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: The Split Squat: The Leg Exercise That Fixes More Than It Breaks
Supplement Spotlight: Beetroot Juice (Dietary Nitrate) — A Real, Modest Boost for Endurance
Myth or Real: "Lunges and split squats are bad for your knees."
Quick Tip: Where to put your front foot so the split squat feels right
Fit Trivia: Which hockey legend played a full NHL season at 51 — on the same line as his two sons?
The Split Squat: The Leg Exercise That Fixes More Than It Breaks
If you only had room for one leg exercise after 40, you could do a lot worse than the split squat. It builds the quads and glutes, challenges balance, exposes left-right differences, and — the big one — lets you train your legs hard without a heavy bar on your back.
Why it earns its place:
Less spinal load: A pair of dumbbells at your sides lets you work each leg hard with a fraction of the total weight a back squat requires.
Fixes imbalances: Most men have a stronger side. Bilateral lifts let it quietly do extra work; the split squat doesn't.
Builds balance and hip stability: qualities that matter more every decade.
Stretches the hip flexor of the back leg under load: a welcome bonus for anyone who sits all day.
The basic version — static split squat:
Take a long stride stance, back heel lifted. Feet about hip-width apart side to side, like standing on train tracks, not a tightrope.
Lower straight down until your back knee is an inch or two off the floor. Think elevator, not escalator.
Drive through the whole front foot to stand. Keep your torso tall or with a slight forward lean.
Start with bodyweight, 2–3 sets of 8–10 per leg, then add dumbbells.
Progressions, in order: static split squat → front-foot-elevated split squat (more range, still stable) → reverse lunge → rear-foot-elevated (Bulgarian) split squat. Move up only when you can do 3 sets of 10 per leg smoothly.
Programming: once or twice a week, 3 sets of 8–12 per leg, stopping 2 reps shy of failure. Start each set with your weaker leg, and match that rep count on the stronger side.
It's humbling the first few weeks. Most men find their legs shake, their balance wobbles, and the dumbbells feel embarrassingly light. That's the point — it's finding the weak links a barbell lets you hide.
Supplement Spotlight: Beetroot Juice (Dietary Nitrate) — A Real, Modest Boost for Endurance
Beetroot juice is one of the rare supplements that endurance scientists actually take seriously. The effect is small, but it's consistent — and it comes from something you can also get from a salad.
Here's what it does: Beets and leafy greens are rich in dietary nitrate, which your body converts to nitric oxide — a molecule that relaxes blood vessels and improves the efficiency of oxygen use in muscle. The result in studies: slightly lower oxygen cost for the same work and modest improvements in endurance performance, often in the range of a few percent in recreational exercisers. Effects are smaller in highly trained endurance athletes. There's also good evidence for a modest reduction in blood pressure, which is relevant for our audience. It's not a strength supplement.
How to take it: Studies commonly use about 6–8 mmol of nitrate (roughly 400–500 mg), usually from a concentrated beetroot shot, 2–3 hours before exercise. Taking it daily for several days may enhance the effect. Food works too: arugula, spinach, and celery are rich in nitrate. One odd detail: antibacterial mouthwash kills the mouth bacteria needed to convert nitrate, which blunts the effect.
Worth knowing: pink or red urine afterward is harmless. Beets are high in oxalate, so be cautious with a history of kidney stones. If you take nitrate medications for chest pain or PDE5 inhibitors (such as sildenafil or tadalafil), or have low blood pressure, check with your doctor first.
We recommend beetroot as a legitimate, low-cost option for cardio-focused men — and a good reason to eat more leafy greens either way.
FROM RYAN’S DESK
Monday isn't going to magically make you more motivated. Neither is next month or the new year. If you know something needs to change, start today. One better meal. One workout. One decision. You don't need a perfect starting point. You need to stop waiting and start moving.
Myth or Real: "Lunges and split squats are bad for your knees."
Myth — for most men, with good setup, they're among the more knee-friendly leg exercises available.
The belief usually comes from one of two things: a stance that's too short, which drives the front knee far forward and loads it heavily, or jumping straight into walking lunges with too much weight and too little control. Both are fixable.
A longer stance, a controlled descent, and a starting range you can own keep the load well distributed between knee and hip. And your knee traveling past your toes isn't inherently dangerous — it's a normal part of how knees work on stairs every day.
If a variation bothers you, change it rather than dropping the pattern: try a static split squat instead of a lunge, shorten the range, or elevate the front foot slightly. Pain that's sharp or gets worse as you warm up is worth having checked out.
Quick Tip: Where to Put Your Front Foot So the Split Squat Feels Right
Most awkward split squats come from a bad stance, not a bad exercise. Use this setup:
Kneel first. Put your back knee on the floor and your front foot so that both knees form roughly 90-degree angles. Then stand up without moving your feet. That's your stance.
Widen the tracks. Nudge your feet so they're about hip-width apart side to side. This instantly improves balance.
Adjust for the target. A slightly longer stance shifts the work toward your glutes; a slightly shorter one emphasizes your quads.
Hold a rack or wall with one hand for your first few sessions if balance is limiting you. You'll load the legs harder when you're not fighting to stay upright.
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 hockey legend — nicknamed "Mr. Hockey" — returned for a full NHL season at age 51 with the Hartford Whalers in 1979–80, playing all 80 games and suiting up alongside his sons Mark and Marty?
Answer: Gordie Howe! His pro career stretched across parts of six decades — he even took a shift in a minor-league game at 69. A strong argument that staying in the game is a long-term project.
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.
Publisher: Ryan Engel
Editor: Michael Pender
📧 Need to reach Modern Fitness News?
Get in touch by responding to this email or sending a message directly to our chief editor at [email protected]. We are always on the hunt for good stories!
