The Write Spotters

MY LATEST ARTICLE ON Muscle & Fitness

I've lost count of how many times I've almost talked myself out of training.

There's the mind being ready, and there's the body being ready. This article is about the body and its readiness to train. With the help of superstar strength coaches Matt Wenning and Gareth Sapstead, we explore the body's readiness to get after it and when you should take the day off.

Your program is a plan but not a prison.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/should-you-take-a-rest-day-or-push-through-the-truth-about-training-while-fatigued/

Thanks for reading, and thanks to the coaches and Jeff Tomko for making this article happen.

Coach Shane

Should You Take a Rest Day or Push Through? The Truth About Training When You're Fatigued - Muscle & Fitness Struggling with fatigue on leg day? Strength experts Matt Wenning and Gareth Sapstead reveal the traffic light warmup test to decide whether to push, adjust, or rest.

My Latest on Muscle & Fitness

The bent-over row is the big kahuna of rows because it trains the entire back.

But sometimes, due to form issues or your lower back deciding not today, it becomes an issue. Rather than sucking it up, here are five rows to build a beefy back without the unnecessary discomfort.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/back-exercises/bent-over-rows-bother-your-lower-back-5-back-building-moves-that-still-do-the-trick/

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents.

Coach Shane McLean

Bent-Over Rows Bother Your Lower Back? 5 Back-Building Moves That Still Do The Trick - Muscle & Fitness Is your lower back giving out before your lats do? Learn why the barbell bent-over row causes lower-back fatigue, how to fix your setup, and 5 heavy alternatives to build a massive back without spinal stress.

My Latest On Muscle & Fitness

I feel the lift setup is almost as important as the lifting itself.

If you're constantly readjusting during a set, you're wasting valuable energy that should be spent on lifting. The Preacher Curl may seem silly to worry about, but the biceps are that important.

There are a couple of things to pay attention to with this lift for maximum safety and gains. And here they are.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/the-ultimate-preacher-curl-setup-guide-6-steps-to-isolate-your-biceps-and-force-max-growth/

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents.

Coach Shane McLean

The Ultimate Preacher Curl Setup Guide: 6 Steps to Isolate Your Biceps and Force Max Growth - Muscle & Fitness Stop wasting bicep reps with bad form. Master this step-by-step preacher curl setup checklist to eliminate momentum, protect your elbows, and trigger maximum peak growth.

MY LATEST ON Muscle & Fitness

Dumbbell rows are great; don't get me wrong, but they can get dull, and you can go through the motions a little bit.

You need a challenge, and Renegade Rows do just that.

Rowing from the plank position strengthens your core and back and turns a once-back exercise into a full-body bonanza.

Here's how to do it right.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/full-body-exercises/how-the-renegade-row-will-help-build-core-strength-shoulder-stability-and-a-bigger-back/

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents.

Coach Shane McLean

How The Renegade Row Will Help Build Core Strength, Shoulder Stability, and a Bigger Back - Muscle & Fitness The renegade row is more than a dumbbell row. Discover how it builds core strength, shoulder stability, anti-rotation power, and a stronger back with one simple movement.

My Latest On Muscle & Fitness

You know when you do split squats and lunges to build your quads and glutes, and all you feel is your inner thighs?
Say hello to your adductors.

Yes, they bring the leg back to midline, but they do so much more. I'll go into that and so much more as I deep dive into those inner thigh muscles.

Pun intended.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/leg-exercises/adductor-training-may-be-the-legday-solution-for-strength-mobility-and-injury-prevention/

Thanks for reading, and to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents; make it a great day.

Coach Shane McLean

Adductor Training May Be the Legday Solution for Strength, Mobility, and Injury Prevention - Muscle & Fitness Weak adductors could be limiting your squat strength, athletic performance, and muscle growth. Learn the best adductor exercises, how to build stronger inner thighs, prevent groin injuries, and improve lower-body power.

THE PERSONAL TRAINING HANDBOOK

What began as an idea (in my head) to help newer trainers navigate the ever-changing world of personal training has evolved into The Personal Training Handbook - A Guide to Developing Practical Coaching and Career Skills.

The final manuscript is in Cognella's inbox by August 3rd.

