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Jesus Olivares’s Instagram username is “mega.gojira” — a play on words of the Japanese term for “Godzilla,” the fictional nuclear reptilian monster that brings nothing but destruction in its wake. Considering what Olivares achieves in the gym and on sanctioned lifting platforms, he certainly picked a fitting personal nickname nodding to his incredible strength. His latest leg-power feat once again paints the picture of a powerlifter worthy of the title, “King of the Monsters.”
On Feb. 20, 2023, Olivares posted an Instagram video of himself finishing off a 465-kilogram (1,025.1-pound) raw back squat during a training session. The lift is a personal record (PR) for the usual 120-kilogram-plus powerlifter. Olivares wore wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves to help him attain a new personal high-water mark. He also had no less than six spotters surrounding the bar during the lift for safety.
Olivares’s latest squat PR is additionally notable for three main reasons.
For one, it comes as part of his preparation for the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. He will not be the only name-recognition athlete participating in the contest. For another reason, Olivares squatting 1,025.1 pounds puts him closer to Ray Williams’ All-Time Raw World Record of 490 kilograms (1,080.2 pounds) from the 2019 USA Powerlifting Arnold SBD Pro American.
Furthermore, should Olivares replicate this squat at the Sheffield Championships, he will tie Craig Foster for the third-heaviest raw squat of all time. Only fellow 120-kilogram-plus competitors Williams and Jezza Uepa (who squatted 470 kilograms/1,036.1 pounds at the 2017 Powerlifting America Brisbane Open) have ever lifted more.
While Olivares is still 44.2 kilograms away from the record, adding 10 kilograms (22.1 pounds) to his top mark in roughly half a year might be a sign he’s well on his way to reaching a hallowed destination.
It’s evident Olivares, who is still in his mid-20s, is already turning himself into a household name. Moving up in the squat record books, and perhaps even eventually putting his name on top, would be quite the way to announce his presence as a bona fide superstar.
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Jessica Buettner had planned to compete as an 84-kilogram powerlifter for a little while now, but the superstar waited to put the shift into action. With the 2023 Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) Nationals occurring on Feb. 13-18, 2023, in Richmond, BC, Canada, the reigning two-time Open International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion proved it was worth the wait.
By the competition’s end, Buettner scored two raw Canadian National Records with a deadlift of 250 kilograms (551.2 pounds) and a total of 559 kilograms (1,232.4 pounds). Such results helped Buettner capture her third Canadian National title in four years. (Note: Buettner did not participate in the 2021 edition.) The athlete wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves for her squats, wrist wraps and a belt for bench presses, and just a belt for her deadlifts.
In an Instagram post recapping the performance, Buettner wrote that she had also captured the Canadian record raw squat with a lift of 209 kilograms (460.7 pounds).
Though, according to Open Powerlifting, Danielle Philibert actually possess the Canadian raw squat record with a lift of 210 kilograms (462.9 kilograms). The athlete achieved that mark at the 2021 CPU Port City Showdown. Buettner has squatted that much on a sanctioned lifting platform, successfully lifting 210 kilograms at the international 2022 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power.
Overall, Buettner finished all eight lifts she attempted at the 2023 CPU Nationals. Once the competitor had broken the Canadian raw deadlift record, she opted out of a final attempt to potentially extend her mark.
Nonetheless, setting the standard with two National Records in a new weight class remains impressive for Buettner, especially considering this was the athlete’s first performance in the 84-kilogram category since 2019. Here’s a complete overview of her top output at the 2023 CPU Nationals:
Jessica Buettner (84KG) | 2023 CPU National Championships Top Raw Lifts
Squat — 209 kilograms (460.7 pounds)
Bench Press — 100 kilograms (220.5 pounds)
Deadlift — 250 kilograms (551.2 pounds) | Canadian National Record
Total — 559 kilograms (1,232.4 pounds) | Canadian National Record
In her Instagram post, Buettner wrote that her next competition will be the 2023 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. The athlete will move back down to the 76-kilogram weight class for this contest, which will take place on Mar. 25, 2023, in Sheffield, England.
Buettner’s first-place performance at the 2023 CPU Nationals garners her automatic qualification to the 2023 IPF World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships. Presumably in the 76-kilogram class, the competition will see Buettner seek to make it a prolific three consecutive IPF Open World titles.
Avocado is one of those foods that almost every dietary ideology agrees is good for you. Vegans, vegetarians, paleos, Mediterranean diet espousers, and keto diet fans all promote avocados as a “good fat.” Even the USDA dietary committee wants people eating avocados. But most avocado discussion stops there. It’s “good for you” and that’s about all you hear about the avocado. I’m as guilty as the next man, seeing as how my main focus is on avocado oilused as the basis of most Primal Kitchen products.
