Author: HUMANFITPROJECT EDITORS

  • 35 FREE workout plans for different fitness goals and ability levels

    35 FREE workout plans for different fitness goals and ability levels

    The humanfitproject brand has been producing fitness content for a decade which includes hundreds of free workouts for our friends and followers. This is a collection of 35+ of our best FREE workout plans for different fitness goals and ability levels.

    Do you feel like you could lose a few extra pounds? We’ve got the workouts to get your heart pounding, sweat dripping, and metabolism raging to burn off fat even more quickly. Also read: 20 tips to lose fat faster

    Do you want to put on pounds and pounds of muscle and get as big as you can? We’ve got the mass-building plans for you. Also read: 25 of the best foods to build lean muscle

    Do you want to do a little bit of both: gain some muscle and lose some fat? Yeah, we got that, and the important dietary recommendations to go along with it. Also read: 6 steps to starting a new diet

    Do you want to get superhero strong? You know, there’s a different between strength and size—we’ll show you how to win the world’s strongest man (or woman) competition. No, not really. But we’ll help you get really, really freaking strong.

    Do you want to figure out how to gain the advantage in your rec-league or pick-up games? You’ve got to train like an athlete for that. Put us in, we’ve got this.

    Do you hate working out in the gym and want outdoor options? We hear you, we’ve got plenty of fresh-air workouts here, too.

    Train smarter. Recover better.
    The Simone OS helps you adjust your workouts, check in with your nervous system, and stay consistent — even on the off days.

    Eat cleaner. Get leaner.
    The Fat Loss Meal Planner helps you build high-protein, macro-aligned meals that actually support your body — and your goals.

    The Fat Loss Meal Planner

    The Introduction/Transition workout plan

    The Introduction/Transition from Mike Beringer is one of those plans that you can start with as a beginner, but still find strategically useful as you become more advanced. The exercises are the basics and the volume (or amount of work) is low. This is ideal for a beginner (Introduction) because it isn’t complicated or too much of a shock to the system. On the other hand, it works well for the much more advanced (Transition) because it can serve as a de-load or taper. After weeks or months of intense, exhaustive exercise, a de-load or taper gives the body more time to recover while still stimulating the muscles. Big Mike Beringer did a great job programming and demo’ing.

    Goal: weight management, muscle maintenance, “tapering/de-loading”
    Ability level: beginner through advanced
    Featured: @Mikey_Fitness

    100 Days Later: The challenge that builds (and rebuilds) everything

    100 Days Later is more than just a workout plan — it’s a full-system reset for your body, mindset, and habits. The training is strategically structured to balance strength, cardio, and recovery across a long stretch of time, which helps rebuild consistency and discipline without burning you out. Whether you’re getting back into shape or looking for a smarter, more sustainable challenge, this one keeps you focused — one workout, one mindset shift, and one better decision at a time.

    Goal: full-body reset, strength, confidence, consistency
    Ability level: intermediate, returning, or rebuilding
    Featured: @mike_simone

    The 4-week Very Beginner workout plan

    The 4-week Very Beginner workout plan is exactly as it sounds. The primary focus of the plan is to slowly build your body up to be able to take on more of our challenging HFP programs in the future. To do that you’ll want to do the following: Improve or increase joint range of motion, improve the stability of those joints, strengthen your core muscles, and develop a baseline level of cardio. Following a basic structure will set you up for success.

    Goal: general strength, stability, mobility and conditioning
    Ability level: very beginner-beginner

    Redemption/24: A Journey Beyond Physical Fitness

    Redemption/24 is the 2024 version of the original Redemption (2016) program. The goal with this updated version was to maintain the original, and most important message of the program, but redesign the workouts so they’re accessible for different age groups and fitness levels. It’s a combination of traditional strength training, circuit training, cardiovascular training + a series of mental fitness exercises. The strength workouts are broken into splits throughout the week, but the full body is covered by the end. The mental fitness exercises should be performed daily.

    Goal: muscle building, fat loss, and mental fitness
    Ability level: beginner and intermediate
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 6-week Unlabeled workout plan

    The Unlabeled plan was created for a couple reasons. We wanted to do something raw. Something without a production crew and all that production stuff. No worrying about lighting, or clothing, or angles. Just the raw material. It’s a mix of training, primarily focused on size and strength, but with more mobility and conditioning elements to boost athletic performance and longevity.

    Goal: blend of strength, muscle building, fat loss, and athletic enhancement
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 6-week Model Body workout plan

    The Model Body plan is also know as the Compound plan. It’s structure and programming revolves around the big lifts like the squat, deadlift, overhead press, and bench press. Those are then supplemented with isolation exercises. We call it the Model Body plan because we worked with Jordan Morello. Jordan is one hell of a personality. He’s got loads of energy with a great big smile that lights up the room. This is one of his go-to plans for prepping for other shoots he gets involved with.

    Goal: blend of muscle building, fat loss, and strength
    Ability level: beginner and intermediate
    Featured: @Jordan_Morello

    The 2-week Big Friggin’ Arms workout plan

    We’ll admit it, these days it might sound little silly creating a workout program around a single body part. Doesn’t everyone want a symmetrical look? Of course, but sometimes we have lagging or stubborn muscle groups. Most of the time this is genetic, but it could also be that your training has gone a little stale. This plan is specific to arms… as clearly stated in the title. Instead of hitting them once per week like a traditional split, with this plan they are hit several times with reduced volume. It’s also important to note that it’s a short-term deal, two weeks, then you change it up again. Click the link above for more on how it works.

    Goal: re-stimulate muscle growth
    Ability level: All levels, suggested for intermediates
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 6-week Trim-up workout plan

    Tim McComsey has been big and ripped for what seems like forever. There’s a little bit more to it then hard work and eating right. Training blocks are strategically, and seasonally planned. In the winter, we tend to put on mass. Then, in the spring and summer we look to cut up. This plan is broken into quick tri-sets or circuits to boost the metabolism while still stimulating muscle growth.

    Goal: accelerate fat loss, muscle-building
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @TimMcComsey

    The 4-week Bulk-up workout plan

    The Bulk-up plan is the counter to the Trim-up plan. In the winter we bulk and in the spring we cut. The Bulk-up has been one of Tim’s go-to plans when looking to quickly and effectively gaining muscle. While following this you can give yourself a little more slack in the diet department. It’s also one of our top-performing plans on HFP.

    Goal: increase muscle-mass, fat loss
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @TimMcComsey

    The Party Week Detox workout plan v1.0

    Beers, cocktails, pizza, and wings. It doesn’t matter what your party night (or party week) cheats look like, this is the plan to get you back on track. We’re typically in “Detox Mode” around seasonal holidays like Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day Weekend, the Fourth of July, etc. Party hard, then make a comeback in the gym. The thing is: these are programmed in a way to where you’re going to work hard enough to get the blood flowing and metabolism back in gear, but not too hard to where you’ll need to bring a mop and bucket. John Gioffre nailed it.

    Goal: weight management during party times
    Ability level: all levels
    Featured: @the.life.of.pablo__

    The Party Week Detox workout plan v2.0

    More beers, more cocktails, more pizza, and more wings. Detox came back with another version, but with an even more elaborate plan. The first part of each workout is Regeneration (rebuild muscle), the second part is Reignition (get the metabolism firing again), and the third part is Relaxation (calm nerves and balance the mood). While this does involve two workouts per day, it can be condensed or consolidated into one session.

    Oh, and you might want to learn how to prepare our delicious ab-friendly low-carb tacos if that’s the kind of thing you party with too. Let us know what you think of our leaner version.

    Goal: weight management
    Ability level: all levels
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The Holiday Schedule workout plan

    The winter holiday season is stressful and time-consuming. John Gioffre has all of us covered with a plan that keeps things short in the gym and has options for at-home stuff too. You’ll throw around the weights a couple days per week for muscle-building, then do some bodyweight circuits to rack up the calorie burn. If you’re the type to go hard at the dinner table during the holidays, you’ll like having this as a go-to.

    Goal: weight management during busy holiday season
    Ability level: all levels
    Featured: @the.life.of.pablo__

    The 13.1 runner’s workout plan

    Cody Harter is one of those guys that can run really far, really fast, and enjoys doing it. (Something definitely wrong with them folks). Cody worked with us as he prepared for a half-marathon in his local area. He documented his strength+endurance training combination as he built up to the big day. There’s a lot of solid information for anyone looking to step up from those casual runs, 5Ks, and 10Ks. We’ve just had a new DM exchange with Cody in recent weeks. Be on a lookout for more performance running content. Let us know if there’s anything specific you’d like to see.

    Goal: improve distance running ability
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @HarterStrength

    The Contender’s athletic conditioning workout plan

    Keita Minakovichsky is a no-BS trainer originally from FOCUS Personal Training Institute. He takes his programming and exercise very seriously. This plan isn’t for the beach muscle, it’s for the performance muscles. Stuff that actually makes a difference when it comes to game time. If you’re looking for new challenging moves that will strength muscles you didn’t even know you had, then this is it.

    You might also like Keita’s contributions to our Saturday Sweat workout series. They are a series of five strength+cardio workouts for getting a quick burn.

    Goal: athletic performance, conditioning, and strength
    Ability level: beginner through advanced
    Featured: @minakovichsky

    The bodyweight collection (10)

    Sometimes we all need a break from the weight room. Maybe it’s a couple days, or even a couple weeks, especially when the weather is great. There’s so much you can do on the trails or even in the urban jungle. Go enjoy the smells of fresh air instead of the smells of sticky benches, yoga mats, and toxic cleaning products. (Although, the streets of New York can produce a rather complex and nauseating blend of smells including garbage, farts, BO, pee, poo, fishheads, and hints of marijuana mixing in there. But you get our point. And we won’t name names.)

