the Blog
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”...
Announcing my NEW BOOK (mindset, body image) and my UPCOMING one (for hardgainers!)
I’m very excited about what I have to share today. I have two topics: My NOW RELEASED book, The Empowered Women My UPCOMING product, The Hardgainer Solution (scroll down) I want to talk about exactly who my Empowered Woman book is for, then I want to ask all you...
What you think you know about fitness industry “solutions”
In this post I want to challenge you. If you struggle with weight or food, then chances are you've followed many diets and you have done a lot of reading about "solutions." Most of these solutions center around answers that focus on "eat this, not that" and counting...
The DNA Diet is horse manure, plain and simple
I want to talk about the DNA diet today. Lately, as people scramble for attention in the digital world and scramble for the 'ease' of making a buck by selling anything on the internet and making it look legit: old fad diets that have long since been debunked are...
The diet and training regimen of a guy who travels 200+ days per year
Last week I got a lot of emails asking for more details about Trevor's diet and training. I didn't know precise details (more on this at the bottom), so I emailed him. LOTS of insight in his response. Trevor's response: No matter where I am in the world I find a gym...
The 13 “intangibles” that lead to the most successful physique transformations
In my last post I gave you a real-world example of one of my most successful clients ever: Trevor. As the saying goes - success leaves clues. So today I want to look at the clues behind that success. In my last post I hinted there was a "bigger picture," and if your...
Defining “success”: a case study of one of my most successful fitness coaching clients ever
Firstly! I want you to know you'll be hearing from me more regularly, with news, updates, conversation, articles and information. Please stay tuned, because 1) I want to share some of my best stuff, and 2) I also have some important announcements in the coming weeks...