But the human research convincingly shows that avocados—the whole fruit—are incredibly healthy and nutrient-dense additions to anyone’s diet. Unless you have a specific reason for not eating them, you should be eating avocados oil on a regular basis. Here are seven evidence-based reasons why this is the case:
1. Avocados improve cholesterol
What constitutes a healthy lipid profile is a subject of debate, but we can generally agree on a few principles:
Higher HDL is usually better.
Lower triglycerides are better.
A lower LDL:HDL ratio is usually better.
Increased LDL particle size is usually better.
Less LDL oxidation is better.
Eating avocados achieves all these improvements. In one human study, subjects were randomized to eat either an American diet, a standard “healthy” low-fat diet, a moderate-fat diet with most of the fat coming from sunflower and canola oil, or a moderate-fat diet with most of the extra fat coming from one large avocado a day.1 Only the avocado diet improved LDL:HDL ratio, increased LDL particle size, and reduced oxidized LDL. It was the clear winner over both the American, the seed oil diet, and the low-fat diet.
Another similar study pitted avocado eaters against seed oil eaters. The fatty acid composition was identical in both diets, but only the avocado eaters saw reductions in oxidized LDL particles.2
In another study, Hispanic adults with high cholesterol were randomized to a high-carb vegetarian diet enriched with soybean and safflower oil or a high-carb vegetarian diet enriched with avocado (30% of total calories from avocado).3 The avocado group saw much better improvements in LDL, triglycerides, and HDL.
2. Avocados make meat healthier
Some studies find that eating a hamburger patty by itself increases postprandial lipid oxidation and reduces endothelial function, while eating the same patty with a half avocado almost abolishes these effects and also reduces systemic inflammation. There are other issues at hand here, so don’t freak out about a hamburger patty just yet, but it’s probably is a good idea to have a few slices of avocado with your meat. Other herbs, spices, and phytonutrient-rich plant foods can also help here.
3. Avocados make meals more filling and satisfying
Adding avocados to meals makes said meal both more filling and satisfying.4 This effect occurs whether the avocado adds calories or not. Even isocaloric meals, some with avocados, some without, show the effect. A meal with avocado is simply more satisfying and keeps a person fuller for longer. You aren’t full because you’re getting stuffed. You’re full because you’re satisfied—the meal was nutrient-dense and inherently filling. You’re full because avocados have powerful effects on gut satiety hormones.
4. Avocados improve cognitive function
In older adults given a battery of mental tests, eating avocados increased lutein (a carotenoid linked to ocular and cognitive health) levels by 25%, boosting executive functional capacity, sustained attention, and problem solving ability compared to eating chickpeas.5
Avocado is a unique blend of water and oleic acid that enhances the absorption of carotenoids not just from the avocado itself, but also from any accompanying foods that contain carotenoids.
5. Avocados improve gut health
Dietary avocado increases the diversity of the gut biome, increases “shedding” of fat in the stool of obese and overweight (who don’t “need” the additional caloric energy), and reduces bile acid excretion in the stool. It also tends to increase short chain fatty acid production by gut bacteria, a good indicator of improved metabolic health.6
6. Avocados reduce oxidative stress and inflammation
In general, avocado consumption lowers markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. As mentioned earlier, they can reduce LDL oxidation—the process by which LDL particles are subjected to oxidative stress and damaged, thereby increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. They also have been shown to lower C-reactive protein and other markers associated with endothelial damage and function.7
7. Avocados improve eye health
Older adults who eat avocados see increases in their macular pigment density (MPD).8
8. Avocados are micronutrient-rich.
When most people talk about the nutrients found in avocados, they talk about potassium and monounsaturated fat. These are good components of the avocado, to be sure, but there’s a lot more to it. A single avocado gives you:
30% of daily folate
40% of vitamin B5
15% of riboflavin
23% of vitamin B6
17% of vitamin E
28% of vitamin K
26% of copper
9% of magnesium
15% of potassium
That’s not bad for 200 calories of healthy fat and prebiotic fiber that also has all the beneficial effects mentioned above. Avocados are delicious, nutritious, and improve many aspects of your health. There’s no reason not to eat them on a regular basis.
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As one of the greatest strongmen of all time, former 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Eddie “The Beast” Hall has probably earned the right to try his hand at almost any competitive venture. As such, with Hall now preparing to make a foray into bodybuilding sometime in late 2024, he appears to be on the lookout for any contingency plan.
On Feb. 19, 2023, Hall posted a video to his YouTube channel where he worked through an fast-paced back workout that was bodybuilding-oriented. The training session and next step in his competitive ambitions follow a late January 2023 back workout with International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member Jamie “The Giant” Christian. Hall had his son Max on hand as he worked through this latest routine.
