It’s no secret that building a well-developed back entails plenty of pulling exercises and enough protein to support your strength- and muscle-building efforts. While there are different routes you can take to achieve that sculpted look, the best back workouts revolve around a classic pull-day staple: the row. 

The number of row variations to choose from may feel overwhelming, but you can’t go wrong with two of the most effective options: the chest-supported row and the bent-over row. But what reigns supreme in the battle between a bench-based back builder and a freestanding barbell movement?

We’ll dive deeper into their differences and similarities, break down how to perform each one safely, and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of both so you can get the most bang for your buck during your next pull-day session. 

Table of Contents

Key Differences 

• The bent-over row involves the entire posterior chain and requires significant core activation. On the other hand, the chest-supported row recruits your upper-back muscles while mostly removing your lower half from the equation.
• The chest-supported row is generally safer for both beginners and advanced lifters since the weight bench provides stability and protection for your spine. Meanwhile, the lack of assistance with a bent-over row can limit the user’s ability to properly engage the back since they’re directing effort to stabilize their body in a bent-over position.
• Unlike the chest-supported row, the bent-over version directly carries over to other movements like the deadlift and good mornings, as it teaches you how to hip-hinge correctly. 

[Related: Lat Pulldown vs. Pull-Up: The Battle for a Bigger Back]

Key Similarities

• Both row variations primarily work the latissimus dorsi (lats), making either movement a fantastic choice for your back or pull-day workout. 
• Your grip strength will be put to the test with each exercise. Rowing will help you develop a stronger grip (and forearms), which can pay off when performing exercises like cleans, snatches, and shrugs.  (If you’re trying to target your back muscles and your grip strength is a limiting factor, check out our list of the best lifting straps.)
• The bent-over row and the chest-supported row can help add thickness and overall size to your upper- and mid-back, especially if you vary your grip to target specific areas. 

Muscles Worked 

Like the bent-over row, the chest-supported row involves multiple upper-back muscles — primarily the latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius (traps), and rhomboids. Your lats, which are the largest back muscles, are the main mover during any row variation. Meanwhile, your traps help stabilize your scapula, and the rhomboids play an important role in shoulder stabilization. 

In addition to your lats, traps, and rhomboids, your posterior deltoids — the back shoulder muscles that attach to your shoulder blades — also act as prime movers during the bent-over row and the chest-supported row. Plus, both row variations involve ample biceps activation, as this two-headed muscle assists with flexing your forearm and elbow. As you retract your shoulder blades during a row, your biceps help your arm bend at the top of the movement. You can also increase the stimulus by using a supinated (palms-up) grip. 

However, the bent-over row involves several muscle groups and joint structures that the chest-supported version doesn’t. Most notably, this multi-joint movement recruits your hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors to prevent any rounding as you pull the barbell toward your body from a hip-hinge position. Overall, your legs and core have to put in an equal amount of effort as your upper body to perform this exercise safely and effectively.

[Related: What Muscles Do Push-Ups Work? Get More Out of This Timeless Exercise]

When to Do the Chest-Supported Row 

Sometimes, choosing a chest-supported row simply makes more sense. Whether you’re new to lifting, healing from an injury, or looking to target specific parts of your back, here are a few scenarios where a chest-supported row works best:

You’re a Beginner

Just started strength training? Rather than risk getting hurt performing a more technical movement, stick with the version better suited for beginners. The chest-supported row teaches you how to engage your core and perfect your pulling technique from a seated position that keeps your spine stable. 

While you may have to start with lighter dumbbells, you can quickly increase the load if you remain consistent with your approach. Plus, the chest-supported row gives you a chance to learn how changing variables such as your grip, the angle of the weight bench, and time under tension can affect your results. For example, an overhand (pronated) grip will lead to more rear delt and upper-back activation since your elbows come out from your body. An underhand (supinated) grip keeps the elbows closer, forcing your traps and biceps to step up their game.

You’re Working Your Way Back From Injury

If you’ve been sidelined by a back injury and are ready to resume training, the chest-supported row is a smart choice. Using a bench for support decreases the pressure on your spine and core, allowing you to focus on performing the movement using precise technique. 

Start with lighter weights to set yourself up for long-term success by rebuilding your strength, stamina, and confidence one rep at a time. 

You’re Chasing Bodybuilding or Physique Goals

If you want to develop a more defined, muscular back, the chest-supported row lets you target your lats, rhomboids, and traps without your lower back and core being a limiting factor. After all, sustaining a hinged position while rowing a heavy load is very tiring.

From there, you can tailor the exercise to support your physique goals by going heavier, altering the tempo, changing the incline angle, or experimenting with different set and rep ranges. Either way, the chest-supported row stands out as an obvious choice if you want to isolate certain muscles on back day.

When to Do the Bent-Over Row

There’s a reason the bent-over row is near the top of every best back exercise list: it produces results. From athletes aiming to get more explosive to people who need to develop stronger posterior chains to lifters looking for a way to grow a bigger back, here are situations where you can make the bent-over row the star of the show.

You’re Training for Olympic Weightlifting or Powerlifting

All strength and power athletes should include a bent-over row variation in their routine. Olympic weightlifters can benefit from this exercise by using it as a primer for the clean and jerk, which requires explosive movement and a strong upper back. 

Plus, powerlifters who want to increase their deadlift PR can also utilize the bent-over row to help reach that goal. Getting comfortable with hinging at the hips, mastering how to brace your core, and learning how to fully engage your lats and other back muscles will only help you perform even better when it’s time to step up to the barbell. 

Additionally, bent-over rows can give you a leg up on the squat and the bench press. Developing your traps will create a stronger shelf for the bar to rest on — a major advantage when squatting heavy loads. When it’s time to bench, having a strong upper back will allow you to maintain a better arch and remain stable as you lower the bar toward your chest.       

You Want to Strengthen Your Posterior Chain

A weak posterior chain can contribute to low back pain and poor posture. Although it’s a bit of a double-edged sword, the bent-over row can help you in that area by strengthening key muscles like your spinal erectors and hamstrings — both of which are recruited heavily to remain in a strong hip-hinge position. 

According to a 2021 review on treatment for chronic low back pain, 12-16 weeks of posterior chain resistance training had a significantly greater effect than general exercise on pain, level of disability, and muscular strength. (1) So, while you shouldn’t try to max out on the bent-over row if you’re trying to build a healthy posterior chain, you can certainly incorporate it into a program that includes fundamental core exercises like dead bugs, bird dogs, and planks. 

You Want to Add Overall Size and Strength

If growing a thick, dense wall of muscle along your back matters most, make the bent-over row the main lift on your pull day. A 2009 study comparing three row variations found that this exercise produced large activation symmetrically from the upper to lower back, supporting the idea of the bent-over row as a go-to movement for adding size and strength. (2) Overall, a compound movement will involve more muscle engagement than an isolation exercise like the chest-supported row. 

How to Do the Chest-Supported Row

To perform a chest-supported row, you will need a pair of dumbbells and an adjustable weight bench. Changing the incline level (as well as your grip) can alter how you attack your back workout by stimulating specific muscles. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to executing the chest-supported row with the correct technique.

1. Set your bench to a 45-degree angle. Grab your dumbbells and lie chest-down on the bench with the weights by your sides and your palms facing inward. 
2. Press your feet into the floor, engage your glutes, and brace your core to create tension throughout your torso.
3. While maintaining a neutral spine and head angle, retract your shoulder blades and pull your elbows toward the ceiling until they form a 90-degree angle.
4. Squeeze your upper-back muscles at the top of the movement for one to two seconds, then carefully lower the weights back to the starting position. Keep consistent tension in your abs to protect your lower back as you complete your set.

[Related: How to Do the Pendlay Row]

How to Do the Bent-Over Row

The bent-over row requires just two pieces of equipment: a barbell and weight plates. If possible, use high-quality bumper plates so you don’t have to worry about noise issues. While you can also perform this exercise with a pair of dumbbells, this breakdown covers how to do the traditional barbell bent-over row. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide that will help you master the nuances of this compound movement:

1. Stand behind a barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Hinge at the hips by keeping your back straight and bending your knees slightly.
3. Grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders using a pronated (palms-down) grip. 
4. Engage your glutes and core, deadlift the bar off the floor, and lean forward to form a 45-degree angle.
5. While keeping a neutral spine, pull your elbows back until the bar touches your midsection. 
6. Hold the contraction for one second before slowly lowering the barbell until your arms are extended and the weight plates are just above the ground. 

Benefits of the Chest-Supported Row

The chest-supported row offers plenty of intriguing potential for lifters looking to build a strong, defined back. Let’s examine a few key benefits of performing this exercise.

Added Stability

The biggest benefit of the chest-supported row is undoubtedly having the ability to train your back with the built-in stability of a bench. This is great for both beginners and advanced lifters who want to reach their strength and hypertrophy goals without having to learn a complicated technique or worry nearly as much about core or lower-back limitations.

Takes Advantage of Unilateral Training

As opposed to bilateral exercises like the barbell bench press or the back squat, the chest-supported row lets you attack each side independently. Unilateral training is beneficial in that it allows you to address any imbalances and removes the possibility of one side shouldering more of the load. Supersetting the chest-supported row with another unilateral exercise like single-arm lat pulldowns can take your back workout to another level. 

Easier Recovery

The less-taxing nature of the chest-supported row makes it easier to recover during and after your workout. This movement doesn’t demand nearly the same intensity or overall muscle recruitment as a compound exercise like the bent-over row.

You should be able to catch your breath, reset, and be ready to go for at least a few sets before moving on to the next exercise.

Cons of the Chest-Supported Row

Although added stability and easier recovery stand out as positives, there are some drawbacks to the chest-supported row, including:

Requires More Equipment

Unfortunately, if you don’t have an adjustable weight bench, you won’t be able to perform the chest-supported row. Plus, you need a pair of dumbbells (or kettlebells) that provide enough of a challenge. Without the requisite tools, you will have to turn to other back exercises that don’t require a bench (such as the inverted row) or can be performed without equipment (like Superman holds). 

Less Overall Muscle Engagement

There’s a tradeoff for more stability: less muscle engagement. Because you’re seated with your chest against the bench, your core and legs get a bit of a break. So even though the chest-supported row works well for hitting your lats, rhomboids, traps, and biceps, it falls short of the bent-over row in how many muscle groups it recruits.

Can’t Go as Heavy

The awkward body position of the chest-supported row can make it more difficult to jump up in weight. Working at the standard 45-degree angle gives you enough range of motion to pull and squeeze, but only to a certain degree. Even if you’re an experienced lifter with a solid strength base, you’ll quickly realize it can be difficult to control heavier dumbbells and squeeze out clean reps. 

Benefits of the Bent-Over Row

Whether you’re a bodybuilder, strength athlete, or general gym goer, the bent-over row presents a wealth of potential muscle- and strength-building benefits. 

Carryover to Other Pulling Exercises

Whether it’s pull-ups, deadlifts, or the cable seated row, you can put yourself in a better position to perform well at other pulling exercises via the bent-over row. Building strength and endurance in your lats and traps will carry over to muscle-building exercises like dumbbell pullovers, lat pulldowns, and face pulls.

Plus, training your glutes, hamstrings, and core to handle a rowing motion from a bent-over position will give you a stronger trunk to handle whatever deadlift variation you prefer. 

Compound Movement

According to a 2017 study on resistance training modalities, multi-joint exercises are more effective for improving muscle strength and maximal oxygen consumption than single-joint ones. (3) That makes something like the barbell bent-over row a great bang-for-your-buck choice for your training protocol. Not only does it build upper-body strength, but it also stimulates your abdominal and leg muscles from start to finish. 

Improved Posture

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to slouched shoulders, weak spinal erectors, and disengaged glutes. The bent-over row can help counteract that by allowing you to strengthen your posterior chain. As you progress, you shouldn’t be surprised to see an improvement in your posture and a reduction in lower back issues.

[Related: 6 Deadlift Benefits Everyone Should Know About]

Cons of the Bent-Over Row

Is the bent-over row the right pull-day movement for you? Before you pencil it into your program, here are some cons to consider. 

Injury Risk

Although it can be great for developing explosive power and upper-back strength, the bent-over row can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Maintaining proper form can be a major challenge, as you must cohesively coordinate multiple muscle groups and joint complexes to allow you to hold a loaded hip-hinge position for the duration of your set.

Just a slight slippage in form — such as rounding your lower back or slightly shifting your hips to one side — can lead to a strained muscle, ligament, or more severe injury. Whether you repeatedly perform the bent-over row incorrectly or you just lose focus for one rep, you run the risk of experiencing a setback that could derail your training plans. 

Grip Strength Limitations

If you’re taking the glass-half-empty view, one of the drawbacks to the bent-over row is that your grip strength is a limiting factor. If your forearms and hands can’t handle holding, lifting, and lowering a loaded barbell repeatedly, you will struggle to execute the movement effectively or efficiently. This can also be the case with the chest-supported row if you use heavy dumbbells.

You can overcome this problem by consistently working on grip strength exercises or using lifting straps for support. While the former will help you get better at bent-over rows and other lifts that require good grip strength, the latter will let you work with heavier loads by keeping your hands securely fastened to the barbell. 

Demanding on Lower Back and Core

Compound exercises like the bent-over row essentially put your entire body to the test. While there are certainly benefits to recruiting multiple muscle groups in one movement, your training session can quickly go south if you don’t have a well-developed core. 

Hinging at the hips and remaining in that near-horizontal position while pulling the weight vertically places significant stress on your lower back and abdominal muscles. Once fatigue sets in, you may struggle to keep the correct form or have to put down the barbell entirely. 

Using Momentum

While the chest-supported row forces you to use proper form by keeping your chest against the bench, the freestanding position of the bent-over row opens the door to using momentum to lift the weight. If you go too heavy, get fatigued, or lose focus, it’s easy to cheat the ensuing reps by swinging or jerking the barbell rather than maintaining tension and executing strict, controlled reps. Not only will this limit the effectiveness of the exercise, but it could also lead to an injury. 

Row Till You Grow

The battle between the chest-supported row vs. the bent-over row doesn’t necessarily have a winner or a loser. Both exercises offer unique benefits that can assist with sculpting the back of your dreams. At the same time, there are notable differences between the two rowing variations that can make one or the other a more logical choice based on your individual goals. 

Ultimately, your best bet is to include both the chest-supported and bent-over versions in your workout plan. That way you can pack serious size on your frame, develop better posterior chain and grip strength, and reap all the rewards of rowing — one pull at a time.

FAQs

Is a bent-over row better than a chest-supported row?

Because each variation brings unique benefits, it’s tough to say one is inherently better. However, if you’re focused on gaining the most size and strength, the bent-over row is the superior choice. That said, the chest-supported row is still useful for training your upper- and mid-back and is generally easier to perform, making it a solid option for beginners. 

Is the chest-supported row the same as the incline row?

Despite their name differences, both describe the same exercise. Whether you call it a chest-supported row or an incline row, you will need an adjustable weight bench and a pair of dumbbells to support your back-building efforts. 

What is the best angle for bent-over rows?

The ideal body position for a bent-over row calls for a forward lean of about 45 degrees. Although you can go a little further (around 60 degrees is my preference), hinging your hips to 90 degrees will put more stress on your posterior chain and may make the exercise more difficult to perform repeatedly.

References

1. Tataryn, N., Simas, V., Catterall, T., Furness, J., & L. Keogh, J. W. (2021). Posterior-Chain Resistance Training Compared to General Exercise and Walking Programmes for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine – Open, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00306-w
2. Fenwick CM, Brown SH, McGill SM. Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Mar;23(2):350-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181942019. PMID: 19197209.
3. Paoli, A., Gentil, P., Moro, T., Marcolin, G., & Bianco, A. (2017). Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength. Frontiers in Physiology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.01105

Featured Image: Jasminko Ibrakovic / Shutterstock

Out of all the cardio machines on the market, exercise bikes offer the best calorie burn in the smallest space possible. Certain bikes can work your entire body, some are low-impact, and others add a major dose of FUN to your training.

Despite packing an efficient punch, the best exercise bikes cost similar to rowing machines —  as little as $300 to well over $2,500. Imagine the horror of spending thousands of dollars just to find out you don’t love your shiny new cardio equipment?!

Lucky for you, I’ve done the research for you and gathered a list of the 13 best exercise bikes, so you can pick the right one for you.

How We Chose the Best Exercise Bikes

The Breaking Muscle team comprises a passionate squad of fitness aficionados, including conditioning coaches, spin instructors, competitive triathletes, and home gym owners. Altogether, our team has tested and reviewed 50+ exercise bikes — from the cheapest to the most expensive — putting them through rigorous a 13-point protocol.

From there, we chose the best exercise bikes by category rating each from 1 to 5 based on criteria like:

• Adjustability: Are the handlebars and the seat adjustable to fit various body sizes?
• Customization: Can you swap in your own pedals, saddle, and handlebars for a more custom riding experience?
• Tech capabilities: What interactive tech is available, if any? Is there Bluetooth or ANT+ connectivity available?

We have lots to cover… so gear up and let’s dive in!

Our Top Picks for the Best Exercise Bikes

Best Exercise Bike Overall: NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike

The NordicTrack S22i is hands-down the best exercise bike overall. We had three product testers take this bike for a ride to tell us why it won our top pick.

This NordicTrack bike’s programming, screen, and connectivity are excellent. Our product testers love the complimentary one-year iFIT membership because you can do live coach-led workouts, on-demand studio classes, and outdoor courses. 

Plus, the 22-inch touchscreen is high-definition, so it looks like you’re riding through a trail in Hawaii or taking a spin class in person.  It also swivels, so you can do other iFIT workouts off the bike without needing to see the screen from the rest of your home gym. 

RELATED: Best Budget Home Gym Equipment

With 24 smooth-adjusting, magnetic resistance levels, our Breaking Muscle staff members found the riding experience on the S22i impressive.

They were pleasantly surprised that this bike inclines up to 20 percent grade and declines down to -10 percent, which is rare for a spin bike — the angle can even be auto-adjusted during your workouts by your iFIT coaches. The resistance and incline levels adjust digitally, which feels higher-end than push buttons.

NordicTrack included a series of convenient accessories on the S22i. For starters, our product testers like the dual water bottle holders and the built-in fan to keep you hydrated and comfortable during your rides. Plus, the media shelf helps hold your smartphone, and there’s even an easy-access storage tray for the two (complimentary) three-pound dumbbells.

When it comes to mobility, the S22i is more cumbersome than you’d expect. Our product testers found the front wheels helped it move, but there’s no handle at the back, so you have to awkwardly lift it from the rear stabilizer beam for the wheels to kick in. They also noticed you need to be careful with the big screen knocking into things as you reposition it. Combined with its 205-pound in-box weight, a second person can be helpful when moving the bike.

Unfortunately, the S22i’s programming is limited if you don’t have an iFIT membership. Without it, you essentially just have the machine in manual mode. There are a few free bike workouts in iFIT that you can access without the recurring subscription, but even the live chat agent couldn’t confirm this and suggested we call their Customer Service team.

With the impressive build quality and tech of this NordicTrack Studio Bike, it’s no surprise that it commands a higher price. At the time of publishing, it retails at $1,999 — making it comparable to the Peloton Bike+. Remember, you’ll also need an ongoing iFIT subscription to use the bike to its full potential. That said, I think it’s well worth the cost, considering the bike’s features and the value of the iFIT membership.

All the above considered, we rank this 4.5 out of 5 stars for its excellent classes and courses with iFIT, smooth resistance with incline/decline capability, and convenient accessories.

Best Air Bike: Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X

The Pro X is a beast of an air bike. Our product tester loved its belt drive because it’s smoother than their more affordable Assault Bike Classic and the previous model (the Assault Bike Pro), both of which have chain drives. 

At first use, its 125-pound weight stood out, as it’s incredibly sturdy even when pedaling and pushing as hard as possible. Almost everything on this unit is metal; a full-metal construction means it’s seriously rugged and should last years, even when used by heavier and stronger athletes.

Assault Fitness uses the same “Elite” monitor on all their air bikes, and after testing 10+ air bikes, it’s become our product tester’s favorite. The physical buttons are easy to touch and colored, which is an underrated feature you’ll appreciate if you’ve done a HIIT workout on an air bike. The console’s high-contrast LCD screen also displays all the essential metrics: heart rate, calories, distance, RPM, and more. The included programming intervals and Bluetooth connectivity are a great benefit as well.

Having reviewed dozens of cardio equipment pieces over the past three years, I’m personally impressed by Assault’s warranty on their Pro X. The frame is covered by a seven-year warranty, with a three-year warranty on moving parts. 

Many companies try to pass the majority of frustrating part repairs on to their customers by only covering “non-wear and tear” parts. However, Assault breaks the mold by explicitly covering “moving” parts for the first three years. Knowing you can put the Pro X through brutal workouts day after day while being covered on parts delivers serious peace of mind.

One of our Breaking Muscle staff members has extensive experience repairing air bikes and says swapping a belt or changing internal components can be a nightmare. Bike repairs often need special parts and are best done by a certified technician, so expect any significant repairs to take multiple hours, with most of your help coming from how-to/troubleshooting videos. To be fair, this applies to air bikes bought from any company — not just Assault Fitness.

Because the Pro X is large, it can be cumbersome to move. One of our product testers found the easiest way to transport it is to lift it from the rear stabilizer until the wheels contact the floor. Still, the 125-pound weight with its 52-inch x 24.5-inch footprint makes this air bike challenging to move compared to the Concept2 BikeErg, and it might be too much for some users.

In general, fan bikes might not be the best choice for home gyms that have to be careful of noise levels. As a fan-based bike, the Assault Bike Pro X is loud. 

That said, the fan-blade system of the Pro X appears to be a regular bike hub with fan blades welded to it — making it much smaller than what you’d find on the Rogue Echo bike. This smaller size means less air displacement, and some Breaking Muscle team members were surprised by how quiet it was in comparison.

All the above considered, we rank this 4.4 out of 5 stars for its rugged design, excellent console capabilities, and impressive warranty.

Best Exercise Bike With Classes: Echelon EX-8s

One of our product testers took the Echelon Connect bike for a ride and was immediately impressed. 

It features an oversized 24-inch curved touchscreen, which feels enormous but immersive when working out. Combine that with the high-definition quality and LED lights that sync to your workout metrics, and it feels like you’re cycling in a live studio class — which is super motivating. The dual-facing speakers offer great sound, and the screen flips 180 degrees, so you can easily view it for Echelon Premier workouts.

By joining their Echelon Premier Membership at $39.99 monthly, you unlock daily live classes and over 15,000 various, on-demand classes. Premier members receive exclusive discounts, a more comprehensive range of class difficulties, and up to five user profiles. With this membership, you can also view a leaderboard and compete against others, see when your friends are online, and check other users’ stats worldwide. Finally, the Echelon app syncs your console with your Strava, Zwift, Apple Health, FitBit, and Spotify profiles and data.

Alternatively, Echelon offers a more affordable “Fit Pass” at $11.99 monthly. This plan is best if you want to work out anywhere, anytime, without needing any equipment. Fit Pass includes 60+ instructors, 40+ daily live classes, challenges, and more. I like their range of workouts; they have everything from cardio and core training to meditation and barre. They even have a travel-the-world-fitness class option, which reminds our product tester of JRNY and iFIT. 

Despite the massive class selection, our product tester finds the quality could be better for the monthly price, even if you sign up for a two-year plan ($29.16 monthly). She notes that the price seems high for what it is because it isn’t as produced as Peloton’s live and on-demand classes, but it isn’t bad — the production quality just isn’t quite there yet.

The EX-8S retails for $3,079.50, but it’s on sale for $1,699.99 at the time of publishing. The sale price is way more reasonable, but the original cost seems expensive for the actual specs of the bike. Considering the Peloton Bike+ is more affordable and offers a better warranty, I wouldn’t be surprised if more customers jump ship.

Echelon’s warranty on the Connect EX-8S is flat-out disappointing at just one year. Their 30-day return policy and financing option are typical, but our product tester couldn’t believe the warranty is only one year, especially for such a steep retail price. If you’re an active Echelon Premier member, you can enjoy the benefit of full warranty coverage for up to five years. However, this requires an ongoing monthly membership for 60 months, costing you a whopping $1,700 over those five years in subscription fees.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.8 out of 5 stars for the outstanding 24” HD touchscreen, along with the workout subscription options offered through Echelon Premier and the more affordable Fit Pass.

Best Exercise Bike for Seniors: Horizon 5.0R Recumbent Bike

The Horizon 5.0R is excellent for seniors due to its mobility-friendly design. For example, the low, step-through frame helps you access the seated position even if you struggle with mobility or leg strength. Once you’re ready to sit down into the seat, there are front handlebars that you can hold for support as you sit down — they also make it easier to stand up after your workout. 

I’m impressed by the sturdiness of the 5.0R, which is a blessing because most seniors have trouble with their balance. 

The large 66-inch by 25.2-inch footprint and lower seat position result in a more stable machine. The flywheel, however, weighs just 15.4 pounds, which makes it easy to pedal at first and is gentler on your joints. That said, 100 magnetic resistance levels are available, so you can still get a smooth but seriously intense workout.

