Brad Murphy

LeanFire XT Review – Does it Work? Buying Guide

Updated on May 23, 2020 by Brad Murphy

LeanFire XT is suitable for both men and women to use. It is a dietary supplement that is said to burn fat and increase energy levels. Read the review to see if it is worth buying.

LeanFire XT is advertised as being able incinerate fat, improve endurance and amplify focus and clarity

PROS
Contains ingredients that can increase energy.
Can increase metabolic rate.
Ships to most countries.

CONS
Ingredient quantities not disclosed.
Can cause jitters and nausea.
Some bad customer reviews.
Claims that it can burn body fat are questionable.

VERDICT – OTHERS PREFERRED
LeanFire XT does contain some tried and tested ingredients. It will in all probability it might help you lose weight (increase fat loss) although the science is not as solid as we would like

There are one or two caveats though – you may experience nausea and the jitters. Some customers reviews are bad and less than flattering.

If you are researching a legit fat burner to use I would suggest paying close attention to PhenQ – it is serious diet supplement that is suitable for both men and women.

LeanFire XT Review

In all probability you have been searching online to find a fat burning supplement to use to help you get rid of excess body and achieve a slim and toned body.

You may have bought a weight loss or slimming product in the past – either from a recommendation from a friend or TV commercial.

LeanFire XT form Force Factor is getting some traction – it is being pushed heavily.

Does LeanFire XT work – is it worth buying?

Read this LeanFire XT review to find out!

LeanFire XT – Advanced Thermogenic Weight Loss Supplement

What Is LeanFire XT?

LeanFire XT is a fat burner. The manufacturer says the product beats the alternatives because it supports the “mind-body connection” by delivering cognitive benefits.

It also criticizes other manufacturers for putting too many stimulants in their products.

Does that mean LeanFire XT is a stimulant-free fat burner? (such as Lean XT or LeanBean) Absolutely not. Each pill contains quite a hefty dose of caffeine and has additional stimulants as well.

The promise of weight-loss and cognitive support is put across as being one of the product’s strong points, but it’s a common combination. Most diet pills contain ingredients that sharpen mental focus.

Incinerate fat, improve endurance, amplify focus and clarity!

Who Makes LeanFire XT?

LeanFire XT is part of a line of sports supplements made in the USA by Force Factor LLC.

The company is based in Boston and has been around since 2009.

It was founded by a couple of former Harvard University rowers who were disappointed with the kind of supplements available at the time and thought they could do better.

Lots of other supplement companies claim to have similar histories.

However, Force Factor supplements appear to have earned the respect of several fitness experts and athletes including the swimsuit model Atilla Toth and noted calisthenics expert Frank Medrano.

What are the LeanFire XT Benefits

LeanFire XT says customers using LeanFire XT can expect three main benefits:

Improvements in endurance
Increases in focus and clarity
Fat incineration

How LeanFire XT Works

Like every other fat burner on the market, LeanFire XT contains ingredients that boost metabolism and thermogenesis. It worth knowing exercise does both these things too.

That’s why a combination of a low-calorie diet and exercise is such a good way to lose weight.

When people talk about metabolism and weight loss they are referring to the processes the body uses to extract energy from food and then put it to work.

Metabolism also governs fat storage and fat burning within the body.

When you increase metabolism via exercise, using supplements, or both; it causes your body to burn more calories of energy per day.

Thermogenesis is the process that keeps your body warm. Be it due to exercise or the use of supplements, when thermogenesis increases, you lose extra energy into the air in the form of heat.

The LeanFire XT formulation also provides stimulants and other ingredients that can boost energy levels and provide extra endurance.

The presence of these ingredients should help prevent diet-related fatigue.

Their presence will also make it easier to exercise on a low-calorie diet if you wish to do so.

Stimulants also improve attention and mental focus. Again, this is something you may appreciate if you have a workout to do or fancy hitting the track.

Correct Dosage and Other Usage Considerations

The correct dose is one capsule, two times per day. You need to take the doses 30-60 minutes before the two largest meals of the day.

It’s important not to take the second dose too late in the day. The manufacturer suggests a gap of at least four hours between taking it and going to bed.

Needless to say, this is not a magic pill. If you want to lose weight, you will still need to focus on keeping your energy intake low and get plenty of exercise if you can.

Force Factor fails to mention this in the marketing material but LeanFire XT will not be suitable for women who are pregnant.

Nor will it be a safe option for women who are nursing a child.

As with any other weight management supplement, if you have any health problems you will need to check with your doctor before using LeanFire XT.

It’s equally important to do so if you would need to use the supplement alongside medication.

LeanFire XT Ingredient Profile

Each LeanFire XT capsule provides 10 ingredients.

what is in LeanFire XT - supplement label

They have a combined weight of 721 mg. Force Factor states 150 mg of the weight comes from caffeine anhydrous but does not divulge any other inclusion rates.

The 10 ingredients are grouped into 3 proprietary blends.

Fat Incineration Weight Loss Blend: Green Tea Leaf Extract, Cayenne Pepper Powder, Verilean, L-Carnitine, Bioperine

Metabolic Mind Matrix: Caffeine Anhydrous (150 mg), L-Theanine

Pure Energy Complex: TeaCrine, DMAE, Yohimbine

Ingredient Potential

1. Green Tea

Green tea is as good for your health as it is for your waistline. The “catechin” antioxidants it provides purge the body of toxins and promote good health in several other ways as well.

Diet pill manufacturers often include green tea in their weight loss formulations and not without good reason. There’s an abundance of research data that shows green tea is a fat burner that gets the job done.

Green tea helps your body to burn fat because it increases thermogenesis and metabolism and data shows it may keep working for up to 24 hours.

2. Cayenne Pepper

Research proves cayenne is another natural fat burning ingredient that works. It appears to do this in a number of ways.

One of the things it does is increase energy expenditure by causing thermogenesis in the body’s brown adipose tissue.

3. Verilean

Verilean is a brand of green coffee bean extract. It offers a standardized potency of chlorogenic acid but, other than that, probably differs little from standard extracts.

Chlorogenic acid gets quite a lot of attention for its fat-burning capabilities but there is a lack of study to support its use in this way.

Diet pill manufacturers still use it because it supports a healthy balance of blood sugar and insulin.

4. L-Carnitine

Although some research shows L-carnitine may fight depression and improve the mood, it’s probably got better credentials for fighting fatigue.

5. Bioperine

Bioperine is a black pepper extract. It’s standardized to provide a potent dose of piperine.

There are alternative black pepper extracts but Bioperine is the best.

Piperine is the alkaloid that gives the pepper its smell. Manufacturers add it to supplements because it increases the bioavailability of other ingredients

6. Caffeine Anhydrous (150 mg)

Caffeine is a stimulant that acts on the central nervous system in a way that provides extra energy, helps clear the mind, and improves focus.

Research shows caffeine also boosts metabolism and thermogenesis.

This gives it additional value as a weight loss aid.

Caffeine anhydrous is a highly-refined ingredient.

The body absorbs it faster than the caffeine you get from drinking a cup of coffee and the amount provided here is similar to what you’d get by drinking 1 ½ cups.

Most people will probably be okay with this much caffeine, but some people will not.

If you are sensitive to stimulants, the presence of caffeine will make LeanFire XT an unsuitable diet pill choice.

7. L-Theanine

Although it’s added here as a separate ingredient as well, L-theanine is an amino acid that’s in green tea.

