Better Bodies

Your fitness journey, like all journeys, is full of variables outside of your control. There are two choices on how to face these. Sure, you could obsess over everything, even the things you can’t control. Or, the better option is to ignore them and focus entirely on what you can control. From packing your gym duffle bag with all the items you need to making the most out of the small things, here’s how you can center your gym experience on what you can control. Gym Wear Make the Most Out of the Small Things At the gym, the smallest details can often make the biggest difference. When you take the time to focus on these small decisions and make the most out of them, you can influence your fitness journey as a whole. You can’t control how fast your strength improves, but you can make sure you perform every lift with proper form and complete each set—that means no “gimme reps” or half measures. You can’t predict every event at the gym, but you can pack a duffle bag with your gym gloves ...

The step from a rookie weightlifter to becoming a true veteran takes lots of hard work, but it can also be subtle. You might not notice it’s happened until someone comes up to you and asks for your opinion on their form. As you’re helping them out, you’ll realize your new role in the gym. The jump between these stages of your fitness journey can easily be made with the right knowledge. There are always a few simple principles that experienced weightlifters seem to know and stick to. Whether that means never cutting corners or wearing the right gym clothes , here are some of the secrets you need to know to become a veteran bodybuilder. Gym Clothes There’s No Such Thing as a Shortcut Over time, every dedicated weightlifter learns this lesson. You can’t take shortcuts on your way to reaching your fitness goals. It might be tempting, but they will just lead you back to where you are. The difference between experienced bodybuilders and newcomers still finding their way is that the veteran...

Your fitness journey is full of plenty of obstacles and challenges. The more you overcome, the stronger you get and the more accomplishments you get to hang your hat on. Some of these roadblocks are small, and some are large, but either way, your attitude is a significant factor in overcoming them. While the gym is a physical experience, your mental strength can be vital to reaching further heights. So, when packing your gym duffle bag and getting ready to face your next challenge, here are three mindsets you can adopt to help push through it. Gym Wear Find the Secret to Success with an Analytical Approach The gym is often full of passion and fiery drive. Would it be helpful to adopt a mindset from the flip side of the coin? Can a more analytical approach help you get stronger and lift more weights? In fact, it can. Approaching your challenges with a calm and collected attitude, accompanied by an analytical way of thinking, can help you find solutions to problems you’ve been stuck w...

For some of us, morning workouts come naturally. Others might struggle to get out of bed earlier to hit the gym. If that sounds like you, there’s good news! There are a few simple ways you can turn a morning workout from a dreaded task into something you look forward to. Once you’ve made a habit of lifting in the morning, you might never want to go back. Suddenly, early workouts become your best friend. So, whether it’s packing your gym clothes early or carefully planning your workout, here is how you can set yourself up for success when switching to an A.M. routine. Gym Clothes Pack Your Bag the Night Before The key to a successful morning workout is starting your day on the right foot. When you first wake up, the idea of packing your bag and getting ready to hit the gym might persuade you to go back to sleep instead. Why not prepare your clothes and gear beforehand? Take some time the night before to gather everything you need for the next day. That way, you can wake up and be out...

As a dedicated athlete, the gym is like your home away from home. Just like you have your family at home, at the gym, you have a family of fellow gym-goers who work as hard as you do to achieve their fitness goals. As a member of this close-knit community, you must make sure you are supportive and active, just like you are in your own family. Everybody could use a little support in their weightlifting goals, and you can provide just that. Pack your gym duffle bag and take these tips with you as you look to uplift and encourage your workout community. Gym Wear Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help This tip might seem like it’s just helping yourself, but starting by asking for help can be a great way to bring your gym community closer together. It is a great way to break the ice with new gym members or people you haven’t talked to yet. Ask them to spot when you bench press or see if they have any tips to help your squat form. Not only can this help them feel more comfortable at the gym, but...

While persistence and dedication get you to the gym every day, motivation can be what helps you lift that extra rep or hit a new PR. Lifting isn’t a passive activity. As a bodybuilder, you want to ignite that fire inside you, power through every obstacle, and smash every doubt. No matter whether you just started your fitness journey a month ago or you’ve been bodybuilding for a decade, you need a source of inspiration. The right quotes are a perfect way to find what you’re looking for. These words ring true in your ears and turn the fire in you from embers into a roaring blaze. Next time you consider dropping the bar and quitting before finishing your set, tighten your gym gloves , recite one of these three quotes, and give it all you have.  Gym Clothes “Fall Down Seven Times, Get Back Up Eight” This Japanese proverb is quoted in many different situations, sometimes with the wording slightly varied. But the message is always the same. If you get back up every time you fall, there...