Here’s an overview of Hall’s latest bodybuilding back workout.
Deadlift
Understandably, Hall begins his routine with a staple compound lifting movement: the deadlift. However, in orienting it more toward bodybuilding, Hall didn’t use the typical heavyweights some might be accustomed to seeing him lift. In the interest of keeping his muscles under tension for longer, the athlete instead warmed up with two 20-kilogram (44-pound) plates on each side of his barbell and a few working sets with three plates on each end using a slow eccentric (lowering phase) on each repetition.
Hall explained his changed rationale in a very matter-of-fact fashion.
“I love moving weights as hard as physically possible,” Hall said. “Unlike strongman where you just move the weight from A to B. And you win competitions, you win lots of money. No, no, no. In bodybuilding, you’ve got to move the weight as slow and as painfully as possible. And you can still win loads of money, so that’s good.”
Lat Pulldown/Machine Pulldown
To really get after his back muscles and round them out from different positions, Hall implemented two variations of the lat pulldown in a superset. He began with pulldowns on a standard cable pulley and alternated with a machine-based pulldown that worked each arm independently. Hall performed three sets and 10 reps of each respective movement.
Incline Row/Seated Row
For the next portion of his workout, Hall worked in another superset, this time performing incline rows and seated rows. The athlete did three sets each while using a slow and controlled motion for added tension.
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
After finishing off the main back portion of his workout, Hall decided to throw in some biceps movements, turning the session into a combined back and biceps workout. He began with dumbbell hammer curls and performed four sets.
Machine Biceps Curl
To finish off his productive day, Hall isolated his biceps muscle on a strict curl machine. A pad on the machine elevated the arms to chest-height while restricting the total movement of the arms, forcing the biceps to do most of the work. Hall would complete an extended drop set — decreasing the weight after every few repetitions — for an undisclosed total number of reps before finally wrapping up.
With Hall’s bodybuilding debut still many months away, any progress he makes in the interim is likely positive. As he continues to dip his toes into bodybuilding-oriented training, it appears evident Hall is willing to pull out all the stops to make his next athletic endeavor productive.
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There are hot streaks, and then there’s the scorching path of triumph Mitchell Hooper left behind in 2022. In his debut year as a professional strongman, Hooper earned eight podium finishes in nine contests and won two of his last three competitions, including the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals and the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK. He began 2023 with a victory in the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International (ASI). Now, as Hooper’s next professional display looms on the horizon, his strength makes it seem like he’s unstoppable.
On Feb. 19, 2023, Hooper posted an Instagram video where he completed a 771-kilogram (1,700-pound) leg press for eight reps. The leg training is likely part of the elite competitor’s ongoing preparation for the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic in Columbus, OH. Set to occur on Mar. 2-5, 2023, the famed competition will feature other superstars like defending two-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Tom Stoltman and his brother Luke, as well as two-time WSM runner-up Mateusz Kieliszkowski.
Outrageous showcases of power, within or outside a sanctioned strongman context, are nothing new for Hooper. The athlete has kept busy in 2023, log-pressing 195 kilograms (430 pounds) for two reps in mid-February. A variation of the traditional strongperson Log Press will appear at the 2023 ASC as “The Austrian Oak.” Whether this event will be for reps or a max weight is unclear. Nonetheless, be it with his arms, shoulders, or legs, it appears Hooper is preparing for anything that might come on his plate in early March.
When the 2023 ASC concludes, Hooper will likely shift his focus to intense preparation for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), unsurprisingly littered with a constellation of strongman stars. After blitzing the 2022 edition as a rookie, earning eighth place overall, he’ll undoubtedly look to build on those impressive results with his first-ever WSM title. The only exception this time is that Hooper probably won’t catch anyone off guard as a relative unknown.
Training feats aside, Hooper has been sharing occasional teaching videos about proper lifting techniques. One of the more notable was the Canadian strongman walking through how to lift a famed Atlas Stone in an efficient, safe manner. It seems if he has the knowledge, he’s willing to appropriately spread the wealth.
This year figures to be a monumental one in Hooper’s career. He’s already gained a significant foothold in the strongman sphere. Now, it’s about building a prolific legacy of success that seems like it’s only just beginning.
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To compete like a champion, you have to eat like one. That is, at least you do if you’re a top-level strongman.
As the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) nears in Columbus, OH, in early March, the Stoltman Bros. — Tom and Luke — showcased a sample of their daily diet less than two weeks before the upcoming contest. They ate 10,000 calories combined as they tried to feed their massive builds. For the reigning two-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) in Tom and the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) in Luke, it’s probably a diet befitting of two trying to lift Atlas Stones at their peak.
