remember the wisdom of legendary American wrestling coach Dan Gable: If something is important, do it every day.
Should I Max Out Every Day?
The most extreme daily squatting protocols ask the lifter to “max out” or test their maximum strength every day. Daily max protocols fly in the face of conventional strength and conditioning practices.
To dissuade lifters from maxing out every chance they get, a coach might say, “training and testing are two different things.” Strength tests are low volume with maximum loads. For example, working up to a one-repetition maximum (1RM) squat and then calling it a day. Training for strength typically consists of multiple sets of multiple repetition sets. For example, four sets of five or three sets of eight.
Maxing out in every session can be physically taxing and might result in rapid accumulation of fatigue. Also, since most lifters are in no condition to train efficiently after maxing out, testing strength comes at the expense of traditional training.
Interestingly, training that consists exclusively of 1RM testing twice per week has been linked to strength improvements similar to higher volume training (i.e. four sets of eight to 12 reps, twice per week). (18) There is something to be said for practicing the test and getting more comfortable under heavy loads.
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Research was performed on three very experienced powerlifters who spent 37 days hitting daily 1RMs. (2) Each of the participants improved their 1RM over the course of training, ranging from five to 10%, which is serious progress for an experienced lifter.
However, the lifters didn’t only perform a 1RM. Their daily squat workouts also included five sets of doubles or triples at 90% 1RM and 85% 1RM, respectively, for the first 30 days of the trial. Daily maximum squatting for roughly six weeks appears to be a viable strength-building method in well-trained lifters.
Just be cautious extrapolating this data to your own training. Are you a healthy powerlifter with a lengthy training history? Do you have trained spotters to keep you safe every day? Could you handle the mental and physical grind of maxing out every day?
If you answered “No” to any of the above questions, daily max squatting is probably not for you. Keep in mind, even a middle-of-the-road (non-max) daily squatting routine gives you plenty of opportunities to both train and test your squat.
Is it Overtraining?
Overtraining is defined as a persistent decrease in performance lasting months. (19) It’s the fastest way to derail your train to Gainsville. Overtraining is associated with performing too much exercise volume and/or too much exercise intensity. So, will daily squatting cause you to overtrain? Not likely, but let’s take a step back and discuss the nuances.
Genuine over-training appears to be rare among lifters. (19) But you’re not out of the water yet. Two related and more common phenomena are non-functional over-reaching and functional over-reaching.
Non-functional over-reaching is overtraining’s little brother — not nearly as dangerous, but still a persona non grata in any decent muscle-focused community. It’s a performance loss lasting weeks to months, which rebounds back to baseline after a period of recovery. (19) You end up with no net loss, but nothing gained.
Functional over-reaching, or simply “over-reaching,” is a short-term performance loss followed by super-compensation (rebounded improvement). After days-to-weeks of lagging, you recover and overall performance increases. (19)(20) When used strategically, functional over-reaching is a powerful tool for making new gains.
Over-training vs. Over-reaching
Overtraining, non-functional over-reaching, and functional over-reaching — where will squatting every day put you on this spectrum?
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One daily-squatting study sought out to cause overtraining. After performing 10 one-rep max lifts per day, every day for two weeks straight, researchers saw lifters’ 1RM strength drop an average of more than 10% and blood levels of creatine kinase (a marker of muscle damage) nearly double. (20) However, the researchers failed to conduct a follow-up test after a period of recovery.
Instead, the final 1RM test was conducted the day after the final training session. To determine whether the study truly induced overtraining based on our established definitions, a longer period of recovery should have been provided before performance testing. We can only theorize whether the high-intensity squat every day protocol led to long-term losses in performance.
Another study by the same lead researcher clearly showed non-functional over-reaching among intermediate trainees with a high-intensity squat protocol. The training consisted of two singles at 95% 1RM, three singles at 90% 1RM, and three sets of 10 leg curls performed three times weekly for three weeks. (21)
The trainees’ squat strength failed to improve during the rigorous training and failed to improve following three weeks of baseline training for recovery. These findings should be eye-opening. The study shows how quickly high-intensity training, even at moderate frequency, can push lifters away from results.
Non-functional over-reaching can be surprisingly sneaky. The participants didn’t report increased muscle, knee, or low back soreness or pain throughout the high-intensity protocol. (21)
The only published study on daily squatting is the previously discussed research on the three powerlifters who hit 1RMs daily for six weeks. These powerlifters didn’t actually overtrain, but their 1RM fell below baseline at multiple points during the study.
The lifters undoubtedly experienced functional over-reaching at the beginning of the intense protocol, because their strength ultimately rebounded and improved. (2)
While true over-training is unlikely, non-functional over-reaching (unproductive training) is a real risk when squatting frequently. Avoid this pitfall using well-designed programming.
