Ed Johnson

Founder & Editor at Anabolic Bodies

Eddie Johnson is an ex-bodybuilder, fitness addict, writer, editor and founder of Anabolic Bodies. Also a proud father of two boys and passionate about bodybuilding, nutrition, and the science behind modern-day supplementation.

Anabolic Bodies legacy archive

These articles are from the site's earlier archive. For new and updated editorial guides, browse all articles. Inclusion here does not assign individual authorship.

Front rack position: how to hold the bar

How to hold the bar in the front rack for front squats: the clean grip, cross-arm, and strap options, plus fixes for tight wrists and shoulders.

Strength workout vs hypertrophy workout

Strength vs hypertrophy training: how rep ranges, loads, and rest differ, and how to program each for your goal.

Setting up battle ropes

Learn how to anchor and arrange battle ropes, choose usable space and prepare the equipment for conditioning workouts.

Crossfit vs. powerlifting

Compare CrossFit and powerlifting by training goals, exercise selection, competition format and demands on strength and conditioning.

How to train with convict conditioning. breaking through the confusion!

Explore the Convict Conditioning bodyweight training system, its exercise progressions and considerations when adapting it to your goals.

The ultimate greek god body workout & diet plan

The Greek God workout builds a lean, aesthetic physique. The training principles, lifts, and strength targets behind the look.

Rack pull vs deadlift: pros, cons, differences, & how-to

Rack pull vs deadlift: how the range of motion changes the muscles worked and the load, and when to program each.

6-Day Workout Routine

Compare six-day training splits, exercise selection and recovery demands before deciding whether a high-frequency routine fits your schedule.

Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift

Learn the single-leg dumbbell deadlift setup, balance and hinge cues, and ways to progress unilateral posterior-chain training.

Aesthetic Workout - The Complete Anti-5x5 Bodybuilding Program

Explore a physique-focused training split with exercise choices, weekly scheduling and progression for building balanced muscle development.

Bodyweight Back Exercises

Find back-training exercises using bodyweight, with movement cues, equipment needs and ways to adjust the challenge.

Calisthenics Leg Workout: Best Bodyweight Exercises To Build Muscle

Explore bodyweight leg exercises, progression options and a practical approach to training quads, glutes and calves without machines.

Dumbbell Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift

Compare dumbbell and barbell deadlifts by setup, loading potential, range of motion and practical training use.

The Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift: How To Do, Benefits, And Tips

Learn the dumbbell sumo deadlift setup, movement cues and ways to include this wide-stance hinge in lower-body training.

10 Minute Calisthenics Abs Workout

Follow a short bodyweight core routine with exercise explanations, technique cues and ways to adjust the difficulty.

Movement Tip: The Dumbbell Hang Clean

Learn the dumbbell hang clean sequence, movement cues and differences from other clean variations.

Single-Leg Press

Understand single-leg press setup, movement control and practical considerations for unilateral machine-based leg training.

Calisthenics VS Bodybuilding – Which is best Fitness Modalities

Compare calisthenics and bodybuilding by equipment, progression and training goals to choose an approach that fits your routine.

How to Be a Good Spotter: Your Guide to Proper Spotting Technique

Learn practical spotting considerations for common lifts, including communication, positioning and knowing when assistance is needed.

Women Weight Training Myths

Examine common claims about women and strength training, including muscle growth, lifting intensity and workout choices.

Can You Work Out Abs Every Day?

Understand how ab-training frequency relates to exercise difficulty, weekly volume and recovery when planning core workouts.

Exercise Myths: Debunking Common Misconceptions

Examine common exercise claims and how they influence choices about strength training, cardio and workout planning.

Why Is My Squat So Weak? 4 Fixable Reasons (And How to Fix Them)

Your squat is usually weak for one of four fixable reasons: poor position, a program that never adds load, an untrained weak point, or poor recovery. Here is how to diagnose and fix each.

How to make Cardio Exercise less boring

Find practical ways to make cardio sessions more engaging through variety, goals and changes to your training environment.

The Myth Of Stretching Before Your Workouts

Explore static and dynamic stretching before exercise, how they differ and their role in preparing for a workout.

How to Grip a Barbell

How to grip a barbell for pressing and pulling: hand placement, the hook grip, thumb position, and grip fixes for heavier lifts.