It’s often used alongside caffeine because it tempers it and reduces the likelihood of jitters and other caffeine-associated side effects.

8. TeaCrine

TeaCrine is a branded form of theocrine.

Like caffeine, it’s a stimulant but it’s gentler on the body than caffeine is and less likely to cause negative issues.

9. DMAE

DMAE is a compound your body produces. It’s also present in fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, and anchovies.

It’s sometimes added to smart drugs because it may encourage the body to manufacture more neurotransmitters.

Possible DMAE benefits include better memory function, improvements in mood, and enhanced athletic performance.

However, DMAE is also associated with a number of side effects including headaches and mental confusion.

10. Yohimbine

Yohimbine comes from the bark of an African tree.

It’s a stimulant that allegedly supports weight loss but scientific opinion about its abilities is mixed. Bodybuilders favor yohimbine because it may stimulate muscle growth.

LeanFire XT Customer Reviews

LeanFire XT has a lot of customer reviews and opinions differ a lot.

Some people praise its fat-burning ability, others cry foul at the marketing claims and say it doesn’t work. Many customers also report experiencing side effects.

Here are a few sample comments:

LeanFire XT customer comments — Customer comment for LeanFire XT. Feedback is mixed. For every good review there seems to be a negative one

Known Side Effects of LeanFire XT

A disconcerting number of customer reviews mention side effects so the best course of action is to check with your doctor before using this product.

Some of the side effects customers report include:

Headaches
Jitters
Racing heart
Insomnia
Running nose
Nausea
Stomach cramps
Hot or cold flushes

Where to Buy LeanFire XT

LeanFire XT isn’t a difficult product to buy.

If you live in the States, you’ll probably be able to pick up a bottle at your local GNC store.

If you prefer to buy online, a quick internet search should reveal many suppliers, but your best bet is to go straight to Amazon.com.

At the time of this review, the Amazon price was under USD $30 per bottle. Other suppliers were still selling it at the RRP, which is considerably more (USD $69.99).

Amazon also appears to be Force Factor’s favorite marketing partner because the company website sends interested parties straight to its Amazon store.

There are 60 capsules in a bottle. That makes each one good for a month.

If you are only paying USD $30 per bottle, the price is not bad but here’s the stinger: Force Factor doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee.

LeanFire XT Review Conclusion

Despite the lack of inclusion rates, a look at the formulation suggests this product should do the things it aims to do.

It contains several good fat burners and so many stimulants it would be surprising if it didn’t work.

A few of the ingredients have less clear-cut value but unless the inclusion rates are incredibly high there presence should be sufficient to dilute the more credible inclusions.

Unfortunately, the formulation appears to hit some people with side effects. That’s not entirely surprising.

Although Force Factor criticizes other manufacturers for using too many stimulants, it appears to be doing the same. Many of the side effects customers report could easily be attributable to caffeine.

Although a lot of people seem to use this product without issue an even rate it highly, there are better options available and, if you go with one of the top-rated products, you will have the benefit of a money-back guarantee.

FAQ’s

Dows LeanFire XT cause side effects?

There have been reports of some users experiencing nausea and the jitters. You should always follow the manufacturers usage instruction and you do experience side effects stop taking straight away.

Can you buy LeanFire XT in Canada?

It is available to order online form the official website or a third party stockist such as GNC or Walmart.

Where is the cheapest price for LeanFire XT?

Currently GNC has the best offer at $69.99 for a months supply which is one bottle.

Dianabol (dbol) Review – Results, Cycle for Bodybuilders

Updated on April 14, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Dianabol is a steroid that is used by some bodybuilders and athletes in an attempt to increase muscle growth. Dianabol is not injected – it comes in a pill. In fact, it’s the most popular orally taken muscle-building steroid in existence.

Dianabol Review – Dbol Review

Dianabol is a branded version of the anabolic steroid Methandrostenolone. It’s also one of the most popular orally take anabolic steroids of all time.

This article is describing Dianabol – it’s uses, it’s history and it’s complications. We are not providing any link to buy Dianabol nor are we condoning its use in the bodybuilding industry. Dianabol and Dbol are one and the same. We advise using a Dbol alternative

Although there is an injectable version of Dianabol as well, most users prefer to take it by mouth.

Dianabol was developed in the late 1950s and its ability to provide rapid gains in muscle mass made it an instant hit with bodybuilders. To this day, it remains a popular option with bodybuilders who wish to bulk up fast.

Dianabol bulking up — Dianabol is one of the most popular bodybuilding supplements

A Short Dianabol History Lesson

It was created in the 1950s by the American physician John Bosley Ziegler. It was originally used for boosting the testosterone levels of people suffering from hypogonadism.

During the 1960s, Ziegler decided to give the American weightlifting team an extra competitive edge at the Olympics. He used his creation to do it. As it turned out, his efforts were wasted because the team from the Soviet Union still won.

However, the American athletes were quick to notice using the steroid was making a difference to their training efforts. Thanks to Dianabol, getting bigger and stronger had become a lot easier.

It wasn’t long before Ziegler discovered some athletes were using up to 20 times the normal dose. This made him regret his earlier experiments, but the damage was done. Dianabol had become a key player in the Golden Age of Bodybuilding.

Dianabol remains a popular steroid to this day, despite the fact that it’s an illegal controlled drug.

BodyBuilder on Dianabol — It’s possible to deliver Dianabol to the body via intramuscular injections but most bodybuilders prefer to take a Dianabol pill

How Dianabol Works

One of the most important things it does is improve protein synthesis. It also boosts nitrogen retention and that’s important too.

Protein synthesis is the process where the amino acids brought to the muscles by the blood are put to work. It’s a fancy way of referring to the muscle building process.

The thing is, this “anabolic” muscle building process needs nitrogen as well as protein (amino acids). In fact, the more nitrogen there is, the more efficient the muscle building process will be.

By improving protein synthesis and nitrogen retention in the way that it does, Dianabol creates the perfect environment for maximum muscle growth.

How to Use Dianabol

It’s possible to deliver Dianabol to the body via intramuscular injections but most bodybuilders prefer to take a Dianabol pill. The preference is mostly due to the fact that the steroid is not fully broken down by the digestive process.

Bodybuilders who use this steroid often take 30-50mg per day and use it in a cycle of 4-6 weeks. However, Dianabol has quite a short half life (3-5 hours). That makes it necessary to split the dose over the course of the day.

In order to avoid the risk of stomach upsets, it’s generally best to time the doses to correspond with meals.

Some people don’t favor this method of using the steroid. They take the full daily dose at once instead and do so prior to their workouts.

Bodybuilders who use Dianabol in this way believe it enables an improved uptake of the steroid. They also argue it boosts performance during their workouts.

It seems likely that this method may provide a higher blood concentration of the steroid while working out. The problem is, taking Dianabol as a single, larger dose places a greater strain on the liver. You only have one of those and it has to last for life, so there’s a lot to be said for splitting the dose.

Dianabol Side Effects

Dianabol can do a lot of good things. There’s no denying the fact. It’s a muscle-building superstar. The thing is, it can do a lot of terrible things to the body as well. In this case, there is no yin without yang and when a steroid goes yang it’s no laughing matter.

Let’s take a look at some of the downsides to be aware of before you consider allowing the Dianabol steroid into your life.

