Top 50 Best Bodybuilding Tips For Men – Training Like A Pro
Are you looking for bodybuilding tips that are easy to do and have proven results?
Stop looking, because, in this article, we will already show you the top 50 best easy-to-do and practical bodybuilding tips for men.
Each will make a huge difference in helping you hit your fitness goals.
Let’s start.
Part I: The Basics
1. Don’t underestimate the power of compound exercises. Make sure you include them in your workout routine. They’re your best tools for maximum muscle growth.
2. Try eating the biggest meals of your day about thirty or 60 minutes immediately after lifting weights. Also, be careful about reading internet comments about this. In fact, avoid reading websites that have no verifiable identity on their social media or official website. It may harm your entire workout if you listen to the wrong online guide.
3. Improve your strength! Getting strong is necessary to do the advanced bodybuilding exercises you need. There’s no such thing as a weak bodybuilder. Of course, you don’t need to be a powerlifter to be strong, but you have to dramatically increase your strength levels.
4. It’s a myth to say that squats are bad for you. In fact, squats may be the king among all musclebuilding exercises. They’re not also bad for your knees, as commonly purported, unless you do it wrong, your form is incorrect, and you’re only half-squatting.
5. Do deadlifts. If squats are the king in bodybuilding, it’s safe to say that deadlifts are the prince. Don’t worry about breaking your back when doing them, unless you’re doing it wrong and your form is incorrect.
6. Learn about the right forms to do the exercises. Find a reliable exercise guidebook online or in fitness stores and read, follow and stick to its step-by-step guides. You can also watch reliable exercise videos about form online. With all the complete information available for free, you have no reason to not learn about the right deadlift form and squats.
7. Strengthen your upper body as if your life depended on it. Developing your upper body work means that you can make equal effort for your chest, shoulders, and back. Avoid doing, say, seven chest exercises and only do lat pull downs on your back.
Learn also the proper balance in doing all these activities. The right balance will not only keep you strong and healthy but will also help you stave off shoulder problems while doing the workout.
8. If you’re a beginner, why would you go directly to doing advanced exercises? Advanced splits may cause you back troubles if you’re just a beginner. What you need to do as a beginner more than anything is learn all the the basic compound lifts first.
9. If you’re a beginner, don’t add training volume to your workout. When you have, say, three bicep days every week without getting strong first, your muscle mass won’t grow to its highest potential. You have to get strong first before doing volume exercises, not fatigue your body with countless sets.
10. Stop thinking that increasing your muscle mass is complicated rocket science. It’s not. The secret is simple: get stronger every day, eat enough of the right food, rest, and stay persistent in your bodybuilding exercises.
Also, never forget to rest in between the days that you had intense workouts. You don’t build muscles when you’re exercising. You build it when you’re resting. You should also try not to listen to false experts who tell you about the number of rest you need to do. Do your homework. Taking advice from a lifter without professional training experience will compromise your entire body workout.
11. Stop missing the workout routines you planned. Also, don’t complain about how difficult they are to do or how sore your muscles are after each workout. That’s part of the entire deal. Try not to discourage yourself because of such difficulty. Don’t make excuses, because there’s no reason to. Get to your gym NOW.
Also, try not to obsess on building muscles quick. You won’t reach your muscle goals over night. It’s also important for you not to spend so much time on muscle confusion. Concentrate on gradually increasing your weight.
12. Stop conditioning your mind by saying that musclebuilding is painful, straining and causes your body ache. Thinking makes it so. If you mentally condition yourself that way, then you are going to feel occasionally off once in a while.
Again, you’re not allowed to make excuses. Get to work now.
In fact, it may not be bad advice to go crazy with the compound exercises that you get. Building strength can be maximized without wasting calories by going for these compound exercises that build strength.
Part 2: Food and Rest
13. You should not forget putting a lot of red meat in your everyday meals. Eating more eggs will also help, including its yolks. The nutrition you get from such eggs is dense and packed with muscle-building ingredients.
You should also remember to eat a lot of varied fruits, veggies and fiber-rich carbs that won’t compromise your workout. Eat as many green, red and yellow colored veggies to get the highest and balanced amount of nutrition possible. It’s not also wrong to eat sodium-filled snacks once in a while. Never forget to consume the right amount salt. Under-consuming salt could pose a problem.