How to Blow Up Your Raw Bench Press: Principles & Variations

Raw bench press explained: how benching without a shirt changes technique and carryover, plus how to build a bigger raw bench.

Why Is Dumbbell Bench Press Harder?

Why the dumbbell bench press feels harder than the barbell version, and what that stability demand means for your pressing.

Hip Thrust Alternatives

Compare hip-thrust substitutes for training hip extension, including equipment needs, setup and loading differences.

Asian Squat: What Is It? What’s The Hype? Can You Do It?

Understand the deep resting squat, mobility and balance demands, and practical considerations for exploring the position.

When You Should and Shouldn’t Squat Barefoot (And Why it Matters)

Compare barefoot and shod squatting, including balance, ankle mobility, training surface and footwear considerations.

Can You Wear Crocs to the Gym?

Is lifting in Crocs a good idea? What the shoe does well for squats and deadlifts, where it falls short, and safer flat-soled alternatives.

Horizontal Pull Exercises: A Comprehensive Guide

Compare horizontal pulling exercises for back training, with equipment choices, movement cues and progression considerations.

Alternatives to Battle Ropes

Find conditioning substitutes for battle ropes using common equipment, and compare their space requirements and training demands.

Partner Medicine Ball Workouts

Find medicine-ball exercises for two people, with partner setup, movement instructions and ways to organize a shared workout.

What to Eat Before Crossfit Training? (A Complete Guide)

Explore pre-workout meal and snack ideas for CrossFit, including carbohydrate and protein choices, timing and tolerance.

Macebell Exercises

Explore macebell exercises, grip and setup considerations, and ways to include this tool in strength and conditioning sessions.

12 Best Power Clean Alternatives (Find The Ideal Substitute)

Compare power clean alternatives by equipment and movement goal, including exercises for explosive lower-body training.

Benefits of Weighted Lunges

Explore weighted lunge variations, muscles involved, equipment options and movement cues for lower-body training.

Dumbbell Squat Vs Barbell Squat (Compared For Leg Workouts)

Compare dumbbell and barbell squats by equipment, loading, balance demands and suitability for different training situations.

Glute Workout with Cables

Explore cable glute exercises, equipment setup and movement cues for organizing a lower-body training session.

Dips vs Bench Press: Which Is Best For Building Chest Muscle?

Compare dips vs. bench press for chest development, upper-body strength, range of motion, equipment needs, and safe progression in your workouts.

Benefits of Bench Press

Learn the benefits of bench press for chest, shoulder, and triceps strength, plus proper setup, pressing technique, common mistakes, and useful alternatives.

Box Jumps Alternatives

Compare alternatives to box jumps for lower-body power and conditioning, including options when a box or suitable landing space is unavailable.

The Ultimate Guide to Bro Workout Routine

Explore body-part training splits, weekly scheduling and exercise selection, with practical considerations for volume and recovery.

15 Best EZ Bar Exercises for Upper Body Workouts

Learn 15 EZ bar exercises for the biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, and core, with practical form guidance and a complete EZ bar workout.

Lower Chest Exercises: A Complete Guide to Chisel Your Pecs

Learn seven lower chest exercises, including decline presses, dips, fly variations, and push-ups, with warm-up, technique, and programming guidance.

Pull Up Bar Ab Workouts

Explore hanging core exercises using a pull-up bar, with setup cues, control requirements and options for different experience levels.

The Ultimate Superset Shoulder Workout

Build a shoulder superset workout with presses, raises, and rear-delt work, plus practical guidance on exercise order, form, warm-ups, and recovery.

Diamond Push Up Benefits

Learn diamond push-up setup, muscles involved and ways to scale this close-hand push-up variation to your strength level.

The Best Weighted Ab Exercises For a Stronger Core

Compare weighted ab exercises, equipment choices and progression options for building a repeatable core-training routine.

Tricep Pushdown Alternatives: Benefits, Muscles Worked, and How-To

Compare triceps pushdown substitutes using bands, dumbbells and bodyweight, with setup tips and resistance differences.

Alternative Exercises for Cable Crossover

Compare cable crossover substitutes using dumbbells, bands and bodyweight, with setup tips and differences in chest-training resistance.

Brachialis Workout: Benefits, Exercises, and How-To for Massive Bicep Peaks

Learn dumbbell exercises for the brachialis, how grip affects arm training, and ways to organize curls and progression.