Many Dianabol users report experiencing water retention. Nobody wants to have a lot of puffy flesh covering their muscles, but it’s not a frighting thing. It may be murder on your muscle definition, but water retention isn’t going to kill you.

Sporting a spectacular set of man boobs won’t kill you either, but it’s not a particularly masculine trait. Worrying about selecting the best training bra is a territory better suited to female bodybuilders. So, if you are considering using Dianabol, be aware doing so may leave you feeling a tit.

More worryingly though, Dbol is a steroid that can cause liver damage. This is because it’s a C17-Alpha Alkylated oral anabolic steroid. That means it can be processed by the liver without being destroyed.

Using a liver support supplement like N-Acetyl L-Cysteine may help to some extent. However, before you use a steroid like this you really need to ask yourself if the risk is worthwhile.

Other common side effects include:

Acne
Greasy skin
Aggression
Testicle shrinkage
Enlarged prostate gland
Loss of sex drive/impotence
Mood swings
High Blood Pressure
High cholesterol
Hair loss (men)
Increased body hair (women)
Cardiovascular problems
Suppressed testosterone production

Some Common Mistakes When Using Dianabol

A poor understanding of the steroid and it’s potential side effects increases the likelihood of harm.

Here are four of the most common Dianabol mistakes:

Overdosing in an effort to rush the process
Running the cycle for too long
Not using any on cycle support
Not bothering with a post cycle therapy

Dianabol Pros and Cons

Like the characters in a spaghetti western, Dbol can be good, bad, or just plain ugly. The big difference is, it can be all three things at once.

PROS	CONS
Better protein synthesis	Illegal steroid
Improved nitrogen retention	Has many potential side effects
Reduces fatigue	May cause irreparable liver damage
Increases strength	Requires post cycle therapy
Provides fast muscle gains	Competition bans
Increases gains in overall mass	Gains can fade quickly
	Bad for the heart
	Safer alternatives available

Is Dianabol Worth the Risk?

The power is undeniable, but so are the negative aspects its use can entail.

Unless you really know what you are doing, the potential benefits are not worth the risks involved.

Even if you have experience using steroids and know how to reduce the associated dangers, it’s still a game of Russian Roulette. That’s a game nobody should be playing. It’s pointless.

Nobody’s saying it doesn’t work, but the 60s and 70s are long gone. Steroids have had their day.

The only reason Dbol and the other mighty anabolic dinosaurs are not extinct already is too many people refuse to leave the past behind and move on.

That’s a pity because the supplement industry has evolved. Nobody needs to be gambling with their health anymore. The future is already here and there are better options available.

A Dbol Alternative

The risks are simply not worth it – especially when products exist that can you similar results by using something that is perfect legal and free from side effects.

CrazyBulk have developed a range of legal steroids that have become major players in the supplement industry. Their Dianabol alternative is called D-bal and it can provide the following benefits

Massive muscle gains
Through-the-roof strength increases
Vegetarian-friendly legal steroid
Results within 30 days

You can read full review here

Dianabol FAQ

What kind of gains can I expect?

Many users report gains of four to seven pounds within the first week. By the end of a six-week cycle, the total gains are often up to 28 pounds.

However, up to 15 percent of the added poundage may be water weight instead of muscle mass.

Can women use Dianabol?

Women can use it if they want to but it may not be advisable. Dianabol is an androgenic steroid. Women who use it run the risk of developing typical male characteristics such as a deeper voice and increased body hair.

Is a post cycle therapy really necessary?

Absolutely. It’s very necessary. Dianabol shuts down your HPTA (Hypothalamus Pituitary Testicular Axis). That scuppers natural testosterone production for a long time.

You’ll need to do a full PCT to get things back on track. Skip it and any gains you made will vanish fast. There will be a lot of other consequences as well.

What’s the difference between Dianabol and Dbol?

There is no difference. They are both the same thing. Dbol is short for Dianabol.

How long does Dianabol remain detectable?

Despite its short half life, it can remain detectable in your urine and blood for a number of weeks. Some sources say it will be evident for up to four weeks, others say six weeks.

In reality, the exact time will probably vary somewhat from one person to the next.

If you are likely to be subjected to steroid testing, the best thing to do is to stay clear of steroids altogether.

What are the Best Fat Burners to Use for Fat Loss

Updated on May 10, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Not everyone wants to use a fat burning supplement for the same reason. Some people want a fat loss product to reduce unwanted extra weight while bodybuilders need a fat loss supplement for cutting cycles.

What are the Best Fat Burners to Use for Fat Loss

Best Fat Burners For Fat Loss

All the best fat burners work in a similar way-they help your body to burn fat.

However, not all fat burners are created equal. Most of them use a combination of ingredients that may make them a better option for some and a less desirable one for others.

So, when you are evaluating the pros and cons of different fat burners, it’s best to ask yourself what kind of user you are and what you are trying to achieve.

Not everyone wants to burn fat for the same reason.

Although a lot of people merely want to ditch their excess flab and get thin, others have more specialist needs.

Your sex may also make some fat burners more suitable than others. There is no one size fits all.

Recommended Fat Burners at a Glance

PhenQ – a multi action, multi benefit weight loss pill that can burn excess body fat, stop the production of new fat and also reduce appetite.

Instant Knockout – a great burner for preserving lean muscle mass. Ideal for sporty types, suitable for men and women.

LeanBean – a fat burner that has been developed exclusively for women. THE female fat burner.

Why Do We Need Fat Burners and What Do They Do?

In theory, we should not need to use fat burners at all. However, the harsh reality is an awful lot of people do need them. Burning fat is a difficult business.

Many people who are trying to reduce their body fat feel like they are banging their head against the wall. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you feel the need for some extra help.

Weight gain and weight loss are two sides of the same coin. Which side of the coin comes out on top is just a matter of calories.

“Calories” is a unit used to measure energy. Your body needs energy to function and it normally gets it from food. How much energy your food provides is counted in calories. For instance, celery offers a very low energy yield. It’s a low-calorie food.

Cakes, cookies, potato chips and other foods that are high in fat or sugar provide a greater blast of energy. These are high-calorie foods. They are also foods that can cause you to gain weight. When eaten without discretion, the weight gain can occur surprisingly fast.

When the body gets more calories than it needs, it stores them as fat. However, when people follow a low-calorie diet they deliberately deprive their bodies of energy. This causes the coin to flip over. Instead of storing calories as fat, the body begins breaking down its stores of fat so it can use the calories it contains.

There are no magic weight loss bullets, but all the best fat burners contain ingredients that can encourage the body to burn extra calories. These ingredients generally achieve this in one or more of the following three ways:

Increasing metabolism
Increasing thermogenesis
Improving lipolysis

Let’s take a closer look at what all this means.

All the best fat burners contain ingredients that boost metabolism

1. Increasing Metabolism

Metabolism is the process the body uses to extract energy from food and harness its power. It does not always function at the same speed.

For instance, the metabolism is normally slower during periods of rest. This is because your body has a lower energy demand that it does during your more active moments.

All the best fat burners contain ingredients that boost metabolism.

This causes the body to burn extra calories all of the time, even during periods of rest. This is sometimes referred to as raising the basal metabolic rate. [SOURCE]

2. Increasing Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis is a process that occurs in the body 24-hours a day. You can actually feel it working just by touching your skin. It’s warm because of thermogenesis.

All warm-blooded animals create heat via the process of thermogenesis and the process continues from birth until death.