Here’s an overview of the Stoltman Bros.’ joint 10,000-calorie diet as they enter the final stages of their 2023 ASC training. Note: Select portions of the meals are segmented by what each brother ate specifically. The exact portions were not disclosed for every food item. Calories estimates are taken from the video notes.
Meal 1 — Breakfast
For their first meal of the day, breakfast, Luke disclosed that what the brothers eat won’t be precise between the pair. That fact doesn’t appear to have phased either athlete from necessary calorie-packing.
Mushrooms (exact portion unclear)
Eggs — Six for Luke, eight for Tom
Toast — Four pieces each
Bacon — Two pieces each
Calorie intake: Tom Stoltman, 1,300 calories; Luke Stoltman, 1,150 calories
Meal 2 — Mid-Morning Snack
The brothers continued infusing more protein into the second meal of their day. Aside from generous helpings of whey protein, they also had individual mixes of fruit for snacks. Luke consumed an unspecified amount of melon, pineapple, and mango, while Tom had strawberries.
Whey protein — Three scoops each
Individual fruit mixes
Calorie intake: Tom Stoltman, 358 calories; Luke Stoltman, 358 calories
The brothers’ third meal of the day acted as pre-workout nutrition. With both strongmen having slightly different needs, their caloric layout was a bit different.
Ground beef (Luke)
Vegetables (Luke)
Boiled potatoes (Luke)
Burger with ground pork (Tom)
Apple salad (Tom)
Potato wedges (Tom)
Calorie intake: Tom Stoltman, 1,565 calories; Luke Stoltman, 1,274 calories
Meal 4 — Postworkout Snack
For their fourth meal, the brothers leaned on more protein infusion, this time opting to have an oat-based granola bar instead of fruit.
Whey protein — Three scoops each
Granola bar — One each
Calorie intake: Tom Stoltman, 596 calories; Luke Stoltman, 596 calories
Meal 5 — Dinner
To cap their full day of eating, the brothers went all-in on dinner. Fittingly, they once again had a variety of choices within their meals. The athletes explained that, in this case, dinner was their largest meal of the day in preparation for an events-based workout session the following day, which is their most intense training day of the week.
Whey protein — Three scoops each
Cheeseburger (Tom)
French fries (Tom)
Chicken (Luke)
Boiled potatoes (Luke)
Calorie intake: Tom Stoltman, 1,630 calories; Luke Stoltman, 1,867 calories
Beyond the 2023 ASC, the Stoltman brothers have big ambitions during this competitive year. Tom will look to make it three straight WSM titles during the latest iteration of the contest in April. Meanwhile, Luke will similarly compete in the said competition as he seeks his first strongman victory since September 2021.
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Whether you want to build an impressive set of wheels, boost your strength, or improve athletic performance, your training had better include some single-leg exercises. Indeed, they are invaluable for balancing your physique, addressing weaknesses, improving leg strength, and providing a nasty pump.
Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock
Among the best single-leg exercises are lunges, notorious for building pain tolerance along with well-developed legs. But should you perform the lunge dynamically, taking a step forward, or should it be done statically, also called a split squat? What are the differences and similarities between these exercises? Is there an even better way of doing lunges?
Let’s compare the split squat and the basic forward lunge, and figure out which could be the right choice for your plan.
At first glance, you might think there are no big differences between the forward lunge and the split squat, but you would be mistaken. One simple step forward changes several things.
Balance and Coordination
Unilateral exercises (working one limb at a time) have been shown to increase balance, agility, and coordination, as well as carrying over to injury prevention. (1) But you’re taking things a step forward with the lunge. Because your foot is not fixed in place and any added weights is moving as you step, typically dangling in your hands at arms length, the forward lunge is harder from a stability perspective because more total-body control is needed.
This makes the lunge a more effective variation if you want to improve these qualities, for instance, if you’re an athlete. (2) On the other hand, if you are prioritizing sheer strength and muscle-building, the static squat will be the superior choice. Relatively less motor control requirement means that you can use heavier weight, apply better control on the eccentric (lowering phase), and focus more on the mind-muscle connection which is critical for muscle gains. (3)
Muscle Recruitment
The instability of the lunge will shift the focus towards stabilizing muscles, which makes sense. If you’re doing lunges for firmer glutes, then you’ll be happy to hear that the three gluteal muscles will be recruited more significantly because they stabilize the hips and the upper leg. Indeed, they externally rotate and abduct the femur. On the other hand, the adductors stabilize the leg internally, and will also be more recruited.