14. Don’t forget drinking a lot of water. Lots and lots of it. Also, getting enough rest by sleeping at least 8 hours every single day, at the same time taking naps once in a while will help you build muscles faster.
15. Learn cooking tasty musclebuilding recipes. Just because you’re building muscles doesn’t mean you have to eat bland meals. You have a lot of options available to you online. If you want some healthy protein-packed recipes, get a good bodybuilding cookbook like The Bodybuilding Meal Prep Cookbook
There are Youtube videos you can learn that help you build muscles at the same time eat delicious meals. Treating yourself with dark chocolate or a good milkshake won’t ruin your entire bodybuilding progress as long as you’re sticking to your gym routines.
Also, you should know that proper muscle building is not all about eating the same food every single day. Variety is your ally. Eat a variety of healthy food every week.
That said, fat is not your enemy. It’s not bad. It’s not even ideal to say that avoiding fat helps you build muscles. Your body needs the right amount of fat for it to function properly.
Also, most of the bulks that happen to people can come from excessive fat gain. When this happens, little muscle gain happens. This is most likely because there’s so much focus on the person’s diet, instead of the bulk training. The only way to gain bulk muscles is to train intensely and consistently.
16. Having a problem reaching your calorie intake goals? Add olive oil and butter into your veggies. Putting them there will help ensure that you increase your calorie intake without causing you to eat unhealthy foods.
If you’re also having issues with low-calorie intake, you may want to switch to whole milk and drink at least three glasses of it every day. You can also add cream and cheese to your daily meals to reach your calorie goals. Snacking on walnuts and almonds in between meals can also help.
Part 3: Workout Changes
17. It’s also important for you to remember not altering your workouts every two weeks. It’s a waste time because it makes no huge difference in results.
You’re focusing your time on areas that don’t matter that much, as the adaptation of your body to the conditioning requirements. What you need to spend more time on is on how to get the right balance in increasing your weight to build muscles.
18. If you obsess too much on abs and under to make you lean, then the results will be to make you skinny but with abs. Pretty unsightly, isn’t it?
19. You should focus on evolving yourself based on your muscle needs instead of making random workout adjustments that won’t play a huge role in your muscle growth.
20. Avoid obsessing about trendy and new bodybuilding workouts. Most of them have a huge level of nonsense. Notice how almost 98% of these guides tell you nothing about adding weight? Guess what: weight addition is the key ingredient to any progress in bodybuilding. Maybe the books you’re reading won’t tell you about it because doing so will stop you to buy more of their books?
21. Not all the supplements you get on the market are bad for you. But, most of the supplement claims you read are bad. Learn the actual difference. Also, go for things organic if you can. All the chemicals you add to your body may not be healthy for your system.
22. The muscle building topics and guides you read today are not written in black and white. You should learn how to balance what you read by sticking to what the pro lifters are reading and using in their workouts. Also, you should remember that although there’s a lot of science in bodybuilding, most of it is still an art because it’s not always black and white. A good no-nonsense guide is Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It’s considered a classic by many bodybuilders, and isn’t just a pitch for workout programs, unlike some other guides.
While bodybuilding is as much an art as a science, you should still learn the science of all the workout exercises you do, but try to adjust the exercises to your specific needs. Anyone who tells you that a particular training is 100% black and white and not open to changes is immediately suspicious. Not all exercises fit for a particular person.
23. Progression of weight is also another important concept you should study. It is, in fact, the magic muscle-building component in any exercise.
24. Pound for pound, one of the best bicep builders you can do today, include heavy rows and pull-ups. Get a pull-up bar like this one from FEIERDUN and install it in a doorway in your home. Barbell curls are also a good addition to any exercise that will boost your body’s performance during exercise.
One good tip you can learn for this is to use a heavy compound lift with an extension that targets the triceps. For example, a good set of close grip bench presses with two-arm seated dumbbell extensions for triceps will make you reach your goals with higher accuracy.
25. Don’t forget to eat 100% whole foods. Some of your calories should come from these sources, but indulging in a few pleasurable treats will help you stay sane and excited about your workout. Plus, it makes you feel like you’re still part of the weaker human beings who don’t do bodybuilding.
