Development is a fine thing. We don’t want to live in a stale universe where things just remain the same, do we? No. We don’t. We want movement and change. We want news. This is true in many, if not most, fields of life. The world of fitness and muscle building is no exception. Things move on. We don’t want to just keep on doing what all previous generations already did. We evolve. We get better. We learn. We discover. We innovate. All this having been said, there are things

It´s February and I’m using a headline like “summer abs”? Yes, indeed. Because this is one of the most important factors to take into account for anyone aiming for chiselled summer abs next year: if you are going to do it properly (meaning, if you want to maintain strength and muscle mass to go with the visible abs), then you have to start thinking about it earlier than what is most often assumed. Don’t let promises of “6 weeks to great abs” fool you. Sure, you can force your

A few days ago I underwent an extremely hard and rewarding arm workout session which I shared in my previous blog post, titled “Light is heavy”. At the end of that post I mentioned that my last two arm workouts have both resulted in a great pump, both in the biceps and in the triceps. In today´s post I will elaborate on how I have been able to achieve such a great pump on both these occasions. Before I do so I will also share the other arm workout in its details. It was perfo

1. Improvisation. In general I’m all for planning, but I do believe that the best workouts (and, to a certain degree, the best performances in all fields of life) take place when the original plan is (for the right blood full reasons) abandoned and you allow yourself to go with the flow. One should not let the preconceived come in the way of true inspiration. I’m a strong believer in the power of knowledge - knowing what you do and why will accelerate your development - but o

Eat like a lion and become your own leader Serge Nubret was a bodybuilder that competed with Arnold Schwarzenegger during the sport’s golden era, the 70s. He remained physically impressive throughout his whole life. In the world of bodybuilding he was noted for always going his own way. He didn’t subscribe to other people’s methods or workout programs. In the gym he went for extremely high volume, seldom aiming for anything less than 12 reps per set. He liked to spend several

3 diet habits that will energize you in one week True and long lasting results come from hard and long lasting work. This said, there are still things that you can do in order to get a quick surge of renewed energy and strength. Try these 3 diet tips for one week and reap the benefits in form of increased energy and well being. Note that in order to achieve anything substantial in such a short period of time you need to go all in. Don’t cheat. At all. Remind yourself every da

20/1-16 One of the most commonly asked questions that I get concerning muscle building and fitness is what supplements I use. It is often put to me in the gym, this very question. To be absolutely honest I have sometimes found it rather despressing the way some people’s gut reaction is to ask me these kind of questions instead of asking me how I train, how often I go to the gym, how many years I have been lifting weights, etcetera. The way some people ask this question makes

Since I often get questions in regard to dieting, food and nutrition I am currently developing this aspect of Penandbarbell. During May I will make it a habit to discuss dieting and nutrition in relation to working out. I'll start off with a basic list of 10 foods that I would recommend to anyone in pursuit of a chiselled and strong physique. If you make a habit out of eating these 10 foods you won't need supplements, protein powder or creatine in order for you to build quali

8/11-2015. Just finished today´s workout session. Today was chest day. The following took place: Bench press, barbell, 5x5. Bench press, barbell No. 2, 5x6-10. Bench press, barbell, No.3, 5x12. Inclined bench press, dumbbells, 2x12-15. Dips, 4x8-12. That's 15 sets of flat barbell bench presses. A bit over the top some might say. And yes, I wouldn't plan a session to come out like that. It was a matter of improvisation, fueled by the inspiration that sprung from the first 5 se

31/10-15 Leg day is seriously overrated. What should be highly rated depends only on your own personal ideals and goals. There is no magic involved in doing squats. Squats are not important, unless you re planning to compete in... Squatting. Deadlift is not an important exercise, unless you're planning to compete in... Yes, deadlifting. There is no king of exercises. There are no absolutely essential exercises that "has to" be involved in your workout routine. There is