Heat is a form of energy. Twenty-four hours per day you are losing energy into the atmosphere via thermogenesis. Like your metabolism, thermogenesis does not have a fixed speed.

Certain things can increase it. Exercise increases thermogenesis. So does hard physical labor. That’s why these activities cause you to “work up a sweat”.

Certain compounds found in food also have the ability to increase thermogenesis. The best diet pills contain such ingredients. They are often referred to as thermogenic fat burners. This is because, by causing the body to lose extra energy, they increase the need for burning fat. [SOURCE]

3. Improve Lipolysis

Some of the best fat burners also improve lipolysis. This is process the body uses to actually break down its stores of fat.

The process predominantly occurs within the white adipose tissue. In simple terms, lipolysis is the body’s way of mobilizing the energy it stored as fat and putting it to work.

Some ingredients used in fat burning diet pills have the ability to enhance the process and make it more efficient. In so doing they improve your ability to burn fat.

Additional Benefits

All the best fat burners also contain ingredients that support weight loss in other ways, such as by providing appetite suppression. By controlling hunger they make it easier to stick to reduced portions sizes and avoid the urge to overeat or snack.

The best fat burners also normally contain ingredients that take the sting out of fat loss in other ways such as providing extra energy. Some of the more specialized fat burners may also provide help in other areas including hormone support.

Who Uses Fat Burners and Why?

Obviously, anyone who is using a fat burner is doing so due to a desire to reduce their body fat. However, their reasons for wanting to do so are not always the same.

Let’s take a look at the different types of people who are likely to use supplements of this type.

People Who Need Extra Help to Lose Weight

These are the kind of people who probably gained weight due to a combination of bad diet and lack of exercise. They are probably already making efforts to lose weight but are finding it difficult and are in need of some extra help.

These are the people who primarily interested in weight loss. It’s their sole agenda. Their desire to lose weight may have been brought on due to a health scare or a warning from their doctor.

Then again, they may simply desire to make changes that will improve their health and help them to look good.

Alternatively, they may have no burning desire to lose weight but are making reluctant efforts in response to peer pressure.

People Who Want to Lose Weight Faster

Some people who already successfully losing weight through the use of a low-calorie diet, possibly accompanied by exercise, use fat burners to speed up their results. They are doing well but are striving to do better.

This need for more rapid weight loss could be due to impatience or a desire to meet a personal goal. The reason behind their need is immaterial. They have already taken all the right steps and the best fat burners will help them to get moving faster.

People Who Have Reached a Weight Loss Plateau

Weight loss plateaus are quite common. It’s the time when progress has stalled. People who reach a plateau may not be gaining any weight, but nor are they losing any either.

Plateaus can be a source of great frustration. Everything is going fine, then all progress ceases. Even though the diet and exercise routine that was proving to be so successful is still the same.

This kind of weight loss stall occurs when the body loses muscle mass. Although the energy deficit that results from low-calorie dieting causes the body to burn fat, it often burns a certain amount of muscle tissue too.

Muscle tissue requires a certain amount of calories per day. This helps keep the metabolism up. Loss of muscle tissue due to dieting can cause the metabolism to decline. That’s the real reason behind the plateau.

The diet is the same, the level of activity may be the same too, but the metabolism has slowed. The best fat burners can help get things back on track by speeding it up again.

People Who are Preparing for a Vacation or Special Occasion

Some people have an urgent desire for weight loss that is brought on by an urge to look good for a special occasion, such as a friend’s wedding. Others are keen to look their best when they hit the beach during an upcoming vacation.

The people who want to lose weight for reasons such as this can be quite serious in their efforts. However, they are often looking for a quick fix and have little interest in long-term change. Short-term vanity weight loss is the name of the game.

People who fall into this category are often only interested in finding the best fat burners to speed up their crash dieting techniques. They may resort to these temporary changes in lifestyle again and again and may be prone to yo-yo dieting.

Bodybuilders

Arnold Schwarzenegger once said bodybuilders are like sculptors, but instead of sculpting clay they sculpt their bodies. It’s a good analogy. The truth is there’s a lot more to bodybuilding than most people think. Especially at the higher levels.

The periods when bodybuilders are trying to increase their muscle mass are generally referred to as bulking cycles. During these periods, any minor gains in body fat are not a primary concern.

Bulking is primarily about piling on the clay in the correct amounts and in all the right places.

When bodybuilders want to refine their creation and make sure they are displaying it at its absolute best, they switch to a cutting cycle. This is where fat burners come in.

No matter how large and well-sculpted the muscles are, the body fat that covers them can hide the all-important contours. In a condition like this, it’s impossible to display the muscles at their best.

Cutting cycles are all about improving muscle definition. Sculptors scrape away tiny pieces of clay, a bit at a time, to improve the shape and form of their creations. Bodybuilders ditch their fat.

Obviously, bodybuilders reduce their calorie intake and switch to a diet that best supports their aims. The best bodybuilding fat burners work alongside the diet and help get the job done.

The fact that low-calorie dieting can cause the body to burn a minor amount of muscle tissue for energy alongside the fat is a big problem.

After all that hard work during in the bulking cycles, no bodybuilder relishes the idea of seeing some of their gains go down the drain. That’s why the best fat burners to use during cutting cycles contain ingredients that help take this problem away.

Women Who Gained Weight During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a difficult time for a woman. Morning sickness, bleeding gums, backache, and incontinence are just the tip of the iceberg. During pregnancy there’s an awful lot of hormonal changes going on that can affect women in many different ways.

Then there are the cravings. These are just the body’s way of helping “mom” to provide her baby with the specific nutrients it needs. Unfortunately, what’s good for the baby is not always so good for mom.

It’s normal for a woman to be left with some extra body fat in the post-delivery room days. Most women gain between 11.5 kg and 16 kg. Obviously, this is a situation most women want to redress.

A good fat burner can help put things right, but it’s best that new mothers don’t start dieting too soon. Certainly not sooner than six weeks after delivery.

Women Battling a Mid-Life Weight Crisis

Menopausal weight gain is a problem many women have to endure. It’s the results of all the hormonal changes that happen within a woman’s body at this time.

One of the most interesting things about the problem is most of the fat gain is likely to occur in the abdominal area.

Unfortunately, menopausal weight gain is generally not a problem that goes away. On average, midlife women gain 1.5 pounds per year.

Even women who have previously been slim their entire lives often start using fat burners when this type of problem strikes. [SOURCE]

People Who Want a Cheat Pill

Not everyone who buys fat burners does so with the best of reasons. Instead of looking for something that will support their efforts to lose weight, they hope to find a magic bullet that will help them get shot of their excess blubber while allowing them to go on eating whatever they want whenever they want.

Such endeavors are always destined to fail. Even the best fat burners are incapable of increasing calorie expenditure sufficiently to allow a free rein on food. There is no substitute for healthy living. Cheaters never win.

Three of the Best Fat Burners Compared

All of the following top-rated fat burners can be used for general weight loss and they’ll get the job done. However, each of them is formulated to be especially good for people who have very specific needs.

Instant Knockout is for people who train hard and need a fat burner that can help them to give that bit more. Leanbean is a fat burner for women and Clenbutrol is best for bodybuilders.

Instant Knockout – for Muscle Definition

Instant knockout is a fat burner that was originally only available to professional boxers and MMA fighters. This restriction is no longer in place. Instant Knockout is now available to all.