I’m also glad to see toe clips on the pedals; they help keep your feet from slipping out, which is more likely on a recumbent bike due to the reclined angle of your feet. The extra-large, adjustable seat includes a backrest and handlebars along the sides. Even though you have a near-zero chance of slipping out of the seat during your workout, holding the handlebars for extra support and peace of mind is nice.

Finally, I’m pleased with this exercise bike’s simple controls and convenient features. For one, the screen and control buttons are easy to see and reach while seated. Further, a built-in fan and an included water bottle holder keep you comfortable and hydrated during your rides. All of these features add a nice touch for older populations. 

Unfortunately, the bike does require some assembly. There’s a helpful assembly video, but according to Horizon, lifting the main frame out of the box requires two people. Because of the box size, weight, and assembly, this might be too much work, depending on your strength and mobility. 

Horizon does have an in-room delivery option for an extra $199 if you’re experienced with basic tools and would prefer to assemble it yourself but want the large box brought in by another person. Alternatively, they offer white glove delivery and assembly for $239, including room-of-choice delivery, complete setup and assembly, and packaging removal.

At 123 pounds, this exercise bike might be too heavy for a senior to move. There is a carrying handle at the bottom rear of the machine, and once you lift it from the handle, you can wheel it to another location. Indeed, you’re not lifting the entire bike — some of the bike’s weight will be resting on the wheels — but combined with its large footprint, you might find it unmoveable without some help.

Finally, the touchscreen console requires basic tech skills. You’ll be okay with the console if you can operate a smartphone or tablet. That said, some seniors rely only on analog (push) buttons and might find the touchscreen and controls too confusing to use if they’re not tech-savvy.

All the above considered, we rank this 4 out of 5 stars for its mobility-friendly access, sturdy and stable design, and simple yet intuitive controls.

Best Spin Exercise Bike: Diamondback 1260sc

The Diamondback Fitness 1260sc is a fantastic spin-studio-quality bike. The rear-mounted 31-pound flywheel gives it extra smoothness, similar to riding a bike outside. Even better, Diamondback Fitness uses a belt to drive the flywheel — making it significantly smoother and quieter than a chain-driven system. Although our product tester didn’t think she’d like the magnetic resistance lever, she grew to love its premium-like clicking sound. All these finer touches make the 1260 comparable to an exercise bike from a commercial gym studio.

To add to the studio feel, the 1260 is highly adjustable. The handlebars are two-way adjustable (up, down, forward, and back) and have plenty of grips, so you can find a comfortable hand position whether riding in or out of the saddle. The two-sided pedals have toe clips for maximum safety and cycling efficiency, while the other is a classic flat pedal. Thanks to the two-way adjusting seat and the variety of available heights, our five-foot, four-inch tall product tester fit perfectly with a couple of inches to spare.

This Diamondback Fitness bike connects to many ANT+ apps and wearables so that you can pair it with Garmin and Wahoo products. Our product tester enjoys the vast range of apps connecting via Bluetooth FTMS (Fitness Machine Service protocol). This latest tech lets you connect your fitness equipment to popular apps like Zwift, Rouvy, Myzone, SPIVI, and others — tracking your watts, time, distance, rpm, heart rate, and more.

Our product tester doesn’t love where they put the water bottle holder and vertical adjustment levers on this bike. Since the water bottle holder is mounted in front of the post, she has to awkwardly lean forward and reach around the front post to grab water while riding. The adjustment levers also don’t open easily, so they require a lot of force to pry them open. Once opened, adjustments are no problem — but the initial sticking point of the levers is no joke.

The console on the 1260 is as simple as you can get, and it lacks any interactive features you’d see on a Peloton+. The console doesn’t provide any programming, so you must do your workouts manually, pair the console with an app, find free online classes, or join a subscription service like iFIT.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.9 out of 5 stars for its spin-studio quality, impressive adjustability, and wide range of console connectivity.

Best Portable Exercise Bike: Concept2 BikeErg

The BikeErg is extremely easy to move, making it the best portable exercise bike due mainly to its materials and construction. Built mostly from aluminum,  it’s lightweight and compact (48 inches long by 24 inches wide), which minimizes excess weight while retaining durability. It also weighs only 68 pounds when fully assembled, making it lighter than most exercise bikes and a little over half the weight of the Horizon 5.0R Recumbent Bike. 

The C2 BikeErg includes caster wheels that make moving it a breeze. Once the machine tips up for the wheels to kick in, you can roll it smoothly to wherever you want it to go. You can fit it into most vehicles by removing the seat and handlebar posts, making it easier to haul to another CrossFit box or gym.

Its high portability is heightened further by its adjustability, customizability, and versatility. The handlebars can be adjusted up, down, forward, and back. Similarly, you can raise or lower the seat and tilt it to +/-15-degrees. I’m impressed the BikeErg is compatible with most cycling parts — letting you change the saddle, handlebars, and pedals as you see fit.

One of our Breaking Muscle staff members has used the Concept2 BikeErg extensively and is continually impressed by its versatility. They enjoy it for long endurance rides and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Unlike an air bike like the AssaultBike Pro X, the Concept2 is a jack-of-all-trades.

There are a few downsides to the Concept2 BikeErg. First, it’s rather noisy. Like the other Concept2 cardio machines, the BikeErg is also fan-based, so a loud whooshing sound is made when you pedal. Compared to a quiet electromagnetic bike like the BLANK, I could see some users being annoyed by the noise from the fan. The higher damper settings restrict airflow, reducing the loudness, but you might still need headphones or earplugs if it bothers you.

If you enjoy using interactive consoles, you might be slightly disappointed by Concept2’s Performance Monitor (PM5). It lacks the engaging and interactive aspects of the NordicTrack S22i’s iFIT membership console. The screen is small and lacks speakers. Plus, it doesn’t offer live or on-demand workout classes — you must pay for a separate subscription service.

Finally, the BikeErg isn’t cheap by any means. It’s a quality spin bike (technically fan-based, but it doesn’t count as an air bike due to the lack of moveable handlebars), so you can expect it to cost a pretty penny. You’ll save some money going with a more economical brand, but whether you’re willing to sacrifice on performance and the power of the PM5 is up to you.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.9 out of 5 stars for its easy portability, highly adjustable components, impressive customizability, and versatility.

RELATED: Concept2 RowErg Review

Best Exercise Bike for Weight Loss: CAROL Bike

When you lead a busy life, keeping a regular exercise habit is easier said than done if it takes 30 minutes to an hour — enter the CAROL. 

Quick note: our product testers trialed the original CAROL bike, but this review is based on the 2.0 version of the CAROL. We’ll note any updated features of the 2.0 version below.

This bike is the best for weight loss because it gives you an effective workout in just five minutes, so you can easily fit it into your busy schedule. There’s no excuse with the CAROL because your workout takes just five minutes. This means you can do it any time during your day, making it much more likely that you’ll stick with your new exercise habit.

The CAROL is also ideal for weight loss because the workouts use an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to calculate your optimal resistance. Simply choose one of 18 different workouts and fitness tests; the upgraded console 2.0 will walk you through it without any confusion, making it suitable for any age and fitness level. You even get access for up to eight riders with the home membership, so you can help others in their quest to live healthier, too.

This bike also supports weight loss through data-driven results. The first model of the CAROL had heart rate monitors built into the handlebars, whereas the 2.0 model includes a chest-strap heart rate monitor to track your training. Each workout refines what it’s learned to tailor workouts to your fitness level, then shows your progress using precise data like your overall fitness score, heart rate metrics, peak power, energy output, and global and local leaderboard stats. Seeing your fitness improve with nearly every workout will entice you to return.

Unfortunately, you’re locked into paying for the ongoing $15 monthly membership if you want a fully functioning bike. Without the membership, you can still do a manual ride, but the resistance will stay at the starting resistance and never change — making it practically useless for a real workout. For this reason, changing the intensity and using the bike to its maximum potential requires a recurring membership.

Next, the CAROL is relatively expensive. Based on the bike specs alone, it doesn’t live up to the price because it costs more than the Peloton Bike+ and doesn’t include live or on-demand classes like iFIT. Further, it’s roughly ten times the price of our most affordable exercise bike, the Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike. Remember, though, this bike isn’t made for interactive fitness classes or enjoyable rides — it’s for people who want the best results from the shortest workout possible.

Sadly, the warranty falls short based on its $2,500 price tag. Like the Echelon EX-8s, it only has a one-year warranty, leaving much to be desired. Our product tester doesn’t think you’ll have any issues with the bike breaking down. and there’s a 100-day home trial if you change your mind. Still, she wishes the warranty was much longer, and I couldn’t agree more.

All the above considered, we rank this 4.1 out of 5 stars for its AI-controlled motorized resistance, detailed and data-driven console, and beautifully sleek design.

Best Magnetic Exercise Bike: Bowflex VeloCore

The Bowflex VeloCore has a sleek and modern look, and our product tester was impressed with its high-quality build, finding it fun and easy to use. She appreciates the smooth-feeling 33-pound flywheel with 100 levels of magnetic resistance for quiet but intense workouts. This bike’s belt drive requires minimal maintenance and delivers a consistent performance. It has an adjustable seat, two-way adjusting handlebars, and dual-sided pedals that accommodate regular or SPD shoes — essential features for optimal comfort, especially if you’re a triathlete.

The bike comes with a choice of two screen sizes, 16-inch or 22-inch, and each is an HD, responsive touchscreen that connects to the JRNY app for live and on-demand workouts. Based on your level, an initial fitness assessment determines what classes JRNY recommends for you to try. There are also options to “explore the world” by biking around different destinations. The JRNY subscription even lets you stream entertainment like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney+.

The bike’s most distinctive feature is the ability to lean from side to side, creating a more dynamic and engaging riding experience. The leaning feature claims to activate muscles, burn more calories, and improve balance and coordination. The bike also has a stabilizer bar that can lock the bike in place for a more traditional ride. The leaning feature works with the JRNY app, which offers scenic rides and interactive games that challenge you to lean and steer along the route.

One downside to the VeloCore is the price, ranging from $1,799 to $2,199 based on the screen size chosen. Going off the price alone, the Diamondback 1260sc is a better choice if you’re not interested in being able to lean as part of your workouts. 

The bike also requires a monthly subscription to the JRNY app, which costs $11.99 monthly or $99 per year. However, the bike’s functionality is severely limited without the subscription because you can only use the manual mode, and you can’t stream anything. 

The bike’s leaning feature is the main selling point of the bike, but it may not be as beneficial or enjoyable as it sounds. It claims to activate more muscles, burn more calories, and improve balance and coordination, yet no scientific evidence on the product page supports these claims. Plus, more moving parts and sensors than a regular bike make it more prone to wear and tear. It might not be worth the extra cost and hassle for users who prefer a more stable and less gimmicky ride.

All the above considered, we rank this 4.2 out of 5 stars for its excellent spin bike design, highly adjustable components, and innovative bike-leaning feature.

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Best Affordable Exercise Bike: Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike

The YOSUDA Indoor Cycling Bike is a highly affordable exercise bike, on sale for $249.99 at the time of writing. Compared to many other bikes in this article, it’s the most budget-friendly option. Despite its economical price, I’m pleasantly surprised by its great reviews on Amazon: 4.⅘ stars based on feedback from 21,788 customers.

Our product reviewer is impressed with several features of this bike typically found on spin-studio-quality bikes. First, the flywheel is 35 pounds for a smooth riding experience that rivals cycling outdoors, and the steel frame feels heavy-duty for peace of mind while riding. The belt-driven system also minimizes noise and, combined with the mechanical (friction) resistance, is quiet enough to operate without disturbing sleeping kids or neighbors. 

Like the NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike, the Yosuda also offers two-way adjustable handlebars and a four-way adjustable seat to ensure it fits as many cyclists of different sizes as possible. The built-in transportation wheels make moving it around easier, and the bike includes a device and water bottle holder.

However, the YOSUDA bike has some drawbacks that may make you think twice before buying it. The bike’s console has no programming, so you’re on your own for making or sourcing structured workouts. It also lacks Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, so you can’t sync it with cycling apps like Zwift or fitness devices like a heart rate monitor. Further, our Breaking Muscle team member’s LCD monitor was wobbly and seemed like it was about to fall off. It appears that Yosuda invested in some quality parts but cut corners on the rest.

For example, during testing, our product reviewer’s Yosuda had some pieces breaking off, such as the pedal strap. The bike seat was comfortable only for the first few minutes and already started to experience small tears, and the water bottle holder felt flimsy. Many reviews claim it’s a common experience for many parts to wear out or break off after a few months of use.

Finally, he provided some clear guidance on its durability. At around $300, it’s a great price but not a durable bike — it will likely need replacing in about two years. The Yosuda is fine if you’re looking for a quick short-term fix, but it’s not a forever bike. 

Suppose you prefer to make your exercise bike investment once. In that case, you may want to save for a more expensive and reliable bike that offers a better value and riding experience, like the Diamondback 1260sc.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.8 out of 5 stars for its affordability, value, adjustability, and high praise on Amazon.

Best Recumbent Exercise Bike: Schwinn 290 Recumbent Bike

I’m pleasantly surprised with the Schwinn 290’s console and connectivity. You can use the JRNY® app on the 7″ LCD screen to access 200+ virtual courses that automatically adjust your bike’s resistance to the course’s terrain. 

Alternatively, there are trainer-led classes for a workout with a more human touch. There are many workout durations and class types, so you’ll most certainly find an intensity and trainer matching your preferences. Best of all, you get a two-month free trial to JRNY® when you buy the 290 Recumbent Bike. 

If you’re a ZWIFT fan, the console is compatible with that platform, so you can virtually interact, train, and compete against others worldwide. The speakers and console even have Bluetooth capability to connect to your smartphone or tablet easily. If you prefer to play your own music playlist or sync your heart rate monitor, both are possible on the 290.

While almost twice as expensive as our choice for the best affordable exercise bike (Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike), the Schwinn 290 packs impressive features to make this an excellent value exercise bike. 

The console includes a media shelf and USB charging port to rest your smartphone or tablet on within view for a hands-free workout without worrying about battery life. It also features a water bottle holder attached to the side of the backrest for easy hydration access, whether you like water or the best electrolyte powders during your rides. Due to its 107.6-pound weight, the transport wheels are super convenient for moving, especially if you plan on storing it away between workouts.

Regarding downsides, I don’t like how the foot pedals adjust. You can tighten and loosen them quickly, but you must push the selector tab into your desired strap notch to lock a size in place. Securing the tab is shockingly tricky, even more so if you have big feet or struggle with mobility. 

You’re better off getting a rough estimate of the notch you need, dismounting the bike, and adjusting them with both hands. Based on my experience with these, I feel like a classic cinching strap of the Concept2 BikeErg or a plain velcro strap would be more user-friendly. 

Further, the step-through area is just too cramped for my liking. It’s so small that you must angle your foot to pass it through the step-through area. As a result, I could see this being a tripping hazard for anyone with mobility or weight challenges. I’m surprised to see this area redesigned because the Schwinn 270 Recumbent — the model that the 290 has replaced — featured a much larger area for you to step through. Because of this safety oversight, I’d recommend the Horizon 5.0R over this recumbent for seniors.

Sadly, you won’t get a great labor warranty with the 290. The parts are free if anything breaks on this exercise bike within the first two years. However, the labor warranty is only 90 days — ridiculously short. This means you’ll have to figure out how to replace the part(s) yourself or pay a technician out-of-pocket to repair your bike.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.5 out of 5 stars for its JRNY® + ZWIFT apps, Bluetooth speakers and connectivity, and convenient accessories.

Best Folding Exercise Bike: Marcy Foldable Upright Exercise Bike

This foldable upright bike collapses inward to a compact 21.5-inch depth, and the backrest folds down, so the height is only 47 inches. This means it can easily be tucked away in a closet when not in use. Although it didn’t make our top choice list, a Marcy upright bike can fold. While snagging the best upright exercise bike overall spot is unlikely, the folding feature is underrated if you work out in a small space.

Marcy’s folding bike is relatively portable. It features transport wheels, making it easy to move from one corner to another without lifting and carrying the entire bike. Depending on your strength, you could carry it up or down a flight of stairs if needed because it only weighs 37 pounds — making it one of the lightest exercise bikes featured in this article.

The features of this folding exercise bike surprised me. It boasts a 250-pound weight capacity, which is great for its lightweight frame. When folded out, the 14-gauge steel feels sturdy, so I’m confident it’ll hold up to its listed weight limit. The pedals have foot straps like the Horizon 5.0R Recumbent Bike, and they’re also weighted, which makes getting your feet inserted much easier. The two-year warranty was higher than expected for a budget-friendly folding bike like this.

One downside is that the  Marcy foldable bike’s console is pretty barebones, displaying only the distance, time, speed, odometer, and burned calories. It has no built-in programming, meaning you’re stuck with the manual mode and might need a subscription to vary your workout. Unsurprisingly, the console also lacks Bluetooth or ANT+ connectivity, so no apps or fitness devices will pair or sync with it. If tracking your workout data is crucial, find an alternative method or bike.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.5 out of 5 stars for its folding feature to save space, portability, and multiple surprising features like sturdiness, pedals, and warranty.

Best Exercise Bike for Small Spaces: Cubii Move

The Cubii Move has six adjustable resistance levels using the knob in the center of the machine, so you can customize your workout intensity and challenge yourself as you progress. 

The LCD screen displays the metric you’ve selected, and this under-desk exercise bike can track a surprising number of metrics, from stride count and mileage to duration and calories burned. The reset button is large enough to press it with your toe without bending down and using your finger.

This under-desk machine is free and compatible with the Cubii app, which lets you manually add your data, join challenges, and access 300+ expert-guided workout classes. Through it, you can connect with other Cubii users and share your achievements and goals.

The Cubii is lightweight and portable, weighing only 18 pounds. Thanks to its glass-filled nylon construction, you can quickly move it from room to room. This means it’s not difficult to bring it home from your office, so you can continue to use it while watching TV after your workday — storing it under your bed or in a closet when not in use.

This under-desk elliptical isn’t suitable if you’re looking for a high-intensity or full-body workout. It only targets your lower body muscles: quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. However, the range of motion is significantly smaller compared to a recumbent exercise bike. It also doesn’t provide much cardiovascular or calorie-burning benefits compared to other exercise machines.

The Cubii may not work well on thick carpets as the rubber feet might sink, causing the unit to wobble and shift out of place. Also, it might not fit under some desks or chairs, depending on the height and clearance. You may need to adjust your chair or desk height to avoid hitting your knees on the underside of your desk. Lastly, you may also need to wear comfortable shoes or socks to prevent blisters or discomfort on your feet.

All the above considered, we rank this 3.5 out of 5 stars for its low impact, good metrics, free app, and portable build.

Best Exercise Bike With a Screen: Peloton Bike+

The screen on the Peloton Bike+ is amazing. It is a 23.8-inch HD (1080p) touchscreen that rotates 360 degrees, so you can easily switch between your cycling workouts and exercising off the bike. The screen also has a high-fidelity sound system, a front-facing camera, and a microphone so that you can interact with other riders and instructors with crystal-clear quality. The camera even has a privacy cover, which many camera-shy people can appreciate.

I like the screen’s responsiveness and how easy it is to navigate. It displays all the metrics you need to track your performance, like cadence, resistance, output, heart rate, and calories burned. It even features a reduced-reflective and anti-smudge coating, so your fingerprints won’t end up all over the touchscreen.

Peloton offers various live and on-demand classes to suit your preferences and goals. I love the availability of classes and the huge selection of music choices like pop, hip hop, rock, R&B, the 80s, 90s, 2000s, and Broadway. The classes range from five to 75 minutes, though from what I’ve seen, most classes fall in the 20- to 30-minute range. Sometimes, if I’m in the mood for a longer workout but can’t find a 45-minute class that interests me, I’ll “stack” two shorter classes together. 

I particularly enjoy the Power Zone classes, where different parts focus on staying within a certain heart rate zone, and the climb or HIIT rides, where the intensity is slightly higher than regular classes. There are also many beginner classes, and even though I consider myself more advanced in fitness, I enjoy the beginner classes occasionally for active recovery.

Unfortunately, the bike is expensive. The Peloton Bike+ costs $2,495, a lot of money for an exercise bike. 

You also have to pay for the accessories, such as the shoes, the mat, the weights, and the heart rate monitor, which can add up to another few hundred dollars. The bike also requires a monthly subscription of $39 to access the classes and features, another recurring cost you must factor in. If you are on a tight budget, the Peloton Bike+ might not be your best option.

The Peloton Bike+ only works with the Peloton app and the Apple Watch, which means you cannot use it with other fitness apps or devices you might already have or prefer. 

For example, you can’t use the bike with Zwift, Strava, Garmin, Fitbit, or any other third-party app or device. You also can’t export your workout data to other platforms unless you use a workaround involving screenshots or third-party apps. This can be frustrating if you want to integrate your Peloton workouts with your other fitness activities or track your progress on other platforms.

It’s also important to realize that you won’t jive with every instructor. As you ride the bike more and familiarize yourself with their personalities and styles, you learn who you connect best with. 

For example, I’m not a big fan of over-the-top cheerleading or motivational talk when exercising, so I avoid the instructors who tend to lean that way during their classes. Several instructors were once competitive cyclists or Ironman/triathlon athletes. They provide a lot of insight into the mindset of an athlete, which I like a lot better, so I take their classes more often. The key is to test out many instructors and stick with who you enjoy most.

All the above considered, we rank this 4.25 out of 5 stars for its outstanding quality console, high-tech screen, and massive range of classes and music.

What Are the Benefits of Exercise Bikes?

Low-Impact Training

Unlike running or jumping, cycling places less stress on your joints, bones, and muscles. This reduces injury risk and makes exercise bike training suitable for all ages and fitness levels, especially seniors and those struggling with excessive weight.

Improved Cardiovascular Conditioning

Cycling increases your heart rate and blood circulation, strengthening your heart, lungs, and blood vessels over time. This allows them to handle higher cardio demands than they could have previously tolerated. Additionally, improved cardiovascular conditioning can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Can Support Weight Loss Goals

Depending on the intensity and duration of your workout, you can burn anywhere from a couple hundred to nearly a thousand calories per hour on an exercise bike. This can help you create a calorie deficit essential for losing weight.

Reduced Stress

Using an exercise bike can help you reduce stress and anxiety, as it releases endorphins and serotonin, which are natural chemicals that make you feel happier and more relaxed. 

Lower Body Strengthening

Exercise bikes work out your lower body muscles, such as your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. This can improve your muscle strength and endurance, as well as your balance and coordination. Stronger lower body muscles can also prevent or alleviate lower back pain, knee pain, and other common ailments.

What to Consider When Buying an Exercise Bike

Exercise Bike Type

There are four exercise bike types: upright, recumbent, spin, and air.

• Upright: An upright bike allows you to sit upright with the pedals directly below you. The handles are elevated and are closer to you than on a spin bike, and the seat is usually wider and more comfortable. This conventional riding position is great if you like longer rides that focus on your legs, but it’s less effective for high-intensity training than an air bike.
• Recumbent: This style of bike has a seat with a back pad to support your middle and lower back, placing you in a reclined riding position. Unlike other styles, the pedals are at the front on a recumbent bike. The recumbent style distributes your weight evenly between the seat and the back pad, making it excellent for longer rides. Since you can relax your upper body more than an upright bike, it’s great for riders with back and joint issues. This style is also lower to the ground, so getting on and off the bike is easier — a major selling point if you struggle with mobility.
• Spin: A spin bike, also known as an indoor cycling bike, is the closest style to outdoor cycling. The narrower seat and lower bring your upper body forward, giving your upper body a workout instead of just your legs. This style is less comfortable than an upright and recumbent bike but offers better performance, which is vital for those wanting to train at higher intensities.
• Air bike: This fan-based bike style is sometimes called “dual-action.” Air bikes feature moving handlebars that you can operate separately or simultaneously with the pedals and provide resistance by the fan blades displacing air. The seat tends to be broader, and the pedals are below it, like on an upright bike. An air bike isn’t the best for long rides because it’s harder to maintain consistent resistance, but this style is unmatched for high intensity.

Cost

Exercise bikes can range from hundreds to a few thousand dollars. Generally, the higher-priced bikes include more features like high-tech consoles, more resistance levels, and better build quality. If you go too cheap, you can miss out on key features that prevent an enjoyable and safe cycling experience.

Dimensions

You want to ensure the bike fits comfortably in your room and doesn’t obstruct your movement or other furniture. You also want to check the weight and portability of the bike in case you need to move it around or store it away.

Remember, you’ll likely need one to two feet of open space on either side of your bike to get on and off and not feel cramped while riding.

Build Quality

The overall build quality of an exercise bike should be top of mind when shopping. Look for a steel frame over aluminum — it’ll be more robust and sturdier. High-quality exercise bikes often feature a higher weight capacity, so you can usually use the bike’s total capacity as a proxy for its build quality.

Noise 

If you’ll be using your exercise bike at home, you’ll want to be mindful of how noisy the bike will be, especially if you’ll be working out when kids or neighbors might be sleeping. Noise level depends mainly on the resistance type of the bike. 