Leg Cable Kickbacks: How to Train Your Glutes

Learn cable kickback setup, movement cues and ways to include hip-extension work in your glute-training routine.

Teres Major & Minor Workout: Strengthening Exercises

Explore exercises involving the teres major and surrounding back muscles, with movement cues and programming considerations.

7 Best Back Extension Alternatives

The best back extension alternatives for training your lower back and posterior chain when you have no hyperextension bench.

Cable Workouts for Shoulders: 16 Best Exercises for 3D Delts

Compare cable exercises for front, side and rear delts, including setup, movement cues and ways to organize shoulder sessions.

Compound Lifts with Dumbbells: Benefits, Muscles Worked, and How-To Workouts

Explore dumbbell compound exercises, the muscles involved and ways to organize them into a repeatable strength workout.

Do Ab Wheels Work?: Understanding the Science Behind Ab Roller's Effectiveness

Understand what ab-wheel rollouts train, how to perform and progress them, and where they fit in a core-strength routine.

How to Get Bigger Abs: Best Training Exercises for Thick, Rock-Solid Abs

Learn how to build thicker abs with weighted exercises, sensible training frequency, effective set and rep ranges, and a practical abdominal workout.

The Ultimate Layne Norton PHAT Workout To Gain Size and Strength

The PHAT workout by Layne Norton blends power and hypertrophy across a 5-day split. Here is the full routine, who it suits, and how to run it.

Steroids VS Natural: Effects Of Steroid Use in Bodybuilding, Studies and Real Life Examples

Review comparisons of steroid-assisted and unassisted bodybuilding, including published research and limitations of physique comparisons.

The Ultimate Anabolic Diet Guide With Sample Meal Plan

Understand the anabolic diet's alternating low-carb and high-carb phases, sample meals, proposed benefits and practical limitations.

15 Pull-Up Bar Exercises for Abs You Can Do Anywhere

Compare 15 hanging ab exercises, from knee raises to harder variations, with technique cues and progression considerations.

12 Dumbbell Chest Exercises You Can Do Without a Bench

Compare dumbbell chest exercises you can perform without a bench, including floor-based setups and movement limitations.

15 Pull-Up Alternatives to Do at Home and in a Gym (Beginner to Advanced)

Explore 15 pull-up alternatives for home and gym training, from floor pulls and band pulldowns to rows, assisted pull-ups, and advanced TRX variations.

9 Creative Ways To Do Chest And Tricep Dips At Home

How to do dips at home without a dip station: equipment options, progressions, and form cues for building chest and triceps.

9 Lat Pulldown Alternatives To Strengthen Your Back

Compare lat pulldown substitutes using bodyweight, dumbbells and other equipment, with setup cues and movement differences.

13 Alternatives to Leg Curls to Do at Home and in a Gym

Compare hamstring-training alternatives to leg curls using bodyweight and free weights, with setup instructions and equipment needs.

Ad Libitum Dieting To Lose Weight

Understand eating without a fixed calorie target, the role of food choices and portion awareness, and the limits of ad libitum dieting for weight loss.

5 Best Full Body Workouts For Serious Gains

A full-body workout that hits every major muscle in one session, with the exercises, sets, and how to schedule it through the week.

5 Killer Rear Delt Exercises to Build Strong Shoulders

Compare rear-delt exercises for dumbbells, cables and bodyweight, with setup cues and ways to include them in shoulder training.

The Ultimate Leg Day Workout For Increased Mass

A complete leg day workout for quads, hamstrings, and glutes, with the exercises, set and rep schemes, and how to progress.

The Ultimate Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower (P.H.U.L.) Workout 4 Day Split

The PHUL workout splits training into power and hypertrophy upper and lower days. The full 4-day routine and how to progress it.

Bodybuilding & Cardio? 3 Reasons Why You Should NOT Do Cardio when Bodybuilding

Explore how cardio fits with bodybuilding, including training interference, recovery and ways to combine endurance work with lifting.

4-Day Workout Split For Bulking and Maximum Mass

A 4-day workout split for building muscle and strength, with the weekly layout, exercise selection, and how to progress it over time.

Building Maximum Mass With 5x5 Workout

Learn how a 5x5 workout builds strength and muscle, how to select compound lifts and working weights, and when to add accessory exercises and recovery.

Catabolic vs Anabolic State: the Difference and How it Affects Muscle Growth

Understand muscle protein synthesis and breakdown, and how training, nutrition and recovery affect muscle growth and maintenance.