Also, try not to think that those who go to the gym know what they’re doing. Just because these people have a six pack doesn’t mean they’re doing it right. Many of them probably don’t even know the difference between what good musclebuilding advice is and what is a hoax.
Part 4: The False Advice
26. People who tell you that you can’t go wrong with squats is a liar. False advice is everywhere, and this is one big example of them. Squats that are done above parallel are extremely dangerous, and they’re instantly bad for your knees. But, if you’re doing it right, doing 20 rep squats does a lot of burn to your body and will be amazing. Try it for yourself.
27. Did you know that sex is good for your body, too? People who tell you otherwise are giving you false advice. Have lots of them, and you’ll be putting your body in even tougher shape.
28. It’s not bad advice to tell you that performing cardio three times a week will improve your overall health. The good thing about cardio is that it will not limit your overall gains, no matter what your target goals are. Only a bad workout routine and poor diet can inhibit your progress.
29. It’s also not false advice if someone tells you that a great back training mix will consist of deadlift, a lat exercise such as a pull-up and a row. Rack chins and lat pulldowns are great for you unless you’re doing it wrong.
30. You should also not underestimate the power of dips. Dips can be a potent but usually underused exercise. Their power to pack up on your chest and tricep mass are often unbeatable.
31. Try finding and doing abs exercises that allow you to improve your resistance, which include cable crunches and weighted situps. Also, if your calves are stubborn, you should try low rep and high volume work for a few months and then change the pace to high-rep sets later.
32. It’s also not a false advice to tell you that dips and close-grip sets of bench presses will be some of the most potent tricep builders for your body.
33. If you want bigger arms, one good way to do that is to remember the balance amount of tricep exercises, which should be around two-thirds of your arm size.
34. Having lagging trap issues? A good way to answer that is a combo of heavy deadlifts, power shrugs, power cleans and heavy lifts that focus on your neck. Heavy rows would also help too.
35. Don’t discount the full body workouts you can do. They can contribute to giving you an amazing physique. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger made use of full body workout to get him his renowned body today. When you do these exercises, remember that the higher the weight, the more challenging it is to keep your body in proper form.
36. The rear dealt builders that are best for you are heavy rows.
37. If you have trouble with your isolation exercises, you can simply switch to a machine isolation exercise that allows higher progression range.
38. It’s also not bad advice to perform first your compound exercise while your body is still fresh.
39. Avoid training for failure because it involves more risk than rewards. Simply stop on a set when you feel like you’re already about to fail on your next rep.
40. Do not ever exercise and train in poor form. If your form already deteriorates during a set, immediately stop the set.
41. It’s false advice to tell you that you should perform bench press with both of your arms flared out to a 90-degree angle. In fact, it’s one of the worst things you can do for your shoulders.
42. Try not to bench press on your bench press reps away from your chest. There are many reasons why this is dangerous.
43. Try not to curl while you’re in a squat rack. That area is sacred and is made only for squatting.
44. It’s false advice when someone tells you that lifting weight will stunt your growth.
45. Creatine is one of the quality choices you can pick today. Many research has been done already on its wonderful effects. Try this one for yourself.
46. Work the big muscle groups in your body first before the smaller muscle groups.
47. Try to separate your chest and shoulder days as often as possible. These “pressing” days will use the same muscle groups in varying degrees.
Also, ignore how a bodybuilder’s exercises now, but ask him how he built his mass when he first trained in the first two years of packing on his mass. Also, when it comes to using a pump, know that you won’t be able to do any good by using the wimpy weights in your gym. In fact, try to stop focusing on the pump entirely.
48. It’s also good advice to train most of your compound exercises between the 5–12 rep range. Heavy weight works best with moderately intense reps.
49. You should do most of your isolation exercises between the 8-15 rep range. The light weight isolation lifting that you can do has the best results if you add a few extra reps to them. It’s always important to keep your reps in check. Going beyond the number may exhaust your body too much, losing much calories and not producing enough results.
50. Muscle soreness is not everything. It’s not an indicator that you’re doing the exercises right, so make sure you address the other factors necessary for a complete and correct workout routine.