Credit: Aleksandr Art / Shutterstock
The abs, the lower back, and the other core muscles will have to work extra to compensate for the weight dangling around during the stepping process. Finally, the calves will have to be involved for when the lunge is done, they are used to propel yourself up back to the initial position. On the other hand, the static squat reducing the involvement of these muscles, it will be a better choice to scorch your quadriceps.
Exercise Similarities
The split squat, also called the static lunge, shares some clear similarities with the forward lunge.
Unilateral Leg Training
Both exercises involve knee extension and hip extension. As such, they target the same leg muscles — your quadriceps, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings. Your core will also be challenged to support the weight and balance your upper body.
As unilateral exercises, only one leg is working at a time. To be more precise, one leg is primarily working due to the staggered stance. Your rear leg is used for support and will still contribute to the movement in a small degree, but the bulk of the weight has to be supported and driven by the front leg.
Credit: Pressmaster / Shutterstock
Both of these exercises will contribute to improved balance, stability, and coordination. Emphasizing each leg on its own will also be helpful to balance your any potential developmental weaknesses between sides. (4)
How to Do the Split Squat
With the split squat being generally more stable than the forward lunge, you can capitalize on the opportunity to safely use barbells to add resistance. Position yourself in front of a rack, place the barbell on the “shelf” of your upper back and unrack it. Take a few small steps back to make room to perform the exercise. Take a shallow step forward with one leg, and one small step backward with the other leg, ending up in a half-lunge position with a hip-width stance.
Brace your core and bend your legs until your rear knee grazes the floor. Press the weight up by driving through your front foot. Make sure most of your weight is on your front leg. Repeat for the desired amount of repetitions before racking the bar and switching legs.
Form tip: Keep your front foot flat on the ground during the exercise. Focus on pushing through your heel to ensure maximal glute engagement and leg stability.
Benefits of the Split Squat
The split squat is the unilateral “squatting motion” exercise that will allow you to use the most weight, making it a great choice for building strength.
This stable exercise allows you to focus on time under tension, mind-muscle connection, and going to failure relatively safely for an excellent hypertrophy stimulus.
Split Squat Variations
There are several ways to perform a split squat in order to better suit your specific goals. Add them, if needed, once you’ve mastered the basic split squat.
Bulgarian Split Squat
This infamous exercise, often known for creating post-workout soreness, is also one of the best lower-body builders there is. To do the Bulgarian split squat, you elevate your rear leg on a box or a bench, and then perform a traditional split squat. The elevated foot allows you to potentially reach a much deeper stretch and a longer range of motion. This can help focus even more on your glutes and build hip mobility in a new way for deeper squats and better lower body function.
This exercise is better done later in a workout for moderate to high repetitions. If you want to challenge your glutes and core even more, hold a single dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand opposed to the front leg.
Smith Machine Split Squat
The split squat has the advantage of being more stable, but why not take things a step further and use the Smith machine to provide maximal stability? This way, you can safely scale up the intensity, reach closer to muscular failure, and focus on the mind-muscle connection ensuring maximal hypertrophy.
Position yourself in the middle of the Smith machine, assume a half-lunge position, and unrack the bar before performing the exercise. Complete all reps with one leg before switching sides.
Front Rack Split Squat
The front rack split squat requires more upper body mobility to assume the front rack position with a barbell, similar to performing a front squat. Any potential awkwardness in learning the bar position is compensated by increased efficiency and greater total-body muscle.
Holding the bar this way will target more your quadriceps as well as your upper back and core. If the front rack position is too hard for you, either try the “California grip” variation with your arms crossed over the bar or switch the barbell for a pair of kettlebells or dumbbells.
How to Do the Lunge
Stand tall with a pair of dumbbells in your hands and your arms straight down by your sides. Take a breath and brace your core before stepping forward with one foot. Keep your shoulders back and your torso upright. Bend your legs with control until they both form a nearly 90-degree angle and your rear knee barely grazes the floor. Keep your front foot flat with most of your weight on your front leg.
Drive through your front heel to raise yourself back up, and push through your toe to get back in the initial position. Repeat with the other leg. Finding your forward footing is an added challenge to your stability and balance, so make sure you start with relatively lighter weights.
Form tip: Beware not to use too narrow a step forward, which will compromise your balance and stability. Stepping too far, however, will not allow a significant range of motion and will decrease muscle recruitment.
Benefits of the Lunge
Improved neuromuscular control, stabilization, and balance, because of the challenge created by the dynamic motion.
Promotes core and a complete lower-body development — quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
Lunge Variations
When the forward lunge is no longer a secret to you, try these variations to spice up your training or to focus more on certain benefits of the lift.