There are a lot of benefits of an intense strength training routine. You get stronger, improve your overall health, and help enhance your physique. When you are creating a lifting schedule, a few lifts stand out above the rest. These compound exercises can help you target large groups of muscles. They should be a pillar in your routine and the main focus of your energy. If that sounds like the plan you’re looking for, grab your gym gloves and get ready to lift. These four compound lifts should be in every strength training routine. Target Your Lower Body with Squats Squats are the ultimate leg day workout. They work out a wide range of muscles, from your glutes and quads to calves and hamstrings. They also can help improve your core and lower back strength. When squatting with good form, you can even improve your mobility and posture. Remember to keep your knees over your toes and your back straight. Keep your heels on the ground and power through each rep. If you are looking to imp...

Everyone wants to be a superhero, but not everyone has what it takes to work out like one. When you dedicate yourself to your workouts, you can get the superhero physique that you’ve been dreaming of. However, there are a few things you need to remember every time you step foot in the gym. Your attitude and mindset are the only things that stand between you and becoming a real-life hero. From setting the tone with high-quality gym clothes to fighting through adversity, here are the tips for creating your own origin story for your fitness journey. Gym Wear Remember What You Are Fighting For Every hero fights for a cause. You need a reason to be at the gym. This can be anything, but it has to motivate you to continue to improve. For some people, it is the quest to become the best version of themselves. For others, it is to improve their health. It could be pursuing a goal like a marathon or entering your first lifting competition. Heroes encounter obstacles and barriers, and when they...

You don’t go to the gym to remain stagnant and do the same routine every day. Increasing your lifting capacity is an integral part of the gym experience. The more you lift, the stronger you get. Working out is all about improving yourself and breaking through the barriers you encounter on your fitness journey. So how do you increase your lifting limit? There are a few tips you can take with you every time you want to take the next step and add more weight to the bar. Grab your gym gloves and follow these four tips to lift more weight. Gym Clothes Lower Your Reps and Increase Your Weight Depending on your lift, let’s say you’re aiming for 10-12 reps each set you do. By the end of each set, you should feel spent and like you gave it your all. What happens when you decrease the rep count to 6-8 reps? You have more energy for each set. Now, you can increase your weight limit. Figure out how much extra weight you can lift for 6-8 reps without overexerting yourself, and then slowly increas...

Life can get hectic, and when your schedule fills up, and responsibilities pull you in a hundred different directions, you need to prioritize what is important to you. Your trips to the gym are critical for your fitness journey and deserve to be high on your priority list. So with different obligations fighting for your attention, you need to take steps to make sure you can get to the gym. From sharing your goals with your loved ones to proving the importance of your routine with high-quality gym clothes , here are a few ways you can ensure you always fit your workouts into a busy schedule. Gym Clothes Share Your Goals with Friends and Family Your support system is just as important as your devotion to keeping your workout schedule on track. Your loved ones are always there to support you, and they can help you keep your workouts the top priority they should be. Start by letting them know why you are dedicated to improving your fitness. Once they understand your goals and motivations,...

You don’t go to the gym because it’s easy. You go to the gym because of the challenge. The gains you make and the goals you reach after all your hard work are incomparable. So how do you rise to the challenge when you have lost passion for your bodybuilding goals? This kind of barrier isn’t going to stop you. You’ll pack your gym duffle bag every day and take the steps you need to get back on track. When your burning passion for working out has dimmed, here are four tips to reignite the fire. Gym Clothes Recenter Yourself and State Your Goals When you first start your bodybuilding journey, you have very defined goals with specific benchmarks you want to reach. Whether it is a PR lift or a streak of days at the gym, you have your goals. There comes the point when you achieve your initial goals. Does that mean you stop? Of course not. However, you can feel lost and directionless. The passion you once had seems to disappear when you have nothing to work towards. It didn’t disappear. It ...

With spring in full swing, sunshine and warm days are just around the corner. Soon, you’ll find yourself savoring the walk from your car to the gym. You’ll be getting your cardio outside. You have your spring break vacation planned. As the season of renewal creates a new sense of liveliness, you are still hard at work at the gym. But just because you are dedicated to your bodybuilding routine doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the joys that spring brings. Grab your warm weather gym wear and add spring to your routine with these four tips. Black Camo Leggings Enjoy the Weather with Some Outdoor Exercises You shouldn’t cut the gym out of your plans entirely. Nothing can replace the pump you get at the squat rack or with the bench press. However, you can head outside and enjoy the sunshine on a day of active recovery or a specified bodyweight exercise day. Find a park with some bars that you can do pullups on or a hill where you can run incline sprints. These are easy ways to still work...

Many bodybuilders have trouble taking rest days. It’s something simple that seems so wrong to many. If you aren’t training, are you gaining? You might want to put on your gym clothes and not skip a single day when you could be training and getting closer to a PR, but you must give your body time to recuperate. Rest helps your body recover and come back stronger. That way, you can get back to the gym and keep making gains. Here’s what you need to know about rest days. Gym Clothes Why You Should Take a Rest Simply put, your body needs to rest. If you continually train at a high intensity day after day, chances are good you will burn out. Your body just can’t handle it. If you are training for competition using peaks and tapers, you may experience decreased strength if you don’t take a break and give your body a rest. Conversely, you may not be training hard enough if you train every day of the week and don’t feel like you need a rest. That doesn’t mean you should be lifting until your...