The Best Tequila Under $50 To Try in 2021
The growth and depth of quality tequila make it the most interesting spirit of 2021. Cool brands, famous faces investing, and strong Mexican regulations in production and distillation have helped fuel the spirit’s popularity.
There are three main types of tequila; Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo, although you’ll find Joven (in between Blanco and Reposado), Cristalino (filtered clear), and extra Anejo tequila (matured longer) online as well. Blanco tequila is unaged tequila that tastes more of the agave plant, while Reposado (rested tequila) and Anejo (aged) tequila are recommended for those looking for more intense flavor, depth, and complexity.
The following 10 best tequilas under $50 to try this year represent the growing range of options for quality, affordable tequila. They can be used for sipping, shots, or kick-ass cocktails, representing brilliant value for the tequila aficionado looking for cool brands and great tastes to add to their collection.
Best Buy
1. Tequila Partida Blanco
Tequila Partido Blanco is top drawer. It’s one of the smoothest tequila options at the perfect price point for the novice tequila drinker or the regular connoisseur.
The Partida tequila brand is known for taking their agave flavor seriously throughout the distillation process and it really shines through in this crisp and flavorful Blanco (the Partida Tequila Reposado is also a great expression). The Partida distillery cooks its agave within 24 hours of harvest, giving the agave spirit a freshness and earthy tone other unaged tequila varieties struggle to match.
The nuanced Weber agave and citrus combine on the nose, while the palate offers tropical fruit, vanilla, grapefruit, and white pepper spice. It’s a favorite tequila for complete novices or veterans and will be on the shortlist as a favorite tequila for many cocktail makers and mixologists.
2. Tequila Fortaleza Blanco
Tequila Fortaleza is a small-batch, handcrafted tequila made with the same production methods used in the family operation from nearly 150 years ago.
Each agave is selected for ripeness before it’s harvested and steam-cooked in a small brick oven. From there, a two-ton tahona stone wheel slowly squeezes the juices from the agave. When fermentation is complete, the distinctive tequila taste is achieved by being distilled twice in two very small, copper-pot stills.
Fortaleza Blanco is a classic unaged tequila with a creamy texture and a tasty finish. The Blanco’s flavor includes cooked agave, vanilla, butter, citrus, black pepper, along with herbs.
3. El Jimador Anejo Tequila
El Jimador Anejo is crafted from the finest hand-selected blue agave and then double distilled and aged in American Oak. The dark amber-aged tequila blends the classical taste of agave with smooth, buttery notes of caramel and walnut from the 12 month cask maturation, plus a hint of cinnamon and spices at the finish.
While one of the cheaper tequilas on this list, the El Jimador Anejo is a bottle you can buy with confidence to enjoy. It’s a rare aged and affordable tequila that’s perfect for slow sipping or as a simple mixed drink with lime and soda.
4. Casamigos Reposado Tequila
Casamigos Reposado Tequila is distilled from blue agave plants from the Jalisco Highlands, the heartland of Mexican tequila. Each agave is hand-selected for flavor, then slow-cooked.
This Casamigos Tequila expression is aged for seven months in white oak barrels, which gives the Reposado a chocolate woody taste, which makes it a great option for sipping or drinking neat. The Casamigos Reposado offers an aroma of vanilla, maple, spices, and peanut shells, with the customary tequila heat balanced by sweet tropical fruit and oak.
5. Espolon Blanco Tequila
Espolon Blanco tequila honors Mexico’s art and history, and the story of Espolon – the spur of a rooster – is great for starting conversations.
A nice, simple tequila is useful to pour liberally than a more expensive Blanco tequila with a similar clean agave taste. Crafted in Jalisco from 100% blue agave plant, Espolon Blanco is a good tequila at a bargain price.
Buying a tequila with versatility like Espolon Blanco can sometimes be the way to go – a party may break out after a quality tequila shot, mixed drink, or when a cocktail loosens things up!
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6. Herradura Reposado Tequila
Herradura Reposado is rich amber with copper color highlights, the result of resting eleven months in American white oak barrels. While many cocktail makers endorse the use of silver tequila only, a good Reposado tequila like this Herradura can kick your margarita or classic tequila cocktail flavor up to a new taste level.