Air bikes are by far the loudest because they’re fan-based, followed by mechanical-tension bikes since they apply resistance using friction pads. The quietest exercise bikes will be those that use electromagnetic resistance due to magnets applying tension to the flywheel.

You’ll also want to consider whether you’ll be watching live exercise classes or follow-along workouts on your console. These will project sound with speakers, but you can usually use headphones or earbuds to minimize the noise from any tech you use.

Seat and Handlebar Adjustability

The adjustability of your seat and handlebars is paramount to avoid injury, even more so if you’re taller or shorter than average.

Typically, you’ll want a bike that lets you adjust the seat in four ways: up, down, forward, and back. Seats with upward and downward angling are also beneficial for a more customized fit. Look for two-point adjustability at a minimum for the handlebars, which means they can be adjustable forward and back.

Console

Like all of the best cardio machines, exercise bikes vary widely in design, so it’s no surprise that consoles can be ultra-basic, high-tech, or even lacking altogether. Although rare, some exercise bikes don’t have a console.

The key is that not every console will show your revolutions per minute (rpm), distance traveled, heart rate, or calories burned — all of which aren’t mandatory for a workout but can be highly motivating for your long-term adherence and progress. Just remember that more detailed displays tend to come with a higher price.

Pedals

Typically, you’ll find three main types of pedals on exercise bikes: flat, cage, and clip-in.

• Flat: This is your classic type of pedal, also known as the “platform” pedal in the cycling world. Flat pedals are precisely as they sound — flat. You just put your feet against them and pedal, making them incredibly easy to use. Unfortunately, they’re harder to control on the ascent of each revolution when you’re pedaling fast, and if your feet slip, you can bang your ankles or scrape your shins against the pedals. 
• Cage: This type of pedal is a flat pedal with toe clips attached to the front, which are flexible “cages”  that slide over the toe box of your shoes. Toe clips hold your feet in place and make biking more efficient because you can apply force upwards without having your foot come off the pedal — allowing you to transfer that force back into the downward stroke. Since you can pull up on the pedal and push down, you can work your legs more to burn more calories.
• Clip-in: Lastly, there are clip-in pedals. Exercise bikes built for serious cyclists will tend to feature clip-in pedals connecting to cyclists’ special shoes. Not to worry though, you can upgrade the pedals of most bikes to clip-in pedals if you like the bike itself, but they only have flat or cage pedals.

Available Programming

Exercise bikes with consoles can have all kinds of built-in workouts. The most popular are hill climbing, cardio, fat burning, and strength training. 

Some bikes don’t include programming, like the Diamondback 1260sc. If you’re using your smartphone or tablet, a console lacking programming might be fine. If not, make sure the bike has Bluetooth connectivity at a minimum.

Bluetooth connectivity is the most popular connectivity method, allowing you to use apps like Peloton and Zwift. AMP+ is another type of connectivity, but it’s mostly limited to heart rate monitors, so I’d recommend using Bluetooth instead. It’s a bit more money upfront but opens up the available connections for apps, workouts, and more.

Available Conveniences

Exercise bikes can come with several convenient accessories to make your workouts more comfortable and enjoyable. Not all bikes include these, but you can often buy them separately to customize your exercise bike later.

• Phone/tablet holder: If you have an exercise bike with a console lacking in streaming service and classes, then a media shelf is a convenient plus. A media shelf is just a hard plastic ridge that sticks out from the console to lay your device without it falling off. Without one, you’ll have to hold your device for the duration of your workout.
• Water bottle holder: Having a water bottle holder is seriously underrated whether you’ll be doing shorter HIIT classes or longer endurance rides. The last thing you want is to interrupt your workout just because your water bottle isn’t within reach. One of our Breaking Muscle staff members runs into this problem every workout — they have an upright bike without a water bottle holder. While it’s possible to buy the holder separately, its absence from the stock version of the bike is an annoying omission by the manufacturer.
• Built-in fans: Built-in fans are more common on the best treadmills than on exercise bikes, but some bikes, like the NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike, include them. If you sweat heavily, live in a hot or humid climate, or enjoy the added comfort of built-in airflow, it can be a convenient add-on for your bike. Remember, if your bike doesn’t include this feature, you can buy and mount a mini fan separately.
• Weight rack: Some riders like combining bike rides with weight lifting using the best dumbbells. Similar to the water bottle holder, having a small weight rack to keep them within reach will save you from getting off your bike whenever you need to use them.
• Wheels: If you’ll be moving your bike often, having wheels built into the bike is a nice feature. It means you don’t have to drag your bike and risk ruining your floor, making it easier to transport bikes over 100 pounds. 
• Heart rate handles: Most bikes are compatible with heart rate monitors, but it’s even more convenient to have handles with heart rate reading capability. Unfortunately, you’ll tend only to see these on upright or recumbent bikes in the premium price range.

Resistance Types

There are three types of resistance for exercise bikes: fan-based, electromagnetic, and mechanical. 

• Fan-based: An air bike is fan-based and creates resistance by the fan blades displacing air. This style offers a (theoretically) unlimited amount of resistance because the harder you pedal and push, the more air the blades will displace, causing greater resistance. 
• Electromagnetic: These bikes work with magnets on either side of the flywheel. As the magnets get closer to the flywheel, they apply more resistance. Because they use magnets, these bikes are smoother, quieter, have lower maintenance, and are easier to select during workouts but more expensive. 
• Mechanical: This style uses mechanical resistance in the form of friction pads made from wool or rubber. Most are designed so that you physically twist the resistance knob to add or remove the tension placed on the flywheel. Because of the friction, these bikes are noisier and often need more maintenance as pads wear out and become misaligned with heavy use — however, they are cheaper as a result.

Drive Type

When you turn the pedals on an exercise bike, the “drive” is connected to the flywheel; when that moves, you’ll feel resistance. There are two types of drives: chain and belt. 

A chain-driven exercise bike will be more durable because the chain is metal, which makes maintenance cheaper in the long run. Unfortunately, it requires regular lubrication to ensure metal parts glide smoothly along each other. Also, chains are noisier than belts and feel rougher, so they’re often in fan-based and mechanical bikes.

Belt drives are quieter and smoother, so they’re usually in magnetic resistance bikes. The downside to a belt-drive bike is that the belt can loosen over time with heavy use and won’t last nearly as long as a chain — costing you more over time.

Resistance Levels

Exercise bikes have a vast range of resistance levels. Because there are also different types of resistance, there’s no universal standard or comparison method.

While knowing how many resistance levels there are on the exercise bike is helpful, the best way to see whether it offers the rate resistance range is to test it in person.

Once you have an exercise bike in mind, look for a local store where you can test it out in their showroom. Remember to bring your athletic attire and cycling shoes if you have them.

Warranties 

There’s a massive range of warranties for exercise bikes, from as little as 30 days to as long as 15 years. I wouldn’t recommend settling with any less than a one-year warranty. 

Based on the exercise bikes included in this article, ten years on the frame, three years on parts, and one year on labor is a solid warranty to look for if you value peace of mind from your purchase.

Weight Capacity

Weight capacity is an essential factor that affects the safety and durability of the bike because it reflects the craftsmanship and quality of the materials and parts used to build it. Choosing a bike with a higher weight capacity usually means getting a more robust frame and more durable parts like the pedals and flywheel. 

Exercise bike weight capacities range from 200 pounds to over 400 pounds. 

If you’re a heavier user, I’d recommend choosing a bike with a weight limit of at least 125 percent of your body weight. The closer you are to the bike’s weight capacity, the higher the risk of damaging it or injuring yourself. The bike can also become unstable, noisy, or shaky, reducing the quality of your workout.

Flywheel Weight 

If you’re investing in the best exercise bike overall, flywheel weight should be one of the top things you consider. The flywheel is the heavy wheel at the front or back of the bike that spins when you pedal to create momentum. It’s linked to the pedals by a chain or a belt, similar to one in your car’s engine.

Flywheel weights can vary widely, from as little as six pounds to as much as 50 pounds. Most people will have a better biking experience with a heavier flywheel because it closely simulates riding a bike outside. I recommend looking for a flywheel between 14 and 20 kilograms (about 30 to 44 pounds). Typically, a heavier flywheel offers a smoother ride. 

Suppose you’re working with a tight budget. In that case, I encourage you to sacrifice some bells and whistles like a sleek built-in tablet or a monthly class subscription because the flywheel weight is crucial for an enjoyable riding experience.

As a caveat, one Breaking Muscle staff member has used the Keiser M3i Bike extensively, with a flywheel weight of just eight pounds. It’s positioned at the bike’s rear to provide a different feel, but it can still offer an intense workout.

Final Thoughts

Exercise bikes have transformed home fitness, offering amazing exercise variety and adjustability in a small space.

The best exercise bikes combine interactive tech and powerful metric tracking without going overboard on the price.

At the end of the day, the best exercise bike for you depends on your budget, the size of your workout space, and the exercise bike features you value most.

Best Exercise Bikes: Side-by-Side Comparison

FAQs

Want to get strong like these LEGO lifters but don’t how to start?

In this Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training (part of our Strength 101 series), you’ll have both the confidence to start getting strong with resistance training AND a plan to follow.

These are the exact strategies we use with our Online Coaching Clients to help them start strength training, and I’m excited to cover everything you need.

We’ll be digging into the following:

By the way, we’ve combined this article along with the rest of our strength articles into a “Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know” guide.

Grab it free when you join the Rebellion by putting your email in the box below.

How Do I Start Strength Training?

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life.

You’ll look back years from now and thank “Past You” for starting strength training today.

And I promise, you WILL start strength training today.

After all, strength training or resistance training doesn’t need to be scary or overcomplicated!

Strength training really comes down to two things:

#1) Movement of any weight against “resistance”(including your body weight) – Doing ANY exercise that pushes your muscles outside of their comfort zone, forcing them to rebuild stronger to prepare for the next challenge.

#2) Progressive overload: doing slightly more than last time (lift heavier weight or do 1 more rep) consistently. Your muscles will break down slightly during your workout, and then rebuild themselves as you rest and recover to be stronger and able to handle more the next time.{1}}[[1]]Powers SK, Howley ET. (2011). Exercise physiology: Theory and application to fitness and performance. New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.[[1]]

Coach Jim explains the ins and outs of progressive overload in this video:

That’s all there is to it: do some resistance training and attempt to make it more and more challenging, and you’ll grow stronger.^[2]

• This means if you do ONE push-up off of a countertop right now, technically you’ve done a strength training workout.
• It also means if you then do TWO countertop push-ups tomorrow, then you are officially following a strength training routine.

In other words…

Now, it’s SCIENCE TIME!

While learning the strength training exercises, you are allowing for proper communication to develop between your neuromuscular systems.

More efficient communication between your neuromuscular systems will result in something known as “proper motor unit recruitment.”

You may be asking yourself: what is a motor unit?

That’s okay because I was asking myself this same question.

A motor unit is a single motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates.

You can think of two different types of motor units:^[3]

• We all have small motor units, meaning that a single motor neuron innervates relatively few muscle fibers, and these smaller motor units are good for precise and detailed movements (e.g., moving your fingers).
• We all also have large motor units, meaning that a single motor neuron innervates hundreds of muscle fibers, and these larger motor units are good for generating a lot of force (e.g., getting larger muscle groups like the quads to generate a lot of force to help in sprinting).

When you start strength training, you really are helping your muscles communicate better together.^[4]

How cool is that?

Now, there are many different “strength training” and “resistance training” paths.

Like a “skill tree” in a video game (with branching paths and progressions), you can progress up one path, and mix and match movements from others depending on the situation.

These paths depend on your goals and what equipment you have available to you.

What Are Some Examples of Strength Training?

Let’s chat about a few different types of strength training.

#1) BODYWEIGHT TRAINING

Bodyweight training is simply doing an exercise in which your own body is the “weight” you are “lifting.” For example, you might do a squat, a push-up, or an inverted row. These are all bodyweight strength training exercises.

This is the place where we start many of our 1-on-1 clients on their strength training journey. 

Why? Two big reasons:

A) You always have your body with you (unless you are a ghost, in which case, this is awkward). This means you can work out ANYWHERE with bodyweight training:

B) Using your body for resistance training is the most “human” thing ever! By learning to push and pull and hang and squat and lunge, you are doing what your body is literally designed to do.

And by building strength, you’re making yourself antifragile and less injury-prone.

For many of our clients, bodyweight exercises are right in that sweet spot of being challenging while lowering the barrier to entry to get started. 

Bodyweight training isn’t as easy to ‘scale’ the difficulty as some of the other strength training methods (“put more weight on barbell”), but you can get REALLY strong with just bodyweight training.

For example, you can start with knee push-ups, then go to regular push-ups, then elevated push-ups, then even up to things like handstands and handstand push-ups.

You just have to know HOW and WHEN to scale up (we can help there too).

#2) DUMBBELL TRAINING

Dumbbells are a great first step into the world of weight training and strength training:

1. Most gyms will have dumbbells, even if it’s a basic gym in your apartment complex.
2. An adjustable set of dumbbells doesn’t take up a lot of room, which means you can have a pair at home without a large footprint.
3. Dumbbells make it easy to add difficulty to a bodyweight movement: holding dumbbells while doing lunges, for example.
4. Dumbbell exercises can be less intimidating than barbell training for some, and are a step towards barbell training.
5. Dumbbells have an added stabilization challenge,^[4] and will point out muscle imbalances pretty easily (“oh my right arm is stronger than my left arm.”).
6. Dumbbells allow for single-arm and single-leg exercises to be performed. This can allow you to strengthen any muscle imbalances and can come in handy, especially after an injury.
7. You can scale easily. Once the 10-pound weights become too easy, pick up the 15-pound ones!

#3) KETTLEBELL TRAINING

A kettlebell is essentially a cannonball with a handle on it. They come in any weight imaginable, don’t take up a lot of room, and can be used in dozens of ways for a great compact workout.

Our 20-minute kettlebell workout has 8 simple exercises you can do with just one weight.

Although there are “adjustable kettlebells,” you’ll most likely be working with a single kettlebell, and then adjusting your movements for “progressive overload” (making the workout slightly more difficult each time).

If you are a member of a gym, they’ll probably have multiple kettlebells that you can use to level up.

#4) BARBELL TRAINING

Regardless of sex or gender age, if your goal is to get strong quickly, use 20 seconds of courage and get comfortable training with a barbell (I’ll help you, I promise):

1. “Progressive overload” is easy – you simply add weights to either side of the bar, allowing you to progressively lift more and more weight each week.
2. It’s much easier to go heavy safely – especially for lower body movements like the squat and the deadlift.

The biggest downside to barbell training is that to train at home, you need to have purchased a squat rack, a barbell, a bench, and enough weights for your house or garage (which can be an expensive investment, especially when starting out!).

If you want to try it before you buy it, you definitely will need to join a gym.

#5) MACHINE TRAINING

Although they’ve gotten a bad rap in previous years, machines are another excellent entry point into strength training! These are going to be one of the most common options at gym franchises like Planet Fitness or Anytime Fitness, and usually come with instructions on the side for how to set up and perform the exercise. They have the benefit of being able to add weight quickly to scale, and usually require less stability to perform. (I.e. you’re not trying to balance and coordinate the movement at the same time as lifting it as much.)

While we still encourage our clients to do free-weights to build stability, when you’re first getting started having the extra guidance from a machine can be helpful!

WHICH RESISTANCE TRAINING PATH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Not sure which path to pick? You’re not alone – this stuff can be overwhelming. The truth is that you’ll probably mix and match a variety of these different options as you go. However, if you’re unsure, we recommend starting with bodyweight exercises. Then you can add in one dumbbell or machine movement at a time to introduce more variety and options for yourself!

Want to take the thinking off of your plate and have a program designed with your specific needs and equipment in mind? Check out our 1-on-1 Coaching Program. We get to know you and your goals, check your form via video, and make adjustments based on your progress!

Which Strength Training Program is Right for Me?

So, what’s the best workout program to start as a beginner?

Realistically, it’s the one that you will ACTUALLY do.

We have a saying that we love around here: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Barbell training might be optimal in terms of building pure strength quickly, but if you don’t see yourself getting to the gym regularly – or you’re too self-conscious to enter the free weight section (for now) – no problem!

Start with bodyweight training.^[5]

Conversely, bodyweight training might seem convenient and easy to start now, but if you can’t motivate yourself to work out at home, you might be better off joining a gym.^[6]

So let’s get you a workout program!

As we cover in our “How to Find the Perfect Workout Plan (for you)”: MOST beginners will be best served by following a “full-body” or “total body” routine, 2 to 3 times per week, with a day of rest in between each workout.^[7]

This full-body workout will have 4-5 big compound movements.

A compound movement is an exercise that recruits LOTS of muscles simultaneously and forces your body to work in unison. These compound exercises are considered multi-joint exercises meaning that they involve more than a single muscle group.^[8]

An example would be the barbell squat, which recruits every muscle in your core, butt, and legs to work together to lift the weight.

This is WAY more efficient – and effective at building pure strength – than doing 5 different isolated leg exercises.^[9]

Why do 5 exercises when 1 exercise will get you better results in 20% of the time?

In order to balance our full-body workouts, we want to make sure we pick exercises that spread the work out across the entire body. One helpful way to do this is to think of exercises as fitting into one of three different ‘buckets’:

• Push Exercises – these are exercises that generally work the front of your upper body. Things like push-ups, bench press, and overhead press all fit in this category.
• Pull Exercises – these are exercises that generally work the back of your upper body. This includes rows, pull-downs, and chin-ups.
• Lower Exercises – these are exercises that work your legs. Squats, deadlifts and lunges are some of the biggest bang for your buck exercises here.

By balancing your workouts across all three of these buckets, you get a well-rounded full-body strength program!

I can already tell what you’re next question will be: but how many sets and reps of each of these exercises should I do as a beginner?

As we explain in our “How Many Sets and Reps” guide:

• Reps in the 1-5 range build super dense muscle and strength.
• Reps in the 6-12 range build equal amounts of muscular power, strength, and size.
• Reps in the 12+ range primarily build muscular endurance and size and also cardiovascular health.^[10]

If you want more, Coach Jim breaks down different set and rep ranges in this video:

Many beginner strength programs will encourage you to keep things simple, doing just 5 sets of 5 reps for each exercise.

Personally, I encourage people to aim for a weight that they can lift for 8-10 reps. This gives you a chance to really work on your form and lift safely!

The max lifts will come later, my friend. You gotta learn to walk before you can run!

To recap, our recommendations as you get started are:

• Pick a type of strength training that you have access to and are excited to try (body weight, barbell, etc.)
• Perform 2-3 full body workouts per week, with at least 1 day of rest in between each
• Pick 4-5 compound exercises that work multiple muscles at once for each workout
• Perform 8-10 moderately challenging reps of each exercise for 1-3 sets

If your main goal is general fitness and fat loss, doing these exercises in a circuit training workout will likely help you reach your goals (make sure you see our section below for “strength training for weight loss”).^[11]

If your main goal is to get stronger and/or put on muscle, following a more traditional, pure-strength-style gym workout is going to get you there faster.

TRUTH BOMB: ANY strength training workout will help you reach nearly any goal provided you do two things:

1. Eat correctly for your goals too. How you eat will account for 80-90% of your success or failure when it comes to weight loss or bulking up.^[12]
2. Increase the difficulty of your workouts. This is that “progressive overload” stuff we were talking about earlier. Doing 1 more bodyweight squat, lifting 5 more pounds, or completing your circuit 10 seconds faster than the last workout. By forcing your body to constantly adapt, your muscles will never get complacent and have to keep burning extra calories and rebuilding themselves stronger.

The 5 Best Beginner Strength Training Programs

“Alright Staci, are there any ‘out of the box’ beginner workout programs I can start following now?”

Yup! Let me share with you some of our suggestions:

Here are 5 resistance training workouts you can follow TODAY. Pick the level that you feel most comfortable with, and then level up when you feel ready:

#1) BEGINNER BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT:

Our Beginner Bodyweight Workout has a variety of rep ranges to promote endurance, strength, and cardiovascular health. We’ve added new progressions and even created a handy tracking sheet for free if you sign up for our newsletter.

Complete one set of each exercise and then move directly to the next exercise:

• 10 assisted bodyweight squats
• 10 elevated push-ups
• 10 dumbbells rows (using a gallon milk jug)
• 15 to 30-second knee plank
• 10 bodyweight good mornings
• 20 walking jacks
• Repeat for 2 rounds

Once that feels easy and you want to level up, try this sequence:

• 20 bodyweight squats
• 10 push-ups
• 20 walking lunges
• 10 dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug)
• 15-second plank
• 30 Jumping Jacks
• Repeat for 3 rounds

Want to stick with bodyweight training? When you’re ready to level up, check out our advanced bodyweight training circuit.^[13]

Otherwise, you can move on to weight training when you feel comfortable!

#2A) BEGINNER NERD FITNESS DUMBBELL WORKOUT

If you are just getting started with dumbbells and you’re looking for a beginner workout program to follow, this is an example of a workout that includes dumbbells with your bodyweight training:

• 10 goblet squats
• 10 push-ups
• 10 dumbbell rows per side

I knew you’d ask, so here is a Goblet Squat video explanation:

And here is our video on how to do dumbbell rows:

#2B) BEGINNER NERD FITNESS KETTLEBELL WORKOUT

Our Beginner Kettlebell Routine is a workout you do anywhere you have room to swing a kettlebell.

So, probably not in a phone booth or a closet or a bathroom stall. But other than that, pretty much anywhere else.

Complete 3 Kettlebell Workout Circuits:

• 8 Halos (each side)
• 10 Goblet Squats
• 8 Overhead Presses (each side)
• 15 Kettlebell Swings
• 8 Bent Over Rows (each side)
• 6 Front Rack Reverse Lunge (per side)

#3) BARBELL TRAINING: 2-DAY WORKOUT SPLIT

As we cover in our “How to Train in a Gym” guide (where we take you from “lost sheep” to “barbell badass”), this routine is a much more focused weight training, strength-building workout that gets your feet wet with barbell training. Click on ANY exercise to learn how to do it properly.

NF BEGINNER BARBELL STRENGTH WORKOUT: DAY A

Do 3 rounds of:

NF BEGINNER BARBELL STRENGTH WORKOUT: DAY B

Do 3 rounds of:

Alternate between these 2-4x per week and there’s your program!

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER POPULAR STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAMS?

#1) “Starting Strength” is considered the gold standard beginner barbell weight training program by many. We highly recommend you pick up the actual book if you are serious about barbell training – it’s one of the most important training books you can ever read.

#2) Strong Lifts 5X5: A solid workout program that starts you out very slow, with just the barbell, and helps you master form before you get too heavy. It also keeps things VERY easy with “do 5×5.” Strong Lifts has been around for a long time and is a solid program.

#3) Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1: This program allows you a little more freedom to do exercises that you enjoy, or work on personal weaknesses, because you choose some of the assistance work.

Note: You can modify any of the barbell training programs to be done with dumbbells, if that’s what you have at home!

Lastly, you can always write your own workout plan! I wrote my own workouts for a decade and it taught me a LOT about training and health.

We do have our own 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program where you’ll work with a coach who will build a strength training workout program for your body type and goals, check your form on each exercise via video, and even help you plan out your nutrition too.

How Much Weight Should I lift?

We have a FULL resource on how to determine your starting weight for lifting, but I’ll give you the gist here.

The simple-to-learn but tough-to-implement answer: lift enough so that you can get through the set, but not too much that you have NO fuel left in the tank at the end.

And then, try to lift sliiiightly more than last time.

Here are two common questions on strength training:

#1) How much weight should I start with?

• If you are using dumbbells or a kettlebell, always err on the side of “too light” versus “too heavy.” You want to learn the movement correctly and build correct form.
• If you are training with a barbell, ALWAYS start with JUST the bar, no matter the exercise (By the way, a standard barbell weighs 45 pounds).

#2) How fast should I add weight to the bar?

Here’s what we teach all of our coaching clients: add the minimum amount of weight each week you can, even if you THINK you can lift more. It’s better to finish a workout full of momentum and say “I can do more!” than defeated and saying “That was too much, crapola.”

Think of it this way, even if you are adding just 5 pounds per week to the bar, within a year you would be lifting 300+ pounds!

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recommends a similar approach:^[14]

• For less trained people (i.e., beginners), it is recommended that for upper body exercises you increase the load by 2 – 5 pounds and by 5 – 10 pounds for lower body exercises.
• For more trained people (i.e., advanced), it is recommended that for upper body exercises you increase the load by 5 – 10 pounds or more and by 10 – 15 pounds or more for lower body exercises.

So go SLOW. Even slower than the NSCA recommends if needed.

Team NF’s Steve even bought little half-pound weights and increased many of his lifts by just 1 pound per week. It’s a big part of how he transformed (jokingly) from Steve Rogers to Captain America.

The 9 Best Strength Training Exercises to Learn

If you’re new to all this “strength training” stuff, hopping into a program and going from zero to sixty might be a recipe for failure.