Walking Lunge
The lunge is dynamic in nature, so why not make it even more dynamic? The walking lunge will challenge your motor control and body awareness even more, as well as provide a robust stimulus for muscle growth because of the constant time under tension.
You can also use these to challenge your heart rate, and add a strength training element to your cardio routine.
Reverse Lunge
It might not seem like there’s a difference between stepping backward or stepping forward, but there actually is. The reverse lunge is a relatively safer and more stable exercise that can decrease knee stress.
It’s easier to control the eccentric and maintain your balance, making it an effective choice for size and strength.
Pendulum Lunge
This advanced variation will challenge your neuromuscular control like no other. It essentially combines a forward lunge and a reverse lunge into a single repetition. To perform it, step forward into a lunge, descend, and return to the initial position. Without letting your foot rest on the ground, immediately step back and transition into a reverse lunge.
This exercise challenges your whole body stability, making it a highly effective choice to reinforce your stabilizer muscles or jack up your heart rate because so many muscles are involved during each repetition.
How to Program the Right Movement
The split squat and lunge are both multi-joint free-weight exercises. As such, you can include these in any training program for a variety of goals, be it strength, size, or cardiovascular capacities.
Building Strength
Technically, experienced lifters could perform the split squat for sets of three, or even heavy single repetitions as long as form is maintained. However, the vast majority of lifters should stick to three to five sets of five to eight repetitions. This will ensure the best blend of size and strength to your wheels with a reduced risk of injuries, which can be increased during exercises with high stability requirements.
Credit: UfaBizPhoto / Shutterstock
The forward lunge is not well-suited to very heavy weights because knee strain and impact can be increased during the stepping portion of the movement.
Building Muscle
If you’re more concerned with maximal size and a burning sensation in your legs, two to four sets of 10 to 15 repetitions of either the split squat or the lunge will scorch your lower body and core. Both exercises will provide an excellent hypertrophy stimulus, particularly when performed after your main heavy exercises.
Bodyweight-Only Cardio Training
Adding a strength training element to your cardio routine is a great way to develop multiple qualities at the same time — size, cardio, athleticism, strength. In fact, science has shown that bodyweight circuits can be as effective as any other form of cardio (treadmill, biking, etc.) to build endurance and shed body fat. (5)
Including these in your circuits is a great way to build your heart and your lower body at the same time. If you want to test your mettle, you can try performing walking lunges for distance, or for very high reps, one or two days per week. Aim to increase the distance or total repetitions each week.
Week One: 50 lunges total reps per leg
Week Two: 75 lunges total reps per leg
Week Three: 100 lunges total reps per leg
Week Four: 125 lunges total reps per leg
Week Five: 150 lunges total reps per leg
Week Six: 200 lunges total reps per leg
Week Seven: 225 lunges total reps per leg
Week Eight: 250 lunges total reps per leg
Battle for Better Legs
There are many possible ways to lunge, but as long as your working includes either the split squat or lunge, you’re on the right path to bigger, stronger legs. Now that the differences and advantages of each variation are laid out, include the movement best suited to your specific goals and needs, and take a step toward stronger, more muscular, more powerful legs.
References
Speirs, Derrick E.1,2; Bennett, Mark A.3; Finn, Charlotte V.4; Turner, Anthony P.2. Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(2):p 386-392, February 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001096
Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762.
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.
Núñez FJ, Santalla A, Carrasquila I, Asian JA, Reina JI, Suarez-Arrones LJ. The effects of unilateral and bilateral eccentric overload training on hypertrophy, muscle power and COD performance, and its determinants, in team sport players. PLoS One. 2018 Mar 28;13(3):e0193841. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193841. PMID: 29590139; PMCID: PMC5874004.
Kim JW, Ko YC, Seo TB, Kim YP. Effect of circuit training on body composition, physical fitness, and metabolic syndrome risk factors in obese female college students. J Exerc Rehabil. 2018 Jun 30;14(3):460-465. doi: 10.12965/jer.1836194.097. PMID: 30018934; PMCID: PMC6028228.
What mental image does the word “yoga” conjure for you? Probably a spandex-clad individual in downward dog or balancing on one leg in tree pose. Or maybe they’re in a complicated full-body knot that requires five times more flexibility than you’ve ever had? Does it look like hard work?
That’s certainly one version of yoga, the kind that dominates the modern notion of yoga in the West, but it’s not at all what we’re talking about today.
What if I told you that there is another kind of yoga, one in which you don’t move at all? You don’t even sit or stand; you lie down the whole time. That’s yoga nidra. “Yoga nidra” literally means “yogic sleep,” sometimes translated as “conscious sleep.” The goal of yoga nidra is to achieve an altered state of awareness where you are neither awake nor asleep but in a liminal space in between—or maybe surpassing both. (Technically, the term refers to the state of consciousness beyond wakefulness or sleeping. That is, “yoga nidra” is the destination, not the journey it takes to get there. But in common parlance, people use it to mean the entire practice.)