Due to its origins and a somewhat aggressive marketing strategy that involves the pills being sold in a bottle shaped like a fist, many women think Instant Knockout is only a fat burner for men. This is not the case. Women can use it too and those who do have a lot of good things to say about it.

Instant Knockout

Although it offers a number of other benefits, Instant Knockout is primarily an energy-boosting fat burner. That’s not surprising for a product that’s intended to help turn people into lean, mean fighting machines.

Many noted fighters and trainers choose to use Instant Knockout instead of alternative fat burners and swear it’s the best.

Apart from boasting some ingredients that are extremely good at boosting energy and burning fat, the formulation also suppresses the appetite. This allows it to provide extra support to people who find it difficult to fight their hunger.

The formulation does contain a small amount of caffeine but, unlike similar products, Instant Knockout is not a stimulant-driven supplement. Much of its energy booting capabilities come from the Vitamins B6 and B12. Both of which are popular energy drink ingredients.

Instant Knockout Benefits at a Glance

Powerful fat burning
Sustainable energy
Appetite suppression
Erases fat from stubborn areas

Instant Knockout is easily one of the best fat burners for anyone who is involved in sports. It’s equally good for people who like to train hard. Anyone who has Instant Knockout in their corner is unlikely to need a pre-workout supplement.

Leanbean – Fat Burner for Women

It’s easy to bang a pink label on a bottle and say it contains diet pills made especially for women. Unfortunately, the promise is generally a lie. There are no such deceptions involved with Leanbean. It’s the real deal.

Women who wish to lose weight do not ride in the same boat as men who need to lose weight. They have it harder so it makes sense that they need a fat burner that works harder too.

Shop LeanBean Direct

Women have stronger appetites than men do. They are also more likely to comfort eat. That’s why Leanbean contains more powerful hunger-suppressing ingredients than any other fat burner on the market. Needless to say, these are paired with some incredibly good fat burning ingredients.

The formulation also contains ingredients that help regulate female hormone levels. Many women gain weight during menstruation. Often up to five pounds. Then, by the time that problem has gone away, they are likely to fall victim to menopausal weight gain. In both cases, it’s their hormones that are to blame. It’s good that Leanbean has the ability to help in such an overlooked area.

Leanbean Benefits at a Glance

Burns fat
Boosts energy
Powerful hunger Suppression
Subdues urges for sugar and carbs
Provides hormone support

Leanbean is easily one of the best fat burners for women. It’s been carefully designed to give them all the extra support they need. However, there is no reason why men cannot use it too. In fact, it could prove to be a very good ally for any man who has unusually strong hunger urges.

CrazyBulk Clenbutrol – for Bodybuilders

CrazyBulk is a company that specializes in producing safe steroid alternatives.

Clenbutrol is its alternative to Clenbuterol. It’s a little different from the company’s other products because Clenbuterol is not a steroid. It’s a fat burning drug. However, bodybuilders often stack it with their steroids during cutting cycles.

Shop Clenbutrol Direct

Mimicking the name was easy. The company just removed a letter “e” from Clenbuterol. Matching the drug’s power must have been a lot harder because it’s an extremely powerful fat burner. It’s also dangerous so there has always been a need for a safe alternative.

Fortunately, CrazyBulk knows its stuff. Clenbutrol matches the drug’s power, but the formulation of safe ingredients it contains does not cause side effects. Many people who have used both options are quick to say CrazyBulk’s product works best.

One of the best things about CrazyBulk Clenbuterol is its ability to burn fat while supporting increases in muscle mass. The formulation also supports a better workout by boosting stamina and endurance and improving blood flow to the muscles.

Clenbutrol Benefits at a Glance

Burns fat
Boost performance
Preserves muscle mass
Improves muscle to fat ratio
Enhances endurance and stamina

Although CrazyBulk Clenbutrol is easily one of the best fat burners for cutting cycles, its ability to torch through body fat could also be used for more general weight loss needs. It may be an especially good option for anyone who has been losing weight and hit a plateau.

Nugenix Thermo Review – Fat Burner for Men, Should You Buy it?

Updated on May 8, 2020 by Brad Murphy

A thermogenic fat burner for Men, Nugenix Thermo claims to be an extreme metabolic accelerator! To find out what this means and if it actually works read our impartial review.

Nugenix Thermo Reviews — Is Nugenix Thermo a good choice? One of the criticisms that has been levelled at it is that it contains too much caffeine.

PROS
Reputable company brand.
A good set of ingredients.
Some good customer reviews.

CONS
Too much caffeine.
A fair few bad customer reviews.
A compromise compared to other fat burners.

VERDICT – NOT RECOMMENDED
Nugenix make supplements for men. The best known and most popular supplement from Nugenix is a testosterone booster, it is only recently that they have become active in the fat burning product market.

I feel as they are not quite there yet with this fat loss capsule and so recommend you look elsewhere.

Recommended Alternative
PhenQ is a multi benefit fat burning supplement that can also reduce cravings and block potential new fat. It is a serious weight loss product for both men and women that is without gimmick and does what it says on the bottle.

Nugenix Thermo Review

Nugenix Thermo is a thermogenic fat-burning supplement distributed by Adaptive Health. It’s a US company that also distributes several other supplements under the Nugenix brand name.

Other than the fact it’s based in the state of North Carolina, I haven’t been able to find out much about the company. Even the official Nugenix website doesn’t have a lot to say.

Adaptive Health refers to Thermo as an extreme metabolic accelerator and much about the product appears pretty hard-core.

Like a lot of alternative options, Nugenix Thermo is quite heavy on caffeine so it may be too extreme for some users to handle.

The marketing material states Nugenix Thermo is backed by eight studies that support the effectiveness of the key ingredients.

However, you need to remember studies that support the use of certain ingredients are not the same as studies that prove the finished product works.

Nugenix Thermo Benefits

Boost thermogenesis
Reduce body fat
Improve lean body mass

Another thing to remember is, these results are unlikely to be forthcoming unless you use Nugenix Thermo alongside a low-calorie diet.

It’s also worth being aware that, if you are following the right kind of diet, any number of alternative products will do the same thing and many of them are not so reliant on caffeine.

How Does Nugenix Thermo Work?

The main thing the formulation aims to do is increase thermogenesis. It increases metabolism too. Both these things increase the amount of calories your body burns each day.

Thermogenesis is the ongoing process that causes your body to leak energy into the air in the form of heat. Metabolism is the process that harasses energy and puts it to work.

If you are still eating too much, neither one of these things will help you much. However, if your body is short of energy it will already be burning fat as a secondary source of fuel.

If Nugenix Thermo makes you burn more calories than you were before, your need to burn body fat is only going to increase

What’s the Best Way to Use Nugenix Thermo?

You take two capsules each morning. There is no second dose. It’s a one time per day gig and you can take the capsules with or without food.

If you find the capsules hard on the stomach, though, using them without food is not the way to go.

Nugenix Thermo Ingredient Profile

Two Nugenix Thermo capsules provide:

Vitamin C (17 mg)
Niacin (16 mg)
Chromium (200 mcg)
Sicilian Red Orange Extract (400 mg)
Caffeine Anhydrous (150 mg)
Cayenne Extract (100 mg)
Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract (100 mg)
Green Coffee Bean Extract (75 mg)
Whole Coffee Fruit (50 mg)
Ginger Extract (50 mg)
Guarana Extract (50 mg)
Green Tea Extract (50 mg)
L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (30 mg)

Ingredient Potential

Is Vitamin C a fat-burner? Probably not. However, studies suggest a lack of Vitamin C may hinder fat loss. People with adequate levels of Vitamin C burn 30% more fat during exercise than people who are Vitamin C deficient.

