Ever notice how the first rep of an exercise sometimes feels like the hardest? Turns out, there’s some truth to that. When the nervous system knows that you’re about to lift a weight (i.e., you’ve just picked up a heavy barbell and are holding it in the start position), it fires to activate your muscles. It takes a time (albeit, [...]

Gender segregation is running rampant in gyms across the country and around the world. In the cardio section of the gym (with all the treadmills, bikes and ellipticals), you’ll find mostly women. And in the strength training area (with various machines and free weights), you’ll see mostly men. But this isn’t a segregation enforced by gym policies or rules – [...]

Howdy Davey! I’m starting your weight loss program and I was wondering if you could answer one of my questions. I understand the three types of exercise (resistance, cardio, and stress reduction), but I am wondering if is best to set aside each day to do a different one – or should I cram them all in together? Thanks for [...]

Whether cardio should be done before or after strength training is one of the more hotly contested fitness debates – and it’s a subject that I touch upon in my Ultimate Guide to Working Out. Though there are pretty good arguments on either side, it often comes down to goals. If your goal is weight loss or cardiovascular endurance, then [...]

Drops sets are a strength training technique wherein you perform a set of any exercise to failure (or just short of failure) – and then drop some weight and continue for additional repetitions with the reduced resistance. Once failure is again reached, additional resistance is dropped and so on. Drop sets are great for bodybuilders or individuals looking to make [...]

I’ve been going to the gym long enough to have seen it all. And though I often have the urge to point out the mistakes of the gym-goers around me, I resist the urge to be that guy. But since you’ve actively solicited my advice, there’s certainly no reason to hold back. Here are 9 of the most common strength [...]

Dear Davey, I’ve been told by multiple people, including my yoga teacher and friends, that there is a max number of reps one can do in one set. I’ve been told it’s somewhere between 21 to 25 reps. Is this true? From, Ryan Dear Ryan, There isn’t a magic number from a scientific standpoint, but there certainly are some ranges [...]

Hey Davey, I’m new to the gym and i just wanted to ask a few questions to get me going and get me on the right track. I weigh about 190 lbs. and am 5’11″. I am mainly going to the gym to turn all this fat into muscle. I go to the gym 5 days a week, and the [...]

Many fitness enthusiasts are fairly committed to the gym and working out, but often perform the same routines with the same weights over and over again. They don’t see any changes in their bodies or increases in strength, and often excuse their lack of results with the mistaken belief that it takes many years to see any real changes. As [...]

Last Sunday, I was talking with a young man who insisted that he wanted to drop 5 pounds by Tuesday. My first reaction was, “What happens on Tuesday?” I figured that there must be an impending tropical vacation, or perhaps a gratuitous photo shot or something of the sort. “Oh, nothing,” he replied. “I just want to lose a few [...]