The aroma carries light lashings of anise, fruit, and spices around cooked agave, with a surprisingly smooth vanilla and butter flavor that extends to a smooth, sweet finish with a hint of spice and heat. The Herradura Reposado comes at a nice price point for a good quality 750ml bottle, and the brand also markets a nifty agave nectar (aka agave syrup) that you can add as a non-sugar sweetener to your cocktail mix.
7. Patron Silver Tequila
Patron Silver is a premium tequila that every tequila lover makes a beeline for when traveling through duty-free on their way through a new country, or on the way home. Patron tequila is a no-nonsense, top-quality drop that you can mix into your classic margarita for warmth and the crispest taste of citrus, and when downed as a tequila shot, it’s almost second to none, lacking the fierce aftertaste of some other, less smooth expressions.
It’s a premium tequila that your home bar can rely on when entertaining, but if the silver is not your thing you can stretch out and try the other varieties, which range from the standard Reposado and Anejo bottles through to the ultra-premium Patron Tequila Platinum.
8. Corralejo Anejo
Described by the brand as a “tequila to be passed around the dinner table, to share at a party, or to order a round at the bar.” Featuring hand-harvested estate-grown 100% blue weber agave, Corralejo Anejo is double distilled and aged for 12 months in charred American oak barrels.
Corralejo Anejo tequila is a great expression to introduce to tequila drinkers looking for a more complex flavor, or for passing around between a group of friends during a night of Mexican food.
9. Cazadores Anejo Cristalino
Another 750ml bottle right on the upper limit of our price threshold, Cazadores Anejo Cristalino owes its sheen and transparency to the time-consuming thorough filtration process. Its foundation is first achieved through the slow and harmonious processes of fermentation and distillation in wooden open-air tanks, then sent to mature for 24 months in American white oak barrels, making it one of the longest aged tequilas on our list.
The tequila is then filtered to remove the color while conserving the sensory qualities of a top-quality Anejo tequila, including the wood notes absorbed into the spirit during aging. An affordable tequila, especially compared to other Cristalino expressions, Cazadores is a great option for the experienced tequila drinker looking to sample a different but still extremely smooth drinking experience.
10. Hornito’s Black Barrel Tequila
Black Barrel starts as a premium Anejo tequila, then spends four months in deep charred ex-bourbon barrels to give it a rich, smoky flavor and golden amber color. Before bottling, Black Barrel spends an additional two months in specially toasted oak barrels for more depth and distinct complexity of woody oak and smoke notes.
Hornitos Black Barrel is likely to become a favorite tequila for the whiskey drinker moving into sipping tequila, as it offers bourbon and rye notes but still tastes as a tequila should. Mellow and well balanced yet full of intense flavor, it also makes a good tequila for a premium margarita or mixed drink.
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The 10 Best Band T-shirts of All Time
Music fans everywhere know the easiest way to show your support for your favorite band is to wear their merch loud and proud. Nowadays, it’s easy to get your hands on clothing items from your favorite musical acts, especially if they’re currently active, making music, or touring. In fact, there’s no need to even attend a show if you want to score some coveted merch from your music icons, as you had to decades ago, thanks to the internet and a lovely thing called worldwide shipping.
Luckily, fans of classic rock and punk bands who may have missed out on seeing their favorite groups perform live decades ago can still cash in on some seriously cool, vintage-inspired logo tees that’ll add a bit of edge to their wardrobe. Whether you pair these comfortable t-shirts with destroyed denim and Chuck Taylors, casual joggers and sneakers, or fitted chinos and Dr. Martens, there’s a classic band t-shirt that’ll fit anyone’s unique style – and music taste – from our list of the 10 best band t-shirts of all time.
Best Buy
1. Led Zeppelin 1977 American Tour T-shirt
Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and their 1977 tour is in the history books for a reason. After all, it was the band’s eleventh and final North American tour after a two-year touring hiatus and was wildly profitable for the group, as they sold a whopping $1.3 million tickets at the time. They also broke the world’s indoor attendance record at their show in Detroit, where they performed for over 76,000 people at once.
And while we all wish we could go back to the golden days of rock concerts, the harsh reality is we can’t. But what we can do is sport a Led Zeppelin 1977 American Tour shirt, which showcases all the 1977 tour dates on the back, comes in classic black, and is available in sizes S-XXL. Throw it on for any casual occasion and you’re guaranteed to be the coolest dude in the room.