    Goal: general conditioning, outdoor-only workout solution
    Ability level: beginner, beginner-intermediate
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 3-day Pull, Push & Squat Split workout plan

    These days it seems to be all about full body workouts, but that’s not necessarily the end-all-be-all. There are so many different ways to train, and so many different ways to “be balanced” without hitting every muscle group in every single workout. Split routines are very popular alternative. Burnt out from HIIT? Strength hit a plateau? Give this one a go.

    Goal: strength-building
    Ability level: intermediate

    The Just One workout plan

    The Just One workout plan was designed specifically to make you think less. It’s one full body workout that you can do 3-4 days per week with a day of rest or cardio in between. But what about variety? That’s important, yes, but this is a short-term plan, and the one workout is covering all of your bases. Exercises, sets, reps, rounds, etc., can all be changed in 2 or 3 weeks. Consider this one of your go-to plans for a week-long vacation.

    Goal: strength-building and conditioning
    Ability level: beginner – intermediate

    The 2-dumbbell workout plan(s)

    Ever get the feeling you live on airplanes or in hotels? Or maybe you’re just not into the whole gym scene. We get it. So all you need to do is get two dumbbells. We’ve got two plans you can follow. There’s a four day plan which is an upper/lower body alternating split routine, and a three day plan which is a series of full body workouts. Both are great for all abilities.

    Goal: weight management, general strength and conditioning, at-home solution
    Ability level: scaleable for beginners through advanced
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    Built for the Beach version 2.0

    Aesthetics. More muscle, less fat. Everywhere on your body. There isn’t much more to be said about it. The exercises are relatively basic and the splits are straight-forward, but the workouts can run a little long. Couple this with a finely-tuned diet and you’re good to go.

    Goal: muscle-building and fat loss
    Ability level: intermediate (scaleable for beginner)
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    Built for the Beach version 3.0

    This is a follow-up to the successful B4B franchise, but with another layer added in. The performance factor. If you still want that impression physique, but need some lungs and stamina to back it up, the finisher portion of each of these routines will deliver.

    Goal: muscle-building, fat loss, and athletic conditioning
    Ability level: intermediate (scaleable for beginner)
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 6-week Care-Free Summer workout plan

    The purpose of the care-free summer workout plan is to get fit or stay fit without having to think (or stress) so hard about what to do.

    The rules of the care-free summer workout plan are simple, there’s only one: Commit to doing your best. Do whatever it is you can, where ever you can, any way you can.

    Try to get in the gym two to three days per week to lift weights. Get two cardio sessions in a week: one interval day and one longer day. Casually stretch throughout the day, and most definitely at night.

    Goal: general strength, conditioning, and/or maintenance
    Ability level: all levels

    The 4-week indoor/outdoor Intermix workout plan

    Bryan Olson is a young up-comer in the world of fitness and health. He’s not only putting in the work in the gym, but also behind the books. The Intermix plan is for finding balance. There’s more to life than the weight room. It’s part gym-workouts, part outdoors-workouts, and is another nice way to link up strength and endurance training while building a great well-rounded body at the same time.

    Goal: muscle-building, fat loss, general conditioning, less-time solution
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @thebryandavidolson

    The 3-week Super-3 strength workout plan

    Wratt Krueger identifies “holes” or weaknesses and eliminates them. While the Super-3 plan is built around the main strength-building exercises: the squat, press, and deadlift, there’s another critical piece. That piece involves the supplemental exercises, more specifically, the overhead stabilization work that we all tend to neglect. If this has caught your attention, click the title above to see how this all works.

    And we have even more with Wyatt. He pulled together a series of 10 CrossFit-inspired workout challenges to test your fitness. Challenge a friend: Loser has to buy a tub of pre-workout for the winner.

    Goal: increase strength
    Ability level: intermediate-advanced
    Featured: @WyattKrueger

    The 4-week Pre-cut workout plan

    If you’ve followed the Winter Bulk-up and the Spring Trim-up, you know why they were programmed the way they were. But sometimes there’s another move between the two. A “pre-cut”. The purpose of the Pre-Cut plan is to focus primarily on strength before blasting the body with high-intensity exercise for fat loss. That type of training can be extremely taxing and even detrimental if overdone. It might be a good idea to go into those cutting, trimming, and shredding plans with a bit more strength first.

    Goal: strength-building
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @TimMcComsey

    The 8-week Recession workout plan

    High performers, have a tendency to push harder and harder each and every week. You start cheating on your reps, throwing around more weight than you should, pushing through HIIT sessions well past your pain threshold. While that might work for a while, with time, things come crashing down. First, you’ll hit a peak, then a plateau, then your performance numbers will start to slide. Worst case scenario: you’ll go out of business all together. The 8-week Recession workout plan is designed to have a series of peak weeks followed by pull-back or recession weeks.

    Goal: strength-building / conditioning
    Ability level: intermediate

    The 3-day training partners strength workout plan

    Ryan and Eric Johnson aka the Sons of Strength are an industry dynamic duo. They’ve got the body transformation know-how, fight/tactical training, plus the experience in physical therapy and injury prevention. If you have a training partner, the both of you need to get on the same page with this one. There are a lot of fun ways to challenge one another in each workout.

    Goal: strength-building
    Ability level: beginner through advanced
    Featured: @SonsOfStrength (Ryan and Eric Johnson)

    The 3-day Monster power & strength workout plan

    Brandon Cruz is a Monster and that’s why this is the Monster plan. He played football, had reconstructive surgery on both of his knees, and he still came back even bigger, stronger, and more powerful. If more size, strength, and power sounds good to you, then this one’s worth it. What’s more: it’s only three days per week of training. Hey, some respond better to lower frequency. Why not try it for yourself?

    Goal: power and strength
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @BrandonDaCruz_

    The Timeless Bodybuilding workout plan

    Tim McComsey strikes again. This time it’s bodybuilding, bodybuilding, bodybuilding. Influenced by some of the industry’s early leaders and pioneers, Tim crafted something together from their toolbox of techniques. You’ll appreciate this is you’ve always admired Arnold & friends.

    Goal: muscle building and fat loss
    Ability level: intermediate and advanced
    Featured: @TimMcComsey

    The Push/Pump/Stretch Bodybuilder’s workout plan

    The name screams bodybuilding all day. Well, it is. Trainer Dale Parducci made quite an impressive body transformation himself and he did it the way the old school guys did. There really is something to be said about the basic lifts. If you liked the Timeless plan, you’ll like this one too. And vice versa.

    Goal: muscle building and fat loss
    Ability level: all levels
    Featured: @DParducci

    The high-intensity 10×10 workout plan

    The 10x10s are hot. Hands down one of our most popular workout franchises. They are very straight-forward. It’s a series of exercises done for 10 sets of 10 reps as quickly as possible. They are aggressive and get the metabolism firing.

    Goal: fat loss and muscular endurance
    Ability level: intermediate to advanced (scaleable for beginners)
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The high-intensity split 10×10 workout plan

    The original 10x10s are one of our most popular pre-summer and summer workouts, hands down. The split 10x10s are very similar, but instead of 10 sets of 10 of 1 group of exercises, it’s 5 sets of 10 of 2 groups of exercises.

    Goal: fat loss and muscular endurance
    Ability level: intermediate to advanced (scaleable for beginners)
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 4-week Quick-Switch workout plan

    Joe Rodonis likes to maintain his lean muscular physique by switching back and forth between a mass building plan and a cutting plan. Hence, the Quick-Switch name. You follow one part for two weeks, then switch. What’s great about this is, you’re following a plan that provides change and variety, while it also remains relatively similar so you’re giving it enough time to work. You might also want to check out some of Joe’s solid HIIT routines as a part of our Hurricane workout series for fat loss.

    Goal: muscle building and fat loss
    Ability level: beginner and intermediate
    Featured: @JoeRodonis

    The 6-week Redemption workout plan

    The Redemption plan is more of an emotionally charged plan than most. You’ll probably need to watch and listen to the trailer to get a better understanding. Following the Redemption plan is the commitment you make to yourself not to miss or blow opportunities. It’s your classic bodybuilding-influenced split and is suitable for beginners through advanced abilities. If you want a plan that means something more than just working out, this is it. Make your change. Make your comeback. We’re rooting for you.

    Goal: muscle building and fat loss
    Ability level: beginner and intermediate
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 4-week Reconstruction workout plan

    The Reconstruction plan is one of our New Year’s Resolution Reset plans. The plan is centered around eccentric exercises to strengthen the mind-muscle connection and stimulate fresh muscle growth. If you’ve been doing a lot of HIIT or circuit training, this is a smart options to get back into muscle-building. And if you’ve taken some time away from the gym, this is a good way to get back on the workout wagon.

    Goal: general strength, muscle building, and fat loss
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The First-responders workout plan

    Mike Counihan is a New York City police officer. He’s big, and he’s intimidating. But don’t let his size or intense focus fool you, he’s a super-friendly guy that loves hardcore training. While he primary trains for size and strength, he’s created a plan with some additional elements of endurance and athleticism. If you want a plan to get you big and strong, but with some curve balls thrown in there, this is it.

    Goal: strength, muscle building, and general conditioning
    Ability level: intermediate to advanced
    Featured: @nodonutshere

    The 5 Power Hour mini-workout plans

    Peter Miller is a type-1 diabetic, and he still has forged an incredible physique over the years. Peter is a graduate of FOCUS Personal Training Institute and was selected to contribute a series of “mini-programs”. Basically these are five short plans where you repeat 1 or 2 workout blueprints throughout the week. If you’re tired of doing a million different exercises and want to simplify things, then this is for you.