Instead, be patient, and take the time to learn these movements first.

I’m going to share with you the 9 best strength training exercises that every beginner should master (scroll down for full video and explanations!):

• 1. Push-up: uses every push muscle in your body (chest, shoulders, triceps)
• 2. Bodyweight squat: uses every muscle in the lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, core)
• 3. Bodyweight row: works every “pull” muscle and helps prepare you for a pull-up!
• 4. Pull-up or chin-up: the best “pull” exercise in history! Everybody should have a goal to get their first pull-up.
• 5. Bodyweight dip: advanced “push” movement that targets your push muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) in a different way than push-ups.
• 6. Barbell squat: the best bang for your buck on muscle building. recruits nearly every push muscle in your whole body, and a great core workout.
• 7. Barbell deadlift: the favorite exercise of every coach at Nerd Fitness. Uses every “pull,” leg, and core muscle in your body.
• 8. Barbell benchpress: as basic and powerful as they come. Uses every “push” movement in your upper body and can get you strong as heck!
• 9. Barbell press: press the bar above your head! Targets shoulders and triceps more than the chest.

All of the exercises listed above are considered functional (closed-chain) exercises. That means they relate to our everyday movements and can be used to predict our success in sports, recreational and occupational activities, and activities of daily living.^[15]

When attempting all of these above-listed exercises, aim to master the movement and perform the exercise through its entire range of motion (ROM).

Why?

Because it will decrease your risk for injury, activate all of the appropriate muscle groups, and result in greater muscle hypertrophy.^[16] 

Let’s go over these now.

Click on any of these exercises to get a FULL explanation of the movement, step-by-step:

1) The Push-Up: The best exercise you could ever do for yourself when it comes to using your bodyweight for push muscles (your chest, shoulders, and triceps):

2) The Bodyweight Squat: This exercise serves a dual purpose: it is the foundation for building strength AND helps build proper mobility. If you are going to ever do barbell squats, you need to work on hitting proper depth with a bodyweight squat first!

3) The Inverted Bodyweight Row: Until you can get your first pull-up or chin-up, these exercises are GREAT to start building your pull-muscle strength: your back, biceps, and forearms.

4) The Pull-Up and Chin-Up: Once you can support your bodyweight above the bar, the world becomes your playground. No strength training routine should be without pull-up or chin-up work! (Click here if you can’t do a pull-up or chin-up yet?)

5) The Bodyweight Dip: As you start to get stronger with push-ups and need to find a way to increase the challenge, consider doing dips – warning: these are very advanced, but incredible strength-building exercises.

And now we’re into the best weight training exercises:

6) The Barbell Squat: Probably the best exercise when it comes to building strength and muscle throughout your whole body. It also burns crazy calories and makes life better. This is a MUST:

7) The Barbell Deadlift: Maybe the best exercise of all time. Actually no, it IS the best exercise of all time. It’s certainly the most primal: “pick the weight up off the ground. Done.”

This is a very technical lift, so make sure you read our article on how to do it with proper form:

8) The Barbell Press: Press a barbell above your head. This recruits all of the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms in order for you to lift the weight over your head.

As a bonus, you need to really flex and brace your core, which gets those muscles working too.

9) The Barbell Bench Press. Lie on a bench, and lower a barbell until it almost touches your chest. Pause, and press it back up towards the sky. Repeat! And get strong.

NOTE: All exercises were explained according to the guidelines that have been established by the NSCA.^[17]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: commit to trying ONE of these movements in the next week. Use 20 seconds of courage, recruit a friend who has lifted or trained before, and try your best.

How to Know You’re Doing a Strength Training Movement Properly (Form Checks)

Always start out with just your body’s weight and make sure your movement is correct!

• If it’s a barbell movement, use a broomstick (or PVC Pipe).
• If it’s a dumbbell movement, use two sections of PVC or something else that is light and small to simulate a dumbbell.

When it comes to movements like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench presses, your form is crucial. Develop good habits with lightweight and you will save yourself months of frustration later and will protect you from injury.^[18]

If you’re struggling with certain elements of a movement, don’t get frustrated! Remember, proper communication between your neuromuscular systems needs to develop.

Things will start to improve.^[19] 

How do you know if your movement is correct?

Do regular video form checks! Record yourself and watch the video.

Alternatively, an expert reviewing your specific movement can be invaluable. 

If you’re looking for someone who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your progress, you can check out our 1-on-1 Online Personal Training!

I’ve had an online coach for 4 years and it’s changed my life.

You could also get expert guidance in person: Look around at your local strength and conditioning gyms and see if you could hire a coach (here’s how to find a good personal trainer) for one or two sessions just to go over the basic movements.

If you can’t do either of those two options, no big deal! Videotape yourself and compare it to the videos here in the articles. You can also post your video to our private Facebook community and let other friendly nerds help you out.

When I started, I really liked practicing all of the movements at home because I could watch a video online at the same time as I was watching myself do it in a mirror. Studies have found this can actually help!^[20]

Strength Training for Weight Loss

So you’re looking to lose weight, and tired of hours of cardio (me too).

And you’re wondering if strength training for weight loss – by following one of the workouts in this guide is a viable solution.

Or, gasp – will strength training make you too bulky?

SPOILER: it won’t.

Rebel Leader Steve explains why in this video:

Yes, Strength training will help you lose weight IF you do two key things for effective weight loss:

• Calorie restriction: eating fewer calories than you burn every day^[21]
• Strength training with progressive overload (picking up heavier stuff)

As we point out in our “Cardio vs Intervals vs Weight Training” article, strength training is the MOST efficient method for weight loss.

Not only that, but you can find study after study after study that shows you the benefits of strength training for weight management when combined with “calorie restriction.”^[22]

As we cover in our “Why Can’t I Lose Weight?” article, here’s why eating a caloric deficit and strength training is SO magical when combined:

When you strength train – by picking up something heavy – your muscles are “broken down” during the exercise itself, and then they rebuild themselves stronger over the next 24-48 hours.

Guess what happens during those 24-48 hours?

Your body will divert as many calories consumed as necessary to “Rebuild Muscle!”^[23]

It also diverts additional calories to “Burn as Fuel” to handle this increased “muscle rebuilding” activity.

This means two amazing things:

• Your metabolism is revved up for this time period, burning more calories than normal.
• Rebuilding muscle is a calorie-taxing activity!

Not only that, but when you eat a caloric deficit, your body doesn’t have enough calories to fuel all the day’s activities. In these instances, your body will pull from your stored fat to make sure all the work still gets done.

This is the trifecta of physical transformation victory:

• You get stronger and keep the muscle you have.
• You burn through the fat you’re trying to get rid of.
• You’re decreasing your body fat percent and keeping your muscle = look good naked.

In other words, strength training + eating right is the BEST path for weight loss out there! And yes, in certain situations, you can actually lose weight AND build muscle at the same time.

Coach Matt explains how to gain muscle WHILE losing fat in this video:

So how do you put this into practice? Pick one of the strength workouts in this article. Calculate your daily caloric needs. Learn about healthy eating. And start.

In other words…

Pick up something heavy, and eat a vegetable.

“Just Tell Me What Strength Training Program to Follow!”

Okay! Unless you are collecting underpants, you should now have a workout program you want to try out!

“Staci, this is a lot, can you just TELL me what to do?”

Okay fine.

Here are the steps again for you:

STEP #1: PICK YOUR WORKOUT PATH:

A) If YOU ARE TRAINING AT HOME. Pick one of these 3 based on what equipment you have:

B) IF YOU ARE TRAINING IN A GYM: Amazing! I love gyms.

Read our “How to train in a gym” guide and go from Level 1 to Level 6 over the next month. Gym closed? Here’s how to build a home gym.

STEP #2: TRY A NEW EXERCISE: In addition to following a workout program, I’m gonna push outside of your comfort zone – that’s where real growth happens.

Learn ONE new movement this week.

Pick one of the exercises below and try it out!

Here are 42 bodyweight exercises you can do too.

STEP #3) HIRE A YODA: If you are somebody who just wants to be told exactly what to, how to train for your goals, and are good at following directions, consider hiring a coach.

I’ve been working with an online coach since 2014 and it has changed my life – and I do this stuff for a living!

No matter what you do today:

Don’t be afraid of doing anything wrong – truth be told, the majority of the people in the gym don’t have any idea what they are doing, and are just as nervous as you are!

Muster up your 20 seconds of courage if you need to, and let me know in the comments how it goes!

What questions do you have about getting started?

So, what’s the biggest thing holding you back from starting strength training?

-Staci

PS – Check out the rest of the articles in our STRENGTH TRAINING 101 series:

photo source: LEGO bench pres, tonobalaguer © 123RF.com, Stormtroopers lifting, Chris Christian:Strongman, W_Minshull: Stormtroopers in Gym, Lego Lifting, Rainstorm, Kristina Alexanderson: Teddy Love, 

Transparent Labs is renowned for its commitment to high-quality products, avoiding questionable ingredients like dyes, artificial sweeteners, and harmful additives. Grass-fed whey protein powders, creatine monohydrate powders, and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements are among their most popular products. This article zeroes in on their best-selling BCAA Glutamine product, specially formulated for muscle repair and recovery.

The well-documented benefits of BCAAs make them invaluable to minimize delayed-onset muscle soreness. By incorporating l-glutamine, Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine adds an extra layer to this product’s potential success.

In this Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine review, our team of personal trainers, CrossFit coaches, weightlifting competitors, and registered dietitians breaks down the ingredients, taste, solubility, and effectiveness to assist you in determining the product’s true worth.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

Key Takeaways

• Every serving contains five active ingredients formulated to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, alleviate muscle fatigue, reduce post-workout soreness, boost post-workout muscle growth, and enhance performance.
• Contains zero colored dyes, unnecessary fillers, artificial sweeteners, or harmful additives.
• Suitable for vegan (made with fermented vegan BCAAs) and gluten-free diets.

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Pros

• All active ingredients are included in clinically effective doses, maximizing your chances of reaping their benefits.
• As the name suggests, this BCAA supplement has a transparent ingredient list. It is also third-party lab tested, ensuring you receive a safe product containing exactly what is stated on the label.
• The four unique flavor options can help keep your taste buds refreshed and prevent monotony.

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Cons

• It is pricier compared to alternative BCAA products, making it potentially unsustainable for some budgets.
• The flavors come off as too sour for some customers. If you don’t like tart beverages, you may want to try another BCAA supplement with sweeter or milder flavors.
• It includes stevia, a natural sweetener that may lead to digestive discomfort in some people.

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Specs

Price per serving	$1.33
Flavors	Blue Raspberry, Sour Green Apple, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch
Amount of BCAAs per serving	8 grams
BCAA ratio	2:1:1
Amount of l-leucine per serving	4 grams
Amount of l-isoleucine per serving	2 grams
Amount of l-valine per serving	2 grams
Additional ingredients	Glutamine, coconut water, citric acid, stevia, tartaric acid, calcium silicate, silicon dioxide
Third-party tested	Yes

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Rating

The Breaking Muscle staff has researched over 50 BCAA products and tested more than a dozen. We’ve acquired a reliable understanding of their comparative strengths and weaknesses by analyzing their taste, the cost per serving, the amount of BCAAs offered per serving, and whether or not they’re third-party tested.

Here’s how we rated Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine:

Factor	Rating (out of 5)
Price per serving	4
Formulation	4
Available flavors	3
Taste	3
Solubility	5
Side effects	5
Third-party testing	5

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review

With numbers like those you’re probably wondering why this product rates so highly in several key areas. Without further ado, let’s delve into the details to answer all your burning questions.

Price Per Serving

Each 1.28-pound tub of Transparent Labs BCAAs costs around $39.99 when making a one-time purchase. With 30 scoops per tub, each serving costs $1.33. The company website offers a monthly subscription that gives you a 10 percent discount on the total price, plus free shipping. If you subscribe, the product cost comes to around $35.99, and each serving is $1.20.

In comparison, XWERKS Motions BCAAs are priced at $1.63 per serving, while Jacked Factory BCAA Powder is available at $0.67 per serving at the time of this writing. Since Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine falls in the middle of other BCAA supplements we’ve tried, we gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Formulation

Transparent Labs uses clean, simple, effective ingredients in this product, earning it a solid 4 out of 5 rating for formulation. Active ingredients include a BCAA 2:1:1 ratio of leucine (four grams), isoleucine (two grams), and valine (two grams). These are complemented by five grams of glutamine and one gram of coconut water powder, supplying electrolytes. 

BCAAs are essential amino acids (EAAs) that you must consume through food since the body doesn’t make them. Of the three BCAAs, leucine is most notably a key regulator of muscle protein synthesis, needed to build muscle. (1) The suggested “threshold” for leucine intake is often cited as two to three grams daily to maximize muscle building. (1) However, individual dietary needs may vary, and it’s advisable to consider overall protein intake and dietary sources.

Valine and isoleucine aren’t as involved in muscle protein synthesis, but take on other roles. Valine helps stimulate muscle regeneration and is involved in energy production. Isoleucine supports glucose (sugar) uptake by muscle cells to be used for energy. This could help improve muscular stamina and improve endurance during a workout. 

Glutamine is an addition unique to this product. As the most concentrated amino acid in the human body, it’s crucial for cell function and growth. (2) By enhancing protein synthesis and muscle tissue development, glutamine aids in muscle building and recovery. (2)

One gram of coconut water provides electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These minerals help regulate fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. Since you sweat and lose electrolytes during prolonged exercise, electrolytes are important for maintaining proper hydration for optimal physical performance. 

Additional ingredients consist of citric acid for preservation and flavor, natural flavors, stevia for sweetness, tartaric acid for flavor and sourness, and calcium silicate along with silicon dioxide to prevent caking and clumping. 

Stevia is a natural, zero-calorie sweetener commonly used in food, drinks, and supplements that may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in some individuals. Certain components of stevia that are not fully absorbed in the upper digestive tract reach the colon, where they then undergo fermentation, potentially leading to mild gas and bloating.

Available Flavors

The Transparent Labs website offers a selection of four flavors: Sour Green Apple, Tropical Punch, Strawberry Lemonade, and Blue Raspberry. This variety allows you to rotate between flavors, so you don’t get bored. However, we’ve tried other BCAA supplements that offer an even larger range of flavors. For example, Xtend Original BCAA Powder is available in 18 flavors on Amazon, and Optimum Nutrition Essential Amino Energy comes in 10 flavors.

Since the number of flavors available in Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine is relatively small compared to the competition, we rated it 3 out of 5 stars here.

Taste

Our expert tester wasn’t thrilled with the Strawberry Lemonade flavor of this BCAA supplement, rating this category a 3 out of 5. She described it as bitter with an unfortunate aftertaste, so diluting it with additional water could help reduce the bitterness. Again, we only tested the Strawberry Lemonade, so your experience may vary depending on the flavor you choose.

It’s important to note that customer reviews on the company website are mixed regarding taste. Like our product tester, some aren’t blown away, but others seem to like it. One customer who approves of the taste says, “Tried a few times, the taste of strawberry lemonade is refreshing and it does boost my energy during the workout!” As taste is subjective, determining your preference for this product may require a personal trial.

Solubility

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine shines in the area of solubility, earning it a high rating of 5 out of 5. When mixed with liquid, our Breaking Muscle tester noted it dissolved well and didn’t leave behind any clumps or floaties. This is where the non-caking agents included in this product come into effect, delivering a smooth, well-dissolved amino acid supplement. 

Potential Benefits and Side Effects

BCAAs may offer an extended sense of energy and increased time to muscle fatigue, meaning you can train harder for longer. Additionally, BCAAs may reduce muscle damage, inflammation, and DOMS after a workout, so you can get back to training faster. Finally, BCAAs may support the preservation of lean mass during times of fat loss, indirectly supporting weight loss. 

The benefits of BCAA supplements are highly dependent on your diet. If you eat enough protein through food or a quality protein powder, your health benefits from additional BCAAs may be limited. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, therefore a high-protein diet delivers adequate amounts of BCAAs. 

Our product tester didn’t experience any negative side effects while using this product. When taken in appropriate doses, BCAAs are generally safe. Following the recommended dosage instructions on the product label is advised for safety and effectiveness. 

That said, it’s always important to talk with your doctor before starting a new supplement, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or are taking prescribed medications.

Third-Party Testing

All Transparent Labs products are third-party tested, and we gave their BCAA product a perfect 5 out of 5 here. Third-party testing is crucial for athletes who value product quality, safety, and transparency. On the Transparent Labs website, customers can conveniently access certificates of composition and certificates of analysis. These documents provide detailed information about the quantities of active ingredients in each product, along with the results of testing for harmful microbes and heavy metals.

Customers who purchase Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine can rest easy knowing the product includes what’s on the label and doesn’t contain potentially harmful amounts of heavy metals or contaminants. 

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine vs. XWERKS Motion

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine and XWERKS Motion may both be BCAA supplements, but they have many differences. Unlike BCAA Glutamine, which only includes two grams of carbs, Motion contains 25 grams of cluster dextrin carbohydrates, which are rapidly absorbed and may enhance physical performance and endurance. Customers using XWERKS Motion may feel more energized due to its carb content. 

On the other hand, BCAA Glutamine contains eight grams of BCAAs, while Motion only includes three grams. Unfortunately, XWERKS uses a blend of BCAAs, so it’s unclear how much of each BCAA you are getting per serving. However, with only three grams total, it’s unlikely each scoop contains the two to three grams of daily leucine known to maximize its muscle-building benefits. They both have a BCAA ratio of 2:1:1, which research suggests is ideal for exercise performance. (3)

Furthermore, XWERKS Motion is only available in one flavor (raspberry lemonade), compared to the four flavors available for Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine. All Transparent Labs products are third-party tested, but there is no mention of third-party testing on the XWERKS Motion product page. Finally, Motion is more expensive, costing around $1.63 per serving, compared to BCAA Glutamine, which costs $1.33 per serving at the time of writing. 

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Customer Reviews

The product currently isn’t available on Amazon, however, customer reviews on the Transparent Labs website are positive, with a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. 

One satisfied customer writes, “I’m so excited and happy with my BCAAs. The flavor is amazing! And it’s working wonders on my sore body.” Another customer noticed improvements in muscle recovery and said, “It gives me adequate energy to push myself even further. I have no recovery pain at all, my muscles are at ease & I can go day after day.”

Customers who were less satisfied with the product generally disliked the taste. One verified customer says, “I’ll likely try a different flavor than blue raspberry, as I can’t say it tastes excellent.” Another writes, “I like the fruit punch as the strawberry lemonade was way too sour.” While the flavor was unfavorable for some, most didn’t mind the sour taste and some even described it as refreshing. 

Final Verdict: Is Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Worth It?

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine has a lot to offer, with eight grams of BCAAs, five grams of glutamine, and a dose of electrolytes. Depending on your overall diet and training regimen, this product could help you reduce muscle fatigue, improve endurance, and build lean muscle mass. At $1.33 per serving, it’s not the most affordable workout supplement, but the third-party testing and clinically effective doses might make it worth the investment. 

FAQs

Research

1. Plotkin, D. L., Delcastillo, K., Van Every, D. W., Tipton, K. D., Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2021). Isolated Leucine and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation for Enhancing Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 31(3), 292-301. Retrieved Nov 24, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0356
2. O’Connell TM. The Complex Role of Branched Chain Amino Acids in Diabetes and Cancer. Metabolites. 2013; 3(4):931-945. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo3040931
3. Gervasi M, Sisti D, Amatori S, et al. Effects of a commercially available branched-chain amino acid-alanine-carbohydrate-based sports supplement on perceived exertion and performance in high-intensity endurance cycling tests. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2020 Jan 20;17(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s12970-020-0337-0. PMID: 31959202; PMCID: PMC6971972.

Want to build muscle like this guy?

(Leopard print unitard optional but encouraged)

In this guide, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions that will help you start building muscle immediately. Like, today.

We’ll explore:

That may seem like a lot of topics to cover. DON’T PANIC!

If you want to build muscle, get bigger, and become stronger, it comes down to three things done consistently:

1. Lift heavy things^[1]
2. Eat enough calories and protein for your goals^[2]
3. Get enough rest^[3]

I realize doing those three things is much easier said than done. Doing hard stuff consistently for months and years requires a great strategy! 

In addition to the free resources below, we provide a free bodyweight routine, and a comprehensive gym training routine to get you started with strength training in our free guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. Grab your guide when you sign up in the box below:

How Do You Build Muscle and Strength?

If you are going to build strength and muscle, you need to lift heavy things to force your muscles to rebuild themselves stronger.

But what the heck does ‘heavy’ mean in this context? I’m so glad you asked!

Muscle-building is optimized when performing strength-training exercises (bodyweight or weightlifting) within 1 to 3 reps of failure while maintaining good technique.

(i.e. You could do 1 or 2 or 3 more repetitions of the exercise using a specific weight, but not more.) Usually, you’ll repeat this effort for multiple sets targeting multiple muscles in a workout.

That’s what I mean by ‘lift heavy’: you picked the right amount of weight to challenge yourself for the desired number of reps. By forcing your muscles to really tax themselves by picking up heavy things, you are participating in the Holy Grail of muscle building: progressive overload!

Progressive overload: forcing your muscles to rebuild themselves stronger by increasing the challenge they face with each workout. Examples include: lifting heavier weight, doing more reps, frequency, decreased rest, etc.

For example, from one week to the next, progressive overload would look like:

• Week 1 Barbell Squat: 4 sets of 6 reps at 150 lbs.
• Week 2 Barbell Squat: 4 sets of 6 reps at 155 lbs.

If you do that, you’ve gotten stronger! Then, repeat next week. Consume enough calories and protein, and you’ll get bigger too.

“Got it, Steve. I need to pick up heavy things. Can we talk about which exercises I should do to build muscle?”

Great question, you good looking person. I’ll cover specific exercises in the following section, but let’s start with a broader point:

Free weights, machines, and bodyweight exercises are ALL good options as long as you can adhere to the guidelines we laid out above. ^[4]

While you can grow muscle using any type of strength-training exercise, having access to a gym with free weights and weight machines makes leveling up your muscle-building game all the easier.

Check out our Beginner’s Guide to the Gym for everything you need to know and getting started in a gym with sample workouts.

So let’s start building muscle!

We’ll want a routine with compound exercises that train multiple muscle groups at once. They’re efficient and they can create solid growth and stimulation.^[5]

To create our full-body routine, each workout will make sure it has a big compound leg exercise, push exercise, pull exercise, and a core exercise:

1. Leg Exercises (Quad Dominant or Hip Dominant): Squats, Deadlifts, or Lunges
2. Push Exercises: Bench Press, Overhead Press, or Dips
3. Pull Exercises: Inverted Rows, Pull-Ups, or Chin Ups
4. Core Exercises: Reverse Crunches, Hanging Knee Raises, or Ab Mat Sit-ups

Learn these few exercises, get really good at them, and your entire body will get stronger and bigger. Focus each week on adding more weight to each exercise.^[8]

Bottom line: if you want to get bigger muscles, you need to challenge them regularly with exercises that bring the muscle close to failure (1 to 3 reps). To start, we recommend picking big, compound movements that work multiple muscles at a time.

“Steve, what about isolation exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, calf raises, etc.?”

Absolutely add these in whenever you want to, though we recommend starting with the workout we laid out above FIRST and getting consistent with that. Muscle-building isn’t just about picking the right exercises and the right weights, it’s about building the habit of working out!

If you try to do ALL THE THINGS at the very beginning, you’re increasing the risk that you won’t be able to make the habit stick.

Start with compound exercises that give you the biggest bang for your buck, THEN sprinkle in isolation exercises that target your specific areas of need. ^[6]

“What about machines versus free weights? I’ve heard free weights are better…”

Not true! If a machine exercise feels safer, is more easily accessible to you, and targets the same muscles – go for it. The important thing is that you are challenging your muscles to get stronger, that’s it. ^[7]

What’s a Sample Routine for Building Muscle?

Using the principles I’ve laid out in my “how to build a workout routine” article, here’s a beginner three-day routine:

1. Monday: Squats, Benchpress, Wide Grip Pull-Ups, Ab-Mat Sit-ups
2. Wednesday: Deadlift, Overhead Press, Inverted Rows, Hanging Knee Raises
3. Friday: Weighted Lunges, Weighted Dips, Weighted Chin-Ups, Reverse Crunches.

Each day has a leg exercise, push exercise, pull exercise, and some core work.

Besides having rest and recovery days in between MWF, adequate rest intervals have been established in the workout itself!

By following the leg exercise, push exercise, pull exercise, and core exercise routine you will maximize rest in-between each exercise, therefore, limiting muscular fatigue and allowing you to perform each strength training exercise to its fullest extent.^[9]

Now, this is just a basic, 3-day, Full-Body workout routine.  We have a whole guide on how to build your own workout, but there are infinite ways to build a strength training routine.