2. Nirvana Smiley Face T-shirt
Nirvana is a band that will never go out of style, and neither will this classic Nirvana Smiley Face t-shirt featuring the iconic smiley face logo the band has become synonymous with over the last three decades. According to Forbes, the logo can be traced back to 1991, when Nirvana and their record label, DGC Records, hosted a record release party for the band’s album, Nevermind.
Apparently, an invitation to the party featured the “X-eye smiley face,” and the logo stuck with the band ever since. The Nirvana Smiley Face tee comes in classic black and can be paired with destroyed/ripped denim or joggers for a casual yet edgy look.
3. Rolling Stones Classic Tongue T-shirt
It’s hard to believe The Rolling Stones have been around since the 60s and are still making music to this day. The group has had one of the most successful runs in rock history and has been using their classic tongue logo ever since it appeared on their album Sticky Fingers for the first time in 1971.
“It’s a universal statement, I mean sticking out your tongue at something is very anti-authority, a protest really… various generations have picked that up,” the logo’s designer, Jon Pasche, said in an interview. And no matter what generation you’re from, you’ll look seriously cool rocking this Rolling Stones Classic Tongue t-shirt anywhere you go – whether it’s a concert, the grocery store, or even on a date; plus, this shirt comes in either black or green, and is available in sizes S-XXL.
4. Ramones Presidential Seal T-shirt
The Ramones are often considered one of the first punk rock groups in America, and their logo is one of the most recognizable ones in the music industry – even though they split in the late 1990s. The band’s creative director, Arturo Vega, who passed away in 2013, revealed how he came up with the logo, which is a play on the seal of the president of the United States.
“Instead of the olive branch, we had an apple tree branch, since the Ramones were American as apple pie,” he shared. “And since Johnny was such a baseball fanatic, we had the eagle hold a baseball bat instead of the arrows.” While The Ramones are obviously no longer together, you can still show your stellar taste in music by sporting a classic Presidential Seal shirt, which is made of 100% cotton, comes in black, and is available in sizes S-XXXL.
5. Joy Division Unknown Pleasures T-shirt
Even if you don’t know Joy Division, you’ve likely seen the logo from their iconic debut album, Unknown Pleasures, at some point in your life. And although the band started performing under the name New Order after lead singer Ian Curtis tragically died by suicide before their first US tour, the impact of Unknown Pleasures and the band’s innovative user of a synthesizer lives on in music history to this day.
This t-shirt, featuring the album art created by Peter Saville from the band’s first album, will add depth to any casual t-shirt collection and is available in a wide range of sizes for a perfect fit unique to your personal style. Pair with ripped skinny jeans and some Chuck Taylor high tops to complete the look.
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6. Guns N’ Roses Logo T-shirt
If you don’t have a Guns N’ Roses t-shirt in your closet, are you really even a classic rock fan? The logo, which aptly features two guns pointing east and west and a rose underneath each gun, was actually first designed by Slash himself. “I designed the first Guns N’ Roses logo, all our flyers – and my tattoos,” he revealed during an interview.
“Most of the time it was born out of necessity: it served my musical career.” And what better way to honor the legendary frontman than wearing the classic logo on a t-shirt? Available in a classic black color and sizes XS-XXXL, fans of all ages and sizes can easily show their love for Guns N’ Roses with this comfy cotton tee.
7. Wu-Tang Clan Logo T-shirt
The Wu-Tang Clan logo is one of the most recognizable in hip-hop music to this day. The group, which formed in the early 90s and has been a staple in the scene ever since is responsible for mega-hits like C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me), Protect Ya Neck, and Method Man.
Show your support for the hip hop group with this iconic Wu-Tang Clan Logo shirt, which you can snag in sizes XS-XXXL, is made of 100% cotton, and comes in black. The best part about this shirt? There’s a toddler version of it, so you and your little guy or girl can show off your stellar musical tastes together wherever you go. Because as we all know, Wu-Tang is for the children.
8. Black Sabbath Purple Logo T-shirt
Black Sabbath is responsible for producing some of the most well-known rock songs in history. Even if you’ve never voluntarily listened to a Black Sabbath album, there’s a 100% chance you’ve heard their most popular songs, like Paranoid, Iron Man, or War Pigs on the radio, in TV shows, or in films.
