Woman doing bent-over rows or power cleans in gym

Eccentric Exercise: More Muscle and Strength with Less Wear and Tear

When used appropriately, eccentric exercise helps you build more muscle and improves strength while giving your joints a break from the grind of concentric-focused, traditional strength training workouts. Unfortunately, eccentric training is often overlooked and underutilized.  In this article, I’ll answer the following questions: I’ll explain how to combine eccentric … Keep reading…

Woman about to eat raw steak

How much protein do I need to build muscle?

How much protein do I need to build muscle? How much should I eat to maintain it later in life? Without question, the amount of protein you eat each day can have long-lasting effects on your health, fitness, and longevity. To build muscle (or maintain it later in life), at … Keep reading…

Man stretching on his deck

Why are my muscles so tight?

Whether you’re a couch potato or a fitness fanatic, all of us deal with tight, stiff muscles from time to time. But what causes muscle tightness? Is it good or bad? What exercises, therapies, or muscle rubs reduce muscle tightness? What is muscle tightness? When most people describe “tight muscles,” … Keep reading…

Woman doing pushup looking head on to camera

Creatine: Health, Fitness, Performance Benefits.

If you could only choose one supplement to build muscle (assuming you already use the Foundational Five), creatine monohydrate would have to be first on the list. Yet, it does much more than build muscle. It offers a host of health benefits, from helping to deal with depression, slowing age-related … Keep reading…

Growth Hormone Tom Nikkola

Growth Hormone: How to Avoid Low Levels and Boost GH Naturally

When it comes to hormones, testosterone, thyroid, and insulin get most of the attention. Yet growth hormone, also known as somatotropin, also plays an essential role in your long-term health, athletic performance, and longevity. It affects the health of your body as well as your brain. I’ll explain what growth … Keep reading…

Woman eating a piece of steak

The Undeniable Metabolic Benefits of High Protein Diets

Is a high-protein diet the best diet you could follow? If so, what are the health benefits? Are there any risks? Read on, and you’ll understand why I believe a high-protein diet is the best diet for health, fitness, and even supporting quality-of-life later in life. What is a High-Protein … Keep reading…

Sore Back When Squatting

Why You’re Sore Where You Shouldn’t Be

“I want to do squats but they hurt my back.” “Every time I do bench press, it hurts my shoulders.” Do you ever get sore somewhere that you weren’t really training the day before? Maybe your back has more delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) than your legs after a leg … Keep reading…

Blood Flow Restriction Training | Tom Nikkola

Blood Flow Restriction Training: What Is It? How Does It Work?

Blood flow restriction training (BFR), also known as occlusion training or KAATSU, might sound like some sort of hardcore training method reserved only for meatheads and serious athletes, but that’s hardly the case. BFR could be the perfect addition to a training plan for weekend warriors, a way to help … Keep reading…

5 Common Weight Training Mistakes You Might Be Making | Tom Nikkola

5 Common Weight Training Mistakes You Might Be Making

Weight training has a way of mimicking life, which is why the lessons learned in VIGOR Training are as practical outside the gym as they are inside it. And just like life, the shortcuts or easy options rarely produce long-lasting results. The following are the five most common mistakes people … Keep reading…

Health Benefits of Fish Oil Tom Nikkola

Do You Take Fish Oil? If Not, You’re Missing Out!

Though most people know fish oil is an important supplement to use each day, surprisingly, few people take it consistently. I’ve even been surprised by how few of my nutrition coaching clients use it regularly when we connect for our first session. It is often advertised for its heart health benefits, but … Keep reading…

Best Muscle Building Supplements List Tom Nikkola

The Best Muscle-Building Supplements

Amidst all the supplements that are just marketing hype, are there some that actually help you build muscle? What is the best muscle-building, strength-supporting supplement? The supplement industry is filled with bunk products, empty promises, and companies hoping to find the next sucker looking for a shortcut. Inevitably, those products get … Keep reading…