    Goal: strength, muscle building, and fat loss
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @type1body_44

    The Science Guy workout plan

    Ian Canrobert is big on science-backed research when it comes to following or prescribing a workout plan. This particular plan is long-term, goes through stages or phases, and has a variety of different techniques. If you’re looking for a simple, cookie-cutter plan, this is NOT the one for you. But if you’re looking to try a lot of different things in one plan, you’ve come to the right place.

    Goal: strength and muscle building
    Ability level: intermediate to advanced
    Featured: @IanCanrobert

    The 6-Week Return to Intuition workout plan

    All of us can get to a place of being able to train intuitively, but it’s something that takes many years to achieve. If you’ve gotten your fitness to an intermediate to advanced level and are looking to simply maintain a well-rounded base of fitness, this is the program for you. The elements of this program include: running, lifting, rowing, swimming, stretching, and breathing.

    Goal: blend of strength training, endurance training, breathing, and mobility training
    Ability level: intermediate to advanced
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 30-Days to Spartan Beast workout plan

    The Spartan Beast, a 21K race with 30+ obstacles is one of Spartan Races’ most challenging races, only second to the Ultra (50K and 60+ obstacles) and the Death Race (unspeakable difficulty). In order to train for the Beast, you need a combination of two things: a lot of running endurance and a lot upper body / grip strength. And if you’re planning to run a mountainous course, you need running endurance on hills. This is the workout plan that will get you through it like a boss.

    Goal: blend of strength training, endurance training, and obstacle course race training
    Ability level: intermediate to advanced
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The 7-Day Holistic Fitness Plan for Entrepreneurs and Executives

    Entrepreneurs and executives need a holistic fitness plan as much as anyone. A tight schedule is no excuse. The effects of long hours and stress are too great to not counteract with exercise and self-care strategies. This holistic fitness plan for entrepreneurs and executives will sharpen the mind and strengthen the body. It’s for all the high-performers out there that want the same success with their fitness and health as they want for their businesses. We have the vision and strategy. You bring the discipline and grit that it takes to handle your business and apply it to your fitness and health.

    Goal: build muscle and strength, manage your weight, improve mobility, reduce stress
    Ability level: intermediate
    Featured: @Mike_Simone

    The Over-40 Workout Plan to Build Lean Muscle

    Mike Simone Over-40 Muscle

    Reality is: As we get older our strength, power, and endurance declines, we ache a little more, and take a little longer to recover. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things we can’t do to slow down the decline. In fact, there’s a lot we can do. And, there’s a lot of incredible body transformations that can happen. Sticking to a workout plan like this over-40 workout plan is a perfect place the start.

    Goal: blend of training to build muscle, strength, endurance, heart health, and injury resilience
    Ability level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced

    The 4-Week Pull-Up Workout Plan

    Mike Simone Blue Shirt Pull-Up

    Pull-ups are tough, but they’re one of the most important functional strength exercises there are. If you need to pull yourself up out of danger, being able to do pull-ups are going to make the task a whole lot easier. If you’re struggling to do your first pull-up, our 4-week pull-up workout plan will get you banging them out in no time.

    Goal: functional strength training with focus on increasing the ability to do pull-ups
    Ability level: beginner to intermediate

    The 6-Week ChatGPT Workout Plan to Get Strong and Lean

    With all the buzz around OpenAI, ChatGPT, and GPT-4, I thought it would be fun to create an AI-designed workout, just to see what happened, and it actually turned out to be a decent workout. Was it personalized? No, but it was pretty standard and it got the job done. (Check out the post I did here.)

    Since then, I decided to push things even further by creating an entire editorial series with ChatGPT as my subject, no different than when I would interview other coaches or athletes. This was the complete workout it generated for me.

    Goal: Build lean muscle
    Ability level: beginner to intermediate

  • Why you should be strength training while on GLP-1 medication

    Why you should be strength training while on GLP-1 medication

    The promise of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro is undeniable. People are shedding pounds rapidly, improving key health markers, and regaining control over their relationship with food. But behind the headlines and before-and-after photos, a less glamorous truth is emerging: a significant amount of that weight loss is coming from muscle.

    And that’s a problem.

    What happens to muscle on GLP-1s?

    GLP-1 receptor agonists were designed to help regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite. While incredibly effective at promoting fat loss, these drugs are not selective in what kind of weight you lose. Research shows that for many users, up to 40% of the weight lost can come from lean body mass — which includes skeletal muscle, bone, and organ tissue.

    The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that while semaglutide users lost an average of 15% of their body weight, a substantial portion of that was not fat. Similar findings have emerged from studies published in JAMA Network Open and Cardiovascular Diabetology, all underscoring a central concern: without proper resistance training and nutrition, GLP-1 weight loss may leave you lighter, but also weaker.

    Why muscle matters more than you think

    Losing muscle doesn’t just mean you can’t lift as much weight at the gym. Muscle mass is crucial for:

    • Metabolic health: Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, meaning less muscle could slow your metabolism.
    • Insulin sensitivity: Skeletal muscle plays a major role in glucose uptake.
    • Longevity: Higher muscle mass is associated with lower mortality, especially as we age.
    • Bone health: Muscle loss often accompanies reductions in bone mineral density, increasing the risk of fractures.

    The long-term implication? Losing weight at the cost of muscle may undermine many of the very health goals that led you to take a GLP-1 in the first place.

    GLP & Me screenshot

    The research is clear: Exercise makes a difference

    Fortunately, there’s good news. Resistance training (and certain forms of aerobic exercise) can significantly mitigate muscle loss — and even help you gain muscle while losing fat.

    One 2024 study found that participants who combined GLP-1 therapy with resistance training not only preserved muscle mass, but experienced greater fat loss compared to those who used the drug alone. Another study published in Cardiovascular Diabetology concluded that the combination of liraglutide and exercise led to the greatest reduction in fat mass while fully maintaining lean mass.

    Perhaps most compelling was the BELIEVE trial presented at ADA 2025: when semaglutide was combined with bimagrumab (a muscle-preserving agent), 93% of the weight lost was fat, and lean mass was preserved or increased.

    The takeaway: you can keep the weight loss, and protect your muscle — but not without effort.

    What kind of strength training works best?

    You don’t need to become a powerlifter or spend hours in the gym. But your body does need regular, progressive resistance training. That means:

    • Lifting weights (free weights, machines, resistance bands)
    • Bodyweight training (pushups, squats, lunges, planks)
    • Progressive overload (gradually increasing resistance or reps over time)

    Aim for at least 2–3 sessions per week that target all major muscle groups. The goal isn’t to become a bodybuilder but to get your body to hold onto muscle while you lose fat.

    Protein intake is equally important

    Muscle isn’t just preserved through training, it’s also built and maintained with proper nutrition. Multiple studies emphasize the need for adequate protein intake during GLP-1 therapy to counteract lean mass loss.

    According to a 2024 review, protein intake should be prioritized daily, ideally spaced across meals. A general rule of thumb? Aim for 1.2–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on your activity level.

    This isn’t just about aesthetics

    For many, GLP-1 medications represent a life-changing opportunity to lose weight and regain confidence. But there’s a deeper opportunity here: to reshape your body composition and health from the inside out.

    The difference between weight loss and body recomposition (losing fat and maintaining or gaining muscle) is where the true transformation lies. It’s not just about being smaller. It’s about being stronger, more resilient, and metabolically healthier.

    Where to get a GLP-1 workout plan?

    If you’re looking for a simple, science-backed way to build strength, preserve muscle, and stay grounded during your GLP-1 journey, try GLP & Me. It’s a custom GPT built to coach you through strength workouts, protein planning, and mindset support — all tailored for GLP-1 users.

  • Yoga for Lifters: How to Combine Stretching with Strength for Optimal Performance

    Yoga for Lifters: How to Combine Stretching with Strength for Optimal Performance

    Yoga for lifters is a game changer. Integrating the practice into a weightlifting routine might seem unconventional at first, but the synergy between stretching and strength training can significantly enhance your performance and overall fitness. Yoga not only increases flexibility and range of motion but also boosts mental focus and muscle recovery, making it a perfect complement to the demands of weightlifting.

    Related: 35+ free workouts for different goals and ability levels

    The Holistic Boost

    Yoga serves as more than just a tool for recovery, it’s key in transforming your strength training into a more holistic form of self-development. When you’re incorporating yoga into your regimen, you gain access to a broader range of motion, which is critical for executing lifts with impeccable form. Additionally, the mindful breathing and meditative aspects of yoga improve focus and reduce stress, allowing for more concentrated and effective workouts.

    Understanding Yoga and Its Benefits for Lifters

    Yoga Basics

    Yoga’s roots stretch deep into ancient Indian tradition, encompassing a rich blend of physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), and meditation. While commonly associated with flexibility and calmness, yoga offers robust benefits that are particularly aligned with the needs of weightlifters. For instance, dynamic styles like Ashtanga or Power Yoga bring a cardiovascular element to traditional stretches, which can be incredibly beneficial for lifters looking to enhance their aerobic capacity alongside muscle endurance.

    Physical Benefits

    Regular yoga practice increases flexibility and core strength, crucial for maintaining proper posture and alignment during lifts. By enhancing balance and stability, yoga can help correct the muscular imbalances often caused by repetitive weightlifting movements, leading to improved performance and reduced risk of injury.

    Mental Benefits

    Yoga sharpens mental focus and concentration through mindful breathing and meditative practices. This mental clarity can translate into more focused and productive workouts, helping lifters to stay present and engaged with their exercises.

