All articles (1201)
Everything we have written so far, from the first day in the gym to advanced programming.
Training grappling and striking in the same week
How to fit grappling and striking into one week without falling apart: session order, how much sparring, what to do in the gym and when to back off.
6 min read
Five-round conditioning: how fighters actually build it
What really decides whether your hands are still up in round five: the three energy systems, the weekly training mix and the habits that waste fuel.
6 min read
Weight cutting before a weigh-in: how it works and why it's risky
How fighters shed five to eight kilos in the week before a weigh-in, how much of it comes back before the fight, and the signs that a cut has gone too far.
8 min read
How MMA judging works and why decisions cause arguments
The ten-point must system, the criteria judges actually rank, and the concrete reasons two people can watch the same fight and score it differently.
7 min read
How a boxing round is scored: the 10-point must system
Who gets the 10, when a round drops to 10-8, and why three judges' cards disagree — the 10-point must system explained without the mystique.
8 min read
Boxing weight classes and titles: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO explained
Why one division can have four champions, how the 17 weight classes work, and what a WBC, WBA, IBF or WBO belt actually tells you.
7 min read
How the UFC works: weight classes, rankings and title shots
A plain explanation of how the UFC is organised: the weight classes, who votes on the rankings, and how many wins it really takes to reach a title fight.
7 min read
MMA rules explained: what is legal and what gets you disqualified
A plain guide to MMA rules: which strikes and holds are legal, what counts as a foul, how judges score rounds, and what all of it changes in training.
7 min read
From gym to stage: how many years of training it really takes
How long it really takes to get from your first gym session to your first stage, how much muscle a year is realistic, and how to tell you are ready.
5 min read
Stage tan, bronzer and oil: what each one actually does
Why competitors colour up before they step on stage, how base tan, bronzer and oil differ, when each goes on, and the mistakes that cost points.
5 min read
The history of Mr Olympia: from Larry Scott to today
A run through every era of Mr Olympia from 1965 onwards: who won, who holds the most titles and how the judging standards shifted.
5 min read
Classic Physique vs the open class: how judging differs
How judges score Classic Physique against open bodybuilding: weight caps, mandatory poses, kit, conditioning and how to pick the right category.
5 min read
Health risks in professional bodybuilding: what is publicly known
What the public record actually shows about heart, kidney, hormonal and mental health risks at the top of bodybuilding, and where the evidence runs out.
6 min read
Cardio in contest prep: how much, when, and where to stop
How much cardio a contest prep actually needs, when to add it, where the sensible ceiling sits, and the warning signs that you have added far too much.
5 min read
Women in bodybuilding: divisions, prep and common myths
How the women's divisions actually differ, what changes in contest prep compared with men, and which training myths about women refuse to die.
5 min read
Off-season bulking for competitors: how much and how slowly
The numbers behind a competitor's off-season: how big a surplus, how many grams a week on the scale, how much protein and when to hold at maintenance.
6 min read
Bodybuilding vs strength training: where they differ
How training for muscle size differs from training for maximal strength: reps, loads, rest periods, exercise choice and how you track progress.
6 min read
Contest prep cutting: how much fat you can lose per week
How much fat you can realistically lose each week in contest prep, how to measure it properly, and why going faster costs you on stage.
5 min read
Peak week: what actually happens in the final seven days
What the last week before a bodybuilding show really involves: water and sodium, carb loading, training, show day timing and the mistakes that cost placings.
5 min read
How symmetry and proportion are judged in bodybuilding
What judges actually look at when they score symmetry and proportion on stage, which body parts break the outline, and what training can realistically fix.
5 min read
Natural bodybuilding: what is realistic without drugs
How much muscle you can realistically build without drugs, where the natural ceiling sits, and the training and eating that actually move it.
6 min read
Open, classic physique, men's physique and bikini explained
How open, classic physique, men's physique and bikini actually differ, what the judges reward in each, and how to work out which division suits your frame.
5 min read
Bodybuilding posing: the mandatory poses and how they are judged
The eight mandatory poses, the quarter turns and the free routine: what judges look for in each one, and how to rehearse posing long before stage day.
7 min read
Bodybuilding contest prep: what 16 weeks actually looks like
A week-by-week look at a 16-week prep: realistic fat loss rates, calories, cardio, training cuts, posing practice and why peak week rarely saves a physique.
6 min read