Fitmd

06/13/2026

The research shows gloves:
❌ Reduce max grip force by 15–20%
❌ Slow rate of force development by up to 38%
❌ Blunt the tactile feedback your nervous system needs to recruit grip muscles efficiently

And before you say “but I’m working harder with gloves” — higher effort doesn’t equal better adaptation. Grip strength is built through absolute force output, not relative effort. Gloves reduce both the force you produce AND the neural efficiency of how you produce it.

The only legitimate reason to use gloves: skin protection. That’s it.

Lifting straps are a completely different conversation. Studies show straps increase deadlift 1RM by 10–16% and allow significantly more reps on heavy pulls by removing grip as the limiting factor. For heavy deadlifts, rows, and shrugs where your back and legs still have more to give — straps are legit.

Just don’t strap everything. Train your bare grip regularly. Grip strength is one of the most validated proxies for overall physical health we have, although it’s likely a correlative, and not causative, relationship (i.e. more active, healthier people have stronger grips). Nonetheless, training your grip is still probably a good idea.

As far as calluses? Use a pumice stone 2–3x weekly after showering, moisturize your hands after training, and keep your hands dry between sets. However, calluses will still form as a necessary part of adaptation, so it’s also a matter of where your priorities lie. It’s what I like to say to my clients: “Calluses build character.”

06/12/2026

The 1-Arm Dumbbell Row is one of the best exercises for building a stronger, wider back.

This movement targets the lats, upper back, and rear deltoids while also challenging core stability. Focus on maintaining a flat back, neutral spine, and level hips throughout the set. Rather than simply lifting the weight, think about driving your elbow back in a smooth arc as if you're trying to put the dumbbell into your front pocket.

Control the weight through the entire range of motion, avoid twisting or shrugging, and let your back muscles do the work.

05/09/2026

CABLE TRUNK ROTATIONS are a more dynamic version of the PALLOF PRESS, another exercise meant to work the deeper abdominal muscles. Rotational movements recruit both the inner and outer obliques, muscles that run diagonally along the sides of the abdomen, as well as the deeper sheet-like muscle called the transverse abdominis. These muscles also serve as stabilizers when performing heavy lifting, in which they may work indirectly. Here’s one way to target them more specifically.

04/12/2026

People tend to associate how they feel before a workout with how productive it is going to be, assuming that it’s not going to be worth it if they don’t feel their best. Not only is your emotional state not always predictive of how your workout is going to go, it also doesn’t matter.

That’s the great thing about exercise. It improves your life whether or not you think you “had a good workout” or not. In fact, most people will still see progress over the long term regardless of how they feel on any particular day. Show up anyway. 💪🏽

04/06/2026

03/29/2026

Everyone wants better recovery…
but no one wants to fix the basics.

The recovery industry is worth $8–10 BILLION a year —
and most people are still underslept and overstressed.

You don’t need more hacks.
You need better habits.

Sleep. Nutrition. Stress management.
That’s the real recovery stack.

03/22/2026

As far as abdominal isolation exercises go, I find HANGING REVERSE CRUNCHES to be an effective option. These are more challenging and can’t be done for as many reps as some other common abdominal exercises, like traditional crunches, making them a bit more useful for strength and muscle development. They can also be progressed by straightening your legs or holding a dumbbell between your feet. HANGING REVERSE CRUNCHES can be done with ab straps, hanging from a bar, or using a “Captain’s Chair” if you have access to one. A key (and often neglected) element of this exercise is creating spinal flexion by bringing the knees to the chest, rather than simply to waist level. This recruits the re**us abdominis (“six-pack”), as opposed to the more hip flexor dominant movement that occurs when only bringing the knees to waist level.

03/14/2026

DEADLIFTS are a great overall strength builder, with a particular focus on hamstrings and glutes. Many other muscles contribute to and stabilize the movement, including the quads, calves, lower back, lats, rhomboids, traps, and the deeper abdominal muscles. Here is a simple breakdown.

03/13/2026

03/04/2026

If there were one supplement almost everyone should consider… it might be creatine monohydrate.

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in existence — studied for decades, with hundreds of peer-reviewed papers behind it.

Your body naturally makes creatine, and it’s stored in your muscles as creatine phosphate. Its main job? Rapidly regenerating ATP — your body’s primary energy source.

More creatine means more immediately available energy for short, intense efforts like lifting weights, sprinting, or jumping. That translates to better performance, slower fatigue, faster recovery, more muscle growth, and less soreness.

But the benefits go beyond the gym.

Creatine has been shown to improve working memory — especially in older adults — help preserve muscle as we age, and may even support brain health in conditions like traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disease. There’s also emerging evidence for creatines benefits in depression, stress, fibromyalgia, and sleep deprivation.

It’s extremely well-tolerated and has one of the best safety profiles of any supplement. If you have chronic kidney disease, talk to your physician first. Otherwise, 3–5 grams per day is a solid target.

If you don’t eat meat, you may benefit even more — since meat is the only natural dietary source.

With this much upside and very little downside, creatine might just be as close as we get to a “perfect” supplement.