    Why Lifters Should Incorporate Yoga

    Injury Prevention

    Yoga improves flexibility and enhances range of motion, which are vital for performing lifts with proper form. This not only helps prevent common injuries like muscle strains and ligament tears but also ensures the longevity of your lifting career by maintaining joint health and muscle elasticity.

    Strength Gains

    Flexibility gained from yoga can lead to better biomechanics during lifts. For example, deeper squats and improved shoulder mobility allow for more effective and safe workouts. This can lead to more significant strength gains as muscles can work more efficiently.

    Recovery

    Yoga promotes faster recovery by enhancing blood circulation to tired muscles, facilitating quicker nutrient and oxygen delivery, which aids in repair and growth. The gentle stretching and relaxation techniques in yoga help reduce muscle soreness and stiffness post-training.

    Related: A perfect day of recovery for high performers

    Integrating Yoga into Your Lifting Routine

    Frequency and Timing

    Incorporating yoga two to three times per week on rest days or as part of your warm-up or cool-down routine can maximize its benefits without overtaxing the body. Even 10-20 minutes of yoga before or after lifting can significantly impact flexibility and recovery.

    Specific Poses for Lifters

    • Child’s Pose: Releases tension in the back, shoulders, and chest.
    • Pigeon Pose: Opens up the hip flexors and lower back, areas often tight in lifters.
    • Warrior Series: Strengthens and stretches the legs and core while improving balance.
    • Cobra Pose: Enhances spinal flexibility and strengthens the lower back.
    • Downward Dog: This pose stretches the entire back and improves the flexibility of hamstrings, which is beneficial for deadlifts and squats.
    • Twisted Lunge: A great pose for opening the hip flexors and improving the rotational mobility, crucial for maintaining form and balance during complex lifts.

    Addressing Common Concerns and Misconceptions

    Many lifters worry that yoga might decrease their muscle gains or isn’t challenging enough. However, yoga complements strength training by improving muscle elasticity and joint health, which are crucial for long-term strength and performance. Yoga can be as challenging as you make it, with advanced poses and sequences that can significantly enhance physical conditioning.

  • What’s the Difference Between Creatine HCL and Monohydrate?

    What’s the Difference Between Creatine HCL and Monohydrate?

    Whether you’ve taken creatine in the past or are new to the popular athletic supplement, you’ve probably seen that there is more than one type. 

    There are several forms of creatine available on the market, including creatine monohydrate, creatine hydrochloride (HCL), micronized creatine, and creatine malate.

    The most popular form of creatine you’ll likely see in supplements are creatine monohydrate and creatine HCL. While it may not appear there is much of a difference between the two, which form you choose can impact how your body uses it. 

    Let’s dive in.

    Chemical Structure and Properties

    The main differences between creatine monohydrate and creatine HCL lie within their chemical structure. The differences in how these compounds are formed can affect how they are utilized by the body. 

    Creatine monohydrate’s chemical structure is made up of a creatine molecule bound to a water molecule, hence the name mono-hydrate. The addition of the water molecule is what brings extra water to the muscle tissue, leading to increased size and appearance of muscle tone when taking creatine monohydrate.

    This is also why creatine monohydrate tends to be preferred for those who plan to complete a loading phase as it is more effective at increasing your creatine stores in the muscle tissue than other forms. However, it is also why many feel they gain weight or bloat while taking creatine supplements due to the increase in water retention, a common side effect of creatine monohydrate.  

    Creatine HCL is a creatine molecule bound to hydrochloric acid which is believed to help aid in increasing solubility. If your body absorbs creatine better, you can take less and see more with less side effects, specifically water retention. Even though this is temporary, it can be a very uncomfortable drawback of creatine monohydrate for some [1]. 

    It’s also believed that the HCL molecule helps to make this form of creatine more stable so users can skip the loading phase and still see the same results.

    fit woman doing box jump exercise. Muscular woman doing box jumps at gym

    Dosage Requirements

    The typical dosage recommendations for creatine monohydrate are 20-25 grams per day for 5-7 days if completing a loading phase (which is not required but can help show more significant results faster) followed by a maintenance phase of 3-5 grams per day. 

    Because creatine HCL is more soluble than creatine monohydrate, the dosage requirements are a lot less, at 1-2 grams per day and a loading phase is not necessary.

    Side Effects and Tolerability

    Creatine monohydrate has been around the longest and has been extensively studied, whereas creatine HCL is relatively new to the market. 

    That doesn’t mean that creatine monohydrate is automatically labeled better. As with any dietary supplement, both have potential side effects to consider. 

    While creatine monohydrate is considered safe for the general population when taken as directed, side effects such as upset stomach, dehydration, water retention, and muscle cramps can occur [2]. 

    Unfortunately, there is not as much research available regarding the safety of creatine HCL as there is with creatine monohydrate but there are no adverse health effects reported. Side effects are reported to be similar to that of creatine monohydrate including upset stomach, muscle cramps, dehydration, and bloating [3].

    Because creatine HCL is more soluble, it’s believed to have higher tolerability due to the smaller dose requirement, particularly when it comes to digestive discomfort. 

    Additionally, because it is bound to HCL instead of water it’s also associated with less bloating and water retention than creatine monohydrate overall.

    Those who are sensitive to creatine monohydrate might find creatine HCL to be more tolerable.

    boxer throwing a right hand punch

    Cost-Effectiveness

    Because creatine monohydrate is more widely available, it tends to cost less than creatine HCL supplements but this will vary greatly by brand. Creatine HCL can be a little bit more challenging to find in stores. You can check out this strawberry creatine monohydrate from Naked Nutrition, flavored with real strawberry fruit juice powder. 

    Because many prefer to do a loading phase when taking creatine monohydrate, this increases the portion of product used which can potentially offset the difference in cost but only during that initial period. 

    Bottom Line

    Both creatine monohydrate and creatine HCL have been shown to improve athletic performance by boosting strength, power, and stamina. While there are significant differences between the chemical composition and how the body utilizes these different forms, neither one has proven to be more effective than the other [4].

    Creatine monohydrate has been extensively used in research studies while creatine HCL has minimal research available to support its use. One study conducted between the two different forms found no significant difference in the use of either in improving physical performance [5].

    What we do know is that creatine HCL may be better tolerated due to its better absorption rate making it a good option for those who struggle with typical side effects from creatine monohydrate, such as water retention and upset stomach.

    In the end, what form of creatine you choose to use will depend on your preferences but both can support your strength and performance goals. 

    Disclaimer: This article is a sponsored post, brought to you in collaboration with our partners who specialize in nutritional supplements. We recommend consulting with your doctor before starting any supplement routine to ensure it aligns with your health needs.

  • How to Work Out Like a Hybrid Athlete

    How to Work Out Like a Hybrid Athlete

    Hybrid athletes epitomize the ultimate fitness versatility, mastering the art of juggling strength, endurance, and agility to achieve peak physical performance. This modern approach to fitness isn’t reserved solely for elite athletes; it’s accessible to anyone aiming to elevate their overall fitness and resilience. The journey to work out like a hybrid athlete involves blending rigorous training disciplines, but it also requires a strategic approach tailored to individual needs and goals.

    Related: 4 workout plans to train like a hybrid athlete

    Also related: Don’t burn out! The hybrid athlete’s challenge

    Laying the Groundwork: Starting Your Hybrid Athlete Journey

    Assess Your Current Fitness Level: Before diving into hybrid training, it’s crucial to evaluate your current fitness status. An assessment will help you tailor your training program to effectively balance strength and endurance components. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses will guide your training choices and help prevent overtraining.

    Setting Clear Goals: Clear, achievable goals are the cornerstone of effective training. As a hybrid athlete, your goals might include improving your 5K run time while also increasing your squat and deadlift strength. Specific, measurable, and time-bound goals will keep you focused and motivated throughout your training journey.

    Crafting Your Hybrid Training Schedule

    Understanding Your Body’s Needs: Each body responds differently to various types of training. Pay close attention to how your body reacts to strength versus endurance training. This awareness will allow you to adjust your training intensity and volume to optimize results without leading to burnout or injury.

    Sample Weekly Schedule: For someone new to hybrid training, a balanced week might look like this:

    • Monday: Strength training (focus on lower body)
    • Tuesday: Endurance training (moderate-paced run or cycling)
    • Wednesday: Active recovery (yoga or light swimming)
    • Thursday: Strength training (focus on upper body)
    • Friday: High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
    • Saturday: Long-duration endurance training (long run or bike ride)
    • Sunday: Rest or light mobility work

    This schedule ensures a balance between different training types, promoting overall fitness while minimizing the risk of injury. For more options, check out our 4 workout plans to train like a hybrid athlete.

    Essential Training Components for Hybrid Athletes

    Strength Training: Core exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses build the foundational strength required for both everyday tasks and athletic performance. Incorporating compound movements that work multiple muscle groups is efficient and effective for developing functional strength.

    Endurance Training: To boost cardiovascular health without undermining strength gains, integrate forms of cardio that complement your strength training. For example, rowing and swimming are excellent for building endurance while also enhancing muscular endurance and strength.

    Agility and Flexibility: Agility drills such as ladder drills or cone exercises improve your ability to change direction quickly, enhancing athletic performance across various sports. Flexibility and mobility exercises like dynamic stretching before workouts and static stretching post-workout keep your muscles and joints healthy.

    Nutrition and Recovery for Peak Performance

    Optimizing Nutrition for Dual Demands: Your diet should support both muscle repair and energy for endurance. A balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will fuel your workouts and aid in recovery. Carbohydrates are essential for endurance activities, while proteins support muscle repair and growth.

