Fitness
Most readers come to this section with one question: what muscle mass percentage is normal for my age and sex. Muscle mass percentage: what is normal has the reference tables by sex and age, measured by MRI in healthy adults (Janssen, 2000), and explains why the number on a bioimpedance scale cannot be compared with them.
The other big question is how to build muscle without gaining too much fat. The bulking and cutting guide covers how big a surplus or deficit to run, how fast the scale should move and how to tell which phase you need. If you train at home, the home workout with no equipment gives a three-day full-body routine and, more importantly, five ways to keep progressing without weights. And cardio vs weights goes through what the trials found: cardio burns more fat, weights are what add muscle, and the combination does best.
The rest of the section covers recovery, fasted training, posture and common gym mistakes.
Body fat percentage: what is normal for your age and sex
A chart by age from DXA scans of 10,894 adults: on average 38% body fat in women and 29% in men. And the healthy range, because the average is not it.
Muscle mass percentage: what is normal for your age and sex
A chart by age and sex with the study behind every figure: on average, 30.6% muscle in women and 38.4% in men. And why your scale shows another number.
Get in shape this September: the realistic 12-week plan
September to December is exactly 12 weeks — the honest timeline to get in shape. Strength, steps, protein and logging: the plan that survives October.
Full body workout routine for beginners: 3 days with sets, reps and progression
A 3-day full body workout for beginners: 5 exercises, 3 sets of 8-12, 1-2 min rest and how to add weight each week (+2-10%, ACSM). Home or gym.
Home workout with no equipment: train your whole body
A full-body home workout with no equipment, using only your bodyweight. Exercise table, a difficulty scale to progress without weights.
Workout routine to lose fat: the one that truly burns fat (full week)
The best routine to lose fat is not endless cardio: it is strength 3 days + some cardio + plenty of steps, on top of a calorie-deficit diet.
Glute workout routine to grow: the one that really works (full week)
Glutes grow with progressive overload on hip thrusts, squats and deadlifts, not endless bands. Weekly routine, exercises for home and gym.
Upper/lower split: the best routine to gain muscle (4 days)
The upper/lower split trains each muscle twice a week, the optimal frequency to grow. The 4-day layout, exercises per session, volume and how to progress.
Body recomposition: how to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time
Can you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? Evidence-based guide: who it works for, how much protein, what deficit to use.
Bulking and cutting: how big a surplus, deficit and weekly rate
Bulk: +10% calories to gain 0.25-0.5% of your bodyweight a week. Cut: about −20% to lose 0.5-1% a week on 2-2.4 g/kg protein. Worked 75 kg example.
Fasted training: does it burn more fat? What the science says
Fasted training burns more fat during the session, but do you lose more weight? What the evidence says, whether you lose muscle, perform worse and who it suits.
How to get stronger: the practical guide (strength vs hypertrophy)
How to genuinely gain strength: how it differs from hypertrophy, how many reps, progressive overload, how long to rest, what to eat and how to measure progress.
Strength training routine for women: a 2-3 day plan without the myths
A 2 or 3-day strength routine for women with sets, reps and progression. With 15 times less testosterone than men, lifting will not make you bulky.
What to Eat Before and After Training: Amounts and Examples
Before: carbs by session length (1-4 g/kg if it lasts over an hour). After: 20-40 g of protein, no 30-minute clock. Example meals with their kcal.
Running Nutrition: What to Eat Before, During and After
How much carbohydrate a runner needs (5-7 g/kg a day with an hour of daily training), what to eat before, 30-60 g per hour on long runs, water, sodium.
Rest and Recovery: Why Muscle Grows When You Are NOT Training
Muscle grows during rest, not during training. How many rest days you need, how to recover better, what DOMS means and why sleep is the key.
Exercises to improve your posture if you sit all day
8 posture exercises with sets and reps for people who sit at a desk all day. In one trial, 2 minutes a day reduced neck and shoulder pain in 10 weeks.
Gym mistakes that stall your progress: 10 errors and how to fix them
10 gym mistakes that hold back strength and muscle: too few sets, 1-minute rests, under 1.6 g/kg of protein or short sleep. What the evidence says.
Cardio vs weights: which is better for fat loss (what the trials show)
Over 8 months, cardio removed 1.7 kg of fat and weights 0.3 kg, but only weights added muscle. Calories per session and a sample week.
20-minute HIIT to burn fat: the session step by step and what the science says
A timed 20-minute HIIT workout, at home or on a bike, plus the evidence: it cuts as much fat as steady cardio with about 40% less training time.
Start eating better today
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