Yoga nidra offers the opportunity to step outside your body, thoughts, and emotions. It is a state of deep relaxation and, say proponents, of deep healing where your subconscious becomes more open to learning and establishing new thought and behavior patterns, stress dissipates, and you move towards physical health and homeostasis. “Equivalent to fours hours of deep sleep!” is a common selling point.
The latter may or may not be true, but it’s clear that yoga nidra has a lot to offer by way of promoting relaxation, better sleep, and even recovery from major stress and trauma. There isn’t a person operating in the modern world who couldn’t benefit from slowing down and intentionally tapping into relaxing, restorative practices. Is yoga nidra right for you?
A Brief History of Yoga Nidra
Modern yoga nidra practices have roots tracing back into many ancient yoga and meditation traditions. In ancient texts, yoga nidra or yoganidra sometimes referred to that non-sleep, non-waking level of consciousness or to the goddess Yoga Nidra Shakti. 1 Yoga nidra was often described as a higher state of being, one in which normal mental and bodily activities ceased, and the yogi achieved a state of bliss.2
The type of yoga nidra practice you’re likely to encounter today was probably inspired by 19th and 20th century “relaxationists” and hypnotists who were interested in harnessing the healing power of rest, according to scholars,3 but it really got its kickstart thanks to the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati. Beginning in the 1960s and 70s, Satyananda devised a method of using breathing techniques and body scans to achieve progressive relaxation and tap into yoga nidra. If you take a yoga nidra class today, there’s a good chance you’ll be following his method, or something quite like it.
Yoga nidra has since enjoyed a surge in popularity, as well as academic interest. In the 2000s, clinical psychologist and yoga scholar Dr. Richard Miller developed his iRest protocol—a version of yoga nidra—and institute of the same name to help people dealing with issues ranging from “normal” stress to severe PTSD, sleep disturbances, and chronic health issues. More recently, Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman coined the term “non-sleep deep rest” (NSDR) to encompass practices that can promote stress release, neuroplasticity, more efficient learning, and better sleep, among other benefits. Huberman counts yoga nidra, hypnosis or self-hypnosis, and napping as types of NSDR.
What Happens During a Yoga Nidra Practice?
Yoga nidra involves a guided, meditative practice designed to achieve a deep state of relaxation where you transcend waking, sleeping, and dreaming states to arrive at a deeper level of consciousness. You remain aware of the outside world (unlike when you’re asleep), but you are totally detached from it. You are aware but not really awake. There but not-there. In a true state of yoga nidra, you reportedly experience not only profound relaxation but a sense of interconnectedness with the universe.
This is where yoga nidra differs from traditional meditation in an important way. With meditation, you are usually sitting up and cultivating intense focus, sometimes on the breath, a chant, or a mental image. You are very much awake, and your conscious awareness is very much “on.” In yoga nidra, conscious thought is “turned off,” replaced by an awareness that is neither focused nor intentional. As yoga scholars Dr. Stephen Parker and Swami Veda Bharati describe it, “Neither thoughts nor images are present, and the practitioner experiences conscious, deep, dreamless sleep, possessing awareness of the surroundings but neither thinking about them nor interacting with them.”4
Like all forms of yoga or meditation, the particulars of your practice will depend on who’s guiding you. Depending on how your guide or teacher was trained, they may follow a script or they may tap into a more intuitive flow during the session. Either way, it will probably involve a similar series of steps, something like this:
You begin by lying on your back in savasana, or corpse pose.
Set an intention, or sankalpa, for the practice. This might be something simple like “I am going to relax,” or it could be something bigger you are trying to achieve like, “I will sleep well at night” or “I will stop drinking alcohol.”
Next comes a series of visualization and breathing exercises. The purpose is to move you through different layers of the self toward a state of yoga nidra. Typically you would start with a body scan, moving your awareness to different points around your body, followed by instructions to bring awareness to your breathing, your senses, and your thoughts, often with specific visualization cues. Ultimately, you arrive in the desired state of deep relaxation.
Finally, you reaffirm your intention or sankalpa before returning to a waking state.
