the Blog
The sh*tter: a cautionary tale about biofeedback, metabolism, and diet cults
I have a million stories from my decades in the industry. Some stories are positive, some… not so much. However, all of them are at least educational. This is the sad yet true story of a girl who was unfortunately nicknamed “The Shitter.” I tell the story to make four...
The truth about the “coffee controversy” (I've got good news)
As I sit here drinking my venti Columbian blend, I recall how I wanted to write this article some two years ago when two contradictory research findings about coffee came through the news cycle within a week of each other. One study “concluded” that coffee drinking...
The truth about deadlifts and program design
When discussing the most difficult resistance exercises to do... well, there's no doubt that squats and deadlifts are at the top. Both movements are complicated to master, and both create a specific systemic intensity that cannot be matched by other exercises. The...
The Hardgainer Solution is now on Amazon, and is being featured by Buck Books today
My new book, The Hardgainer Solution, is now available on Amazon! And what's more: it's not "$49.99" or "$29.99" or anything like that. It is exactly $0.99. Yes. 99 cents. This is a special 99 cent promotion just for the launch. (Extra special thanks to the guys at...
Considerations for the hardgainer, and the limitations they're working with
Identifying the "Hard Gainer" is pretty simple. Actually, it is something most trainees can tell about themselves just by thinking about it for a second. If you are working hard and doing the same programs that are common to the physique-enhancement industry, but you...
The Potato and the Satiety Index
In Part 1 of my discussion of the potato, I showed you not only how incredible are the nutritional components of the potato; but I also showed you its importance throughout history in terms of supporting the development of various cultures and societies. But there is...
An amazing new “supplement” you might be unreasonably biased against
What if I could tell you about a new wonder supplement? What if I could tell you that the amino acid profile of this wonderful new supplement is as good or better than whey protein calorie for calorie. What if I could show you that this new wonder supplement has a...
How a world champion powerlifter and bodybuilder does “low carb”
World Powerlifting Champ Kevin Weiss and I get together at least once per week for coffee. At our last get together I could tell Kevin had dropped a couple lbs. “Back on the high-fat diet” I asked him. “Yep”, he said. You see Kevin is just several weeks out from the...
The REAL low carb diet — before the marketers got to it (part 1)
Most of what you’ve been sold about “low carbs diets” is incomplete and misinformed. I am not a fan of low-carbs diets to begin with... and that is when they are done right! But what is passing for a “low carbs diet” now doesn’t even equate to the original intention...
Muscle density and the weight of gold
I still shake my head at what passes for “knowledge” when it comes to building muscle and a better physique. For example: which of these is heavier: a lb of feathers or a lb of solid gold? What would your answer be? Most people know the answer to this riddle: a pound...
Two coaching client successes, and why they were successful
Today I want to share two coaching client successes, but I also want to add some comments about why they were successful. Tobias Pauer Tobias: I started reading Scott's books and articles years ago and became a huge fan of him. With his knowledge and expertise in the...
America's multiple personalities and the diet holiday season
Every year I’m flabbergasted watching the media package and present U.S. Thanksgiving in this “split personality” tone that it always does. What bothers me more is the way YOU THE CONSUMER end up internalizing this stuff; since much of it is irresponsible journalism...
Training for aesthetics versus strength, and my answers to “How much do you bench?”
Today I want to talk about training for aesthetics vs. training for size. But first, here is a blast from the past: Take a look at this picture of me from way back when. Two things are at the heart of this article: Advanced muscle development (muscle size, muscle...
The scam behind high protein diets, and what you need instead
Marketers would have you believe that to build a physique you require “more protein.” They would also have you believe that it’s unlikely you can get this high quality protein that you need from diet-alone. They just happen to have “engineered food protein” in a...
The Dumbbell Matrix: one of the best tools in your conditioning tool box
This week I want to share with you one of the best conditioning tools I have. It's a set of variations on a dumbbell matrix circuit. It's brutal and it has amazing metabolic and conditioning effects. I'll show you its progressions as well. The dumbbell matrix is used...
The “secrets” to successful weight loss and weight control (the “capital-S directive”)
I get people writing me all the time with their lists of diets they’ve tried that didn’t work. My reply: is of course they didn’t work! But how many more diets are you going to try before you realize the mindset behind your diet-mentality is just plain faulty? I...
The Essence and the ART of Workout Program Design
My book The Abel Approach (2nd ed.) is all about the essence of program design, and what goes into my own specific methodology; I argue that coaches must design workout programs to fit the client, and expecting the client to fit the programs is backwards thinking. But...
Is cooking your food really “natural”? (Um… yes. Yes it is. Here's why.)
The other day I’m sitting in a coffee shop listening to two overweight ladies talk fervently about “diet.” (The irony is never lost on me regarding how often I come across overweight people who talk about diet, diets, and dieting – and how much they seem to “know”...