Niacin is a B Vitamin (B3). It does a lot of different things. It helps you get energy from food and aids red blood cell production.

If you don’t get enough niacin you could fall victim to fatigue. Niacin also opens up the blood vessels and improves circulation. If you do sports this a big plus because you should be able to train a little longer and harder.

Chromium – this is a diet pill regular. Chromium’s main value comes from its ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin. When you take it in supplements, it may help you avoid the blood sugar crashes that cause you to crave carbs. Eating carbs after a workout is always recommended – but within reason.

Sicilian Red Orange Extract comes from Italian blood oranges. It’s included here in a patented version called Morosil. Although it’s not a popular ingredient, some evidence suggests it can help you to shed fat.

Caffeine Anhydrous – a super-potent caffeine power that’s very easy to absorb. Caffeine can boost energy. Research shows it also supports fat loss by increasing metabolism and thermogenesis.

Cayenne Extract is a good ingredient. Although cayenne red pepper extract is generally most respected for its ability to increase metabolism and thermogenesis, it also appears to be good for keeping appetite under control.

Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract is a plant-based ingredient that allegedly helps you to burn fat without losing muscle. Some studies support the use of coleus forskohlii in this way, but others do not.

Green Coffee Bean Extract provide chlorogenic acid. The compound appears to regulate blood sugar and insulin in a similar way to chromium.

Whole Coffee Fruit – It’s hard to say why this ingredient is here. Probably to provide extra caffeine. Adaptive Health states the coffee fruit it’s using is 70% Caffeine and there is 50g of fruit per serving. That’s another 35 mg of caffeine added to the mix.

Ginger Extract is generally used for providing digestive support and soothing upset stomachs. It may help with weight loss as well, but it’s not a power ingredient.

Guarana Extract berries provide caffeine. The form being used here provides 20%. Fortunately, it delivers the dose to the body slowly. Nevertheless, it’s presence here adds a further 10 mg of caffeine.

Green Tea Extract contains caffeine too, but generally not a lot. The amount this form provides is minuscule—less than 1%.

Green tea also provides EGCG and other beneficial compounds that help prevent disease, increase metabolism and thermogenesis and, ultimately, help you to lose weight. It’s one of the most popular fat burners in the world.

L-Carnitine L-Tartrate – this is a form of L-carnitine (amino acid) that’s sometimes put in sports supplements because it boosts energy. Manufacturers also use it in nootropic supplements because it supports improvements in cognitive function.

What Customers are Saying About Nugenix Thermo

There aren’t enough customer reviews to provide an accurate insight into what this product may do.

However, here are a couple I’ve borrowed from GNC.

positive customer review — A good review of Nugenix Thermo

a negative customer review — A bas customer review of Nugenix Thermo

Known Side Effects of Nugenix Thermoe

I was unable to find any reports of side effects but there are not many reviews to check. Bearing in mind the high caffeine content, unless you are a hardened caffeine user the potential of side effects is certainly there.

All told, each two-capsule serving provides 198 mg of caffeine and most of it is in a fast-acting form (caffeine anhydrous). Each dose provides as much caffeine as you may get by drinking two cups of coffee back to back.

The formulation also contains coleus forskohlii. It’s an ingredient that requires further study. Known side effects include flushing, rapid heartbeat, headache, and stinging eyes.

Many people can use coleus forskohlii without having any problems at all. You may be one of them but it doesn’t make sense to take risks. I suggest you get a doctor’s opinion before using this product to try and lose weight.

Places to Buy Nugenix Thermo

If you live in the US, you can buy Thermo from the Nugenix website. The company does not offer shipping options to other areas of the world.

Nugenix Thermo is also generally available from Walgreens, GNC, and several other popular North American retailers. Amazon.com is another option, but you may find it hard to find a supplier who offers international shipping.

How Much Does Nugenix Thermo Cost?

There are 60 capsules in a bottle. That’s a 30-day supply and the cost per bottle varies depending on where you buy. If you buy directly from the Nugenix website or GNC you are looking at paying just under USD 60 per bottle. Some suppliers may charge a little more but the Amazon price is USD 10 less.

Guarantee

Nugenix products do not have a money-back guarantee.

Is Nugenix Thermo a Good Product to Buy?

The formulation has some good far burning ingredients so, if you are eating right, it should help you to burn extra fat. With all that caffeine in it, the formulation should boost energy too.

Loading diet pills with caffeine is not a good move. At best the benefits will only continue for the short-term. Then the body adapts and caffeine becomes less effective. That’s probably why some customers say Nugenix Thermo does nothing for them at all.

This is a product that appears to be popular with gym-rats and other athletic types who have probably built up a tolerance to caffeine due to prolonged supplement use.

Nugenix Thermo would probably have a lot more to offer if it provided less caffeine and more cayenne and green tea.

Proven Set Variations for Increasing Muscle Mass

Updated on March 2, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Playing with sets for optimum muscle mass building.

Changing aspects of the sets you perform during a resistance training workout can help you increase your muscle mass gains significantly.

A lot of people do the same exercise, for the same number of reps, for straight sets…forever.

They do this, and wonder why they are not making the same progress as they once did. One big reason is because their muscles have adapted to the way they have been training.

Muscles do that when they get used to certain stimuli. It’s what makes them great, but it’s also what makes them

Not only does messing with set design allow you to break that stagnation, but it offers additional advantages for stimulating muscle hypertrophy.

For the sake of clarity, let’s just determine what I’m referring to when I say set.

A set is a number of repetitions of an exercise or exercises performed continuously until the next rest period.

You can manipulate sets in a number of ways. To start with I’ll cover some of the more classic sets that bodybuilders have gained a lot of success with over the years.

If you get through those and it’s nothing new to you then fear not, there will be more.

On the other hand, if you are totally new to resistance training or you are recovering from injury, then I would not attempt these sets until you have a solid base of straight set training under your belt.

For a green lifter, the point where you should start messing with sets is an individual thing. There’s no template that suits everyone. These are the bodybuilding basics.

However, if you record your progress from the start, you will see very clearly when your progress in your current program starts to stall.

The Classic Bodybuilding Sets – Adding Exercises

One of the first things to do when you want to push your gains, when you’re experiencing what you think is a plateau, stagnation, or whatever, is to add exercises to the set.

These sets are basically two or more exercises performed back to back with no rest in between.

The main benefit of doing this is of course the increased training volume without adding too much additional time to the total workout.

Again, you’ve probably heard of them before, but read on anyway because there’s some useful tips for getting the most out of them.

Supersets – Increasing Muscle Mass

When you lift a weight, you are using the agonist muscle in concentric and eccentric contraction, which is the shortening and lengthening of the muscle, respectively, under load.

The simplest example of this is the bicep curl. The biceps are the agonist in the curl movement and must contract concentrically and eccentrically in order to complete both the positive and negative portion of each repetition.

The agonist is often called the prime mover, as it is the primary muscle utilized in the exercise.

An antagonist is simple the muscle that must work in an opposing way to allow the contraction of the prime mover.

In the case of the bicep curl, the triceps work antagonistically. They actually relax to allow themselves to lengthen so that the biceps muscles can perform concentric contractions.

On the eccentric contraction, as the biceps extend under load, the triceps must contract to allow it.