The Right Way to Squat Every Day
If you are going to squat every day, you need to pay attention to more than just volume and intensity. A number of variables are important when selecting a program or developing your own.
Variation
Daily squat programs should include some degree of variation. This can include changes in programming variables: intensity (weight), volume (sets and reps), rep speed, rest intervals, frequency, and exercise selection. (22) Squatting every day precludes variation in frequency, but should not limit manipulation of the other variables.
If you are not a competitive powerlifter, you should not feel limited to programming only the back squat. A wide variety of “squats” can be used in daily squatting programs, each with unique qualities and benefits.
Squat variations that promote a more upright torso are more knee-dominant and will hit your quads harder. Options include, but are not limited to: Zercher squats, goblet squats, heels-elevated squats, and safety squat bar squats.
Squat variations that encourage the lifter to sit back into the hips are going to be hip-dominant and bias the glutes. Low-bar back squats and box squats are great options. Single leg-biased squats, such as the rear-foot elevated split squat, challenge balance and train your stabilizing muscles.
Machine variations like hack squats can offer reprieve to some of the stabilizing muscles. Belt squats are great for offloading the spine. By alternating or intermixing multiple squat variations throughout the week, you’re adding variability to the program.
Variability should assist with fatigue management by promoting a more equitable distribution of training stress across various body tissues.
There are many ways to vary the remaining programming variables. For ultra-high frequency training, adaily undulating periodization (DUP) structure works very well because it promotes extreme variation by adjusting the intensity and total volume in each session.
One day might have you program one or two working sets of squats in the eight to 12-repetition range. The next day might be a single set in the two to six-rep range. The third day could be one or two sets of 12 to 16 repetitions. Rinse and repeat.
Big Picture Planning
Daily squat programs should be part of your periodized training plan. The program should be conceptualized as a “block” of training being performed for the specific goal of maximizing one aspect of fitness related to the squat (e.g. power, strength, hypertrophy, technique, etc.). (22)
It should fit into your “bigger picture” plan for performance or competition. For example, a powerlifter or Olympic weightlifter might be interested in improving squat strength and technique leading up to a competitive season.
A bodybuilder might program daily squatting to beef up their lower body in the off-season. A CrossFit athlete might squat daily to improve work capacity and lower body strength-endurance.
Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock
The daily squatting “block” can be used as a planned over-reaching strategy to accelerate progress toward your goal. To realize the benefits, daily squatting should be terminated early enough to allow for recovery and super-compensation to occur.
For strength-related pursuits, consider ending daily squatting two to four weeks prior to competition. (23) Performing a deload immediately after daily squatting will allow you to get the most out of this training block.
Use Appropriate Volume
“Squat every day” programs should include appropriate volume, relative to your training goal and training status. Massive training volumes are not needed to increase strength. Most individuals can increase their squat strength with two or three weekly hard sets in the six to 12 repetition range. (24)
To optimize strength gain, there will be incremental benefits for adding additional working sets. (5)(25) However, the dose-response relationship has an upper limit. For advanced lifters, this threshold may be approximately 10 to 12 weekly sets. (5)(26) This threshold is almost certainly lower for beginners and intermediate lifters, possibly as low as five to nine sets per week. (5)
Volume is directly tied to hypertrophy. The general recommendation for hypertrophy training is to hit a minimum of 10 weekly working sets per muscle group. (15)(27)
In summary, strength-focused trainees on a “squat daily” program will likely target seven to 12 weekly sets of squats, while lifters focusing on hypertrophy will target a minimum of 10 sets per week. The ultimate number of sets a trainee should use should be individualized based on training experience.
Credit: Lucky Business / Shutterstock
Keep in mind that these are total working sets and does not include warm-up sets. If you are a strong squatter working up to big numbers seven days per week, these recommendations will result in a lot of time at the squat rack. Bear in mind, weekly volume should not be a static target. Your daily squat program ought to be progressive just like any other training.
Considering the close relationship between hypertrophy and volume, it is most prudent to for lifters interested in gaining muscle to add sets throughout their training “block.” (15) Increasing set volume by 20% throughout a month-long squat program is a reasonable target. (27)
Finally, those squatting for substantially less than seven sets per week (i.e. the minimum number required to “squat every day”) should to gradually build their squat volume prior to beginning daily squatting.
Regulate Intensity
Squat every day programs should be intensity-controlled. You are (probably) not an elite athlete, so you probably shouldn’t max out every day like elite athletes can handle. Even if you don’t plan max out often or at all during your squat protocol, be cautious of combining high-intensity with high-frequency.