    Read also: 6 steps for starting a new diet plan that works for you

    Recovery Techniques: Beyond mere rest, recovery involves techniques like foam rolling, massage, and proper sleep, which are pivotal in preparing your body for the next workout. Implementing active recovery days helps in muscle recovery and reduces stiffness. Also, check out this piece on the 8 best supplement for hybrid athletes to boost performance and recovery.

    Incorporating Technology and Coaching

    Leveraging Tech Tools: Use fitness trackers to monitor your heart rate, sleep patterns, and daily activity levels. Apps can help plan and track workouts, offering a structured way to manage your training. We like the WHOOP 4.0 or the Oura Ring Gen3 to track everything.

    The Role of Coaching: A coach can provide a customized training plan, motivational support, and adjustments based on your progress. They ensure that your training is balanced and that you are progressing toward your goals without risking injury. If you’re looking for 1-on-1 coaching, check out some options to work with us here.

    Becoming Hybrid

    Embracing the hybrid athlete lifestyle means committing to a balanced approach to fitness that nurtures strength, endurance, and agility. This holistic approach not only enhances your physical capabilities but also prepares you for the demands of daily life and various sports. Remember, the key to success in hybrid training lies in listening to your body, eating well, recovering properly, and staying consistent.

  • Reach Your Strength Potential: The Best Assistance Exercises for Major Lifts

    Reach Your Strength Potential: The Best Assistance Exercises for Major Lifts

    When striving to enhance performance in major lifts like the deadlift, bench press, squat, and overhead press, you need to recognize the role of assistance exercises. These specialized movements target muscle groups that support and stabilize your primary lifts, helping to overcome plateaus and boost overall strength. By focusing on these supplementary exercises, you not only enhance muscle symmetry and prevent injuries but also ensure that your main lifts see continual progress.

    Incorporating assistance exercises into your routine is essential for developing strength where it counts, addressing weak points, and enhancing muscle endurance and power. These exercises are designed to complement your training regimen, allowing you to push past the typical sticking points that many face as they approach their physical limits. Whether you’re looking to break through a stubborn plateau or simply want to refine your technique and strength, the right assistance exercises can make all the difference in your training outcomes.

    Related: The 3-week Super-3 strength-building workout plan

    Also related: The 3-day accelerated strength building plan for workout partners

    Deadlift Assistance Exercises

    Barbell Shrugs

    Purpose: Strengthens the upper back and traps, which are crucial for the lockout phase of the deadlift.

    How to Do It: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell in front of you. Lift your shoulders up towards your ears, hold for a second, then lower back down.

    Deficit Deadlifts

    Purpose: Increases the range of motion to strengthen the start of the deadlift.

    How to Do It: Stand on a small platform or plates, perform a normal deadlift but with the added depth, requiring more work from the lower back and legs.

    Romanian Deadlifts (RDL):

    Purpose: Focuses on hamstring and glute strength, which are vital for pulling and maintaining posture during a deadlift.

    How to Do It: With slightly bent knees, hinge at the hips to lower the barbell while keeping it close to your legs, then return to standing.

    Bench Press Assistance Exercises

    Close-Grip Bench Press:

    Purpose: Targets the triceps more than the regular bench press, which can help improve lockout strength.

    How to Do It: Perform a bench press but with your hands placed closer together than in a standard bench press.

    Dumbbell Flyes:

    Purpose: Improves the pecs’ range of motion and stretches the muscles to assist in deeper bench press movements.

    How to Do It: Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms above your chest, then slowly lower them out to your sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.

    Push-Ups with Weighted Vest:

    Purpose: Enhances the stabilizing muscles that support the bench press while also increasing overall chest endurance.

    How to Do It: Perform push-ups while wearing a weighted vest, focusing on maintaining a strong, straight body line.

    Squat Assistance Exercises

    Front Squats

    Purpose: Shifts the focus more towards the quads and upper back, aiding in posture and depth during the back squat.

    How to Do It: Position the barbell across your front shoulders, keep your elbows up, and perform a squat while maintaining an upright torso.

    Split Squats:

    Purpose: Develops unilateral leg strength and stability, which can correct imbalances and improve overall squat performance.

    How to Do It: Stand in a staggered stance with one foot forward, lower your body down by bending your knees, then push back up.

    Leg Press:

    Purpose: Allows for targeted leg muscle hypertrophy without as much spinal load as squats.

    How to Do It: Sit in a leg press machine, place your feet on the platform, and press the weight up before slowly lowering it back down.

    Overhead Press Assistance Exercises

    Arnold Press:

    Purpose: Develops shoulder mobility and strength through a greater range of motion.

    How to Do It: Start with dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing you. As you press up, rotate your hands so your palms face forward at the top.

    Push Press:

    Purpose: Utilizes the lower body to initiate the press, helping to improve explosive power and overhead strength.

    How to Do It: Start with the barbell at shoulder level, dip your knees slightly then explosively straighten your legs as you press the bar overhead.

    Lateral Raises:

    Purpose: Isolates the shoulder’s medial deltoids, increasing shoulder width and stability for better overhead press mechanics.

    How to Do It: Stand with dumbbells at your sides, lift the weights out to the side with a slight bend in the elbows, then lower back down.

    Each of these exercises provides targeted support to the primary muscles involved in each lift, potentially overcoming plateaus and leading to new personal records. Integrating these assistance exercises into your workout routine, you can ensure more balanced muscle development and continue making progress in your strength training goals.

  • The 20 Best Chest Exercises for Size and Strength

    The 20 Best Chest Exercises for Size and Strength

    Building a strong, well-defined chest is a hallmark of an effective fitness routine, offering both aesthetic and functional benefits. The chest muscles, particularly the pectoralis major and minor, play a key role in various upper body movements, from daily activities to athletic performances. To maximize the development of these muscles, incorporating a variety of the best chest exercises into your workout regimen is essential. This guide outlines 20 best chest exercises that target the pecs for increased size and strength allow for lots of options when designing your chest workouts.

    Related: 3 chest exercises you’re not doing

    Give us a follow on Instagram (@humanfitproject)

    1. Barbell Bench Press

    Benefits: A fundamental exercise for chest development, the bench press enhances mass and strength across the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a flat bench, grip the barbell with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart.
    • Unrack the bar, holding it directly above your chest with arms fully extended.
    • Lower the bar slowly until it touches the middle of your chest.
    • Push the bar back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.

    Pro Tip: Ensure your feet are firmly planted and your back retains a natural arch to engage the chest muscles effectively while minimizing shoulder strain.

    2. Incline Dumbbell Press

    Benefits: Targets the upper portion of the pectoral muscles, contributing to improved upper body aesthetics and strength.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on an incline bench set at about a 45-degree angle, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
    • Start with the dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
    • Press the dumbbells up and together, extending your arms fully.
    • Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Focus on a slow, controlled descent to increase muscle tension, enhancing growth stimulus.

    3. Chest Dips

    Benefits: Engages the lower pectorals and triceps, ideal for building overall chest depth and enhancing the chest’s lower contour.

    How to Do It:

    • Use parallel bars, gripping them tightly while hoisting yourself up to a starting position.
    • Lean slightly forward, lowering your body until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle.
    • Push yourself back up to the starting position, focusing on using your chest muscles.

    Pro Tip: Avoid going too low as it might strain the shoulder joints. Ensure the movement targets the chest rather than the triceps.

    4. Pec Deck Machine

    Benefits: Provides isolated chest activation, excellent for muscle hypertrophy and defining the inner chest line.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on the pec deck machine with your back flat against the pad.
    • Place your arms on the pads and push them together in front of your chest.
    • Slowly return to the starting position, allowing your chest muscles to stretch.

    Pro Tip: Keep the movement steady and controlled; avoid using momentum to bring the pads together.

    5. Cable Flys

    Benefits: Offers continuous tension throughout the motion, enhancing the stretch and contraction of the chest muscles for superior muscle growth.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand between two cable stations with the pulleys set above your head.
    • Hold a handle in each hand and step forward to create tension.
    • With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands together in front of your chest.
    • Slowly let your arms open back out to the sides, feeling a stretch in your pectorals.

    Pro Tip: Maintain a slight forward lean throughout the exercise to maximize the engagement of the chest rather than the shoulders.

    6. Decline Bench Press

    Benefits: Focuses on the lower part of the chest, enhancing the overall chest silhouette and improving strength for downward pushing movements.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured under the pads.
    • Grip the barbell with hands wider than shoulder width and lower it to your lower chest.
    • Press the bar back up to the starting position, locking your arms out at the top.

    Pro Tip: Ensure the barbell moves in a straight line; resist the urge to let it drift towards your face.

    7. Push-Ups

    Benefits: Utilizes body weight to strengthen the entire chest, along with the core and triceps, making it a versatile exercise for all fitness levels.

    How to Do It:

    • Start in a plank position with your hands slightly outside your shoulders.
    • Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.
    • Extend your arms to push yourself back up to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels to engage the core and maximize the effectiveness of the exercise.

    8. Landmine Press

    Benefits: Engages the upper and middle chest muscles while reducing stress on the shoulder joints, ideal for those with shoulder issues.

    How to Do It:

    • Anchor a barbell in a landmine attachment and hold the end of the bar with both hands at chest level.
    • Press the bar up and away from you, extending your arms fully.
    • Return the bar to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.

    Pro Tip: Rotate your wrists slightly at the top of the movement to engage more muscle fibers in the chest.

    9. Dumbbell Pullover

    Benefits: Works the upper chest and back, enhancing thoracic mobility and expanding the rib cage, which contributes to a larger upper body frame.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie perpendicular on a bench with only your upper back resting on the bench.
    • Holding a dumbbell with both hands, extend your arms above your chest.
    • Lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head, stretching your chest.
    • Bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Keep the movement smooth and controlled to avoid any strain on the back or shoulders.