Superset training is where you train both muscles (or muscle groups) in their agonist-antagonist pairs.

The superset is a number of reps of an exercise which uses the agonist, immediately followed by a number of reps using what was the antagonist, but switching it to become the agonist.

It is only once both have been completed that the set is over and the rest interval between sets begins.

A basic bicep-tricep superset might be:

12 x barbell bicep curls, followed immediately by
12 x cable tricep pull-downs

People often pick an agonist-antagonist pair and do three or four supersets on them. Basically about the same number of exercises they would do in straight set fashion on the single muscle group.

Doing this for one pair per workout is a great way to add an extra muscle group without the addition of much more time, i.e. just the time it takes to complete the extra reps.

Superset training is not just a time saver which allows for more volume though. The first muscle to be trained in the pair actually becomes a weaker antagonist for the second muscle.

That might seem like a bad thing but it’s beneficial to your muscle gains, because a weaker antagonist allows for a stronger contraction of the agonist.

Biceps and triceps are a beautiful example of this because there are two bicep muscles and three tricep muscles. By training biceps first in the superset, it allows for the stronger triceps to get maximal contractions, thereby increasing the resistance or number of reps you can lift.

Another agonist-antagonist muscle pair example is the chest and back. Both muscle groups are fairly large and so superset training the pecs and lats for example will cover a lot of ground, plus provide that hypertrophy benefit from added volume and second exercise power.

Guys often perform cable rows before hitting the benchpress so that they can maximize the pectoral activation.

Recommended frequency: superset training is demanding but it’s not as intense as some of the set variations I’m going to get to. However, there are some things to think about.

It may not be optimal, for example to perform biceps-triceps and then chest-back the following day. Reason being, the chest-back superset will actually utilize the triceps and biceps quite heavily anyway. If they are fatigued from the day before, they might be limiting factors in your chest and back exercises.

With all that in mind, I would give both muscle groups two days rest before you hit them again. This means you can focus on other muscles on the days between.

The most common muscle group pairings are:

Chest and Back
Biceps and Triceps
Quads and Hamstrings
Shoulders and Lats

People find different combinations to work. Some focus on supersets for a limited period of time, while others add them in to their program on a regular but less intense basis.

Personally, I like to add a couple supersets in to my training per week, with one upper body and one lower body pairing.

Compound Sets – Increasing Muscle Mass

Compound sets are also two back-to-back exercises with no rest in between but both are done on the same muscle group, rather than agonist-antagonist pairs like in supersets.

You can either:

Use the same part of the muscle group in both exercises; or
Target two different sections of the muscle group

A tactic often used is to perform a multi-joint lift (aka compound movement) and then immediately follow it with an isolation exercise.

Examples include:

Bench press with dumbbell fly
Shoulder press with lateral raise
Squats with leg extensions

Other methods used include:

Barbell exercises followed by dumbbell exercises
Free weight exercises followed by machine exercises

A benefit of doing compound sets is of course the added volume without much added time. Much like supersets.

When you are trying to hit a particular muscle group harder to stimulate a greater growth response in the days following, there aren’t many better exercises than compound sets and tri-sets and giant sets (I’ll get to those in a bit).

Compound sets are more intensive than supersets thought because you are focusing the entire set on one muscle group, sometimes on one muscle.

There’s only one way to make up for the added energy you expend and that is in the recovery process.

These sets are therefore best used only occasionally and/or for short stretches. The longer you use them for, the more at risk you are of over-training.

I will stop using compound sets at the first sign of unusually high tiredness over the course of a couple of regular days.

Also, you should consider adding time to the rest interval between workouts of the same muscle group. Some people wait up to a week before training the same muscle group again after they have hit it with compound sets. Others only need 3 days rest but for them it is still an increase.

Find your pattern.

Tri-Sets and Giant Sets – Increasing Muscle Mass

Compound sets aren’t limited to two exercises like supersets are. Tri-sets and Giant sets are basically just bigger compound sets.

At the risk of stating the obvious, tri-sets are sets where you perform three exercises on the trot with no rest intervals in between them.

What’s cool about tri-sets is that you can do three sets and hit an entire small muscle group, without the need to add on some straight set exercises afterwards.

Your triceps are a great example because there are three of them and you can perform a nice, quick transition between the exercises to hit the long-head, lateral head and medial head of the group.

Giant sets are four or more exercises performed on the bounce. They are perhaps better suited to the larger muscle group, but can be performed on smaller groups provided lifting form doesn’t suffer.

In fact, that piece of advice goes for any of the compound set variations. If your form starts to slip during any part of the set then I would suggest that your rep counts are too high, or you are simply not ready for that intensity of exercise yet.

Make sure you can cope with the intra-set endurance required before you attempt trisets and giant sets. If you are used to hitting straight sets on the shoulders, for example, then jumping into giant sets might not work out for the best because you don’t have the stamina to really get the most out of it.

Increasing Exercise Intensity

The increasing exercise intensity and set volume from two exercise compound sets up to giant sets would be best approached in congruence with your experience level.

This will help you to avoid over-training, injury and program failure, as you will be confident in your strength and skill, despite the sets still pushing you physically.

As you stuff more exercises into your compound sets, your frequency and period of training them should be less and shorter respectively.

Not only will this reduce the likelihood of overtraining, fatigue and failure, but it will help you recover better and in fact grow more from the training stimulus.

Basically, the more energy you put into the process, the longer your body needs to recover and overcompensate afterwards.

One muscle group particularly suited to giant set training is the abdominal muscles. There are many variations of exercises, utilizing bodyweight, free-weights, cables and other machines that can target different sections of the abs.

Also, due to to almost constant use of our core, the abdominal muscles are used to being engaged frequently and for extended periods. Thus they have a high recovery rate, between both sets and workouts.

Giants sets are therefore a great way to work the core deeply and stimulate maximum growth by interrupting that fast recovery time with back-to-back exercises.

Things to Bear in Mind – Increasing Muscle Mass

Additional volume and intensity means additional stress. Supersets and all variations of compound sets should be used infrequently and for short periods of time to get the maximum adaptations from them.

There are a few ways to work them into your program, and over time you will become accustomed to what works for you.

Some people add one or two set variations into every workout for a period of time, targeting different muscle groups each session. This works because no one muscle group becomes overly fatigued over the course of a few weeks.

For example, if Monday is your chest day and arms day, then you could probably do a superset for your arms and a compound set for your chest. On the other hand, you could do straight sets on your chest and then tri-set your triceps to really finish them off. The following week, you could tri-set your chest and straight set your triceps.

This would allow both to recover adequately for the next chest/arms day the following week.

Another possibility is using set variations to bring a lagging muscle group up to the same standard as the rest of your physique.

Compound/Super-Setting

This can either be done by compound/super-setting that muscle group every week for a few weeks and training the rest as normal.

A strategy that has worked well for me is adding a workout for that muscle group within the week’s program and using set variations then.

For example: if I feel a muscle group is lagging, such as my back, then I will simply add another back workout to my weekly program so that there is only 2/3 days between each back workout.

Supersets are great for this because you can superset your back with your chest on chest day and then carry out back day as normal a few days later.

To take it to the next level, you could dedicate an additional workout to the lagging muscle group – the back in this case – and do compound sets on that additional day while training it as normal on the regular back day.

Again, it will take some experimentation to see whether this is actually beneficial to your muscle growth response, or whether it fatigues you more and ends up being detrimental.

