💪 One Leg Exercise You NEED to Do

It's a mass-building world, and we're just living in it. So eat your protein, get your sleep, and make sure you're practicing hypertrophy-friendly resistance training at least three times per week!

Here’s what we’ve got today: 

• Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford explains why walking lunges are a cornerstone movement

• Men’s Open bodybuilder Nick Walker hits his first leg workout after suffering a hamstring tear

• The science on how the carnivore diet affects strength athletes

TRAINING 

Walk to Gains 

While squats are widely praised for building strength and muscle, lunges — mainly walking lunges — can also profoundly impact leg growth. In fact, 2023 Mr. Olympia winner Derek Lunsford recently made it a point to advocate for the move over on his YouTube channel. 

According to Lunsford, walking lunges offer an unparalleled stretch to the glutes, hamstrings, and quads compared to many other exercises. Additionally, lunges can help enhance hip, knee, and ankle mobility while protecting against injuries. See why the new face of the Men’s Open division includes them as a staple lower-body exercise and learn how to do them yourself. 

BODYBUILDING 

Mutant Healing Factor

Bodybuilder Nick “The Mutant” Walker withdrew from 2023 Mr. Olympia after suffering a hamstring tear while preparing for the contest. Though he says he could have competed, he knew he wouldn’t be able to improve upon his third-place finish from 2022. Since then, Walker has worked tirelessly to recover and return to the game.

Recently, Walker took to YouTube to document his recovery by completing his first official leg day since the injury. Walker’s workout consisted of nine exercises revolving around lighter loads, slower movements, and shortening his range of motion to protect his hammies. Join Walker on his journey as he fights back from adversity and shows the world what resilience looks like.

NUTRITION

Meat Sweats

The carnivore diet revolves around animal-based nutrition, bidding farewell to almost all carbs — including most vegetables and processed foods — and embracing a diet centered on animal flesh, organs, eggs, and a touch of low-lactose dairy. Some research supports the claims of carnivore diet enthusiasts, suggesting potential benefits for kidney health, cardiovascular well-being, and weight management.

However, the carnivore diet falls short of meeting daily nutrient requirements, potentially leading to compromised gut health, among other issues. In the following breakdown, we delve into the carnivore diet and examine its impact on the performance of strength athletes, including powerlifters, bodybuilders, and weightlifters.

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THE DROPSET

Office Gains

• Just because you’re at work doesn’t mean you can’t work out. Here are the 13 best exercises you can do from your office chair. 

• BarBend’s Strength Weekly podcast discusses how to crush New Year’s resolutions. Watch hosts David Thomas Tao and Phil Blechman discuss how to properly program bodyweight training, how to track protein, and more. 

• Can you mentally push yourself to greatness? Science claims practicing visualization may be the golden ticket to boosting workout performance.