    10. Chest Press Machine

    Benefits: Provides stable and controlled motion, ideal for beginners or for those focusing on targeting the chest without the need for balancing free weights.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and grasp the handles.
    • Press the handles forward until your arms are extended.
    • Slowly return to the starting position, allowing your chest muscles to fully stretch.

    Pro Tip: Adjust the seat and handles so that they align with your chest, not your shoulders, to ensure proper muscle targeting.

    11. Butterfly Press

    Benefits: Isolates the pectoral muscles, particularly effective in sculpting the chest due to the inward squeezing motion.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on a butterfly press machine, back flat against the pad.
    • Place your arms on the padded levers and push them together in front of you.
    • Slowly return to the starting position, controlling the weight as it moves outward.

    Pro Tip: Focus on squeezing your chest muscles at the peak of the movement for maximum contraction.

    12. Suspended Push-Ups

    Benefits: Increases the intensity of traditional push-ups by adding instability, forcing the chest and core muscles to work harder.

    How to Do It:

    • Attach suspension straps to a secure anchor above head height.
    • Grasp the handles and assume a push-up position, body straight from head to heels.
    • Lower your body by bending your elbows, then press up to return to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Keep your core engaged and prevent your hips from sagging to maintain proper form and maximize effectiveness.

    13. Wide-Grip Push-Ups

    Benefits: Targets the outer chest muscles, enhancing the chest’s width and improving overall upper body strength.

    How to Do It:

    • Begin in a push-up position with your hands set wider than shoulder-width.
    • Lower your body to the floor, keeping your elbows slightly tucked to protect your shoulders.
    • Push back up to the starting position, focusing on using your chest muscles.

    Pro Tip: Ensure your body remains straight throughout the exercise to engage the core and maintain proper alignment.

    14. Single-Arm Chest Press

    Benefits: Challenges unilateral strength and stability, helping to correct imbalances and increase overall chest development.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand, extending it directly above your chest.
    • Slowly lower the dumbbell to your side until your elbow is just below the bench.
    • Press the dumbbell back up to the starting position, focusing on squeezing the chest.

    Pro Tip: Perform the exercise slowly to maintain balance and ensure that the focus remains on the chest muscles.

    15. Floor Press

    Benefits: Limits the range of motion to protect the shoulders while still effectively targeting the middle to upper chest muscles.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, holding dumbbells in each hand.
    • Press the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended above your chest.
    • Lower the weights until your triceps touch the floor, then press them back up.

    Pro Tip: Keep the dumbbells aligned with your chest throughout the movement to maximize tension on the pecs.

    16. Clap Push-Ups

    Benefits: Incorporates explosive power, enhancing fast-twitch muscle fiber engagement in the chest.

    How to Do It:

    • Start in a traditional push-up position.
    • Lower yourself to the ground, then explosively push up so that your hands leave the ground.
    • Clap your hands together before landing softly in the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Focus on soft landings to protect your wrists and elbows from the impact.

    17. Resistance Band Chest Press

    Benefits: Allows for chest activation through a full range of motion with variable resistance, ideal for muscle growth and strength.

    How to Do It:

    • Anchor a resistance band behind you and hold an end in each hand.
    • Step forward to create tension, and start with your hands at chest level.
    • Press your arms forward until they are extended, then return slowly to the start.

    Pro Tip: Adjust your stance and the tension of the band to increase or decrease the difficulty.

    18. Swiss Ball Dumbbell Press

    Benefits: The instability of the Swiss ball forces the chest and core muscles to engage more deeply, enhancing strength and balance.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on a Swiss ball with dumbbells in hands, then walk forward until the ball is under your upper back.
    • Press the dumbbells up as in a traditional bench press, then lower them until your elbows are just below the bench.

    Pro Tip: Keep your feet flat and hips lifted throughout the exercise to maintain stability.

    19. Squeeze Press

    Benefits: Intensifies the contraction within the inner chest, promoting definition and separation between the pectoral muscles.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a bench holding two dumbbells with a neutral grip. Press the dumbbells together firmly throughout the entire movement.
    • With the dumbbells touching, lower them to your chest and then press them back up.

    Pro Tip: The key is to maintain the pressure between the dumbbells as you press to maximize inner chest engagement.

    20. Plyometric Push-Ups

    Benefits: Develops explosive upper body strength and power, targeting the fast-twitch muscle fibers in the chest.

    How to Do It:

    • Start in a standard push-up position.
    • Lower yourself to the floor and then explosively push up so that your hands come off the ground.
    • Land softly and repeat the movement.

    Pro Tip: Ensure you maintain proper form throughout the exercise to avoid injury and maximize the benefits.

  • The 20 Best Arms Exercises for Size and Strength

    The 20 Best Arms Exercises for Size and Strength

    Arms are not just the showpiece muscles of your body, they actually are functionally important as well. Strong arms can improve your lifts across the board—from pressing movements to pulls. This comprehensive list of the best arms exercises focuses on developing both the size and strength of your arms, ensuring your workouts contribute to balanced muscle growth and functional fitness.

    Related: 4 arms exercises you’re not doing

    Give us a follow on Instagram (@humanfitproject)

    1. Barbell Curl

    Benefits: Increases bicep mass and helps develop the overall strength of the arm.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, grip a barbell with hands just wider than shoulder-width.
    • Keep your elbows close to your torso and curl the barbell up to shoulder level.
    • Focus on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.

    Pro Tip: Keep your elbows stationary throughout the exercise to maximize bicep engagement and minimize shoulder involvement.

    2. Tricep Dips

    Benefits: Targets the triceps for better arm definition and assists in upper body strength.

    How to Do It:

    • Use parallel bars or a bench for this exercise.
    • Lower your body by bending your arms while leaning slightly forward.
    • Dip down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, then push back up.

    Pro Tip: Keep your elbows pointed backwards and close to your body to ensure the triceps are effectively engaged.

    3. Hammer Curls

    Benefits: Focuses on the brachialis part of the bicep and the forearm, enhancing arm thickness.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended, and palms facing your torso.
    • Curl the weights while keeping your palms facing each other.

    Pro Tip: Perform the movement slowly to maximize tension on the arm muscles.

    4. Overhead Tricep Extension

    Benefits: Isolates the triceps, crucial for building upper arm strength and definition.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand with a dumbbell held by both hands. Extend your arms overhead, keeping your elbows close to your ears.
    • Slowly bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head, then straighten your arms back to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Use a mirror to monitor your form and ensure your elbows do not flare out as you move.

    5. Concentration Curls

    Benefits: Perfect for peak bicep muscle development, enhancing arm shape and separation.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on a bench, spread your legs. Rest one arm against your thigh and hold a dumbbell.
    • Curl the dumbbell toward your chest, focusing on squeezing the bicep, then slowly lower it back down.

    Pro Tip: Avoid swinging the arm or using momentum; keep the movement controlled to engage the bicep fully.

    6. Skull Crushers

    Benefits: Trains the triceps extensively, crucial for developing arm extension strength.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells. Extend your arms fully above your chest.
    • Lower the weight slowly towards your forehead by bending at the elbows, then extend back to the start.

    Pro Tip: Keep the upper arms stationary; the movement should only happen at the elbows.

    7. Wrist Curls

    Benefits: Strengthens the forearms, improving grip strength and endurance.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit on a bench and hold a barbell or dumbbells with your forearms on your thighs and palms up.
    • Curl the weights towards your biceps, focusing on moving only your wrists.

    Pro Tip: Perform these slowly to avoid any jerky motions that can strain the wrist joints.

    8. Close-Grip Bench Press

    Benefits: Enhances tricep mass and strength, also beneficial for overall chest and arm development.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a bench with a barbell, and grip it with hands closer than shoulder-width apart.
    • Lower the bar to your chest, then press it back up, focusing on using your triceps to move the weight.

    Pro Tip: Keep your wrists straight and elbows close to your body throughout the exercise.

    9. Reverse Curls

    Benefits: Targets the brachioradialis, enhancing forearm mass and bicep stability.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand with a barbell or dumbbells with an overhand grip.
    • Curl the weights while keeping your elbows close to your body.

    Pro Tip: Ensure a slow and controlled movement to prevent momentum from taking over the exercise.

    10. Arm-Over-Arm Rows

    Benefits: Increases upper body pulling strength and improves grip, bicep, and back muscle coordination.

    How to Do It:

    • Use a seated row machine or a cable machine. Grasp the handle with one hand and perform a rowing motion, then switch arms.

    Pro Tip: Focus on squeezing your back and biceps at the end of each pull to maximize muscle engagement.

    11. Cable Bicep Curls

    Benefits: Provides constant tension on the biceps, enhancing both strength and muscle pump.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand in front of a cable machine, attach a straight bar or rope handle at the low setting.
    • Curl the handle while keeping your elbows fixed at your sides.

    Pro Tip: Try to keep your upper arms static; the movement should only be in your forearms.

    12. Single-Arm Tricep Kickbacks

    Benefits: Isolates the triceps in each arm independently, ensuring balanced strength and size development.

    How to Do It:

    • Lean forward with one arm resting on a bench for support. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with a neutral grip.
    • Extend the arm back until it is straight, then return to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Keep your back flat and the upper arm stationary throughout the exercise.

    13. Preacher Curls

    Benefits: Isolates the biceps, reducing the ability to cheat by swinging, leading to better bicep isolation and growth.

    How to Do It:

    • Sit at a preacher bench, place your upper arms on the padding. Hold a barbell or dumbbells.
    • Curl the weight toward your chin, then slowly lower it back down.

    Pro Tip: Avoid letting the weights touch the stack at the bottom to keep tension on the biceps.