Just three weeks of 15 weekly singles at 90% and 95% 1RM was enough to stall the progress of intermediate trainees. (21) Ultimately, you can decrease the likelihood of unproductive training by limiting the number of sets performed above 90% 1RM. These sets are taxing and may not be as important for strength gain as you might assume.
For example, competitive weightlifters who completed over 91% of their repetitions at loads below 90% 1RM demonstrated greater increases in strength than weightlifters on a higher intensity, volume-matched protocol. (26)
Make no mistake, building strength is dependent on lifting heavier loads, at least occasionally. On the other hand, building muscle is more dependent on volume. (14)(15) (28) A wide variety of intensities stimulate hypertrophy training provided sets are taken close to failure. (27)(28)(29)
Any load greater than the very light 30RM can be effective for building muscle. (27)(28) Anyone who has taken a light weight, high-rep set close to failure knows how taxing and miserable it can be.
Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock
Therefore, a middle-of-road approach to loading your squats may still be most appealing. For most lifters with strength or hypertrophy goals, most sets should be performed in the 70-90% 1RM range with heavier sets programmed judiciously. You don’t need to “max out” often, but when you do, use it as an opportunity to re-calibrate your loads or percentages.
The ultimate number of heavy sets per week appropriate for your program is highly individual. It’s related to your training history (“how long have you been squatting heavy?”), other training stress (“are you also doing other strenuous workouts?”), and how much you’re able to recovery (“are you eating a diet with ample calories and nutrients while getting more than seven hours of quality sleep per night?”).
Start conservatively and plan to progress. Progress intensity by ensuring that you are putting more weight on the bar during your high intensity workouts. For ambitious lifters, the potential consequences of doing too much will always outweigh the potential cost of doing too little. If you under-load one session, you can always do more. If you over-load one session, your recovery and performance will take time to adjust.
Cut the Fluff
When squatting often, dial back elsewhere. Cutting back or eliminating other lower body training during the daily squat protocol is also advisable, especially leg exercises that are loaded axially (through the trunk and spine, such as deadlifts, lunges, and weighted step-ups).
Isolation work is fine for muscle groups sub-optimally stimulated by the squat, such as machine calf raises and hamstring curls.
Set an End Date
Daily squat programs should be time-limited. It was shown that well-trained powerlifters can thrive under a daily squat protocol for nearly six weeks, but it is not known how long even well-trained lifters can tolerate squatting every day.
Researchers explicitly warned against using their study as a model for novice and intermediate lifters. (2) Conservatively, intermediate and novice lifters should experiment daily squatting for just a few weeks and assess their individual tolerance and responses to the program before committing to relatively longer protocols.
Abandon or Modify the Plan if Necessary
Responses to this style of training are highly individual. Studies have shown large individual variation among responses to high-frequency training. (8)(9)(10) The take-home message? You might thrive on a high-frequency squat program, but there is a chance you might bomb.
Credit: David Herraez Calzada / Shutterstock
Monitor progress during daily squatting with objective and subjective data. Objective data could be as simple as tracking your maximum effort or highest intensity sets (e.g. repetition maximum attempts) or the number of repetitions you perform with a typical weight.
Subjectively, you could track Session Rate of Perceived Exertion (Session RPE), which is a number from zero to ten used to rate your workout effort, “zero” means you were resting and “ten” is maximum exertion. (30)
Track trends in your performance and exertion. During the first week of daily squatting, your body is adapting to the new stimulus. You might see some significant drops in performance here. Outside of the first week or so, you should not be losing strength or unintentionally cutting reps for multiple days in a row.
Every session should not be a 10 of 10 Session RPE. If you notice these features, they could be a sign that high-frequency squatting, or the way you are programming high-frequency squatting, is not working for you. Course correct accordingly.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve made it this far, hopefully you have an idea of whether or not you should squat every day. Or, maybe you’ve just skipped to the last section looking for a verdict.
So, should you squat every day? Like any nuanced question, the answer is…it depends. You could boil it down to three key factors — individual preferences, appropriate program design, and individual responses.
There is typically no harm associated with high-frequency training. (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(20)(21) Meaning, if you like the idea of squatting every day, you should feel empowered to try it. Once you’ve committed to squatting every day, the next challenge is to determine the program specifics (e.g. volume, intensity, duration of training block, squat variations, etc.). Misjudge these variables, and you’re charting a course toward non-functional over-reaching.
Finally, your daily squatting program can simply be your own “experiment.” No randomized controlled training study will provide you with as much value as your own experiences.
All of these recommendations may provide guidance but, ultimately, it’s the help of a good coach, the latest research, and the lessons you learn from the iron that can help you keep squatting day in, day out.
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