The more you focus on one muscle group, the more you have to be wary about the length of time you train for, both within the session and on a week by week basis.

Experience, fitness level, diet, sleep and general activity level in your life will dictate much of what you can achieve, and there is no point in me saying ‘do this for 4 weeks for the best results’ because no program fits all.

Somebody who has a very physical job, for instance, should not be attempting multiple giant sets per week unless they are mitigating the energy usage elsewhere with nutrition and additional hours of sleep.

What I’m saying is: as you invest more energy into your program, another factor of your life must give some back to retain the balance and prevent you from experiencing the negative effects of over-training.

Training to Failure – Training a Muscle to Failure

Updated on April 28, 2020 by Brad Murphy

If you repeat the same exercise on the same set of muscles you are likely to experience muscle failure. Trust me you don’t want to experience muscle failure!

Training to failure is repeating your specific exercise or workout to point where your muscles fail.

Training Your Muscles to Failure

Typically, you just cannot muster the strength for one more bench press.

Take a look around a typical gym full of bros and you’ll see a lot of them squeezing out their best pain face as they crank out the last few reps of their set.

That often means they are taking the set to muscle failure, otherwise known as the point when your muscles just won’t do another rep, no matter how strong your mind-muscle connection is.

Many of the same bros would tell you that training to failure is the best way to grow muscle. Some of them will say it’s the only way to grow muscle.

In fact, this has been the edict of many a professional bodybuilder over the years.

And who can argue with the very people who should absolutely know how to grow the biggest muscles, considering they have the largest muscles in the world?

But, is it necessary to do it every time your train? Should you take each muscle group to failure on each set? How many times should you do it a week? and is there an advantage to leaving some reps in the tank?

I’m going to cover all the answers to those questions, and possibly more. I’ll discuss some fancy research that’s put this very subject to the test, and I’ll provide you with some cool advice that you can immediately apply to your training in order to get more out of it.

First, let’s start with the basics.

What is Muscle Failure?

Within the context of resistance training, it’s the point when your muscle/s can no longer generate adequate force to overcome the resistance and perform even a partial concentric contraction.

You can't budge it when your muscles fail! — You can’t budge it when your muscles fail!

In other words; you can’t move the weight an inch.

Muscle failure is technically temporary, and might be called momentary concentric failure in pretty books about bodybuilding and strength training.

It’s temporary because you should be able to perform more contractions with the same load after you’ve taken a breather.

In fact, this momentary nature of muscle failure has led to many different set designs being thought up over the years, from the rest-pause method to completing multiple back-to-back drop-sets to failure.

What’s Good about Training to Muscle Failure?

Exhausting your muscle, sometimes repeatedly in a short space of time, has been used to improve rates of muscle protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy – i.e. growth in terms of size and mass – for years.

Basically, the idea is that by working a muscle to its point of failure makes sure that as many motor units and thus muscle fibers as possible are recruited to keep moving the load.

That’s because as more and more of the initial fibers that were engaged at the start of the set become fatigued, the muscle needs more to help it generate the same total muscle force.

That in turn means that more muscle fibers are stressed under load, providing the stimulus for the supercompensation/growth that happens in the post-workout recovery stage.

Going to failure essentially ensures that no more of the muscle’s fibers could have been recruited.

That concept of leaving no room for doubt might actually be the only reason to train to failure, and I’ll get into why that is a bit later.

What’s Bad about Muscle Failure?

Longer recovery, decreased frequency, decreased volume, reduced intensity and higher probability of injury.

Okay, that sounds really bad, but it all makes sense when you think about it.

Longer Recovery

Training a muscle to failure implies a heavy reliance on anaerobic respiration and therefore lactate.

One can only work the muscle using lactate as an energy substrate for so long until muscle acidity rises to the point where it is too high for the conversion of glucose to occur at effective rates.

This acidity is commonly known as lactic acid, and it’s why our muscles fail.

Lactic acid is a good thing though because it prevents you from simply working the muscle until it wastes away. It’s a defence mechanism.

However, it causes soreness in the muscle, often proportional to how far you took your training. This can extend the recovery period of the muscle tissue, which can have knock on effects to your training.

Muscle failure is not a great experience

Decreased Frequency

Of course, if a muscle or muscle group takes 4 days to recover instead of 2 because you ventured deep into the pain cave last time you trained, it can affect the frequency by which you can train.

Most trainers and coaches these days advise that you don’t train if you are sore. Obviously the whole situation varies from one individual to another, but soreness – sometimes referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) – is a good indicator for when you should train a body part again.

Light soreness is not really an issue but if the pain causes reduced function of the muscle it is probably best to let it rest some more as it is still recovering, growing and strengthening.

I’ll talk about soreness in more detail in a while. For now, suffice to say that it plays a role training frequency.

Soreness aside, the reduced capacity of muscle tissue following an intense lifting session can reduce training frequency. Simply put, you want to avoid overtraining because it can have many negative impacts, both in the short term and down the road.

Decreased Volume

From decreased frequency, a decrease in training volume is a definite possibility.

Weekly training volume is defined by the number of reps and sets you do in the seven days. Reduce the frequency and you can reduce the overall volume unless you increase the volume per workout to compensate.

That’s fine of course, and often part of the natural course of progressive overload. Progressive overload doesn’t always have to mean adding weight to the bar. It can also involve adding another set, say to your squat routine.

Training to failure too often can disrupt that progression.

After all, something has to give if you’re cooking the muscles to failure but trying to pump out the same volume and frequency as you would do if your sets actually left some reps in the tank.

That something can be training intensity, or the health of your joints, muscles and connective tissue.

Decreased Intensity

Generally speaking, if it takes more effort to lift the same weight for the same sets and reps as you did in your last workout, something is going wrong.

I say ‘generally speaking’ because sometimes there are understandable reasons for this, such as during cutting cycles, acute fatigue, nutritional timing etc. or any other short-term issue.

Intensity – at least in the context of bodybuilding – refers to the amount of weight your are lifting. It’s often referred to as a percentage of your 1RM (one rep max). And again, in general, it should increase for a given volume and frequency over time.

If training to muscle failure is preventing this increase from happening, or it is even causing your intensity to decrease, then it’s most certainly time to re-assess how often, or when, you are doing those failure sets.

Decreasing either of the other factors – volume or frequency – in order to maintain intensity is just as bad.

Increased Risk of Injury

This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise but weakening muscles by training them to their point of failure can heighten their potential for injury.

The risk of injury when lifting weights is extremely low, especially compared to other sports, as long as you are aware of your body’s capabilities and limitations.

Important Counterpoint

It’s worth noting that none of these points are inherently negative until they have a negative effect.

If that seems like I’m stating the obvious then let me use an example to explain: if training to failure reduces your overall volume, it’s only negative if you are set back in your progress as a result.

In fact, I’ve often heard people explain that reducing volume and adding some failure sets in is what broke them through a plateau. Ultimately, progress can be attributed to a combination of all the factors, and much of that is down to the individual.

Even the perceived increased risk of injury that’s associated with concentric muscle failure is theoretical. There’s no reason to assume the risk of injury is greater unless when it has been accommodated for.

For example, someone who performs free-weight back squats to failure in the open, nowhere near the safety bars of a power rack, is putting themselves vastly more at risk than someone doing arm curls to failure on a cable machine.

You can read part two here – Training To Failure – Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure