The Strength Log

Rows are great for developing your upper back, but do they also work your biceps sufficiently? That certainly would be a good incentive to do more boring rows and less direct biceps work, to kill two swole birds with one stone. So, what does the science have to say about this? In today's episode, we break down a new study in which participants trained dumbbell rows with one arm and bicep curls with the other for eight weeks, and measured how the arms grew. The results were telling. *** Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button! You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam. Become a part of our Reddit community here. *** This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden. To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life. If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

They explore alternating sets as a time-saving way to maintain training volume. They contrast short and long rests and review a study comparing rest strategies for bench and squat. They define supersets versus looser alternating sets and discuss pairing exercises to limit interference. They highlight session time savings, systemic fatigue risks, and practical tips for when to use alternating sets.

Pre-exhaust training is a strength training philosophy popularized in the 1970s. Many bodybuilders still swear by it, but what does the scientific evidence say? In today's episode, we examine a new study comparing pre-exhaust training with traditional training, and give you our thoughts on when and how to implement it in your own training. Also, here's the bulletin on "the pre-exhaustion principle" by Nautilus founder Arthur Jones, which we read an excerpt from during the episode (if you want to read the whole thing). *** Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button! You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam. Become a part of our Reddit community here. *** This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden. To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life. If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

They break down a soccer-team study testing 18 sleep-hygiene tactics like screen curfews, temperature tweaks, caffeine cutoffs, baths, masks and earplugs. Players picked practical changes and slept longer and faster. The conversation highlights how simple evening habits can shift sleep duration, recovery and on-field distance and speed.

They explore a major review on how long it takes to form new habits and why timelines vary. Morning routines, consistent context, and planning get special attention. Discussion covers self-chosen goals, social and environmental support, and why simple behaviors lock in faster than complex ones.

They dig into whether collagen drinks or bone broth actually help tendons, joints, and skin. The biology of collagen, age-related decline, and vitamin C’s role get explained. A recent Dutch study and its methods are broken down, including blood responses and protein synthesis results. Practical takeaways about diet, supplements, and real-food vitamin C finish the discussion.

What is the correlation between grip strength and health? How do you keep yourself motivated when injured? And is muscle soreness really a good sign that your training is working? In this episode, we finish the Q&A we started last week, with five more listener questions on strength training! Timestamps: 01:30 - Question 1: Is muscle soreness a good sign that you've trained hard or just have unaccustomed muscles? And do you stop getting soreness when you reach a particular strength level/habit? 06:00 - Question 2: Is there any study on the connection between grip strength and health? 10:10—Question 3: My problem is that no matter how hard I push myself, I'm just not adding weight to the bar. Why? 17:45 - Question 4: I'd love to hear some perspectives on how to keep motivation up when you're plateauing or injured. 24:00 - Question 5: I want suggestions for exercises/programs to prepare my body for working out at the gym again in the fall. I haven't worked out in 7–8 years, because I gave birth to 2 children and lived through the toddler years! *** Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button! You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam. Become a part of our Reddit community here. *** This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden. To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life. If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

Can you really maintain muscle mass with just one full-body workout a week? The hosts dive into this intriguing question along with the benefits of painful wall sits. They debate the necessity of deload weeks and how power lifters can balance squats and deadlifts in their routines. You'll hear insights on maximizing strength with minimal training and the evolution of their workout app, all peppered with a delightful dose of humor.

The pull-up is one of the most classic strength training exercises you can do, and also one of the best! But how do you manage your first rep if you can't do pull-ups today, and how should you train to progress to 10+ reps? Or should you stick to lat pulldowns instead? In this episode, we also discuss the biomechanics and muscles used in the pull-up and lat pulldown, as well as their pros and cons. This is the sixth and final episode in our series covering "The Big 6" exercises: the bench press, squat, deadlift, overhead press, different kinds of rows, and pull-up/lat pulldown. *** Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button! You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam. Become a part of our Reddit community here. *** This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden. To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life. If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.

You don't see it, but everyone else does. Your upper back holds some of the biggest muscles in your upper body, and the way to train them is with rowing exercises. In this episode, we talk about the barbell row and other common rowing variations, which muscles they work, best technique practices, biomechanics, and more. This is the fifth episode in our series covering "The Big 6" exercises: the bench press, squat, deadlift, overhead press, different kinds of rows, and pull-up/lat pulldown. Up next week: The pull-up and lat pulldown! *** Do you like what you hear so far? Please leave a five-star review in your podcast player. And hit that follow button! You can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find Daniel at @strengthdan, and Philip at @philipwildenstam. Become a part of our Reddit community here. *** This podcast is brought to you by Styrkelabbet AB, Sweden. To support us, download the world's best gym workout tracker app StrengthLog here. It's completely ad-free and the most generous fitness app on the market, giving you access to unlimited workout logging, lots of workouts and training programs, and much, much more even if you stay a free user for life. If you want a t-shirt with "Train hard, eat well, die anyway", check out our shop here.