Welcome to your modern fitness daily news report! Every weekday, we break down the trending fitness news, tips, and insider scoops to keep you informed. Each read will be under 3 minutes so that you can stay shredded and thumb through no-nonsense fit-quips. Thanks for reading!
TODAY’S LEVEL UP:
Pro Tip: Eccentric Training: The Lowering Phase Builds the Most Muscle
Did You Know?: Your VO2 max may be the single best predictor of how long you'll live
Question from Our Readers: "Do I have to train to failure to build muscle?"
Fit Trivia: Which martial arts legend starred in 1973's Enter the Dragon?
Eccentric Training: The Lowering Phase Builds the Most Muscle
If you want more muscle and stronger tendons from the same number of reps, stop dropping the weight. The lowering phase of every lift — the eccentric — is where a huge amount of the growth stimulus lives, and it's the part most guys rush through.
Why the lowering phase is gold:
Muscles are strongest while lengthening under load, so the eccentric creates more tension — the primary driver of muscle growth.
Controlled lowering builds tendon and connective-tissue resilience, which matters more every year after 40.
It forces better technique. You can cheat the lifting phase with momentum; you can't fake a slow, controlled descent.
How to apply it: take 3–4 seconds to lower the weight on every rep, then lift at a normal pace. That's it.
Squats and lunges: sink slowly, drive up normally.
Push-ups and presses: lower your chest over a 3-count, press up with control.
Rows and pulldowns: fight gravity on the way back out instead of letting the weight snap back.
Two things to expect:
You'll need to use a bit less weight — that's fine; the tension is higher per rep.
Eccentric work causes more soreness at first, so ease in: start with just your last set of each exercise, then expand once your body adapts.
A simple way to feel it: on your final set of the day, count "one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand" on every descent. It turns an ordinary set into one of the most productive ones you'll do.
You're already doing the reps. Own the half of each one you've been giving away, and the same workout starts building noticeably more muscle.
FROM RYAN’S DESK
The most important commitment you make is the one you make to yourself. Every time you follow through, you build trust in who you are. Every time you quit, you weaken that trust. Be the guy who keeps his word, especially when no one is watching. That’s where confidence is built.
Did You Know?: Your VO2 max may be the single best predictor of how long you'll live
Of all the numbers a doctor could measure, cardiorespiratory fitness — your VO2 max, or how efficiently your body uses oxygen — is one of the most powerful predictors of longevity there is. A large study of over 120,000 people found that low fitness carried a mortality risk comparable to or greater than smoking, diabetes, or heart disease. And unlike your age, it's trainable at any point. You don't need a lab test to improve it: a mix of easy aerobic work (brisk walks, rucking, cycling) plus a weekly dose of harder intervals — think 4–6 rounds of 1 minute hard, 2 minutes easy — steadily pushes that number up. Few investments pay off longer.
Question from Our Readers: "Do I have to train to failure to build muscle?"
Nope — and chasing failure on every set is a fast track to burnout and injury after 40. Research is clear that most of the muscle-building benefit comes from taking a set to within 1–3 reps of failure, not all the way to it. That "reps in reserve" zone gives you nearly all the growth with far less joint strain, nervous-system fatigue, and form breakdown. Practically: on most sets, stop when you're confident you could grind out maybe two more clean reps. Save true, all-out failure for the last set of an isolation exercise (like a curl or leg extension) where it's safe — never on heavy squats, deadlifts, or overhead presses. Train hard and leave a little in the tank. You'll recover faster and progress longer.
Our Picks: Supps We Actually Use
Some of our coach’s favorite supplements:
Creatine (Travel Packs) - $36
Add this to your water in the morning or in your post-workout shake. Creatine is one of the few supplements that has a mountain of data proving its benefits. Don’t miss out on it!
A great way to hit your protein goals. Don’t rely on a protein powder alone, but add it as a post-workout shake or midday shake to increase your protein intake and hit your protein goals. Remember, high protein equals higher muscle and higher satiety.
Replenishes essential electrolytes. Use this if you sweat a lot, do intermittent fasting, or go on long-distance walks, hikes, or runs.
We are a proud partner of Thorne Supplements! We are affiliated and use these products. We may receive commission from your purchase.
Fit Trivia: Which martial arts legend — who died tragically young at 32, just weeks before the film's release — starred as a spy infiltrating a fighting tournament in 1973's Enter the Dragon?
Answer: Bruce Lee! Beyond his on-screen speed, he was a genuine fitness innovator — an early champion of dedicated strength and conditioning work for martial artists, decades before it became standard.
Ryan Engel, Intl. Fat Loss Coach
Ryan is a leading fitness coach and one of the most known professionals in the space.
He specializes in Body Recomposition and visual body aesthetics and has reached millions worldwide with his powerful messaging. He brings a unique, non-nonsense, yet sophisticated approach to body change.
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Publisher: Ryan Engel
Editor: Michael Pender
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