    14. Tricep Pushdowns

    Benefits: Targets the triceps effectively, especially the lateral head, for better arm definition.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand at a cable machine with a bar or rope attachment. Keep your elbows close to your body.
    • Push the attachment down until your arms are fully extended, then let it back up with control.
    • Pro Tip: Keep your elbows locked in place to focus the tension on the triceps rather than letting it spread to other areas.

    15. Zottman Curl

    Benefits: Combines the regular curl and reverse curl to effectively target both the biceps and the brachialis.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand holding dumbbells at your sides. Curl the weights while turning your palms up.
    • At the top of the curl, rotate your wrists so your palms face down, then lower the weights in the reverse curl position.

    Pro Tip: The rotation of the wrists should be smooth to maintain tension across the muscles and prevent any strain.

    16. Incline Hammer Curl

    Benefits: Targets the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles, contributing to fuller, thicker arms and supporting bicep peak development.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended, and palms facing each other.
    • Curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders while maintaining the neutral grip, keeping your elbows and back fixed.
    • Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, maintaining tension in the biceps and forearms throughout the movement.

    Pro Tip: Keep your wrists straight throughout the exercise to prevent strain and ensure maximum engagement of the target muscles.

    17. Cable Hammer Curls with Rope Attachment

    Benefits: Focuses on the brachialis and brachioradialis, contributing to thicker and stronger arms.

    How to Do It:

    • Attach a rope to the low pulley of a cable machine. Stand facing the machine, hold the rope with both hands.
    • Perform hammer curls by keeping your palms facing each other throughout the motion.

    Pro Tip: Squeeze at the top of the curl to maximize peak contraction in the muscles.

    18. Standing Bicep Cable Curl

    Benefits: Maintains constant tension on the biceps, ideal for muscle growth and endurance building.

    How to Do It:

    • Stand in front of a cable machine with the handle attached at the lower setting. Use a standard underhand grip.
    • Curl the handle upwards towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows pinned at your sides.

    Pro Tip: Avoid using momentum to lift the weight; the force should come purely from your biceps.

    19. Reverse Grip Push-Downs

    Benefits: A variation of the tricep pushdown that also engages the forearms, enhancing the complexity of the exercise.

    How to Do It:

    • Use a bar attached to a high pulley machine. Grip the bar with an underhand grip, elbows close to your body.
    • Push the bar down until your arms are fully extended, then slowly return to the start.

    Pro Tip: Keep your body steady; avoid rocking back and forth as you perform the pushdowns.

    20. Tricep Extension with Dumbbell

    Benefits: Isolates the triceps without the need for heavy equipment, making it a versatile option for home workouts.

    How to Do It:

    • Lie on a bench with a dumbbell held in both hands. Extend your arms above your chest, keeping the dumbbell vertically.
    • Lower the dumbbell back by bending your elbows, then extend your arms back to the starting position.

    Pro Tip: Perform the extension slowly to maintain control and maximize tricep engagement.

  • The 20 best exercises for beginners

    The 20 best exercises for beginners

    Alright! You’ve decided it’s time to finally start to exercise. Now the next question is, where do you actually begin? A great first step would be to learn the best exercises to build the most amount of muscle, burn the most amount of fat, and increase the most amount of strength in as little time as possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a women, these are the best exercises for beginners — no matter how many new moves are invented on social media.

    The next step in your process of starting to exercise would be to follow a plan or a program. We have several exercise plans and programs here on humanfitproject. Some of them focus on building muscle and burning fat while others will improve your endurance, longevity, and athletic performance. If you’re not sure where to begin, explore our fitness and workouts page. If you’ve been following a plan, but your gains have slowed, check out our piece on the 10 ways to build muscle faster for some helpful tweaks.

    Now let’s take a look at those best exercises for beginners. Below you’ll find the name of the exercise and a video demonstration of each one showing you the proper form of the exercise along with how to instructions and important things to remember while doing them.

    humanfitproject expert contributor Mike Beringer (@mikey_fitness) provided the video demonstration of these exercises.

    Work Your Core with the Plank

    The plank really gets you in tune with all the muscles of your core. A exercise for anyone with plenty of variations to keep things interesting and challenging.

    How to do a plank:

    1. Start in a basic push up position but with your elbows on the ground instead of your hands.
    2. Engage your core and glutes.
    3. Keep your lower back straight.
    4. Hold tight for the prescribed amount of time.

    Work Your Upper Body with the Push Up

    Get your core, chest, shoulders, and triceps with the pushup. Another move with plenty of variation. Not reason not to simply bang these out anywhere.

    How to do a push up:

    1. Start with your hands flat on the ground and your legs extended behind you.
    2. Keep your elbows slightly tucked to your side and your core engaged.
    3. Lower yourself to the ground while keeping your back straight.
    4. Slightly pause at the bottom, slight pause at the top.
    5. Repeat the process.

    Work Your Triceps with the Bench Dip

    Really want to target those triceps? Here’s a basic you can do anywhere. (However, if this feels a little strange on the shoulders—skip it)

    How to do a bench dip:

    1. Place your hands behind your back on a bench with your knees bend and feet out in front of you.
    2. Keep your head and torso upright.
    3. Engage your core.
    4. While keeping your elbows tucked to your side, slowly lower your back down towards the ground.
    5. Once your arm is approximately parallel with the ground, pull yourself back up using your triceps.
    6. Pause at the top and repeat the process.

    Work Your Posterior Chain with the Glute Bridge

    Too many neglect their glutes and hamstrings. The glute bridge is a great way to get the job done without overcomplicating things.

    How to do a glute bridge:

    1. Start by laying flat on your back with your knees slightly bent.
    2. Engage your core.
    3. With weight on your heels, drive your hips up into the air.
    4. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the top.
    5. Slowly lower your hips down and repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

    Work Your Entire Body with the Deadlift

    One of the big lifts that hits just about every muscle in the body. Learn this move the proper way and your overall strength and power will skyrocket.

    How to do a barbell deadlift:

    1. Stand over a loaded barbell with your feet about shoulders-width apart and your toes very slightly pointed outward.
    2. Engage your core, drop down, and grip the bar at shoulders-width.
    3. Keep your back as straight as possible at all times.
    4. Push your hips back and pull the weight up from your heels while engaging your lats, glutes and hamstrings.
    5. Pause at the top and repeat the process.

    Work Your Upper Body with the Bench Press

    Another big lift, but more focused on upper body strength and power. Cycle this move with dumbbell bench presses for variety and plateau breaking effects.

    How to do a barbell bench press:

    1. Flat flat on your back on a bench.
    2. Grip the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
    3. Engage your core, retract your shoulder blades, and lift the barbell off the rack.
    4. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest while tucking your elbows and maintaining a slight and natural arch in the low back.
    5. At the bottom, drive through the heels of your feet and put the weight up to the top.
    6. Squeeze, then repeat the process.

    Work Your Lower Body with the Squat

    Arguably one of the best exercises for the human body. Every muscle is engaged from head to toe. Can’t quite do a barbell back squat like this yet? Start with body weight squats or the goblet squat. (Demo’d below)

    How to do a barbell back squat:

    1. With a barbell resting across your lower traps, stand with your wide approximately shoulders-width with your toes slightly pointed out.
    2. Engage your core and slowly lower your body while keeping your hips and butt back.
    3. Keep your knees from folding inward or forward.
    4. At the bottom (when your thigh/quads are about parallel with the floor) drive back up with the weight on your heels.
    5. Extend your hips at the top and repeat the process.

    Work Your Lower Body and Core with the Goblet Squat

    Holding the weight in front is great for beginners still learning the basic mechanics of a squat while also really engaging your core muscles.

    How to do a goblet squat:

    1. Stand with your feet about shoulders-width and your toes slightly pointed outward.
    2. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest with both arms.
    3. Brace your core.
    4. Slowly squat down while keeping your butt back.
    5. Don’t let your knees cave inward.
    6. Keep your elbows inside your knees and don’t let the weight drop below your chest.
    7. Slight pause at the bottom, then explode up to the top while driving from the heels of your feet.

    Work Your Lower Body and Core with the Goblet Split Squat

    Similar to the goblet squat but with a subtle twist. This will more specifically target the glutes, hamstrings, and quads depending on the length of your stride. Holding the weight in front also activates the core.

    How to do a goblet split squat:

    1. Stand with one leg a short strides-length ahead of the other.
    2. Similarly to the goblet squat, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands.
    3. Brace your core.
    4. Drop one knee down to the ground while keeping the weight in front of you.
    5. While keeping your back straight, drive back up with weight on your heel.

    Work Your Shoulders with the Overhead Press

    Another big lift that creates big upper body gains. While your shoulders are taking on most of the brunt, your triceps and muscles of the core are getting it too. Alternate with dumbbell overhead presses for variety.

    How to do a standing overhead press:

    1. Stand up straight and rest a barbell across your shoulders in front of you with your hands slightly outside shoulders-width.
    2. Engage your core.
    3. Explosively press the weight up over your overhead and slightly pause at the top.
    4. Slowly lower the weight down and repeat the process.

    Work Your Back with the Dumbbell Row

    The back is huge muscle group, but there are also a lot of little details. Learning the dumbbell row and the subtle movement pattern options there are can really take your physique to new levels.

    How to do a dumbbell row:

    1. Lean forward over a bench of dumbbell rack.
    2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Engage your lats while pulling a dumbbell back.
    4. Squeeze at the top and slowly lower back down.

    Work Your Back with the Barbell Bent-over Row

    When you want to make that big back work as a complete unit—here’s the move. Up there in terms of being a “big lift” like the bench press, squat, deadlift, and overhead press.

