🏋 one simple hack for bigger arms

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Here’s what we’ve got today:

• A strength athlete’s guide to losing belly fat

• Eccentric training for arm growth

• The PFAA asks CrossFit to oust Dave Castro

Weight Loss

Gut Punch

You know the health benefits associated with watching your weight, but if you’re a strength athlete or just love to move big weights in the gym, you might get nervous that losing some pounds around the midsection might come at the cost of some of your hard-earned power.

That's nothing to worry about because pragmatic methods to lose belly fat don't require drastic calorie deficits or serious lifestyle changes. Just like it took you years to build your strength, it will take time to shave down your waistline. But if you follow our guide to weight loss for strength athletes, you can keep lifting heavy and be healthier doing it.

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Training Tips

Ups and Downs

You’ve probably heard all about the beauty of partial reps and forced reps, but have you ever tried concentrating on eccentric training to grow your arms?

When it comes to biceps curls, we call the “down” portion of the lift the eccentric phase (or the negative). For the triceps push-down, the “up” phase is eccentric. Think of it as the “opposite” direction you’re lifting in. Your body may have gotten used to concentric training, but if you’ve never experienced the rush of blood that comes with prolonged negatives, your arms are in for a treat.

Accentuating the eccentric can be a great slump-buster when your arms have stalled in size and strength. This one tiny modification exponentially increases your time under tension, overloading the muscle and filling it to a maximum pump. Try a fresh approach, and keep some measuring tape handy to track your progress.

CrossFit

The PFAA Sounds Off

On the afternoon of August 20, 2024, the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association (PFAA) demanded that the Director of the CrossFit Games, Dave Castro, “be removed from his position in [CrossFit’s] Sport Team.”

The news was delivered directly to CrossFit CEO Don Faul at 1 p.m. PT.

Two other demands the PFAA made to Faul this afternoon included:

• “An appropriate level of transparency between CrossFit and the PFAA regarding their 3rd party investigation as to the death of Lazar Dukic and subsequent changes made to protect all athletes going forward.”

• “CrossFit creates an independent safety team to liaise with the PFAA on an ongoing basis.”

Everything Else

Band Together

• Mini-bands can lead to major developments in shoulder mobility (let’s be honest, you need to improve here). Develop the stability and range of motion you need with these stretchy wonders of the world.

• You may be unlikely to cold plunge right in the middle of your workout, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a rampant, ear-shattering debate online about whether it should come before or after your five sets of five. Decide for yourself after you learn the facts.

• Watch this 19-year-old deadlift a staggering 881 pounds!