17 Powerful Tips to Boost Muscle Growth [Backed by Science]

The science of muscle growth: how mechanical tension, training volume, and recovery drive hypertrophy, explained in plain terms.

Crushing Plateaus with Reverse Pyramid Training + Example RPT Workout Routine

Reverse pyramid training starts heavy and drops the load each set. How it builds strength efficiently and how to program it.

Keto For Bodybuilding? Can You Actually Build Muscle on Keto Diet?

Explore ketogenic dieting in bodybuilding, including fuel availability, protein intake and considerations for lifting performance.

What's The Best Training Frequency For Muscle Growth & Hypertrophy

How often should you train each muscle to grow? What the evidence says about training frequency, weekly volume, and recovery.

Build Muscle Faster with German Volume Training & This Free GVT Workout

German Volume Training uses 10 sets of 10 to drive hypertrophy. Here is the method, the loads to use, and who it works for.

If It Fits Your Macros Diet (IIFYM) Review: Benefits, Flaws & How to Diet Effectively

Explore flexible dieting, calorie and macro tracking, food choices and the practical limitations of an if-it-fits-your-macros approach.

Floor Press VS Bench Press: Everything You Need To Know

Floor press vs bench press: how they differ in range of motion, muscles worked, and when to use each to build pressing strength.

The Complete Deadlift Program and Everything You Need to Know To Deadlift Heavy

Build a practical deadlift program with sound setup cues, progressive overload, recovery guidance, and a three-week cycle for improving pulling strength.

23 Cheapest Sources of Protein to Build Muscle on a Budget

Compare affordable protein foods, meal ideas and shopping choices for reaching a practical protein target on a budget.

How to Gain Weight Fast And Build More Muscle [For Men]

How to gain weight fast the right way: the calorie surplus, protein target, and training that add muscle instead of just fat.

BCAAs: Do Branched-Chain Amino Acids Really Work? [Science Explains]

Review research on branched-chain amino acids, muscle protein synthesis and how BCAA supplements compare with complete protein sources.

Creatine For Muscle Building: The Science of Why & How to Use It

Review creatine research, how supplementation relates to lifting performance, and practical considerations for its use in bodybuilding.

The Complete Guide to Reverse Dieting: What it Is and How it Works

Understand gradually increasing calorie intake after a diet, its proposed uses and limitations, and ways to monitor the transition.

5 Hormones to Control in Bodybuilding for Advanced Muscle Growth

Explore hormones discussed in bodybuilding and their relationship to training, muscle growth, nutrition and recovery.

What Is Tempo Training, and How Can It Improve Your Strength & Muscle Gains?

Tempo training explained: how controlling the speed of each rep builds control, muscle, and strength, with tempo codes and example sets.

Muscle Imbalance: Is Your One Arm Bigger or Stronger Than The Other?

Why one arm is bigger than the other, and how to fix muscle imbalances with unilateral training and smart exercise order.

Training for Your Body Type - Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph

Explore the ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph framework, and how training and nutrition choices relate to individual goals.

6 Exercises You Need To Train All Three Triceps Heads (Proven Tips)

Learn how each triceps head works, which six exercises train the long, lateral, and medial heads, and how to organize them in a practical routine.

Dorian Yates Back Workout to Build a Thick and Wide Back

Follow Dorian Yates's back workout, including working-set principles, exercise order, intensity guidance, and practical notes for building size and strength.

The Complete Guide to Jason Blaha's Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 Novice Workout

Learn how Jason Blaha's Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 program organizes workouts, sets, recovery, progression, and deloading for novice strength trainees.

Starting Strength VS. Stronglifts 5x5: Which Program is Better?

Starting Strength vs StrongLifts 5x5: how the two beginner barbell programs differ and which one suits your goals.

The 6-Week Bench Press Power Boosting Workout Routine

Follow a six-week bench press workout built around periodization, bar speed, warm-ups, recovery, and progressive loading to improve pressing strength.

Muscle Imbalances: Fixing Visual, Functional and Strength Asymmetry in Bodybuilding

How to spot and fix muscle imbalances and left-right asymmetry with unilateral work, exercise order, and honest self-assessment.

How to Build Bigger Arms: Gain Mass In Your Biceps & Triceps

How to build bigger arms by training biceps and triceps for mass, with the most effective exercises and a simple arm routine.