4-Day Push-Pull split^[32]:

• Monday: Push exercises
• Wednesday: Pull exercises
• Friday: Push exercises
• Saturday: Pull exercises

4-Day Upper Lower Split:

• Monday: Lower Body
• Wednesday: Upper Body
• Friday: Lower Body
• Saturday: Upper Body

Bodybuilders often prefer to follow a 5-day “each day gets one body part” workout^[33]:

• Monday: Legs (quad dominant)
• Tuesday: Chest
• Wednesday: Back
• Thursday: Legs (hip dominant)
• Friday: Arms

Each routine has positives and negatives, is dependent on how often you can work out, and each is based on your preference! As long as your muscles are being forced to rebuild themselves stronger, it’s the right workout for you.

While it’s possible to build out the perfect routine on your own, many of our Rebels end up spending hours and hours building something custom – only to realize it isn’t what they need (or isn’t effective) weeks and months later for their goals.

For people who want to avoid that altogether, we built the solution – our uber-popular 1-on-1 coaching program pairs you with your own Nerd Fitness Coach who will get to know you, your goals, and your lifestyle, and handcraft a workout plan that’s specific to your body, your schedule, and your life.

Click the image below to schedule a call with our team to see if we’re a good fit for each other!

How Many Sets and Reps Should I Do?

We have a MASSIVE guide on the exact number of sets and reps (it’s where the video above comes from), but you can follow the basics here.

• For beginners, we recommend starting in the 5 – 15 reps range to increase both size and strength. (If you want to focus on more strength than size, stick to the lower end of that range.)
• As you get more advanced, you may find that it’s beneficial to do up to 30 reps of an exercise. (Though 90% of your work will still be in that 5 – 15 rep range.) The biggest drawback to higher rep ranges like this is it can be hard to target specifically that “1 to 3 reps before failure” when the rep count is so high. ^{[10] [11]}

The good news is that no matter which path you take (pure strength, size, or a mix of both), as long as you are adding weight each week – and eating enough – you WILL be getting stronger.^[12]

ANY path will work, provided you are progressively overloading your muscles with an increased challenge!

What’s progressive overload?

Coach Jim explains it all for you right here:

Progressive overload involves exerting slightly more effort than last time (lift a heavier weight or do 1 more rep) consistently.

Your muscles will have to adapt and rebuild themselves to get stronger. So in order to see improvements, your training must gradually and constantly increase.

We just have to make sure we get the right pace!

According to Mike Rebold, PHD, a professor from from Hiram College:

Keep in mind that if the overload increases too quickly, poor technique and injury may result.  And if the overload progresses too slowly, improvements will be minimal or non-existent.

Slowly but gradually increasing your challenge could look like:

• If you do 5 sets of 5 squats at 140 pounds this week, aim for 5 sets of 5 of 145 pounds next week.
• Or if you’re doing 3 sets of 10 at 100 pounds, then next week try for 3 sets of 10 at 105 pounds.

Get stronger, which is 20% of the puzzle. The other 80% is nutrition (which I cover later)!

As I said before, if you want even more info, you can head to our article “Determining the Correct Number of Reps and Sets” for a deep dive into the subject.

7 Muscle Building and Weight-Lifting Tips

#1) Warm-up before exercising – don’t walk into a gym, slap 45-pound plates on the bar, and then start your routine.

Get your heart rate up and muscles warm first by doing a dynamic warm-up of jumping jacks, lunges, bodyweight squats, hip raises, push-ups, leg swings, jumps, etc.

After that, always start with doing a set or two of lifting JUST THE BAR.^[13] Only then should you start adding weight for some warm-up sets before moving into your work sets.

#2) Have a focused form – if you’re doing a bodyweight squat incorrectly, you might develop bad habits.

However, if you do a barbell squat incorrectly with 405 pounds on your shoulders, you could do some serious damage. If you’re just starting out, check your ego at the door: start with a VERY light weight and make sure you are doing the exercise properly.

There is NO SHAME in starting with just the bar. You can always add more weight next week if this week is too easy.

#3) Stimulate, don’t annihilate – I try to always have one more rep left when I finish a set.

Some trainers will preach working your muscles to annihilation, but I think that’s just asking for an injury, poor form, and beyond-sore muscles.

Your muscles get built while resting, not in the gym, so don’t worry about destroying them completely each day you step in the gym – it’s not worth it.^[14]

#4) Change up the time between sets – if you’re doing 3 sets of 5 reps of a really heavy weight, it’s okay to wait 3-5 minutes between sets – you’re focusing on pure strength here.

If you’re doing sets in the 8-12 range, try to keep the time between sets around a minute or so. This will affect your muscles in different ways. The most important thing is to rest long enough that you can give the same level of effort as you did in the previous set.

For more, learn all about sets and rep ranges.

Just be consistent between sets and when doing the same workout between weeks to track your progress.^[15]

#5) Don’t overdo it – More does not mean better in weightlifting. You don’t need to spend two hours in the gym, you don’t need to do 15 different kinds of chest exercises.

My routines last no longer than 45 minutes, I only do three or four sets (after warm-up sets) for each exercise, and it’s enough to stimulate muscle growth. I only need to add more if my growth plateaus or stops, and before I do that I make sure my intensity, diet, and recovery are dialed in FIRST. ^[16]

Three workouts a week is a great place for most to start – we’ve had clients build muscle on anywhere from 2 days a week to 4 days a week using a full-body routine like this!  You need to give your muscles time to regrow bigger – remember muscles are made in the kitchen!^[17]

Less is often more – just make your routines really intense and exhausting.^[18]

#6) Write down everything – Keep a training journal, and write down exactly how many sets and reps you did for every exercise.

That way, you can compare how you did this time with how you did last time. You’ll know how much more you need to lift this week to make sure you’re stronger than last week.

#7) Follow a routine, have a plan and stick with it for months and months. We are training our muscles to get stronger and stronger, so you’ll get the best results if you can fall in love with the boring process of doing the same workout – but lifting heavier weight for months and years. ^[19]

I’ve been doing squats, pull-ups, deadlifts, and presses once a week, every week for 24 years. The sets, reps, and weights have changed, but the workout is largely the same. I don’t need to be entertained by the workout, I’m excited about, “how much weight can I lift?!”

HOw Many Calories Should I Eat To Gain Muscle (and Which Supplements)

If you’re skinny and trying to bulk up, this will be 90% of the battle. 

If you’ve been lifting weights for a while “but can’t seem to gain weight,” then you are not eating enough. To gain weight, you’re going to need to seek a calorie surplus (i.e., hypercaloric diet). This usually consuming an additional 250-500 kcal/day or 10-20% above your typical diet. ^[20]

I thought I was one of those people who just could never gain weight, even after training hard for 6 years…and then I learned it was all diet, started eating 3500+ calories a day (lots more liquid calories, rice, bread, oats, and potatoes!), and I put on 18 pounds in 30 days.

After 6 years of exercising without putting on any weight, it was great to see so much progress in such a short period of time.

I’ve since changed my strategies and have become more calculated in my approach. It’s how I (jokingly) went from Steve Rogers to Captain America.

So, as a former super skinny nerd who finally realized “it’s the calories, dummy,” here’s the 3 step process for nutrition when it comes to building musscle:

PART #1: Eat More – To gain weight, you’re going to need to seek a calorie surplus (i.e., hypercaloric diet). This can be achieved by consuming an additional 250-500 kcal/day or 10-20% above your typical diet.

You can get an estimate of how much you need to eat to just MAINTAIN your weight in our free calculator here.

I’m not clairvoyant (yet), so I’m not sure how you’re currently eating. But if you’re looking to add more calories, there are 3 key places to look:

• Adding more carbs: rice, bread, pasta, oatmeal, cereal, potatoes, and any other calorically dense food!
• Adding more fats: avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, cheeses, nut butters.
• Drinking more liquid calories: protein shakes (covered below), juice, milk, weight-gain shakes, etc.

Besides just seeking a calorie surplus, it can help for many reasons to pay attention to your macronutrient (e.g., carbohydrates, fats, and protein) consumption.

If you want more specifics on what foods to eat and how to structure your diet for bulking up, check out our Bulk like the Hulk guide!

PART #2: Eat enough protein – With all the hard training you’re doing, you want to not only gain weight but make sure your body has the resources to turn as much of that weight as possible into muscle.

That’s why we put together this handy protein calculator for you – so you can maximize your gains! For most people, targeting between 0.7-1.0g/lb of bodyweight gets you in the optimal muscle-building range.

In our Protein 101 Guide, we talk about sources of protein and simple ways to include more in your diet. If you’re not used to eating a lot of protein, that can be a struggle!

“Which Supplements Should I Take to Build Muscle Quickly?” 

As we lay out in our Nerd Fitness Supplement Guide, most supplements are a waste of money and completely unnecessary for building muscle.

However, there are two supplements that CAN BE helpful in building muscle quickly:

1. Protein Shakes: If you are struggling to hit your protein and calorie intake goals for the day, adding in a high-calorie protein shake can be a game-changer.^[23]
2. Creatine Supplements: Creatine helps your muscles retain water and can improve your performance, allowing you to push harder, for longer, in the gym.^[24]

Are you vegan and trying to build muscle? Read our full article on how to go plant-based properly!^[25]

Bottom line: If you don’t see any change, then you need to eat more.

• Yes, it will feel excessive.
• Yes, you will feel full all the time.
• Yes, it’s a pain in the ass and expensive.

But if you really want to be bigger, then you are going to need to really dedicate yourself in the kitchen.

Unless you’re a genetic mutant, it’s incredibly tough to build muscle and strength without overloading your system with calories and nutrients.

Just keep eating.

Won’t All of This Eating Make Me Fat? I Don’t Want to Get Bulky.

I have amazing news: as somebody who has been trying to get “too bulky” for 20 years, it’s unbelievably difficult for a naturally skinny person to suddenly get too bulky. 

Yes, you will put on SOME fat along with the muscle you’re building if you’re running a calorie surplus.

This is why picking the right amount of calories per day is important:

• If you can build muscle at 3,000 calories, but you’re eating 4,000 calories, you’ll put on a pound or two of fat per week along with your muscle.
• However, if you need to eat 3,000 calories to build muscle and you’re only eating 2,500, you won’t see any changes.

Everybody is different, so you need to experiment and find out what works best for you.^[27]

Once you get to your desired weight (actually, aim for about 10-15 pounds heavier than your goal weight), you can scale back the calories, add in some extra sprints to the end of your workout, and keep lifting heavy – the muscle will remain, the fat will disappear, and you’ll be left with the body you want.

I’m not skinny, I need to LOSE weight – what’s different for me?

As Coach Matt explains above, you can actually build muscle and lose body fat at the same time.

You just have to be careful about how you do it.

We cover the subject in depth in the post, “Can You Lose Fat and Gain Muscle at the Same Time?”:

If you are eating enough protein, and have decent fat stores to pull from for energy needs, you can build muscle even while in a caloric deficit.

As long as you are resting (next section) and strength training (previous section), you can shed body fat while still putting on muscle.

Now, this only works if you have plenty of fat stores to pull from. Once you start to lean out a little, you’ll likely have to increase your calories to start putting on more muscle.

I recently added some strength (and muscle) while losing 22 pounds in 6 months.

Just remember, you can build muscle while losing weight if you:^[28]

1. Sustain a caloric deficit
2. Lift heavy
3. Prioritize protein
4. Rest

Let’s talk about that last one for a bit.

Rest Days for Building Muscle and Strength

As Coach Jim mentions in the video above, if you’re skinny and trying to bulk up and build muscle, avoid cardio like the plague (also avoid the plague).

Why?

Take a look at the best marathon runners in the world, and compare their physique to somebody like Usain Bolt, the best sprinter in the world – tons of muscle, power, and a body to envy.

There’s nothing wrong with EITHER body – we’re all awesome and are special and blah blah blah.

But you’re reading an article about how to build muscle fast, right? So focus all of your effort on building muscle!^[29]

You want all the calories you’re consuming to go towards “building muscle,” and not “fuel my run.”

I will admit that I’m biased against chronic cardio, but mostly because it bores me!

You can be far more effective when you focused on getting stronger and only do ‘cardio’ on things you enjoy – after all, your success will largely depend on your nutrition, NOT your cardio!

If you’re lifting heavy, and eating enough, make sure you’re also getting enough sleep! 5-6 hours a night isn’t going to cut it – you need to get at least 8-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal muscle-building. Take naps too if you have the opportunity.

Sleep needs to become a priority, because while we’re asleep, growth hormone, a hormone responsible for regulating muscle growth is released.^[30]

If you’re a big guy/girl trying to slim down, a little extra cardio might speed up your fat loss but if you’re not eating correctly, it might result in losing some of the muscle you already have.

Don’t worry about going for 10 mile runs on your off days – do 20-30 minutes of intervals or go run hill sprints in your park. The weight will come off more slowly, but you’ll only be losing fat, not fat AND muscle.

Once you hit your goal weight and the target amount of muscle mass, I’d recommend adding back in some cardio for your overall conditioning, but keep it varied (sprints and intervals). The focus is to keep building explosive muscle and not long, slow, boring muscle.

If you love going for long runs and aren’t going to give that up, I’m not gonna stop you. Just know that the long hours of cardio will severely inhibit your progress on building strength and size.^[31]

Get Started Building Muscle Today

This is a basic overview to get ya started. It really boils down to a few major things:

• Lift heavy
• Eat lots of good food
• Rest

Simple to understand, tough to implement.

Trust me, I know – I’ve been battling this for the past decade.

If you made it this far, and you want more specific instruction, here’s how Nerd Fitness can help!

If you are somebody that wants to follow a tailor-made program designed to build muscle and grow strong, check out our popular 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program.

You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself, check your form, and program your workouts and nutrition for you.

-Steve

PS: Be sure to check out the rest of our Strength Training 101 series:

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All Photo Sources are found right here.^[32]

A weightlifting belt may not have a long list of features, but it’s a valuable tool that can help keep you safe, stable, and supported during your training sessions. As a longtime rugby player and strength athlete, I’ve been using a powerlifting model from EliteFTS that’s withstood plenty of punishment over the last eight years without sustaining any tears. But even though investing in a fully leather belt can be expensive, you don’t have to spend $150 (or more) to enjoy a more secure lifting experience. Enter the Element 26 Hybrid Weightlifting Belt — an affordable option that combines the stability of a leather belt with the flexibility of a nylon one.

In this Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt review, you’ll learn how a company started by a doctor of physical therapy and a US Army veteran developed a cost-effective solution to solve the problem of having to select between two different styles of belts.

Key Takeaways

• The Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt pairs premium leather with high-quality nylon to give you the best of both belt material worlds, as the former offers superior stability and the latter adds extra comfort.
• The velcro strap and self-locking buckle system keep you well-secured so you can safely perform deadlifts, squats, and other heavy lifts with more confidence.
• This self-locking weightlifting belt is versatile enough to be used by powerlifters training to hit PRs to CrossFit enthusiasts crushing dynamic Olympic lifts like power cleans and snatches.

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Pros

• Element 26 offers this hybrid weightlifting belt in five different sizes, which means most lifters should have no trouble finding one that fits comfortably around their belly buttons. From extra small (23 to 27 inches) to extra large (40 to 45 inches), there’s a wide range of options for lifters of all sizes.
• The self-locking mechanism allows for smooth transitions between sets. You can easily unlock the buckle and adjust the strap to take the belt off while you rest, and it stays securely in place when you’re ready to lift.
• At around $60, this versatile weightlifting belt represents excellent value. Although it’s significantly cheaper than a fully leather belt, it’s made of high-quality materials that protect your lower back and core during heavy lifts and other athletic movements.

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Cons

• A fully leather belt will provide superior stability to this hybrid version from Element 26. If you want the most support, the SBD 13MM Lever Belt is one of the best weightlifting belt options for powerlifters and athletes who train with heavy loads. Just be prepared to pay north of $300 once you include shipping and taxes.
• While our testing team felt comfortable using the self-locking buckle, a belt with a lever buckle system may provide an extra layer of assurance and security. However, this comes down to a matter of personal preference.
• The uniform four-inch width of the Element 26 Hybrid Belt could cause discomfort for some athletes. Because it’s not tapered in the front, the belt can cause some breathing restrictions, depending on your body position.

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Specs

Price	$59.97
Belt type	Hybrid
Materials	Premium leather belt wrapped in nylon
Thickness	Six millimeters
Available sizes	XS, S, M, L, and XL
Warranty	Lifetime warranty

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Rating

The weight belt world includes a wide variety of build materials, designs, and uses. Our Breaking Muscle team of certified personal trainers, CrossFit loyalists, and strength and conditioning coaches have collectively performed thousands of reps of squats, deadlifts, and other exercises over the years wearing dozens of different weight belts. After training with them extensively, we used a proprietary scoring system to rank them based on factors such as design, durability, and versatility.

Here’s how the Element 26 Hybrid Weightlifting Belt scored.

Factor	Rating (out of 5)
Price	4.5
Design and colors	4
Construction and materials	4.5
Adjustability	5
Durability	4.5
Versatility	5

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt In-Depth Review

Before you make room for the Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt in your gym bag, you’ll want to make sure it’s the best fit for your style of training. After all, even though it can be used for different types of workouts, you may prefer the fit and feel of a tapered belt or the stability and security of a thicker one. We’ll take a closer look at key components like value, versatility, and durability so you can complete the checkout process with zero worries and 100 percent confidence. 

Price and Value

Available on element26.co and Amazon for $59.97, this hybrid weightlifting belt won’t make a huge dent in your gym equipment budget. In fact, you could easily spend double that amount to get a fully leather belt specifically suited for powerlifting — such as the 13mm Forever Lever Belt by Izner — which costs about $140. 

While investing that type of money may get you maximum durability and stability, it may not be necessary. Since the Element 26 Hybrid Weightlifting Belt brings the best of both worlds by using leather and nylon, you can perform just about any type of workout without having to worry about a lack of support. At about $60 and capable of handling nearly anything you throw its way, this belt earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for price and value.

Design and Colors

It’s easy to see why so many users enjoy the design of the Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt. At six millimeters thick, it has sufficient girth to support your core and lower back. Plus, a four-inch-wide profile makes it well-suited for performing squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

How do those measurements stack up against other weightlifting belts? Rogue’s USA Nylon Lifting Belt is just a hair thicker (6.35 millimeters), with the same four-inch-wide profile on the front and sides and a slightly wider (five-inch) back. Meanwhile, even though the fully leather SBD 13mm Lever Belt features a uniform four-inch-wide design like the Element 26 belt, it’s substantially thicker, measuring 13 millimeters. 

Most importantly, Element 26 paired a self-locking buckle with a velcro strap to provide security and peace of mind. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with nylon belts, relying solely on velcro to keep you locked in while you lift can be risky. Rather than taking any chances of the belt coming undone during a deadlift or a squat, Element 26 doubled down by designing an easy-to-use system that our testing team highlighted as one of the belt’s standout features. 

Unfortunately, Element 26 didn’t get creative when it came to color choices. Available only in black, their hybrid belt won’t capture much attention from a visual standpoint. Ultimately, though, the user-friendly design helps it earn 4 out of 5 stars in this category.

Construction and Materials

Don’t let the relatively cheap price tag fool you. Element 26 built this hybrid weightlifting belt to last by using high-quality materials, including 100 percent premium leather and premium nylon. Heavy-duty stitching near the top and bottom edges provides added reinforcement — along with a nice visual touch.

Meanwhile, the self-locking buckle and heavy-duty Velcro strap give two layers of protection during your workouts. Overall, our testing team found the Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt to be well-constructed and more than capable of serving as your only belt for years to come. All in all, it earned 4.5 out of 5 stars in this area.

Adjustability

Having the ability to quickly tighten or loosen your weightlifting belt can make a major difference in how smoothly and efficiently your workout goes. Thankfully, our testing team enjoyed a stress-free experience adjusting the Element 26 belt during their training session.

The velcro strap inserts into the self-locking buckle to ensure the belt doesn’t come loose. Yet even though the system is ultra-secure, the strap is easy to adjust so you can take the belt off and catch your breath between sets. This also comes in handy during CrossFit-style workouts, as you can quickly remove the belt while making a seamless transition from one movement to the next. In addition, the ability to make the belt as tight as you want allows for even pressure distribution and better breathability.

With no issues tightening, loosening, or removing the belt entirely, it earns 5 out of 5 stars for adjustability.

Versatility

Thanks to its hybrid leather-nylon design, this is where this belt truly shines. Both beginners and professionals will appreciate the ability to use this belt for everything from powerlifting to CrossFit-style training that requires more movement and agility. Our testing team found that the belt provided adequate lower back support for heavier lifts while still retaining enough flexibility to protect your abdominal muscles and core during WODs and other types of generalized strength and conditioning work.

Does that necessarily mean this belt is the best for powerlifting? A fully leather version that’s at least a few millimeters thicker, such as the Rogue 10mm Lever Weightlifting Belt, will outshine this Element 26 belt in that area. Plus, because most powerlifting federations stipulate that a belt must have a prong or lever-style adjusting mechanism, you cannot use the Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt in sanctioned competitions. However, a thick, heavy-duty powerlifting belt will likely be too rigid and uncomfortable to perform CrossFit workouts, Olympic weightlifting, and functional fitness activities.

On the other hand, a nylon weightlifting belt won’t give the same stability and support as a leather one. So, Element 26 did well to design a hybrid version that can serve multiple purposes at a rock-solid level. Checking the box for versatility, this belt easily earns 5 out of 5 stars.

Durability

Element 26 had maximum durability in mind by crafting the belt from 100 percent premium leather. A resilient material that can withstand the toll of being used time after time, I can attest to the toughness and durability of leather, as my powerlifting belt has held up well for nearly a decade. That should give you plenty of confidence about investing in a belt that’s not only sturdy but also versatile.

And if you have any worries about the belt’s ability to hold up over the long haul, Element 26 includes a lifetime warranty. Although the policy does not cover normal wear and tear, it does cover any manufacturing defects. Overall, this belt earned 4.5 out of 5 stars for durability.

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt vs. 2POOD

At just north of $50, you won’t find many belts that can compete with the versatility and value of the Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt. Still, it’s impossible to ignore another strong contender in the sub-$100 category: 2POOD.

Their four-inch-wide weightlifting belt comes in at a similar price point ($65 on Amazon; $50 on their website as part of a Black Friday sale) and is compliant with USA Weightlifting standards. Available in six sizes (XXS to XL), the 2POOD belt features their WODClamp™ locking system, which reinforces the velcro and adds security and support.

However, unlike Element 26, 2POOD did not incorporate leather into the design. Instead, they used a combination of velcro and Cordura nylon to give you the flexibility to lift heavily and still be able to move around without restrictions. That tradeoff may not suit you if you primarily focus on powerlifting-style workouts, as leather provides superior stability. Yet with an average rating of 4.6 stars on Amazon, it’s clear 2POOD’s cross-training belt has left a strong impression on hundreds of satisfied customers.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for maximum support for heavy lifting, your best bet is to go the Element 26 route. If you’re more concerned about general protection for more dynamic workouts, the 2POOD nylon lifting belt will get the job done for about the same cost.

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Customer Reviews

Element 26 hit a home run by releasing a belt that accommodates such a wide range of users. Receiving widespread praise for its user-friendly design, the Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt has earned a rating of 4.6 stars based on 113 Amazon reviews as of the time of this publication.

One customer appreciated the ability to make small adjustments and that the belt worked great for heavier lifts. Another satisfied user pointed out that the belt provided “plenty of support for an amateur lifter.” Overall, many liked the combination of rigid leather with comfortable nylon (plus the velcro strap).

However, a few reviews mentioned the belt’s thickness (or lack thereof) as a potential drawback, noting that this model from Element 26 is not as thick as a traditional powerlifting belt. This is an important factor to keep in mind if you primarily focus on the big three lifts.

Final Verdict: Is the Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Worth It?

Based on its high-quality construction, and excellent versatility, the Element 26 Hybrid Weightlifting Belt deserves a spot in your gym bag. Capable of being used for WODs or heavy lifting sessions, it provides plenty of lower back and core support without being overly restrictive. If you’re looking to invest in one belt that suits multiple styles of training, this well-priced model from Element 26 will certainly get the job done. 

FAQs

“Damn you Netflix, how did I just watch 10 episodes of Stranger Things, I have stuff to do!”

We’ve all been there. There are the things we know we SHOULD do, the things we NEED to do, and the things that we WANT to do.

More often than not, the WANT wins out over the NEED and SHOULD.

It’s like trying to win a tug-of-war against a tractor pulling in the opposite direction. It’s why we struggle to get to the gym after a long day of work. It’s why we opt for Taco Bell instead of taking the time to cook a healthy meal.

Today, we’re going to give you a quick life hack that can help you start leveling up your life and actually get things done that need to get done!

What is Temptation Bundling?

I bet you’ve said the following: “Before I can watch TV, I need to exercise.” And yet, TV ends up winning over exercise almost all the time, especially if it’s after a long miserable day at work.

So, instead of “if I do this, then I get this” What if we combined the two into one epic activity?

That idea is called “temptation bundling,” a term coined by Wharton Professor Katy Milkman: ultimately, you combine something that needs to be done with something you want to do.

