Every FitnessVolt article filed under Body Mechanics.
Free FitnessVolt tools that put these articles into practice: swap an exercise, compare two, and turn your sets into numbers.
Type any exercise and get the closest substitutes, ranked and filtered to the equipment you have.
Compare two exercises side by side: target muscles, equipment, difficulty and movement type.
Estimate your 1RM from any set of weight and reps, or switch to RPE mode for more accuracy.
Estimate your 1RMBeginner to elite standards for over 400 lifts, by bodyweight, age and sex. See where your lifts rank.
Check your levelEverything filed under Body Mechanics, newest first.
A movement screen can show how you squat, hinge, reach, and balance today. That makes it useful for choosing a starting exercise, filming a baseline, and…
The three planes of movement are the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. Squats and curls occur mainly in the sagittal plane, lateral lunges and side raises…
Pull-ups and chin-ups are simple in the way a heavy barbell is simple: the rules are obvious, but execution is not. Hang from a bar, pull…
The deadlift is often described as the simplest big lift because the bar starts on the floor. That is also why people underestimate it. There is…
The squat looks simple from across the gym: bend the knees, sit down, stand back up. Under the bar, it is a full-body coordination problem. Your…
A practical test for bracing, side control, anti-rotation, and loaded posture, not another ab burnout.
Strength training is gaining popularity consistently, but millions are still on the fence about doing certain exercises because they believe in outdated gym dogmas that they…
You’ve probably woken up with lower back pain at some point. Since you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re dealing with it right now. Lower back aches…
We live in a world where desk jobs are becoming synonymous with ‘success.’ Everyone wants to sit in an air-conditioned office with minimal physical work. This…
Ask most fitness experts how to build muscle and strength, and they’ll probably say, “compound exercises.” That’s why any personal trainer worth their salt builds programs…
Back pain is undoubtedly one of the most stubborn and disruptive types of discomfort. Irrespective of how fired up you feel to take on the day,…
Ask most people to name some abs exercises, and they’ll probably include sit-ups in their list. This makes sense given that the humble sit-up has been…
Fitness experts and exercisers love to debate—or even argue—about the best ways to build muscle, lose fat, and get in shape. Researchers also get in on…
Many lifters get to a point where they feel like they’re practically living in the gym and pushing each set to failure but still aren’t making…
Building muscle while losing body fat—known as body recomposition—is considered by many as the holy grail of fitness (1). The alternative, bulking and cutting, is often…
Over my 10-year career as a strength and conditioning coach and Physical Therapist, I have helped clients look, move, and perform their best through individualized strength…
As a personal trainer with more than three decades of experience, it’s my job to help my clients get in the best shape possible. This invariably…
Building strength can be a slow, laborious process. Except for so-called “newbie gains'” it often takes many months to increase your maximum squat, bench press, or…
Strength training is good for everybody’s body. Lifting weights builds stronger muscles, bones, and joints, can control your weight, and will improve your athleticism and functionality.…