A warmup before a workout is essential. It gets the blood pumping and the muscles primed for action. One of the single biggest mistakes people make when they jump into a workout, exercise, or any physical activity is skipping the before and after stretching routines. Or they do a shortened routine. They’re eager to get into their workout. While eagerness is always good, don’t skip the stretch! Stretching can help prevent injury and can help you get more out of your workout. Instead, put this enthusiasm toward a more efficient stretch routine. Here are a few quick tips to up your stretch game. When You Should Focus on Static Stretching There are different types of stretches. For example, there’s the static warmup and the dynamic warmup. Each type nets you different results. A static stretch focuses your body movement on lengthening muscle tissue in 30-second intervals. The goal with these kinds of stretches is to release tension from the muscle, and they should be used during your coo...

Have you been putting on your gym clothes , heading to the gym, and powering through your training session by yourself? You are missing out on having a built-in motivator, rival, and fellow iron sport enthusiast in a gym partner. Finding someone you can rely on to be your spotter and share advice with every time you hit the gym is a challenge. Here are six tips to help you find a gym partner and how you can push each other to new heights. Gym Clothes Look Toward Your Community If you think you don’t have a community, look to your choices in gym apparel. Your favorite pair of black camo leggings might come from a community of like-minded bodybuilders. The brands you choose for your gym wear may cultivate communities, providing advice and information. You can also spot other people at the gym who share your dedication. One of the best places to find a new gym partner who is as committed to the iron sport as you are is in your community. If you both accept no excuses for missing a train...

Going to the gym as a lone wolf can be convenient. You can set your own schedule and get an intense workout in. There are, however, quite a few benefits in joining a fitness community and having partners to train with. From exchanging training tips to discussing which black camo leggings are best for your workouts, a community can push you further on your journey. Here are some of the reasons you might want to join a bodybuilding community. Accountability and Motivation At our cores, we all want to be part of a community. Finding the right fitness community means finding people who will hold you accountable while motivating you. When you see other bodybuilders in the same brand of lifting clothes and gym gloves means you have all committed to the same bodybuilding lifestyle and ideals. It’s a reminder to show up to training sessions and give your best effort. When you are a member of a community you meet at the gym, you can’t put in a half-hearted effort. A gym group can keep you m...

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to commit to the bodybuilding lifestyle? Have you been buying new gym clothes in anticipation of hitting the gym hard, getting the training sessions in, and becoming serious about hitting PRs? Then there are a few tips you can follow that will help you fully commit and have a better time with the iron sport. Whether you’re new to bodybuilding or are finally making the commitment after hitting the gym every so often, these tips are for you.  Join a Community If you have been going to the gym but are now fully committing to the lifestyle, you have probably seen people wearing the same gym wear or brand. Wearing the same brand gives a better sense of community and can help you identify people who share the same ideals in the gym. For example, people wearing Better Bodies’ clothes have, like you, fully committed to the bodybuilding lifestyle and won’t accept compromises. It’s an inclusive community that helps each other hit PRs, exchanges new re...

Are you frustrated that you have reached a plateau and aren’t gaining more muscle? Do you feel like every time you pull on your gym wear and head to a training session, you aren’t making any progress? Get your gym wear squared away, and make sure you aren’t making the following mistakes. Do away with these, and you can start building more muscle and getting stronger.  You Aren’t Training Intensely Enough If you aren’t struggling to get the last few reps of your final sets, you probably aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. You want to get close to the edge of your ability, especially if you are serious about growing your muscles. You want to lift with purpose, going hard and heavy for a set, challenging your body. You’re Training Too Much It isn’t a great idea to go super intense on every workout. Trying to exercise to failure with forced reps and drop sets can lead to injury. Swole might be the goal, but doing daily double-digit sets for each body part isn’t the right way to g...

Equipment for weighted exercises is popular among lifters for use during their workout routine. These tools, from power racks to barbells, leg press machines, and cable pulleys, are excellent for helping you push your body to the limit. They can help you make the gains that fill out your gym wear . However, it might be time to harness the power of bodyweight exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, dips, and other popular movements. You might find there are unexpected benefits to adding them to your regular training routine. Bodyweight Training Is Anything but Easy After lifting hundreds of pounds, you might think that bodyweight exercises are easy. Sure, you might be able to bench three plates, but when was the last time you banged out a set of 50 or 100 push-ups without any rest? It’s a great way to add an intense pump to your training session. Reps and range of motion are the names of the game when it comes to bodyweight training, so it’s easy to make them as challe...