With a lot of help (and work) from Korey Van Wyk and my co-author Joseph Sudimack and chapter contributors:

Jack Hallows
Susie Reiner
Rocky Snyder
J.A. Graves and David Skolnik
Javier Miller-Estrada
Joshua Dillaha and Angela Shaba
Chris Colucci
And last but not least, Mark Nutting

(Andrew Coates was kind enough to write the foreword also.)

This book is coming to life. It’s not another exercise, sets, and reps book. There are already enough of those. It covers the soft skills of training, how to build a social media following, and how to navigate starting a business and dealing with complex client behaviors.

That’s just a taste.

You’d think getting other experts to write the chapters would make it easier, but it hasn’t. It’s pushed Joseph’s and my professional boundaries like no other project. It’s been one of the hardest professional endeavors I’ve ever undertaken.

I hope all the hard work will be worth it when the book gets into the right hands.

If you’re interested in being added to the list to be notified when it comes out next year, please send me a private message.

Next year, I’ll be a book author, and I cannot wait.

Thanks for reading.

Coach Shane

My Latest On Muscle & Fitness

Some exercises get labeled good or bad, but it depends on context.

Does it have a purpose? Does it put you in positions that you need to improve in and out of the gym?

The deficit deadlift is one of those exercises. Some see it as making the deadlift hard for no reason; others who are slow off the floor see a different story.

With the help of a few coaching friends, rediscover the deficit deadlift and make up your own mind.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/why-the-deficit-deadlift-can-help-you-build-more-strength-and-mobility/

Thanks for reading, and to Jeff Tomko, Matt Wenning, and Tasha Whelan for their time and talents.

Coach Shane

Why the Deficit Deadlift Can Help You Build More Strength and Mobility - Muscle & Fitness Is the deficit deadlift worth it? Learn how this advanced deadlift variation builds strength off the floor, improves power, targets weak points, and helps serious lifters increase deadlift performance without sacrificing form.

MY LATEST ON Muscle & Fitness

The Juggernaut method is a grown-up program for gaining muscle and strength. Created by Chad Wesley Smith in 2009, it is now an app, Juggernaut AI.

If you're an experienced lifter whose gains have stalled, like structured workouts, and value long-term gains over short-term ones, it could be the program for you.

I'll give you the lowdown if you click the link below.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/the-juggernaut-method-explained-using-high-volume-and-fatigue-for-greater-strength/

Thanks for reading, and make it a great day.

Coach Shane

The Juggernaut Method Explained: Using High Volume and Fatigue For Greater Strength - Muscle & Fitness Looking to get stronger without burning out? Learn how the Juggernaut Method uses progressive overload, fatigue management, and science-backed programming to build muscle, increase strength, and deliver long-term results.

MY LATEST ON Muscle & Fitness

As I scroll through social media, I see many cool, effective, and difficult-to-perform core exercises performed by people who make it look easy.

That's great for them, but not so for the rest of us. If you want a simple, effective core exercise that trains your core as intended without tying yourself up in knots, look no further than Half Kneeling Cable Chop.

It works on many different qualities at once and provides strength that you will use and need.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/full-body-exercises/master-the-half-kneeling-cable-chop-for-more-core-strength-and-rotational-power/

Thanks for reading, and to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents.

Coach Shane McLean

Master the Half-Kneeling Cable Chop for More Core Strength And Rotational Power - Muscle & Fitness Build a stronger core, improve rotational power, and boost athletic performance with the half-kneeling cable chop. Learn proper form, muscles worked, benefits, common mistakes, and why this exercise belongs in every man’s training program.

MY LATEST ON Muscle & Fitness

Many exercisers rush the most important part of the lift, the setup.
Often it is the make-or-break part of the lift. It ensures safety and allows you to do more reps.

Although the pull-up is not complex, it pays to run through the setup steps in my article for better gains.

Check it out.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/back-exercises/the-pull-up-setup-secrets-that-build-more-back-and-biceps-strength/

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Jeff Tomko for his editing skills.

Coach Shane

The Pull-Up Setup Secrets That Build More Back and Biceps Strength - Muscle & Fitness Struggling to improve your pull-ups or chin-ups? Learn the setup mistakes killing your gains and discover expert tips to build a bigger back, stronger biceps, better grip strength, and more reps fast.