She describes the idea in a paper entitled: “Holding The Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling.” ^[1] The goal is to get us to do things we need to do by combining them with things we want to do, removing the “either/or” temptation and getting us to ACTUALLY do stuff:

Participants were randomly assigned to a full treatment condition with gym-only access to tempting audio novels, an intermediate treatment involving encouragement to restrict audiobook enjoyment to the gym, or a control condition.

Initially, full and intermediate treatment participants visited the gym 51% and 29% more frequently.

Long story short: the people in the study who were told they could listen to addictive audio books only while working out visited the gym 51% more frequently than those who were just told they should exercise more.

Here’s some Nerd Fitness examples:

In love with the show Arrow? I am, and I want Stephen Amell to be my best friend.  Don’t say, “I can only watch Arrow after exercising.” Change your phrasing, and try this instead: “I can only watch Arrow WHILE exercising.” Bring your iPad or Laptop to the gym, and only watch particular shows while you are on a treadmill, walking, or using the elliptical.

Addicted to Clash of Clans on your phone? Only allow yourself to work on your clan while at the gym, in between sets of deadlifts. Same goes for looking at TikTok or Instagram: only while resting in between squats!

Maybe you can only listen to Serial or The Rewatchables while walking, doing a particular work task, or even completing a chore at home like cleaning or laundry. An hour episode while walking could result in you racking up 3+ miles on your walk to Mordor!

Afraid to try cooking a new healthy meal? You can ONLY listen to a podcast or music in your house while you are cooking. BLAST it at top volume while having fun making a mess trying to cook.

Now, although this study teaches us that bundling a healthy life-improvement activity with one you enjoy can help you make a change, the boost can oftentimes be temporary.

The study went on to say that the “allure” of the audiobook + gym combo wore off after a few months, thus furthering the suggestion that the best chance for long term success is to truly “enjoy the journey.”

Long story short: this can a great strategy to get started, and a great way to identify types of exercise or strategies that work for you, long term results might require leveled up strategies!

But that’s fine – we’re going to be using it to build long term habits.

Try the temptation bundle challenge

If you can implement it properly, temptation bundling can both increase your time spent doing a healthy activity while also helping you limit the unhealthy one.

Now, you might be saying, “Steve, doesn’t this make the fun activity less enjoyable and the exercise/health portion less efficient?” 

Possibly, but that’s not the point! Sure, I would love it if you went to the gym, completed a kickass workout, ate a healthy meal, and then got 8 hours of sleep.

However, this isn’t Imagination Land, and I know the best workout plan is the one you actually complete. This is infinitely better than the perfect workout plan that makes you say “meh, I’ll start tomorrow.”

So what do we do? We use temptation bundling to get us started, and then use drive to keep us going. When we build interest ih the activity itself, we shift our focus from “I’m enduring this workout” to “I can’t wait to see how much better I am this week.” The change can become permanent.

Your turn: what’s one activity that you love to do, and one that you know you should do more of? And how are you going to implement this strategy TODAY to your daily routine? Here are some other rapid fire examples:

• Are you studying or getting some work done? Get your favorite snack or beverage only when you are doing it.
• Try walking outside (or a cardio machine) – that’s now the only time you’re allowed to listen to your favorite podcast/audiobook.
• Try pairing chores like ironing, doing laundry, or cleaning dishes while watching your favorite tv shows or a new movie you’ve been waiting for.

Your turn!

What’s one temptation bundle you are going to combine and start TODAY?

-Steve

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Photo sources: Visiting Friends, A good Sunday to you, Rain doesn’t stop a photographer

Before you fork out some cash for a personal trainer, read this guide!

It’ll help you spot the difference between a bad personal trainer and an AMAZING trainer. 

And trust us, having the right trainer can make ALL the difference in the world.

There’s nothing worse than spending 6+ months in a gym (and thousands of dollars) with a trainer, only to realize that you haven’t made any progress on the goals you have – building muscle, losing weight, etc.

It’s…

I’ve worked with good trainers and bad trainers over the past 16 years, have worked with the same online personal trainer since 2014, and we have a team of 15 personal trainers on Team Nerd Fitness who have trained 15,000 1-on-1 clients.

Long story short, we know our stuff, and we’ll give it to you straight.

Whether or not you want to check out our 1-on-1 Online Training Program, this guide is going to help you with all the details.

Learn how an online personal trainer can change your life :

In this guide we’ll cover the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to personal trainers – both in-person and online:

What do you need from a personal trainer

As Coach Matt explains in the video above, the first question you need to ask when hiring a personal trainer: do they match up with your goals?

And yep, that means we’re going to have to pick some goals in the first place!

So start by picking your goals and then determine if the trainer you’re paired up with is the right fit for you. Like dating, you can meet somebody who’s amazing but not right for you.

If somebody is a competitive marathon runner, they might not be a great powerlifting coach, and vice versa.

So, start with your goals for finding a personal trainer:

1. Are you trying to lose 300 pounds? 20 pounds? Get to 10% body fat?
2. Are you trying to get stronger or hold your first handstand?
3. Do you want to become a competitive powerlifter?
4. Are you looking to run your first 5k?
5. Do you just want to get in shape, feel better, and enjoy exercise?

These goals will largely determine the type of trainer you’re looking for.

MISTAKE #1: Not making sure your trainer has expertise in the area you want to train in.

Expertise in one area does not necessarily make them a good fit in another!

After that, you’ll want to think about what you NEED from your personal trainer:

1. Are you looking for a powerlifting coach to show you the basics (squat, deadlift, bench) so your form is right? Just a few sessions up front and a few later down the line to confirm you’re on the right path might suffice.
2. Are you new to working out or looking to kick start your first 2 months of training with 2 sessions per week to keep you disciplined?
3. What type of person are you? Do you need more hands-on guidance throughout your workouts, or more space to take ownership and thrive on your own? Do you need somebody who will cheer you on or do you need tough love from somebody to call you on your bullshit?

Once you set proper expectations with what you want and how long you need a trainer for, then you can pick out one that hopefully will work for you.

Get matched with a coach that fits your personality!

How to find a good personal trainer

Once you find a trainer you are considering working with, the next step should always be an in-depth conversation.

MISTAKE #2: Blindly accepting what your trainer tells you without making sure you fit together! 

They SHOULD be listening to you completely and hear your full story.

They SHOULD ask about any past issues with injuries or experience with exercise. If you’re injured or have any deficiencies, they should know this so they can create a great program for you.

They SHOULD ask you about your nutrition. If they don’t ask about your nutrition, you’re going to be wasting your time.

They SHOULD practice what they preach. They don’t have to be an Olympian, but should have a healthy lifestyle.

They SHOULD tell you about their expertise and how they can help you. They should be able to share past successes of clients with you or point to their credentials and history of success.

They SHOULD set proper expectations. You won’t get ripped in a month, but they can let you know it could take many months to get in shape or build the right kind of habits.

That’s what to look for. These are the things we specifically focus on with our 1-on-1 online coaching program. We love helping people in a way that fits their lifestyle, at a pace that they feel great about, while actually having fun.

Exercise doesn’t need to suck! Click to learn about our Online Coaching program:

What are the Signs of a bad personal trainer?

Beware the “entertainment exercise” trainers with a routine that isn’t catered to your goals.

MISTAKE #3: Thinking a workout is more effective because it’s confusing.

Many trainers just try to confuse you with needlessly complex movements, and put all their clients through roughly the same cookie-cutter plan.

Why? because they know it makes them look knowledgeable without actually needing to do something effectively:

“Now balance on this bosu ball while doing these dumbbell squat lunge curls and standing on one foot with your tongue out! Muscle confusion!

I hope you saved some energy for the row machine.”

Tough workouts are great, but remember that while it’s easy to get someone tired (“go do 100 burpees!”), it’s harder to help someone slowly improve and build momentum.

Sure, it might elevate your heart rate and tire you out, but if it’s not building towards your goals in a way that you couldn’t do at home, what are you paying for?

They might also have just obtained a basic certification and stopped their education there, relying on ‘conventional wisdom’ rather than doing the research and building the experience.

If your trainer says any of the following phrases, run for the high hills:

• “Yeah you don’t want to squat too low – it’s bad for your knees.”
• “Use this machine; it’s safer for you than free weights” (unless you have an injury)
• “Yes, you should be using mostly your back. That’s why it’s called the back squat”
• “These (ab) exercise will burn fat from your stomach in no time” (You can’t spot reduce fat.)

I have overheard all of these sound bites from real trainers in real gyms, and it made me weep like the Native American in the 1970s pollution ad:

Your trainer should be results-focused, not focused on scheduling you a new session and keeping you around.

I often see clients working with trainers for months and months and that client never looks any different.

The trainer is just interested in cashing another check.

Remember, your personal trainer works for YOU: Don’t let them build a program that doesn’t actually fit your needs!.

Do they adjust your workout to take care of any pre-existing injuries you may have, or do they just give you a cookie cutter workout?

Are they encouraging or helping you succeed in the way you want to be encouraged, or are they scrolling through Instagram models on their phones while you’re doing your sets?

Are they putting in the time so they can see you get results, or are they putting in the time so they can check the box and collect your money?

You’re paying money for this person’s expertise and attention – it’s not too much to ask to find somebody who takes those things seriously.

What certifications should a personal trainer have?

There are a wide variety of personal trainer certifications and other “credibility indicators.”

The more traditional path – a degree in exercise science or kinesiology may mean the trainer in question is knowledgeable about the human body.

However, that doesn’t speak to any experience they may or may not have coaching in real-world circumstances.

Here are 6 of the most popular personal trainer certifications:

1. NSCA: National Strength and Conditioning Association
2. ACSM: American College of Sports Medicine
3. NASM: National Academy of Sports Medicine
4. ACE: American Council on Exercise
5. NPTI: National Personal Training Institute
6. CrossFit

T-Nation provides a rundown of the pros and cons from a trainer’s perspective that we feel is also useful insight from a client’s perspective. Be sure to check them out if you want to learn more about what’s behind your trainer’s certification.

CrossFit certifications are completed in a single weekend. While a CrossFit certification does not make a trainer bad (there are plenty of excellent CrossFit coaches out there!), it does not guarantee excellence either.

Here are our thoughts on CrossFit.

A certification from NPTI – the National Personal Training Institute – is a credential gained from going to a school for personal training (rather than attending a single class or taking a test).

While no certification can fully promise excellence, we believe trainers with NPTI certifications are worth your consideration.

CAVEAT TO ALL OF THIS: Plenty of trainers who have NO certification are incredible, and plenty of other trainers have the most elite certifications and are terrible trainers.

MISTAKE #4: Blindly accepting a trainer’s credentials or discounting a trainer without certain credentials.

Certifications can be a starting point, but they shouldn’t be the determining factor.

One of the most important things to look for in your trainer isn’t a credential or certification at all, but real experience and an enthusiasm for helping you reach your goals.

For example:

Looking to powerlift or get into Olympic lifting? Look for someone who has successfully competed in their fields, or someone who actually coaches athletes who do compete!

Need to lose a lot of weight? Ask a trainer to share with you success stories from people who are like you.

In our view, finding a trainer with proven experience and a track record of performing or coaching (or both) in the area of your goals is the most valuable step you can take to ensure quality.

The credential is only a starting point.

Trainers aren’t cheap, but the benefits can be priceless.

Remember, you aren’t paying simply for their time with you. You’re paying for the years and years they’ve spent learning, training, and coaching.

It’s the years behind the certification that makes their time so valuable, so expect the cost of a trainer to be significantly more than the cost of a basic membership at your gym.

Learn more about our Online Coaching program!

How much does a personal trainer cost? Are personal trainers worth it?

The cost of a personal trainer can vary dramatically depending on:

• Where you live (in an expensive city, small town, etc.).
• The quantity and duration of your training sessions.
• What kind of training you are looking for.

But you want specifics.

The average North American trainer charges $55 for an hour session.^[1]

That’s an “average” so let’s break it down a little.

Here are the prices for working with a trainer in various capacities at my generic commercial gym in the NYC area (definitely on the more expensive end):

• 4 sessions per month: $95 per session = $380/month
• 8 sessions per month: $85 per session = $680/month
• 12 sessions per month: $79 per session = $948/month

Is this pricing more or less than you expected?

Here is how much a personal trainer costs at:

1. Global Gyms: Most big box gyms offer personal training:
   • LA Fitness: you can expect to pay about $60 per session.
   • 24-Hour Fitness: it’ll be about $80 per session.
   • Anytime Fitness: as little as $35 a session.
2. Luxury Gyms: If you go to a more upscale gym like Equinox, expect to pay “luxury” prices of $110+ an hour.
3. In-Home Personal Training. If you don’t want to head to the gym, you can actually have a personal trainer come to your home. The cost on this could be all over the place, but a rough average would be about $65 for an hour session.

Different trainers will have different qualifications and expertise, leading to vastly different training experiences.

This can be really important.

MISTAKE #5: Thinking “more expensive” automatically means “better results.” 

Cost is not the right metric. VALUE is the right metric!

Depending on your goals and the results you’re after:

• $30 per session might be overpaying for a crap trainer who gives you a generic workout and doesn’t care about you. 
• $100 per session might be a STEAL if it’s an amazing trainer that gets to know your life and your personality, motivates you in the way you need to be motivated, and helps you get past a plateau when you stall.

That’s why remembering your “get in shape” goals is critical when buying a personal trainer.

If you’re looking to do 5 sessions to improve your powerlifting technique, that’s different than hiring a trainer to be with you in person 3x a week to get you to the gym.

HOW TO THINK ABOUT HIRING A TRAINER: 

You’re not just paying for an hour of somebody’s time.

You’re paying for their years of experience, schooling, training, and expertise.

You’re paying to outsource ALL of your fitness questions to somebody who knows what they’re doing.

Somebody who gives you the confidence you’re training correctly.

So instead of “I am paying this trainer for 1 hour, this is too expensive,” what you’re really paying for is confidence, momentum, and (hopefully) results.

As somebody who has worked with an online trainer since 2014, I would pay any amount of money to my coach (just don’t tell him that) because I love getting results after years of struggle.

How does an in-person trainer compare to our online coaching program?

Our pricing comes in at a less-expensive price than 4 sessions per month with a trainer.

In addition to building you a workout program for the month, we also help you with your nutrition, mindset, and goals, and answer all the questions you have.

There are very real pros and cons to hiring an online personal trainer, so make sure you read that next section.

So a trainer can be AMAZING and worth every penny, IF you have the right one who also takes an active role in your nutrition.

After all, workouts only make up 1-3 hours per week.

What about the other 165? That’s where the progress happens! And your coach should be helping you there too!

Learn more how our Online Coaching Program can help you actually hit your goals!

SHOULD I HIRE AN ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINER? WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF AN ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINER?

Warning: I’m going to be slightly biased in this area, but I’ll share the honest pros and cons of online training:

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been working with an online trainer since 2014, and it’s allowed me to prove an internet troll wrong and then lose 22 pounds in 6 months while getting super strong!

Here are the Pros of Online Personal Training:

#1) Freedom to fit your schedule. With an online personal coach, you can train when and where you want to fit your schedule – your coach builds the workout program for you ahead of time, so you can fit it in at your convenience.

Compare this to a traditional coach, and you’re at the mercy of their busy schedule. If they only have time Friday morning at 8am, and you’re not a morning person, conflict ensues.

#2) Persistent worldwide accountability. I’m borrowing this phrase from a NF Coaching Client, Jeff (his success story is great). No matter where in the globe you are, your online trainer comes with you.

Which means the accountability never stops. If you travel for work, your coach can plan for that and build you a special travel routine. Getting relocated for work? No problem – your coach will still be there.

#3) Nutritional guidance. With most traditional personal trainers, you engage with them only during your scheduled visits: they help you work out and that’s about it.

With an online personal trainer, you’re connected whenever you have access to the internet. And I would imagine that MOST online coaching programs, work with you on the most important part of the equation: eating healthier!

AKA everything that happens in the 23 hours outside of the gym.

#4) More cost-effective. Most in-person personal trainers are expensive, especially if you work out with them two or three times a week.

That’s because if your trainer is working with you, they can’t work with anybody else at the same time.

When you work with an online coach, because you aren’t training with them 1-on-1 in the gym, they can provide more cost-effective guidance.

When you factor in their availability via chat and their help on habits and your nutrition, you’re looking at a life-changing experience if you find a coach that fits your personality.

#5) It might be the only option. With so many gyms closing because of the pandemic, you might not even have much of a choice here. Here’s our guide to staying in shape (while staying inside) if you need to train from home. 

When comparing online coaches versus regular coaches, I’m going to share the cons as if you have the option between a GREAT online coach and a GREAT in-person coach.

Neither of those is guaranteed.

Here are the cons of an online coach when compared against a real-life equivalent:

#1) Your coach can’t do the work for you. There’s nothing stopping you from skipping a workout and lying to your online coach that you did it. Nobody wins in this scenario, but I can totally see it happening.

So yeah, an online coach can’t pick up the weight for you, and they can’t yell at you to put down the donut. You have to do the work!

#2) No real-time feedback and instant form check. If you’re learning how to powerlift, or you’re going for a particular heavy lift, having a coach right there is HUGE.

They can tell you to move your squat slightly wider. They can guide you through the movement and consistently remind you – even when tired – to keep great form.

Although we do form-check videos, where we have coaches and clients send clips back and forth to each other, it’s not the same as having somebody critique you in real-time.

If you’re looking to nail a particularly challenging lift, or learn a dangerous gymnastics move, working with a trained professional in person is invaluable.

#3) The value of sunk cost. If you pay for a month of online coaching, there’s nothing inherently motivating you to go to the gym when it’s cold and you’re tired – your coach can’t yell at you, and you’re not letting anybody down in the moment when you don’t make it.

Compare this to working with a real coach in person.

You paid $100 for a session, and if you don’t show up, that money is *POOF* gone. So you tell yourself, “I already paid for this, and my coach is gonna be mad, I should probably go.”

And then you go. And you’re so glad that you did.

Although your online coach can notice that you haven’t signed in on your app, and they can ask what’s going on, this is after the fact compared to an in-person coach getting stood up.

There’s a lot to consider when debating in-person training vs. an online personal trainer.

I wouldn’t say one format is clearly better than or superior to another. It really depends on what you’re after and the circumstances of your situation.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I’ve been working with an online trainer since 2014, and it’s truly been life-changing for me.

I had some goals that had evaded me despite a DECADE of effort, and it took a great coach to coax out the right strategy. It’s how I say (jokingly) that I went from Steve Rogers to Captain America.

And it was my coach’s programming that got me a 420-pound deadlift at a bodyweight of 172 pounds:

I’m not gonna set any powerlifting records, but I’m healthier, happier, and stronger each and every month, and I’m damn proud of that.  

For somebody that can’t afford a top-of-the-line professional coach for each session, having an online coach to build your programming and guide your food choices is a verrrrry close second.

Start training and get results today. Learn more about our Coaching Program!

How to hire a personal trainer

HERE’S MY ADVICE: Give your new personal trainer 5 sessions before making a decision that things aren’t working out (sessions are often sold at a discount in a package).

The first session is often exploratory, explanatory, and introductory, and the trainer needs to test your limits and movements to build upon that.

This isn’t a “get fit quick” strategy, but rather one that could take months and months for you to find the right person to aid you on your journey.

Don’t expect miracles in a day!

A few words of wisdom if you do hire a trainer:

DO NOT USE YOUR TRAINER AS AN EXCUSE: Too many people will hire up a trainer and give no effort in the gym or the kitchen.

Then, when they fail to see results they can turn to their friends and say “man, my trainer is terrible, THAT’S why I’m not losing weight/getting stronger/etc.”

This happens so much more often than you’d think. A trainer is a guide, like Morpheus.

You have to take the pill and walk through the door yourself.

MAKE CRITICISM CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: Often when the trainer asks them to do something (walk every day, throw away junk food, eat a vegetable), the client/trainee comes back with 1,001 reasons why they can’t do that.

No compromise or discussion of possible solutions. This stinks.

Instead of saying “no,” offer an alternative solution and negotiate a plan: “I don’t really like broccoli, do you have a way to make vegetables taste better?”

In other words, don’t look for problems, look for solutions.

IF YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH YOUR TRAINER: Let them know and continue working with them.

The more information you can give them on your progress, the easier it will be for them to alter your program as you go on.

IF YOU DON’T ENJOY WORKING WITH YOUR TRAINER: That’s okay too. Not all relationships end in marriages.

Some first dates suck, and some trainers aren’t what you need.

I think you can be honest with them and let them know that it’s not a good fit and you will not be continuing to work with them.

Good trainers at this point will ask what they could have done better.

Trainers who are simply after your money may guilt trip you or beg you to stick around. Try somebody new and keep the search going.

REMEMBER: this is a lifelong quest, and you’re on the hunt for a great guide to help you on your journey.

They won’t do the work for you, and they can’t work miracles.

Have proper expectations, do what you’re told, and this could be the best investment you’ll make in your entire life!

Trainers in the Rebellion, what did I miss?

Those who have had experience working with Trainers, any wisdom to share from your experience?

One final note: Going to a gym is intimidating, especially if you’re starting out.

If you are in a location where there aren’t any great trainers, you don’t have access to a gym, or you’re just not ready to work with somebody in person, consider checking out our Online Coaching Program!

Schedule a free call to learn more by clicking on the image below:

If you have questions about what you need to look for when it comes to training with a coach in person, or even questions about working with an online trainer, leave them in the comments below so I can chime in!

-Steve

###

photo: Decathlon, wikimedia: high five, Bicycle, Wikimedia: stretching, Amazing playground: bicycles and football

What exactly is the big deal with NMN? It all starts with NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Think of NAD as cellular currency in your body. It’s required for things like energy production, DNA repair, and regulating gene expression. All of these processes sustain cell life and resist aging.

As we age, our NAD levels drop, leading to a decline in these functions. Not surprisingly, this contributes to the aging process. This is why people are trying to maintain or boost their NAD levels. Experts believe maintaining higher levels of NAD can potentially slow down aging and promote longevity. (18)

One of the ways to increase NAD levels is with NMN supplements. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a precursor to NAD, meaning it’s a substance that the body can convert into NAD. It’s like a raw material that cells can use to create more of the NAD ‘currency’ they need to function optimally.

With two decades of experience as a personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, I’ve witnessed a shift in client inquiries from how to get six-pack abs to a desire for longevity and improved quality of life. People don’t just want to live longer; they want to feel better too. While exercise and diet are important, NMN supplements offer a promising way to naturally boost NAD levels. For my review, I tested several options to help you find the best NMN supplement.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

How We Chose the Best NMN Supplements

I’d argue that choosing the best NMN supplement is more difficult than most other supplements because it hasn’t been on the market for very long. With limited time for rigorous scrutiny, finding products that truly align with the science can be a challenge.

Here at Breaking Muscle, there are several factors that we consider to ensure you get the best NMN supplements for your budget and lifestyle.

Science-Based Formulas

We give priority to products featuring ingredients backed by proven scientific evidence. 

Ingredients such as NMN, resveratrol, and vitamin D have consistently demonstrated anti-aging benefits in studies. (5)(8) (14)

What’s more, we evaluate the dosage of each ingredient, aiming to closely align it with the quantities shown in these studies for maximum effectiveness.

Third-Party Verification

Let’s face it: Supplements that undergo third-party testing instill greater confidence. 

We’ve favored products that have been through legitimate testing by independent laboratories, assuring purity and potency.

Real-World User Feedback

Real-life experiences offer invaluable insights. We’ve conducted a thorough review of user feedback, meticulously examining reports of effectiveness, benefits, and any potential drawbacks to provide you with a comprehensive assessment.

Company Reputation

The track record of a brand matters. We’ve chosen companies with a reputation for integrity, transparency, and a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Balancing Value

Our aim is to recommend supplements that strike the right balance between cost and effectiveness, ensuring you receive the best value for your investment.

Safety

Above all, your well-being is our top concern. We’ve focused on supplements that incorporate proven, safe ingredients without unnecessary additives or fillers. 

Naturally, products associated with a long history of adverse effects have been excluded from our list.

Our Top Picks for the Best NMN Supplement

Best NMN Supplement Overall: Lifeforce Peak NMN

I’ve been a big fan of Lifeforce since I tried the brand in my search for the best testosterone booster. Once again, they didn’t disappoint. In fact, the team and I were so impressed with Peak NMN that we assigned it as our best NMN supplement overall.

What clinched it for us? 

A combination of science-backed ingredients at doses that work, all without breaking the bank. Plus, Peak NMN targets something special: it not only supports long-term cellular health but also takes on blood sugar — a key factor in aging. Consistently elevated blood sugar can damage mitochondria or cellular ‘powerhouses’ and contribute to age-related diseases. (1)

Lifeforce tackles this with two key ingredients: Berberine HCl (660 milligrams) and White Mulberry Extract (200 milligrams), both proven to support healthy blood sugar levels. It also includes spermidine, which helps with cellular growth and renewal. It’s known for aiding in autophagy, the body’s way of cleaning out old cellular junk to make way for new, healthier cells. (2)(3)(4)

Naturally, Lifeforce’s star ingredient is NMN, which has been shown to boost NAD levels, helping to keep your cells strong. NAD plays a significant role in all cellular processes, most notably, energy production, DNA repair, and the regulation of cellular aging. (5)

For me, one of the features of Peak NMN that stands out from other NMN supplements is its quality and stability. It contains HPLC-tested NMN boasting 99 percent purity and a 24-month shelf life. 