And whether you’re a diehard, longtime fan or just starting to get into their music, the Black Sabbath Purple Logo tee is a must-have in your band t-shirt collection. Made from 100% cotton, this band tee is super-comfy, makes a statement with the bold purple logo featured across the chest, and comes in sizes XS-XXXL.
9. Black Flag Logo T-shirt
Black Flag is one of the most popular punk bands of its generation, and its iconic four-bar logo makes a statement wherever it’s seen. The logo was actually designed by guitarist George Ginn’s brother, Raymond Pettibon, who never went to art school and once said that the design was meant to represent the “abstract movement of a waving black flag.”
If you’re a fan of the band and don’t have this classic Black Flag Logo t-shirt already in your drawer, then honestly, what are you waiting for? According to reviews, this affordable t-shirt is made of high-quality material, is extremely comfortable, and fits true to size.
10. Sonic Youth Goo Album Cover T-shirt
New York City is the birthplace of many famous rock bands, and Sonic Youth may be one of the most well-known groups to originate out of NYC in the 80s. The band is responsible for hits like Teen Age Riot, Bull in the Heather, and Kool Thing, and performed together for a whopping three decades until their 2011 split.
And even though it’s been 10 years since the breakup devastated fans across the globe, you can still show off your great taste in music by sporting this Sonic Youth Goo Album Cover t-shirt, which comes in a crisp white, has a black logo, and features the words, “I stole my sister’s boyfriend, it was all a whirlwind, heat and flash, within a week we killed my parents and hit the road.”
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Top 10 Glute Exercises To Build a Great Butt
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a good butt these days? While much of the focus for men has long been on a ripped chest and massive arms, the world is beginning to wake up to the importance of having a sculpted bum. Not only does it look good (like, really good), but a firm, muscular butt is essential for your overall health and fitness success.
If you’re a self-proclaimed gym-goer, then you probably already know that your glutes are the largest (and most powerful) muscles in the body, generating enough force and momentum to constantly move you through the ups and downs of life – literally. So working them out is not just about aesthetics (though that’s important too), but you gain so much more added strength and power by really burning those glutes out a few times a week.
To help narrow down the list to the 10 best exercises for those great glute gains, we’ve chatted with Danny Kennedy – founder of DK Fitness and The Fitness and Lifestyle Podcast, who helps men and Olympic and professional athletes all over the world to get in their very best shape. He’s let us in on some of his favorite exercises for targeting the glutes and how you can get the most out of each exercise by putting your mind to muscle. Let’s get it.
1. Barbell Hip Thrust
How to perform: To get in position, rest your upper back on a bench with a barbell across the hips. Ensure your hands have a firm grip underneath the bar and place your feet directly below the knees about a shoulder-width apart. Once you’re set, push your hips into the air while keeping your pelvis tucked under and your heels driving into the floor. Squeeze the glutes at the top of each rep.
What you gain: Hip thrusts of any kind are one of those exercises that will make your glutes strong as hell because they isolate the gluteus maximus (the largest bum muscle), meaning that all of the power is coming from the glutes and your strong hip drive. Putting your weight in the back of your heels, rather than your toes, activates and isolates the gluteus muscles even more if you’re looking to up the ante.
2. Sumo Deadlift
How to perform: Place your feet awkwardly wide outside of shoulder width, with your hips just above 90 degrees. Keep your arms long with scaps retracted and back flat to protect your spine and help you lift the bar. You’ll pull through the heels, similarly to a hip thrust, finishing with your hips all the way into extension and your glutes fired on.
What you gain: The sumo-style wide stance with toes and knees slightly pointed outward allows for greater glute activation than a typical deadlift. The sumo deadlift is also one that builds tension through the flexing and thrusting of the hips, which is perfect for building a better booty.
3. Walking Lunges
How to perform: You can perform walking lunges with a weight (dumbbell or kettlebell) in either hand or opt for using your own bodyweight. To perform this exercise, take long steps (aka lunges), keeping your chest slightly forward. Place all of your weight through the front heel and squeeze the glutes at the top of each rep.