Benefits of Yoga Nidra
According to traditional wisdom, yoga nidra is a deeply healing state. Yoga nidra is especially touted as an effective way to alleviate stress, sleep better, and improve overall well-being. And there are plenty of studies to support these assertions, for example:
Yoga nidra reduced stress and anxiety among college students,56 nursing students,78 and professors.9
Adults with chronic insomnia were randomly assigned to receive cognitive behavioral therapy or do yoga nidra at home (using a recording) for five weeks. Both groups’ total sleep time and sleep efficiency improved, but yoga nidra outperformed CBT in terms of changes in slow-wave sleep and total insomnia severity.10
Four weeks of yoga nidra was more effective than progressive muscle relaxation for improving sleep quality in male athletes (though both were helpful).11
Two studies found that depression and anxiety decreased, and psychological well-being improved, among women with menstrual health problems after six months of yoga nidra.1213 (Interestingly,yoga nidra also seems to affect reproductive hormone levels.14)
Yoga nidra may be an effective tool for helping veterans (and potentially others) cope with PTSD symptoms.1516 The U.S. Army Surgeon General has endorsed yoga nidra as an effective strategy for pain management.17
Scientific studies (small though they are) provide some evidence about the physiological effects underlying sthe mental and physical health benefits practitioners observe.
According to one study, for example, yoga nidra can activate the parasympathetic, rest-and-digest nervous system, as evidenced by higher heart rate variability (HRV).18
Another set of researchers put eight experienced yoga teachers in a PET scan and had them do a yoga nidra practice, during which they showed a 65 percent increase in dopamine release in the brain.19
Other studies suggest that a regular yoga nidra practice can reduce blood pressure,2021 inflammation as measured by CRP,22 and blood glucose levels.2324
Getting Started
There’s no question that all forms of yoga and meditation can offer tremendous physical, mental, and even spiritual benefits for people who practice regularly. However, other forms of yoga have barriers to entry—concerns that you might not be strong enough or flexible enough, for example—that can scare people away. And a lot of people give up on meditation because they find it too hard to quiet the monkey mind and achieve the desired focus (although that does get easier with time).
The beauty of yoga nidra is that it can be practiced anywhere by anybody. No special equipment nor physical fitness capabilities are required. There are lots of free yoga nidra exercises online, and many yoga studios offer in-person classes. Some are as short as 10 minutes, which are great when you need to take a quick break. To really tap into the benefits, though, most yoga nidra practices will last 30 to 45 minutes or so.
If the idea of disconnecting from the conscious mind while still retaining awareness, of “surfing the interface between sleeping and waking consciousness” (a common tag line of yoga nidra) feels a bit too abstract for you, I’d encourage you to give it a try nevertheless. All you have to do is lie still and listen to the teacher’s voice. Consider it a practice of deep relaxation to start. Who couldn’t benefit from that?
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In some ways, the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Ghost Clash 2 might have been the first significant powerlifting meet of the calendar year. While there were a whole host of impressive and victorious performances at the Miami, FL, competition, Hunter Henderson’s output might have taken the strength cake.
On Feb. 19, 2023, as an 82.5-kilogram competitor, Henderson set an all-time World Record squat with knee sleeves of 267.5 kilograms (589.7 pounds) during the WRPF contest. With the feat, Henderson broke the previous raw record, which she also held, in the 82.5-kilogram weight class after squatting 250 kilograms (551.1 pounds). That mark occurred at the 2022 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Hybrid Showdown 4 in January 2022. A year later, the athlete has added 17.4 kilograms (38.6 pounds) to her previous raw best. In addition to her knee sleeves, Henderson also donned wrist wraps and a lifting belt during the squat.
It seemed apparent the lift was of little issue for Henderson. After attaining appropriate depth, Henderson exploded with ease, showing minimal signs of struggle to build on her own World Record. What’s more, Henderson appeared to use this competitive setting as a showcase, actually breaking the record on her second squat attempt when she successfully lifted 257.5 kilograms (567.7 pounds). The competitor’s final lift looked to be more about extending her own mark rather than strategically holding back in earlier attempts to focus on one impressive performance.
Her raw World Records aside, according to Open Powerlifting, Henderson possesses two squats with wraps records. One in the 75-kilogram class with a squat of 294.9 kilograms (650.3 pounds) from the 2021 WRPF Kern US Open. While the other 82.5-kilogram weight class squat of 305 kilograms (672.4 pounds) occurred at the 2022 WRPF FQ Classic 2.
Now, Henderson can add another record notch to her ever-expanding belt of accomplishments on sanctioned lifting platforms.
With 2023 still in its early stages, only time will tell what other achievements Henderson adds to her mantle in the coming months. If she’s adding that much weight to her own record within roughly a year’s time, it’s clear this is an athlete with more room to expand and more records likely to be set.
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What mental image does the word “yoga” conjure for you? Probably a spandex-clad individual in downward dog or balancing on one leg in tree pose. Or maybe they’re in a complicated full-body knot that requires five times more flexibility than you’ve ever had? Does it look like hard work? 
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