Not only are you getting the highest quality form of NMN but it’s also going to last much longer than most other NMN supplements. For context, most brands of NMN have a three-month shelf life when stored at room temperature. To get around this, simply put your NMN supplement in the refrigerator.

Finally, one of my favorite features of Lifeforce supplements is the option to add a specialized home blood test that evaluates dozens of biomarkers focusing on aging and longevity. This test, supported by telehealth consultations and individualized guidance from a healthcare professional, aims to provide insights into biological age, cellular health, and factors influencing lifespan. Taking these tests before and several months after consistently using the supplement (and following the advice of the telehealth experts) can showcase how your cellular health is improving.

One of the team members at Breaking Muscle went through this Lifeforce Diagnostics test, and he was amazed at the professionalism of the team as well as the preciseness and quality of the information he received from it. He especially liked the convenience factor of having a phlebotomist come to the location of his choice. It’s very easy to schedule and the whole process takes less than 10 minutes from the comfort of your home.

Why didn’t Peak NMN get a perfect score? My only gripe with the supplement is the dosage of NMN. Sure, it provides 375 milligrams per serving, which may be enough if you’re new to NMN and want to avoid potential side effects like digestive issues and skin irritation. But what happens when your body adjusts, and you want to take a dosage closer to 1,000 milligrams (the higher end of the recommended daily dose)? 

Compare the 375 milligrams of NMN in Peak NMN to the 900 milligram serving in Wonderfeel Youngr NMN – A huge difference. If you want to get close to this when taking Peak NMN, you’ll have to either double the dose or take a separate NMN supplement. If you choose the latter, I’d recommend going with our choice for the best budget NMN supplement, Genuine Purity Liposomal NMN+, to save some cash.

Best Anti-Aging NMN Supplement: Wonderfeel Youngr NMN

On a list of NMN supplements all claiming to reduce the impacts of aging, how does one stand above the rest as the best anti-aging NMN supplement?

For us, it’s all about a multi-targeted approach to fight the signs of aging. In other words, we want to see a supplement with multiple ingredients known for longevity benefits. And that’s what sets Wonderfeel Youngr NMN apart from the rest.

NMN is one of several anti-aging ingredients in Wonderfeel Youngr NMN. Let’s break down the ingredient list, starting from the top with vitamin D3. This is one of my favorite vitamins and one that I believe most people are lacking in.

Vitamin D3 is often associated with bone health, but it does so much more than that. When it comes to anti-aging benefits, vitamin D3 enhances immune function, supports cardiovascular health, and staves off cognitive decline. (14)

For men, vitamin D3 is especially important for hormonal health as it acts as a building block for testosterone. Low levels of testosterone are associated with weight gain, muscle loss, mood swings, and fatigue – All things that are pro-aging. (15)

Most importantly for our purposes, vitamin D3 is particularly useful because it seems to help stop the build-up of certain proteins that are commonly found in older people. Also, taking extra vitamin D3 may help reduce signs of aging at the cellular level, which suggests it might help to slow down how quickly we age biologically. (14)

There is one issue with the inclusion of vitamin D3 and it’s the exclusion of vitamin K2. When you take supplements, you want to try to pair or group ingredients that have a synergistic effect. In this case, vitamin K2 improves the bioavailability of vitamin D3. I’m not saying your body won’t see any benefit from the vitamin D3 in Wonderfeel Youngr NMN, but some level of bioavailability and potential benefit could be lacking thanks to the absence of vitamin K2.

NMN is the next ingredient on the list. What I love about Wonderfeel Youngr NMN is that it provides a dosage level that’s on the higher side at 900 milligrams per serving. As mentioned above, this is close to what David Sinclair takes on a daily basis.

Next up, we have trans-resveratrol. Again, this is another homerun ingredient. Trans-resveratrol is better than traditional resveratrol because it is the more bioavailable and biologically active form of the compound. While it is the preferred form of resveratrol, it is lacking in dosage at only 100 milligrams per serving. For reference, the standard dosage starts at 250 milligrams.

The next ingredient is olive fruit extract, which contains hydroxytyrosol, a powerful antioxidant that supports cardiovascular health by promoting healthy cholesterol levels and blood flow (circulation). It also has a lot of polyphenols and these compounds offer protective effects against oxidative stress—a key factor in aging—and inflammation, contributing to overall longevity. (16)

Finally, the ingredient list caps off with a super antioxidant known as ergothioneine, offering benefits for anti-aging, vascular health, and neuroprotection. It combats oxidative stress and inflammation, which reduces age-related cellular damage. It’s also thought to preserve telomeres, the chromosome endcaps that typically shorten with age. (17)

Cementing its place as the best anti-aging NMN supplement, is there anything that could make this supplement better? 

You bet! It is the first supplement on our list that focuses on earth-friendly packaging. Your first order will arrive in a durable and refillable glass bottle. After that, you’ll receive your supplement in completely recyclable and biodegradable pouches. Simply refill the glass bottle and recycle the pouch. Even if the pouch winds up in the garbage, it will break down within six to 42 months, leaving behind no trace of microplastics.

Do something positive for yourself while doing something productive for the environment.

Best NMN and Resveratrol Supplement: Omre NMN + Resveratrol

When the longevity trend started, the abbreviations “NMN” and “NAD” were virtually unheard of. Instead, everyone was talking about resveratrol. Just because NMN is now taking center stage within the cellular health and longevity movement doesn’t mean resveratrol is obsolete. In fact, we recommend taking them both together. And that’s why our pick for the best NMN and resveratrol supplement is Omre NMN + Resveratrol.

What exactly is resveratrol?

A type of antioxidant known as a polyphenol, resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and berries as well as cocoa. Antioxidants fight against oxidative stress in your body, which is caused by an excess of free radicals. These are molecules that can damage cells and they are linked to several chronic diseases along with aging.

And this is where resveratrol comes in as an all-around longevity supplement. 

From a cardiovascular standpoint, resveratrol has been shown to support heart health by improving blood flow and reducing inflammation. Some research even suggests it can support healthy blood sugar levels. (Remember what we said above about blood sugar levels and aging?) (6)(7)

For our purposes, the most important benefits of resveratrol are its anti-aging properties, which include:

• DNA repair: Activates proteins called sirtuins, aiding in DNA repair and cellular health. (8)
• Antioxidant properties: Protects cells against oxidative stress, which contributes to aging. (9)
• Cognitive protection: Offers neuroprotective effects that may slow neurodegenerative diseases. (10)
• Cellular health: Improves mitochondrial function, leading to increased energy production and cellular vitality. (11)

Combining resveratrol with NMN may offer synergistic benefits. Most notably, the antioxidant activity of resveratrol complements the role of NMN in supporting mitochondrial (cellular) function.

I love the idea of combining two longevity heavy hitters. This is something you don’t see in many NMN supplements. And the fact that Omre uses trans-resveratrol earns it extra points. Why? Trans-resveratrol is the more bioavailable form of resveratrol meaning your body can properly ingest and assimilate the ingredient.

What’s more, both ingredients are dosed at 500 milligrams per serving, well within the same range used in studies and research. If you are interested in gradually building up to a higher dose, you can simply double your dose and you’ll be within the same range as longevity expert, David Sinclair.

Best Budget NMN Supplement: Genuine Purity Liposomal NMN+

If there’s one thing that you’ll quickly notice about NMN supplements, it’s the price tag. The sticker shock is going to naturally lead to the question of whether the best budget NMN supplement exists and if it’s worth buying. Thankfully, that can be answered with a double “yes.”

Introducing Genuine Purity Liposomal NMN+.

There are three major differences between Genuine Purity NMN and the rest of the options on this list: price, dosage, and bioavailability.

Let’s start with the obvious one: price. Even if you purchase a single bottle of Genuine Purity, you’re only paying $1.17 per serving, which is half of what some of the other brands are charging. If you want an insanely good deal for inexpensive supplements, you can’t beat buying one year’s worth upfront.

But there’s a reason for the lower price point and it has to do with ingredients and dosage. The only ingredient you’ll find in Genuine Purity is NMN. So, if you want those other ingredients that support longevity and cellular health, you’ll have to buy them separately and build your own stack. This is something I highly recommend. Not only can it be more cost-effective, but you’re guaranteed to get the proper dosage.

Speaking of dosages, you’ll see that it’s on the lower end of what the major studies used. Most of the studies mentioned above used anywhere from 250 milligrams to 1,250 milligrams. Genuine Purity provides 250 milligrams of NMN, which is among the lowest on our list. It isn’t bad if you’re just starting out and you want to see how your body responds to NMN, but for the long term, you’ll need to double or triple the dosage. 

Here’s the thing about that: At this price point, that’s still a good deal! If you buy a year upfront, you can easily triple your dosage and it’ll still end up being cheaper than most of the other NMN supplements out there.

Finally, let’s talk about bioavailability, which might be a double-edged sword for Genuine Purity. On one hand, it uses liposomal delivery technology, which can significantly enhance the absorption of NMN into the bloodstream. Liposomal delivery means that the NMN is encased in a sort of protective bubble made from lipids (fats). As a result, the NMN can bypass the harsh acids in the digestive system and get delivered directly into the cells where it’s needed most. (12)

On the other hand, not all liposomal products are created equal. The quality and size of the liposomes, as well as the stability of the liposomal structure, can greatly affect the uptake of NMN. Luckily, Genuine Purity claims to use high-quality liposomal encapsulation to ensure that you’re getting the most out of each serving.

One final point about bioavailability involves the shelf stability of the product. NMN supplements are notorious for having a poor shelf life. Yes, brands do spend the extra cash to ensure a longer shelf life like Lifeforce: Peak NMN. However, Genuine Purity doesn’t mention anything about an extended shelf life. As I mentioned above, if your aim is to take double or triple the serving size, shelf life isn’t something you’ll need to worry about.

Best Pure NMN Supplement: partiQlar Pure NMN

It should come as no surprise that the quality of supplements can range drastically. Take protein supplements as an example. If you buy whey protein concentrate, you might be getting a product that’s only 60% protein. If you buy whey protein isolate, you’ll get a hyper-filtered product that can deliver over 99% protein per serving. Both are protein supplements, but one is vastly superior to the other in terms of purity.

And the same goes for NMN supplements.

Purity or how much NMN you’re getting in every serving can vary wildly depending on the brand. On our list, we made sure to find products that had no less than 96% purity, which is the minimum you should always look for when shopping for an NMN supplement. With a product that pure, does it really matter which one you choose? 

Absolutely. Those last few purity points can really make a difference especially if it’s paired with a bioavailability delivery system ensuring optimal uptake.

When it comes to the best pure NMN supplement, partiQlar Pure NMN gets our vote for three reasons: a pure product, a knack for transparency, and an awesome team.

partiQlar’s NMN boasts an industry-leading purity that exceeds 99% and that’s a huge deal. This isn’t just some marketing ploy, it’s a claim that’s backed up by independent third-party laboratory testing. If you visit the official website, you’ll see that all the test results are right there on the homepage. (13)

Aside from the absurdly high purity of partiQlar’s NMN, one of the factors that I noticed is how transparent they are about the team behind the product. Not only is this pretty uncommon for NMN supplements, but you’d be hard-pressed to find this transparency with any supplement.

Knowing who is making your product means you can become a Google investigator and do your research for your own peace of mind (and to appease your supplement OCD). Very long story short: partiQlar sources their NMN from Effepharm. According to the official website, they are supposedly renowned for their research and development team of U.S. specialists along with their rigorous testing process.

Continuing with the idea of transparency and testing, partiQlar upholds rigorous standards to align with USP (United States Pharmacopeia) quality benchmarks. Also, the production facilities responsible for crafting partiQlar’s NMN are recognized by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), reflecting adherence to the stringent Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines.

Now, with that said, adhering to GMP guidelines is commonplace even if a supplement doesn’t specifically mention it on their website. Supplement manufacturers in the United States must adhere to GMP standards in order to operate. So, while it’s not exactly unique, it is nice to know that your supplements are in good hands.

In short, with an elite team, production facilities, and third-party testing, partiQlar is serious about the purity and effectiveness of its NMN.

What Is NMN?

Aside from being almost impossible to pronounce correctly on the first try, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) has an essential role in all cellular functions. 

The catch is that NAD levels naturally decline as you get older. This can lead to a variety of age-related health issues like slowing metabolism and cellular dysfunction. In a vicious cycle, the less NAD you have, the worse these issues get and the faster you age.

Enter nicotinamide mononucleotide, or NMN, a precursor to NAD. 

Put simply, NMN is what your body uses to make more NAD. Recent studies and praise from longevity experts like David Sinclair have sparked interest in NMN supplements to naturally boost NAD levels. 

The goal? To fight back against age-related decline in cellular health while improving overall longevity.

Benefits of Taking NMN

As a precursor to NAD, research suggests several potential health benefits associated with NMN supplementation:

Anti-Aging and Longevity 

NMN has exhibited numerous potential benefits against aging in different animal studies, including better metabolism and protection against diseases that come with age. Research suggests it may boost energy management within the body and enhance the body’s response to insulin as well as overall blood fat levels. (19)

Increased Energy Metabolism and Physical Activity

Supplementation with NMN has been suggested to improve energy expenditure and physical activity. A study indicated that NMN supplementation enhances neuronal function and physical activity, suggesting it may prevent the decline in energy metabolism associated with aging​​. (20)

Enhanced Physical Endurance and Metabolism

Continuing with the point above, research has found that NMN supplementation can improve endurance capacity, particularly in amateur runners, by enhancing oxygen delivery to muscle tissue and bringing energy to cells that are depleted during exercise​​. (20)

Cognitive and Cardiovascular Health

NMN supplementation has been linked to improved neuronal function in the brain and is suggested to have preventive and therapeutic potential in vascular cognitive impairment. (21)

How Long Does It Take for NMN to Start Working?

The one thing that I can’t stress enough is that NMN supplements are not like your favorite pre-workout supplements. You’re not going to feel them kick in with a bang after 20 minutes.

While several prominent biohackers suggest that you can use NMN as a nootropic (cognitive focus) supplement, I don’t agree with this. I believe the idea with NMN supplements is to promote improved cognitive function over the long term.

Besides, most nootropic-focused NMN supplements also contain other fast-acting ingredients that you’ll feel right away like caffeine and theobromine. Be sure not to confuse longevity supplements with nootropics.

It’s important to keep in mind that NMN is a long-term investment in your cellular health and overall longevity. So, don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Stay consistent with your NMN supplement. The best way to determine if NMN is working for you is to take a biological age test once every several months and compare the differences. As mentioned above, we highly recommend Lifeforce Diagnostic, which measures more than 40 biomarkers and includes a personalized plan to optimize your health.

What Is the Best Way to Take NMN?

Hands down, the gold standard of absorption is intravenous. If you have the money and the time, you can find NAD drips at your local health spa. The results are immediate with many people citing a difference in how they feel the same day and throughout the week. The catch? NAD drips are notorious for making you nauseous. They are also extremely pricey. 

The simpler and more affordable way is with the NMN supplement.

NMN can be a bit finicky when it comes to how it’s best absorbed. The consensus is that sublingual (under the tongue) absorption is the way to go. This method allows NMN to bypass your digestive system and head straight into your bloodstream for faster results.

How Much NMN Should I Take Per Day?

This really depends on how comfortable you are with taking a “David Sinclair dose.” Some people jump right into taking 1,000 milligrams per day. 

But if you want to play it safe, many beginners start with around 250 milligrams to 500 milligrams per day. This is a good baseline to see how your body responds. As you continue to take the NMN supplement, you can gradually increase the dosage, but only if it makes sense for your goals and budget. 

What To Consider When Looking for an NMN Supplement

When shopping for an NMN supplement, here are some of the key factors to keep in mind:

Your Goals

When looking for an NMN supplement, I suggest asking yourself, “What do I want to accomplish by taking this?” 

• Do you want to support long-term longevity in your body and brain? 
• Are you looking to lower your biological (cellular) age?
• Or are you looking for something fast-acting that can help you focus?

If the first two goals sound like what you’re after, then an NMN supplement can be a great complement to a healthy diet and exercise program.

If you’re more interested in that third goal, an NMN supplement isn’t going to give you what you’re after. As I mentioned above, although NMN is sometimes marketed as a nootropic, it’s not going to give you a feeling comparable to caffeine. Only stimulants will do that and NMN is not a stimulant.

So, before you buy an NMN supplement, make sure it aligns with what you’re trying to accomplish in your health journey.

Recommended Dosage

The typical dosage for NMN supplements ranges between 250 milligrams and 1,250 milligrams. 

Should you start with a lower dosage? That really depends on your comfort level. 

Plenty of people jump right into taking 1,000 milligrams per day without any issues. If you’re someone who is new to NMN or supplements in general, consider starting out with 250 milligrams. If your body responds well to this dosage for a few weeks, gradually increase it. You can do that by simply doubling the serving that you’re currently taking.

With all that said, always consider speaking with a healthcare provider to help tailor your choice of the proper dosage based on your medical history and goals.

Ingredients and Ingredient Quality

You know you want to take an NMN supplement and you’re confident about the dosage. Now it’s time to make sure you’re getting quality ingredients. 

Here are several factors to look for when buying an NMN supplement:

• Purity: Buy an NMN supplement that contains at least 96 percent purity.
• Third-party testing: Look for products that have been third-party tested for quality assurance.
• Certifications: Certifications such as GMP or NSF signify a product’s high-quality manufacturing.
• Complementary ingredients: Check that added ingredients enhance efficacy and offer additional health benefits.
• Additives and fillers: Avoid supplements with unnecessary additives, fillers, or any low-quality ingredients.
• Product reviews and company reputation: Research the manufacturer’s reputation and read customer reviews to gauge the effectiveness and reliability of the product.

Safety

NMN supplements shouldn’t be a gamble. You should be able to confidently take your choice of supplement without worrying about your safety. 

Here are some tips to keep yourself safe when shopping for NMN supplements:

• Check for interactions with medications. If you are currently taking medication, it’s crucial to understand how NMN might interact with those medications. Consult with a healthcare provider to ensure there are no potential negative interactions.
• Ensure the supplement is backed by clinical research. Look for supplements that have been supported by clinical research. While research on NMN is still emerging, some products may have more scientific backing than others.
• Ensure the brand adheres to safe manufacturing standards. Check to see if the supplement is produced in facilities that follow high safety standards, such as GMP-certified facilities. This ensures that the product is made with a high degree of consistency and control.

Potential Side Effects

NMN supplements are usually very safe and easy to handle. Still, some side effects have been reported, including the following:

• Digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
• Gastrointestinal discomfort, including bloating and indigestion
• Skin irritation and allergic reactions
• Flushing and headaches

If you experience any of these, reducing the dosage or discontinuing use may be necessary. Either way, I’d recommend speaking with your doctor. Also, be sure to check the ingredient label to ensure the side effects are coming from the NMN and not another ingredient.

If you’re concerned about the potential side effects of NMN supplements, start with a lower dosage like 250 milligrams, and gradually increase it to gauge your body’s tolerance. Keep a close watch on your body’s reactions after starting NMN supplementation. Any new or unexpected symptoms should be taken seriously and discussed with a healthcare provider.

How To Get the Best Results from an NMN Supplement

There’s more to throwing a supplement capsule in your mouth and going about your day. If you want to get the most from your NMN supplement, here are several tips to consider:

Be Consistent

Above all, if you want to see results, you need to be consistent with taking your supplement. When taken at the same time each day, NMN supplements can help maintain stable levels of NAD in the body. 

In addition to consistency, the timing of your NMN dose might play a role in its efficacy. (And I stress the word “might.”)

There’s some evidence to suggest that taking NMN in the morning could align with your body’s natural rhythms for producing NAD. 

On the other hand, I’ve read that some experts recommend taking NMN at night to help with sleep. 

Does it matter? Overall, I’d recommend finding a time that works best for you and sticking with it. Better to be consistent with taking the supplement than trying to time it perfectly amidst a chaotic schedule and missing doses.

Remember That Diet and Exercise Come First 

Don’t forget, supplements are just part of the equation. As I always say to my clients, “Supplements are supplemental.” They should never be the star of the show – That privilege belongs to diet and exercise.

Eating right and staying active are essential if you want to see the best results. Before considering supplements, I’d suggest reviewing your current fitness and meal plan. Could they use some work? If so, then focus your time, energy, and money on those first.

Once your foundations with food and fitness are solid, then you can bring supplements into the mix.

Consider Synergistic Supplements

Assuming your diet and exercise program are all taken care of, you can look at longevity supplements beyond NMN.

While incredible on its own, NMN can be part of a broader supplement strategy. For example, combining NMN with resveratrol, a compound that also supports cellular health, may enhance the effects of NMN.

This isn’t a requirement but something to consider if your goal is to optimize anti-aging benefits and longevity.

Monitoring Progress and Adjust

Finally, I’d recommend keeping track of how you feel before and after starting the NMN supplement. Use the notepad on your phone and track any changes in energy levels, cognitive function, and overall wellness to gauge the supplement’s effectiveness.

Outside of noting how you feel, if you’re serious about tracking your results, I’d suggest a biomarkers panel test like the one Lifeforce offers. Doing this every quarter or every six months will give you the best idea of how you’re progressing and the changes you might need to make, especially if you’re chatting with a longevity expert.

Final Thoughts

I’m glad that longevity is finally a big focus in the industry. I’m ecstatic when clients ask me questions about living a longer life AND feeling better during those extended years.

Most importantly, I believe that NMN supplements have the potential to play an important role in achieving those anti-aging goals.

However, I’m still a big believer in the basics. 

There’s no “magic pill” that’s going to keep you young forever — at least, not yet there isn’t. Until that day arrives, I can’t stress this enough: Focus on mastering your nutritional choices, get consistent with an exercise program, and consider mental health exercises like meditation so you can live a well-balanced, healthy life. Once these are in order, you can complement your lifestyle with NMN supplements.