    How to do a barbell bent-over row:

    1. With your hands at shoulders-width and with an overhead grip, hold a barbell in front of your body.
    2. Engage your core and slightly bend forward while keeping your back straight.
    3. Pull the barbell up towards your chest by using your lats.
    4. Squeeze at the top, slowly lower the weight, and repeat the process.

    Work Your Back with the Low Cable Row

    Another way to tap into the smaller details of the back. The seated position removes any additional support your may get from your legs during standing versions.

    How to do a cable low row:

    1. Sit at a cable station with your slightly very slightly bent.
    2. Engage your core, keep your back straight, and shoulders blades retracted.
    3. Pull the cable towards your stomach while squeezing your lats.
    4. Pause at the finish position and repeat the process.

    Work Your Shoulders with the Dumbbell High Pull

    The dumbbell high pull will add a pop of muscular size to your shoulders while counter-balancing the overhead presses with more of a pull.

    How to do a dumbbell high pull:

    1. While holding your dumbbells, one in each hand, stand about shoulder-width apart.
    2. Core your core.
    3. Explosively extend your hips while pulling the dumbbells up and away from your body.
    4. Lift the weight no higher than your chest.
    5. Slowly lower the weight back down and repeat.

    Work Your Core with the Cable Woodchop

    When you want to give your core a little more, adding the twisting and turning of a cable wood chop is a good option. Similarly to the hanging knee/leg raise, you’ll feel it after a single set.

    How to do a cable woodchop:

    1. Stand next to a cable or pulley station.
    2. Engage your core.
    3. Pull the cable up and away from your body while keeping your arms straight.
    4. Slowly lower the weight back and repeat.

    Work Your Back with the Cable Pullover

    This move adds an element of stretching to the pull motion. That stretch will hit the muscles of your back differently than a row, pull up, or pulldown.

    How to do a cable pullover:

    1. Stand in front of a cable or pulley station.
    2. Set the pulley to the top peg.
    3. Engage your core.
    4. Keep your shoulders back and chest up.
    5. With your arms straight but with a slight bend, pull the weight down towards your thighs.
    6. Slowly return the weight back to the top and repeat.

    Work Your Back with the Cable Lat Pulldown

    More fine details of the back here with the lat pulldown with a lot of grip and handle variations. You can go close-grip, wide-grip, and everything in between. The move also helps bring stability to your core.

    How to do a cable lat pulldown:

    1. Grab the cables at a pulley or cable station with your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width.
    2. Engage your core, straighten your back, and retract your shoulder blades.
    3. Slowly pull the weight down to your chest while engaging the lats.
    4. Slight pause at the bottom, slowly return back to the top and repeat.

    Work Your Biceps with the Barbell Curl

    Probably the most common exercise ever, even though it’s incredibly specific to one small muscle group—the biceps. Make note of the cues to improve your pumps, you could be missing out.

    How to do a barbell biceps curl:

    1. Stand upright holding a barbell in front of your with your arms extended and elbows tucked at your side.
    2. Slowly curl the weight up and squeeze at the time.
    3. Fight momentum while slowly lowering the weight back down to the bottom.
    4. Full extend your arms and repeat the process.

    Work Your Neck/Traps with the Shrug

    A lot of other pulling exercises will help bring up the traps, but it’s not a bad idea to give them some extra work. Shrugs will target the area.

    How to do a dumbbell shrug:

    1. Stand up straight while holding two dumbbells, one in each hand.
    2. Brace your core.
    3. Pull your arms straight up at your sides while engaging your traps.
    4. Avoid rolling your shoulders forward or backwards.
    5. Squeeze at the top and slowly lower the weight.

    Work Your Core and Abs with the Leg Raise

    This will work your abs like no other move. One set of these and you’ll feel it. Start with knee tucks and gradually progress into leg raises. Can’t do either? Start on the floor.

    How to do hanging knee or hanging leg raises:

    1. Hang from a pull up bar with your arms extended.
    2. Keep your shoulders back.
    3. Engage your core and lats.
    4. Slowly lift your legs/knees up towards your chest.
    5. Fight momentum while lowering your legs/knees back down.

    We even pulled together a program using these moves. For those that are advanced, we call this a Transition. It’s something to shift to while in between other programs. For the newbies, we’ll go ahead a say this is an Introduction plan.

    Introduction & Transition: The plan beginners and intermediates can follow

    Another option is to download our 12-week Accelerated Starter’s plan here.

  • 10 Essential Supplements for People Over-40 to Build Lean Muscle

    10 Essential Supplements for People Over-40 to Build Lean Muscle

    As we age, our bodies undergo various physiological changes that can impact muscle mass, metabolic rate, and overall health. For individuals over 40, these changes make it increasingly important to support their bodies with targeted nutrition and supplementation. This guide dives into 10 essential supplements for people over-40 to build lean muscle mass and improve health and longevity.

    Remember, before starting any new supplement regimen, it’s very important to consult with healthcare providers to ensure it not only aligns with your personal health needs, but mitigates any risks to your health.

    Related: The Over-40 Workout Plan to Build Lean Muscle

    1. Protein Powder

    Importance in Muscle Repair and Growth

    Protein is fundamental for muscle repair and growth. As muscle protein synthesis declines with age, supplementing with protein powder can help counteract this effect, aiding in the maintenance and building of muscle mass.

    Types and Benefits

    • Whey Protein: Fast-absorbing, whey is ideal for post-workout recovery, helping to quickly repair muscles.
    • Casein Protein: Slow-releasing, making it perfect for preserving muscle during sleep.
    • Plant-based Proteins: Such as pea or hemp, suitable for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

    For whey protein, we like 100% Raw Grass Fed Whey
    For casein protein, we like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Miscellar Casein Protein
    For plant-based proteins, we like Sun Warrior, Vega Sport, and Ora So Lean & So Clean

    2. Creatine

    Enhancing Strength and Muscle Mass

    Creatine is renowned for its ability to improve strength, increase lean muscle mass, and help muscles recover more quickly during exercise. This makes it particularly valuable for over-40 adults looking to enhance their physical performance and counteract age-related muscle loss.

    Recommended Dosages

    Typically, a daily intake of 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate is recommended for maintaining adequate levels in the muscle, with no loading phase necessary for most adults.

    For creatine, we like Thorne Creatine Monohydrate

    3. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

    Role in Muscle Protein Synthesis

    BCAAs, particularly leucine, stimulate muscle protein synthesis, crucial for muscle repair and growth. Supplementing with BCAAs can help preserve muscle mass by offsetting the increased muscle breakdown that can occur with aging.

    Preventing Age-Related Muscle Loss

    Regular BCAA supplementation can reduce muscle soreness, speed up recovery, and maintain muscle tone, which is especially beneficial for those over 40 who might experience longer recovery periods.

    For BCAAs, we like Momentous Vital Amino Powder

    4. Vitamin D

    Crucial for Muscle Function and Bone Health

    Vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption, essential for maintaining bone health, and muscle function. Deficiencies in Vitamin D are common in older adults and can lead to decreased muscle strength and greater risk for falls.

    Supplementation Benefits

    Given the challenges of obtaining sufficient Vitamin D from sunlight and diet alone, supplementation is often necessary to reach the recommended levels, particularly in the winter months or for those in northern climates.

    For vitamin-d, we like Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D

    5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Benefits for Inflammation and Heart Health

    Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil and flaxseeds, are essential for their anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce joint pain and stiffness associated with intense physical activity and aging.

    Supporting Cardiovascular Health

    Regular omega-3 supplementation can also support heart health, crucial for maintaining endurance and overall vitality as we age.

    For omega-3, we like Metagenic OmegaGenics

    6. Magnesium

    Importance for Muscle Function

    Magnesium plays a critical role in muscle relaxation, energy production, and the prevention of cramps—common issues for those over 40 engaged in regular physical activity.

    Dosage Recommendations

    Ensuring adequate magnesium intake through diet or supplements can help maintain normal nerve and muscle function, support a healthy immune system, and keep bones strong.

    For magnesium, we like Momentous Magtein

    7. Glucosamine and Chondroitin

    Supporting Joint Health

    As joint health can start to decline with age, supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin are beneficial for maintaining joint lubrication and cartilage health, which can be stressed by weight-bearing exercises.

    Aid in Active Lifestyle

    These supplements can reduce pain and improve joint function, which is essential for maintaining an active lifestyle and engaging in regular exercise routines.

    For glucosamine and chondroitin, we like Designs for Health Glucosamine and Chondroitin

    8. Tongkat Ali

    Boosting Testosterone

    Tongkat Ali can be particularly beneficial for men over 40 as it helps to naturally increase testosterone levels, which are crucial for muscle growth, strength, and overall energy levels.

    For tongkat ali, we like Momentous Tongkat Ali

    9. Zinc

    Essential for Hormone Production

    Zinc is crucial for testosterone production and protein synthesis, both essential for muscle building and repair.

    For zinc, we like Thorne Zinc Picolinate

    10. B Vitamins

    Vital for Energy Production

    The B vitamins (B6, B12, folate) are essential for energy production and efficient metabolic function, making them crucial for anyone engaged in regular exercise routines.

    For b vitamins, we like Pure Encapsulations B Complex

    The Final Dose

    Supplementing with these key nutrients can significantly enhance muscle building, recovery, and overall health for individuals over 40. Each supplement offers unique benefits that are particularly relevant as the body ages and requires more support to maintain muscle mass, recover from workouts, and ensure overall health and vitality. Remember, it’s essential to tailor any supplement regimen to your specific health needs and conditions, and consulting with a healthcare professional is recommended to maximize the benefits and avoid potential risks.

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.