What you gain: Walking lunges are an intense lower body exercise that should definitely be on your to-do list when glute day comes around. These lunges don’t only heavily target the glutes, but they also activate the rest of your lower body (calves and inner thighs included).
4. Squat
How to perform: Set your feet up slightly outside shoulder-width apart and rotate them outward. Push your hips back, forcing the knees out. Put mind to muscle, and think about spreading the floor and finishing with your glutes contracted and hips in full extension at the top.
What you gain: I mean, what kind of booty-building recommendation list would this be if we didn’t include the iconic glute exercise: the squat. But squats really are worth the hype. They target the glutes, hamstrings, adductors, core, and back while improving your overall coordination and mobility. Squats may even boost your testosterone levels, so there’s really no reason not to give them a try.
5. Step Up
How to perform: Step up onto a bench or box that’s at knee height or slightly above. Forcing the heel down into the bench (or box), stand all the way up. Make sure you squeeze the glutes at the top of each rep with your hips in full extension and find control as you go back down.
What you gain: This staple glute exercise targets the gluteus maximus with incredible accuracy. Not to mention, this cross-fit-like exercise will make you better at doing everyday things like walking up flights of stairs and give you the control to make the most out of every movement.
By now, you’ve probably caught onto a significant theme with the bulk of these exercises, and that’s squeezing your glutes at the top. This is crucial for activating and isolating that muscle group and getting the full effect of each exercise.
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6. Kettlebell Swing
How to perform: After putting the kettlebell in front of you, take a slightly wider than hip-width stance. Bend at the hips and knees, getting a good, tight grip on the bell because you really don’t want it flying out and breaking some mirrors or windows. Or both. Tighten your upper body by engaging your core and lats. Then, hike the kettlebell back through your legs and swing it up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
What you gain: Talk about explosive! This fiery movement requires a whole lot of hip and glute power. This exercise involves a triple extension – from the ankles, knees, and hips – that targets those glutes in one fluid motion.
7. Bulgarian Split Squat
How to perform: Load up a barbell and hold it on the backs of your shoulders, similar to a weighted squat position. Rest the top of your right foot on a bench or box behind you, with your back knee bent to 90 degrees. Keeping your core straight and engaged, bend your hips and left leg, lowering down until your back knee almost touches the floor.
What you gain: When doing a proper Bulgarian split squat with good form, your glutes don’t take a break. They support your knee, hip flexor, and help engage the rest of your lower body. Plus, since you’re focusing on keeping your core nice and tight, it’s an effective ab exercise as well.
8. Barbell Glute Bridge
How to perform: Lie on your back with your legs extended, roll the barbell up to your thighs until it’s sitting on your lap.
Tip: Try placing a towel or pad underneath the bar to protect your hips. Engage your core and drive your heels into the floor, extending your hips up until they’re in line with your torso. Squeeze glutes at the top and control yourself on the way down.
What you gain: Like a hip thrust, the weighted glute bridge will target the glutes without arching and overextending the back. Glute bridges can be used in conjunction with hip thrusts on glutes day. But if you’re new to working out, bridges may be better to start with since they have a smaller range of motion.
9. Side-Lying Clamshell
How to perform: Start by lying on your side with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Put your heels together and open your knees as wide as you can without rotating in your back or pelvis. Lower back down with control. Clamshells can be done as a bodyweight warm-up, or you can turn up the intensity by using resistance bands or weights.
What you gain: You may have seen your girl doing clamshells in her at-home Pilates workout, but they’re not to be slept on – she’s onto something. Side-lying clamshells primarily target your gluteus medius, which you can think of as the muscle on the side of the butt. While it might not be the biggest part of the bum, an inactive gluteus medius can cause lower back and knee issues, causing you to struggle with even the most basic of movements like walking.
10. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
How to perform: Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in one hand and raise that same side’s leg off the floor. Flex your supporting leg slightly to engage the glutes, holding that bend as you hinge at the hips and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes, thrust your hips forward, and return to your starting position.
What you gain: Split or single-leg exercises are ideal for getting more functional movements out of your training day. By focusing on a single leg, you work on your balance and ability to keep your center of gravity, strengthen vulnerable areas of the body like the ankle and knee, and become more adapted for quick performance in sports.
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