Best NMN Supplement: Side-by-Side Comparison

FAQs

Research

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2. Liang Y, Xu X, Yin M, Zhang Y, Huang L, Chen R, Ni J. Effects of berberine on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis. Endocr J. 2019 Jan 28;66(1):51-63. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.EJ18-0109. Epub 2018 Nov 3. PMID: 30393248.
3. Thondre, P.S., Lightowler, H., Ahlstrom, L. et al. Mulberry leaf extract improves glycaemic response and insulaemic response to sucrose in healthy subjects: results of a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. Nutr Metab (Lond) 18, 41 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-021-00571-2.
4. Kiechl S, Pechlaner R, Willeit P, Notdurfter M, Paulweber B, Willeit K, Werner P, Ruckenstuhl C, Iglseder B, Weger S, Mairhofer B, Gartner M, Kedenko L, Chmelikova M, Stekovic S, Stuppner H, Oberhollenzer F, Kroemer G, Mayr M, Eisenberg T, Tilg H, Madeo F, Willeit J. Higher spermidine intake is linked to lower mortality: a prospective population-based study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Aug 1;108(2):371-380. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy102. PMID: 29955838.
5. Igarashi, M., Nakagawa-Nagahama, Y., Miura, M. et al. Chronic nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation elevates blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels and alters muscle function in healthy older men. npj Aging 8, 5 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-022-00084-z.
6. Tomé-Carneiro J, Gonzálvez M, Larrosa M, Yáñez-Gascón MJ, García-Almagro FJ, Ruiz-Ros JA, García-Conesa MT, Tomás-Barberán FA, Espín JC. One-year consumption of a grape nutraceutical containing resveratrol improves the inflammatory and fibrinolytic status of patients in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Am J Cardiol. 2012 Aug 1;110(3):356-63. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2012.03.030. Epub 2012 Apr 19. PMID: 22520621.
7. Zhu X, Wu C, Qiu S, Yuan X, Li L. Effects of resveratrol on glucose control and insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2017 Sep 22;14:60. doi: 10.1186/s12986-017-0217-z. PMID: 29018489; PMCID: PMC5610395.
8. Baur JA, Sinclair DA. Therapeutic potential of resveratrol: the in vivo evidence. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2006 Jun;5(6):493-506. doi: 10.1038/nrd2060. Epub 2006 May 26. PMID: 16732220.
9. Leonard SS, Xia C, Jiang BH, Stinefelt B, Klandorf H, Harris GK, Shi X. Resveratrol scavenges reactive oxygen species and effects radical-induced cellular responses. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Oct 3;309(4):1017-26. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2003.08.105. PMID: 13679076.
10. Jang JH, Surh YJ. Protective effect of resveratrol on beta-amyloid-induced oxidative PC12 cell death. Free Radic Biol Med. 2003 Apr 15;34(8):1100-10. doi: 10.1016/s0891-5849(03)00062-5. PMID: 12684095.
11. Lagouge M, Argmann C, Gerhart-Hines Z, Meziane H, Lerin C, Daussin F, Messadeq N, Milne J, Lambert P, Elliott P, Geny B, Laakso M, Puigserver P, Auwerx J. Resveratrol improves mitochondrial function and protects against metabolic disease by activating SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha. Cell. 2006 Dec 15;127(6):1109-22. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2006.11.013. Epub 2006 Nov 16. PMID: 17112576.
12. Gopi S, Balakrishnan P. Evaluation and clinical comparison studies on liposomal and non-liposomal ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and their enhanced bioavailability. J Liposome Res. 2021 Dec;31(4):356-364. doi: 10.1080/08982104.2020.1820521. Epub 2020 Oct 6. PMID: 32901526.
13. “Quality.” partiQlar, 6 Jan. 2023, partiqlar.com/quality/.
14. Fantini C, Corinaldesi C, Lenzi A, Migliaccio S, Crescioli C. Vitamin D as a Shield against Aging. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 25;24(5):4546. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054546. PMID: 36901976; PMCID: PMC10002864.
15. Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Wehr E, Zittermann A. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res. 2011 Mar;43(3):223-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1269854. Epub 2010 Dec 10. PMID: 21154195.
16. D’Angelo C, Franceschelli S, Quiles JL, Speranza L. Wide Biological Role of Hydroxytyrosol: Possible Therapeutic and Preventive Properties in Cardiovascular Diseases. Cells. 2020 Aug 21;9(9):1932. doi: 10.3390/cells9091932. PMID: 32825589; PMCID: PMC7565717.
17. Paul BD. Ergothioneine: A Stress Vitamin with Antiaging, Vascular, and Neuroprotective Roles? Antioxid Redox Signal. 2022 Jun;36(16-18):1306-1317. doi: 10.1089/ars.2021.0043. Epub 2021 Dec 7. PMID: 34619979; PMCID: PMC9221166.
18. Shade C. The Science Behind NMN-A Stable, Reliable NAD+Activator and Anti-Aging Molecule. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2020 Feb;19(1):12-14. PMID: 32549859; PMCID: PMC7238909.
19. Mills KF, Yoshida S, Stein LR, Grozio A, Kubota S, Sasaki Y, Redpath P, Migaud ME, Apte RS, Uchida K, Yoshino J, Imai SI. Long-Term Administration of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Mitigates Age-Associated Physiological Decline in Mice. Cell Metab. 2016 Dec 13;24(6):795-806. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.09.013. Epub 2016 Oct 27. PMID: 28068222; PMCID: PMC5668137.
20. Liao B, Zhao Y, Wang D, Zhang X, Hao X, Hu M. Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation enhances aerobic capacity in amateur runners: a randomized, double-blind study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Jul 8;18(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s12970-021-00442-4. PMID: 34238308; PMCID: PMC8265078.
21. Tarantini S, Valcarcel-Ares MN, Toth P, Yabluchanskiy A, Tucsek Z, Kiss T, Hertelendy P, Kinter M, Ballabh P, Süle Z, Farkas E, Baur JA, Sinclair DA, Csiszar A, Ungvari Z. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation rescues cerebromicrovascular endothelial function and neurovascular coupling responses and improves cognitive function in aged mice. Redox Biol. 2019 Jun;24:101192. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101192. Epub 2019 Apr 10. PMID: 31015147; PMCID: PMC6477631.

At some point in the past week (or five minutes ago after a Google search), you’ve made a resolution to change your life.

Maybe you decided to exercise every day. Perhaps it’s time to start eating better.

Or maybe you decided to stop wearing jorts.

Well my friend, I’m excited for you, and I want you to know you’ve arrived at the right place!

We help folks build healthy habits as part of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program, so you’ve come to the right place to fulfill your resolution.

We can teach you how to build habits the right way! Learn more about our Online Coaching Program:

Here’s what we’ll cover in our Guide to Build Healthy Habits in 2024:

Let’s get right to it so you can start rocking 2022!

Why Do We Suck At Building Healthy Habits?

“I know what I’m supposed to do, I just can’t get myself to do it!” 

Welcome to the club – we all know what we need to do, but we just can’t get ourselves to make the important changes.

We know how to get in shape: move more and eat less!

We know how to exercise: get your heart rate up, do some push-ups, get stronger.

We know how to eat healthy: more vegetables and less sugar.

And yet, we can’t get ourselves to stick with ANY of these things for longer than a few weeks.

Why?

Simple: Building new healthy habits is tough, our lizard brains crave instant gratification, we don’t fully understand how habits are built, life gets busy, and our default behavior is often as unhealthy as it is easy.

As a result, we don’t put the right systems in place in order to make changes stick.

We also rely wayyyyy too much on willpower and motivation.

We tend to bite off more than we can chew, go too fast too soon, and then get overwhelmed too quickly.

Does this sound familiar?

• I’m going to eat 100% Paleo/Keto AND
• I’m going to run 5 miles a day AND
• I’m going to work out in a gym five times a week.

If you’re somebody that eats a typically poor diet, never runs, and hasn’t set foot in a gym since grade-school dodgeball with Mr. Wazowski, changing alllll of these at once is almost a surefire way to succeed at precisely NONE of them.

We’re conditioned these days to expect and receive instant gratification. If we want food we can get it from a drive-through, stick a frozen meal in a microwave, or sit down at a restaurant that’s open 24 hours. If we want a game we can download it to our computers/phones/PS5s within a matter of seconds. If we want to watch a TV show, it’s a few clicks away.

Hell, Netflix even starts the next episode for you without any action required!

We expect getting in shape to go the same way.  

And this is why we suck at building healthy habits that stick.

We tell ourselves “Hey, I’ve been dedicated for a whole two weeks, why don’t I look like Ryan Reynolds yet?”, not remembering that it took us decades of unhealthy living to get where we are, which means it’s going to take more than a few weeks to reverse the trend.

And then we miss a workout because life was busy or our kid got sick. And we get disheartened that exercise or giving up candy is not nearly as fun as Netflix and video games and Peanut M&M’s.

This is where everybody gives up:

• They try to change too many habits too soon
• They get impatient the results don’t come more quickly
• They slip up when life gets busy
• And they go back to square one

It’s why we are doomed to stay overweight and suck at building habits. It’s the videogame equivalent of attacking too many bad guys at once, which always leads to game over.

We’ll cover the specific healthy habits and resolutions you SHOULD be picking later in this article, but I have a big damn question to ask you first:

“But why though?”

The First Step of Building Healthy Habits (Know Your “Big Why”)

Before we do ANYTHING with actually building habits, it can help to have a good reason as to why you want to build them in the first place or the changes will never stick.

This whole “change who I am” stuff can be really powerful for keeping us focused when life starts to get busy. 

If you’re here because you decided you “should” get in shape, you’re going to fail the second life gets busy.

If you are dragging yourself to the gym because you think you “should” run on a treadmill five days a week even though you hate it, you’re screwed!

As you’re determining the habits or resolutions you’re trying to set, make the habit part of a bigger cause that’s worth the struggle.

You’re not just going to the gym, you’re building a new body that you’re not ashamed of so you can start dating again.

You’re not just learning to like vegetables, you’re getting fit so you can feel great while on vacation this summer.

You’re not just dragging yourself out of bed early, you’re getting up earlier so you can work on your side business before your kids get up so you can set money aside for their college education.

In our 1-on-1 Coaching Program, we refer to this as your “Big Why.” 

Tie your journey to a greater cause and you’re more likely to push through the muck and mire to get it done.

So dig 3 levels deep and ask “why” until you get to the root cause of WHY you want to build a new healthy habit or change a bad one. Write it down. And hang it up somewhere you can see it every day.

Got your reason? Great.

Now let’s get into the science of habits.

How to Build Healthy Habits (The Three Parts)

As Charles Duhigg points out in The Power of Habit (a must-read for anybody interested in behavior change), there are three parts to a habit:

#1) Cue (what triggers the action): It can be a feeling: I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m bored, I’m sad. Or it can be a time of day: it’s Monday at 9am, work is done, etc.

#2) Routine (the action itself): This can either be a negative action you want to cut back: I drink soda, I eat cake, I snack, I drink alcohol, I smoke cigarettes, I watch TV – or a positive one: I go to the gym, I go for a run, I do push-ups, I read a book.

#3) Reward (the positive result because of the action): I’m now awake. I am temporarily happy. My hands/mind are occupied. I can forget the bad day I had. I feel energized. I feel good about myself.

Depending on your routine/action above, habits can either be empowering and amazing, or part of a negative downward spiral. Your body isn’t smart enough to KNOW what it needs to do: it just wants to fix the pain or chase the pleasure of the cue, and whichever way you choose to respond will become the habit when it’s done enough times.

Factor in genius marketing, behavioral psychology, and an environment set up for us to fail – and bad habits rule us.

It’s why we crave certain foods, why we can’t help but check our phone every time it vibrates, and why we can’t keep ourselves from watching one more episode or grinding one more level in World of Warcraft.

Duhigg lays things out very clearly:

“There is nothing programmed into our brains that makes us see a box of doughnuts and automatically want a sugary treat.

But once our brain learns that a doughnut box contains yummy sugar and other carbohydrates, it will start anticipating the sugar high. Our brains will push us toward the box. Then, if we don’t eat the doughnut, we’ll feel disappointed.”

Picture this:

• We have trained your brain to take a cue (you see a doughnut), anticipate a reward (a sugar high), and make the behavior automatic (nom nom that donut).
• Compare that to a cue (you see your running shoes), anticipate a reward (a runner’s high), and make the behavior automatic (go for a run!).

The Dark Knight himself said it best: “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.”

Let’s take a look at each part of the habit-building process and start to hack the sh** out of it!

Learn Your Cues: Recognize the triggers.

Whether you are trying to change an old habit, stop an unhealthy habit, or begin a healthy habit, it starts with the first step in the process:

“The Cue.”

If you want to stop drinking soda, but feel like you need it every afternoon to get through work, your brain has been wired to think SODA after the cue:

• Cue: I’m tired, thirsty, and have no energy.
• Routine: I drink a soda around 3pm.
• Reward: Weeeeee caffeine! Sugar! Happy! My life has meaning!

When identifying bad habits to avoid, it starts by becoming aware of the cue that sets the habit in motion. Simply being aware of the cue is a great start to breaking the cycle:

• When I get bored (cue), I eat snacks (routine), and it fills the void with a happy stomach (reward).
• When I come home from work (cue), I plop down on the couch and play video games (routine), and it helps me forget about work (reward).
• When I get nervous (cue), I start to bite my nails (routine), to take my mind off the awkwardness (reward).

So if you are looking to break a bad habit, it begins by identifying what the cues are that make you take the action that you’re trying to stop.

At the same time, you can mentally train yourself, just like Pavlov’s dog, to build a new healthy habit by identifying the habit you want to build and the cue you want to use to proceed it:

• When I wake up (cue), I will go for a walk (routine), and reward myself with an audiobook on the walk (reward).
• When I get tired (cue), I will drink black coffee instead of soda (routine), and along with the caffeine boost. (reward), I’ll get new running shoes after 30 soda-free days (reward), and satisfaction from the weight loss thanks to fewer calories (reward).
• When I come home from work (cue), I will walk straight to my computer to work on my novel for 30 minutes (routine), and reward myself with Netflix after I have written 500 words (reward).

So, whether you’re breaking a bad habit or starting a new one, it begins by recognizing the cue that triggers the habit.

Once you recognize or pick the cue, you can start working on fixing the routine (action).

The Key to Sustainable Healthy Habits: Use Systems

“Steve, I get it, but I still struggle with the ‘building the routine’ part…for some reason I just can’t bring myself to do it.”

Yup – welcome to the toughest part of a habit:

The Routine (the action itself!).

This is where we’re going to start thinking and acting like nerds and scientists.

Whether we’re trying to stop a negative routine (stop drinking soda) or start doing a healthy routine (start running), both need to be addressed with a different plan of attack.

For starters, we’re going to stop relying on two things:

• Willpower: if you have to get yourself to exercise, you’ll give up when you get too busy or it’s too cold.
• Motivation: if you need to be motivated, you’re going to give up and then beat yourself up for not being more motivated!

Both motivation and willpower are finite and fickle resources that will abandon you when you need them most. Most people hope and pray that they have enough motivation and willpower to build a habit.

Not us though!

We’re going to remove both from the equation and use systems and outside forces to make the routine even easier to build (or tougher to build if it’s a bad habit you’re trying to swap!).

This can be done in a few ways:

• Environmental hacks: making the routine easier by removing steps needed to complete it, or adding steps between you and a bad habit.
• Programming hacks: add your habit to your daily calendar, track your progress daily with a journal, and make it part of your day.

We are products of our environment. We can use this information to our advantage and make the process of building a new habit or changing a bad habit easier by modifying our environment. I dig into this more fully in our article: “Build your Batcave for Habit Change,” but I’ll cover the basics here.

Look at the places you spend your time. Reduce the steps between you and a good habit, and increase the steps between you and a bad habit. You’ll be less reliant on willpower and motivation and more likely to do the healthy habit or skip the bad habit.

Here are five examples of environmental hacks you can use: 

1. RUN EVERY MORNING: Go to sleep with your running shoes at the foot of your bed, with your running uniform laid out already. Hell, you can sleep in your running/workout clothes. Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room so you HAVE to get out of bed to turn it off.
2. GO TO THE GYM AFTER WORK: Pack your gym bag BEFORE going to sleep the night before. That way, every morning you already have a bag to throw in your car or bring with you. As soon as 5pm hits, you are in your car on your way to the gym. (Don’t want to head to the gym? Here’s how to build a gym in your home). 
3. EAT HEALTHIER: Don’t give yourself the option of not eating healthy – throw out the junk food in your house and start preparing meals the night before. Put a lock on your web browser from ordering pizza online (yes, you can do that now), and don’t drive down the street full of fast food places.
4. WATCH LESS TV/PLAY FEWER GAMES: Use your laziness in your favor. Unplug the TV/system. Increase the steps between you and watching the TV. Put parental controls on your own system and have your friend set the time limit and the password. I knew somebody who put his TV in his closet and cut his TV viewing by close to 100%. Don’t rely on willpower – make it more difficult!
5. CHECK YOUR PHONE LESS: Turn off your notifications and uninstall the apps that waste your time. Put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode when you are at work, and put it in your desk drawer. Don’t rely on willpower to get yourself to not check your phone when it buzzes – get rid of the buzz.

You can also use programming hacks to help build NEW healthy habits: 

• EXERCISE: If you want to exercise more, set calendar alerts at the beginning of your week so that every day at 8AM you receive a cue (ding! on your phone) and a reminder to do the activity. You’re much more likely to stay on target when the activity has been scheduled ahead of time.
• HEALTHY EATING: Consider batch cooking! If cooking healthy meals every night sounds like way too much work (I hear you on that), consider doing it all on ONE day – it’s a significant time-saver, and it also will reduce the steps between you and healthy eating because the meal is already cooked and in the fridge!
• WRITING: If you want to write a book, tell yourself you have to write 500 crappy words every day. This is how I wrote Level Up Your Life. Buy a calendar, and draw a big red X on every day you complete your task. Make your singular focus every day continuing the streak^[1].

Make the Reward Momentum-Building

And we are finally at the third part of the habit:

“The Reward.”

When looking to replace bad habits, do some reward analysis on your bad habits:

Soda gives you a caffeine kick and a burst of energy in the afternoon when you’re tired.

Can you replicate that energy boost for your body in a healthier way? Perhaps you can switch to black coffee and go for an afternoon walk.

Here’s another example:

You find you spend too much time watching TV because you love escaping into worlds, and it’s affecting your health.

Can you listen to your favorite audiobook only when you walk?

(This is called temptation bundling).

This step will require some analysis, by digging into the reward you’re trying to recreate, without the negative action. This can lead your brain to some tough places, but it’s healthy to dig into it.

For example, if you  want to start drinking less (or give up completely), you might discover that the reward you’re chasing is actually “escape from a job I hate” and “avoiding social anxiety.”

Dig into your reward and what your brain is craving, and then see if you can reverse engineer a healthier routine with the same reward.

And then use outright bribery to get yourself to actually do the new healthier and choose the better action/routine.

What works for science and physics also holds true to building habits: inertia and momentum will work against you when it comes to building habits…until it starts to work for you as the habit becomes automatic.

We can fix the third part of the habit-building loop, the reward, with momentum-building prizes or results to bribe ourselves to continue. With each healthy and positive reward, with each completed routine, we make the habit sliiiiightly more likely to become more automatic the next time.

In other words, create rewards that reward you back!

DON’T reward your routine (running!) with an unhealthy reward (cake!). That’s “one step forward, two steps back.” And nutrition is 90% of the equation when it comes to weight loss anyway!

DO reward your routine (running for 5 minutes every day for 30 days straight) with a reward that makes you want to keep running (a snazzy new pair of running shoes).

Our new app, Nerd Fitness Journey, specifically follows this “cue, routine, and reward” format to help build new habits. In the app, we “reward” you with cool loot and XP, so you can level up (literally) while you getting lean and strong.

If you’re interested, you can try it for free right here:

5 Hacks for Effortless Healthy Habit building

Your life will get busy. 

There will be days when you don’t want to do your new habit. Or you want to backslide and go back to old habits. Actually, that will pretty much be every day, especially early on.

So don’t leave it up to yourself!!!

Stop relying on yourself and start relying on outside forces. Here are the best tips you can use to get yourself to actually follow through with a habit:

1) RECRUIT ALLIES: find a friend or group of friends to build the habits with you. A recent study ^[2] showed that:

Among the weight loss patients recruited alone and given behavioral therapy, 24% maintained their weight loss in full from Months 4 to 10.

Among those recruited with friends and given therapy plus social support, 95% completed treatment and 66% maintained their weight loss in full.

You do not have to go on this habit-building journey alone. Building a guild or recruiting a group of people to support you and help you and make you better could be the difference-maker in building habits!

When your friend is already at the gym waiting for you, you HAVE to go. If it was up to you, skipping out and watching Netflix has no negative consequences. Recruit friends and allies!

Don’t have that support group at home? Consider joining ours

Remember, those first few weeks are the toughest, which means they’ll require the most effort to get started.

2) CULTIVATE DISCIPLINE WITH ACCOUNTABILITY: When you can’t get yourself to follow through on a new healthy habit you’re desperately trying to build, make the pain of skipping the habit more severe than the satisfaction you get from skipping it.

Allow me to introduce some comical consequences:

• Every time I skip ______________ this month, I will pay $50 to my wife/husband/friend who will donate my money to a cause I HATE.
• Every time I decide not to _______________ this month, I have to run around my house naked.
• Every time I do ____________ when I shouldn’t, I will let my three-year-old do my makeup before work.

Do any of these results sound like fun? If you can’t afford to pay your friend $50, if running naked around your house might get you arrested, and if you’ll get fired looking like a drunk clown thanks to your kid’s makeup skills…maybe you just do what you know you need to do. The more painful it is to skip something, the more likely you’ll be to actually suck it up and do it.

3) NEVER MISS TWO IN A ROW. What happens if you miss a day? Who cares! One day won’t ruin you – but two days will, because 2 missed days can become a month or a year in the blink of an eye.

It’s something I bring up in this video over on our YouTube Channel:

As pointed out in a research summary:

“Missing the occasional opportunity to perform the behavior did not seriously impair the habit formation process: automaticity gains soon resumed after one missed performance.^[3]

4) DON’T PICK HABITS YOU HATE: “Steve, I know I should run so I’m trying to build a running habit even though I hate running.” Stop.

Can you get the same results with a different habit, like rock climbing or hiking or swing dancing? Pick a habit that isn’t miserable and you’re more likely to follow through on it.

At the same time, we have tons of success stories of people who went from hating exercise to loving how it feels.

It’s because they made the habit part of a bigger picture: “I am working out because I am building a kickass body so I can start dating again!”

Or even if they don’t LOVE strength training, they love feeling strong and confident and powerful, so they build the habit and make it a priority.

It’s because they had a BIG enough why to overcome their initial dislike of exercise until they learned to love how exercise made them feel.

5) TRY TEMPTATION BUNDLING: Consider combining a habit you dislike with something you LOVE, and you’ll be more likely to build the habit.

If you hate cleaning your apartment, only allow yourself to listen to your favorite podcast when you are cleaning or doing the dishes.

Want to go to the gym more? Allow yourself an hour of watching Netflix, but ONLY while you’re on the elliptical.

This is called temptation bundling, and it can be a powerful change.

The Secret to Fulfilling Your Resolution (Do Less)

Now that you’re educated like a boss on the different parts of a habit, it’s time to build one!

I’ll leave you with a final bit of advice: if you decide that you want to run a marathon or save the world or lose hundreds of pounds, you’re going to screw up unless you internalize the following information:

DO WAY LESS.

Or in the immortal words of Kunu from Forgetting Sarah Marshall: “The less you do, the more you do”:

Pick ONE habit, make it small, and make it binary. Something that at the end of every day you can say “yes I did it” or “no I didn’t.”

Habits that are nebulous like “I am going to exercise more” or “I’m going to start eating better” are more useless than a Soulcycle membership for Jabba the Hutt.

Here are big examples. Be specific. Be small. And track it:

• Want to start exercising more? Awesome. For that first week, ONLY go for a walk for just 5 minutes every morning. Literally 5 minutes.
• Want to start cooking your own healthy meals? Just aim for one meal per day or one meal per week. Whatever works for you and your schedule.
• Want to stop drinking a 2 liter of Mountain Dew every day? Scale it back to 1.9 liters a day for a week. Then 1.8 for a week. Then 1.7…
• Want to get out of debt and build the habit of frugality? Start by saving an extra five bucks a day, or finding a way to earn an extra 5 bucks a day.
• Want to learn a new language? Speak your new language out loud for 10 minutes per day. That’s it!

Keep your goals SMALL and simple. The smaller and simpler they are, the more likely you are to keep them. And the habit itself pales in comparison to the momentum you build from actually creating a new habit.

I don’t care how many calories you burn in a 5-minute walk, just that you can prove to the new YOU that you can build the habit of walking, and only then can you up the difficulty.

We’re thinking in terms of years and decades here! So think small.

My real-life example: I wanted to build the habit of learning the violin at age 31, but couldn’t get myself to do it because I told myself I was too busy, which is a lie (“I only have 25 minutes; I need 30 minutes to practice…might as well not practice at all”), and thus I never played!

Once I lowered the threshold to “I have to only play for 5 minutes per day,” it gave me permission to pick it up here and there – and I ended up practicing WAY more frequently, and got better much faster.

I still suck, mind you, but I’m lightyears ahead of where I was before!

And please: DON’T BUILD ALL THE HABITS AT THE SAME TIME. 

If you’re new to building habits, or you have never stuck with anything long enough to make it automatic, it’s because you did too much. Habits are compound interest.

As you build a new habit, it bleeds over to other parts of your life and makes future habits easier to build too – momentum!

As Mark Manson lays out in his guide on Habits: 

“Willpower is like a muscle. It can be exercised and practiced and built up. It can also be forgotten, weakened and atrophied.

Just like going to the gym and building up strength and endurance, you can build up your discipline and willpower over a long period of time by setting and accomplishing a series of tasks on a consistent basis.”

You’ve probably tried the whole “build all the habits at once” and it doesn’t work. So try building ONE habit for 30 days. And then pick a habit that stacks on top of that one and helps you build more and more progress and more and more momentum.

Start today: Pick Your Habit and Go

I’ll leave you with a final quote from Duhigg’s The Power of Habit:

“If you believe you can change – if you make it a habit – the change becomes real. This is the real power of habit: the insight that your habits are what you chose them to be. Once that choice occurs – and becomes automatic – it’s not only real, it starts to seem inevitable, the thing…that bears us irresistibly toward our destiny, whatever the latter may be.”

You’ll need more brainpower initially, until your default behavior becomes the automatic habit-building you’re chasing.

With each day of you building your new habit, you’re overcoming any self-limiting belief, building momentum, and becoming a habit-building badass! And then those habits become automatic. Then, we rejoice:

So today, I want you to look at just ONE habit you want to change:

• Identify the cue that spurs it on – Is it the time of day? Boredom? Hunger? After work? Stress?
• Identify the potential rewards – Happiness? Energy? Satisfaction?
• Identify a new routine you’d like to establish that results in the same “reward” from the negative behavior…but in a more productive and healthy way.

Want more help? 

I write the best newsletter in the galaxy – it’s two short emails a week, directly from my brain to your inbox, and I promise to make you laugh and live a bit better!

Want expert guidance on your healthy habit building in 2024? Sign up for a free call with our coaching team in the box below to learn more about the program and see if it’s the right fit:

Our coaching program changes lives! Learn more here.

I want you to leave a comment below: pick ONE habit that you’re going to build this month and identify the three portions of the habit you’re looking to build.

Good luck – now go build some momentum.

And ONE habit.

-Steve

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photo source: Syahrir Maulana © 123RF.com, KHOTCHARAK SIRIWONG © 123RF.com, alphaspirit © 123RF.com, Evolution – Alternative, Nattapol Sritongcom © 123RF.com, obradov © 123RF.com, Chayapon Bootboonneam © 123RF.com, Boris Rabtsevich © 123RF.com, #13/366 Placing the head, Mixed Messages