While squats are the king choice for leg day, they’re also the bane of many lifters’ existence. Some people simply don’t squat due to negligent programming while they bias toward relatively easier upper body training. Others might not squat because they’ve never learned proper technique and they can’t get comfortable with the movement.  If you’re in either of…
The post The 9 Best Squat Variations for Size, Strength, and More appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

When it comes to “pulling” off the seemingly impossible on monstrous deadlifts, Heather Connor is unmatched. During the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Valletta, Malta, the superstar pulled another heavy rabbit out of her black top hat when she deadlifted 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds) raw. The milestone is an IPF World Record in…
The post Heather Connor (47KG) Deadlifts 200 Kilograms (440.9 Pounds) For New IPF World Record appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the week. Ours has been a blur, but filled with fun adventures and time with friends. The girls had sleepovers, I met up with a friend for Pilates, and it was Liv’s recital weekend. In the background of all of the…
The post Miraval recap + my new favorite meditation appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Tiffany Chapon has done it again, not that anyone in strength sports is likely surprised. During the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships, the French superstar powerlifter scored a raw 99.5-kilogram (219.3-pound) bench press on her top lift. The mark is an IPF World Record in the 47-kilogram weight class. The athlete wore just a…
The post Tiffany Chapon Sets Bench Press IPF World Record En Route to Dominant Three-Peat appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Owning a home gym is beneficial because it offers more flexibility and convenience regarding how and when you can work out. It eliminates the need for lengthy commutes to a commercial gym, and you don’t have to feel self-conscious about working out in front of others. You also don’t have to share the equipment with anyone else, except…
The post 20 Best Home Gym Equipment Essentials for Cardio, Strength Training, and More appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It’s still a ways off, but bodybuilder Hunter Labrada has set his sights on a redemptive performance at the 2023 Olympia. Following a disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2022 edition, Labrada vowed to return stronger as a competitor. He even promised a more streamlined physique focused on aesthetics rather than sheer size. Based on a recent update, he…
The post Hunter Labrada Looks Shredded Before Taking on 2023 Texas Pro and 2023 Tampa Pro appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The lat pulldown and the pull-up are staples across many training programs — sometimes even coexisting within the same workout. Both exercises train the “vertical pulling” movement pattern and can be highly effective for targeting your back muscles, which is why some lifters regard them as nearly interchangeable. Despite how visually similar the movements may seem, they can…
The post Lat Pulldown vs. Pull-Up: The Battle for a Bigger Back appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Kristján Jón Haraldsson is the champion of the 2023 Strongest Man in Iceland (SMI) contest. The athlete came out victorious in the strength competition that took place in Hafnarfjördur, Iceland on June 3, 2023. It’s a repeat performance for Haraldsson, who successfully defended his SMI title from 2022. According to his personal page on Strongman Archives, Haraldsson can…
The post 2023 Strongest Man in Iceland Results — Kristján Jón Haraldsson Repeats appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

These days, Dorian Yates happily spends most of his time in a deserved retirement in Brazil. However, there was a time when the six-time Mr. Olympia champion (1992-1997) constructed one of the greatest runs in bodybuilding history. As the 61-year-old continues to coast into the sunset, he’s been sharing more and more training tidbits that helped a one-time…
The post Dorian Yates Explains the 2-Exercise Ab Routine That Fueled His Mr. Olympia Dynasty appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Bench Press Championships saw a number of hallowed records fall. One of them now belongs to 50-year-old Dutch powerlifter lelja Strik, who helped rewrite the record books during the upper body, single-lift strength contest that took place on May 20-28, 2023, in Sun City, South Africa. By the competition’s end, Strik…
The post lelja Strik (84KG) Bench Presses 132.5 Kilograms (292.1 Pounds) for Raw Masters IPF World Record appeared first on Breaking Muscle.